[Elecraft] New K3S

[Bob Martin]

K3S 10081 is on the air.

Still integrating it into the shack. First contact was on 80 meters with the local HF net. Second was a ZL1 on the North Island on 40.

Hard to compare it with other radios -- this replaces an Icom IC-7000, which isn't at all in the same league.

Still learning how to run it. Still trying to figure out digital modes -- any places on the net to visit where I can find out what they sound like when properly tuned? Still waiting for third party software types to adapt their code to the new USB interface, particularly for those digital modes. Also waiting for another pair of filters to arrive.

I wrote the (construction) review on eham.net <http://eham.net/> -- and I sent off a slew of nits on the Rev A assembly manual, nothing major. Assembly was easy, only requiring three hands in a few places. Enabling options can be a challenge -- that could use a dedicated section with things gathered together in one place. As an example, I just figured out how to get the KXV3's second preamp for 10 and 6 working -- it's in the manual, scattered about a bit, but the magic step is to hit "9" on the keypad when the config menu shows KXV3 rather than KCV3B. Once that's set, the rest is easy.

Wonderful radio -- never thought I'd own something of this calibre. My son KG6MOV surprised the hell out of me by getting this for me for father's day (he tried -- I told Mike at Elecraft that I was glad they had the problem of too many orders for the K3S, and hoped they had it for quite a while). It will be our Field Day radio next year. By then we'll be old friends and get along much better.

Happy to take questions, hints, and suggestions!

73,

bob k6rtm