Re: [Elecraft] Off topic - musical composition
I fear we're going to get out of control but How many folk singers does it take to change a light bulb? 10 - One to change the light bulb and the other 9 to sing about how good the old one was. and just to take it completely off-topic: How many software engineers does it take to change a light bulb? NONE - It's a hardware problem. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "John Payne" To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 26/07/2021 14:18:13 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Off topic - musical composition How many guitar players does it take to change a light bulb? 12!! One to change the bulb and the other 11 to sit around saying "I can do that". 73 de John W4CWZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Off-topic: Musical composition
I build and refurbish Theatre Pipe Organs and produced sampled organs, mainly for home use. Wind pressures can be as high as 25" WG and some of my organs rise more than 6' above the floor. Any advance on 25" or 6'? ROTFL My favourite stop = Bourbon to Organist Coupler. :-D 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Refurbished? What does that mean exactly?
Knowing Elecraft, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You will get a unit that will be like new. There may be slight cosmetic marks on the case, but that's doubtful too. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Elecraft" Sent: 01/07/2021 00:31:01 Subject: [Elecraft] Refurbished? What does that mean exactly? After Elecraft discontinued the P3, I was alarmed, because I wanted one. So, when they offered to sell a limited number of new units, I ordered a P3 when it was first available. At the time, Elecraft said they were going to order the parts and would send out notices when the units were available. I got a notice today for my ordered P3. But they are sending me a refurbished unit, not a “new” one. They did give me a nice discount on the price for my trouble. (although the price was raised considerably from before the P3 was discontinued, so that may be a wash). Given that the P3 is currently unobtainium, and is likely going to remain so after these orders are done, I paid my balance to complete the order. I’m just wondering what I’m getting, if it isn’t “new.” It’s not exactly what I expected. Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: aa...@arrl.net Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!" -- Wilbur Wright, 1901 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Gurus
I disagree. The first rules of using test equipment are to calibrate it and RTFM, then maybe you can trust it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Dean L" To: "Wes Stewart" ; "Elecraft Mail List" Sent: 10/06/2021 20:36:41 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Gurus looked at the videos and said, "Okay, where are the strengths?" the fact that it's $100 Not looking to wage war just stating facts The first rules of using test equipment you got to trust it... 73 all Dean __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Unsubscribe.
Right above your unsubscribe message is an Unsubscribe link to click on. :-) Juste au-dessus de votre message de désabonnement se trouve un lien de désabonnement sur lequel cliquer. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jack F6AJW" To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 20/05/2021 17:26:21 Subject: [Elecraft] Unsubscribe. Please unsubscribe ; KX3 sold. Tanks es 73's. Jacques F6AJW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K4 postings: Main Elecraft reflector vs. Elecraft-K4 at groups.io
Thanks Wayne. I'm sure we all appreciate how busy you must be. It seems like a reasonable compromise and will help to keep K4 only subjects separated from other Elecraft product discussions. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Wayne Burdick" To: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 17/05/2021 17:49:16 Subject: [Elecraft] K4 postings: Main Elecraft reflector vs. Elecraft-K4 at groups.io The number of postings we're making about K4 operation, etc., has jumped of late. This is due to the increase in shipping rate. I find that it's not practical to double-post everything to both the Elecraft-K4 list and to the main Elecraft forum. So I'll be following these rules: - Major announcements (including this one :) will go to both. This includes: - documentation and software updates - K4-related product announcements - issue alerts (operational or hardware) - technical topics of broad interest - Day-to-day discussion supporting K4 user questions will go only to the Elecraft-K4 list. I've resisted any sort of list bifurcation in the past, but I believe it's called for in this case. Regular forum readers won't have to wade through so many narrowly focussed K4 threads, and Elecraft-K4 readers can be assured that no official Elecraft postings will be omitted from that list. 73, Wayne N6KR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500-KAT500 tuning settings
AFAICR The KAT500 follows the K3, not the KPA500, as long as the Aux-bus cable is connected. I can certainly hear the relays click on the KAT500 when I tune the K3 across a frequency threshold point. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: p...@xs4all.nl To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 08/05/2021 12:59:03 Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500-KAT500 tuning settings Hi, if I switch the KPA500 with the band buttons to another band I would expect the KAT500 to follow the last tune settings on the new band. However this is not the case, the tuner switches to the new band settings only when HF goes through. The 15-p cable is connected and there is no K3 connected. Is there a menu setting to let the KAT500 follow the KPA500? 73s Steef PA2A __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K4 interface to KPA-1500
Is there an update to the KPA500 firmware that reflects the K4? 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bob Wilson, N6TV" To: "James F. Boehner, MD" Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 30/04/2021 05:38:24 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K4 interface to KPA-1500 Also be sure to set RADIO TYPE to K4 in the KPA1500 menu. If you don't see it listed, upgrade the KPA1500 firmware. 73, Bob, N6TV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KAT-500 Increasingly Erratic
Check for dry joints on the wiring to all of the antenna connectors. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: davein...@comcast.net To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 07/04/2021 23:41:44 Subject: [Elecraft] KAT-500 Increasingly Erratic I Have a KAT500/KPA 500 combo that I built as kits two yrs ago. The KPA-500 is a pleasure to operate but the KAT500 has been increasingly erratic to the point where it no longer tunes 7Mhz, even connected to a cantenna. The other bands are erratic and sometimes it is several tries. Powering down and back up helps sometimes. I'm not sure the "memories" are there. I'm switching between bands multiple times and looking for tuning action on the radio control panel. Some bands tune well sometimes and other times they do not. Possible intermittent. Troubleshooting has caused me to look over my antenna system very carefully, fixing some things and eliminating everything in my (G5RV) antenna system until I was down to a new piece of coax and the cantenna. So what to do? All those little relays, is there anything a guy can do on his own? Thanks de Dave WB7ELY __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4?
The deposit is usually to cover minor damage when an item is returned. It would have to be as high or higher than the cost to buy a new one, or the renter could be well out of pocket. Most would-be renters would be unlikely to want to shell out $400+ as a deposit. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Eric Garner" To: "Elecraft list" Sent: 03/02/2021 17:44:43 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4? isn't that why most expensive things require a deposit to rent them? Eric KI7LTT On Wed, Feb 3, 2021 at 9:32 AM Alan - G4GNX wrote: __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4?
I can't see that working. When a renter defaults and does a runner, Elecraft would have to layout a lot in recovery fees and maybe even end up with a pile of junk for their trouble. It might work in a very small country or if they had a physical presence in all states. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "John Harper" To: "Elecraft list" Sent: 03/02/2021 17:20:47 Subject: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4? I wonder if this model would work? Flex offers a refund for those who try one of their rigs and don't like it. But a rental would pose less risk to the manufacturer. There are (rumored) a small number of K4's in existence - the rest, of course, are on hold. But regardless...even after full production has begun: What if, before plunking down 4 kilodollars, I could rent the rig for two weeks? If I don't like it, I send it back to Elecraft and I'm only out the rental fee and the cost to ship (renter pays shipping in both directions). If I do like it, I keep the rig and pay the balance. The rental fee would separate the serious potential buyers from those simply wanting a two-week joyride. The question is, how much of a rental fee would be acceptable for a company to offer such a business model? John AE5X https://ae5x.blogspot.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Shack Equipment Storage
My shack is in the attic of a single storey building in the UK. I have a similar setup with a roof window for ventilation and light. It can get up to 104 degrees in Summer, even with a small evaporative air conditioner in use. It doesn't normally get too cold in Winter because the room's fed by part of the main heating system. I leave a PC, network server, network hub and phone charger running 24/7. My K3, KPA500, KAT500, IC-9700, IC-7100 and a Wouxun multi-band plus all PSUs, rotator controllers, monitor screens stay there permanently (all switched off) and are turned on and used as necessary, several times a week. I have had no issues so far. ;-) BTW any would-be burglars reading this, don't bother - we have a very good security system, linked to the Police. :-D 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Joseph Shuman via Elecraft" To: "Elecraft Mail Server" Sent: 27/01/2021 15:18:04 Subject: [Elecraft] Shack Equipment Storage There is a difference between stupidity and ignorance. I claim ignorance. My shack is a room in a barn attic space, separate from the house, no HVAC so cooling is one window and heating is a space heater (when I am working the waves). Otherwise storage is ambient temp in the room. Winter temps typically down to low 20s, summer up to 90s. Sunny summer temp in the shack gets up to 120. My concerns are leaving the KX2 (#3007) and KXPA100 (#2802) in the shack and the effects of daily cycling the temp, especially in winter. My “internet research” (maybe an oxymoron?) has such varied opinions it is worthless. What say you, my fellow Elecraft faithful? Keeping Watch- shu Joe Shuman, NZ8P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT: Thoughts on MFJ-1026 or any other phasing box
I have one and I also use an LZ1AQ double mag-loop. The mag-loop works pretty well with QRM from neighbours but it has limitations, especially when there's more than one source. The MFJ unit kinda works, but you do need a good 'noise' antenna, which I haven't installed yet. I'll be using a mini-whip which comes recommended for the job. Again though, the MFJ has its limitations when there are multiple noise sources. From reports I've read, some people find them great and others not so. Take a look at a couple of YouTube videos, that might help you decide. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Dean L" To: "Elecraft Mail List" Sent: 07/01/2021 23:00:28 Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Thoughts on MFJ-1026 or any other phasing box I have horrible noise ( assumedly from my neighbors) that i cant seem to kick on my K3 and kx3. The NB and NR dont touch it. Ive been watching youtube videos on this magic little box from MFJ that seems to do wonders on my type of noise. Has anyone a MFJ-1026 they no longer need? Any thoughts on this unit? Thanks for the bandwidth and 73 Dean K2WW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Genius vs. Stupidity
Oh God, please don't let us degenerate to this on a Ham Radio group. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Wes" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 26/12/2020 01:17:29 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Genius vs. Stupidity If you were woke, you'd know that the bell curve is racist. Wes N7WS On 12/25/2020 5:57 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: Actually, it all depends on who gets to draw the curve 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County On 12/25/2020 4:21 PM, Harry Yingst via Elecraft wrote: It all depends on where you are on the curve. On Friday, December 25, 2020, 07:11:43 PM EST, Clay Autery wrote: MANY higher-intelligence folks APPEAR to be "insane" to other folks falling higher up on the bell curve. I am in no way anywhere nearly as intelligent as the Professor, but have had any number of encounters in my 57 years where either the "look" or the actual words from the person with whom I was interacting clearly communicated that they thought I was "insane". "I'm not crazy; my mother had me tested!" - Sheldon Cooper, Big Bang Theory __ Clay Autery, KY5G (318) 518-1389 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Main knob friction adjustment
Hi Gernot. I'll hold off with the printing for now. Still very interested to try out a fully working version. Something I never thought of designing myself. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: g...@gmx.net To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 23/12/2020 00:22:17 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Main knob friction adjustment Hi Alan, thanks for the feedback - the uploaded design is not the latest one and probably won't work. I'll upload an upgrade soon. 73 Gernot DF5RF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Main knob friction adjustment
Hi Gernot. I just downloaded it and will 3D print it as soon as I can. Looks like a good design and a useful feature. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: g...@gmx.net To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 22/12/2020 23:07:32 Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Main knob friction adjustment Hello Elecrafters, while we are all waiting for the arrvial of the next beauty, I started to think what's to improve on my K3 meanwhile. I realized I have always missed a means to adjust knob friction while tuning. So I sat down and did the construction and printing (and some iterations of that) and I got one sample working for me now. It really makes a difference now to tuning. Here is my idea: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4694133 <https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4694133> Let's see if anybody else likes to have that, too. Please send me a PM if you do so. If there is enough interest I'm willing to put in the effort to make it available via a printing service. The price range might be around $20-30, depending on the material and quality. Seasons greetings 73 Gernot DF5RF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Flashover in linear amp fed w. K3
This happened to me last week, although it may not have been a flashover. Have you power cycled the K3? Mine would not output any power after the KPA500 faulted, even when I turned the KPA500 off. No barefoot power, zilch. I power cycled the K3 and all restored itself. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Pentti A J Pajunen" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 15/11/2020 19:35:28 Subject: [Elecraft] Flashover in linear amp fed w. K3 Hello Elecrafters! Happened one day when tested Drake L4, that there was a loud bang in the linear causing electrical shutdown in both, the linear and the K3. Now seems that the K3 refuses of any output, RX normal. Hopefully the cause is only corrupted firmware, still having a fear for damaged transmiiting cirquits. No PA output no output when the PA is deactivated. Bricked? -- 73 & CU Penna, OH2G, OH2CG __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3S RX OUT
Yes they do. :-) A little expensive for what it is, but it will do the job. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Steffey NY9H" To: "Alan - G4GNX" ; "Elecraft Reflector (elecraft@mailman.qth.net)" Sent: 14/11/2020 16:48:22 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3S RX OUT mfj makes a little box that does just that https://mfjenterprises.com/products/mfj-1708b-sdr good to see you on nidxa zoom stay well On 11/14/2020 11:38 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: There's no reason why you can't do this. You would however have to be very careful that the SDRPlay is isolated when you transmit. Not just removing power to it, but also grounding the SDRPlay input. This is not because there's any issue with the K3, but because you can still set up a high energy field that can destroy the SDRPlay. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim McDonald" To: "Elecraft Reflector (elecraft@mailman.qth.net)" Sent: 14/11/2020 16:31:42 Subject: [Elecraft] K3S RX OUT Can an SDR, such as a SDRPlay RSP1A, be connected to the RX OUT jack on the K3S instead of using the IF OUT (on the radio or the P3)? 73, Jim N7US __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to n...@arrl.net -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3S RX OUT
There's no reason why you can't do this. You would however have to be very careful that the SDRPlay is isolated when you transmit. Not just removing power to it, but also grounding the SDRPlay input. This is not because there's any issue with the K3, but because you can still set up a high energy field that can destroy the SDRPlay. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim McDonald" To: "Elecraft Reflector (elecraft@mailman.qth.net)" Sent: 14/11/2020 16:31:42 Subject: [Elecraft] K3S RX OUT Can an SDR, such as a SDRPlay RSP1A, be connected to the RX OUT jack on the K3S instead of using the IF OUT (on the radio or the P3)? 73, Jim N7US __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3s/KPA500 communication issue?
