[Elecraft] KX3 2 Meter Transverter

[Jim's Desktop]

Got mine in the mail this morning.  Virtually painless install that took 
all of 35 minutes and another 20 or so to finish reading the 
instructions and get it configured properly.  Quick check on the local 
2M repeater has it working on FM just fine with the repeater though I 
got reports of my TX audio being light and I did have to reconfigure the 
deviation as our local machine wants to see 4.5KHz instead of the 
default 3.5.  I don't have a horizontal beam up for 2 meters yet (should 
be here next week some time) so I haven't checked the other modes yet.  
Right now the batteries are charging so I can haul it to our ham radio 
breakfast in the morning for a "show and tell" demo.

The received audio sounds pretty distorted though.  Almost as the RX is 
off frequency but tuning around while someone was transmitting didn't 
offer much change.  This may be due to the way the DSP demodulates FM, 
not sure.  Maybe Wayne will chime in after the holiday with an answer to 
this.  Our repeater does have 5.0 KHz output deviation and isn't 
narrowbanded like many of the newer ones are so this might be the 
problem.

There are a ton of repeaters here in KS and the surrounding states that 
still use the old standard of 4.5 KHz deviation so this could be a 
potential problem around here.  However, I didn't get the transverter to 
operate FM repeaters with anyway so it's not really a complaint, merely 
an observation.

All in all, it was extremely easy to install and configure but you DO 
need to read the manual and follow the instructions explicitly, 
especially when it comes to those super miniature coax cables for the 
local oscillator and antenna connections.  A GOOD magnifier sure helps 
get those connections right - LOL.

Jim - W0EB