Here's a recent eHam review of the K3 by a former 897D owner: ############################################# WA9VEE: I have had my K3 #2717 for over 2 months now. I came from a FT897D, so I was easy to impress.
I’m only adding this review to highlight the Diversity Receive feature that links the 2 receivers together to use 2 independent antennas (only one way of many that the 2nd receiver can be used). I must say that of all the rich features of this radio, I rate Diversity Receive the best. Very seldom does it happen that using 2 antennas does not improve the reception. And since the antennas tend to QSB at different times, a solid copy, especially on weak signals, happens very often where switching between antennas proves I would have lost contact in QSB with either antenna individually. Some K3 folks I’ve talked to have a mental picture that the 2nd antenna must be substantial. Constrained to an apartment, my 2nd antenna is just a floor to ceiling vertical wire fed through a small old MFJ tuner. Someday a substantial 2nd antenna would make me very happy. But for now, this little vertical wire in additional to my main outdoor horizontal 200’ long wire make 2-antenna receive something I would sorely miss if I didn’t have it. Something like 20% of the time, the short indoor wire receives better than the outdoor antenna, especially if the other station is using a vertical. And from what I understand, the K3 is the only rig that does this Diversity 2-antenna Receive thing right. Thank goodness. ################################################ I agree that True Diversity is the primary feature of the K3 that sets it apart from other rigs (the Flex 5000 may be the only other rig with it today). Even the $10k rigs (IC-7800 and FT9000) do not have it. Whether this feature is worthwhile to you is something only you can decide. For myself, having used it extensively for the past year, I will never use another rig without it. A K3/KRX3 is probably well above your budget now, but one of the nicest things about the K3 is that you have a very easy upgrade path if you want to add features in the future. 73, Bill W4ZV P.S. One of the reasons you may not be finding "good deals" on used K3s is that the market recognizes its value compared to other rigs. -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/897-vs-K3-tp3070363p3072293.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
