Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 tolerance
I can confirm Jims findings also1.8:1 is fine here also. Gary On 30 June 2011 04:12, Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com wrote: On 6/29/2011 7:43 AM, jgaudron wrote: A friend of of mine has problems with a solid state amplifier that switches to safety at the least value of SWR, like 1.2 or 1.4 ! He would like to know what is the KPA500 tolerance concerning SWR. My KPA500 puts out 600W - 675W (I've seen occasional peaks of 700W without faulting) into a reasonably matched load on the HF bands (1.5:1 or better), and 560W on 6M into a load of about 1.4:1. If the match gets to about 2:1 on the HF bands, it might fall back to 500-550w. No issues with nuisance faulting. 73, Jim K9YC __ 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 -- VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile Elecraft Equipment K3 #679, KPA-500 #018 Living the dream!!! __ 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] KPA500 tolerance
Dear All, The below mail also be of interest: -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft Sent: 11. maj 2011 20:10 To: Geoffrey Downs Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 and SWR above 1.5:1 The KPA500 bases its SWR protection on reflected power level, not an absolute SWR. The KPA500 is happy up to a 2:1 SWR at 500-W out. As long as the actual reflected power is below that for a 2:1 SWR at 500W, it will not reduce its power. This means you can operate into a higher than 2:1 SWR load at full amplifier gain if you reduce the amp's output power slightly. The amp soft-faults and reduces output power by about 2.5 dB by switching in an input attenuator at the 500W 2:1 reflected power point, and it flashes a red LED to alert you to this so you can adjust driver power (or SWR via an external tuner) down a bit. Once this is corrected below this threshold by the operator, the KPA500 automatically goes back to full gain. It also does this for minor overdrive conditions. Of course, for excessive SWR events (wrong antenna, open antenna etc), and severe overdrive, the amp protects itself by immediately hard faulting and going into bypass mode. After correcting the fault, just push the operate/standby switch to get back on-line. While at Contest University, our Italian representative surprised me by demonstrating this feature to customers by pulling the coax from the dummy load while the amp was transmitting. After I recovered from my surprise, I realized the amp was perfectly happy and had protected itself as advertised :-) But don't try this at home, as he also received a minor RF burn to help him remember this event.. 73, Eric WA6HHQ www.elecraft.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 -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary Gregory Sent: 30. juni 2011 08:31 To: j...@audiosystemsgroup.com Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 tolerance I can confirm Jims findings also1.8:1 is fine here also. Gary On 30 June 2011 04:12, Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com wrote: On 6/29/2011 7:43 AM, jgaudron wrote: A friend of of mine has problems with a solid state amplifier that switches to safety at the least value of SWR, like 1.2 or 1.4 ! He would like to know what is the KPA500 tolerance concerning SWR. My KPA500 puts out 600W - 675W (I've seen occasional peaks of 700W without faulting) into a reasonably matched load on the HF bands (1.5:1 or better), and 560W on 6M into a load of about 1.4:1. If the match gets to about 2:1 on the HF bands, it might fall back to 500-550w. No issues with nuisance faulting. 73, Jim K9YC __ 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 -- VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile Elecraft Equipment K3 #679, KPA-500 #018 Living the dream!!! __ 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] Tech Writing
Before Wayne or Eric cuts this topic off, I'd like offer a bit of humor. In the 70's when the cold war wasn't, between two middle east countries, i worked for an aerospace company in Silicon Valley that had a large equipment design and installation contract with one of them. One of our other contact tasks was to train their operators and also write Tech Manuals in their language. These to be operators, mostly from their military, had little if any formal schooling, but most could speak a fair amount of English. During one early class on operating the equipment, during a hands on and almost one on one session, a student was asked to operate a knob to tune some part of the equipment or to change the gain. His response was knob, what's a knob turn it, how do you do that ?? He had never operated any kind of electrical/electronic equipment before, and had to be sent back to the basic electronic/mechanic school, that we also provided. He was in fact one of a majority. Another humorus incident, was during the equipment building, construction phase. This was being built out in the middle of a very sandy desert and a good equipment ground was hard to come by, so we came up with the idea of installing an earth ground, (rod/wires) into the septic system underneath the John(s) . The construction workmen were instructed to use these restrooms and not go out in the desert. A week or so after the restroom and septic system were installed and in operation, we noticed that they were no longer flushing correctly if at all. Upon removing one of the toilets, we discovered that the drain was filled with small rocks. We had neglected to write a manual or give a class on the proper use of a modern restroom and in particular the use of toilet paper !! Chuck, W7CS __ 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] KPA500 AUX Cable Keying
