[Elecraft] 2nd RX Vs. P3

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

A very difficult choice indeed.  The P3 display can be studied to 
understand how a DX operator is working the pile.  You can tell if he is 
working up or down the split or where in split in the case of large 
splits of late or if he is shotgunning it.

I use both constantly.  The 2nd receiver can be set up with just a 
couple of filters and you are good to go.  The 2nd receiver is great to 
listen on a 2nd band if you have a 2nd antenna to use.

Mike W0MU

On 3/14/2015 10:42 PM, dyarnes wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> There has been a fair amount of discussion here about which accessory 
> for the K3 trumps the other --a P3 or a 2nd RX.  I don't have an 
> answer, but I do have an opinion.
>
> I have the full K-Line here, but due to neighborhood restrictions, my 
> antennas are modest.  I use an R8 and a vertical dipole (Sigma 40XK) 
> set up for 40 meters.  That gives me decent coverage from 40 meters 
> up, but nothing really fancy--and not a sure fire pile up buster!  I'm 
> certainly no threat to the "honor roll!"  Hi.  I think I have been a 
> bit cavalier about relying too much on the P3 to spot DX listening 
> frequencies with just the P3.  I love the P3, but I can't say I have 
> been particularly accurate by using it. I do turn on the 2nd RX fairly 
> often, but more often than not,  I get lazy about doing just that.
>
> The recent K1N Dxpedition was sort of a wake-up call for me about 
> using the 2nd RX more.  I'd use the P3, and think  I had ID'd the 
> listening freq., but it just wasn't producing any results.  Their 
> split was very wide, and besides that, stations were calling and 
> calling, even though they weren't the station K1N had acknowledged.  
> That' nothing new, but it was particularly bad on this operation.  I 
> was getting a lot of "false" readings just using the P3.  For days I 
> had "zero" success.  Eventually I went to the 2nd RX, and the results 
> improved dramatically.  I got 5 band slots in fairly short order by 
> doing so.  There just doesn't seem to be a really good substitute for 
> knowing exactly which freq. the DX station is listening on at the 
> time.  It doesn't guarantee success, but it sure gives you a leg up!
>
> I think, in my case at least, the 2nd RX may be the more advantageous 
> for this kind of thing.  Stations with more power, and bigger 
> antennas, have a definite advantage.  They can be picked out of the 
> pile much more readily than I can.  Some of the big guns have signals 
> so strong they are like magnets!  I think anyone in my shoes, who is 
> trying to nab a good DX contact here or there, is apt to find the 2nd 
> RX to be a great accessory, and more productive than the P3 for that 
> particular purpose.  Chances are I'm not using the P3 to it's best 
> advantage, but I am trying to get better at it. I'm sure there are 
> "tricks" I'm not aware of.
>
> Since the K1N DXpedition, there have been 4 or 5 other situations 
> where the 2nd RX got me a contact in fairly short order--a couple of 
> them just this weekend.  Anyway, I'm getting more and more convinced 
> that the 2nd RX was a good move on my part.  The P3 was too, but it is 
> more useful to me for other reasons.  If I had it to do all over, and 
> could only get one accessory, or only one at a time, I would start 
> with the 2nd RX.
>
> By the way, on the KX3, the "dual watch" feature is priceless, and 
> very effectively emulates a 2nd RX!  K1N probably stretched the limits 
> of that feature (15 khz), but generally that is more than adequate.  
> The KX3 is just a super slick radio, and with the PX3 you have a 
> dynamite combo!
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
>
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