K3 CW CQ-WW impressions

[Bill Hammond]

In response to   requests for K3 owners to   post their impressions: It is
summed up in word word, WOW!!!!!!!  

It's all about the reciever.   I have three filters, the standard 5 pole 2.7,
the 5 pole 500HZ and the 8 pole 250HZ.   You can manually select the filters
or just turn the width control.   These filters along with the ability to
"shift" seems to really work well with crowded band conditions like in this
contest.

Frankly, there were many pile-ups that my 5W just won't bust but I could sure
hear well.   There were many JA's just at the noise level but solid.   I only
managed one JA QSO.    I like the built in audio equilizer.   I have adjusted
the RX audio to compensate for hearing loss at certain high frequencies I
attribute to working on radios in B-52's in my youth.;-)   Ever hear of a HF
radio called an ARC-65, UHF ARC-34?

I have not uploaded V1.42 of the firmware yet as I like the NR and it is
disabled in this new release.   The NR seems to work well in V1.41. Speaking of
firmware and downloads, I have Vista, Mac 10.5 (Leopard) and Windows 2000.  The
down loader works very well on the 2000 with a real serial port.   I gave up
on the USB adapter and Vista after an hour of Vistaville.   On the 2000 it took
five minutes from download too upgrade.   The release shipped in my radio was
1.31 on November 12.   So firmware releases come about one a day including
the long weekend :).   On Friday 1.41 was the latest release.  

On the transmit side, the QSK works very well correcting a minor glitch I
never liked with the K2.   The frequency memory features allow easy storing and
retrieving of frequencies (for those pile ups you just can't bust but may want
to return to).   The CW memory is easy to set and responsive.   It may be me
but I think built in keyer may eat a first dit occasionally.   I switched to an
external keyer more to my liking and taste.   The transmit display tells
everything I want to know, SWR, PWR and transmit and received frequency.   I
really like the display and VFO readout operating with split frequency is a snap.  
I really like the ease of use.   I have used the CW auto tune feature and
really like that on CW.    The CWT feature gives a visual reference on his beat
note compared to what you have set.   Very handy in contests when the called
station has his front end locked down to a few HZ and has filter skirts like El
Capatian.

K3# 69 has been working CQ-WW with 5W and a very modest Mini-33 on a roof top
tower @35'.   Q's on 20, 15 and 10. My wire on 40 is down at the moment.

Search and pounce QSO's so far:
V26K
XE1ZW
HC2SL
KH6/K1YR
PJ2/GI0RTN
VP5/K7WA
PZ5X
HC2SL
CT/OH1NOA
HK0/W0OR
KH6LC
PP5/AI6V
KH6/N6GQ
J75W
VP9/OH1VR
XE2WWW
C6AGY
HC8N
HI3A
VP5W
D4C
ZF1A
KH6MB
H7/K9NW
KH7Y
VV7NT
JA6SHL
KL7AC (FREQUENT CONTRIBUTOR TO THIS REFLECTOR) Thanks for the Q Andre
VX5A (ZONE 35)
AH7C
KH6LC

73,
Bill
AK5X
KX1 # 1023
K1 # 2033
K2/100  # 4637
K3/100 # 69



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