[Elecraft] SDR and regs
SDR radios may come to be a problem for hams who live where there are tight gov regs on freqs rigs can cover because the argument is, if they can be programmed to lock out some bands, they can be brought back by software easily. Since virtually all radios in the future will be at least part SDR, woe is some. 73 Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:48:47 -0700 Subject: [Elecraft] ARRL: K3 is SDR There was an earlier discussion on the list about the definition of Software-Defined Radio and whether the K3 qualifies. The answer appears in W1ZR's Getting on the air column in the latest issue (September) of QST. The answer is that SDR does not necessarily imply open-source software. Proprietary software qualifies, as long as it can re-define the receive/transmit RF paths and be downloaded in the field. They specifically mention the K3 (and IC-7800, TS-2000, Orion and FT-2000) and even include a photo. So the oracle has spoken. Question resolved. :=) Al N1AL ___ 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
[Elecraft] Aux rcv protection, more
So if the COR activates, it provides very much more protection, yes or no??? It activates automatically, yes? In ordinary SSB chat, the COR delay u mention will be a real problem or a minor problem? I once burned the contacts off a relay inside my IC-730 with RF from near by antenna. So I worry. Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] CC: elecraft@mailman.qth.net From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3? Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:48:39 -0700 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Charles Harpole wrote: Can I run power with a good receive antenna connected to rcve only input bnc socket without damage anywhere? Yes. We've pumped several watts into the KRX3's aux antenna input without any sign of damage. (But anything above about 1 to 2 watts measured at the sub's AUX input will activate the carrier-operated relay, or COR, which should be avoided because it slows down break-in keying receive recovery.) As long as the receive antenna is a reasonable distance from the transmit antenna, the COR won't be activated, and you'll be at a safe level. The AUX BNC jack provides somewhat better isolation than the KAT3 connector, so it may be the better choice if you're not sure if the antennas are far enough apart at the intended power level. 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
Re: [Elecraft] SDR and regs
Charles and all, Perhaps you are right, but I'm not sure you are right. For one thing, most rigs of recent manufacture can be opened up, either by software or by snipping a diode or two. The latter type is even easier to defeat than one controlled by software, at least for most, since you have to be somewhat technically astute about software to use that method. Snipping a diode isn't necessarily that difficult. Restrictive control for either type is pretty easy to overcome. But the real reason I suspect it won't be a problem is that apparently software controllable radios have already been approved just about everywhere I think. For example, the FT-1000MP Mark V can be opened up just by accessing the right menu. I guess that isn't exactly software control, but it's similar. You are using the rig's internal software to make the change as opposed to using a computer connection externally. Just my guess. Dave W7AQK - Original Message - From: Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 11:02 PM Subject: [Elecraft] SDR and regs SDR radios may come to be a problem for hams who live where there are tight gov regs on freqs rigs can cover because the argument is, if they can be programmed to lock out some bands, they can be brought back by software easily. Since virtually all radios in the future will be at least part SDR, woe is some. 73 Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:48:47 -0700 Subject: [Elecraft] ARRL: K3 is SDR There was an earlier discussion on the list about the definition of Software-Defined Radio and whether the K3 qualifies. The answer appears in W1ZR's Getting on the air column in the latest issue (September) of QST. The answer is that SDR does not necessarily imply open-source software. Proprietary software qualifies, as long as it can re-define the receive/transmit RF paths and be downloaded in the field. They specifically mention the K3 (and IC-7800, TS-2000, Orion and FT-2000) and even include a photo. So the oracle has spoken. Question resolved. :=) Al N1AL ___ 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 ___ 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: Aux rcv protection, more
Charles Harpole wrote: So if the COR activates, it provides very much more protection, yes or no??? Yes. The relay has 1-amp contacts, which should handle any reasonable amount of power induced into the sub receiver's antenna. (It's rated the same as the relay we use on the KXV3's RX ANT IN jack.) I wouldn't put a KW into a transmit antenna that's in the near field of the receiving antenna, or is oriented so that it can couple more than a few watts into it. It activates automatically, yes? Yes. In ordinary SSB chat, the COR delay u mention will be a real problem or a minor problem? There's a possibility that other stations might hear the effect if the COR relay is rapidly cutting in and out, in any operating mode. If you hear it doing this, you should take some action to prevent it (switch the sub RX to the shared RF path, or reduce power, or move the antenna). There may also be a warning flashed on the VFO B display when the COR is being activated. That's on the firmware list. 73, Wayne N6KR ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
Wayne (and anyone else who has installed the KRX3), there are some questions buried in here, marked with 2 ** to help spot them. H, from original reading of the Owners manual and discussions on here last year, I thought selection of either the KAT3 non-Tx ANT1/2 or the Aux BNC Jack (AUX.RF) would be via software. ** I assume that this has proven to be a problem and so now it's a 'choose at installation time' option (as per KRX3 installation manual)? Even now, reading the Owners Manual, the diagrams on pg 41 and 42 (of rev D1) suggest the AUX.RF is connected to SA4, along with the KAT3 connection. ** Should the horizontal line from SA4 to KAT3 be dotted as well, with a note saying installation option (choose one of two)? I wish to use 2 antennas and may transmit on either and I had planned to be able to listen on both and then transmit on one of them. So for me, using the KAT3 method appears to be best. Issue with COR and delay etc. won't come into it (I think). However, the work to install the AUX.RF connector is 'significant' (well, ok, it’s a bit more, involving removing side panels etc.) so I'd like to do this while I'm installing the KRX3, just so it's done. But then, not connect the TMP lead to the KRX3, but sleeve the connector and 'tuck' it out of the way somewhere. ** Is it possible/acceptable to install the AUX.RF BNC jack, but not connect it to anything? ** Would there be any implications of stray RF on the lead to worry about? And, if at some point in the future, I choose to use AUX.RF, switch the lead to the KAT3 with the AUX.RF lead, again sleeving the KAT3 TMP to avoid any shorts. ** Again, is there any issue with leaving the KAT3 lead connected to the KAT3, but not connected to the KRX3? ** Perhaps it would be advisable to install an additional TMP socket with both pin and shield grounded and to connect the unused TMP lead to it? ** Might that be a future mod for you, providing an unused TMP socket just to terminate the unused lead? -- There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience. -French proverb On 14 Aug 2008, at 00:19, wayne burdick wrote: Tony, N2TK wrote: Is it recommended