[Elecraft] K3 and transverters

[John Ragle]

I have a K3 with the XV transverters for 2 and 3/4 meters. (NOTE: these 
are the outboard transverters!) They drive 2 and 3/4 meter TE Systems 
brick amps to about 300 watts and 75 W respectively.

Two comments:

1. The inboard transverter for 2 meters could never be made to 
function...the unit oscillated with great abandon, despite the best 
advices of Elecraft. If you look back through the archives, you will 
find several reports, including one from VK, reportiong this behavior. 
The K3 works flawlessly with the external units, which I built from kits.

2. For anything but local use, the most important part of the chain is 
the antenna; its location, height, gain, etc. In particular, at 3/4 
meters the bound -water dielectric loss from water in vegetation is very 
significant, and the antenna must be well above (i.e. must "look" over) 
nearby trees, Koala Bears, etc. I use a 10 element beam on 2 and an 11 
element beam on 3/4 meters, and these are barely adequate for DX use 
from my location. A good antenna installation (high-gain array, proper 
feed lines) will overcome any slight deficiencies in the transverter 
front end...if one can hear antenna noise, one is fine.

John Ragle -- W1ZI

==========

On 9/15/2012 10:05 AM, Gary Gregory wrote:
> *Has anyone got a K3 with the 2M and 70cm transverters got any comments
> plus or minus as to performance.
>
> I don't have them myself but a VK is about to order his K3 and will be
> adding these transverters.
>
> His interest is HF, 2 and 70cm and not 6M.
>
> I thought I would ask here as I don't know what to tell him due to lack of
> experience in the higher bands.
>
> Off list or On is OK as long as it doesn't flood the reflector with
> QRM.....:-)
>
> 73
> *

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