Re: [Elecraft] CW Learning Techniques
Hello Martin and all, great thread, enjoying reading the responses. I found having been stuck at 20 WPM head copy for some time that if I increased the sending speed above what I considered my normal reliable receive speed I could actually read longer words much easier and with less stress than before. What a pleasant surprise! I could actually copy code much faster than I thought. I think you will start hearing the longer more difficult words in larger chunks and eventually hearing and decoding long whole words and wondering how did I do that, very cool. So don't impose an artificial lower limit on yourself but regularly listen to short code sessions at higher speed than you consider normal for yourself I now do this at speeds up to 40WPM for practice, you may find a sweet spot speed that suits you and it begins to click. Above 20WPM code actually sounds better to me and I find I can headcopy conversational CW easier. Good luck, Deni F5VJC GM3SKN ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2 power with and without PA
I would like to know, if you install the 100W PA, and you run the K2 at 5W or 15W on batteries in the field, is the K2 will drain more power because the PA is installed, or it will drain normal power like about 180 mA - 240 mA on receive ? Jean-François Ménard / VA2VYZ Jean-Francois, I believe that with the PA installed, even if you shut off the PA's power supply and run QRP power, the current drain will be greater than the K2 QRP version. I don't have my schematic in front of me, but I believe there are circuits in the PA that draw current from the RF board of the K2. You can expect something like 150 mA quiescent current drain from the PA. Therefore, if you are going to operate in the field from batteries, then you should physically remove the PA and replace with the QRP top cover to achieve the (approx) 200 mA receive current. Regards, Al W6LX ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Resistance Checks...
Hi all, I'm currently building my K2 and am at the first point to measure resistances in the circuits. I'm using a Standard - DMM. Now the problem: When a check should bring up let's say 70-90k and I switch the DMM to 200k it will read abt 40k. Do I switch it to 2M I'll get a reading much higher (80k) and satisfactory to the specifications provided in the manual. So, is this normal? Which reading is correct? Should I start all measurements with 2M, then 200k, 20k ... and take the first reading different to zero? Thanks Gerhard DH3FAW ___ Bestellen Sie Y! DSL und erhalten Sie die AVM FritzBox SL für 0. Sie sparen 119 und bekommen 2 Monate Grundgebührbefreiung. http://de.adsl.yahoo.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] CW Learning Techniques
Thanks to all for the many helpful replies on this thread. As usual one finds that many people have trodden this path before which is encouraging. My experience here in Europe is that the most frustrating thing of all is the large number of sloppy fists out there particularly at the slow speeds. How a biginner is supposed to copy that stuff goodness only knows, still that's the real world and we must master it. Maybe I need to be more selective on which CQ to answer hi. 73's and thanks again to all. BTW I'd love to work some of you guys across the pond with my K1. I've just got some wires up for 20m but 14.060 seems pretty dead in the evenings at the moment, is this normal for this time of year? When is the best time for UK/USA working on 20m? M0KWV K1 #1534 Why not take a look at our Web site? http://www.simoncarves.com * The information in this email and any attachments may contain privileged and/or confidential information intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If the reader of this email is not the intended addressee, or the employee or agent responsible to deliver it to the addressee, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify me by telephone or email and delete all copies immediately. * ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2 , R116 alternative ?
I'm in UK and missing R116 ( the 1/8w BFO retaining R ) from the K2 kit. Anyone recomend an alternative means of fixing the BFO coil without it ?. I have no suitable 1/8w resistors in stock. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1 on USB CW (NOT!!!)