The plan for Pin 11 (I understand) is to eventually inhibit the KPA500 when pressing TUNE on the K3 so that you can tune a manal or auto-tuner at low power without having to remember to manually put the KPA500 in standby first. My understanding is that this will be in a future K3 firmware release as a set-up option. Phil - AD5X __ 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
I passed 13 wpm to pass General in the early 80s and never made a single CW QSO - didn't even use a key to practice. But when I passed the no-code Extra in 2007 I decided to work CW until I could copy at least 20 wpm. Bought a paddle and decided to learn to use it with my left hand so my dominant right hand could take notes. I also decided to set the paddle up with dits on the left since this appeared to be the way the majority of paddle users did it. This way I could pass my paddle to most right handers and there would be no need to reverse the sense of the paddle. Similarly, I could move most other's paddle to the left side of the radio and jump right in. I've reached 20 wpm now and wish I'd discovered the joy of CW sooner. Will, AI4VE __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
I haven't had a chance to try to run the rig off a battery. However, I was able to record the sound using my iPhone. I have uploaded the audio file here: http://alien.liltechdude.com/files/Recordings/kpasqueal.mp3 I made sure the fan power cables weren't touching the fans/each other. AB3LS On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.netwrote: If you can do it, see if you still have the noise running off a battery. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 8:37 PM, Adi Andrei e.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: The fans are still but I still hear it. Almost like some switching PSU noise. Adi 2e0ttx On 27/06/2011 15:21, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Check to make sure that the cables routed in front of the fans are not touching. A light touch will result in a sound like that. It will change or go away with the fan speed. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 9:10 AM, Adi Andreie.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: I have the same thing happening, similar series K3 (5k something) , also assembled in March. Adi 2E0TTX On 27/06/2011 13:38, Joe Harris wrote: I have very similar symptoms in my K3/100 (SN 5284) that I assembled in March. It makes the sound even if I am in TX test mode. Again, no performance issues, just a slightly bothersome squeal / whine. On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 8:23 PM, Geoffrey Wolfliltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: First off it was a great Field Day and my new K3 impressed me extremely not only in performance but in it's functionality. To kick off Field Day I installed a new KPA100 into the K3. I did all the necessary TX gain calibrations using a dummy load. One thing I noticed immediately was that I was hearing a very high pitched squeal coming from either the PA board or possibly the KIO3 (the board the amp plugs into). The squeal seems to vary in frequency each time the transmitter keys up (can only hear it when the radio is in TX). The squeal is not very loud but its loud enough for me to hear it if I listen closely. It doesn't seem to be power related. The squeal is there even if the radio is in TX but no power going out (RF Pwr set to 0W). The closest thing I can compare the sound to is perhaps a tiny leak in an air hose. Is this typical of a bad solder joint or something? This squeal only pertains to the new KPA100 installation. Before the amp was installed I didn't hear a thing. I should also note that nothing appears to be affecting performance. Puts out 100 watts no problem. Clean modulation, etc. -- Geoffrey Wolf AB3LS (Amateur Radio Callsign) University of Pittsburgh '14 gr...@pitt.edu liltechd...@me.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 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 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
