Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Don Ehrlich wrote: Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style. His comments are well thought out and cleverly put and I welcome them. Thank you Howard. The early K3 was not your cup of tea but it is exactly what I wanted .. we all have different needs. So, what else is new? I have had my K3 #195 for 18 months now and I am simply delighted. It was perfect for *me*. Don K7FJ Well, I see the elecraft K3 as still a work in progress. No, I am not referring to the firmware/software mods. I am referring to continuing hardware mods. The latest is the audio filter to make SSB audio actually sound good - like a good radio sounds. It was very nice of you all to buy the radios before everything worked right, and provide feedback to Elecraft, and test the hardware and software improvements, and open your multi-thousand dollar radios and stick your soldering iron in there but that's not for me. I want to buy a factory built radio - and be happy and done with it. Now, some things just don't make any sense whatsoever to me - but must to others. Why in world will someone pay so much money for 10watt 2meter in their elecraft, when they can buy a 50 watt 2m/70cm radio with more power, can be used for MARS, and maybe even a built-in TNC for around the same amount? I don't know - maybe someone wants to do weak signal SSB on 2m? Well with 10 watts you'll also be providing weak signals for others to enjoy - hihi. I would never buy a new ICOM model in the first year - because usually there are some hardware bugs found during the first year. How many years should one wait for Elecraft? I'm not sure. Then there is the K3's transmitter. ARRL test reviews shows it on par with the old 746pro's transmitter. The Flex 5000's new redesigned transmitter scores top of the class in ARRL testing. Leaps and bounds better than the K3's transmitter. I bet Elecraft may soon be redesigning its transmitter to meet or even 1-up Flex's transmitter. Why not have the best cleanest transmitter to go along with the best receiver? Maybe I should wait for 2 years of no further hardware modifications - then I'll know Elecraft finally finished the radio's hardware. I just don't have the self-confidence to go hardware-modding such an expensive radio. So, you are enjoying the world's best receiver nowand I'll enjoy it a few years from now. Yes, I can think this and not write it. But then you went and wrote how Elecraft has finished the radio. No hard feelings. Howard __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-eHam-review-after-2%2B-years-tp3202931p3207846.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post:
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style. His comments are well thought out and cleverly put and I welcome them. Thank you Howard. The early K3 was not your cup of tea but it is exactly what I wanted .. we all have different needs. So, what else is new? I have had my K3 #195 for 18 months now and I am simply delighted. It was perfect for *me*. Don K7FJ -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-eHam-review-after-2%2B-years-tp3202931p3207995.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard, Man, are you a dreamer! Not even the $10k radios come off the line in the condition you say is your expectation! Remember, some of the mods to the K3 have been fixes admittedly, but most of them have been more like upgrades. I have an Orion II that I've had for a couple of years more than I've had my K3, and they are just now getting around to de-bugging a few of the software issues. Most of the hardware issues are untouched! The IC-7800 required a return it to the factory mod to fix some of the glitches it had. The IC-7700 has probably been less troublesome, but that's significantly due to what Icom learned (and corrected) from the 7800. The Yaesu FTD 9000 was a disaster when it was released! The best radios for having few issues are those that are actually ugrade models. One of the best examples is Icom 706 Mark II G. Both the original version, and the Mark II version, had loads of pimples in their design. It only took 4 or 5 years to finally get a version that was relatively sound. The K3 had some warts when it first came out, but most of those were quickly addressed, and did not require a return to sender process. More importantly, the fixes were easily accomplished with simple part value corrections/additions. I'm not unsympathetic with your frustration, but I think anyone who expects a radio to be both feature rich and error free is being a bit unrealistic. I would also suggest that the error rate the K3 is overly transparent, compared to other radios, primarily due to this reflector and the interchange with the company itself. Here all the problems tend to be laid out for all to see, but instead of talking to the wall you get to talk to, and get effective resolution from, factory personnel. For the most part, as soon as an issue appears to be more than just an isolated problem, Elecraft tackles the problem. Other manufacturers, like Yaesu and Icom, silently wait for the complaints to reach almost a deafening level, then they just as silently make production changes, and the only way you have a prayer of avoiding the problem is to acquire a late serial number. If you monitor the reflectors for many of the other current radios, I think you might see what I am talking about. Again, I'm not criticizing your frustration level, but I think you would be a lot happier with a radio that is a lot further along in its life cycle. By the way, the K3 is not really quite 2 years old yet--at least not by my calculations. I have #96, and I didn't get mine until November of 2007. I'd say it's still in its infancy. But I can make mine play just like the one coming off the line tomorrow, and that's without having to send it back to Aptos. Dave W7AQK - Original Message - From: HowardZ howa...@howardz.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 04, 2009 12:44 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years Well, I see the elecraft K3 as still a work in progress. No, I am not referring to the firmware/software mods. I am referring to continuing hardware mods. The latest is the audio filter to make SSB audio actually sound good - like a good radio sounds. It was very nice of you all to buy the radios before everything worked right, and provide feedback to Elecraft, and test the hardware and software improvements, and open your multi-thousand dollar radios and stick your soldering iron in there but that's not for me. I want to buy a factory built radio - and be happy and done with it. Now, some things just don't make any sense whatsoever to me - but must to others. Why in world will someone pay so much money for 10watt 2meter in their elecraft, when they can buy a 50 watt 2m/70cm radio with more power, can be used for MARS, and maybe even a built-in TNC for around the same amount? I don't know - maybe someone wants to do weak signal SSB on 2m? Well with 10 watts you'll also be providing weak signals for others to enjoy - hihi. I would never buy a new ICOM model in the first year - because usually there are some hardware bugs found during the first year. How many years should one wait for Elecraft? I'm not sure. Then there is the K3's transmitter. ARRL test reviews shows it on par with the old 746pro's transmitter. The Flex 5000's new redesigned transmitter scores top of the class in ARRL testing. Leaps and bounds better than the K3's transmitter. I bet Elecraft may soon be redesigning its transmitter to meet or even 1-up Flex's transmitter. Why not have the best cleanest transmitter to go along with the best receiver? Maybe I should wait for 2 years of no further hardware modifications - then I'll know Elecraft finally finished the radio's hardware. I just don't have the self-confidence to go hardware-modding such an expensive radio. So, you are enjoying the world's best receiver nowand I'll enjoy it a few years from now. Yes, I can think this
Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Headphone Splitter/Amp
Keith, I am sure you mean to inform or express your objection to what you have been lead to believe about Behringer and patent or design infringements but you are passing unfounded rumors. The famous often quoted Mackie case was 90% dismissed on first reading by a judge up could see almost all the claims were groundless. The point let stand for trial(which never took place) were simply a similar color scheme (one was blue and silver and the other was gray and silver so even there they were not copies) and a similar but not that close, of a feature set in their largest mixers at the time. Mackie was barking up the wrong tree with that, ALL mixers of similar size at the time, including their own were laid out and functioned similarly to prior designs by other longer established manufacturers. To relate it to Ham radio, Collins would have, using Mackie's logic, sued Drake for use of tubes, colors and a similar layout in their first trancivers despite being quite different in design and roughly similar in features, yet not acknowledge they were both derivatives of prior practices in the field by, say, Hallicrafters. It was clear the suit was brought as a marketing ploy by a company that was fast fading and losing market share. They published it on musician forums and in ads long before it was even filed or Behringer had been informed. It worked, you believed it without knowing the facts, or bothering to find out. There are essentially no patents on circuit designs, Mackie or others have nothing uniquely their own in terms of fundamental circuit novelty, only slight variations of common practice. These are marketing patents, ones intended to lead the casual reader or shopper to believe a concept is unique to them when in fact the patent really only covers the way plastic clips are used to hold a component in, and has nothing to do with operation or circuit topology. Consumers do not read patents. They see Our revolutionary patented mixer is all new and the best, when it is clearly not new or best, or even much different from competing brands/models. I have a lot of inside information about Behringer and Mackie, DBX etc, and full sets of all the circuit diagrams for everything they ever made up until a few years ago and comparing the circuits of DBX, Mackie, etc reveals no copies, but they are all using similar parts with sub-circuits based on application notes by the IC manufactures. Behrngers main contribution was shifting assembly before the others to China. That is the big breakthrough that separated them from the other higher priced manufacturers. They offered higher performance-to-cost ratio equipment, none best of class but surely not worst either, just good value with good reliability. Their rack mount gear and small mixers were very reliable, quiet and worked as advertised, for a fraction of the selling price of the competitors. Since that time ALL of the mass market pro and musical equipment manufacturers have followed Behringer's lead and started subcontracting assembly in China, including Mackie. I've been to the Behringer headquarters in Germany many times, as well know quite well all the major brands and boutique brands of pro audio and I have been most impressed with Behringer. They have about the highest engineers/general staff ratio in the industry and have a modern tightly run operation. When I brought engineering data regarding the power supply problem and a set of proposed remedies a meeting with the design engineers, production engineers and even graphic arts was convened instantly and the issue was worked out in 30 minutes, including a conference call with Uli, the owner/chief engineer. Within hours the change was in place on the production line in China. I saw they were serious about getting it right and still keep their price point, something that is rare in the pro audio field where it can take months for a Japanese company to even acknowledge a problem. They have more engineers than their competitors in almost all cases. Uli Behinger himself designs much of the product line from his design center in Singapore where he lives. Next time someone uses that old rumor about stolen designs or cases lost ask the teller if he has ever compared the items he is referring to. He hasn't or he would be able to see in 1 second they are not the same. One rumor repeated in this thread was about copied PC boards even had copied mistakes. That is so easily proven false..it is supposed to be main channel boards of their 24x8 mixers at the time. Why did not any of the rumor mongers also report the same boards in question also had completely different layouts, the eq sections and AUX sends were in different areas of the pc boards, the only similarity was the channel faders were both located at the bottom of boardlike every mixer ever made. Mackie even sued over the use of the Panasonic 100mm fader as an infringement on an exclusive supply contract with Panasonic but Panasonic 100mm faders
[Elecraft] Hardware mods, what hardware mods?
