[Elecraft] New KX3 up & running.

[Michael Heit]

I completed the assembly of the KX3 and the 100 watt Amp. Also set up the Buddie pole Deluxe and was blown away by the overall quality of all the equipment.
Now to get it all tuned up; need to do the temperature compensation for the roofing filters,figure out how to get the Heil headset / mic working so when I talk it transmits ... the sound in the earphones is great but I cannot get the mic to go VOX. No matter how I follow the manual for set up it doesn't seem to work. The included Elecraft mic works of course ...
The auto tuner is phenomenal though I haven't yet fired up the amp with its auto tuner.
This Friday I'm heading down to Kislof, Alaska for work and plan to take the KX3 for its first field test. My main focus will be HF voice; I have to wonder if a firmware upgrade in the future may allow digital voice from the KX3? I also want to use Ham Radio Deluxe for rig control and other digital operations like PSK, RTTY, etc. so now to figure out the cable connections. I've seen a number of photo's showing the use of the Signalink USB but cannot understand why one would be needed; I have one on my Icom IC7000 so if needed I could change the internal links for the KX3. 
Memorial Day will see us heading out to Deadmans Lake and another field test; Field Day will see us up on Tower Mountain at Ft. Wainwright, then the big test will be in July when we head up above the Arctic Circle on the haul road for some real Alaska bush ops ... I'm itching to try out some QRP and see what happens. There is a easy access mountain up there that I would love to try SOTA too ....I have to get back into my CW daze and get up to speed. When I use the KX3 paddles I hear a ping from the speaker when I get to sending CW; what would cause this?
If anyone is interested in follow up reports I'll post them ... photo's too if anyone would like to see my "go bag" set up.
73 all,
Mike AD7VV Michael D. Heit A&P/IA DAR-TPresidentNorth Star Aviation LLCNorth Pole, Alaska 99705