How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

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How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

Darwin, Keith
The K3's performance clearly exceeds its price (check it out, two possessives in once sentence and only 1 has an apostrophe) and I believe it is a contender for "greatest rig ever" or at least "very noteworthy in the historical radio timeline".
 
How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
 
And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?  Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
 
KWM2A?
TS-520?
FT-101?
Drake C-Line (esp R4-C)?
FT-1000?
Century 22?
 
- Keith N1AS -
- SKCC 344c -

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

Don Wilhelm-4
Kieth,

My vote is for the KWM2 because it brought the concept of transceivers
to amateur radio.
My second vote is for the Drake C line.  I believe that was the
turnaround point of amateur thinking about receiver performance.  Prior
to that time, the major consideration for receiver specs was
'sensitivity' - it did not matter how much noise was amplified, if it
was more sensitive, it was better.

73,
Don W3FPR

Darwin, Keith wrote:

> The K3's performance clearly exceeds its price (check it out, two
> possessives in once sentence and only 1 has an apostrophe) and I
> believe it is a contender for "greatest rig ever" or at least "very
> noteworthy in the historical radio timeline".
>  
> How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of
> the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
>  
> And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?  
> Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
>  
> KWM2A?
> TS-520?
> FT-101?
> Drake C-Line (esp R4-C)?
> FT-1000?
> Century 22?
>  
> - Keith N1AS -
> - SKCC 344c -
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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>
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 8.0.237 / Virus Database: 270.10.25/1957 - Release Date: 02/17/09 07:07:00
>
>  
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Darwin, Keith
Yes, Don, that's the sort of thing I'm think about.

KWM2 - the age of transceivers
R4C - RX performance
FT-101(?) - Japan emerges as the premier source for ham gear.

K3 - America regains the top position.  Best performance per dollar of
any rig - ever.

- Keith N1AS -
- K3 711 -

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Wilhelm [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:13 AM
To: Darwin, Keith
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig
of all time?

Kieth,

My vote is for the KWM2 because it brought the concept of transceivers
to amateur radio.
My second vote is for the Drake C line.  I believe that was the
turnaround point of amateur thinking about receiver performance.  Prior
to that time, the major consideration for receiver specs was
'sensitivity' - it did not matter how much noise was amplified, if it
was more sensitive, it was better.

73,
Don W3FPR
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

P.B. Christensen
In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4
I couldn't resist:

Grebe CR-18 (one of the 1st commercially-produced ham-only regen receivers -
ca. 1926)
National SW-3/Pilot Super Wasp - 1st mass-produced ham receivers (Pilot in
kit form);
National HRO - Revolutionized Superhet technology & My Vote for THE Receiver
all of all time;
KWS-1/75A4 - SSB implementation;
KWM-1 - Transceiver concept;
FT-101/TS-520 - Large-scale import revolution with high value in packaging &
features;
Ten Tec Triton series - SS finals;
KWM-480/TR-7 - Digital tuning;
TS-870S - IF DSP; and
Flex SDR-1K - SDR concept to amateur radio.

Nearly a ten-year interval in each category, beginning in the '20s.  I
wanted to include Hallicrafters (my call-sign after all), but cannot think
of a really stand-out product, although the SX-28, SX-88, and DD receivers
deserve a place in history.

Paul, W9AC






----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Darwin, Keith" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of
all time?


> Kieth,
>
> My vote is for the KWM2 because it brought the concept of transceivers
> to amateur radio.
> My second vote is for the Drake C line.  I believe that was the
> turnaround point of amateur thinking about receiver performance.  Prior
> to that time, the major consideration for receiver specs was
> 'sensitivity' - it did not matter how much noise was amplified, if it
> was more sensitive, it was better.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Darwin, Keith wrote:
>> The K3's performance clearly exceeds its price (check it out, two
>> possessives in once sentence and only 1 has an apostrophe) and I
>> believe it is a contender for "greatest rig ever" or at least "very
>> noteworthy in the historical radio timeline".
>>
>> How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of
>> the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
>>
>> And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?
>> Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
>>
>> KWM2A?
>> TS-520?
>> FT-101?
>> Drake C-Line (esp R4-C)?
>> FT-1000?
>> Century 22?
>>
>> - Keith N1AS -
>> - SKCC 344c -
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 8.0.237 / Virus Database: 270.10.25/1957 - Release Date:
>> 02/17/09 07:07:00
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

KK7P
Hello Paul!

