Tag: Elecraft

In search of a new contest transceiver, the decision

by Jurgen

In my previous post about this topic I started with a list of available HF-transceivers here in Belgium and afterwards I had narrowed it down to 6:

  • Yaesu FT-2000 €2500
  • Icom IC-7600 €3600
  • Ten Tec Orion II €4300
  • Elecraft K3 €5300
  • Yaesu FT-DX5000MP €5700
  • Icom IC-7700 €6000

Prices are merely an estimation for comparison, they’re based on information found on the internet a few months ago.  Some may have changed by a few hundreds of euros by the time you read this!

I did’nt have the time (or rather did’nt make time) to write more about this in the last few weeks but in the mean time I ordered (and received) an FT-DX5000MP.

The decision was a little less scientific than it started in my previous post however. Let’s say it has been partly emotional also.

These are the reasons why I bought the FT5k: (not necessarily ordered by importance) Continue reading In search of a new contest transceiver, the decision →

Friedrichshafen 2011

by Jurgen

Logo Ham RadioLast weekend we made our yearly ‘pilgrimage’ to the Friedrichshafen HAM RADIO in Germany. For the last few years there were always 4 of us, Andy ON7TS, Luc ON7KZ, Jan ON4KB and me. As Jan had to cancel at the last minute there were only 3 of us this year. (Jan, we missed you!)

For me it was the 18th year in a row and I can say I have seen a steady decline of the rally over the years. Every year there are less vendors at the flea market and at the ‘new’ market. I guess there are a few reasons for this: the prices for the rental of the fairgrounds and the competition of the internet sales.

This year there were only 2 halls of flea market with the second hall filled about 60%, last year it was 3 halls with the third hall filled about 50%. The following well known companies did not come back to the fair this year: Conrad, Classic International, Kabel Kusch etc. The room these companies took last year now seemed to be taken over by companies selling toy helicopters, handbags and even *very* cheap riflescopes…

But of course there were a few highlights for me at the Ham Radio: Continue reading Friedrichshafen 2011 →

Finally some more K2-news here…

by Jurgen

I have been looking into my K2-problem over and over and I can’t seem to find anything wrong. As I haven’t got the time nor the courage to take out and rewind the toroids I decided to order them ready made from the ToroidGuy. And, pleasant surprise, turnaround of this order is only 5 days!!! Ordered last sunday (25 feb.) the package arrived this morning! Thanks Mychael!

Now I’ll have to find the time to install them…

To be continued!

K2 measurements

by Jurgen

Due to some health worries I haven’t looked at the K2 project the last few weeks. Upon ‘deeper’ analysis in the hospital it seemed the worries were far greater than the real trouble. I’m fine now thanks.
So today I started looking at the K2 again and I started with the homework I received from Gary AB7MY at Elecraft to try and find the causes of the spurious signals that come out of my K2 on 10 and 12m.
But, it seems my Digital Multimeter has trouble with the HF-signals. When my K2 is on transmit (on dummy load of course!) it seems to measure voltages even without the leads being attached to anything…. So I guess I’ll need a better DMM or a better dummy load?