[Elecraft] The Big Three...

[donovanf at starpower.net]

Hi Carl, 


A reminder about this thread, its not about the performance of the K3, 
its about the preferences of highly competitive contesters who have 
many excellent choices in the marketplace. Arguably more choices 
than ever before. 


Rather than getting into detailed discussions about specific performance 
parameters, let me just suggest that you do what we do at W3LPL 
during every SSB contest. Set up a K3 for SSB using the best 
parameter settings you're aware of. Then set up any other top-of-the-line 
radio next to it. The comparison in received SSB audio quality is stark. 
When digging weak -- often distorted -- signals out of noise and extreme 
adjacent channel interference, overall receiver audio is extremely important. 


Do the same test with SSB transmitted audio quality by setting up a "blind 
test." Use the best K3 parameter settings you're aware of. Then set up 
any other top-of-the-line radio next to it. Ask several very competitive 
SSB contesters to listen to transmissions from both radios. Don't tell 
them advance which radio is which, just tell them Radio A and Radio B. 
I guarantee you that no competitive contester will prefer K3 transmitted 
SSB audio over any of the other top-of-the-line radios in a blind test. 


It won't be long before we can have some run running the same tests with the K4. 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 

----- Original Message -----

From: "Carl Yaffey" <cyaffey at gmail.com> 
To: donovanf at starpower.net, Elecraft at mailman.qth.net 
Sent: Sunday, March 29, 2020 5:35:15 PM 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] The Big Three... 

Frank, I’d like to know why a K3 is not great on SSB. Is it the receiver audio? Transmitter EQ? 







On Mar 29, 2020, at 1:09 PM, donovanf at starpower.net wrote: 


Charles, 



The most competitive contesters -- the subject of this thread -- will always 
gravitate to the highest performing radios, not to their favorite brand. 


The K3 design is dated, all of the other top manufacturers have introduced 
much higher performing SSB radios in recent years. The K3 was a 
revolutionary design when it was introduced many years ago, but no more. 


Hopefully the new K4 will change the game in Elecraft's favor once again, 
especially for the most competitive SSB operators. 


73 
Frank 
W3LPL 












Carl Yaffey K8NU