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| Reviews Summary for Elecraft K2/100 |
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Reviews: 82
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Average rating: 4.7/5
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MSRP: $589 (K2), $349 (KPA100)
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Description: 100W SSB/CW 160-10M HF Transceiver Kit
(K2 Transceiver built with KPA100 Internal Option)
High performance RX plus silent diode switched T/R at 100W
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More info: http://www.elecraft.com
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write your own review of the Elecraft K2/100.
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N1AS
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 4, 2007 08:15
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My main rig!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought / built it as a QRP rig about 18 mos ago. The build process in rather long, but it is not difficult, provided you read and follow the directions. If you cut corners you may find things don't go very smoothly. I followed the manual to a "T" and the rig worked first time.
When I began using it, I quickly found the K2's RX outperformed my other rig's receivers and became my main rig. The TT Omni V and TS-830s just didn't sound as good and didn't handle contest congested bands as well. I sold the other rigs and bought the 100 watt PA and SSB board for the K2 making it my only rig. It's been a year and I'm still very happy with that decision.
I run CW 99% of the time and the K2 is great for that mode. Break-in is very smooth although it isn't really fast enough to be QSK. AGC action is wonderful as it allows quiet stuff (like background noise) to remain quiet. Yes, the knobs and buttons are a bit small and there is some menu surfing from time to time, but it is a small price to pay for the fabulous sound & performance of the rig. The fan on the back is annoying when it comes on so I just put a quiet computer muffin fan on top of the heatsink, blowing up, to keep things cool and prevent the wizzer fan from coming on.
Bottom line - The rig is not perfect, but what it lacks it more than makes up for with top-notch RX performance at a comparatively low price. The rig is better suited to CW than SSB. The K2 has kept me happier and served me better than any rig I've ever had (TS-830s, IC-735, TenTec Omni V, Omni C, Corsiar II, Century 21, Century 22, Drake C-Line, B-Line, Heath HW-9, HW-101)
- Keith N1AS -
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N9GRG
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Rating: 3/5
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Sep 15, 2007 19:22
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A great kit - ok as a radio to use - won't be your main rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It's a great kit - I built this one as well as the QRP model. It's a lot of fun to see it work the first time. The alignment and tuning is interesting but seems a bit tedious having to wait 5 minutes for the CPU to perform its alignments every time you change certain things. The 100 watt option is a neat idea, but not executed as well as I would've liked. The heatsink gets pretty hot and the fan, though super tiny, is quite loud. I do have to admit that I like the look of the K2/100 over the standard K2.
As a radio to use all the time though it didn't please me. It's small, and the ergonomics are poor. The tuning knob is small, and the knobs are close together.
So if you plan on using this as a main rig, make sure you've tried it before you sell off your rig - you may regret it.
I ended up selling it and the QRP version and I found that it doesn't hold it's value as well as other radios I've sold and so I took a real loss on this. So keep this in mind if you think you may end up selling it.
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GEIIM
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 28, 2007 08:43
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Great for CW, OK for SSB - poor for Digital modes
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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This is my third K2 that I've built and I found the same results on all three.
First off, this radio is excellent on CW - bar none. The 100 watt option is able to run at full power no problem with long CW contacts. It will get pretty warm, but not overheat. CW is silky smooth and a true joy with silent RX/TX switching (no relays involved).
On SSB it's a good radio but you really need to fiddle with it to get the audio right and you need to read the post on Elecraft's web site on the SSB settings for transmit vs. receive. it can be set right but takes careful setting and can be a pain if you don't like fiddling with it.
On Digital this radio is mediocre. Not because it's not a capable radio with an excellent receiver but because of the following:
1. There is a lot of drift as the radio heats up and cools down with use and this is especially true with the 100 watt option. You can move 50hz during a PSK ragchew so you could end up QRMing a nearby QSO unintentionally. There is no TXCO option available.
2. There is quite a bit of shift between filters. The transmit filter is always filter 1, so if you set filters 2 through 4 as narrow filters and turn them on the radio will always transmit via filter 1. Problem is there can be a shift of up to 20hz between the filters due to the way the processor calculates the BFO. The way to get around this is to activate the Fine-RIT option and adjust it to compensate for the difference. This needs to be done everytime you change frequency. It works but it's a pain to deal with and the time required to adjust the fine-RIT can cause you to miss that necessary contact.
3. No line-level AF ouput. By design you must use the speaker out or the headphone out jacks. You can mod the radio yourself to get line-level output but there's nothing provided in the design.
4. You must turn the TX power down pretty low. Digital modes make this radio get super-hot if you go anything above 30 watts. Normally you shouldn't need to but with band conditions what they are, you'd like to be able to go full power for that rare DX contact. Don't forget that as the radio gets hotter it drifts more. The fan will be running the entire time your doing digital and it's loud and annoying. you could put in your own cooling to address this, of course, but by itself it's something to consider.
