[Elecraft] k2 audio power

[edfinn1 at verizon.net]

All,

I am just returning from a mountaintop weekend running the June QSO party in a multi-op environment.  The k2 I supplied for the 222 station worked great, but there were several complaints, and I will be attempting to fix these before it's next excursion into this environment.

The main complaint from all operators was audio power.  There are 2 stations in the truck, and it is noisy with all of the amplifier fans and other local qrm. The volume knob on the k2 was never set below 3/4 to full for the entire weekend.  When we used a second op for logging and "Y'ed" the headphones it was definitely at full throttle. 

I will at least add an external audio amp, but an internal mod would be good because I think it would be usefull even at home.

There were other complaints too, but minor in nature.  Manual PTT for cw being one of the other problems.  With all of the external sequencing required for transverters and preamps and power amps, it would really be nice if the k2 would switch to tx when I pounce on the footswitch in cw.

Other than that we pulled out the weak ones!  Also, the agc off function was used well to make a couple of meteor contacts on 222.  Lots of nice pings overnight.

Ed wa3drc