Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Kit suggestion
It may also be worth looking at this from the other end. Presumably Elecraft's bags are 'hand filled' rather than by machine, so there is the possibility of error there. Changing a long established method of grouping all of these components, possibly for something more complex, may introduce errors that would otherwise not have happened. 73, Trev, G3ZYY In message [EMAIL PROTECTED], W3FPR - Don Wilhelm [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes Mike, I agree -- well almost. The K2 is packaged into several bags - the front panel, the control board, the RF Board (2 packages) and a hardware bag. While there is some mixing from the hardware bag items, the electronic assembly moves smoothly from the Control Board (1 bag) to the Front Panel (one bag until the mechanical assembly part of the steps require the hardware pack), and then on to the RF Board. I have assembled many K2s and perhaps I have become familiar with the process, but it makes sense to me. To do as you have suggested would require separating the hardware packs and putting some relevant parts into the Front Panel pack. I fail to see that there would be a great advantage in doing so. Perhaps a better solution would be to identify in the assembly manual which pack the parts can be found, thus allowing inventory of each pack separately. Splitting the RF board packs between the alignment steps I and II might be worthwhile, but that seems like 'overkill' to me. I do agree that packaging the thermal pads in the serial number envelope has been confusing to some folks. For now, that is the way of things, and the real problem is that what you suggest would require coordination of a change in the manual as well as a change in the packaging process. The manual changes are harder to accomplish correctly than the packaging process (requires reviews for correctness and such), so while the Elecraft folks may take your comments seriously, it may be a while before anyone sees a change due to the coordination required (instuctions to the vendor: pack Rev G manual starting with serial no , and change the way parts packs are assembled at the same time). The parts packaging is vended to outside firms, so there is a bit more to making a change than just the desires of the folks at the Elecraft office. I don't know whether the changes would be worth the costs of implementation. In any case, Elecraft gladly supplies any 'suspected' missing parts promptly and with a smile, so every builder who performs an inventory can build a K2 without unnecessary delays. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Mike Markowski Sent: Monday, June 27, 2005 10:52 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Kit suggestion I think we've gotten away from the original suggestion, which was not I believe, aimed to avoiding inventories but a way to streamline the build and reduce errors by packaging components based on assembly stages. I think it's a great idea! Instead of one big box-o-stuff for the K2, it would have been great if there were, for example, three packages; one each for assembly Phases I, II, and III corresponding to the manual chapters (I'm saying that off the top of my head don't know if that breakdown makes sense). Then for each package an inventory would done. As far as the inventory goes, sure, you're doing the same amount of work in the end. But during assembly you have roughly one third of the parts taking up space on the work bench and probably less likelihood of bumping a component onto the floor, dripping solder on one, dropping something on one, mixing up parts, etc., if only because there are fewer things going on to confuse the ol' bean. Less distraction/confusion = fewer errors (maybe?). My K2 went together without a hitch thanks to an absolutely fantastic manual so maybe it isn't necessary after all, but I have to think that the divide-and-conquer approach makes each phase of the assembly a little easier and less error prone. Taken over a large number of kit builders, that probably means fewer build errors. Of course, I admit there are a lot of probablys, mights, and guesswork. But the original poster's suggestion sounds worthwhile as apparently Heathkit also thought. 73, Mike AB3AP ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.2/29 - Release Date: 6/27/2005 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.2/29 - Release Date: 6/27/2005 ___ Elecraft
re: [Elecraft] longwire the auto tuner
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote : Now i have to find a longwire length of less than 100 ft that will tune up well on those bands (20, 40, 75, 80) for going portable. Orrin : Try about 87 feet (26.5 meters) of wire. This is a good length to cover most of the HF bands as it is not near a multiple of a 1/2 wave on any of the bands (except 10m) so it will present a reasonable impedance that the tuner can match. Michael VE3WMB ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Battery vs Ultracapacitor
wayne burdick wrote: There are also bacteria that produce hydrogen, when properly trained. The problem with that so far has been the feasibility of the nanotech-based whip and chair. :-) 73 de Maggie K3XS -- K2 1641 -- -/___. _)Margaret Stephanie Leber CCP, SCJP/The art of progress / /(, /| /| http://voicenet.com/~maggie SCWCD/ is to preserve order/ ---/ / | / | _ _ _` _ AOPA 925383/ amid change and to / --/ ) / |/ |_(_(_(_/_(_/__(__(/_ K3XS / preserve change amid/ -/ (_/ '.-/ .-/ARRL 39280 /order.-A.N.Whitehead/ /(_/_(_/___AMSAT 32844_/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] N4HH FD