> I couldn't resist:

Me too.

In the early 50's, the Central Electronics products that brought SSB
into Amateur radio in a practical way.  Maybe not Hallicrafters, but
still Chicago based :-)

And one mustn't forget the various Swan transceivers, starting with the
SW-175, SW-140 and SW-120 made in a garage in Benson, Arizona in the
very early 60's. Then the SW-240 and in 1965 the SW-350 (and its long
line of variants) brought SSB and the transceiver concept into the range
of affordability.

For a kid like me, for whom all of this was financially 'way out of
reach, Heathkit came to the rescue with their SSB monobanders.  I could
(and did!) make the payments out of my spending allowance...

This, of course, was just as RM-499 began the destruction of Amateur
radio :-)

73,

Lyle KK7P
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

John W2XS
In reply to this post by Darwin, Keith
Other "great steps in ham history":

Collins 75A1 = The first receiver with the "proper" way to do double conversion.  The VFO was the second osc, not the first.  Great stability on all bands and they all tuned the same way. Readout to 1 kHz. Late 40's.

Collins 75A4 = Mechanical filters and passband tuning. Mid 50's.

Drake 2B = Excellent performance in a small package.  Early 60's.

Ten Tec Triton 4 = All solid state with full QSK.  Late 70's.

Kenwood TS930S = Two xtal filters, one in each IF chain.  Mid 80's.

Elecraft K2 = Raised the bar in receiver performance in a compact QRP rig.  Late 90's.

73,  John W2XS

<quote author="Darwin, Keith">
Yes, Don, that's the sort of thing I'm think about.

KWM2 - the age of transceivers
R4C - RX performance
FT-101(?) - Japan emerges as the premier source for ham gear.

K3 - America regains the top position.  Best performance per dollar of
any rig - ever.

- Keith N1AS -
- K3 711 -

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

n7ws
In reply to this post by KK7P

>
> And one mustn't forget the various Swan transceivers,
> starting with the
> SW-175, SW-140 and SW-120 made in a garage in Benson,
> Arizona in the
> very early 60's. Then the SW-240 and in 1965 the SW-350
> (and its long
> line of variants) brought SSB and the transceiver concept
> into the range
> of affordability.

Herb Johnson and Swan were the Eric, Wayne and Elecraft of the day.


     
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

k0wa@swbell.net
In reply to this post by John W2XS
What fun....

I agree with a lot of you, but I was a poor kid and never had the Collins or Drake experience....  All I had is what people would give be to use....

How about the HW100/101 - put SSB and Transceivers in the hands of everyone's pocket book - cheap version of the KWM2 - and it was a kit!  (also the SB series too)

TS-520 - Fantastic for the time (matured to the 830 amd 850)

FT-1000MP - Never liked the FT series (seem to be the FTdx transceiver of the month depending on how much power you could get out of sweep tubes) but the MP was significant rig.

ICOM 765 - Still liked by contesters

TenTec Triton Series - QSK for the masses.  Front ends could overload, but good solid CW radio that worked on SSB as well.  Cute!

K2 - nuff said

K3 - Just the beginning of some very fantastic radio technlogy - SDR types of radios which I think we are seeing the beginning stages of the technology.  (I would put the Flex radios in here too, but I have never operated one, but the technology is ... astounding.)

Lee Buller
K0WA

In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense. Is Common Sense divine?


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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Julian, G4ILO
Lee Buller wrote
K3 - Just the beginning of some very fantastic radio technlogy - SDR types
of radios which I think we are seeing the beginning stages of the
technology.  (I would put the Flex radios in here too, but I have never
operated one, but the technology is ... astounding.)
I have never seen or used a Flex either, but I would say that that is a more ground breaking design than the K3, which as a hybrid software/hardware radio is merely an evolution of the concept that was probably pioneered by Icom with its 765PRO series, with greater attention being paid to ham band performance at the expense of other aspects that the Icom is better at.

