You get a brownie point for being magnanimous. But just because he can bash brass and has a licence with more privileges doesn’t mean he isn’t an incompetent goon with zero clue how to operate
There are a plethora of reasons why there is a difference and unless all other conditions are the same and you are switching between radios during the QSO, all you can say is with setup A on day X I worked 5 people in 30mins and with setup B on day Y i only worked 4 people in 2hrs. i.e. anecdotal evidence
Bear in mind that many chasers don’t bother working a second operator in the same summit or they may do it but after having chased all other summits on air at about that time on other frequencies, so the first rig/operator putting on air that summit reference that day has a clear advantage with respect to any others following after.
73,
Interesting points - increasing the loudspeaker volume on the KX2 could significantly reduce battery run time, as it does with the 817 or any other radio. Using headphones is generally a good thing if possible…
I am not a fan of my 817. My issues: 1. I can barely even turn it on. The button is hard to get to. 2. I cannot see the swr on the tiny screen. 3. 2. 5 watts is barely good enough for CW and pretty useless on SSB. 4. The available after market antenna tuning devices are cumbersome to hook up and use. 5. To get the extra power you need an external battery.
The advantages of the kx2. 1. The button ergonomics are good. 2. I can see easily see the screen in full sunlight. 3. Ten watts available with the built in battery.
4. The energy drain on receive is light. 5. The built in antenna tuner works by pushing one button and whatever is hooked up is tuned in a 2 seconds. 6. There are attachable keys to the rig not requiring extra cabling and a place for you extra key. Hint, I use the paddle for the kx3 with the special shorter screw for the kx2. The kx3 paddle is now a good paddle since they fixed it.
When I finally get to the peak I just want to setup in under a minute. The kx2 allows that with an endfed antenna.
Of course your stamina may be different.
Richard
The batteries installed in my KX2 very quickly reached such a low voltage that the transmitting power was only 5W.
That’s why I only use them as a backup and always carry an external power supply that lasts me a whole day. With it, I can do several summits a day. It can also be charged in the car while driving to the next summit.
And yes - the built-in speaker is not exactly hifi. But in order not to disturb the tranquillity of the landscape (or other people), I’m using my headphones.
I find I need my glasses to see the screen on the 817 - and - probably just me but the power out icon usually leaves me confused and going back to the manual. ( I usually get the basic settings in a warm shack before the activatrion ) Somthing like turning on the noise blanker or changing the display - which would be easy in the shack becomes a bit of a trial and and a bit hit and miss with the menu. I have reached an age where I dont usually need glasses, but increasingly need them for close up work, so I’m discovering just how much fun they are on a mountain. Climb hill, set up radio and deploy antenna, check SWR, find glasses, check SWR, find cloth to clean sweaty glasses, check SWR, take glasses off whilst double checking links as SWR is high, open correct link, find glasses, find cleaning cloth, forget what I needed the glasses for… etc… I’m hoping the KX2 is easier! Paul
Most of the time I don’t need them apart from reading GPS and my writing in log. I did print 1:25k maps at 200% so I could read without glasses. That swine, Old Father Time has made that no longer a guaranteed fix to reading a map without glasses. The glasses spend most time hanging on the cord when walking.
I own both ft817 & kx2. Happy with both. Those quoting the kx2 weight advantage doesn’t work with me when I compare the kx2 in its hard protective box against “throwing” the 817 in the rucksack. Additionally, the kudos of quoting serial numbers favours the kx2 ( mine is 355 btw ).
I was slow off the mark with the KX2 as I wasn’t really sure about it and only scored serial number 116 but I did better on my first and now only KX3 scoring serial number 30.
I don’t understand the appeal of hard protective boxes. I put my KX2 into a soft case (LowePro) and toss that into my backpack and it works great. The KX2 isn’t made of glass.
Agreed - also have the Lowe Pro square soft case, well travelled, no problem and no damage. Three of us clubbed together to save the high carriage costs and we got the side plates from the USA a few years since - they help cosset the controls and perspex glass front very well. I think they also provide a little more heat dissipation too.
