I do like my flex for CW, but it takes getting used to for someone who has
used a conventional rig. The output is pretty clean though I wish they
would do adaptive predistortion. CWX is also nice to use as the built in
keyer but for remote use there is no side tone on third party software. On
the receiver side it was pretty superb, it’s an SDR after all and you can
narrow down all the way without much of an issue.
I used a friend’s K3S and it worked well. Weak or strong signal it was
about on par with the flex. I also used an old K3 (at K2TTT) and it was
just slightly different from the K3S.
I’ve tried the 7851 and about the only thing that was “better” was the
ergonomics for the front panel because it has more room and a nice feel. I
don’t like the rubber buttons on the K3. Audio is a matter of taste. I use
EQ anyway.
These days you really can’t go wrong with any of the top rigs. You would
have to have super human hearing to discern a difference and most of it
comes down to preference and brand loyalty. Most hams I gather won’t even
have normal hearing anyway.
So just pick one and enjoy.
73
Ria
N2RJ
On Tue, Sep 15, 2020 at 10:02 PM Jim Brown <k9yc@audiosystemsgroup.com>
wrote:
> On 9/15/2020 8:27 AM, John Geiger wrote:
>
> > I am sure this is going to lead to several different opinions, but what
> is
>
> > considered the best CW contesting radio on the market today? I know at
> one
>
> > time it was Ten-Tecs, at the TS930/TS940s were for a while, and the
>
> > FT1000MP probably was for a while, but was is the current best CW rig?
>
> > Would it be the Elecraft K3?
>
>
>
> It's been a LOONG time since Ten Tec and Yaesu have been top CW
>
> contesting rigs. The shortcoming of the Yaesus is their relatively dirty
>
> CW signal, as was well documented by ARRL Labs.
>
>
>
> The Elecraft K3, upgraded to the better synth board developed for the
>
> K3S, or the K3S itself, is very clean and a very nice radio. The top
>
> Flex rigs are also well regarded. I've never used one, but their
>
> reputation is also pretty clean.
>
>
>
> Some of the major multi-multi stations also like the top ICOM for their RX.
>
>
>
> If I were buying a new rig today, I'd be looking at the top Flex and the
>
> new Elecraft K4, which is just starting to ship. There are early
>
> production units in use by some top contesters who are beta testers, and
>
> their reports have been very positive.
>
>
>
> Since 2008, my station has been a pair of early production K3s, eCH
>
> loaded with second RX, P3/SVGA, and upgraded with the new synth boards
>
> and the preamp for 12-10-6M that comes with the XVTR interface. There
>
> are a pair of 87As, one of which has become a spare to a KPA1500.
>
>
>
> I'm happy enough with all of that that I haven't ordered a K4.
>
>
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
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>
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>
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>
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>
>
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