Delayed Options

[KK6ZZP]

I'm considering the purchase of a KX3. I'd like to delay the purchase of certain options in order to smooth my cash flow. Would it be especially difficult if either of the following options were delayed:

 * KXFL3 Dual-Passband Roofing Filter
 * KXAT3 Internal 20-W Automatic Antenna Tuner

I realize that my question could be considered a FAQ. But, as far as I can tell, no one has asked my question in exactly the same context. So it seems to me not a FAQ, though we might agree that it's a near miss. If I'm wrong and my question is a FAQ I'd appreciate a pointer to one or more of the threads I failed to find.

Thanks very much.

Cheers,

[Lyle Johnson]

The options can easily be added at any time.  You may want to download
the manuals for the two options and look over the sections on installation.

73,

Lyle KK7P

> ...Would it be especially
> difficult if either of the following options were delayed:
>
>   * KXFL3 Dual-Passband Roofing Filter
>   * KXAT3 Internal 20-W Automatic Antenna Tuner

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[Brendon Whateley]

My suggestion would be to do the following:-

   - Buy the kit instead of the factory assembled unit to save a few $$.
   This will also make you completely comfortable opening it up and adding
   stuff later. It is a very easy build, IIRC I built mine in two evenings.
   That included the internal battery charger and ATU.
   - Add the ATU asap, it is massively useful mobile or even if you don't
   have options for perfect antennas.
   - SKIP the previous advice if you are EXCLUSIVELY going to use something
   like the AlexLoop. You want to bypass the ATU with that kind of tunable
   antenna, so the ATU is only useful for non-well-designed loops.
   - Add the internal battery charger, it makes quick portable operation so
   very, very easy.
   - Add the roofing filter when you feel it would help. I have not done
   this yet, but it probably won't take more than 15 minutes when I do.

Hope that helps. The kits save some cash and give you a nice little "oldish
school" build it yourself project that is missing from so many Hams now.

- Brendon
KK6AYI

On Thu, Mar 24, 2016 at 1:31 AM, KK6ZZP <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I'm considering the purchase of a KX3. I'd like to delay the purchase of
> certain options in order to smooth my cash flow. Would it be especially
> difficult if either of the following options were delayed:
>
>  * KXFL3 Dual-Passband Roofing Filter
>  * KXAT3 Internal 20-W Automatic Antenna Tuner
>
> I realize that my question could be considered a FAQ. But, as far as I can
> tell, no one has asked my question in exactly the same context. So it seems
> to me not a FAQ, though we might agree that it's a near miss. If I'm wrong
> and my question /is/ a FAQ I'd appreciate a pointer to one or more of the
> threads I failed to find.
>
> Thanks very much.
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context:
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Delayed-Options-tp7615506.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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>

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[K1BRA]

I purchased a KX3 assembled with the Roofing Filters, Battery Charger, ATU and hand Mic. I went with having Elecraft assemble it because I wanted the radio to work out of the box.

Here’s what I would have done if I had needed to save some cash:

1) I would have skipped the hand mic - headset is the way to go.
2) I would have skipped the Battery Charger - Had I known that the charger had to be manually enabled every time (i.e. its not always ‘trickle charging’) and that you had to ‘guess’ for how long it needed to be on, I would have skipped it as I don’t see a whole lot of value in that.
3) I’d delay getting the Roofing Filters. I’m not sure I’m even using them as I’m not a CW operator.

The ATU is awesome and is one place I wouldn’t have tried to save costs.

Tim Henrion
KC1EOQ

> On Mar 24, 2016, at 11:40 AM, Brendon Whateley <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> My suggestion would be to do the following:-
>
>   - Buy the kit instead of the factory assembled unit to save a few $$.
>   This will also make you completely comfortable opening it up and adding
>   stuff later. It is a very easy build, IIRC I built mine in two evenings.
>   That included the internal battery charger and ATU.
>   - Add the ATU asap, it is massively useful mobile or even if you don't
>   have options for perfect antennas.
>   - SKIP the previous advice if you are EXCLUSIVELY going to use something
>   like the AlexLoop. You want to bypass the ATU with that kind of tunable
>   antenna, so the ATU is only useful for non-well-designed loops.
>   - Add the internal battery charger, it makes quick portable operation so
>   very, very easy.
>   - Add the roofing filter when you feel it would help. I have not done
>   this yet, but it probably won't take more than 15 minutes when I do.
>
> Hope that helps. The kits save some cash and give you a nice little "oldish
> school" build it yourself project that is missing from so many Hams now.
>
> - Brendon
> KK6AYI
>
> On Thu, Mar 24, 2016 at 1:31 AM, KK6ZZP <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I'm considering the purchase of a KX3. I'd like to delay the purchase of
>> certain options in order to smooth my cash flow. Would it be especially
>> difficult if either of the following options were delayed:
>>
>> * KXFL3 Dual-Passband Roofing Filter
>> * KXAT3 Internal 20-W Automatic Antenna Tuner
>>
>> I realize that my question could be considered a FAQ. But, as far as I can
>> tell, no one has asked my question in exactly the same context. So it seems
>> to me not a FAQ, though we might agree that it's a near miss. If I'm wrong
>> and my question /is/ a FAQ I'd appreciate a pointer to one or more of the
>> threads I failed to find.
>>
>> Thanks very much.
>>
>> Cheers,
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Delayed-Options-tp7615506.html
>> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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[a45wg-2]

