Re: KX3 vs. K3 and other rigs?

Posted by Gary Gregory on Jun 07, 2011; 3:40pm
URL: http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/KX3-vs-K3-and-other-rigs-tp6443819p6450175.html

The 10W output of the KX3 can be increased to 100W via the amplifier for
mobile and portable operation. To increase the output from 10 to say 30W
will greatly restrict the battery life and I don't see any real advantage.

Either the KX3 is a QRP radio or not....adding another 10-20W available on
battery power makes it less attractive to me.

In VK we seem to be able to work the world on 400W and yet there are those
in VK who want a change to 1Kw....will it allow us to work more
stations?.....maybe...maybe not. Perhaps we are just too lazy to make a few
extra calls and think it is good to be told we are 20db over S9 instead of
5/9 plus....

I have worked a lot of stations running QRP and a dipole antenna and the
last was from NY to VK using 5W, I went QRP also and we worked for 10
minutes or so. It was fun for me to work him also.

My 2 cents worth...keep the change!

73's
Gary

On 7 June 2011 22:23, drewko <[hidden email]> wrote:

> There is another way of looking at it-- how many additional contacts
> would potentially be available by utilizing an increase of just 3db?
>
> I don't know the answer but there is a somewhat analogous situation in
> astronomy having to do with the brightness of stars. They are also
> measured on a logarithmic scale, called magnitude, each magnitude
> representing twice or half the brightness level of the following or
> preceding magnitude. A difference of one magnitude does not appear
> very large to the eye, yet the ability to see one magnitude fainter
> can yield three times as many stars. I imagine some similar effect
> might pertain to radio waves.
>
> BTW, I'm not asking for more power in the KX3; would be quite content
> with 10 watts, same as my K3.
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>
>
> On Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:56:48 -0700, Alan N1AL wrote:
>
> >On Mon, 2011-06-06 at 08:10 -0700, juergen wrote:
> >
> >> However from a communications effectiveness point of  20 watts is a
> >> much more realistic power level, especially for SSB QSO's.
> >
> >The difference between 10 and 20 watts is only 3 dB, half an S-unit.
> >Compared to the 20-30 dB of QSB you often find on the HF bands, you
> >would hardly even notice such a small difference.  I think it is quite
> >rare that 3 dB would be the difference between making a contact or not.
> >
> >Alan N1AL
> >
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

--

VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile
Elecraft Equipment
K3 #679, KPA-500 #018
Living the dream!!!
______________________________________________________________
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