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K4 vs. K4D Question

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Terry

K4 vs. K4D Question

I am rather late in the first prepay group and requested a K4. I was
strongly considering upgrading to the K4D when I got the call that my rig
was about ready to ship. Now that the pricing is out, I see that it is a
$900 difference. That gives me a bit of pause, not because it isn't worth
the price, but because I am not sure my style of operating would justify it.

I would appreciate it if some of you with more experience in such things
might be able to give me some insights. Here is my operating information:

1. I am predominantly a CW operator
2. I do enjoy working DX contests, but as a hunt and pounce guy, just
looking for countries I may have not worked before. I am not a serious
contester trying for points and awards.
3. For non-dx contests, I operate at or near QRP levels to see how well
I am getting out on my antennas.
4. I am predominantly a rag chewer on CW, or casual operator for
regular CW QSO's.
5. I have two antennas, one a Yagi for 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters.
The other is an EFHW for 30 (with tuner) 40 and 80.

I am not sure diversity receive would be all that useful with such different
antennas. The yagi is useless as a receive antenna on 30, 40, and 80, and
the EFHW can receive and transmit on the higher bands, but does not have
directionality or gain, and the 40 and 80 meter bands are predominantly for
local and US. operations.

I think diversity receive might be useful with QSB conditions if I am
operating on 20 meters and up and letting the EFHW try to help, but that one
advantage would not be worth the difference in price for the K4D, especially
with the band conditions we currently have.

If I am going to check a different band, I usually just change bands and
look at the panadapter to see how active the band is. Not sure having VFO B
connected to a different antenna, (like working 20 on the Yagi on A and
possibly working 40 on the EFHW on B would gain me much. I would most
likely just use VFO A, and change bands.

I look forward to your thoughts and what opportunities I might be missing by
not getting the K4D. I would guess there are others in this group that
would be interested in the responses as they make the same decision.

Thanks so much, and 73,

Terry, N7TB

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Logan Zintsmaster

Re: K4 vs. K4D Question

Given that the K4 can be upgraded to a K4D in the field, why don’t you start out with the K4, how it goes, and decide to upgrade later.
Logan, KE7AZ

Entropy is winning.

> On Oct 4, 2020, at 2:25 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
> I am rather late in the first prepay group and requested a K4. I was
> strongly considering upgrading to the K4D when I got the call that my rig
> was about ready to ship. Now that the pricing is out, I see that it is a
> $900 difference. That gives me a bit of pause, not because it isn't worth
> the price, but because I am not sure my style of operating would justify it.
>
>
>
> I would appreciate it if some of you with more experience in such things
> might be able to give me some insights. Here is my operating information:
>
>
>
> 1. I am predominantly a CW operator
> 2. I do enjoy working DX contests, but as a hunt and pounce guy, just
> looking for countries I may have not worked before. I am not a serious
> contester trying for points and awards.
> 3. For non-dx contests, I operate at or near QRP levels to see how well
> I am getting out on my antennas.
> 4. I am predominantly a rag chewer on CW, or casual operator for
> regular CW QSO's.
> 5. I have two antennas, one a Yagi for 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters.
> The other is an EFHW for 30 (with tuner) 40 and 80.
>
>
>
> I am not sure diversity receive would be all that useful with such different
> antennas. The yagi is useless as a receive antenna on 30, 40, and 80, and
> the EFHW can receive and transmit on the higher bands, but does not have
> directionality or gain, and the 40 and 80 meter bands are predominantly for
> local and US. operations.
>
>
>
> I think diversity receive might be useful with QSB conditions if I am
> operating on 20 meters and up and letting the EFHW try to help, but that one
> advantage would not be worth the difference in price for the K4D, especially
> with the band conditions we currently have.
>
>
>
> If I am going to check a different band, I usually just change bands and
> look at the panadapter to see how active the band is. Not sure having VFO B
> connected to a different antenna, (like working 20 on the Yagi on A and
> possibly working 40 on the EFHW on B would gain me much. I would most
> likely just use VFO A, and change bands.
>
>
>
> I look forward to your thoughts and what opportunities I might be missing by
> not getting the K4D. I would guess there are others in this group that
> would be interested in the responses as they make the same decision.
>
>
>
> Thanks so much, and 73,
>
>
>
> Terry, N7TB
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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chrisrut

Re: K4 vs. K4D Question

In reply to this post by Terry

Terry,

I could use your self-description by adding "used to" in the context of
contests (I'm up to 297 confirmed and contest opportunities for the rest
are slim to none).

Then I'd add: "lives on tiny urban/city lot surrounded by both horrible QRM
and hills."

My antennas were as you describe: a 2-el 5-band beam up a whopping 30 feet,
and a wire running through and around trees like a demented pretzel at that
same height. And you're right, while diversity thrives on differences, it
doesn't thrive on THOSE differences.

In my quest for DXCC on 40 and 80, I'd added a pair of DXE active receive
verticals and noise canceller in a failed attempt to phase my way through
the s5-s6 noise wall - there were far too many noise sources for
cancellation to be effective. So I was left with a receive antenna that
didn't work all that well in noise-hell, either.

Then, after letting it sit mostly unused for 6 months, I tried diversity
reception.

Wow.

When you're working down near the noise, QSB can kill many a QSO. But even
with my minimal antennas, the way signals "float" as the RF rotates through
polarizations is remarkable to hear: a signal that would otherwise be lost
often comes up in one ear just as it drops in the other... I recently
worked VK6LW when he was unreadable on either the long-wire or the receive
ant, but was readable with diversity turned on.

It sometimes seems like the difference between mono and stereo music.

Anyway, diversity reception was unquestionably the key to 80M DXCC from
this QTH.

Point is: if my K3 hadn't already had that second receiver, it's unlikely I
would have added one just to try. So if you can swing the cash - like a
good scout: "be prepared."

73 Chris NW6V

Terry N7TB said:
>
> From: <[hidden email]>
>
> 1. I am predominantly a CW operator

> 2. I do enjoy working DX contests, but as a hunt and pounce guy, just
> looking for countries I may have not worked before. I am not a serious
> contester trying for points and awards.
> 3. For non-dx contests, I operate at or near QRP levels to see how
> well
> I am getting out on my antennas.
> 4. I am predominantly a rag chewer on CW, or casual operator for
> regular CW QSO's.
> 5. I have two antennas, one a Yagi for 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters.
> The other is an EFHW for 30 (with tuner) 40 and 80.
>
> I am not sure diversity receive would be all that useful with such
> different
> antennas.
>
>