[Elecraft] K3 - Purchase Recommendations??

[Don Wilhelm]

Chuck,

If you are going to get "hot and heavy" into SSB contests, then yes, the 
1.8 kHz filter is a good choice.  The 1.5 would be even better in really 
tight situations.
However, you said you were just returning to ham radio - so it may be 
that you just want to 'get your feet wet' in contests at first.  If that 
is the case, then you may want to defer the decision on the 1.5 or 1.8 
kHz filter.  The DSP bandwidth control is normally adequate until you 
have close in stations with S-9 +40 dB signal strength at the front end 
of your K3 - those will create some pumping of the Hardware AGC, and 
that is what the more narrow roofing filters will help with.  So if you 
can tolerate that condition for a while, defer the decision on the 1.8 
vs. 1.5 kHz filter until you have simulated their effect with the DSP 
Hi-cut and Lo-cut controls to determine if the narrower bandwidth is 
agreeable with you - then purchase the roofing filter that you will be 
satisfied with 1.5, 1.8 or 2.1.  Note that SSB signal tuning gets more 
critical as the filter width is reduced.

73,
Don W3FPR

Charles Teeter wrote:
> Hello, All:
>
> I¹ve made the decision to buy a K3, but before I do, I would like to solicit
> some recommendations from you.  I¹ve been out of ham radio for a long time
> and am finally getting back into it.  My initial plan is to operate SSB for
> fun and contests. Over time, I hope to get back to CW and possibly look at
> some of the other operating modes.  I don¹t have the budget for a fully
> loaded K3, but given the nature of the radio, I thought I could add more as
> needed.  What I¹m looking at right now is the basic 100 watt K3 with the ATU
> and possibly the 1.8KHz filter for contesting.  What do you think?
>
> Also, I would like to ask for your suggestions for power supply, microphone,
> and speaker.  My last rig was a Yaesu FT980 with all of the former items
> included as part of the matched set, so I have no direct experience with any
> of them outside of Yaesu.
>
> Please feel free to make any other suggestions you think are important.  I¹m
> really looking forward to get back into radio, and the K3 looks like the
> perfect way to do it.
>   
>