Re: [Elecraft] K3s can only transmit wsjt if the K3s codec is windows default.
That is why I've begged several times for a firmware change to make VOX gain saved per mode. I do use VOX on RTTY and SSB and with a lot of fussing with soundcard levels have it more-or-less set so all modes use about the same VOX gain. Unfortunately, IMHO anyway, I think VOX gain should be independent of mic gain but it isn't. Wes N7WS On 1/19/2019 8:48 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: I use VOX for my SSB operating. Thus if I were to use it for digital modes I would need to change the settings. And then set it back for SSB. With CAT that is set in the software as I outlined. Set it and forget it. Bob, K4TAX Sent from my iPhone On Jan 19, 2019, at 9:40 AM, Barry wrote: I have a K3s and have never used CAT for PTT fuctions. I found it to hard to set up and think about. I do use VOX for keying the transmitter. I find that works very well and is mindlessly simple to set up. The only thing you need to know is to remember to turn the VOX function on and make sure you have enough audio going in to satisfy the 4 steady bars with a 5th flickering on the ALC indicator. This approach allow me to switch to differing digital software with little need to do further set ups. I suggest that those who are having problems setting up CAT for their radios give this a try and see how well it works. And BTW: I do use FT8 fairly regularly as well as RTTY and PSK31. 73, Barry K3NDM __ 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] Non-Resonant Antennas and Chokes
Oh dear. Of course I know that stuff. BTW, except for very lossy RX antennas the only thing I know of that gives a "flat" SWR is a dummy load. The OP said, "My antenna, for 40 mtr's, is a 67' wire up about 25'." Why should he make a 40-meter dipole so complicated? Wes N7WS On 1/16/2019 9:37 AM, Ken wrote: On 1/16/19 12:11 AM, Wes Stewart wrote: Why don't you cut the dipole in the center, add an insulator and feed it with coax? Put a CM choke at the feedpoint if you insist and lose the ladderline and tuner. _Prune the wire length for resonance. _ You do realize that "pruning" for resonance will rarely give a flat SWR and pruning for low SWR does not mean the antenna is resonant? Of course, if you cut an end fed Zepp and feed it in the center with coax, it becomes a single band dipole instead of a multi band antenna. Ken WA8JXM __ 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] Non-Resonant Antennas and Chokes
Why don't you cut the dipole in the center, add an insulator and feed it with coax? Put a CM choke at the feedpoint if you insist and lose the ladderline and tuner. Prune the wire length for resonance. Wes N7WS On 1/15/2019 7:15 PM, John Pierce wrote: I haven't read all the comments on this thread and thus may requesting redundant info. My antenna, for 40 mtr's, is a 67' wire up about 25'. I have 30' of 450 ohm ladder line connected to the end of the antenna and bringing the antenna into my basement. So I guess you could say that I have a non-resonant end fed Zepp. I can check the impedance at the end of the ladder line, where one side is the antenna and the other side is connected to a ground rod at the point of entering the house. I can measure the impedance of the antenna in the basement, using Mini60 without an antenna tuner . The ladder line is then connected to a MFJ 926B remote antenna tuner The tuner is fed by about 30' of RG58 coax from my transmitter. When I see a reactive component to the impedance of the ladder line, without the tuner connected, should I have some choke inserted in one side of the ladder line or not? Should the tuner be able to handle the reactive component? John AD2F __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] Testing
In case I didn't mention it to the group: My ISP had set spam filtering to "extreme" and was blocking all of my list servers. All of the messages were still there in quarantine on my webmail server which I never use. My normal client is Thunderbird which is clueless in this case. Thanks for all the private replies. Wee On 1/14/2019 5:05 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: I've been having a problem were my posts are either not making it to the reflector or are not coming back to me as a copy, even though they always have and that is my preference in settings. Will someone let me know if they see this post. One person will be plenty. Thanks Wes N7WS __ 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 donw...@embarqmail.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] Query for new DSP features
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrVDL_-HOds starting at 41 minutes. Particularly at 1 hour 3 minutes. On 1/12/2019 9:51 AM, David Woolley wrote: Do you have a reference for an algorithm that will do this? __ 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] Non-Resonant Antennas and Chokes
You do realize that if the common-mode current on the line is due to asymmetry between the antenna and the line, then choking at the feed-point reduces the CM current at that point, but just like your example said, a quarter wave *down* the line you have a CM peak. If asymmetry isn't an issue then open wire is just fine with a balun at the tuner and I say this while not being a fan of open wire fed antennas. I'm also somewhat bemused by the cottage industry that's sprung up in the last few years to calm the hand wringing about common mode current. I think there's been a lot of development of cures that are looking for ailments. In my curmudgeonly opinion of course :-) Wes N7WS , On 1/13/2019 10:24 PM, Jim Brown wrote: WHERE are you measuring it? You do realize that, like any antenna, current varies along the wires that make up the antenna. A choke attempts to force the current to zero AT THE POINT WHERE THE CHOKE IS PLACED. You're putting it at the tuner, so it forces current to zero there. But a quarter wave up the feedline, the current reaches a maximum value. __ 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] Testing
Many thanks to all who replied. My ISP had set spam filtering to "extreme" and was blocking all of my list servers. All of the messages were still there in quarantine on my webmail server which I never use. My normal client is Thunderbird which is clueless in this case. Supposedly they've fixed it. Wes N7WS On 1/14/2019 3:22 PM, Jim Finan wrote: Saw it! No answers... Jim Finan AB4AC S __ 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] Testing
I've been having a problem were my posts are either not making it to the reflector or are not coming back to me as a copy, even though they always have and that is my preference in settings. Will someone let me know if they see this post. One person will be plenty. Thanks Wes N7WS __ 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 DSP Idea
Lyle is retired here in Tucson. Wes N7WS On 1/14/2019 3:00 AM, Bill W4ZV wrote: David Gilbert wrote Yes, I agree that the computation needs to be done in the frequency domain with an FFT. I have no clue whether or not the K3 and K3s have enough computational power to do so, but Lyle (Elecraft's DSP guru) briefly discussed this idea with me when I suggested it several years ago and he seemed to think it might be feasible. At the time the K3 synths wouldn't preserve lock when you changed frequency so it wouldn't have been very practical back then, but the new synths are fed by the same oscillator now. You asked a good question Dave. I recall Lyle telling me the same years ago (where is Lyle anyway...buried in K4 firmware?). I've used the NCC-1, MFJ-1025 and ANC-4 over the years to phase parallel staggered Beverages. This is probably beyond the processor in the K3 but it remains a good idea to investigate for the K4. The downside to phasing two identical antennas internally is that you must give up diversity. Using the NCC-1 output for one input to the K3 diversity and a different antenna for the other allows both simultaneously (but for two different purposes). I'm afraid the market for users who want to do this sort of thing may be small, but clearly there is a decent market for noise canceling devices. BTW noise canceling boxes ONLY work well for canceling a single local noise source which requires a nearby sense antenna for one input (groundwave only since propagation introduces constantly shifting relative phase changes). 73, Bill W4ZV P.S. The bottom 2 plots in the link below show what can be done by phasing two parallel staggered Beverages: http://users.vnet.net/btippett/new_page_10.htm __ 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 & Drake TR7
Drake rated the TR7 by input power as was common then. 250W. They recommended a fan kit for high duty cycle RTTY operation. I owned one for years and it was a wonderful radio. The only issue was tin-plated pins (sound familiar) on the interface between the main circuity and the digital readout board. Some contact cleaner and massaging the pins after loosening the mounting screws usually fixed it for another six months or so. There was no internal provision for split operation, they sold an external VFO. I built my own. Wes N7WS On 1/13/2019 12:14 PM, ab2tc wrote: Hi again, True, but the TR7 is all solid state, including the finals. See here: http://www.wb4hfn.com/DRAKE/DrakeArticles/InsideTheTR7/Inside_The_TR7-01.htm According to that article Drake claims 130-150W output for bands at above 20m and 60-100W on 80-15m. Boy, is that transceiver ever jam-packed! Wonder how it does cooling-wise. AB2TC - Knut K9MA wrote On 1/13/2019 12:35, ab2tc wrote: With typical efficiencies seen in solid state PAs it is probably rated at no more than 100W output, Actually, tube amplifiers can be quite a bit more efficient than solid state ones. The theoretical limit for class B is around 70 percent, a practical limit probably around 60. So, the TR7 might put out 150 W. 73, Scott K9MA -- Scott K9MA k9ma@ -- Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 and open wire
With all due respect, you don't say what acceptable loss is. Of course, you can match whatever the impedance is, most tuners will match an open circuit because their internal losses allow it. But it can be a fallacy that, "The line loss is so low it doesn't matter." Absent voltage breakdown, line loss increases because of the increased circulating current resulting from operating at elevated SWR. That increased current is an issue in some baluns and tuners as well. *All* of these components must be considered when evaluating an antenna "system." Considering only one part in isolation is fraught with danger. Try running that 102' long "G5RV" up 50' on 160 meters. Feed it with 100' of Wireman 553 "low loss" ladderline. The 0.1 dB matched loss turns into over 13 db at the input and that's without considering tuner loss. (Source: EZNEC and TLDetails) Wes N7WS On 1/6/2019 3:15 PM, K9MA wrote: The really attractive thing about open line, and even window line, is that its loss is so low you can use it at a very high SWR, and take care of the matching at the station end. This is especially useful for multi-band antennas. The famous G5RV, for example, will work just exactly the same fed with window line and a tuner as it will with the usual matching section. 73, Scott K9MA __ 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 and open wire
Then there must be less signal too:-) Wes N7WS On 1/7/2019 6:48 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: ... less noise on receive... 73 Bob, K4TAX __ 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 power amp 2SC2782
I have not observed a low power issue in my K3. OTOH, in my experience the K3S PA has been a huge disappointment. One reason for buying a K3S was a hope that the TX IMD would be improved with FETs. This would no doubt have been true if Elecraft designed the radio for 50 VDC. Wes N7WS On 1/5/2019 3:16 PM, K9MA wrote: I've always felt that the KPA3 in my K3 was marginal. For example, I've never been able to get more than about 80 W out of it on 15 meters. (And that's at about 14.5 V) Is the KPA3A any better? 73, Scott K9MA On 1/5/2019 15:23, Robert Friess wrote: Hank, The 2SC2782 is not internally matched and is the only part ever used in the KPA3. The KPA3A uses MOSFETs. 73, Bob, N6CM On Sat, Jan 5, 2019 at 11:04 AM HP wrote: Anyone know if the Toshiba 2SC2782 transistors used in the K3 power amp have internal matching (mos cap and wirebonds ) ? Or did the K3 power amp ever use Motorola MRF247 transistors ? Hank K7HP __ __ 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] Ideas for an FT8 Radio
You were wrong, but it's a common misconception. Wes N7WS On 1/1/2019 9:42 PM, Ken wrote: Geesh, how much power are people running? I've always thought 50 watts was excessive for digital modes! __ 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] Ideas for an FT8 Radio
When a post has "FT8" in the subject line, it's an automatic delete. I only opened this one because Bob wrote it. BTW, I too use Thunderbird, but don't use any filters etc. I find that I'm perfectly capable of deleting unwanted posts by myself. For the life of me I don't know what all of the hand-wringing is about with OT posts. Wes N7WS On 12/30/2018 8:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: My interest is already diminished to zero. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 12/30/2018 7:56 PM, Devin Butterfield wrote: I also agree that a one-mode radio wouldn’t be of interest for very long. __ 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] Tuners and spurious responses
Generally speaking, with components of the same Q, an L network will be the
lowest loss solution to any matching problem. The network Q is set only by the
two impedances to be matched. (I did once contrived a situation where matching
the very low R, high C gate impedance of an FET could be done with lower loss
using a series pair of L networks, but this is unusual.)
In correspondence with Dean Straw 20+ years ago when we were prepping my article
on ladderline, I pointed out to him that the problem with T networks with three
variables was that there are an infinite number of solutions, with only one
giving the lowest loss and some giving huge losses, with the operator being
clueless. I believe the same would be true with the Match Box. (By what I'm
sure must be coincidence, it was shortly after that an ARRL favored author wrote
article on tuner losses.)
Any rejection due to an antenna matching system is just serendipity and
depending on it for that purpose is foolhardy, IMHO, of course.
To pick one nit with Scott, a pi-network can be high pass and a tee-network can
be low pass.
Wes N7WS
On 12/22/2018 7:21 PM, K9MA wrote:
While I seriously doubt any rejection of nearby frequencies by a tuner is
likely to have any effect on the K3 receiver,
I'd point out that any tuner configuration other than an L network can provide
a match over a wide range of Q. One generally tries to tune them for minimum Q
to minimize losses. If tuned to a high Q, however, both the T and pi networks
generally will provide some rejection of adjacent frequencies. Just how much
is impossible to predict, unless you know just how the antenna impedance
varies with frequency. At far removed frequencies, of course, a T does act
like a high pass, and a pi like a low pass, but in neither case do they match
the antenna to 50 Ohms, unless it happens to actually be 50 Ohms at some
frequency.
That said, is suppose it IS possible that a tuner/antenna combination just
happened to have a deep null right on the frequency of a nearby broadcast
station which was causing intermodulation. If that were the case, a more
reliable solution would be a trap or stub.
73,
Scott K9MA
On 12/22/2018 08:52, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
The Johnson Matchbox configuration is indeed a banpass filter meaning it
attenuates both above and below the frequency to which it is tuned. I use
mine at Field Day to provide attenuation to stations operating both above and
below the band being used. The amount of attenuation does vary as it is not
symmetrical in nature.
Probably you were using a less than optimum balun which had little common
mode rejection or poor balance. The best way to check the two
configurations is to measure the current in each leg of the balanced feed
line. Many baluns do not do a good job or making a "balanced" feed. The
work of DJ0IP {see his website} has a lot of information from real field
measurements on baluns, good ones and bad ones.
73
Bob, K4TAX
On 12/21/2018 11:03 PM, Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP wrote:
I just replaced my single-ended T-network tuner plus balun with a massive
old Johnson Matchbox. It is very selective, unlike the T network. It is as
if there is a sharp bandpass filter between the antenna and the rig.
This may be totally imaginary, and there's no easy way to A/B test it, but
it seems as though the K3 sounds "cleaner" in some sense.
Could it be that since the mixer sees a much narrower spectrum, there are
fewer spurious responses?
Do those of you who use bandpass filters for SO2R or multi-transmitter
contesting notice such an effect?
It also seems that the better balance (my antenna system is a dipole fed
with balanced line) has reduced RF in the shack and possibly local noise
pickup.