Mike, I'm not sure if this is relevant or not but I also have a tale of woe, similar to yours. My main antenna is also an OSCFD and not really cut for 80 metres, so the SWR is always a bit higher than I prefer, possibly approaching 2:1. My setup is a K3S + P3, KPA500 and KAT500. A couple nights ago I was attempting to call a special event station in a pileup on 80 metres and decided to turn the KPA500 on. I was only running with around 11W from the K3S, giving me about 200W output from the KPA500. After 'shouting' a couple of times, the SWR was just below 2:1 but the KPA500 didn't like it and suddenly faulted. When I tried to TX barefoot from the K3S, there was no output - nothing showing on the K3S display. I checked the power setting and it was 100W. I had previously power cycled the KPA500 and it was in Standby. The only way I could get the K3S to TX was to power cycle it, then all was back to normal. I ran the KPA500 in Operate again for a few moments to check that it was OK and all seemed normal, but I didn't pursue it on 80m because I didn't want to push my luck. :-) A couple days later on a regular 40 metre net, I ran the KPA500 again for over an hour (on SSB) and have had no issues. I've not checked the manuals as to whether the original action is a safety feature or a bug. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Mike Dodd" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/11/2020 01:59:57 Subject: [Elecraft] K3s/KPA500 communication issue? Occasionally it seems my K3s doesn't know the STBY/OPER state of my KPA500. I also have a KAT500 for my Carolina Windom. Here's the first scenario: K3 in CW mode. I put the KPA in STBY and hit TUNE on the KAT and on the K3. When the tune is complete, I send one dash and note the 100W LED on the KPA. So far, so good. Next I put the KPA in OPER mode. The K3 power level is already set to about 10W, sufficient for about 250W on the KPA. Now I send a dash. Occasionally the KPA power indicator shoots up to 700W, and the KPA faults. When I clear the fault, the KPA is in STBY, and if I send a dash, I see the 100W LED come on. if I then put the KPA in OPER and send a dash, USUALLY I get the expected 250W output, but occasionally it shoots up to 700W and faults again. Now for the second scenario. With the KPA in OPER and outputting 250W, I switch it to STBY, then send a dash. I expect to see the 100W LED, but it does not light. If I look at the K3 RF bar graph, it shows 10W, not 100W. If I slightly turn the K3 PWR knob, it shows about 10W, not 100W. Until recently, the K3 ALWAYS switched back to my normal setting of 100W when the KPA is in STBY. The fact that it occasionally remains at 10W seems to indicate that it doesn't know the KPA is in STBY. Furthermore, the first scenario, where the KPA output shoots to 700W and it faults, seems to indicate that the K3 is sending it 100 watts -- another indication that the K3 doesn't know the KPA is in OPER, and thus doesn't reduce its output power to 10W. Is there any way to diagnose this problem, and more importantly, to fix it? Thanks for any and all guidance. -- 73, Mike N4CF Louisa County, VA USA Elecraft K3s / P3 / KPA500 / KAT500 Carolina Windom up 45' http://n4cf.mdodd.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT question about receiving loop antenna
May I suggest checking all your PSUs. I had the same issue once and it turned out to be the PSU running a tuner. I binned the PSU and installed a tried and tested new one. No more issues. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Victor Rosenthal" To: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 12/11/2020 14:16:53 Subject: [Elecraft] OT question about receiving loop antenna I have an RF Pro 1b receiving loop antenna which I use for diversity reception on my K3. It used to be sold by Pixel Technologies, and now it is handled by DX Engineering. If there is someone else who has this same antenna, please contact me off list. My antenna seems to be producing a strong (-50 dBm) spurious signal that starts around 7400 kHz and drifts down. It is frequency modulated at the line frequency. I have replaced the preamp and I still have the problem. I am pretty certain that it is not an external signal, but I would like someone else to check theirs for the same issue as a sanity check. -- 73, Victor, 4X6GP Rehovot, Israel Formerly K2VCO CWops no. 5 http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] CM-500
Thanks Charlie. Fortunately the flaking is only around the periphery, not the part that touches the ear, so I have a little time yet. I'll do a search for Velour and see what I can find. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Charlie T" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 03/11/2020 03:29:37 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CM-500 I'd highly recommend Velour pads as opposed to OEM or equivalent that start flaking way sooner than you expect. I've put them on three different Sony MDR-7506 headphones. They are much more comfortable and wear quite well (no pun intended). Poke around some. Velour pads are available for many brands. I'm sure they're made for the CM-500's 73, Charlie k3ICH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Broken boom mic attachment on a CM-500
My CM500 certainly has an electret insert and it came with a separate plug-in battery bias pack. Unfortunately the ear pads are starting to deteriorate. Have you had to replace yours? If so, with what? ISTR I read somewhere that new separate pads are not available. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim Brown" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 02/11/2020 02:59:17 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Broken boom mic attachment on a CM-500 Hmmm. I've used nothing but a CM500 since about 2008, and I've never seen one with a dynamic mic. The data sheet for all of them has said it was dynamic, but none of then were. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer
Guys. My comment was sarcastic and has a smiley on the end of it. Elecraft know what they're doing and I would not expect anyone to tell them they got it wrong! 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Nr4c" To: "Alan - G4GNX" Cc: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 20/10/2020 19:42:31 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer No, no. The torque wrench is used to insure the proper torque is applied. A torque wrench is not a torque multiplier, it is a measurement instrument. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Oct 20, 2020, at 6:33 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Then perhaps someone needs to educate Elecraft not to specify use of a torque wrench, in their assembly instructions. ;-) 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] JIM's KPA 500 transformer [was: KPA500 Transformer]
Jim. I don't see this as resurrecting an old thread. You've asked for help in your particular circumstance, not to discuss the merits of a generic transformer. As you seem to have done almost everything sensible, if the correct torque doesn't correct it, I think your only recourse is to get back on to Elecraft and tell them you think the transformer's faulty. In the meantime, I guess the only thing you can do is either not use it, or wear headphones and try to ignore it. 73, Alan. G4GNX On 2020-10-20 8:11, jimn4kh wrote: I wasn't my intention to resurrect an old thread. I checked the archives before posting my message yesterday. I found a little info but not much. Perhaps I missed it. I delayed going to the list but Elecraft tech support is apparently really backed up because I've gotten zero response to my emails and voicemails beyond one email with the hum mitigation tech note I mentioned before. I thought perhaps the larger community had a specific solution. Judging from the widely varied responses I've gotten obviously not. I've tightened, loosened, and moved the transformer around multiple times with no change. I'll go get a torque wrench and try that but I cant imagine it resolving the problem given how loud it is. Ill take it all apart first and try the procedure once and see if it helps. I just don't like having to solve problems through experimentation on a $2k+ amplifier. Jim N4KH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer
Then perhaps someone needs to educate Elecraft not to specify use of a torque wrench, in their assembly instructions. ;-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bert" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 20/10/2020 05:15:21 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer Toroidal transformers cause very little acoustic hum, unless the core is not tightly wound or the copper wire windings are loose! If you have to tighten the mounting bolt with a torque wrench to get the transformer quiet, something is wrong! Bert VE3NR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer
I don't see the problem. I presume you bought a kit to assemble it yourself. You simply reverse part of the assembly procedure, then re-assemble it. I've assembled several KPA500s and I'd bet that you didn't quite get it right first time. There's no shame in that. This is a risk you take with self-assembly. ISTR there's a torque wrench setting for tightening. Did you use one? Have confidence. Take it apart, do as they say and enjoy feeling smug that you fixed it yourself. :-) Lessons learned? Yeah, take your time, follow instructions to the letter. Don't do anything if you're tired. Plenty of space. Plenty of light. The right tools and a suitable container for parts. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim Spikes N4KH" To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 20/10/2020 00:59:06 Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Transformer Looking for details from anyone who resolved issues with excessive transformer hum during transmit on a KPA-500. I have a hum mitigation application note sent from Elecraft tech support. But the procedure recommended is pretty involved - removing front/side panels, un-plugging connections, removing the transformer, changing positions of the rubber discs, and putting it back together. Possibly more than once, depending on the results. There is a risk of breaking something, and I'm not sure its going to solve the problem if I'm successful. This is a new out of the box KPA500 kit. If anybody has any lessons learned I would appreciate hearing them. Jim, N4KH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 and Astatic mic?
I changed the insert for an electret, turn on K3 bias and it works fine. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "David F. Reed" To: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 16/10/2020 17:39:30 Subject: [Elecraft] K3 and Astatic mic? Anybody have any luck getting a old Astatic Silver Eagle microphone to work with their K3? Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
No sweat Bill. Sh*t happens. :-D 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Alan - G4GNX" Cc: "Elecraft" Sent: 14/10/2020 18:55:01 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m In this case, it wasn’t RG-213, but RG-303. The author regrets the error. On Oct 14, 2020, at 1:45 PM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Not wishing to pick a fight, but he said that he is using a balun rated at 1KW. What you describe is a common mode choke and as I'm sure you know, that is not a transformer which is what I described. I can see Jim's frustration. Folks really need to get to grips and properly understand the terms they are using, otherwise we get into meaningless arguments and false advice. RG213 is a commonly used co-axial cable: https://www.awcwire.com/productspec.aspx?id=rg213-coaxial-cable 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: j...@kk9a.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/10/2020 18:17:00 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m AA4LR is using #43 ferrite beads on RG-313 coax. I am not sure what RG-313 is however there should be no ohm meter short unless he is using a hairpin match. Perhaps there is a flaky connection somewhere in his system. I had a lot of RF feedback problems with my K3S when using a corroded station in the Caribbean but no current warnings. John KK9A Alan - G4GNX wrote: I presume that you disconnected the feeder from the balun when you did the DC Ohms test? If not, there is something wrong because you should see almost a dead (DC) short through the primary of the balun. I must admit I put off replacing my antenna until I was forced to. Might be the way to go. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to aa...@arrl.net Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: aa...@arrl.net Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!" -- Wilbur Wright, 1901 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
Sorry to pick you up on this Bill, but you've been rather misleading on your description. A current choke (common mode choke) is not even 1:1 as in a transformer, there is no ratio, primary to secondary. You rightly say that you're using a CHOKE which is NOT a balun "balanced to unbalanced transformer". In the light of that, I apologise. My information regarding a balun is useless to you. Sorry to have wasted your time. BTW I also don't understand where the 1KW rating came from. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Alan - G4GNX" Cc: "Elecraft" Sent: 14/10/2020 18:45:11 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m It’s a current (choke) 1:1 balun. Ferrite beads over coax. There are no turns, there is no primary. On Oct 14, 2020, at 9:19 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: I presume that you disconnected the feeder from the balun when you did the DC Ohms test? If not, there is something wrong because you should see almost a dead (DC) short through the primary of the balun. I must admit I put off replacing my antenna until I was forced to. Might be the way to go. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message ------ From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Alan - G4GNX" Cc: "Elecraft" Sent: 14/10/2020 13:39:06 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m I was not seeing any SWR shifts on this antenna. A check with an ohmmeter shows no shorts. This antenna is currently on the ground due to other work on the tower. I’m considering replacing the antenna entirely. It’s been up over 10 years, and the traps could use re-work. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to aa...@arrl.net Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: aa...@arrl.net Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!" -- Wilbur Wright, 1901 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
Not wishing to pick a fight, but he said that he is using a balun rated at 1KW. What you describe is a common mode choke and as I'm sure you know, that is not a transformer which is what I described. I can see Jim's frustration. Folks really need to get to grips and properly understand the terms they are using, otherwise we get into meaningless arguments and false advice. RG213 is a commonly used co-axial cable: https://www.awcwire.com/productspec.aspx?id=rg213-coaxial-cable 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: j...@kk9a.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/10/2020 18:17:00 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m AA4LR is using #43 ferrite beads on RG-313 coax. I am not sure what RG-313 is however there should be no ohm meter short unless he is using a hairpin match. Perhaps there is a flaky connection somewhere in his system. I had a lot of RF feedback problems with my K3S when using a corroded station in the Caribbean but no current warnings. John KK9A Alan - G4GNX wrote: I presume that you disconnected the feeder from the balun when you did the DC Ohms test? If not, there is something wrong because you should see almost a dead (DC) short through the primary of the balun. I must admit I put off replacing my antenna until I was forced to. Might be the way to go. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
Jim. I agree about the MISS-use of the word balun. As the word is actually supposed to represent a balanced to unbalanced TRANSFORMER, I have used it in its correct sense. If I had meant common mode choke, I would have said so. If the OP is not using a balun in the true sense of the word, then he should say so. Sorry, but I can't be held responsible for others' misuse of the terms. I don't see why the word "balun" should be eliminated. That's like saying the word "resistor" should be eliminated because I actually mean to describe a capacitor, but can't be bothered to learn the correct terminology. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim Brown" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/10/2020 17:57:31 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m On 10/14/2020 6:19 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: I presume that you disconnected the feeder from the balun when you did the DC Ohms test? If not, there is something wrong because you should see almost a dead (DC) short through the primary of the balun. Here's an example of where the word "balun" blows up our thinking about problem solving. The "balun" you're describing is a transformer, sometimes called a voltage balun. Other things commonly called a "balun" are a common mode choke, which should look like an open circuit at both DC and RF. The word "balun" should be eliminated from our use. I know of at least ten very different things that are called a "balun." 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
I presume that you disconnected the feeder from the balun when you did the DC Ohms test? If not, there is something wrong because you should see almost a dead (DC) short through the primary of the balun. I must admit I put off replacing my antenna until I was forced to. Might be the way to go. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Alan - G4GNX" Cc: "Elecraft" Sent: 14/10/2020 13:39:06 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m I was not seeing any SWR shifts on this antenna. A check with an ohmmeter shows no shorts. This antenna is currently on the ground due to other work on the tower. I’m considering replacing the antenna entirely. It’s been up over 10 years, and the traps could use re-work. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m