to hook up the BNC connector on the back to the KRX3 or to use the second SO-239 on the K3 or does it make any difference? Hi Tony, If you have a KAT3, you can optionally use the non-transmit KAT3 antenna (which might be ANT1 or ANT2 at any given time) as the sub receiver's secondary antenna source. If not, you'll need to use the BNC jack. The BNC jack is recommended anyway, and an appropriate cable is supplied with the KRX3 module. It's the way we set up factory-built K3s. It's more flexible, because you can connect a receive-only antenna for use with the sub receiver that is well-isolated from your transmit antennas. (Physical and electrical isolation for a receive antenna is good practice in general.) If you don't have a special RX antenna for use with the sub receiver, but you do have two antennas connected (to ANT1 and ANT2), the KAT3 non-transmit antenna might be a better choice. This selection has no impact on *shared* use of the main antenna by the sub receiver. You can do that in any case. Most of the time I will be using the same antenna for both receivers. That's the shared case. When the K3 has the capability of having the two receivers on two different bands I would like to monitor another band with a second antenna. An example would be to monitor 6M. Figured I could use the second SO-239 for this. Either the KAT3 non-transmit antenna or the BNC jack would work. If you use the KAT3 non-transmit antenna, be sure to keep the antennas on ANT1 and ANT2 very well isolated so the sub receiver's carrier- operated relay doesn't get triggered when you transmit. I assume that when I am listening to both receivers on the same band that if I am using the receive antenna input the receive antenna will go to both receivers. Is this correct? Yes. ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
David: Re: your first statement/question... The MAIN/AUX selection can be made at any time after the KRX3 is installed and turned on by press/hold of BSET and tapping the ANT button. It is not just a choose at installation time option. 73, Ken K3IU ~~~ David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote: Wayne (and anyone else who has installed the KRX3), there are some questions buried in here, marked with 2 ** to help spot them. H, from original reading of the Owners manual and discussions on here last year, I thought selection of either the KAT3 non-Tx ANT1/2 or the Aux BNC Jack (AUX.RF) would be via software. ** I assume that this has proven to be a problem and so now it's a 'choose at installation time' option (as per KRX3 installation manual)? Even now, reading the Owners Manual, the diagrams on pg 41 and 42 (of rev D1) suggest the AUX.RF is connected to SA4, along with the KAT3 connection. ** Should the horizontal line from SA4 to KAT3 be dotted as well, with a note saying installation option (choose one of two)? I wish to use 2 antennas and may transmit on either and I had planned to be able to listen on both and then transmit on one of them. So for me, using the KAT3 method appears to be best. Issue with COR and delay etc. won't come into it (I think). However, the work to install the AUX.RF connector is 'significant' (well, ok, it’s a bit more, involving removing side panels etc.) so I'd like to do this while I'm installing the KRX3, just so it's done. But then, not connect the TMP lead to the KRX3, but sleeve the connector and 'tuck' it out of the way somewhere. ** Is it possible/acceptable to install the AUX.RF BNC jack, but not connect it to anything? ** Would there be any implications of stray RF on the lead to worry about? And, if at some point in the future, I choose to use AUX.RF, switch the lead to the KAT3 with the AUX.RF lead, again sleeving the KAT3 TMP to avoid any shorts. ** Again, is there any issue with leaving the KAT3 lead connected to the KAT3, but not connected to the KRX3? ** Perhaps it would be advisable to install an additional TMP socket with both pin and shield grounded and to connect the unused TMP lead to it? ** Might that be a future mod for you, providing an unused TMP socket just to terminate the unused lead? ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
Ken K3IU wrote: David: Oopps... what I said is true, but not what you are addressing. Sorry. There is only one AUX input physical connection on the KRX3. At assembly, one must select which, if any, aux input source will be used... either the non-tx KAT3 ant or the separate BNC connector. That necessitates the selection of Ant=bnc or Ant=Atu . When I installed the KRX3, I physically installed both the BNC connector and the KAT3 cables but did not connect either to the KRX3. Maybe later... 73, Ken K3IU ~~ Ken K3IU wrote: David: Re: your first statement/question... The MAIN/AUX selection can be made at any time after the KRX3 is installed and turned on by press/hold of BSET and tapping the ANT button. It is not just a choose at installation time option. 73, Ken K3IU ~~~ David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote: Wayne (and anyone else who has installed the KRX3), there are some questions buried in here, marked with 2 ** to help spot them. H, from original reading of the Owners manual and discussions on here last year, I thought selection of either the KAT3 non-Tx ANT1/2 or the Aux BNC Jack (AUX.RF) would be via software. ** I assume that this has proven to be a problem and so now it's a 'choose at installation time' option (as per KRX3 installation manual)? Even now, reading the Owners Manual, the diagrams on pg 41 and 42 (of rev D1) suggest the AUX.RF is connected to SA4, along with the KAT3 connection. ** Should the horizontal line from SA4 to KAT3 be dotted as well, with a note saying installation option (choose one of two)? I wish to use 2 antennas and may transmit on either and I had planned to be able to listen on both and then transmit on one of them. So for me, using the KAT3 method appears to be best. Issue with COR and delay etc. won't come into it (I think). However, the work to install the AUX.RF connector is 'significant' (well, ok, it’s a bit more, involving removing side panels etc.) so I'd like to do this while I'm installing the KRX3, just so it's done. But then, not connect the TMP lead to the KRX3, but sleeve the connector and 'tuck' it out of the way somewhere. ** Is it possible/acceptable to install the AUX.RF BNC jack, but not connect it to anything? ** Would there be any implications of stray RF on the lead to worry about? And, if at some point in the future, I choose to use AUX.RF, switch the lead to the KAT3 with the AUX.RF lead, again sleeving the KAT3 TMP to avoid any shorts. ** Again, is there any issue with leaving the KAT3 lead connected to the KAT3, but not connected to the KRX3? ** Perhaps it would be advisable to install an additional TMP socket with both pin and shield grounded and to connect the unused TMP lead to it? ** Might that be a future mod for you, providing an unused TMP socket just to terminate the unused lead? ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun
