Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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Questions about KX2 possible purchase
 
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I'm looking at the potential purchase of a KX2. It's primary use will be
SOTA, and other hiking ops. I've narrowed my choice down to this and one other rig. I want to make sure of what is included and what is not, and what needs to be added to the base rig and price. My questions are, does the $829.95 price include a battery and tuner. The web site isn't clear. If a battery is included, is a second one a wise purchase? If the tuner isn't included, how necessary is the tuner (I have an end fed 80 and am building an end fed 40). Is the AX1 worth it for just 20, 17, 15? What else is not included that I should be considering? --... ...-- Doug K1RDD ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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On 5/24/2020 2:05 PM, Doug Daniels wrote:
> If a battery is included, is a second one a wise > purchase? > If the tuner isn't included, Both are extras. how necessary is the tuner (I have an end fed > 80 and am building an end fed 40). I strongly recommend the tuner for your uses. > Is the AX1 worth it for just 20, 17, 15? That depends on what other options you can buy that best suit your plans for each location, and will certainly vary from one QTH to another. It's a very nice light weight, super-portable antenna designed by Wayne himself, who is a serious backpacker, but it's really designed for pedestrian/bicycle mobile operation. > What else is not included that I should be considering? Mic, paddle, computer, one or more cable adapters if you want to work WSJT modes. For longer operating events, one of these outboard batteries or a second internal Elecraft internal battery. https://www.bioennopower.com/collections/12v-series-lifepo4-batteries When comparing rigs, consider that Elecraft backpacking rigs include a very good receiver and preamp, and draw FAR less current on receive than the JA rigs -- ~150mA for the KX2 and KX3, compared to 1A or more for the others. This greatly extends battery life. The KX2 has a built-in mic. https://elecraft.com/products/kx2-ssb-cw-data-80-10-m-transceiver 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ 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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In reply to this post by Doug Daniels
Doug Daniels writes:
> My questions are, does the $829.95 price include a battery and tuner. The > web site isn't clear. I bought mine with the internal battery and charger, and the ATU. That way, let the factory install them and check them out. > If a battery is included, is a second one a wise purchase? I have done a few SOTA summits and many QRPTTF and the like field operations. The cited 8-hours on the battery is very accurate. I have found no need for a second internal battery. You just seldom sit on a SOTA summit or a field event for 8 hours. Even running at 10W, you get a good 6 hours. The KX2 has a barrel jack for external DC power, which it can be run off of in the shack, or for an external battery in the field if desired. > If the tuner isn't included, how necessary is the tuner (I have an end fed > 80 and am building an end fed 40). I would recommend it. I have built no-tune antennas for portable use, only to find a higher than I want SWR once I get to the field or the SOTA location. There is no electrical ground to speak of on a mountain peak, so an antenna will tune different there than your back yard. The ATU is so convenient compared to piddling with wire lengths and radials in the field to get it tuned and low SWR just to get on the air. > What else is not included that I should be considering? The KXPD2 paddles are also very convenient. No need to haul around separate paddles for field operations when you have one right on the front of the rig. The paddles, plus the front panel SPEED control, makes it snappy to change CW speed when needed. I bought mine when first released. It works like new, as advertised, and a hearty rig even for SOTA and other less-than-ideal situations. GL with yours. 72, Paul NA5N ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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On 5/24/2020 2:52 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> There is no electrical ground to speak of on a mountain peak, so an > antenna will tune different there than your back yard. Most end-fed antennas need a COUNTERPOISE to serve as a return for the current (and the field) produced by the antenna. An earth connection is NOT a good counterpoise, because the earth is really a big resistor, so it burns most of the transmitter's power if that's the only counterpoise. Instead, smart operators provide some intentional counterpoise connected to the BNC shield, like multiple radials or a single wire running in some direction other than the antenna. If the wire or the radials are laying on the ground, they will couple some of the earth's resistance and burn some TX power. This can be reduced by elevating the wire or the radials. When operating portable, I've draped a single wire counterpoise over the tops of low brush. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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In reply to this post by Doug Daniels
Doug,