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Re: [Elecraft] OT KH6JF/MM Update
Me too. My computer and I "worked" it several times. Wes N7WS On 12/18/2018 4:50 PM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) wrote: Sorry to see it go, I got a QSL from it... 73s and thanks, Dave (NK7Z/NNR0DC) https://www.nk7z.net Award Manager, 30MDG Grid Contest ARRL Technical Specialist ARRL Volunteer Examiner ARRL OOC for Oregon __ 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] Swiss Army Knife
Mine, a small "Executive" model was a gift from my late wife. Before she passed we took an Alaskan cruise, round trip out of Seattle. On the flight from Tucson I put the knife in checked baggage but on the return trip after checking my luggage I remembered it was in my carry-on camera case. When the bag went through the scanner I could see the guy moving the conveyor belt forward and back and figured my goose was cooked. So I said something like, "Damn I think I left my pen knife in that bag." He said, "Okay take it out and show me." of course, he declared it contraband. Since we were holding up the line, I was just going to surrender it and move on. My wife threw a fit and the agent said, "Take it over there." It turns out they have a counter just for stuff like this. She took it there and for $8 they put it in an envelope and mailed it to us. Sadly she is gone, but I still have the knife. Wes N7WS On 12/18/2018 4:41 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: My Swiss Army Knife was a gift from a ham is Switzerland, and I am not keen to lose or damage it. It usually stays at my desk. It is different from those common here in the US - it has black sides and not the red sides usually seen. The knife in my pocket is a 3 bladed Case knife. I guess I like that brand since I went to Case Institute of Technology - but they are good knives that can keep a keen edge for a long time. 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] wire for random wire antenna using kx3
T. A. Gadwa, “Standing Waves on Transmission Lines”, QST, December 1942, pp. 17-21. Wes N7WS On 12/18/2018 3:43 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: [snip] The obsession with VSWR in ham radio is a bit surprising. I can't really remember when the term became common, or when I first saw a VSWR bridge, but I do know that I never saw one in SE Asia in the mid-60's. These days, high VSWR seems to equate to "antenna that doesn't work." 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County __ 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 Suddenly Putting Out Only 25 watts at 100 watts indicated
Scroll down to the bottom of this and you will see it was me :-)
I have made hundreds of IMD measurements on both my K3 and K3S using the
built-in two-tone generator and an SDR-IQ/SpectraVue as a spectrum analyzer. I
have a string of power attenuators followed by a step attenuator for calibration
purposes. Within its linear range the SDR-IQ is remarkably good. This is a
laborious process, sped up a little with the K3 utility and saved instrument
states in SpectraVue. One nice thing about this setup is that I can actually
record the spectrum display and play it back later for analysis just as if it
was live. A guy smarter than I could probably automate this; I put the numbers
in an Excel spreadsheet and let do the charting.
What you can find doing this is that the IMD is sensitive not only to power and
voltage but to frequency. Pick the right frequency and IMD can be -40 dBc, pick
the wrong one and it's -20 dBc; same radio, same supply voltage and output power.
Wes N7WS
On 12/13/2018 3:50 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
Someone suggested performing 2 tone tests. Seems reasonable.
I tried that with my K3S into a dummy load and an a RF sample fed to my RSP1
receiver using HDSDR software. I find that it does indeed display the IMD
products from the 2 tones. I now need to study the results a bit more to
evaluate the test.
{Oh, don't forget to set 2 TONE to OFF mode or you'll get a surprise when you
jump into that SSB rag chew group. The comments won't be very kind.}
73
Bob, K4TAX
On 12/13/2018 1:03 PM, j...@kk9a.com wrote:
It would be nice to know what conditions caused this FET failure. Is there
an easy way to know when this failure occurs other than getting crappy
audio reports?
John KK9A
Peter Dougherty (W2IRT) wrote:
This happened to me at the start of CQWW-SSB in October. My K3s is finally
enroute back home after a 6 week stay in the Elecraft Repair Department
with a blown FET in the HPA, cause unknown. And I know I've been told I'm
not the only one to suffer this failure, and it sounds like this is now a
known issue.
Does anybody have an idea as to what could be causing these FETs to fail,
or steps to consider to lessen the chances of it happening? I can't speak
for anybody else, but I baby the heck out of my gear and was shocked to
discover it failed, when feeding directly into a KPA-1500.
Regards,
Peter Dougherty, W2IRT
-Original Message-
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at
mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2018 4:55 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Suddenly Putting Out Only 25 watts at 100 watts
indicated
If you have another receiver, run a two-test and listen to the K3 output in a
narrow BW. Ideally, the two tones will be considerably stronger than the
first
pair of sidebands.
I suspect they won't be, you'll have a lot more than two and you have a blown
FET in the HPA.
Wes N7WS
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 Suddenly Putting Out Only 25 watts at 100 watts indicated
If you see low power it's a clue. I operate my K3S + KPA500 as a 500W transceiver, except when I'm running IMD tests, so the last time it happened I was notified of bad audio. The previous times the wattmeter or IMD tests were the clues. Wes N7WS On 12/13/2018 12:03 PM, j...@kk9a.com wrote: It would be nice to know what conditions caused this FET failure. Is there an easy way to know when this failure occurs other than getting crappy audio reports? John KK9A __ 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 AC power
Thanks John, I doubt it in this lifetime. I need SV/A and FR/G. I suppose I could rent a station in New England and work the monk but that wouldn't be on my 120 VAC circuit or from Tucson :-) Wes N7WS On 12/12/2018 7:22 PM, Macy monkeys wrote: There you have it; DX is obviously better on 120V! :) Good luck on those last two, Wes! John K7FD On Dec 12, 2018, at 6:17 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: I run my complete station on a 120V 20A circuit. Wes N7WS 9-band DXCC, need two for top of the Honor Roll. On 12/12/2018 5:13 PM, Tom Berry wrote: Is there any advantage to use 220 V over 110 V on the KPA500? Is it worth having an electrician come to the house and install a 220 V outlet for it? Thanks Tom AA4VV __ 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 macymonk...@charter.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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 AC power
Why not? On 12/12/2018 6:05 PM, Nr4c wrote: Lower current. But why on this thread? Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill __ 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 AC power
I run my complete station on a 120V 20A circuit. Wes N7WS 9-band DXCC, need two for top of the Honor Roll. On 12/12/2018 5:13 PM, Tom Berry wrote: Is there any advantage to use 220 V over 110 V on the KPA500? Is it worth having an electrician come to the house and install a 220 V outlet for it? Thanks Tom AA4VV __ 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 Suddenly Putting Out Only 25 watts at 100 watts indicated
If you have another receiver, run a two-test and listen to the K3 output in a narrow BW. Ideally, the two tones will be considerably stronger than the first pair of sidebands. I suspect they won't be, you'll have a lot more than two and you have a blown FET in the HPA. Wes N7WS On 12/12/2018 12:47 PM, N4ZR wrote: Transmitted on my K3 for the first time since the 10-meter contest, and it is only showing 25 watts out on the built-in meter into a dummy load. Power output setting of the K3 is 100W, and same results seen on all bands. What could possibly be going on here? Back to Watsonville? The cruel karma of it all is that *yesterday* I ordered a KPA-1500. __ 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] 6m meteor scatter
Why not just use CW (or even SSB)? Disclaimer. I have zero experience with 6M MS. That said, I have confirmed QSOs with every continental state west of the Mississippi and a few east on 2M MS (or tropo) :-) Wes N7WS On 12/5/2018 12:08 PM, Jim Brown wrote: While MS QSOs can be made with random CQing on 50.260, most are scheduled via Ping Jockey or ON4KST chat. There's a learning curve to operating MS, and QSOs via MS can take a while to complete. It's not unusual for it to take 30 minutes for "rocks" to align in the space between QSO partners to provide the reflections for pings that WSJT-X decodes to complete all the steps of the QSO. MS is NOT a good mode for QRP, and while QSOs can be made with 100W, more power increases the likelihood of a good ping and shortens the time it takes to complete. If you're chasing grids on 6M, MS is a great way to fill in those that are beyond the range of tropospheric propagation and too close for E-skip. The limit for MS is about 1,300 miles, and even that distance requires great rocks, high power, decent antennas, great ops, and persistence. MS is one of the propagation modes for which the exchange format and progress of WSJT mode QSOs was developed, and it is rigidly followed. 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] Whither VOX delay via software?
Speaking of VOX, how about VOX gain remembered by mode? Wes N7WS On 12/3/2018 11:42 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: It’s on the Even Shorter list now. Thanks for the reminder. Wayne N6KR elecraft.com On Nov 24, 2018, at 6:35 PM, Rick Miller - N1RM wrote: We are operating a K3s remotely and varying conditions/operator styles make it necessary for us to adjust VOX delay for CW. Searching the archives I noticed that a software command to adjust VOX delay was on the "short list" in 2011. I can do a SWH57 to get to the adjustment, but I can't find any command to actually change the value, which makes me wonder why bother with SWH57 at all. There is an SD command for QSK delay, but it is GET only. Is this still on the "short list" or have I missed it? Rick N1RM -- Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.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 n...@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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 issues
In the link I provided earlier (including some references) I point out some of the pitfalls and error sources so that is a possibility. But I still contend that, with a lossless line anyway, the impedance of a load, resistive or otherwise, is the same at either end of a 1/2 wavelength line, or integer multiple thereof. A quarter-wavelength line has the "magical" property of inverting impedances, best seen on a Smith chart. But the rotation is around a circle of constant SWR, with radius=rho. Of course better instruments as a rule make better (more accurate) measurements. I have several vector analyzers, an N2PK that I built years ago, an SDR-Kits by DG8SAQ, an FA-VA5 by DG5MK, an AA-55 Zoom by Rig Expert and if it ever clears US Customs, an FAA-450 by EU1KY. Any of these, used with appropriate care, is more than accurate enough for any normal transmission line/antenna evaluation and remarkably inexpensive. Wes N7WS On 11/27/2018 9:33 PM, K9MA wrote: I think the point Mike is trying to make is that many SWR meters don't actually measure SWR all that accurately as impedance changes. While the length of transmission line doesn't affect SWR (other than the effect of loss), the impedance at a given SWR does change with line length, and that may cause the indicated SWR to change with some instruments. I wonder if an antenna analyzer, which actually measures impedance, and calculates SWR from that, would do any better. If it measures impedance accurately, it should. 73, Scott K9MA On 11/27/2018 21:34, Wes Stewart wrote: I fail to see what that will prove. The only length that will do anything exciting is the 1/4 wavelength line and even that doesn't affect the SWR. The other two will just repeat (less loss) on the input side, what terminates the load side. Wes N7WS On 11/27/2018 3:51 PM, Michael Walker wrote: If you truly want to understand SWR, I recommend you pick a frequency and make up a 1/4, 1/2 and 1 wavelength sections of 50ohm coax. Then measure the SWR at those points into various different resistive loads, like 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 ohms. I think you will find the results very interesting. 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 k...@sdellington.us __ 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 issues
I fail to see what that will prove. The only length that will do anything exciting is the 1/4 wavelength line and even that doesn't affect the SWR. The other two will just repeat (less loss) on the input side, what terminates the load side. Wes N7WS On 11/27/2018 3:51 PM, Michael Walker wrote: If you truly want to understand SWR, I recommend you pick a frequency and make up a 1/4, 1/2 and 1 wavelength sections of 50ohm coax. Then measure the SWR at those points into various different resistive loads, like 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150 and 200 ohms. I think you will find the results very interesting. 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 issues
A few months ago I wrote about the potential errors in measuring SWR with amateur grade equipment. See my comments in this thread: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-SWR-Numerical-Indication-td7643839.html I imagine "the best they can do" is accurate. Wes N7WS ps. I also said that if I was wrong, I was sure I would hear about it. Crickets. On 11/27/2018 12:39 PM, Paul Baldock wrote: [snip] I also note that when into a perfect 50 Ohms, and the tuner bypassed, on 6 meters, my KPA1500 says the SWR is 1.4:1. On 10 meters it reads 1.2:1. Rene from Elecraft says "this is the best they can do". Other than the issues above I am very happy with the KPA1500. - Paul __ 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] UV Data
Well, that got away from me during editing, let me continue On 11/7/2018 10:23 AM, Wes Stewart wrote: We're drifting a little but I must concur with my friend Dave's comments. I've lived over 70 of my 77 years right here in Tucson. As kids we routinely went shirtless and shoe-less while outside and often suffered severe sunburns. After graduating to driving cars without A/C, we drove with the windows down and our left forearms on the door sills. As a consequence most of my sun-damaged skin is on the left side. The slightest puncture or pressure can cause bleeding under the skin and the tiniest abrasion tears off flaps of skin I see my lovely dermatologist twice a year. Her much older prof of physics husband suffers the same condition as I. She says that he often chides her because dematology doesn't have a cure. She tells him that if she could come up with one, she would be a billionaire. In the last few years after seeing her, I get to visit her equally lovely partner who does Mohs surgery, to get my Basil Cell turmors removed. Plastics aren't the only things that degrade because of UV exposure. Wes N7WS On 11/7/2018 10:00 AM, dyarnes wrote: Ted and all, I also couldn’t resist sorting the data by county, but I was not at all surprised by the results. Having lived for about 50 of my 77 years in Arizona and New Mexico, I knew we had to be near the top of the list. I feel it every day!!! Ironically, my early days of youth were spent in the northwest, where the numbers are exactly the opposite! That’s why so many people up north have that peachy-creamy skin, and down here we all look like shoe leather! Here in the southwest we also develop a close relationship with our dermatologists, or we darn well should! The good news is that things don’t tend to rust here!!! Hi. 73, Dave W7AQK On Tue, 6 Nov 2018, Dauer, Edward wrote: Interesting to sort the list by UV flux data. Doing that for the 3107 entries, my QTH in Teller County, Colorado, at an average elevation of about 8500' and with 247 sunny days per year according to the tourist adsr, is number 511. 53 of the 67 counties in Florida rank above it. I would not have guessed that . . . Ted, KN1CBR __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] UV Data