G'day It has been interesting reading the email from Howard and the various emails that followed. In regard to hardware mods, I have a K3 that is around 18 months old. It is about the only radio that I have owned over the last decade that I haven't bothered to modify - because it works so well out of the box. My FT-1000MP and its two successor FT-1000s both went under the soldering iron as soon as they were out of warranty. My passions are 160m and contesting and in a strong signal (fellow contester 1km away) and a weak signal (covered in heaps of noise) environment it kills the two Yaesus - as its performance figures, as recorded on Rob Sherwood's website, would suggest. The so-called K3 hardware fixes are minor improvements to things that aren't going to don't make a lot of difference to an operator like me - which certainly could not say the same about the stuff I had to do to the MP (serious IF blow-through/hiss cured by the Inrad IF board, plus clix on CW that could make serious enemies) and the FT-1000 (the clix again, plus some modifications to receive antenna switching to bring it up to snuff with the MP). Looking at the other radios I have used over the last 45 years (Drake B and C-lines, Icom IC736, 751A, Yaesu FT101ZD, Kenwood TS-830S to name a few) for me, it works better out of the box than any of them and sounds at least as good. With a K3 and a Softrock v6/buffer amp plus VE3NEA's Rocky (for contesting) or CW Skimmer software, running under XP on an old P4 3GHz as bandscopes, I have a set-up that is leading-edge for weak signal work, without bleeding money. Vy 73 Steve, VK6VZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Quick Question for someone with their radio open
Take that back... Looks like Mouser's website was lying that that was a 5mm diameter cap Its actually 6.3mm which is going to be too big... So I did a bit more digging and found: http://mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsCnlYck6hSqLKeSeHnSOGyVYzpVBYnbJA%3d Looks like this specific cap should fit the pads. Providing the .208 measurement that I think I remember correctly isn't way off in left field... :) If someone could verify the dimensions of the plastic nugget on the bottom is about .208 x .208 then I think I'll have to order me up a few of these. ~Brett On Sat, 2009-07-04 at 20:51 -0700, Brett Howard wrote: http://mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=sGAEpiMZZMsCnlYck6hSqNv1tvAH8HUqxGXBxSgy5Fs%3d I think this capacitor may fit into the C9 and C13 area next to the headphone. This is an only 10V cap rather than the 25V cap that Elecraft has in there now. But I think that should be plenty of derating for a 105mW power amp. So if anyone has a pair of calipers and their radio open I'd be interested to see if we think this thing will fit. The bottom pad in the direction other than that with leads is ~5.3mm or .208 and in the direction of the leads its going to be ~5.5mm or .217 inches to the outside of the leads. Would greatly appreciate if someone would confirm this for me. I remember taking these measurements but didn't write them down. I believe I'm remembering them correctly. Anyone else have any thoughts on if 10V is going to be enough? I figured 10V^2/16ohms is about 6.25 watts and being that the amp is designed to deliver 105mW to that 16ohm load that seems like it should be more than enough derating. Any other thoughts? ~Brett __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft: Hands-On Ham Radio vs.Sit-Back Ham Radio
About the topic of Elecraft Unfinished radio's: Is the K3 a finished product? A company offering an open mind to users for improvement on its designs will never be selling finished equipment. This is not a weakness but may be one of the biggest qualities of Elecraft products as well as the company. Elecraft is constantly flooded with user input, sometimes even attacked or criticized on their designs but meanwhile is putting out a flagship radio with flagship qualities at a fraction of competitors' prices. Besides this, a wealth of products are available that are right-on-target for hamradio enthusiasts, endorsing the experiment. Hands-On Ham Radio works on both sides. The makers are constantly hands-on listening to users, refining their designs and inventing new circuits on the go. The users are using their equipment hands-on and know exactly what is going on under the hood. This is a big virtue in hamradio, being an experimental hobby. I think Elecraft is very important and quite unique in this approach. Why have a large RD team if you can canalise a wealth of knowledge that is already there amongst your users? In this way many hands are hands-on.I think the Elecraft team is managing this user input wonderfully well and has some excellent inventive brains leading the way. The K3 is (and has been from the beginning) a remarkable radio that I'm sure caused quite a few frowns in the far east... Is the K3 not ready yet? That depends on how you look at it. If you want to sit back and communicate, the K3 is offering all you need and a whole lot more. If you are a hands on user there is a lot to explore in improving certain aspects of the K3. A lot of functionality and expandability is left open for the user and your input in reflector is handled with attention. On this path you will get to know the K3 in detail, learn a lot about modern RF design in general and will be doing a lot of interesting experimentation. This is an extra dimension no other tranceiver has to offer. I'm happy to have also invested in this software-for-the-mind that is a part of Elecraft products. Hands-on is what hamradio is all about. I'm very glad the K3 is not finshed yet, hope it never will be :-) 73' Paul PD0PSB Normally I speak Dutch __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard, Methinks you may be confusing concepts in your thinking. Something may be complete and 100% functional and still be improved upon, may it not? Users will dream of new features and improvements to existing features. As a software engineer that idea surely is not foreign to you. The only thing Elecraft has not done is low-ball the initial price to hook us and then charge exhorbitantly for the new features/ updates - a rampant software practice. That some of the improvements to the K3 may involve opening it up and applying a soldering iron makes the K3 more appealing to some of us - I understand, not to you. Those who wish can send their K3s back to Elecraft for the updates. In this realm anything finished is dead. It means no further improvements/capabilities can be added. Who else would want that radio? Monty K2DLJ K3 s/n 699 But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
I think with the K3 as is you'd be quite impressed with it. Its a great radio and its always getting better with software updates which require no soldering or screwdrivers. I think that honestly most of the updates that require the use of a soldering iron are things that black box operators wouldn't notice anyway. Also I'd be willing to bet for a small fee one could ship their K3 back to Elecraft and have it updated as time goes forward. Not sure how small this fee would be but I'd bet its cheaper and less of a hassle than buying a IC-756ProIII and selling your ProII to someone. The fact that more and more options keep coming out for it in my opinion are what make it more exciting to me. Granted I'm one who enjoys melting solder inside but the additions that one can add w/o melting solder are quite fun as well. The additional 2M option (while I think its a tad expensive (esp if you have to pay for our XVRTR interface again)) is a great addition. I doubt I'll want to pay that much for it but I can see how it would be really nice to have the ability to do all your 2M repeater work and what not all in one box on the desk. Especially that you can put the repeaters into memories with *'s next tot them and do repeater scanning and what not if one wanted. I dunno I really like that the radio as you get it isn't done and will continue to get better. Thats not to say that there is anything wrong with it as its better in many respects than other radios on the market. But, still yet the future is even brighter. I'm in the same boat when it comes to the purchase of a new laptop. The only difference is at the moment I have a fairly good laptop. (when I bought the K3 I was only borrowing a rig from my father so I owned nothing). But as I wait and wait and wait for the next laptop they keep making another one that is slightly lighter than the previous model with better battery life. Then they release that same model with the same battery life and weight but better performance. Over and over the cycle repeats. No matter how long I wait right after I buy something there *WILL* be something better. I see the K3 as a nice option in that a user can get into it now and not worry about the future. I also really have to hand it to Elecraft in that if you're not one that has enough money to do it all in one shot then you don't have to. Simply buy the 10W rig to start with and then when you finally have enough money to upgrade to the 100W model then do so. Then when you finally feel the need for an ATU and have the funds then go ahead and add that. Or maybe flexibility is more important to you and you get the ATU before the PA. How cool is it that you can build the thing tailored to suit your needs? Hum oh well. I really like being included in the advancement of the radio. I think honestly if most users were to buy this radio and quit reading the reflector they'd never feel the need or want to upgrade it. But I thank all of the users who do read here and tinker and play with the radio as thats one of the funner parts of the hobby for myself. ~Brett (KC7OTG) On Sat, 2009-07-04 at 23:29 -0700, HowardZ wrote: Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Don Ehrlich wrote: Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style.
Re: [Elecraft] ERR PL1
Did you get your radios before Dec 22nd of last year? http://www.elecraft.com/K3/mods/ELECRAFT_Application_Note_KSYN3_ALC_Rev_A.pdf ~Brett (KC7OTG) On Sun, 2009-07-05 at 13:38 +0200, Evert Bakker (PA2KW) wrote: Hello, As temperature rises (in the shack), FP (34 degC) does, and a problem popped up; ERR PL1. I did check the PLL voltage. PLL1 = 7.5 (which seems to be the limit I guess), PLL2 = 3.5 (Sub-RX) at 28 Mc and FP 34 degC When FP was 22 degC: PLL1 = 3.8 and PLL2 = 3.4. After recalibration of the VCO, is gives E00272 / ERR VCO. 28Mc not useable anymore and an unstable PLL1 Voltage. Even 24 Mc needs about a second to give a go-ahead. I did open the K3 as to check connections of all the coaxial interconnection. No effect (after warming up again). It looks like PLL1 is very unstable in relation to the FP temperature and PLL2 much less. I do have a second K3 and see PLL1 at 7.3 on 28Mc (coming anxiously close to 7.5). Anyone a clue where to look or what to do? 73's, Evert PA2KW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] ERR PL1
Hi Evert, I had the same problem and fixed it by instructions from Gary. I wrote you off list, because I don't know if pdf-files are accepted by the list. 73 Detlef, DL7NDF Evert Bakker (PA2KW) schrieb: Hello, As temperature rises (in the shack), FP (34 degC) does, and a problem popped up; ERR PL1. I did check the PLL voltage. PLL1 = 7.5 (which seems to be the limit I guess), PLL2 = 3.5 (Sub-RX) at 28 Mc and FP 34 degC When FP was 22 degC: PLL1 = 3.8 and PLL2 = 3.4. After recalibration of the VCO, is gives E00272 / ERR VCO. 28Mc not useable anymore and an unstable PLL1 Voltage. Even 24 Mc needs about a second to give a go-ahead. I did open the K3 as to check connections of all the coaxial interconnection. No effect (after warming up again). It looks like PLL1 is very unstable in relation to the FP temperature and PLL2 much less. I do have a second K3 and see PLL1 at 7.3 on 28Mc (coming anxiously close to 7.5). Anyone a clue where to look or what to do? 73's, Evert PA2KW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style. His comments are well thought out and cleverly put and I welcome them. Thank you Howard. The early K3 was not your cup of tea but it is exactly what I wanted .. we all have different needs. So, what else is new? I have had my K3 #195 for 18 months now and I am simply delighted. It was perfect for *me*. Don K7FJ -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-eHam-review-after-2%2B-years-tp3202931p3208251.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] ERR PL1
Hello, As temperature rises (in the shack), FP (34 degC) does, and a problem popped up; ERR PL1. I did check the PLL voltage. PLL1 = 7.5 (which seems to be the limit I guess), PLL2 = 3.5 (Sub-RX) at 28 Mc and FP 34 degC When FP was 22 degC: PLL1 = 3.8 and PLL2 = 3.4. After recalibration of the VCO, is gives E00272 / ERR VCO. 28Mc not useable anymore and an unstable PLL1 Voltage. Even 24 Mc needs about a second to give a go-ahead. I did open the K3 as to check connections of all the coaxial interconnection. No effect (after warming up again). It looks like PLL1 is very unstable in relation to the FP temperature and PLL2 much less. I do have a second K3 and see PLL1 at 7.3 on 28Mc (coming anxiously close to 7.5). Anyone a clue where to look or what to do? 73's, Evert PA2KW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard In the 18 months since my K3 arrived, there have been a few hardware mods... They are all relatively easy to implement, I can't say that any of the hardware mods have made a huge difference, not even the hardware AGC mod. The only one still in the pipeline (I think there's only one) appears to be the audio low pass filter board, so you will soon be able to order a K3 safe in the knowledge that it's pretty much there as regards hardware! BTW, I have an MFJ-1026 and they aren't much use against wideband hash which plagues the lower bands in summer. It's not the fault of the MFJ and similar units, it's the noise that doesn't radiate from a point source. The noise reduction in the K3 is effective to some extent, but it's not a substitute for a quiet location. 