The battery and tuner are 'options' and do not come with the basic KX2. This is typical of Elecraft - if you don't need it, you do not have to buy it, they do not include it as part of the basic package. The microphone and paddles are also not part of the basic package. Is your end-fed antenna tunable with a capacitor? If so, then no tuner is required - otherwise yes. If you want to operate 20, 17 and 15 meters with an antenna that is short and portable, then the AX1 may be the thing for you. If you are planning operation from the home station, use resonant antennas mounted higher for better results. The AX1 (and AX1E for 30 and 40 meters) does a good job when you have to set up quickly and operate in a portable situation. The KX2 tuner is required with the AX1 antenna. On your end-fed antennas - you do need a counterpoise of about 0.05 wavelengths (see the W8JI experiments). A just as good portable antenna is a BNC to binding post adapter connected to the KX2. A 58 foot length of wire and a 27 foot counterpoise will be a good performer for 80 through 10 meters (no feedline). Yes, you will need the KX2 tuner with that arrangement. The counterpoise can be laid on the ground and the radiator thrown over a limb or tall bush. One of the KX2 Field Testers who operates mostly SOTA has determined that those lengths work well. I can't answer about your 80 and 40 meter end feds, if they are tuneable with a capacitor, then you do not need the tuner, but if they have UNUNs which tie the bottom of the primary and secondary together, they will use a part of the feedline for a counterpoise. The counterpoise for a tuned end fed antenna needs to be only 0.05 wavelength long (see the W8JI experiments). 73, Don W3FPR On 5/24/2020 5:05 PM, Doug Daniels wrote: > I'm looking at the potential purchase of a KX2. It's primary use will be > SOTA, and other hiking ops. I've narrowed my choice down to this and one > other rig. I want to make sure of what is included and what is not, and > what needs to be added to the base rig and price. > > My questions are, does the $829.95 price include a battery and tuner. The > web site isn't clear. If a battery is included, is a second one a wise > purchase? > If the tuner isn't included, how necessary is the tuner (I have an end fed > 80 and am building an end fed 40). > Is the AX1 worth it for just 20, 17, 15? > What else is not included that I should be considering? > 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] |
Re: Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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I bought the KX2 with all options save the Key paddle. I also got the
antenna and the bag. This included two lengths of ground wire. Haven’t done sota or much remote yet. I would take handfuls of various wire lengths in addition to the ground wire. I did operate it from the Titan missile museum with their 80 foot Discone. High recommend this rig On Sun, May 24, 2020 at 18:47 Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote: > Doug, > > The battery and tuner are 'options' and do not come with the basic KX2. > This is typical of Elecraft - if you don't need it, you do not have to > buy it, they do not include it as part of the basic package. The > microphone and paddles are also not part of the basic package. > > Is your end-fed antenna tunable with a capacitor? If so, then no tuner > is required - otherwise yes. > > If you want to operate 20, 17 and 15 meters with an antenna that is > short and portable, then the AX1 may be the thing for you. If you are > planning operation from the home station, use resonant antennas mounted > higher for better results. The AX1 (and AX1E for 30 and 40 meters) does > a good job when you have to set up quickly and operate in a portable > situation. The KX2 tuner is required with the AX1 antenna. > > On your end-fed antennas - you do need a counterpoise of about 0.05 > wavelengths (see the W8JI experiments). > > A just as good portable antenna is a BNC to binding post adapter > connected to the KX2. A 58 foot length of wire and a 27 foot > counterpoise will be a good performer for 80 through 10 meters (no > feedline). Yes, you will need the KX2 tuner with that arrangement. > The counterpoise can be laid on the ground and the radiator thrown over > a limb or tall bush. One of the KX2 Field Testers who operates mostly > SOTA has determined that those lengths work well. > > I can't answer about your 80 and 40 meter end feds, if they are tuneable > with a capacitor, then you do not need the tuner, but if they have UNUNs > which tie the bottom of the primary and secondary together, they will > use a part of the feedline for a counterpoise. The counterpoise for a > tuned end fed antenna needs to be only 0.05 wavelength long (see the > W8JI experiments). > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > > On 5/24/2020 5:05 PM, Doug Daniels wrote: > > I'm looking at the potential purchase of a KX2. It's primary use will be > > SOTA, and other hiking ops. I've narrowed my choice down to this and one > > other rig. I want to make sure of what is included and what is not, and > > what needs to be added to the base rig and price. > > > > My questions are, does the $829.95 price include a battery and tuner. The > > web site isn't clear. If a battery is included, is a second one a wise > > purchase? > > If the tuner isn't included, how necessary is the tuner (I have an end > fed > > 80 and am building an end fed 40). > > Is the AX1 worth it for just 20, 17, 15? > > What else is not included that I should be considering? > > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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] > --w8lvn-- ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: Questions about KX2 possible purchase
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In reply to this post by Doug Daniels
Thank you all, individually and collectively. Lots of great information,
not only about purchasing but also about operating the KX2 to get the most functionality out of it. I've taken the comments and recommendations and created a reference document for myself. On Sun, May 24, 2020 at 5:05 PM Doug Daniels <[hidden email]> wrote: > I'm looking at the potential purchase of a KX2. It's primary use will be > SOTA, and other hiking ops. I've narrowed my choice down to this and one > other rig. I want to make sure of what is included and what is not, and > what needs to be added to the base rig and price. > > My questions are, does the $829.95 price include a battery and tuner. The > web site isn't clear. If a battery is included, is a second one a wise > purchase? > If the tuner isn't included, how necessary is the tuner (I have an end fed > 80 and am building an end fed 40). > Is the AX1 worth it for just 20, 17, 15? > What else is not included that I should be considering? > > > --... ...-- > Doug K1RDD > -- --... ...-- Doug ______________________________________________________________ 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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