I had previously posted some RF Current data using an MFJ-835 Balanced RF Current meter. I measured the amount of current flowing in each side of my ladder line I'm pretty sure that unit doesn't actually indicate balance. I'm pretty sure it only indicates equal currents by sampling scalar currents in each conductor. I'll look into that, but everything in the manual seems to indicate it is a scalar measurement of current in each conductor. Anyway the important point is that it is possible to have equal currents in each conductor and have perfect UNbalance. To measure balance we have to measure phase, not just scalar currents. We also have to either measure current balance at two points some large fraction of a wave apart (like 1/8th or 1/4 wave), or measure BOTH voltage and current balance at one point. and compared the Johnson Matchbox, the internal KAT3 antenna tuner with the Elecraft BL2 balun in both the 4-to-1 and 1-to-1 positions, and a direct connection from the KAT3 to the ladder line with no balun. Tonight, I came across a 4-to-1 voltage balun left over from the days of the Ultimate Transmatch (QST July, 1970 - wow! - that is a long time ago but seems like yesterday). There are only a few cases where we might be better off using a 4:1 balun rather than a 1:1 balun to transform random impedances to a tuner. Those cases would be where the antenna system (at the balun connection point) presents a reasonable impedance to the balun, the balun is designed for that frequency and impedance, and the antenna system balance presented to the balun is pretty good. It would be even rarer to need or want a voltage balun. I can't think of many of any cases where I would want to use a balanced voltage source to feed a simple antenna. As a matter of fact I virtually never use a 4:1 unless I'm matching a folded dipole to coax. Anyway, I put the voltage balun in line and repeated the measurements. Here are my conclusions based on my results: 1) Without the MFJ 835 current meter, I would have been happy with any of the configurations. All of them had a perfect 1-to-1 SWR when matched. All of them resulted in good QSOs. 2) The Johnson Matchbox has the best balance and least loss on all bands. 3) A balun on the output of an unbalanced tuner is a compromise and there is loss there. 4) The BL2 has good balance on all bands 160m to 6m but gets very hot on some bands indicating loss. I have received reports that the Johnson MB is several S units better than the balun on some bands. 5) The voltage balun works pretty well on 160m, 80m, and 40m but is poor on 30m and higher. It is useless on 6m. 6) The direct connection had very poor balance on some bands. So, IMHO, a balanced tuner is the best matching device for a balanced antenna fed with ladder line. We must find a way to convince Elecraft to offer a balanced version of the KAT3. As a general rule it is far less expensive to build a good 1:1 balun to use on the output of a unbalanced tuner than it is to build a balanced tuner. This is especially true if the load is not perfectly balanced, or on higher frequencies. When I built high power tuners for a 25 kW AM SW BC station, I looked at all options and used 1:1 baluns on the matching system output. It was several thousands of dollars cheaper than using a balanced network and worked just as well. I'd encourage them to build a good 1:1 balun, or perhaps two...one for lower bands and one for higher bands. The expense of a balanced tuner generally just isn't worth it, and a 4:1 is almost never needed. I'll look at that balance indicator if I can get my hands on one. It might not be, but from the manual it sounds like it is a scalar device that does not consider phase. 73 Tom ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
There is only one AUX input physical connection on the KRX3. At assembly, one must select which, if any, aux input source will be used... either the non-tx KAT3 ant or the separate BNC connector. That necessitates the selection of Ant=bnc or Ant=Atu . When I installed the KRX3, I physically installed both the BNC connector and the KAT3 cables but did not connect either to the KRX3. Maybe later... 73, Ken K3IU I brought my RX antenna connections out on RCA phono jacks. Mainly I did this so the interface was a drop-in for my Yaesu and Icom rigs and the radios could easily be swapped. I have the TX antenna available (when in receive mode) and both main and sub receiver inputs. This is a specialized application however where I have external antenna switches and might want to use multiple radios on one antenna. Or it lends itself to using a noise canceller with the TX antenna as a noise sample source, etc. It's pretty easy to do this and it doesn't require cutting anything up. It can be undone without anyone knowing it was ever there. But again this is a special case where instant and full antenna flexibility is a must. 73 Tom ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun
Heat means LOST POWER. Virtually all baluns like the BL2 use Fair-Rite #61 (or something quite similar). Download http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf and study Fig 6, the loss characteristics of Fair-Rite #61. The loss begins to rise above 10 MHz, and it isn't pretty above about 20 MHz. The figure referred to is using the material as part of an RFI suppression choke where you want attenuation at RF frequencies. I think you'll find that when the Type 61 material is used as a transformer, it will have very low loss if designed properly. See Sevick's book on baluns and ununs. But I think that even a well-designed transformer will have maybe 1-2% loss. At 100 watts, that is 1-2 watts which will cause the transformer to heat up. Just dissipate 1-watt in a resistor with your DC power supply and feel the heat. Phil - AD5X ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
Ok, so what did you do with the unattached connections? Did you sleeve them, did you tuck them out of the way somewhere? -- Write the bad things that are done to you in the sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble. -Arabian wisdom On 14 Aug 2008, at 11:36, Ken K3IU wrote: When I installed the KRX3, I physically installed both the BNC connector and the KAT3 cables but did not connect either to the KRX3. Maybe later... ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
how did you bring them out? did you run then through some existing hole? -- God gives every bird his worm, but he does not throw it into the nest. -Swedish proverb On 14 Aug 2008, at 12:37, Tom W8JI wrote: I brought my RX antenna connections out on RCA phono jacks. Mainly I did this so the interface was a drop-in for my Yaesu and Icom rigs and the radios could easily be swapped. I have the TX antenna available (when in receive mode) and both main and sub receiver inputs. This is a specialized application however where I have external antenna switches and might want to use multiple radios on one antenna. Or it lends itself to using a noise canceller with the TX antenna as a noise sample source, etc. It's pretty easy to do this and it doesn't require cutting anything up. It can be undone without anyone knowing it was ever there. But again this is a special case where instant and full antenna flexibility is a must. ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
In a recent message, David Ferrington, M0XDF [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote ... Ok, so what did you do with the unattached connections? Did you sleeve them, did you tuck them out of the way somewhere? See page 40 of the KRX3 manual. 73 -- David G4DMP Leeds, England, UK -- ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
Thanks David - helps if you RTFM. You haven't found any problems with the TMP lead from the KAT3 then? I wondered if there might be some stray RF pickup. I think I will connect my KAT3 cable and leave the AUX.RF one sleeved and taped out of the way. I may consider some form of switch or jumper arrangement at some distant future date if I find I want to switch back and forth. But most likely I'll settle for something like a Beverage to the AUX.RF in the future - when my ship comes in and I have enough realestate. 73 de M0XDF, K3 #174 -- Knowing my luck, when my ship comes in, I'll be waiting at the airport! On 14 Aug 2008, at 13:52, David Pratt wrote: In a recent message, David Ferrington, M0XDF [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote ... Ok, so what did you do with the unattached connections? Did you sleeve them, did you tuck them out of the way somewhere? See page 40 of the KRX3 manual. ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun
