[Elecraft] New KX2 - what am I doing wrong?

[Philip Cochran]

Yes, I have a counterpoise attached. I’m in my home office. The counterpoise just lies on the floor.  I do not (yet) have an external antenna.  My concern is that I hear nothing at all on any band at any time. It’s as if there is no antenna or a broken connection internally. My experience years ago was that I could regularly hear something on at least some bands.

Phil Cochran
________________________________
From: Don Wilhelm <donwilh at embarqmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 3:41:21 PM
To: Philip Cochran <philip.cochran at gmail.com>; Marty Skitch <skitch at skitchfamily.net>
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New KX2 - what am I doing wrong?

Phil,

Do you have the counterpoise wire connected to a screw on the KX2?
The AX1 is not much of an antenna without it.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/23/2020 3:27 PM, Philip Cochran wrote:
> I tried 80, 40, 20, 17, and 10 meter ham bands. I tried WWV on 5, 10, 15, and 20 MHz.  I tried the common SWL frequencies.  I tried mornings, afternoons and evenings.  What is puzzling is that I am hearing nothing but static.  It is as if there is no antenna.  I tried a wire antenna in lieu of the whip.  Still nothing. I’ve either got some software switch set wrong or there is a fault with the rig.
>
> FWIW - I was first licensed many years ago, built several analog radios from scratch, built Heathkits, and had contacts from all over the world.  Although my knowledge is seriously dated I have a sense of what a good receiver can pick up. My old Drake 2B could usually hear many stations at any time of day.
>