Anyone who claims the K3 is the greatest rig ever is being blinded by those IP3 numbers. But state of the art SDR designs like the Perseus manage to achieve as good or better receiver dynamic range without all those expensive crystal roofing filters, so I don't think the K3 deserves the accolade even for that reason.

At the same time there are some other aspects of the K3 that are less than stellar. Transmitter IMD, for example. Or ergonomics. A lot of the K3s that have been sold were sold because their owners couldn't get on with the front panel.

I'm not saying that the K3 is not a great radio, especially if you're a CW operator. But the greatest rig ever? I don't think so.
Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392  K3 #222 KX3 #110
* G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com
* KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html
* KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig ofall time?

Tom Rousseau
In reply to this post by P.B. Christensen
The Hallicrafters FPM-200 was one of the most advanced radios of its time:
very compact, mostly solid state, dual VFOs (accurate and stable), split VFO
operation, electronic tuning of intermediate circuits tracking with VFOs,
dual sided glass epoxy circuit boards, switching power supply, modular
construction.  It was 20 years before the rest of the industry caught up
with the FPM-200 concepts.

The primary downsides of the FPM-200 were:  the technology was not yet up to
the vision (germanium transistors, receiver IMD, low frequency of the
switching supply), and the street price was more than a complete S-Line at
the time (75S-1, 32S-1, 30L-1).  The KWM-1, announced in the same year as
the FPM-200, paled in comparison in terms of vision and innovation.

Tom, K7PJT

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Paul Christensen
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 6:47 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig ofall
time?

I couldn't resist:

Grebe CR-18 (one of the 1st commercially-produced ham-only regen receivers -

ca. 1926)
National SW-3/Pilot Super Wasp - 1st mass-produced ham receivers (Pilot in
kit form);
National HRO - Revolutionized Superhet technology & My Vote for THE Receiver

all of all time;
KWS-1/75A4 - SSB implementation;
KWM-1 - Transceiver concept;
FT-101/TS-520 - Large-scale import revolution with high value in packaging &

features;
Ten Tec Triton series - SS finals;
KWM-480/TR-7 - Digital tuning;
TS-870S - IF DSP; and
Flex SDR-1K - SDR concept to amateur radio.

Nearly a ten-year interval in each category, beginning in the '20s.  I
wanted to include Hallicrafters (my call-sign after all), but cannot think
of a really stand-out product, although the SX-28, SX-88, and DD receivers
deserve a place in history.

Paul, W9AC






----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]>
To: "Darwin, Keith" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 9:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of
all time?


> Kieth,
>
> My vote is for the KWM2 because it brought the concept of transceivers
> to amateur radio.
> My second vote is for the Drake C line.  I believe that was the
> turnaround point of amateur thinking about receiver performance.  Prior
> to that time, the major consideration for receiver specs was
> 'sensitivity' - it did not matter how much noise was amplified, if it
> was more sensitive, it was better.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> Darwin, Keith wrote:
>> The K3's performance clearly exceeds its price (check it out, two
>> possessives in once sentence and only 1 has an apostrophe) and I
>> believe it is a contender for "greatest rig ever" or at least "very
>> noteworthy in the historical radio timeline".
>>
>> How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of
>> the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
>>
>> And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?
>> Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
>>
>> KWM2A?
>> TS-520?
>> FT-101?
>> Drake C-Line (esp R4-C)?
>> FT-1000?
>> Century 22?
>>
>> - Keith N1AS -
>> - SKCC 344c -
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>> Version: 8.0.237 / Virus Database: 270.10.25/1957 - Release Date:
>> 02/17/09 07:07:00
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

w0mu
In reply to this post by k0wa@swbell.net
Here is a chronology of the radios I have owned.  Preference for SSB contesting.
 
Yaesu FT-101 EE  - Solid radio, I worked lots of people with it.  Inexpensive starter type rig. 
 
Icom IC-701 -First Synthesized rig.  Expensive, I still have no clue how I managed to scrounge up the money to buy one as a teenager.  Not very reliable.  (Not sure where in the series I owned this radio) Digital display!  whoopee!
 
Kenwood TS-830 with VFO Solid rig.
 
Kenwood TS-930- Loved this radio.  No tune up, antenna tuner, looked nice. 
 
