Okay, so I took the plunge and disconnected the KX3 to take with me on vacation. Hooking it back up proved to be a tad problematic - SWRs of 25:1 and no signals from any bands, anywhere. I'm now working through what options I have, starting with checking female connector deformation and doing what I can to examine oxidation, and general quarrantining of wires and connectors.
I also wrote to Elecraft to get a quote for a replacement BNC connector with the LPF installed - worst case is I'll just start over again with a new chassis connector. Ain't radio fun? :) On Mon, Feb 19, 2018 at 11:54 AM, rich hurd WC3T <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > > I had an oddity with hooking an antenna to the BNC connector on my KX3 > that happened enough times to be chalked up to something other than random > chance. Looking for opinions on whether my solution aligned to your > experience(s). > > I have a complete station - a KX3, a PX3, and a KXPA100. The KXPA100 is > connected via a Cables On Demand connector with a PL259 on one end and a > BNC connector on the other end. All other interface cables are Elecraft > standard. > > This is NOT the first BNC connector that I've used. Prior to this last > acquisition I had a couple of other BNC to PL259 jumpers that I was using, > and the usual smattering of connectors and adapters in the junque box. > > No matter which one I used, If I removed the BNC connector from the rig > (maybe to go portable, for example, or the last time it was because I > installed Eneloop Pro batteries to the internal battery holders) I would > put everything back together, and then would have severe - almost > debilitating - signal attenuation when I got the rig fired up. If I > twisted and spun the BNC connector on the jack, it would improve, and then > get bad again more often than not. It could take up to 20 minutes to get > everything "dialed in" so that the signal was appearing again. God help me > if I accidentally moved something after that. And of course, while all > this was happening the ATU was having fits, with 99:1 SWR readings and the > amp was going offline; all kinds of weirdnesses. After things calmed > down. the ATU behaved itself, the amp stopped being pouty, and all was then > good. > > Thankfully, now that I have the Cables On Demand product, things seem to > have quieted down - although I still don't disconnect without provocation. > :) Though I'm desperately afraid of when I start to go mobile after the > snow melts and the weather gets nice again. :) Hope I can get my IC706 > fixed and back in service as my base station before that occurs. > > My question was going to be in desperation more than anything else if this > last cable didn't work, but thankfully, that's been the only cable vendor > that I trust for any of my specialized cables and they haven't failed me > even with this one. > > Are BNC connectors that finicky? Is it possible that I just had a bad > batch of low quality jumpers? I'm just wondering if anyone else has had > excessive fiddling with their BNC connections. > > --- > 72, > Rich Hurd / WC3T / DMR: 3142737 > PA Army MARS, Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public Information > Officer for Scouting > Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988 (40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W) > Grid: *FN20is* > > -- 72, Rich Hurd / WC3T / DMR: 3142737 PA Army MARS, Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public Information Officer for Scouting Latitude: 40.761621 Longitude: -75.288988 (40°45.68' N 75°17.33' W) Grid: *FN20is* ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
