Sean, Welcome to ham radio!
You'll absolutely be able to make QSOs with 10 watts and a Buddipole on 10 meters (and sometimes 6 meters when the band is open). However, I think you've been given good counsel to try something else if you're at all handy or technically-inclined. The absolute best way to get help when you're space-constrained is to invite a couple of nearby hams over to look at your options. There's a high probability that they will see things about your property that you don't. A few generalities that you may not have fully appreciated yet: 1. 6m and 10m are fun bands, but they aren't open a whole lot of the time, all things considered. We're on the declining side of a relatively weak solar maximum right now. So, 10m has been open during the day a lot. Moving toward (northern) summer, we'll start seeing some sporadic-E. I don't expect to have daily F2 (read: "good DX propagation") on 10m again after this winter. 2. In light of the above and not telling us when/how you want to operate, it would be sensible to consider antennas for 40-6 or 30-6, just to have some flexibility. If you have the luxury to let ham radio dictate your life schedule, disregard that. 3. A contrarian thought and goal: Once you can put up dipoles at least 1/2 wavelength high and in the clear, it starts to get more expensive to add to your antenna system than it does to add power. So, assuming you can hear the station(s) you want to work, you'll often get more from adding an amplifier than you do making a better antenna. I've operated QRP and I've operated QRO. While QRP is rewarding, I find that I like QRO better. :) Good luck and have fun... 73, --Ethan, K8GU/3. On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 7:23 PM, Sean Wall <seancw...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi folks, > > I recently got my Technician license and I'm working on my General and Extra. > I'm looking to get my first rig and I'm interested in the KX3. I was > considering pairing it with a Buddipole antenna, as my development doesn't > allow permanent antennas. While I use the KX3 at home, will I get decent > range with the 10 watt output? In other words, would I need the 100 watt amp > to make the kx3 a decent base station? I am also planning on bringing the > KX3 with me when my wife and I drive up north from Florida (where we live). > Since I'm new to amateur radio, I don't yet have a feel for how much power 10 > watts is w.r.t. RF frequencies. I plan on operating mostly 6 and 10 m > initially until I upgrade my license. Thanks for any help you can provide! > > -Sean > > > Sent from my iPad > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- http://www.k8gu.com/ Repair. Re-use. Re-purpose. Recycle. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
