[Elecraft] Very good radio K3 - #845

[Roland Guidry]

I received my K3 Serial #845 factory assembled last Tuesday, May 6 and have
been learning and operating it daily. I downloaded the latest firmware
versions before beginning to use the radio. I ran into two problems that
were resolved easily and have had nothing but success with this radio in all
modes of CW, SSB and RTTY. I have a Microham MicroKeyer II attached to the
radio. I had also ordered the second receiver, but decided to bypass that
for the moment. I will try using this radio on split mode before I decide on
the second receiver for the future.
 
I am using a Heil PR-40 microphone with the Heil Kenwood adapter, running no
bias of course and Mic Sel = FP.H and TxG VCE = 1.0, Mic Gain = 15 CMP = 0.
Audio reports on this baby have just been fantastic. I only adjusted two
parts of the TX Equalizer, 100 = -16 and 2.40 - +10 for my voice. All other
settings are ZERO. Everyone who knows my voice and some are audiophiles,
agree that the audio is superb. I am getting peak power on SSB that is near
100 watts and it easily drives my ACOM 2000a amplifier. I do not run the
microphone through the MicroKeyer, but run it directly to the front of the
radio.
 
RTTY was easy to setup with Microkeyer, just had to adjust the pitch control
for 2125 Mark.
 
CW is very very good. I am an occasional CW operator, but using the 400 hz
roofing filter and using the DSP filter to drop it to as low as 50 hz for
the first time was a blast. No QRM, no Ringing that my ears could tell. Tone
has nice sound to it. My first station worked was in Australia on 80M with a
80m vertical running 100 watts. They gave me a true 57, while I was coping
them 44.
 
There is practically no QRN source that I can't remove with either the DSP
NB or IF NB. I have had to try both method on some local noise sources to
get the best results. None of that was ever possible with my Pro 3 or Orion
II. And, NR works!
 
As a previous owner of a Yaesu FT-1000MP, Pro 2, Orion II and a Pro 3, this
is definitely the best radio I have used thus far. 
 
I will post a preview on eHam when I have had the radio for a longer period,
but just using the radio these past days has been a blast. Hope to work you
on the bands. Look for me at Dayton for an eyeball QSO!
 
73, de Roland NA5Q
 
K3 #845
 
K3/100-F
KAT3=F
KFL3A-6K
KFL3A-2.7K
KFL3A-1.0K
KFL3A-400
KTCXO3-1
KXV3
 
Backordered KFL3A-2.8K and KFL3A-1.8K