Phil, Phil, A current balun *is* a choke, not a transformer. That is true for both the 1:1 and 4:1 baluns. OTOH, a voltage balun is a transformer, but I am not sure why anyone would want to use one except for special applications. 73, Don W3FPR Phil Debbie Salas wrote: The figure referred to is using the material as part of an RFI suppression choke where you want attenuation at RF frequencies. I think you'll find that when the Type 61 material is used as a transformer, it will have very low loss if designed properly. See Sevick's book on baluns and ununs. But I think that even a well-designed transformer will have maybe 1-2% loss. At 100 watts, that is 1-2 watts which will cause the transformer to heat up. Just dissipate 1-watt in a resistor with your DC power supply and feel the heat. ___ 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] K3: Returning to base
I would be interested to hear from any UK list members who have had reason to return their K3 to Elecraft for service. I have to return mine as soon as I have heard from [EMAIL PROTECTED] with their instructions and RSA#. I have to return it due to a serious fault that has developed during installation of the KRX3. I should like to know which carrier to use (ParcelForce, DHL, UPS, etc.) and what is the procedure for returning such equipment. i.e. collection, packaging, customs declaration, etc. Please reply off list. 73 -- David G4DMP Leeds, England, UK -- ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
how did you bring them out? did you run then through some existing hole? I made a plate that bolts into the normal RX antenna and transceiver antenna interface area. ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
Thats a good idea, thanks. -- He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever. -Chinese proverb On 14 Aug 2008, at 13:52, Tom W8JI wrote: how did you bring them out? did you run then through some existing hole? I made a plate that bolts into the normal RX antenna and transceiver antenna interface area. ___ 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] KX1 Output
Steve, The output power of a KX1 will vary from band to band. That fact is because of design compromises made to fit a 4 band LPF into a tiny space as well as normal gain vs. frequency variations in the amplifying devices itself. There is also a great dependency on the care used during construction, particularly with the 4 band LPF. I have not checked a KX1 at 11.1 volts, but with a 13.8 volt supply, the power output levels I typically expect are: 80m - 4+ watts 40m - 3.8+ watts 30m - at least 4 watts 20m - 3.3+ watts Since the power output will vary approximately by the ratio of the squares of the supply voltage, you could expect the output with an 11.1 volt supply to be about 65% of the levels above. In other words a 2 to 2.5 watt range can be expected. Note that these powers are measured using a precision 50 ohm non-reactive dummy load with the developed RF Voltage observed with an oscilloscope and 10X probe connected across the dummy load. The power available to an antenna will depend on the feed impedance of the antenna. 73, Don W3FPR list1 wrote: Hi All, What is the typical power output of the KX1 with an 11.1 Volt 3 cell Lithium battery pack (assuming its at 11.1 Volts) on 80, 40, 30, and 20 meters? Thanks, Steve, W2MY ___ 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 - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.6.2/1609 - Release Date: 8/13/2008 6:43 AM ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun
The figure referred to is using the material as part of an RFI suppression choke where you want attenuation at RF frequencies. I think you'll find that when the Type 61 material is used as a transformer, it will have very low loss if designed properly. Even 73 materials can have low loss if the transformer has high enough impedance compared to the load impedance and it is a true transmission line transformer, but materials with a lower loss tangent are generally better if the transformer has enough impedance across each winding. I think that even a well-designed transformer will have maybe 1-2% loss. At 100 watts, that is 1-2 watts which will cause the transformer to heat up. Just dissipate 1-watt in a resistor with your DC power supply and feel the heat. It's all about the surface area and the dissipation. Many even wrongly call heat saturation, when it is almost always nothing more than dissipation from the resistive part of the impedance and the voltage across (or current through) that resistance. As a matter of fact most baluns and transformers operating at more than a few watts heat long before they come close to saturating. For example the balun in the ATR30 tuner overheats to the point where it reaches the core temperature limit at just 100 watts of dissipation for about one minute. The heat is not caused by saturation unless you are running a 30 kW pulse transmitter with low duty cycle into a particular load. Heat is almost always caused by resistive losses, and the balun will typically handle 2-3 kW of CW without undue heating. 50 watts of loss out of 2 kW will make it get VERY warm, but it is insignificant loss and not saturation. Put heat it into perspective of the applied power and the area dissipating heat. Think of how hot a 7 watt light bulb gets and the surface area of the bulb. Now think of a standard 100 watt bulb, or a standard 40 watt florescent lamp. All of them mostly make heat from the applied power. It is a surface area and power dissipation problem so we have to use common sense by comparing it to similar size things. A final thought. The worse way in the world to determine balun efficiency is with a signal report. First, there is a time problem on skywave. By the time we change baluns or tuners propagation can change. Second, either locally or on skywave any change in balance can change antenna patterns. Groundwave is particularly USELESS with a horizontally polarized antenna. I know of at least three tests where people compared tuner or balun configurations on groundwave using horizontally polarized antennas. The results of those tests are meaningless, because a change in feeder unbalance would significantly affect ground wave field strength. This is because only the vertical component can propagate over any distance along the earth, or does well near the earth's surface. The worse system for balance will produce the strongest local signal when using horizontally polarized antennas at HF. We have to be careful what we conclude or assume. Even when we are careful and use good methods, there can be mistakes or things we miss. 73 Tom ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun
On Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:37:15 -0500, Phil Debbie Salas wrote: Heat means LOST POWER. Virtually all baluns like the BL2 use Fair-Rite #61 (or something quite similar). Download http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf and study Fig 6, the loss characteristics of Fair-Rite #61. The loss begins to rise above 10 MHz, and it isn't pretty above about 20 MHz. The figure referred to is using the material as part of an RFI suppression choke where you want attenuation at RF frequencies. NO! The figure shows the FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES OF THE MATERIAL as published on the data sheet by the manufacturer, Fair-Rite. See the text of the tutorial for a discussion of what those data mean. I think you'll find that when the Type 61 material is used as a transformer, it will have very low loss if designed properly. That can be a big if. It depends on frequency, the parts used, the windings, and the impedances. And as Tom observes, it's not easy to measure with instrumentation commonly available to hams. 73, Jim Brown K9YC ___ 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] [K3] Why wait? Buy mine!