Participated a couple of hours in a 9A operation at N4N (amazingly organized) and then had a little personal FD of my own with a recently acquired K1 thanks to John (WL7M) - was KL0WN - yes, he worked as a clown with RB BB Circus - and is a very accomplished builder! Excellent job John - tnx for making it available! N4HH 1B on 20 meter cw only. K1 running 5 watts off a gel cel to a 20 meter dipole at a staggering and sagging 15 feet.84 Q's in abt 4 hrs including F5IN and a couple of 4X4's prior to the contest! I used the FD Logger 2005 by KC8OPV (http://www.qsl.net/kc8opv). James' program is very simple and excellent. You might want to take a look at it for next year. 73 es gud dxing -- Don N4HH K2/100/KAT100 #2028, K1 #1456, etc, etc -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.5/32 - Release Date: 6/27/05 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: Battery vs Ultracapacitor
Surely some out there have read Philip Jose Farmer's River World series. Mark Twain ran his Fabulous Riverboat from an ultracapacitor. Can you imagine what would happen if you accidently shorted a ring across a fully charged ultracap of 20,000 Farads? Goodbye finger(s). Allen KA5N ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] K2 SSB mode and T/R switch time
Hi, I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this but the time for my K2 to switch from transmit back to receive in the SSB mode seems a bit lengthy. It's probably in the 200-400 mS range which is annoying. Am I missing a menu controlled item or is something wrong? Any insight would be appreciated. After logging 147 contacts during FD at the 5W level, this issue became very annoying. Thanks Mike, WA1SEO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Battery vs Ultracapacitor
Kevin, The first thing that jumps out at me is that capacitors voltage drops at what I remember is a log rate when discharging. A capacitor would still have something like half the coulombs of electrons left inside when the voltage would have dropped too low for the average rig to work correctly. Especially newer batteries hold their voltage much longer and then drop nearly abruptly when discharged. Maybe external components could somehow control the voltage level. Then, that takes away from the simplicity. Good Luck Jim, AB0UK K2/100 S/N 4787 I've been reading the technical literature lately and have been following an interesting development: ultracapacitors. These components are on the order of 5K to 20K Farads. So I did a little calculating. 1F = 1V * 1 Coulomb. 1 Coulomb = 1 Ampere Second Thus 1F = 1V * 1 Amp Second. 5000 F / 12 V = 416 2/3 Amp Seconds. 416 2/3 Amp Seconds / 0.5 A = 833 seconds or 13.8 minutes. If I have done this correctly you should be able to run a QRP rig key down for approximately 14 minutes with a fully charged 5K Farad ultracapacitor. From what I have been reading these are getting cheaper via economies of scale and from engineering breakthroughs in dielectric and storage plate materials. The storage plates are activated charcoal plated on aluminum strips and wound into a can filled with electrolyte. The electrolyte material, acetonitrile, is the rub however. If it burns cyanide gas is produced in dangerous quantities. Nanotube technology and more recent electrolyte chemisty advances are offering even greater capacitance in smaller packages. One day we may be running our rigs from ultracapacitors instead of batteries. They recharge extremely rapidly. They store charge for a long period of time. And they discharge at rates that put the best batteries to shame. If you need high amperage devices (think your 100 watt rig on transmit) these will fill the bill. Since electrochemical devices are reaching their limits this may be the next mobile power storage device. Kevin. KD5ONS Yahoo! Sports Rekindle the Rivalries. Sign up for Fantasy Football http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
AW: [Elecraft] K2 SSB mode and T/R switch time
Hallo Mike, The only parameter I now is the tr-Delay Parameter in the Menue, but it just should affect CW mode. I do not have any Longer delay. Regards+ Martin -Ursprüngliche Nachricht- Von: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Im Auftrag von [EMAIL PROTECTED] Gesendet: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 3:21 PM An: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Betreff: [Elecraft] K2 SSB mode and T/R switch time Hi, I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this but the time for my K2 to switch from transmit back to receive in the SSB mode seems a bit lengthy. It's probably in the 200-400 mS range which is annoying. Am I missing a menu controlled item or is something wrong? Any insight would be appreciated. After logging 147 contacts during FD at the 5W level, this issue became very annoying. Thanks Mike, WA1SEO ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2 SSB mode and T/R switch time
Mike,
Is it possible that you have the K2 set for VOX operation ('L' or 'U'
indicator blinking)? - if so, the VOX delay will increase the time for
switching back to receive. The PTT switch will still activate the transmit
condition even though VOX is selected. Press the TEST/VOX button until Ptt
is indicated and try it. With PTT selected, the transition time should be
the same as on CW, and that delay can be controlled by the 8R hold time set
in the menu by the T-R parameter.
