Specialized Low Band Rig

[Julius Fazekas n2wn]

Hey John,

Someone posed a question somewhat similiar to your
comments below on the contesting reflector. He was
considering buying a new fancy rig and wondered about
the best bang for the buck. This gent was particularly
interested in 6 & 10M operations.

The comments posted were interesting. Any rig built in
the last 25 years would handle the contesting activity
adequately (surprisingly no one argued that point).
The best improvement (bang for the buck) would be to
the antennas. In this particular case, better/higher
10 and/or 6 meter antennas.

Certainly, improved close in IMD can make a big
difference in some contests. The R4C, heavily modified
(at more than the cost of a K2), is said to be the
cat's meow on the TopBand. I don't think I'd want to
use it in a contest, but it would be great for DXing.

I've yet to see anyone use all the bells and whistles
on one of the mega rigs. Although they are
interesting, I would debate the practicality of many
of them.

The K2 has performed admirably here at N2WN on the
TopBand and 80M, where I've been playing in the bigger
DX contests, even with less than optimized antennas
and no dedicated Rx antenna. Analyzing my stations
deficents, it comes down to the antennas. The K2 can
handle anything I've seen, and she holds her own
against the FT1K and Orion I've used.

I agree that the "ham band" only concept is the way to
go, for performance in contests and DXing. Some may
wish a full coverage RX, but it would make the K2 just
another rig in my estimation, not the performer it is
now.

Certainly improvements can be made to the K2, and
almost any other rig. I'd be curious to hear about
this rig:
http://www.hilberling.de/produkte/pt-8000a.htm for
9+kEuro. It looks better built than any ham rig on the
market (for the price it ought to be). I'd even
suggest that it's the sexiest rig available. Might
even own one if I was well ta do ;o) BUT, I doubt I
could fix it if it were zapped. I wouldn't travel with
it. I wouldn't brag that I built it. and lord knows I
would find something I didn't like about it ;o)

If Elecraft comes out with a higher performance rig
than the K2, I'd most likely buy one (and sell one of
my K2s to do it). I'm very happy with the company and
the products.

As to antennas... well, I'm improving the 160M setup
and adding an Rx antenna or two. Hopefully the
effiency of the vertical will be better than last
seasons by some 20%. The Rx antennas should let me
hear the QRP and antenna deprived stations better. The
K2 is working well, the rest is up to me...

I'm sure we'll bump into each other a few times in the
coming months.

Cheers,
Julius
n2wn



"Another niche within ham radio are lowband DXers &
I've often wondered whether there would be a market
for an *optimized* 40/80/160m transceiver.
Ten Tec began the trend of HF transceivers dedicated
strictly to the ham bands when the other Big 3 where
making rigs with general coverage receivers. Today,
three of the most-prized rigs for DXing the low bands
are an old Drake R4C (modified) and Ten Tec's Omni 6+
and now the Orion II.
These rigs all have ham-bands-only receivers rather
than a compromised general coverage receiver. Being
"old school" I've always believed something dedicated
to a specific task is better than something that tries
to do it all. But that doesn't necessarily apply to
radios within the 1.8-30 MHz range... or does it?
Would an optimized lowband rig be able to offer
performance greater than a general 10-160m rig? If so,
would it be profitable to offer such a kit? Successful
lowband DXers typically have the property available
for decent antennas on these wavelengths and dedicate
both money and energy into fine-tuning their stations.
I don't count myself among them, but their stations
are the reason for the success of small-gun stations
like mine on the lower bands. Based on the effort put
into these stations, I bet the market is there if the
performance was there for such a rig. Also, such a rig
would have a 500w transmitter."
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[k4tmc]

Julius,

I think you have just found the elusive Elecraft K3 cabinet.  Not sure about
the inside design, but the exterior is just what I would have expected the K3
to look like.  Isn't that a K2 knob with the Finger Dimple already included?  
This would make a good match with the new amps.  

73,
Henry - K4TMC
(2 K2's also)
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[Julius Fazekas n2wn]

Henry,

Hmmmm... I missed the Finger Dimple!

Guess I'll get one, gut it, et voila!

;o)

Julius
n2wn

--- [hidden email] wrote:

> Julius,
>
> I think you have just found the elusive Elecraft K3
> cabinet.  Not sure about
> the inside design, but the exterior is just what I
> would have expected the K3
> to look like.  Isn't that a K2 knob with the Finger
> Dimple already included?  
> This would make a good match with the new amps.  
>
> 73,
> Henry - K4TMC
> (2 K2's also)
>

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