A New Leaf: QRP and the KX-3

The latest project is to put the Elecraft KX-3 through its paces.  The kit arrived Thursday afternoon.  Assembly was complete on Friday, and now we're on the air.  The preferred mode is 5 Watts CW, leaving a little headroom in case of "difficult conditions" (up to 12 Watts available).

The receiver is doing very well.  (See the latest Sherwood results.)  The transmitter is fine so far, but it gets some help from the 3-element SteppIR antenna upstairs.

First Q's: DK2SC (20 M), CT1EDJ (15 M)

It's very impressive how much functionality is compressed into this little box.  I calculate its volume is about 1/20th of the Ten-Tec Orion on the main desk. The Orion does deliver 8X the power, and it has a few other nice features, but I'm thinking how I could better use that desk space.