Good for you Will!! I have been doing CW for 59 years and having tried RTTY and all of the digital modes, I still think CW is a truly FUN part of the hobby which so far, digital cannot replace. 73, Tom - W4BQF -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of William Ravenel Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 7:37 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?) I passed 13 wpm to pass General in the early 80s and never made a single CW QSO - didn't even use a key to practice. But when I passed the no-code Extra in 2007 I decided to work CW until I could copy at least 20 wpm. Bought a paddle and decided to learn to use it with my left hand so my dominant right hand could take notes. I also decided to set the paddle up with dits on the left since this appeared to be the way the majority of paddle users did it. This way I could pass my paddle to most right handers and there would be no need to reverse the sense of the paddle. Similarly, I could move most other's paddle to the left side of the radio and jump right in. I've reached 20 wpm now and wish I'd discovered the joy of CW sooner. Will, AI4VE __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
Forgot to mention, That recording was made using QSK CW in the TX Test mode. AB3LS On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 8:12 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS liltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: I haven't had a chance to try to run the rig off a battery. However, I was able to record the sound using my iPhone. I have uploaded the audio file here: http://alien.liltechdude.com/files/Recordings/kpasqueal.mp3 I made sure the fan power cables weren't touching the fans/each other. AB3LS On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.netwrote: If you can do it, see if you still have the noise running off a battery. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 8:37 PM, Adi Andrei e.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: The fans are still but I still hear it. Almost like some switching PSU noise. Adi 2e0ttx On 27/06/2011 15:21, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Check to make sure that the cables routed in front of the fans are not touching. A light touch will result in a sound like that. It will change or go away with the fan speed. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 9:10 AM, Adi Andreie.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: I have the same thing happening, similar series K3 (5k something) , also assembled in March. Adi 2E0TTX On 27/06/2011 13:38, Joe Harris wrote: I have very similar symptoms in my K3/100 (SN 5284) that I assembled in March. It makes the sound even if I am in TX test mode. Again, no performance issues, just a slightly bothersome squeal / whine. On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 8:23 PM, Geoffrey Wolfliltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: First off it was a great Field Day and my new K3 impressed me extremely not only in performance but in it's functionality. To kick off Field Day I installed a new KPA100 into the K3. I did all the necessary TX gain calibrations using a dummy load. One thing I noticed immediately was that I was hearing a very high pitched squeal coming from either the PA board or possibly the KIO3 (the board the amp plugs into). The squeal seems to vary in frequency each time the transmitter keys up (can only hear it when the radio is in TX). The squeal is not very loud but its loud enough for me to hear it if I listen closely. It doesn't seem to be power related. The squeal is there even if the radio is in TX but no power going out (RF Pwr set to 0W). The closest thing I can compare the sound to is perhaps a tiny leak in an air hose. Is this typical of a bad solder joint or something? This squeal only pertains to the new KPA100 installation. Before the amp was installed I didn't hear a thing. I should also note that nothing appears to be affecting performance. Puts out 100 watts no problem. Clean modulation, etc. -- Geoffrey Wolf AB3LS (Amateur Radio Callsign) University of Pittsburgh '14 gr...@pitt.edu liltechd...@me.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 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 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 Cal
Chuck, Using CW and CW reverse is really a good procedure. I have used USB/LSB when WWV was transmitting a tone with the same effect. Your method doesn't require a modulated tone as you are using the actual carrier. The only issue with our calibration procedures is you have to have good pitch hearing and many of the ham radio operatores are tone deaf. For those who are tone deaf use the zero beat method using the side tone in the K3. From now on I will use your method as I don't have to wait for a tone to be transmitted by WWV. 73 Dave KD1NA __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 8:17 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS liltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: Forgot to mention, That recording was made using QSK CW in the TX Test mode. AB3LS On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 8:12 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS liltechdud...