73 Dave, G4AON K3/100 #80 (with all current hardware mods) -- HowardZ wrote: SNIP But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. SNIP Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard, you gota remember this is the Elecraft list and you aren't allowed to post anything negative. I see the same fanaticism on the Collins, Yaesu and Icom lists. Sonny -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of HowardZ Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 2:29 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Don Ehrlich wrote: Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style. His comments are well thought out and cleverly put and I welcome them. Thank you Howard. The early K3 was not your cup of tea but it is exactly what I wanted .. we all have different needs. So, what else is new? I have had my K3 #195 for 18 months now and I am simply delighted. It was perfect for *me*. Don K7FJ Well, I see the elecraft K3 as still a work in progress. No, I am not referring to the firmware/software mods. I am referring to continuing hardware mods. The latest is the audio filter to make SSB audio actually sound good - like a good radio sounds. It was very nice of you all to buy the radios before everything worked right, and provide feedback to Elecraft, and test the hardware and software improvements, and open your multi-thousand dollar radios and stick your soldering iron in there but that's not for me. I want to buy a factory built radio - and be happy and done with it. Now, some things just don't make any sense whatsoever to me - but must to others. Why in world will someone pay so much money for 10watt 2meter in their elecraft, when they can buy a 50 watt 2m/70cm radio with more power, can be used for MARS, and maybe even a built-in TNC for around the same amount? I don't know - maybe someone wants to do weak signal SSB on 2m? Well with 10 watts you'll also be providing weak signals for others to enjoy - hihi. I would never buy a new ICOM model in the first year - because usually there are some hardware bugs found during the first year. How many years should one wait for Elecraft? I'm not sure. Then there is the K3's transmitter. ARRL test reviews shows it on par with the old 746pro's transmitter. The Flex 5000's new redesigned transmitter scores top of the class in ARRL testing. Leaps and bounds better than the K3's transmitter. I bet Elecraft may soon be redesigning its transmitter to meet or even 1-up Flex's transmitter. Why not have the best cleanest transmitter to go along with the best receiver? Maybe I should wait for 2 years of no further hardware modifications - then I'll know Elecraft finally finished the radio's hardware. I just don't have the self-confidence to go hardware-modding such an expensive radio. So, you are enjoying the world's best receiver nowand I'll enjoy it a few years from now. Yes, I can think this and not write it. But then you went and wrote how Elecraft has finished the radio. No hard feelings. Howard __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard, You were not viewed as a troll, but I believe your perception of the number and importance of changes is greater than actual. I encourage you to check the hardware changes over the life of the K3, and also look at the rate of changes. They are all listed at the bottom of the K3 page on the Elecraft website (look for Enhancements and Modifications) In the life of the K3 so far, there have been only 12 hardware changes. The rate is important to me in determining the finality of changes too - note that the only one this year has been the Keying of the SUBOUT connector to prevent improper installation of the SubRX and does not change the functioning of the K3 at all, it is just a builder error prevention change. If you order factory built, that one would be a NO OP because you would have had the SubRX factory installed. After 11 changes through 2008, we have seen 7 months of the K3 with no further real hardware changes. Yes, the audio low pass filter is on the horizon, but depending on your ears, you may not notice whether it is installed or not - most owners could not hear what it 'fixes', but you might want to wait until that change is released. Yes, I am ignoring the change to the KXV3 to accommodate the new internal 144 MHz transceiver. The old KXV3 worked just fine but did not have the 'hooks' for the transceiver - that change is more along the lines of what other manufacturers would designate as a model change/upgrade - but Elecraft does not do business that way. With the K3, there is no need for a user to make any of the hardware changes. A K3 can be upgraded by Elecraft if that is what you want or need, but if the new mod does not make any difference to your operation, why bother at all? I do not expect many more hardware changes to the K3, and in my opinion, there have actually been very few since its introduction, but I base my comparison on the K2 which had many incremental changes until new boards were released with SN 3000, and only 2 after that time. BTW -- your email is being sent in multiple copies, I have seen 3 in my inbox this morning. You may want to see where it is stuck in the pipeline, be that your email client or your ISP or elsewhere. 73, Don W3FPR HowardZ wrote: Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [SPAM] Re: K3 Audio Low Pass Filter
On Sunday, July 05, 2009 at 3:54 PM, Wes Stewartn...@yahoo.com wrote: It seems to me that since audio is the desired output, the design process should be to design an excellent audio system first and then work back toward the antenna. Regrettably, it seems this is the converse of how it works and the audio system becomes an afterthought, with some designers believing that 10% THD is good enough for communications audio. Another good reason for running odd order dynamic range tests with both applied signals inside the overall passband when reviewing a receiver, may I suggest. 73, Geoff GM4ESD __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] CW audio
I can't seem to get the audio on CW to be like it is on SSB. With only one filter I would think that switching between CW-SSB the band width should be the same. It isn't and I don't know why. If I hit the XFIL button it is the same. It sounds like I'm band limited to about 1.5kc. The internal filter is stock 2.7kc. Radio #3109, K3. Dennis W7JX Sent from PC in basement! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio Low Pass Filter
Communications audio can be like being mugged and beaten...just as long as you get the message. Best regards, Dick - KA5KKT ...believing that 10% THD is good enough for communications audio. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] CW audio
I believe this is caused by the shift in the IF's center frequency when switching to CW. You can vary the shift with the Shift knob to change the sound. If you are in SSB mode and set your shift for an FC of 600 or whatever your cw FC is set for, it will sound just like you are in cw mode. Keep in mind however that if you change the shift in cw mode it will affect your ability to use narrow filtering. I usually just leave my shift at the default as indicated by the *. Note that changing the Pitch will change the shift FC. Steve N4LQ n...@carolina.rr.com - Original Message - From: Dennis Watkins androm...@wildblue.net To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 12:18 PM Subject: [Elecraft] CW audio I can't seem to get the audio on CW to be like it is on SSB. With only one filter I would think that switching between CW-SSB the band width should be the same. It isn't and I don't know why. If I hit the XFIL button it is the same. It sounds like I'm band limited to about 1.5kc. The internal filter is stock 2.7kc. Radio #3109, K3. Dennis W7JX Sent from PC in basement! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Yes, some of the stuff posted on the Elecraft reflector is giddy fanaticism (i.e., the Elecraft mojo threads), but I don't think any of the responses to Howard's posting so far have been in that category. They've all been pretty objective and none have berated Howard for expressing his opinion. What specifically did you feel was inappropriate? In my case, I researched available rigs pretty extensively before making what I thought was an objective decision a few months ago to buy a K3, so as a counter to your accusation of fanaticism I'll ask you the same question I asked Howard ... what current rig (specific brand and model) would you consider to be more stable hardware-wise and still provide approximately equivalent performance in its price class to the K3? I'd honestly like to know, but my guess is that neither of you will step forward with an answer. 73, Dave AB7E --Original Mail-- From: Carl Smithson carlsmith...@dishmail.net To: 'HowardZ' howa...@howardz.com, elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 08:37:26 -0400 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years Howard, you gota remember this is the Elecraft list and you aren't allowed to post anything negative. I see the same fanaticism on the Collins, Yaesu and Icom lists. Sonny -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of HowardZ Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 2:29 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years Ah Don, You are so kind. I expected to be labeled a troll. Monte, yes, I got hid hard by the IT recession - and never recovered - and now we have another recession. I work at under half my last IT salary - managing/leading squads of TSA screeners - making sure they do their jobs by the book - to keep our country safe. I do not expect to ever get another IT job. I do save my pennies and like to buy quality equipment. I have a Palstar auto-tuner - it's the best! It can be computer controlled, but nobody wrote any software for it. So I wrote a Java program to control it - it's available from the Palstar AT AUTO yahoo group. Java is easy, but all that reusable code that comes with it - took a bit of reading/research. I saved my pennies and purchased the SGC 500 amplifier. It really has great self protection, has auto band switching, and operates on 12 to 14 volts. I deal with S5 to S9 noise every day on Mars nets. They don't go find a quieter frequency - they just deal with it. I'm close to having saved enough for a better radio. I don't like the Flex approach - favoring the Elecraft design. But alas - I don't feel the radio is finished - hardware wise. Icom, Flex, Elecraft - they all have downloadable firmware/software - I'm not afraid of new software releases. Hardware mods - yep - I don't want to deal with them. And I only brought it up because the first poster showed us his eham review, which seemed to be stating that the K3 is done/perfected/100%. But I will wait a little longer. BTW, maybe I don't need a better radio? Maybe a MFJ 1026? Maybe a beverage antenna? Maybe if all the MARS members purchase a 500 watt transmitter? Nosie noise nosie... Howard Don Ehrlich wrote: Howard writes thoughtfully and I like his style. His comments are well thought out and cleverly put and I welcome them. Thank you Howard. The early K3 was not your cup of tea but it is exactly what I wanted .. we all have different needs. So, what else is new? I have had my K3 #195 for 18 months now and I am simply delighted. It was perfect for *me*. Don K7FJ Well, I see the elecraft K3 as still a work in progress. No, I am not referring to the firmware/software mods. I am referring to continuing hardware mods. The latest is the audio filter to make SSB audio actually sound good - like a good radio sounds. It was very nice of you all to buy the radios before everything worked right, and provide feedback to Elecraft, and test the hardware and software improvements, and open your multi-thousand dollar radios and stick your soldering iron in there but that's not for me. I want to buy a factory built radio - and be happy and done with it. Now, some things just don't make any sense whatsoever to me - but must to others. Why in world will someone pay so much money for 10watt 2meter in their elecraft, when they can buy a 50 watt 2m/70cm radio with more power, can be used for MARS, and maybe even a built-in TNC for around the same amount? I don't know - maybe someone wants to do weak signal SSB on 2m? Well with 10 watts you'll also be providing weak signals for others to enjoy - hihi. I would never buy a new ICOM model in the first year - because usually there are some hardware bugs found during the first year. How many years should one wait for Elecraft? I'm not sure. Then there is the K3's transmitter. ARRL test reviews shows it
Re: [Elecraft] Hands-on Ham Radio v.s. Sit-Back Ham Radio
I totally agree with you Paul. I've been a tinkerer since before I got my Novice ticket. My 1st station was a home brew 2E26 final and a surplus Command Set (1957.) Wow, Ham Radio has changed. It's a good thing too. Another word for Finished is Dead. 73, Fred, AE6IC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Well Dave, I am not certain that a better radio will help me hear through the noise. A few weeks ago we had no noise at all for a few days - someone mentioned how quiet it was on one of the nets, but then a few days later the noise was back. Move 20Khz in either direction and the noise is gone, but we stay on target as they said near the end of Star Wars. It is rare for Mars to change freqs or switch to a digital mode. They presevere. The MFJ 1026 takes two antennas - gain needs to be adjusted so that both antennas have the same S-units of signal strength. Then one rotates the phase 0 to 360 to try to eliminate the noise. Supposedly this works well on noise coming from your home, your neighborhood, or even DX noise. I do not think this is what people call diversity receive. It is some kind of phase rotation to eliminate noise, though it does use two antennas. I don't know if the K3 or Flex has this function. The MFJ 1026 might be the lowest cost method for me to deal with the noise on this heavily used Mars frequency. Maybe I'll buy one soon? Then there is the Icom 7600 - it supposedly represents a large improvement over my existing Icom. Interfaces are identical to my existing Icom. Don't need to rewire my pactor 3 TNC for example. It has downloadable firmware I think. But its too new. There might be important hardware revisions in its first year if the radios fail with the initial design. This has happened with other Icom radios in the past. It's also not considered in the Perseus, Flex, Elecraft class of performance. I could get a Perseus, or some other receivers and use an Eldad T/R switch. This is lower cost than a new tranceiver since it's just a receiver - no transmitter. People rave about these and the Perseus is near the top of Sherwood's test list. I could rationalize that the K3's transmitter is no better than my existing transmitter, so why pay for a tranceiver? However this approach complicates interfaces to TNCs and sound card interfaces. But this choice does have merit. I could get a loaded Flex 5000 - it costs less than the K3 loaded since the Flex doesn't use all those roofing filters. People who own the Flex them love them and they are rated well. I have not used nor even seen in person any of these radios. However I prefer the K3 design approach over the Flex or Perseus. I don't want to ever have to say Sorry for the silence, I had to reboot windows - everything locked up - or I got that blue screen - I prefer a radio that has an embedded processor rather than a windows system. Turn it on - and it works - plain and simple. Yes, I'll hook a windows PC to the radio for digital modes, but at least voice works without a PC. And how many PCs can you hook up to a 12 volt battery during a power outage? Yes, there are ways to do it, but it isn't that simple. Then there are those wonderful dynamic range figures. Supposedly the Perseus, Flex, and similar designs have the same dynamic range no matter how far away the strong signal is. So, when the strong signal is 2khz away - they are all similar in performance. (K3 has the top spec, but with it is something called phase noise limited which doesn't sound so great - though I don't know exactly what it is.) But what happens when the strong signal is 50KHz away? Well, I think the K3 will have much higher performance the further away the strong signal is. But the Flex, Perseus, and others will have the exact same performance. I think that also applies if the signal is 1Mhz away, 10 Mhz away, 100Mhz away - you get the idea. I suspect they need a low pass filter to protect from a strong VHF or UHF signal. Anyway, I may be wrong with this logic, but I suspect the K3 is better in this regard. However, a strong nearby signal is not my current problem. A better NR, NB, or something to quiet down the noise is what I need. I currently have other options to try to solve the problem. The MFJ 1026 costs under $200. Maybe a beverage RX only antenna. I hear that an on the ground beverage antenna is very quiet. All it costs is 500 ft of wire to give it a try. Unfortunately I'll need to bend it to be a U shape as I don't have enough land to go 500 ft straight in one line. A better radio should also help - I think - not sure. Anyway - to get to your question. I think (but not sure) the Perseus and the Flex are finished modding their hardware - just the software keeps changing. If I really needed to take the plunge right now, a Flex 5000A with internal tuner and second receiver might be a good choice. Still it costs alot more than the Perseus, but significantly less than a similar K3 loaded with filters. I suspect the K3 is a better choice. I'd just hate to be sending a K3 back to the factory every year to pay for the latest hardware mods. Though I do agree it is great the K3 owners can do this without buying a K3MkII, etc.. None of these radios are bad choices. They float to the top of Sherwood's
