[Elecraft] KX2/3 Amplifiers

[Phil Hystad]

I looked into that very question a few months ago (February)…

My comments:  

1.  I don’t think Hardrock-50 has an auto-tuner so in pricing comparison, compare with
a separate vendors auto-tuner (as good as Elecraft’s) if you are assuming buying the KXPA100 with
auto tuner.

2.  Hardrock-50 is half (or, less than half?) the output power of KXPA100 (of course, you know this).

3.  Include your own labor time in $ for building the kit?  I do this for everything I do to determine
if I want to do myself or pay to have it done.  For many of my projects, my time is a lot more valuable than
the cost of somebody else’s time.  For example, as a plumber my own labor costs are thousands of dollars
per hour.

Well, these are the three key items that I looked into in comparing leaving out the very likely quality
difference between a full soldering kit built by me versus a kit from Elecraft.

I chose the KXPA100+autotuner as a result of my evaluation.  

But, the rest of the story.

I didn’t buy the KXPA100.  My reason for 100 watts was to see about getting a 100-watt capable
backup rig and could also be used in portable operations (with adaquate DC power of course).  

I made a wild decision.  Instead of getting an amp for my KX3.  I sold my KX3!  In its place I
bought a new Icom IC-7300 and it is light-weight and could be portable (not mobile) as well.

But, I still loved QRP portable ops too so I bought a KX2 to replace my KX3.  I also sold other
equipment that was merely collecting dust to also put together the funds to buy the KX2 as
well as a second KAT500 to work with the IC-7300 (since the 7300s internal tuner is not good
enough for all of my antennas in use on all of my bands of interest).

Net cost was  minus $130.   That is, I had a net gain after buying the IC-7300, the KX2,
and the KAT500 by selling the KX3, and a mobile HF rig, a mobile VHF/UHF rig, and a R-75
receiver.

73, phil, K7PEH


> On May 28, 2017, at 10:50 AM, Tom Francis, W1TEF <KX2_KX3 at swsports.org> wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
> I'm looking for a little practical advice about linear amplification for the KX2/3 (I have both).
> 
> Hardrock-50 or KXPA100.
> 
> Essentially, it would be used mobile, although taking it out the car and using it portable is
> possible.
> 
> So any information from users of these two amps will be greatly appreciated.  Also, as the
> Hardrock 50 is a kit, how hard is it to build for something with finger nephropathy?
> 
> Thanks for any info.
> 
> Very best regards,
> 
> Tom, W1TEF
> Lexington, SC
> 
> 
> 
> 
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