@gmail.com wrote: I haven't had a chance to try to run the rig off a battery. However, I was able to record the sound using my iPhone. I have uploaded the audio file here: http://alien.liltechdude.com/files/Recordings/kpasqueal.mp3 I made sure the fan power cables weren't touching the fans/each other. AB3LS On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.net wrote: If you can do it, see if you still have the noise running off a battery. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 8:37 PM, Adi Andrei e.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: The fans are still but I still hear it. Almost like some switching PSU noise. Adi 2e0ttx On 27/06/2011 15:21, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Check to make sure that the cables routed in front of the fans are not touching. A light touch will result in a sound like that. It will change or go away with the fan speed. 73, Guy. On Mon, Jun 27, 2011 at 9:10 AM, Adi Andreie.adi.and...@gmail.com wrote: I have the same thing happening, similar series K3 (5k something) , also assembled in March. Adi 2E0TTX On 27/06/2011 13:38, Joe Harris wrote: I have very similar symptoms in my K3/100 (SN 5284) that I assembled in March. It makes the sound even if I am in TX test mode. Again, no performance issues, just a slightly bothersome squeal / whine. On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 8:23 PM, Geoffrey Wolfliltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: First off it was a great Field Day and my new K3 impressed me extremely not only in performance but in it's functionality. To kick off Field Day I installed a new KPA100 into the K3. I did all the necessary TX gain calibrations using a dummy load. One thing I noticed immediately was that I was hearing a very high pitched squeal coming from either the PA board or possibly the KIO3 (the board the amp plugs into). The squeal seems to vary in frequency each time the transmitter keys up (can only hear it when the radio is in TX). The squeal is not very loud but its loud enough for me to hear it if I listen closely. It doesn't seem to be power related. The squeal is there even if the radio is in TX but no power going out (RF Pwr set to 0W). The closest thing I can compare the sound to is perhaps a tiny leak in an air hose. Is this typical of a bad solder joint or something? This squeal only pertains to the new KPA100 installation. Before the amp was installed I didn't hear a thing. I should also note that nothing appears to be affecting performance. Puts out 100 watts no problem. Clean modulation, etc. -- Geoffrey Wolf AB3LS (Amateur Radio Callsign) University of Pittsburgh '14 gr...@pitt.edu liltechd...@me.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 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 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: KPA100 Squeal
Geoff, How are you hearing any QSK relay clicking in the K3? There are no relays changed between receive and transmit, it is all silent electronic switching. If you are hearing something that sounds like a relay click, then that needs to be investigated - it should not be. Sorry, but I cannot venture any guess about the source of the 12 kHz. Have you tried turning the monitor down to zero? Where does the source seem to be located? Do you still hear it if you go to the CONFIG menu and set the KPA3 to not installed? 73, Don W3FPR On 6/30/2011 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis __ 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] Straight key first...
Will... Yours is an amazing and wonderful story! CW learning is not only the learning of a new skill, but also the ability to use an amazing weak-signal technique! I was 13 years old when I took my Class B in 1946 -- and I was very scared about the 13 wpm code test. I took the Class A a year later, then in about 1970 I took took the Extra Class exam */with its code test/*. By then, I was fairly experienced with CW, and sailed through both the code and the theory part. I was pretty surprised when the FCC dropped all code requirements (still think it was a bad idea!), but since the then ham community seemed to be in favor,I let my objections be held as private misgivings. Over the (65) years since my first license, I have continued to use CW when the going was marginal or tough. Last night I worked Illinois on 6 meters using CW, and I am sure the QSO would never have happened on SSB -- signals were just too weak. I use the full list of digital modes now, CW, PSK, all the way through to Olivia and WSJT. When conditions are good to outstanding, I use SSB as well, but I don't usually waste spectrum and power that way. I don't like to run high power just to waste it on 1 or 2 kHz of spectrum space...the digital modes are very amenable to the use of the fine narrow-band filters on my K3 and I find particularly PSK31 to be a very relaxing rag-chewing mode, with its buffering (with FLDIGI). There's time for coffee, and the note-taking is already on the screen... Good luck and have fun with CW! John Ragle -- W1ZI = On 6/30/2011 7:37 AM, William Ravenel wrote: I passed 13 wpm to pass General in the early 80s and never made a single CW QSO - didn't even use a key to practice. But when I passed the no-code Extra in 2007 I decided to work CW until I could copy at least 20 wpm. Bought a paddle and decided to learn to use it with my left hand so my dominant right hand could take notes. I also decided to set the paddle up with dits on the left since this appeared to be the way the majority of paddle users did it. This way I could pass my paddle to most right handers and there would be no need to reverse the sense of the paddle. Similarly, I could move most other's paddle to the left side of the radio and jump right in. I've reached 20 wpm now and wish I'd discovered the joy of CW sooner. Will, AI4VE __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
