Re: [Elecraft] K2 purchase considered

> > I have the KX1, KX2, KX3, and K2. K2 is definitely my most loved radio, > and most often used in the shack. Not being a contester or die hard dxer, I > haven't felt that the K2 has limited me at all in my use. Certainly the KX3 > is the better radio by almost any parameter, but I still use the

Re: [Elecraft] RE; How well does the K3 work with lower power supply voltage . . .

The TGE battery booster I use with my rig on the boat has a BNC for RF sense to turn on the boost only during transmit, which is the only time is needed. Works well for me. 73 Chip AE5KA On Thu, May 28, 2020 at 1:32 PM Jim Brown wrote: > On 5/28/2020 5:02 AM, Charlie T wrote: > > Since the IMD

Re: [Elecraft] Found this super cheap battery box for KX QRP radio

Most AA battery holders, because they are not designed for high current draw, have relatively high resistance, and you see a lot of voltage sage while transmitting. Elecraft has made an effort with their internal AA cell holder in the KX3 to mitigate this problem, but every external multicell AA

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 batteries

I think Eneloop Pro have a higher internal resistance than the regular Eneloop. In my experience, using both of them sequentially, the KX3 went more quickly to the enforced 5 watt maximum output with the Eneloop Pro cells compared to the standard Eneloop, despite the higher ultimate capacity of

Re: [Elecraft] Will there be a K4

Seems like you need to decide what you want to do with a radio, which radio will do best for what you have to spend, and get that radio. Why wait around for something that might or might not be in the future and may or may not fit your needs better in some incremental way? You will never know if a

Re: [Elecraft] PROPOSAL: K2/10 Battery LiPO / 8AA carrier option

I think you would be much better off with a 4S LiFePO4 instead of a 3S LiPO. Your fully charged voltage would be just under 14 volts, and fully discharged around 12 volts. I once found a 4S LiFePO4 battery on Ebay that was almost exactly the same size as the SLAB that the K2 battery kit included,

Re: [Elecraft] Catalina island with KX2: spoiled by super-low noise floor

Same thing on many (not all!) of those SOTA peaks. I keep giving 599's to stations that I know would only be 339's to me at home. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Jul 29, 2018 at 11:25 AM Christopher Hoover wrote: > I did much the same with my KX2 on Santa Cruz Island (part of Channel > Islands, 20 miles

Re: [Elecraft] Portable Battery tests

Howard - I would be interested to see how the standard Eneloops compared to the Eneloop Pro Nimh cells. My experience suggests that the internal resistance of the Eneloop Pro cells is higher than the standard Eneloops, despite the Pro having the higher Ah capacity. I would expect to see such a

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Internal Batteries

I found that the standard Eneloops were better for my KX3 than the Eneloop Pro. While the Eneloop Pro has a higher total capacity at lower rates of discharge than the standard Eneloop, my samples had a higher internal resistance than the standard Eneloop. That translated into a greater voltage sag

Re: [Elecraft] [K2] auto tuner capabilities

While the Elecraft antenna tuners are excellent and wide range, don't be surprised if you find wire lengths of antenna and counterpoise that they will not get a match on for a given band. You may still find you have to fine tune the lengths for them to work on all of your favorite bands, even if

Re: [Elecraft] K2 key autodetect problems

s is me. > > Regards, > > Mike VP8NO > > On 27/03/2018 15:36, Chip Stratton wrote: > >> I have the external circuit using two diodes to allow the K2 to detect >> when >> a straight key is used instead of the paddles. Occasionally with the >> paddle

[Elecraft] K2 key autodetect problems

I have the external circuit using two diodes to allow the K2 to detect when a straight key is used instead of the paddles. Occasionally with the paddle plugged in but not keyed, the K2 will spontaneously start sending a string of dashes. This will terminate, sometimes only briefly, when I do key

Re: [Elecraft] DMM

Many years ago I bought a Fluke 8060A DMM. It was indeed a fine instrument, and still sought after today by some for a couple of its unique features. However some 8 years later the LCD slowly faded to uselessness. I had a Fluke 39 power quality meter that suffered the same fate. And a Fluke

Re: [Elecraft] DMM Recommendations -- Fluke 179?

