[Elecraft] K2 and the ARRL 160m Contest

[Earl W Cunningham]

Condx were not the best to the east coast from here during the ARRL
160-meter contest.  Either an RF curtain was unfurled just east of W8 or
the big snowstorm there was the problem.  Signals south of W2 were ok,
with some BIG signals from the Caribbean and South America.  The opening
to JA was good on Saturday morning, but nil from there on Sunday.

I used my IC-756pro2 Friday night/Saturday morning in the contest because
I didn't want to have my K2's key clicks bothering anyone in the contest.
 However, Elecraft chose me to be a field tester for the upcoming K2
click mod and I completed the mod Saturday.

Before the mod, my K2's clicks were +/-1500 Hz and after the mod they are
less than +/-200 Hz, a remarkable improvement!

I used the K2 (with KPA100) in the contest Saturday night and it
performed flawlessly while driving my Alpha 76CA to 1kw.  No one appeared
to have any trouble copying my "softer" CW signal at 30-35 wpm.  The K2
will now be my prime contest rig.

Many clicky signals were heard during the contest.  I know that most of
these are unmodified FT-1000MP/MK V/Fields (+/-2500 Hz!!), but when I
heard K2-user N0TT, I purposely tuned across his signal to measure his CW
bandwidth.  Sure enough, greater than +/-1000 Hz!.  Tom, when the mod is
released, make sure you get the mod kit.

The mod is easy, and I hope all of you K2 users get the mod kit when it's
released.because there's no sense in occupying 3 kHz of bandwidth when
you're on CW, even with QRP.

73, de Earl, K6SE