[Elecraft] Elecraft newbie considering K3 vs KX3

[tom betka]

Yea, I think the sentiment has been pretty overwhelming that the extra $450 would be money very well-spent at this point. So that's a given it seems...

Thanks for the post.

TB

> From: bw_dw at fastmail.fm
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2012 10:57:20 -0700
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft newbie considering K3 vs KX3
> 
> Hi Tom,
> I'm still running a barefoot K2 (cw only) with an amp I can add on when
> needed.
> After reading your last post (below) I agree with you that is sounds
> like good logic to outfit yourself with a radio that you can immediately
> have fun with.
> So the SSB mode and additional CW mode sounds like it would support that
> well.
> On the question of whether to have more than QRP wattage, I can only
> relate that I love to see the K2 working a station barefoot.
> However, there are those times when I've connected with a station that
> I'm really excited about, and that station is struggling to get reliable
> copy.
> Its wonderful at times like that to be able to flip a switch and bring
> up my signal.
> I had just that situation the other night and the station thanked me for
> turning on the amp.
> It might set your wallet back a little on the temporary.
> But when you have it, you may be glad you opted for the 100-watts up
> front.  :)
> 
> Duane - N1BBR 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Message: 13
> Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:27:13 -0500
> From: tom betka <tcbetka at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft newbie considering K3 vs KX3
> To: <phystad at mac.com>
> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Message-ID: <SNT118-W52FAB9867910FE313113E5A1770 at phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> Thanks Phil...
> I agree that the K3 does indeed seem like the way to go at this point,
> and the extra $$ is probably money well-spent. But that leaves me with
> another dilemma...how to outfit the K3?
> Here's the basic order I came up with today. After talking David at
> Elecraft, I added the 100w power amplifier which kicks price up $450.
> But my question...is that really needed at first. I guess David's point
> (which seemed very valid when we talked) was that I should spend the
> extra money on the 100w amp, instead of some stuff for CW that I was
> going to opt for instead. I have never really practiced much CW to be
> honest, and would like to learn it. However David advised that it would
> be more important to get phone up & running, and working well--and THEN
> add on CW in the future. After considering his advice more today I think
> it's very sound indeed--and therefore was probably looking at this build
> list:
> 
> Elecraft K3
> item#           item description                                unit
> price-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------K3/100
>               K3 100W Xcvr. (Modular Kit)     $1999.95        (10w =
> 1549.95)KUSB             Univ. Ser Bus Adapt.                   
> $39.95KXSER             K144XV Serial Cable                     free   
> MH3                     MH3 Hand Mic                            $59.95 
> KAT3            Internal Tuner                         
> $299.95===============================================                  
>                        TOTAL          $2399.80   (10w = $1949.80)
> 
> Although it's a bit more than I was planning to spend initially, the
> 100-watt amp is an affordable add-on in the initial build. So it would
> be do-able. For comparison, if I were to go with a KX3 and leave off the
> CW components, the gear would come in at just under $1350--but of course
> that doesn't include a 100-watt amplifier, as they are not yet available
> for that radio. So it really isn't an "apples-to-apples" comparison at
> all...unless you simply consider the 10-watt K3 build. In that case it
> would be about $600 more for the K3, and I think it's been
> well-established that this extra money would be well-spent given that
> this would be my only HF rig.
> Anyway, I'll hopefully be looking at Duane's K3 tomorrow if all goes
> well. Then I can make the final decision after that, and get moving.
> Thanks again to everyone for the advice. It's very reassuring to draw on
> the wealth of experience that's so obvious in the users here.
> 
> Tom
> -- 
>  Bw_dw at fastmail.net
> 
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