Is there any relationship between the message subject line and the content of these two postings? 73, Mike / KK5F -Original Message- From: Jimmy Lee [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Leigh L. Klotz, Jr. [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Thursday, June 17, 2004 7:15 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1 on USB CW Way to go Leigh. 72, Jimmy, AE4DT Leigh L. Klotz, Jr. wrote: Today I worked EC6UN Jurek (Balearic Is., Spain) on 20M with 4W to a PAC-12 from my KX1 #712 on a Lake Ontario pier in Webster, NY and got a 569. See http://wa5znu.org/log for pix. 73, WA5ZNU Leigh ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2
On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 00:33:23 -0400, Don Wilhelm wrote: I have always thought the K2 to be a bit 'wimpy' on the audio output - but I have found it is really adequate when driving the internal speaker, just not a lot of reserve to overcome a high ambient acoustical noise level. Wayne has done a really good job of engineering the audio chain on the receiver to provide enough loudness (and good quality) without wasting battery current. Part of that good engineering was finding a really efficient loudspeaker to go inside the K2. When you want to add an external loudspeaker to the K2, you must do the same level of good engineering. That means NOT grabbing whatever cheapo loudspeaker you have in the junk box, but rather looking for a loudspeaker with relatively high efficiency (and, as you correctly observed, a 4 ohm loudspeaker has an inherent 6 dB advantage). You have a very big advantage over Wayne though -- in general, the larger the loudspeaker, the easier it is to find one with high efficiency! The spec you are looking for is dBSPL for 1W at 1 m. (that is, dB sound pressure level at 1 meter away from the loudspeaker with 1 watt electrical power). The higher the number, the louder it will be. Hi-fi loudspeakers are generally LOW efficiency. PA loudspeakers are generally HIGH efficiency. A good number for an 8-inch loudspeaker is in the high 80's or low 90's. To translate this, the K2 puts out 1 watt sine wave at clip. Speech typically has a 10-14 dB peak to average ratio, so if your loudspeaker is putting out 90 dBSPL at the peak of that sine wave, the average level will be 10 dB below that (80 dBSPL). Few of us listen 1 m (39) away from our radio -- half that distance is far more typical, (19), and gives us 6 dB more level, so we're back up to 86 dB. And that assumes no sound is reflected from nearby walls, shelves, etc., which can also add a dB or two to the loudness. The bottom line is that 86 dB is plenty loud unless you've got severe hearing loss or are in a very noisy environment. And, of course, if you listen closer, it will be even louder. On the other hand, let's say you hang an 8 ohm hi-fi loudspeaker (you bought it at Radio Shack or your local hi-fi shop) and it has a sensitivity of only 80 dB for 1w at 1m. The same math puts you 10 dB lower in level for the lower sensitivity, and anothe 6 dB lower because it's an 8 ohm loudspeaker. That's only 70 dBSPL, which is only marginally loud enough in a noisy room (or if you have a lot of hearing loss). Jim Brown K9YC http://audiosystemsgroup.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2 , R116 alternative ?
Mike, The 1/8 watt 1 meg resistor does two things - it provides leads to which one can solder the very fine toroid wires, and it provides mechanical 'holding power' for the toroid core. The resistance itself is not critical because it is almost an insulator compared to the other impedances at that point in the circuit. The small body makes a nice fit into the center of the toroid. If you can find a suitable substitute in a similarly small package, by all means use it. As a temporary measure, you might use just two pieces of wire - solder them into the holes leaving enough sticking out on the bottom of the board to wrap around the core and hold it in place - just make certain they do not touch in the middle (put some insulation from the Elecraft supplied green wire over the exposed ends). 73, Don W3FPR Life is what happens when you are making other plans - Original Message - I'm in UK and missing R116 ( the 1/8w BFO retaining R ) from the K2 kit. Anyone recomend an alternative means of fixing the BFO coil without it ?. I have no suitable 1/8w resistors in stock. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2 , R116 alternative ?