True RMS for a $20 on Amazon multimeter. Review here: https://youtu.be/xdGQEVdxmQQ Chip AE5KA On Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 5:23 PM, hawley, charles j jr wrote: > True RMS for $19.95? > > Chuck Hawley > c-haw...@illinois.edu > > Amateur Radio, KE9UW > aka Jack, BMW

Re: [Elecraft] DMM Recommendations -- Fluke 179?

If looking for something more "name brand", the Greenlee DM-510A is made by Brymen. I have this and have been very happy with it. Also on Amazon. 73 Chip AE5KA On Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 11:09 AM, Dauer, Edward wrote: > > My inexpensive DMM is becoming troublesome – internal

Re: [Elecraft] DMM Recommendations -- Fluke 179?

://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/multimeter-spreadsheet/ 73 Chip Stratton AE5KA On Mon, Mar 19, 2018 at 11:09 AM, Dauer, Edward <eda...@law.du.edu> wrote: > > My inexpensive DMM is becoming troublesome – internal rotary switch > contacts intermittent, requiring wriggling back a

Re: [Elecraft] Who would spend 30 hours+ building an Elecraft K2? (plus: special pricing)

My first transceiver was an IC-7000. Suborned by the pretty display. Elecraft was too plain looking. Then I put together a KX1, and realized there was something to Elecraft. I didn't want to drop the bucks on a full K2 kit, so to Ebay I went, where I got a late model K2 with a couple of problems

Re: [Elecraft] OT: LED Light Bulbs

How ironic. My two Genie garage door openers sit there and generate a huge amount of buzz-saw hash on HF as long as they have power. I have to essentially unplug them to use the radio, and my horizontal loop is 100 feet away from them. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Oct 1, 2017 at 5:30 PM, Lynn W. Taylor,

Re: [Elecraft] OT: LED Light Bulbs

On Sun, Oct 1, 2017 at 5:30 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT < kx...@coldrockshotbrooms.com> wrote: > Just saw an ad for Genie LED Bulbs. > > Apparently some LED light bulbs make enough noise that they desense the > garage door receiver. > > These bulbs are specifically low-RFI. > > I have no more

Re: [Elecraft] OT: Whole House Generator

I have a Kohler 8 kw unit on a whole house automatic transfer switch that runs on propane, No A/C so 8 kW supplies the whole house just fine. I've measured its output at 4% THD using a Fluke power quality meter with or without load. Seems to fit the ticket. Chip AE5KA On Thu, Sep 7, 2017 at 5:52

Re: [Elecraft] Fire in the house li-ion

I took an old LiIon battery pack out into the back yard, and from a safe distanc shot it with a pellet gun. In short order it began violently venting gases and gray smoke, no doubt at a very high temperature. I didn't see flame, but it was daylight and maybe too bright. It made a big impression

[Elecraft] KX2/KX3 wish list

A bit late, I know, but: For each, I would like to see a battery pack with 4S LiFePO4 cells, instead of the 3S LiIon pack the KX2 comes with. Advantages would be the longer ultimate life of LiFePO4, a voltage closer to 14V fully charged and a higher voltage toward the end of charge than the 3S

Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Weighted Knob

wever, a large > number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced ! > > > On Apr 1, 2017, at 08:19, Chip Stratton <lightdazz...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > Thank goodness for the lightweight knob. I would think the designers were > > nuts if a designed for tra

Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Weighted Knob

Thank goodness for the lightweight knob. I would think the designers were nuts if a designed for trail use radio like the KX2 came with a weighted knob. Its amazing how the ounces add up when packing your gear up a trail. Chip AE5KA On Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 10:30 PM, Christopher Hoover

Re: [Elecraft] K2 main encoder wanted

WD-40 is a penetrating and moisture displacing oil, but over time gets gummy so is not a reliable long-term lubricant. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Mar 26, 2017 at 5:34 AM, David Woolley wrote: > WD40 is a preservative, not a lubricant. It will act as a penetrating > oil, to

Re: [Elecraft] Augment KX3 or buy K3?

