Just to throw a little theory in here, the ability to extract information from a signal in a noisy environment is a function of both the signal level and the information rate of the signal. CW has a much lower information rate than does SSB (as does PSK, for example), and thus an SSB signal has to have a much higher signal level relative to the noise than does a CW signal to be understood. The 10dB difference in power that 100 watts provides over 10 watts doesn't quite make up the difference in information rate between a CW signal and an SSB signal, but it goes a long way to equalize the difference. Scaling this up, a 100 watt CW signal should be more or less as good a KW SSB signal in terms of understandability in a noisy environment.
Bob W1SRB -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau Claire Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 4:13 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2/100 or K3/10? Another way to look at it is that 10 watts is 10 dB (about 1.5 S-units) below 100 watts. That's enough to make a difference, but not a huge difference in who you can work and when, especially on CW. SSB is perhaps a little more of a challenge, but that might be because I'm a CW op too and only get on SSB on rare occasions. Were I faced with that choice, I'd go for the 10 watt rig with more potential for expansion and performance than the 100 watt rig. Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- So, assuming it is one or the other, which do you think would be a better choice for a CW operator who is mostly an east-coast rag chewer with occasional DX chasing and light duty contesting? I'm leaning toward the K3/10 since it can eventually be upgraded to 100 watts, but I wonder if 10 watts (3 dB more than QRP) is enough to keep me happy for a year or so. - Keith N1AS - _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
