I have noticed that the K2 performs much better when you do not run the wide
SSB filter selection. If I set the bandwidth a bit narrower than the flat
out wide SSB filter, the adjacent signal performance gets much better. It is
like night and day. I see the noise floor change when a strong signal is
outside the apparent passband in the wide SSB filter. I am not sure if it is
due to the filter characteristics, but it must be. Those mediocre numbers
were made with the wide SSB filter.
I have not had time to delve into this more, but I have seen it on two
radios. It might be an AGC problem or who knows what, but I have used the K2
on 50 MHz with 4 X 7 el yagis and an ES wide open band, and think that it
works quite well. The transverter was a DEMI with 28 MHz IF and about 7 or 8
dB transverter gain. I would have no trouble with the signal handling. There
are plenty of worse rigs. It seems at least on par with my Ten Tec OMNI Vs
with crystal controlled 1st LO. One problem with the K2 is that it takes
some getting used to. A small footprint and all those features means that
the button pushing can get intimidating. Still, for VHF and microwaves, I
find it a good choice. I am still waiting to check out the K3. I think the
selectivity choices are not real great on the K2. They do not stand up to
what you can get in an FT-1000, an Orion, or a 746/756 etc. but we are not
talking the $$$ that those rigs command either. Again, for VHF they are
good. I have used K2s to pull many weak squeaker QSOs out of the noise.
(More than I can say about just about any multi mode VHF box.) The small
size is very very nice. Power consumption is great too. Just what you need
for portable operation. You don't want a large rig under those
circumstances, right?
I remember checking some Uniden receivers as used on chicken band. They
were awful, and would start misbehaving with much less than a millivolt of
input signal. (Like maybe 600 microvolts!) They were sensitive as all get
out, but had poor dynamic range. You don't want to find that out when the
band opens and signals are "wall to wall and treetop tall"!!
73
Dave K1WHS
----- Original Message -----
From: "Samir Popaja, 7S7V (SM7VZX)" <7s7v@adamomail.se>
To: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 5:33 PM
Subject: [VHFcontesting] Brain pickin time
I think that K2 should be nice , but has the LO noise problem ...
http://www.df9ic.de/tech/trxtest/trxtest.html
TS-850S is the best choice I think.
73' SM7VZX
-----Ursprungligt meddelande-----
Från: vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces@contesting.com] För Kenneth E. Harker
Skickat: den 3 november 2007 22:33
Till: Mike (KA5CVH) Urich
Kopia: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
Ämne: Re: [VHFcontesting] Brain pickin time
On Sat, Nov 03, 2007 at 03:11:07PM -0500, Mike (KA5CVH) Urich wrote:
> I have a question that I'm sure will result in a multitude of answers,
> hopefully all good and all right to some degree.
>
> The question is.
>
> You are thinking about assembling a four band 50 /144 / 222 /432
> portable contesting station and you are considering using identical HF
> rigs for the IF, with DEMI transverters and seperate amplifiers on all
> four band which one would you choose?
>
> Factors,
>
> 1) Cost obviously
> 2) Learning curve for team members (KISS) this is why four identical
> HF / IF radios.
> 3) Good performance in hostile environment.
For new radios, the Elecraft K2.
You can buy/build the QRP version of the radio (no need for 100W on HF), and
depending on the options you get, it will be under $1000/radio, smaller form
factor, supports direct VHF frequency display, excellent performance, and
runs on DC power.
For used radios, I might look at something like a Kenwood TS-850SAT (older,
but quite respectable) or something in the Yaesu FT-1000MP family (more
expensive, larger).
>
> --
> Mike Urich, KA5CVH
>
> http://www.gohunter08.com
> http://ka5cvh.com/fun_stuff/video/border/MM_01.wmv
> http://ka5cvh.com/fun_stuff/video/border/MM_02.wmv
> http://ka5cvh.com/fun_stuff/video/border/MM_03.wmv
> http://ka5cvh.com/fun_stuff/video/border/MM_04.wmv
> _______________________________________________
> VHFcontesting mailing list
> VHFcontesting@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
--
Kenneth E. Harker WM5R
kenharker@kenharker.com
http://www.kenharker.com/
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