Funny. When I first became I Ham, I was dazzled by the flashy display of the Icom IC-7000. Figured I could buy this radio and be pretty well set for a long time. I passed over the Elecraft radios because of their "boring" displays. Ten years later, the IC-7000 collects dust, (though works as a

Re: [Elecraft] kx1 and earchi

onw...@embarqmail.com> wrote: > Chip, > > A length of wire is much lighter than any coax, including RG-174. > Important for those backpacking. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > On 2/12/2017 8:52 AM, Chip Stratton wrote: > >> Try about 12 feet of RG-174 between your rig and yo

Re: [Elecraft] kx1 and earchi

Try about 12 feet of RG-174 between your rig and your earchi transformer. That will make your .05 wl counterpoise for 80m without much weight and without much loss on the higher frequency bands. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Feb 12, 2017 at 6:42 AM, kg8jk wrote: > Just picked up a couple

Re: [Elecraft] EFHW

No need to spend much money on an end-fed half-wave antenna. The EARCHI matchbox design is cheap if you do it yourself, and reasonable if you buy the kit or pre-built from them. If you want it to be a true half-wave, choose the wire length accordingly.

Re: [Elecraft] Battery recommendations

I would just add that in my experience, the standard Eneloops (white, 2000 mAh) are more suitable for the KX3 than the Eneloop Pro (black, 2500 mAh). The larger capacity Pro cells seem to have a higher internal resistance which results in a much larger voltage sag on higher current draws, e.g.

Re: [Elecraft] (W1) W1 Power/SWR Meter Question

I rewired mine so that it is always on when connected to external 12V, and the switch just switches the battery into the circuit for portable operation. I was always killing the battery by forgetting to turn it off when I powered down the station, this takes care of that problem! Chip AE5KA On

Re: [Elecraft] Dimmable LED desk lamp for operating position recommendation needed

What John says is true. Over time the forward voltage drop of an LED will decrease somewhat as it ages. It isn't great, and it isn't fast, though it happens more quickly initially. The forward voltage drop decreases more dramatically in the short term with temperature - the higher the die

Re: [Elecraft] (K3) APF and selected bandwidth

I seem to recall a recommendation to use a 400 Hz bandwidth with APF. In my own exerience, narrowing DSP bandwidth much below this does not seem to help APF function and rather muddies it. Chip AE5KA On Sat, Oct 15, 2016 at 11:44 PM, Brian Hunt wrote: > On the other

Re: [Elecraft] Performance of the KX2 batt

The unloaded voltage of your pack, and the number of amp-hours used are consistent with each other, you are about half-way through the usable amp-hours of the battery, which has a 2.3 amp-hour rated capacity. Not sure exactly what to expect about the voltage drop under load, but I am not surprised

Re: [Elecraft] KX2: Sub 100mw power setting?

It is pretty easy to find inexpensive attenuators to step QRP power levels down to QRPp levels, including at least one I ran across that switches out of line in receive mode. Just a thought! 72 Chip AE5KA On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 7:21 AM, Hajo Dezelski wrote: > Hello, > > I

Re: [Elecraft] In Praise of the K2

Same thing here. I have a couple of more sophisticated and better spec'd radios but still use my K2/100 routinely at the home QTH. I just don't seem to encounter situations where the K2 doesn't do the job as well as I could wish. There are some instances where the electronic crutches offered by

Re: [Elecraft] KX2 vs KX3 paddle

Easy enough to file the long screw down to match the short screw in length. Still works fine. Chip AE5KA On Mon, Aug 29, 2016 at 6:22 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: > Yes. But there is no issue using the KXPD2 paddles on a KX3. And one can > order a second short screw for the

[Elecraft] KX3: Eneloop Pro AA vs. Eneloop 21 AA cells

I've had 8 Eneloop Pro 2400 mAh cells in my KX3 for about 3 years now. There have probably been only about 30 charge/discharge cycles on them, since I most often use an external LiFePO4 pack when I can. Just recently I've begun to experience KX3 shutdown when trying to transmit at 5 watts or more

