Hi Don,
We will see how it works today on 2m EME with the pair of BNC external coaxial relays
to control the K3's single 2m port ;-) VY 73, Lance
On 4/8/2013 11:54 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
Lance,
My guess is that you will need to change to the external XV144 transverter which
does have the capability of using separate TX and RX antennas (selectable at build
time). The internal transverter does not have that capability.
Yes, it does sound like an expensive oversight.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 4/8/2013 7:37 PM, Lance Collister, W7GJ wrote:
I wonder if anybody has any ideas about this. Prior to my trip to TX5K, I used my
K3 for receive on 2m EME by setting up the transverter port for a 28 to 144 MHz
transverter, and I just plugged my 28 MHz converter into that nicely isolated
receive port. The receiver worked great, but I was eventually interested in
getting the internal 2m transmitter module so I could use the more stable K3 on
XMIT too. I was using my old IC746 as a separate transmitter on 2m EME, and - as
most of you know - it drifts quite noticeably every sequence. And besides, I
thought for traveling it would be convenient to have both 2m and 6m capability in
one lightweight box.
So, now I have the 2m module installed in my K3 ;-) The problem is that I can no
longer use the transverter port....it is hard wired to the 2m module. And
apparently, the only 2m connector is the new one (a BNC called antenna jack #3)
that is used for box receive and transmit. So there seems to be no way to use
the K3 with a separate protected receive line anymore!
For 6m EME, there is no problem - I just bring my 6m preamp line into the separate
RX ANT jack, and the 6m transmit power goes out through the UHF antenna jack #2.
For 2m EME, though, I can't figure out how to bring in a separate receive line
(either on 2m from my tower mounted preamp or after my receive converter at 28
MHz) and still be able to transmit on 2m. The K3 does not support cross band
operation, so I cannot use the RX ANT jack to safely receive my converter output
on 28 MHz and still transmit using the internal 10w 2m module.
Has anybody figured out a way to modify the circuitry or software to provide a
separate receive line for 2m operation? It seems like I just made a very expensive
mistake, and should have just bought an external transverter so I could retain use
of the separate transverter receive jack on the rear of the K3. If not, I guess
I will just have to go back to using the IC746 for my transmitter on 2m, and
defining a second transverter setting for the K3 that will allow me to bring in my
28 MHz converter output into that receive only jack. This latter option DOES seem
to work, but of course, the internal transmit capability of the K3 on 2m is thrown
out the window.
Of course, there is always the solution of adding more sequenced external coaxial
relays to switch the K3's solitary new BNC antenna jack #3, between my driver amp
input and my 2m preamp output. However, the whole point of this expensive exercise
was to try to take advantage of the great separate receiver antenna capabilities
offered by the K3 on all other bands, apparently EXCEPT if you add the built-in 2m
option :-(
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Elecraft Tech Support suggested
that I ask users for ideas, since they also are baffled on how to make this work,
and I guess are surprised at my application. MNI TNX and VY 73, Lance
--
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT 59834-0073
USA
TEL: (406) 626-5728
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Windows Messenger: [email protected]
Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815
Interested in 6m EME? Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME
email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web
page (above)!
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