[Elecraft] Putting K2 #2622 thru its paces

[k6se@juno.com]

I enjoyed working some EU on 20m SSB last night.  Also worked 5B4/UA9MA
on Cyprus in a pileup on CW.

Today I compared the K2 receiver with my FT-1000MP for weak signal
detection on CW.  I did this same test four years ago, comparing the
FT-1000MP with a TS-830S, a TS-870S, an IC-775DSP, and an IC-756. 
Initially the FT-1000MP was stock, without the INRAD front-end mod.  Here
are those results:

1st place = TS-830S and TS-870S
2nd place = FT-1000MP
3rd place = IC-775DSP
4th place = IC-756

After installing the INRAD front-end mod in the FT-1000MP, it took over
1st place.

To achieve the best S/N ratio, the narrowest selectivity for each
receiver being tested was used, as follows:

FT-1000MP = 250/250 Hz xtal IF filters + 60 Hz DSP filter.
.
TS-830S = 250/200 Hz xtal IF filters + VBT tuned to approx 50 Hz
passband.

TS-870S = 50 Hz IF (radio is strictly DSP).

IC-775DSP = 250/250 Hz xtal IF filters + 80 Hz APF.

IC-756 = 250/250 Hz xtal IF filters + 80 Hz APF.

All tests were run with a quick-switch configuration using the 10-meter
beacon station in Long Beach, CA as the steady test signal.  The beam was
rotated so that the signal was barely detectable.

Today I did the same test with the K2 vs. the FT-1000MP.  The K2 now is
in 1st place.  With the beam rotated so that the signal is no longer
discernible on the FT-1000MP, it is still copiable on the K2.  This is
even with the improvement of having a 125 Hz xtal filter in the 2nd IF of
the FT-1000MP now.  During the test, the K2 was set at 0.10 kHz BW with
AF2 selected.

The other day I ran the same test on 160m using the third harmonic of a
local BC station on 610 kHz as the test signal (I can switch my 160m
array to make this steady signal quite weak).  Four years ago, the test
results with the other rigs were the same as on 10 meters (the FT-1000MP
being best).  Comparisons between the FT-1000MP and the K2 on 160 meters
show them to be equal in weak signal detection on that band.

73, de Earl, K6SE