K3s in WPX CW at P40L
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Three K3s, two with KRX3s, performed flawlessly in our P40L multi-two
operation at P40L in WPX this past weekend. We also used an Icom 756 ProII as the fourth radio. The two operating stations were set up with a K3/KRX3 at the main TX position. A second K3 (or ProII) was slaved to the PTT line of each K3/KRX3 for versatility of having two operators on each position. Usually, this second radio was on the same band using another antenna such as the Beverage system. Sometimes we moved an unused Yagi to this second radio so other bands could be checked (and band maps created) beyond the two bands we were operating on. In addition the second op could use the KRX3 on the main radio. First of all, conditions in Aruba this weekend seemed to be uncharacteristically inferior to most other parts of the world. Most of the time signals were right at the noise level and the superiority of the K3 receiver really made a difference in letting us make at least some contacts. Two of our four operators had never used a K3. Three of us had never used the Win-Test software and the fourth was only a very recent user. Finally, all the towers and antennas were new replacements done just following my SOHP effort in WPX RTTY in February. Part of the motivation for this trip was to put some finishing touches on that work. We generally rotated each of us through all four operating positions on 2-hour shifts. Everyone had about equal amounts of running (the little that this was possible!), searching and pouncing and running the partner radio to support the main op on each position. There were four networked computers, one on each radio, so each of the four ops could interact with Win-Test as either a main op or a partner op. 1. Not long into the contest, most of us avoided using the ProII because the K3 was so much more pleasant to listen with. (This is not meant to slam the ProII, because it is an excellent radio. But, side-by-side the K3 is clearly preferred.) 2. Typically, the four of us all had different views of AFX. I used it exclusively at DELAY 5, as I have been since early field test. Another op found it so different that he had to turn it off. It was spooky having the signals seem like they were all over the room. It felt like surround sound and I kept looking around to see where the sound was coming from! Another (new to the K3) op really liked AFX, but only at the DELAY 2 position because DELAY 5 was too much diversity. 3. We often just paralleled the two sets of headphones with a simple Y-adapter cable into the Phones jack. Both ops then heard exactly the same audio, whether that was AFX on the MAIN RX or stereo MAIN/SUB. Mostly, the partner op was helping pull call signs and exchanges out of the noise and occasional pileups. Win-Test provides a way for him to enter call signs and serial numbers into a Partner window setup next to the main QSO entry window in both PCs so the main op could easily grab (one key stroke) a call sign from the stack into the entry window and send the exchange to the caller. 4. With the partner op on the right, it was very effective for the two ops to run one K3. For example, the main op could be running (well, in our case CQing and SOMETIMES running!) while the partner op tuned up and down the same band in between transmissions to find unworked stations. (Or to jump to new stations on the band map fed from the Packet Cluster, although it was just as easy for the run op to use Win-Test capability to quickly jump to a bandmap entry, work it and jump back to the run frequency using Alt-f4). Both ops had the Main in their left ear and the Sub in their right ear. As experienced SO2R ops, they were used to this dual audio and when a new station was available on the Sub, the main op could simply tap A<>B, drop P40L on the CQer, work him, tap A<>B again and resume CQing back on our own run frequency. In fact, it was very natural for either op to tap buttons on the K3 during these operations, working very effectively in tandem. This is an excellent use case for a single op in a single band contest such as the 160 meter contests or the 10-meter contest. The exceptional dual receive in the K3 provides outstanding ability to simultaneously run (CQ on a single frequency) and search & pounce the same band. Typically, the operator has to alternate between these two modes, wasting time to re-establish a run frequency after each cycle and not taking advantage of parallel operation. For the SO1R operator, the KRX3 can be used to check other bands while running on one band to determine when to QSY. This is accomplished by setting VFO = IND and using different antennas and probably bandpass filters/stubs on the K3 TX. 5. Already mentioned was the outstanding weak signal reception of the K3. Since there werent a lot of pileups, we dont have extensive feedback on that capability although it has been significantly improved via the hardware AGC mod made since pre ~SN 200 K3s. There were a number of pileups, however, where some signals could not be separated, and it wasnt clear if that was due to them being so closely zero-beat, or if the AGC was deteriorating copy. I dont think any of us turned off the AGC and just used the RF GAIN control as the Ducie team did. We did run with the RF GAIN backed off most of the time, though. I suspect we didnt have the AGC optimized (or simply turned off) enough for the pileup conditions. Nonetheless, we had a 300+ QSO rate in the first hour between the two K3s on 40 and 20 when the pileups were horrendous. Not bad. 6. On 40 and 80 we used our six Beverage antenna system on receive exclusively. Last year we added the K9AY 8-Beverage switch box which allows both operating positions (or a SO2R setup) to select any combination of the installed Beverages. The biggest advantage is in geographically splitting the pileups by favoring NA or EU. 7. Although not used to any extent during the contest, I played with listening to the MAIN & SUB in stereo with a 1-5 Hz offset to create another kind of stereo effect that was interesting. Mostly, it was on the same antenna, but also using the TX and RX antennas separately. I think the diversity fans are going to have a ball with the KRX3. 