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Hi all,
I don't know if crossposting with the Yahoo thread is allowed, but i'll do it only once.
I have been FO/F5LCI on Hao atoll, 900 KM east of Tahiti, in the vast Tuamotu archipelago (more
precisely BH91nv) during 3 months, and I have made circa 300 QSOs (200 in CW,
100 in JT65). Not a record, but it was casual radio.
Having received my rig just on time for this "trip" (in fact, a job), I can't
comment about crowded bands, nor on Local QRM :-).
As I already have home built a K2, a KX1, and a KPA100, the assembly was no
problem, except a confusion between screws, leading to a missing one on the
battery holder.
RX : superlative! Mostly weak signals (nothing over S6), easily decoded with
the filters, sometimes at 50 Hz bandwidth (one thing I could not do with "older"
rigs, even with 2x250 Hz crystal filters).
The NB and NR helped a lot on freqs on and under 14 MHz, a very noisy band here,
I dunno why.
Low bands were problematic : a vertical is not the ideal setup, and there are so
many electrical appliances everywhere, even on this lost atoll!
Audio output: no problem. But It deserves a pair of outboard speakers. If they
are connected to the PC, that it is not useable on CW (too much latency ???).
SDR I/Q output : interesting for NaP3, although signals here were weak. Anyway,
the KX3 stages do a very fine job: I had a SDR-receiver (PMSDR) but did not use
it for long.
TX : I must admit that a vertical whip surrounded with salt water helps a lot,
but it is not surprising.
The ATU is a usual with Elecraft : wide span. But a 4:1-1:1 BL2 helped on some
bands.
The ambient temperature being around 28°C, the PWR output was safely limited to
5W CW and 3W JT65, as per the manual.
The "BH91 KX3 3W73" JT65 end exchange was funny and I hope it will make the KX3
better known :-)))
BTW, the digital modes are so popular that CW seems somewhat neglected; IMHO it
is a pity.
However, I could rag some chew with some fine US/VK/ZL ops who kindly took the
time to chat with me.
Many other QSOs were over a 15000 Km distance.
Having no fridge nor hair-dryer on hand (I don't need it ;-), I still have not
implemented the temp drift correction as per the latest firmware, but JT65 QSOs
weren't a problem.
My conclusions :
This rig is a marvel. I had a KWM2, a TR7, a TS950: no comparison.
It is the ideal QRP and/or DX station, and more:
I'm still hesitating for my home shack : KX3 or K2/100 ?
Best 72 and have fun with this jewel !
FO/F5LCI today QRT.
But KX3 will have a prominent place at my home QTH.
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