[Elecraft] Look familiar? Elecraft vs Ten Tec

[Fred Jensen]

On 2/9/2011 11:07 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> Hi Chuck,
>
> This was recently reviewed by QST. Since I'm totally biased, I'll
> recuse myself from the discussion, but suffice to say there are major
> differences between this rig and a KX1 :)

Totally biased?  Come on, Wayne!  Way more differences than show in the 
photos.  I got a chance to fool with one briefly.  What I noticed:

No continuously variable BW filter
No integral paddle
No ATU
No log light [OK, I admit, not a big thing but I do use it]

The 40/30 "option" is really just another radio covering those two 
bands.  So 3 bands, 2 radios, $500.  Somehow we're getting a little far 
afield from a "trail radio," especially if I have to drag my Bencher along.

My 40-30-20 KX1, paddle, Li-Poly battery, and ear buds weighs 0.62 lbs 
[9.92 oz, 281.23 g].  This is important in the Spartan Sprint and when 
you're hiking to some summit [alright, I can't hike anymore but there 
was a time when I did].  I wasn't impressed by the weight.

I wasn't impressed that it had a TT label but isn't made by them and 
probably wasn't designed by them.  They may discover that "this seemed 
like a good idea at the time."

The tuning had a definite "step" feel to me.  Possibly it was configured 
for coarse tuning, but it was annoying.  My hearing sucks and I really 
like to put the signal into the only narrow "sweet spot" I have left. 
It's annoying to have it jump from a little too low to a little too high.

I'll hang onto my KX1 with ATU which will put 3 watts into the window 
screen, if I could find one that was conductive [they used to be].  I do 
like the linear regulated wall wart, might buy one for when we're on a 
road trip, or maybe Elecraft will offer one.

In my book, it's "nolo contendere."

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011
- www.cqp.org