8. I modified a couple of MFJ-640 boxes (2-radio audio selector boxes for one set of stereo headphones) to do the reverse function. That is, the modified boxes allowed switching the MAIN and SUB audio streams between two sets of headphones (each in MONO) or with MAIN and SUB in stereo for both sets of headphones. This effort really begs a much more flexible audio switching system either within the K3 or via an external box like this. Ideally, for a multi-op partnering situation wed like to be able to pipe the MAIN and SUB arbitrarily into any of the four earphones, using AFX on the MAIN and/or SUB and independent between the two ops. This is physically not possible within the K3 given the current audio design. As Lyle politely reminded me, you Focus Group guys didnt offer this as a design spec back when we might have been able to consider it! OK, guilty, but I personally have a hard time imagining all the various use cases of this fine radio using only my (feeble) brain. Actually using the K3 brings out many more potential features. However, even if we had discussed this, Im not sure it would have been appropriate to complicate the audio stream switching within the K3. Probably for this multi-op case, an external switch box is reasonable. I expect that for the single op, the K3 will (eventually) have firmware support for all the flexibility that makes sense. 9. One issue that bothered us was a noisy RIT control. This is probably a DSP issue (sorry, Lyle!) but whatever, there is a disturbing snap as the RIT sequences through its offset steps. This may already be on the bug list, I dont recall, but it definitely needs to be fixed. 10. Another issue, already on The List, is the inability to adjust many of the controls during transmit. This is VERY limiting in a contest environment. BTW, it took me 2-1/2 hours to install the KRX3 following the excellent draft manual. It is a straightforward installation in principle, but more complicated in reality. As weve come to expect with Elecraft, the mechanical and electrical design is amazingly elegant. A real beauty and now the K3, at almost ten pounds, is beginning to feel like a real radio! Prior to the KPA3, KRX3 and other options, it was just too lightweight to be believable. We all hand-carried our K3s and never had even a blink from TSA as they went through the X-ray machines. They could have been a pair of shoes. I used one of my new carry cases from Rose Kopp. I had Rose add some Velcro and additional D-rings to the back of each case so I can temporarily stick them together and carry them through the boarding process as one carry-on item. Before and after, they can be quickly separated, each with their own shoulder strap for more convenient transport. This is a very slick system and one I highly recommend for those traveling with two K3s. If you think this is excessive, consider that I also carry on three laptop computers (with power modules, trackballs, PCMCIA Serial cards, etc.) at the same time. In summary, we never even considered that the KRX3 was new or being Beta-tested because it simply worked flawlessly like it has been described since the K3 introduction. Despite none of us having used it (plus two of us never having used the K3 at all) and all being new to Win-Test, the enhanced radio was a joy to use with negligible learning curve. A DX contest operation or DXpedition is a tough challenge that the K3 readily addresses. Ed W0YK/P49X _______________________________________________ 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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10. .... is the inability to adjust many of the controls during transmit. This is VERY limiting in a contest environment. >> Hi, That is big issue for me too (fortunately RIT control works at least). WPX was first contest with K3 for me too. I still not sure if K3 is much better than my old IC-746 - the same feeling after upgrading for better car - old car looks OK untill you change back - then you know real difference! Just few remarks: -160 was almost empty - a lot of free space - K3 400 Hz filter is much narrower than Icom 350 Hz (= 500 Hz at K3), but now I know how wide some key clicks are. Never needed narrower filter - next time. -lighting produced constant S9 QRN first half of contest and I had problems with Beverages (cows eat one and forgot to connect grounding to other after few repairs) - NB and NR (with KK7P "default" 1-2 setting) helped a lot -K3 survived +35..40 C at 70 watts much easier tha me - top of radio really hot, fans full speed most of time -it took not more than 10 minutes to unpack K3 from bag and connect to everything - no any CI-V box, no CW/PTT interface - just simple serial cable! (but I don't like grounding connection on K3) 73 Arunas / LY2ij K3 # 5oo _______________________________________________ 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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On Tue, 27 May 2008 23:15:36 +0300 (EEST), LY2IJ wrote:
>WPX was first contest with K3 for me too. >I still not sure if K3 is much better than my old IC-746 Huh? It's much nicer than the FT1000MP it replaced, which runs rings around my 746. Only thing missing (over the MP) is the second RX. >-160 was almost empty Yes, quite disappointing. >K3 400 Hz filter This is a VERY nice filter for CW contesting. >NB and NR Superb! >no any CI-V box, no CW/PTT interface - just simple serial cable! Yes, quite wonderful! 73, Jim K9YC _______________________________________________ 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 Ed Muns, W0YK
Yes, very. And if you press most any of the buttons while there is a CW signal being transmitted the CW will sound really strange, the PTT delay goes away causing the amp relay to operate with every element. And it does this until the PTT goes away with the end of the memory from the PC, or you hit the ESC key. If I remember right, RIT and the Speed & Mic gain controls are about the only ones that work while transmitting. I was very impressed with the receiver in WPX! 73 Hank K8DD |
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