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Author Topic: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?  (Read 7950 times)

jackson_r

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Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« on: April 11, 2016, 1026 UTC »
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. 

Offline Fred Smith

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2016, 1113 UTC »
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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jackson_r

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2016, 1125 UTC »
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! 

Offline MrMomB

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2019, 0203 UTC »
Could someone direct me to the latest software for the KX3.  Thanks
Western New York - Buffalo - Niagara Falls.
Radios: 2x-Kenwood TS-890, TS-590; Elecraft KX3+PX3, KPA500 KXPA100, K3; Icom IC-7100
Antennas:160 inv L, 80 inv L, 27' GP and assorted wire

Online Ray Lalleu

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2019, 2103 UTC »
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 !
« Last Edit: March 24, 2019, 2105 UTC by Ray Lalleu »
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Offline Teotwaki

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2019, 1542 UTC »
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
Jim
NRD-525, Elecraft KX3 and Elecraft PX3 Spectrum Display
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Offline MrMomB

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2020, 0058 UTC »
Thanks Jim but I am looking for a copy of the MARS mod software.  I should have clarified my earlier post.
Western New York - Buffalo - Niagara Falls.
Radios: 2x-Kenwood TS-890, TS-590; Elecraft KX3+PX3, KPA500 KXPA100, K3; Icom IC-7100
Antennas:160 inv L, 80 inv L, 27' GP and assorted wire

Offline Josh

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2020, 1953 UTC »
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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Offline nickcarr3151

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #8 on: February 18, 2020, 0852 UTC »
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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Offline NJQA

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #9 on: February 18, 2020, 1035 UTC »
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.


Offline Josh

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #10 on: February 18, 2020, 2145 UTC »
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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Offline Teotwaki

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2020, 1444 UTC »
 KX3 stuff

video of beacon reception about 5 years ago  https://youtu.be/kbu3I75oit4

From a field trip

https://suntothenorth.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-hike-in-woods.html
Jim
NRD-525, Elecraft KX3 and Elecraft PX3 Spectrum Display
76' end fed long wire & 66' off-center fed dipole for 10/20/40 meters
Orange County, SoCal, The better half

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2020, 2300 UTC »
Wow! Look at all those knobs. Mr. Fansome will be pleased that SDR's are catching up to portables from the 1950's.

Offline Teotwaki

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2020, 2306 UTC »
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
Jim
NRD-525, Elecraft KX3 and Elecraft PX3 Spectrum Display
76' end fed long wire & 66' off-center fed dipole for 10/20/40 meters
Orange County, SoCal, The better half

Offline Pigmeat

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Re: Any Elecraft KX3 owners?
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2020, 2332 UTC »
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.