[Elecraft] The K2 and RTTY

[VR2BrettGraham]

K0WA asked:

>   Could somebody who has used the K2 on RTTY and PSK31 eludicate me 
> on their experience with the rig and the mode?

Compared to the other two rigs I use for RTTY operating
(mostly contests):

1. KPA gets warm pretty easily if you need more than
35 watts from it, especially if duty cycle goes up (say
a string of unanswered CQs).  Small fan is not enough,
especially if room temp warm to begin with.  Easy to
deal with, but so important must be mentioned.

2. The difference between where you transmit & where
you receive becomes a bit obvious when running on
the K2 - I use the RIT on the other rigs for the
occasional guy who comes back slightly off... on the
K2 the RIT is used all the time as everybody is
slightly off.  Nature-of-beast issue, tends to get you
when you forget & start calling others, who then do
not hear you so well as now you're the one slightly off.

3. Unless you can change the mark/space tones for
whatever does the RTTY stuff, you are not likely to be
able to set the K2's filters for say four increasingly
narrower BWs & be able to use those on all bands.
About 1 kc (displayed) is the limit on my K2.

4. By far & away the reason to use a rig with FSK on
RTTY (mentioned by K0WA, but snipped from above)
is the ability (on all the rigs I have, at least) to use the
rig's CW filters.  The Big Three's OEM filters are probably
a tad bit better than the K2's & if you have fitted
after-market filters then this difference is even greater.

Depending on how you operate, these points may or
may not be a concern & might not even be noticed.
None of my RTTY operation is "pedestrian" & I must
admit item #4 is very, very obvious & more than just
a bit annoying when combined with #3.

73, VR2BrettGraham