[Elecraft] KX1 v. TT R4020

[eric norris]

A couple of further observations:

The TT R4020 is larger and heavier than the KX1.  It is almost all surface mount 
components, with a lot of empty space inside the case.  No mojo found 
lurking.  Using a 13.5v supply, it puts out a bit more power than my KX1, 7 
watts on 40, 5 watts on 20 on my OHR wattmeter (my KX1 shows 3.8 on 40, 4.2 on 
20, and 5 on 30 with R1 wide open.  Curiously, when I tweaked R1 to bring the 30 
meter output down to 4 watts, the other bands only came down about .2 watts.  
But I digress)

I am not an engineer, but there appears to be a pot on the R4020 schematic to 
adjust the drive.  I haven't tried to locate it.

Using 8 NIMH batteries, the R4020 output falls off only a watt or so.  My KX1 
puts out between 2 and 2.8 watts depending on the band with the same pack.  I 
thought perhaps the OHR was reading high, but the KX1 will drive the pants off 
an HF Packer amp when run from the NIMH pack, read on a different wattmeter.  
   

I didn't make formal measurements, but the XG2 is plenty loud in the R4020 at 
1uv on both bands.  


The R4020 doesn't have message memories per se, but it will allow you to enter 
your call.  You can then press a button and it will call CQ, but it is CQ CQ CQ 
de WD6DBM WD6DBM WD6DBM PSE K which is a little odd.  Normally I don't need 
assistance to sound like a LID.

As has been pointed out, the LED display is bright and shows the entire 
frequency.  However the tuning resolution is 10hz at the finest setting.  No 
ATU.  You use the frequency memories to change bands.  So you go from VFO to 
MEM, then scroll through the memories to find one in the other band, then MEM to 
VFO.  Goofy.  


The R4020 appears to just shut off when the SWR is too high.  Cycling the power 
switch brings it back.  This is easy to do when tweaking a magnetic loop.  I 
have done this with my KX1 (tweak a magnetic loop) and it takes the abuse 
silently and stoically, as you would expect from an Elecraft product.    


It's a nice little rig IMHO, but not in a league with the KX1.  YMMV  TTYL LOL

73,

Eric WD6DBM PSE K