This happened to me on a multi-band antenna, with SWR changing, but no Hi Cur warning. I would be transmitting for months, using only 100W with no issues. I added in a KPA500/KAT500 combination and apart from a short test at 400W, I continued to use it at 200W (SSB) max. After a month or so, the SWR would change - mid QSO. A quick retune and I was able to continue. Over a few weeks the occurrence was more frequent. Using a Rig Expert analyser, no fault or bad SWR was indicated and I (wrongly) guessed that the 400W Guanella balun was breaking down at power over 100W. In the meantime I ordered a new 1KW balun made for that antenna, but before it arrived, during a QSO there was a catastrophic "occurrence" with all kinds of warnings and the SWR was off the scale. A check with a multimeter indicated a dead short somewhere in the feedline (RG58). I also took the balun apart and found no fault. As I'd ordered a new balun, I decided to change it anyway. I don't have the power to exceed the new balun's spec, so it should last forever - RF wise. ;-) Obviously I replaced the co-ax feeder - I now use Westflex 103 with much larger ferrites (to fit the new cable size) as a common mode choke. All now works as it should and shows no sign of breakdown, even at 400W (max legal for the UK). The old co-ax is a different matter. With both ends disconnected (open) connecting one end to the analyser showed a short circuit about 15 feet along its length. I cut out a section either side and the remaining two pieces showed 'open' as they should. On visual inspection I find that the braid of the co-ax has migrated through the center insulation and is touching the inner conductor, indicating that a fair amount of heat has been generated. The area in question was right where the common mode ferrites had been fitted, although there were no tell-tale marks on the ferrites or the outer casing of the co-ax. It's fairly obvious that a high voltage node has caused an internal flashover which in turn has changed the characteristic which has resulted in a high current node which has generated the heat. You may well be right that your balun is not faulty, but you should check it anyway as well as checking out all the other aspects of the installation. If you can, replace the feeder. You may be surprised at what you find. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill Coleman" To: "Don Wilhelm" Cc: "Elecraft" Sent: 13/10/2020 01:55:16 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Issue with HI CUR on 12m SWR on the problem antenna is below 1.2:1. It’s a trap dipole - designed for that band. It is unlikely the balun is “breaking down”. It’s a current balun - #43 ferrite beads on RG-313 coax. It can easily handle a kW or more. On Oct 12, 2020, at 2:12 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Bill, I would suggest that you check the SWR on the antenna before concluding it is an RF feedback problem. Don't forget that the balun may be breaking down with power and show no problem at lower power (like from an antenna analyzer). Don W3FPR On 10/11/2020 8:53 PM, Bill Coleman wrote: Don, I finally got around to running my K3 into a dummy load. I had no problem running 100w or even 110w with a dummy load. Current draw from the power supply was 22 A and 23 A, respectively, on the K3 display. No HI CUR indications. External wattmeter validates the output. I was getting the HI CUR indication on a trap 30/17/12m inverted V. I had to take it down, and now I’m using a trap 80/40/20m dipole through the tuner. No HI CUR indication on that antenna, either. Even though I have current baluns on both antennas, I’m thinking that my HI CUR problem may be related to RF feedback in the shack. Do you concur? I’m in the process of a number of shack improvements, including antenna replacements and grounding and bonding, so that might take care of it. On Jan 11, 2020, at 11:29 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Bill, Is this into a dummy load (bypass the ATU or tune the ATU into the dummy load). If it is into an antenna, there are a whole lot of guesses about how the antenna behaves with higher power levels than your antenna analyzer shows. So check it with a dummy load to eliminate the possibility that the problem is in the antenna. Put an external wattmeter in line with the dummy load to eliminate questions about the calibration on the K3 wattmeter. If you can measure the actual current drawn, that would also be helpful. 73, Don W3FPR On 1/11/2020 11:18 AM, Bill Coleman wrote: Back in early December, I installed two KSYN3As in my K3 SN 7071. Sometime after that, I noticed that on 12m, I’m seeing a HI CUR indication when I set the power level to more than about 80-85 watts. The K3 will back off on the power level, then slowly ramp back up until it hits HI CUR again. I don’t remember seeing this before. After the KSYNC3A install, I ran the transmit
Re: [Elecraft] KAT3A
ISTR you remove the center strengthening bar (plain aluminum) and it will probably help to remove the side panel. Then it's a matter of gentle 'wiggling'. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Grant Youngman" To: "Tom Fitzpatrick" Cc: "Elecraft Refl" Sent: 24/09/2020 22:35:08 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT3A Have you looked at the manual? You can follow the installation instructions in reverse …. might give you a hint. On Sep 24, 2020, at 5:26 PM, Tom Fitzpatrick via Elecraft wrote: Can anyone tell me the secret to pulling the KAT3A tuner card out of a K3? I changed it out once for the newest version but forgot how I did it. Part of th chassis frame stops the board from being pulled out. Tom, K4IE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Off topic and subject change [was: Status of Add-ons for K3?]
It really would help if folks were not too lazy to change the subject line to reflect the actual content. Then we could all decide for ourselves whether to bother to start reading it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim Sheldon" To: "Charlie T" Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 24/09/2020 16:41:17 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Status of Add-ons for K3? What, may I ask do these cigarette posts have to do with Elecraft radios? You guys are WAY out of line. W0EB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 197, Issue 18
For goodness sake, please trim your posts!!! ;-( 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: ccolema...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/09/2020 21:10:47 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 197, Issue 18 Sent from my iPhone On Sep 14, 2020, at 11:03 AM, elecraft-requ...@mailman.qth.net wrote: Send Elecraft mailing list submissions to elecraft@mailman.qth.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to elecraft-requ...@mailman.qth.net You can reach the person managing the list at elecraft-ow...@mailman.qth.net When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Elecraft digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Why predistortion ? (JR) 2. Re: Why predistortion ? (Wayne Burdick) 3. Re: Why predistortion ? (E.H. Russell) 4. Re: Why predistortion ? (Randy Farmer) 5. KAT500: Fails to tune,and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Dave Cole) 6. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune,and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Dick Dievendorff) 7. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune, and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Ken Winterling) 8. Why predistortion ? (John Harper) 9. Re: Why predistortion ? (Wes) 10. Re: Why predistortion ? (W2xj) 11. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune, and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Dave Cole) 12. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune, and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Dave Cole) 13. Re: Why predistortion ? (David Gilbert) 14. Re: Why predistortion ? (Bill Frantz) 15. Re: Why predistortion ? (Wayne Burdick) 16. Re: Why predistortion ? (Jim Brown) 17. Re: Why predistortion ? (Jim Brown) 18. Re: Why predistortion ? (David Gilbert) 19. Elecraft CW Net Report (kevinr) 20. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune, and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Dave Cole) 21. Re: KAT500: Fails to tune, and shows 3:1 on good antenna on 18 MHz. (Ken Winterling) 22. 630 meter operation on the K4 (Nigel Lemaire) 23. Re: Why predistortion ? (Charlie T) 24. Re: Why predistortion ? (Charlie T) 25. Re: Why predistortion ? (Dr. William J. Schmidt) -- Message: 1 Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2020 17:32:21 -0400 From: JR To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Why predistortion ? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Why are so many ops obsessed with predistortion? The Elecraft K-Line already produces some of the cleanest, purest transmit signals around.?? Do we need predistortion ?? If so, why, and how much better is it than what we already have?? Should I wait to buy a new rig until that is available? Thanks and Happy Trails to all.?? K8JHR _ -- Message: 2 Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2020 15:03:00 -0700 From: Wayne Burdick To: JR Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Why predistortion ? Message-ID: <93a9df67-0b33-4fbf-88fc-226d98d27...@elecraft.com> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8 Hi JR, Virtually all class-AB-biased amplifier stages have worst-case 3rd-order IMD in the range of -30 dBc (ARRL method) on some HF bands. This reflects a limitation in the state of the art. Even with adequate feedback and bias, an amplifier operated in the vicinity of its 1 dB compression point (where it is most efficient) will exhibit such characteristics. To improve on this you either need to operate class A, which is highly inefficient, or use predistortion. A small number of commercial transceivers are now providing predistortion, in some cases as an optional/experimental setting (that not everyone uses, or at least not all the time). There are constraints on predistortion power range imposed by the headroom limit of the amplifier stage itself. Go over that point and distortion will be worse than without predistortion. Predistortion, correctly applied, can reduce interference between adjacent stations on a crowded band. This is a factor at least some fraction of the time during typical amateur radio use. Beyond that, the motivation for a ?pure? signal exemplifies the amateur spirit of cooperation, and is an example of keeping the hobby on the forefront of electrical design. Wayne, N6KR elecraft.com On Sep 13, 2020, at 2:34 PM, JR wrote: ?Why are so many ops obsessed with predistortion? The Elecraft K-Line already produces some of the cleanest, purest transmit signals around. Do we need predistortion ? If so, why, and how much better is it than what we already have? Should I wait to buy a new rig until that is available? Thanks and Happy Trails to all. K8JHR _ __ Elecraft mailing
Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500
The KAT500 retains matched memories for each band/frequency per antenna. So yes, you have 3 solutions per band/frequency. It has quite a lot of memories. :-D 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "w4sc" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 13/09/2020 00:38:08 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500 I have the KAT/KPA500 setup with the K3. It works great when trained, tracking VFO. I had only one antenna available per band at the time using the setup. Currently the “shack” is undergoing a move and renovation. I will be back on with possibly as many as 3 antennas available on a single band. I have looked for answer to the following question. Is the training saved per-BAND/ANTENNA combination tuning solution?.. possibly resulting in 3 solutions per band. If there is only one solution there are implications in switching to a different antenna in a band with multiple antenna choices. In my case the future may hold a vertical, beam, and horizontal loop on 40M. Ben W4SC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500
I was quoting from the KAT500 owners manual and only the min and max power that the KAT500 will tolerate. As I just posted, there's a cable made which allows you to use the external tuner function of the IC-7300, forcing it to output low power for tuning, but without connecting the IC-7300 to the tuner, except for the RF connection. That way you know that the IC-7300 is only outputting its intended tuning power and will protect itself. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "KENT TRIMBLE" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 13/09/2020 00:03:34 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500 Alan is right, but it depends on which "good book" one is consulting! We have to be careful about transceiver power levels when tuning an external AMU, for the sake of the /transceiver /as well as the AMU. Your AMU may be able to tolerate 100 watts during the tuning process, but your transceiver may not. Unless the transceiver automatically folds back its output in the presence of high SWR levels, one risks damaging the transceiver's PA transistors. While many modern rigs do so, others, especially older rigs often used by new licensees, do not. For example, when seeing an SWR above 3:1, my FT-991A reduces its CW output from 100 to 10 watts while at the same time flashing "HIGH SWR" in red letters. The rig may be successfully protecting itself, but why risk stressing components if it's not necessary? That's why I prefer switching the transceiver to AM at 25 watts when tuning an external AMU. 73, Kent K9ZTV On 9/12/2020 5:16 PM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Although it's preferable to have at least 20W to tune, the good book says that anything between 7 and 100 watts is OK. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500
From what the OP wrote, I don't think he's using the Tune button to activate the KAT500. A 3rd party sells a cable that plugs into the AH-4 socket on the back of the IC-7300, which allows you to make the IC-7300 enter Tune mode, by pressing the simple button on the end of the cable. It would of course be possible to make your own. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "w4sc" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 12/09/2020 23:06:37 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500 There may be a clue here https://kg3v.com/2019/03/03/cant-use-tune-button-on-ic-7300-with-kat-500-tuner/ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500
Yes. You would normally 'train' the KAT500 in segments over each band for each antenna. This is done in Auto mode. The recommended segments are listed in the back of the KAT500 manual. Each match setting is stored in its own memory. You would then leave the KAT500 in Manual mode and each time you transmit, it should detect the band/frequency and switch to the appropriate memory. Memory settings are retained after power down. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Ted Edwards W3TB" To: "KENT TRIMBLE" Cc: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 12/09/2020 23:22:48 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500 Related question: Should the KAT-500 hold memorized settings after shutting down to ready for use another time? __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500
Although it's preferable to have at least 20W to tune, the good book says that anything between 7 and 100 watts is OK. I guess you're providing that in CW mode. Have you 'trained' the KAT500 for the entire band/s you want to use? If you do that in Auto mode, then switch to Manual mode, the KAT500 should see RF from the IC-7300 and switch to the 'trained' and matched frequency, but you will have to speak into the mic to produce some RF. Pressing the PTT or Transmit button won't do that, unless you have a really high background noise which the mic picks up. Are you sure that the IC-7300 internal tuner is switched out? I haven't messed with our club's IC-7300 for some time (pandemic issues) but I previously found that the internal tuner was not very good and would not match anything over 2:1 and even with it switched out the rig would drastically cut its power back if it thought the SWR was high. It may be a chicken and egg situation where the KAT500 has not yet matched, so the IC-7300 sees that mismatch and won't produce enough power to make the KAT500 activate. You would probably find it would work as you wish if you setup an AH-4 cable between the rig and tuner. Page 15 of the KAT500 shows how to do this. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Russell Domareck via Elecraft" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 12/09/2020 22:04:29 Subject: [Elecraft] K1ZTE - KAT500 I own a KAT500 and KPA500 that I use with an IC 7300. When in CW mode, the KAT500 can be activated by keying the IC 7300, no problem. This allows the KAT500 to find a match with low power while the KPA500 is in standby mode. In SSB mode, there is still the need to activate the KAT500 for the match, however, neither keying the mike nor speaking into the mike activates the KAT500. A press of the transmit button in the IC 7300 also did not activate the KAT500. I find that I have to first switch to CW mode for the activation before switching to SSB so that the KAT500 is all set for KPA500 operation. Is what I am doing the only way to do this? I have read related posts on this subject but they did not satisfactorily answer my question. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] With the K4 coming, is it time to replace this email list with a forum?