Hi Back when this mod first came out I did not have the 1/8 watt resistor for the beta test so I used a 1 meg 1/4 watt in its place. This will work if you remove enough of the rubber bumper to allow the resister to set low enough so it does not contact the bottom cover. Also when you remove the square of masking tape from the heatsink save it to stick on the bottom cover to insulate the resistor and toroid. Don Brown KD5NDB - Original Message - From: Mike Wmailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.netmailto:elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 7:16 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K2 , R116 alternative ? I'm in UK and missing R116 ( the 1/8w BFO retaining R ) from the K2 kit. Anyone recomend an alternative means of fixing the BFO coil without it ?. I have no suitable 1/8w resistors in stock. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.netmailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htmhttp://mailman.qth.net/subscribershtm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.comhttp://www.elecraft.com/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
Steve WB6RSE wrote: Anyone have any experience changing the K1 from LSB to USB CW? Steve, That's an interesting question. The K1 front end mixer injects the local oscillator (LO) signal ABOVE the incoming RF signal (high side injection), while the product detector injects the BFO signal BELOW the IF signal (low side injection). The result is the receiver functioning in LSB mode. One could raise the frequency of the BFO so that it is above the IF signal (high side injection), and you would have as a result a receiver operating in USB mode. The *only* positive attribute of going to high side BFO injection that I can think of would be a theoretical improvement in opposite sideband rejection due to the asymetrical shape of the IF crystal filter bandpass skirts. But the opposite sideband rejection of the K1 is already as good as one will ever need. The big negative to USB for me would be losing the ability to copy LSB phone on the lower 20 kHz of the 40m phone band on my K1 with a 170 kHz VFO span. One finds no USB signal worth covering on 30m unless it is military/utility outside the ham band, and nothing on 17m or 15m on USB within the K1 tuning range, nor are the foreign phone USB signals on 20m of much interest to me. The other operating characteristic that would change is that the AF tone of the received signal would lower as the VFO is tuned upward in USB mode. I like the LSB characteristic of the AF tone going up as I tune upward on the VFO. I'd be curious about the advantages that you see in a K1 LSB-to-USB conversion. 73, Mike / KK5F ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Mini-Module Kit Questions
Anyone have any suggestions on a small enclosure for the BL1 and DL1 before I order them. Love the idea, just don't trust me and my luck to leaving electronics that exposed HI HI Have been toying with the idea of building them in to an EC1, but haven't figured out a small coax switch to mount inside to allow, a single coax entry so I would not have to switch lines when needing to check things out. Thanks in advance as always 73 John N5BSD / NNN0OYH www.n5bsd.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
On Jun 17, 2004, at 10:43 AM, Mike Morrow wrote: I'd be curious about the advantages that you see in a K1 LSB-to-USB conversion. 73, Mike / KK5F Mike - I have no interest in listening to SSB with the K1 and have set it up for an 80 kc spread. The advantage to USB CW is that it has long been the standard for CW - even on 160-80-40 where sideband operation is LSB - CW is still USB. I usually start tuning from the bottom end of the band going up and it is often useful to hear what's up the band as you tune higher. For casual operation, it is not that big a deal but in chasing DX it is nice hear the split up frequency. With LSB you would hear the last station worked only if he was below your listening frequency rather than above, especially if the signal is weak. For serious DX chasing, USB CW is the way to go. That said, the K1 is a very impressive design with clever mechanical assembly features and carefully thought out ergonomics. Wayne and Eric really know their stuff. By-the-way: The present day LSB - USB band standards have their roots from years ago in the availability of 9 Mc crystals / filters - when SSB was experimental and you had to build your own. 9 Mc plus a VFO running at 5.0 to 5.5 Mc gives you 20m USB. Subtract the VFO frequency and you tune backwards on 75/80m and you get LSB. There is actually no reason for USB vs LSB on any band anymore. It's just convention from the original experimental designs. 20m and above is USB, below 20m it's LSB. You'll occasionally hear some DX on 20m on LSB to keep the crowd away. I'd be interested in anyone's attempts at shifting the K1 to USB CW. 73, Steve WB6RSE ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] HamCom and Solar controllers
Hi Gang I will help out in the Elecraft booth tomorrow at HamCom. I will have my KX1 with me and a quantity of my solar panel controllers with me. The controller kits are $30 and include the circuit board, all parts, instructions and application notes. The KX1 is for sale also. Just buy me another KX1 kit with all the same options to replace the KX1 plus $200 for building and you can take a completed KX1 home. The KX1 has all of the options including antenna tuner, 30 meter, paddle and a free set of NiMH batteries. Note: I will only be at HamCom on Friday as I have another commitment on Saturday. If the KX1 does not sell it will be available here on the reflector. Don Brown KD5NDB ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1 on USB CW
