[Elecraft] selling other radios in favor of a K2

[Fred Jensen]

John Shadle wrote:
> Hi all,
> I know that some of you have sold (or are planning to sell) your K2 in 
> favor of the new K3, but I was wondering if you have sold other radios 
> in favor of a K2 in the past.

I have not.
> 
> I have an IC-735 (1980s 100w HF radio), a FT-817 (QRP HF radio), and a 
> few VHF/UHF rigs. I want to pick up a K2, but I'm not sure if I will be 
> really missing out on something if I get rid of my other rigs.
> 
> Do any of you have thoughts on the subject?

Hi John [and the rest of the list]

FWIW:  I have a TS-850 for HF and an FT-847 I use mainly on VHF/UHF and 
as a general coverage radio, and I used to use it in RTTY contests.  I 
started with Elecraft building a K2 [and a little later a KX1 to take 
with us on a Panama Canal cruise in 2005].  I later purchased a KAT100 
and KPA100 from another ham.  I use my K2 a lot, often in the field with 
the QRP top.  The K2 RX runs circles around the 850, especially when 
KF6T and WX6V are running HP in a contest ... they're less than 2 miles 
from me.  However, I didn't want my K2 tied closely into the station 
because I like to grab it and the Buddipole and head for a nearby 
campground or park during the good weather.  And, other than the IMD 
from my two contesting buddies, I like the 850, it has a countable 
number of knobs and buttons [and zero menu items], and I've learned to 
use maybe half of them pretty well.

I finally moved my RTTY contesting to the K2 because of the filters -- 
the 847 has no choices and you can't shut off the AGC, so a strong 
adjacent signal made the weak new mult I was trying to work just 
disappear.  I just ordered a K3.  When I get it, I will sell the TS-850. 
  For me, my K2 is more of a "special radio" than a "shack radio."  The 
K3 will become my main shack radio [not that it won't be "special" too 
:-) ]  I didn't get the gen coverage option since I have the 847.

I would guess that a K2 would pretty much duplicate your FT-817 except I 
think the K2 RX would edge out the Yaesu.  With the KPA100, it *could* 
replace the IC-735 as a shack radio if you're not into "grab and go" 
field operations.  I've seen the K3 twice, and lifted it once.  It could 
be a field radio, however I think the power drain would make that 
difficult without a generator.  It would make a truly slick HF mobile. 
I get all the hamming in the field I can handle in a day on a 12 Ah SLA 
with my K2 @ 5W.

YMMV

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7
- www.cqp.org