I found the Elecraft Reflector to be very helpful in giving me a good perspective on what to expect when assembling the unit, as well as providing some insight into minor difficulties. It all went together very well. I took my time, reading the directions very closely. The only real snag was snapping the screw on the RS-232 connector. Fortunately, I was able to get a small drill bit on it and drive it out of the connector. I felt a great deal of relief over that.
The unit runs fantastic. I’ve got it set up to work CW at QRP levels, since I do not have the 100 watt amplifier installed. I installed roofing filters at 250 Hz, 500 Hz (a special run made by INRAD), 1000 Hz, and 2,800 Hz, all 8-pole filters. I’ve tweaked on the settings over time to get them to where I want them for CW Contest work. I’m not using roughly 80% of the capabilities of this rig, but it works great for me.
I did install the antenna tuner. At QRP levels it’s capable of matching widely varying loads. The key for me is that it provides a built in antenna switch. That allows me to run two transmitting antennas and with yet another optional interface, I’ve also got a separate receive antenna.
If you’re thinking about buying a K3, or any Elecraft product for that matter, you can’t go wrong.