Re: [Elecraft] {OT} Alexloop Walkham Antenna

On some SOTA activations I will start off running my KX3 at 1 watt with my AlexLoop to try to reduce the initial pile-up to a more manageable level. Sometimes it works, and sometime it doesn't seem to matter, there is still a pile-up! The most important thing when using the AlexLoop is to be able

Re: [Elecraft] K2/10 and KPA100/KAT100 in EC2 for sale

Hi All - The KPA100/KAT100 has been spoken for. I'll repost for that if anything should change. Thanks for the replies. Chip AE5KA On Sun, Jul 10, 2016 at 8:01 AM, Chip Stratton <lightdazz...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hi All - > > I have K2 #5811 with KSB2, KIO2, KNB2, K160RX,

[Elecraft] K2/10 and KPA100/KAT100 in EC2 for sale

Hi All - I have K2 #5811 with KSB2, KIO2, KNB2, K160RX, KAF2, and KAT2 installed for sale. Asking $740 for this. In excellent condition with all original manuals and a Kenwood microphone. Also the KPA100 and KAT100 installed in an EC2 enclosure for $400. Shipping your preference at cost.

Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Why buy a KX2/KX3 compared to a KX1/MTR3B in a QRP portable scenario?

> > Main fun of the K1 and KX1 is building them :-) > Well, that is fun. But it is also fun to "do much with little". Work VK with a K3S - nice. Work VK with a KX1 - thats gives a kind of "Wow!" feeling. I'm just saying there is a lot of gratification working with limited gear. Chip AE5KA On

Re: [Elecraft] Why buy a KX2/KX3 compared to a KX1/MTR3B in a QRP portable scenario?

I have a KX3 and a KX1. I still use the KX1 sometimes for SOTA portable even when weight is not a big consideration, simply because I enjoy using a simpler rig. Still make plenty of QSO's and it is just a bit more challenging and gratifying since it is a more primitive rig. Really the KX3 offers

[Elecraft] Fwd: Battery Mod for K2 battery pack (was : Battery Pack Mod for the KX3)

I used a 4S1P 2200 mAh LiFePO4 pack inside my K2 for a long time, and charged it with the original BT2 charging circuit. The BT2 charged the pack slowly enough that it never got warm, even if charging was continued well past full charge for each of the LiFePO4 cells. Normally I just let it run

Re: [Elecraft] [KX2] DC Power

As for #2, I surmise their reasoning includes: 1. Higher energy density for greater capacity for a given size and weight compared to other lithium chemistries 2. Safe when charged and discharged responsibly, ergo the charger specified to go with it, protection circuitry within the battery pack,

Re: [Elecraft] Unsoldering

Using solder wicks and cheap solder suckers is tough. After I got a Hakko 808 desoldering kit, a world of difference, made removing soldered components and making sure the pcb board hole was open for the replacement almost trivial. I know, they are expensive. Maybe you could borrow one if you

Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 on battery.

Jose - The N8XJK boost regulators will do what you want with a few caveats. First, they do introduce some conversion inefficiency themselves - they will draw about 10% to 20% more power from the battery than will be delivered to your radio. Just the nature of boost converters. This will put

Re: [Elecraft] Buying k2 or kx3

If your primary concern is performance, the KX3 is your answer. You should be able to find a QRP only K2 with ATU for $600-700. An equivalent KX2 will be over $1000. I have a KX3 and a K2, but use the K2 as my base station and only rarely use the KX3 at home. Something about a rig I have/can

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 power supply

The PAE power supply works fine, but it still puts out enough hash that I can't use my loop antenna near it. It is better than others? Probably, but still not usable for me when near the receiving antenna. Chip AE5KA On Mon, Jan 18, 2016 at 5:38 PM, Matt Murphy wrote: > I

Re: [Elecraft] Whole house surge protector at the main breaker?

