K3 Web Traffic & "Complexity"

[Bill Davis Jr]

  The recent posts regarding the CQ contest and K3s being used by various BIG contest stations have been interesting reading.

  My K3 still sets "aside" waiting on me to get my VHF/UHF/Microwave station integration hardware completed. A 3 week illness and a 10day trip that could not have been avoided has really slowed things down. But I'm getting closer. The station is being completely rebuilt around the K3 with auto switching for transverter RF switching and sequencing based upon the transverter selected on the K3.

  Hanging on the IF output already is a buffer amp and a SoftRock receiver providing a panadapter display. Rocky software is used for the panadapter and ALL tuning etc will be done with the K3. The Rocky display allows "watching" the band selected via waterfall or spectrum display. The freq display is relative to center of the IF freq. The SoftRock is working beautifully on the HF bands as is the K3. If I wish I can monitor a second frequency via the SoftRock using Rocky or with PowerSDR 2 other frequencies. (On the band selected on the K3) The real test will be weak sig detection at or below the noise. I have been VERY successful doing this with an old SoftRock 28Mhz V7 receiver augmented with a 2m receive converter and 28Mhz buffer amp with the various transverters.

  I feel quite comfortable with the K3 (10w) on the HF bands. No question, lots of functions to set and fuss with, but successful operation does not require being a "master" of ALL the various functions. Helpful to be filling to  "master" the ones we need however! Hi Hi

  I am frustrated with the amount of Elecraft traffic on the reflector that often masks the meaningful traffic for everyday operators. I too have a FlexRadio that I am redy to part with. I am not an operator that requires the latest software download either with the Flex of the K3. My K3 software leaves a bit to be desired in the NB area and glad to see that addressed. So I'm sure  downloads in the future will be forthcoming. I am interested in USING the radio and not necessarily fussing with software.

  Kudos to Elecraft support!! A phone call a couple weeks ago to determine if my K3 had the mod for the higher gain for the IF output or not was met with ... "got a screwdriver handy?" ... 3min later I knew that my K3 was higher gain and that allowed correct gain to be selected for the panadapter buffer amp construction. THANKS GUYS

  Looking forward to using the K3 on more than HF soon.

73  Bill   K0AWU  EN37ed  "weak signal operations 50Mhz and up for over 50yrs"  K3 ser# 3460
     
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