Hi Peter,
I think the K2 works as great on SSB as well as CW. For the last two
years I've set up mine for the SSB station for Field Day with another
nearly identical K2 built by my neighbor (well, about 5 miles away) used
on CW. Of course the CW station did more QSOs than the SSB station both
years but I don't think that has anything to do with the any deficiency
of the K2 on SSB specifically, but more likely the deficiency of SSB as
an efficient mode and ability to copy a signal with lower S/N on CW than
SSB.
I haven't done any A/B testing compared to other modern HF rigs other
than my Kenwood TS940 & Yaesu FT100, however I think that the K2 is
equal if not better in most regards than both of those rigs. The only
negative comment I could possibly think of is that making dynamic
changes to the DSP filter while operating is not so easily done (well,
maybe if I used it more often so I would know how to use it better --
and quicker), so I use the 4 "stock" DSP filter settings only both
during contesting as well as casual ragchewing. I think bigger radios
with more knobs would have the capability of tweaking filter settings
easier than having to navigate through some menus to tweak the DSP
filter on the K2. I often don't tell people that I'm operating QRP and
often get great signal reports. It is lots of fun when they finally ask
what I'm using after we've had a 10 minute or longer QSO and I tell them
it is an Elecraft kit at 5W! Sometimes they quickly say 73 (maybe they
are slightly embarrassed that they are using a full KW while I was only
using QRP?), but other times the operator on the other end gets quite
interested and asks many more questions about the rig and QRP.
Oh, one other data point is that another operator used my K2 on SSB
during the midnight shift at Field Day. He hadn't ever touched one
previously (even though mine was set up the year before and he was at
the same event) but after making QSOs for a couple of hours after I gave
him a short primer on its use (before I went to operate CW during that
same midnight shift) he gladly reported that the receiver sensitivity
and filter selectivity was phenomenal. He is a "SSB only" operator and
does have a fairly new rig, however I forget which one. He also
commented that several folk mentioned that he had good audio
(unsolicited comments) as well while he was operating. He was really
surprised that while running only 5W he was able to work nearly every
station he could hear as well. I was quite happy that he was much more
positive about the QRP F.D. experience this past year than he was the
year before and I was thinking that we potentially had another "QRP
convert" but I'm sorry to say that he still operates QRO at 100W
otherwise and will likely never operate CW. Who knows what next year
will do with his QRP attitude, however!
73,
Mark, NK8Q
K2 4786
PE1E wrote:
I bought a K2 for SSB use ( + DSP option ).
In various reviews ( e.g. EHAM ) I noticed that K2's CW performance can't be
praised too highly, but there is a bit reserve as to the SSB performance.
In which respects - if at all - lags the SSB performance ?
And what would cause this ?
Thanks for any comment.
This is a great reflector.
Peter, PE1E.
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