[Elecraft] K1 quick comparison to other rigs

Sun Mar 10 13:58:01 2002

At 12:54 PM 3/10/2002 -0500, you wrote:

I would think the biggest differences would be in signal to noise ratio, 
where the double or triple conversion receivers would have a higher noise 
floor caused by noise from mixer products and mixer noise than the K1 and 
K2 which are single conversion, as well as being more immune to IMD 
products caused by front end over load due to a higher dynamic range, and 
less IF overload from near frequency signals due to a narrower roofing 
filter.  There may be some improvement in synthesizer noise too.

>[email protected] wrote:
>
>>I just compared the K1 #690 receive sensitivity to
>>a Yaesu FT-817 and a Kenwood TS-570SG.  I used some weak signals (due to 
>>rotten antennas
>>most signals are weak here) and the Calibrated
>>Eardrum (okay, the S-meter, too).  The K1 receiver is, at least in 
>>theory, less robust than its "full-featured" brethren, yet IS EVERY BIT 
>>AS CAPABLE OF DIGGING OUT WEAK SIGNALS.  And I have heard the K2
>>receiver is significantly better; K2 #2537 awaits
>>assembly in the shack.
>>My question at this point is not so much "What is
>>Elecraft doing right?" but rather "What are Kenwood,
>>Yaesu, and Icom doing wrong?"  I expected the more
>>expensive receivers to be at least a bit more sensitive,
>>but are not, at least by my reckoning.
>
>
>Sensitivity of receivers is unlikely to be an issue for any reasonable 
>design for the HF bands. HF reception (especially with the preamp on) is 
>usually limited by band noise, not receiver noise. I would expect all your 
>radios, including your not-yet-built K2, to be just about equal there.
>
>The differennces show up in STRONG signal reception, not with weak 
>signals. That's where the K2 really shines. A naive guess is that your K1 
>would hold its own with the FT-817, and be slightly bested by the TS-570, 
>and that your K2, when completed, will handily defeat them all.
>
>
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73, Chas, W1CG