HFU HF Underground
Technical Topics => Equipment => Topic started by: jackson_r on April 11, 2016, 1026 UTC
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Is there anyone here who is or was the owner of an Elecraft KX3? I don't know that I'm going to go out and buy one, but I spent the better part of the weekend reading up on them. I'm fascinated by the tiny size and with the idea of a unit that could serve the purposes of a base station as well as mobile. I have one question though that I can't seem to make out in all my reading. I can't tell if it is truly all frequency transmit capable? If not, is it easy to modify it for such interband operation? I did read one source that said 'it arrived wide open with exception of CB band,' but it was still somewhat vague.
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Will the K3 operate on MARS frequencies?
For those needing to transmit outside the ham bands for MARS and/or other requirements, a program is available from k3support@elecraft.com. Running this program one time allows you to remove the standard TX lockouts. (note the KBPF3 is also required for our operation significantly away from the band edges.) Operators are cautioned that they are responsible for operating within the limits of their license. Also, with the TX limits removed, high-power TX is still not possible in the 27 MHz band.
General coverage receive filters can be added to the main receiver and/or the subreceiver. This is the KBP3 option. The rig automatically selects the narrow ham-band filters when you're in the ham bands, and the wider filters when you're in-between ham bands. This option has no effect on ham-band performance and is extremely easy to install.
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Thanks very much, Fred. I was just coming back here to post that I believe I had found the answer to my question. I had stumbled on a website that seemed to confirm what you had posted, that Elecraft would provide software that would allow removal of the transmit lock. Good info to know!
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Could someone direct me to the latest software for the KX3. Thanks
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I'm afraid that once again the question is about the KX3,
but the most detailed reply is about the K3,
not the same transceiver, not the same options !
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Could someone direct me to the latest software for the KX3. Thanks
Hopefully you found your way to the Elecraft website for the downloads
https://elecraft.com/pages/firmware-software
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Thanks Jim but I am looking for a copy of the MARS mod software. I should have clarified my earlier post.
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A lot of kx3 owners I know of are selling their kx and getting these things;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwHbZasHleQ
Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect. 20w even on ambc plus a transmatch that will match shorts to opens. Draws about 500 mils on rx with screen off.
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Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect.
And the Rx performance is *really* impressive too... :)
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A lot of kx3 owners I know of are selling their kx and getting these things;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwHbZasHleQ
Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect. 20w even on ambc plus a transmatch that will match shorts to opens. Draws about 500 mils on rx with screen off.
Be careful about the 20W in the AMBC. Depending on where they put the LPF cut off frequency, that 20 watts you are reading may be a combination of the fundamental and harmonics.
I used my KX3 to check into a 5 MHz Navy MARS net once (since it was Navy MARS you know that was a few years ago). I did not modify anything for MARS ops, but it is possible that I was only able to do so because the radio was capable of 60 Meter band operation. I never tried it on other MARS frequencies.
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Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect.
And the Rx performance is *really* impressive too... :)
Q street did a review and it's better than I expected as far as dynamic range and so on.
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KX3 stuff
video of beacon reception about 5 years ago https://youtu.be/kbu3I75oit4
From a field trip
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sTucrzmCc14/WHR01Aa2xaI/AAAAAAAAEN0/Xovuyo5Eay0_czfuRS38PgUndRvVkJrlACLcB/s640/IMG_4146-1.jpg)
https://suntothenorth.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-hike-in-woods.html
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Wow! Look at all those knobs. Mr. Fansome will be pleased that SDR's are catching up to portables from the 1950's.
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Wow! Look at all those knobs. Mr. Fansome will be pleased that SDR's are catching up to portables from the 1950's.
Yeah, it's going to be really tough for an SDR to catch up with 200 pounds of knobs and batteries in those good' ol 50's radios
(https://www.ab4oj.com/1st/ws62.jpg)
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Hit the weights, and no sniveling. Before long you'll be running up and down mountains with Al and that radio on your back while you copy code at 25 words plus a minute.
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Hit the weights, and no sniveling. Before long you'll be running up and down mountains with Al and that radio on your back while you copy code at 25 words plus a minute.
I know quite a bit about carrying lots of weight up mountains but at least it's food and useful gear,
not a useless low power 1950's boat anchor, lol
(https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-80EdE1uyiRE/WJ5uT0lJ0uI/AAAAAAAAEbA/HR9A0LJDjY410W7V9j4E3-t9JCkK5ITcwCLcB/s640/July%2B2006%2B052.jpg)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_22OQg1FvdfE/TO6XHN576CI/AAAAAAAAAI8/EP-Fj83wL6o/s640/9600+me.JPG)
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FA21D5YK9-s/WJ4WnbRIG6I/AAAAAAAAEW4/2lbMO6_LXuEy5qCzvlNaEas1tpmbeA4KACLcB/s640/16k%2BMe-1.jpg)
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuodmJz4Mys/WJ4Uzc_4FOI/AAAAAAAAEWs/Jk9tTpKWoC8CPfvx4O6bbtkdStMFiJinQCLcB/s400/11k%2BView-1.jpg)
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A lot of kx3 owners I know of are selling their kx and getting these things;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwHbZasHleQ
Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect. 20w even on am bc plus a transmatch that will match shorts to opens. Draws about 500 mils on rx with screen off.
There was a good review in the March issue of the ham magazine, QST. The article says the antenna tuner cannot match opens or shorts. The Elecraft KX3 idle current can be less than 200 mA as opposed to the Xiegu's 500 mA. The Elecraft has about 10% less package volume which includes internal batteries and room left over for the 2M transverter.. The Xiegu is external power only. I like the Xiegu's microphone's keypad programming and the color display looks really nice although it is small. An online review states the Xiegu's frequency stability is poorer than the KX3. I think with the Xiegu you get what you pay for and that can help to keep a person on budget.
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A lot of kx3 owners I know of are selling their kx and getting these things;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwHbZasHleQ
Simple one diode-ectomy to enable wideband tx, and they nicely placed a rather obvious arrow pointing at the diode to dissect. 20w even on am bc plus a transmatch that will match shorts to opens. Draws about 500 mils on rx with screen off.
There was a good review in the March issue of the ham magazine, QST. The article says the antenna tuner cannot match opens or shorts. The Elecraft KX3 idle current can be less than 200 mA as opposed to the Xiegu's 500 mA. The Elecraft has about 10% less package volume which includes internal batteries and room left over for the 2M transverter.. The Xiegu is external power only. I like the Xiegu's microphone's keypad programming and the color display looks really nice although it is small. An online review states the Xiegu's frequency stability is poorer than the KX3. I think with the Xiegu you get what you pay for and that can help to keep a person on budget.
If looking for the best cw rig with swap (small weight and power) in mind, the elegraft is your rig.
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If looking for the best cw rig with swap (small weight and power) in mind, the elecraft is your rig.
That's a good point that the KX3 was designed with excellent CW operation in mind and it will also decode or send RTTY and PSK31 without a PC. It is a great SWL receiver and I listen often to KTWW classic rock music broadcasts. In the field it has been as great for receiving CW beacons as it is at home.
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Not a real technical video. More of a presentation of the audio resulting from using different receive filters in the crowded 7MHz ham band for these radios - Kenwood 590SG, Xiegu G90, Elecraft KX3, SunSDRPro2, mcHF QRP transceiver
https://youtu.be/l4C8QI7L_lM
mcHF M0NKA
http://www.m0nka.co.uk/?page_id=2