I would love to have typed "This week on the radio" but once again I’m QRT due to a) workload and b) constant threats for thunderstorms. (A) keeps me out of the shack and (B) makes for loose connectors on the coax cables in the garage coming into the house. Having to screw in 4 coaxes, 2 control cables and one rotator control cable does not make for a ‘quick listening on the bands’ knowing that I’ll have to go outside just to unscrew all that again. But I just sent in my CQ WPX CW log, that’s as far as ‘radio’ goes here.
We’re June so my K3 should start his trip from W6 to ON. Two weeks ago I received an email from Elecraft to ask if I wanted my K3 to ship together with 2nd receiver option or without and put the KRX3 in back order? The latter option would delay the shipment so I answered to send the K3 ASAP. I never had a second RX before so I’m surely not going to miss it. Send it later. Hurry with that K3! This mail from Elecraft made me feel confident that my order was right on track. When I placed my order (February 2nd) I asked to ship so that the K3 would arrive the second week of June when all my ‘civilian’ work is done and I can focus on ham radio again. But… I AM STARTING TO PANIC. No mail back in over a week from Elecraft. Their Shipping Status page hasn’t been updated in a few weeks. And the reflector shows postings asking if they are in fact still shipping because few people receive shipping notices.
A delayed K3 would absolutely NOT amuse me. The problem is: I found a buyer for one of my TS-850 and I told him to stand by until half of June. I don’t want to let my SO2R capabilities go before the IARU contest. So my fear is either having the buyer bailing out of the deal or selling before the K3 is here thus not doing SO2R in the IARU contest. What would be worse, knowing that in a serious contest on average over 16% of my contacts are made on the second radio? That is over 300 QSO in last year’s IARU contest…