Steve wrote: The advantage to USB CW is that ... it is often useful to hear what's up the band as you tune higher. ...With LSB you would hear the last station worked only if he was below your listening frequency rather than above, especially if the signal is weak. For serious DX chasing, USB CW is the way to go. Very interesting, Steve. Thanks for the explanation. In my 36 years as a ham I've pursued mainly MARS, portable, rag-chew, sched, or casual DX/contest operation, the last to test antennas, usually. I'd never heard of a receive mode advantage for USB on CW before. Still, the advantage seems to stem from operation conventions for how a band is scanned and how the DX being chased offsets his receiver, rather than from a technical-based superiority. Perhaps playing around with reducing the value of RF-C66, C63, and/or RFC1 might get the existing K1 product detector crystal (X5) oscillation frequency (BFO) high enough to get above the IF frequency. Then you'd have to play around with the transmitter offset oscillator crystal (X6) and components (C62 and RFC2) to get the transmitter offset above the receiver zero-beat frequency rather than below it as it now is. Seems like an upward shift of just a couple of kHz would do. It doesn't seem too daunting...definitely possible, it appears to me. However, I've not seen any postings since the K1 came out in 2000 reporting that anyone has actually done this. Good luck, and post results if you try! The present day LSB - USB band standards have their roots from years ago... Frankly, I think in modern times it is silly to retain the convention of LSB on the lower bands except when old ham gear is being used. There's a lot of military surplus equipment available that operates on USB only. Forget using that on the lower ham bands without some non-original re-engineering! 73, Mike / KK5F ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
To solve this problem see my SSB mods for K1 and see only the schematic part regarding BFO . Documentation to my web page: http://it.geocities.com/giulianoi0cg/k1_page.html 73 de Giuliano I0CG Steve WB6RSE wrote: Anyone have any experience changing the K1 from LSB to USB CW? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
In a message dated 6/17/04 2:41:52 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: The present day LSB - USB band standards have their roots from years ago in the availability of 9 Mc crystals / filters - when SSB was experimental and you had to build your own. 9 Mc plus a VFO running at 5.0 to 5.5 Mc gives you 20m USB. Subtract the VFO frequency and you tune backwards on 75/80m and you get LSB. No, that's just not true. Urban legend. I believed it for years but when I did the math the truth could not be denied. The only way you get sideband inversion is if the heterodyne oscillator is above *both* the input and output frequencies of a mixing process. Yes, the 9 MHz IF / 5-5.5 Mhz VFO scheme was popular, and it does result in one band tuning backwards. But it *does not* result in sideband inversion! Generate USB and 9 MHz and mix it with a 5-5.5 MHz VFO and you get USB on 75 and 20. The LSB/USB convention for hams goes back to before hams used 9 MHz filters to generate SSB. . Now if you use a 5 MHz SSB generator and a 9 MHz VFO you *do* get sideband inversion. If anyone wants the exact math, I have it all written up. 73 de Jim, N2EY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] USB CW (now SSB considerations too)
There IS one reason to generate the SSB signal as LSB - many crystal lattice filters (including the one in the KSB2) have a steeper slope on the low frequency side, so the LSB generation is better than USB generation. Yes, the sideband CAN be inverted by the proper mixing scheme - the current state of affairs -- it depends on which transceiver you are talking about. 73, Don W3FPR Life is what happens when you are making other plans - Original Message - The present day LSB - USB band standards have their roots from years ago... Frankly, I think in modern times it is silly to retain the convention of LSB on the lower bands except when old ham gear is being used. There's a lot of military surplus equipment available that operates on USB only. Forget using that on the lower ham bands without some non-original re-engineering! ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
I just picked up a copy of the June CQ in the airport bookshop and p.28 has a sidebar by K2MGA (CQ Publisher) on the history of SSB: Regardless of how the SSB signal was generated, the 455 kc USB signal was mixed up to 9 Mc. Using a converted war-surplus BC-458 transmitter...as a VFO, the 4.0 to 5.3 Mc output was either added to or subtracted from the 9Mc SSB signal. That produced a USB signal on 20 meters or an LSB signal on 75 meters. (That's the origin of the world-wide convention: LSB below 20 meters; USB on 20 meters and up. ..) On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 5:37pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: No, that's just not true. Urban legend. ... Now if you use a 5 MHz SSB generator and a 9 MHz VFO you *do* get sideband inversion. 73, WA5ZNU Leigh ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Results for Resistance Check on the Control Board; testing a resistor pack?