Icom IC-751- 2nd radio, never really cared for this radio.
 
Yaesu FT-1000MP-Another one of my favorites.  Two VFO knobs, inband dual receive.  Solid radio.
 
Icom 756 Pro II - Nice color display.  Too many menus for my likes and no 2nd vfo knob.  Worked fine.
 
Yaesu FT-DX9000 - Huge solid radio that had lots of issues from the start.  Blown finals, poor dsp, claimed to do more than it could.  Expensive.  Good receiver.  The Microtune units really helped on the low bands in certain conditions.
 
2 FT-2000's-I like these radios.  Look great.  Maybe some issues with the roofing filters.  Easy to use.  Good rig.  2 2000's cheaper than a 9000 and far more flexible even with DMU and microtune units.
 
K3- An amazing radio in small package.  Great receiver.  Will make an awesome DXpedition radio.  The size could have been a bit bigger for my likes.  Fairly easy radio to learn.  Lots of flexibility.  Love the built in cq decoder and rtty decoder.  I really enjoyed building the radio.  I wish there were more kits available.  A second K3 will be ordered very soon.  Support is 2nd to none.
 
Current mobile rig-  TS-480HX  200 watts in the mobile is nice.  Hot receiver.   
 
 
 
 
 
 

"A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over." Ben Franklin

 


From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Lee Buller
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 8:41 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

What fun....

I agree with a lot of you, but I was a poor kid and never had the Collins or Drake experience....  All I had is what people would give be to use....

How about the HW100/101 - put SSB and Transceivers in the hands of everyone's pocket book - cheap version of the KWM2 - and it was a kit!  (also the SB series too)

TS-520 - Fantastic for the time (matured to the 830 amd 850)

FT-1000MP - Never liked the FT series (seem to be the FTdx transceiver of the month depending on how much power you could get out of sweep tubes) but the MP was significant rig.

ICOM 765 - Still liked by contesters

TenTec Triton Series - QSK for the masses.  Front ends could overload, but good solid CW radio that worked on SSB as well.  Cute!

K2 - nuff said

K3 - Just the beginning of some very fantastic radio technlogy - SDR types of radios which I think we are seeing the beginning stages of the technology.  (I would put the Flex radios in here too, but I have never operated one, but the technology is ... astounding.)

Lee Buller
K0WA

In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense. Is Common Sense divine?


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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

k6dgw
In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm-4
> Darwin, Keith wrote:

>> How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of
>> the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
>>  
>> And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?  
>> Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
>>  

I would unequivocally vote for the KWM-2.  In addition to incredible
stability, frequency setting repeatability, great audio, and all it's
other features and capabilities, it ushered in the era of transceivers.
  SSB was fairly hard with separate TX and RX, until the "one-box radio"
automatically assured that you transmitted where you were receiving.
The result was a massive, wholesale change to how ham radio worked on
the air.

I love my K3, and its performance and features will run circles around a
KWM-2, and I wouldn't be surprised if it sets the performance bar for a
long time to come.  But it still is a transceiver.  For causing "a major
shift in the history of amateur radio," Art Collins gets the Nobel in my
book.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2009 Cal QSO Party  3-4 Oct 2009
- www.cqp.org

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

P.B. Christensen
In reply to this post by Julian, G4ILO
> But state of the art SDR designs like the Perseus manage to
> achieve as good or better receiver dynamic range without all those
> expensive
> crystal roofing filters...

Dynamic range is part of the story.  Look at MDS values for those high DR
SDR receivers.  High DR, BDR and IP3 figures are of little value in and of
itself if MDS isn't also reasonable.   100+ dB DR does not guarantee good
MDS figures.

Every SDR receiver I've seen to date either needs RF pre-amplification (and
all the warts that come with it) or better (and not yet available)
performance from a demodulating sound card to achieve MDS numbers
commensurate with many of the traditional architectures, including the K3.

Paul, W9AC

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy
In reply to this post by Julian, G4ILO
Julian, G4ILO wrote on  Tuesday, February 17, 2009 4:04 PM

> Anyone who claims the K3 is the greatest rig ever is being blinded by
> those
> IP3 numbers. But state of the art SDR designs like the Perseus manage to
> achieve as good or better receiver dynamic range without all those
> expensive
> crystal roofing filters, so I don't think the K3 deserves the accolade
> even
> for that reason.

