[Elecraft] K3 YAKY

[Jeff Wandling W7BRS]

Yet Another K3 Yarn

It was dark snowy night last winter, 2007 and I was staying warm in the 
shack by the glow of my SB-200 and the propane heater in the corner 
rag chewing on the NW 10m net.  The snow flakes were just piling up on the 
ham shack and the nondeterminsitic pings and clicks from the propane 
heater were the only ambient noise above the dull whrr of the amp.

A fellow remarked that he was selling his Pro2 and was going to roll up 
the proceeds with that and other things to get his K3.  I was interested 
in the Pro2 because I got to play a little with it at his shack a few 
weeks prior.

Then the twisted idea popped in my head, why don't I get a K3?  So after 
pacing around the shack, I pressed submit on my order.  Oh dear God what 
have I done.  Oh well.

Then as I waited and read, I began to wonder, "what Have I done?"

The K3 review came out in QST and it was glowing, of course. I've hardly 
seen a bum review.  It was excruciating to wait, then the devil hopped up 
on my shoulder and told me lies.  He told me that the radio wasn't ready 
and the firmware was spaghetti and on and on.  I pulled the plug on the 
order probably just before Katie was ready to put the postit note on my 
box "ship it baby".

I had become hooked on CW and part of the reason for getting the K3 was 
the built in decoder.  I knew I could get Mighty Fine Junk decoder for a 
lot less than a K3 (hi hi) but it would be built into the rig!  It was 
just the ticket for me to keep up copy as I learned.

Then another addiction got me, amatuer satellites.  I built up a modest 
satellite station in between my regular HF rig equipment and noticed that 
CW was really essential for working some of the birds, especially that old 
girl AO-7.

So CW did it.  I replaced my order for the K3 and ignored the mailing list 
until recently.  Luckily for me, the delay was shortened and I got my 
Katie Gram.

Now I'm just a few hours away from giving Katie the green light to ship 
my K3/100, KAT3, and KFL3-18 filter.  I could add one more filter 
probably, maybe a  narrow one for CW?  I should, shouldn't I?

Oh this is going to be fun.

-jeff
W7BRS