K3 & KRX3 Fantastic in ARRL 160 M!

[Ed Gray W0SD]

How the K3 and KRX3 did in the 160M ARRL Contest:

W0DB operated W0SD in the ARRL 160M contest.  To make the top 10 last
year and this year we just live to far west so we just can't work the DX
multipliers like they can to the east of us.  We are a long ways from JA
as well and the activity out of the PAC was terrible so we got no help
there!!!

Anyway the totals were 1638 Q's and 104M of which 79 were ARRL Sections.
  We just got the K3 with the KRX3 and bi-directional beverages, rcv.
loop and low rcv dipole put together just before the contest.  For
transmit we had 1/4 wave vertical with 135 radials and a drooping dipole
at 195 feet.

We used the K3 with the Rcv antennas with a switch between RX ANT and
AUX RF.  We could switch the rcv antenna's to the Aux RF for diversity.
  We also used the sub unlinked to hunt for multipliers using the main
antenna.

For next year we are going to put up another high dipole cross ways to
the present one as one of the rec antenna's so it can be used in
diversity reception with the vertical. That was the one combination we
were missing.

To give you an idea of how good the K3 & KRX3 are the 1638 Q's is 3rd
high in the single op high power listings showing the ability of the K3
with the KRX3 to hear.  Actually only two multi-op stations have more
Q'S as well.  Considering many of the east coast station had 300+ EU
qsos and we only had a handful shows the ability of the K3 & KRX3 and
Joe's ability to pull them out. The other bad thing was Joe was only
able to work 4 JA's rather than the hoped for 100. Yes the antenna's are
a significant factor BUT you have to have a the radio that can take
advantage of the antennas to survive!!!  I don't know of anything more
"BRUTAL" than the QRM on 160M with nearly everyone packed in 40 khz.
There were times Joe had the DSP to 50 hz with the 200 hz roofing filter
and could still hear 3 signals. The other amazing things is that at
times we have a little power line noise on the SE beverage and the K3 NB
is just awesome.  Every radio I have ever used when you get strong
signals you have problems with the NB.  We did not notice any problem at
all!!!

I was not going to but now there is no question I am going to get
another KRX3 for the other K3 as it just adds so much to the radio!!!

One thing Joe told me was to "NOT" use functions on the K3 and KRX3 when
transmitting.  The radio does not like that and did strange things.  You
might say why would you do that?  When you are working that many q's an
hour and have things going on in both ears and have 9 antenna switches
to deal with plus knobs on the radio to work with you only have free
time while transmitting so you think I need to make this change so I
will do it now but it does not work!  Thankfully you can make rcv
antenna changes while transmitting.

The K3 and KRX3 are amazing radio's and don't let anybody tell you they
are not.  I read a lot of stuff on here that is based on opinion.  This
report is based on actually on the air results in the "REAL WORLD"!
IMHO you can place a lot of confidence in reports such as these in
making a decision about buying a K3 and KRX3!!!

Ed W0SD

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[Gill W4RYW]

Ed,

I agree with your evaluation completely - There is not a more demanding contest for a receiver than the 160M CW. I was BLOWN AWAY by the unbelieveable performance of my K3. I don't have the sub rcvr (yet) but your write up is quite convincing. I am about 100 Mi from the W8JI contest station and I was able to qso very weak stations within 200Hz of Tom's 60 over nine sigs - He was clean as a pin and my 250Hz filter made it like he wasn't there! Amazing!  I have a local ham who was running with the legal limit about a mile away and I did not know he was on until I stumbled across him while doing SAP. My old rig would desense and go to pieces when he fired up!

You sounded like a local here as well!

73

Gill W4RYW

Ed Gray W0SD wrote

How the K3 and KRX3 did in the 160M ARRL Contest:

The K3 and KRX3 are amazing radio's and don't let anybody tell you they
are not.  I read a lot of stuff on here that is based on opinion.  This
report is based on actually on the air results in the "REAL WORLD"!
IMHO you can place a lot of confidence in reports such as these in
making a decision about buying a K3 and KRX3!!!

Ed W0SD

_______________________________________________

[Mike Harris-9]

G'day,

| Joe's ability to pull them out. The other bad thing was Joe was only
| able to work 4 JA's rather than the hoped for 100.

| One thing Joe told me was to "NOT" use functions on the K3 and KRX3 when
| transmitting.

Not a plumber his he.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

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