Topband: K3 vs THE REST

[Herbert Schoenbohm]

This thread started out by comparing $1000-$1500 transceivers to each 
other and then all of a sudden we are focusing on $4000 to $5000 radios 
such as the Elecraft K3. IMHO nobody that spends $5000 to $8000 for a 
rig wants to hear that at Icom 746 Pro or 7410 can in most circumstances 
do as well with the exception of some exotic circumstances such as dual 
diversity. In this case even a pair of IC-7410's would do the same thing 
with a proper audio mixing setup of headphone simple headphone splitter. 
Having two identical radios makes sense in such a case and while working 
on the HF bands the CQ machine on the other is checking for band 
openings on 6 meters. I alos save some money by having both radios 
powered by an Astron 50AMP DC supply that I grabbed off of eBay for 
under $100 and I still have the stock Icom PS-125 for a backup.  
Unfortunately the IC-746 Pro has been discontinued and as Earl, K6SE 
pointed out in his review years ago, it is a great radio for 160 
meters.  There used resale price has amazingly held up well but for a 
few hundred more the IC-7410 has a better DSP.  Neither have provisions 
for a RX only antenna.  Maybe this is not such a bad idea as it 
prevents, as such, front end burn outs that plague other radios.  Here 
for the RX antenna control I use the DX-Engineering RTR-1 which also 
provides a position for instant pass through to the TX antenna and at 
the same time front end protection by amplifier lock out.  And lastly, 
after spending money on a transceiver I really do not want to be looking 
at a sub-miniature toy radio in front of me nor someting, in the case of 
the TS-2000, looks like a space ship control panel and has all these sub 
menus to navigate through.

Regards,


Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ





On 6/17/2014 10:50 AM, Bill & Liz wrote:
> I have owned a K3 for just over 3 years and my impression is that, for “normal” operation on the bands there is little difference between it and several other transceivers.  However, where the K3 shines is on CW, digging out readable copy on stations which are right down in the crud.  No Yaesu, ICOM or Kenwood radio I have used comes close to what the K3 can do in that regard IMHO.  Operated in diversity mode (two antennas, one vertically and one horizontally polarized) with the proper filter and bandwidth, it is truly amazing what the l’il guy can pull out of the noise.
>
> But of course all this is very subjective!
>
> Bill VE3CSK
> _________________
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