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KRX3 - What am I missing?

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Bill Myers

KRX3 - What am I missing?

I'm trying to resolve a conflict: is the KRX3 sub receiver a "must have", or a "must have with good reasons" option?

I understand it's uses. In my case, I am mostly considering it as an added resource for working dx split pileups. I have the P3, and have found it very useful in many ways, and especially for dx - so useful, that I question how much the KRX3 will add. You more-experienced dxers maybe can help point out what I am missing.

I usually can develop a reasonable "pile-up strategy" using the P3 - and that seems to work most of the time. I must lack the dexterity to make the REV routine add anything. Even with the sub-rx, I estimate that it would help in only a small percentage of the situations, particularly in those large (and ill-mannered) pile-ups where the P3 shows a solid wall of signals. (Maybe the ears might catch a faint "599" that the P3 won't show?)

Most of the dxers I talk to say the KRX3 is a must. I'll probably get one anyway, but what am I missing here?

Bill K6IFF

Jim Sheldon

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

Bill,
You've already pretty much answered your own question. Hearing that faint "599" is a BIG help in finding the place you need to be in a pile-up. Especially on 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters where a lot of the time you are in the "skip zone" where you don't see the pip from the station the DX is working on the P3's screen. If you put the same filter(s) in it, the KRX3 is an exact duplicate electronically of the main receiver. The one drawback is you lose 3dB when you have them both connected through the ATU as there's a 3dB splitter inserted in the chain when the subreceiver is switched in. If you have the luxury of separate antennas, you can alleviate that. If the incoming signal is S5 or stronger, it becomes a non-issue anyway unless there's a bunch of QRN from a thunderstorm in the vicinity and then all bets are off - LOL.

I was thinking sort of like you when I ordered my K3, but decided to go ahead with the sub receiver and I have been super glad I did. Example, this afternoon on 17 meters, XR0YG (Easter Island) was fairly strong and using the P3 plus the second receiver, it took me about 30 seconds to determine where he was listening and which way he was tuning. One call and he was in the log. I didn't even have the amplifier on and the K3 was set to about 60 watts. Antenna was a fan dipole up about 35 feet at the apex.

Jim Sheldon - W0EB

> I'm trying to resolve a conflict: is the KRX3 sub receiver a "must
> have", or a "must have with good reasons" option?
>
> I understand it's uses. In my case, I am mostly considering it as
> an added resource for working dx split pileups. I have the P3, and
> have found it very useful in many ways, and especially for dx - so
> useful, that I question how much the KRX3 will add. You more-
> experienced dxers maybe can help point out what I am missing.
>
> I usually can develop a reasonable "pile-up strategy" using the P3 -
> and that seems to work most of the time. I must lack the
> dexterity to make the REV routine add anything. Even with the sub-
> rx, I estimate that it would help in only a small percentage of the
> situations, particularly in those large (and ill-mannered) pile-ups
> where the P3 shows a solid wall of signals. (Maybe the ears might
> catch a faint "599" that the P3 won't show?)
>
> Most of the dxers I talk to say the KRX3 is a must. I'll probably
> get one anyway, but what am I missing here?
>
> Bill K6IFF

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

Bill,

You are not missing anything. The KRX3 will allow you to listen to the
DX in one ear and the pileup in the other ear. If you would find that
confusing to your brain, then the KRX3 will be useless for you. but if
your brain can sort out the left ear, right ear situation, then it is a
great operating asset.

In listening to the pileup, you are hunting for the station the DX is
currently talking with, and the KRX3 makes that task much easier than
using the REV button. The P3 may add value in hunting for a clear space
in the pileup, but there is nothing like having aural feedback to
determine what is happening on your proposed transmit frequency.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/26/2013 7:27 PM, Bill Myers wrote:

> I'm trying to resolve a conflict: is the KRX3 sub receiver a "must have", or
> a "must have with good reasons" option?
>
> I understand it's uses. In my case, I am mostly considering it as an added
> resource for working dx split pileups. I have the P3, and have found it
> very useful in many ways, and especially for dx - so useful, that I question
> how much the KRX3 will add. You more-experienced dxers maybe can help point
> out what I am missing.
>
> I usually can develop a reasonable "pile-up strategy" using the P3 - and
> that seems to work most of the time. I must lack the dexterity to make the
> REV routine add anything. Even with the sub-rx, I estimate that it would
> help in only a small percentage of the situations, particularly in those
> large (and ill-mannered) pile-ups where the P3 shows a solid wall of
> signals. (Maybe the ears might catch a faint "599" that the P3 won't show?)
>
> Most of the dxers I talk to say the KRX3 is a must. I'll probably get one
> anyway, but what am I missing here?
>

Tighe Kuykendall

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

I'm wondering how many people go straight to SO2R? I have a P3 and have
been thinking about adding a KRX3 but wonder if a better investment is a
K3/10.

