Hi Ed, I think the K3 is a great radio. My uncle has one and loves it. Sounds like you have made an excellent choice for your situation. I can fully understand not wanting to lug around a PC ( even a laptop) for portable work. The only comparison you make that puzzles me is cost. I haven't added up the exact prices so I could be a little off but it seems to me that the equipment you mention is going to come out about the same price wise as the Flex 5K with the V/U module added. Of course you would have to add in the cost of the PC but in my home station application I already have that here. As you say though, "each to his own choice" and I hope you enjoy your new setup. Sounds like a nice one. I agree with the comment about spending so much on ham radio. I intend for my 5k to last me the rest of my hamming days and so does my wife!! HI HI :-) 73, Michael, W4HIJ
On 4/17/2010 2:44 AM, Edward Cole wrote:
Of course, each to his own choice.
I decided on the K3/10 (10w version of the K3), with subreceiver and transverter interface (and a few other goodies) ...total $3000 Add a new DEMI 144/28 xvtr $500, and later a DEMI 432/28 xvtr kit $400. These are the new design to be released in early June. I added a ARR 50-Mhz preamp and building a 300w HF amp kit (cost $150).
When I have fully investigated running the K3 for full duplex under sw control I will consider letting my FT-847 go. Keeping it for now (also because I will not get the 432 xvtr right away).
Why not the Flex-500 + U/V? Well, cost is one, and the need to have a computer was another. I will use my 6-lb. K3 for portable mw operation (mainly CW) so its size, weight and ability to be fully used without toting along a computer.
Undoubtedly the K3 and Flex-5000 are the top radios in the amateur market as far as performance specs. I've had my K3 for about a month and am still learning more about it. Its a keeper. (better be as I will never spend this much on ham radio, again)
73, Ed - KL7UW
At 06:09 PM 4/16/2010, Gary "Joe" Mayfield wrote:
Again if price is no object, you should be able to do it with a K3 from Elecraft (using the sub receive and their transverters).
73, Joe kk0sd
-----Original Message----- From: amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org [mailto:amsat-bb-bounces@amsat.org] On Behalf Of Michael Tondee Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 8:26 PM To: amsat-bb@amsat.org Subject: [amsat-bb] Re: Radios for satellite operations
The Kenwood TS-2000 and 2000X are still out there. They have an annoying birdie right smack dab on the downlink of SO-50 and AO-27 but both of those are FM sats. You can work around the birdie with a preamp but the pass time is shortened a bit because you are waiting for the receive frequency to get a little bit away from the birdie so you can hear. I don't know of any issues with SSB/CW sats though. Icom is coming out with a new radio that has HF plus sat capapbility but for the price I've heard you could just about buy a Flex 5000A and add the soon upcoming V/U module for not much more. The Flex 5000A is cutting edge technology but you have to get over most hams confounded affinity for knobs. I just got my 5000A today. I chose it over replacing the TS-2000X I used to have with another. It will be awhile before I can afford to add the V/U module but I'm willing to wait because IMHO the Flex is head and shoulders above any other radio on the market today. 73, Michael, W4HIJ On 4/16/2010 12:18 PM, Jacob Tennant wrote:
Was wondering today after searching around on the internet, what radios
are
people using for satellite operations as I noticed the ICOM IC-910H and
the
Yaesu FT-847 are now discontinued?
Was hoping to get into the SSB/CW satellites but was hoping to do it on a new radio, but it seems the satellite radios are disappearing from the market.
I do have a Yaesu FT-857D that I am getting setup to do the FM satellites with and will try the SSB/CW satellites if I can do it with that radio.
Jacob Tennant - K8JWT