[Elecraft] K3 and the ARRL DX 'test

[Jim Brown]

On 2/20/2011 6:50 PM, Rick Tavan N6XI wrote:
> It's in field test, John. I used it during the ARRL DX and it was awesome. I
> wish I had had more time to operate, but in the 6 hours I had available the
> KPA-500 made nary a hiccup. Perfect QSK, instant band changing, instant-on.
> It was as if the K3 suddenly became a 500+ watt xcvr.

As part of that field testing, I had a KPA500 for CQWW RTTY, with 
instructions to beat it up by running it flat out for the duration. Same 
excellent performance here. The fan came on at a medium low setting 
about half the time during those slow periods in the middle of the night 
when I was CQing for long periods with no answers, and the amp stayed 
cool as a cucumber!

Setup was super simple. Coax plus PTT from the K3, set the K3 for power 
by band, set drive levels on each band to get the desired number of 
lights lit on the KPA500 output power display, and operate.  Several 
times during the weekend I gave it a load that was a bit mismatched, and 
the protection circuitry kicked in. I either corrected the mismatch or 
dropped the power a dB or so, hit the reset button, and kept on going. 
Never lost any time, or even a QSO. This is a lovely, well-behaved amp.

73, Jim K9YC