[Elecraft] Receivers?
Barry LaZar
k3ndm at comcast.net
Sat Dec 12 12:58:04 EST 2015
Phil,
I am using Field Day as a worst case scenario. I can't think of any
situation that is worse than have a collection of radios operating in
close proximity, to include their antennas. QRP operation does offer
the least challenges, but it still does have its problems. At the other
end, the serious QRO stations like W3LPL all take special precautions in
field layout and they use bandpass filters. However, I think you know
all that.
We don't have Frank's acreage to operate. We have to live within 2
acres for everything, but the KX3s do allow us to be less than
absolutely rigorous in our operation. We chose what we do because it
allows us to operate without the need to use bandpass filtering and the
need to model our site so that everything will work. I suspect strongly
we could operate at the 100 what level and still make no changes to our
site or operation except that we would need to be careful to have only
one transmitter on a band at a time, better band management.
One could argue the definition of the term intelligently crowed.
However, I was thinking that for a co-site operation no two transmitters
would be in the same portion of the same band. I may have a bit clumsy
with the my definition on this one.
Bottom line: my original point is that the KX3 does survive quite
nicely in what I would call an RF hostile environment. Will it wilt when
things get really crazy? Yes, it will along with every other radio.
73,
Barry
K3NDM
------ Original Message ------
From: "Phil Wheeler" <w7ox at socal.rr.com>
To: "Elecraft Reflector" <Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: 12/12/2015 3:18:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Receivers?
>Barry,
>
>You said "Our Field Day operation uses all KX3s, QRP ... ". Well
>that's a tad different than if you have some 500 W stations nearby
>operating near your frequency. And that is more typical of the
>situation I described. So rather than disagree you provided the
>exception that proves the rule :-)
>
>And "the KX3 can handle any intelligently crowded environment": Would
>that all our bands were "intelligently crowded"!
>
>73, Phil W7OX
>
>On 12/11/15 3:49 PM, Barry LaZar wrote:
>>Phil,
>> I will take the given opportunity to disagree. Our Field Day
>>operation uses all KX3s, QRP, That accounts for 3AB + a GOTA station.
>>There have been times when we found one of our GOTA ops on the same
>>band and in the same portion of the band. What we have found is that
>>if the other radio is not in the same part of the band, you may not
>>even know he is there. However, you know he's there. If he is far
>>enough away, you could work through him. There is one caveat. We do
>>have our antennas really spread out. Our GOTA antenna(s) can be any
>>where from 200'-400' away depending on which of our many antennas are
>>being used at the time. And secondly, all of our radios are using the
>>8 KHz offset. I was amazed at the demonstration the first time it
>>happened. I would say that the KX3 can handle any intelligently crowed
>>environment.
>>
>>73,
>>Barry
>>K3NDM
>>
>>------ Original Message ------
>>From: "Phil Wheeler" <w7ox at socal.rr.com>
>>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>Sent: 12/11/2015 6:23:11 PM
>>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Receivers?
>>
>>>Scott,
>>>
>>>I agree with all that Ron says -- and have the K2, K3 and KX3 .. and
>>>like them all.
>>>
>>>Re "I am considering the KX3": The one caveat I would add, and others
>>>can expand on (or disagree with) this, is that if you operate in a
>>>dense ham environment like Field Day or with other nearby hams
>>>operating on the same bands the direct-conversion KX3 will not be as
>>>good as the two superhets because you may have more difficulty
>>>hearing weaker signals with those strong, nearby signals at adjacent
>>>frequencies.
>>>
>>>In Auckland this may or may not be an issue for you -- but as I
>>>recall 70% or so of New Zealand's population is in the Auckland area.
>>>
>>>73, Phil W7OX
>>>
>>>On 12/11/15 1:40 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>>>>Scott, the three rigs use different design formats:
>>>>
>>>>The K3 and K2 and conventional superhetrodyne formats with an
>>>>Intermediate
>>>>Frequency in the H.F. range and crystal filters to set the passband.
>>>>The K2
>>>>has an adjustable crystal filter and the K3 uses fixed crystal
>>>>filter
>>>>bandwidths. The basic K2 bandwidth is established by the crystal
>>>>filter
>>>>while the K3 adds an adjustable DSP filter after the crystal filter.
>>>>(The K2
>>>>has an optional audio DSP for enhanced filtering.)
>>>>
>>>>Although you will often see Elecraft rig owners refer to "roofing
>>>>filters"
>>>>the Elecraft rigs avoid them, using an I.F. in the H.F. range
>>>>instead that
>>>>avoids a lot of the compromises involved in up-converting to a first
>>>>I.F. in
>>>>the VHF range with a VHF "roofing filter" to set the initial
>>>>selectivity.
>>>>
>>>>The KX3 is quite different. It is a high-performance direct
>>>>conversion
>>>>receiver using phasing to suppress the unwanted sideband followed by
>>>>filtering of the resulting audio.
>>>>
>>>>I'm a casual, mostly QRP operator who avoids pile-ups (and so
>>>>contests) and
>>>>enjoy all three. If I had to settle on one or the other I'd probably
>>>>take
>>>>the KX3 as my first choice because of its small size, the
>>>>"transparent"
>>>>sound of a direct conversion format and options such as the PX3
>>>>panadapter.
>>>>My second choice would be my trusty and ever dependable 15 year old
>>>>K2
>>>>simply because I'm basically an "analog" sort of guy. But I have no
>>>>complaints about the K3/K3S. I'm sure others who enjoy busting
>>>>"pileups"
>>>>will have more to offer about the advantages of the K3/K3S.
>>>>
>>>>For detailed test comparisons check out the results published by
>>>>Sherwood
>>>>Engineering on their web site:
>>>>
>>>>http://www.sherweng.com/table.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>>From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf
>>>>Of Scott
>>>>Gillen ZL1CHM
>>>>Sent: Friday, December 11, 2015 1:09 PM
>>>>To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>>Subject: [Elecraft] Receivers?
>>>>
>>>>Can anyone compare the receivers in the KX3 versus K3 versus K2? Is
>>>>there a
>>>>significant difference? I am considering the KX3.
>>>>
>>>>73
>>>>Scott
>>>>
>>>>N0HOK / ZL1CHM
>>>>Auckland New Zealand
>
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