We're drifting a little but I must concur with my friend Dave's comments. I've lived over 70 of my 77 years right here in Tucson. As kids we routinely went shirtless and shoe-less while outside and often suffered severe sunburns. After graduating to driving car without A/C, we drove with the windows down and our left forearms on the door sills. As a consequence most of my sun-damaged skin in on the left side. The slightest puncture or pressure can cause bleeding under the skin and the tinist I see my lovely dermatologist twice a year On 11/7/2018 10:00 AM, dyarnes wrote: Ted and all, I also couldn’t resist sorting the data by county, but I was not at all surprised by the results. Having lived for about 50 of my 77 years in Arizona and New Mexico, I knew we had to be near the top of the list. I feel it every day!!! Ironically, my early days of youth were spent in the northwest, where the numbers are exactly the opposite! That’s why so many people up north have that peachy-creamy skin, and down here we all look like shoe leather! Here in the southwest we also develop a close relationship with our dermatologists, or we darn well should! The good news is that things don’t tend to rust here!!! Hi. 73, Dave W7AQK On Tue, 6 Nov 2018, Dauer, Edward wrote: Interesting to sort the list by UV flux data. Doing that for the 3107 entries, my QTH in Teller County, Colorado, at an average elevation of about 8500' and with 247 sunny days per year according to the tourist adsr, is number 511. 53 of the 67 counties in Florida rank above it. I would not have guessed that . . . Ted, KN1CBR __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 as a remote-controlled tuner
Okay, you know better than the manufacturer. On 11/3/2018 2:42 PM, w4grj wrote: All I can say is I have had one on my boat exposed to the Sun for over a year I live in Florida can't be any worse UV anywhere and it still good you never know Jack W4GRJ Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device Original message From: Wes Stewart Date: 11/3/18 17:32 (GMT-05:00) To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 as a remote-controlled tuner Look at the Q on this item. Not good for UV exposure. Not ready for AZ desert. __ 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 as a remote-controlled tuner
Look at the Q on this item. Not good for UV exposure. Not ready for AZ desert. On 11/3/2018 1:44 PM, w4grj wrote: Here is a watertight case for $13 w/ free shipping https://www.amazon.com/MTM-ACR5-72-Crate-Utility-Medium/dp/B00T4XL2MO/ref=sr _1_7?ie=UTF8=1541277586=8-7=mtm+case+gard Jack W4GRJ __ 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 Elecraft Webpage now up
Some pictures need an aspect adjustment. On 10/18/2018 5:51 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: We've just turned on the new elecraft.com web page. Please take a look and enjoy! __ 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 Clicks & Pops
Ed, Not picking on you personally either but I fail to understand this attitude that because some digital mode or another can make QSOs with 10 mW on some path, everyone else should run only10 mW. I consider my K3S + KPA500 to be a 500W transceiver (with push buttons for selecting bands) and that's the way I run it. Often, especially when I'm beating myself up on 160, I wish for more power. When some of my DX club buddies tease me about running QRP should I ask them to lower their power so we have parity? Wes N7WS ps: When I ran 2-meter EME 30 years ago we actually heard the signals by ear. On 10/17/2018 1:34 PM, Edward R Cole wrote: Bob, A question about your statement that you run 400w in digital modes (assuming you mean FT8, etc. and not RTTY). That seems pretty extreme. I pretty much ignore HF usage as I am not on HF very much (primarily an eme'er on 6m+). But back at the beginnings of psk-31 I built a HB interface* for my FT-847 and did a bit of 14.070 operating (with a dipole). I was recommended to not exceeding 25w (or 25% full power). Everyone seemed to do quite well on psk-31 with low power and some ran at QRP (<5w). I do not get why I hear of running high power digital when 10% would communicate easily. You may remonstrate me for running 2m-eme at 1500w on JT-65 but the path loss on 2m-eme is 254 dB+ and contacts are made over a half-million mile path. Certainly not encountered by terrestrial HF users. Not picking on you personally, but you made the statement so figure maybe would reply. Just curious. 73, Ed - KL7UW * that I/F later was used for JT-65 on eme 15 years ago. Now use my K3 directly connected. Date: Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:59:15 -0500 From: Bob McGraw K4TAX To: "Dauer, Edward" Cc: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Clicks & Pops Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii I do run 400 watts or so on digital modes. Issues are not really noted on SSB or CW modes. I've set the Fan Ctr to 2 and 3 and still noted the issue Was recently showing my K Line to some hams friends. They commented rather negatively on the point. Bob, K4TAX 73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Dubus-NA Business mail: dubus...@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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] Confessions of grounding
I use a 14 AWG insulated stranded wire with a spade lug on it for the K3 side. The other end is bolted to a clamp on the EMT that carries the AC service into the shack. As far as I'm concerned this is just a safety ground, not something worthy of an RF ground. All of the other gear is similarly grounded to the same clamp. Worrywarts will wring their hands over ground loops, RF in the shack, install hundreds of dollars worth of ferrite, etc. None of that here. Forget about using braid. Wes N7WS . On 10/12/2018 9:47 AM, Leroy Buller wrote: Ok, I just rebuilt my station and wonder how many of you actually ground your K3 or your rig? I have the amp and tuner grounded, but I find grounding the K3 somewhat difficult. Why? Getting my fat ham fingers to the rear if the rig and tighting up the knurled knob with stiff wire is quite infuriating. All the connecting cables are in the way and it just trips my trigger. Then being able to reach over all the doodads and geegaws to attach ground is a frustration of mine. Many years ago it was good practice to use solid wire but now i see others using braid. Stiff wire adds to my frustration. So, for my mental health I would like some suggestions or ideas how best to deal with this. I know...suck it up. There has got to be a better way. Lee K0WA __ __ 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] Voice is clipped K3s
And if all of this fails look for a blown HPA. Wes N7WS On 10/10/2018 8:29 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Gary, If you just plugged in the MH4 and turned on bias, then I suggest that may be the cause of the problem. Assuming you had the K3 set for the low output Heil microphone, you should change the MIC SEL menu to FP.L bias. If you have MIC SEL still set for FP.H, you may be overdriving the mic preamp. The MH2 has a high output level, so you need only low gain in the K3. Then initially set the compression to 0 and set the MIC GAIN to produce 5 to 7 bars on the ALC meter while speaking into the microphone in a normal voice. Once that is done, set the compression to a moderate level of your choice. As Bob K4TAX has pointed out and K9YC has long advocated, set the lower 2 bands of TX EQ to the lowest levels and set the 3rd band down a bit as well - that will increase your "talk power" while not wasting power trying to transmit those low frequencies which are not needed for intelligibility. If you are into ESSB, you may differ, but ham radio is not HI-FI in my opinion, it is about communications effectiveness. 73, Don W3FPR On 10/10/2018 2:10 AM, Gary Smith wrote: My 30 year old heil element finally bit the dust. I bought an Elecraft MH4 hand-held mic and am trying to get it adjusted. I checked in with a local net and was told there is a kind of clipping on my words, like the ends of some word were being cut off. Another report said it sounded more like there was an artificial sound in-between the syllables, that it wasn't on the peaks but noted in the the troughs, perhaps a bit of clicking in there. I don't hear any difficulties with the monitor, everything sounds like normal words with no distortion. I'm not using VOX and have no idea what I might try looking at to resolve this. As to the equalizing of the MH4, is there a set of values with the 8 bands to give it more of a character of a Heil HC4 element or something well suited for DX? Any suggestions on the clipping & Mic TX EQ & what I might try doing to resolve this? 73, Gary KA1J __ __ 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] CODEC
Yep On 10/2/2018 1:20 AM, Jim Brown wrote: On 10/1/2018 10:47 PM, Rick WA6NHC wrote: While thousands may use VOX I'm one of those, and I've done it for many years with everything from RTTY to SSB to FT8, JT65, JT9, and MSK144. It works VERY well. It's one less connection to worry about, and it works fine. I do a LOT of contesting, and a wild guess is that I've done at least 20,00 QSOs this way. If you WANT to use PTT, be my guest, but you're adding un-necessary complication to your setup. 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] CODEC
Good grief. I was discussing RTTY. Two tones separated by 170 Hz. Why make it so complicated? On 10/1/2018 10:47 PM, Rick WA6NHC wrote: While thousands may use VOX, at least thousands use PTT. One reason is that sound cards are rarely response flat, so the levels will change according to the frequency of the tone. __ 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] CODEC
The following is nothing personal. I use AFSK on RTTY. That's "Audio" FSK. On SSB, an audio mode, I like thousands of other folks, use VOX, not some flaky software PTT. Why on Earth when using a different audio mode should I have to use a different method of T/R switching, particularly when the audio signal is a constant level? Makes absolutely no sense to me. N7WS On 10/1/2018 3:42 PM, Tom wrote: No need for VOX, just use software PTT. Tom __ 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] CODEC
I had a K3 in service (now a spare) for about 8 years before getting a K3S. I didn't do WSJT but some RTTY and PSK using the Line In/Out into my Lenovo laptop internal sound card. Worked like a champ, started with zero and now have 255 countries on RTTY. I tried to use the K3S USB sound and got tired of the incessant need to fuss with drive and VOX levels. I requested many times for firmware that would save VOX settings by mode to no avail. (When I had another issue, Elecraft Support actually told me that they didn't recommend VOX on digital modes.) I've returned to using the analog audio in/out of the radio and the laptop sound card, which is higher quality anyway. (I have a TASCAM US-100, highly recommended by the resident audio guru, but haven't found it to be any advantage.) This also makes it easier to resort to the spare radio when necessary. Wes N7WS standing by for the flack from the faithful. On 10/1/2018 8:49 AM, Mike Greenway wrote: I have used for years a K3 on EME with WSJT using Line In/Out audio. Recently got a K3S and I am now using USB (CODEC) audio in and out of the radio. In WSJT-10 they have Rate In/Rate Out monitors that should normally run at 1.000. Using the K3 analog audio these always stayed right on 1.000 but now that I am using the USB audio they are jumping around quite often and getting out of range indicated in WSJT with a red marker. I have tried two different computers and the same result. I tried changing the sample rate in the computer audio settings but no change in the problem. I plan to go back to analog Line In/Out on the K3S unless someone has an idea on how to settle down the Rate In/Out fluctuations. I have not found anything in the K3S that might affect this. You can reply off line if you like. 73 Mike K4PI __ 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] receiver guard
Is the intent to use the SDR-IQ as a separate receiver or as a panadapter? I suspect the former but if it's the later use the K3S i-f output into the SDR-IQ and setup SpectraVue appropriately. It works wonderfully. Otherwise follow K4TAX's advice. Wes N7WS On 9/19/2018 8:14 AM, NOEL POULIN wrote: Hello, I am going to use my SDR-IQ with my K3S ..KXV3A RX ANT IN and RX ANT OUT. Will be using a plitter. I want to know if I will have to add a RECEIVER GUARD at the SR-IQ to be safer... My SDR-IQ will be using the K3s transmit antennas for receiving of course Will it be safer to add a receiver guard at the input of the SDR-IQ to protect it from rf, when transmitting Advices will be welcome. Thanks Noel __ 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] loss of RX sensitivity
Hi Frank, Agreed. See: https://www.sdr-kits.net/VA5_Page bottom of the page. Indicative prices in USD $191.77 Wes On 9/18/2018 1:53 PM, donov...@starpower.net wrote: Hi Wes, Thanks for forwarding the information about DG5MK's new FA-VA5 VNA. What is its current selling price? If you use many BNC connectors, you'll notice a distinct difference in connector quality especially above 100 MHz. Avoid using BNC male connectors with weak tension when you turn the bayonette to engage the connector. If the bayonette turns too easily it doesn't maintain sufficient engagement force to keep the RF connections in proper alignment. 73 Frank W3LPL __ 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] loss of RX sensitivity
It's difficult to argue with Frank's experience and expertise. That said, fools rush in... I own some network analyzers, 1) an N2PK which I built with type N connectors, 2) a DG8SAQ VNWA-3, supplied with SMA connectors and 3) a RigExpert AA-55 Zoom with a SO239. Professionally, I've used analyzers with type N, 3.5mm (beadless SMA) and K connectors. With the exception of the AA-55, which only goes to 55 MHz, all of these can be calibrated with "precision" calibration kits that can cost thousands of dollars. So far, Frank is right, not a BNC in the bunch. But that has changed with the introduction of the DG5MK's FA-VA5, one-port vector analyzer. I am on the reserve list to buy one of these. The thing to note is that it is supplied with a BNC connector. There has been a lot of anguish, heartburn, etc about this on the VNWA Yahoo group but the consensus is that it will be fine and BNC calibration kit has been developed and tested without issue. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8Z7veGV57o There are tens of thousands of BNCs on oscilloscopes and other instruments and I've seldom had an issue with them in 30+ years of lab work. For quick disconnect I also use short jumper cables with BNCs to break the connections between the hardline running to the tower and the cable entrance to the shack during lightning season. Admittedly, I'm only running 500 W. When I can leave them more permanently connected I revert to type N. Wes N7WS On 9/17/2018 5:04 PM, donov...@starpower.net wrote: If you have a vector network analyzer you'll discover that BNC connectors aren't all that great at VHF and above, l oss and impedance vary with connector axial alignment because the bayonnet shell doesn't support aligh the connector body very well. Strain relief is extremely important with BNC connectors. TNC connectors are far superior but not widely used. While professionally installed N connectors have superb RF characteristics, all too often they're improperly installed -- even by professionals -- leading to damaged connectors if the male pin is misaligned, or unreliable contact if the pin or socket depth is just a few millimeters less than the manufacturers specification. I use only captive pin male N connectors, avoiding the most severe problems. I never use female N connectors on cables, the N sockets are much too fragile. Its hard to beat high quality silver plated UHF connectors at HF and 6 meters. But its important to use a tool to tighten them. That's a small price to pay for a very reliable connector. 73 Frank W3LPL __ 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 Antenna Grounding
Unpowered, the input is connected to Ant 1. Each output has a 1 meg resistor to
ground, other than that just open relay contacts.
Wes N7WS.
On 9/17/2018 7:00 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
I didn't find the answer in the manual, so I'll ask here. I do see in the
manual where bleed resistors are applied to the unused antenna terminals to
bleed off static charges. {page 15, Antenna Selector. etc}
My question, do the relays in the tuner take the center conductor of all three
antenna terminals to ground when power is removed? I see that it switches to
ANT 1 when power is off. I suppose I could remove the covers and explore
for myself, and I'll do just that if no one confirms one way or the other.
Anyone have a schematic? That would be nice.
