In his book "The Joy of QRP," Ade Weiss famously said:
If there is a place, and you can get to it, you must operate from there.
This is the motivation behind the KX2. Thanks to its small size and high level
of integration, it's the radio you'd wish you had while hanging precariously
from a cliff, sitting high in a tree, hiding from burglars in an attic, or any
of numerous other likely operating scenarios.
73,
Wayne
N6KR
On May 23, 2016, at 9:04 PM, Matt Maguire <matt.vk...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Wow, ten words or less is tough, like writing a haiku :-)
> "Smaller KX3 with fewer bands, no panadapter, no roofing filter".
> There, that's 10 words. Note that even without a roofing filter, the
> performance is still excellent, and its compact size makes it the perfect
> little "grab-n-go" radio.
> 73, Matt VK2RQ
>
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, May 23, 2016 at 7:25 PM -0700, "w7aqk" <w7...@cox.net> wrote:
>
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>
> Hi All,
>
> The ink is barely dry on the release announcement for the KX2, but it has
> created quite a stir. A lot of people are very curious about this rig,
> including me. As a KX3 owner already, I'm not chomping at the bit to get a
> KX2, but I am trying to discern just what the meaningful differences are.
>
> I think it is intriguing that Elecraft chose to make it's new rig a
> "downsized" version of the KX3. I can certainly see how this has stimulated
> a lot of interest. What I'm trying to figure out is whether or not it does
> anything better than the KX3, or is it just a smaller, and less capable,
> radio. At this point, I'm inclined to think the latter. That's not
> necessarily a bad thing, but that seems to be a better generalization.
> Nonetheless, what you give up with a KX2 may not outweigh what you might
> gain with a KX3--it depends solely on the user.
>
> The KX2 is definitely smaller (about half the volume) and lighter, although
> the footprint is not quite that much different. The price is lighter too!
> As a true portable radio, I see this as a nice advantage. SOTA ops probably
> will really appreciate this! You still have a very competent radio with
> just about all the features a portable op would want or need.
>
> The things you give up are not insignificant. There is a slight power
> differential, which may, or may not, be a concern. Possibly more of a
> concern might be not having roofing filters. I've become a huge fan of
> having those. Also, losing access to 160 and 6 meters may be problematic
> for some. I'm not all that concerned about no AM or FM, but others might
> be. With the emphasis on being a "hand held" radio, some may lament no
> VHF/UHF as well.
>
> I can only guess at the decreased capability of the optional ATU. The one
> for the KX2 may still be sufficient for most needs, but I just hate to see
> less capability. Elecraft ATU's in the K3 and KX3 are great, and I guess I
> just get nervous about less. The ATU's in the KX1 and K1 were only
> moderately useful, and it was their reduced size that caused that. Elecraft
> can obviously put out superb ATU's, but they need some room to do that.
>
> I was disappointed to see that the PX3 would not mate with the KX2. In
> their "FAQ's", Elecraft sort of deflects that by simply suggesting that
> capability is more appropriate for a larger rig, like the KX3 or K3, but I'm
> still disappointed. Personally, I think it would have been a big plus if
> they could have made it work, but again, just not enough room in that
> smaller package--or I assume that was the problem. Or, maybe it was to just
> hold the cost down???
>
> I know a lot of K3 owners, who also have KX3's, and have found the KX3 to be
> a very effective substitute/back-up in their main station. Lately I've been
> tinkering with that same process, and it works pretty darned well. However,
> I'm not sure the KX2 is nearly as good a substitute, or back-up. The lesser
> capabilities described above would explain much of that. I still much
> prefer the K3, but I don't give up all that much with the KX3. It's a great
> reason to own both!
>
> So, how do you describe the difference in ten words or less? Is the KX2 a
> stripped down version of the KX3, or is the KX3 a deluxe KX2? In any event,
> there are sufficient differences to require some analysis if you are trying
> to pick one over the other. If I didn't already have a KX3 I could probably
> get a headache trying to make that decision. Either way you go you are
> probably a "winner!" The "easy" way may be to just conclude you want both,
> and apparently some have already made that decision! I'm not sure that
> would be my decision, but hey, I haven't had my hands on a KX2 yet either!
> Hi.
>
> I'll be very interested in seeing some real in-depth reviews of the KX2.
>
> 73,
>
> Dave W7AQK
>
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