Randy Downs wrote:

Thought I found the problem....THEN I put the top back on. It failed when the fp tempĀ got to 37 deg c. If I leave the top off it won't fail. The fp stays at 34 deg c. It's thermal whatever it is.

Randy,

Coincidentally, I just e-mailed you tentative instructions on how to fix this. It takes one resistor. Please give it a try.

I discovered the problem Friday night. In rare cases, VCO operating current may be inadequate on the highest bands once the rig has warmed up. This can be cured by increasing the nominal current supplied to the oscillator JFET (Q1). To do this, R10 is reduced in value from 82 K to about 56 K.

Here are the rough instructions if anyone else needs them now (or you can wait for the official modification doc):

1. Turn off the K3 and remove the affected KSYN3 module. (Note: If you saw ERR PL1, it's the main synth; ERR PL2 is the sub synth.)

2. Locate a 1/8-watt or 1/4-watt 180 K resistor (or any value from 150 to 200 K). Solder it on the top side of the KSYN3 PC board, between the pad marked "DET" and the pad closest to it (going in the direction of J83, not the pad labeled "G"). [Photo to be supplied in the modification doc.] Technical note: This resistor will be in parallel with R10, resulting in a value of around 56 K rather than the original 180 K.

3. Re-install the synth board and turn the rig back on.

4. Make sure your K3 firmware is at rev 2.73 or later. If you haven't adjusted the CONFIG:ADC REF menu parameter, do so now, using the instructions in the revision 2.73 firmware release notes (accessible from within K3 Utility).

5. Re-run VCO CAL (remember to tap SUB within the VCO MD menu entry if you're calibrating the second synth).

This change can be safely made to any synthesizer module.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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http://www.elecraft.com

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