73
Bob, K4TAX
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Re: [Elecraft] loss of RX sensitivity
Pretty much my point made in another post. In fact, I often take a perverse view of these situations and ask myself, "Self, if you wanted to screw these two things together without the faces touching, how difficult would it be to do?" And of course the answer is, almost impossible. Wes N7ws On 9/17/2018 3:39 PM, ANDY DURBIN wrote: " the threads of the PL259 are providing the only contact with the SO239" In the connectors that you are mating how do you prevent contact between the end face of the PL259 body and the end face of the SO239 body? You would need an insulating spacer for your statement to be true. 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] loss of RX sensitivity
This is one of those, "it depends" situations. Depending on the location of the two center conductor insulators in the plug and socket, the serrated (toothed) surface of the female connector might well contact the mating plug surface, if there is a gap between the insulators. In fact the "tighten it with pliers" crowd might actually be forcing this connection and mistakenly believing that they are improving the connection via the threads. Wes N7WS On 9/17/2018 3:22 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Chuck, That is true, but is ignoring the fact that the threads of the PL259 are providing the only contact with the SO239. __ 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] Craziest / most rewarding QSOs
This is a support group. This subject was more-or-less initiated by Wayne. On 9/16/2018 3:43 AM, a45wg wrote: Please ENOUGH of this !! - Go form a support group or something. __ 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] Craziest / most rewarding QSOs
My first time hearing my echos was pretty thrilling too. So was working W5LFL in Columbia and having him say, "N7WS, the loudest signal we've heard in the spacecraft" and then later getting to meet him in person. Wes N7WS On 9/14/2018 2:27 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: Mine was the first time I transmitted my call with the antenna array aimed at the moon, switched to receive, adjusted the VFO frequency a bit, and heard my own call come back. Yep, some 2.56 seconds delay, a frequency shift of about -200 Hz due to Doppler, and from a distance of 239,000 miles one way, or 478,000 miles round trip. Sweet! Then much later and as the station improved, on SSB I transmitted "HELLO MOON", switched to receive and tweaked the VFO a bit and heard "HELLO MOON" come from the receiver. I suppose one could consider this somewhat of a 2 way QSO with myself. One other occurred while working a station about 250 miles away on VHF and via EME. I heard his tropo signal, and then his moon signal, shifted in time and frequency. And likewise he heard mine. Now would this be considered one QSO or two? With my 59 years of ham radio in my log, I still find ham radio fun and enjoyable. Much thanks to Elecraft today, and the friends I've made along the way. 73 Bob, K4TAX __ 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] Craziest / most rewarding QSOs
I have his card for a 10 meter QSO on 5 March 1972 (my dad's 65th birthday). Wes N7WS . On 9/14/2018 2:48 PM, Ted Bryant wrote: I have one wall of my shack covered with QSL cards from all over the world. One particular card is from 7Q7AA in Malawi for a QSO in 1971. Many of you may have worked him. One day I just happened to pay attention to the small print at the bottom of the card. It noted the operator: B. J. "Tony" Martin W4FOA. As it turns out, Tony W4FOA whom I have known for years, is a member of our local Tennessee Valley DX Association. I knew Tony had been active from several places in Africa when he worked for the government but never associated him with that call sign. I took the card to one of our meetings and we had a great conversation about his days in 7Q7. I sometimes forget how small this hobby often makes our world. 73, Ted W4NZ __ 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] Craziest / most rewarding QSOs
A couple come to mind but one stands out. Without digging out dozens of old paper logs I'll guess about 1982-83 I was on 2M EME pointed west to my setting moon looking for JA or UA9. I heard a CQ and copied W5UN. I'd worked Dave many times, even on 2XSSB so I continued to tune. A few hundred Hz from Dave's frequency I heard another station, considerably weaker. It took some digging but I finally copied W5UN again! I was taken aback until I realized that I was hearing him off the moon and off the back of my antenna on tropo. The nearly setting moon was imparting Doppler and a 2 second time delay, causing me to hear two completely different signals. I worked him and I'm pretty sure it must have been EME. BTW, Dave is 950 miles from me. Wes N7WS On 9/13/2018 5:45 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: 15 meters never fails to amaze me. During a recent bout of paper log archaeology, I rediscovered a QSO I logged as a teen, in 1972. I was just minding my own business, tuning up using a Heath DX-20 driving 3 feet of coax to a 40 W incandescent bulb. Then a guy in Illinois called me Some years later I was using a home-brew rig (the “Safari 4”) while visiting my Mom in Arizona. The battery was nearly depleted, the rig putting out only 200 mW. The antenna: 8 feet of wire running directly from the rig through a window to a clothesline. Tuning slowly, I heard a CQ from Rwanda (9X5). I called him and got a “QRZ?” With a *lot* of patience on his end, we completed a basic QSO. No computer, no narrow filtering, no noise blanker. I would’ve gone nuts for a KX2 back in those days. 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] ARRL book on receiving antennas
The WWV antennas are center-fed vertical dipoles. "The WWV antennas are half-wave vertical antennas that radiate omnidirectional patterns. There are antennas at the station site for each frequency. Each antenna is connected to a single transmitter using a rigid coaxial line, and the site is designed so that no two coaxial lines cross. Each antenna is mounted on a tower that is approximately one half-wavelength tall. The tallest tower, for 2.5 MHz, is about 60 m tall. The shortest tower, for 20 MHz, is about 7.5 m tall. The top half of each antenna is a quarter-wavelength radiating element. The bottom half of each antenna consists of nine quarter-wavelength wires that connect to the center of the tower and slope downwards to the ground at a 45 degree angle. This sloping skirt functions as the lower half of the radiating system and also guys the antenna." Wes N7WS On 9/9/2018 3:48 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: It may be the only Franklin left in NA. __ 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] searching for post by Wayne n6kr about counterpoise
I suppose that if you're writing a book that has receiving antenna in its title, you're going to have to make a case for them even if you have to stretch a bit. I remember bolting a 115 VAC coil Dowkey relay on the back of my DX100 for antenna change over in 1960 or so. It was several years before I had a transceiver. The idea that separate antennas were the norm until transceivers came along is nonsense, IMHO of course. Even the publisher of this book, ARRL, had many QST articles, such as "A Novice T.R. Switch", by Lew McCoy in the January 1961 issue that popularized T.R. switches. Lew even stated, "It is always to the amateur's advantage to use the same antenna for both transmitting and receiving." In the scheme of things, if my memory of the last 60 years isn't too faulty, separate RX antennas are a relatively new thing, popularized for the lower hand bands (40, 80 and 160), where of course they are supposed to have advantages. Personally, I'm two (SV/A and FR/G) away from top of the Honor Roll and have 9-band DXCC and I have never used a separate RX antenna. I guess I'll have to try one someday. Wes N7WS On 9/9/2018 5:58 AM, hawley, charles j jr wrote: The ARRL recently published a book “Receiving Antennas for the Radio Amateur”. It maintains that “The function of transmitting antennas is to radiate power efficiently, while the function of receiving antennas is to present the best signal-to-noise ratio to the receiver”. It maintains that “using the same antenna for transmitting and receiving roughly coincided with the advent of the transceiver in the 1950s and 1960s.” And “The glaring differences in priorities between transmitting and receiving antennas becomes...well...glaring...when we start looking into the concept of efficiency.” And “some of the most effective receiving antennas are abysmally poor performers when efficiency alone is considered”. It’s an interesting book. Chuck KE9UW __ 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 settings
I second that. I have (had) a half dozen of these (one seems to have gone missing) to use on my K3 and K3S. That said, I seldom use anything but headphones, unless a visitor is in the shack. Wes N7WS On 9/4/2018 3:15 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: The K3 can sound really good if one uses external speakers on the K3/K3S. If you do not have high quality (Hi-Fi) speakers that you can use with the K3/K3S, then the matching SP3 speakers are an excellent choice. I was fortunate enough to pick up a pair of Radio Shack Minimus speakers at a 2nd hand store for $5.00 each - they do very well in my shack. __ 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] Filter Recommendations
I've been at this for 60 years now and the only time I've ever heard signals "pop out of the noise" was when I was working 2-meter meteor scatter. Where have I gone wrong? Wes N7WS On 8/27/2018 8:02 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: When you can just barely hear the no-signal band noise, signals will tend to pop out of the noise. __ 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] Filter Recommendations
The 2.8 has better symmetry and no frequency offset. Personally, I have no use for a 2.1. If you are a CW or RTTY man get a 400 Hz. Wes N7WS On 8/26/2018 5:45 AM, Lee Murrah via Elecraft wrote: I am looking to upgrade my K3S with filters and am using the DX version of the radio as a guide. What is the advantage of the 2.8 KHz filter over the stock 2.7? What does the 2.1 KHz filter do for you? __ 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] Problem in setup for WSJT
I second (or third) this. Having a K3S now and a modest station mine is idle at the moment, but at the ready when I need to have serial ports. Wes N7WS On 8/23/2018 10:23 AM, Jim Brown wrote: On 8/23/2018 4:49 AM, hawley, charles j jr wrote: I really like the 4 channel Edgeport converters. Very easy and self reliable, just plug in. I got a couple used ones on eBay. Work great. Yes, I'm using one in my station, and bought a second one to have as a spare. 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] KPA-1500 Efficiency As A Function of Input Power
Sure. That's why during every QSO I ask my partner, "Can you still hear me?" If he says, "Yes", I reduce power and ask again. Eventually, we determine the minimum power necessary. Then the band changes and we start over. Kind of slows down pileups and contesting, but rule are rules, right? On 8/17/2018 11:43 AM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT wrote: Isn't there a rule about using the minimum power necessary? On 8/17/2018 11:20 AM, Wes Stewart wrote: Do they? I have a KPA500, not a '1500 but I run mine full tilt on RTTY. __ 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 Efficiency As A Function of Input Power
Do they? I have a KPA500, not a '1500 but I run mine full tilt on RTTY. Something to bear in mind in this discussion is that we run our equipment in ICAS, not CCS. Even in a contest situation we probably only transmit half the time. During the off (RX) time the amp isn't drawing any plate, collector or drain current, nor is it drawing much current on CW, key up or SSB between syllables. RTTY is a "continuous" mode without the syllabic breather, but it's still intermittent. Wes On 8/17/2018 6:43 AM, j...@kk9a.com wrote: So why do most RTTY users run their amps at reduced power? John KK9A From: Charlie K3ICH Date: Fri Aug 17 09:24:18 EDT 2018 I really do NOT understand why this data is so surprising. It all seems to me to be perfectly normal with the amplifier's highest efficiency occurring at near max output. Which curiously, I would assume, is the way the amp was designed. Think zero output with zero drive = zero efficiency. Apply some drive, read some output and the efficiency goes up from there. 73, Charlie k3ICH -Original Message- From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net On Behalf Of john at kk9a.com Sent: Friday, August 17, 2018 8:57 AM To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net Cc: charles at k5ua.com Subject: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 Efficiency As A Function of Input Power Interesting data, Charles. I assumed that running the KPA1500 (or KPA500) at lower power would keep the fan from running as much. I knew that efficiency changed with output power but I did not expect that it was this significant. If your data is correct there is 1000++ watts of heat to dissipate no matter what power level you use. John KK9A __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] [KX3] Re: OT: Massive opening on 10 and 6 meters right now...
Really? I heard lots of stations on SSB around 1700Z even with my old deaf K3 and a triband beam. Only tried to worked one station in CO but heard TX, ID, CA, WA. Wes N7WS On 8/2/2018 4:17 PM, Jim Brown wrote: All the action is FT8. I've made close to 20 QSOs today -- FL, GA, MS, LA, TX, OR, AZ, JA. Earlier today, the QSO map showed a lot of the eastern US working EU. K3, KPA500, 4-el Yagi. __ 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] Bumblebees -- actual mondo-sized bees, not just the RF variety
In Southern Arizona the honey bees are mostly Africanized (i.e. "killer bees") They have killed people and animals up to horse sized. I have a little water feature in the back yard, that unfortunately has goldfish in it. My late wife's idea, so I don't want to kill them. Hence I get a lot of algae because I can't chemically treat it. I also get a lot of bees that come in for the water. Generally, we coexist, but a couple of years ago on a Sunday afternoon I was clearing some algae and one of the little SOBs stung me on the palm. I didn't think too much of it until my hand swelled up to double size and I developed a rash in some very sensitive areas. I didn't want to go to an ER but I did find a Walgreens with a nurse practitioner. She gave me a steroid injection and a prescription for EpiPens. These cost Medicare about $600, thanks taxpayers. A few months ago I had a repeat, but got the stinger removed very quickly. This time I couldn't find handy medical attention so I sat around EpiPens at the ready, but I never had a serious reaction. Still I shudder to contemplate being stung hundreds of times. Wes N7WS On 7/30/2018 5:54 PM, Dave Sublette wrote: We were putting up a 2 element Moxon for 40M this week and I ran over a Bumblebee nest. Two of them got me before I bailed out and left the tractor running (in neutral). Oh the joys of country living :-) 73, Dave, K4TO On Mon, Jul 30, 2018 at 7:54 PM Wayne Burdick wrote: I operated pedestrian mobile in Sunday’s /BB QRP event, using a KX2 with a prototype AX1 4’ whip (15/17/20 m) and a dragged 13’ counterpoise. The whip was attached directly to the back of my Patagonia Atom 8L sling bag, which turns out to have rugged, stretchy loops in exactly the right places, holding the antenna perfectly upright with no additional mounting hardware. The antenna is exactly the right length for this when the telescoping part and base are secured together. For control purposes, I just held the rig in my hand, with nothing but a coax cable running back to the pack. The rig weighs only one pound with batteries, so this turns out to work much better than putting the rig in the pack and trying to control everything with fancy firmware (something I reported on earlier). Later I operated a bit of /PM SSB, using the rig’s built-in mic and XMIT switch as PTT. The KX2 fits easily in one hand, so you might think of it as a mic on steroids, one that happens to have and all-band/all-mode radio built in :) I think I’ve finally found the magic elixir -- pure HF Pack Light. The sling pack gives this lash-up a bit of Errol Flynn cache. As for operating, this was no walk in the park! During one memorable QSO I was sending fast CW with the built-in keyer paddle while climbing a narrow 45-degree trail, praying my shoes had enough tread to grip the loose soil. The operator at the other end put up with a bit of dodgy sending as the trail’s slope hit a local maxima. Arriving at the top of the bluff, I found myself in a maze of imposing weeds sculpted by some evil California parks department employee. The plants were Vulcan in appearance, 7 to 8 feet tall, and simply irresistible to the local oversize bees. Dozens of them. I was ducking left and right to avoid the real bees while finishing my QSO with the contest “bee." About halfway through the maze, tuning the VFO knob with the thumb of my rig-holding hand, I found another /BB station to call. I’m guessing I now hold the all-San-Mateo-County record for in-maze pedestrian mobile CW contacts. Overall, the experience was somewhere between Little Shop of Horrors and The Shining. But I didn’t get sunburned, stung, or ejected for public nerdiness. It doesn’t get much better than this. 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] [K3] SWR - Numerical Indication
I would be surprised if two garden variety instruments, even placed at the same point, would agree. The directional bridges/couplers in most "(V)SWR" meters that hams routinely use externally or which are built into our radios are not precision instruments. There are a number of error sources in reflection measurements; source match, diode non-linearity, coupler tracking errors and often the most significant, directivity error. In an ideal coupler, (i.e signal separation device) one port measures the forward (incident signal) and another measures the reverse (reflected) signal and there is no coupling between ports in the unwanted direction(s). In other words there is no signal at the reverse port due to the forward signal. In a real world coupler there is some leakage signal appearing at the reverse port due to the forward signal, absent any reflected signal. The "goodness" of a directional coupler in this instance is called "directivity" and the error signal is directivity error. Directivity is usually specified in dB. Really good couplers might have directivities in the 40 dB neighborhood. Really really good directional bridges can be 50 dB, but so-so units might be 25-30 dB. Not ready for prime time units are lower than this. Now I have no way of knowing what the directivities are of the couplers built into K3s, KPA500s, KAT500s, etc. but considering that they have to work over about 5 octaves, I'm going out on a limb and saying that 25 to 30 dB is a fair estimate. If I'm wrong, I'm sure I'll hear about it. For sake of discussion I'm going to use 26.5 dB. What this means is that if I terminate the output spigot of one of these radios with a perfect 50+j0 load, I'm going to measure a leakage signal (directivity error) that is 26.5 dB below the incident value. I'll introduce the concept of return loss here. We hams usually speak in terms of SWR. SWR = (1 + p) / (1 - p) where p is the reflection coefficient. Here the p = the voltage measured at the reflected port and the constant 1 represents the incident signal. In reality both of these quantities are complex numbers, they have both magnitude and phase but SWR measurements are scalar, we throw away the phase (since it's difficult to measure) and just use the magnitude. (In fact the symbol "p", which is really the Greek letter rho, indicates the magnitude of the reflection coefficient in normal usage) We can also express this ratio as return loss, which is -20 * log10(p). So return loss, SWR and reflection coefficient are just different ways to express the same thing; the ratio of incident to reflected signal. Let's return to our example; the coupler with 26.5 dB directivity, which indicates a return loss (RL) of 26.5 dB even with a perfect termination. Doing the math and converting RL = 26.5 dB to SWR we get 1.1:1. Our perfect load measures 1.1:1 with our imperfect instrument. And this assumes that there are no other errors, which there always are. But it gets worse. Let's say that the load we want to measure really is 1.1:1. We now have two (apparent) reflections, 1) the real one and 2) the directivity error and they both have the same magnitude. In our simple detector, they sum together. Now I said earlier that we don't measure phase, only magnitude, but just because we don't, or can't measure the relative phases doesn't mean they aren't there. We will examine two cases to determine the limits of error. Case 1) both reflections are in phase, they add up to p + p or 2p, RL = 20.5 and SWR ~1.21:1. Case 2) they are exactly out of phase, they sum to zero. p = 0, RL is infinite and SWR = 1:1. The possible RL error is then -6 to +infinity dB! In other words, an actual SWR of 1.1:1 can be measured anywhere between 1.0:1 and 1.2:1. Is it any wonder that we often read about concerns that one device measures one thing, while another located at the same, or close location measures something different. Of course all of this is predicated on a directional coupler with 26.5 dB directivity and no other error sources. It's entirely possible that the Elecraft couplers are better than this. They are certainly no better than 40 dB since the internal reference resistors are 51 instead of 50 ohm. Plus the "Tandem Match" configuration is in itself not a great match to the transmitter output.(1) Furthermore, the coupler, at least in a K3 is driven by a LPF, which isn't a great 50 ohm source. Plus the coupler output port isn't connected directly to the coax connector. and so on and so forth (2). All of this creates "uncertainty." In a metrology lab heroic efforts are made to reduce uncertainty but do we, or should we, really care in this situation? In my opinion, no, but everyone is free to differ. Wes N7WS (1) See "An HF In-Line Return Loss And Power Meter" by Paul Kiciak, N2PK. http://n2pk.com/#TP3 (2) See "Gauge the Accuracy of SNA Measurements"