Why wait 5 months for delivery? Buy mine in time for the Fall contest and low-band DX season. My Elecraft K3 (S/N 00111) is in excellent mechanical and electrical condition with all current hardware mods and the latest firmware. It also includes N8LP's IF OUT Buffer mod which improves sensitivity when using N8LP's LP-PAN panadaptor (see below for more details). http://www.telepostinc.com/LP-PAN.html Included are the K3/100, KXV3 (necessary for RX ANT input as well as the IF OUT for the LP-PAN), 2.7 kHz and 500 Hz roofing filters, all original documentation and 3 months remaining on the factory warranty (expires November 28). This unit works perfectly, won the 2008 ARRL DX CW Contest for 160 meters single-op and made more QSOs on 160 than the top 3 multi-ops (W3LPL, KC1XX and K3LR). Why am I selling? I bought another K3 with the KRX3 Sub-Receiver option so I could install everything in my initial build. Of course you can always add any additional options or filters to this unit yourself. Asking $2300 or best offer including insurance and shipping via Priority mail within the continental US. Personal US checks are OK allowing sufficient time for clearance. I can also accept PayPal if you want it shipped immediately but must add 5% due to PayPal fees. I can also ship internationally (PayPal only) via Priority International insured to some countries. Contact me to see if that's possible to your country and I'll determine shipping costs. Please reply off-list ONLY. 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/-K3--Why-wait---Buy-mine%21-tp724231p724231.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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] [K3] Why wait? Buy mine!
Spoken for! Thanks for looking. 73, Bill -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/-K3--Why-wait---Buy-mine%21-tp724231p724314.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote: Thanks David - helps if you RTFM. You haven't found any problems with the TMP lead from the KAT3 then? I wondered if there might be some stray RF pickup. I used the BNC, so I simply disconnected the KAT3 cable from both ends and coiled it up. I placed a bent solder lug under one of the thumbscrews on top of the KRX3 and used it to hold the cable in place in case I wanted it in the future. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ 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] K3 Owner's Manual Rev. D now available
As some of you have noticed, we've posted an updated K3 Owner's Manual on our web site. We're also shipping the rev. D manual with new K3s. Here's a partial list of what's new in Revision D: - includes full index - all new firmware features and menu entries detailed - expanded sub receiver operation section - RS232 and ACC connector pinout drawings added - troubleshooting section reorganized and extended A detailed summary of changes is not available (that in itself would be a huge task). But the additions and changes reflect the firmware release notes issued since 11/07. You can download the .pdf version of the rev. D manual free of charge. A printed and bound copy is $29.95 (listed on our Order page, at the end of the K3 section). 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] DVR
Has anyone received or tried the DVR yet? I'm not sure if this is yet to be developed or if they started to ship it. As far as I understand it is due to be shipped to me sometime late this fall - but I have a late serial number on my K3 (S/N 1412). Are - LB3SA KX1 - K2 - K3 -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/DVR-tp724499p724499.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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] DVR
been no word, other than it will be shipped after KRX3, so in theory, they could be starting on it now. I for one am eagerly awaiting (since May'07) 73 de M0XDF, K3 #174 -- Either that wallpaper goes, or I do. - last words of Oscar Wild On 14 Aug 2008, at 17:28, LB3SA wrote: Has anyone received or tried the DVR yet? I'm not sure if this is yet to be developed or if they started to ship it. As far as I understand it is due to be shipped to me sometime late this fall - but I have a late serial number on my K3 (S/N 1412). ___ 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] K3 Owner's Manual Rev. D now available
At 12:25 PM 8/14/2008, wayne burdick wrote: As some of you have noticed, we've posted an updated K3 Owner's Manual on our web site. We're also shipping the rev. D manual with new K3s. Here's a partial list of what's new in Revision D: - includes full index - all new firmware features and menu entries detailed Firmware release number, please? Jerry W4UK ___ 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: K3 Owner's Manual Rev. D now available
On Aug 14, 2008, at 9:50 AM, Jerry Flanders wrote: At 12:25 PM 8/14/2008, wayne burdick wrote: - all new firmware features and menu entries detailed Firmware release number, please? The manual covers firmware through rev 2.23 (the present beta release). 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] K3: anticipated date for next normal FW update?
The last regular (working) FW release was back on June 10 (2+ months ago now, in case you can't to simple math...chuckle, chuckle). In the intervening time, there are three (3) Beta releases. For those of us too timid. (conservative, or risk-averse to play with a Beta version, any idea when the next non-Beta version will be released? About how much time (or amount of feedback) is required for the Elecraft gurus to feel confident enough to lock down a version for regular release? Just curious. I think having lots of Beta versions avaible to all is very cool and exciting, but then there are us non-early adopters to remember too. :-) Thanks, de Doug KR2Q ___ 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] K3 Keying and NR
Whilst in QSO with a European station recently, he asked if I was using a K3. I told him that I was and asked why he was asking. He said he thought I was using a K3 as he recognised the hard keying, having heard it on some other K3s. I was using the NR option at the time. This was the first critical report on the hard keying of my K3 that I have received since I started using it in May. I only operate CW and have made well over 4500 QSOs with it so far, but have only recently started using the NR option. I believe I read something about this on the Reflector recently but a search of the archives does not reveal anything - perhaps it was on the K3 Reflector? I carried out some tests this morning on 80 metres with a good friend (a K2 owner) and someone who I can rely on to give me honest reports. I didn't tell him what I was doing, but asked him to comment on the hardness of my keying in position 1 and position 2. Position 1 was without NR and position 2 was with it. He said the keying was noticeable harder in position 2. I am not a technical person, hence my question as to whether using the NR option can effect the hardness of the keying? If it can, is it fixable, please? Thanks and 73 de Chris, G4BUE ___ 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] K3 tuning knob weight/inertia/whatever
Back in the day, I had an FT890 which was furnished with a very lightweight tuning knob. I got some lead tape from a golf supply store and packed the back of the knob with as much tape as I could fit near the outside diameter of the knob. Almost made the FT890 seem like a real radio! Also a very inexpensive solution. Carl WC0V ___ 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: K3 Keying and NR
Whilst in QSO with a European station recently, he asked if I was using a K3. I told him that I was and asked why he was asking. He said he thought I was using a K3 as he recognised the hard keying, having heard it on some other K3s. I was using the NR option at the time. Thanks and 73 de Chris, G4BUE Ah, now I get it. When I was in the EUHFC contest two weeks ago, I was playing with the NR and its parameter on one of the lower bands while running. Someone broke in (no callsign given) and sent check ur tx - check ur tx. It was the first and only comment about my signal ever so I thought it was his RX. I'm sure the NR was on at that point because the band (80? 160?) was very noisy. So his remark might have been caused by the same K3 issue? I never had a rig with NR or NB (TS-850's NB = no effect), can anyone tell me how to set it up or is it just a case of see-what-is-the-best-setting-at-a-given-time? 73 de Franki ON5ZO http://on5zo.spaces.live.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] K3: anticipated date for next normal FW update?
DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote: I think having lots of Beta versions avaible to all is very cool and exciting, but then there are us non-early adopters to remember too. Speaking as a field tester, I feel there is little risk in using beta versions. Anything publicly posted by Elecraft has already been through some level of testing by the field test team. It's not like there hasn't been any testing at all, and you can always back up a version or two if there's a problem. You're not going to permanently break anything in the rig by loading beta firmware. I'm much more leery about loading SP3 (still!) for Windows XP than I am beta firmware for the K3. That said, even I would probably not use a very recently released version in a contest. 73, Bill -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3%3A-anticipated-date-for-next-%22normal%22-FW-update--tp724664p724846.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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] K3 Owner's Manual Rev. D now available
Firmware release number, please? Jerry W4UK Per the errata sheet, looks like 2.21 Bruce, NM5B ___ 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] DVR
On the K3 order form it states fall or winter 2008. Bob Serwy - N9RS -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Ferrington, M0XDF Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 11:32 AM To: LB3SA Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DVR been no word, other than it will be shipped after KRX3, so in theory, they could be starting on it now. I for one am eagerly awaiting (since May'07) 73 de M0XDF, K3 #174 -- Either that wallpaper goes, or I do. - last words of Oscar Wild On 14 Aug 2008, at 17:28, LB3SA wrote: Has anyone received or tried the DVR yet? I'm not sure if this is yet to be developed or if they started to ship it. As far as I understand it is due to be shipped to me sometime late this fall - but I have a late serial number on my K3 (S/N 1412). ___ 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
[Elecraft] K3 Keying and NR No Effect Here
I just keyed my K3 with and without NR (all settings) while looking at the keying waveform. I used both the internal keyer and an external computer interface for keying and could not see any effect on the 5 mS rise and fall times related to NR settings or with NR on or off. Don K7FJ K3 #195 latest Beta Whilst in QSO with a European station recently, he asked if I was using a K3. I told him that I was and asked why he was asking. He said he thought I was using a K3 as he recognised the hard keying, having heard it on some other K3s. I was using the NR option at the time. This was the first critical report on the hard keying of my K3 that I have received since I started using it in May. I only operate CW and have made well over 4500 QSOs with it so far, but have only recently started using the NR option. I believe I read something about this on the Reflector recently but a search of the archives does not reveal anything - perhaps it was on the K3 Reflector? I carried out some tests this morning on 80 metres with a good friend (a K2 owner) and someone who I can rely on to give me honest reports. I didn't tell him what I was doing, but asked him to comment on the hardness of my keying in position 1 and position 2. Position 1 was without NR and position 2 was with it. He said the keying was noticeable harder in position 2. I am not a technical person, hence my question as to whether using the NR option can effect the hardness of the keying? If it can, is it fixable, please? Thanks and 73 de Chris, G4BUE ___ 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: K3 Keying and NR
Hi Chris, I am not a technical person, hence my question as to whether using the NR option can effect the hardness of the keying? NR should have no effect in transmit mode. I'll look into this right away. What revision of firmware are you using? Does the keying issue change if you move the VFO a bit, say 1 kHz in either direction? tnx Wayne N6KR ___ 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] Need a little SMD help!
I need a little help with replacing the two SMD diodes in the VSWR circuit. K3 support has determined, after 4 days of emails, that they are bad - possibly from a 'nearby lightning strike' - and it's up to me to replace them with 2 new more robust diodes or pay for having them replaced if I send them the K3. I guess the new robust parts are warranty, but replacing them isn't! Elecraft is sending me the 2 new more robust diodes. I do not have the equipment to remove the old ones and replace them, nor do I have the desire to work on anything smaller than a 1/8 watt resistor. So . is there anyone within 50 miles or so of Lapeer, MI who can change these new diodes when I get them?And if you don't have a K3, this would be a good chance to see one and try it out! 73HankK8DD ___ 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] Need a little SMD help!
Hank, I'm around 50 miles south of you and would be happy to help you out if you can make the trip. I've made a couple of mods to my K3 already, so I have some experience with it. Contact me offline if you are interested. 73, Dave W8FGU -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:elecraft- [EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of hank k8dd Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 4:46 PM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Need a little SMD help! I need a little help with replacing the two SMD diodes in the VSWR circuit. K3 support has determined, after 4 days of emails, that they are bad - possibly from a 'nearby lightning strike' - and it's up to me to replace them with 2 new more robust diodes or pay for having them replaced if I send them the K3. I guess the new robust parts are warranty, but replacing them isn't! Elecraft is sending me the 2 new more robust diodes. I do not have the equipment to remove the old ones and replace them, nor do I have the desire to work on anything smaller than a 1/8 watt resistor. So . is there anyone within 50 miles or so of Lapeer, MI who can change these new diodes when I get them?And if you don't have a K3, this would be a good chance to see one and try it out! 73HankK8DD ___ 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] Need a little SMD help!
Hank, Sorry that I am not a little closer. However, I recently replaced my diodes (using the SMT parts .. but the leaded types will install just as easily) and the only tricky part is getting the old ones off of the board. I received a lot of advice from the list and the method I found easiest is described below. First .. I want to note that the SMT diodes that are installed originally have three solder tabs but one of them is a dummy with no connection. Also, those the bodies of those SMT parts are slightly elevated off of the board .. the space is too small to be visible but it is there (at least it was on my board) and it came in handy when lifting the old parts. I was advised to heat the diodes evenly using a large blob of molton solder on the tip of my iron and touching the top of the diode with the hot solder blob. That did not work, perhaps because my soldering iron tip was not big enough. Then I tried slipping a very very thin piece of steel sheet under the diode while heating first one side of the diode and then the other. The perfect piece of thin steel is a 0.002 feeler gage that is part of an assortment of feeler gages used by mechanics for setting spark plug or valve lifter gaps. Many of us have them in our tool box. That feeler gage worked very well because it nested under the edge of the diode before I had touched it with the iron and it lifted the diodes easily leaving the pads looking like new. For what it's worth ... Don K7FJ I need a little help with replacing the two SMD diodes in the VSWR circuit. K3 support has determined, after 4 days of emails, that they are bad - possibly from a 'nearby lightning strike' - and it's up to me to replace them with 2 new more robust diodes or pay for having them replaced if I send them the K3. I guess the new robust parts are warranty, but replacing them isn't! Elecraft is sending me the 2 new more robust diodes. I do not have the equipment to remove the old ones and replace them, nor do I have the desire to work on anything smaller than a 1/8 watt resistor. So . is there anyone within 50 miles or so of Lapeer, MI who can change these new diodes when I get them?And if you don't have a K3, this would be a good chance to see one and try it out! 73HankK8DD ___ 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] K1EL reader
I am trying to interface the K1EL CW keyboard and reader with my K1. No problem with the keyboard part--works great. However the cable for the reader has me stumped. If I use the earphones jack whether I use the tip and shaft connections on the mini-plug or whether I use the tip and ring connections the reader doesn't seem to work. Do I need to cut the trace on the RF board by that jack? Thanks, Mark Paley--K8LD-- ___ 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] RTFB
Found the answer to my question. K1EL keyer and code reader running perfectly. Reader useless unless someone sends code with a keyboard or you're listening to W1AW code practice. Anyway, it was just a matter of reading the ing book... K8LD ___ 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] More Balanced Current Measurements - Voltage Balun - Remote Tuner
YES! PLEASE, Please...a remote version of one of the 100W Elecraft antenna tuners is greatly needed. Even more so than a 500 - 1000 W amp. I get a chuckle every time I read that someone worked rare DX with their K3/100 and KAT3 combo using 100 ft of 50 ohm coax out to a multiband vertical o r dipole. 73, Henry - K4TMC K2/100 #3137 and K3/100 #98 ** Looking for a car that's sporty, fun and fits in your budget? Read reviews on AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/cars-Volkswagen-Jetta-2009/expert-review?ncid=aolaut00030 7 ) ___ 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] Need a little SMD help!