Leviton makes some, amongst others. Plenty to see if you Google them. I like the one that actually replaces your electric meter socket. This puts the surge protector about as upstream as you can get it.More commonly they are wired to a breaker in your load center. Chip AE5KA On Wed, Jan 6, 2016

Re: [Elecraft] Whole house surge protector at the main breaker?

Despite having a whole house surge protector, I also use a series mode protector from SurgeX. All of the power to my ham gear and my test bench passes through this one surge protector. I also have one on the power to the TV/AV Receiver/DVR conglomeration. Probably should buy one for the cable

Re: [Elecraft] MAB boards for the K2?

One of the connectors used for the MAB is no longer available. I can't remember exactly which one it is, but you better figure that one out before spending time and money on another MAB run. Chip AE5KA __ Elecraft mailing list Home:

Re: [Elecraft] IMD and supply voltage

Interesting results about the Icom M-802. It is actually marketed as a "150 Watt" rig, so testing it at 100 Watts would be giving it even more "benefit of the doubt". It is also interesting to note that Icom has disabled speech compression in the M-802 by default. Apparently, when compression is

Re: [Elecraft] Ham Shack Arrangements - just a little OT

He has always welcomed hams who come to visit on his little island and offers to let them use almost any of his incredible collection of installed ham gear. I haven't taken advantage of this myself, but have communicated with him by email. He has a B, but also suggested to me that I could come

Re: [Elecraft] Alternative battery for K2?

I had a 4 cell LiFePO4 battery inside my K2 for quite a while. It was about the same size as the original SLA. I found that I was able to charge it with the built-in SLA charging circuit as a matter of routine and the cells remained in balance, as verified by an occasional balance charge with a

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 and Digital Modea

Since I carry my KX3 into the backwoods, I am glad mine doesn't have a heavier heat sink that is an aid to high duty cycle digital modes. Easy enough to blow some air by it when not portable to avoid the issues in those modes. To each his own. Chip AE5KA

[Elecraft] Noise Power Ratio and the K3 with new synthesizer?

Adam Farson VA7OJ has an article in the current March/April 2015 QEX discussing the use of Noise Power Ratio (NPR) to help define a receiver's performance in a crowded band in a way that might be more illuminating than the simpler two tone tests. Its an interesting discussion which makes some

Re: [Elecraft] getting started with QRP

SOTA summit activations can be pretty amazing. A combination of a typically super quiet RF environment, unobstructed take-off angles, and motivated chasers means you are bound to be impressed by what QRP can do. Try it, you'll like it. http://www.sota.org.uk/ Chip AE5KA SOTA Association Manager

Re: [Elecraft] Latest battery arrangement for KX1

I put a couple Zippy brand LiFePO4 packs in series in a replacement case back for this purpose. I'm no big fan of Zippy brand, based on my past experience, but these were OK and work fine for me, though only 700 mAh capacity. Already had a balance charger for them. On Fri, Aug 22, 2014 at 2:48

Re: [Elecraft] OT GENERAC generators

If you want to assess the quality of a generator's output, take a look at it on the oscilloscope, The cleanest waveforms will come from generators using a brushless alternator, or perhaps one of the sine-wave inverter generators like the extremely quiet Honda and Yamaha units. I know that, at

Re: [Elecraft] My KX3 Battery Approach

The 3.7V rating is its voltage at about 50% state of charge. That type of Li-ion cell has a fully charged voltage of 4.2V. Four of them would be too much for a KX3. Chip Ae5ka On Sunday, July 13, 2014, kb9...@wi.rr.com wrote: Use a better AA battery (3.7V 4.9AH Li-ion):

Re: [Elecraft] My KX3 Battery Approach

The problem I have found with AA cell holders of the 10 cell variety is that there was unacceptable voltage drop under load. I tried this with the KX1 and was not satisfied. I think it will take a pretty high quality cell holder to get around that problem, which resides around the contacts and

Re: [Elecraft] ELECRAFT Newbie

You can often find a used K2 on ebay or preferably on this list for substantially less than the kit price. Ebay may be a riskier proposition. Still, you can probably fix minor problems yourself if you are so inclined. Many are selling their K2 rigs having bought a KX3, but I still use mine

Re: [Elecraft] A plea for help ...