Sorry. I shouldn't have said QSK relay. I took out the KPA and popped the 10W jumper back in. The 12Khz squeal is gone. I hear a little bit of clicking coming from the LPA board but nothing that I would suspect is abnormal. Here's the slightest clicking I'm hearing without the KPA installed ( http://alien.liltechdude.com/files/Recordings/Memo.mp3 ) I popped the KPA back in and changed the setting to KPA not installed and still hear the 12Khz squeal and the louder 'clicking'. It sounds like it's coming from either the KPA board or the KPAIO3 (the board the amp plugs into) Everything I have described can be heard using the audio files I posted. AB3LS On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 10:04 AM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Geoff, How are you hearing any QSK relay clicking in the K3? There are no relays changed between receive and transmit, it is all silent electronic switching. If you are hearing something that sounds like a relay click, then that needs to be investigated - it should not be. Sorry, but I cannot venture any guess about the source of the 12 kHz. Have you tried turning the monitor down to zero? Where does the source seem to be located? Do you still hear it if you go to the CONFIG menu and set the KPA3 to not installed? 73, Don W3FPR On 6/30/2011 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis __ 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
Hi, Phil; Good story. Since you were an examiner, I thought I'd pass this along. I took my 2nd Class Telegraph examination in Oklahoma City in 1978. My mother had to drive me from Enid, OK because I didn't have a driver's license. There were probably 70 people standing in the hallway waiting for their ham tests when the examiner came out and shouted Is the candidated for the 2nd Class Radiotelegraph examination here? The crowd fell silent and I had to walk past all of them to go into the examination room alone with the examiner. He fired up the CW test then left the room. The test finished, I put my pencil down and waited. No examiner. I didn't know what to do. I waited a short time, maybe three minutes, then I heard a knock on the door. I got up and answered it. The examiner had locked himself out of the examination room. I made a comment that something like this could be considered funny. Mr. Stoneface said, No, pause it couldn't. He took the exam with him when I finished it and promptly lost it. I wrote several letters asking the FCC to find the results of my examination but none of these produced any results. I finally sent in a renewal or request for another examination where there was a field asking what other licenses I held. I wrote, I have no idea, the examiner lost my test. About a month later (for a total of about 11 months), I got the results of my test, I had passed. Rick, AA5S On Wed, Jun 29, 2011 at 10:57 PM, Phil Kane k2...@kanafi.org wrote: On 6/29/2011 8:48 PM, WILLIS COOKE wrote: For that matter, it would be pretty hard to head copy and then write a full minute with no errors to pass the FCC code test. Head copy is pretty much a ham radio thing. Starting in the late 1960s I was one of the FCC code examiners in San Francisco. One day an old timer coast station operator came up for the Radiotelegraph First Class code test - 25 wpm - where a mill could be used. He said that he wanted the First before he retired. He set it up, and just before I started the tape he asked whether it was OK to smoke during the test. In those days, no problem. He put on the cans and said start the tape. He reached into his pocket, took out a cigarette. Then he reached into another pocket, and pulled out a book of matches, lit the cigarette, put the extinguished match in an ashtray, dropped the matchbook on the floor, bent down to pick it up, put it back in his pocket, sat back for a few seconds, and then started typing like a madman about halfway into the 5 minute tape - perfect copy. When the tape was finished, he turned to me and said didn't think I could do it, did you, sonny?! Something I will never forget. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 Retired and loving every minute of it Work was getting in the way of my hobbies __ 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 -- Rick McClelland, AA5S Fort Collins, CO __ 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
