Elecraft K3 Transceiver and P3 Panadapter

This is a look at the Elecraft K3 HF/6 meter transceiver with the P3 Panadapter. This transceiver has become my main radio and is the only radio fully setup in Studio LR. The K3/P3 is my first radio with a Panadapter and I can not imagine using a radio without one.

In this photo the K3 was tuned to 30 meter CW.

K3 Assembly

While attending Hamvention 2010 I purchased an Elecraft k3 100 watt transceiver in assembly kit form. An inventory of the parts revealed one needed for the very first step of the build was missing. A brief e-mail exchange with Elecraft and the part was on the way. It held things up for a few days, but the item was received and the assembly was underway. In May 2015 the Synthesizer Module was upgraded to the KSYN3A board. The KIO3B Interface Option was installed in Late June 2016.

Here are a few photos taken during the building process. Select the image to enlarge.

It did not stay in the box for very long.

The roofing filters are in - 6.0 kHz; upgraded 2.8 kHz; 400 Hz; 250 Hz filters.

The front panel is getting ready to be installed.

The front panel is on and the 100 watt amp is being installed.

P3 Assembly

I decided to purchase the Elecraft P3 to go along with my K3. (Also, in assembly kit form.) It arrived on Friday, 9 September 2011 and was in operation during that weekend. The hardest part of the process was installing the KXV3A board in the K3. The TX Monitor; Power and Waveform Display Adapter was added in January 2016.

Here are a few photos taken during the building process. Select the image to enlarge.