Not to forget what has becoime known as the Holy Grail of receivers, a
superhet using a good H-Mode mixer, beefy roofing filter and bullet proof
IF, for an in- passband dynamic range >115 db. SDR should get there soon I
expect.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Darwin, Keith
Yes, but this isn't about the best performing rig.  The KWM-2 certainly
had limits and deficiencies (cost being one of them), yet it left a mark
on ham radio that continues to this day.

I'm suggesting that the K3 is in a similar class, not that it is
redefining the form of rigs, but is redefining the cost / performance
expectations.  We now have a US-built choice that gives performance that
is ahead of it's cost.

It probably won't have the overall impact of the KWM2, but I'm thinking
that I got a lot more radio for a much better price than any KWM (or
s-line, c-line, 530s, 830s, etc.) owner did.

Indeed, these are the good old days!

73!

- Keith N1AS -
- K3 711 -

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Geoffrey
Mackenzie-Kennedy

Julian, G4ILO wrote on  Tuesday, February 17, 2009 4:04 PM

> Anyone who claims the K3 is the greatest rig ever is being blinded by
> those
> IP3 numbers. But state of the art SDR designs like the Perseus manage
> to achieve as good or better receiver dynamic range without all those
> expensive crystal roofing filters, so I don't think the K3 deserves
> the accolade even for that reason.

Not to forget what has becoime known as the Holy Grail of receivers, a
superhet using a good H-Mode mixer, beefy roofing filter and bullet
proof IF, for an in- passband dynamic range >115 db. SDR should get
there soon I expect.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy
I take your point, and the K3 does appear to have redefined the
cost/performance expectations. I was thinking along the lines that in this
part of Europe, those of us who attempt to work SSB DX among the monster BC
signals on 40m do need a receiver that does not collapse when hit by BC
signals that reach S9 +80db at times, and the Holy Grail receiver has met
that expectation and set a standard. I failed to say that its noise figure
on 40m is roughly 7db.

Good old days?

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD



----- Original Message -----
From: "Darwin, Keith" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft Discussion List" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 7:13 PM
Subject: Re


> Yes, but this isn't about the best performing rig.  The KWM-2 certainly
> had limits and deficiencies (cost being one of them), yet it left a mark
> on ham radio that continues to this day.
>
> I'm suggesting that the K3 is in a similar class, not that it is
> redefining the form of rigs, but is redefining the cost / performance
> expectations.  We now have a US-built choice that gives performance that
> is ahead of it's cost.
>
> It probably won't have the overall impact of the KWM2, but I'm thinking
> that I got a lot more radio for a much better price than any KWM (or
> s-line, c-line, 530s, 830s, etc.) owner did.
>
> Indeed, these are the good old days!
>
> 73!
>
> - Keith N1AS -
> - K3 711 -

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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of all time?

Steve Ellington
In reply to this post by k6dgw
U.S built rigs have been first for most inovations.

Subject to correction on all of these:

TenTec
1. Triton - First totally solid state rig.
2. Triton - First QSK cw rig
3. Triton - First to use contact paper to cover it's cabinet. + lots of
their other products.
4. Triton - First to use red axle grease in a PTO that dries hard in a few
years and requires rebuilding.
4. Omni 6 - First DSP use. (Of any kind even if it was just audio).
5. Orion - First rig to advertise "roofing filters".
6. Omni VII - First rig to provide ethernet port and IP connectivity.
7. Paragon - First with Alpha numeric tags for memory display.
8. Powermite - First QRP solid state kit rig? unsure
9. AC-5 tuner - First tuner with no cabinet and alligator clips to change
taps. (and last)!
10. KR-40 - First iambic solid state keyer with built in paddles.
11. Omni-A - First rig to offer dual, in-band receive if equipped with their
external VFO.
12. Omni V - First rig with a remote tuning knob.

First "black box, no knob" rig:
Kachina

First Sound card - IQ - SDR rig.
Flex-1000

First rig with internal antenna tuner:
TS-930

First HF rig with detachable faceplate:
IC-706

First HF rig with RS-232
ICOM (something)??