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Well Dave, I am not certain that a better radio will help me hear through the noise. A few weeks ago we had no noise at all for a few days - someone mentioned how quiet it was on one of the nets, but then a few days later the noise was back. Move 20Khz in either direction and the noise is gone, but we stay on target as they said near the end of Star Wars. It is rare for Mars to change freqs or switch to a digital mode. They presevere. The MFJ 1026 takes two antennas - gain needs to be adjusted so that both antennas have the same S-units of signal strength. Then one rotates the phase 0 to 360 to try to eliminate the noise. Supposedly this works well on noise coming from your home, your neighborhood, or even DX noise. I do not think this is what people call diversity receive. It is some kind of phase rotation to eliminate noise, though it does use two antennas. I don't know if the K3 or Flex has this function. The MFJ 1026 might be the lowest cost method for me to deal with the noise on this heavily used Mars frequency. Maybe I'll buy one soon? Then there is the Icom 7600 - it supposedly represents a large improvement over my existing Icom. Interfaces are identical to my existing Icom. Don't need to rewire my pactor 3 TNC for example. It has downloadable firmware I think. But its too new. There might be important hardware revisions in its first year if the radios fail with the initial design. This has happened with other Icom radios in the past. It's also not considered in the Perseus, Flex, Elecraft class of performance. I could get a Perseus, or some other receivers and use an Eldad T/R switch. This is lower cost than a new tranceiver since it's just a receiver - no transmitter. People rave about these and the Perseus is near the top of Sherwood's test list. I could rationalize that the K3's transmitter is no better than my existing transmitter, so why pay for a tranceiver? However this approach complicates interfaces to TNCs and sound card interfaces. But this choice does have merit. I could get a loaded Flex 5000 - it costs less than the K3 loaded since the Flex doesn't use all those roofing filters. People who own the Flex them love them and they are rated well. I have not used nor even seen in person any of these radios. However I prefer the K3 design approach over the Flex or Perseus. I don't want to ever have to say Sorry for the silence, I had to reboot windows - everything locked up - or I got that blue screen - I prefer a radio that has an embedded processor rather than a windows system. Turn it on - and it works - plain and simple. Yes, I'll hook a windows PC to the radio for digital modes, but at least voice works without a PC. And how many PCs can you hook up to a 12 volt battery during a power outage? Yes, there are ways to do it, but it isn't that simple. Then there are those wonderful dynamic range figures. Supposedly the Perseus, Flex, and similar designs have the same dynamic range no matter how far away the strong signal is. So, when the strong signal is 2khz away - they are all similar in performance. (K3 has the top spec, but with it is something called phase noise limited which doesn't sound so great - though I don't know exactly what it is.) But what happens when the strong signal is 50KHz away? Well, I think the K3 will have much higher performance the further away the strong signal is. But the Flex, Perseus, and others will have the exact same performance. I think that also applies if the signal is 1Mhz away, 10 Mhz away, 100Mhz away - you get the idea. I suspect they need a low pass filter to protect from a strong VHF or UHF signal. Anyway, I may be wrong with this logic, but I suspect the K3 is better in this regard. However, a strong nearby signal is not my current problem. A better NR, NB, or something to quiet down the noise is what I need. I currently have other options to try to solve the problem. The MFJ 1026 costs under $200. Maybe a beverage RX only antenna. I hear that an on the ground beverage antenna is very quiet. All it costs is 500 ft of wire to give it a try. Unfortunately I'll need to bend it to be a U shape as I don't have enough land to go 500 ft straight in one line. A better radio should also help - I think - not sure. Anyway - to get to your question. I think (but not sure) the Perseus and the Flex are finished modding their hardware - just the software keeps changing. If I really needed to take the plunge right now, a Flex 5000A with internal tuner and second receiver might be a good choice. Still it costs alot more than the Perseus, but significantly less than a similar K3 loaded with filters. I suspect the K3 is a better choice. I'd just hate to be sending a K3 back to the factory every year to pay for the latest hardware mods. Though I do agree it is great the K3 owners can do this without buying a K3MkII, etc.. None of these radios are bad choices. They float to the top of Sherwood's
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
I could get a Perseus, or some other receivers and use an Eldad T/R switch. This is lower cost than a new tranceiver since it's just a receiver - no transmitter...But this choice does have merit. Unless you are concerned about T/R switching time. CW QSK and operation in the fast *TOR modes would be missing features with such a system. Presently, severe latency issues with the Perseus and SDR-IQ preclude their use as a serious transceiver building block. Getting good basic performance from the receiver and transmitter in any transceiver design is only half the battle. As rigs become more complicated with extensive use of microprocessors and DSP, keeping the system fast, frequency stable and under control without introducing noticeable artifacts is the other half of the battle to be won. Many individual designers have created receivers and transmitters with stellar performance -- but I can only think of only a few transceiver designs that have fully orchestrated the circuitry. Paul, W9AC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service
(Copy of a posting I sent today to the Yaesu FT-2000 reflector, contrasting Yaesu and Elecraft technical support. I believe it speaks for itself.) _ From: Jim Garland [mailto:4cx2...@muohio.edu] Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 11:22 AM To: 'ft-2...@yahoogroups.com' Subject: Update: Yaesu Service Two weeks ago I posted a note here about Yaesu's policy of not allowing customers to speak to service technicians, instead referring inquiries to customer support personnel who were unfamiliar with the inner workings of Yaesu products. This is the same policy used by auto dealers, who insert a customer service manager between a customer and mechanic, or computer manufacturers whose support personnel answer technical questions by reading from a prepared script. In my case, I had questions about the first mixer stage in my FT-2000D, which I suspected had failed. I had traced the signal path to the mixer with an oscilloscope, but wasn't sure how to interpret the output signal. I couldn't tell from the circuit diagram how much bias current the mixer FETs were supposed to draw, what the conversion loss from the mixer was (after taking into account losses and turns ratios of the coupling transformers), whether this was a common failure mode in the radio and what the likely cause was, and whether there were any useful pointers in replacing the tiny surface mount mixer IC. Unable to get anwers, I didn't want to take a chance plunging ahead with the repair myself, so I ended up sending the radio back to Yaesu. The repair bill came to $187 plus another $90 round trip shipping. Incidentally, the first mixer is nothing special; it is a garden variety IC that costs about $4. By coincidence, I also had a failure in my Elecraft K3, which had suddenly stopped transmitting during a recent 6m contest. I called Elecraft and was immediately put through to a service technician. I explained my problem and he asked me a few questions about my electronics background and what sort of test equipment I had on my workbench. He decided that I had enough enough experience to fix the problem myself, and we agreed that I would call him back after putting my K3 on my test bench and removing the covers. Later that day, I called him back and, together, we traced the signal path through the transmitter. I had the phone in one hand and a scope probe in the other. In a matter of 20 minutes, we determined that the push-pull FETs in the driver stage had shorted. He mailed me replacement FETs which came in three days. Ten minutes after opening the package, my K3 was back on the air. I have had similar experiences repairing a Ten-Tec Orion transceiver and SteppIR 4 el yagi. In each case, the service technicians were happy to talk to me and, with their guidance, repairs were quick and straightforward. Here's my point. Ham radio is a technical hobby. It begin a century ago, when all stations were homebrewed by their owners. Today, of course, there are hundreds of thousands of hams, and their technical expertise runs the gamut from inexperienced beginners to Ph.D. engineers. But all hams, I would hope, have a least a passing interest in electronics. Surely, anybody who buys a sophisticated transceiver like an FT-2000, has to know _something_ about DSP, roofing filters, preamps and RF attenuators, 3rd order intercept points, antenna tuners, and so forth. And I would hope that all hams, whatever their level of technical knowledge and experience, have a desire to learn more about their radios. Thus I believe Yaesu's service policy disrespects the traditions of amateur radio. It is policy that treats all hams as if they had no interest in their radios other than to gain a cursory understanding of the front panel knobs and buttons. For some hams, this kind of policy is fine, because it suits their interests, experience, and skill level. But for thousands of others in the hobby, like myself, it is inappropriate. I don't like taking my car to my Toyota dealer and dealing with an uninformed service representative who knows less about cars than I do (which isn't much.) But I really hate it when I run into the same kind of corporate mentality with amateur radio manufacturers. 73, Jim Garland W8ZR __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft SSB Net Announcement
Hi gang, The weekly Elecraft SSB net will meet today, 7/5/09 at 1800Z. The net will start at 14.316 MHz, and QSY if needed. Hope to see you there. 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
I think the original author of this topic is incorrect to call the K3 100% done. I think that this is a correct statement if we take 100% done to mean that the K3 meets all of its advertised specs. At least most if not all of the mods have been enhancements, not steps to meet these specs. 73, Rick K7MW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio (WAS K3 eHam review after 2+ years)
On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 10:45 PM, E. Tichansky n...@ni3s.net wrote: Unfortunately, there IS a problem w/ CW audio in the K3, at least with both here (see concurrently running thread: K3 Audio Low Pass Filter). The sidetones generated around the 12 kHz DAC leak-through (+/- sidetone frq., ie. 500Hz)are clearly audible for me and rather annoying, enough so that I had to insert inline low pass audio filters on each radio to knock it down to make CW operation tolerable. I was in correspondence about the issue back in Oct/Nov of last year w/ Elecraft. Regardless of the 60 db down and other levels people have measured on those sidetones, I can hear it, even with as low a volume setting of around 9-10 o'clock. Apparently there are others that can as well. The majority of folks who own a K3, presumably yourself included, have a reduction or loss of hearing at high frequencies. From that perspective, the audio is great! However, not hearing it doesn't necessarily mean there isn't an underlying problem present, and those that wish to fix it aren't doing so out of desire to tinker and change things. Though I have the typical reduction in high frequency hearing at my current age, I remember well being able to hear TV horizontal sweep frequency (15+ kHz) quite loudly walking into a room with a television on. I began to lose that in my fifties. Due to some lab equipment at college, I know I could hear 20 kHz, though not as well. The DAC artifacts I see clearly on spectrum analysis down 60 would have been 20 db over my hearing floor, and annoying, as I had the typical reaction to someone raking their fingernails down a chalkboard. Such a sound would literally make my gums vibrate. However, I DO hear any intermod in 3-6 kHz over top of a 3 kHz bandwidth signal, and it DOES make the audio seem harsh if there is anything there. Does harshness make any difference in a contest? Not really. 40m has all kinds of annoying crud that comes in. Less crud if it's a K3. 40m is an annoying band. From the CQWWCW 40m claimed 1728 QSOs, I lost only 15 busted/NIL, which I credit to the clarity of the K3 listening to awful signals up close to overpowering signals. Not that I wasn't trying hard to be accurate in the contest, but this result simply stomps any prior personal best where I was trying just as hard. The log also includes signals that pre-K3, I simply would not have attempted. We were all K3 at NY4A and the other bands/ops reflected like improvements. It was no personal fluke. Given that, I would have to say that the RX is an unqualified success in its intended design. But if Elecraft was to offer an audiophile upgrade to the K3 audio, I would put it in -- not for contesting, but just for listening pleasure. I still far prefer my old tube 75A3 for SSB listening, echoing an old complaint from audiophiles about anything transistor vs. anything tubes. But my K3 hears clearly and accurately much stuff that is inaudible on the A3, and the skirts on the A3's mechanical filters are no match for the K3 combined DSP and INRAD. It would be really neat if somehow Elecraft could product audiophile audio in the K3, but for the price spent, an admitted harshness is really nit-picking. I'll take a board with an intended audiophile outcome, and complain about that if it misses, but I bought my current K3 for the contest results. 73, Guy. K2AV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K144XV followed by KPA3?