I've heard several stories like this. It's a special skill, which is different from what most of us who learned the code as hams have developed. The text goes into the brain, where it is buffered, and then out the fingers. In some cases the people who can do this may not be able to tell you the content of what they copied. And they can do it with plain text, code groups, or a language they don't understand. On 6/29/2011 9:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote: On 6/29/2011 8:48 PM, WILLIS COOKE wrote: For that matter, it would be pretty hard to head copy and then write a full minute with no errors to pass the FCC code test. Head copy is pretty much a ham radio thing. Starting in the late 1960s I was one of the FCC code examiners in San Francisco. One day an old timer coast station operator came up for the Radiotelegraph First Class code test - 25 wpm - where a mill could be used. He said that he wanted the First before he retired. He set it up, and just before I started the tape he asked whether it was OK to smoke during the test. In those days, no problem. He put on the cans and said start the tape. He reached into his pocket, took out a cigarette. Then he reached into another pocket, and pulled out a book of matches, lit the cigarette, put the extinguished match in an ashtray, dropped the matchbook on the floor, bent down to pick it up, put it back in his pocket, sat back for a few seconds, and then started typing like a madman about halfway into the 5 minute tape - perfect copy. When the tape was finished, he turned to me and said didn't think I could do it, did you, sonny?! Something I will never forget. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 Retired and loving every minute of it Work was getting in the way of my hobbies -- Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ __ 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] [K2] K6XX zero beat indicator and the Spot function
I've installed the K6XX zero beat indicator on my K2. It's a real improvement, for me, over the Spot button action. Alas, it blinks distractingly on the no-signal condition with the RF gain at max. (Reducing the RF gain, fixes this, but I'd rather let the AGC do the gain control.) Is there some point at which I can get a signal from the K2 that indicates the Spot function is active, so I can activate the K6XX? It'd be nice to eliminate the spot signal, too. Clearly, I don't understand where the spot signal comes from. Chris Kimball WB4WZR __ 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] 59 from CA
Just work K6YRA on 20m who is using a K3 as well TNX 73, Johnny VR2XMC __ 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] Straight key first...
On 6/30/2011 7:37 AM, William Ravenel wrote: ...Bought a paddle and decided to learn to use it with my left hand so my dominant right hand could take notes. I also decided to set the paddle up with dits on the left === Very cool. As we all know (or should know), Jimi Hendrix's guitar was strung the standard right-handed way. Tony KT0NY __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
Hi Geoff, below... On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS liltechdud...@gmail.com wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS With your image I realize I had been making some assumptions. I need to fill in some details... Are you listening to the audio in earphones or are you hearing it in the free air. I had been assuming listening with your ears only in free air to miscellaneous sound in the neighborhood of the K3. *ASSUMING* open air, what did you use to record the sound levels? Would point out that the recordings don't get the sound to me, possibly because the program devices you are using won't pass 12 kHz. It would we difficult for me in any event as my hearing can barely hear anything at that frequency. This as opposed to MY college days, when I could hear 15 kHz made by the old analog TV set sweep generator. There are a lot of us in that highs reduced hearing state, so many will tell you they don't hear a 12 kHz squeal. And they don't, whether or not it is there. Likewise, any clicking that is made from a 12 kHz basis. In any event, I doubt it is being transmitted (have someone check up and down 12 kHz from you sending) because a spectral purity issue would have been beaten to death here (no shortage whatsoever of beaters-to-death on the reflector). There WERE some spectral purity issues early on that needed physical mods to boards and are standard in the mfr version for a long time now. The puzzler is hearing it when the KPA is set to not installed in the config menu. This leads me to wonder if you have that spur from your power supply. You ARE talking about a level that would pass spec. It could be that there is something in the KPA that is mechanically resonant to 12 kHz and will respond to it if it is on the power. You will need to put an audio scope on the power supply. In any event, you need to rule out having stuff on your DC lead from your power supply. 73, Guy. __ 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] Straight key first...
