Dayton purchase - KX1 or K2?

[Steve KC8QVO]

Well this is the question: get a KX1 or a K2 at Dayton?
 
I had set my mind on a KX1. I have used one before and was very surprised with the performance over all my other HF radios. However, the more I think about it the more I think a K2 might be better.
 
One of my other large hobbies is backpacking. I usually take an FT-857D, 12Ah SLA, and jumper dipole with me. This has provided a lot of fun sitting around the camp fire on HF.
 
My ultimate goal, after experiencing the performance of the KX1, is to get a receiver in the main shack that is that good. I would be happy with "that good" but "even better" would be, well, even better!
 
The way I see the K2 is this: I can build it as a 15w rig with SSB for a fantastic voice/cw portable radio that is good on batteries (better than my FT-857D in the field). Batteries can even go inside the case - decreasing my pack bulk over my current setup with the FT-857D and battery. I can add a 100w amp for the shack and traveling where power isn't an issue. Then I wouldn't be "lacking" any performance over my other HF radios (on the TX side, any way you slice it the RX side will be 100 times better).
 
The KX1 is a fantastic and very fun radio to operate, but it is limited to 4 bands and CW only (TX). It is extremely compact and light though, which there just aren't any other radios out there that touch this class of performance in such a size of package.
 
Decisions decisions... The K2 also costs more - I will have over 3x the price of a KX1 in it, although I can spread it out a bit after the initial burn HIHI. It will be roughly $900 for the K2, K160RX, and KSB2 then $400 for the KX1. That is, of course, unless there is a big Dayton discount (unlikely I think).
 
Any thoughts from the crowd here?
 
Steve, KC8QVO


     
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[The Smiths]

I find that the KX1 fits very nicely in a small bag for travel.  Also, the way the antenna tuner matches pretty much anything thrown up into a tree (one side) and the other just laying on the ground is very impressive.  

If you want SSB I guess your decision has already been made.  As for me, I'm all CW, so when I travel I borrow my friends KX1, until I get a chance to buy and build my own.  Last time I went to the Philippines I was able to work over 12 countries including Russia all on 2 watts and a 28 foot long piece of wire connected to a fishing weight that I just tossed up into a coconut tree!  That's plenty good enough for me!

 


 

> Date: Wed, 12 May 2010 19:19:07 -0700
> From: [hidden email]
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] Dayton purchase - KX1 or K2?
>
> Well this is the question: get a KX1 or a K2 at Dayton?
>  
> I had set my mind on a KX1. I have used one before and was very surprised with the performance over all my other HF radios. However, the more I think about it the more I think a K2 might be better.
>  
> One of my other large hobbies is backpacking. I usually take an FT-857D, 12Ah SLA, and jumper dipole with me. This has provided a lot of fun sitting around the camp fire on HF.
>  
> My ultimate goal, after experiencing the performance of the KX1, is to get a receiver in the main shack that is that good. I would be happy with "that good" but "even better" would be, well, even better!
>  
> The way I see the K2 is this: I can build it as a 15w rig with SSB for a fantastic voice/cw portable radio that is good on batteries (better than my FT-857D in the field). Batteries can even go inside the case - decreasing my pack bulk over my current setup with the FT-857D and battery. I can add a 100w amp for the shack and traveling where power isn't an issue. Then I wouldn't be "lacking" any performance over my other HF radios (on the TX side, any way you slice it the RX side will be 100 times better).
>  
> The KX1 is a fantastic and very fun radio to operate, but it is limited to 4 bands and CW only (TX). It is extremely compact and light though, which there just aren't any other radios out there that touch this class of performance in such a size of package.
>  
> Decisions decisions... The K2 also costs more - I will have over 3x the price of a KX1 in it, although I can spread it out a bit after the initial burn HIHI. It will be roughly $900 for the K2, K160RX, and KSB2 then $400 for the KX1. That is, of course, unless there is a big Dayton discount (unlikely I think).
>  
> Any thoughts from the crowd here?
>  
> Steve, KC8QVO
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

     
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[John W2XS]

They are both really FB rigs, but the K2 is the best overall QRP radio out there IMHO.  Our local QRP club has outings at the state park, and it is so nice to have access to all bands.  I like to start at 10m and work my way down until I find activity.  17m has turned into one of my favorite bands, and there has been some activity on 12m. With the built-in tuner and battery, all that is needed externally is the paddle and an antenna. The KX1 is small, but the K2 is small enough to be easy to carry for portable use. I use an old padded camcorder case which contains enough room for the K2, the Paddlette PK1 paddle (and a spare), a balun, some tools, adaptors, a notebook for logging, and a small power supply when AC is available.  Another bag is used for the antenna stuff.

Besides the state park, I operate the K2 from a weekend retreat house on AC power and that has worked out FB too. 10W has proven to be enough power for enjoyable world-wide QSOs on 40m through 10m with a 40m inverted V fed with twinlead.

73,

John W2XS

KX1 (S/N 015) w/KXPD1, KXAT1, KXB30 (The one in the QST review)
K2 (S/N 1116) w/KAT2, KSB2, K160RX, KIO2, KBT2, KNB2, KAF2, FDIMP (Built by Sherwood Eng)
Drake T4X (S/N 11161) (Just a coincidence)
K3/100 (S/N 919) w/KAT3, KBPF3, KUSB, KFL3A-200, 500, 2.7k, AM, FM, KRX3, KXV3
HexKey (S/N 113)
DL1, BL1, BL2, N-gen, XG1, W1, BNC-MM