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Reviews For: Elecraft KX1

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

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Review Summary For : Elecraft KX1
Reviews: 92MSRP: 279
Description:
A unique 3-band HF CW transceiver optimized for backbacking and lightweight travel; only 9 oz., 1.3"H x 5.2"W x 3"D. Includes DDS VFO, internal battery, optional internal automatic antenna tuner, plug-in keyer paddle. Covers entire 20/30/40m ham bands (30 m optional) plus SWL segments.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.elecraft.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15924.8
NS6Y_ Rating: 2005-03-24
Not for beginners, and GREAT! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is not a kit for a Boy Scout earning their soldering badge, try a Norcal SST or 40a first, but I got the kit, inventoried the parts, and taking the maxim that "building a KX1 is not a timed event", took my time because I really wanted this kit to work well.

This is not a trivial build, and do NOT get ahead of the instructions! I did and soldered the ground wires to the tops of the xtals like I've seen a million times, OOPS. Had to desolder those and resolder 'em, cut short, to the xtal sides, no prob. I also mistook the "pillow" capacitor for the 150 pF job, and thought I'd lost the 150 pF'er, until I realized the teeny yellow one was it and moved the "pillow" over and re-installed it. Removal and re-installation is hard on parts and it's best avoided! I carefully went through each checking and testing stage, and no problem. I took a few hours after the reciever tests just to play with it, since I did not "get" the tuning/readout, and it took me some time to realize I'm looking at 3 digits of a 6-digit display at a time. Once I got the "zen" of tuning this, going exactly where I want was a snap and I was able to do the tests. I lack an HF wattmeter so I'm not sure how many watts are getting out, I need to get one of those ASAP or at least install the ATU/wattmeter and see what that tells me. It does get out, and everything I can test, tests A-OK.


General impressions: This rig is solid as a rock, physically and radio-lly. No drift at all when listening to a signal, and not a bad "desktop radio" when hooked up to an amplified speaker, can listen to CW or SSB or even AM with the filter opened up all the way. The variable filter is neat! Instead of switching to X or Y filter, you can dial it in just right. Goes down to 300Hz or so, plenty narrow. This rig is every bit as pleasant to listen to as the big fancy one with the color screen at the candy store, and tuning resolution down to 10 Hz makes dialing those quack-quack SSB stations easier than on the big rig too.

I got the Elecraft paddle, 30m kit, and ATU also, the manual suggests getting used to the basic rig before installing the additional stuff, and I agree. I wanted to hold off until I'd made a QSO or three, but can't resist, this is a great rig and I wanted to write about it.
AA6VO Rating: 2005-02-27
One fine radio! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Although I'd done small projects over the years, the last real kit I built was a Heathkit AM/FM direction finder in 1978. But I wanted to build this one, so I bought the recommended equipment, carefully followed the instructions and... it worked great the first time! This little radio is packed with features, has a great receiver (the variable filter works great), and will be loads of fun for me for many years. My first qso with it was over 1200 mi on 40 and I received a 589! If it's within your budget, and you want a top-of-the-line, go-anywhere qrp rig, this has to be the one for you. If you are light on kit-building experience, I highly recommend you download the instruction manual, make sure you have all the recommended equipment, and are reasonably comfortable reading and understanding the instructions before purchasing.
K6XG Rating: 2005-02-23
Great fun. Elegant design. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My XYL (KG6LJ)gave me a KX1 as a retirement present and I just finished it. What fun! I've build a lot of kits in my day (Knight, Heathkit, etc .. see pic on QRZ.com). I'd say the Elecraft is by far the best quality I've ever seen.

The rig fired up FB the first time and my first QSO was with Hawaii on 40m from my QTH in N. Calif.

My advice is to get a good magnifying glass since some parts are quite small. Follow the directions exactly! I thought I cleaned the burrs around the mount for the output transistor, but the ohm check said otherwise. Upon closer inspection, I found the faintest whisker of aluminum making a bridge. Luckily it got fixed before being fired up.

Wayne has done an elegant design job on this rig. The receiver can copy almost anything my ICOM 756PRO can hear. The variable filter is very effective. The interface is simple to use, but has a great deal of flexibility. The transmitted CW signal is clean and nice sounding. The paddles work very well.

This is gonna be a favorite toy for quite some time.

