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Reviews For: Elecraft KX3

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Elecraft KX3
Reviews: 157MSRP: See Desciption
Description:
Elecraft KX3 Transceiver

Ultra-portable, all-band/all-mode high-performance transceiver for home, mobile, or field use.
* 160-6 meters (2 m with KX3-2M module)
* SSB/CW/DATA/AM/FM modes; 10 W+ PEP (100 W with KXPA100 amp)
* 1.7" x 3.5" x 7.4" (4.3 x 8.9 x 18.8 cm); only 1.5 pounds (0.7 kg)
* Current drain as low as 150 mA; internal battery (8 AA cells, any type)
* Advanced DSP provides dual watch, noise reduction, noise blanking, autonotch, stereo audio effects, audio peaking filter (APF)
* Software-defined radio (SDR) architecture plus optional roofing filters
* Operates in data modes (PSK31/RTTY) with or without a PC
* Includes RX I/Q sound-card outputs; works with PC RS232 or USB ports; free firmware upgrades
* Options: internal wide-range antenna tuner (KXAT3), interal NiMH battery charger (KXBC3), dual roofing filter module (KXFL3), attached high-performance keyer paddle (KXPD3), internal 2-meter module (KX3-2M), MH3 compact hand mic with UP/DN buttons, KXPA100/KXAT100 100-W amplifier and ATU

$999.95 factory assembled, $899.95 kit

Product is in production
More Info: http://www.elecraft.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001574.7
N6OSB Rating: 2013-03-13
Excellent Radio - OK Tuner Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Everyone knows how excellent the KX3 is. But there is a known issue with the internal tuner. If you tune up an non-resonance antenna the tuner will intermittently disengage. This is a known issue experience by others. This is a shame since the tuner does a great job at tuning just about anything.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by N6OSB on 2012-08-21

Great rig - Best receiver out there. Built in tuner tunes as good as my Tentec 238. Tuner beats any other internal tuner I've used.

I love this rig!!!
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N6OSB on 2012-08-12

This rig is awesome. I've waited for rig for about a year. I've played with it and love it. Lots of good CW features. Lots of SSB options too.
KF2Q Rating: 2013-03-02
Some points to know Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
OK I have yet to operate the radio so these comments are regarding physical items. I have no doubt the rig will perform great once I get the batteries charged.

First - it does not come with a microphone. That's an option and it isn't clear you don't get a standard mic with the kit. So I didn't order what I thought was an optional upgrade mic and now I have to wait for that to arrive.

Second there are no charging provisions such as a dongle or a cigarette lighter connection. You're on your own to get the thing powered up.

There is extensive Errata Data and it is a pain to integrate the information for each module, and the way they present the errata is out of order. Would be nice if they updated all the directions.

Next, having assembled it, I am concerned about how rugged it may be. Seems exceptionally fragile, and I am concerned about near term oxidation on various connections. It would be a good idea to use an appropriate oxygen blocking conductor goop during construction but I would definitely say to chat with Elecraft first!

The leg design is not good and is an obvious break point, again the fragile concerns which are quite valid in a radio that is likely to see a lot of field use.

I have exceptionally huge hands and the kit gave me some difficulty due to all of the very small parts, but proper kit building tools really helped.

Some instructions are out of sequence and so you should read the whole thing - including option directions - before beginning. For example there is a long process to calibrate the optional crystal filters and you might launch into that only to learn in another set of instructions that it has already been done at the factory.

Nothing I'm saying is meant to indicate this is a bad or inferior rig! I am only trying to make known some points that might help a future owner. In truth when you get inside this little beasty you will be quite amazed at the build quality - it's easy to see where all the money goes.

Oh one last thing... I ordered my kit at 2:00PM and it arrived 9:00Am the next day! I'm liking that!