It might behoove one to learn more about this rule-making petition before making comment, particularly since it seems to me a straw man was set up to knock down and encourage opposition. Here is a brief ARRL faq on the subject: http://www.arrl.org/rm-11708-faq 73 Chip AE5KA

Re: [Elecraft] Viva CW!

If you happen to have an Iphone, get the CWTEXT app. It has many tools for learning to copy CW, and you can use it anytime you have a few minutes. If you like fairy tales, it will tell you those in Morse too. It has helped speed me up quite a bit. Might be similar programs for Android, but I'm

Re: [Elecraft] [K2} MAB - anyone picking this up?

I'm willing to place an order for these boards under these conditions: These boards come 3 to a sheet from ExpressPC boards. You have to cut the three boards out with a shear to use them, then there are some other minor mods to each board as documented in the PDF I linked to above. The per order

Re: [Elecraft] [K2} MAB - anyone picking this up?

Thanks for pointing out my error Dave. I wasn't looking closely enough, and that makes it much better. I'll modify my proposal: I'll order three sheets for $110, so $37 each sheet with three boards. If two others will agree to buy a sheet of three boards for $37, I'll do it. Chip On Tue, May

[Elecraft] MAB board order now fully subscribed

I have takers for the two extra sheets of MAB boards so more volunteers not needed. Someone may be willing to let an individual board or two go, but I'm sure they will post it to the reflector when the time comes. 73 Chip AE5KA __

[Elecraft] [K2} MAB - anyone picking this up?

Anybody working on another batch of the Modular Accessory Board for the K2 as documented here: http://www.genebitsystems.com/david/K2MiscAccessoryBoard/index.htm Tom Taylor did a couple batches and distributed the boards, for which he deserves a round of kudos, but he isn't in a position to do it

Re: [Elecraft] XG50 - Frequency Instability

Though I'm sure you want to be sure the XG-50 is working well, I second Phil's recommendation to use your Trimble Thunderbolt as your frequency source. Worked fine for me, there was a very strong 5th harmonic at 50 mHz, even after inserting an inline attenuator. Chip AE5KA On Thu, May 22, 2014

Re: [Elecraft] 756ProIII vs K3

When I was first looking for a good HF transceiver, as a new ham, I was excited by the colorful and fancy displays of the more expensive HF rigs. I think I glanced at Elecraft, but thought the monochrome display old tech and boring. I was tempted by the ProIII but for cost, and finally settled on

Re: [Elecraft] Why is KX3 phase noise so much less than the K3 ?

The KX3 isn't perfect. During SOTA activations, Gary W5ODS and I each use a KX3, with the roofing filter option. He with an end-fed wire, and me usually with an AlexLoop. I can often hear his code (a pink noise sound) even when he is in a band higher in frequency, as well as when I am in a higher

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 digital modes problem

I had a similar problem with the Signalink keying my KX3. I don't do a lot of digital work so forgot about it. More recently I bought and built the 4S-Link from the 4SQRP group. Using this and my laptop's soundcard everything works perfectly. The 4S-Link keys the KX3 reliably and provides

Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] KX3 with Alex Loop

Hi Gary - I've been using the AlexLoop with my KX3 on SOTA, and it has worked extremely well for me. The only real downside to it is expense, but if you can get past that you should be very happy with it. I usually activate with W5ODS who uses an EARCHI end fed with a 32 foot telescoping pole.

Re: [Elecraft] Follow up on KX1 Field Ops

Phil - It is probably unusual to get a full 5 watts out of a KX1 even with a 12V or slightly better power supply. You might get pretty close if everything is perfect, but I'm happy to see 3 watts on mine. Of course, its alway amazing what you can accomplish with only 1 or 2 watts! Chip AE5KA

Re: [Elecraft] Upgrade from k2 to KX3 for week station hunting?

