[Elecraft] K1 or KX1 ??? That is the question.

[Kevin Rock]

Whether 'tis nobler to bear the slings and arrows of outrageous 
propagation or with a kit end them?

You guys and all this talk of kit building is making my nose twitch and my 
fingers itchy.  The soldering station is ready, pad wet, and rosined 
solder to the fore.  Now which shall it be?  My stalwart K2/100 #2511 
works quite well each Sunday afternoon and each weekday morning for its 
various nets and skeds.  But I want another rig to carry with me on trips 
and campouts.  I am torn between the masters (read Wayne and Eric here) 
other two rigs.

The KX1 has great reports: heck I give them all the time during ECN.  They 
work quite well in the hands of the best (Ray, K2HYD and Rick, KL7CW 
please take a bow).  Seems like they can beat their way through pileups to 
get my attention ;)  I never truly believe them when they tell me 3 watts 
but it must be true.  I've even worked Wayne from the sandy shores of Lake 
Michigan while he was contesting with his KX1.  However, the K1 was shown 
to me by Karl, N7NLU during a contest where it worked admirably from our 
local park.  It had some very nice features which pull my attention away 
 from the KX1.  More bands are covered but it does not cover so broad a 
frequency range as the KX1 in each of them.  I also am not sure how well 
it may work during cross mode contacts.  But, the countersunk screws sure 
are enticing.  Once again in the hands of a master (read Ric, VE3XL with 
his late, lamented K1) it shines.

Some of you have solved this dilemma by building one of each.  I am fairly 
sure Wayne and Eric do not mind this solution.  Then there is the input of 
the holder of the purse strings.  How can one sneak another kit into the 
house without her approval?  What should I say when asked?  I know she'd 
send a nastygram to Elecraft in a minute if my heart is not pure and my 
reasoning sound.  What to do?  What to do?

Kevin (lost in the RF once again) KD5ONS


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