I'd bet quite a lot that it will only be 50% because most contributors are too lazy to change the header. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "David Gilbert" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 07/09/2020 00:52:45 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] With the K4 coming, is it time to replace this email list with a forum? Ahh. Well then, I'd bet quite a lot of money that 95+% of that traffic will have "K4" in the header and easily be sent directly to your trash bin. You'll never even see it. 73, Dave AB7E On 9/6/2020 3:03 PM, Barry wrote: David Gilbert-2 wrote And as others have pointed out, there is already a K4 forum on .io . why doesn't that work for you?? Dave AB7E Because I'm not looking for a K4 forum. I'm looking to AVOID all the K4 traffic that will be comping. Barry W2UP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] New KX3 reverse voltage smoke
In which case I maintain my original point that the PSU is faulty, but it would seem to be by bad design rather than a developed fault. Whilst the mains ground is there for safety, if there was a ground fault, it's quite possible that high voltage/current could be applied to the PSU low voltage side and cause untold damage, a fire or even death. If I had bought a PSU connected like that, I would return it if possible, otherwise it would be in the trash! Apart from the perceived PSU fault, have Elecraft really connected the -ve input terminal to chassis? That would kinda negate the use of the reverse polarity diode. The KX3 circuit diagram is not entirely clear. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Andy Durbin" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 05/09/2020 19:59:14 Subject: [Elecraft] New KX3 reverse voltage smoke "If that really is the case, there would seem to be a fault with your power supply. The secondary (low voltage) side of a PSU should never be connected to ground. Both poles should always 'float'." Many of the currently marketed small switching supplies have the same internals and only differ in branding, rear connectors, and metering. I own two Jetstream switching supplies and there quite a few "badge engineered" power supplies that use the same internals. These power supplies most certainly do have the negative output terminal connected to chassis and mains supply ground. No, you can't isolate the output terminal. I was remined that the negative terminal is not isolated when I used one of these power supplies to drive the reversible DC motor that tunes my magnetic loop. One direction works ok, the other direction lets smoke out of the wires. If you want to feed reversible polarity DC up the coax using a pair of bias T then the PSU better be isolated! Opinions on whether PSU output terminals should float seem to be quite stong so I expect a protracted debate. 73, Andy, k3wyc __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] New KX3 reverse voltage smoke
I don't understand why the antenna being connected provided a path to ground for the supply. If that really is the case, there would seem to be a fault with your power supply. The secondary (low voltage) side of a PSU should never be connected to ground. Both poles should always 'float'. I'd be very surprised if Elecraft had connected the negative supply to chassis ground inside the KX3 either. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Ian Liston-Smith" To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" ; "Mike Morrow" Sent: 05/09/2020 18:20:44 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New KX3 reverse voltage smoke In my haste to disconnect everything I didn't notice that the antenna was connected, and thus the chassis had a good earth. On close inspection there is a tiny burnt patch around the power supply plug and presumably that's what created the smoke. So I guess the reverse current went through the plug mountings on the board to earth and the reverse diode did its job. There doesn't seem to be any serious damage to the board at the solder point to the plug, just a black spot that joint took the full force of the shorted current! I gently reheated that spot. Just hope there's not any overheated damage to any internal tracks. Anyway, seems no obvious harm was done. This KX3 still received and transmits. I have now replaced most of the original lead with a proper, clearly coloured red/black lead. 73, Ian, G4JQT From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net on behalf of Mike Morrow Sent: 05 September 2020 16:26 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New KX3 reverse voltage smoke The failure reported by G4JQT and the response of KC1DNY do not reflect what should happen when reverse polarity DC is applied to the KX3 or any other Elecraft rig. All have that series blocking diode (D6/CMS04 in KX3) that should prevent any significant reverse current flow and certainly should have prevented "smoke" and "melted wire" from developing. If indeed that is an accurate report, then an explanation from Elecraft should have been requested. Something else aside from reverse polarity DC is being hidden in the picture being presented so far. Mike / KK5F __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3?
Malwarebytes reports the link to the radio as insecure with a Trojan, so I can't see it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "John Harper" To: "Elecraft list" Sent: 03/09/2020 18:58:37 Subject: [Elecraft] Is the Lab599 TX500 a "rip-off" of the KX3? As someone who has one of these radios on order, I'd like to know if this is fake news or true fact: "This rig is copied from the KX-3. I was told this from a reliable source inside Elecraft." Source: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/lab599-discovery-tx-500.683461/page-2 The radio in question is described here: https://lab599.com/ Comments from Elecraft especially welcome. TNX/73, John AE5X https://ae5x.blogspot.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 SWR fault above 700-800 watts on 160m
Ken, sorry this is rather long, but here goes... I had a similar problem in the UK, with a OSCFD antenna, purchased from a UK company. I didn't question the theory and just assembled it according to instructions. As you would expect the antenna is made from two differing lengths of ruggedised, plastic coated copper wire, which is fed by a 4:1 Guanella balun, rated at 400W. The balun is potted in a weatherproof box and is fed via the customary PL259/SO239 connector with Mil Spec RG58 coaxial cable. About 6' down from the feed point is a common mode choke (sometimes called a sleeve balun) which consists of 8 ferrite inline cores, around the co-ax and held in place with heat shrink sleeving and cable ties. The rig was just the K3S/100W with internal tuner and all was well for many months, mostly using 40 metres SSB. A while later, I added the KPA500/KAT500 combo which I ran for a couple of very short periods at 400W to test. For a weekly net, I used only 200W and all seemed OK for a while, until suddenly the VSWR started to increase over the period of an 'over'. Over a few weeks this got more frequent and I would have to re-tune part way through an 'over'. At that time, I wan't sure whether it was an antenna issue, or the KPA500/KAT500, although I suspected that the KPA500 was getting too hot, so I posted a question on a forum and was contacted by Jack Brindle of Elecraft, who kindly looked at the KPA500 fault reports and sent me a comprehensive explanation of his findings based on the figures and his experience, which concluded that the antenna was almost certainly the culprit. I ordered a new 1KW Guanella balun and some much bigger ferrites, with the intention of replacing the RG58 with Westflex 103. In the meantime I soldiered on with the original setup until one day all hell let loose, with the KPA500 and KAT500 fault lights flashing and even the K3S got 'ticked off'. At this point I switched to my HF vertical, to keep me on the air. When I dismantled the wire antenna, I expected a balun fault, but it was actually OK. On further checking, after disconnecting the co-ax from the balun, the open ended co-ax showed a DC short on a test meter! I used the Rig Expert 600 to determine exactly where the short was and it turned out to be exactly where the sleeve ferrites had been, BUT there was no discoloration of the outer covering, or signs of melting, so I knew it was unlikely that the ferrite cores had got heated. I cut the section out of the co-ax and started to take it apart. With the outer covering all removed, there was still no sign of discoloration of the screen braid, but as I tried to remove the braid, it was obvious that there had been considerable heating as the center section of the braid has melted into the center conductor insulation, and somewhere in there, it has made it right through to the center conductor. Unfortunately I haven't yet found the exact point of the short, because I left the partly dismantled piece of inner co-ax on a table and one of my cats seems to have run off with it! :-D When I eventually find it, I'll continue investigating. In the meantime, one theory is that the common mode choke presented a high impedance to RF coming back down the co-ax and this in turn produced a very high voltage causing an arc between inner and outer and as the characteristics changed, in turn a high current node was created, which caused the heating effect. Another theory is that it is just a crappy piece of cable and it just failed. Unfortunately this is not the sort of fault that can be detected in its development stage by a low power antenna analyser, it needs a fair amount of power. This long tale may just give you some clues to your possible issue on 160m although on a different power scale.. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Ken Ramirez de Arellano" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 02/09/2020 22:41:30 Subject: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 SWR fault above 700-800 watts on 160m Every bit of antenna hardware ( coax, balun, insulators, etc. have been changed out or proven good. Connections are all solid. My KPA1500 will transmit above 800 watts for about 15-30 seconds and then the SWR jumps up and it faults out for high VSWR. I can run 1500 watts on all the other “Legacy” bands (10,15,20,40,80) with no problems. I’ve forced an STU relearn and still the same issue. The antenna B amp is a Clipperton L and that transmits at a KW out and I see no change in VSWR in the external wattmeter using all of the same cabling. It’s starting to look like something heating up in the KPA1500. Is anyone aware of a known issue for this with the KPA1500 or a known fix? I would rather do a field repair instead of sending to Elecraft from KP4. TIA Ken, KP3MM -- Ken Ramirez KP3MM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailma
Re: [Elecraft] K4 shipping info
What's the problem Steve? November is when I created the group. It's at: https://groups.io/g/Elecraft-K4 Ring any bells? ;-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "stephen shearer" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 28/08/2020 16:26:37 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K4 shipping info OK, what is the group name? Elecraft-K4 ?? https://groups.io/g/Elecraft-K4 already exists, since (at least) November 73, steve On 8/28/20 6:33 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Someone on another group suggested that there should be a group setup specifically for the K4. I responded by doing just that. It is a group for enthusiasts by enthusiasts. No more, no less. I'm not looking for praise. It is what it is. ;-) __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Other groups [was: K4 shipping info]
Hehehehe. Fooled you Rich. I already changed the subject line. :-D However, I do agree. Many people are lazy and occasionally some forget, but once the thread drifts off-topic, I really wish they would change the subject line. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Rich NE1EE" <73.de.ne...@gmail.com> To: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 28/08/2020 13:45:09 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Other groups [was: K4 shipping info] On 2020-08-28 12:24:+, Alan - G4GNX wrote: I cope with this by using an initial text-only email client, where I see the subject line and sender's address. I use a text-only email client 99% of the time...the problem is...just as with this email...threads are hijacked all the time, so I can't usually look at the subject and sender and know that I want to read the email or not. I have been guilty of this myself...just as in this case...where I respond in the moment, and (except for now) don't realize that I am off thread. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Other groups [was: K4 shipping info]
Hi Doug. No forgiveness is required, no offense taken. Each to their own. :-) What II will say about groups in general is that by anyone not subscribing to a group which caters for a subject they're interested in, may miss out in snippets of information that they'd like to have had. Groups are usually free to join, so there's no money downside from that point of view. The major downside of multiple groups is the possible amount of traffic. I cope with this by using an initial text-only email client, where I see the subject line and sender's address. I can also read some of the body text if I wish. Anything not of interest is marked for deletion and is removed when the email client 'hands over' to the main email client. It's quick and easy, but maybe not for everyone, but by doing it that way, I can belong to several similar groups, not miss anything and cope with traffic that doesn't concern me. Being a member of several groups allows me to compartmentalise my interest in multiple products from the same source. Not trying to 'push' an agenda. Just my personal point of view. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "turnbull" To: "Alan - G4GNX" ; "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 28/08/2020 12:21:05 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K4 shipping info Alan and friends please forgive me but I am a member of enough groups for different subjects.I will stick to the Elecraft site and assume perhaps wrongly that Eric, Wayne and the gang will still support it. I do have a K4 on order and am committed.There probably have been other forums for individual Elecraft products but I never visited them. Everyone is entitled to make their own choices but for me this is the site for all K4 info. I ask forgiveness for this stance. It is just the gasp of an old geezer. It is not my intent to offend but it seems better to say something now. Peace and 73 Doug EI2CN __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K4 shipping info
