[Elecraft] Price increases held off until after this weekend's Hamcation Show

[Eric Swartz]

We  just finished setting up our booth at the Hamcation show in Orlando,
FL, this afternoon. Whew!

To give everyone a chance to benefit from the current pre-increase prices,
we will be holding off the increases for everyone ordering at the show, on
the internet or by phone until after the show.  The price increases will
occur most likely by late next week or early the following week of 2/20.

73,
Eric
*elecraft.com *
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[Elecraft] KPA1500 EXPERIENCE (was Re: KPA1500 opinions)

[Jim Brown]

Retitled, for a good reason. When I ask a question like this, I don't 
want opinions, I want facts! And facts are how I responded. :)


73, Jim K9YC

On 2/9/2023 2:59 PM, j...@kk9a.com wrote:

N4ZR posted a similar question on August 12, 2022 and few people publicly
responded.


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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 opinions

[john]

N4ZR posted a similar question on August 12, 2022 and few people publicly
responded. I am sure some people will privately email you with their
experiences. It seems like some people have great luck with the KPA1500 and
others keep blowing LDMOS finals. It would be nice to pinpoint the cause for
blown finals, power level, mode, antenna etc. Reducing power reduces the
efficiency so much that doing so does not help reduce the final's heating. I
also follow the SPE Expert list and blown finals is a common topic there.
LDMOS finals are nowhere near as forgiving as ceramic tubes! I have not
heard of any issues with the KPA500 finals, even from people that have had
blown their KPA1500 so it may be more robust.

John KK9A



Scott Manthe N9AA wrote:

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the market for a legal limit solid state amp. There are lots of 
options out there, but I've been an Elecraft fan since the beginning and 
have owned a KPA500, K3/P3, and KX3/PX3. So, obviously I'm a fan. 
However, I'm also aware that over the years, some of the gear has had an 
issue or two, which generally have been taken care of by the good folks 
in Watsonville.

So, for the KPA1500 users out there, do you have any serious issues to 
report for the KPA1500? I have "heard" that they're not as robust as the 
KPA500 and that occasionally there have been failures with the PA 
devices. Is this true? I was one of the people that saw the KPA1600 run 
all day every day at Dayton years ago, and have dreamed of that amp ever 
since. I know the KPA1500 probably can't live up to that ideal, but are 
there issues a potential buyer should be aware of?

Thanks in advance for any and all feedback.

73,
Scott N9AA

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 no power out

[Fred Jensen]

Right on Dave, except that "simple" is a better term than "obvious."  My 
K3 is S/N 642 ... very long in the tooth now.  Perhaps 8 or 9 years ago 
30 m quit.  Just internal noise and infinite SWR.  All the other bands 
were fine.  After about 2 days of fooling with the myriad of connectors 
and cables behind the rigs [remember, it's called "wireless"], I posted 
a minor plea here.


A fellow with the call N6KR called [yes, THAT N6KR] and began helping me 
trouble shoot.  He said, "Let's start with the simple things ... which 
antenna is selected on the bands where it works?"  I told him ANT1.  
"OK," he said, "Now, which antenna is selected on 30 m?"  Everyone 
should be able to fill in the blanks from that point.


Elecraft radios remember a great number of settings, some globally, some 
on a mode and/or band basis.  W6RMK, my Elmer from 70 years ago told me, 
"When something fails, we nearly always believe it's caused by the worst 
possible thing that can happen.  It almost never is."


73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

Dave New, N8SBE wrote on 2/9/2023 11:58 AM:

Josep,

Please check the obvious things:

1) Is 'test mode' on?
2) Is the power level turned to zero?
3) Is the VOX on (for CW)?
4) Are you using the right antenna selection?
5) Is your key plugged in/wiring OK?

I know some of this is really basic, but sometimes in the heat of 
battle, something gets overlooked.


73,

-- Dave, N8SBE

On 2023-02-08 08:47, Josep Torres via Elecraft wrote:


Hi all,

Bad news here…. My K3 (radio 1) is not transmitting power out.!!
I have used this morning as I normally do and all was fine.
Around 1330h local time, I turned it on again and did QSO with
CT7/DJ2PR and all was fine. I let the radio on as the CWT contest
started at 1400h local.
When I started to operate the contest I realized that no power was
going out so very disappointed, I swapped to my other K3 (radio 2).
I really don't know what have happened but the thing is that after
trying for several times, no way, still no power out…
I think I can hear a light click coming from the back left side.

Any help please..? Thanks.

73,

Josep
EA6BF
BUG #256  -  CWops #3072  -  FOC #2182 (ex 1724)






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Re: [Elecraft] K3 no power out

[Dave New, N8SBE]

Josep,

Please check the obvious things:

1) Is 'test mode' on?
2) Is the power level turned to zero?
3) Is the VOX on (for CW)?
4) Are you using the right antenna selection?
5) Is your key plugged in/wiring OK?

I know some of this is really basic, but sometimes in the heat of 
battle, something gets overlooked.


73,

-- Dave, N8SBE

On 2023-02-08 08:47, Josep Torres via Elecraft wrote:


Hi all,

Bad news here…. My K3 (radio 1) is not transmitting power out.!!
I have used this morning as I normally do and all was fine.
Around 1330h local time, I turned it on again and did QSO with
CT7/DJ2PR and all was fine. I let the radio on as the CWT contest
started at 1400h local.
When I started to operate the contest I realized that no power was
going out so very disappointed, I swapped to my other K3 (radio 2).
I really don't know what have happened but the thing is that after
trying for several times, no way, still no power out…
I think I can hear a light click coming from the back left side.

