[Elecraft] K2 still a viable portable contest station?

[Robert G Strickland]

Paul...
I've used my K2 on Field Days, operating CW on 40m into a temp dipole. 
I've had no trouble landing close to 500 contacts, and my goal this year 
is 600. Aside from the "elan" of using the K2 "in the field," the radio 
always performs flawlessly with more than sufficient sensitivity, 
selectivity, and features for the FD environment. DX contests from 
outside the ZI may present different challenges, but I would think it 
worth while to at least give the K2 a chance to show what it can do.
...robert

On 2/26/2019 14:32, Paul Gacek via Elecraft wrote:
> I’m heading down to Costa Rica tomorrow with a couple of friends to participate in the ARRL DX Phone contest.
>
> Last year we took my KX3/PX3/KXPA100 combo and were pretty happy all round with it (the KXPA100 did seem to get upset periodically which always happened when I was off shift, resulting in me being rudely awakened…).
>
> The station has evolved a bit and in addition to my KX3/PX3/KXPA100 combo we will have a K3. One big attraction of the K3 is its RX antenna port so we can use a K9AY RX antenna.
>
> While the K3 is unlikely to be a permanent fixture of my portable station going forward I’m curious about people’s perspective of the efficacy and viability of a K2/100 with the 160m/RX port option as a station in a contest (I have the DSP option too).
>
> I’ve seen the Sherwood data etc and I know the KX3/K3 are “better” radios but we are a 100 watt low power station with a variety of antennas (Buddipole, OCFs, Hexbeam etc) and maybe the K2/100 to all intents and purposes is good enough such that we essentially nab as many stations as the K3 would with the same antennas.
>
> Any feedback is welcome.
>
> Paul W6PNG/M0SNA
> www.nomadic.blog <http://www.nomadic.blog/>
>
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-- 
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
rcrgs at verizon.net.usa
Syracuse, New York, USA