Hank, If you cannot get local help with it, I have successfully used the following technique to remove SMD ICs, and it should work with the diodes. Push a length of enameled wire (largest gauge that will fit - usually #26 or #28) under the pin, grasp both ends of the wire, then heat the lead and solder pad while pulling on the wire. Once the wire slips through, the lead will no longer be in contact with the pad - do 2 that way and the 3rd one is a snap. 73, Don W3FPR hank k8dd wrote: I need a little help with replacing the two SMD diodes in the VSWR circuit. K3 support has determined, after 4 days of emails, that they are bad - possibly from a 'nearby lightning strike' - and it's up to me to replace them with 2 new more robust diodes or pay for having them replaced if I send them the K3. I guess the new robust parts are warranty, but replacing them isn't! Elecraft is sending me the 2 new more robust diodes. I do not have the equipment to remove the old ones and replace them, nor do I have the desire to work on anything smaller than a 1/8 watt resistor. So . is there anyone within 50 miles or so of Lapeer, MI who can change these new diodes when I get them?And if you don't have a K3, this would be a good chance to see one and try it out! 73HankK8DD ___ 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] Re: K3 KRX3 - BNC or KAT3?
I just tucked them out of the way. David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote: Ok, so what did you do with the unattached connections? Did you sleeve them, did you tuck them out of the way somewhere? -- On 14 Aug 2008, at 11:36, Ken K3IU wrote: When I installed the KRX3, I physically installed both the BNC connector and the KAT3 cables but did not connect either to the KRX3. Maybe later.. ___ 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low-pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
Hi Oliver, How about the NET meets on a specific frequency and everyone tunes to that specific frequency. That will work too, Frank - W6NEK - Original Message - From: O. Johns [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 4:41 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low-pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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] K3 - My turn - K3 sn 1442 arrives 8/14
Subject: K3 - My turn K3/100 kit ordered 3/30, shipped 08/08/08. Arrived 8/14. 130 days Order to ship. Thanks Elecraft. K3/100, KAT3, KXV3, 2.7, bo KRX3, KDVR3 Short message - radio to build. 73, de Jim KG0KP ___ 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] K3: anticipated date for next normal FW update?
DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote: I think having lots of Beta versions avaible to all is very cool and exciting, but then there are us non-early adopters to remember too. W4ZV wrote: Speaking as a field tester, I feel there is little risk in using beta versions. Anything publicly posted by Elecraft has already been through some level of testing by the field test team. It's not like there hasn't been any testing at all, and you can always back up a version or two if there's a problem. You're not going to permanently break anything in the rig by loading beta firmware. I'm much more leery about loading SP3 (still!) for Windows XP than I am beta firmware for the K3. That said, even I would probably not use a very recently released version in a contest. I agree with Bill, although I have to admit that I load the latest firmware every time I'm in the radio room. For over a year now, I've always used the most recent firmware provided to Field Test for evaluation, even in contests. I've never had a major problem and I've actively used nearly every version the engineers have churned out, including multiple versions of the same version number! If I were to have a problem, I'd simply load a prior version which is trivial to do with the K3 Utility. In one Thursday night NCCC practice Sprint, I got several reports of an odd-sounding CW signal and that immediately led to a firmware fix of a very subtle issue that only happened on a few discreet frequencies. So, given Elecraft's responsiveness, I am very bullish about using the latest firmware and helping move the K3 forward. 73, Ed - W0YK P.S. I have the Windows XP SP3 CD, but am also reluctant to install it on my computers. My Microsoft experience is quite different than my K3 firmware experience. ___ 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
Jim, Does conjure up a picture, doesn't it? Of course, only net control would transmit. The others would just blow and listen. And, of course, actual pitch pipes are not the way to go. Too spectrally impure. 73, Oliver W6ODJ On 14 Aug 2008, at 5:14 PM, Jim Cox wrote: Would love to hear a bunch of hams with pitch pipes. I think we have enough qrm as it is. Thanks goodness I stay away from nets. Jim K4JAF - Original Message - From: O. Johns [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Jim Cox [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 7:00 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB Nope. Not kidding. Not at all. 73, W6ODJ On 14 Aug 2008, at 4:54 PM, Jim Cox wrote: I think your a bit ahead of Aprils Fools day! You must be kidding OM - Original Message - From: O. Johns [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 6:41 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low- pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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/elecraftHelp: 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
Hell many of the CW ops can't zero beat a signal and get onto frequency when answering my CW what makes us think that SSB ops are going to be any better about it? On Thu, 2008-08-14 at 16:41 -0700, O. Johns wrote: Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low-pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
That only works if everyone has an accurately calibrated frequency reference. Even if you have calibrated things its only as good as your reference is to begin with. On Thu, 2008-08-14 at 16:52 -0700, W6NEK wrote: Hi Oliver, How about the NET meets on a specific frequency and everyone tunes to that specific frequency. That will work too, Frank - W6NEK - Original Message - From: O. Johns [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 4:41 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low-pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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] K3: anticipated date for next normal FW update?