73,
Don W3FPR
-Original Message-
Hi,
I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed this but the time for my
K2 to switch from transmit back to receive in the SSB mode seems
a bit lengthy. It's probably in the 200-400 mS range which is
annoying. Am I missing a menu controlled item or is something wrong?
Any insight would be appreciated.
After logging 147 contacts during FD at the 5W level, this issue
became very annoying.
Thanks
Mike, WA1SEO
--
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RE: [Elecraft] Low Voltage Supply Danger
And I will add that we should be very cautious around batteries and battery sourced power supplies too. Batteries will produce a LOT of current if shorted. I once tested an 8 cell pack of AA sized NiCad batteries in a lab for their short circuit discharge current - yes the current dropped off rapidly, but was still sufficient to vaporize the copper in the #16 wire leads attached to the battery pack. Keep those battery terminals adequately covered and safe from accidental contact. The voltage may not hurt but the results from the current can certainly maim and even kill. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- Allen, KA5N wrote: ...Can you imagine what would happen if you accidently shorted a ring across a fully charged ultracap of 20,000 Farads? Goodbye finger(s). -- That's a legitimate concern with our present 13.8 supplies as well. Twenty or thirty amps can be very dangerous if you get a piece of jewelry across the contacts. If you're unlucky enough to fail to make good enough contact to trip the crowbar or blow a fuse, you'll be frozen there as the ring (or bracelet) melts into your flesh. Almost everyone who has worked around aircraft knows someone missing a ring finger and sometimes a whole hand from just such mishaps. Working on a fighter one night at Lockheed Aircraft, I heard a power cart groan and looked at the next plane sitting wingtip to wingtip with the one I was in and saw smoke billowing from a partially-opened canopy and a tech unconscious inside. It turned out he had tried to replace a breaker without disconnecting power and dropped this screwdriver where it contacted the power bus bar and the side of the airplane. The metal shaft of the screwdriver literally exploded into globules of molten metal that caused him to jump up, smash his the back of his head on the canopy and knocked himself out. Other than a concussion he wasn't seriously hurt but the plane was a mess. That's one very good reason to be sure that 20 amp fuse Elecraft specifies for the K2/100 is in the power line. Ron AC7AC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.5/32 - Release Date: 6/27/2005 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] G00 G31
with the KXAT1 installed, what does this feature actual do to make receive better. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Low Voltage Supply Danger
At 08:55 AM 6/28/2005, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: That's a legitimate concern with our present 13.8 supplies as well. Twenty or thirty amps can be very dangerous if you get a piece of jewelry across the contacts. If you're unlucky enough to fail to make good enough contact to trip the crowbar or blow a fuse, you'll be frozen there as the ring (or bracelet) melts into your flesh. You're certainly right there, Ron... UN-limited current from a big honkin' battery, or power supply really CAN be extremely dangerous. Fortunately (as I can attest, from several almost unfortunate experiences) most of the 'modern' AC power supplies offer foldback current limiting which, if the output is shorted, will reduce the output current (and voltage) to nearly ZERO, helping to protect against such catastrophes. UNfortunately, this is not the case for storage batteries, and I'm sure, some older power supplies as well, which will supply almost unlimited current until they either run out, blow up, or melt through the power cable. In fact, a local friend just very recently managed to short out the power cable on his fully-charged 80AH gell cell... not only melted almost all the insulation on the DC cable, but actually began melting the THICK LEAD terminals build into the battery itself. Fortunately, there was no harm done to my friend... but he got a really QUICK education is the power of a low internal impedance current source. As you noted, ALL DC power sources should be adequately (and appropriately) fused, and fairly close to the DC source itself, if at all possible... it doesn't have to be the far end of the DC cable that shorts out... could be anywhere along its length that becomes accidently stripped of insulation... BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2: Stability of Output Power Level
