[Elecraft] KX3 vs. K3 and other rigs?

[drewko]

There is another way of looking at it-- how many additional contacts
would potentially be available by utilizing an increase of just 3db? 

I don't know the answer but there is a somewhat analogous situation in
astronomy having to do with the brightness of stars. They are also
measured on a logarithmic scale, called magnitude, each magnitude
representing twice or half the brightness level of the following or
preceding magnitude. A difference of one magnitude does not appear
very large to the eye, yet the ability to see one magnitude fainter
can yield three times as many stars. I imagine some similar effect
might pertain to radio waves.

BTW, I'm not asking for more power in the KX3; would be quite content
with 10 watts, same as my K3.

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:56:48 -0700, Alan N1AL wrote:

>On Mon, 2011-06-06 at 08:10 -0700, juergen wrote:
>
>> However from a communications effectiveness point of  20 watts is a
>> much more realistic power level, especially for SSB QSO's.
>
>The difference between 10 and 20 watts is only 3 dB, half an S-unit.
>Compared to the 20-30 dB of QSB you often find on the HF bands, you
>would hardly even notice such a small difference.  I think it is quite
>rare that 3 dB would be the difference between making a contact or not.
>
>Alan N1AL
>