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| It's like the Borg connected to the collective! |
As my readers may have clued in already I am a big Elecraft fan and the two radios I have at the moment are the Elecraft K3 and Elecraft KX3. One of the best things I like about these rigs as well as the accessories such as the P3 and PX3 Elecraft is constantly improving and adding things to the radio. These improvements for the most part are upgradeable downloads via the internet. The other thing is the upgradable downloads are not complicated to preform, it's as simple as
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| New software loading |
downloading and setting up the utility from Elecraft. From then on all you do is plug your rig in via USB or serial cable to you PC and double click on the utility icon on your desktop. Your software on your rig is read and if there is any new upgrades you see them on your utility and can download them to your rig...........and that's it! There are release notes telling you what has been added or enhancements to your rig. Time for me to get off my soapbox now.
It’s time for the Kool-Aid…..:)
13 February 2015 | by 
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I like orange Kool-Aid and my Kx3, Px3, KXAP/KAT100, K3, P3, KPA500 and KAT500. I agree with Mike, Elecraft has done it right. You buy one radio or radio line and over time you have a new radio. The same radio but constantly being improved and having newer features added with no charge. None of my ICOM, Yaesu, Kenwood, Alico etc radios that I had in the past can say that. If you want a new or major improved radio.. say like the TS-590S being improved, then you have to buy a new a TS-590SG to get the improvements.
That said once in a while you will have to decide on buying a new board, but not a whole radio form Elecraft to make a major improvement. Wayne at Elecraft announced a new board today that fits that rare case. Based on the what I have read, and what Ron Sherwood has posted, this Less then $200 board will push the K3 into the realm of the the $10,000 to $15,000 radio class of super low phase noise and close in signals. Plus a added bonus 600 meters. Buy a new radio is not what Elecraft is about. It is taking what you have and making it a whole lot better. In the long run you pay less for a lot more.
(BTW I still have my IC-756PROII, IC-706MKIIG and even a Heath HW-101..but my real ham world is my KX3’s (I have two fully loaded) and my K-line.
Thanks for letting the word out about Elecraft.. Mike did you see Wayne’s announcement today?
73 Harry K7ZOV
Good morning Harry, I sure did see Waynes announcement, the Elecraft reflector was buzzing with ton’s of questions about it. This 200.00 add on sure does add to the K3. I read one post (I’m in the same boat) were the gentlemen wanted some stat’s in layman’s terms. I can get really mixed up with all the numbers and tech stuff and I’m really not an electronics wiz bong. This is a board I’m sure sure going to be ordering and putting in my K3 and I am sure in time there are going to be some YouTube videos about the two boards. Seeing and hearing the differences between the boards in a short video would be nice.
Have a great weekend Harry and and thanks for commenting!
Mike
Mike, Yes this will be a must have. Now I need to see what I can sell to get one. If nothing more it appears to be able to force the K3 to better ignore tight in signals and interference much better. I don’t think it will lower the RX noise floor enough to make more signals readable to my bad hearing, but only time will tell and not all the funny number. In a couple of week Rob Sherwood will have had time to run it though it’s paces and we will soon know if the K3 says in it’s spot on his chart or pushes it’s way to the head of the class. From what I have read, the IC7850/51 is going to very hard to beat also. But I will stick with my K3 K-Line and KX3 KX-Line…
Have a great week-end. I enjoy you blog. Keep up the good work. If was so lazy I would have a blog too.. Maybe oneday.
73 Harry K7ZOV