KX3 Batttery life question..

[Edward R Cole]

Let me chime in with an opinion and my reasoning.  I have been one of
the vocal ones about having a transverter I/F which it appears will
not be available on the KX3.  Understandable; size considerations
make adding that difficult.

But since the KX3 will run 5-10w 160-6m, if one wanted to use a
transverter with a 28-MHz IF, that is doable.  Typically the major
transverter mfr's have an option for connection to a transceiver
running up to 10w.  That usually consists of a 10w 50-ohm flange
mounted load with capacitive coupling of a few mw to drive the
transverter.  Pin diodes are used for TR so the transverter bypasses
the load in Rx.  DEMI offers this option in their line, and one can
order the module to retrofit a transverter having separated Tx and Rx
IF connections.

For microwave transverters, 144-MHz is a favorite IF and that would
interface with a KX3 internal 2m transverter, nicely.  I would prefer
a full-power 2m transverter for regular use on 2m, and either adapt
my mw transverters to handle 5-10w, or perhaps Elecraft could add a
mw level bypass around the 10w RF module that would offer best of all worlds.

But I agree with Oliver that I would chose the full 5/10w 2m
transverter over a mw version and forgo the ATU.  I suspect that
would satisfy most users, either intending use of the KX3 HF/6m only
and wanting an ATU or wanting a 2m transverter and able to accept not
having an internal ATU.  I suspect there would be few buyers of a mw
level 2m transverter.

For my particular use, The KX3 will probably get used more on 6m and
2m, as I will be selling all my VHF/UHF transceivers to enable buying
a KX3.  So I need to replace that capability.  The transverters I use
with the K3 are narrow band on the CW/SSB end and do not cover the FM
end.  The KX3 is a nice size to replace my 2m mobile.  One can add
amplifiers for more power in mobile.  I bought a compact 35w linear
for my FT-817 that packs well in a suitcase along with a mag-mt 2m whip.
-------------
Another reason I would go for the 5/10w 2m transverter is I already
own a 20mw 144/28 transverter that I bought for my SDR-IQ and is
usable as a mw IF.  It gets little use except as a mw IF now, as I
share the 28-MHz Rx output of my current transverters with both the
SDR-IQ and my K3.  I have converted my entire transverter line to
28-MHz IF, 144-1296 MHz.  Only transverters higher in microwaves use
144-MHz IF and they are run only when portable or as a rover, so are
not used with the K3.

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

Message: 21
Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:57:55 +0200
From: Oliver Dr?se <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Batttery life question..
To: "elecraft_mailman.qth.net" <[hidden email]>
Message-ID: <A6EAE713511A495391CE44AE65155757@dh8bqax60>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
         reply-type=original

Hi Wayne,

please don't sacrifice performance. The internal 2 m transverter should at
least have 5 watts output to be useful for normal 2 m applications, 10 W
would be even better but I'm not sure this is doable with the space limits.
;-))

A very low power 2 m transverter (10 mW?) is probably not of much use to
those who need the transverter for 2 m portable ops (which is very popular
in Europe btw.) and these might be the majority of guys wanting the internal
transverter. Yes, there are those guys wanting to use it as a microwave I/F
radio (me too) which makes perfect sense but especially in this use-case the
antenna-tuner f?r HF is usually not needed ;-)). So therefor I would rather
prefer a top notch "normal" transverter with 5 or 10 W (and the possibility
to set power as low as 1 or 10 mW for transverter use) and use a T1
externally if I ever needed an antenna matching unit in parallel with the
internal transverter.

If you'll provide both an internal "high power" 2 m transverter module *and*
(alternatively) an internal ATU with 2 m "low power" included I will be a
happy camper but can still imagine there are folks who don't want to pay for
the "low power" 2 m part in the ATU so you would need a 3rd option being
just the tuner without transverter. Not sure that is a good business choice
but that is up to you, of course. ;-)) Just wondering if it is worth all the
efforts and time investments.

But I guess you can never please all at once. ;-)) Anyway, good luck and
have fun with the designing tasks.

73, Olli - DH8BQA - Elecraft K3 #4546 w/ K144XV






73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ   500 KHz - 10-GHz   www.kl7uw.com
EME: 50-1.1kw?, 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-60w, 3400-?
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
======================================

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[wayne burdick]

Hi Ed,

The KX3 is intended to provide support for at least one (and maybe  
more) external transverters, including a programmable band display and  
a keying line. Unlike the K3, there won't be separate transverter IN/
OUT jacks; you'll need to use a transverter with a multiplexed RX/TX  
connector. Drive power, via the HF-6 m antenna jack, will be  
adjustable down to a minimum of about 100 mW. Further details are TBD.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


On Aug 27, 2011, at 12:16 AM, Edward R. Cole wrote:

> Let me chime in with an opinion and my reasoning.  I have been one of
> the vocal ones about having a transverter I/F which it appears will
> not be available on the KX3.  Understandable; size considerations
> make adding that difficult.....



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