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from e-Bay, after being inspired by Jim W1PID. A 12V 9800 mAh Lithium Ion battery to have for the KX3.  It’s smaller and lighter than the 12V Sealed Lead Acid battery I am currently using.  It will be coming from overseas.  So now it’s a race – which will arrive first the KX3 or the battery – the chicken or the egg?

Any bets?

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

That would be Greg K2UM’s KX3 and he was nice enough to post a video about it:

Saliva glands are working overtime!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

PS: Wow! No spam comments today. 1st time in about a month that has happened.

No e-mail from Elecraft today.  My brain knows that it will be a week or two before kits start rolling out the door.  My heart , however, tells me, “Go home NOW!  Check your e-mail NOW! Now, now , now, NOW!”

This is going to be a long couple of weeks.  Honestly, I can’t remember being this anxious about a package since being a kid around Christmas time.  And the closer it gets, the harder it gets.  I didn’t even really think much about this a couple of weeks ago – now my brain in zoning in on it way more often.

It’s a good thing I have distractions, like reading more of Jim W1PID’s reports of portable QRP operations from up in New Hampshire.  Here’s another goody:

http://www.w1pid.com/jackson/jackson.html

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

PS: To all my Christian friends out there, wishes for a blessed Holy Week!

through Jim W1PID and another lovely sunny day in New Hampshire.

http://www.w1pid.com/eagle/eagle.html

The weather was lovely here too; but time constraints at work have prevented me from getting to the car at lunchtime.  As the warm weather is supposed to last for a bit, maybe I’ll be able to over the next few days. The PFR3A, Buddistick/magmount combo patiently await me.

Tonight is the final 80 Meter QRP Foxhunt for the 2011/2012 season.  It’s hard to believe that it has gone by so fast.  Before you know it, the 20 Meter Summer season will begin.  Maybe I’ll have my KX3 by then!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

Sometimes I think Pavlov would have done better using Hams rather than dogs.  There seems to be a lot of salivating going on in Elecraft land.

As we get so ever closer to the KX3 shipping date, the KX3 reflector is going wild.  You get a palpable sense that some of the guys are literally jumping out of their skin, waiting for their radios to ship.

For me, it was harder to wait for the ordering process to begin.  In addition to not really knowing when it was going to happen, I was conflicted for a while wondering whether or not I would have the funds needed when things actually started rolling.  Fortunately, that turned out not to be a problem when the Order Page finally opened up.

When the original forecast for shipment was stated to be mid-February, my mind immediately told me “March or April …… maybe”.  I remember reading the stories that accompanied shipping the K3 when it first came out.  I figured that while that experience might have helped with initially shipping the KX3, it would not entirely eliminate unforeseen shipping delays TO Elecraft of materials needed to manufacture the rigs.

So here we are at March 14th, Pi Day, and the official line on the Elecraft Website is that shipping will commence somewhere between March 16th and the 26th.  I’m thinking that if I am very lucky, I will see mine somewhere right around Easter time.

I’m just hoping that I get it in plenty of time to build it and have it for QRP To The Field., which is usually the last Saturday in April.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

Like so many of my fellow amateurs, I ordered the new Elecraft KX3 within minutes of the order form going active on the Elecraft website.  Like so many of my fellow amateurs, I also wait anxiously for word that the new KX3 is shipping.  Finally, like so many of my fellow amateurs, I also look forward to seeing my credit card has been charged as that will signal the end is near.  The end of the wait that is.

Back in late December, the hope was the new KX3 would begin shipping in late February.  Even with the extra day added to the calendar, the month of February expired and no KX3’s are shipping.  It is now Friday, 9 March and the latest shipping status as displayed on the Elecraft website states “KX3 shipments are estimated to begin Mid-March, between the 16th and 26th”. 

