I agree a zillion percent with Stan. The KX1 is a phenomenal radio, with a sensitive receiver and solid transmitter. I typically operate using a 12v battery and a Buddipole, and making contacts is never a problem. They're also a load of fun to build!
Steve, KW4H On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 3:19 PM, stan levandowski <sjl...@optonline.net>wrote: > ..so there I am, in the garage, late afternoon two days ago, with the > newly homebrewed 20M mag loop sitting in an umbrella stand about 18 > inches off the concrete floor. It was threatening to rain and I didn't > want to put it outside. Pretuned the loop with my antenna analyzer for > the low end of 20M. Now I need something to transmit with. > Quick....run upstairs, grab the KX1 and a headset and run back down to > the garage! > > There were 8 fresh "AA" batteries in the KX1 with 1.4 watts going out > according to the KX1 display. 20M sounds open and pretty hot! Let's try. > Standing in the garage, a few feet from the loop, with the KX1 in my > left hand, I worked Illinois, Indiana, Guayama, P.R., and St. > Petersburg, Russia (UA1CE) from here in NY. > > ..and if the band wasn't "open" then I doubt that even a hundred watts > would have been enough power. With QRP, timing is everything, in my > opinion and experience. > > Just my opinion, of course, but there are two radios that Elecraft > should never mess with - the K2 that launched them and the KX1 which is > the premier QRP ultra-portable. > > For those who may not be familiar with it, there is a SDR in Atlanta, GA > - WB4MAK ( http://www.websdr.org/ ). Log on and "tune" the SDR to your > transmitting frequency, plug a recorder into your computer's earphone > jack, and record yourself calling "CQ" at 15 or 20 watts. Then do it at > 10 watts; then at 5 watts, etc. You'll certainly notice a difference in > signal strength but you might be surprised at how little that difference > is. > > The KX1 - in my opinion - has just the right amount of compromise > between form and feature. If the KX1 were enhanced to higher power, a > more powerful and longer lasting power source, and a few extra options > such as noise blanker and upgraded filtering.......then it would > approximate the K2 which already has 15 watts, options galore, and a > hefty battery alternative. > > It seems like it would be a pretty weak business case to insert a > product between the "barebones" KX1 and a "barefoot" K2. > > At least that's my opinion. > > Stan Levandowski WB2LQF > HF QRP CW -- Doing more with less for over 50 years! > QCWA #35038 OOTC #4558 NAQCC #4740 SKCC #6488 FISTS #14992 > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > ______________________________________________________________ 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
