Comments from Special Forces personnel on KX2 use

[wayne burdick]

Hi all,

I forwarded a few questions from HF Pack list members to a Special Forces commander whose unit has been using KX2s in the field for three years. He passed along the following additional comments:

------------

"We prefer to use Off Center Fed Dipoles (OCFD). They work for us because they present a consistent, predictable mismatch on the frequencies we use. I made a few small baluns out of binocular cores that are 4:1, which handle the output of the KX2 on Voice, CW and digital all day long. Typically the dipoles are strung up arms-reach-high in the field, which gives us easy 300 - 400 mile range in our KX2 nets. If we're fortunate enough to have a tree, that OCFD with a center height at 10 to 15 feet or so works perfect for NVIS, at least for us.  

"You'd be proud to know my KX2 has survived remote jungles, 14-er peaks in Colorado, -30 degree F temps, a helicopter crash, and gunfights / IED blasts ....  I think the radio has held up better than I have."

------------

He closed with:

"Feel free to hit me up with any additional questions from the gang and I'll do my best to answer."

73,
Wayne
N6KR


______________________________________________________________
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]

[ockmrzr]

As we Vets say,  F**K'n-A!

73 de Bruce, N7TY
Yuma, AZ
www.qsl.net/n7ty

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> On
Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
Sent: 2 March, 2020 07:53
To: Elecraft Reflector <[hidden email]>
Subject: [Elecraft] Comments from Special Forces personnel on KX2 use

Hi all,

I forwarded a few questions from HF Pack list members to a Special Forces
commander whose unit has been using KX2s in the field for three years. He
passed along the following additional comments:

------------

"We prefer to use Off Center Fed Dipoles (OCFD). They work for us because
they present a consistent, predictable mismatch on the frequencies we use. I
made a few small baluns out of binocular cores that are 4:1, which handle
the output of the KX2 on Voice, CW and digital all day long. Typically the
dipoles are strung up arms-reach-high in the field, which gives us easy 300
- 400 mile range in our KX2 nets. If we're fortunate enough to have a tree,
that OCFD with a center height at 10 to 15 feet or so works perfect for
NVIS, at least for us.  

"You'd be proud to know my KX2 has survived remote jungles, 14-er peaks in
Colorado, -30 degree F temps, a helicopter crash, and gunfights / IED blasts
....  I think the radio has held up better than I have."

------------

He closed with:

"Feel free to hit me up with any additional questions from the gang and I'll
do my best to answer."

73,
Wayne
N6KR


______________________________________________________________
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]

[Elecraft mailing list]

One such letter cancels a year of gripes. Be proud, Elecraft.

...robert KE2WY

On 3/2/2020 14:52, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I forwarded a few questions from HF Pack list members to a Special Forces commander whose unit has been using KX2s in the field for three years. He passed along the following additional comments:
>
> ------------
>
> "We prefer to use Off Center Fed Dipoles (OCFD). They work for us because they present a consistent, predictable mismatch on the frequencies we use. I made a few small baluns out of binocular cores that are 4:1, which handle the output of the KX2 on Voice, CW and digital all day long. Typically the dipoles are strung up arms-reach-high in the field, which gives us easy 300 - 400 mile range in our KX2 nets. If we're fortunate enough to have a tree, that OCFD with a center height at 10 to 15 feet or so works perfect for NVIS, at least for us.
>
> "You'd be proud to know my KX2 has survived remote jungles, 14-er peaks in Colorado, -30 degree F temps, a helicopter crash, and gunfights / IED blasts ....  I think the radio has held up better than I have."
>
> ------------
>
> He closed with:
>
> "Feel free to hit me up with any additional questions from the gang and I'll do my best to answer."
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>

--
Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY
[hidden email]
Syracuse, New York, USA
______________________________________________________________
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]

[k6dgw]

Thanks for sharing this Wayne.  That was our experience in SE Asia in
the 60's too, sans KX2 of course.  If we could get the dipole 6-10'
high, we were good for both the day and night in-country nets and could
also work our HQ & Maintenance Depot at Clark AB in the Philippines 24
hrs.  The problem with a 6' dipole was clotheslining a trooper in the
middle of the night. [:=)