I tried to send this yesterday, but it went astray. :-( Straight from the horse's mouth, so that there will be no rumors or doubt: I have the K3S-line and am interested in the K4. I do not have an order placed yet. I'm waiting until the kit availability is announced. Someone on another group suggested that there should be a group setup specifically for the K4. I responded by doing just that. It is a group for enthusiasts by enthusiasts. No more, no less. I'm not looking for praise. It is what it is. ;-) I would ask new subscribers to be patient. As with most groups, your 1st message has to be approved, before you become unmoderated. There is a time difference of 5 - 8 hours between the USA and UK, so if you send your first message whilst I'm asleep, it may be delayed. It's not personal. :-) The group has sporadic use, depending on information and questions on a daily basis. When a small announcement is made, there's usually a flurry of activity, which tails off until someone thinks of something else they want to discuss, or there's another announcement. Eric and Wayne monitor the group when they have time and they answer questions when they have answers. I think other Elecraft staff also keep a weather eye on it. I didn't setup the K4 group to take over from any Elecraft group, it's just to separate out K4 traffic from any other Elecraft product, in response to a request from other prospective users. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Nr4c" To: "Skip Davis" Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 28/08/2020 00:37:22 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K4 shipping info I don’t think the groups.io group here was setup by Elecraft for FTs I think it was setup by users like you and me especially to discuss K4 stuff. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Aug 27, 2020, at 7:08 PM, Skip Davis via Elecraft wrote: Grant to respond to your reference to not needing another group that is true in some respect except the K4 group was probably setup for field testers and Elecraft communications only. Being a field tester for the K2 there was a lot of post to help improve the product before it was sold to the masses. We were the ones that tried to uncover the PC board problems and other such things that were initially found. Plus when you design a product you need someone else to evaluate it and use it in ways that don’t follow the design operational flow diagram you intended. Opening it up to all that are interested would clutter it with way too much unproductive chatter. Case in point is the number of posts generated when ever the K4 is mentioned. Skip Davis, NC9O Sent from my iPad __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Test
Sorry for the bandwidth. I just sent two reply messages to this list and they have not appeared and are not in the archive. Just generating a new message from scratch. Please ignore. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3S in QRP mode
The setting for the PA module is probably re-set to NOT INSTALLED. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Bill DeVore" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 26/07/2020 20:39:51 Subject: [Elecraft] K3S in QRP mode I recently did a Parameter Initialization on my K3S. I didn’t save the current firmware configuration as I’ve never done any custom programming on the radio. After performing the initialization, a full rotation of the Power knob only goes from 0 to a maximum of 12 w on any band. Prior to the initialization of the rig, I could adjust power all the way to a max of 110w on each band. Did the initialization set the rig in QRP mode? I sure hope there’s a configuration menu somewhere that I can change to get the radio back to full power. Bill - W3PNM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Diversity receive versus QRM eliminators
Hi Gernot. I use an LZ1AQ double mag loop (rotateable) to null out as much hash as possible. This feeds the RX Ant In input on the K3S. I also have an MFJ Noise eliminator which is also inline, using the LZ1AQ as the main (RX) antenna and I've tried a couple of antennas (including my HF vertical) as the 'noise' antenna and I don't find any noise suppression by phase elimination with the MFJ. I've yet to try a mini-whip antenna as the 'noise' antenna. I actually wonder if the MFJ unit is faulty, as I've heard that other people have at least noticed a small difference when using it. Once/if I get the MFJ untit to work, I may then buy one of the more expensive noise eliminators. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: g...@gmx.net To: "Elecraft Reflector" Sent: 29/06/2020 18:18:30 Subject: [Elecraft] Diversity receive versus QRM eliminators Hello all, In a recent rush to eliminate urban noise I bought an QRM eliminator. The working principle is to null out signals by shifting the phases of two antennas (one main/tx and one rx). I can see the effect sometimes, but it is not the holy grail for all types of QRM. I still don't get rid of the PSU/LED/plasmaish noise here, sometimes the S/N is a bit better but maybe thats my inner impression to justify buying this thing. Now, I do wonder how this differs from diversity receive, effectively versus local QRM. Note I have a 10m vertical as the 2nd ant, while the main ant is horizontal. Any thoughts or hints ? tnx 73 Gernot DF5RF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] I'm building a personal email list....
and very little to do with Elecraft. Please remove it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Christian Friess" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 20/06/2020 18:05:44 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] I'm building a personal email list I wish that too. It looks like someone was bored to death and started a thread. After a while it was nothing else but waste of bandwidth. Chris, DL2MDU Am 20.06.2020 um 18:02 schrieb Joe Olsen: I think Elecraft should remove this thread. Not an Elecraft topic. AA0BV On Jun 20, 2020, at 8:58 AM, k...@comcast.net wrote: I am in the same boat as Don. Hank / KR7X -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm Sent: Saturday, June 20, 2020 8:21 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] I'm building a personal email list I am with Jim and Gwen. I have too many lists right now. 73, Don W3FPR On 6/20/2020 11:03 AM, Jim Sheldon wrote: Ken, Exactly as Gwen Patton said, CONTACT list fine as my email address is also on QRZ but if you are starting a reflector. Do NOT put my email address in automatically. IF I don't have the prerogative to OPT-OUT, I want no part of it. Jim, W0EB I'm confused. Do you mean a personal CONTACT list, or a mailing list like the Elecraft reflector? If it's the former, I don't mind if you associate my address with, say, my call sign, so you can contact me if you need to. That's because you could look me up on QRZ and find my email address. It's no big deal. But if you mean a REFLECTOR, including me in mass mailings, then I'll have to say no, thank you. If you want to have a reflector of your own, I strongly suggest that you make it opt-in, not opt-OUT. I get hundreds of emails a day, and need to choose the reflectors I subscribe to very carefully. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to k...@comcast.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to joeolsen1...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to dl2...@darc.de __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Dead
Yes, we're supposed to have some technical background, but by asking "where do I start" tends to indicate that there might just be an insufficiency of necessary knowledge. I would hate to see someone die, because I had failed to speak out. :-) I also built several Elecraft products, including a couple of KPA500s, and the manual clearly indicates screwing the lid down, before powering up. There's a good reason for that. My apologies to the OP. I have no wish to offend you. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Jim Brown" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 05/06/2020 19:02:23 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Dead On 6/5/2020 9:33 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Unless you really know what you're doing, then you should not remove the lid. Fault finding could easily result in the need to power up and expose yourself to many hidden dangers. Ummm -- we're hams, and are supposed to have at least some technical background. If we can't open up a product like one of the Elecraft rigs and at least look around we ought to send our boxtop license back to the government agency that issued it. That doesn't mean that we should attempt circuit board level troubleshooting. Elecraft sells most of their products as kits that require minimal assembly of pre-tested circuit boards and other components. I built two K3s, a KX3, two P3s with SVGA boards, and a KPA500. The KPA1500 is not available as a kit. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Dead
With all due respect, if you don't know where to start looking, then please don't. Unless you really know what you're doing, then you should not remove the lid. Fault finding could easily result in the need to power up and expose yourself to many hidden dangers. It's been suggested that lack of AC power may be the cause. That should be a safe thing to check, without opening the KPA500. Stay safe - send it back to Elecraft. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Tom Berry" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 05/06/2020 17:04:41 Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Dead I was operating on FT8 20 meters for quite a long time with my KPA500 running about 400 watts and heard a few pops (like something arching). Heard it a few more times then the amp went off. Now it will not power on. No lights, nothing. I checked the fuse and it is OK. Can you tell me where to start looking? Thanks Tom AAA4VV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline
I have a similar issue with ferrite 'balun' heating, although mostly tested on 40 metres. I'm using an OSCFD (Windom) which has a main 4:1 balun at the feed point, but also has a sleeve 'balun' consisting of 8 ferrites wrapped in a plastic sleeve, about 3 feet from the feed point. If I run the K3S at 100W, via the KPA500 in standby, then through the KAT500 tuner, I see no problems. On increasing the power to 200W by using the KPA500 in Operate and about 10W drive from the K3S, during a SSB 'over' the temperature of the KPA500 rises and after a few minutes, the SWR readings on the KPA500 and KAT500 start to rise. One of the Elecraft guys actually very kindly went through my fault log and came to the conclusion that the fault is with the antenna/feeder and I agree with him. What is strange is that if I leave a solid carrier running at 200W, I can't easily reproduce the issue and I wonder if its something being affected by peak excursions with SSB? When things do start to go wrong, I can usually perform a manual tune with the KAT500 and the fault will then not (mostly) be apparent. Anyway, I'm in the process of replacing the entire feeder with Westflex 103 and much bigger ferrites. I will also replace the main balun which is a 400W device for a 1KW device, as I think that running the UK max of 400W may be pushing the spec of a 400W balun. Also, the balun itself or connections to it may be faulty. The point now is that I have discovered some damage to the outer covering of the sleeve 'balun' which may be the result of ferrites overheating or may be the cause of movement of the ferrites thus causing instability. Either way, heftier devices seem to be the order of the day. Although the KPA500 temperature rise is somewhat expected, I feel it's a bit higher over a short period than I would like and may be due to reflected power. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "David Olean" To: "Peter Dougherty" Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 01/06/2020 13:25:18 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues) Hello Peter I suspect RFI as well. I do not have a KPA1500, so my advice is not worth much, but the fact that the fault only occurs when a signal is being radiated sends me a red flag. I had a similar problem here with my SPE amplifier power output. I was measuring it on an LP-100A wattmeter. It turns out that 1.8 MHz energy from the SPE amp radiated from my vertical antenna and was getting into a new wire doublet antenna and coming back down the ladder line into the shack. The ladder line was about 7 inches from the power coupler for the LP-100A. RF caused the readings to go wacky and it looked like my amplifier was going postal! The problem was high rf fields next to the power meter coupler. Ferrite balun heating can be seen with a VSWR meter if you set the power at some intermediate level, key the amp up with a steady carrier, and watch for VSWR creeping up. Loose pins in coax can also be a problem. They can heat up and disconnect or start arcing. Those problems do not typically show VSWR creep. They happen all at once usually. The KPA1500 works fine into a dummy load. (No RFI) That is a big clue. Good luck and I hope you find the problem. Maybe an RF sniffer would detect the ingress point? 73 Dave K1WHS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Availability
Depends what you actually want to purchase from Elecraft. If it's a K4, then you've probably just seen the latest estimated lead lead times and they're for those that already have firm orders placed. They do seem to have stock of 'other' radios, which they're currently shipping. One thing I do know about Elecraft is if you put money on the table and something goes wrong (such as a pandemic they will do the honorable thing, so you'll either get a refund or the goods. Other companies are not so customer orientated and a few will actually steal from you. If Elecraft can't supply (say) a K3S, you could consider the used market, then when the K4 finally ships, you could either sell the K3S for more-or-less what you paid for it or if you're 'well heeled' you could just keep it as a standby rig. I'm in the UK, so it doesn't particularly matter to me which country my rigs come from and shipping is about the same, but a) I can't buy direct from any other company. b) When I'm in trouble, I don't have direct access to the owners of the other companies, in fact direct access to any of the staff of other companies is next to zero. c) Elecraft support is second to none. Direct support from other companies is often mediocre to zero. d) I don't know about other company's staff as I never get to speak to them, but Elecraft are such a nice bunch of people! (Eric can I have a K4 please hehehehehehe). 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Tommy Judson via Elecraft" To: "Edward via Elecraft" Sent: 16/05/2020 11:56:50 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Availability Good Morning I’ve been studying how to establish a ham station and asking around what is available to do that with these days. A month or so of research brought me to Elecraft - best bang for the buck receivers. This narrowed my search down to just a couple radios. Now thank you to this forum's members I’ve decided what Elecraft has listed for sale I would like to use in a newly established ham station. I sent a wish list to Elecraft to see what is actually in stock knowing the present pandemic could cause shortages of supplies and labor because of the social distancing requirements. Now I read on this forum many questions about when customers will actually receive the radios they plunked down $4K to buy when first announced some time ago. One customer mentioned that he was in an older age bracket and wondered if he’d get his in time to use it - I’m five years older than what he said was his age. I’m wondering if I should consider another company’s products - find a company if any that might have equipment in stock. To end on a good note I need to say there has been plenty of time to leisurely accumulate parts and design and erect a by the book optimum height inverted V antenna out in my several acre front yard. All needed now is to hook a radio onto the lead running down the pole and to under a small tree that will shade me and a radio relaxed in a lawn chair. Guess where I will not develop as much anxiety as others over delayed shipment of equipment is because I did not send money with my wish list - or maybe I should to actually get my name on the list to get my choice of equipment? Any thoughts ? Thank you Tommy Judson __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Test
