[Elecraft] K3: options to buy: a summary of what I learnt fromyou all...

Fri Jan 7 09:02:44 EST 2011

Hi John,
I am sure that you will be very happy with your well considered choices.
I too am a casual operator who occasionally gets into contesting. (the VHF/UHF Field Days, the RD Contest, CQWW SSB etc)
My own (factory built) K3 has the following options:
Everything BUT the second receiver and the P3. :) 
I even have the K144XV 2M transverter and the PR6 6M pre-amp (The PR6 is a very worthwhile option if you are into 6M at all) 

For filtering I use the 13KHz, 6KHz, 2.8KHz, 2.1KHz and 400Hz 8 pole filters and I find myself using the 2.8 for SSB most of all except on 40M where I tend to favour the 2.1KHz filter.

A mate of mine, (the man who introduced me to K3 goodness) Gary - VK4FD uses the 1.8KHz filter and whilst it works for him I find that it's a touch to narrow for my hearing.

I use the 16KHz filter almost exclusively on 2m for FM repeaters but I also occasionaly use it on the top end of 6M on the repeaters there.(It's also good for higher fidelity listening to AM broadcast band signals.)

The 6KHz filter I use for reception when I am listening around in the SWL bands. (I have never tried ESSB but I'll get around to it one day)

I haven't had a use for the 400Hz filter yet but I am attempting to learn CW so I can make use of it. :) 
(I guess I *could* use it for digital stuff but that's another thing I have yet to play with on my K3)

If I had to do it all over again what would I do differently?
I would NOT get the 400Hz filter, I REALLY suck at CW. :-)
Apart from that, I'd probably get a P3 to go with the K3, I dont do enough on the low bands to justify the second receiver.

Do I have any critisism of the K3, yep, I sure do.
That damned tinny internal speaker, its a shocker........just as well its easy to plug in an external speaker.
And I'd like the main tuning knob to have a bit of weight in it to give a small amount of 'flywheel effect'.

Apart from those, I have no complaints that are particularly noteworthy.

Good luck with your purchase, I am sure that you will really enjoy being a K3 owner, I do!

Jeff Cochrane - VK4BOF
Innisfail, QLD, Australia
Elecraft K3# 4257

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: VK7JB 
  To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
  Sent: Friday, January 07, 2011 10:50 PM
  Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: options to buy: a summary of what I learnt fromyou all...

  Hello All,

  A couple of people have asked me to post a summary to share what I learnt
  from my question about options for a new K3.  I received 25 replies, many
  were off-list emails, offering well considered ideas and advice.  I was 
  surprised at how generously people offered their time and their thoughts on
  this question, often sharing considerable detail about their own experience
  of loading their K3.

  People tailored their responses to my situation - I'm a casual operator of
  CW/SSB/data modes, working in a location where I rarely, if ever, have to
  contend with crowded bands and heavy QRM.  

  So bearing that in mind, here's what I learned:

  # Unanimously, folks suggested I NOT bother with the high stability
  reference oscillator.

  #The auto ATU option was thought a good investment - for various reasons.

  # There was strong support for the Digital Voice Recorder option and for
  putting in the KXV3A option during the initial build, to avoid significant
  dis-assembly of the K3 when/if I want to add on the P3 panadapter in the
  future.  Several folks mentioned how useful they'd found their DVR,
  especially as a "voice saver" calling CQ.

  # About filters options:
  There was a concensus of opinion that the 2.8 8 pole / 2.7 5 pole swap
  wouldn't be of benefit in my situation and that I should just go with the
  2.7 / 5 pole stock filter.  Several people suggested I should invest in the
  6khz filter to allow AM TX and broadcast band RX and ESSB.  A couple of
  people volunteered they had installed the 15khz FM filter, but rarely used
  it and thought I could do without that option.  Many people commented on the
  effectiveness of the DSP filtering in the K3 and suggested that for the
  casual CW I do, that would be enough.  Several others suggested I go with a
  400 or 500hz filter, but that I could wait and add them later if I found I
  needed them.  I got the feeling that the narrower 2.1/1.8 khz filters for
  SSB weren't seen to be a big priority in my situation:  only a couple of
  folks mentioned them in passing and only one K3 owner said he found them
  very useful for everyday SSB.  

  All this seemed like very sensible advice to me.

  So what am I going to do?

  Well,  I've decided to NOT take the TCXO high stability ref oscillator.  I
  WILL install the DVR and General coverage BPF options.  

  I've decided NOT to put in the KXV3A until I'm ready to get the panadapter. 
  I don't mind dismantling the K3 when that day arrives and I'd like to invest
  that money in other features initially.  Having the KXV3A in the K3 from the
  beginning won't give me any more immediate enjoyment of the K3, nor any
  extra bits to play with, so I've decided it will wait.

  As for the filters:

  I've decided that I probably WILL do the 2.8 for 2.7 swap and install 8 pole
  filters from the beginning.  One K3 owner pointed out that if I do that, I
  won't have to swap out, or worry about matching, the 5 pole filters in the
  future if/when I come to install the subreceiver.  That seemed sensible to
  me, so I'll put in the 8 pole Inrad filters from the beginning and be done
  with it.  The only additional filter I'll order initially is the 6khz, 8
  pole, to allow better SW broadcast reception and to allow me to experiement
  with wider-bandwidth SSB Tx.  I'll see,  over time, whether or not I need a
  400hz filter for CW.

  So that's it.  Thanks again everyone.  I just have to sell a rig here to
  generate some extra funds, then I'll plant my paw on the "Add to Cart"
  button and the deal will be done.

  73,

  John
  VK7JB

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