K3 or K2-B (New Elecraft Products)

[Darwin, Keith]

 
-----Original Message-----
From: Craig D. Smith

Of the "big" projects being discussed, the K3 is the only one that
captures my interest and enthusiasm.  

--------------------------

Funny you mention a K3.  I was thinking about it this morning.  After
using the K2 for a bit I find my "need" for a K3 to be less.  The K2
does pretty much all I need.  I have a lot of fun with it as it is.  If
I want 100 watts I can add an option and I'm there.

But having a larger package, bigger knobs, real analog s-meter, larger
display, less menus (add an encoder or two that can be assigned to
control a few things) - these would be great changes.  So here's my
proposal for a K3.

Design a new display and control board that is larger and provides
larger UI features.  Hook it up to the K2 RF board.  Mount it in a
somewhat larger case.  Voila, you have K3 - a base version of the K2.
While you're at it, put a larger rear heat sink on the 100 watt PA and
have no fan.

These changes could be bought by K2 owners to allow a K2 to be changed
into a K3.  Most of the existing options would be swap-able between the
two versions of the rig.

Maybe this isn't a K3.  Maybe this is a K2-B (version B for Base).

- Keith KD1E -
- K2 5411 -
_______________________________________________
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

[Daniel Reynolds-2]

I'd like to see this K2-B (or K3 ... or K2X for K2-eXpanded) with two RF boards
so that you could do binaural/differential reception from two antennas
(horizontal vs vertical) - that way you could pick out nearly any signal that
is perceptible. Maybe create a larger case with the capability of adding a
built in 100/200/400 W amp to the rig and a built in ATU capable of handling
200/400W with a builtin balun. Oh - and a built in P/S. Make the case large
enough to be rackmountable (I don't know why .... just sounds cool - and maybe
even useful for EMCOMM). At least make the front panel 2-4 times larger than
the old K2 (adding more area to the top of the case for extra RF Amp, tuner
components, P/S, and 2nd K2 RF board).

Just thinking outside of the box for a moment...

Now we return to our regularly scheduled programming.

- Daniel AA0NI

--- "Darwin, Keith" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Craig D. Smith
>
> Of the "big" projects being discussed, the K3 is the only one that
> captures my interest and enthusiasm.  
>
> --------------------------
>
> Funny you mention a K3.  I was thinking about it this morning.  After
> using the K2 for a bit I find my "need" for a K3 to be less.  The K2
> does pretty much all I need.  I have a lot of fun with it as it is.  If
> I want 100 watts I can add an option and I'm there.
>
> But having a larger package, bigger knobs, real analog s-meter, larger
> display, less menus (add an encoder or two that can be assigned to
> control a few things) - these would be great changes.  So here's my
> proposal for a K3.
>
> Design a new display and control board that is larger and provides
> larger UI features.  Hook it up to the K2 RF board.  Mount it in a
> somewhat larger case.  Voila, you have K3 - a base version of the K2.
> While you're at it, put a larger rear heat sink on the 100 watt PA and
> have no fan.
>
> These changes could be bought by K2 owners to allow a K2 to be changed
> into a K3.  Most of the existing options would be swap-able between the
> two versions of the rig.
>
> Maybe this isn't a K3.  Maybe this is a K2-B (version B for Base).
>
> - Keith KD1E -
> - K2 5411 -
> _______________________________________________
> 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

[Darwin, Keith]

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Reynolds

... Maybe create a larger case with ... a built in amp ... built in ATU
... built in balun ... built in P/S ...

Just thinking outside of the box for a moment...

----------------------

Actually Daniel, you're thinking inside the box :-)


If we continue the thought a bit.  Start with a K2.  Build a new bigger
front panel to give you a  "big" K2 (K2-B).  Later, design a new RF
board that can hook to the K2-B front panel and you have a K3.


- Keith KD1E -
_______________________________________________
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

[N2EY]

In a message dated 5/26/06 2:52:32 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:


> Start with a K2.  Build a new bigger
> front panel to give you a  "big" K2 (K2-B).  Later, design a new RF
> board that can hook to the K2-B front panel and you have a K3.
>

This idea has been kicked around a bit in the past - something like a "K2Big"

- Same basic K2
- Bigger cabinet and controls
- Can hold *all* the options at the same time, including the battery,
amplifier, tuner, etc., with room for more. That way, you could do anything from QRP
- battery to 100W operation without changing anything
- Possible new mainboard that could take multiple fixed ladder filters in
addition to  the variable BW filter
- Bigger speaker? Built in 12V PS/battery option?

The real driving force is the desire for better ergonomics. The K2's
ergonomics are excellent for such a small box, but it *is* a small box (with 'big box'
performance)..

-----

Reading all of the new-product ideas has been interesting. But one thing I
notice is that some of them boil down to asking Elecraft to make a 'mainstream'
HF rig that would compete with the various Ikensu products.

IMHO, the success and genius of Elecraft has been producing products for
which there is no competition. For example, there are lots of QRP CW rigs out
there, but none of them offer all the features or performance of a K2. And the K2
isn't strictly a QRP rig - a stock one will do 10-15 watts, and there's the
100W amplifier.

But none of the 'big rigs' offer the QRP performance of a K2, either. They
all draw way too much power on receive, and most don't have as good a receiver.

One thing I learned from contesting and running is that you don't try to beat
somebody at their own game. What you do is to find out what you do best, and
get them to try to beat you at *your* game.

Every design has its tradeoffs. What Elecraft has done is to pick different
tradeoffs than most other rigs. For example, the low noise/simple PLL design of
the K2 saves power and gives a very clean LO signal, but gives up the
fraction-of-a-hertz accuracy and super-TCXO stability of other rigs. Some of the
proposed ideas would require radical changes in the tradeoff selections.

The new amplifiers continue that 'different tradeoffs' philosophy. For
example, is there any other amateur HF amplifier made today that can be bought at
one power level and then upgraded to twice that power? Is there any other amp
that is SO2R ready right out of the box? Any solidstate amplifier that is
owner-serviceable the way the Elecraft amplifiers are, or that include integrated
antenna matching?

Any amp that has all those features at the Elecraft price?

73 de Jim, N2EY
_______________________________________________
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