Thanks for the confirmation. There's a filter setting for own message delivery. Mine's set to ON. :-) I also got my own message back, so I don't know why it wasn't working before. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Hisashi T Fujinaka" To: "Alan - G4GNX" ; llader...@earthlink.net Sent: 16/05/2020 01:30:45 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Test I see both of your posts. I think mailman and some ISPs even filter posts so you don't see your own. On Sat, 16 May 2020, Alan - G4GNX wrote: Me too. Let's see if this one makes it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Lou Laderman" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 16/05/2020 00:45:17 Subject: [Elecraft] Test Sorry for the bandwidth, having posting issues Lou, W0FK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to ht...@twofifty.com -- Hisashi T Fujinaka - ht...@twofifty.com BSEE + BSChem + BAEnglish + MSCS + $2.50 = coffee __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Test
Me too. Let's see if this one makes it. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Lou Laderman" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 16/05/2020 00:45:17 Subject: [Elecraft] Test Sorry for the bandwidth, having posting issues Lou, W0FK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] PX3 acrylic scratch removal
Chris, you cab buy Perspex polish, but I'm not sure where from right now. Perhaps eBay? 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Chris Cox, N0UK" To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 14/04/2020 18:14:24 Subject: [Elecraft] PX3 acrylic scratch removal Can anyone recommend a safe polish or other to aid in buffing out a minor surface scratch on the plastic (Perspex/acrylic?) screen cover on a PX3? inTHANKSadvance Chris, N0UK, G4JEC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to g4...@g4gnx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Those dang PL259s [was: KPA 500]
With respect, why not change the subject line. :-) As it so happens, I just had an SO239 failure today! As I was moving a cable near my HF vertical, I was suddenly presented with a cable end with a PL259 still plugged in to the SO239 which should have been in the antennas connector box. The center pin of the SO239 had a broken solder joint and the main cause of the failure was that the SO239 retaining nut had disintegrated in 3 places. The rest of the connector was still in good condition. Before anyone comments - this has nothing to do with my possible KPA500 problem, which occurs on a different antenna. 73, Alan. G4GNX -- Original Message -- From: "Michael Walker" To: "Elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Sent: 10/04/2020 22:48:17 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500 This is going to cause a big sh*t storm :) and about 900 emails before Wayne shuts it down. However, having been in RF for a bit less then most of you (only 1974), I have had connectors fail and not fail in my HF world (60Mhz or less). No Name ones have worked wonderfully for decades. Amphenol's have failed in a year. Amphenol T's in a phasing harness seem to fail the most (fell apart). But, then, who knows who makes them. What I can say is that there is, based on my personal experience, no 100% guarantee on any particular one. Install it. Visually inspect it. Make sure it is clean, dry and waterproof and a year from now, if it is outside, open it up and make sure it is still dry. It isn't eve 'you get what you pay for' any more. Next, we can have another 200 emails on how to solder a PL259. :) Mike va3mw __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KPA 500
I have a strange fault a couple of times recently, where the SWR starts to increase during the time of a single 'over'. I've been using the K3S set at 100W out, via the KPA500 (in standby) and the KAT500 tuner, without any problem, but after I've switched the linear to Operate and driving it to 200W, the SWR creeps up. I don't think it's an antenna issue, but a possible heat problem with the KPA500. I watched the temperature display on the KPA500 and initially on Standby it shows about 38 degrees C. After transmitting at 200W the temperature slowly rises above 60 degrees C, but the fan doesn't cut in. Does anyone know if this is normal behavior and what temperatures I should expect to see? I have tested the fan via the Menu function and it works as expected. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3/K3s Macro Book
You can order and download the book in pdf format for $20. Why not help save the planet? :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Irwin Darack Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2017 4:52 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net ; ke9uw Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3/K3s Macro Book I am hoping they have some forsale at Dayton so I do not have to pay shipping. Irwin , KD3TB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 with subrx - intermittent main RX problem and pwr out
Matt. You are not at all thick. We all have to learn somewhere. The only time you could be considered thick is if you never asked the question. :-) The wiki/dictionary description of dry and cold joints describes slightly different observable effects but to all intents and purposes a dry or cold solder joint will produce the same result. Both usually result in a breakage of the bond between the two components that are soldered. The simple solution is to re-solder the joint using sufficient heat to melt the old solder. You can either remove the old solder and apply new solder, or you can add a little flux when you heat the joint. I would prefer to remove the old solder and replace it with new flux cored solder. If you haven't done much of this type of work, probably the easiest way to remove old solder is with some "solder wick" which you can purchase for pennies on eBay. Place the wick braid on the solder to be removed and apply a hot soldering iron. The wick will soak up the solder and if it doesn't remove it all first time, re-apply the wick a 2nd or 3rd time. One thing you ABSOLUTELY MUST do before you start ANY work inside your rig, is to observe ANTI-STATIC precautions. Use a wrist strap specially made for the job and preferably use an anti-static mat. DO NOT EVER connect yourself directly to any anti-static ground source - you could DIE! 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Matt Zilmer Sent: Thursday, May 4, 2017 5:43 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 with subrx - intermittent main RX problem and pwr out Sorry to be thick Is a dry joint same as a cold joint? Thanks and 73, matt W6NIA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 with subrx - intermittent main RX problem and pwr out
FWIW we thought that a relay was failing on our club's KAT500. I bought a new one from Elecraft and replaced it without thinking about it. They're quite cheap and it wasn't worth chancing an intermittent relay. Whilst I was re-assembling the tuner, I discovered that the tag washer connecting Ant 1 to its screw terminal had developed a dry joint, which was the real cause of the intermittency. I don't know whether it was a manufacturing fault or someone had been heavy handed when assembling it. It would be worth checking soldered joints and other connections before replacing a relay. You may need to use a magnifying glass as it may not show up on a meter test. Another thing to try is what we used to do as service technicians; use an aerosol freezer spray in small areas around the suspected area and possibly a hair dryer on a warm setting (not hot) and observe for changes under test. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP Sent: Thursday, May 4, 2017 3:07 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 with subrx - intermittent main RX problem and pwr out Well, I had a relay fail on my KAT3 board. I don't remember which one. Elecraft sent me a replacement. It wasn't hard to replace, but it happens. 73, Victor, 4X6GP Rehovot, Israel Formerly K2VCO http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ On 4 May 2017 16:46, Don Wilhelm wrote: Olaf, The relays used by Elecraft are quite reliable, so I suspect that is not a reasonable source of the problem. In more than 12 years of repairing the Elecraft legacy gear (more than 1200 repairs), I have had to replace only a small handful of relays due to failure. I have replaced several where the builder has distorted the case with a soldering iron. I would double and triple check the SUBIN and SUBOUT connectors. A connector failure is much more likely than a relay failure. You might contact K3support to see if they have encountered a situation like yours before. 73, Don W3FPR On 5/4/2017 3:31 AM, la3rk wrote: I have a K3 approx 8 years old. Fully equipped with subrx, 100W PA, antenna tuner and in/out module. When I connect the subrx, the main rx sometimes loses signal and at the same time power out goes to zero. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 amplifier with built-in ATU, separate power supply
This reminds me of a visit to the underground BBC World Service, back in the 1980s. There were three RCA transmitters for MF, two in use and one on standby. They were capable of output around 1+1/2 Megawatts. The final stages were in Faraday Cages, but they still invited my son to wander round inside one, with a fluorescent tube lit up like Darth Vader! I asked about tuning for low VSWR and they said they didn't bother much. What comes back simply goes up again for another try. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: David Woolley Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2017 10:06 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 amplifier with built-in ATU, separate power supply ..In real systems, most of the reflected power bounces straight back out again when it hits the PA, to get another chance to be lost in the feeder, or even radiated. Of course this may cause the PA to run out of volts, or gain, and clip or distort, or exceed the safe operating area, and melt bond wires, or destroy the chip itself. -- David Woolley Owner K2 06123 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] CAT software
I don't want to start an apps war, but I'd like some information so that I can make decisions to suit my personal (RF) needs. I've been gradually putting the new shack together and have connected the K3 to the PC using an Edgeport USB, 4 port RS232 facility. I've connected FLDIGI directly and I've installed LOG4OM, although it's not directly connected to the K3 yet. I also have no problems updating firmware on the K3, KPA500 and KAT500 as well as the Icom IC7100, all using separate discrete ports. I now need to make a decision on which bridging software to use for RS232 CAT control (NOT firmware updating). LP-Bridge would seem to be very suitable, or possibly OmniRig, but neither quite as convenient as Win4K3Suite. There are possibly others, but I don't want to generate a massive list here. I'm happy enough to use the Elecraft Utilities for many things, so I ask myself whether I would really need the sophistication of Win4K3Suite, given that I'm happy enough to write my own macros and press buttons on the rig itself. Please don't criticise the various products, but I would be very pleased to hear real life experiences and constructive comparisons of the suites that are available for use with the K3, peripherals and other software, to help me decide the best way to go. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] RS232 port selection
Ha. I've not managed it yet Don, but I read of others occasionally in panic. I realise that there's a firmware force procedure, but as you say, I don't want the panic or a heart attack. :-) One thing I always do is to backup all settings after a permanent change. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Don Wilhelm Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 1:57 PM To: Alan. G4GNX ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RS232 port selection Alan, While it is "not nice" to 'brick' the K3, there is quick and easy recovery. Just follow the instructions in the manual or the K3 Utility Help file to 'Force a Firmware Download' - it takes only a minute or so. The worst part is the initial gut-feeling alarm signals that go off - it is not disaster, and easily fixed. It has only happened to me once, and the cause was a computer glitch during a firmware download. 73, Don W3FPR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] RS232 port selection
Thanks Don. Just trying to be ultra careful as I'll be using the same PC and port and don't want to brick the K3. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Don Wilhelm Sent: Wednesday, April 5, 2017 12:13 PM To: Alan. G4GNX ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RS232 port selection Alan, Yes, turning LP-Bridge off and connecting K3 Utility the the COM port that is directly connected to the K3 is not only reasonable, but necessary. 73, Don W3FPR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] RS232 port selection
I have an Edgeport USB/RS232 converter which gives me 4 RS232 ports from one USB connection. I have the K3 connected to 1 port and the KPA500 connected to another port and I will be connecting other facilities to the remaining ports. I have FLDIGI controlling the K3 at present and I want to add LOG4OM and other software which will all need to access the K3. I will be using LP-Bridge to automatically route the various programs to and from the K3, which should not be an issue. I have been advised that updating K3 firmware via LP-Bridge is a no-no, so what I want to do is to assign the K3 'real' port number (specified in Edgeport) within LP-Bridge, but to turn LP-Bridge off when I want to update firmware and just point the K3 Utility to the K3 'real' port number directly. Does this seem like a reasonable thing to do? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Re: reply to digest
Surely it would be better if this thread was culled out altogether. It has nothing to do with Elecraft products or Ham Radio and is a netiquette/email matter, better dealt with on a list that caters for net protocol. If this thread had been on real radio, it would have been stopped by now as it seems to have gone past the threshold for long-winded (boring) posts per thread! 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Bill Johnson Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2017 2:22 AM To: Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Re: reply to digest Please change your subject to match your topic. Digest replies make it difficult to cull out what we don't want to follow. Thank you very much! 73, Bill K9YEQ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone settings
Thanks to all who sent in their favorite macros. They all make sense and I will implement one very shortly. The other day I tried to setup bias on the rear panel and no bias on the front panel manually in the menu and there was something strange going on, where whatever I set on one panel was copied to the other one and even when I changed one to it's opposite, that got copied to the other one. I have yet to verify this as I haven't had time to do so, but I'm hoping it was just a senior moment illusion. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Tom Sent: Sunday, April 2, 2017 6:23 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone settings I have the same set up. My front mic requires bias. My rear does not. The radio remembers the bias setting for the front and rear mic so I do not have to adjust it 73, Tom - KQ5S On Sun, Apr 2, 2017 at 10:34 AM, Jim Miller <jimmil...@stl-online.net> wrote: I wanted to have two headsets connected, one front and one rear. Different settings including bias. Can bias be set via macro also is it set individually by port? Thanks, Jim KG0KP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Electricity and worms [was: KAT500 tuning behavior when the load is impossibleto match ?]