If a K144XV is purchased for a basic (10W) K3, then later a KPA3 is added, does the K144XV module need to be replaced or can it be re-used? An entry (copied below) from www.elecraft.com/elecraft_prod_list.htm#k3 says there are two ways to order K144XV, but an e-mail to elecraft asking how I'd handle this sequence went unanswered. IMPORTANT: Check one: For a K3/10For a K3/100 Thanks, 73 Dave WB0GAZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Still looking for a K2
I am still looking to trade my 706 MkIIG, mounts, manuals, separation kit, Heil Traveler Single side headset for a K2. Mike AI4NS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service
Jim, All the more reason to buy American products! I owned a couple of Yaseu HF rigs in the past and I was more than dis-pleased with their service dept. In one instance, the SWR protection circuit went out in my 1000D; sent it back telling them what the problem was (or what caused the final transistors to burn out). I even called and was told that, O yes the purported tech I talked to said that the radio was fixed right. Well, when I got it back, all they did was replace the finals. As far as I am concerned, any ham who buys a Yaesu or Icom HF radio is a fool and uninformed. Both the K3 and O2 will run circles around any of the other rigs (maybe with the exception of the SDR radios). And when you talk about service, both Ten Tec and Elecraft are top notch. You are so right when you say you get to talk to a tech, not some idiot that is a go between and not familiar with the radio. That is my 2 cents worth. Dick K8ZTT PS Unfotunately we don't have a lot of choices with the VHF/UHF equipment, but at least it is not a big investment if it goes up in smoke. - Original Message - From: Jim Garland 4cx2...@muohio.edu To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 11:36 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service (Copy of a posting I sent today to the Yaesu FT-2000 reflector, contrasting Yaesu and Elecraft technical support. I believe it speaks for itself.) _ From: Jim Garland [mailto:4cx2...@muohio.edu] Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 11:22 AM To: 'ft-2...@yahoogroups.com' Subject: Update: Yaesu Service Two weeks ago I posted a note here about Yaesu's policy of not allowing customers to speak to service technicians, instead referring inquiries to customer support personnel who were unfamiliar with the inner workings of Yaesu products. This is the same policy used by auto dealers, who insert a customer service manager between a customer and mechanic, or computer manufacturers whose support personnel answer technical questions by reading from a prepared script. In my case, I had questions about the first mixer stage in my FT-2000D, which I suspected had failed. I had traced the signal path to the mixer with an oscilloscope, but wasn't sure how to interpret the output signal. I couldn't tell from the circuit diagram how much bias current the mixer FETs were supposed to draw, what the conversion loss from the mixer was (after taking into account losses and turns ratios of the coupling transformers), whether this was a common failure mode in the radio and what the likely cause was, and whether there were any useful pointers in replacing the tiny surface mount mixer IC. Unable to get anwers, I didn't want to take a chance plunging ahead with the repair myself, so I ended up sending the radio back to Yaesu. The repair bill came to $187 plus another $90 round trip shipping. Incidentally, the first mixer is nothing special; it is a garden variety IC that costs about $4. By coincidence, I also had a failure in my Elecraft K3, which had suddenly stopped transmitting during a recent 6m contest. I called Elecraft and was immediately put through to a service technician. I explained my problem and he asked me a few questions about my electronics background and what sort of test equipment I had on my workbench. He decided that I had enough enough experience to fix the problem myself, and we agreed that I would call him back after putting my K3 on my test bench and removing the covers. Later that day, I called him back and, together, we traced the signal path through the transmitter. I had the phone in one hand and a scope probe in the other. In a matter of 20 minutes, we determined that the push-pull FETs in the driver stage had shorted. He mailed me replacement FETs which came in three days. Ten minutes after opening the package, my K3 was back on the air. I have had similar experiences repairing a Ten-Tec Orion transceiver and SteppIR 4 el yagi. In each case, the service technicians were happy to talk to me and, with their guidance, repairs were quick and straightforward. Here's my point. Ham radio is a technical hobby. It begin a century ago, when all stations were homebrewed by their owners. Today, of course, there are hundreds of thousands of hams, and their technical expertise runs the gamut from inexperienced beginners to Ph.D. engineers. But all hams, I would hope, have a least a passing interest in electronics. Surely, anybody who buys a sophisticated transceiver like an FT-2000, has to know _something_ about DSP, roofing filters, preamps and RF attenuators, 3rd order intercept points, antenna tuners, and so forth. And I would hope that all hams, whatever their level of technical knowledge and experience, have a desire to learn more about their radios. Thus I believe Yaesu's service policy disrespects the traditions of amateur radio. It is policy that
Re: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service
As far as I am concerned, any ham who buys a Yaesu or Icom HF radio is a fool and uninformed. Both the K3 and O2 will run circles around any of the other rigs (maybe with the exception of the SDR radios). Except that the K3 and O1/O2 ARE SDR radios I guess because they have an actual front panel, and don't require a mouse, keyboard, or Windoze-pick-your-poison PC makes them something else? :-) Grant/NQ5T __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Thoughtful comments Howard. I too live in a very high noise area. No matter how carefully adjusted, the MFJ 1026 did absolutely nothing for my situation - too many different noise sources in too many different directions! Howard - what is your amateur radio call sign? 73 -- Don N4HH -- Original message from HowardZ howa...@howardz.com: -- Well Dave, I am not certain that a better radio will help me hear through the noise. A few weeks ago we had no noise at all for a few days - someone mentioned how quiet it was on one of the nets, but then a few days later the noise was back. Move 20Khz in either direction and the noise is gone, but we stay on target as they said near the end of Star Wars. It is rare for Mars to change freqs or switch to a digital mode. They presevere. The MFJ 1026 takes two antennas - gain needs to be adjusted so that both antennas have the same S-units of signal strength. Then one rotates the phase 0 to 360 to try to eliminate the noise. Supposedly this works well on noise coming from your home, your neighborhood, or even DX noise. I do not think this is what people call diversity receive. It is some kind of phase rotation to eliminate noise, though it does use two antennas. I don't know if the K3 or Flex has this function. The MFJ 1026 might be the lowest cost method for me to deal with the noise on this heavily used Mars frequency. Maybe I'll buy one soon? Then there is the Icom 7600 - it supposedly represents a large improvement over my existing Icom. Interfaces are identical to my existing Icom. Don't need to rewire my pactor 3 TNC for example. It has downloadable firmware I think. But its too new. There might be important hardware revisions in its first year if the radios fail with the initial design. This has happened with other Icom radios in the past. It's also not considered in the Perseus, Flex, Elecraft class of performance. I could get a Perseus, or some other receivers and use an Eldad T/R switch. This is lower cost than a new tranceiver since it's just a receiver - no transmitter. People rave about these and the Perseus is near the top of Sherwood's test list. I could rationalize that the K3's transmitter is no better than my existing transmitter, so why pay for a tranceiver? However this approach complicates interfaces to TNCs and sound card interfaces. But this choice does have merit. I could get a loaded Flex 5000 - it costs less than the K3 loaded since the Flex doesn't use all those roofing filters. People who own the Flex them love them and they are rated well. I have not used nor even seen in person any of these radios. However I prefer the K3 design approach over the Flex or Perseus. I don't want to ever have to say Sorry for the silence, I had to reboot windows - everything locked up - or I got that blue screen - I prefer a radio that has an embedded processor rather than a windows system. Turn it on - and it works - plain and simple. Yes, I'll hook a windows PC to the radio for digital modes, but at least voice works without a PC. And how many PCs can you hook up to a 12 volt battery during a power outage? Yes, there are ways to do it, but it isn't that simple. Then there are those wonderful dynamic range figures. Supposedly the Perseus, Flex, and similar designs have the same dynamic range no matter how far away the strong signal is. So, when the strong signal is 2khz away - they are all similar in performance. (K3 has the top spec, but with it is something called phase noise limited which doesn't sound so great - though I don't know exactly what it is.) But what happens when the strong signal is 50KHz away? Well, I think the K3 will have much higher performance the further away the strong signal is. But the Flex, Perseus, and others will have the exact same performance. I think that also applies if the signal is 1Mhz away, 10 Mhz away, 100Mhz away - you get the idea. I suspect they need a low pass filter to protect from a strong VHF or UHF signal. Anyway, I may be wrong with this logic, but I suspect the K3 is better in this regard. However, a strong nearby signal is not my current problem. A better NR, NB, or something to quiet down the noise is what I need. I currently have other options to try to solve the problem. The MFJ 1026 costs under $200. Maybe a beverage RX only antenna. I hear that an on the ground beverage antenna is very quiet. All it costs is 500 ft of wire to give it a try. Unfortunately I'll need to bend it to be a U shape as I don't have enough land to go 500 ft straight in one line. A better radio should also help - I think - not sure. Anyway - to get to your question. I think (but not sure) the Perseus and the Flex are finished modding their hardware - just the software keeps changing. If I really needed to take the plunge right now, a Flex 5000A with
[Elecraft] K3 Receive Audio
It would be really neat if somehow Elecraft could product audiophile audio in the K3... The K3 audio chipsets already offer quasi audiophile-grade performance for a single-supply rail device. Taking the performance to the next level almost certainly requires the use of a bi-polar +/- 15 VDC supply to take advantage of really low noise op-amps (or discrete transistors), the ability to use DC servo control, and the use of a high-current temperature-compensated, complimentary-symmetry transistor pair at the output. The result? Super fast slew rates, ultra low noise distortion, total elimination of audio coupling caps, and low damping factor -- all the elements needed for a true audiophile-grade amplifier. In the alternative, one could simply purchase an audiophile-grade integrated amp and tap the audio at the DAC. In the past, I've done this with '70s vintage Marantz and McIntosh equipment and attained excellent results. Regarding the low-pass filter solution: I would want to critically listen to any active filter before permanently embedding it into a transceiver. With yet another active stage of audio in the path, one problem may be cured while another is introduced -- like phase distortion at the knee of a sharp active filter. Based on Jack Smith's data, I would be more inclined to try a simple 6dB/octave passive circuit, using one R and one C. At 12 kHz, the reduction in grunge would be between 8-10 dB and that may be just enough for other factors to mask the effect of the 12 kHz artifacts. Paul, W9AC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 ERR BP2 following KRX3 and KBPF3 install