Thanks Don, I looked at Appendix B and redid several solder joints. I'd like to think my resoldering solved things, but it is probably the fact that I was reading the pin numbers wrong that caused my problems. Looking at the schematics I finally figured that one out. Now I'm getting 85.3K for U6 pins 29 and 30, with and without U6; just right. U3 pin 8 is 1.008M, and the U8 pins 15 and 16 are still open, but that may be OK. As far as resistor pack 4, I remember an incident while I was installing RP4, after soldering all the pins, I tried to straighten it out a little on the board - it wouldn't bend, but I did feel a little snap so even though I am getting the correct readings for U6 pins 29 and 30, I'm wondering if I possibly damaged some of the resistors in RP4. Is there a way I can check RP4? I tried going along the row, putting the DMM probes on adjoining pins and moving up the pack. Some readings were about 85K resistance, some read short. It's on to the front panel. Thanks again. Vic KG4HTT On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 23:52:02 -0400 Don Wilhelm [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: Vic, There is not much on the Control Board that connects to pins 29 and 30 -these are the DOT/PTT and DASH lines and they connect directly to pins 17and 18 of P3 (they also connect to 2 resistors of RP4). Check carefully for any solder bridges at the pins of P3, the U6 socket and RP3. If you suspect U6 itself, you can remove it from the socket and check the resistance on the board itself (you should see a high resistance similar to the values indicated in the manual) - use static protection when inserting and removing U6, and put it into the black anti-static foam (or the antistatic tube) when it is removed. 73, Don W3FPR The best thing to hit the Internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the Web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
Leigh L. Klotz, Jr. wrote: I just picked up a copy of the June CQ in the airport bookshop and p.28 has a sidebar by K2MGA (CQ Publisher) on the history of SSB: Regardless of how the SSB signal was generated, the 455 kc USB signal was mixed up to 9 Mc. Using a converted war-surplus BC-458 transmitter...as a VFO, the 4.0 to 5.3 Mc output was either added to or subtracted from the 9Mc SSB signal. That produced a USB signal on 20 meters or an LSB signal on 75 meters. This is just wrong. Say you generate a USB signal at 9 MHz from a 1 KHz audio tone. The (suppressed) carrier of the generated USB signal is at 9.000 MHz and the upper sideband is at 9.001 Mhz. Then mixing with a 5.0 MHz VFO would give sum frequencies of 14.000 and 14.001 MHz as well as differences of 4.000 and 4.001 MHz. This is USB in both cases. Of course, the VFO would tune in opposite directions. Even a CW operator like me can add and subtract! -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
As I read it, the USB signal was generated at 455Kc and then mixed up to 9Mc, thus giving a USB 9Mc signal. The VFO was then in thr 4.0-5.3Mc range. And that was added or subtracted... On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 8:02pm, Vic Rosenthal wrote: Leigh L. Klotz, Jr. wrote: I just picked up a copy of the June CQ in the airport bookshop and p.28 has a sidebar by K2MGA (CQ Publisher) on the history of SSB: Regardless of how the SSB signal was generated, the 455 kc USB signal was mixed up to 9 Mc. Using a converted war-surplus BC-458 transmitter...as a VFO, the 4.0 to 5.3 Mc output was either added to or subtracted from the 9Mc SSB signal. That produced a USB signal on 20 meters or an LSB signal on 75 meters. This is just wrong. Say you generate a USB signal at 9 MHz from a 1 KHz audio tone. The (suppressed) carrier of the generated USB signal is at 9.000 MHz and the upper sideband is at 9.001 Mhz. Then mixing with a 5.0 MHz VFO would give sum frequencies of 14.000 and 14.001 MHz as well as differences of 4.000 and 4.001 MHz. This is USB in both cases. Of course, the VFO would tune in opposite directions. Even a CW operator like me can add and subtract! -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com 73, WA5ZNU Leigh ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
Vic - As I recall from about a million years ago, when the hardware was actually built, when you subtracted to get to 75m, the sideband reversed. If not, the standard on 160-80-40 today would be USB - but it isn't. 73, Steve WB6RSE On Jun 17, 2004, at 4:59 PM, Vic Rosenthal wrote: This is just wrong. Say you generate a USB signal at 9 MHz from a 1 KHz audio tone. The (suppressed) carrier of the generated USB signal is at 9.000 MHz and the upper sideband is at 9.001 Mhz. Then mixing with a 5.0 MHz VFO would give sum frequencies of 14.000 and 14.001 MHz as well as differences of 4.000 and 4.001 MHz. This is USB in both cases. Of course, the VFO would tune in opposite directions. Even a CW operator like me can add and subtract! -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Sideband, Which Sideband? (WAS: K1 on USB CW)