Any help please..? Thanks.

73,

Josep
EA6BF
BUG #256  -  CWops #3072  -  FOC #2182 (ex 1724)

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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 failure

[davidg3una]

Lyn

Just a thought: the rig has a remote on/off facility and you may be getting
extraneous signals into that port.  I know nothing more, but it may give you
a clue where to start looking.  

73 David G3UNA

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net  On
Behalf Of Lyn Norstad
Sent: 09 February 2023 15:57
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 failure

Here's another twist that makes me thing it could be a PS issue.

Early this morning, I was hunting down 3Y0J on 10m FT8 (very strong signal
here).  WSJT-X was in F/H and S/P mode.  I stepped out of the shack for a
few minutes, and when I came back the KAP500 was powered ON, in Standby mode
with the Fault LED lit up.  It had been powered Off with the front panel
switch since yesterday (the rear panel switch was ON as usual).

How is that possible?

Thx,
Lyn

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Lyn Norstad
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2023 4:00 PM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 failure

A couple days ago, I stepped out of the shack for a few minutes and upon
returning found the KPA500 had shut down.  I didn’t note any brief power
outage, and I’m quite sure it was “ON” when I stepped away.

 

It has been a little quirky in keying since that time.  Yesterday it gave
off a funny smell and the Power and SWR LEDs were jumping up and down for no
apparent reason. The  display screen jumps to frequency readout when I key
the exciter, no matter what it is set for.

 

The KAT500 seems to be working normally with the amp either OFF or in
Standby.

 

I did a total power reset and reloaded the current firmware (v01.54), but no
change.

 

I have not pulled it apart yet, but I seem to remember these being the
symptoms discussed some time ago that required an LPF rebuild.  Somewhere
along the line, Elecraft switched to a SM board and that’s when the trouble
started.

 

So my question … besides asking for general advice … is if anyone knows the
serial number when Elecraft made that change.  My KPA500 is s/n 03835.

 

Thanks!

 

73

Lyn, WØLEN

 

 

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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 failure

[Lyn Norstad]

Here's another twist that makes me thing it could be a PS issue.

Early this morning, I was hunting down 3Y0J on 10m FT8 (very strong signal
here).  WSJT-X was in F/H and S/P mode.  I stepped out of the shack for a
few minutes, and when I came back the KAP500 was powered ON, in Standby mode
with the Fault LED lit up.  It had been powered Off with the front panel
switch since yesterday (the rear panel switch was ON as usual).

How is that possible?

Thx,
Lyn

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Lyn Norstad
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2023 4:00 PM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 failure

A couple days ago, I stepped out of the shack for a few minutes and upon
returning found the KPA500 had shut down.  I didn’t note any brief power
outage, and I’m quite sure it was “ON” when I stepped away.

 

It has been a little quirky in keying since that time.  Yesterday it gave
off a funny smell and the Power and SWR LEDs were jumping up and down for no
apparent reason. The  display screen jumps to frequency readout when I key
the exciter, no matter what it is set for.

 

The KAT500 seems to be working normally with the amp either OFF or in
Standby.

 

I did a total power reset and reloaded the current firmware (v01.54), but no
change.

 

I have not pulled it apart yet, but I seem to remember these being the
symptoms discussed some time ago that required an LPF rebuild.  Somewhere
along the line, Elecraft switched to a SM board and that’s when the trouble
started.

 

So my question … besides asking for general advice … is if anyone knows the
serial number when Elecraft made that change.  My KPA500 is s/n 03835.

 

Thanks!

 

73

Lyn, WØLEN

 

 

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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 opinions

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

There is an excellent kpa1...@ghroups.io reflector where there has been 
a lot of discussion about maintenance history.  See particularly a post 
by W3IP on replacing the final transistors - there have been a fair 
number of such failures.  I'm glad that Jim had a good experience - my 
fairly early KPA-1500 is at Watsonville now after I started experiencing 
RX insensitivity when in Standby or when my radio switched it back to 
receive.  I suspect a relay issue, but am looking forward to seeing the 
repair report, and trust that Elecraft will have made any mods needed 
while the amp was there.


73, Pete N4ZR

On 2/8/2023 10:22 PM, Jim Brown wrote:

On 2/8/2023 5:35 PM, Scott Manthe wrote:
I was one of the people that saw the KPA1600 run all day every day at 
Dayton years ago, and have dreamed of that amp ever since. I know the 
KPA1500 probably can't live up to that ideal, but are there issues a 
potential buyer should be aware of?


I'm a near neighbor of Elecraft and people who work there. The KPA1600 
never went into production. My KPA1500 arrived 6/29/19, and has never 
given me the slightest trouble. It sees heavy use in HF CW, RTTY, and 
some SSB contesting, always legal limit. It also sees heavy use during 
6M E-skip season on WSJT modes, where I run it at about 1,200W. It's a 
very nice amp, and has replaced one the 87As in my SO2R station.


My KPA500 made two expensive trips to the factory. The KPA500 mostly 
got used on 6M in the same way as the KPA1500, at 600W, and a lot in 
W6GJB's contesting trailer for HF county expeditions (CQP and 7QP). I 
still own it for those reasons. Several contesting friends also own 
them. I don't have a record of when I bought it.


73, Jim K9YC
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