[Elecraft] Flex 3000 or KX3

[Fred Jensen]

Congratulations on your new license Steve!  Since you asked for advice, 
mine would be, take it one step at a time.  It never ceases to amaze me, 
after 59 years in this hobby, that how I think I will use my new radio 
stuff often doesn't turn out to be how I actually do use it when I get it.

I contest quite a bit.  When I was planning for my K3, I watched the 
[nearly interminable] thread on roofing filters and finally concluded I 
would start with the "stock set," undoubtedly adding some later once I 
got some experience with the radio.  My K3 is S/N 642, I still have the 
two stock filters and no others and I'm a very happy ham.

Fixed and mobile operation place very different demands on radios, 
antennas, *and* the operator.  I've used PC-based SDR's like the Flex's 
and they don't "fit" me.  I guess I'm a dinosaur but a radio is 
something that sits on my desk with one, maybe two big knobs, and a lot 
of little ones, a few of which I know how to use.  I use the computer to 
log in contests, and the connection to the radio makes sure that the 
logger knows what band/mode I'm on.  To tune, I grab "the big knob."

Until you know how *you* operate and use your radios, and trust me, it 
won't be like I operate mine, it will be very hard to come up with a 
universal solution, fixed and mobile, low and high power, that actually 
fits you.

I think you live in Eureka CA.  Ham radio microphones are exempt from 
the "hands free cell phone law" in our state, but I sure wouldn't want 
to have to argue with the CHP officer that a computer screen I was 
looking at instead of the road while driving was "just like a mic."

Again, I'd tackle one thing at a time, and in this hobby, it's really 
"Antennas, Antennas, Antennas."

Again, congratulations on your new license!  Welcome to a whole bunch of 
new sandboxes in the ham radio playground. :-)

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org

> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Steve Hamon
> Sent: Monday, April 02, 2012 8:53 PM
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] Flex 3000 or KX3
>
> Hello--I am perplexed about the choice of which HF rig to get.  I just
> passed my General and am trying to put together my first "shack."  I have
> heard fantastic, rave reviews about the Flex and also about the KX3.  My
> only concerns about the KX3 is that after putting out about $1,500 for the
> basic KX3 and Tuner and Filter added, I still will only have a 10 watt
> unit.  I want it to be my mobile and my base unit.  Will I have to chuck
> out another thousand bucks for the 100 watt amp?