True, Leigh... But you'll still have an upper or lower sideband after adding or subtracting the L.O.. I got tripped up in that one myself until someone pointed it out to me. I haven't taken the time to dig around in the old QST archives, but in the early days of SSB (around 1950) there was *no* 40 meter phone band. Forty was 300 kc/s of CW and no broadcasters (Heaven with a key!!). I'm sort of curious to see if someone built an SSB exciter that tuned 5.0 to 5.3 MHz and mixed it with a 9 MHz oscillator to put a signal into either the 70 or 20 meter phone bands. Now that would produce USB on one band and LSB on the other that might have started the convention. If not, it'd be interesting if someone could figure out just when the convention of using USB above 40 meters started. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- Leigh wrote: As I read it, the USB signal was generated at 455Kc and then mixed up to 9Mc, thus giving a USB 9Mc signal. The VFO was then in thr 4.0-5.3Mc range. And that was added or subtracted... ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] I need help to change to a digest mode
Hi, I have been trying to switch my subscription to a digest mode for a week or two. Unfortunately the mailman.qth.net does not seem to be working for this list. I have switched to a digest mode on other list but I can't seem to do it for this list. Any help is appreciated. 72 and Thanks, Ron Polityka WB3AAL www.wb3aal.com www.n3epa.org/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Sideband, Which Sideband? (WAS: K1 on USB CW)
The use of the conversion from 5 MHz VFO is indeed how the USB vs. LSB convention got started. With 9 MHz IF you got 4.0 MHz (80M) and 20M, (14 MHz.) 9 -5 in one case, 9+5 in the other, with opposite Sidebands. The first use of such was probably the Central Electronics or similar tube transmitters in the early SSB days of the 1950's. In 1967, I had my electronics class, that I taught in 9M2 land, build a transistorized transmitter using the dual band scheme from The Transistor Radio Handbook by Les Earnshaw, ZL1AAX, who later came to USA and founded Kachina Communications, of the first PC radio fame. This is a neat way to get two bands from one VFO and common components of the times. 72, Stuart K5KVH ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] I need help to change to a digest mode
I got it working. A big Thank You to the person that set it up for me at QTH.Net. 72 and Thanks, Ron Polityka WB3AAL www.wb3aal.com www.n3epa.org/ - Original Message - From: Ron Polityka [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: .Elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, June 17, 2004 8:49 PM Subject: [Elecraft] I need help to change to a digest mode Hi, I have been trying to switch my subscription to a digest mode for a week or two. Unfortunately the mailman.qth.net does not seem to be working for this list. I have switched to a digest mode on other list but I can't seem to do it for this list. Any help is appreciated. 72 and Thanks, Ron Polityka WB3AAL www.wb3aal.com www.n3epa.org/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft Net Report for May 10th 2004
The twenty meter net was run but no one showed up this evening. The 40 meter net was a bit better with Tom and John showing up. The list: Tom - N0SS - MO - K2 - 008 John - N2YC - NY - KX1 - 336 Thank you very much for your support. The band was very, very noisy and the SSB folks were all over the place. I finally got a spot at 7042 kHz and ran the net from 0155z to 0218z. I am debating whether to drop 20 meters and start an 80 meter net instead later in the evening. This week may have been especially lousy so I'll keep my options open. June 6th marks the one year anniversary of the Elecraft CW Net. If you have any suggestions for what we can do to celebrate please feel free to email me. 73, Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Operator 5th Class). ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] KSB2 Install Question
This weekend I put together the SSB Board -- although I have a few hours of work left on the main K2 kit. I wanted to make sure that I had SSB ready to go when the K2 is finished. When I finished the SSB board and looked at the installation instructions, it had a rather weird sentence or two saying that if the filter crystals X7-X11 were ground on the left side that this would interfere with the SSB module installation. Well, when I construct the RF board the instructions clearly said to ground the aforementioned crystals on both left and right side. Furthermore, I did a test mounting of the SSB board and discovered that the left side grounds for the crystal covers do not seem to make any kind of physical contact with the SSB board. My question is is this perhaps a case of my KSB2 instructions being written (2 May 00) before those from my main kit (22 Oct 02). Perhaps, a modification was made in the RF board which makes these KSB2 instructions null and void. It's either that, or poor instructions in the general kit manual. And, we all know Elecraft wouldn't do that! :-) Any clarification here would be appreciated! Oh yes, for the record, I have SN 03116 73 Carl N8VZ -- Carl J. Denbow, [EMAIL PROTECTED] on 5/9/2004 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: Elecraft Net -- thanks, Kevin!