Installed the KRX3 and KBPF3 modules yesterday and am getting the ERR BP2 error message [ No response from KBPF3 option shift registers]. The troubleshooting step in the manual advises to de-install the KBPF3 on RF board. Should I simply re-install it and see if the error message shows up again or is there something else I should check? Thanks and 73, Brad AA5CH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Howard. I recently had a problem with noise. I got an MFJ-1026. You can read my experiences of it and even listen to an audio sample here: http://www.g4ilo.com/mfj1026.html. It fits nicely between the RX in and out sockets of the KXV3 interface so you can easily switch it in and out of circuit. The K3 takes care of the TX/RX switching so your transmitted signal does not have to go through the appalling messy wiring inside the MFJ-1026. It does the job for me, but Dave G4AON has one and it sits on a shelf because it didn't work for him, so YMMV. As for your comments on the K3, I think you got off amazingly lightly considering some of the vitriol that has been sent in my direction and even requests to have me banned from the reflector for making comments that were considered critical of Elecraft. I think Don was pretty well spot on with the review he posted on eHam. The K3 will probably never be 100% finished but what he said was that all the modes and the subreceiver are working 100% which I believe is true (though I don't have the subreceiver, so as far as that goes it is not a personal observation.) As for the hardware mods, well it is frustrating as an owner of an early model (S/N 222) to see it becoming outdated by improvements that are made as the product evolves, but that is something that happens with any electronic product. The difference with Elecraft is that they don't keep quiet about it, and even make the information available so those who are able can update their rigs to the latest specification. For those who can't, there is always the option of selling the rig and buying a new later model, which is no less than you'd have to do if you'd bought a Yaesu or Icom, or a computer come to that which is generally obsolete a couple of months after you bought it. If you can afford to wait a year or two for the improved model, you probably don't need it in the first place. I agree with your thoughts about the 2m 10W module. Personally I would have preferred to have seen an updated range of KXV external transverters, styled to match the K3 and with uprated heat sinking to handle FM mode. I would have thought that was more in keeping with the K3's high end aspirations. Because that wasn't available I ended up getting a third party transverter of even higher spec (and greater cost.) But the 10W 2m module is only an option. You don't have to buy it if you don't need it. So if people buy it then I guess it filled a need, whatever you or I think about it. I also think you have a fair point with regards to the transmitter. A radio with the K3's receive performance is going to be used very often to drive some high powered linears. It may be used in preference to some big desktop radios with high voltage PAs offering better linearity. But the K3 was also designed to be a portable radio that could run off a 13.8V supply. That I believe is the real limiting factor to the TX performance. It's all about compromise. If the K3 had been made with a PA that required a dedicated 40V or whatever supply that would have put off some people. You can't please everybody. The choice Elecraft made suits me personally. The thing so many people forget is that there are so many different ways to take part in this hobby, that may require different emphases in the design of a radio. The great thing is that there is a choice available. If you make an intelligent buying decision, you can get the perfect radio for your needs, or as near perfect as you can expect. I have certainly been critical of Elecraft in the past for taking longer than I expected to fulfil the expectations I had of the K3, but I believe, like Don, that they have finally made it. I'm glad I hung in there through the various issues. I'm sorry I upset some people by some of my criticisms, but I do believe that they - and the criticisms made by others - have helped make the K3 the radio it is today. And at this moment in time I'm very pleased to be a K3 owner. - Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3-eHam-review-after-2%2B-years-tp3202931p3209003.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio (WAS K3 eHam review after 2+ years)
You make an excellent point, Guy, one that was echoed by a couple of friendly off-reflector comments as well. I used to be bugged by the TV horizontal sweep oscillators too. But long ago my hearing was adjusted by long-term exposure to lots of weapons firing while in the Army including thousands of rounds from a 30 cal M1 rifle on my shoulder. Soldiers didn't wear ear protectors even though the firing often left us deaf for hours. I'm no big fan of DSP in spite of the advantages it offers. I vastly prefer a good, linear, analog system. I don't have a problem with solid state, but in my homebrew receivers I usually eschew the simple integrated circuit audio amplifiers in favor of discrete component class A amplifiers, at least to headphone levels. Even today I can still hear the difference between the compromise amplifiers used in a lot of gear and a good linear amplifier, but I hadn't noticed anything unusual in the K3 audio. Ron AC7AC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service
Yaesu is selling disposable radios. I called about sending in my eight year old FT-100D for repair and was told they no longer support the FT-100. Why would anyone spend 12K on a Yaesu radio that will be obsolete in less than eight years? My experience with Elecraft service, on the other hand, has been stellar. Nelson, KU0A -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dick Williams Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 3:15 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service Jim, All the more reason to buy American products! I owned a couple of Yaseu HF rigs in the past and I was more than dis-pleased with their service dept. In one instance, the SWR protection circuit went out in my 1000D; sent it back telling them what the problem was (or what caused the final transistors to burn out). I even called and was told that, O yes the purported tech I talked to said that the radio was fixed right. Well, when I got it back, all they did was replace the finals. As far as I am concerned, any ham who buys a Yaesu or Icom HF radio is a fool and uninformed. Both the K3 and O2 will run circles around any of the other rigs (maybe with the exception of the SDR radios). And when you talk about service, both Ten Tec and Elecraft are top notch. You are so right when you say you get to talk to a tech, not some idiot that is a go between and not familiar with the radio. That is my 2 cents worth. Dick K8ZTT PS Unfotunately we don't have a lot of choices with the VHF/UHF equipment, but at least it is not a big investment if it goes up in smoke. - Original Message - From: Jim Garland 4cx2...@muohio.edu To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 11:36 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Yaesu versus Elecraft Service (Copy of a posting I sent today to the Yaesu FT-2000 reflector, contrasting Yaesu and Elecraft technical support. I believe it speaks for itself.) _ From: Jim Garland [mailto:4cx2...@muohio.edu] Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 11:22 AM To: 'ft-2...@yahoogroups.com' Subject: Update: Yaesu Service Two weeks ago I posted a note here about Yaesu's policy of not allowing customers to speak to service technicians, instead referring inquiries to customer support personnel who were unfamiliar with the inner workings of Yaesu products. This is the same policy used by auto dealers, who insert a customer service manager between a customer and mechanic, or computer manufacturers whose support personnel answer technical questions by reading from a prepared script. In my case, I had questions about the first mixer stage in my FT-2000D, which I suspected had failed. I had traced the signal path to the mixer with an oscilloscope, but wasn't sure how to interpret the output signal. I couldn't tell from the circuit diagram how much bias current the mixer FETs were supposed to draw, what the conversion loss from the mixer was (after taking into account losses and turns ratios of the coupling transformers), whether this was a common failure mode in the radio and what the likely cause was, and whether there were any useful pointers in replacing the tiny surface mount mixer IC. Unable to get anwers, I didn't want to take a chance plunging ahead with the repair myself, so I ended up sending the radio back to Yaesu. The repair bill came to $187 plus another $90 round trip shipping. Incidentally, the first mixer is nothing special; it is a garden variety IC that costs about $4. By coincidence, I also had a failure in my Elecraft K3, which had suddenly stopped transmitting during a recent 6m contest. I called Elecraft and was immediately put through to a service technician. I explained my problem and he asked me a few questions about my electronics background and what sort of test equipment I had on my workbench. He decided that I had enough enough experience to fix the problem myself, and we agreed that I would call him back after putting my K3 on my test bench and removing the covers. Later that day, I called him back and, together, we traced the signal path through the transmitter. I had the phone in one hand and a scope probe in the other. In a matter of 20 minutes, we determined that the push-pull FETs in the driver stage had shorted. He mailed me replacement FETs which came in three days. Ten minutes after opening the package, my K3 was back on the air. I have had similar experiences repairing a Ten-Tec Orion transceiver and SteppIR 4 el yagi. In each case, the service technicians were happy to talk to me and, with their guidance, repairs were quick and straightforward. Here's my point. Ham radio is a technical hobby. It begin a century ago, when all stations were homebrewed by their owners. Today, of course, there are hundreds of thousands of hams, and their technical expertise runs the gamut from
[Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Hi, all, hope someone can help! I have updated my K3 with just about all firmware that has come along since I put the rig together in March, 2008 (ser no 584) and never had trouble -- until now. The K3 Utility suddenly reported that no K3 communications are available. I've done some of the updates (the RXA board, CW Rise time, KIO3 Remote Module, LINE OUT and Speaker amplifier) and have had the rig on the workbench a few time looking for an obvious error I have made. To date, the error remains elusive. Anyone have an idea of what I should look for? TIA! 73, Joe, W2RBA w2rba(at)arrl(dot)net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K144XV followed by KPA3?
