[Elecraft] KX1 vs KX2 vs KX3? from someone who owns one of each..

[Scott Mcdonald]

I'd be curious to know if the kx2 ends up being a kx1 slayer.

I'll admit to forlornly looking at mine from time to time since the kx2 came out, but then she reminds me that she was the last in a long line of trail radios I built, and a darn good one, and I'm guilted into keeping her.  Tho she may need to make room for a kx2 soon.

If only she could do 17.

Scott ka9p

Make something good happen!

> On Jun 30, 2016, at 1:43 PM, Doug Turnbull <turnbull at net1.ie> wrote:
> 
> Don,
>    Thank you for this as it is most informative.   Have you any rough idea
> as to battery life comparison for KX2 and KX3 - I realize this is a
> difficult question.   Thank you once again.
> 
>                73 Doug EI2CN
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Don Butler [mailto:n5lz at comcast.net] 
> Sent: 30 June 2016 14:45
> To: 'Doug Turnbull'; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: KX1 vs KX2 vs KX3? from someone who owns one of each..
> 
> In addition to a few K3s, I also own a KX1, KX2, and KX3 and believe that I
> am in a position where I can make a few unbiased comparisons between the
> “KX” group.  EI2CN asked today about weight comparisons between the three
> radios so I thought I would provide that info and add just a couple of my
> own thoughts about the three different radios.
> 
> My KX1 (4 band and tuner) with paddle and 6 lithium batteries weighs 14.6
> oz.
> 
> My KX2 (tuner and clock) with battery pack but without paddle weighs 20 oz.
> The battery pack alone weighs 5 ½ oz.  Adding the KXPD3 (since the KXPD2 is
> still back ordered) adds about  1 oz to make the total package 21 oz.
> 
> My KX3 (with all options and also with the 3rd party sidekick panels) and
> with 8 NIMH batteries, charger and KXPD3 weighs 35 oz.    …. The NIMH
> batteries make up about 8 oz of that total.
> 
> Since I own and have used all three radios, and really have no reason for
> bias, I thought I would share my thoughts relative to comparisons.  For
> clarification these are MY opinions only … the way I feel about the three
> radios as an owner of each… and of course this is not an attempt to be any
> kind of in depth review or comparison…. I’m going to focus on the main
> encoder dial only.
> 
> Here goes:
> 
> To me, the KX2 has rendered the KX1 obsolete .... the KX2 has virtually
> every capability of the KX1 but also has much much more … is about the same
> size and weighs just 7 oz more.  It’s the perfect radio for travelling light
> or backpacking for portable QRP operation.
> 
> I prefer the KX3 over the KX2  .... mainly because of the main tuning knob
> …. It was apparently necessary to use a smaller encoder on the KX2 to keep
> the overall package small (and that has been accomplished).  But to me it
> came at a significant price because it is really rather cumbersome to slowly
> tune the bands with the KX2 main dial when compared to doing so with the
> very nice encoder on the KX3.  To me the main dial on the KX2 has the same
> feel as the dial on the KX1 ….. while the main dial on the KX3 is more like
> that on the K3 ……  the KX3 wins on my scorecard on that comparison hands
> down, and it therefore remains my choice for most operating situations. 
> 
> There are workaround alternatives to make tuning easier on the KX2  .. for
> example it’s actually easier to tune up and down the bands using the MH3
> up/down buttons than doing so with the main tuning knob …. But who really
> wants to tune a radio with mic buttons?  …. Not me!   Coarse tuning with the
> VFO B knob is the best option in my hands… and I have mine set for 0.5 khz
> on CW and 2.5 khz on SSB, which allows me to scan the band with coarse
> tuning and tweak with the main dial when I find a signal of interest.
> 
> I will choose the KX3 for “in shack” use (but after the K3 of course) and
> for any portable use when I want to spend significant time with the radio
> and log lots of QSOs.   ( FYI, our Field Day group operated 1A here in Utah
> using my KX3/KXPA100 at 100 watts , deep cycle battery, CrankIR and center
> fed zepp … and, with lots of off time and sleeping through the night we
> still managed to log over 600 CW qsos).   I will pick the KX2 for portable
> QRP operation when I want to travel light and do not plan to spend hours on
> the air.  I doubt that I will be using the KX1 in the future …. but it’s
> still a keeper as far as I’m concerned ?
> 
> Just one man’s opinions …
> 
> 73,
> Don, N5LZ
> 
> 
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