Finally, a 160-10m SSB equipped K2 with 100 watt option and tuner is about $1,700.00 not including building and alignment time. The Icom IC-746Pro is about $1550 after rebate (plus you get a free power supply currently). The specs on the IC-746Pro's receiver is very close to the K2 (check the Elecraft site to compare) so you can get a lot more features for less money than the K2. While it's fun to build (that's why I've built three), it not cheap and you can get alot more radio for the money - but then you don't have the distinction of having built it yourself. Still I prefer to build K2s than to use them. Also, K2 don't sell used for nearly anything compared to what it costs to buy new so they're certainly not a good investment if you don't plan on keeping it.
Overall it's a great radio, but I haven't seen many reviews on using it in digital modes so I wanted to make sure that if that's what you'd like to do then you know what to expect.
So really as CW unit this radio is a 5, as a SSB unit it's a 4 but as digital it's a 1. So I've blended those ratings to come to the final rating.
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K4DGW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 3, 2007 18:18
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Love the extra wattage
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Recently completed the K2. I have a review of it in the K2 area. Added the 100w amp and auto-tuner. They work great, were simple to build and align. They look good together, work well, and it is nice to have the extra power when you need it. Great stuff Elecraft. Thanks again.
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OE5CSP
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 23, 2007 11:01
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Gosh
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I always wanted to have a K2/100 for my portable operations and as a cw-rig.After owning this rig for almost 2 years I thought it´s time to write a little review.I compared it to a TenTec Argonaut V and an IC761.
I installed the KAF2 filter and I also own the DSP-filter but prefer the analog filter for cw.
What I really like:
- fb cw audio( with the KAF2 audio filter installed), super and very quiet receiver, especially on the low bands.
- very nice modulation with the Heil MH2 microphone
- nice design
- good qsk (no annoying relay clacking)
- no ringing ears even after hours of listening with the headphones!!
-very good filters
There are many other things I like, but I want to keep it short.
This is what I don´t like:
-birdies on the ham bands, especially 10m
SSB rx audio sounds “nasal” (haven´t installed the modification yet )
My K2 is not a perfect rig; maybe I´ll add some modifications to make it better. My technical knowledge is a lot better now after spending hours together with some ham friends doing repair work or installing options .
This kit is good, almost excellent and I´m happy with it!
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K5AVJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 14, 2007 19:38
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What a blast!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been building kits since I got my ham ticket in 1960....mostly Heathkits. I built the QRP version of the K2 w/battery, SSB & ant tuner back about 2001 & since then I have added the 100 watt amp with the 100 w antenna tuner.
Construction - this is not a kit for a beginner, but if you've had some kit building experience with PCBs & small components & you have good soldering skills, you should be able to tackle this kit. The QRP version will require 40-60 hrs of construction so you need a location that you can lay out the parts & do inventory & separate components out in an organized fashion. A small wattage soldering iron, a flourescent lamp with a magnifying lens, & a small vise along with a small pair of dikes & needle nose pliers are invaluable. After 10-15 hours of construction, you will be able to energize what you have done so far & check functions.
The Elecraft website has the manual available for you to download & review ahead of time.
After I finished the QRP rig, I had fun operating it mobile, portable, & fixed. The receiver is better than anything I've ever owned.
Within a year or so, the 100-watt amp & ant tuner became available & I heated up the soldering station, again.
The construction manuals are very well written & the steps are easy to follow. Of course, it is imperative that you double-check each step & also make sure that you do not skip any steps. Since I am color-blind (red-green), I checked each resistor with an ohmmeter to verify the value before installing.
I have found the Electraft Reflector (e-mail group to be a great help & encouragement) and I have also talked to the Elecraft Technical support group & they have helped me pinpoint a couple of minor problems.
Currently, I have my K2/100 connected to my hamshack PC & I can remotely control my K2 with HRD & use IP-Sound for audio link, so while I type this review from the comfort of my bedroom, I can operate my K2 which is out in my shack where the temperature is about 40 F. I can even remotely activate the antenna tuner.
The completion of the K2 & accessories is something you can step back from & be proud of! Eric & Wayne, the founders of Elecraft, are some of my modern day heroes for the opportunity they have provided for us to build our own 1st class ham equipment. (We're waiting now for future projects!)
Making great ham memories with my K2/100:
+ For my wife's 52nd birthday, we stayed in a bed & breakfast in Fredericksburg, TX, and while she was splashing around in the jacuzzi hot tub, I was working Japan with an indoor wire antenna, & 10 watts on 10 meters.
+ Portable contacts at 10,000' from Mt. Baldy east of Santa Fe, NM
+ Mobile operations....QRP & at 100 watts
+ Remote operations using HRD with my K2/100
73 de K5AVJ
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AD7BA
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 24, 2007 18:04
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I've built 2
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is a great radio for CW. I buiit one for my father in law and one for myself. His has the SSB and DSP options. I only have the basic 100W unit. Very easy build and great, super, fantasic support. I thought they shorted me a component only to find out that I already had it. Part arrived in 2 days. Great for CW, only OK as a SSB rig. If you want a fun build and are looking for one of the best CW rigs at a great price... this is it.
