[Elecraft] K2 still a viable portable contest station?

[Dale Boresz]

Hello Paul,

Regarding the KX3 station, the DX Engineering RTR-2 will enable you to use
a receiving antenna, and it handles the T/R and protection duties nicely.
I've been using one for a couple of years with a Pixel magnetic loop on 80,
40, and 30 meters. It also has a front panel toggle switch that allows you
to quickly engage the tx antenna for reception as well, giving you the
opportunity to use whichever one provides the best signal.

73,

Dale - WA8SRA


On Tue, Feb 26, 2019 at 9:32 AM Paul Gacek via Elecraft <
elecraft at mailman.qth.net> 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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