Tighe
NK4I

On 3/26/2013 7:45 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Bill,
>
> You are not missing anything. The KRX3 will allow you to listen to
> the DX in one ear and the pileup in the other ear. If you would find
> that confusing to your brain, then the KRX3 will be useless for you.
> but if your brain can sort out the left ear, right ear situation, then
> it is a great operating asset.
>
> In listening to the pileup, you are hunting for the station the DX is
> currently talking with, and the KRX3 makes that task much easier than
> using the REV button. The P3 may add value in hunting for a clear
> space in the pileup, but there is nothing like having aural feedback
> to determine what is happening on your proposed transmit frequency.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 3/26/2013 7:27 PM, Bill Myers wrote:
>> I'm trying to resolve a conflict: is the KRX3 sub receiver a "must
>> have", or
>> a "must have with good reasons" option?
>>
>> I understand it's uses. In my case, I am mostly considering it as an
>> added
>> resource for working dx split pileups. I have the P3, and have found it
>> very useful in many ways, and especially for dx - so useful, that I
>> question
>> how much the KRX3 will add. You more-experienced dxers maybe can
>> help point
>> out what I am missing.
>>
>> I usually can develop a reasonable "pile-up strategy" using the P3 - and
>> that seems to work most of the time. I must lack the dexterity to
>> make the
>> REV routine add anything. Even with the sub-rx, I estimate that it
>> would
>> help in only a small percentage of the situations, particularly in those
>> large (and ill-mannered) pile-ups where the P3 shows a solid wall of
>> signals. (Maybe the ears might catch a faint "599" that the P3 won't
>> show?)
>>
>> Most of the dxers I talk to say the KRX3 is a must. I'll probably
>> get one
>> anyway, but what am I missing here?
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Richard Ferch

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

SO2R has a different purpose than a KRX3. In SO2R, the two radios are
normally connected to separate antennas and operating on different
bands. It's a contesting technique that allows you to listen on one band
while transmitting on another band.

If you wanted to use a second transceiver to listen to pileups while
working DX, you would need external switching to disconnect the antenna
from the second transceiver whenever the first transceiver was
transmitting, in order to avoid damaging its receiver, rather like the
old days of separate transmitters and receivers.

So, if your intended use is DXing, I would say that the KRX3 would be a
better investment than a K3/10. If your eventual goal is full-bore
pedal-to-the-metal contesting, a second transceiver, amplifier and
tower might be in your future, and the KRX3 might not be so important to
you.

73,
Rich VE3KI

NK4I wrote:

> I'm wondering how many people go straight to SO2R? I have a P3 and have
> been thinking about adding a KRX3 but wonder if a better investment is a
> K3/10.

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N0AZZ

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

I do an SO2R setup using 2 K3's 1 Alpha amp,1 Elecraft the key to the
antennas are very simple. I use an Array Solutions SIX PAK antenna
controller a remote one mine is mounted in my basement control head in the
shack. Auto-tuners and auto band selecting on both and tuning on the Alpha.
I also use a simple switching unit when one key line is on other radio
receive is off you can build one from a junk box.

If you care to see my setup it's on my QRZ page my KX3 can't be seen there.

73,
Fred/N0AZZ
K3 Ser #'s 6730/5299--KX3 # 2573--K2/100--KAT100
P3/SVGA--KPA500--KAT500--W2

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Richard Ferch
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 6:17 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KRX3 - What am I missing?

SO2R has a different purpose than a KRX3. In SO2R, the two radios are
normally connected to separate antennas and operating on different bands.
It's a contesting technique that allows you to listen on one band while
transmitting on another band.

If you wanted to use a second transceiver to listen to pileups while working
DX, you would need external switching to disconnect the antenna from the
second transceiver whenever the first transceiver was transmitting, in order
to avoid damaging its receiver, rather like the old days of separate
transmitters and receivers.

So, if your intended use is DXing, I would say that the KRX3 would be a
better investment than a K3/10. If your eventual goal is full-bore
pedal-to-the-metal contesting, a second transceiver, amplifier and tower
might be in your future, and the KRX3 might not be so important to you.

73,
Rich VE3KI

NK4I wrote:

> I'm wondering how many people go straight to SO2R? I have a P3 and have
> been thinking about adding a KRX3 but wonder if a better investment is a
> K3/10.

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N0AZZ

Re: KRX3 - What am I missing?

In reply to this post by Bill Myers

I'm a DXer only and I have to answer yes, I do have a second K3 in a SO2R
setup. One of the main reasons any more are the extremely wide splits some
of the DX has used in recent years. I have several antennas available plus a
receive only "antenna/preamp" that is very helpful at times. I use a yagi
and my multi-band vertical together the diversity of those is at times is
the difference in making a contact or not.

I am not a CW op only Digital/SSB so on my sub I only installed a 2.8 and a
.400 my main is loaded down to .250 all filters are 8 pole.

Fred/N0AZZ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Bill Myers
Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2013 6:27 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KRX3 - What am I missing?

I'm trying to resolve a conflict: is the KRX3 sub receiver a "must have", or
a "must have with good reasons" option?

I understand it's uses. In my case, I am mostly considering it as an added
resource for working dx split pileups. I have the P3, and have found it
very useful in many ways, and especially for dx - so useful, that I question
how much the KRX3 will add. You more-experienced dxers maybe can help point
out what I am missing.

I usually can develop a reasonable "pile-up strategy" using the P3 - and
that seems to work most of the time. I must lack the dexterity to make the
REV routine add anything. Even with the sub-rx, I estimate that it would
help in only a small percentage of the situations, particularly in those
large (and ill-mannered) pile-ups where the P3 shows a solid wall of
signals. (Maybe the ears might catch a faint "599" that the P3 won't show?)

Most of the dxers I talk to say the KRX3 is a must. I'll probably get one
anyway, but what am I missing here?

Bill K6IFF

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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2240 / Virus Database: 2641/5705 - Release Date: 03/26/13

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