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KA6LAF
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 16, 2007 09:23
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Great integration!
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Time owned: months
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I just finished the KPA100, which converts my K2 into a K2/100. The design and engineering behind both of these pieces continues to surprise me. Everything worked as expected, things fit together like a glove, and when powered up the first time, I had full output. A very compact radio, full featured, and it hears well.
This is my primary radio at the moment, and this weekend is ARRL DX CW, so I plan on giving it a full workout and burn-in. I also have the DSP unit, the NB, and will probably at some point install the SSB option, although I'm a 99+% CW op, so I'm not sure if I'll bother.
If you're wondering if you can build a whole radio from start to finish, I did also. My electronic knowledge has gone way up, as has my kit-confidence, I had never attempted a kit of this magnitude before, but was pleasantly surprised at how easy Elecraft made the build.
Support is fantastic. Product is exceeding my expectations. Obviously I can't say enough good about it. High 5's from here.
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DK4AS
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 12, 2007 02:53
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Happy to have this rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I purchased the kit including K2, KPA100, SSB-Module, DSP-Module, 160m-Extension, noise-blanker two years ago. I am an irregular hobbyist, but know, how to use a soldering iron. I was delighted about the structured manual which left no questions open. There were pictures for components, that are difficult to identify for an amateur, the building process was clear and step by step. There was no room for making mistakes once I followed the procedure as described. In the end it took me 35 working hours to bring all parts to work, including the KPA 100. Yes, I forgot to solder one ore two legs of components, but the test procedures brought me back on track easily. The only part, I could not bring to work was the noise blanker. It took me several attempts and the aid of the elecraft staff to identify the diode, I had soldered poorely.
I started to operate the unit qrp first and was surprised about the receiver. Nothing to add to all the comments made by other people. I would not change to any other unit I have seen at other people.
Operation of the rig was easy to learn for me. The filters absolutely meet my demand and I can set them myself to meet my demands. Lovely.
Then - in our club - we made a filter comparison between different commercially available units and the K2 using spektrogram. Wow! I was so glad to be the owner of the K2 and not of one of the middle-class KenYaCom´s that many people own.
Only after using the K2 for some weeks I added the KPA100. After working with it, I realised, that very often I don´t use it. 10 Watts for many purposes is just enough. So I behave as learned in the early days: use as litte power as neccessary.
I had to realise, that one must not have a heavy transformer placed in the vicinity of the K2. That provides some hum on the signal. Ok for me.
The fan of the KPA 100 only switches on, once the temperature rises to a certain level and then does a proper job. No complaints about the noise level.
So all in all for me the K2 is a perfect rig in CW and a very well performer in SSB. Undoubtedly it is ideal for people with demand for execellent performance but limited availability of power. A barebone K2 consumes so little power, that all yachties, bikers, mountaineers etc. should fall in love with it.
As said, there is nothing that I miss. I am happy to know, what I have built and to understand, how it functions. I trust to be able to fix myself what brakes in case it brakes. I see the support or the elecrafters-community on the reflector. In fact I recommend the K2 to everybody who needs a high performance rig instead of whistles and bells.
DK4AS
Karsten
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K1JD
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 11, 2007 06:38
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Reliability Update
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The main purpose of this review is not performance but reliability. When purchasing two K2's back in 1999, I recall wondering how they would stand up over time. Elecraft generated a lot of excitement when its K2 transceiver came onto the market since decades before many of us were hooked on homebrew and Heathkit radios. Building your own radio is a rewarding part of the hobby; there is deep satisfaction plus the confidence to repair or update.
I built K2 serial numbers 139 and 583 in July and October 1999 respectively and put them on the air. A 100w amp option followed shortly and was added to SN#583. After a year of a/b testing with two other popular “big rigs”, it became clear that it was time to downsize – the big rigs were sold off and the K2/100 has been in constant use since, providing many thousands of CW QSO’s.
Both K2’s will be 8 years old this year. They have never failed in any respect. The only reason for opening the boxes has been to update them with emerging design modifications and next-generation firmware. This modest effort has ensured that both radios are up to date relative to the latest serial numbers sold today. The K2/100 works seamlessly with computer logging programs via the serial interface while the Hercules II amplifier is auto-bandswitched using the KRC-2 band controller unit. As an aside, the other K2 is often interfaced to an Elecraft 6m transverter and a KX1 recently traveled with us in Tanzania. All of the Elecraft gear has been subjected to traveling and rough handling without any performance or relability problems.
In summary, these kits have proven to be both robust and reliable, providing years of enjoyment. I am looking forward to many more.
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