Part 1 - I took delivery of the K3 during this week after an 8 months
frustrating wait and what a sweet dream it is! Everything extremely
well packed and clearly marked. Manual is very easy to follow. Build
quality is excellent. The inventory is well worth doing. I numbered the
different screws (well over 100) down theside of the manual page,
separated them into different compartments of a couple of pattie
(muffin) tins and marked the compartments with a felt tipped pen. That
made selection much simpler. (27 screws to take top and bottom cover
off!) I only encountered two small problems - fitting the front panel
unit to the main board. With two pairs of connectors and not being able
to see one pair when watching the other, it was a bit of a juggling act
also I found tightening the set-screws on the concentric knob fiddly.
If anyone hasn't got the time to assemble theirs I would be pleased to
do it for a small fee!
First QSO was with N0SS (also K3) on 20CW, then YV1NX followed by W7QC
(and another K3). The CW sidetone is really smooth and very pleasant to
listen to, I felt I could have sat at 35wpm all day. Tx power level
very stable so setting up the Acom 1000 amp was quick and easy.
Receiver sounds really good, I haven't had time to evaluate it in tough
condx.. G to W7/0 is hardly testing at present. 80m CW sounds good and
the NR seems to help reduce power line noise on my 70ft vertical. The
one thing I really like is the variable width control on receive.
I went for the K3 as I felt the K2 (which I sold last June) was good
but lacked finesse. Well this has got all the things that I wanted and
more. I now need to integrate it into my SO2R system then I can do
direct comparisons with the FT1kMP. I hope to be active over this
weekend in CQWW 160CW, after which I will investigate SSB.
Part 2 - Made 101 Qs from 0611z to 0800z with all US call areas except
6,7 and 0 although I heard a 7 (NV) and a 0 calling other Ws. I will
continue again this evening up till around midnight z and then try and
wake again around 0600z Sunday mng. The receiver is certainly very
good, I could copy weak Ws right next to strong EUs. No IMD or anything
else audible, just felt as you were the only one on the band. The
variable width is very good. I have 2.7kHz 5 pole and a 400Hz 8 pole
fitted and at present I don't feel I need anything else. Part of the
fantastic LCD shows which filter is in use, you can vary the DSP
width continuously and when the bandwidth gets down to 400Hz that
filter is automatically switched.
There's lots more to say but that will have to do for now, back to 160CW!!