On 6/30/2011 11:17 AM, Tony Estep wrote: === Very cool. As we all know (or should know), Jimi Hendrix's guitar was strung the standard right-handed way. No, it wasn't. He used a right-handed guitar, but it was strung in the standard left-handed way. 73, Ross N4RP -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ 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] KPA500 AUX Cable Keying
Jack Brindle wrote: Make sure that DIGOUT1 is turned OFF from the K3. Turning it on disables the KPA. Note that this is a per-band function, so it needs to be turned off for each band you wish to use the KPA500. Jack Brindle, W6FB Just for completeness, it's per-band x per-ANT1/ANT2. Leigh/WA5ZNU -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-AUX-Cable-Keying-tp6527719p6533886.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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
On 6/29/2011 9:06 PM, Duncan Carter wrote: I'm a leftie who was forced to be right handed in elementary school. Same here only it didn't work with me. I reverted to left-handed printing as soon as I hit middle school. While there, my new found Elmer [a leftie] told me We will learn to send with our right hands so we can keep a legible log with our lefts. In those days, the FCC required you to make a log entry every time you transmitted ... anything, regardless of whether or not it resulted in a Q. I normally paddle right to this day, although I can easily paddle left too. My paddle is standard, dits on the thumb. I cannot write right-handed however. The ability to change the paddle config in Elecraft rigs has been more of a usable feature for me than one would think. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - www.cqp.org __ 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] Tech Writing
Having worked on two separate occassions with folks from that area of the world on site, I can relate to the second story. I will never forget my first encounter with a Saudi Men's Room. OK, one from me before the plug gets pulled. On my first sojurn out of Broadcasting in 1980, I became a partner with a former post production client and a software developer in a company that did video/computer based training courses as a subcontractor for a Flight Simulation company. One of our projects was cabin attendant emergency proceedures training courses for Fokker F-27 and F-28 airliners. We were a three person company. For my part of the work, I did everything, wrote, produced, directed, edited, shot; My ex client did the sales and business and the other guy did the computer integration and programming for the laser disk based system we developed. We really wanted to be the best at this, so we did lots of study as to how people learned from our courses (it paid off, our client bought us out and we all made a few dollars!). In our research, we found that the cabin crews from Zimbabwe Airlines absorbed the training exceedingly well and passed all our courses with the highest averages of all the airlines that subscribed to our service, which was surprising, as among them was KLM, Ansett, USAir and Finnair, all much bigger companies. Obviously, someone at Zimbabwe Airlines was serious about making their cabin crews the best at emergency proceedures. So my partner had the bright idea to invite the Head of Cabin Crews and a senior Stewardess to come visit at our offices in Pittsburgh to find out how they got so good at emergency proceedures. He could have done this over the phone, but he was big on sizzle and face time, and I didnt want to go to Africa with him, as it would have put me behind on other project deadlines. These two people (the male was 22 and the female 19) show up after a very expensive and long flight from Harrare on our nickel, and we sit down and begin the interview. I started the video recording and my partners and I went over how impressed we were with their level of training and how happy we were that our program was providing them such great service. We were especially impressed with their prowess at manually lowering the landing gear on the Fokker 27 turboprop, a complex operation that most crews rarely did in actual service. And their crews were all very young and relatively inexperienced, which also amazed us. How did they get so good at this stuff? They looked at each other and looked back at us with perplexed faces, and then the Cabin Crew Cheif said: Mr. Jordan, Mr. Romero, Mr. Moon... We dont understand... We have to lower the gear manually quite often on our F-27's. You see, hydraulic failures, electrical system problems and pressurization loss are quite normal in daily operations. We thought this part of the training was rather trite, as these things happen all the time. We always wondered why you called them emergency proceedures? To Zimbabwe Airlines, emergency proceedures are standard operating proceedures. And practice makes perfect! Cabin crew emergency proceedures become normal when aircraft maintenance is non existent. Some of the stories they told were incredibly funny in retrospect, but chilling at how they cheated death by airplane on a daily basis. Moral of the story: Never fly on Zimbabwe Airlines! I wish I had saved that videotape! -lu-W4LT- K3, P3 (in assembly) --- |Message: 15 |Date: Thu, 30 Jun 2011 01:01:15 -0700 |From: Chuck Smallhouse w...@theriver.com |Subject: [Elecraft] Tech Writing |To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net |Message-ID: 20110630010114.a1073...@dm0219.mta.everyone.net |Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed | |Before Wayne or Eric cuts this topic off, I'd like offer a bit of humor. __ 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] test
Testing. Please ignore. __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
