This thread started out by comparing $1000-$1500 transceivers to each
other and then all of a sudden we are focusing on $4000 to $5000 radios
such as the Elecraft K3. IMHO nobody that spends $5000 to $8000 for a
rig wants to hear that at Icom 746 Pro or 7410 can in most circumstances
do as well with the exception of some exotic circumstances such as dual
diversity. In this case even a pair of IC-7410's would do the same thing
with a proper audio mixing setup of headphone simple headphone splitter.
Having two identical radios makes sense in such a case and while working
on the HF bands the CQ machine on the other is checking for band
openings on 6 meters. I alos save some money by having both radios
powered by an Astron 50AMP DC supply that I grabbed off of eBay for
under $100 and I still have the stock Icom PS-125 for a backup.
Unfortunately the IC-746 Pro has been discontinued and as Earl, K6SE
pointed out in his review years ago, it is a great radio for 160
meters. There used resale price has amazingly held up well but for a
few hundred more the IC-7410 has a better DSP. Neither have provisions
for a RX only antenna. Maybe this is not such a bad idea as it
prevents, as such, front end burn outs that plague other radios. Here
for the RX antenna control I use the DX-Engineering RTR-1 which also
provides a position for instant pass through to the TX antenna and at
the same time front end protection by amplifier lock out. And lastly,
after spending money on a transceiver I really do not want to be looking
at a sub-miniature toy radio in front of me nor someting, in the case of
the TS-2000, looks like a space ship control panel and has all these sub
menus to navigate through.
Regards,
Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
On 6/17/2014 10:50 AM, Bill & Liz wrote:
I have owned a K3 for just over 3 years and my impression is that, for “normal”
operation on the bands there is little difference between it and several other transceivers.
However, where the K3 shines is on CW, digging out readable copy on stations which are right down in
the crud. No Yaesu, ICOM or Kenwood radio I have used comes close to what the K3 can do in that
regard IMHO. Operated in diversity mode (two antennas, one vertically and one horizontally
polarized) with the proper filter and bandwidth, it is truly amazing what the l’il guy can
pull out of the noise.
But of course all this is very subjective!
Bill VE3CSK
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