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New Ham radio from Elecraft

Luke

Luke

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
    • May 29, 2002
    1,011
    198
    Colorado
    #1
    For the Ham's out there, if you haven't heard already, Elecraft will be releasing the new KX3 later this year. It looks to be the 'ultimate' HF field radio.

    <span style="font-weight: bold">
    <ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*] CW & PSK-31 Digital mode on-screen decoding [*]0.1 to 10 watts output[*]Internal antenna tuner[*]As low as 150ma current drain in recieve mode[*]Only weighs 1.5 pounds[*]Band coverage 160m thru 6m[*]Transmit modes: AM/FM/CW/SSB/DATA[*]Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for noise reduction and filtering[*]Internal batteries and audio speaker[*]Ultra-compact size: 3.4”H x 7.4”W x 1.7”D[*]Built-in PSK/TTY decode/encode allows data mode operation without a PC; transmit in data modes using CW keyer paddle[*]Optional mobile bracket compatible with RAM-mounts[*]Built in digital voice recorder (DVR) with two message buffers[/list]</span>

    Click picture for link to Elecraft KX3 website:
     
    #3
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    Base model is projected to be around $800-$900, and I would expect the internal tuner and other options to tack on another $200-$300

    Edited to add: Why not a Yaesu 857D for the jeep?
     
    #5
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    Looks like a neat QRP rig for mountain topping. But for regular use, I'd prefer the 50-100W range as I normally don't have the patience to run QRP on HF.
     
    #6
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    KXPA100 High-Performance 160-6 meter, 100-W Ampflier usable with most 5 to 10 W transceivers

    KXPA100_small.jpg
     
    #8
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    I read somewhere there is an amp you can install in/on this thing to get it up to 100W, when it was only 10W I was not feeling bad about my last radio purchase, but at 100W.... sigh.

    PSK31 without a pc, that's the best part. My 'portable' setup is an IC7000 with an autotuner and battery pack and an old dell laptop and it's all freakin' heavy.
     
    #10
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Screehopper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Looks like a neat QRP rig for mountain topping. But for regular use, I'd prefer the 50-100W range as I normally don't have the patience to run QRP on HF. </div></div>

    Kenwood,... TS-480SAT
    Add a LDG AT-100, if needed.
     
    #11
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    BFMF: You should consider upgrading your license. I got bored really fast with my Tech license. General/Extra privledges with HF radio is where all the fun is. You can have fun on HF with the tech license but they're all in the CW portion of the band. Picking up the microphone and talking with someone in Europe on SSB with 5 watts is quite satisfying
    smile.gif


    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BFMF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice radio, but out of my range, budget, and licensed priviledges. I think its been over a year since I even last talked on my little 5W handheld radio.</div></div>
     
    #12
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    I don't know, but I feel like my 897D is a pretty good field rig.

    I'm a fan of Elecraft though. If my circumstances were different, I'd pounce on their base transceivers. The field rig is probably great, but I'd wait until the ARRL reviews one.
     
    #13
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    The 897D is a great rig, but it's big, heavy, and eats batteries. Good for picnic tables, but not something I'd willingly walk around all day with. I walked around with enough big bulky radios in the Army to know that it's not my idea of 'fun'.

    Field operations is where the KX3 will really shine. You can have the radio, batteries, and antenna in a very compact package that weighs no more then 4-5lbs for everything.

    Granted, it's only 10 watts, so it's not a contest rig, but it will handle normal Ham communication needs, no sweat.

    The vast majority of Ham operators today who consider 100w a 'baseline' would be very surprised what can be done with low power. You don't need a .50BMG to shoot 100 yards, and you probably don't need 100W to talk to the guy in the next state over...

    I look back at the field radio operators in WWII and it's amazing what they were able to accomplish with low powered manpack radios. If I were transmitting information with the importance of national security I would use as much power as I can get....but since it's a hobby I enjoy doing more with less, and wrapping up a SSB QSO where the other guy spent 10 minutes bragging about his 1kw amp, 50ft tower, and Steppir antenna, and then telling him that your 5x9 signal is coming from a Yaesu FT-817 running 5 watts into an end fed wire, no more than 6ft off the ground is priceless....

    I sold the 817 earlier this year, but in 6 months of casual operating on SSB I had logged over 40 states, and 33 DX countries all with 5 watts or less on SSB.

    Modes like WSPR really excel with QRP. Here's a map of signal reports after 24 hours of running WSPR on 5w, earlier this spring...

    WSPR24hrplot.png


     
    #14
    Re: New Ham radio from Elecraft

    <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Luke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BFMF: You should consider upgrading your license. I got bored really fast with my Tech license. General/Extra privledges with HF radio is where all the fun is. You can have fun on HF with the tech license but they're all in the CW portion of the band. Picking up the microphone and talking with someone in Europe on SSB with 5 watts is quite satisfying
    smile.gif
    </div></div>

    I suppose I could, but probably won't. When I passed the written exam, they let me take the written test for general, but failed by just a couple questions. Not bad for not having studied for it. I doubt I would use it anyway.
    But I don't think i can financially support another expensive hobby. I'm already *slightly* over my hobby budget for the next year or two.
     
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