[CQ-Contest] FTDX 3000 as a contest radio?

[Charles Harpole]

Radios and prices
TS-590SG  $1400
IC-7300      1250
FT-1200      1100
FT-3000      1800
FT-5000MP ltd  3840.+scope
K3 loaded    5500+-

By Universal Radio prices, the Sherwood list would have you a TS-590SG and
you just do without the extras the $400 more bought on the FT-3000.  Both
are ok for contesting in a normal ham environment.

Ham radio prejudices are very fickle.  When the FT-1000MP was sold, it was
"the rig to have".... it is still around and still "that good."  Now it is
the K3.

I say buy what you can afford AND LIKE.  Ignore prejudices and enjoy what
pleases you.  An ordinary ham, like me, cant hear phase noise nor a big %
of other stuff.

Charly

Note that Universal Radio has no price listed for the FT-5000 nor 9000. --
does this mean a new model on the horizon? See HRO.


On Thu, Oct 19, 2017 at 11:46 AM, Bill Mader <billamader at gmail.com> wrote:

> Good question Dave,
>
>
>
> I had the opportunity to bring my K3 to a local FD site where an IC-7600
> was
> the "primary" radio, used exclusively for SSB and PSK-31.  I ran CW
> exclusively on the K3 with a short stint on SSB with the 7600 during a very
> long op change.
>
>
>
> I had some minor desense on the K3 from the 7600 and continued operating.
> The 7600's receiver completely crashed if I keyed up on the same band, but
> in the CW sub-band.  This is with the original K3 synthesizer which I have
> yet to replace.  BTW, I kicked the other radio's butt in QSO's/hour, even
> though there were about eight ops on that radio.
>
>
>
> I experience similar symptoms at another station with the same radios.
> We'll use the K-Line as the primary rig the last weekend of this month and
> the 7600 for finding mults.  The K-Line integration makes band changes so
> much easier!
>
>
>
> If you want to run more than one radio at-a-time or have a neighbor who
> also
> contests, I would be very concerned about dynamic range and look closely at
> Rob Sherwood's receiver performance tests prior to plunking down my
> hard-earned cash.
>
>
>
> I bought my first K3 after I witnessed several of them and a K2 operate
> together at FD.  We frequently had three K3's on 20m (SSB, CW, and GOTA)
> with no problems among them.  Antennas separation was about 700 ft.
> After
> someone kicked off one SSB K3 power supply and the battery rand down to 10
> VDC, the CW guys complained about "hash" which a switched on supply
> "squelched."  And, the K3 is much improved now with the new synthesizer!
>
>
>
> Yes, I frequently drink Elecraft Kool-Aid and own a bunch of their gear.
> Still, it's performance that matters most to me and the K3 has proven to
> come out on top in multi-multi environments.
>
>
>
> I compared the IC-7300 and K3 in one of my HF University presentations at
> the Duke City Hamfest this past August.  While a fine radio for the price,
> there is no performance comparison.  Elecraft haters (there are some whom I
> know) would disagree, of course.  And, if one amortizes the radio's cost
> over ten years, the annual difference in cost is well worth the improved
> performance, IMHO.
>
>
>
> 73, Bill, K8TE
>
> Faith, Family, Radio-Life is Good!
>
>
>
> Message: 8
>
> Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2017 15:14:59 -0700
>
> From: David Gilbert <xdavid at cis-broadband.com>
>
> To: cq-contest at contesting.com
>
> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] FTDX 3000 as a contest radio?
>
> Message-ID: <0600986e-f566-133f-8170-f4b82881df27 at cis-broadband.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
>
>
>
>
> How in the world did you ever get the idea that dynamic range wasn't
> important for contesting?? I'm truly curious.
>
>
>
> Dave?? AB7E
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 10/17/2017 6:01 PM, Keith Dutson wrote:
>
> > I think the actual contesters do not really care what is posted on
>
> > this reflector.  Postings seem to follow popularity, which often is
>
> > biased by numbers such as dynamic range, that have little to do with
> contesting.
>
> > These numbers are not important to contesting, just bragging rights.
>
> >
>
> > 73, Keith NM5G
>
>
>
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>



-- 
Charly, HS0ZCW