Great job Wayne.
G3CWI Rating: 2005-01-29
Good but not perfect Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First an admission. I bought my KX1 secondhand so it was already built. This means that I missed out on the "wow, I built it myself" factor. Perhaps it will mean that I'm more objective about performance issues?

Unlike most KX1 owners (I suspect), I'm a backpacking ham and in the two weeks that I have had the KX1 it has been used on 6 summits. While it works well, the sensitivity/AF output level is marginal which makes it hard to hear signal in a gale. You may not operate in gales much but I do so it matters to me. The TFR layout is good - it's what I'm used to. Elecraft are to be congratulated on addressing this very specialised market.

The internal batteries give an output power of something over 1 Watt. This is just about enough most of the time although I tend to use an external battery pack to get the power up to 2-3 watts as signals are often weak at this part of the sunspot cycle on 40m NVIS.

The KX1 packaging is not fantastically rugged and I feel the need to protect the radio well before putting it in my rucksack. My normal backpacking radio (a home made design) is ruggedised and water resistant and you soon get to appreciate thse benfits of this on mountain tops.

The KX1 is certainly packed with features. These are well implemented and easy to use in the field. Most features are actually useful - unlike those on a FT1000MkV. I havent overnighted yet with my KX1 but feel sure that the SWL facilities will be a great plus.

Filtering is fine. The tuner is fine. Size and weight are good.

It will be interesting to see whether the KX1 becomes my standard field radio or whether it becomes an occasional companion. Its next major test will be a two week expedition to the mountains of Ireland.

I also have a K1 and a DSW2 (repackaged to TRF spec). Tough competition.

73

Richard
G3CWI

Try "Summits on the Air"
www.sota.org.uk
KU4QW Rating: 2005-01-14
It was alright Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I didn't like mine much, seemed really weak for a backpacking rig. Seems like it would be really easy to smash up. The Receiver wasn't much to listen to, the menu system wasn't that smart, hard to use if you wanted to make changes in the field. I think the Sierra is a much better radio, maybe just my taste. But I didn't like anything about my kx1
LA2MOA Rating: 2005-01-09
A pleasure to build and operate! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I finished building my KX1 with the 30 meter option yesterday. It was indeed a pleasure to build, even if I´m not a experience kit-builder. If you are a complete newcomer into kits, I do recommend that you start with something easier, since there are a few "tricky" parts in this kit. The KX1 is VERY compact and you have to follow the instructions very carefully, otherwise the PCB, battery boxes and case will not fit. It will get even worse if you do a "sloppy" job with assembling and fit the 30 meter module on the main PCB.

But in general, the KX1 is easy to assemble and align - if you´re careful, that is! Just follow the manual carefully and you will have great fun building this kit!

Operating the KX1 is a true pleasure as well! Some minutes ago, I worked my first QSO with this little gem of a rig. EI6AN gave me RST 569, so my 4.5 watt sparks really reached Lifford on Ireland. The receiver is really as HOT as mentioned in other reviews of the KX1. The filter is really versatile, allowing me to copy weak CW and strong BC stations with good selevctivity. I can sit for hours, just listening...

I have not yet been familiar with all pushbutton-menu "taps" and "hold", but the basic functions is easy to reach - making this radio very easy to operate. I just can´t wait until summer, when I´ll bring the rig with me on my annual camping trip to the arctic parts of Norway.

Right now I will complete the setup with assembling the internal ATU and then I will order a K1 from Elecraft, hi!

