Interesting comparison between the KX3 and the 817 by M0JCQ, a serious portable operator. Don’t let the fact that I’m hopelessly biased influence your guess about which rig he prefers
I found the review by James to be complete and not biased, he pointed out the advantages and disadvantages of both rigs and made no conclusion that one is “better” than the other. He did rightly point out that the two rigs are different generations of technology, the FT817 being an older design than the KX3.
I wonder how long before we get a portable SDR from one of the three major manufacturers, ICOM have just released their mobile SDR rig the IC-7300, but they don’t have a truly portable HF rig any more. It would be nice to see a third or forth “mainstream” option for a commercial multimode HF portable rig suitable for SOTA, Parks, WWFF etc. usage.
73 Ed.
P.S. my preference is my reliable solid FT817 - the KX3 is simply too expensive for me to take bouncing around on a hilltop, even though I know it would perform better.
Without having ever tasted the KX3, my preference for SOTA activations is also FT-817.
The obvious reason is price vs performance.
I’m certain that I won’t do any better if I was activating with a KX3 instead of the FT-817.
Even worse if the KX3 was my rig, as I also find it less robust and more delicate for having it bouncing around in the mountains.
All those filtering features of the KX3 won’t make any difference with respect to the FT-817 when activating from a Summit.
The higher output power will make no or very little difference when activating from a Summit with a decent and well performing aerial.
In my opinion, all those more refined features of a KX3 with less menus, bigger screen, more buttons on the front panel, more sophisticated RX filtering, less current consumption on RX, etc, simply don’t justify having to spend 3 times the price of a FT-817.
To me, the FT-817 is clearly the winner too.
Best 73 de Guru.
I lusted after a KX3, but the price was simply out of my budget. I’ve had my FT817 since 2001 and it’s done all I need.
Sure, we all agree that technically, the KX3 is a far superior radio, but personally, I’d rather see fewer controls and knobs whilst SOTA activating! I want to turn the rig on, set the volume and make contacts.
I saw a KX3 fairly early on and I couldn’t believe how poor the case seemed to be protecting those precious electronics. The speaker was also very weak. Not too long after I saw that particular radio, it was in pieces having rotary encoders replaced, due to the lack of proper seals on the front panel.
Give me a KX3 in a Yaesu style case and make the price reasonable, and I’d do all I could to scrape the cash together to buy one.
I do think a KX3 would make a great shack pet though
Its more robust then you think actually and its easy enough to repair if you do damage it. The buttons have a membrane around them to stop water ingress from the top.
The 2 meter module cost is absurd you can get a very good hand held for the same money which can stay outside your back pack whilst walking. The same applies to the cost of the microphone.
I am not satisfied with it in all honestly for the money they should have sorted out some of the problems wrt the firmware by now. Not messing around by increasing the drive to the PA. It is very much a rich mans toy…
If I had the decision again I would choose the FT817 I think.
Thanks for picking this up Wayne! I posted this on Monday night and it’s been a really popular article, 430 views as of yesterday.
Thanks Ed. The majority of other comparisons seem to say one is better, but for me it really depends on what you want from your portable rig. Plus neither of them are bad rigs in any sense
True, no real use unless you have a very nearby station causing QRM, then you can filter them out. I tend to use my KX3 for contests as well, this is where the filtering really comes in!
This is the crux of the choice for most. The expense is not a few pounds/euros/dollars, it’s significantly different!
Correct Jonathan. I have the 2m module and it’s not worth it. I got it mostly for VHF contesting but after testing with another local ham we discovered the signal has massive spurs across 12kHz. Certainly fine at 3w but not if you want to add an amplifier in line
They are too quick to release stuff to not pick up issues like this.
I am contemplating reverse engineering the KXBC3 because I am too frugal to pay - £100 for a PIC18 and a few diodes…
and about 50 lines of C ! just for the privilege to have a clock on the display !
As I said rich mans toy The best of an OK bunch I suppose, need more competitive products.
Sunday if all goes well I’m going to test my new toy a KX3 with all these accessories.
More details in my activation report… It remains secret because it is the 3rd activation of the planned summit (only 32 QSO were made and maybe duper) !
I haven’t had the opportunity to do what I love most > doing radio on high points
Having surgery on my second hip in April of this year, I regained all my mobility, my crutch has been stored in a corner of my shack for some time. 66 years ago I was born.
Back to the KX3 !
