[Elecraft] I wonder how many folks have had buyers remorse on a K3/K3S purchase?

Mon Aug 3 11:59:09 EDT 2015

Let me just add my 'Amen' to Dave's comments.  

I went from an IC-756 Pro III to a K3 in 2012 and now run the full K-Line.  

For me, the K3 is the best rig I've run in my 47 years on the air, and my only regret is that I didn't get a K3 sooner. 

-- Mike Flowers, K6MKF, NCDXC - "It's about DX!"

> On Aug 3, 2015, at 8:14 AM, David Cole <dave at nk7z.net> wrote:
> 
> Jerry,
> 
> I don't regret selling my 756 PRO III, and replacing it with the K3 one
> bit!  
> 
> The K3 is a much more versatile rig.  Not as pretty as the old Pro III,
> (not as large either, which is a plus), but I don't really care about
> pretty, I care about performance, and I have an entire new layer of
> stations I hear now, that I did not with the Pro III...
> 
> Also, there are so many ways to configure the radio you will be able to
> configure it for what ever your needs are...  Here is a few examples...
> 
> The K3 allows for setting the TUNE output level.  I have an auto tuner.
> That tuner needs less than 100 watts to trigger autotune.  I have an
> ALS-1306 amp, I set the TUNE level on the K3 to be 3 watts.  That 3
> watts drives the tuner via the ALS-1306 Amp with enough power from the
> ALS-1306 to force the tuner into retune mode if above 1.7:1. Thus I get
> the equivalent of a tuner connected to the radio TUNE button, and do so
> without any extra cables...  Single button tuning of the AMP, and the
> tuner, all in under 10 seconds.
> 
> Most settings are per band, so I configure things, for each band, and
> mode, and when I return the configurations return for each band/mode...
> 
> I thought the P3 was just a frill, it is not...  I removed it for a bit
> to test some radio control hardware I am working on, and almost lost my
> mind without it, I did not have a picture of the band in my head anymore
> without the P3...  
> 
> So, no, I never looked back after selling the Pro III.  Prior to the
> change over for me, I sat both rigs on the desk, and A/B compared them
> for a week, using the exact same antennas, before I sold the Pro III, I
> had expected to test for a month to make my decision, it took only a
> week to decide.  
> 
> I was ready and willing to sell the K3 if it was not significantly
> better, I have the K3, and not the Icom now!
> 
> I have a ham 700 feet away from me, and when he runs his K3 and his KW
> Henry amp, I can't tell he is on if I am 20 KHz away...  The PRO III
> desensed on his signal, across the entire band, if he was on SSB, and I
> wan on CW, I could see, and hear it...  So again, I am so very happy I
> have the K3 I would never go back.  If you want to see exactly how wide
> the is looking at at 2 watts from 700 feet away see:
> 
> http://nk7z.net/wiki/elecraft-k3-macros/elecraft-k3-xlr-to-radio/elecraft-k3-new-synthesizer/
> 
> I did a compare of the old and new Synthesizers, and as an aside, it
> will show you just how tight the K3 really is in strong signal
> conditions.  
> 
> I have four hams within a half mile of me.  I really can't tell if they
> are on, unless I get very close in frequency, (like under 10 KHz.), or
> see them on the P3.
> 
> My only complaint about the rig is the dynamic range in the audio
> section... If I have the AGC off, and one of my neighbors comes up
> within my passband, my ears get nailed big time...  There needs to be an
> audio limiter on my rig...  
> 
> Macro programming is nice, you can pretty much do anything you want with
> the rig via Macros...  I have macros that totally set up my rig based on
> the mode I select via software.  If I select RTTY, using MixW, the
> macros fires for MODE START, and the radio is switched into DATA/RTTY
> mode, transmit levels levels set, monitor levels set, etc, all
> automatic.  I almost never touch the radio now, but to tune, or adjust
> RF/Audio levels.  When I switch to PSK the same thing happens only for
> PSK.  So nope, I am happy as can be with the rig...  Have fun, I am with
> my K3!
> 
> -- 
> Thanks and 73's,
> For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
> www.nk7z.net
> 
> For MixW support see;
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
> For Dopplergram information see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
> For MM-SSTV see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info
> 
> 
>> On Mon, 2015-08-03 at 08:59 -0400, Jerry Moore wrote:
>> Just asking. It's a lot of money but appears to be a lot of radio. It's not
>> as flashy as some.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Just a lot to think about as I save up.
>> 
>> Jer
>> 
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> 
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