Re: [Elecraft] 7610 / k3 ... amp comparisons
Now I wish I understood that. Doesn't anyone write in English anymore? I suppose I should be relieved that every third word isn't "like." On 7/24/2018 3:08 PM, Josh Fiden wrote: TL;DR Sent from my mobile device On Jul 24, 2018, at 12:58 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: I wish I could understand all of this. On 7/24/2018 6:58 AM, Arthur Nienhouse wrote: */I will agree with everything said pasted below but for one thing which is Fan Noise I'm a rag chewer around 30 wpm QSK the fan will ratchet up to speed 3 after a few minutes of keying so the fan noise is very a subjective opinion not right not wrong just is, being fair in my assessment mine is built from a kit when they first came out. By the way as an Icom owner of both the 7300 now parked unplugged and for sale and the 7610 the cw qsk is better in the 7610 but the K3 is my choice for split frequency DX QSK exchanges over both of the Icom radios the 7610 is a big improvement how ever I find it clumsy to work Split listening up stuff the Internal Keyer in the K3 is much better there is a better range of adjustments available in the Elecraft internal keyer would I like to see it like the Supper CMOS 3 keyer choices heck yes Icom gives you little choice my fist after a lot of practicing and paying attention is better with the Icom but not as good as the Elecraft Mode A Mode B is most important choice but even more choices would be nice like the length of (each element) not just the spacing between each element. One important discovery the 7610 muted VFO A from a S9 signal just up the band on vfo B while chasing the Baker Is DX-Pedition it took me a while to (find) out this is what was going on wanting to master the listening up pile up with the 7610 and only one VFO knob takes getting used to the cw monitor side tone is 5 taps deep in the menu to change I can not hear it well enough even set at 100% you have to turn down the RF gain making the guy on the island weaker copy then turn up the AF gain making the side tone for my fist louder so I can hear what I'm doing on the paddle, (self defeating) and *stupid* The cw side tone is tied to the *flipping* AF gain not separate like in the K3. *stupid*. If you can't hear the island on one VFO because a big signal is a couple cycles up push his button never listening to *hear the guy on the island* who he is working or know if he is calling Mr button pusher that kind of qrm is not necessary nor productive to the run rate. Mr button pusher was not working QSK was he waiting for a computer to tell him the island is calling? You can't fix *STUPID*..front end muting from a big signal near by is a problem. Now change to head phones you ears get blown up by the side tone level needing 5 taps deep in the menu then adjusting it even one more time *stupid* at the very least this adjustment needs to be in the MULTI button empty spot menu ...like it is for SSB don't hold your breath waiting to Icom to fix this over site. Both radios drive the KPA500 well the hook up is straight forward easy to do QSK relays perfect the best. Oh yea Icom needs a menu setting SPK+Phones, a rear plug for 3.5 Mic input and 3.5 Elec-Key input. Back to Baker Is DX I finally gave up switched to the K3 bam in the log .. You get what you pay for there is a lot to like with the 7610 a lot, many features you don't get with the base set up in many other radios the price is really good but if you want to race Pro Stock it is not cheep performance counts and cost Not sorry.. never have been on my choice I have put a helper fan on top to push air as soon as the amp comes on cooling it from before key down lower start temp. My shack is hottest room in the house the station is in a corner the helper fan is a Noctua fan NF-a9x14pwm low profile. To be fair a TV is always going two computers big monitor all making the room hotter. I get a couple more minutes till the temp runs to 65c kicks speed 3 on which is my time out timer to turn it over, the equipment is also stacked to save space I found that at full song speed 3 kicks in if I'm in the middle of some sentence and keep going the fan will run at speed 3 then go back to speed 2 .be nice to set the on set of speed 3 a bit higher in the tempeture range. This amp is well built really does the job I'm happy happy happy, and yes my Z bracket has the correct length hold down screws it will click when cooling down ( not always ) not real objectionable for me the fan noise more annoying. The screws were re-tightened after a heat cycle one at a time like you do with race engines. I also took the advice to run the amp to its limit not at 400w out it does seem the final is most efficient and running a tad cooler and longer before speed 3 which is annoying and to be avoided in my opinion. The helper fan starts things from a cooler lower temperature as well giving a bit longer run tim
Re: [Elecraft] Which Amp ?
Good grief. The man said, "here in Germany." On 7/24/2018 8:14 AM, Paul Baldock wrote: One point to note is that your SPE1.3K and the SPE1.5K amplifier I owned for a very brief period are illegal 1300W/10W = 130 = 21dB gain. FCC 97.317 reads: (2) Not be capable of amplifying the input RF power (driving signal) by more than 15 dB gain. Gain is defined as the ratio of the input RF power to the output RF power of the amplifier where both power measurements are expressed in peak envelope power or mean power. OK, so you like the extra gain for the amp, but importing and/or selling an illegal amp is illegal. That tells you a lot about the US rep. - Paul KW7Y At 07:50 AM 7/24/2018, Bob DeHaney wrote: I'm like Igor, the SPE 1.3K fulfills my needs and it's one package including P/S and ATU that I as a 78-year-old can easily lift. My K3 at 10 Watts out drives it to full output!! That's gain!! I have a K3, P3 with SVGA and the integration with the K3 is a simple cable and coax. SPE even includes the connector for making your own cable or the cable can be bought for about $35.00 here. Unfortunately, the KPA1500 is handicapped here in Germany by horrendous freight charges and 19%!! Value Added Tax on top if one is imported. That tax by the way, is on virtually everything sold in Germany, not just USA products. Vy 73 de Bob DJ0RD/WU5T __ 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] 7610 / k3 ... amp comparisons
I wish I could understand all of this. On 7/24/2018 6:58 AM, Arthur Nienhouse wrote: */I will agree with everything said pasted below but for one thing which is Fan Noise I'm a rag chewer around 30 wpm QSK the fan will ratchet up to speed 3 after a few minutes of keying so the fan noise is very a subjective opinion not right not wrong just is, being fair in my assessment mine is built from a kit when they first came out. By the way as an Icom owner of both the 7300 now parked unplugged and for sale and the 7610 the cw qsk is better in the 7610 but the K3 is my choice for split frequency DX QSK exchanges over both of the Icom radios the 7610 is a big improvement how ever I find it clumsy to work Split listening up stuff the Internal Keyer in the K3 is much better there is a better range of adjustments available in the Elecraft internal keyer would I like to see it like the Supper CMOS 3 keyer choices heck yes Icom gives you little choice my fist after a lot of practicing and paying attention is better with the Icom but not as good as the Elecraft Mode A Mode B is most important choice but even more choices would be nice like the length of (each element) not just the spacing between each element. One important discovery the 7610 muted VFO A from a S9 signal just up the band on vfo B while chasing the Baker Is DX-Pedition it took me a while to (find) out this is what was going on wanting to master the listening up pile up with the 7610 and only one VFO knob takes getting used to the cw monitor side tone is 5 taps deep in the menu to change I can not hear it well enough even set at 100% you have to turn down the RF gain making the guy on the island weaker copy then turn up the AF gain making the side tone for my fist louder so I can hear what I'm doing on the paddle, (self defeating) and *stupid* The cw side tone is tied to the *flipping* AF gain not separate like in the K3. *stupid*. If you can't hear the island on one VFO because a big signal is a couple cycles up push his button never listening to *hear the guy on the island* who he is working or know if he is calling Mr button pusher that kind of qrm is not necessary nor productive to the run rate. Mr button pusher was not working QSK was he waiting for a computer to tell him the island is calling? You can't fix *STUPID*..front end muting from a big signal near by is a problem. Now change to head phones you ears get blown up by the side tone level needing 5 taps deep in the menu then adjusting it even one more time *stupid* at the very least this adjustment needs to be in the MULTI button empty spot menu ...like it is for SSB don't hold your breath waiting to Icom to fix this over site. Both radios drive the KPA500 well the hook up is straight forward easy to do QSK relays perfect the best. Oh yea Icom needs a menu setting SPK+Phones, a rear plug for 3.5 Mic input and 3.5 Elec-Key input. Back to Baker Is DX I finally gave up switched to the K3 bam in the log .. You get what you pay for there is a lot to like with the 7610 a lot, many features you don't get with the base set up in many other radios the price is really good but if you want to race Pro Stock it is not cheep performance counts and cost Not sorry.. never have been on my choice I have put a helper fan on top to push air as soon as the amp comes on cooling it from before key down lower start temp. My shack is hottest room in the house the station is in a corner the helper fan is a Noctua fan NF-a9x14pwm low profile. To be fair a TV is always going two computers big monitor all making the room hotter. I get a couple more minutes till the temp runs to 65c kicks speed 3 on which is my time out timer to turn it over, the equipment is also stacked to save space I found that at full song speed 3 kicks in if I'm in the middle of some sentence and keep going the fan will run at speed 3 then go back to speed 2 .be nice to set the on set of speed 3 a bit higher in the tempeture range. This amp is well built really does the job I'm happy happy happy, and yes my Z bracket has the correct length hold down screws it will click when cooling down ( not always ) not real objectionable for me the fan noise more annoying. The screws were re-tightened after a heat cycle one at a time like you do with race engines. I also took the advice to run the amp to its limit not at 400w out it does seem the final is most efficient and running a tad cooler and longer before speed 3 which is annoying and to be avoided in my opinion. The helper fan starts things from a cooler lower temperature as well giving a bit longer run time to speed speed 3 another thing that can be done which I did before the helper fan is run speed 1 at turn on keeping the idle temp lower. The Quadra has been in stand by ever since the KPA500 made it debut plugged in and doing its timed maintenance mode, running the relays and
Re: [Elecraft] TS520S and KPA500/KAT500
Page 13 On 7/22/2018 7:59 AM, Martin Sole wrote: I had a look but couldn't see how you could do that. CW yes but couldn't figure it out for SSB. Did you read it in the manual? Martin, HS0ZED On 22/07/2018 20:29, Wes Stewart wrote: According to the manual which is easily located online, the transmitter power is adjustable. If it wasn't, a 6dB pad would do wonders. Wes N7WS __ 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] TS520S and KPA500/KAT500
According to the manual which is easily located online, the transmitter power is adjustable. If it wasn't, a 6dB pad would do wonders. Wes N7WS On 7/22/2018 6:05 AM, Martin Sole wrote: I might be way off here but from what I recall these older vacuum tube final amplifier radios have output that is variable in fixed carrier modes such as CW but which almost always produce full output in SSB. You might be able to reduce output by winding back the mic gain but it will likely sound a bit "thin" and any loud noises over an above nominal speech will produce more output. When you set the carrier or drive control that only has an effect on the CW output, it doesn't set the SSB output. I recall a common way to limit the output of these radios in SSB mode was to feed a dc voltage into the external ALC input of the rig in order to have it reduce power. Martin, HS0ZED On 22/07/2018 08:59, Nr4c wrote: I want to use a Kenwood 520S with my KPA500 amp. I have the cable from the 520 Remote connector to amp PTT IN. I assume I should tune up radio with dummy load and then turn Drive down low and switch amp to Operate. Now turn up drive to get desire amp output. Now I ask, “What have I forgotten (or never knew about tube radios))?” Anything else I need to pay attention to or what am I missing? Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill __ 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] OT: Weak Signal v. Low Power
In deference to the OP in the KPA500 clicking thread... Having once operated EME (on CW) and meteor and tropo scatter, I can say that terrestrial path loss is not necessarily lower than the EME path. Many years ago, W7UBI (SK) in Boise, ID and I ran twice-weekly two-meter MS schedules for over a year. We both had EME capable stations. The distance between up was about 850 miles, an easy MS distance but extreme for tropo. If memory serves, our rate of completion of valid MS QSOs was in the neighborhood of 30-35%. But what was interesting was that there were times when residual (tropo) signals were readable. The point is that for either terrestrial mode, high power was both appropriate and necessary. I should add that in addition to path loss, terrestrial noise is also an issue to be overcome. As to the broad (wide) signals, those are not necessarily caused by strong signals but weak receivers. Wes N7WS On 7/17/2018 8:59 AM, turnbull wrote: EME boys fave a lot of patb loss and their Yagis point to the moon. For terrestrial worm, the path loss is generally much lower and especially when there are othdf local hams or good propagation the signal levels can be high. This often leads to excessively wide signals on different audio frequencies. Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone. Original message From: "Dave Cole (NK7Z)" Date: 17/07/2018 15:30 (GMT+00:00) To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks yes... Weak Signal, not low power. The EME boys use 1 KW. 73s and thanks, Dave NK7Z https://www.nk7z.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 arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 thermal clicks
You are wrong. It is (can be) a weak-signal mode. Wes N7WS On 7/17/2018 7:15 AM, turnbull wrote: I thought FT8 was a low power mode. Am I wrong? I am not referring to Fox Hound mode. 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] KPA500 thermal clicks
Based upon my experience you will get a lot of disbelief in this forum. Nevertheless, I have heard similar, but under somewhat different circumstances. See: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-clicking-td7596512.html I can't explain your issue with this explanation unless your system is actually going into and out of TX during FT8 cycles. This shouldn't be, but who knows? I would give it a try on CW and see if you hear it following keying. Wes N7WS On 7/17/2018 4:56 AM, ANDY DURBIN wrote: The clicking of my KPA500 is almost intolerable and I'd like to know if what I'm experiencing is typical. In an FT8 TX/RX cycle with output power 126 W my KPA500 clicks 7-8 times during 15 second transmit and 7-8 times during 15 second receive. In these TX/RX cycles my logger shows the finals temperature swings between 57 deg C and 63 deg C. During this test the KPA500 was seeing an SWR of 1.02:1 and calculated PA dissipation was 307 W. I don't think this temperature swing is likely to cause the heat sink to expand and contract significantly. The thermal mass of the heat sink is quite large and the heating and cooling periods are short.The first click happens almost as soon as the KPA500 is keyed. I think it is possible that the clicks are caused by expansion and contraction of the finals at their mounting points. Is that likely and, if so, why would it be considered normal? 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] Vanity Calls
Oh dear. On 7/15/2018 2:59 PM, Thorpe, Jeffrey wrote: I’m going to declare that my call is a vanity call (that I don’t have to pay extra for) and have kept since I was a tech. KimchiGuzzling-7-HotDogZombies Jeff - KG7HDZ __ 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] Vanity call question
My call was K7CVT when I decided to upgrade to Extra Class. Back in those days we waited six months for the FCC examiner to come to town. I sent my application to the FCC in DC, who in turn sent it to Long Beach, CA from whence the examiners came. So the FCC had two chances to check the application before I took the exam. I had requested three calls, W7WS, K7WS and N7WS. I passed the exam and the paperwork went off again. Imagine my surprise when the application was returned to me because they didn't like the way I had signed it and wanted me to do it again. In red pencil, the calls W7WS and K7WS and been lined out and N7WS circled in red. Clearly, that was to be my call. Unfortunately, when my Extra Class license appeared it was issued under my original call. The vanity program of the day was just about to end and I assumed that during the delay "my" call had been issued to someone else and I was going to be out of luck. I fired off a letter to my US Senator, who happened to be K7UGA, requesting help. I got a letter back suggesting that if I simply reapplied for the vanity call, he was "pretty sure" that I would get the call. Of course, I did. Wes N7WS ps. During the Memorial Day holiday week, I got to operate K7UGA, which is club call for the CADXA, on the 20th anniversary of his passing. On 7/13/2018 10:27 AM, ANDY DURBIN wrote: "I want to learn about vanity call signs, why would I want one? What do they represent?" A vanity call is one that is self selected rather than being the next in order assigned by FCC. The main reason for getting one is vanity. Many select a vanity call that represents their name or initials. Some because the call comes close to spelling a word that has significance for them. Some because it represents an area of interest. In my case I was assigned G3WYC by UK GPO back in 1967. I chose the vanity call K3WYC when I became licensed in USA. 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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: Baker Island - Tnx Elecraft!
