[Elecraft] ELECRAFT Newbie

[Don Wilhelm]

Dave,

For portable QRP operation, I would suggest that the KX3 is the optimum 
solution.
It is all-mode, 160 through 6 meter coverage, and is rated at the top of 
the Sherwood listing for receive performance.  It is available either 
factory built or as a no-solder kit.

If that is out of your current radio budget, then I would suggest the K2 
as the 2nd choice.  Yes, it is a kit that you need to assemble from the 
basic resistors, capacitors, ICs and transistors. The basic K2 covers 80 
thru 10 meters, CW only, but options can be added for 160 meter 
coverage, SSB, automatic antenna tuner, as well as other functions such 
as the noise blanker and either audio DSP or an audio filter.  Even 
though it is a 15 year old design, it is still rated quite high on the 
Sherwood listings.  The nice thing about the K2 is that you can build 
the basic K2 and add options as your ham budget recovers later.

All Elecraft transceivers have a built in keyer.

I would have suggested the K1, but you specified SSB operation and 80 
meters.  The K1 will do 80 meters, but that band must be built on a 2 
band board.  There is a 4 band board available, but it covers 40, 30, 20 
and your choice of 17 or 15 meters.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/25/2014 9:38 AM, w1dwz w1dwz wrote:
> I am quite interested in seeing what all this  interest in ELECRAFT  line
> of QRP transceivers is all about.
> I am  60 yrs in Ham Radio ,    and would like to hve some help in
> obtaining  one   suitable to my needs   .  Like  QRP'ing ,  portable
> operating  .  If anyone has  something for sale that would suit my needs as
> a   beginner  with ELECRAFT,  please write.  I wud prefer a K1 or K2 maybe
> ,   with possible    up grade  options for  SSB   , keyer  ,    5W  OK but
> 10 maybe preferred  ,  like  80 /  75 / 40 / 15  meters  .  Senior
> Citizen   with limited radio budget but wud love to see what these things
> are all abt.
> Write if you   hv something that u think wud be of interest to me
> Dave  W1DWZ      in RI.     401  297-0361        or:
> w1dwz at fullchannel.net
>