I just wanted to personally thank Kevin for his efforts in starting and maintaining the Elecraft net(s). It's a lot of work, and in the process he's tackling faster CW speeds, net protocol, and just being an MC. Please drop by the net sometime to show your support for CW and see what it's like in an RF chat room. Kevin announces the times and places. See you there! 73, Wayne N6KR --- http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] BFO Alignment
Carl, Do check the capacitor values to be certain they are correct in the BFO area (C173 and C174 in particular as well as the correct varactors at D37 and D38 - 1SV149, the smaller ones with the flattened 'rounded' side)!!! You are less than 300 Hz deficient on the low end, and that is not likely to cause a problem unless you plan to install a SSB filter that is wider than the stock K2 2.0 kHz filter. Even at that, the usual problem woth the 2.5 kHz filter is on the high end rather than the low. BTW - you can always change it later if it becomes a problem. 73, Don W3FPR Life is what happens when you are making other plans - Original Message - This past week I finally got back to kit construction, after a period of inactivity due in part to a death in my wife's family (her mother). I'm now at the point of doing the BFO tests, etc., and have one measurement that's slightly outside the acceptable parameters. My BFO low freq. is 4912.99 (should be less than 4912.70). My question is is this small variance enough to worry about? Everything else is looking very good in terms of the tests so far. The other portions of my BFO tests results were BFO high freq. 4917.00 (greater than 4916.3) and my range was 4.01 (greater than 3.6) A friend of mine, with an engineering background, who has built a K2, said he didn't think this was a big deal. What do you guys and gals think? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
I just looked at my old copy of the NEW Sideband Handbook by Don Stoner W6TNS, copyright 1958 - I have 6th printing dated June 1966. Page 94 shows the schematic of the Central Electronics 10B phasing exciter - and it DOES generate SSB at a fixed 9 MHz (unchanged from the 10A). The addition of a 5 to 5.5 MHz VFO will allow it to cover both 75 and 20 meters. I do recall conversations among SSB ops about the sideband selection for the various bands, but I cannot recall the details. For many years, I thought the sidebands were flipped between 75 and 20 meters with this 9 MHz generator and the 5 to 5.5 MHz VFO, but then I saw the math which says the sidebands did NOT flip with this mixing scheme - Oh well, the conventions are well glued in place - who will be real pioneers and campaign to get everyones mindset changed? Anyone for no QSOs? G 73, Don W3FPR Life is what happens when you are making other plans - Original Message - It goes back to the original SSB Jr. which was ultimately the basis for the FIRST real commercially built SSB transmitter, the Central Electronics 10A. It was a phasing rig and, the SSB selector was simply labeled SB1 and SB2. Since 75 and 20 were the popular bands then for SSB (there wasn't a 40 meter phone band back then!) the operators were lazy and used the SB1 position for both bands (as I remember) yielding LSB for 75 and USB for 20. Commercially and on the marine bands, USB has been the standard since day 1 and far as I know. Why the amateurs have hung onto this old LSB on 40 and below thing I don't know. I forget whether the 10A/10B/20A used a 5 or a 9 mhz channel for SSB generation, but it DID flop over when you went from 20 to 75 meters! Must have been generating SSB at 5 Mhz. Anyhow that IS how that LSB/USB phenomenon got started: just plain laziness! Maybe one day they will mandate USB as the normal sideband? Didn't they state that on the 60 meter channels? (USB only?) I'm sure that was to get around the stupidity of the monitoring personnel who obviously used receivers with USB filters only and they didn't know CW! I thought it was a stupid move to channelize the 60 meter band on SSB only!!! I supposed ARRL has too many irons in the fire now with the rehashing of the amateur classes/privileges and BPL to worry about 60 meter mode expansion? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: Elecraft Net -- thanks, Kevin!
