K-Pods and Contests

[w8fn]

I installed a new K-Pod on my primary station just before undertaking a
serious effort in Sweepstakes CW. This addition to the station proved to
be extremely useful.

In a CW contest like SS there are always quite a few people who have
trouble calling on frequency, especially the casual participants who
make up the bulk of the QSOs on Sunday. When I'm running I normally put
the K3 in Split mode, transmitting on VFO B and receiving on VFO A. This
setup makes it much easier to use the big knob to tune in the
off-frequency guys rather than the tiny RIT/XIT knob. But... it still
means I'm constantly having to take one hand off the keyboard and reach
over to tune the radio. Doing this a few hundred times in the course of
a 24 hour contest effort can be pretty tiring. This time I put the K-Pod
right next to the keyboard, so that the only motion necessary was to
move my hand a couple of inches to do the tuning. The reduction in
fatigue by the end of the contest was quite noticeable.

I only got the K-Pod a couple of days before SS CW, so I didn't have
time to set up the radio macros to take full advantage of the macro
buttons. Immediately after the contest I did two things: 1. I set up
macros to toggle Split mode, XIT on/off and Diversity on/off in both my
K3s; and 2. Ordered another K-Pod for the second radio.

When SS SSB rolled around I had both radios ready to go. I'm an
extremely reluctant phone operator, so I only operated for a limited
time on Sunday. Having the K-Pods for each radio, one on either side of
the keyboard, made it a piece of cake to do two-radio Search & Pounce.
Now I'm looking forward to CQWW CW this weekend to really give them a
workout.

These things rock! If you're a K3 contester you really need one (or two).

73...
Randy, W8FN
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[Doug Smith [W7KF]]

I agree — the K-Pod is really cool for contesting.  I love that the K-Pod can sit right next to the keyboard *and* that it has a goodly number of F-Keys.

I set mine up for CW SS as:

F1 - SUB RX On/Off
F1H - Diversity On/Off
F2 - APF On/Off
F3 - NB On/Off
F4 - NR On/Off

F5 - VFO A/B
F6 - RX Ant
F7 -
F8 - Auto Spot
F8H - Tune (tune power set at 20 watts)

I used every programmed key enough to justify it’s existence and rarely touched the radio.  I also used the VFO A / VFO B / RIT switch a fair amount.  I didn’t have to reach up to adjust the radio very much; usually to adjust the balance between the two receivers in diversity mode or tweak the volume.  

BTW, diversity receive with an RX-only antenna that is cross polarized from the main antenna is magical!

CW SS was my first use of my new K3S / K-Pod / P3 / SP3.  What a GREAT rig!

73,
Doug, W7KF
http://www.w7kf.com <http://www.w7kf.com/>



> On Nov 22, 2016, at 7:58 PM, Randy Farmer <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I installed a new K-Pod on my primary station just before undertaking a serious effort in Sweepstakes CW. This addition to the station proved to be extremely useful.
> …..

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