Measurements

Recently there was a discussion on Facebook about a new radio with low power output. "A reading is not a reading" and it is seldom absolute. 

Keep in mind just looking at the reading on any instrument doesn't tell you the whole story. You need to understand a little about what you're measuring and what you are using to do the measurement. It's also important to understand why you are making the measurement. I offer these terms as food for thought:

Accuracy – designates how close a measured value is to the true quantity of what is being measured. Without comparison to a standard, accuracy cannot be determined. It's often specified in terms of being +/- some percentage of the indicated value.

Repeatability – describes how well a system or device can reproduce an outcome in unchanged conditions. In some applications, repeatability is more important than accuracy. If the system is repeatable, an error can be mapped and compensated for.

Resolution – is the smallest increment the system can display or measure. A system can have a high resolution with poor repeatability and accuracy.

73

Tim N9PUZ

A KX-2 Has Landed

Serendipity is sometimes my best friend. A couple of weeks ago while doing some random searching I stumbled upon a lightly used Elecraft KX-2 portable rig with most all of the desireable options. It included the radio, internal battery, autotuner, real time clock, and the carry bag plus an assortment of cables and adapters. A KX-2 has been on my wish list for a while and this was too good a deal to pass up!

To keep the new rig in good shape I added the protective handle and heat sink shown in this photo from the Pro Audio Engineering web site. If you add these to your own KX-2 I recommend reading the directions a couple of times and really studying how it all goes together. It's not especially difficult but there isn't a lot of extra space in this rig and you need to be prepared with some small tools and a steady hand!

I'm still learning the various features and controls at this point. It's been on the air from my home shack as well as backyard portable. It's a very impressive radio so far and you'll be hearing more in the future.

73,

Tim N9PUZ