First HF rig with internal power supply? TS-930?

First HF rig with an internal cw keyer?

First HF rig with upgradable firmware (externally flashable).





Steve Ellington
[hidden email]
----- Original Message -----
From: "Fred Jensen" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft Reflector" <[hidden email]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 12:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig of
all time?


>> Darwin, Keith wrote:
>
>>> How long do you think we have to wait before folks begin speaking of
>>> the K3 as one of the most influential rigs?
>>>
>>> And what rigs would you say are the most historically influential?
>>> Which ones caused a major shift in the history of amateur radio?
>>>
>
> I would unequivocally vote for the KWM-2.  In addition to incredible
> stability, frequency setting repeatability, great audio, and all it's
> other features and capabilities, it ushered in the era of transceivers.
>  SSB was fairly hard with separate TX and RX, until the "one-box radio"
> automatically assured that you transmitted where you were receiving.
> The result was a massive, wholesale change to how ham radio worked on
> the air.
>
> I love my K3, and its performance and features will run circles around a
> KWM-2, and I wouldn't be surprised if it sets the performance bar for a
> long time to come.  But it still is a transceiver.  For causing "a major
> shift in the history of amateur radio," Art Collins gets the Nobel in my
> book.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2009 Cal QSO Party  3-4 Oct 2009
> - www.cqp.org
>
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

David Gilbert
In reply to this post by Darwin, Keith

While I am extremely impressed with the K3 hardware, I think that much
of the rig's impressive performance represents extensions of the Orion
series.  It seems to me that the most revolutionary aspect of the K3, at
least among major manufacturers, is the paradigm shift in the
relationship between the designer and the customer.

73,
Dave   AB7E


Darwin, Keith wrote:

> Yes, but this isn't about the best performing rig.  The KWM-2 certainly
> had limits and deficiencies (cost being one of them), yet it left a mark
> on ham radio that continues to this day.
>
> I'm suggesting that the K3 is in a similar class, not that it is
> redefining the form of rigs, but is redefining the cost / performance
> expectations.  We now have a US-built choice that gives performance that
> is ahead of it's cost.
>
> It probably won't have the overall impact of the KWM2, but I'm thinking
> that I got a lot more radio for a much better price than any KWM (or
> s-line, c-line, 530s, 830s, etc.) owner did.
>
> Indeed, these are the good old days!
>
> 73!
>
> - Keith N1AS -
> - K3 711 -
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Grant Youngman
In reply to this post by Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy

On Feb 17, 2009, at 1:00 PM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote:

>
> Not to forget what has becoime known as the Holy Grail of receivers, a
> superhet using a good H-Mode mixer, beefy roofing filter and bullet  
> proof
> IF, for an in- passband dynamic range >115 db. SDR should get there  
> soon I
> expect.
>
> 73,
> Geoff
> GM4ESD


Talk to Tom Rauch (W8JI) about his "heavily modified" R-4C.     2Khz  
IMDR of 118dB, 2Khz BDR of 127dB.  Too bad you can't buy one of these  
off the shelf :-)

Maybe SDR is still just playing catch up (?)  ... :-)


Grant/NQ5T
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Re: How long until K3 is declared the greatest rig...?

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ
Administrator
Tom is using the K3 now..   :-)
See:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/review/73081

73, Eric  WA6HHQ
===



Grant Youngman wrote:

> On Feb 17, 2009, at 1:00 PM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy wrote:
>
>  
>> Not to forget what has becoime known as the Holy Grail of receivers, a
>> superhet using a good H-Mode mixer, beefy roofing filter and bullet  
>> proof
>> IF, for an in- passband dynamic range >115 db. SDR should get there  
>> soon I
>> expect.
>>
>> 73,
>> Geoff
>> GM4ESD
>>    
>
>
> Talk to Tom Rauch (W8JI) about his "heavily modified" R-4C.     2Khz  
> IMDR of 118dB, 2Khz BDR of 127dB.  Too bad you can't buy one of these  
> off the shelf :-)
>
> Maybe SDR is still just playing catch up (?)  ... :-)
>
>  
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