[Elecraft] What made you decide on purchasing an Elecraft transceiver?

Tue Feb 22 00:10:09 EST 2011

Johnny

Yes to all your 'wishes'...:-)

I know Eric doesn't like 'me too's'...but...me too  :-)

73's
Gary

On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 2:57 PM, Johnny Siu <vr2xmc at yahoo.com.hk> wrote:
> Hello Jeff,
>
> I am afraid that the rigs you used in the past were not in the same class as K3
>
> I am using a number of Icom rigs but still keeping K3+P3+K144V for the following
> reasons:
>
> 1.  light weight and good for field day operation;
> 2.  modular design, making servicing easy;
> 3. good supporting service from Elecraft (especially Gary and Dale);
> 4. very competitive in price especially if you buy from second hand market
>
> All I looking for now from K3 are:
>
> 1.  PR6 to be installed inside K3;
> 2.  manual notch within AGC loop;
> 3.  much smooth NR
>
> cheers,
>
>
> Johnny VR2XMC
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> 寄件人﹕ Jeff Cochrane - VK4BOF <vk4bof.elecraft at gmail.com>
> 收件人﹕ elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> 副本(CC) Eric Swartz WA6HHQ <eric at elecraft.com>
> 傳送日期﹕ 2011/2/22 (二) 7:51:56 AM
> 主題： [Elecraft] What made you decide on purchasing an Elecraft transceiver?
>
> Hi Wayne, Eric & everyone on the list,
> I thought that perhaps it was time to ask one of the most important questions
> ever for this mailing list,
> That is: What made you decide on purchasing an Elecraft transceiver?
>
> For me it was participating in the local (all VK) 'Shires' HF contest with my
> good friend Gary - VK4FD and his K3 #679.
> I was using my Yaesu FT847 during that contest sitting next to Gary and I could
> not help but notice that whilst my FT847 was handling the 2 lower bands (80 &
> 40M) fairly well it was still being desensed by Gary whenever he transmitted on
> 20M and up.
>
>
> Whilst it was bareable for me I also noticed that Gary did not have any such
> issues with his K3, he simply got on with the job at hand.
> (In fact he could listen on the same band I was on and have no issues at all, it
> was a real eye opener for me!)
>
> Now, I know that the FT847 is not a contesters radio on HF at all but it didn't
> do such a bad job, after all we got second place in the rover category that year
> with quite a large amount of the points scored being done by me and the FT847
> but when I saw the performance of the K3 in comparison to the FT847 I thought,
> "maybe it is time for a change of radio".
>
> So, the seeds of change were now sown, the sticking point at the time was that I
> would lose the capability of operation on two bands that I was active on (2M and
> 70cm).
> (The 2M transverter wasn't available when I first started to entertain the idea
> of a K3 in my shack)
> The clincher for me was the announcment of the K144XV internal 2M transverter
> with it's impressive spec, I now HAD to have me one of those K3 radio's!
> I was willing to forego the 70cm band as it get's very little use in Nth
> Queensland except for contests but 2M was a must have.
>
> I knew that had to sell my beloved FT847 as well as my 2 other radios (Kenwood
> TS480SAT, Yaesu FT897D) to afford the K3 as the other half had said "No extra
> cost to the family, you pay for it with the proceeds of the sale of your other
> radio gear".  (I miss the FT847 and the TS480SAT but not the FT897D, it was a
> pile of junk!)
>
> I pored over the options list and asked for Gary's advice on filters and options
> as well as looking at my own operating habits before settling on the radio's
> current configuration. (K3 #4257, DVR, ATU, 100W, KXV3A, TCXO, KBPF3, 13KHz,
> 6KHz, 2.8KHz, 2.1KHz, 400Hz, PR6, K144XV)
>
> Now that I have had my K3 for awhile I can say that I am very happy with my
> choice of not only the radio but the options that I had fitted.
> It has performed pretty much faultlessly since I got it with the exception of a
> faulty microphone and the original K144XV failing.
>
> (Both of which were replaced ASAP by Elecraft)
>
> If I had a choice, wouuld I change anything?
> The answer is:
> A resounding NO!, I would not change anything with the K3, Though I would
> encourage Elecraft to fit the PR6 internally in the K3, the external PR6 is a
> right royal PITA because it hangs out too far behind the radio!
> (I'd also like so firmware changes to be made to accomodate the saving of modes
> etc into the VFO memories for 2M FM Repeater operations but that apparently
> needs a complete firmware code rewrite)
>
> What's next on my list of things to have?
> I have tried out the P3 at Gary's (VK4FD) place and whilst it is a nice
> addition, I cannot see a real use for it here with my style of operating but I
> can see a real use for a KPA500 so I think that i will next set my sights on
> sidling one of those up beside my K3.
>
> (Added to the fact that I am losing my vision, which makes it kinda pointless to
> have a visual aid to help operate the radio) :-)
>
> So, there you have it, my reasons for owning one of the finest Amateur Radio
> transceivers on the market today, such as they are.
>
> PS: Wayne and Eric, You'll get no finer Australian ambassador for Elecraft than
> Gary VK4FD, he's singularly resposible for getting most the Aussie K3's owners
> to be, well........K3 owners!
> Cut him a good deal on his KPA500 (and mine too please!) :-)
>
> Thanks for taking the time to read my drivel......
>
> Jeff Cochrane - VK4BOF
> Innisfail, QLD, Australia
> Elecraft K3# 4257 + PR6 - K144XV = multiband goodness!
> ______________________________________________________________
>
>
>
>
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-- 

VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile
http://www.qsl.net/vk4fd/
K3 #679
Dare to be different!!!