[Elecraft] Contesting with a k2

Mon Sep 8 16:31:06 2003

One other comment about "dual" receive. Besides 40M phone, I find it very
useful when working dx split. Now I can listen to where the dx is working
folks. Sure makes it a lot easier. In addition, there are "dual " receivers
and then there are other "dual" receivers. Most Icoms are monaural
receivers - You hear both vfo's in both ears. Most Kenwoods and Yaesus are
stereo receivers. With stereo you can listen to the dx station in one ear
and the pileup in the other ear. It helps keep your sanity a little bit
longer.
Will be trying the K2 at WP2Z for CQWW SSB test in October. Anxious to see
how it does.
#3481
N2TK, Tony

-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
[mailto:[email protected]]On Behalf Of Rick Tavan
Sent: Monday, September 08, 2003 15:34
To: [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Contesting with a k2

If you operate only CW contests (as any self-respecting gentleman or
lady should do), then the lack of dual simultaneous receive is
irrelevant. Split frequency operation in CW contests is vanishingly rare
and if you encounter it, you can still use a dual-VFO, single receiver
rig like the K2. You just can't listen to both frequencies at once. I
can't recall the last time I encountered it, anyway.

If you operate SSB DX contests (as I do on occasion, under team
pressure, but with at least tongue-in-cheek misgivings), then split
operation is very important on 40m where US hams are restricted to
transmit SSB above 7150 while hams outside the Americas are restricted
to transmit (all modes) below 7100. Many South Americans transmit down
there, too. The only way to communicate is split frequency. The CQing
station announces a listen frequency, you go there and call. It is bad
practice to call in the blind, so you should listen first. It is most
productive to call on the frequency used by the CQer's previous contact,
so you should listen continuously, keeping your transmitter on the most
likely spot. You can try to do this by hopping back and forth between
two VFO frequencies, but you will lose your sanity rapidly. (Some would
say you lost it when you entered the SSB contest, but I've done enough
SSB-bashing for this email.) So dual simultaneous receive is the way to go.

Even with dual-receive split operation, 40M SSB DX contacts are tough
and call for good antennas, high power, skill and patience. In some
contests, they are barely worth it and many well equipped hams make a
very small percentage of QSOs there. You have to decide what it is worth
for you. I use an FT-1000MP for 40M SSB because it is worth it for me. I
prefer the K2 on CW. See my review in NCJ or on the Elecraft Web site.

73,

/Rick N6XI

[email protected] wrote:

>Hi folks -
>I'd like to hear a little feedback from those of you who may do heavy duty
contesting with a K2. I did read the contestor's article a short while back.
I am not a contestor but I am slowly getting the desire to try. The most
common observation I've heard about our K2's in casual conversation is that
no dual (as in sumultaneous like the 756ProII) receive and no manual notch
is a negative for a contest type. If you are an experienced contestor -
could you please share your own impressions of those comments? I don't see
those as the slightest problem - but maybe the contesting environment really
makes a difference?
>
>

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