Base Station

[Enzo Adrian-Reyes]

I know this list is a bit biased, however I am trying to set up my base
station, I currently own a KX3 and an ICOM 7100, and I have an antenna that
is an inverted V diapole, (Diamon W8010), which is hosted 6m up in the air.

My problem is I live nearby a lot of interference due to high voltage power
lines, now, my dilemma is
I want to get rid of my ICOM 7100, and I have to replace it with a base
station, so is the KX3 with the addons good enough for base station op, or
shuold I sell that and get a K3S perhaps a KX2 for mobile ops? I would like
to do SOTA really, and have a portable handy, I am only allowed to transmit
for the moment 10W any way, so k3s/10 should be enough to start with,
however I have a bucketload of noise, my KX3 is under going repairs and I
wont know when it will be back,hopefully its not too expensive as I will
def blow my budget over many times.

So any body here have any experience on running their KX3 as their main
base station? if so how well does it do? Would a k3s be better? what
advantage would I have with the K3S (baseline) compared to an upgraded KX3
(ATU, 2m, Roof filters fitted)

I am worried about sensitivity, and ability to pick weak signals, as I have
very little room to fit larger an better antennas so I have to kind of work
with what I have.

Regards
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[Barry K3NDM]

Enzo,
     I may be a little more than a little biased, but I would say a KX3
makes an excellent base station. The only add ons that I can think you
might want are the ATU and mic. If you use the 8 KHz shift, you can't
use the optional roofing filter.  Everything else you need is already
there.

     Elecraft supplied the connector with I&Q signals out. From that you
connect up to a good, wideband sound card and you have spectrum display
out to about 125 KHz. That same data can be used with CW Skimmer for
viewing as much bandwidth as can be displayed but limited to the
parameters of the sound card.

     If you use Win4K3 and Hamradio Deluxe with your KX3, you can have a
fully integrated station operation, from spot to contact to log.

     If you contest as I do with my KX3, you can use contest logging
software with your spectrum display, you now have a serious contest
station.

     Power line noise is a problem regardless of the radio. The DSP in
the KX3 does a pretty fair job on noise around here, but nothing is
perfect.

     Bottom line in my opinion is the KX3 addresses more issues than any
other radio I know. It doesn't have a second receiver, but I believe
using a spectrum display is better for many things. The K3 and K3S both
can have a second receiver that can be put on another band other than
the one you are working. That is handy for operators with the skill to
use this capability; I'm not one. The KX3's performance is not quite
what the K3S has or the upgraded K3, but for ~90% or maybe more, it sure
does do the job.

     Since you are thinking SOTA, meaning portable, the KX3 works
marvelously for that. When you are finished, you bring the KX3 home and
connect the radio to its amplifier and you get your base back.

     All of today's radios have adequate sensitivity to hear weak
signals. The limitations today are associated with ambient noise; power
lines, plasma TVs, switching power supplies, etc. A good antenna helps
but the real receiver issues are dynamic range and reciprocal mixing
caused by your LO. The KX3 holds up really well in this area.

     I live on a small urban lot. I have a 40 meter center fed dipole and
a 40 meter delta loop. I have DXCC mixed, CW, and SSB. I have 156
countries confirmed on 20, 15, and 10 with 50 on 80 and 87 on 40. All of
this was using my KX3.

     This weekend my KX3 will join several others for Field Day, We
operate 3AB, QRP. We took second last year in this fairly competitive
category. We fully expect to win this year.

     Hopefully, I've answered your questions and addressed your concerns.

73,
Barry
K3NDM

------ Original Message ------
From: "Enzo Adrian-Reyes" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft List" <[hidden email]>
Sent: 6/20/2016 7:03:42 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Base Station

>I know this list is a bit biased, however I am trying to set up my base
>station, I currently own a KX3 and an ICOM 7100, and I have an antenna
>that
>is an inverted V diapole, (Diamon W8010), which is hosted 6m up in the
>air.
>
>My problem is I live nearby a lot of interference due to high voltage
>power
>lines, now, my dilemma is
>I want to get rid of my ICOM 7100, and I have to replace it with a base
>station, so is the KX3 with the addons good enough for base station op,
>or
>shuold I sell that and get a K3S perhaps a KX2 for mobile ops? I would
>like
>to do SOTA really, and have a portable handy, I am only allowed to
>transmit
>for the moment 10W any way, so k3s/10 should be enough to start with,
>however I have a bucketload of noise, my KX3 is under going repairs and
>I
>wont know when it will be back,hopefully its not too expensive as I
>will
>def blow my budget over many times.
>
>So any body here have any experience on running their KX3 as their main
>base station? if so how well does it do? Would a k3s be better? what
>advantage would I have with the K3S (baseline) compared to an upgraded
>KX3
>(ATU, 2m, Roof filters fitted)
>
>I am worried about sensitivity, and ability to pick weak signals, as I
>have
>very little room to fit larger an better antennas so I have to kind of
>work
>with what I have.
>
>Regards
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>Message delivered to [hidden email]

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[Bruce Nourish]

I use the KX3 as a base station, with a PX3, KXPA100, external paddle,
external speakers, and an old laptop.

