[Elecraft] K3/FTDX-5000MP

[Fred Smith]

I'm sure that many of you have read my posts about one thing or another
about my FTDX-5000MP that I owned for just shy of 2 years. It was the second
one delivered in the US and it had none of the problems that plagued some of
the others, I did not have a single issue with it. I had owned some good
radios before it but it was the very best receiver and NR that I had ever
owned.

 

You may see what seems as negative remarks that I make about it but to the
contrary I did like the radio and its ability to work weak signal DX,
excellent. With that said when I did buy a used K3 with only a stock filter
and a KXV3 in it I did buy a new P3/SVGA to go with it and ran it side by
side with my 5000 for over 3 months. At the end of that period I had a list
of likes and dislikes between the 2 radios

 

My likes for the K3 were 1st the filtering, Two the ability to add whatever
that you wanted to the radio. Three the 2nd receiver same as the first,
there were some others like the 2m internal module, 12v operation etc.

 

Dislikes of the K3/FTDX-5000MP the K3 has poor receive on 6/10/12m compared
to the 5000's. The layout/form factor of the radio was good plus a 200w
unit.

 

I would never discourage anyone from buying a 5000 but feel in the long run
the K3 is a better choice. What the deciding factor that sold me on an
Elecraft shack goes back to the used K3 I bought. It had 2 side panel screws
missing so called to order them, when I did was told that 3 would be shipped
"No Charge" that was a 1st for me also above and beyond. There are very few
companies in this world that will support a used multi-owner radio much less
to the detail that Elecraft does and did on my first used K3. That single
item brought at least a 55% consideration on what I would purchase in the
future as far as to products they offered.

 

When the K3 became a solid player in the shack I bought and built a K2 then
sold the 5000 and bought a complete Elecraft Station another K3  (loaded one
this time) with every option plus a few other items in their lineup. So far
they have NEVER disappointed me in any way, just great people there who seem
to like to come to work every day and be a "people person".