WB4SIA Rating: 2013-02-21
Wow!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yaesu has always been my first choice in HAM gear...just a personal thing. However, I decided to try something different. The Elecraft KX3 seemed to offer the best bang-for-the-buck so, and after extensive research, I wrote the check. Keep in mind that I am not a contester but love QRP and DX. Having spent a little over a week (agreed, that is not much of a base-line) with my new toy, I can honestly say that I am overwhelmed by it's performance. I have never had my contacts go out of their way to ask specifically what I was using for a XCVR, nor have I ever had so many unsolicited comments on my signal quality. A recent contact stated, after learning I was running the KX3, that he figured I was using some kind of "high end" gear. That speak well for the transmitter portion of the rig, but the receiver is a whole different game. I can only offer empirical data (read opinion). As a retired engineer, I've lost my access to pro-lab grade test equipment. However, Sherwood Engineering has the goods to accurately evaluate pretty much any RF gear. According to their evaluation, there is one, and only one, transceiver with better receiver specification than the KX3...and that is the German designed and built Hilberling PT 8000A. The PT 8000A is marginally better and costs a mere $18,000...yes, $18k. That is roughly 12 - 13 times the cost of the factory built KX3. Based on the quality and performance of the KX3, I really wonder what Elecraft could come up with for that kind of money.

In the words of W5TOM, "The crystal and DSP filtering work so well that the rig is at the top of the Sherwood Engineering receiver test specs, yep, unless you have a Hilberling PT 8000A, the KX3 is better than what you're using. See for yourself at http://www.sherweng.com/table.html." I think that pretty well says it all.

Oh, and customer service? I failed to read the manual and missed a simple point when initially setting up the XCVR. I called Elecraft and left a message. My call was returned in less than 10 minutes and (Dave) was kind enough to help me out...or should I say read for me. In spite of the fact he should have shot me on the spot, he was very cordial. He also spent another 15 minutes giving me a Cliff Notes version of how to get on the air in a hurry. God bless the man.
SP5DU Rating: 2013-02-21
Radio for connoisseurs. Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
In these difficult times (big cities conditions; we are looking for something other than just the DX’s hunted with kilowatts and 11 elements yagis) is a great choice. I am testing it for 4 months, mainly due to the magnetic-loops and various shortened antennas (basically: MFJ-1786 in my base-QTH in Warsaw/look at my page on “qrz.com”; amazing AlexLoop & MP-1 during my trips), and I am still pleasantly surprised.
Perhaps this is not radio to contests, yet we are not all contestmans, depends on who likes what. But to fight effectively in difficult conditions, hear “what lives” and with the help of an PA to make long distance contacts - as much as possible. Superb, great receiver performance. Amazing CW-reception, like the needle. Smooth, almost velvety manipulator (KXPD3) and very effective RX-TX audio-equalizer. An excellent solution, for example, for low-budget expeditions.
I am deeply convinced: that is one-of-a-kind Art superior technology, created by HAMS for HAMS (#2106, integrated all possible options, as for today).
Chris, SP5DU
(45 years of HAM radio)

KC5CW Rating: 2013-02-20
Best HF radio out there for the money Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got it on Dec 14, 2012
Serial number 3045

I have Icom HF rigs and have used Yaesu ft-897d and heard other rigs, none of them are anywhere close to the kx3. I was a little worried about spending so much money on this radio vs one that would do 2m/70c and 5 or even 100 watts, but the upgrade is totally worth it. The noise reduction is mesmerizing in how it takes a noisy signal and makes it sound like it is in the same room with you. The antenna tuner is better than my Icom and its built in tuner. My ocf dipole wouldn't tune 10m before but the kx3 internal tuner works and it is tiny, about the size of 10 playing cards stacked together (but it's internal).

I love that I can put the whole radio, batteries (internal eneloop 2500maH), tuner, and a wire antenna into a backpack and go activate a summit for SOTA. The power usage is lower than any other radio in its class, so batteries LAST. On 13.8v you can tx up 12 watts, on internal AA batteries you're limited to 5 watts. I've talked SSB all over the country on 5 watts and have heard of DX that others have had success with 5w. If you're into CW, it's full featured and you can do psk31 or rtty via CW. Spell out words with cw and it literally translates it into psk31 or rtty prior to transmit.

Because it is a SDR, upgrades happen fairly regularly and cost zero. Recently it was upgraded with two memory banks to record messages so you don't have to call CQ all the time with your voice.. you can just playback your recording.

