Elecraft

Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

Classic

List

Threaded

7 messages Options

John Harper

Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this
is fake news or true fact:

"This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source
inside Elecraft."

Source:
https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2

The radio in question is described here:
https://lab599.com/

Comments from Elecraft especially welcome.
TNX/73,

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.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]

Alan - G4GNX

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

Malwarebytes reports the link to the radio as insecure with a Trojan, so
I can't see it.

73,

Alan. G4GNX

------ Original Message ------
From: "John Harper" <[hidden email]>
To: "Elecraft list" <[hidden email]>
Sent: 03/09/2020 18:58:37
Subject: [Elecraft] Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

>As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this
>is fake news or true fact:
>
>"This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source
>inside Elecraft."
>
>Source:
>https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2
>
>The radio in question is described here:
>https://lab599.com/
>
>Comments from Elecraft especially welcome.
>TNX/73,
>
>John AE5X
>https://ae5x.blogspot.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
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]

Bill Frantz

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

In reply to this post by John Harper

It is certainly not a clone. It draws more RX current. It is a
thinner. The panadapter is built in.

I didn't spend enough time looking at it to form a judgement
other than it appeals to the same uses as the KX3 and is not a clone.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 9/3/20 at 1:58 PM, [hidden email] (John Harper) wrote:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz | "I wish there was a knob on the TV to turn
up the
408-348-7900 | intelligence. There's a knob called
"brightness", but
www.pwpconsult.com | it doesn't work. -- Gallagher

______________________________________________________________
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]

Grant Youngman-2

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

There are going to be a lot of nice little radios. This may be a really good radio. Do you know that? I don’t.

Personally, I wouldn’t touch this thing with a 10 ft pole. No battery; no ATU; unknown specs; unknown, if any, support; non-standard connectors that won’t fit anything else; and on. It looks “cool”, and that will certainly appeal to some. But it’s more than the radio that has to be carried in the end, and doesn’t come from a trusted source with a track record. Will you be able to read the display in the sunlight?

Grant NQ5T

> On Sep 3, 2020, at 2:30 PM, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> It is certainly not a clone. It draws more RX current. It is a thinner. The panadapter is built in.
>
> I didn't spend enough time looking at it to form a judgement other than it appeals to the same uses as the KX3 and is not a clone.
>
> 73 Bill AE6JV
>
> On 9/3/20 at 1:58 PM, [hidden email] (John Harper) wrote:
>
>> As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this
>> is fake news or true fact:
>>
>> "This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source
>> inside Elecraft."
>>
>> Source:
>> https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2
>>

Ron Manfredi

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

It is another in an ever-growing line of low-power SDR transceivers.

It is carried by Ham Radio Outlet, (they project mid-September delivery)
is FCC approved, and will have repair facilities in the U.S.    There
are some video reviews of it, along with a Groups.io page, and like
almost everything else, it has some good points and somebad points and
some missing features.   It remains to be seen as to how well it will
sell.   I don't see it as a direct competitor to the KX series though.

Ron WA2EIO

On 9/3/2020 3:00 PM, Grant Youngman wrote:

> There are going to be a lot of nice little radios. This may be a really good radio. Do you know that? I don’t.
>
> Personally, I wouldn’t touch this thing with a 10 ft pole. No battery; no ATU; unknown specs; unknown, if any, support; non-standard connectors that won’t fit anything else; and on. It looks “cool”, and that will certainly appeal to some. But it’s more than the radio that has to be carried in the end, and doesn’t come from a trusted source with a track record. Will you be able to read the display in the sunlight?
>
> Grant NQ5T
>
>> On Sep 3, 2020, at 2:30 PM, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> It is certainly not a clone. It draws more RX current. It is a thinner. The panadapter is built in.
>>
>> I didn't spend enough time looking at it to form a judgement other than it appeals to the same uses as the KX3 and is not a clone.
>>
>> 73 Bill AE6JV
>>
>> On 9/3/20 at 1:58 PM, [hidden email] (John Harper) wrote:
>>
>>> As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this
>>> is fake news or true fact:
>>>
>>> "This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source
>>> inside Elecraft."
>>>
>>> Source:
>>> https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2
>>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

Stephan Forth

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

In reply to this post by Grant Youngman-2

The connectors are well known GX16/12 connectors which are used in the aviation market.

