[Elecraft] k2/100 question presale

Wed Oct 9 12:12:05 2002

I am considering a k2 soon.  After I sell some more stuff.  Also
considering the kpa/100 option.

I am unclear from what I have read, how one switches from the standard
k2 to the 100 configuration.  How is this accomplished?

Gary Lee
Ball State University
765-285-1310
-------------------------

You simply swap covers. Six screws and  couple of plug-in cables. Of
course, if you just want to run QRP, you just turn down the power. At 10
watts the KPA100 amp automatically shuts off and you are running the K2
"barefoot" as a QRP rig. But if you want to use the K2 as a
full-featured QRP rig complete with the QRP automatic antenna tuner
installed and perhaps the internal battery option and even the computer
interface, you swap the covers. All of that stuff fits in the basic K2
cover. The 100 watt amp fits in a "replacement" cover. The amp has the
KIO2 interface built into it, so if you are using a computer connection
you won't lose it by changing the configuration from QRP to QRO. 

So, put on the QRP cover and you have a QRP K2 complete with (if you
bought them) an ATU, Battery and computer interface. Put on the QRO
cover and you have a 100 watt K2. 

A 100 watt automatic antenna tuner is "in the works" but it will be an
external box. 

What may be causing a little confusion is that some ops don't want to
swap covers. So they mounted the amplifier in a separate enclosure that
Elecraft sells (the EC-2). Elecraft is prohibited by FCC rules from
selling the amp this way, but it's a simple mod that most Hams can do to
make it work in the external enclosure. There's info about doing that on
the Elecraft website (www.elecraft.com) and I'm sure many ops here will
be all to glad to give you details of their installation. That way, you
can simply plunk your QRP self-contained portable K2 down on the
operating desk and plug it in to make a fully-functional 100 watt
station without swapping covers. 

It may be that the KAT100 (the 100 watt automatic antenna tuner) can be
made to fit in the same external enclosure as the amplifier. Everyone
interested is waiting on the edge of their seats for the ATU to start
shipping in a few weeks. That would make a nice, tidy, portable and
fixed station K2 setup. 

Ron AC7AC
K2 # 1289