The biggest negative, I feel, is the amount of cabling I have ended up
with. It requires assiduous use of cable ties to prevent my shack from
turning into a cat's cradle. Reconfiguring from digital to voice requires
some fiddly plugging and unplugging, and taking the KX3 out portable
requires a _lot_ of it.

With a K3(S), there'd be a lot less cable, and it would hardly ever change.
Of course, I wouldn't even try to take it portable more than once a year,
but now having the KX2, it will be interesting to see if I take my KX3 out
of the house much at all.

My shack is still amazing, and is much more capable than its operator, but
cabling is its downside.

Bruce

On Mon, Jun 20, 2016, 16:44 Barry LaZar <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Enzo,
>      I may be a little more than a little biased, but I would say a KX3
> makes an excellent base station. The only add ons that I can think you
> might want are the ATU and mic. If you use the 8 KHz shift, you can't
> use the optional roofing filter.  Everything else you need is already
> there.
>
>      Elecraft supplied the connector with I&Q signals out. From that you
> connect up to a good, wideband sound card and you have spectrum display
> out to about 125 KHz. That same data can be used with CW Skimmer for
> viewing as much bandwidth as can be displayed but limited to the
> parameters of the sound card.
>
>      If you use Win4K3 and Hamradio Deluxe with your KX3, you can have a
> fully integrated station operation, from spot to contact to log.
>
>      If you contest as I do with my KX3, you can use contest logging
> software with your spectrum display, you now have a serious contest
> station.
>
>      Power line noise is a problem regardless of the radio. The DSP in
> the KX3 does a pretty fair job on noise around here, but nothing is
> perfect.
>
>      Bottom line in my opinion is the KX3 addresses more issues than any
> other radio I know. It doesn't have a second receiver, but I believe
> using a spectrum display is better for many things. The K3 and K3S both
> can have a second receiver that can be put on another band other than
> the one you are working. That is handy for operators with the skill to
> use this capability; I'm not one. The KX3's performance is not quite
> what the K3S has or the upgraded K3, but for ~90% or maybe more, it sure
> does do the job.
>
>      Since you are thinking SOTA, meaning portable, the KX3 works
> marvelously for that. When you are finished, you bring the KX3 home and
> connect the radio to its amplifier and you get your base back.
>
>      All of today's radios have adequate sensitivity to hear weak
> signals. The limitations today are associated with ambient noise; power
> lines, plasma TVs, switching power supplies, etc. A good antenna helps
> but the real receiver issues are dynamic range and reciprocal mixing
> caused by your LO. The KX3 holds up really well in this area.
>
>      I live on a small urban lot. I have a 40 meter center fed dipole and
> a 40 meter delta loop. I have DXCC mixed, CW, and SSB. I have 156
> countries confirmed on 20, 15, and 10 with 50 on 80 and 87 on 40. All of
> this was using my KX3.
>
>      This weekend my KX3 will join several others for Field Day, We
> operate 3AB, QRP. We took second last year in this fairly competitive
> category. We fully expect to win this year.
>
>      Hopefully, I've answered your questions and addressed your concerns.
>
> 73,
> Barry
> K3NDM
>
> ------ Original Message ------
> From: "Enzo Adrian-Reyes" <[hidden email]>
> To: "Elecraft List" <[hidden email]>
> Sent: 6/20/2016 7:03:42 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] Base Station
>
> >I know this list is a bit biased, however I am trying to set up my base
> >station, I currently own a KX3 and an ICOM 7100, and I have an antenna
> >that
> >is an inverted V diapole, (Diamon W8010), which is hosted 6m up in the
> >air.
> >
> >My problem is I live nearby a lot of interference due to high voltage
> >power
> >lines, now, my dilemma is
> >I want to get rid of my ICOM 7100, and I have to replace it with a base
> >station, so is the KX3 with the addons good enough for base station op,
> >or
> >shuold I sell that and get a K3S perhaps a KX2 for mobile ops? I would
> >like
> >to do SOTA really, and have a portable handy, I am only allowed to
> >transmit
> >for the moment 10W any way, so k3s/10 should be enough to start with,
> >however I have a bucketload of noise, my KX3 is under going repairs and
> >I
> >wont know when it will be back,hopefully its not too expensive as I
> >will
> >def blow my budget over many times.
> >
> >So any body here have any experience on running their KX3 as their main
> >base station? if so how well does it do? Would a k3s be better? what
> >advantage would I have with the K3S (baseline) compared to an upgraded
> >KX3
> >(ATU, 2m, Roof filters fitted)
> >
> >I am worried about sensitivity, and ability to pick weak signals, as I
> >have
> >very little room to fit larger an better antennas so I have to kind of
> >work
> >with what I have.
> >
> >Regards
> >______________________________________________________________
> >Elecraft mailing list
> >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> >Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> >Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> >Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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[Mike Dodd]

On 6/20/2016 7:03 PM, Enzo Adrian-Reyes wrote:
> So any body here have any experience on running their KX3 as their main
> base station? if so how well does it do? Would a k3s be better? what
> advantage would I have with the K3S (baseline) compared to an upgraded KX3
> (ATU, 2m, Roof filters fitted)

I used a KX3 + KXPA100 + PX3 as a base station for three years, and it
worked very well. I live in a quiet area, so can't offer advice about
noise reduction.

