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| Reviews Summary for Elecraft KDSP2 for the K2 Transceiver |
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Reviews: 3
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Average rating: 5.0/5
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MSRP: $219.00
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Description: The Elecraft KDSP2 brings versatile, high-performance digital signal processing (DSP) technology to the K2 and K2/100 transceivers. The KDSP2 unit, which is fully integrated with the K2, plugs directly into the Control board. It's also very easy to assemble, with no surface mount components to install. The DSP IC and related parts are pre-installed on a small plug-in module.
The KDSP2 provides up to four user-configurable filters in each mode (CW/SSB/data), complementing the K2's variable-bandwidth crystal filter. CW filter settings include center frequency and bandwidth, with "hard" and "soft" filter algorithms and bandwidths as narrow as 50 Hz. SSB filters provide programmable low and high cutoff frequencies. Four levels of noise reduction are available in CW and SSB modes, while SSB mode includes an automatic notch filter. The KDSP2 is unique in that noise reduction and auto notch parameters can be modified to suit the operator.
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More info: http://www.elecraft.com/
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You can
write your own review of the Elecraft KDSP2 for the K2 Transceiver.
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NI0C
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 11, 2006 09:28
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Superior noise rejection
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I'm a lowband CW DX'er in the Midwest. I need and utilize all the QRM and QRN fighting tools available, including narrow IF filters, and audio DSP enhancement.
For several years, I've owned and used the MFJ-784B DSP filter, with excellent FIR bandpass filtering and moderate noise rejection capabilites. It has been a great enhancement for both the TS-850S and the Omni 6 Option 1.
I've recently completed a K2 with the KDSP2 option. The Elecraft's bandpass filters are every bit as good as the MFJ's, and the noise rejection is nothing short of amazing. When I engage one of the KDSP2 filters with the NR enabled, the signal level stays the same and the noise is reduced considerably, with a dramatic increase in s/n ratio. This is in contrast with both the Omni 6's NR (which seems to amplify both the signal and the noise, with only a marginal improvement in s/n ratio), and the MFJ NR, which slightly attenuates both signal and noise, with only a moderate improvement in s/n ratio.
With the K2 and KDSP2, the MFJ784B provides no improvement whatsoever. I'm really pleased with both the K2 and the KDSP2 option.
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KI4DGH
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 20, 2006 12:46
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Great Filter
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I built and installed the KDSP2 Filter into my K2 last year. Building the KDPS2 is really a misnomer since the IC Chip and SMD components are preinstalled at Elecraft. I think the filter sounds and works great. I will tell you that it took me a long while to figure it out. The menu options and the flexiblity of the KDSP2 are truly incredible. Four seperate filter levels for SSB, CW and RTTY. It took me a while to figure out what settings on the filters, denoiser, autonotch, denoiser Beta and decay settings as well as the SSB, CW, gain settings provided the best filtering with the proper gain to leave my audio sounding clear and uncluttered. In my humble opinion the flexibility and the complexity of this filter are a blessing and a curse. You can start out with the factory defaults but the filter shines when you take the time to experiment with the settings.
KI4DGH
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KG0WX
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 12, 2005 16:41
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Best DSP for the best HF rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I built and installed the KDSP2 into K2 #4913 this
past saturday. Building was easy as the DSPx board
with all it's surface mount components came pre built.
Programming is easy once you get used to it. At the
beginning I was quite lost but after an evening or
two, I had put the manual away. I guess we could call
that a steep learning curve.
Performance is....well - it's an Elecraft. 'Nuff said?
I've owned several DSP equipped radios including a TS2000x,
a BHI Ltd. equipped FT-817 and a pair of FT-857's. The
overall capability of the KDSP2 is better than those but
the real plus is the fact that the KDSP2 can be tailored
to suit your needs. You get 4 adjustable bandpass filters
for each mode, 4 denoiser levels and you can tweak the
attack and decay on both the denoiser and the autonotch.
Using Spectrogram to view the bandpass, I discovered
that the skirt edges with the KDSP2 are even sharper
than the stock IF filters!
As if that wasn't enough, you can set the gain (in db) for
the denoiser and the autonotch. I set the autonotch gain
and the Afilter gain to +1.5db each. If you set these too
high, the speaker will crackle, even if the volume is
turned all the way down. Mine started to crackle on 40m ssb
with a s9+30 station and the Afilter gain set to 11.5db.
Also, the algorythyms and programming of the DSPx module
are OPEN SOURCE! You **really** want to tweak the DSP?
download the software and reprogram the DSP's software
from scratch. Wow.
Summary: As with most Elecraft products, if there is a
better product out there (rare), then it'll cost you a
wheel barrel of $$$ to get it and you'll miss the fun of
building it yourself!
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