Elecraft

Who this page is for

QRP operators who want a radio that is built as field gear, not a shrunk shack. KX2/KX3 for mixed SSB/CW/digital. KH1 if the outing is CW-first and the radio has to fit a jacket. We do not host Elecraft manuals or KX3 menu dumps.

Field vs shack in this family

K4 / K4HD shack twins and KXPA100 amplifiers are shack or tailgate, not backpack. If you drive a KX3 + KXPA100 to a POTA lot, you have left QRP-land; treat DC like a 100 W Yaesu.

Power, battery, Anderson, USB, CAT, GPS, Bluetooth

• Internal packs: MENU: BAT MIN → about 9.5–10.0 V to protect Elecraft lithium from deep discharge. External 4S LiFePO4 is still “stop near 12.0 V,” not 10 V. Two different chemistries, two floors.
• Anderson Powerpole on the external DC pigtail. Keep it even if you love the internal pack — cold and FT8 drain it.
• ATU: press ATU TUNE once for a low-power match. If it will not find a match, the antenna is the problem — stop and fix the wire.
• CAT: Elecraft is well supported in N3FJP and WSJT-X. Match baud in Settings → Rig Interface. If CAT drops, Polo 20m + Send still logs.
• GPS / Bluetooth: not why you bought a KX2. The KH1 has its own logging story — dump or transcribe to Polo/N3FJP before upload.
• PF macros: program PF1 / PF2 for CW message or voice memory. In a pileup, one-button CQ beats hunting menus with cold fingers.

First radio to buy in this family

KX2 with the ATU and the internal battery. KX2 + 66 ft EFHW is the classic SOTA/POTA QRP pair. The ATU will also feed a 4WAVE 9:1 if you carried the mast; still lay the radials.

KH1 if you are honest that the outing is CW (and maybe a little SSB) on those five bands with the whip, and weight is the constraint. It is not a first-radio-for-FT8-POTA.

Buy a KX3 if you already know you want the option tree (2 m, PX3, etc.). It is more radio than most first activations need.

KX2

• 10 W class, palm-sized, ATU option is the whole point for random lengths.
• Internal battery for true SOTA; Powerpole LiFePO4 for long POTA FT8.
• ACC jack → Digirig for WSJT-X when you want digital. USB via Elecraft’s adapter if that is your shack path.

Product: Elecraft KX2

KX3

• Same operating idea as the KX2 with more front panel and more options.
• KXAT3 + KXBC3 (charger) + KXUSB is the usual accessory pile. Pack the ones you actually use; the rest stay home.
• 2 m module does not make this an IC-705. HF POTA still pays the bills; VHF is a bonus.

Product: Elecraft KX3

KH1

Handheld HF with a whip and a logbook. Built for walking and keying, not for a picnic-table FT8 station.

• Use the bands and antenna Elecraft documents for the KH1. Do not pretend it is a KX2 ATU into a 58 ft random wire.
• Log in the radio if that is the point of the outing, then get the QSOs into Polo or AC Log / ADIF before pota.app. Doctor will not invent MY_SIG_INFO you never typed.
• SSB is there; CW is why people pack it. See CW.

Product: Elecraft KH1

Cabling to Digirig / USB codec / WSJT-X

digirig.net — Elecraft 2.5 mm / ACC pinout is not a Yaesu 6-pin.

WSJT-X: USB-D equivalent on the KX3 (DATA A / similar — confirm current manual). Split the WSJT log; merge in ADIF Doctor.

Habits / gotchas / checklist (Elecraft)

• Internal pack: BAT MIN ~9.5–10.0 V. External 4S LiFePO4: stop ~12.0 V. Do not mix those floors.
• ATU TUNE once. No match = the wire, not the radio. Stop.
• PF1/PF2 programmed for CQ before the pile. Cold fingers do not hunt menus.
• One CAT owner. Digirig Elecraft ACC, not a Yaesu 6-pin.
• KH1: dump or transcribe the radio logbook into Polo/N3FJP before upload. Doctor will not invent MY_SIG_INFO.
• KX3 + KXPA100 in a lot is a 100 W station. Size DC like an FT-891.

Official manuals

elecraft.com — manuals and errata for your serial/firmware. We will not host the PDFs.

Still missing a model?

KX1, K2/K3 field notes, KH1 SSB pileup practice, and KXPA100 tailgate current-budget are not written yet. Comment on this page.