I did upgrade to a K3s recently. One reason was "rig envy" :-) but
another was to eliminate a jumble of cables and plugs to the left of the
KX3. I had plugs for a boom mic, a headset/mic, a CW key, and audio I/O
for a SignaLink for AFSK. Oh yes, a foot switch for PTT wired into the
mic plugs meant I had to crawl under the desk to swap 1/4" phone plugs
when I changed from the boom mic to the headset.

It was a mess! The K3 lets me leave everything plugged, most on the rear
panel, so the desk is much neater now.

Another K3s benefit is the built-in USB sound card. That eliminates the
SignaLink and its associated audio and PTT cables.

The K3 receiver seems  more sensitive than the KX3, but I've never done
a side-by-side comparison, so I can't say for sure.

I really liked the PX3's two-line display of the KX3's decoded CW.
Sadly, the P3 needs an accessory SVGA card and external monitor to get
this feature.

In short, the KX3 and accessories made a very nice base station.

--
73, Mike N4CF
Louisa County, VA USA
Elecraft K3s/100
Carolina Windom up 45'
http://n4cf.mdodd.com
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[Bill Frantz]

While I agree about the usefulness of a spectrum display we
should note that the KX3 has Dual Watch which permits listening
to the pileup with one ear while listening to the DX with the
other. I covers most of the issues in working pileups.

I do remember one of the W1AW/P operators, wanting to work EU
only, transmitting on the US SSB subband, but listening down in
the CW band. That strategy made it illegal for US stations to
call him. I also made his split too wide for the KX3 dual watch.
But these kinds of situations are really very very rare.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 6/20/16 at 4:43 PM, [hidden email] (Barry LaZar) wrote:

>Bottom line in my opinion is the KX3 addresses more issues than
>any other radio I know. It doesn't have a second receiver, but
>I believe using a spectrum display is better for many things.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz        | I like the farmers' market   | Periwinkle
[phone]      | because I can get fruits and | 16345
Englewood Ave
www.pwpconsult.com | vegetables without stickers. | Los Gatos,
CA 95032

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[Barry K3NDM]

Bill,
     I am aware that the KX3 has dual watch. It's like having a second
receiver but limited in frequency excursion. I also have a Tentec Orion
II which does have a second receiver.

     Here's what I've sort of discovered. I came to find that I could
zoom the spectrum to blow it up around the pile up. I could see who the
DX station was working. I leave my receiver on the DX station, and use
VFO B to move my transmit frequency to the station he is working. When
he, the DX station, sends TU or QRZ, I drop my call in. Remember the DX
station's receiver is still tuned to his last contact. If it turns out
that I've walked into a really nasty pile up, like on a really rare one
or DXpedition,  I find out how he is operating. He probably is working
split and is going a bit up and then down, 1-5 KHz up from his
transmitting frequency. I can find a hole in the pile up and wait. With
a second receiver, you'll need to tune to find a hole and you may not be
sure what is happening. I can see faster than I can tune. When I figured
this out, I no longer used a second receiver or dual watch, and my
success rate went up.

     My take on the need to have a second receiver is it's very useful
contesting by the really good/high scoring operators; I am no where
being in that group called good contesters. These operator hang out on a
single frequency and call CQ; you hear these guys in all the big
contests. They will tune around with their second receiver, OR, put the
#2 receiver on another band to see if it's hot so that they can time a
switch.  With my little antenna farm, it really isn't realistic to
expect that I could hold a frequency, so running isn't going to be in my
future. But I sure can search and pounce, and using a spectrum display
does allow me to maximize my QSO rate and break pile ups.

73,
Barry
K3NDM


------ Original Message ------
From: "Bill Frantz" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft List" <[hidden email]>
Cc: "Enzo Adrian-Reyes" <[hidden email]>; "Barry LaZar"
<[hidden email]>
Sent: 6/20/2016 10:10:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Base Station

>While I agree about the usefulness of a spectrum display we should note
>that the KX3 has Dual Watch which permits listening to the pileup with
>one ear while listening to the DX with the other. I covers most of the
>issues in working pileups.
>
>I do remember one of the W1AW/P operators, wanting to work EU only,
>transmitting on the US SSB subband, but listening down in the CW band.
>That strategy made it illegal for US stations to call him. I also made
>his split too wide for the KX3 dual watch. But these kinds of
>situations are really very very rare.
>
>73 Bill AE6JV
>
>On 6/20/16 at 4:43 PM, [hidden email] (Barry LaZar) wrote:
>
>>Bottom line in my opinion is the KX3 addresses more issues than any
>>other radio I know. It doesn't have a second receiver, but I believe
>>using a spectrum display is better for many things.
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Bill Frantz        | I like the farmers' market   | Periwinkle
>[phone]      | because I can get fruits and | 16345 Englewood Ave
>www.pwpconsult.com | vegetables without stickers. | Los Gatos, CA 95032
>

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