While the excitement and anticipation is certainly very high for those who are chiseling their marks in stone waiting for that package to arrive on their doorstep, the level of patience is also just as high.  There is a certain calm which proves amateur radio operators are a professional and respectable group of individuals.  There is an understanding that each and ever delay experienced will just simply make a better and more reliable product in the end.  I doubt we would see this same level of calm and respect in the iWhatever community.

I’m really writing this blog article in response to a few emails I’ve seen on the Elecraft Yahoo Groups reflector.  The subject of cases and bags suitable for protecting our beautiful investment has been mentioned several times over the past few weeks.  Wayne Burdick with the Elecraft company has suggested the LowePro Edit 140 camera bag.  He stated in an email to the Yahoo reflector that he owns this bag and uses it to protect his KX3.  Many other members and anxious hams have ordered this bag for their soon to be KX3.

Just like everyone else, I want a bag of some sort to protect my new KX3 but I just don’t like the look of the LowePro Edit 140.  It looks like it might be a bit on the bulky side and if it were just going in the back of the SUV it would be one thing.  But I want a multi-purpose bag that can go in the back of the SUV, in a carry own bag or in my backpack for SOTA activations. 

A few months ago I purchased the LowePro Apex 120aw camera bag after seeing it featured in a K0MOS Youtube video.  Like Matt, I currently own and use the Yaesu FT-817 for SOTA activations.  I wanted a bag of some sort to protect my 817 while inside my backpack.  I ordered the LowePro Apex 120aw and it works beautifully for the 817. 

The LowePro Apex with my 817 and accessories protected inside.

A view inside showing the Yaesu FT-817, Yaesu microphone, Buddipole 4S4P battery pack, Doc Watson meter and power cables.

While I’ve watched every video I can find of the KX3, it is hard to judge size until you can actually hold it in your hand.  Like everyone else, I also want to be ready for the day the KX3 arrives.  Having a bag suitable to protect it if scheduling could allow for a SOTA activation is important.  But like I said  the LowePro Edit 140 looks bulky.  In my mind, bulk equals weight and extra weight makes my back hurt. 

But how do I know if my new Elecraft KX3 will fit inside my current LowePro Apex bag.  I could measure…but how fun is that?  Now if I’m reading the KX3 manual which was released just last week correctly, the KX3 measurements are 3.5 x 7.4 x 1.6 inches.  If I just had something of those measurements to test with I would know for sure. 

Now it wasn’t until I walked into the unfinished portion of my basement which I’ve been working on the past few weekends.  You can read blog postings here about my progress along with pictures.  Anyway, I had failed to clean up my mess after working for about an hour last night and just nearly tripped over my KX3….huh I mean the block of wood that is the same size of my KX3. 

As we all know, a 2 x 4 is not actually 2 inches by 4 inches.  The exact measurements are roughly 3.5 inches by 1.5 inches.  Hmmmm, that is pretty darn close to what the KX3 manual states for the KX3 dimensions.     I picked up the block of wood I had kicked away and measured the length.  It was 7.5 inches.   But would it fit in my bag?  Perhaps another way to ask this, if it fits…will it zip?

The KD0BIK KX3 prototype.  I sure hope my real KX3 receives better than this block of wood. 

Yep…it zips.  It’s a nice fit and still room for the large battery pack and other accessories.

Of course there is a fundamental design difference between the Elecraft KX3 and the Yaesu FT-817.  The control buttons and knobs and that super large display of the KX3 is a not factored into my 2×4 KX3 prototype.  However, if you review the above picture (the inside view) I will still have room and these will be protected.  I will probably slip the KX3 into a felt bag just for extra protection.  Where’s that Crown Royal bag I’ve been hanging onto?

Now please don’t rush out and purchase the LowePro Apex 120aw bag just because my 2×4 fits and zips.  I’ll make certain to create a new blog posting once my KX3 arrives and I have a chance to model it with the bag.  But if you already own this bag, it might just work out for you with the KX3.

Well this blog post and trying out my KX3 block of wood has been fun.  I now must get back to work. 

Until next time…

73 de KD0BIK