I think its time for Kevin to give himself a promotion. He has been Net Control Operator, 5th class, long enough. 73, Rick - K7MW- Original Message - Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Sideband, Which Sideband? (WAS: K1 on USB CW)
Yes Bob, I corrected my post. It was 9 MHz VFO to switch SB. -Stuart K5KVH ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
In a message dated 6/17/04 7:10:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: I just picked up a copy of the June CQ in the airport bookshop and p.28 has a sidebar by K2MGA (CQ Publisher) on the history of SSB: Regardless of how the SSB signal was generated, the 455 kc USB signal was mixed up to 9 Mc. Using a converted war-surplus BC-458 transmitter...as a VFO, the 4.0 to 5.3 Mc output was either added to or subtracted from the 9Mc SSB signal. That produced a USB signal on 20 meters or an LSB signal on 75 meters. (That's the origin of the world-wide convention: LSB below 20 meters; USB on 20 meters and up. ..) I'm sorry, but that's simply not what happens. K2MGA is mistaken. Here's proof: The tuning reverses. But the sideband does not! Here's why: 9 MHz filter and 5-5.5 MHz VFO Start with a 9000 kHz USB signal (carrier at 9000, top end of audio at 9003) Add a 5200 kHz VFO signal for 20 meters (9000 + 5200 = 14200, 9003 + 5200 = 14203) Result is carrier at 14200, top end at 14203 - still USB Subtract a 5200 kHz VFO signal for 75 meters (9000 - 5200 = 3800, 9003 - 3800 = 3803) Result is carrier at 3800, top end at 3803 - still USB! The numbers tell the story. In order to cause sideband inversion, the local oscillator must be above *both* the input and output frequencies of the mixer. However: 5.2 MHz filter and 8.7 - 9.2 MHz VFO: Start with a 5200 kHz USB signal (carrier at 5200, top end at 5203) Add a 9000 kHz VFO signal for 20 meters Result is carrier at 14200, top end at 14203 - still USB Subtract the 5200 kHz USB signal from a 9000 kHz VFO signal for 75 meters (9000 VFO - 5200 carrier = 3800, 9000 VFO - 5203 top end = 3797) Result is carrier at 3800, top end at 3797 - now it's LSB! On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 5:37pm, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: No, that's just not true. Urban legend. ... Now if you use a 5 MHz SSB generator and a 9 MHz VFO you *do* get sideband inversion. Do the math and you'll see that the old urban legend is a myth. The standard of LSB/USB in ham radio was set at the very beginning - 1949 at the latest. I wish it *were* true about the 5 MHz VFO/9 MHz IF sideband inversion - it would make some projects simpler! But the numbers don't lie. Check out the heterodyne scheme of the K2 and you'll see the same principles in action. The only way you get sideband (not tuning direction!) inversion is if the LO is higher than both the input and output frequencies of a mixer. 73 de Jim, N2EY
Re: [Elecraft] Re: K1 on USB CW
I mis remembered, it was a 9 MHz VFO in the radio I described, the one from ZL1AAX, apparently. Thanks math gurus. 73 Stuart
