[Elecraft] K3 RX in real world

[Hank P]

I held this for three days  deciding whether to send it or not – here ‘tis.

I went from TT Orion - 3 of them at various times - to K3 . I was more than a little  concerned by size and Hold/Tap functions etc - I read all the stuff from Sherwood ,keep reading stories here about KSYN3A wonders.

Here is my take - I live in a hot bed of BIG time DXers and contesters  - it takes  quite a receiver to hold up when they all get going .I need a rig I can use when they are on. 

One guy about 4 miles away has K3/ALPHA8410 - and puts a measured 75 millivolts into the K3 ant jack on 160. I can copy and work weak DX with a 2khz split –  (250hz 8pole)  I kind of  know he is there ,(no doubt about it  looking at P3) but stuff is copyable. (I can see his carrier on a scope on my antenna input , that’s something like S9+65dB) 

Another guy about 2 miles farther away has a bit better TX antenna  and is usually within plus/minus 1 dB of the closer guy – but he is painful +/- 15 khz- and 30 dB of external pad does not make it go away. Its NOT my  K3 RX. (he DID find an arcing filter last year  that was making him +/- 50 khz or worse ) 

I do really wonder what I would notice with KSYN3As on my main /sub rx -  I live in a “field of RF noise”  even before the big guns. I DO really like both main and sub rx now truly  being fed by same LO. 

So I am a happy camper  PLUS  Elecraft  support has been BEYOND superb – I have found no-one to begin to compare. I could go on with a page of my experiences with other vendors. 

My K3  “feels” smooth to me – every bit as “smooth” as the Orions were - 

Just hope Elecraft  lasts longer than I do !!!!  Ham for 64 years – the K3 / P3 / KAT500  / KPA500 is such a SWEET combo. 

73 Hank K7HP