[CQ-Contest] A portable rig for contesting?

[rt_clay@bellsouth.net]

I use a pair of K2/100's SO2R.

First, the K2/100 does have an output jack to key an amplifier relay. Signals are correctly timed to prevent hot-switching. It does not have a way to place the radio in transmit (muted) without sending CW. You can get muting while sending CW via the usual time-delay, or send fully qsk.

With SO2R, it is nice to be able to mute the radio while sending, and at the same time get instantly back to receive at the end of the cw message. With the K2, you either have to go qsk, or use semi-qsk with a delay. Hot-switching the amp is only an issue if the amp can't keep up with qsk for short delay settings.

One of my amps uses PIN diode qsk, and there is no problem using this with the K2. My other amp has a slow open-frame relay, so in contests I drive the amp relay from the computer, and run the K2 qsk. That gets around some of the problem.

Another problem (feature if you ask some) that I find is a bigger issue with the K2 in SO2R is a problem with the transmitter power. Unlike every other radio, where the power output is reduced if the SWR is high, the K2 instead starts out at zero output, and raises the output to full power after about 2 seconds. This happens whenever you change to a new band and transmit for the first time. With contest-speed cw, it is enough for me to lose the first letter and a half of my call.

In other words, you can't qsy instantly to a new band and xmit right away (running the bands with a station in NAQP?). You have to "tune up" with each qsy, or risk losing the first couple of cw characters. This is a real pain for fast contests like the sprint where you only have one chance to send your call.

Are there any reports of how well the new Yaesu works as SO2R in one box?

Tor
N4OGW