The K3 requires a firmware mod that Elecraft will give you upon request and verification.
[OT] HF MARS frequencies are many and distributed from 2 mHz to 28 mHz. This makes dynamically moving the net to the critical frequency possible. So you must be frequency agile. When I applied to MARS I told them I had a K2 and they said NG. Although the K2 can hit a few MARS frequencies near the amateur band edges you need a radio that can be used on all the frequencies. The bandpass filters in the K2 are simply too good, and performance several hundred kHz away from the amateur band edges is not good enough. You will also need to get your antenna hardware working on all those MARS frequencies. AN 80M dipole with 450 Ohm ladder line and a really good balanced line tuner works well. The IC706, TS480, and FT857 are popular radios for MARS. Remember that you don't have hams on either side of your signal blanking out your receiver with MARS channels so these radios work fine. The K3 works superbly as a MARS radio. MARS has many advantages. Unlike ARES and RACES there is a requirement for heavy training and certification (at least in Texas). The assumption is that merely having a ham license is not enough to actually be of any value during an emergency. Also you can transmit digital at the center of the voice frequencies making mixed mode nets very efficient. I am simply amazed of all that I have learned about EMCOMM since joining MARS a few months ago. To apply for Army MARS go to: <http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/join.aspx> Sorry for the blurb on MARS, but the K3 is a very nice MARS radio. And because of the mass destruction from Hurricane Dolly and Ike down here in Texas more hams need to join MARS. 73, Steve, W2MY, AAR6CX PS: There is also Navy/Marine and Air Force MARS _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
