[Elecraft] K3 Versatility

[Dave Yarnes]

I had some fun last evening on 40 CW.  I ran across two stations sending 
much, much faster than I can copy, but my K3 code reader solved that!  It 
was W4NPX and W6WXZ using keyboards to go at each other at about 50 wpm. 
When one took a bathroom break, I broke in to inquire about the speed they 
were using.  50 wpm was the answer, and I was quickly included in the QSO. 
50 wpm is a blur to me, but 40 is my upper limit.  So, I went a couple of 
rounds with them, using the K3 decoder to copy, and sending at about 30 wpm. 
I'm impressed with the K3's code reader, and I was getting about 95% of what 
W4NPX was sending.  W6WXZ was about the same until the QSB got him.  The 
K3's decoder does very well, even at that speed, as long as the code is sent 
"by the book".  I just wasn't getting much by ear, but the K3 was getting 
just about everything.  It's amazing to me how 40 wpm is a speed I can get 
most of, but 50 wpm is a speed I can get basically none of!  Point is 
though, that the K3 CW decoder is pretty darn good.  It doesn't like QSB 
(obviously), and it can be thrown off track by noise.  Nonetheless, I'm 
impressed with it's accuracy at the high speeds as long as the signal is 
stable.

So tell me, what other transceiver can do this?????


Dave W7AQK