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K2/100 Vs TS-850SAT RX perfomance?

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vtnn43e

K2/100 Vs TS-850SAT RX perfomance?

I am considering replacing my TS-850Sat with a K2/100 in the near future. There is nothing wrong with my 850, in fact I am very happy with it in general and really love the receiver performance. The area that I live in has a number of, AM, FM and TV stations within 3-10 miles and the rig exhibits very few images throughout the HF bands. BTW, my antenna is a huge loop tuned with a SGC SG-237 Smartuner. The main modes that I operate are PSK and SSB.

My main reason for considering replacing the 850 is that it is becoming fairly old and I am worried that if any major boards fail that I will be unable to get it fixed in a few years. Plus the rig is loaded with almost every option available and I should get a good price for it on ebay. Another reason is that one day I would like to get into 6MT meteor scatter and I really like the way that Elecraft transverters integrate with the K2. BTW, is it easy to control an external VHF amp and a mast mounted switched preamp with a K2?

So my primary question is how good of a receiver does the K2 have vs. the 850 and how well will it handle an environment with high RF levels? Also, how suitable of a rig is it for data modes (RTTY, PSK etc)?

73
Zack
N8FNR
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Don Wilhelm-3

RE: K2/100 Vs TS-850SAT RX perfomance?

Zack,

FB on your plans. Yes, the Elecraft transceivers integrate quite nicely
into the K2. It can control your mast mounted preamp too, but with one big
'IF' - if the bypass/protection relay at the preamp is fast enough. The K2
asserts the keying output about 15 ms prior to the onset of RF, so if your
preamp can be 'RF ready' within that time it should work fine.

The K2 does quite well with computer soundcard generated digital modes. In
fact, there is a separate set of variable bandpass IF filters available for
use (RTTY Mode) and you can set the filter passband and passband placement
independently of the filters for CW and SSB. If you are using a hardware
TNC and must decode the RTTY high tones, you may run out of BFO range on one
sideband if the filter passband is set too narrow. There are several
work-arounds possible for this limitation, including modifying the standard
BFO range if needed.

The K2 is adequately stable for RTTY and PSK31 - should you find otherwise,
you likely have a problem to be de-bugged. The K2 stability spec is for
less than 100 Hz drift (typical) from a cold start at 25 degrees C - you
must be the judge of whether or not that is adequate stability for your
applications, all I can say is that it is much more stable than that after a
short warmup in a normal ambient environment, I have not found a need to
measure it myself.

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I am considering replacing my TS-850Sat with a K2/100 in the near
> future. There is nothing wrong with my 850, in fact I am very
> happy with it in general and really love the receiver
> performance. The area that I live in has a number of, AM, FM and
> TV stations within 3-10 miles and the rig exhibits very few
> images throughout the HF bands. BTW, my antenna is a huge loop
> tuned with a SGC SG-237 Smartuner. The main modes that I operate
> are PSK and SSB.
>
> My main reason for considering replacing the 850 is that it is
> becoming fairly old and I am worried that if any major boards
> fail that I will be unable to get it fixed in a few years. Plus
> the rig is loaded with almost every option available and I should
> get a good price for it on ebay. Another reason is that one day I
> would like to get into 6MT meteor scatter and I really like the
> way that Elecraft transverters integrate with the K2. BTW, is it
> easy to control an external VHF amp and a mast mounted switched
> preamp with a K2?
>
> So my primary question is how good of a receiver does the K2 have
> vs. the 850 and how well will it handle an environment with high
> RF levels? Also, how suitable of a rig is it for data modes
> (RTTY, PSK etc)?
>
> 73
> Zack
> N8FNR
> _______________________________________________
> 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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>
>

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Rick Dettinger-2

Re: K2/100 Vs TS-850SAT RX perfomance?

In reply to this post by vtnn43e

I had a TS850S and found it to be a good rig except I didn't like the QSK.
I found the noise annoying enough that I used vox delay to key the rig. (I
am CW only) I didn't know how good true QSK could be until I built a TenTec
1340 QRP rig. I found that I would rather use the 1340 than the Kenwood.
So I sold the 850 and built the K2 and have never looked back. However, I
am not a contester so I have not found either rig to be lacking in receiver
dynamics. I understand both rigs have excellent receivers. I just don't
have any way to test them on the air. My K2 does not say that there are no
user serviceable parts inside and I don't have to send it back to the
factory to have the battery replaced. The basic K2 doesn't even have a
battery to keep the memories up. 73 - Rick - K7MW
----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, February 12, 2006 1:08 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K2/100 Vs TS-850SAT RX perfomance?

> I am considering replacing my TS-850Sat with a K2/100 in the near future.
There is nothing wrong with my 850, in fact I am very happy with it in
general and really love the receiver performance. The area that I live in
has a number of, AM, FM and TV stations within 3-10 miles and the rig
exhibits very few images throughout the HF bands. BTW, my antenna is a huge
loop tuned with a SGC SG-237 Smartuner. The main modes that I operate are
PSK and SSB.
>
> My main reason for considering replacing the 850 is that it is becoming
fairly old and I am worried that if any major boards fail that I will be
unable to get it fixed in a few years. Plus the rig is loaded with almost
every option available and I should get a good price for it on ebay. Another
reason is that one day I would like to get into 6MT meteor scatter and I
really like the way that Elecraft transverters integrate with the K2. BTW,
is it easy to control an external VHF amp and a mast mounted switched preamp
with a K2?
>
> So my primary question is how good of a receiver does the K2 have vs. the
850 and how well will it handle an environment with high RF levels? Also,
how suitable of a rig is it for data modes (RTTY, PSK etc)?

>
> 73
> Zack
> N8FNR
> _______________________________________________
> 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