Hi David, The K144XV is compatible with both the low and high power versions of the K3. Previously manufactured units may require updates in certain sheet metal so be sure and tell the factory the version of the K3 that you have or that you upgrade to. 73, Bob, N6CM On Sun, Jul 5, 2009 at 1:09 PM, David Feldmanwb0...@hotmail.com wrote: If a K144XV is purchased for a basic (10W) K3, then later a KPA3 is added, does the K144XV module need to be replaced or can it be re-used? An entry (copied below) from www.elecraft.com/elecraft_prod_list.htm#k3 says there are two ways to order K144XV, but an e-mail to elecraft asking how I'd handle this sequence went unanswered. IMPORTANT: Check one: For a K3/10 For a K3/100 Thanks, 73 Dave WB0GAZ __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 More Magic
Just like to say that I have been using the latest 3.19 firmware and I _really_ appreciate the automatic VFO offset when switching from ssb to cw. I've set it up for the higher bands on usb/cw rev and it means I don't lose the signal completely like most other rigs do - great stuff! Graham __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Wanted: LP-PAN Panadapter
Does anyone out there have an LP-PAN for sale? If so, please contact me off-group at ingerassocia...@ With a new PC and soundcard, I think I'm ready to jump in! 73 de K6SBA David in Santa Barbara CA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Hi Joe, Did you make sure that it's opening the correct serial port? If you're using a USB hub, sometimes the COMx port id moves around. If this is the case, you'll have to sniff it out. If it's a REAL serial port, sorry. No clues here on that. You can set the COMx port from the K3 Utility, using one of the tabs. Also, make sure the digital part of the KIO3 is plugged in and properly aligned to the connector. Try another serial or USB cable too if you have them around. GL, matt W6NIA K3 #24 On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:09:54 -0400, you wrote: Hi, all, hope someone can help! I have updated my K3 with just about all firmware that has come along since I put the rig together in March, 2008 (ser no 584) and never had trouble -- until now. The K3 Utility suddenly reported that no K3 communications are available. I've done some of the updates (the RXA board, CW Rise time, KIO3 Remote Module, LINE OUT and Speaker amplifier) and have had the rig on the workbench a few time looking for an obvious error I have made. To date, the error remains elusive. Anyone have an idea of what I should look for? TIA! 73, Joe, W2RBA w2rba(at)arrl(dot)net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Hello Julian! ...I'm sorry I upset some people by some of my criticisms, but I do believe that they - and the criticisms made by others - have helped make the K3 the radio it is today. And at this moment in time I'm very pleased to be a K3 owner. If the only feedback we ever had was from satisfied customers telling us what the liked about their radio, product improvement would be less rapid and perhaps in directions that customer didn't want, but marketing people thought they did. All we ask is that we be given the opportunity to understand complaints and problems along with a chance to correct things. It often takes longer than we'd like, and frankly we've lost a few customers along the way. But I think our products are better for having had the critical complaints. And it has certainly made our journey more... interesting :-) Thank you for helping us improve the K3. 73, Lyle KK7P PS - Naturally, we also like the positive comments! Sometimes they help during the Dark Times. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Wasn't Synchronous AM detection in the original advertised specifications? Still waiting patiently... 73, Paul WW2PT On Jul 5, 2009, at 1:12 PM, Rick Dettinger wrote: I think the original author of this topic is incorrect to call the K3 100% done. I think that this is a correct statement if we take 100% done to mean that the K3 meets all of its advertised specs. At least most if not all of the mods have been enhancements, not steps to meet these specs. 73, Rick K7MW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
On Jul 5, 2009, at 5:15 PM, WW2PT wrote: Wasn't Synchronous AM detection in the original advertised specifications? Still waiting patiently... So am I. But I don't get a warm and fuzzy that it's on anybody's priority list. I might start holding my breath again .. IF there's ever a positive hint about it. Grant/NQ5T __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Hi Julian, I also think you have a fair point with regards to the transmitter. A radio with the K3's receive performance is going to be used very often to drive some high powered linears. Full ack. But the K3 was also designed to be a portable radio that could run off a 13.8V supply. And it does a wonderful job doing so. That I believe is the real limiting factor to the TX performance. It's all about compromise. Again full ack. But this got me wondering, especially as Elecraft apparently has not fully abandoned QRO PAs, according to mail from Wayne shortly after Dayton. Could the low power transverter output be usable (with minor modifications) to excite a highly linear, higher supply voltage, low noise, QRO TX amplifier chain and might this be a possible Elecraft product for K3s being used in a fixed fashion? Also one must not forget that the IMD at c. 20W generally speaking will be markedly better than at c. 80W. So the decision process of which external high power amplifier is to be used, should not only include how much driving power it requires but, more importantly, imho, how well the exciter behaves at the required drive level. vy 73 de toby -- DD5FZ K2 #885, K2/100 #3248, K3/100 #67 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Howard
I personally have the feeling that Howard doesn't have a amateur license. He's a very bright bored individual that accomplished what he set out to do, with all the various responses. It has been interesting though. He used enough ham lingo and brands to cloud his points. Hey, have fun, it's only a hobby and I love my K3/100. Phil Philip LaMarche LaMarche Enterprises, Inc. http://www.instantgourmetspices.com/ www.instantgourmetspices.com www.w9dvm.com http://www.w9dvm.com/ 800-395-7795 pin 02 727-944-3226 FAX 727-937-8834 NASFT 30210 K3 #1605 CCA 98 00827 CRA 1701 W9DVM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio (WAS K3 eHam review after 2+ years)
Though I have the typical reduction in high frequency hearing at my current age, I remember well being able to hear TV horizontal sweep frequency (15+ kHz) quite loudly walking into a room with a television on. I began to lose that in my fifties. Due to some lab equipment at college, I know I could hear 20 kHz, though not as well. The DAC artifacts I see clearly on spectrum analysis down 60 would have been 20 db over my hearing floor, and annoying, as I had the typical reaction to someone raking their fingernails down a chalkboard. However, I still DO hear any intermod in 3-6 kHz over top of a 3 kHz bandwidth signal, and it DOES make the audio seem harsh if there is anything there. Does harshness make any difference in a contest? Not that I can tell. 40m has all kinds of annoying crud that comes in. Less crud if it's a K3. 40m is an annoying band. But I didn't buy the K3 for audiophile audio. In the CQWWCW 40m I lost only 15 busted/NIL out of a claimed 1728 QSOs. I credit this to the clarity of the K3 listening to terribly weak signals up close to overpowering signals. To boot, the log includes many signals that pre-K3, I simply would not have attempted. Not that I wasn't trying very hard to be accurate in the contest, but this result simply stomps any prior personal best, where I was trying just as hard. We were all K3 at NY4A and the other bands/ops reflected like improvements. It was no personal fluke. Given that, I would have to say that the RX is an unqualified success in its intended design. But if Elecraft was to offer an audiophile upgrade to the K3 audio, I would put it in -- not for contesting, but just for listening pleasure. I still far prefer my old tube 75A3 for SSB listening (not contesting), echoing an old complaint from audiophiles about anything transistor vs. anything tubes. Then again, my K3 hears clearly and accurately much stuff that is inaudible on the A3, and the skirts on the A3's mechanical filters are no match for the K3 combined DSP and INRAD. It would be really neat if somehow Elecraft could produce audiophile audio in the K3, but for the price spent and the central premise of the design, an admitted harshness is just nit-picking. I'll take a K3 board that Elecraft intends to be audiophile outcome, and complain about that if it misses, but I bought my current K3 for the contest results. 73, Guy. K2AV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Apologize for double post
It looks as if I did a double-post. Getting lost in a new email program...abject apologies. -- 73, Guy K2AV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Hi, Matt, I'm not using a USB hub, my system used to work with a straight cable from a com port to the K3 or with the Elecraft/Prolific USB to rs-232 cable but no go, no matter which of four port I have. I also have checked for proper mating of the KIO3 but no go. It still confounds me why it worked for over a year and then stopped -- on three different computers! Thanks for your suggestions. Any others? :) 73, Joe, W2RBA Matt Zilmer wrote: Hi Joe, Did you make sure that it's opening the correct serial port? If you're using a USB hub, sometimes the COMx port id moves around. If this is the case, you'll have to sniff it out. If it's a REAL serial port, sorry. No clues here on that. You can set the COMx port from the K3 Utility, using one of the tabs. Also, make sure the digital part of the KIO3 is plugged in and properly aligned to the connector. Try another serial or USB cable too if you have them around. GL, matt W6NIA K3 #24 On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:09:54 -0400, you wrote: Hi, all, hope someone can help! I have updated my K3 with just about all firmware that has come along since I put the rig together in March, 2008 (ser no 584) and never had trouble -- until now. The K3 Utility suddenly reported that no K3 communications are available. I've done some of the updates (the RXA board, CW Rise time, KIO3 Remote Module, LINE OUT and Speaker amplifier) and have had the rig on the workbench a few time looking for an obvious error I have made. To date, the error remains elusive. Anyone have an idea of what I should look for? TIA! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Wanted LP-PAN Adapter
Friends, I have satisfied my needs for the LP-PAN. Thanks to all who responded. 73 de K6SBA David in Santa Barbara, CA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Howard
Guys - Please, no personal attacks or negative comments about individuals on this list. 73, Eric WA6HHQ List Moderator _..._ -Original Message- From: Phil LaMarche plama...@verizon.net Date: Sunday, Jul 5, 2009 3:49 pm Subject: [Elecraft] Howard To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net I personally have the feeling that Howard doesn't have a amateur license. He's a very bright bored individual that accomplished what he set out to do, with all the various responses. It has been interesting though. He used enough ham lingo and brands to cloud his points. Hey, have fun, it's only a hobby and I love my K3/100. Phil Philip LaMarche LaMarche Enterprises, Inc. http://www.instantgourmetspices.com/ www.instantgourmetspices.com www.w9dvm.com http://www.w9dvm.com/ 800-395-7795 pin 02 727-944-3226 FAX 727-937-8834 NASFT 30210 K3 #1605 CCA 98 00827 CRA 1701 W9DVM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Grant, That has not been forgotten. I believe I heard Lyle mention Synchronous AM on the Elecraft SSB net today. Signals were weak, and I was not able to hear all of it, but I got the idea that it was one of the items on his near-term work agenda. 73, Don W3FPR Grant Youngman wrote: On Jul 5, 2009, at 5:15 PM, WW2PT wrote: Wasn't Synchronous AM detection in the original advertised specifications? Still waiting patiently... So am I. But I don't get a warm and fuzzy that it's on anybody's priority list. I might start holding my breath again .. IF there's ever a positive hint about it. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
OK Joe. Sorry none of that worked out. When you buy Elecraft, you also buy excellent customer support. I'd suggest you contact supp...@elecraft.com. Given these symptoms, it's possible that the digital part of the KIO3 failed. This happens even in the best-designed systems. Or they may have troubleshooting advice for you. Don't give up. All problems can be overcome. Call or email Elecraft, and they'll help you get it figgered out. 73, matt zilmer, W6NIA On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:27:57 -0400, you wrote: Hi, Matt, I'm not using a USB hub, my system used to work with a straight cable from a com port to the K3 or with the Elecraft/Prolific USB to rs-232 cable but no go, no matter which of four port I have. I also have checked for proper mating of the KIO3 but no go. It still confounds me why it worked for over a year and then stopped -- on three different computers! Thanks for your suggestions. Any others? :) 73, Joe, W2RBA Matt Zilmer wrote: Hi Joe, Did you make sure that it's opening the correct serial port? If you're using a USB hub, sometimes the COMx port id moves around. If this is the case, you'll have to sniff it out. If it's a REAL serial port, sorry. No clues here on that. You can set the COMx port from the K3 Utility, using one of the tabs. Also, make sure the digital part of the KIO3 is plugged in and properly aligned to the connector. Try another serial or USB cable too if you have them around. GL, matt W6NIA K3 #24 On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:09:54 -0400, you wrote: Hi, all, hope someone can help! I have updated my K3 with just about all firmware that has come along since I put the rig together in March, 2008 (ser no 584) and never had trouble -- until now. The K3 Utility suddenly reported that no K3 communications are available. I've done some of the updates (the RXA board, CW Rise time, KIO3 Remote Module, LINE OUT and Speaker amplifier) and have had the rig on the workbench a few time looking for an obvious error I have made. To date, the error remains elusive. Anyone have an idea of what I should look for? TIA! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Joe, Have you tried the steps in the Forcing a Firmware Download on page 44 of the K3 manual? Before doing that, how about closing K3 Utility and reboot the computer - sometimes that alone works wonders at cleaning things up. 73, Don W3FPR Joe Malloy wrote: Hi, Matt, I'm not using a USB hub, my system used to work with a straight cable from a com port to the K3 or with the Elecraft/Prolific USB to rs-232 cable but no go, no matter which of four port I have. I also have checked for proper mating of the KIO3 but no go. It still confounds me why it worked for over a year and then stopped -- on three different computers! Thanks for your suggestions. Any others? :) 73, Joe, W2RBA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Please use k3supp...