Enzo,
I may be a little more than a little biased, but I would say a KX3
makes an excellent base station. The only add ons that I can think you
might want are the ATU and mic. If you use the 8 KHz shift, you can't
use the optional roofing filter. Everything else you need is already
there.
Elecraft supplied the connector with I&Q signals out. From that you
connect up to a good, wideband sound card and you have spectrum display
out to about 125 KHz. That same data can be used with CW Skimmer for
viewing as much bandwidth as can be displayed but limited to the
parameters of the sound card.
If you use Win4K3 and Hamradio Deluxe with your KX3, you can have a
fully integrated station operation, from spot to contact to log.
If you contest as I do with my KX3, you can use contest logging
software with your spectrum display, you now have a serious contest
station.
Power line noise is a problem regardless of the radio. The DSP in
the KX3 does a pretty fair job on noise around here, but nothing is
perfect.
Bottom line in my opinion is the KX3 addresses more issues than any
other radio I know. It doesn't have a second receiver, but I believe
using a spectrum display is better for many things. The K3 and K3S both
can have a second receiver that can be put on another band other than
the one you are working. That is handy for operators with the skill to
use this capability; I'm not one. The KX3's performance is not quite
what the K3S has or the upgraded K3, but for ~90% or maybe more, it sure
does do the job.
Since you are thinking SOTA, meaning portable, the KX3 works
marvelously for that. When you are finished, you bring the KX3 home and
connect the radio to its amplifier and you get your base back.
All of today's radios have adequate sensitivity to hear weak
signals. The limitations today are associated with ambient noise; power
lines, plasma TVs, switching power supplies, etc. A good antenna helps
but the real receiver issues are dynamic range and reciprocal mixing
caused by your LO. The KX3 holds up really well in this area.
I live on a small urban lot. I have a 40 meter center fed dipole and
a 40 meter delta loop. I have DXCC mixed, CW, and SSB. I have 156
countries confirmed on 20, 15, and 10 with 50 on 80 and 87 on 40. All of
this was using my KX3.
This weekend my KX3 will join several others for Field Day, We
operate 3AB, QRP. We took second last year in this fairly competitive
category. We fully expect to win this year.
Hopefully, I've answered your questions and addressed your concerns.
73,
Barry
K3NDM
------ Original Message ------
From: "Enzo Adrian-Reyes" <[email protected]>
To: "Elecraft List" <[email protected]>
Sent: 6/20/2016 7:03:42 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Base Station
I know this list is a bit biased, however I am trying to set up my base
station, I currently own a KX3 and an ICOM 7100, and I have an antenna
that
is an inverted V diapole, (Diamon W8010), which is hosted 6m up in the
air.
My problem is I live nearby a lot of interference due to high voltage
power
lines, now, my dilemma is
I want to get rid of my ICOM 7100, and I have to replace it with a base
station, so is the KX3 with the addons good enough for base station op,
or
shuold I sell that and get a K3S perhaps a KX2 for mobile ops? I would
like
to do SOTA really, and have a portable handy, I am only allowed to
transmit
for the moment 10W any way, so k3s/10 should be enough to start with,
however I have a bucketload of noise, my KX3 is under going repairs and
I
wont know when it will be back,hopefully its not too expensive as I
will
def blow my budget over many times.
So any body here have any experience on running their KX3 as their main
base station? if so how well does it do? Would a k3s be better? what
advantage would I have with the K3S (baseline) compared to an upgraded
KX3
(ATU, 2m, Roof filters fitted)
I am worried about sensitivity, and ability to pick weak signals, as I
have
very little room to fit larger an better antennas so I have to kind of
work
with what I have.
Regards
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