[Elecraft] Skimmer and the K3S

[Jim Brown]

That's nice, and some contesters are finding the latest and greatest 
Flex radios a good choice. I think it's reasonable to note that Flex 
didn't really have a serious contester's radio until  they had 
user-friendly software and the Maestro box. The latter started shipping 
this year. In my view, I'd say that the Flex 6700 didn't become a 
serious contesting platform until then. (Not counting beta software and 
hardware).

Also, I'd bet that the Flex 6700 is not a viable option in a 
multi-transmitter station (or around broadcast transmitters, or with one 
or more close-in ham neighbors)  without serious bandpass filters in 
front of it. Bandpass filters commonly used for SO2R and in 
multi-transmitter contesting stations can fulfill that function.  BUT -- 
those filters are NOT going to be sufficient when the strong signals are 
in-band -- for example, 40M in EU and AS, and on 20M, where high power 
broadcast stations are just outside 20M, but still within the passband 
of most practical bandpass filters. Or in a big multi-multi with a run 
station and a multiplier station on the same band.

If I'm not mistaken, the original K3 first shipped in 2008, and was 
updated to a K3S in 2015. K3 owners could get about 90% of that update 
by spending about $800 on user-replaceable boards (figuring two 
synthesizers for a K3 with a Sub-RX, the new preamp, and the new I/O 
board). If you weren't happy with the performance of your earlier Flex 
radio, it cost the full price of the new radio to upgrade.

If the big Flex radio seems like a better choice, go for it!  I'm pretty 
happy with the integration of my updated K3s with my computers and 
logging software (and I was happy before the update). The LAST thing I 
want is my rotators spinning every time I put a new call in the N1MM 
Plus entry window -- if he heard me well enough to call me, or if I hear 
him well enough to call him, I can usually work him with the rotator 
just where it is.  I want that to be my decision, not the computer's!

73, Jim K9YC

On Mon,9/5/2016 1:46 PM, Peter W2IRT wrote:
> Insofar as I'm personally concerned, I want a radio that has the best
> receiver and filtering money can buy, the ability to receive on multiple
> bands simultaneously, see a graphic representation of not just every signal
> on the band but their calls as well, full integration to my logging software
> and rotator, the ability to easily send any mode natively (CW, SSB+voice
> keying, RTTY, JT-65/JT-9 and anything else for that matter) and a way to
> one-click tune, call and log. To be able to do this with only a couple of
> cables and not a rat's nest of wiring is a huge bonus, as is SO2R in one
> box.