Just my two cents before Eric shuts this thread down:

I haven't been following this thread too closely so I'll assume you're talking about a base station. I'd say to put your money in the best and highest antenna you can find and erect, this is by far the most important component of a base station. Whatever funds you have left in your budget, put towards a rig with a good receiver (K3 or K2 are excellent).

Tom, wb2qdg
K2 #1103



On 12/6/2014 4:50 PM, Nick Kemp wrote:
Something new hams wrestle with is ... how much do I want to spend given that I don't know where this will take me or if I'll even stick with it? So the entry point price makes a difference. So does resell-ability in case I want out.

The question of QRP operation is pertinent but not the whole discussion.

Antennas are very important but any antenna a new ham puts up will likely be the same regardless of what unit they are operating from and as such the focus goes back to the equipment usability.

A problem with the question ... Is the KX3 (/or any other model/) a good choice for a new General (/ham/)? ... is that it is _/*toooooo*/_ broad. It is kinda like asking if someone is pretty/handsome. It all depends on the observer. For either question, there is no one answer!

Relative to _usability _for a new ham (as opposed to flat out comparing equipment spec) mode of operation makes a huge difference to the question:

If you are operating from home base (not mobile or portable) then the options increase and are different than the next modes. Now there are more options relative to used, new and power.

If you are operating from vehicle mobile then the options change as well.

If the ham wants portable (not mobile) then the options are severely reduced. For example, what if the final three are the 817ND, 857D and the KX3. Now the applicability to a new ham questions include:
- Which of the three is a better new ham choice without any options?
- If I add a $150 amp (not Elecraft) to the 817ND or the KX3 now how does it compare to the 857D (given that final power out is not identical) as it applies to usability by a new ham - If I add a antenna tuner to the 817ND, 857D & KX3 and the $150 power amp, how do they compare relative to usability to a new ham. - If I take out the 817 & 857 then what units should be considered in addition to the KX3? And how does operation compare relative to a new ham.

- What if the new ham only is interested in CW? Or Digital? Now is the KX3 a good choice?

If you follow my drift, the permutations and combinations of the question explode. And note that I'm not trying to explode the discussion/question:-)

Here are some variations on the original KX3 question:
For fixed base, mobile, portable, Other?:
- Where/why is the KX3 a good choice for a new ham?
- Where/why is the KX3 a bad choice for a new ham?
- What things/actions/options/etc can make a new ham successful with a KX3?

Nick
N1KMP




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