[Elecraft] Contemplating Purchase of K3

[Edward R Cole]

Per usual, I am late responding (I receive the list by digest about 
2-3 times/day):

First off, I am not a HF contester or DXer, so my use of CW is casual 
(avoid when the former activity is present).  I bought the 8-pole 
filters: 2.8-KHz and 400-Hz.  The former because I run diversity on a 
KRX3 (which only has the 2.8-KHz).  I figured the steeper filters 
would be valuable for resale (if that ever came to happen).  I also 
bought the 13-KHz filter for FM (on VHF using transverters; also 
works on 10m & 6m).  The 13-KHz is installed for AM.

I have found in the very little CW operation on HF that I actually 
like tuning around with DSP bw = 500-Hz or wider.  Once settled on a 
particular CW signal bw can be reduced to 400-Hz for quieter band reception.

The only time I run CW at very narrow bw (typ. 100-Hz) is for CW-eme 
signals (very weak).  I find those signals using a water-fall display 
(using either MAP65 display or Spectravue).  Usually tune them with 
wider bw until exactly at the pitch I desire and then reduce DSP bw 
to enhance signal readability.

Since you are a DXer, I suspect the 400-Hz 8-pole might give you a 
slight edge over the 500-Hz 5-pole in a crowded band (especially if 
you have close neighbor stations also vying for the DX).  Then the 
new SYNTH ought to help a lot.

My two cents observation from a non-expert.

73, Ed - KL7UW

Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 18:10:59 +0000
From: Richard Gillingham <w1rg at hotmail.com>
To: "=?utf-8?Q?elecraft at mailman.qth.net?=" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Contemplating Purchase of K3
Message-ID: <COL401-EAS4144D4A8823ECC609F229D69C1D0 at phx.gbl>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

Many thanks for the recommendations.  The consensus is overwhelmingly 
for the 400 KHz filter.  I?m primarily a DXer, and most of what I 
work is on CW.  So?  That will be on the list.


Thanks again to all

73

Gil, W1RG


73, Ed - KL7UW
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