[Elecraft] K3s in WPX CW at P40L

[J. Edward (Ed) Muns]

Three K3s, two with KRX3s, performed flawlessly in our P40L multi-two
operation at P40L in WPX this past weekend.  We also used an Icom 756 ProII
as the fourth radio.  The two operating stations were set up with a K3/KRX3
at the main TX position.  A second K3 (or ProII) was slaved to the PTT line
of each K3/KRX3 for versatility of having two operators on each position. 
Usually, this second radio was on the same band using another antenna such
as the Beverage system.  Sometimes we moved an unused Yagi to this second
radio so other bands could be checked (and band maps created) beyond the two
bands we were operating on.  In addition the second op could use the KRX3 on
the main radio.

First of all, conditions in Aruba this weekend seemed to be
uncharacteristically inferior to most other parts of the world.  Most of the
time signals were right at the noise level and the superiority of the K3
receiver really made a difference in letting us make at least some
contacts.  Two of our four operators had never used a K3.  Three of us had
never used the Win-Test software and the fourth was only a very recent
user.  Finally, all the towers and antennas were new replacements done just
following my SOHP effort in WPX RTTY in February.  Part of the motivation
for this trip was to put some finishing touches on that work.

We generally rotated each of us through all four operating positions on
2-hour shifts.  Everyone had about equal amounts of running (the little that
this was possible!), searching and pouncing and running the “partner” radio
to support the main op on each position.  There were four networked
computers, one on each radio, so each of the four ops could interact with
Win-Test as either a main op or a partner op.

1. Not long into the contest, most of us avoided using the ProII because the
K3 was so much more pleasant to listen with.  (This is not meant to slam the
ProII, because it is an excellent radio.  But, side-by-side the K3 is
clearly preferred.) 
2. Typically, the four of us all had different views of AFX.  I used it
exclusively at DELAY 5, as I have been since early field test.  Another op
found it so different that he had to turn it off.  “It was spooky having the
signals seem like they were all over the room.  It felt like ‘surround
sound’ and I kept looking around to see where the sound was coming from!” 
Another (new to the K3) op really liked AFX, but only at the DELAY 2
position because DELAY 5 was “too much” diversity. 
3. We often just paralleled the two sets of headphones with a simple
Y-adapter cable into the Phones jack.  Both ops then heard exactly the same
audio, whether that was AFX on the MAIN RX or stereo MAIN/SUB.  Mostly, the
partner op was helping pull call signs and exchanges out of the noise and
occasional pileups.  Win-Test provides a way for him to enter call signs and
serial numbers into a Partner window setup next to the main QSO entry window
in both PCs so the main op could easily grab (one key stroke) a call sign
from the stack into the entry window and send the exchange to the caller. 
4. With the partner op on the right, it was very effective for the two ops
to run one K3.  For example, the main op could be running (well, in our case
CQing and SOMETIMES running!) while the partner op tuned up and down the
same band in between transmissions to find unworked stations.  (Or to jump
to new stations on the band map fed from the Packet Cluster, although it was
just as easy for the run op to use Win-Test capability to quickly jump to a
bandmap entry, work it and jump back to the run frequency using Alt-f4). 
Both ops had the Main in their left ear and the Sub in their right ear.  As
experienced SO2R ops, they were used to this dual audio and when a new
station was available on the Sub, the main op could simply tap A<>B, drop
“P40L” on the CQer, work him, tap A<>B again and resume CQing back on our
own run frequency.  In fact, it was very natural for either op to tap
buttons on the K3 during these operations, working very effectively in
tandem.

This is an excellent use case for a single op in a single band contest such
as the 160 meter contests or the 10-meter contest.  The exceptional dual
receive in the K3 provides outstanding ability to simultaneously run (CQ on
a single frequency) and search & pounce the same band.  Typically, the
operator has to alternate between these two modes, wasting time to
re-establish a run frequency after each cycle and not taking advantage of
parallel operation.

