[Elecraft] K3 #272 QRV in style

[Don Rasmussen]

Having used all my stored patience getting the K3
built and receiving on Sunday, the KPA3 100 watts was
the next order of the evening for tonight. 

It went enjoyably as usual, but all the PA connectors
take quite a bit of physical force and you really need
to support the RF board carefully to keep it from an
over flex condition.

Press -real- hard, support the board from the bottom,
and don't zap it with static while doing it. ;-)

I pressed from the bottom with a folded up anti static
bag under my fingers.

I put the K3 on a 40 meter dipole at 30 feet, used 75
watts, and put out call number one (ever), and hooked
up with K2A/KH6 at 7.054. Max gave me a 599 from
Hawaii. 

This radio is just a pleasure to the senses, sounds
great, feels great, the pictures don't do it justice. 

I'd suggest that "by the book" is the only way to go
with this transceiver, -everything- has been thought
of, but you really need to follow the plan to the
letter.

For example, the front panel has 4 main standoffs, all
5/16ths long but 2 are drilled at 2-56 and 2 are 4-40.


I can't see the difference between those sizes myself
but you need to take the time to know that there are 4
in the process, compare them against each other, then
mount them where they go - specifically.

All round head screws go on the bottom, flat head on
the top - all teeny tiny and look remarkably the same
to me. Building RC helicopters put your head in the
right frame of mind for getting all this tiny work
just right. There are lots of parts that should not be
forced and many screws that should not be over
torqued.  

I'd suggest to most anyone that does not have real
good finger tip skills, fairly sharp eyesight and a
good selection of miniature tools - to just to buy the
factory assembled unit. The radio itself is THAT good.

Having it built by the book by the people who created
it is, IMHO, worth every cent they charge and it ought
to be more. ;-)

YMMV

de wb8yqj