My KX3 seems to be better than my K2. When you narrow the filter down on a weak station with the KX3, the signal seems to pop up out of the noise better than it does at narrow widths on the K2. I haven't found the APF function of the KX3 to be very helpful to me, but others seem to have found

Re: [Elecraft] K2 Headphone Jack

Fortunately it is pretty easy to get to the K2 headphone jack if you want to replace it. Just reverse the last few steps of the K2 final assembly (basically removing the front panel). Removing the jack without damaging the board takes some patience, either a good de-soldering tool, some Chip Quik,

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 freq stability module request

Bob - You can use the Gpsdo directly as a signal source. It should have a 5th harmonic that will work well with the temp cal procedure. Chip AE5KA On Thursday, May 30, 2013, Bob wrote: I originally posted this. I want to thank all that replied both on and off the reflector Confession

Re: [Elecraft] 4-pound Field Day, anyone?

I second Tighe's nomination of 80 lb Spectra (aka Dyneema) braided fishing line. Very light, very strong, and very slick. With a 3 oz weight (I won't say lead bank sinker on fear of being labeled a poisoner of the environment) on the end it passes through trees and to the ground like butter. You

Re: [Elecraft] OT: APP strain relief

Don W. has it right. Get some adhesive lined heat shrink (also called dual wall). I put a length of small diameter over the wires up to the APP, then a shorter length of larger diameter that also goes up over the rear of the APP. This stabilizes the wires in the APP, allows gradual bending

Re: [Elecraft] Static Protection

I use ICE (Industrial Communications Engineers) suppressors mounted on a ground rod at the feed entry point to the house. It is a very low resistance to ground at DC, they seem to be doing a good job. Chip Ae5ka KX1 KX3 K2/100 PigRig HamCan

Re: [Elecraft] Reducing K2 power below 1 watt (QRPp)

Andy - There are a number of pretty simple kits for reducing QRP to QRPp. I built one from midnightscience.com that will attenuate as much as 20 dB in steps. No need to hack on the K2! Chip On Thu, Feb 7, 2013 at 10:22 AM, andyatd capntri...@zoominternet.netwrote: I've been searching for the

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Smarter Charger

Smart chargers for Nimh rely on the cell to show a certain percentage of voltage drop when full charge is attained - around 10 mV per cell. This occurs most reliably at fairly high charge currents. With 8 cells in series, that voltage drop can easily be masked by what is happening in other cells,

Re: [Elecraft] Best Antenna Portable/Tabletop Operation for KX3

The wire pulled up into a tree and tuned with the KX3 ATU works well for me 40 ft with 3 16 foot radials on the ground). So also does a PAR end fedz antenna, though I just have the 20m version. Sometimes putting a wire into a tree isn't the ideal (like on some SOTA peak activations). For that,

Re: [Elecraft] K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

It is a bit of an addiction. I started Ham radio with an IC-7000. Next was a KX1, then a K2, then a KX3. I still have the IC-7000 but really only to use on the blue water boat, where the Icom is easy to interface to a Pactor modem and where I would prefer not to put the Elecraft rigs at risk! I

Re: [Elecraft] Broadcast band interference

At one QTH (Key Largo) I have noticed a problem similar to Tom's with the KX3. On a number of quiet bands, I can just hear a broadcast station whose volume is not affected by spinning the VFO. It wasn't a real problem so I didn't make an effort to eliminate it. The nearest AM broadcast antenna I

Re: [Elecraft] Is break-in needed for NiMH batteries

Not required, bu a couple of cycles of c/10 x 16hrs followed by discharge to 1.0 V will prime the cell for its best capacity. In my experience it seems you gain on the order of 5% initially by doing this. How that advantage holds up over time I dont know. Chip AE5KA On Monday, January 7, 2013,

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 What Batteries/Quality Power Supply to Choose?

