[Elecraft] K3S Receiver and ZL9A DXpedition

[Byron Peebles]

I've been slowly learning some of the ins-and-outs of the K3S 
transceiver, and my appreciation for the radio continues to grow.  I 
still haven't mustered up the nerve to try DATA modes, but I'm almost there.

Those who know me know I'm an avid DXers and casual Contesters (meaning 
I have pretty lousy scores).

The recent ZL9A Dxpedition was exciting for me, as it would be an 
all-time-new-one (ATNO) if I was able to contact them.  And this was a 
real test.  The one day that I heard a hint of their signal they were 
below the noise level.  They were operating split and I couldn't hear 
anyone calling them.  It was my one chance and I really spent some time 
experimenting with different receive settings, especially the Noise 
Blanker and the Notch filtering. Finally, on 20M phone (yes, phone!) I 
was able to use the NB and 4000Hz filter setting and I could understand 
them once I shifted FC "left" about 200.  I worked them in one call.

My brain asks me sometimes "did that just happen?" and I was hoping for 
a later chance at a backup contact on another band or mode, but I never 
heard them again.  How thrilled I was today when the Clublog update 
posted 8,650 QSOs and mine was one of them! It's still thrilling to work 
a new one!  This one was thanks to the radio, for sure.

73, Byron
NZ3O
K3S #100-72