Well done, Elecraft! The KX1 will give many hours of QRP-fun!
KI4EZC Rating: 2004-10-20
KX1/ Just What I Needed Time Owned: N.A.
I have recently gotten back into Ham radio (April 2004) after a nearly 50 year absence. I have a nice ICOM base station but do not want to pack it up (along with power supply, antenna tuner and key) when we go pop-up trailer camping or when we a rent vacation spot in Florida.
My electronic building experience is dated (the last big thing that I built was a Novice Knight tube type receiver kit in 1955) and I am not perfect in following instructions.
I read the eHam reviews and downloaded the KX1 Owner’s (building/ operation) manual before I phoned in the order. I wanted a small rig, QRP power, SWR indicator, keyer, digital frequency read out, and to be able to operate CW on my favorite bands of 40 and 20 meters.
I obtained several clear plastic hobby trays with an array of 1.5" cube bins which were used to organize the many KX1 part types. The assembly and test project took about 10 long working days for the basic transceiver. The manual was well written and clear. With another few days, I rounded out the portable rig with the optional Antenna Tuning Unit (ATU), paddle key, and 30 meter board. I made at least 2 mistakes, about which Gary at Elecraft support, very helpfully got me back on track. I learned how to solder, de-solder, and use a digital multimeter during this project. I needed these experiences to enjoy the Ham radio hobby better.
I think the KX1 is very advanced for the price (menu option selection, receiver noise processing, memory for ATU during band changes). It is very natural to use and I became comfortable with being on the air with it quickly. I use a 12V 1000mA Power Adapter from Radio Shack and a 24 foot wire antenna having 4 radials and is coax fed. This one antenna is tuned to a little over 5 watts with an SWR of 1.1 to 1.9 by the ATU.
My first KX1 contacts (in July) were from mine and a friend’s yard as I made several contacts that ranged from Ohio to Texas (from Tenn.). I then used it for over a week (in August) on a camping trip where several contacts were made as far away as Nebraska on mostly 30 meters. Recently (in October) we were in Florida for 2 weeks where I made 42 contacts including working 2 stations in Canada (mostly 20 meters).
The KX1 has added hugely to my joy from being a Ham operator. I hope CW remains an important part of our hobby.
WB9JTK Rating: 2004-09-28
Lots of fun, high quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After I ordered the KX1 I had a couple of minutes of "buyers remorse." I was thinking: "I already have more radios than I can use." That thought has never returned, and it never will.

I started on the kit on Saturday at 3pm. Sunday afternoon I was on the air with it. This rig is fun. I am very glad I went with the auto-tuner, 30m, and paddle options. Other than headphones and antenna, this is a complete ham station in a box. I worked England, Italy and south America while mobile (hustler 20m whip) and realized you do not need 100w to have fun.

The very next weekend we get hit by hurricane Jeane here in Florida. Our power is off yet again (it was off for 7 days after hurricane frances just 2 weeks earlier). It is too hot to sit inside, so I strung a makeshift dipole in a tree and I have spent a few evenings operating from the patio with the KX1s internal AA cells. I was having enough fun that I located a car battery and used that so I would be able to run real high power, over 3.1 watt.

The vfo tuning is beautiful. Within minutes I was operating switching between vfo-knob rates totally subconciously. There is absolutely no 'backlash' in the tuning. The internal antenna tuner works well. Of course the range of impedances is not as great as a full size desk-top tuner, but this tuner means I never have to trim the antenna after tossing it in a tree.

The instructions were top-notch. The tests during the building had me quickly locate where I misidentified 47 ohm and 470 ohm resistors. (I am going to have to admit I need glasses now.)

I am an EE and I just had to put this rig on all the fancy equipment. Spectrum analyzer, frequency counters etc. I am getting 3W output when operating from external 13 v supply. This radio is not for everyone. But it does what it was designed to do very well. I would like to see receiver performance comparisons between this rig and a "high-end" ham receiver from the 70's such as the Drake R4C. I like the sound quality. Adjusting the variable bandwidth crystal filter is very pleasant.

After using it for a couple weeks now I finally have something to be picky about. The output transistor uses the top cover of the rig as a heatsink. The hole in the cover is counter-sunk so that the screw will be flush with the top. The first time I shorted the collector of the output transistor to ground I tossed that screw out. I installed a regular screw and a shoulder washer. Now even if that screw is over-tightened, there will not be a short.

If you compare the prices of the KX1 with other QRP rig kits you will see that this is definitely NOT an inexpensive transceiver. That's ok, because this is definitely not a CHEAP transceiver either. I thought about one of the cheaper kits "just to have fun for a while". The KX1 was built to last and I believe it will.
W4GNS Rating: 2004-09-25
Great Radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The KX1 is easy to build . I am very happy with the receiver and variable filter works GREAT for east coast 40 meters ; ). Only problem i have with kit is i can't seem to be able to find a reason to buy and build another one.....Nice radio and its a keeper
KB3IPE Rating: 2004-09-12
great fun building and working Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I was looking for a QRP rig that I could use portable as well as at home. I could not find in all of my searching a more competant and versitile rig that I could fit an entire station in less than a lunchbox-sized container.

It was great fun building and has been great fun working.