[Elecraft] K2/100 or K3/10?

[Solosko, Robert B (Bob)]

 Just to throw a little theory in here, the ability to extract
information from a signal in a noisy environment is a function of both
the signal level and the information rate of the signal. CW has a much
lower information rate than does SSB (as does PSK, for example), and
thus an SSB signal has to have a much higher signal level relative to
the noise than does a CW signal to be understood. The 10dB difference in
power that 100 watts provides over 10 watts doesn't quite make up the
difference in information rate between a CW signal and an SSB signal,
but it goes a long way to equalize the difference. Scaling this up, a
100 watt CW signal should be more or less as good a KW SSB signal in
terms of understandability in a noisy environment.

Bob W1SRB

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau Claire
Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 4:13 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2/100 or K3/10?

Another way to look at it is that 10 watts is 10 dB (about 1.5 S-units)
below 100 watts. 

That's enough to make a difference, but not a huge difference in who you
can work and when, especially on CW. SSB is perhaps a little more of a
challenge, but that might be because I'm a CW op too and only get on SSB
on rare occasions. 

Were I faced with that choice, I'd go for the 10 watt rig with more
potential for expansion and performance than the 100 watt rig. 

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
So, assuming it is one or the other, which do you think would be a
better choice for a CW operator who is mostly an east-coast rag chewer
with occasional DX chasing and light duty contesting?
 
I'm leaning toward the K3/10 since it can eventually be upgraded to 100
watts, but I wonder if 10 watts (3 dB more than QRP) is enough to keep
me happy for a year or so.
 
- Keith N1AS -

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