Topband: elecraft k2/100

[wb6tza at socal.rr.com]

Hi John

I used a freshly built K2/100 for topband operations at ZA1UT &
ZA/WA6CDR this last month.  The K2 make all the non contest 160
contacts, and was a multiplier hunter during ZA1A CQWW M/M operation.
The K2 was freshly built and worked flawlessly.  Was a bit of a
learning curve for me never having used a K2 before, but I found it
excellent.  In a room full of 1000MPs, it performed at minimum as well
as any MP, and often better to my ear.  I also ran a thousand or so
QSOs on 30 and 17 in my spare time, and it worked excellently.  The
DSP is essential to a clean filter combination.  Unlike a number of
DSP rigs, the DSP and the crystals complement each other well, and you
will find yourself using DSP most all the time.  Noise reduction modes
are not necessarily what you will use, but you will use the DSP to
clean things up, and it does that well.  It takes a while to master
the combinations of filters, and I have not finished learning about
them.  The noise blanker was ineffective on the 50 Hz noises I was
subjected to, but did NOT block or pump, and the blanker and DSP
seemed to take the edges off of the static crashes - some of the worst
crashes I have experienced.  The rig does easily allow AGC off, an
essential mode for topband.

I did not make significant use of the rig on SSB, what few SSB
contacts I made went fine.

Ran the rig driving an Alpha 91B to full power, used both external
keyer and computer keyer, and have cabling to use the internal keyer
as well

The rig fits in a small single sleeve laptop carry case.  I carried it
on 3 airplanes as my hand bag, while carrying a full on laptop case
full of computers and stuff and the airlines did not boggle at it.
less than 8 pounds including the padded carry bag I found.  K2 is a
key item and I will take it as a primary rig on any expedition

73

Robin,
ZA1UT-ZA/WA6CDR -XZ0A -XZ1N, etc


----- Original Message -----
From: "linda doyle" <ldoyle at gwi.net>
To: <topband at contesting.com>
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 09:53
Subject: Topband: elecraft k2/100


Hi topbanders,Hope you can furnish me some hands on feedback
pertaining to the elecraft k2/100 I read all all the reviews,the
comparasions,but unfortunately not one comment about its performance
on top band ,but must say the comments of users of the k2/100 on other
bands couldn't sing its praises high enough,so they convinced me to
give one a try getting all the goodies 160mrx,ssb,noise blanker,dsp,
so hope someone out there has one and could give me some info as to
how it performs on top band regardsJohn K1GUN
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