Getting ready to buy a K2. Request your input

[Robert Jones-11]

Hello all,

I'm getting ready to order my K2 and would like your
input on what options and "mods" I should get based on
the following:

I just upgraded to General class and have zero
experience on HF bands.  My boy/girl 17 year old twins
have there tech license and are getting ready to test
for there General. So this project is going to be a
family made and ran rig.  

Since I live in an apartment, I want a low power rig.
I also think the challenge of trying to "work the
world" on low power is going to be a lot of fun. I
also envision taking this rig camping a lot.  

I want to use CW and SSB.  At some point down the road
I will start adding transverters.

I have a hearing problem that causes me not understand
anything being said to me if I get input from two
differant souces. Like being on the phone and someone
in the room starts talking to me.  Because of this I
will be getting the Proset-K2 Headset.

I have excellent soldering skills, so have no fear of
tackling this type to project.

I plan to get involved in emergency communications in
my local area.  My son has already completed his
Emergency Management training for the county and will
want to take the rig to his on going training
sessions.

I think that about covers it. Again, I would like to
get everything up front and would really appreciate
any and all suggestions on what add-ons to get to make
my K2 a great unit.

Thanks for your time,
Robert
KD7YDW


               
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[Tom McCulloch]

I'd agree that the ATU makes for portability.  Although you said you like
low power, the 20 watt ATU for the qrp K2 will not be able to be used if you
decide to upgrade to 100 watt qro version.  Just a thought for some long
term planning.

Good luck ...these are fun decisions!

Tom, WB2QDG
K2 1103

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Jones" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 12:07 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Getting ready to buy a K2. Request your input

> Hello all,
>
> I'm getting ready to order my K2 and would like your
> input on what options and "mods" I should get based on
> the following:
>
> I just upgraded to General class and have zero
> experience on HF bands.  My boy/girl 17 year old twins
> have there tech license and are getting ready to test
> for there General. So this project is going to be a
> family made and ran rig.
>
> Since I live in an apartment, I want a low power rig.
> I also think the challenge of trying to "work the
> world" on low power is going to be a lot of fun. I
> also envision taking this rig camping a lot.
>
> I want to use CW and SSB.  At some point down the road
> I will start adding transverters.
>
> I have a hearing problem that causes me not understand
> anything being said to me if I get input from two
> differant souces. Like being on the phone and someone
> in the room starts talking to me.  Because of this I
> will be getting the Proset-K2 Headset.
>
> I have excellent soldering skills, so have no fear of
> tackling this type to project.
>
> I plan to get involved in emergency communications in
> my local area.  My son has already completed his
> Emergency Management training for the county and will
> want to take the rig to his on going training
> sessions.
>
> I think that about covers it. Again, I would like to
> get everything up front and would really appreciate
> any and all suggestions on what add-ons to get to make
> my K2 a great unit.
>
> Thanks for your time,
> Robert
> KD7YDW
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
> http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/
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> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com 

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[Frank Nikolajsen-2]

On Mar 25, 2005, at 18:07, Robert Jones wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I just upgraded to General class and have zero
> experience on HF bands.

[Snip.]
> Since I live in an apartment, I want a low power rig.

   Hi Robert,

   Having also only quite recently joined the ranks of Elecraft owners I
cannot sensibly comment on which options might be right for you and
your family.

   However as a fellow apartment dweller I would like to use the
opportunity to pass along a simple piece of advice that I learned only
fairly recently and which I wish someone had told me 20 years ago. I
strongly suspect it might have a large influence on your success in
operating from an apartment, so ignore this at your peril:

   ** Only ever use physically symmetric and electrically balanced
antennas. **

   The reason is that by using symmetric and balanced antennas like
tuned or untuned horisontal dipoles, magnetic loops etc., you are most
likely to not exprience problems with BCI/TVI/RFI. Seen in hindsight my
own experience spanning 23 years as an active ham on HF while living
mostly in apartments reflects this, but unfortunately for most of that
time I was blisfully unaware of the potential problems with asymmetric
antennas.

   Mind you, you *can* work the world successfully on the proverbial
random wire and the central heating pipes, but your neighbours will
most likely not be happy. Been there, done that. Scrap the vertical
groundplane too, even if it has tuned radials.

   When I heard about this not too long ago, a lightbulb went off in my
head. Since then I have searched the 'net for more info on this issue,
and I can only advice you to do likewise. You shouldn't take my word
for it, research this yourself.

