Elecraft KX2 : Receive Tips and Tweaks

Tips and tweaks about how to improve your receive audio on the Elecraft KX2. These tips apply mostly to the noisy 40m band. When on 15m, or 20m, I often find using the preamp, in conjunction with receive EQ and RF gain, are better options.

[@lpark8]

That’s so helpful thank you. Had been messing around with RF gain and ATT but not the EQ and not using all in a combined way 🙏😎

[@vaamorais]

Hey, greetings from the UK! Great video, very useful not only to KX2 owners as some of the concepts are cross brands and models. It shows the real meaning of working a week station. Thanks for sharing.

[@tysonherzog8010]

Thank you for the hints very useful 😊

[@macmacdonald2763]

Great video....concise and well recorded. Really helped me figure out the RX EQ. Thanks!

[@Fishermanfred1]

Wow that was a perfect picture you had with your​ cam.

[@barrykeating2077]

Really useful information on tweaking the KX2!

[@MrTonyd1954]

Great clean and clear video. Up close

[@tonyblackburne6903]

As a new Elecraft KX 2 owner, I found this video very very useful, these tips make it more fun to use

[@thestingyham1188]

Tony Blackburne Thanks! Makes me feel good.

[@JDToonyVizArt]

This helped immensely, thanks!

[@propagating-radio]

This was a very helpful video! Fantastic!

[@tonymcgee1146]

Using the RF gain is old DX'ers trick.. works very well too.

[@thestingyham1188]

I just wanted to add that people should not listen too long, with the EQ jacked-up really high. It's very hard on your hearing -- it's mainly an issue, when wearing headphones. Keeping the volume lower actually helps to remove some hiss, also.

[@WA8QFE]

First Radio I've had to read the manual ! Thanks for the video .. Lee, WA8QFE (ex-HL9KY)

[@tron2132]

Great video! Thanks

[@KD0CAC]

Kinda of a guided test drive , thanks

[@icefloe78]

Thanks for this video. One of the best videos I've seen on how to use the settings on the kx2. I live near Chicago and there is plenty of noise to deal with at times. Do you make similar settings on the tx equalizer settings also? Bob AC9MG.

[@thestingyham1188]

Bob, I add a little high emphasis for DX TX, and roll off some of the lows, but that is about it. Thanks for the nice comment, and good luck!

[@alan4cars]

Your KX2 videos have been super helpful. Thank you sir. WA6MOW

[@thestingyham1188]

Glad you like them!

[@paulmayo3703]

Good tips. However before the advent NR and DSP, riding the RF Gain was always the way to get a good copy on a noisy band

[@thestingyham1188]

Yes, it is the "old way." Most new hams don't know about it. I LOVE it. Riding the gain, shifting, and filtering correctly is far better than just slapping on NR.

[@wf2v]

Nice video, very informative. What antenna are you using?

[@thestingyham1188]

On 40m, that was probably a 33x33 doublet with ladder line to the shack, and 20m would have been a 2-el moxon homebrew beam.

[@mabo4848]

Thanks

[@kevinokeefe7796]

Can you do a short video on how to use the internal tuner to test an antenna . I know you have to set it to buy pass but I can’t figure out how to get it to display the swr

[@thestingyham1188]

I sold my kx2, but I remember a menu setting got changed, and I also lost my SWR meter. Someone in the Facebook Elecraft KX2 forum told me which setting to change it back. Good luck.

[@markmayfield4240]

Tried this last night on 40 meters and it really did work. One question I have is about the Automatic Gain Control. Normally for SSB it is set to Slow (AGC- S). But your video shows it set to Fast (AGC- F). Did you manually make this change? Mark

[@thestingyham1188]

Hi Mark. Glad it worked for you. I usually like to have my radios on SLOW AGC. It can be adjusted by the AGC SPD menu choice, within the main menu. The next menu choice after that is AGC*THR. You have lots of control over many things, here. See manual page 41.

[@markmayfield4240]

I too have Slow ACG set for SSB and am familiar with the menu settings. I was just wondering if there was a reason you had changed it to Fast for the video? Thanks again...

[@thestingyham1188]

Mark Mayfield I have no idea why, at the time.

[@alvarogaitan2529]

terrific job thanks 73 from kb2uew

[@Gerry32]

Cool !

[@somarmd]

Nice video. Is there a way to reset EQ back to factory settings? Thank you.

[@thestingyham1188]

Dave Ramos you can do a factory reset, but it is easier just to center all of the Eq lines at 0.

[@somarmd]

ok, thank you for such a quick response. It's a great little radio, loving mine.

[@kd4kzz]

Do you usually run the agc fast for ssb?

[@thestingyham1188]

Actually, no. I don't often run on fast. I sold the KX2 a few years ago. I think I was so taken with recording and the functions I was trying to show, I wasn't paying as much attention to the AGC.

[@Brighamdoc]

I know it's old but still good - kinda like me

[@geod3589]

Do you know of a better and cheaper microphone than the one Elecraft sells for this rig at $60.00?

[@thestingyham1188]

George Smith Honestly, the Elecraft mic sounds very good. The internal mic sounds almost identical. There is a Facebook group for Elecraft KX2 users. Some there have tried other mics, and will know more. It seems other mics may require a mod to work.

[@geod3589]

Thanks!

[@user-uc5dw7dc6z]

Такие аппаратов должно быть много тогда в радио придет больше молодёжи

[@sanglee3672]

감사합니다. 지금도 서울에 계시나요?

[@cleanairideasin9491]

Yes, I am. :)

[@user-uc5dw7dc6z]

Надо продовать на доступных плошадках типа али экспрес

[@user-uc5dw7dc6z]

Такие аппаратов должно быть много тогда в радио придет больше молодёжи