@elecraft.com if the problem is specific to the K3. Thanks Greg AB7R - Original Message - From: Matt Zilmer mzil...@verizon.net To: Joe Malloy jmal...@hamilton.edu Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sunday, July 05, 2009 4:41 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port OK Joe. Sorry none of that worked out. When you buy Elecraft, you also buy excellent customer support. I'd suggest you contact supp...@elecraft.com. Given these symptoms, it's possible that the digital part of the KIO3 failed. This happens even in the best-designed systems. Or they may have troubleshooting advice for you. Don't give up. All problems can be overcome. Call or email Elecraft, and they'll help you get it figgered out. 73, matt zilmer, W6NIA On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 19:27:57 -0400, you wrote: Hi, Matt, I'm not using a USB hub, my system used to work with a straight cable from a com port to the K3 or with the Elecraft/Prolific USB to rs-232 cable but no go, no matter which of four port I have. I also have checked for proper mating of the KIO3 but no go. It still confounds me why it worked for over a year and then stopped -- on three different computers! Thanks for your suggestions. Any others? :) 73, Joe, W2RBA Matt Zilmer wrote: Hi Joe, Did you make sure that it's opening the correct serial port? If you're using a USB hub, sometimes the COMx port id moves around. If this is the case, you'll have to sniff it out. If it's a REAL serial port, sorry. No clues here on that. You can set the COMx port from the K3 Utility, using one of the tabs. Also, make sure the digital part of the KIO3 is plugged in and properly aligned to the connector. Try another serial or USB cable too if you have them around. GL, matt W6NIA K3 #24 On Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:09:54 -0400, you wrote: Hi, all, hope someone can help! I have updated my K3 with just about all firmware that has come along since I put the rig together in March, 2008 (ser no 584) and never had trouble -- until now. The K3 Utility suddenly reported that no K3 communications are available. I've done some of the updates (the RXA board, CW Rise time, KIO3 Remote Module, LINE OUT and Speaker amplifier) and have had the rig on the workbench a few time looking for an obvious error I have made. To date, the error remains elusive. Anyone have an idea of what I should look for? TIA! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.375 / Virus Database: 270.13.5/2219 - Release Date: 07/05/09 05:53:00 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] WTB: built or unbuilt K60V
Hello Group, I am looking for a K60V built or unbuilt. If you have one, please advise me your price including shipping to Hong Kong by airmail. Since the kit is small, it can be packed in a padded envelope. To reduce the shipping weight, I don't need the mnual which can be downloaded from the web. Please reply off the list. TNX 73 Johnny Siu VR2XMC Yahoo!香港提供網上安全攻略，教你如何防範黑客! 請前往 http://hk.promo.yahoo.com/security/ 了解更多! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Newbie question
My new K3 has no output. It is not in test mode. The sidetone is normal, the receiver quiets when I key it but no output. Probably I've done something wrong. TIA Jim __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3: Unable to update firmware by RS-232 port
Don, the problem is that I have no connection to the K3 from my computer anymore despite the fact that I *did* have one until a few weeks ago. Neither the Prolific USB-serial nor real com ports -- and three different computers! -- make any difference. I think it's a problem with the K3 itself. 73, Joe, W2RBA Don Wilhelm wrote: Joe, Have you tried the steps in the Forcing a Firmware Download on page 44 of the K3 manual? Before doing that, how about closing K3 Utility and reboot the computer - sometimes that alone works wonders at cleaning things up. 73, Don W3FPR Joe Malloy wrote: Hi, Matt, I'm not using a USB hub, my system used to work with a straight cable from a com port to the K3 or with the Elecraft/Prolific USB to rs-232 cable but no go, no matter which of four port I have. I also have checked for proper mating of the KIO3 but no go. It still confounds me why it worked for over a year and then stopped -- on three different computers! Thanks for your suggestions. Any others? :) 73, Joe, W2RBA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Mia Culpa
I could swear the Vox was on but it wasn't. Maybe someday I'll get this thing figured out. Sorry for the confusion. Jim __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Newbie question
Jim Bobo wrote: My new K3 has no output. It is not in test mode. The sidetone is normal, the receiver quiets when I key it but no output. Probably I've done something wrong. Be sure you have either pressed the XMIT switch, or have VOX enabled for the Tx to activate in CW mode. 73, Lyle kK7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 ERR BP2 following KRX3 and KBPF3 install
Got a suggestion off reflector as to the cause of the ERR BP2. Not surprisingly, It was operator error -- I had installed the KBPF3 on the KRX3 sub receiver board but had enabled it on the main receiver with the Config menu. The recommendation that I put the KBPF3 on the main receiver seemed prudent so I moved it while I had the K3 opened up. Thought I'd follow up here in case someone else runs into the same thing. Many thanks and 73, Brad AA5CH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for July 5th 6th, 2009
__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft SSB Net results (7/5/09)
We had a nice but somewhat challenging SSB net today (1800Z) on 14.316 MHz. The signal levels were way down, but attendance was back up from recent weeks. We had 22 participants including net control and ran for 33 minutes. The discussions involved pumping Lyle, KK7P, for information about upcoming changes to noise reduction and other topics (thank you Lyle for checking in). Here is a list of the 22 participants: Station NameQTH Rig S/N K6UONormCA K3 755 KM5QWindy NM K3 764 KK7PLyleWA K3 3036 KA0NCR Arnie NE K3 185 AD5SX PaulNM Jupiter (K2 6807 in the hospital) KD0RDavid KS IC706 W0NTA DickCO K3 1208 AE6IC FredCA K3 2241 KZ0OBradFL K3 285 K8MBY PhilOH K3 609 N1LQDaveMA K3 371 WB6HPF Al CA K3 974 K8DJC Nelson OH K3 560 K0ARO KurtIA K3 151 K3PIN Steve PA K3 2453 K5DNL Ken OK K3 1354 W0FMTerry MO K3 474 W8FUBruce OH K3 2516 W8OVDaveTX K3 ? KA5KKT DickKY K3 1030 W3FPR Don NC K3 20 NS7PPhilOR K3 1826 Thanks to everybody who checked in. Have a good week. 73, Phil, NS7P __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for July 5th 6th, 2009
For some reason I could not read the email I sent to the Reflector. So I am sending it again. If you were able to read the first message I am sorry for the overload to your inbox. Kevin. Good Evening, It has been almost an hour and a half since I signed off after the 40 meter net. My ears are still ringing! I was not able to get rid of the noise with any blanking system I have. I had not heard this type of noise before. By the time I closed I was unable to copy stations I knew were there. Not even a character was making it through the noise. It is hard to describe the noise I was hearing but it was more on the order of tones instead of static or auroral or any other type I have heard before. I did have my filters closed way down to eliminate as much as possible but nothing seemed to help. The hummingbirds are going a little crazy out there. They are flying up to the window as I write and watching me. I keep feeding them and they let me walk around mostly unmolested. They complain when I water the plants on the deck since I am invading their territory. I remember sitting on a log across a creek in Wisconsin. There were jewelweed plants in bloom along each bank. The air was filled with dozens and dozens of zipping hummingbirds all trying to defend a quite fluid territory. The females (Ruby Throated Hummingbirds) calmly worked their way along the plants as the males were crazily zipping everywhere. I wonder what the difference in life expectency is between the genders? On to the lists = On 14050 kHz at 2300z: NO8V - John - MI - K3 - 820 QNI #75!!! N0SS - Tom - MO - K3 - 008*** QNI #310 *** W6ZH - Pete - CA - K3 - 657 AB9V - Mike - IN - K3 - 398 K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642* QNI #130 * K1THP - Dave - CT - K3 - 686 W0CZ - Ken - ND - K3 - 457 K9ZTV - Kent - MO - K3 - 21 QNI #70!!! KB3FBR - Joe - PA - ? K4JPN - Steve - GA - K2 - 1422 * QNI #110 * W0ESE - Bryan - MO - K2 - ? N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866 N0TA - John - CO - K3 - 994 KC7OTG - Brett - OR - K3 - 1116 WB3AAL - Ron - PA - K2 - 1392 QNI #50!!! On 7045.5 kHz at 0100z: W6ZH - Pete - CA - K3 - 657 * QNI #185 * K6DGW - Fred - CA - K3 - 642 AB9V - Mike - IN - K3 - 398** QNI #230 ** W0NTA - Dick - CO - K3 - 1208 N0TA - John - CO - K3 - 994 QNI #90!!! W6UDX - Ron - CA - K2 - 6687 KL7CW - Rick - AK - KX1 - 798 If there are any errors in these lists please send me the correction via email. I did notice the change in call from N6IB to W6UDX which helped me with his data. I copied the call correctly but would not have been able to copy any information because the band was so noisy. When I read his listing on QRZ I found he is running from a restricted area so I am glad I was able to copy his call. Thank you for the repetition Ron, it made my life a bit easier. But, chores await as does an early Monday morning. I had better get going before I forget to do my wash and dishes! Until next week stay well, 73, Kevin. KD5ONS (Net Control Operator 5th Class) - __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 eHam review after 2+ years
Yes, of course you are right. I was referring to hardwear changes that would require returning the rig to Aptos or going inside with a hot soldering iron in hand. There is no point in waiting to buy a K3 until the firmwear is fully mature as there is not much involved in dong a periodic upgrade online. It does help if you live near one of the design engineers ):. 73, Rick K7MW in Mount Vernon, Wa. Wasn't Synchronous AM detection in the original advertised specifications? Still waiting patiently... 73, Paul WW2PT On Jul 5, 2009, at 1:12 PM, Rick Dettinger wrote: I think the original author of this topic is incorrect to call the K3 100% done. I think that this is a correct statement if we take 100% done to mean that the K3 meets all of its advertised specs. At least most if not all of the mods have been enhancements, not steps to meet these specs. 73, Rick K7MW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] KX1 case warm
Hi to all, I inadvertently pushed to far a screw designed for a new paddle in the hole near the paddle socket.. and think I damaged the circuit near the edge on the PCB (the path near the edge seems broken). Now, the case of the KX1 gets warm even in receive mode. That heat seems to come from Q6 . Is there a relation between the damage and that warming of Q6 and the KX1 case? Thanks for your help __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio (WAS K3 eHam review after 2+ years)
Given the likely expense of. Real audiophile audio chain, I would happily settle for a audiophile grade 'line out' which I would then run into a high quality stereo amp. So the question is even an audiophile line out feasible for a reasonable amount of $$ given we have to be limited to a 13 v power supply? Harris K9RJ K3 1855 Sent via BlackBerry by ATT -Original Message- From: Guy Olinger olin...@bellsouth.net Date: Sun, 5 Jul 2009 15:48:00 To: n...@no3m.net Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Audio (WAS K3 eHam review after 2+ years) On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 10:45 PM, E. Tichansky n...@ni3s.net wrote: Unfortunately, there IS a problem w/ CW audio in the K3, at least with both here (see concurrently running thread: K3 Audio Low Pass Filter). The sidetones generated around the 12 kHz DAC leak-through (+/- sidetone frq., ie. 500Hz)are clearly audible for me and rather annoying, enough so that I had to insert inline low pass audio filters on each radio to knock it down to make CW operation tolerable. I was in correspondence about the issue back in Oct/Nov of last year w/ Elecraft. Regardless of the 60 db down and other levels people have measured on those sidetones, I can hear it, even with as low a volume setting of around 9-10 o'clock. Apparently there are others that can as well. The majority of folks who own a K3, presumably yourself included, have a reduction or loss of hearing at high frequencies. From that perspective, the audio is great! However, not hearing it doesn't necessarily mean there isn't an underlying problem present, and those that wish to fix it aren't doing so out of desire to tinker and change things. Though I have the typical reduction in high frequency hearing at my current age, I remember well being able to hear TV horizontal sweep frequency (15+ kHz) quite loudly walking into a room with a television on. I began to lose that in my fifties. Due to some lab equipment at college, I know I could hear 20 kHz, though not as well. The DAC artifacts I see clearly on spectrum analysis down 60 would have been 20 db over my hearing floor, and annoying, as I had the typical reaction to someone raking their fingernails down a chalkboard. Such a sound would literally make my gums vibrate. However, I DO hear any intermod in 3-6 kHz over top of a 3 kHz bandwidth signal, and it DOES make the audio seem harsh if there is anything there. Does harshness make any difference in a contest? Not really. 40m has all kinds of annoying crud that comes in. Less crud if it's a K3. 40m is an annoying band. From the CQWWCW 40m claimed 1728 QSOs, I lost only 15 busted/NIL, which I credit to the clarity of the K3 listening to awful signals up close to overpowering signals. Not that I wasn't trying hard to be accurate in the contest, but this result simply stomps any prior personal best where I was trying just as hard. The log also includes signals that pre-K3, I simply would not have attempted. We were all K3 at NY4A and the other bands/ops reflected like improvements. It was no personal fluke. Given that, I would have to say that the RX is an unqualified success in its intended design. But if Elecraft was to offer an audiophile upgrade to the K3 audio, I would put it in -- not for contesting, but just for listening pleasure. I still far prefer my old tube 75A3 for SSB listening, echoing an old complaint from audiophiles about anything transistor vs. anything tubes. But my K3 hears clearly and accurately much stuff that is inaudible on the A3, and the skirts on the A3's mechanical filters are no match for the K3 combined DSP and INRAD. It would be really neat if somehow Elecraft could product audiophile audio in the K3, but for the price spent, an admitted harshness is really nit-picking. I'll take a board with an intended audiophile outcome, and complain about that if it misses, but I bought my current K3 for the contest results. 73, Guy. K2AV __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