Yes I had used a QCX 40m quickly replaced by an FT-817nd with some benefit for my numerous activations… 26 only and many were summits accessible by car.
I got 2 first summits activations [happy to go before Roger, Armin and Paul (who are they ?)] some others who love our region F/CR Fortunately there are others who prefer this region to the high Vosges peaks ( easy 10 pts)
Seriously, let’s come back to the subject: KX3 is complete (I have module 144) but to implement it remains a little complicated (HF not VHF)… Any help ?
Listen, I’ll tell you more this Sunday alert and if the weather permits.
Out of the dozen SOTA radios I have, I used the 817ND into a packer amp for 6 years and a KX-3 for 3 years. The KX is better on receive, especially the peaking filter. Navigating the menus rapidly is a win for the KX. I got the KX wet countless times, and it is fine if I open the case at home for a few hours. It has 15 watts on the lower bands if voltage is at least 14.8, and that’s good enough for my 11,000 contacts s2s. I have run power of 15, 68, 100, and 1,000 watts from summits. I’ve failed very few chases using 15 watts, partly because I’m aggressive and experienced. Both of those rigs I got used, mint and loaded, one for 525 dollars and one for 1,400 dollars. The KX-3 serial number is a bit below 12,000.
I still regard myself a newbie to the whole hobby. The first radio I had was a KX-3. A lucky purchase for a decent price. Could not get a QSO. Tried a number of different aerials and no joy. Recorded each of the menu settings, and there are a few, and went on to the FB KX-3 page to check that they weren’t stopping me doing something. A friend was selling an 816 at the time and I was sorely tempted. I actually sent it back to the shop I’d bought it from to have a health check, they found no issue with it and offered to buy it back at close to the original purchase price and I let it go. It was a nice radio and a ‘shack in the box’ but I had no joy. I bought one of the first TX-500 when they came out, my first use of it was my first SOTA activation and here I am. As a radio button presser it has all the facilities of the KX-3 but I feel it is slightly more robust, fingers crossed it remains so. KX-3 is a lovely radio and I’d probably have one again but in terms of robust easy operations and pretty tight in relation to the weather I feel the TX-500 is more where I’m at.
I think I know how you are thinking Eric. The KX3 appears complex, perhaps more so than the FT-817, but both are menu-driven radios with multiple functions on the various controls. Neither is straightforward and certainly not like a 1980s radio where the controls have just one function.
I have both the KX3 and the FT-817. I prefer the KX3 in terms of performance, but the FT-817 is certainly adequate for SOTA and I have enjoyed using mine since 2006 when I purchased it. All I can suggest is that you use your radio in the shack before you use it for activating and get totally familiar with the controls. There is nothing worse than getting onto a summit, switching the radio on and wondering what is what. I cannot claim to be 100% conversant with any of my SOTA rigs, but I’m at least part way there.
By the way, I am really impressed by the 2m transverter in the KX3. I use mine with a 25 watt Microwave Modules linear which has an integral preamp. The pairing makes a superb station.
I believe that a summit tomorrow with the KX3 is premature, thanks to Gerald @G4OIG for his common sense response.
If I look at the weather forecast the activation will take place on Thursday the 24th which will give me time to deepen the handling of this TRX.
I’m going to edit my alert, so be prepared to give me some points
hi Eric,
like Gerald and many others I also have both the 817 and a KX3. (like Gerald I also have a 703). I have recently gone back to the manual to find how something works on the kx3 and reading it I found a few other features I didn’t know were there. I first used a kx3 belonging to Gerard VK2IO and I must say it felt very capable and I really liked it. By the end of that year I had found one for sale and snapped it up, complete with a Begali paddle and a signalink. My first radios were home made with tubes in the 1960s and there was nothing then like a menu. or digital vfo. so it is possible to change with the technology but there is often a steep learning curve. If you have worked me on hf since 2017 I was using the kx3. i still have the 817 for vhf and uhf transverters and it goes well, within its limits. I used a T1 tuner with the 817 and that works very well especially with the interface cable that tells the T1 what band I am on.
one thing I had to do with the kx3 is to turn the receiver preamp on. the manual covers that and gives the suggested settings for the lower and higher bands. Without it the receiver sounds a bit deaf. But overall it is a great radio, I’m sorry to read of someone finding a new radio is less than they expected.
Fortunately there are others who prefer this region to the high Vosges peaks ( easy 10 pts) 
