[Elecraft] Where's the KX1 feedback?

Fri Oct 31 18:05:00 2003

Ah, George, the KX1 is a CUTE little rig to operate. I've run a lot of =
QRP
and QRPp over the years and this little rig is the easiest I've used =
yet.
The ATU makes loading up a breeze: "Brrrup", it reports the SWR and =
you're
ready to go.=20

Almost any time I've had a couple of minutes to fire it up, I've had a =
QSO
or two. Last night 40 sounded very quiet and the few signals I could =
hear
showed lots of the effects of the CME from the Sun. I called CQ near =
7040
and worked QRP, HF Pack and portable operating expert Bonnie Crystal, =
KQ6XA
running QRP 600 miles away. I don't know what it is... "mojo" is as good =
a
name as any... but little rigs like the KX1 just seem draw out =
interesting
ops at interesting stations.=20

The tuning scheme is very nice and while it doesn't have the 'feel' of =
my
K2, it's one of the best tuning little radios I've ever seen.. Linear =
action
with an optical encoder, easy to read display, wide frequency coverage =
and
STABLE! It's certainly the smallest "full-featured" CW rig that I've =
seen.
The constantly-adjustable xtal filter is GREAT! I wish I could adjust my =
K2
filter bandwidth with a front-panel control like that.=20

Even though my KX1 is Serial Number 0004, I'm still waiting on my paddle =
kit
(I built mine while working on the assembly manual and didn't have time =
to
get busy with the accessories until now) but it doesn't matter what I =
think
of the paddles, it's a winner of a little rig.=20

What's it missing that I'd like to see?=20

A noise blanker. But that's an issue only in Urban areas. I do have some
noise that crops up in my neighborhood from time to time that the K2's =
noise
blanker makes disappear, but which makes a mess of the band on the KX1.=20

More bands? I almost never work QRP above 20 meters and putting up a =
decent
portable antenna on 80 or 160 is a bit of a challenge. Besides, the laws =
of
physics would require a much larger case to contain an ATU with the =
range of
inductances needed to tune 80 meters. I'd rather have it small with a
built-in ATU covering the three bands I work 95% of the time anyway -
40-30-20 meters. It does that FB.

Now, I'll NEVER recommend that someone buy a KX1 instead of a K2 for =
Home
Station rig unless the home station has to fit in one's pocket. But for =
a
portable rig, it's a beaut!=20

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] =
[mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of George Winship
Sent: Friday, October 31, 2003 8:31 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Elecraft] Where's the KX1 feedback?

Hi Gang,

I just scanned all the postings about the KX1, but didn't see anything =
about
people actually using them. How do you  like the KX1?  Is it as much fun =
to
operate as it looks? What do you think about the paddles? What kind of
antennas are you using?  What kind of situations have you used it in =
that
you would have otherwise not tried?

Are you having so much fun that you don't have the time to post your
comments? :>)

73,

George, NC5G  K2/100 _______________________________________________
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