73, Stephan

Am 3. September 2020 21:00:29 MESZ schrieb Grant Youngman <[hidden email]>:

>There are going to be a lot of nice little radios. This may be a really
>good radio. Do you know that? I don’t.
>
>Personally, I wouldn’t touch this thing with a 10 ft pole. No battery;
>no ATU; unknown specs; unknown, if any, support; non-standard
>connectors that won’t fit anything else; and on. It looks “cool”, and
>that will certainly appeal to some. But it’s more than the radio that
>has to be carried in the end, and doesn’t come from a trusted source
>with a track record. Will you be able to read the display in the
>sunlight?
>
>Grant NQ5T
>
>> On Sep 3, 2020, at 2:30 PM, Bill Frantz <[hidden email]>
>wrote:
>>
>> It is certainly not a clone. It draws more RX current. It is a
>thinner. The panadapter is built in.
>>
>> I didn't spend enough time looking at it to form a judgement other
>than it appeals to the same uses as the KX3 and is not a clone.
>>
>> 73 Bill AE6JV
>>
>> On 9/3/20 at 1:58 PM, [hidden email] (John Harper) wrote:
>>
>>> As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if
>this
>>> is fake news or true fact:
>>>
>>> "This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable
>source
>>> inside Elecraft."
>>>
>>> Source:
>>>
>https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2
>>>
>
>______________________________________________________________
>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]

--
Stephan Forth
DF6PA, DOK: K07
______________________________________________________________
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]

Todd KH2TJ

Re: Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?

In reply to this post by John Harper

Quite a bit of discussion of this rig on the SOTA reflector starting some time last year. Here's some reviews:
https://swling.com/blog/tag/tx-500/
[https://s0.wp.com/i/blank.jpg]<https://swling.com/blog/tag/tx-500/>
TX-500 | The SWLing Post<https://swling.com/blog/tag/tx-500/>
Following TX-500 updates closely… I am following TX-500 updates very closely. Since I’m primarily a “field” ham radio operator, the idea of a weather-proof, rugged, QRP transceiver is very appealing. Seriously…just take my money! Of course, being first and foremost a shortwave radio listener, I’m also very interested how the TX-500 might play on the broadcast bands in AM mode.
swling.com

Also search out OH8STN's videos on youtube. He's been playing around with this rig for a while now too.

If I recall correctly, the Nevada distributor is located in Reno. He didn't have a radio at the time I visited his business. There's another new prototype QRP rig getting some attention coming out of China - search out FX-4C. I don't do much on facebook, but I did join his group to read up on the new rig. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLIXoGVNfng&fbclid=IwAR25Uwm2k5rMtUVzgOTGxh-XnKIixI6m4WVLWsCRp4X05A3DtgLrRQLXRcM
[https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NLIXoGVNfng/hqdefault.jpg]<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLIXoGVNfng&fbclid=IwAR25Uwm2k5rMtUVzgOTGxh-XnKIixI6m4WVLWsCRp4X05A3DtgLrRQLXRcM>
HF SSB Reception test FX-4C - YouTube<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLIXoGVNfng&fbclid=IwAR25Uwm2k5rMtUVzgOTGxh-XnKIixI6m4WVLWsCRp4X05A3DtgLrRQLXRcM>
A new type of ultra-small shortwave transceiver，Can be placed in shirt pockets and trouser pockets Receiving frequency range：1.6-30MHZ/(contain 50MHZ/Aviatio...
www.youtube.com

So far looks interesting. More so than than the TX-500. Just my opinion. Me, think I'll hang on to my KX2 ...

73, Todd KH2TJ

________________________________

As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this
is fake news or true fact:

"This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source
inside Elecraft."

Source:
https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2

The radio in question is described here:
https://lab599.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]