I only needed KH1 on 17, 30 and 160. I didn't much care about 17 and 30 but 160 is my newest interest. My station is modest, particularly on Topband, where I use on both TX and RX, an inverted-l with 55' vertical and the top wire sloping down to about 45'. At the moment about twenty 55' radials laid on the ground. A K3S and KPA500 round out the station. I first heard and worked them at 1134Z on 6/27. That is just beginning my sunrise. They were weak and in the noise, but I eked out a marginal contact. Ten minutes later they were way out of the noise and I considered making an insurance contact but didn't want to get on their bad side, so I refrained. A couple of days later on the 29th I thought I would get some insurance. This time I worked them @0618Z which was their morning twilight. The enhancement peak was amazing. They boomed in for ten minutes or more and then started fading into my noise, but they were still readable when I believe they gave up. My first QSO didn't show up in Clublog at first so I was glad for the insurance. Later it did show up along with an extra one. They show me making three Qs but I only made 2. Maybe they're making up for 20-meters where I called and they came back to N7WH. I sent my call twice and he finally sent it correctly but must have left the log wrong. So I worked them again. I did also get them on 30 and after working them on 17 CW and SSB, I broke down and let my computer work them on FT8. Wes N7WS On 7/6/2018 5:34 PM, David Olean wrote: I would echo the comments about the Baker/ Howland Island DXpedition and Elecraft. I am only on two HF bands: 160 and 10 meters. I figured that ten meters was a stretch, but that 160 meter CW was possible from Maine with a little luck. I was away from my shack for most of the operating period, but managed to get home on July 3rd and set my clock alarm for 4AM on July 4th for about the last chance to work them. When I got on and listened at 0800 UT I heard nothing. No KH1 and no callers either. I parked on 1822.5 and set my TX up 1 kHz. I heard static crashes and white noise for about an hour. No signals heard at all!! I was all set to give up, and was reading an article on the web, when, all of a sudden, KH7Z popped out of the noise, weak but fairly audible calling CQ and UP. I was startled by how fast they peaked up from nothing and called them once. Imagine my surprise when they answered my first call. (Someone had really good ears!) I could not believe it and called them again. This time I was sure they heard my call and we completed the contact. I just sat there in awe contemplating the fact that I had them in my log within one minute after they first appeared out of the noise on 160 meters. The contact took place right at sunrise. I suspect that the KPA-1500 was working overtime on 160 M. Thanks Elecraft for the support of the operation, and thanks for making such a nice receiver that is the K3! I used diversity reception with two beverages. The TX antenna is a single vertical. All I can say is WOW! 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] FT8: "Magic radio"?
I quoted the context. On 7/3/2018 6:35 PM, Neil Zampella wrote: Wes, you're taking that out of context. The structured messages allow for redundancy if some of the original message is missing. The decoder can take the sync symbols so that the system can understand what type of message it is, it still needs the callsign and signal report. More details can be found here: https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx-doc/wsjtx-main-1.9.1.html#PROTOCOLS and here https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/FrankeTaylor_QEX_2016.pdf which covers JT65, but which forms some of the basis for the other JT/FT protocols. Neil, KN3ILZ On 7/3/2018 5:16 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: In a message to this group back in February I wrote: Quoting G4WJS: "For FT8 the net effect is that up to about 5 seconds of a message may be missing yet still be decoded. The amount missing can be either a truncation or parts of the message below the decoding threshold. The FT8 message is structured with sync symbols at the start, middle and end so missing the start or end may have less impact than missing other parts since mostly sync symbols may be lost and they contain no message information." Hence, I dubbed the mode, "Imaginary" since it hears things that aren't there. Wes N7WS __ 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] FT8: "Magic radio"?
No, it's not a failure of the mode, but a question of personal ethics. Other ops have theirs, I have mine. On 7/4/2018 7:13 AM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: > JTAlert was informing me that my QSO partner was/had been sending > me a text message informing me that he had my report and I should be > sending RRR. At that point I stopped transmitting and unloaded the > software. Which is why I do not enable the text message capability in JT-Alert or EME operators do not use Ping Jockey, etc. during a schedule. That is *not* a failure of the mode - be it CW, JT65, JT9, FT8, PSK31, RTTY or whatever. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 2018-07-04 9:46 AM, Wes Stewart wrote: Actually, I was in the process of learning about JT65 by doing some listening tests when FT8 was added to the suite. So I took it up almost immediately after it was introduced. I think I was up to about 80 "contacts" when someone on the WSJT-X Yahoo group suggested that JTAlert was a great thing to have. I wasn't quite sure why, but I installed anyway. The setup in my shack has a laptop on a shelf above a larger monitor on the operating desk. Normally, the log is on the laptop and everything else is below using Windows split screen. I was trying to work a west African station and we were part way through the QSO when it became clear I was getting QRMed each time I (my computer) sent a report. After several sequences I saw a brief flash of a window popping up but straddling both screens so I didn't quite understand what it was. A few seconds later it happened again but this time I got the gist of what it was. JTAlert was informing me that my QSO partner was/had been sending me a text message informing me that he had my report and I should be sending RRR. At that point I stopped transmitting and unloaded the software. Nuff said. Wes N7WS __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] FT8: "Magic radio"?
Actually, I was in the process of learning about JT65 by doing some listening tests when FT8 was added to the suite. So I took it up almost immediately after it was introduced. I think I was up to about 80 "contacts" when someone on the WSJT-X Yahoo group suggested that JTAlert was a great thing to have. I wasn't quite sure why, but I installed anyway. The setup in my shack has a laptop on a shelf above a larger monitor on the operating desk. Normally, the log is on the laptop and everything else is below using Windows split screen. I was trying to work a west African station and we were part way through the QSO when it became clear I was getting QRMed each time I (my computer) sent a report. After several sequences I saw a brief flash of a window popping up but straddling both screens so I didn't quite understand what it was. A few seconds later it happened again but this time I got the gist of what it was. JTAlert was informing me that my QSO partner was/had been sending me a text message informing me that he had my report and I should be sending RRR. At that point I stopped transmitting and unloaded the software. Nuff said. Wes N7WS On 7/3/2018 6:36 PM, Neil Zampella wrote: .. and if you add JT-Alert to the mix, it can do the QRZ lookup for you .. Neil, KN3ILZ On 7/3/2018 5:32 PM, Carl Yaffey wrote: On Jul 3, 2018, at 4:42 PM, Grant Youngman wrote: and don’t care to find out what the other guy’s name is or what he/she does when they aren’t punching at their own keyboard As soon as I start an FT8 “iso”, I go to QRZ and look the person up. Carl Yaffey K8NU Recording studio. cyaffeyno_s...@gmail.com 614 268 6353, Columbus OH http://www.carl-yaffey.com http://www.grassahol.com http://www.bluesswing.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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] FT8: "Magic radio"?
Even in my analog EME days, a pretty good test of a CW op, I never once heard a signal that was there before I started listening. (G4WJS was responding to my concern about K3's timing issues on FT8 delaying transmission.) Now the JT65 guys "copy" callsigns by looking up the closest sounding one in a database with the program saying "Ah ha" that must be the one. I realize that contest software does the same guessing these days, but I don't regularly operate in contests, so I use my regular log and type it in myself. Regards, Wes N7WS On 7/3/2018 4:48 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: On 2018-07-03 5:16 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: Hence, I dubbed the mode, "Imaginary" since it hears things that aren't there. Not true. It takes advantage of large polynomial encoding that allows the decoder to "get the message" in spite of missing or damaged bits. That's no different than *an experienced CW operator* will "copy" callsigns through noise and QRM by picking up one or two characters at a time from multiple repeats. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 2018-07-03 5:16 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: In a message to this group back in February I wrote: Quoting G4WJS: "For FT8 the net effect is that up to about 5 seconds of a message may be missing yet still be decoded. The amount missing can be either a truncation or parts of the message below the decoding threshold. The FT8 message is structured with sync symbols at the start, middle and end so missing the start or end may have less impact than missing other parts since mostly sync symbols may be lost and they contain no message information." Hence, I dubbed the mode, "Imaginary" since it hears things that aren't there. Wes N7WS __ 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] FT8: "Magic radio"?
In a message to this group back in February I wrote: Quoting G4WJS: "For FT8 the net effect is that up to about 5 seconds of a message may be missing yet still be decoded. The amount missing can be either a truncation or parts of the message below the decoding threshold. The FT8 message is structured with sync symbols at the start, middle and end so missing the start or end may have less impact than missing other parts since mostly sync symbols may be lost and they contain no message information." Hence, I dubbed the mode, "Imaginary" since it hears things that aren't there. Wes N7WS On 7/3/2018 12:36 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: Overheard yesterday on 40 meter SSB, in reference to FT8: “Given the level of automation and whatnot, maybe they should call it ‘magic radio’ instead of ‘ham radio’.” New contest category? 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] [KX3] QSO of the week (and a re-learned QRP SSB tip
Seem like much to do about nothing.
How about "stroke 7" or "slant 7"?
If I didn't need to get more QSLs with the call, I would use N7WS/60 this year,
for my sixtieth year in ham radio.
Here's what the FCC thinks about the subject:
"In addition to the special event call sign system, any amateur station,
including a special event station, may include with its assigned call sign one
or more indicators (example "W1AW/national convention"). Each indicator must be
separated from the assigned call sign by a slant ("/") or any suitable word that
denotes the slant mark ("portable," "stroke," etc.). If the indicator is
self-assigned, it must be included before, after, or both before and after, the
assigned call sign (example "KP2/W1AW/contest"). No self-assigned indicator may
conflict with any other indicator specified by the FCC Rules (such as "AA",
"AG", "AE" or "KT") or with any prefix assigned to another country (such as
"DL", "F", "G" or "VE")."
Wes N7WS/60
On 7/2/2018 11:19 AM, ANDY DURBIN wrote:
"/QRP often, but not always, indicates a field operation, and they're sort of fun to
work, at least for me."
And sometimes it means someone running 5 W to a 6 ele Yagi at 75 ft! That
station has far higher ERP that I do running 100 W with my modest antennas.
If I was portable in UK, where had my first licence, my call was g3wyc/p. US operators
have completely butchered and obfuscated the meaning of portable by verbalizing k3wyc/7
as "k3wyc portable 7". The /7 suffix does not mean I am portable. It just means
I'm operating in region 7 and I'm saying so because it is required for the contest in
which I'm operating.
If you want special attention because you are portable why not indicate
portable rather than QRP?
73,
Andy k3wyc
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 with K3 Remote question
If it's like a KPA500, you can have it go to Operate when powered on. Menu "PWR ON = OPER" Caveat, I don't use the K3 to turn on the amp. Separate operation. Wes N7WS On 7/2/2018 7:13 AM, Brian F. Wruble wrote: I have just installed my new KPA1500 with my K3. I have run a line from the 12V jack on the K3 ro the "remote" jack on the KPA1500. When I turn on the K3, the KPA1500 also comes on, but in standby mode. Does anyone have a macro for the K3 that will cause it to switch to "Operate"? Tnx es 73 de Brian W3BW *Brian F. Wruble, C.F.A. The Conch Republic "We seceded where others failed." __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 WSJT-X Split operation.
