[Elecraft] Configuration Questions

[Jim Brown]

On 12/18/2013 6:11 PM, Richard Solomon wrote:
> I am putting together my list and have some questions:
>
> 1) Does the stock K3/100 come with any filters ?

Yes. First, understand that IF filtering is done in DSP. Plug-in filters 
are ROOFING filters. One such filter comes with the stock radio -- 2.7 
kHz, 5 poles, and that filter is also the TX filter. Additional filters 
are important only if you're a contester -- they protect the DSP IF from 
strong signals that could blow it away, and they also cascade with the 
DSP to provide steeper slopes. I have 250 Hz, 400 Hz, and 1.8 kHz 
filters in my K3s. I find the 1.8 kHz filter a bit narrow for SSB, and 
recommend 2.1 kHz instead. For CW contesting, I mostly use the 250 Hz 
roofer. Many are happy with the 400 Hz filter.  Filters are easy to add 
later -- IF you don't have the 2nd RX installed. The 2nd RX is a real 
"shoehorn job" to install and remove, so I suggest that you figure out 
what filters you want before you buy the 2nd RX.  If you're going to do 
diversity, you what the same narrow filters in both RX.

>
> 2) If I buy the Second Receiver (KRX3), do I need KXV3A ?
> I do have receiving antennas for 160 & 80.

You want the KXV3A. I don't remember why. :)

> 3) Can I connect an external monitor to the stock P3

No. The primary advantages of the SVGA display board is that 1) it 
provides greatly increases frequency resolution in that external 
display; 2) it can display a much longer time in the waterfall; and 3) 
you can plug a USB keyboard into it and use it to send RTTY and PSK both 
from the keyboard and from a bunch of memories; 4) the VGA displays up 
to four lines of decoded RTTY, CW, or PSK.  This is a quite nice feature 
-- decoding is done in the K3, and the decoders are quite good. I find 
the K3 RTTY decode generally better than MMTTY. I don't work PSK.

I strongly recommend that you buy the K3 and accessories as kits. You 
save a bunch of money, assembly is easy, and you'll know a lot more 
about the rig. I've built two K3/100s. First one took about 11 hours, 
second one an hour less. 2nd RX is another 4-6 hours. My mechanical 
skills are modest, and some build faster.

If you're going to run barefoot, you want either the 100W tuner or the 
KAT500. The KAT500 is good for 1kW with reasonably well matched antennas.

73, Jim K9YC