Ken, I bought my K3 specifically for VHF+ weak signal operation. Mostly that is eme. So I am going thru the station conversion process to integrate the K3 into my eme system. I chose Downeast Microwave transverters for getting on 144 and up. This is due to a long history of using them (since 1996) than any other reason. I had to decide between the 25w and 60w version of the 144/28 transverter. One is cheaper; the other probably could fully drive my 2m-8877 to 1300w. I chose the 25w mainly on price and because I already have a 30w/150w brick amp. So that is how I will set it up K3->144/28(15w)->brick(60-75w)->8877. The 8877 has about 13-dB gain so 1500/20=75w. JT-65 (digital mode) is very popular on 2m-eme and becoming so on 432 and 1296 (a bit slower), so running your transmitter at key down for one-minute at a time can be hard on solid-state amps. Being able to run them at 50-60% of rated power is easier on them (I add a muffin fan to help). Even my 8877 with 1500w plate dissipation should be run at 1200w for digital modes to be kinder to it.
73, Ed - KL7UW ----------------------------- Message: 41 Date: Fri, 9 Jul 2010 07:27:13 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Roberson <[email protected]> Subject: [Elecraft] K3-EME To: Elecraft Elecraft <[email protected]> Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hello all, I have been thinking of buying another K3 for My 2 meter EME station . Would like to knew if there is anyone doing this and what kind of power amp they are using. I know that the 2M output would drive my TE-System Power amp to about 350 watts. However later I am planning on a power amp with more output. Thanks 73 Ken K5DNL 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 ====================================== BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com EME: 144-QRT*, 432-100w, 1296-QRT*, 3400-fall 2010 DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [email protected] ====================================== *temp ______________________________________________________________ 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
