Hi Jim, I have a K3 that developed a similar problem: My K3 was build by Elecraft in 2011 with the only extras added by myself later being the KXV3A transverter interface, some CW filter and the KDVR3 voice recorder. I have been using it perhaps once or twice each month only as IF unit for a 2 m XVTR. The setup worked very fine for almost 2 years but started then to exhibit intermittent drop-outs of the RX signal, after a TX phase. The path was not completely gone, just had extra attenuation of 30-40 dB. Transmission seemed never affected. Initially it resembled a hanging contact of a T/R-relay, and could be cured by pushing the PTT once or twice.
So I am not using the SO-239 rear socket. But during the first hilltop operation after the winter the problem was permanent. Back home in the shack the problem was still there but went away by itself after some hours of warm-up. I tried to identify the failing stage but never got to the bottom of it before it disappeared. But I found the extra insertion loss has to be way down into the receiver, probably at the second IF level. During a second hilltop operation the problem surfaced again. Back in the shack the failure was present only for some minutes before it disappeared. While it persisted, I could not detect any effect of tapping somewhere on the chassis. There is no doubt that my problem is related to the K3. It was present on all HF bands even if not connected to the external transverter. I was then not using the same cables as with the XVTR. Do you think my problem could be attributed to the same failing PIN-diodes? 73, Stefan (LA0BY) -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Update-re-K3-loss-of-RX-sensitivity-tp5823238p7589982.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
