Elecraft KX2 short review

Source and Vendor website - Elecraft® Hands-On Ham Radio™
(see http://ift.tt/1sawF8z)

First - this is, by any measure, an expensive radio set -

Radio - $750. (on sale now 'just' 725)
with internal tuner- just $930
with tuner and internal battery - $990
with mike, tuner, internal battery - $1050 and
with mike, tuner, internal battery, mike and custom CW paddles - $1160.
Battery charger - extra, carry case, extra and so on.

Wanted to get that out of the way - not a toy. Certainly not priced like one anyway.

Go to Vendor website link above to see all the specifics on modes, etc.
Short version - CW/SSB and will send PSK31 using paddles. Decodes PSK 31, RTTY, decodes CW. 10 Watts out.
All this and only a bit thicker and a bit longer than the now defunct KX1 or MFJ 9200.
I now no loanger need to carry my NEU-PSK modem for PSK-31 in the field.

So, now what?
Well, it is light weight, has a built in mike and with a loaded whip, tuner, internal battery, the rig can be used as an HF handi-talki. Cool. How well it will work with a short, based loaded whip in today's lousy band conditions is problematic. It can be used like an HT. I think for 10M (~28 MHz) it might be something useful in the HT mode.

I'm using a earbud set w/ mike made for Smartphones (with an adapter) and the VOX function for SSB- so, no bulky mike and hands-free operation. Big plus.
You will need paddles - either the OEM or a set you happen to like to run CW and other digital modes. Battery input is ~12VDC.

Large, bright and easy to read LCD display. Cool.
Backlight can be shut off to save battery. Really cool. The LCD is daylight readable - major kudos.

Power is adjustable in .1 watt increments. Just the thing for field use. Using 'just enough' power to make a contact.

Filtering. OMG - I bought this for the filtering.... You have to hear it to believe it. Very narrow CW filter and NO ringing. Major major kudos - this is a happy byproduct of SDR radios..

Tuner - built in option which I did buy. It has some imits, so I also carry a GRPGuys long wire tuner to handle the high Z of end fed antennas.

Adjustable Keyer with large memory, also does voice memory - for contests (ick) if you dig that stuff.

Covers from AM broadcast band (low sensitivity) and all of HF up to 30 MHz - AM/SSB/CW/RTTY/PSK-31 - for now. More may come later - the radio is SDR and so it is possible to download/install new modes. As noted, right now it can send PSK-31 using paddles for input. Wunderbar.

I could go on, but let me get to the stuff I don't like - not much, but it's there.

Internal battery must be removed to be charged with an external (and extra cost) charger. Boo.
I've seen reports where constant removal/insertion is causing issues. I didn't buy one. I use an external NiMH pack and a 6 foot cable - lets me keep the battery inside my parka. Warm batteries work better.

The port for the key - and the pins related to the key - are exposed. No cover came with the rig. For the better part of a grand, why be so damn cheap? A strip of plastic or metal and a couple of screws - what would that cost at the OEM level - a dollar? (Shakes head) The programming connector is also exposed. Bad show.

What else?

Oh, the end cap protectors and cover - made by GEM
Cost - $49.95. The cover? - heck, get both for $78. The cover for the exposed keyer port is just a couple of bucks from them as well.

I would have loved to order these end protectors and cover as an OEM option and would
have paid $100 to have these from the get-go. Seems Elecraft is missing a bet on offering these.

Lets see....what else? Nope, nothing else. Would I like a nice heavy steel case like on the -9200? Yeah. Would I like a nice case that was not sealed, but at least nearly hole free? Yeah.... But, it's good enough as is, I'll just use a Pelican case to carry it.

This is an expensive rig, no way to sugar coat that - but it comes with a feature set to match. It comes with FULL documentation, repair/warranty delivered in North America. After warranty service is available. This is in stark contrast to the "you are pretty much on your own" with the Hencho en China rigs.

Is it worth the cost? Well - that's up to you to decide. I'm happy with mine, even if I had to sell three of my rigs to raise the ducats.

Now when I travel, I'll be able to work CW and SSB and PSK-31 and RTTY and and and - with just a small battery pack, compact paddles and a simple piece of wire. Earbuds from the phone will provide dual duty. Oh wait, I can skip the battery pack and use a cigarette lighter plug in the rental for power...

It is a great time to be a ham.

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Elecraft KX2 short review