K3 owners

[KB3LAZ]

Okay, so awhile back I said I had decided on the 817. I haven recently changed my mind. Why? I will explain.

1) I can later upgrade to a 100w PA if I so choose. I really want to go all QRP but this may one day change.
2) The kit aspect gives me a chance to know my rig more intimately.
3) I can buy just the base rig and upgrade it as I see fit.
4) Elecraft seems to continuously upgrade the rig via modules. This is something no one else offers. I like the idea of being able to upgrade my rig rather than buy a new one.

However, I have some questions for those who already own the rig.

What accessories would you suggest for the rig? What Mic would you recommend (I ask because I see they use IC elements)? Does the addition of the general RX module seem to effect the main RX?

The two Accs that I think I am set on are the General RX and Auto tuner. Im have never really used sub RX so that one Im thinking I will hold off on.

Really, any insight beyond what I have read thus far would be welcomed. Though, Ive been tossing the idea of this radio around for a long time. Now that I have liquidated everything but my BA gear, I think its time to make the leap.

Forgot a question. 6KHz filter, worth it? I like AM but..never really have cared for the performance of any of my rice boxes on AM.

[KJ3N]

However, I have some questions for those who already own the rig.

What accessories would you suggest for the rig? What Mic would you recommend (I ask because I see they use IC elements)?

That would be news to me. I'm using an old Realistic Highball dynamic mic with my K3. Works just fine for me.

Does the addition of the general RX module seem to effect the main RX?

Wouldn't know. I have plenty of other rigs that have general coverage, I never bothered with that module.

The two Accs that I think I am set on are the General RX and Auto tuner. Im have never really used sub RX so that one Im thinking I will hold off on.

Don't have the auto tuner. I have enough antennas that typical internal auto tuners can't handle. I also use an AL-80B on occasion, so the auto tuner would be a waste. I'm using an external manual tuner; a Palstar AT-1500DT.

Put off the sub RX unless you plan on doing a fair amount of DXpedition hunting.

Really, any insight beyond what I have read thus far would be welcomed. Though, Ive been tossing the idea of this radio around for a long time. Now that I have liquidated everything but my BA gear, I think its time to make the leap.

The "problem" with the K3 is that you can make it what YOU want it to be. I don't know that any two K3s are configured exactly the same from operator to operator.

If you're going to do any phone contesting, get an additional roofing filter. I would suggest the 1.8 KHz filter. If you plan on doing any digital contesting (rtty, cw, psk, etc), I would pick up a 500 Hz roofing filter eventually. I keep meaning to get another filter for digital, but even the DSP filtering seems to handle things pretty well. The DVR is also useful for contesting. I couldn't have gotten through the DE QSO Party in 2010 without one.

Forgot a question. 6KHz filter, worth it? I like AM but..never really have cared for the performance of any of my rice boxes on AM.

You're on your own on this one. I avoid AM like the plague.

[KB3LAZ]

That would be news to me. I'm using an old Realistic Highball dynamic mic with my K3. Works just fine for me.



Wouldn't know. I have plenty of other rigs that have general coverage, I never bothered with that module.



Don't have the auto tuner. I have enough antennas that typical internal auto tuners can't handle. I also use an AL-80B on occasion, so the auto tuner would be a waste. I'm using an external manual tuner; a Palstar AT-1500DT.

Put off the sub RX unless you plan on doing a fair amount of DXpedition hunting.



The "problem" with the K3 is that you can make it what YOU want it to be. I don't know that any two K3s are configured exactly the same from operator to operator.

If you're going to do any phone contesting, get an additional roofing filter. I would suggest the 1.8 KHz filter. If you plan on doing any digital contesting (rtty, cw, psk, etc), I would pick up a 500 Hz roofing filter eventually. I keep meaning to get another filter for digital, but even the DSP filtering seems to handle things pretty well. The DVR is also useful for contesting. I couldn't have gotten through the DE QSO Party in 2010 without one.



You're on your own on this one. I avoid AM like the plague.

As for the mic, I was just reading what they had wrote on the mics listed on their page.

Thank you for the input. I totally forgot about the 500Hz filter!

Im not a very big contester nor do I often hunt DX. Though with such a radical location change, my outlook on that may change as well.

As for the tuner, I have always worked primarily off of 100w or less so it will get frequent use. =) Plus I never hold still, lol.