I bought my KX3 - as a Kit

        Battery Charger - I am still 50-50 about if this was a good option
        Roofing filters  - Worth every penny (or $ or OMR)
        CW Key - Quite nice once you get used to it
       
I did not bother with
        ATU - why ? You only have max 15 Watts - Tune your antenna !!!
        Mic  - I prefer CW


Horses for courses

        Regards

                Tim - A45WG, Muscat. Sultanate of Oman

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[Grant Youngman]

Continuous “trickle charging” is neither necessary nor desired if you use low self-discharge NiMH cells.  The preferred ones around here are Envelop Pros — 2550 mah, and they will retain 75-85% of their charge for a year or more in storage.  They cost a bit more than the cheap stuff, but you don’t want to use high self-discharge cells anyway.

Typically, I let my internal pack deplete to around 9v or a bit less, and then set an overnight charge for 12 hours.  The KX3 has a smart charger, so it won’t cook your cells.

Even if you normally use an external battery pack or power supply, it’s a good thing to have the internal batteries for a “light” portable operation or if the DX is so good you drain your external battery pack :-)  Makes life a lot easier, and there’s less to haul around.

And yes, you DO make use of the 3 KHz roofing filter on SSB, and it is of value.

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091, KX3 #8342




>
> 2) I would have skipped the Battery Charger - Had I known that the charger had to be manually enabled every time (i.e. its not always ‘trickle charging’) and that you had to ‘guess’ for how long it needed to be on, I would have skipped it as I don’t see a whole lot of value in that.
> 3) I’d delay getting the Roofing Filters. I’m not sure I’m even using them as I’m not a CW operator.
>

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[Grant Youngman]

Yes, that’s correct.  Autocorrect strikes again … :-)

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091, KX3 #8342

> On Mar 25, 2016, at 10:18 PM, K9ZTV <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> The name you're looking for is eneloop pro (all lower case).
>
> K9ZTV
>
>
>> On Mar 25, 2016, at 7:36 PM, GRANT YOUNGMAN <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> Continuous “trickle charging” is neither necessary nor desired if you use low self-discharge NiMH cells.  The preferred ones around here are Envelop Pros — 2550 mah, and they will retain 75-85% of their charge for a year or more in storage.  They cost a bit more than the cheap stuff, but you don’t want to use high self-discharge cells anyway.
>>

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[KK6ZZP]

Thanks, all, for the information and opinions. Sometimes it's not what we asked but what we should have asked that's useful, either to the OP or others. So I appreciate all the information and advice offered.

Some explanation: As it happens, I did read the installation sections of the KX3 manual/manuals, which seemed well-written and clear. But, not having seen a partially built KX3, it occurred to me that I might be missing something. In the case of the K3, which I own but purchased used and therefore did not have opportunity to build, there seem to be a few very definite maxims for installing initially vs. installing later. I considered that perhaps the same might be true of the KX3. I mean, the model identifiers are quite nearly the same, aren't they? (Sometimes I think we need and should have definite, reserved punctuation for sarcasm, humor. etc.)

Living, as I do, in a recently constructed Southern California community, my HOA has a rule that absolutely prohibits visible and possibly invisible transmitting and receiving antennas, except to the extent regulated by law. So, at best, my HF antennas of record <cough> are severely compromised. When one is driven to attempt using the rain gutter as an antenna, an antenna tuner is more than a mere convenience.

[Having used the H-- word, please let me offer a couple of precautionary notes: Advice to move seems to me more than a little ignorant of the local housing market--or perhaps just a great deal out of date. And unnecessary, holier-than-thou statements such as, "I'd never live in an HOA community," are just that--unnecessary, most especially when the speaker/writer is ignorant of the life-situation of the one whose choice as to only one attribute of a multi-attribute preference is being publicly excoriated. Being new to this board and having read only a few dozen or so replies to postings, it is perhaps impolitic for me to say, but I think that in some few cases, perhaps a somewhat better understanding of the context of an OP and the OP's question might sometimes lead to very slightly more accurate and practical advice.]

Thanks again!

Cheeeers,