Michael, OK, so you are like the man with 2 watches who never knew what time it was G. Since you don't know which one to really trust, may I suggest that you connect an RF Probe directly across the dummy load (a TEE adapter at the dummy load connector makes a convenient way to attach the probe) - measure the RF Voltage - your DVM connected to the probe will read the voltage in RMS Volts, then calculate the power P=Vsquared/R, and in your case you know the R is 50.3 ohms. In addition, I must also ask how you determined the dummy load was 50.3 ohms - a DC resistance reading will not be sufficient - measure it with an antenna analyzer to be certain of both the resistance and the reactance, ideally, the reactance should be zero across the entire frequency range that you will use the dummy load, but you must know its real value at RF frequencies. If it is reactive, that alone may explain the difference between the WM-2 and the K2 readings. Repeated presses of the TUNE button will normally produce different power output, it will be within a couple watts of the requested power. At the extreme low power levels, the voltage produced is so small that it gets 'lost' in the digital translation. Try measuring the power with a keydown condition rather than using TUNE and you will find the power output more consistent, and it should be close to the requested power if the load is 50 ohms resistive. I might add that I have found the base K2 (RF probe type) provides a very good measurement of power if the dummy load is truly 50 ohms non-reactive. With the either KAT2, KPA100, or KAT100 installed, the power is measured through a true wattmeter circuit rather than an RF probe type detector, so the dependency on having a non-reactive load is greatly reduced, and after proper calibration will provide accurate power measurements. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- I just completed construction of an Oak Hills Research WM-2 QRP wattmeter. So, of course I wanted to compare its readings with that of the K2. Here are some test results. Please let me know if what I'm seeing here is normal or if you think Elecraft's Optional K2 Power Control Modification may make any of this a little better. All of these tests were performed at 7.145 MHz into the WM-2 wattmeter and then into a good (50.3 Ohms resistive) OHR dummy load. For each test, I key the radio several times using the Tune function (no KAT2 installed, yet). #1 Set the K2's power control (request) for 4W and the output varied between the following: K2 Disp WM-2 --- 5.2 ~7 3.9 ~5 3.3 ~4 #2 Set the K2's power control (request) for 2W and the output varied between the following: K2 Disp WM-2 --- 1.5 ~2 2.4 ~3 #3 Set the K2's power control (request) for 0.5W and the output varied between the following: K2 Disp WM-2 --- 0.4 ~0.7 0.8 ~1.2 #4 Set the K2's power control (request) for 0.2W and the output varied between the following: K2 Disp WM-2 --- 0.2 ~0.4 0.3 ~0.5 #5 Set the K2's power control (request) for 0.1W and the output decreased with each activation of the Tune function until there was no detectable output: K2 Disp WM-2 --- 0.1 ~0.2 0.1 ~0.1 0.2 ~0.05 0.2 no noticeable reading on 100mw scale I'm primarily concerned with cases 1 and 5. The variance in case 1 is fairly broad and is among three values. Case number 5 concerns me because the output level drops with each successive press of the Tune button until no output can be detected by the WM-2 on its 100mw scale. Clearly, I would not be able to reliably use my K2 when set for 100mw. Will this situation (with respect to output power sensing) get any better after I install the KAT2? I haven't completed construction of the KAT2, yet. Any input/explanations/ideas would be appreciated. Thanks! -Michael N9BDF, K2 #4137 -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.8.5/32 - Release Date: 6/27/2005 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: Battery vs Ultracapacitor
