K2 Contesting
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Hi Ken,
I'm an avid contester with my K2s (as are several others) and I use them with N1MM. "RIT - In my entire 33-year ham career I have never felt the need for RIT (and XIT even less). Not exactly a complaint (it's probably just me) but to me the RIT control takes up a lot of real estate on a cramped front panel. Make the RIT control an encoder (if it isnt already) and then you can have it do any number of other cool adjustments at the press of a button (Id put the keyer speed control on there if it was me and make some room on the front panel)." I'd disagree with this. RIT is a must, too many folks call off freq as they slide up and down the band. I set my RIT high or low, so I can switch it in and out quick to copy folks better. XIT is great as some of the tough ones tend to work split during a contest (thank you!!!) Some folks prefer VFO B to do these operations, but I like being able to click the RIT/XIT buttons on N1MM to get there quick. "AF Gain/RF Gain/Speed/Power Controls - Way too close together. I found the best way to use them was to push directly on the end of the knob with my fingertip and turn it that way, rather than trying to grasp the knob. How about putting AF/RF Gain to the left of the tuning knob and Speed & Power to the right? (also see the above RIT comment)" Crank the AF control to MAX and use the RF as "volume" control, only need to turn one of them... "Display - OK, as far as it goes. I'd take out the bargraph S-Meter and expand the LCD display to fill the space. Use a dot matrix LCD and run a bargraph S-meter along the bottom of the LCD display. A dot matrix LCD gives you tons of flexibility to show additional information, like the status of many of the controls such as DSP (if installed) and filter selections." I can tell what filter position I'm in by ear. Haven't used DSP yet. Nobody seems to give a "real" signal report any more any way, definitely not in the contests. In fact, most log checkers don't even look at the signal reports in a submitted log. I'd rather see a meter myself, but then I'd be dating myself as well ;o) "Tune Button How about making it so that hitting Tune automatically reduces transmitter output to just a few watts for the tune operation, then returns the K2 back to its previously set output when tuning is complete?" It reduces it to 20W (if you have the KPA100) and then goes back to whatever power you have set. I think in QRP it reduces to 2 watts (don't recall) and then returns to the set power from tune. I use WinKeyer USB by K1EL. For us kit addicts it's a fun build. Had a little problem loading the drivers, mostly because I didn't comprehend the variations between O/S and loaded the wrong drivers first (big mistake!) Definitely need to pay close attention to the instructions hihi. Hope to log you in some of the upcoming 2007 contests. Good luck! 73, Julius n2wn _______________________________________________ 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
Julius Fazekas
N2WN Tennessee Contest Group http://www.k4ro.net/tcg/index.html Tennessee QSO Party http://www.tnqp.org/ Elecraft K2 #4455 Elecraft K3/100 #366 Elecraft K3/100 |
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On Tuesday 20 February 2007 10:50, J F wrote:
> "RIT - In my entire 33-year ham career I have never > felt the need for RIT (and XIT even less). I use it all the time - when people call me they're nearly always off my frequency and outside the narrow filters' passbands. Not everyone has an Elecraft rig and some transceivers have no feature to enable zero beating. Using an external receiver and an external crystal controlled oscillator, I adjusted a variable capacitor in my IC-735 to make zero beating an incoming signal correspond to the CW sidetone, as the K2 does. Unlike the K2, it was open-loop, but better than the unadjusted IC-735. When I obtained my G4ICV licencse in 1979, it was, if not now (?), a requirement that the station should be capable of listening to its own transmissions. Having only one transceiver and unable to monitor its output was a licence violation - not that it was ever enforced. I started out on the HF bands using separates: an Eddystone EA12 (that I still have) and a Yaesu FL101 transmitter. I felt more confident of zero beating with those than the K2. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962, LP-100 #278 -- _______________________________________________ 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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>> "RIT - In my entire 33-year ham career I have never
>> felt the need for RIT (and XIT even less). >I use it all the time - when people call me they're >nearly always off my frequency and outside the narrow >filters' passbands. When I call CQ in a contest I open up the filter a bit to allow for callers who are off frequency. It's actually nice that not everyone knows how to zero-beat. Otherwise they're all on top of each other and you can't make out anything. When I call someone else I'm usually in the tightest filter setting (100hz for me). I tune slightly off zero-beat for the reason mentioned above and it's not a problem to hear them. So I guess I substitute widening the filter for RIT. I'm not a DX'er so I don't operate split much, if at all. Craig NZ0R K2/100 #4941 K1 #1966 KX1 #1499 _______________________________________________ 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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In reply to this post by Ian Stirling, G4ICV, AB2GR
That's were I use SPLIT. That lets me tune the receiver using the "big knob"