As a point of clarification. When I was having a totally unrelated issue, I received a message from an Elecraft support person who stated among other things, "Our digital mode set up procedures call for the use of software commands to handle TX/RX switching instead of VOX control." Since abandoning AM using my DX100 where a front panel switch initiated T/R switching and some use of a VHF multimode using PTT, like Jim, I've never used anything but VOX on any audio mode. Wes N7WS On 6/29/2018 10:05 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 6/29/2018 1:16 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I certainly did not realize that VOX was a no-no! In fact the DATA MODES section of the K3 manual clearly states "You cn use either VOX or PTT." Someone may be quoting bad advice, or misunderstanding good advice. :) FWIW, I've NEVER used PTT for any mode to key a radio -- I use it ONLY between radio and power amp. Only VOX works fine for all digital modes, and I also use it for SSB. And I probably make about 9,000 QSOs a year. 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 and WSJT-X Split operation.
I suppose that you're addressing this to me, but since you didn't quote any prior message, who knows. I realize that Elecraft's position is that VOX is a no-no. However, CAT is a PITA no-no for me, particularly when Microsoft reassigns comports Willy-Nilly. There is a reason for using "real" split and that's to get audio IMD products out of the passband. Except for chasing the KH1 operation, I've abandoned FT8 and haven't been keeping up, but at one time it was agreed that WSJT-X sends a split command to the K3 at the beginning of each transmission and waits for a response back before actually transmitting. Hence the delay. I fail to see how anything done in Task Manager will fix this. It's a non-issue on receive. N7WS On 6/29/2018 11:32 AM, Howard Stephenson wrote: I use CAT not VOX, for Split Operation I have Fake It selected. One thing you may try is to set the WSJT-X programs priory higher in the Task Manager Check with Google to see how since each Windows OS is different. After I set mine higher I stopped having non decode issues on some passes. Make sure you have the latest WSJT-X v1.9.1 Howard K6IA __ 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 WSJT-X Split operation.
Do you have the same mode selected for both VFOs? Give the A -> B a double tap to be sure. Understand that in Hound mode you need to set your TX frequency above 1000 Hz. If the Fox calls you he will move your TX down to his frequency. I'm still experiencing a TX delay, which I think is WSJT commanding the K3 to go Split and then waiting for confirmation. This has been discussed before. Also, I use VOX and we still don't have VOX settings remembered by mode, so there is constant fiddling to get the VOX to activate. Wes N7WS On 6/29/2018 9:46 AM, K1RI wrote: I too run split FT8 Data A. I cannot get the K3 to transmit in the WSJT DXPedition Hound. What am I missing? My IC-7610 works great and I would run a comparison. Tnx, Bob K1RI __ 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 (sort of, but they use all Elecraft gear): Baker Island
From AZ working to the west on 160 is best at our sunrise. Propagation, hence noise, to the east is gone and we observe an often spectacular peak. I made a marginal KH1 QSO on 8/27 @ 1134. A few minutes later they were very Q5 and hung in there for a good 20 minutes past my sunrise. I was surprised to hear and work them, for a "no-question-about-it" contact, last night @0618Z, which is their sunrise. I had solid S8 noise, but they were S9 + a little. I now have them on 9 slots, but I'll trade them all for one Mt. Athos, who has been Q4 here exactly once in my 60 years of hamming. Wes N7WS On 6/28/2018 1:40 PM, ab2tc wrote: Hi Andy and all, Good for you, congratulations on nailing them on 160m. It looks like even on 20m they are at their best between midnight and 4am EDT. I have resigned myself to some sleepless nights in order to nail them. For me it's an ATNO. The propagation forecast site linked to on their web site correctly predicted this, but I couldn't quite believe it until I saw the evidence on the spotting cluster this morning. I have worked many of the nearby South Pacific islands in the past but never in the middle of the night. AB2TC - Knut Elecraft mailing list wrote For one data point, when I got up for other reasons this morning at 2:20 a.m., I turned on the radio, as I need KH1 on 160. They were very solid copy on 1822.5, and easy to work, using my K3 and KPA500, with only an inverted vee for TX and RX. I was surprised that they were solid copy, as that's not usually my experience on 160. 73, andy ae6y __ 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] factory upgrade to K3(s)
I have an old K3 that came with the pre-stiffener plate synthesizer. I discovered the microphonic issue ten years ago and my radio was the first to get the stiffener plate mod. So, it's old. I also have a K3S so the old radio is a spare. For some silly reason after all of these years I decided to upgrade the synthesizer and just did it last week. I haven't evaluated it on the air but listening to a clean signal source I didn't notice this huge difference everyone else is excited about. But at my age I'm not easily excited. YMMV. Wes N7WS On 6/27/2018 6:03 AM, hawley, charles j jr wrote: I decided to bypass the replacement of the synthesizers. Could you describe the “huge” difference? Chuck Jack KE9UW __ 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 ATU not working well
Offhand, since they are adamantly opposed to using operational ALC, I could see incorporating a "1500 W" gain calibration, as they do with K3s. They could read the output power at several frequencies per band and save the gain settings. This assumes they have enough memory in the K3 to save the values. Of course fixing the root cause would be better. Wes N7WS On 6/22/2018 2:31 PM, K9MA wrote: My observation , also. Another approach would be for automatic drive adjustment, or ALC that worked. The latter, I know, is very difficult to do with an amp. Scott K9MA -- Scott Ellington --- via iPad On Jun 22, 2018, at 2:36 PM, Paul Baldock wrote: I have found that if the KPA1500 is feeding a largish SWR (like 1.5:1 as you suggest) then the drive power required to maintain a constant output will vary significantly as you tune across a band. This means you have to keep adjusting the power control within a single band. This appears not to occur if the SWR is 1.1:1 or better. __ 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 ATU not working well
I don't quite understand your methodology but there is one, apparently little known caveat with the use of the "Elecraft" coupler topology. AFAIK, this was first used by John Grebenkemper, KI6WX, in his Tandem Match, described in QST, January 1987. Paul Kiciak, N2PK, mentions in his paper, "An HF In-Line Return Loss And Power Meter", that this coupler suffers from poor input match at lower frequencies. So the SWR meter has high SWR! If the CP1 wasn't so expensive, I'd buy one just to measure it. Wes N7WS On 6/22/2018 1:20 PM, John Oppenheimer wrote: Putting the Elecraft CP1 through the paces with a 2 port VNA can be enlightening. The CP1 seems to be representative of Elecraft directional couplers across the line. There's a picture of the W2 high power HF coupler in the manual, it's just larger cores. Sweeping a 20 dB CP1 across the band with a VNWA with a 60 Ohm load, 1.2:1, results with a relative constant -40 dB reflected gain and a -20 forward gain. A closer match to 50 Ohm fall's apart with a wide -40 db to -70 dB dip at 7 MHz reflected across the band at 50 Ohm. I can agree, 1.2 : 1 is about the limit. John KN5L On 06/22/2018 01:11 PM, Wes Stewart wrote: That's a return loss of ~20 dB. Now I have no idea of what the directivity of the coupler is in the KAT500 or KPA1500 but considering it has to work from 1.8 to 54 MHz and to keep the numbers easy, 20 dB wouldn't be unreasonable. __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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 ATU not working well
OK, note my qualifier, "If". If there are other detrimental issues with greater load mismatch then they might need to be addressed. Unfortunately, Elecraft doesn't specify a load requirement for rated output. Gain ripple that you observe is possibly a reflection (no pun intended) of the LPFs rather than the intrinsic performance of the transistors, although as I have reported elsewhere K3S IMD is frequency sensitive, but not overly so within a band. One point I would like to make is that guys who wring their hands because the SWR meters on the K3, KAT500 and KPAs all read differently should lighten up. There are reasons why this can be without there being product defects. Wes N7WS .On 6/22/2018 12:36 PM, Paul Baldock wrote: I have found that if the KPA1500 is feeding a largish SWR (like 1.5:1 as you suggest) then the drive power required to maintain a constant output will vary significantly as you tune across a band. This means you have to keep adjusting the power control within a single band. This appears not to occur if the SWR is 1.1:1 or better. I don't know, but I would guess a solid state untuned amplifier efficiency is better into a 1:1 SWR than a 1:5:1. This could lead to the dreaded more fan noise. By the way by suggesting 1.0:1. I did not mean exactly 1.000:1. I tired to infer 1 digit resolution/accuracy. - Paul KW7Y At 11:11 AM 6/22/2018, Wes Stewart wrote: I do not, and probably never will, have a KPA1500. I do have a KPA500 and KAT500 so I think I can comment. In my opinion, the function of these tuners is to provide a match into which the amp can deliver full power. If 1.5:1 does this, then that's good enough in my book. Furthermore, a better match might entail higher tuner losses. So why worry about it? Another thing; a 1.0:1 SWR infers infinite return loss. To measure infinite return loss, you need a directional coupler with infinite directivity or some mathematical correction derived from very well known calibration standards and no other errors, So maybe you say, 1.0:1 can't be measured (you would be correct), let's shoot for 1.22:1.  That's a return loss of ~20 dB. Now I have no idea of what the directivity of the coupler is in the KAT500 or KPA1500 but considering it has to work from 1.8 to 54 MHz and to keep the numbers easy, 20 dB wouldn't be unreasonable. (Note: I'm only considering the directivity error, there are several others, internal mismatches, frequency tracking, detector non-linearities, etc.) If we measure a load with 20 dB RL using a directional coupler with 20 dB directivity the answer can be anywhere between infinity to 14 dB. (Full cancellation of the two reflection coefficients to the sum of the reflection coefficients) In SWR terms, a 1.22:1 load can measure anywhere between 1.0:1 and 1.5:1. A "perfect" load will measure 1.22:1. Folks, these things aren't laboratory instruments and until Elecraft builds in vector network analyzers with full error correction this is what we get. Wes N7WS On 6/21/2018 11:17 PM, Paul Baldock wrote: > First let me say that other than some issues with the ATU, I am after a week > of use, very happy with the KPA1500. > > So here's the ATU issues: > > I find that the ATU very rarely will learn a setting to get the SWR below > 1.2:1 on any band. I can usually tweak it down to 1.0:1 using the Utility > Program. And yes, before anybody asks, I have ATU STOP TUNE and the ATU > BYPASS set at 1.0:1. > > On 6M into a perfect load (laboratory quality to 8GHz) with the ATU bypassed, > the internal SWR meter reads 1.4:1 I would have expected it to be 1.0:1, but > Elecraft tell me it is normal. So the ATU on 6M will have to tune out what is > left when the 1.4:1 internal mismatch sees your external antenna mismatch. > Maybe this is contributing to your problem. Try adding a quarter wave of coax, > maybe it will achieve a better match. Fortunately my 6M antenna is flat enough > that I can work CW, SSB and FT-8 in BYPASS. > > For your interest, on 10M in to perfect load with ATU bypassed the internal > SWR meter reads 1.2:1. Not 1.0:1. > > Another issue I have with the ATU is that the internal frequency counter has > 8KHz resolution which according to one of the Elecraft techs can lead to a > 16KHz error in measurement. It appears that during "learning" that the ATU is > based on the internal frequency counter measurement, not the frequency you > transceiver sends to the KPA1500.This means that on the bands that have 10KHz > or 20KHz segments, you cannot be sure which segment you are using, and when > you use the tuner it could be in a different segment. Being off by a segment > could be a problem with a high Q antenna. > > Apparently the counter originally had 1KHz resolution but was changed to fix &g
Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 ATU not working well
I do not, and probably never will, have a KPA1500. I do have a KPA500 and KAT500 so I think I can comment. In my opinion, the function of these tuners is to provide a match into which the amp can deliver full power. If 1.5:1 does this, then that's good enough in my book. Furthermore, a better match might entail higher tuner losses. So why worry about it? Another thing; a 1.0:1 SWR infers infinite return loss. To measure infinite return loss, you need a directional coupler with infinite directivity or some mathematical correction derived from very well known calibration standards and no other errors, So maybe you say, 1.0:1 can't be measured (you would be correct), let's shoot for 1.22:1. That's a return loss of ~20 dB. Now I have no idea of what the directivity of the coupler is in the KAT500 or KPA1500 but considering it has to work from 1.8 to 54 MHz and to keep the numbers easy, 20 dB wouldn't be unreasonable. (Note: I'm only considering the directivity error, there are several others, internal mismatches, frequency tracking, detector non-linearities, etc.) If we measure a load with 20 dB RL using a directional coupler with 20 dB directivity the answer can be anywhere between infinity to 14 dB. (Full cancellation of the two reflection coefficients to the sum of the reflection coefficients) In SWR terms, a 1.22:1 load can measure anywhere between 1.0:1 and 1.5:1. A "perfect" load will measure 1.22:1. Folks, these things aren't laboratory instruments and until Elecraft builds in vector network analyzers with full error correction this is what we get. Wes N7WS On 6/21/2018 11:17 PM, Paul Baldock wrote: First let me say that other than some issues with the ATU, I am after a week of use, very happy with the KPA1500. So here's the ATU issues: I find that the ATU very rarely will learn a setting to get the SWR below 1.2:1 on any band. I can usually tweak it down to 1.0:1 using the Utility Program. And yes, before anybody asks, I have ATU STOP TUNE and the ATU BYPASS set at 1.0:1. On 6M into a perfect load (laboratory quality to 8GHz) with the ATU bypassed, the internal SWR meter reads 1.4:1 I would have expected it to be 1.0:1, but Elecraft tell me it is normal. So the ATU on 6M will have to tune out what is left when the 1.4:1 internal mismatch sees your external antenna mismatch. Maybe this is contributing to your problem. Try adding a quarter wave of coax, maybe it will achieve a better match. Fortunately my 6M antenna is flat enough that I can work CW, SSB and FT-8 in BYPASS. For your interest, on 10M in to perfect load with ATU bypassed the internal SWR meter reads 1.2:1. Not 1.0:1. Another issue I have with the ATU is that the internal frequency counter has 8KHz resolution which according to one of the Elecraft techs can lead to a 16KHz error in measurement. It appears that during "learning" that the ATU is based on the internal frequency counter measurement, not the frequency you transceiver sends to the KPA1500.This means that on the bands that have 10KHz or 20KHz segments, you cannot be sure which segment you are using, and when you use the tuner it could be in a different segment. Being off by a segment could be a problem with a high Q antenna. Apparently the counter originally had 1KHz resolution but was changed to fix some other problem. An Elecraft tech told me they currently have no plan to change it back to 1KHz. I am not suggesting that the tuner should change segments exactly on their edge. Clearly there has to be some hysteresis to stop hunting. 25% of a segment width might width be a good number to choose, but this would require the current frequency counter to have improved resolution. - Paul KW7Y __ 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 ATU not working well
It might be but the amp is designed to work with radios other than K3s. On 6/22/2018 5:01 AM, ANDY DURBIN wrote: Why wouldn't it be preferable to use the transceiver's exact TX frequency, if available, __ 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] Issue 12 re Astron Power Supply