FWIW back in the 80s, I had installed a new ground plate for the shack and wanted to ensure that it really was the best ground possible. I used a trick that was used by the telecom people, where they connected the local exchange battery across two plates and blew off all the crud. 50 volts at many hundreds of amps did the business. My way was to connect my ground plate to the incoming 240 volt supply main, via a MCB and each time the MCB tripped, I substituted bigger one until I had no more larger values. ISTR I got to 40 amps and settled for that. I had obviously made sure that no person or animal could get near the area whilst the power was on, but I was quite surprised to see how many earthworms had scuttled their way to the surface. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Phil Hystad Sent: Sunday, April 2, 2017 6:31 PM To: Mike Rhodes Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 tuning behavior when the load is impossibleto match ? Your story reminds me of a scene from that Godzilla movie with Matthew Broderick where he is “pumping” over sized worms from the ground using electricity. 73, phil, K7PEH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K3 microphone settings
I have tow microphones I'm using with my K3. One is part of the Yamaha CM500 headset, plugged into the rear panel and the other is a Kenwood MC-50 desk model, plugged into the front panel. To save using multiple menu changes to swap between the two, I will be writing a macro to use one or two buttons to implement this. My problem is that each microphone requires a different gain setting and when manually changing the menu settings between front and rear panel, the gain settings don't track and have to be set separately on the front panel gain control for each microphone. Does anyone know if it's possible to change the mic gain setting as part of a macro and possibly compression levels as well? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF in Microphone
Thanks Bill. That tends to suggest that my setting of 11 is not too far off. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Bill Frantz Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2017 8:32 PM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF in Microphone I use MIC = 8 or 9 and CMP=20. I found in the CQ WPX SSB contest this weekend that raising the CMP to 25 increased the number of times I was able to get through in the pileups. 73 Bill AE6JV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] RF in Microphone
Jim. What Mic Gain and Compression settings do you use with the CM500 headset? A friend said that he uses MIC=40 and CMP=20, but Howard at Elecraft thinks that's far too high. I found that I can get the correct ALC response using Mic=11 and CMP=20. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Jim Brown Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2017 6:47 PM To: Reflector Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RF in Microphone ...The Yamaha CM500 is widely used by K3 owners. I've used one since a local ham introduced our contesting club to it seven or eight years ago. Both mic and headphones sound very good and it's quite comfortable. It plugs straight into the jacks on the rear panel. It's an electret, so you'll need to turn on bias. 73, Jim K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] k3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade
Have you actually tried the device on another PC? Could be that it's coincidentally died. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Richard Lawn Sent: Sunday, March 19, 2017 2:00 PM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] k3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I've examined the device manager for anything that looks suspicious marked with a question mark exclamation mark or other such indications that something is a miss but there is nothing there. That would make it easy to fix as some of you have suggested. The strange thing is that I plugged in my ERC USB rotor control which uses the same ftdi driver and it was immediately recognized no problem. I've looked at the windows ftdi device driver in Programs and Features and attempted to uninstall it and it doesn't allow me to do that and instead shows a long list of terminal prompts and commands for this and that which is above my pay grade so to speak. I'm going to talk with a couple of elmers on the phone today who might be able to walk me through a solution. I, also going to use a terminal routine to look for any sort of ghost ports which I've done in the past. That could be the problem. 73 and tnx to everyone who offered suggestions Rick, W2JAZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K3 VFO B display
I’ve recently noticed that when I when I switch bands on the K3, the VFO B display area briefly displays a small antenna symbol and the legend “KT500” next to it. I can’t find any reference to this behavior in the manuals and I’m curious. I don’t have the KAT500 (or KPA500) connected at present, but I may have the CONFIG: KAT500Y set, so I wonder if the K3 displays the symbols when it sends band change information to the KAT500? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade
Have you tried accessing the Device Manager via Control Panel to check whether a port is being assigned when the USB cable is connected to the PC and the K3? 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Richard Lawn Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2017 7:58 PM To: WP4CW Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade I have the enhanced K3 with the USB hub add on so I'm using that way to connect to the computer - direct via USB. Still no dice and it worked fine when I was running Win 7 on same computer. This one is a head scratcher. Rick, W2JAZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade
You say the FOLDER is labelled CDM v2.12.26 WHQL Certified. It's the correct name, but it should be a ".exe" FILE, not a folder. Depending on your settings, you may not see the ".exe" extension. To install it from a file, right click on it and select "Run as Administrator", then follow any prompts. Be aware that Windows 10 has a nasty habit of hiding prompts behind other things, so it's best to make sure you have no other apps running, that could cover any prompts. Plug in your USB cable and you should be good to go. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Richard Lawn Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2017 5:56 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade I bit the bullet and upgrade from Win 7 to 10 this morning in an effort to address some issues I just couldn't live with any longer. All was fine until I plugged the USB cable from my K3 into the computer and nothing. No recognition what so ever. I went to the Elecraft site and downloaded and installed FTDI and Prolific drivers though I think it needed FTDI. Still nothing. I'm puzzeled though as I downloaded two different FTDI driver packages. One was an install package and the other is a folder with no obvious setup file for installation. The folder is labelled CDM v2.12.26 WHQL Certified. That's probably the one I needed to install but am at a loss in how to do that. Some advice would be appreciated. Rick, W2JAZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade
Forgive me if I've misunderstood your implication, but Windows 7 does not force a particular driver e.g. Prolific. You can plug in the device and use Windows Update to find the correct driver or you can go direct to the FTDi site and download and install the driver. When you plug in the device, Windows should recognise it and link it to the driver. Why go to Radio Shack for a cable. Surely it's better to give Elecraft the business by ordering one direct from them? 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: WP4CW via Elecraft Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2017 6:58 PM To: Ron D'Eau Claire Cc: Richard Lawn ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 not Seen By Computer after OS upgrade I've had the same issue. Window 7 uses prolific drivers. Window 10 can, but it a big mess. Go to radio shack and buy their ftdi USB cable. Window 10 has the drivers , no need to update. Call me 209. 601.5354 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Linear thoughts
Also, same facilities as KPA500 and built in KAT1500 tuner. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Gerald Manthey Sent: Friday, March 17, 2017 5:24 PM To: Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Linear thoughts Super quiet fans! Full duty cycle. On Mar 17, 2017, at 12:06 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft <e...@elecraft.com> wrote: Interesting discussion. Folks, if we did introduce a 1500 W solid state amp similar to our KPA500 in operation, what features etc would be important? 73, Eric /elecraft.com/ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 - Intermittent FP switches
Having just completed the gold pin modification, I can confirm that it is
associated with the KPA3, not the main power input or the front panel. AFAIK
there are no other gold pin mods for the K3.
I suggest removing the front panel and connectors and carefully re-seating
them. You might also want to consider the use of De-Oxit, but do ask
Elecraft first, as they may advise against it.
Bear in mind that this is a computer issue where signals from switches are
multiplexed. If one connection gets disturbed, it will affect the action of
several switches and give weird intermittent results, with some being
seemingly unrelated.
73,
Alan. G4GNX
-Original Message-
From: Fred Jensen
Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 7:58 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - Intermittent FP switches
Related question: My K3 [S/N 642] which I built from the kit has
developed an "intermittent front panel problem," where tapping a switch
doesn't always yield the action it should. For example, tapping MODE UP
might yield the same result as tapping AGC. There is no guarantee that
the next MODE UP will result in AGC however, and in fact, it may
actually result in MODE UP or something else. I have found that if I
tap a switch strongly, requiring me to hold the K3 itself, it will
usually result in the proper action.
Some switches seem to be better than others, and those that I use the
most seem to be better than those I rarely use. I began to notice this
several years ago, occurring rarely. Frequency of occurrence has
increased slowly since then.
I know there is a mod to the FP connectors that involves gold pins, but
I don't know if that would correct this problem. The radio works just
fine otherwise. Maybe I'm just wearing out the switches?
73,
Fred ("Skip") K6DGW
Sparks NV USA
Washoe County DM09dn
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection
I will do that Bill. I'm sure it's was never intended to work that way. I can't think of any reason it should, so it's either a bug or something I'm doing wrong. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Nr4c Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 7:47 PM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection You should notify Elecraft. It isn't supposed to work like this I don't believe. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Mar 15, 2017, at 2:35 PM, Alan. G4GNX <g4...@theatreorgans.co.uk> wrote: Absolutely sure, Bill. This happened once before with our club's K3 and it was definitely the issue. Today on my own K3, I was in QSO and I simply muffled the rear panel microphone with my hand and the issue went away. The monitor was set at zero. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Nr4c Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 5:13 PM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection Are you sure the other signal is from rear mic and not some other source? Try turning TX monitor to zero and see what happens. You may be picking sound from speakers and not the rear mic. I've had K3 and K3S and have never had both mics "live" at same time. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Mar 15, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Alan. G4GNX <g4...@theatreorgans.co.uk> wrote: When I have two microphones connected to the K3, one in the front panel and one in the rear panel, I can select which one I want to use and whether bias is turned on for either or both, via the menu as expected. If I select the rear panel microphone, it works as expected and the front panel mic is muted. If I select the front panel microphone it works OK, but the rear panel microphone is also unmuted and transmission sounds like two voices at the same time, probably due to the two mics being out of phase. Is there any way of selecting the front panel microphone only, with rear panel mic plugged in? As both microphones are electrets, the only way I can think of getting round it temporarily is to turn the bias off on the rear panel mic, when using the front panel mic, which is inconvenient and not a ‘clean’ solution. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to n...@widomaker.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaqAbsolutely sure, Bill. This happened once before with our club's K3 and it was definitely the issue. Today on my own K3, I was in QSO and I simply muffled the rear panel microphone with my hand and the issue went away. The monitor was set at zero. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Nr4c Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 5:13 PM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection Are you sure the other signal is from rear mic and not some other source? Try turning TX monitor to zero and see what happens. You may be picking sound from speakers and not the rear mic. I've had K3 and K3S and have never had both mics "live" at same time. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Mar 15, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Alan. G4GNX <g4...@theatreorgans.co.uk> wrote: When I have two microphones connected to the K3, one in the front panel and one in the rear panel, I can select which one I want to use and whether bias is turned on for either or both, via the menu as expected. If I select the rear panel microphone, it works as expected and the front panel mic is muted. If I select the front panel microphone it works OK, but the rear panel microphone is also unmuted and transmission sounds like two voices at the same time, probably due to the two mics being out of phase. Is there any way of selecting the front panel microphone only, with rear panel mic plugged in? As both microphones are electrets, the only way I can think of getting round it temporarily is to turn the bias off on the rear panel mic, when using the front panel mic, which is inconvenient and not a ‘clean’ solution. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to n...@widomaker.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo
Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection
Absolutely sure, Bill. This happened once before with our club's K3 and it was definitely the issue. Today on my own K3, I was in QSO and I simply muffled the rear panel microphone with my hand and the issue went away. The monitor was set at zero. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Nr4c Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 5:13 PM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection Are you sure the other signal is from rear mic and not some other source? Try turning TX monitor to zero and see what happens. You may be picking sound from speakers and not the rear mic. I've had K3 and K3S and have never had both mics "live" at same time. Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill On Mar 15, 2017, at 12:10 PM, Alan. G4GNX <g4...@theatreorgans.co.uk> wrote: When I have two microphones connected to the K3, one in the front panel and one in the rear panel, I can select which one I want to use and whether bias is turned on for either or both, via the menu as expected. If I select the rear panel microphone, it works as expected and the front panel mic is muted. If I select the front panel microphone it works OK, but the rear panel microphone is also unmuted and transmission sounds like two voices at the same time, probably due to the two mics being out of phase. Is there any way of selecting the front panel microphone only, with rear panel mic plugged in? As both microphones are electrets, the only way I can think of getting round it temporarily is to turn the bias off on the rear panel mic, when using the front panel mic, which is inconvenient and not a ‘clean’ solution. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to n...@widomaker.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K3 microphone input selection
When I have two microphones connected to the K3, one in the front panel and one in the rear panel, I can select which one I want to use and whether bias is turned on for either or both, via the menu as expected. If I select the rear panel microphone, it works as expected and the front panel mic is muted. If I select the front panel microphone it works OK, but the rear panel microphone is also unmuted and transmission sounds like two voices at the same time, probably due to the two mics being out of phase. Is there any way of selecting the front panel microphone only, with rear panel mic plugged in? As both microphones are electrets, the only way I can think of getting round it temporarily is to turn the bias off on the rear panel mic, when using the front panel mic, which is inconvenient and not a ‘clean’ solution. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Electret microphone for K3
Sometime back I bought a W2ENY electret conversion kit for my Astatic mic but I seem to have lost the bias resistor/jumper that came with it and there’s no value specified in the instructions. I see that the bias resistor used with the Elecraft MH2 microphone is specified as 5K6. As I want to use the (converted) Astatic with my K3, I wonder if this value seems sensible to maintain the correct bias and prevent max bias current going over 10mA? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPAK3AUX cable