Folks these days seem to be looking for the perfect [magic?] antenna and
are reluctant to just try a basic "non-buried conductor" unless it comes
with the magic guarantee first.  I'm somewhat constrained by our HOA's
Architectural Review Committee [OK, nothing visible].  My 135' end-fed
wire along the wooden fence works surprisingly well at 100 W considering
it is just about eye level all the way.  As good as 5 over 5 over 5 at
100' on 40?  Not quite, but I can make Q's on any open band anytime I
want including DXpeditions where I wait a few days until the bruhaha has
settled down some.

Antennas are one of the last radio neighborhoods for the average ham to
experiment with, homebrew transmitters and receivers are rare these
days.  It often could take less time to just "try something" as an
antenna than it takes for the endless arguments on email lists on what
works and how well.

73,
Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 3/2/2020 6:52 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I forwarded a few questions from HF Pack list members to a Special Forces commander whose unit has been using KX2s in the field for three years. He passed along the following additional comments:
>
> ------------
>
> "We prefer to use Off Center Fed Dipoles (OCFD). They work for us because they present a consistent, predictable mismatch on the frequencies we use. I made a few small baluns out of binocular cores that are 4:1, which handle the output of the KX2 on Voice, CW and digital all day long. Typically the dipoles are strung up arms-reach-high in the field, which gives us easy 300 - 400 mile range in our KX2 nets. If we're fortunate enough to have a tree, that OCFD with a center height at 10 to 15 feet or so works perfect for NVIS, at least for us.
>
> "You'd be proud to know my KX2 has survived remote jungles, 14-er peaks in Colorado, -30 degree F temps, a helicopter crash, and gunfights / IED blasts ....  I think the radio has held up better than I have."
>
> ------------
>
> He closed with:
>
> "Feel free to hit me up with any additional questions from the gang and I'll do my best to answer."
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>

______________________________________________________________
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]

[Don Wilhelm]

Most any wire you put up can be made to radiate.  The problem is
matching the feedpoint to the feedline.  If you want to use coax for the
feedline, you must provide a proper matching network at the antenna
(balun or otherwise).  Open wire line can be used with a matching
network in the shack.

If you are transmitting at 100 watts (or 10), all that power will go
into the radiator and be radiated.  If you are concerned about how
effective that radiation will be consult the antenna books and look at
the elevation and azimuth radiation patterns to obtain your answers.
L.B. Cebik (SK) did a lot of antenna radiation models.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/2/2020 2:13 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:

> Folks these days seem to be looking for the perfect [magic?] antenna and
> are reluctant to just try a basic "non-buried conductor" unless it comes
> with the magic guarantee first.  I'm somewhat constrained by our HOA's
> Architectural Review Committee [OK, nothing visible].  My 135' end-fed
> wire along the wooden fence works surprisingly well at 100 W considering
> it is just about eye level all the way.  As good as 5 over 5 over 5 at
> 100' on 40?  Not quite, but I can make Q's on any open band anytime I
> want including DXpeditions where I wait a few days until the bruhaha has
> settled down some.
>

______________________________________________________________
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]

[Mike Morrow-3]

______________________________________________________________
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]

[Petr, OK1RP/M0SIS]

Hi Wayne,

many thanks for that comments.

It is good to know that USSF troopers are equipped with your KX2, lol...
I am using KX3 in backpack in similar conditions worldwide (except copter crash) and I
have to confirm that it survived everything and works like champ.
The only size and weight is higher compare to KX2.
Maybe I should rearm to KX2 to save space in backpack and get it lighter...
Several time I thought about camo painting for my KX3...

Congrats for an excellent products and thanks for all these services Wayne.

 





-----
73 - Petr, OK1RP
"Apple & Elecraft freak"
B:http://ok1rp.blogspot.com
MeWe: https://bit.ly/2HGPoDx
MeWe: https://bit.ly/2FmwvDt
--
Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[e-mail]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to [e-mail]