I have 8 of the Sanyo XX 2400 mAh cells in my KX3. Testing capacity with the MAHA C-9000 gave me more than 2300 mAh for each of the 8 at a 500 mA discharge rate. They seemed to cluster round 2350 mAh. This was after performing the break-in cycle on the C-9000 and a 200 mA top-off charge for a few

Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: KX3 Micro Manual Available in Apple App Store from Elecraft Digest, Vol 103, Issue 32

Thanks from me too, Mike. Very thorough and well done! I'm sure I'll be grabbing the K2 version too. Chip AE5KA On Thu, Dec 27, 2012 at 2:16 PM, Mike KS7D k...@verizon.net wrote: Thanks Jeff. Glad you like the KX3 Micro Manual. I see you also have a K2. I am finishing up a K2 Micro Manual.

Re: [Elecraft] FS N-gen

But only if you don't already have a wife. Noise generator. Very useful piece of equipment to have around. 73, matt W6NIA On Sat, 08 Dec 2012 11:35:14 -0500, you wrote: What is an N-gen? Gordon - N1MGO __ Elecraft

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 KXBC3 and NiZN batteries

Just a battery update: I got the A123 26650 2400 mAh cells from Hobbyking and they are indeed good quality new cells that test out at better than rated capacity at a 3 amp discharge rate. These will make excellent long life and safe battery packs. Ive recently been made aware of another vendor

Re: [Elecraft] Random length wire for use with KX3

I have replaced a 25 foot with a 41 foot wire for the KX3. It runs to a banana plug adapter from which I also spread out three 16 foot ground radials. A 5 foot length of RG-59 runs from the KX3 to the banana adapter. This is tuning to less than 2:1 SWR on all ham bands except 160m. I find 41 feet

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Wire Antenna

I had the same problem with a 25 ft wire, but after lengthening it to 41 feet the KX3 tunes all bands from 80 to 10 to less than 2:1 SWR. Be sure to do a second tune if the first one doesn't get you where you want to go, sometimes that makes a difference. When portable (but not backpacking) I

[Elecraft] KX3's all over the CW/QRP bands

I'm amazed at what a high proportion of my contacts recently have been ops with KX3s. I'm sure a lot of it has to do with it being relatively new, so will get preferential use from hams who have plenty of options, but it still surprises me. I'm only doing CW and hanging about the QRP watering

[Elecraft] GPS Disciplined Oscillator to loan or sell?

I would like to fine tune my KX3 for maximum frequency stability, and also calibrate my frequency counter (and get some idea of its warm-up drift). So, anyone willing to lend out a Trimble Thunderbolt or similar GPSDO? I would even buy one if someone was ready to let one go. Thanks and 73, Chip

Re: [Elecraft] GPS Disciplined Oscillator to loan or sell?

Thanks to all who replied with advice or hardware to offer. A list member has presented a nice Thunderbolt package that could not be passed up - thanks Chuck. Chip AE5KA __ Elecraft mailing list Home:

[Elecraft] [KX3] RTTY mode rocks!

I'm very impressed with the RTTY mode in this little bugger. It is doing a good job of decoding signals in the JART WW RTTY contest, and with it's 10 watts into my trap vertical stations in Poland, Finland, and Ukraine are reading it fairly well. Using the CW memories to hold the exchange makes it

[Elecraft] [KX3] RTTY mode rocks!

...@gmail.com wrote: Chip Any problems running RTTY at full power? PA heat? Or are you running it half power at 5 watts? Thanks KC6CNN- Gerald On Oct 20, 2012 10:23 AM, Chip Stratton c...@strattonfamily.us wrote: __ Elecraft mailing list Home

[Elecraft] Interested in your impression of the KX3 compared to K2 and K3

Im no contester or DXer, but generally the KX3 seems to pull signals out of the noise with narrowing filter width better than the several k2 units Ive used. The noise also seems less harsh. I havent found the APF to my liking, it seems to ring too much compared to just narrowing down the passband.

Re: [Elecraft] KX3 KXBC3 and NiZN batteries

Is there a better NiZn implementation out now? I was very disappointed with their charge retention and ultimate life when I tried them about two years ago, and I gave up on them. In any event, the KX3 charger is unlikely to charge them properly like you suggest. Definitely go for Sanyo Eneloop

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