[CQ-Contest] Fwd: [FCG] riding the RF gain...

[Bill Coleman]

On 12/14/01 11:31 AM, BROCK-FISHER,TONY (A-hsgAndover,ex1) at 
tony_brock-fisher at hsgmed.com wrote:

>Not really! Yes the K2 is a simple, elegant design with really good
>performance numbers. BUT, it's not a contest rig, as it lacks many features
>now considered essential for serious contest operation. 

I dunno, Tony. Look again. Didn't "Team Vertical" do a all QRP, all K2 
effort this year from Jamaica? 6 stations, all running single-operator, 
single-band efforts and turn in some really amazing scores? And read the 
notes on how they felt about the rig. 

The FT-1000MP is probably the definitive contest rig at the moment. A 
decked-out K2 doesn't have as many features, I'll admit. But it has the 
essentials. How often do you really need dual receive? Or the DSP? (The 
MP sounds pretty good without the EDSP on)

Perhaps the most limiting thing about the K2 is that it is QRP-only at 
the moment. Elecraft is working on a 100 watt PA. It's in pre-production 
now.

>Look at the many
>multi-multi's that now run one or two 781's at each postion. A major reason
>for this is the spectrum scope feature, which helps them find and maintain a
>clear frequency. I'm sure we'd all agree that a clear frequency on receive
>is worth many dB on transmit... 

Amen. And having a more crunch-free Rx is why the K2 is a pretty amazing 
box.

>This is just one example - there are many
>others, such as power output, all band capability, selectivity options, etc.

The K2 has got just about all of these covered, except for the 100 watt 
PA. 

>Let me know when KC1XX has a K2 at each operating position...

Don't make up your mind just now, Tony. I'm seeing a lot more K2s around.

>Receiver design is a complex balance of tradeoffs and compromises. The K2
>can do an excellent job of receiver performance, because many of the
>constraints of a full-featured rig were removed, making it easier to
>concentrate on doing 'a few things well'.

That's exactly the quality that makes it a great rig. Many of the 
"constraints" in modern "full-featured" rig actually tend to make it have 
less performance.



Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901


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