without changing the transmit frequency. Whenever I need to move my transmit freq, I just tune to where I want it to be and tap A=B. Then I can go on tuning the receiver using the main tuning knob. That's a legacy of operating for decades with separate transmitters and receivers. One finds a clear frequency (or tunes in the station to call), then throws a switch that causes the transmitter to produce a low-level signal and tunes the transmitter VFO until the signal is zero beat with the desired frequency and turns off the low-level signal. Then one is ready to transmit. Obviously, tapping A=B is faster, easier and probably more accurate in the rush of a contest situation. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- On Tuesday 20 February 2007 10:50, J F wrote: > "RIT - In my entire 33-year ham career I have never > felt the need for RIT (and XIT even less). I use it all the time - when people call me they're nearly always off my frequency and outside the narrow filters' passbands. Not everyone has an Elecraft rig and some transceivers have no feature to enable zero beating. Using an external receiver and an external crystal controlled oscillator, I adjusted a variable capacitor in my IC-735 to make zero beating an incoming signal correspond to the CW sidetone, as the K2 does. Unlike the K2, it was open-loop, but better than the unadjusted IC-735. When I obtained my G4ICV licencse in 1979, it was, if not now (?), a requirement that the station should be capable of listening to its own transmissions. Having only one transceiver and unable to monitor its output was a licence violation - not that it was ever enforced. I started out on the HF bands using separates: an Eddystone EA12 (that I still have) and a Yaesu FL101 transmitter. I felt more confident of zero beating with those than the K2. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962, LP-100 #278 _______________________________________________ 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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"Obviously, tapping A=B is faster, easier and probably more accurate in the
rush of a contest situation. " Except when I forgot to tap :-) 73, Bob N6WG The Little Station with Attitude ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 1:21 PM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 Contesting That's were I use SPLIT. That lets me tune the receiver using the "big knob" without changing the transmit frequency. Whenever I need to move my transmit freq, I just tune to where I want it to be and tap A=B. Then I can go on tuning the receiver using the main tuning knob. That's a legacy of operating for decades with separate transmitters and receivers. One finds a clear frequency (or tunes in the station to call), then throws a switch that causes the transmitter to produce a low-level signal and tunes the transmitter VFO until the signal is zero beat with the desired frequency and turns off the low-level signal. Then one is ready to transmit. Obviously, tapping A=B is faster, easier and probably more accurate in the rush of a contest situation. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- On Tuesday 20 February 2007 10:50, J F wrote: > "RIT - In my entire 33-year ham career I have never > felt the need for RIT (and XIT even less). I use it all the time - when people call me they're nearly always off my frequency and outside the narrow filters' passbands. Not everyone has an Elecraft rig and some transceivers have no feature to enable zero beating. Using an external receiver and an external crystal controlled oscillator, I adjusted a variable capacitor in my IC-735 to make zero beating an incoming signal correspond to the CW sidetone, as the K2 does. Unlike the K2, it was open-loop, but better than the unadjusted IC-735. When I obtained my G4ICV licencse in 1979, it was, if not now (?), a requirement that the station should be capable of listening to its own transmissions. Having only one transceiver and unable to monitor its output was a licence violation - not that it was ever enforced. I started out on the HF bands using separates: an Eddystone EA12 (that I still have) and a Yaesu FL101 transmitter. I felt more confident of zero beating with those than the K2. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962, LP-100 #278 _______________________________________________ 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 _______________________________________________ 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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You too?
And there's all the times in years past I forgot to turn on the TX high voltage, throw the antenna switch... They're never gonna design a rig so smart I can't get it wrong somehow! Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- From: Bob Tellefsen [mailto:[hidden email]] Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 2:50 PM To: Ron D'Eau Claire; [hidden email] Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Contesting "Obviously, tapping A=B is faster, easier and probably more accurate in the rush of a contest situation. " Except when I forgot to tap :-) 73, Bob N6WG The Little Station with Attitude _______________________________________________ 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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In reply to this post by Ron D'Eau Claire-2
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> That's were I use SPLIT. That lets me tune the receiver using the "big knob" > without changing the transmit frequency. Whenever I need to move my transmit > freq, I just tune to where I want it to be and tap A=B. Then I can go on > tuning the receiver using the main tuning knob. Just like with an S-Line. Unfortunately, my S-Line was "adopted" by a collector many years ago, and now my problem is remembering to drag the TX along with the RX after finishing the split Q and starting to tune. Well ... remembering in general is my problem, actually. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2007 CQP Oct 6-7 - www.cqp.org _______________________________________________ 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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