Ron wrote:
>There are other differences that are not apparent on the front panel.
>No CW keying waveform shaping, for one.
The absolute worst feature of the R4020: Ten-Tec confirmed to me that
the iambic keyer supports mode B only. I will never buy a rig with
iambic keyer that functions in mode B only. (That is the only thing
that caused me not to buy an IC-7000, a radio that allows many silly
and superfluous features to be customized, yet does not allow the very
important feature of iambic mode selection! Icom idiocy, but Yaesu
and Kenwood do likewise. Even Small Wonder Labs provides Mode B only,
but Jackson Harbor provided a PIC for the DSW to correct that fault.
Elecraft is to be commended for standing out and providing selection.
While I'm griping...notice that QST Product Reviews (like the one for
the R4020) will spend a lot of text telling the reader how to do some
odd-ball thing on the rig being reviewed, but will NEVER address iambic
keyer mode.)
There are a some good features to the R4020, compared to the KX1:
(1) It has a four-pole IF crystal filter, something the KX1 needs to
properly suppress receiving a signal on both sides of the zero-beat.
(2) One doesn't have to waste time building the damned thing, which
could be important. The KX1 has a reputation of being a bit
finicky, especially if the four-band version is attempted.
(3) It *does* have variable IF bandwidth (eight steps, IIRC). It's
just not *continuously* variable. I don't like *continuously*
variable IF BW. I'd rather have three steps like the K1.
(4) It's a LOT less expensive. And when one factors in the value of
one's own time saved not having to build it, it's a lot lot less
expensive.
(5) It apparently uses mostly surface mount components. Though it's
not a kit, I wish kit manufacturers would use pre-assembled PCBs
with all the mundane components pre-assembled. This is something
that MFJ tried with their Cub QRP rigs. Good concept, imperfectly
executed by MFJ.
(6) It has a "whole" frequency display, out to 10 Hz resolution.
The same outfit that builds the R4020 is producing kits for the TJ6A
and TJ6A Pro six-band cw and ssb QRP rigs. This outfit could provide
some real competition in a few years.
Mike / KK5F
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Feb 10, 2011; 7:55am
