21 Dec 2008

Elecraft K1

This morning I fired up my Elecraft K1 CW transceiver not having used it for some time. It is such a good little rig. Mine has the 4 band unit and internal ATU option and covers 40, 30, 20 and 15m. The filtering is excellent and the user interface good as long as you can remember the menu system, which I forget often when I don't use the rig for a time.

Within a few minutes of connecting the end-fed wire about 15m long into the back of the rig I had 5 QSOs in the log on 40 and 15m. It is such a perfect CW rig.

More details see the Elecraft website http://www.elecraft.com
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3 comments:

  1. goodySun Dec 21, 04:58:00 pm GMT

    I love my four band K1 as well. I was going to sell mine earlier this year after a lengthy period of inactivity with it (my FT-817 was dominating my QRP operating time), however I just couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. The K1 is one of those timeless rigs. About the only thing I would change or "improve" would be a more rugged package more suitable for backpacking. (I know the KX1 is probably better suited for this.) Performance wise the K1 is a stellar CW rig. Even compared to my several rice burner rigs, I still prefer the CW of the K1.

    72
    K3NG
    http://thek3ngreport.blogspot.com/

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  2. Roger G3XBMSun Dec 21, 05:39:00 pm GMT

    Hi Goody,

    I was much the same: considered selling it then thought better hang on to such a good little CW radio. Used it today for the first time in months and have 11 countries and 3 continents in the log for about 1 hrs operating with a low 15m long end-fed wire and the K1. Says it all really doesn't it.

    72s
    Roger

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  3. AnonymousMon Feb 02, 04:31:00 am GMT

    Gentlemen...

    I too have used both of my K1's in various weird and wonderful places. The K1-2 (80-40) is my cottage unit...which means, it might in the cottage or somewhere near it. More likely on lake after racking up my bass fishing scores for day...while having the "shore lunch"...I'll fire up on 40m with a PAR EF-40 thrown into a tree.

    The K1-4 (40-30-20-15) is loaded with all toys. I haven't yet installed the back lighting for the display but that will happen soon. This one goes with me when I tour on my Harley. I'll setup somewhere in the mountains, again with a simple PAR EF-40-20-15 and let fly. A basic 6.5Ah gell cell with a small solar panel keeps them both going.

    Worked the world on 20m and 30m...and just last week into Estonia on 3w - 3.507.0 ish...got a 559 out of it...then got hammered by the US operators who couldn't hear me ;)

    Cheers and enjoy your K1's, they're a hoot.

    73/72 Bob VE3AKV

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