[Elecraft] K3 & M/M Contest stations

[Fred Jensen]

This is a pretty wiggly thread and seems to have drifted pretty far off 
of Steve's original query.

First off Steve, I erred slightly when I said that W7RN "has" 4 K3's set 
up in two independent SO2R positions.  I later remembered that Tom 
actually has 5 K3's, not sure if the 5th one is a spare or he has other 
uses for it.  I believe all of the "operational 4" are identically 
configured.  I don't do SO2R [I'm lucky to succeed with one radio in 
front of me and that's all I touch], but W7RN is a totally first class 
station so I'll bet they're identical.

Second, I believe I understand your original question to be pointing at 
the unmistakable fact that everyone likes to configure their radio to 
their own personal tastes, the K3 is highly configurable, and in a M/M 
[or even a M/S] situation, this can lead to "radio fiddling" instead of 
"point-scoring."

I'm guilty of that ... I lost most of my hearing many years ago and I 
run the AF gain pretty high.  I try and turn it down when I'm relieved 
by someone but I also caution my compatriots that I can forget to do 
that [i.e. don't put the cans on without checking the AF Gain.  50 years 
ago, commercial CW ops always wore cans forward to protect their ears]. 
  But, if it's not a front panel adjustment, I don't change anything on 
Tom's radios.  The biggest other factor I've noticed in a multi op is 
the sidetone monitor level.  That seems to be a big factor among 
operators, however that level is a front panel adjustment on the K3, 
sort of like AF Gain.

I am on the N6A crew that activates Alpine County in CQP.  We've always 
been M/S until recently when we've gone M/M.  There is a core group, 
we've always tried to be standard, but there are usually additional ops 
each year.  Many of them want to reconfigure the radio, the logging 
program, and whatever.  We discourage that, but this is also a hobby and 
we like to all get along, so there always seems to be a compromise. :-)

Third, I don't think your question had anything to do with using K3's 
"out of the box" in serious contesting vs not using them at all or 
adding options.

Direct answer to your question from my experience:  I don't think the 
"behind the scenes" configurability of the K3 detracts from its use in 
multis.  It's lack of phase noise, key clicks, spurs, IMD, and its 
extreme BDR really make it very attractive in a multi. :-)

I'll reply to your question about coastal CW directly.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org


On 4/14/2014 3:15 PM, Stephen Bloom wrote:
> Ditto.  This is the first radio I"ve ever owned that comes with an
> opioniated user community, no extra charge :)  I also didn't know
> that D4C and W7RN had K3s.  There is an ongoing debate amongst long
> time top 25 type contesters (of which I am not!) about the K3 for
> M/M.  If the D4C level guys are using them..that is real high
> credibility.
>
> 73 Steve KL7SB