It seems to me that the calculations in the original post are not quite right. 1F = 1V * 1 Coulomb. The Farad is a Coulomb per Volt or Q/V not Q * V This starting point inserts errors in the calculations that follow. For example: Thus 1F = 1V * 1 Amp Second. The unit V * Amp * sec is equal to watts * sec = energy in joules. A Farad is not a joule of energy. Also note that the voltage drops in a capacitor as you draw current from it, so you need some circuitry to keep the voltage up to keep your QRP rig happy. As a result there is probably some practical level where the capacitor still has energy left, but it can not be effectively used any more. (The rig would still work for a while as voltage dropped, but in the example given the voltage is considered constant at 12 Volts.) A better approach to this calculation might be to start with the total energy stored in the 5000 F cap that was charged to 12 V. The energy stored in a cap is: Energy = (1/2) * C * (voltage squared)where C is in Farads, V is in volts, and Energy is in Joules In the example that was used, the QRP rig takes a constant 12 volts dc at a 0.5 amp. This is 6 watts or 6 Joules per second. If this constant power could be drawn from the capacitor until exhausted, then the time it would last would directly follow by dividing the initial energy in the cap by the rate of energy removal. However, the added circuitry mentioned above between the cap and the rig would have losses, minimum useable cap voltage, etc. 73, Richard, KG4VOX ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K2: Stability of Output Power Level
Hi Michael: In case you don't have an antenna analyzer and the OHR dummy load you refer to is their 100 Watt RF Load, I just measured the impedance of my OHR dummy load with my MFJ Analyzer. It shows 50 ohms resistive and no reactive component at all until the freq gets up to about 16 mHz. So I would say that your dummy load is probably OK for the purpose. 73, Ken K3IU ~~~ -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of W3FPR - Don Wilhelm Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 12:19 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2: Stability of Output Power Level Michael, OK, so you are like the man with 2 watches who never knew what time it was G. Since you don't know which one to really trust, may I suggest that you connect an RF Probe directly across the dummy load (a TEE adapter at the dummy load connector makes a convenient way to attach the probe) - measure the RF Voltage - your DVM connected to the probe will read the voltage in RMS Volts, then calculate the power P=Vsquared/R, and in your case you know the R is 50.3 ohms. In addition, I must also ask how you determined the dummy load was 50.3 ohms - a DC resistance reading will not be sufficient - measure it with an antenna analyzer to be certain of both the resistance and the reactance, ideally, the reactance should be zero across the entire frequency range that you will use the dummy load, but you must know its real value at RF frequencies. If it is reactive, that alone may explain the difference between the WM-2 and the K2 readings. Repeated presses of the TUNE button will normally produce different power output, it will be within a couple watts of the requested power. At the extreme low power levels, the voltage produced is so small that it gets 'lost' in the digital translation. Try measuring the power with a keydown condition rather than using TUNE and you will find the power output more consistent, and it should be close to the requested power if the load is 50 ohms resistive. I might add that I have found the base K2 (RF probe type) provides a very good measurement of power if the dummy load is truly 50 ohms non-reactive. With the either KAT2, KPA100, or KAT100 installed, the power is measured through a true wattmeter circuit rather than an RF probe type detector, so the dependency on having a non-reactive load is greatly reduced, and after proper calibration will provide accurate power measurements. 73, Don W3FPR ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] FD fer N4HY
Well I got my batteries and my K2 and thought I would head over this year for a low key effort at the Sarnoff Radio Club. The only operating I did was calling LOOONNN distance on the big white telephone with the worst case of food poisoning I have ever had (including one that dang near killed me when Montezuma got mad with me). Three days later, and 15 pounds lighter (that means only about sixty to go) I have enough strength to type this letter. WHEW. I would not wish this on my worst enemy. I am enjoying reading of your exploits however. Thanks for sharing them and the pictures. Bob N4HY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Summary of fiberglass poles
Hi everyone. First of all thanks to everyone that responded to my query abt. fiberglass poles. With the help from you all I was able to make a choice. My decission went in favor of the heavy duty spider pole 12 meter high. Low weight and short transport lenght was main reasons. That it was able to support smal vhf beams at 10 meter height ( strenght) was another reason. The wonderpole would be my choice if it hadn't been for the lenght on collapsed position (2m). While ordering I went for 2 poles. ( Saving shipment money). Thanks again! Tom LA1PHA ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Battery vs Ultracapacitor
