[Elecraft] Just how good is the K2?

[George, W5YR]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dan Presley" <dpresley1@comcast.net>
To: "George, W5YR" <w5yr@att.net>
Cc: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 11:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just how good is the K2?


> Hey George-thanks for the kind words! To those who may not know, I
> believe George is currently leading ( or very close!) in the QRP-L
> foxhunt contest on 40M ( every Tuesday night ((Wed 0200-0400 UTC)
> 7038-42 +/-. He is a great operator, so I listen closely when he
> speaks.

Dan, if we aren't careful this will turn into a mutual admiration thing!
Anyway, thanks for the kind words again. I have been almost lucky this Fox
Hunt season - couldn't hear the Fox (K5TR) near Austin, TX so missed that
one. But, as the man said, "It ain't over 'til it's over!"

>   George, I think what is different about the K2 is the design and use
> as compared to other rigs. What I mean ( for me) is that it may not
> have all of the filtering tools that other rigs might have, but what
> it does have is the ability to hear the signals in its passband a lot
> clearer and cleaner, which for my ears makes it much easier to pick
> out one signal even if there's another very close by. I know it sorta
> fights the logic we've all used for many years-that what is essential
> is to attain 'single-signal' performance out of our rigs, but what I
> see has happened with a lot of the rigs out there is the ability to
> filter out the signal, but by the time you do this and 're-process'
> it, so to speak,it's lost a lot of clarity and in some cases it's so
> hard to actually copy it that what might have been gained in reducing
> qrm is ultimately a negative result.With the K2 it doesn't bother me
> nearly as much if there's a close signal because it's so much easier
> and quicker to pull out the one I want, and with a lot less
> fatigue.The filtering ( I use the KAF2) is still awfully good, and by
> the time I kick the regular plus audio filters in I really wouldn't
> want much beyond that. The signals pop right out and it's a real
> pleasure even under fairly intense qrm.

Dan, you are making more and more sense. I need to really start listening
carefully with the K2 - even in its present pre-mods state - and see what I
can hear. I have noticed a different sound to the K2 when I play both it and
the PRO2 through the same external audio system. I also need to re-calibrate
and realign the filter settings, etc. Thanks for motivating me to revisit
the little grey box!

It is interesting to note that your postive informative notes about your
experience with the K2 has had a more motivating effect on me re the K2 than
all the argumentative postings and a couple of private nasties. I think that
mutual respect plays a role as well.

> Try this for fun-on the night of the next foxhunt ( Tuesday local
> date) after you bag your pelts, fire up the K2 and pretend you're the
> fox and try to see how quickly you can pick out the calls.

I'll do that! I usually spend all my time listening to the Foxii and hear
the pack only when trying to find the Hound currently being worked and
deciding whether the Fox will tune up, down or not at all!  <:} You should
have a 1:3 chance of being right, but I usually find that most Foxii tend to
move the dial after an exchange so they can tune up or down through the pack
looking for a call they can copy.

 This is
> also a good practice skill for dx'ing and contesting in general (for
> those who may not know about the foxhunts, drop me an email an I'll
> forward to you the info).I first tried this before my turn as a 'fox'
> a couple of seasons ago to see how the K2 would stack up. I had been
> trying just about every rig I could get my hands on because I was
> having a lot of trouble as a fox picking out stations. I
> thought,'well, middle age/bad hearing/ slow brain/ poor propagation/
> lack of sleep must be the cause ( and they still take a toll!) so I
> gave a go to various rigs to see what would help.I had built a bunch
> of Wayne's kits before ( NC 40, Sierra,SST) and always liked them, so
> it wasn't a hard sell to go for the K2 just for fun value, but boy
> was I surprised at how well it performed compared to the big buck
> rigs.
>   A great deal of this is also personal preference and what an
> operator is used to. A really good op will always be able to wring
> out a strong performance on a less than optimum rig because they
> learn how to use it  to best advantage.I think of the K2 as giving
> middle of the road guys like me a real edge.

Well, Dan, if you are a "middle of the road" guy, I don't think I could
handle much more!   <:}

 George, if you tweak
> that K2 and go with it, the rest of us don't stand a chance !:)

Tweaking coming right up!

Thanks, Dan . . .

73, George W5YR
w5yr@att.net