[Elecraft] Should I get a KDSP2?

[Steven Pituch]

Hi All,
Ok, I know I've said this before, but I am now _really_ getting ready to
upgrade my K2 (#402).  Honestly, I don=92t know how it could be better, =
but
others have said so.  My K2 acquitted itself in the last Foxhunt, and I
haven't had a lick of trouble with this thing in, what, 5 years, I =
guess.

So besides ordering all the mods, I am now trying to determine whether =
the
KDSP2 can really help me.  My only experience with audio DSP was an MFJ =
784B
and I can honestly say that after many hours of testing it, that when =
using
it, it never got me a contact that I could have gotten without it.  But =
this
analysis was done with a KNWD TS-850 with a 270 Hz IF filter.  The =
TS-850
filtering was so inferior to the K2 that I sold it.

Understand that when I used the 784B and the TS-850, it was for =
in-the-mud
QRP signals in the early days of the QRP  Foxhunts. The very worst =
workable
weak QRM'd 40 meter signals imaginable.  So maybe a DSP works better =
with
stronger signals but then I wouldn't need a DSP.  So if I am looking for
help for improving intelligibility for these kind of contacts, perhaps =
DSP
noise reduction might not be that effective, but what about narrowing =
the
bandwidth?  I typically use the K2 at 100 Hz wide setting which seems to =
be
a good approximately 175 Hz wide filter to me, much better than the 270 =
Hz
on the TS-850.  But if the signals were in the mud (at about the noise
level), would it help me copy more characters?  Would the KAF2 be just =
as
effective?  Or since I like the rig, should I just do the A to B =
revision
mods for now?

Eventually I hope to get the 100 W tuner and amp in the separate =
enclosure,
and do some traffic handling work (and Heaven forbid - actually use a
microphone).  The KDSP2 might actually help with this.  Any advice is
appreciated.

Confused in Corpus Christi,
Steve Pituch, W2MY

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