Thanks for the info Bob. I delayed replying until I’d tested out a cheap cable assembly, which turns out to be as you state, cross wired and some pins connected to shield. All 15 pins are connected, but I’ll only now use it as VGA extension. I found the Amphenol CS-DSDHD15MF0 and Dig-Key sell them in the UK, also Mouser, so I’ve ordered a new cable from Digi-Key. The Elecraft distributors in the UK have the KPAK3AUX kit, but they won’t sell just the cable on its own, so you end up paying for parts you don’t need. 73, Alan. G4GNX From: Bob Wilson, N6TV Sent: Saturday, March 4, 2017 9:45 PM To: Alan. G4GNX ; Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPAK3AUX cable I've tested many "VGA extension" cables that do not have all 15 pins wired, or short several pins together as a common ground. They work fine for VGA monitors, but should never be connected to any Elecraft product except the P3SVGA external monitor port. Many VGA cables include connectors without pin 9, obvious by visual inspection. Thinner "monitor" cables with ferrite beads on both ends usually do not have all 15 pins wired either. DE15HD - DE is the shell size, 15 pins, HD means High Density (3 rows). Search your favorite UK Supplier for Amphenol CS-DSDHD15MF0 (male to female) or CS-DSDHD15MM0 (male to male). These cables have all 15 pins wired straight through. 73, Bob, N6TV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KPAK3AUX cable
Fred Cady’s book on the KPA500/KAT500 combination mentions that if you’re using two cables to connect the AUXBUS signals between a KPA500, KAT500 and K3, it’s possible to use a DE15HD cable as long as the other cable is a KPAK3AUX cable wired as per the diagram. In the UK DE15HD is a bit of an obscure description, but I take it to mean a VGA EXTENSION cable (NOT A std. VGA cable) which has a male connector on one end and a female connector on the other end. I presume that these EXTENSION cables are wired pin to pin i.e. 1 to 1, 2 to 2, 3 to 3 etc., Does anyone know if this is the case? I realise that I would need a cable with all pins connected, then snip out the pins that should not be connected. I would happily buy another KPAK3AUX cable from Elecraft, but for an item which is readily available in the UK, it’s not really economical. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2 kit ordering
TYVM. :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Andy McMullin Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 10:36 AM To: Alan. G4GNX Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 kit ordering An excellent summary Alan. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K2 kit ordering
Once you have ordered directly from Elecraft, you will usually receive an invoice with the shipping costs added. After you pay, you should receive an order confirmation and eventually you will receive a "Package shipped to you" email, containing a tracking number. Depending on the over all cost and insurance, Elecraft will send via your chosen method of shipping. If it's sent by FedEx it will eventually arrive at your chosen destination and will have to be signed for. After about 1 week you will receive a written tax invoice by post to your shipping address, which will include a fee for FedEx collecting the tax on behalf of HMRC. Pay the invoice and you're all done. If it's sent by USPS they generally hand it over to Parcel Force in Coventry and it's held in a customs holding facility until HMRC decide to release it. This can sometimes take over 1 week and is very frustrating! Once HMRC release your package, Parcel Force will usually take 1-2 days to move it to a local depot and in the meantime they will send you a written tax invoice by post to your shipping address, which will include a fee for Parcel Force collecting the tax on behalf of HMRC. It's probably easiest to pay this online with a credit card - full instructions are contained in the correspondence. Parcel Force WILL NOT deliver until you pay the tax invoice, but when you pay it you can usually arrange a delivery date of your choice. Taxes: You will have to pay VAT at 20% on the entire package, including the shipping charge. Import duty is not charged on Amateur Radio equipment/kits etc., Taxes are calculated in GBP. Elecraft cannot collect international taxes. They must be paid in the destination country. It's generally much cheaper to order direct from Elecraft, rather than a UK agent. Although UK agents will receive a lower shipping charge on a bulk consignment, they still have to make a profit and they have to charge enough extra to cover any warranty they may give. You might have issues with warranties from UK agents if you're outside the UK, but it's likely that if it's delivered to a UK address and is returned to that same address, they would have to honour the warranty. If you're in any way concerned about UK warranty, you should call the UK agent and have them give you a commitment in writing. AFAIK warranty returns are fairly rare with Elecraft products, as long as you follow the instructions when assembling. If you haven't built an Elecraft kit before, double read the instructions and take great heed on the sections about electrostatic discharge and its prevention. If you need a UK shipping address, I would be willing to provide it and you would have to collect from the Brighton (South Coast) area of the UK. Send me a PM if you need this. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Martin Sole Sent: Saturday, February 25, 2017 4:52 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K2 kit ordering Hi, So it's time I got on with this, and I can see it happening really soon. Before I proceed though I'd like to get an idea about shipping and delivery. The most viable option for me is to have the kit shipped to a UK address where I can pick it up on one of my visits so if you are in the UK and have experience with K2 kit delivery I'd be interested to hear your experience. I'd like to confirm what extra fees are levied on delivery, if any. It's likely the kit will be delivered to someone other than myself so I want to try and identify for them what might need to be paid on receipt. Many thanks Martin, HS0ZED __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KXV3A/B
Can someone tell me what the difference is between the KX3VA and the KX3VB modules. Has an upgrade kit been made available to convert the ‘A’ to the ‘B’ and do I need it for my K3? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Help with dimensions please
Hi Dave. That's exactly what I need, thank you. The panel sizes of the new and old are exactly the same. I guess with the K144XV they just took the original panels and drilled the extra holes. It's possible that the very late K3s and K3Ss already have the holes drilled, but they're filled with screws and nuts, possibly a plug in the fan panel. My K3 is in the 2000s, so is far too early for that. I'll now print your dimensions for my archive and get drilling. :-) Many thanks again. 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Dave AD6A Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2017 1:24 AM To: 'Alan. G4GNX' ; 'Elecraft Reflector' Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Help with dimensions please Hi Alan, I just got some new filters to fit in my K3s so I just took it apart. I hope that the K3s and K3 panel sizes are the same - I don't know for sure. Here are the measurements for the K3s anyway: Left side panel - 3 hole centers for the 2m module are 3.245", 5.175", and 4.775" from the front edge of the panel, and they are all 0.655" down from the top edge of the panel. ANT3 BNC connector (2m ANT) hole center on fan panel is 0.460" from the left side of the fan panel (as you look at the rear of the rig) and 0.900" down from the top edge of the fan panel. Cut-out in the top rail starts 0.425" from the outside surface of the left-hand end of the rail and ends at 3.375" from the same reference point. Hope this helps! Cheers, Dave AD6A (ex- G8INR) -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Alan. G4GNX Sent: Monday, January 30, 2017 2:23 PM To: Elecraft Reflector <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Subject: [Elecraft] Help with dimensions please I bought a K144XV internal 2 metre transverter for my K3, from another amateur in the US and unfortunately he’s sent me the wrong panels and stiffener and it just ain’t worth trying to return them from UK to USA for exchange. Unfortunately the cost of new parts from Elecraft is out of proportion with the purchase (expensive) so I want to modify the panels he’s sent. Unfortunately Elecraft don’t have a published template. Can someone help me out with the placement of the 3 fixing holes for the K144XV in the LH side panel, the placement of the 2 metre Ant socket hole in the fan panel and possibly the start and end of the cut-out in the cross panel stiffener. Obviously I need the measurements to be very accurate, but I could probably manage with the placement of just one of the holes in the side panel (I can work the rest out from the K144XV side panel) and the hole placement in the fan panel. I don’t need the actual size of the holes, just distances to centres. Thanks in advance. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to d...@ad6a.com --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Help with dimensions please
I bought a K144XV internal 2 metre transverter for my K3, from another amateur in the US and unfortunately he’s sent me the wrong panels and stiffener and it just ain’t worth trying to return them from UK to USA for exchange. Unfortunately the cost of new parts from Elecraft is out of proportion with the purchase (expensive) so I want to modify the panels he’s sent. Unfortunately Elecraft don’t have a published template. Can someone help me out with the placement of the 3 fixing holes for the K144XV in the LH side panel, the placement of the 2 metre Ant socket hole in the fan panel and possibly the start and end of the cut-out in the cross panel stiffener. Obviously I need the measurements to be very accurate, but I could probably manage with the placement of just one of the holes in the side panel (I can work the rest out from the K144XV side panel) and the hole placement in the fan panel. I don’t need the actual size of the holes, just distances to centres. Thanks in advance. 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Just bought a K3/10. What upgrades should I get?
Whilst I agree with your comments Don, I would say that perhaps a more important task would be to check the serial number, then go through all of the modifications that have been made and perform any that may matter to you. Many of the parts for mods are free from Elecraft (well done Elecraft) so it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Also, by delving inside your rig, you will learn a lot about "how it ticks". 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Don Wilhelm Sent: Sunday, January 29, 2017 3:09 AM To: abulling...@comcast.net ; elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just bought a K3/10. What upgrades should I get? Andy, Congratulations on your purchase. As far as options go, first look at your antenna - if you have all resonant antennas, you do not need the tuner, but if you use a tuner, get the KAT3A - or if you plan on the KPA500 later, get the KAT500 instead. Next consider your operating desires. If you will be doing SWLING, get the KBPF3. If you want coverage down to 100kHz, you will need both the KBPF3 and the new synthesizer. There is also a capacitor that should be added when upgrading to the new synthesizer for coverage down to 100kHz. If you do DXing, where you are operating split often, get the subreceiver. If you order the subRX, a new synthesizer comes with it, so you will need to upgrade the synthesizer in your K3. Doing voice operation, especially contests? You may want the DVR option. As far as filters go, operate with the filters you have until you can decide if additional roofing filters are wanted. Remember that these are roofing filters and not the final filters - the DSP in the K3 provides the final filtering, and its bandwidth has nothing to do with the roofing filters. If you have the subRX and want to do much diversity receive, you should match the filters in the SubRX and the mainRX for best results. Remember that you do not have to add everything at once. Operate it for a while to decide if you want the capability afforded by the added options. 73, Don W3FPR On 1/28/2017 8:20 PM, abulling...@comcast.net wrote: Years ago I built a nice K2/100 which I still have and love but I saw a K3/10 for sale this morning on QRZ and bought it. It should get here Tuesday. It’s serial number is 3521 and the seller said it had been back to Elecraft in the last couple years for updates. not sure what that means exactly. It has the 400 hz cw filter and an SSB filter but that’s all I’m sure of. I’m 95% CW here and not a hard core contester. There seem to be all sorts of little tweaks and major upgrades and stuff that needs other things installed to work etc. My head is spinning from reading the options. I am certainly getting the 100 watt module and I guess I should get the new synth module if it doesn’t have it. Any advice? This will be by far the best and most modern radio I have owned. Thanks in advance. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 - Earthing Post
FWIW they should be easy to find in the UK at Namrick - The Nut and Bolt Shop, in Hove. http://www.namrick.co.uk/ 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Dave B via Elecraft Sent: Wednesday, January 18, 2017 8:48 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 - Earthing Post On 18/01/17 01:31, elecraft-requ...@mailman.qth.net wrote: Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 - Earthing Post Message-ID: <567cd1bd-c0de-d7d7-2b35-17c30d268...@embarqmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed According to the parts list in the manual, the thread size is 8-32. 73, Don W3FPR For the uninitiated, that's a number 8 size, 32 threads per inch. American threads (non metric) are not that common outside the US, unless one works for a US subsidiary. 73. Dave G0WBX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 audio quality
Well guys (and gals) so far there have been 34 replies on this thread and I'm grateful for every one of them. I guess we need to try out forming some kind of hood to see if that will work for the complainers and if that fails we may need to try an external speaker. We actually had one guy last week (who is the main complainer) who boldly stated that he was a hi-fi buff and I just groaned silently! I also agree with the appliance-operator syndrome, where "it's no good unless it's totally plug and play"! Several points come to mind: The comparison with the IC7300 seems to be a fair one to me, because that rig also has an upward facing internal speaker and we did disconnect the external speaker to check. To my ears (and several others) the IC7300 had far better "quality" audio, but that said it is probably not optimum for Amateur communications, which is what many don't seem to realise is what we are 'actually' trying to achieve. It may pay us to find time to experiment with the DSP settings with the complainers in the same room but unable to see the adjustments, to see if they can be appeased, but I have my doubts because I suspect that the prejudice is already well entrenched. I brought the IC7300 home and compared it with my IC7100 and it didn't show a great deal of difference, perhaps slightly better because the IC7300 is in a bigger enclosure. I haven't yet made a comparison with my own K3. One of the greatest problems with club owned equipment is the variation in members' preferences as well as poor test conditions. In a large room with many people, it's impossible to keep them all quiet and some folks seem to think it's OK to stand right next to the operator/s and discuss some other topic - LOUDLY. The only answer there seems to be headphones. The same goes for filed days/contests. Perhaps we should start to wind this thread up now before it outstays its welcome? :-) 73, Alan. G4GNX -Original Message- From: Don Wilhelm Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2016 1:58 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 audio quality I was not going to "chime in" on this thread because that "horse" has been thoroughly beat to death in the past. Let's face it, a small speaker like that used in the K3/K3S is not going to produce astounding bass and since it faces upwards away from your ears, the high frequency sounds are going to get lost. I believe it does exceptionally well for its size and quality. If you want good quality speaker audio from your K3/K3S, you are going to have to use external speakers - pick your quality there too. I use a pair of old Radio Shack Optimus speakers that I picked up for cheap at a 2nd hand store. The 4 inch drivers sound great with my K3, but being 4 inch drivers they are not expected to produce 'resounding bass', but that is not required for communications. The internal speaker sounds worse by comparison, but is usable if the external speakers are not available. So, if you are comparing the audio between two radios, don't rely on the internal speakers. Connect each one to good quality speakers - that way you are comparing the radio's audio, and not the quality of the internal speakers. Some radios produce better quality audio from their internal speakers than others - for instance the KX3 internal speaker is far inferior to the internal speaker used in the KX2. 73, Don W3FPR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K3 audio quality
Hi all. I wonder if I can get some feedback about K3 audio from the built in speaker. Please note that this is not a K3 bashing session, my comments are made as an enquiry based on observed facts. We have a K3 at the local Ham Radio club and we often get complaints that the audio from the internal speaker is not very good quality, even when signals are 5/9 and virtually no RF noise. I suspect that part of the reason is that the K3 is setup to someone’s personal preference, or not really setup at all! We made a comparison last week against a new Icom IC7300 which also had an external speaker and the IC7300 ‘won’ hands down. At first I made an excuse that it was the external speaker, but we unplugged it and the IC7300 was still superior. I have never really had an issue with audio on my personal K3, but then I’m into clear communication and over the years I’ve trained my ears to listen in the noise and pick out voices, whilst ignoring the mush, much the same as in a crowded room when attempting a conversation with one or two individuals. I do know what good hi-fi sound is but do not necessarily look for that in a communications device, so are some members being over-pedantic? Another Radio Ham reported that he had by accident parked his new K3S under a shelf which ‘threw’ the sound forward and he found that it was greatly enhanced. I wonder if fitting some sort of hood, in keeping with the K3’s style, would be worth trying, or maybe replacing the internal speaker with a better device. I don’t really want to start campaigning to purchase an external speaker for the K3 because it’s another ‘lump’ that needs to be carted around to club meetings and events. Thoughts? 73, Alan. G4GNX __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