Unfortunately, the IMD can be unacceptable even with the supply set to the high side. I will confess to not having measured IMD v. supply voltage. For my manual method, that entails another layer of data. I have however, characterized my old K3 and my new K3S with three different LPAs and four HPAs, with frequency and output power as variables. I suspect that most would be surprised to know that there is significant variation over frequency; more than with respect to power. My K3s in its latest reincarnation KLPA3A Rev B3, KPA3A Rev C9, has exceptional IMD of -42 dBc at 40 meters and unacceptable IMD of -22 dBc at 10 meters and 10 W output. Same radio, power supply and measurement system. The only variable: frequency. Wes N7WS On 4/17/2018 6:31 PM, Bob wrote: I think the original question has morphed. It is really two questions. The operational range of the K3 as one. The second is really the optimum range of the K3. In dealing with the drops between the K3 and power supply how much is excessive? My Astron is set for 14 volt and drops at the K3 under XMIT. How much drop would be necessary for the IMD to rise to an unacceptable level? Or put another way what is a reasonable goal for the drop in the power cable or power distribution to the K3? Zero millivolts would be ideal but not obtainable. I'll admit to not having the knowledge or test gear to measure the IMD. If instead of getting 100 watts I could only get 95 watts to me that would be insignificant. But I don't want to XMIT a "dirty" signal either. 73, Bob K2TK ex KN2TKR (1956) & K2TKR __ 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 and KPA500 integration
That make no sense to me. On 6/21/2018 6:54 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: To the last question - Yes. The KAT500 and KPA500 do not communicate through the AUX bus. Further, KAT500 is listen only, KPA500 is talk only, and KAT500 cannot listen to the KPA500 data. Jack, W6FB __ 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 Linearity
To make these kinds of measurements with amateur equipment and accuracy, I suggest acquiring some directional couplers and/or high power attenuators. A spare K3 or a decent SDR receiver then makes an excellent "power meter" with significant dynamic range. Gain measurements are really ratio measurements and seldom, if ever, require NIST traceability. The ancillary hardware can be characterized by substitution. One further point: Although it's possible that two 10% accuracy power meters will have 20% uncertainty, it's highly improbable. In industry, all uncertainties: mismatch errors due to reflection coefficients of sources and power sensors, linearity errors, noise, temperature effects, etc are combined into one uncertainty by RSSing the individual errors. You never add all the worse cases to get the answer. Wes N7WS On 6/19/2018 3:42 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: John, You are exactly right for bring that factor to attention. Typically wattmeters use diodes in their detectors, and the response will vary by frequency and by the power level. I would trust only something that has been calibrated to NIST traceable standards. The Telepost LP-100 is one example (and those are used on many Elecraft test benches). While 10% is an OK deviation for amateur purposes, two wattmeters each with 10% accuracy can lead to a 20% error in the final measurements. It is too easy to jump to conclusions by not considering the potential errors in measurement accuracy. If you want 5% accuracy in your conclusions, your measurement tools should be accurate to 0.5% - a far stretch for wattmeters as we know them. 73, Don W3FPR On 6/19/2018 6:25 PM, John Oppenheimer wrote: Hi Scott, I wonder how the linearity of the two power meters was evaluated? Some years ago I checked the K3 and KX3 power meter against two other meters. They were just within 10% http://www.kn5l.net/Elecraft/Power.html __ 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 wes_n...@triconet.org __ 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] Field Day rig experience
Okay, I'll give up, we'll just have to agree to disagree. On 6/14/2018 6:33 PM, WILLIE BABER wrote: Wes, "A "Roofing filter" is simply a filter in the radio's first IF through which all signals must pass before they will be "seen" by later receiver stages. The narrower this filter is, the less exposure later stages will have. Thus a "narrow" roofing filter is desirable -- but "narrow" is relative, as I'll explain." What Elecraft said (above) is exactly what I said. Moreover, Elecraft's explanation is required because the term roofing filter is now applied to up-conversion in multiple conversion radios (with relatively wide first I-F filters compared to what is achievable at a low first I-F) which is what the term initially sought to rebuff in the first place, also my point. 73, Will, wj9b CWops #1085 CWA Advisor levels II and III http://cwops.org/ -------- On Thu, 6/14/18, Wes Stewart wrote: Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Field Day rig experience To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Thursday, June 14, 2018, 4:47 PM Will, First of all I have said before and will repeat it, I detest the term "roofing filter." That said, by the generally accepted definition, you are wrong. See Elecraft's take on this: http://www.elecraft.com/K3/Roofing_Filters.htm If you will think in Wayne's terms, the post-mixer filter is a "protective" filter, not a mode-specific filter. So the question becomes, how much protection is necessary? In Elecraft's case, quite a lot, IMHO. With its QRP DNA, Elecraft uses post crystal filter circuitry that minimizes current consumption. The trade off for this is the need for a bank of pricey crystal filters to limit the frequencies that the circuitry is exposed to. Now what if the subsequent circuitry doesn't require this much protection because it is more robust? We now have direct-sampling radios that can digitize a whole ham band with good performance. If the BW was limited to 10-15 kHz in an up conversion configuration they should be even better. The limitation now becomes LO phase noise, but newer synthesizer designs overcome that obstacle. Another thing to note is that IMD in crystal filters is reported to be inversely proportional to BW. So a wider filter might actually be better from that perspective. Some Elecraft filters exhibit passive IMD BTW. Wes N7WS On 6/14/2018 8:01 AM, WILLIE BABER wrote: > Hello Wes, > > I took a look. Both designs are using the idea of "roofing filter" to refer to up-conversion radios similar to the use of up-conversion 3khz filters as roofing filters in Icom radios. > > "Roofing filter" (a mode specific filter after the first mixer including narrow cw filters) only makes sense in the context of the history of superhet design and in particular the use of one broad 15 khz first I-F (so that all modes may pass through it) typical of all Japanese radios until recently. Calling a 45 mhz filter at the first I-F a "roofing filter" as noted in the info you sent entirely misses the point of what roofing filter means. Or, to put it another way, all Ten-Tec radios had roofing filters in them (and were ssb and cw only) well before the term roofing filter was coined! Which is why an Omni C will out perform any wide (15 khz) first I-F Japanese radio, even those built well after the 1980 vintage Omni C. > > Unless mode specific up-conversion crystal filters can be made and as narrow as 200 hz (this is possible with down-conversion) then "roofing filter" and up conversion doesn't make sense historically or in reality. > > Actually, Icom says that did it with 1.2khz filter at 64 mhz in the Icom 7851, though I'm not convinced the filter is that narrow, and 1.2khz is far from the 200hz filter that my K3 has in it (however, the placement of this filter is why the 7851 is among the best radios in Sherwood's chart, on cw). > > It is possible to make very narrow and precise crystal filters as narrow as the 200 hz inexpensively, and this is the point of having multiple roofing filters at the first I-F. So, this is the origin of the term roofing filter---in comparison to the barn-door up conversion first I-F. > > 73, Will, wj9b > > CWops #1085 > CWA Advisor levels II and III > http://cwops.org/ > > > On Wed, 6/13/18, Wes Stewart wrote: > > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Field Day rig experience > To:elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2018, 3:08 PM > > Certainly not to disparage the > K3(S) architecture (I have two of them) there is
Re: [Elecraft] Field Day rig experience
Will, First of all I have said before and will repeat it, I detest the term "roofing filter." That said, by the generally accepted definition, you are wrong. See Elecraft's take on this: http://www.elecraft.com/K3/Roofing_Filters.htm If you will think in Wayne's terms, the post-mixer filter is a "protective" filter, not a mode-specific filter. So the question becomes, how much protection is necessary? In Elecraft's case, quite a lot, IMHO. With its QRP DNA, Elecraft uses post crystal filter circuitry that minimizes current consumption. The trade off for this is the need for a bank of pricey crystal filters to limit the frequencies that the circuitry is exposed to. Now what if the subsequent circuitry doesn't require this much protection because it is more robust? We now have direct-sampling radios that can digitize a whole ham band with good performance. If the BW was limited to 10-15 kHz in an up conversion configuration they should be even better. The limitation now becomes LO phase noise, but newer synthesizer designs overcome that obstacle. Another thing to note is that IMD in crystal filters is reported to be inversely proportional to BW. So a wider filter might actually be better from that perspective. Some Elecraft filters exhibit passive IMD BTW. Wes N7WS On 6/14/2018 8:01 AM, WILLIE BABER wrote: Hello Wes, I took a look. Both designs are using the idea of "roofing filter" to refer to up-conversion radios similar to the use of up-conversion 3khz filters as roofing filters in Icom radios. "Roofing filter" (a mode specific filter after the first mixer including narrow cw filters) only makes sense in the context of the history of superhet design and in particular the use of one broad 15 khz first I-F (so that all modes may pass through it) typical of all Japanese radios until recently. Calling a 45 mhz filter at the first I-F a "roofing filter" as noted in the info you sent entirely misses the point of what roofing filter means. Or, to put it another way, all Ten-Tec radios had roofing filters in them (and were ssb and cw only) well before the term roofing filter was coined! Which is why an Omni C will out perform any wide (15 khz) first I-F Japanese radio, even those built well after the 1980 vintage Omni C. Unless mode specific up-conversion crystal filters can be made and as narrow as 200 hz (this is possible with down-conversion) then "roofing filter" and up conversion doesn't make sense historically or in reality. Actually, Icom says that did it with 1.2khz filter at 64 mhz in the Icom 7851, though I'm not convinced the filter is that narrow, and 1.2khz is far from the 200hz filter that my K3 has in it (however, the placement of this filter is why the 7851 is among the best radios in Sherwood's chart, on cw). It is possible to make very narrow and precise crystal filters as narrow as the 200 hz inexpensively, and this is the point of having multiple roofing filters at the first I-F. So, this is the origin of the term roofing filter---in comparison to the barn-door up conversion first I-F. 73, Will, wj9b CWops #1085 CWA Advisor levels II and III http://cwops.org/ ------------ On Wed, 6/13/18, Wes Stewart wrote: Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Field Day rig experience To:elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2018, 3:08 PM Certainly not to disparage the K3(S) architecture (I have two of them) there is nothing inherently wrong with an up-conversion receiver, if modern hardware is used. See:https://martein.home.xs4all.nl/pa3ake/hmode/g3sbi_intro.html and my friend Cornell's, Star-10 transceiver. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eb33/5c12858779a653d9b9b93ca20120aebb7616.pdf Wes N7WS On 6/13/2018 11:38 AM, WILLIE BABER wrote: > Robert is talking about the crystal filters, also known as roofing filters now-days, that are typically placed after the first mixer (I mistakenly typed "ahead" but I meant "after" as Robert notes), though there is a post amp and NB before these filters in K2 and K3. > > The idea is that a crystal filter right after the first mixer gives high dynamic range because high selectivity comes before the receiver has developed stages of gain that otherwise could cause blocking or IMD, especially when selectivity is postponed to the second mixer while ignoring gain distribution in prior stages of the receiver. This basic idea was popularized in Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur, and it was applied to Ten-Tec radios for decades (at a 9 mhz I-F). > > Roofing filter gets defined in relationship to Japanese radios that had up conversion 15 khz filters at the first I-F, and generally lower dynamic range as a result, (but you got all modes, general coverage, and optional crystal filters at
Re: [Elecraft] Field Day rig experience
Certainly not to disparage the K3(S) architecture (I have two of them) there is nothing inherently wrong with an up-conversion receiver, if modern hardware is used. See: https://martein.home.xs4all.nl/pa3ake/hmode/g3sbi_intro.html and my friend Cornell's, Star-10 transceiver. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/eb33/5c12858779a653d9b9b93ca20120aebb7616.pdf Wes N7WS On 6/13/2018 11:38 AM, WILLIE BABER wrote: Robert is talking about the crystal filters, also known as roofing filters now-days, that are typically placed after the first mixer (I mistakenly typed "ahead" but I meant "after" as Robert notes), though there is a post amp and NB before these filters in K2 and K3. The idea is that a crystal filter right after the first mixer gives high dynamic range because high selectivity comes before the receiver has developed stages of gain that otherwise could cause blocking or IMD, especially when selectivity is postponed to the second mixer while ignoring gain distribution in prior stages of the receiver. This basic idea was popularized in Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur, and it was applied to Ten-Tec radios for decades (at a 9 mhz I-F). Roofing filter gets defined in relationship to Japanese radios that had up conversion 15 khz filters at the first I-F, and generally lower dynamic range as a result, (but you got all modes, general coverage, and optional crystal filters at the second I-F). Good for everyone radios but with lower dynamic range and phase noise from the early synthesizers. This is why Ten-Tec radios were so popular among contesters, especially Omni V and VI (modified with a narrow cw filter at the first I-F). 73, Will, wj9b __ 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 Linearity
Thank you for posting this. I have been saying it for years on these forums and getting told that I didn't know what I was talking about. Now maybe the naysayers will take note. Wes N7WS On 6/9/2018 6:28 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: Finally, both the transceiver and amp will vary from band to band somewhat in IMD. You might for example see -40 dBc on one, but in the low 30’s on the other, on a given band. Again, this is typical of all such SS rigs/amps except those running class A or using closed-loop feedback (predistortion). __ 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 Linearity
I don't have a KPA1500 or enough power attenuators to test my KPA500, but I have spent many dozens of hours looking at TX IMD on my two K3s. I will simply say, if you haven't already, check the IMD of the bare K3 before blaming the KPA1500. Garbage in, garbage out. That of course doesn't pardon the KPA for dropping gain. Wes N7WS On 6/9/2018 2:21 PM, K9MA wrote: I recently ran a two-tone test and measured CW power gain. (SN1078) It doesn't look good. The two-tone waveform shows distinct "flat-topping", and the power gain drops 25 percent from 1000 to 1500 Watts. My old 3-500Z amplifier is much better. Has anyone measured IMD or linearity, or seen any test results? While I'm primarily a CW operator, I'd be very reluctant to use the amplifier on SSB. 73, Scott K9MA __ 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] Nice 6 m opening right now
No P3 here but I can tell you that the SSTV people think they own 14.230. Wes N7WS On 6/7/2018 6:16 PM, Clay Autery wrote: Can someone send me a screen cap off a P3 or something of the waveform for FT8 (and any other digital mode). I'm pretty sure I am seeing people running data WELL beyond the band plan into the SSB section of several bands... 20m for almost certain. Thanks! 73, __ 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