For the SO1R operator, the KRX3 can be used to check other bands while
running on one band to determine when to QSY.  This is accomplished by
setting VFO = IND and using different antennas and probably bandpass
filters/stubs on the K3 TX. 
5. Already mentioned was the outstanding weak signal reception of the K3. 
Since there weren’t a lot of pileups, we don’t have extensive feedback on
that capability although it has been significantly improved via the hardware
AGC mod made since pre ~SN 200 K3s.  There were a number of pileups,
however, where some signals could not be separated, and it wasn’t clear if
that was due to them being so closely zero-beat, or if the AGC was
deteriorating copy.  I don’t think any of us turned off the AGC and just
used the RF GAIN control as the Ducie team did.  We did run with the RF GAIN
backed off most of the time, though.  I suspect we didn’t have the AGC
optimized (or simply turned off) enough for the pileup conditions. 
Nonetheless, we had a 300+ QSO rate in the first hour between the two K3s on
40 and 20 when the pileups were horrendous.  Not bad. 
6. On 40 and 80 we used our six Beverage antenna system on receive
exclusively.  Last year we added the K9AY 8-Beverage switch box which allows
both operating positions (or a SO2R setup) to select any combination of the
installed Beverages.  The biggest advantage is in geographically “splitting”
the pileups by favoring NA or EU. 
7. Although not used to any extent during the contest, I played with
listening to the MAIN & SUB in stereo with a 1-5 Hz offset to create another
kind of stereo effect that was interesting.  Mostly, it was on the same
antenna, but also using the TX and RX antennas separately.  I think the
diversity fans are going to have a ball with the KRX3. 
8. I modified a couple of MFJ-640 boxes (2-radio audio selector boxes for
one set of stereo headphones) to do the reverse function.  That is, the
modified boxes allowed switching the MAIN and SUB audio streams between two
sets of headphones (each in MONO) or with MAIN and SUB in stereo for both
sets of headphones.  This effort really begs a much more flexible audio
switching system either within the K3 or via an external box like this. 
Ideally, for a multi-op partnering situation we’d like to be able to pipe
the MAIN and SUB arbitrarily into any of the four earphones, using AFX on
the MAIN and/or SUB and independent between the two ops.  This is physically
not possible within the K3 given the current audio design.  As Lyle politely
reminded me, “you Focus Group guys didn’t offer this as a design spec back
when we might have been able to consider it!”  OK, guilty, but I personally
have a hard time imagining all the various use cases of this fine radio
using only my (feeble) brain.  Actually using the K3 brings out many more
potential features.  However, even if we had discussed this, I’m not sure it
would have been appropriate to complicate the audio stream switching within
the K3.  Probably for this multi-op case, an external switch box is
reasonable.  I expect that for the single op, the K3 will (eventually) have
firmware support for all the flexibility that makes sense.
9. One issue that bothered us was a “noisy” RIT control.  This is probably a
DSP issue (sorry, Lyle!) but whatever, there is a disturbing snap as the RIT
sequences through its offset steps.  This may already be on the bug list, I
don’t recall, but it definitely needs to be fixed.
10. Another issue, already on “The List”, is the inability to adjust many of
the controls during transmit.  This is VERY limiting in a contest
environment. 

BTW, it took me 2-1/2 hours to install the KRX3 following the excellent
draft manual.  It is a straightforward installation in principle, but more
complicated in reality.  As we’ve come to expect with Elecraft, the
mechanical and electrical design is amazingly elegant.  A real beauty and
now the K3, at almost ten pounds, is beginning to “feel like a real radio”! 
Prior to the KPA3, KRX3 and other options, it was just too lightweight to be
believable.

We all hand-carried our K3s and never had even a blink from TSA as they went
through the X-ray machines.  They could have been a pair of shoes.  I used
one of my new carry cases from Rose Kopp.  I had Rose add some Velcro and
additional D-rings to the back of each case so I can temporarily “stick”
them together and carry them through the boarding process as “one” carry-on
item.  Before and after, they can be quickly separated, each with their own
shoulder strap for more convenient transport.  This is a very slick system
and one I highly recommend for those traveling with two K3s.  If you think
this is excessive, consider that I also carry on three laptop computers
(with power modules, trackballs, PCMCIA Serial cards, etc.) at the same
time.

In summary, we never even considered that the KRX3 was “new” or being
“Beta-tested” because it simply worked flawlessly like it has been described
since the K3 introduction.  Despite none of us having used it (plus two of
us never having used the K3 at all) and all being new to Win-Test, the
enhanced radio was a joy to use with negligible learning curve.  A DX
contest operation or DXpedition is a tough challenge that the K3 readily
addresses.

Ed – W0YK/P49X