Doug and all, And I also agree with Ed and Bill. I have been downloading the latest test versions of the firmware that is available to the field testers since January. No problems have been encountered. Even the 'beta' versions have been tested by the field testers, and we all have agree that we have not found any problems before it is released to 'beta'. There may be subtle remaining issues that can arise with a greater number of 'testers', but that is an exposure even with full release firmware or software. I encourage you to use the latest, even if it is a beta version. If you identify any problems, please report them with as much detail of the conditions as possible - your problem must be reproducible in order to be fixed. I too have more fear about upgrading software than I do about the K3 firmware, but I am running WinXP SP3 here! 73, Don W3FPR Ed Muns wrote: DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote: I think having lots of Beta versions avaible to all is very cool and exciting, but then there are us non-early adopters to remember too. W4ZV wrote: Speaking as a field tester, I feel there is little risk in using beta versions. Anything publicly posted by Elecraft has already been through some level of testing by the field test team. It's not like there hasn't been any testing at all, and you can always back up a version or two if there's a problem. You're not going to permanently break anything in the rig by loading beta firmware. I'm much more leery about loading SP3 (still!) for Windows XP than I am beta firmware for the K3. That said, even I would probably not use a very recently released version in a contest. I agree with Bill, although I have to admit that I load the latest firmware every time I'm in the radio room. For over a year now, I've always used the most recent firmware provided to Field Test for evaluation, even in contests. I've never had a major problem and I've actively used nearly every version the engineers have churned out, including multiple versions of the same version number! If I were to have a problem, I'd simply load a prior version which is trivial to do with the K3 Utility. In one Thursday night NCCC practice Sprint, I got several reports of an odd-sounding CW signal and that immediately led to a firmware fix of a very subtle issue that only happened on a few discreet frequencies. So, given Elecraft's responsiveness, I am very bullish about using the latest firmware and helping move the K3 forward. ___ 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] K3 Noise
I'm glad to report that I have found the source of the static crashing noise on 10 and 12 meters on my K3. It was also the source of a higher than normal noise floor. This was all caused by noisy trimmer caps in the 10/12 meter bpf section. Mainly c180 but c184 is noisy also. Elecraft is sending new parts so I won't have to send the radio back. Another person has had a problem on 20 caused by a different trimmer. Just an FYI. Love the rig. Can't wait for the 2nd rx. Randy K8RDD ___ 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] K3 Kenwood mic question
Dave K6LL opined: ... two days ago I turned all that stuff off and checked into the local net with eq flat, essb turned off, and using the 2.7 filter. The local guys (very attentive and critical audio observers) spontaneously reported that whatever I had done to the audio, it sounded excellent, and had great DX punch. I've had exactly the same reaction from 98% of the hams who have listened to my 6m SSB signal. I've taken these numerous unsolicited comments to heart and have kept my hands off the audio settings. :-) (BTW, I'm using a Heil ProSet with the HC5 element.) Having said that, I know a couple of non-K3 guys who (using whatever rigs they have) are always a little harder to copy under adverse conditions because their voices are heavy in the bass register with attenuated high-frequency overtones. I can see the K3's TXEQ being an outstanding solution for guys like that. Finally, I think the K3's compression model is simply outstanding. In all the on-air tests I've done with other guys, they say that the K3 compression, when adjusted as per the K3 manual, renders the audio much stronger and more intelligible with absolutely no distortion that can be perceived by ear. The K3's designers have done an outstanding job of tailoring the transmit audio capabilities of this radio to a very high level of quality. IMO, the K3 raises the bar on SSB TX audio quality, with or without ESSB. :-) Bill W5WVO ___ 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] K3 #1433 Has Arrived
On Sat, 9 Aug 2008 09:44:50 am Rob May wrote: Ack! Mine's sitting in a UPS facility in Mesquite, Tx. So close and yet so far away. I'll have it Monday. Ordered 2/22/08, Katiegram 7/31/08. This is going to be a long weekend waiting... Rob NV5E Hello All, Two things I found out about my K3 yesterday. One, it's sitting in customs awaiting a mound of paperwork to set it free. Two, it was bought by my non-ham wife without me knowing. I still don't know what options there are or even what a Katiegram looks like. A wonderful surprise is in store. 73 de David VK5DG K2 #5492 K3 #? ___ 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] K3: Voice pitch adjustment on SSB
Hello Oliver, Actually, the wider the bandwidth and the higher the quality of the audio, the easier it is to tune accurately. Precise tuning of a 2.6KHz signal is much more difficult than with a 3.6 KHz signal - where it is pretty easy to achieve an accuracy of about 5Hz to 10Hz if your receiver bandwidth can match or exceed the transmit bandwidth -- whether you're familiar with the voice of the other operator or not. All ears are not created equal though, so YMMV. This is not a plug for ESSB, merely an observation. Besides... I'm a CW op :-) 73, Dale WA8SRA O. Johns wrote: Folks, I read the web pages about ESSB, after seeing on the reflector that the K3 now supports it. It struck me that even ESSB doesn't solve one big issue with voice transmission: PITCH. Tuning the SSB receiver changes the overall pitch of the received voice. Unless you have met the sending ham or at least talked to him/her on the phone (or on AM!!), you have no real idea how high- or low-pitched the voice really is. One can only guess, and get a sort of feel for what a reasonable tuning is. One way to solve this may seem a joke, but it isn't. Everyone should buy a little 440 Hz pitch pipe, the kind used to tune musical instruments. Then, say, the net control could blow his pitch pipe at the start of the net and all the listeners could blow their little pitch pipes while listening to net control. They would all then adjust their receiver tunings until the pitches matched. Like a shortwave orchestra tuning up. (Of course, this might violate the FCC rule against music on ham radio, but maybe not if the pitch pipe was near a pure sine wave. Then the signal transmitted by net control would be just an ordinary CW signal, but at 440 Hz from the net control's suppressed carrier.) A refinement would be to build a pure 440 Hz tone generator into the microphone preamps of radios. Net control pushes a button while transmitting and it goes out over the air. The net members push another button while receiving to produce a 440 Hz tone in their speakers along with the received signal from net control. Then the receiving operators adjust their receiver tuning until the pitches coincide. For the tone challenged among us, the receiver tuning could even be automated, much like the K3 already does for sidetone on CW. This scheme came to me when I was adjusting the audio parameters on my K2. I had the K2 running into a dummy load, and was listening to it on headphones plugged into a TenTec RX320D across the room. Since the K2 was on a dummy load, I tried whistling and was surprised and pleased to find that the PITCH of my whistle didn't match the one I was hearing on the phones. But I could adjust the RX320D tuning until they did match. Guarantee of zero beat and realistic pitch in voice reception. Doesn't seem that this would be too hard to do. Maybe the K3 could even do it in firmware? 73, Oliver Johns W6ODJ ___ 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