   If you do decide to use a symmetric antenna, then you will most
likely not want to use an antenna tuner built into your rig, as it will
not be able to provide the symmetric match required. You may hear
people suggesting putting a balun after the tuner, but this doesn't
work very well at all either. You will probably end up with an
inherently matched antenna like a magnetic loop, which doesn't need a
tuner, or something like an untuned dipole fed via open wire feeder
connected to a purpose built balanced antenna tuner. Such a beast is
not hard at all to make, though I admit it is less convenient than a
computer controlled and fully integrated unit.

   Good luck  es 73 de

     Frank, OZ1IOC (donning asbestos suit).

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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

Heh, heh, I can see Frank there in the white suit holding a CO2 extinguisher
at the ready now...

I also found balanced antennas superior in apartments for indoor antennas. I
did occasionally use an end fed wire and never had any trouble, but I was
careful to isolate the rig from the mains (a ferrite choke or two over the
power lead does that) and use a 1/4 wave 'radial' or 'counterpoise' that
held the rig at ground. Not only is that important to avoid RFI, it's
critical for efficiency too. I was and remain convinced that when limited to
a small antenna (a *physical* half wave or less) a balanced antenna is
easier to make efficient. I say "physical" because while a short wire can be
loaded to "look" longer electrically, it still suffers all the limitations
of any physically-small antenna: very low feed impedances and relatively
high currents.  

I used a small purpose-built link-coupled balanced ATU for my indoor
doublets and they worked very well indeed. I managed to be on the top
(second or third) floor in the buildings where I lived and that helped a
lot! (We start counting floors with the first floor at ground level here in
the USA).

I don't know from experience about potential RFI problems with unbalanced
antennas, but I am convinced that it's easier for me to keep RF under
control with a balanced system, and easier to build a more efficient
antenna.

My love affair with doublets isn't just for apartments either. At my present
QTH I have an outdoor doublet fed with true open wire line (two #12
conductors separated 3 inches by a limited number of high-quality
insulators) that connects directly to a purpose built QRO balanced tuner
sitting above my K2, runs through a header at the window directly behind the
tuner and up the mast holding the center of the antenna. This tuner will
handle a kilowatt under most conditions. There's a picture of my shack on
QRZ.com with the tuner above the K2. The relative sizes of the units shows
why more compact single-ended tuners are so popular, but in half a century
of using doublet antennas I've not seen a singled-ended tuner/balun
combination work efficiently with doublet across the HF spectrum.

(Okay, give me some room, Frank. I'm putting my asbestos suit on. Got a
spare extinguisher?)

Ron AC7AC


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[n6wg]

Robert
The first option I would recommend is the KAT2 ATU for the K2.
With it you can take the rig anywhere, and load darned near anything
for an antenna.  I have lots of loose batteries here, so don't use
the internal battery.  But if you expect to do a lot of demos for
folks, the battery would be a nice accessory.
SSB and audio filtering (analog or DSP) can come later as you decide
you need them.
Good luck and 73
Bob N6WG

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Robert Jones
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2005 9:08 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Getting ready to buy a K2. Request your input


Hello all,

I'm getting ready to order my K2 and would like your
input on what options and "mods" I should get based on
the following:

I just upgraded to General class and have zero
experience on HF bands.  My boy/girl 17 year old twins
have there tech license and are getting ready to test
for there General. So this project is going to be a
family made and ran rig.  

Since I live in an apartment, I want a low power rig.
I also think the challenge of trying to "work the
world" on low power is going to be a lot of fun. I
also envision taking this rig camping a lot.  

I want to use CW and SSB.  At some point down the road
I will start adding transverters.

I have a hearing problem that causes me not understand
anything being said to me if I get input from two
differant souces. Like being on the phone and someone
in the room starts talking to me.  Because of this I
will be getting the Proset-K2 Headset.

I have excellent soldering skills, so have no fear of
tackling this type to project.

I plan to get involved in emergency communications in
my local area.  My son has already completed his
Emergency Management training for the county and will
want to take the rig to his on going training
sessions.

I think that about covers it. Again, I would like to
get everything up front and would really appreciate
any and all suggestions on what add-ons to get to make
my K2 a great unit.

Thanks for your time,
Robert
KD7YDW


               
__________________________________
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[Ron D'Eau Claire-2]

I agree with Bob. I'd add the SSB module though, since that's a mode you
want. Not only does it give you SSB, but it opens the door to play with
digital modes like PSK31 as well.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
Robert
The first option I would recommend is the KAT2 ATU for the K2. With it you
can take the rig anywhere, and load darned near anything for an antenna.  I
have lots of loose batteries here, so don't use the internal battery.  But
if you expect to do a lot of demos for folks, the battery would be a nice
accessory. SSB and audio filtering (analog or DSP) can come later as you
decide you need them. Good luck and 73 Bob N6WG



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