Oh, and I forgot, I will be restricted to 1 rig for quite some time. Thus a big reason I took serious consideration on what I picked. The K3 just seems to fit the bill for best all around rig to fit my needs.

[W3WN]

Trav, drop Bill W3WH a note. He has a K3 (granted a 100 W version) that he and Larry K3VX put together.

He loves that rig.

He also has a K1 & a K2 for comparison.

Not only can he tell you more about that rig than I can, he might even be talked into letting you come over and try it... if you don't mind a 90 minute or so drive down I-79...

[KB3LAZ]

Trav, drop Bill W3WH a note. He has a K3 (granted a 100 W version) that he and Larry K3VX put together.

He loves that rig.

He also has a K1 & a K2 for comparison.

Not only can he tell you more about that rig than I can, he might even be talked into letting you come over and try it... if you don't mind a 90 minute or so drive down I-79...

Thank you. =)

[KB3LAZ]

On a side note; they have recently added a 2m module. I wonder if 70cm will become a future option. I wont use it but that is besides the point.

[KG4NEL]

On a side note; they have recently added a 2m module. I wonder if 70cm will become a future option. I wont use it but that is besides the point.

I would, a lot :)

I'm not a crazy-active VHF/UHF contester, but I wouldn't mind a one-box solution for both FM and multimode. I've been thinking about an FT-847, but that's a lot of money to spend on a rig that's over 10 years old.

[NQ6U]

The performance of the K3 receiver is remarkably good, especially when it comes to the roofing filters. The cool thing about it is that it's essentially a SDR with an analog interface so upgrades are as easy as downloading a file. If I were in the market for a new radio right now, I wouldn't even bother with anything else.

[KC2UGV]

Okay, so awhile back I said I had decided on the 817. I haven recently changed my mind. Why? I will explain.

1) I can later upgrade to a 100w PA if I so choose. I really want to go all QRP but this may one day change.
2) The kit aspect gives me a chance to know my rig more intimately.
3) I can buy just the base rig and upgrade it as I see fit.
4) Elecraft seems to continuously upgrade the rig via modules. This is something no one else offers. I like the idea of being able to upgrade my rig rather than buy a new one.

However, I have some questions for those who already own the rig.

What accessories would you suggest for the rig? What Mic would you recommend (I ask because I see they use IC elements)? Does the addition of the general RX module seem to effect the main RX?

The two Accs that I think I am set on are the General RX and Auto tuner. Im have never really used sub RX so that one Im thinking I will hold off on.

Really, any insight beyond what I have read thus far would be welcomed. Though, Ive been tossing the idea of this radio around for a long time. Now that I have liquidated everything but my BA gear, I think its time to make the leap.

Forgot a question. 6KHz filter, worth it? I like AM but..never really have cared for the performance of any of my rice boxes on AM.

Well, I did not know this about the K3... It's like a PC: Keep removing parts, and replacing them to upgrade? I think that alone makes it worth the extra price for the base model.

It's one reason I always skipped over the K3: I saw it as an expensive QRP rig, that I would end up replacing anyways down the road.

[W3WN]

The K2 also has an upgrade to go to 100 W. So sometimes you can find one real cheap.

I see the list on the K3 10 W is $1550, the 100 W is $2000. That's in kit form Factory assembled is another $200 for the 10 W, $250 for the 100. And that's without any of the accessories or add-ons, of which there is a quite impressive list.

I've played with W3WH's K3 when I've been over at his home. I do like it, it's a nice rig. If someone offered to buy me one, I wouldn't turn them down, although my kit construction skills are no where near as good as Bill's or K3VX's.

Now the K2 isn't a bad rig either, although there's quite a bit of differences between the K2 & K3. Well, it's differences I can appreciate as a DX'er and contester; to the casual op, it might not matter. $740 for the basic 10 W version, another $400 for the 100 W amp. (And it looks like you can still get the K1 in kit form as well, with choices of bands and accessories, but I don't see an add-on PA for that rig).

I'm impressed with the rigs overall. I still like the Ten-Tec equipment line better, and if I was given a blank check, I'd probably buy from Ten-Tec over Elecraft... but that's more personal preferences than anything.

Trav, I should be seeing Bill at the club meeting tonight (c'mon down! we have pizza!), so if you want, I can talk to him for you.