As long the operator and everything in 1000 feet radius doesn't go up in smoke! :-) Tom LA1PHA - Original Message - From: wayne burdick [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Kevin Rock [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: Elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net; [EMAIL PROTECTED]; glowbugs [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 5:40 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Battery vs Ultracapacitor Hi Kevin, One day we may be running our rigs from ultracapacitors instead of batteries. They recharge extremely rapidly. They store charge for a long period of time. And they discharge at rates that put the best batteries to shame. If you need high amperage devices (think your 100 watt rig on transmit) these will fill the bill I think your calculations are right. Meanwhile (next 5 years), I'll put my money on miniature fuel cells. They're already available for some applications, such as mobile of recharging cell phone batteries. There are fuel-cell-powered bicycles under development, too. For example, I think a KBT2-sized power plant might one day power a K2 for 100 or so hours (rough guess). Just pop in a new hydrogen cell when it runs down. Need hydrogen? Split some water molecules with solar energy -- totally sustainable ham operation ;) There are also bacteria that produce hydrogen, when properly trained. 73, Wayne N6KR --- http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Battery vs Ultracapacitor
On Tue, 28 Jun 2005, Margaret Leber wrote: wayne burdick wrote: There are also bacteria that produce hydrogen, when properly trained. The problem with that so far has been the feasibility of the nanotech-based whip and chair. :-) To say nothing of the nanotreats to reinforce the desired behavior. 73,Thom-k3hrn www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page, Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel Elecraft Owners Database www.tlchost.net/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] longwire the auto tuner
On 6/28/05, Lee Buller [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A longwire is a good antenna if there is a good counterpoise (ground or radials or a large body of salt water). I have played around with them using a simple 365 pf BC cap and a coil of wire and I can load one every time. I'm staying at a house on the beach in Westbrook, CT for the week .. I got a 16.5 foot crappie pole from Cabela's, a surf rod holder from Benny's, tied an 87 foot piece of wire to the eyelet and at low tide set the pole in the rod holder into the sand. It's been there for 6 cycles of the tides now and it looks like it's holding steady :) The wire runs over a minimum of 20 feet of ocean, and maybe 55 feet at high tide. I have it connected to the red post on my ZM2, and a 17 foot counterpoise hangs out of the window and is sort of run along the side of the house (away from the water) attaches to the black post (link to ground). It tunes fine on 80/40/30/20 with the ATS .. with the KX1 I tune it by hand and then kick in the ATU so I don't have to manually retune on 30/40. Guess I really should go over to the radioshaft and see if they have a banana-to-bnc adapter to see how the KX1 handles it alone ... de John/W1RT ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] RE: K2 and KPA 100- How Is Hi Current Generated
Hi Don, Thanks for your reply. First the easy answers: I'm using two dummy loads, the primary one being an old fashioned tubular carbon resistor - about half an inch across and two inches long. Both show a flat response across the spectrum when scanned with an MFJ-259 analyzer. I'm using the power meter built into a Kenwood AT-200 Antenna Tuner to measure power. I use a KAT100 as a tuner though. The AT-200 handbook claims it has plus/minus 10% accuracy at full scale (20W and 200W) ranges. By the way, I rechecked the K2 power output and its fine 15W at 160M falling to 12 or so at 10m. KPA100 low pass filters were swept with MFJ259 as described in manual and by you. I used a 51 ohm resistor. Sweeps on other bands seemed OK 1:1.1 and 1:1.2. My concern re high SWR on 30m and 10m was that the KPA100 might reduce power if it detected SWR greater than 1.5, but I wasn't sure where this would be detected. I'll need to recheck LPF components values, but believe they were OK. Still, I wouldn't be the first person on the reflector to have misplaced confidence ;). I'll also try spreading the