[Elecraft] K3 noise-blanker

[Bill W4ZV]

info4mjs wrote:
> 
> I had both the K3 and Orion 2 in my shack. . .  Now, when W1AW is on the
> air (as well as some other QRO stations in my area....I live about 5 miles
> from W1AW) and contributes to the noise with IMD products, the O2 works
> better.  The O2 stayed and the K3 left.
> 


Barry N1EU wrote:
> 
> Hmmm . . .  I happen to have recently read WA1SEO's Orion2 review on eham. 
> He reported spending just "a couple of hours behind a K3"  and he was a
> fairly new owner of the Orion2 at that time.  I'm sure Mike heard what he
> heard, but his report is clearly anecdotal, rather than definitive.
> 
> I don't understand K3 bashing after just a couple of hours of use.  To say
> the Orion(2) is more refined and more finished than the K3 is certainly a
> stretch in my eyes, after 4.5 years on the Orion.  
> 
> All that being said, I actually think they're both very good radios.  
> 

Barry caused me to go read WA1SEO's Orion 2 review:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5564 (4th one down):

Comments on the K3:

###########################################
"The K3 was OK but didn’t handle my QTH’s issues as well as the Orion 2. (I
live within 5 miles of W1AW, have several QRO stations within 2 miles, and
have very strong signals from local AM broadcast stations, in addition to
the locally generated RFI from various appliances.) The K3 didn’t feel as
refined (functionally and mechanically) as the Orion 2. A comparably
equipped K3 sans panoramic display will cost over $3700, which is
significantly more than my used O2 cost.

Ultimately, I made my decision because I assumed the Orion 2 was a finished
product and it worked well. I believe the K3 is a work in progress that will
probably work at my QTH someday, but not right now."
###########################################

Based on the Feb 24th date of this review and his comments about the K3's
strong signal overload, my guess is he may have had a pre-S/N 211 K3 (sans
hardware AGC mod announced publicly on March 27 with the mod implemented in
production units approximately mid-January).

Orion is indeed an excellent radio, but I configured my K3 for what I needed
at ~$2.5k.  This includes a Sub RX that has identical RF performance to the
Main RX and which will allow true phase-locked diversity.  Orion has neither
of these features which is why I sold my 4 year old Orion in favor of the
K3.  I also believe the K3's firmware is well ahead of where Orion was at
the same stage of its product life cycle (6 months after 1st shipments). 
Also, the addition of a $200 LP-PAN and $100 sound card will give a
panadaptor rivaling Flex-Radio's (since they both use the same PowerSDR
software).

73,  Bill  W4ZV

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