If you buy one, join the Yahoo! group as it is packed with very knowledgeable people that really help and quite often you'll get a response from an Elecraft founder or employee. wow.
K4JAH Rating: 2013-02-13
Best bang for the dollar Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had the radio almost two months now and it continues to amaze. I wish it had a little more drive for external speaker but a powered speaker turns this little guy into a giant. Some of my friends tease because it's only 12 watts. They just don't get it. They all run there 100 watt rigs with amps on all the time so it really does not matter 12 or 100. only about a 1 to 1/2 s unit difference. My 12 watts drive gets me 400 out and no body knows the difference anyway. Then there's the freedom of having battery power, built in charger,tuner, (which my ic 7000 didn't have) and SMALL size. Of course it's quieter on receiver than any of the other small JA radios I've owned. It also won't be out dated in a short time and replaced by just another pretty face. Great choice for me. 73 Happy Elecraft owner.
HAMMYGUY Rating: 2013-02-12
Good rig, but not so hot using with a computer for SDR. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'll certainly agree with the majority that the KX3 has an excellent receiver. Side by side with my Pro2 it has slightly less white noise and outstanding audio quality. But I don't agree with others that signals just "jump out at you" unless you have the RF gain turned way down. It's a good transceiver, but nothing is magical about it.

Where the KX3 fails is in it's implementation of it's IQ output. To observe and use it as an SDR radio you will learn all about external sound cards, images, torroids, isolators on the IQ output etc. Ask anybody who has owned a Flex-Radio SDR-1000. They know all about the pitfalls of these early SDR rigs. That is why Flex-Radio ceased manufacturing that radio. Direct sampling is what most of the higher quality receivers are using with a simple USB cable to the computer.

Purchase the KX3 for use as a portable radio where it shines and you'll be completely happy. But don't expect it to be as good as the current crop of SDR receivers available that use direct sampling. Direct sampling has a far cleaner display than using a sound card.

SP2SWR Rating: 2013-02-12
Great RX performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Sold my TS-870 and backup FT-897 to save for this little gem!
Great parameters on paper DOMAKE great RX in real wolrd. I live in Central Europe where SW signals are really stronnngggg (we cope with Ukrainian, Rassian an Italian +30dB and over signals). I live about 10 Lambda leghts from VERY big LW TX (more than 1MW) and expieriend some bleedtrough in other radios (not in KX3!).
Receiver is very quaiet! If not-double check your setup. May be some neighbours plasma is making noise to you. I using good headphons from SENNHEISER (HD380 PRO) and I can say audio is superb! DELAY function is awesome. My coleges visited me to see new KX3 where smilling whearing headphons with DELAY enebled. They were simply loghtig loud!
I hooked up my KX3 to very fine solid state amp wich gives me full legal power (500W out here in Poland) running only 3W out of KX3. Fantastic!

I have performed all calibrations and software upgades without any problems, Great radio/pc engenering from ELECRAFT.
KI4ECU Rating: 2013-02-10
WOW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have only owned the kx3 now for 2 weeks but put it threw alot of test and moutain tops.This rig is unbelivable,my first impressions of the rig could not have been any better,as all the other reviews,this is the real deal.My first outing was mostly spent on 20m with a homemade ground mount vertical,my contacts was NH,MD,LA,FL, Jan Mayen,SD,ND,Netherlands,Ok,AR,WA,Canada.That was just the first trip with 5 watts on ssb by the way.That was a day to talk about but the second trip the flux was down and i didnt think it would be as good,well here is the log for the second trip.European Russia,Poland,Croatia,Sweden,Austria,Belgium,And 2 in the states,and this was ssb again with internal bateries.I can only find one feature that i wish i could change and some of you guys may be able to help me.I wish the menu was numbered,there are alot of menus and numbering would be faster to find,guess im used to Icom.Still have the 7410 but it sure does get the rest now.
WA6MOW Rating: 2013-02-03
Compact K3 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned many radios including the K3. I have stated in other reviews that there is no perfect radio and that's why most of us own more than one rig. I only work cw so keep that in mind when you read my review. This rig is different in many ways including viewing position and the fact that it is shaped like a little brick. I have taken my big box rigs off the operating desk and have been using the KX3 as my only radio. The more time I spend with this radio the more I like it. Power consumption is amazingly low. 10 watts is sufficient to work the world. The receiver is superb and most likely compares closely to the K3. The internal tuner is very effective. I initially thought that this radio was very expensive for a 10 watts rig. After putting it to use as my only rig I actually feel it is a bargain. The shape and the way the antenna attaches to its side may not appeal to everyone. If you are looking for a state of the art small radio with no competion this rig is for you. The performance and features will make it a cult following rig like the K2. I highly recommend this rig for anyone looking for a high performance super compact rig that is well suited for portable or fixed operations.