torroid coils. Do you have any suggestion on which torroid to start with, ie one closest to antenna, or tx or the one in the middle? I had fixed the HI Current warning by resetting R26/27 and adjusting bias, but still wasn't getting the specified power out. Reading back through the archives there was a suggestion that when setting R26 you should change the power output each time (to reset the ALC). I did a bit of this but can't recollect if I did it every time. Still would failing to do this make much of a difference? Mike VK1KCK K2 #2599 -Original Reply- Mike, How are you measuring power out? and how good is your dummy load? (check it with your antenna analyzer) - that will get the first things out of the way for us. OK, you said you swept the KPA100 low pass filters for 30 through 10 and found them OK, (well, you found 1.5 or less and I would expect 1.2 or 1.3, but you will have to tell me how you set up for the sweep before I draw any conclusions). What do the sweeps for 160 through 40 meters show? If you do the sweep as above, you should find the SWR 1.2 or below in most cases - if not, look carefully at your toroids (count the turns) and triple check the capacitor values. I have found on occasion that the SWR on 10 meters can be reduced a bit by judicious spreading/compressing the turns of the 10/12/15 meter LPF, but the other bands fall into place without any 'tweaking'. In any case, such 'tweaking' will not improve the KPA100 power output, but will allow the base K2 to drive through the high power LPF a bit easier when at the QRP levels. Bottom line here - such 'tweaking' will not solve whatever problem you have. I doubt that the new capacitors will solve this particular problem either - indeed you may end up installing the new capacitors, but if you have a problem with 160 through 40 meters, the capacitors are not likely to fix it. The bias control setting on the KPA100 will not produce the symptoms you describe either - yes it will affect the current drawn by the KPA100, but remembere that the HI-CUR indication means that the base K2 is drawing too much current (it is being asked to produce more power than the current limit will allow) 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- I've just spent the day fine tuning my KPA100 - measuring the output power on each band and trying to improve it. Initially I was getting a HI Current warning on each of the bands from 160 through to 40 (all into a dummy load), but not on the rest. In all cases the maximum power I could get out on each band was 50-65W. I reset R26/R27 and the bias current and now the HI Current warning has gone and power output has improved on most bands to 70+W, but is not yet 100W. Some observations and questions that came up: Can someone please explain to me how the HI Current warning is generated? Is it likely that my bias current is a little low? I swept the low pass filters with an antenna analyser and the SWR on 30m and 10m is about 1.5. All the components look to be right, and I feel that spreading or compressing the turns on the applicable torroids may upset the associated filters. Is 1.5 too high (I have the previous version of the KPA100 firmware)? Is the new KPA Capacitor mod likely to help? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 noise and remote PA
I noticed this at Field Day. The club was using a repeater with output on 146.625. As soon as I turned on the K2 we got hash on that frequency. Any suggestions for tracking this down? You must have an older KIO2 with the 16.289 MHz oscillator. The 9th harmonic is 146.60 MHz. You can change the crystal to 18.432 MHz as used in the later KIO2s, or try clamping a chunk of ferrite around the cable at the K2 connector end. 73, Lyle KK7P ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KIO2 noise and remote PA
Sam, Funny you should mention that. In my shack, I have the K2 with a KIO2 and also a 2 meter rig nearby. Whenever the K2 is on, the 2 meter rig stops scanning and hangs on 146.625 and just breaks the squelch. As soon as I shut the K2, scanning resumes. Sam Smith wrote: I noticed this at Field Day. The club was using a repeater with output on 146.625. As soon as I turned on the K2 we got hash on that frequency. Since then I have checked it at home with no computers anywhere around and confirmed the problem. -- 73 Larry WA2DGD ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] test
TEST e-mail only... folks NO NEED to reply... Andy[EMAIL PROTECTED] A.R.S. GM0NWI QRP GQRP No.9576 QRP-L No.2165 ARCI No.10561 Alaska QRP Club No.190 Flying Pigs QRP Club No. FP No. 1061 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