I looked at the MP3 file using Goldwave. It appears to me that the 12 KHz component is present only during the tics, not continuously. The tic period is roughly 270 msec (I have no idea what the tic is of course). I zoomed in to a single tic (see PDF of images at the link below). It appears that each tic has a very distinct pattern seen in the individual samples which I suspect is the 12 KHz energy. I have no idea what any of this means. 73, Chuck, W5UXH Las Cruces, NM https://sites.google.com/site/k3lineoutrecordings/ab3ls-mp3-file-analysis Images and comments from Goldwave view of the MP3 file Guy, K2AV wrote: Hi Geoff, below... On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS lt;liltechdud...@gmail.comgt; wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS With your image I realize I had been making some assumptions. I need to fill in some details... Are you listening to the audio in earphones or are you hearing it in the free air. I had been assuming listening with your ears only in free air to miscellaneous sound in the neighborhood of the K3. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-KPA100-Squeal-tp6518460p6534295.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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
Vic, I wonder if this is a special skill or an example of some normal human ability which has not been suffocated at an early age by some poor teaching process, at school for instance, In the world of music some of our friends, and many others of course, can listen to a short work which they have not heard before (head copy into memory), and then play it back (fingers). As far as I know these friends of ours all took their first music lesson at a *very* early age before starting to go to school, and were not taught to read notes (the dits and dahs) during their first lessons. Instead they were introduced to some other fundamentals of music such as patterns and time, then notes. 73, Geoff GM4ESD On June 30, 2011 at 4:05 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote: I've heard several stories like this. It's a special skill, which is different from what most of us who learned the code as hams have developed. The text goes into the brain, where it is buffered, and then out the fingers. In some cases the people who can do this may not be able to tell you the content of what they copied. And they can do it with plain text, code groups, or a language they don't understand. On 6/29/2011 9:57 PM, Phil Kane wrote: On 6/29/2011 8:48 PM, WILLIS COOKE wrote: For that matter, it would be pretty hard to head copy and then write a full minute with no errors to pass the FCC code test. Head copy is pretty much a ham radio thing. Starting in the late 1960s I was one of the FCC code examiners in San Francisco. One day an old timer coast station operator came up for the Radiotelegraph First Class code test - 25 wpm - where a mill could be used. snip __ 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] Elecraft Digest, Vol 86, Issue 55
6. Re: Tech Writing (Dave KK7SS) Snip: Dave,I believe you.A very good friend of mine once told me anyone can idiot proof anything, butcan they manager proof it? The basic answer was NO WAY! _ Like we used to say in the medical electronics field; You can make it idiot proof but you can't make it nurse proof!! We also said that if you put an x-ray tech in a room with nothing in it but padded walls and gave her/him three steel balls and came back thirty minutes later, she/he would have lost two and broken the other one!! Pat-K4BEH Penny Stock Jumping 3000% Sign up to the #1 voted penny stock newsletter for free today! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4e0cce11e94fa154ea6st05vuc __ 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
I like **some** iambic keyers. The important thing in any discussion of iambic keyers is WHAT MODE(S) does it use. When an iambic dit-dash sequence is being sent, mode B keyers send a dit if the paddles are released during a dash, or a dash if the paddles are released during a dit. In contrast, mode A keyers never send a dit or dash unless the dit or dash paddle is closed. If one is accustomed to one mode, using a keyer in the other mode will be hell. It is very important that mode selection be available in any iambic keyer. There is no paddle manipulation or any other identifiable advantage to mode B, but paddle release timing is much more critical than for mode A. The incompetent and careless design of MOST commercial ham rigs provides Mode B ONLY. When I asked the ICOM folks at their Dayton booth about the reasons for that, the staff was dismissive as if this was an unimportant question and they didn't care to waste their time on answering it. No Icom garbage for me, ever! This is another area where Elecraft really comes through, with full mode A or B support on all their transceivers. And straight key use? I think it is appropriate to learn first on the straight key, if only for the tradition of it. Back in the days when when Morse exams were given by the FCC, there once was a sending test that required straight key use. Also back in those days, the military sometimes used Morse and straight keys were all that were provided on many radio sets...a young person just might have served in the military back then. But...today it's only tradition, just like the use of Morse itself. Rick wrote: I took my 2nd Class Telegraph examination in Oklahoma City in 1978. I took my Second Class Telegraph exam at the Kansas City FCC office, about that same time. He fired up the CW test then left the room. The test finished, I put my pencil down and waited. No examiner. The Morse exam for the Second Class had four parts, each requiring perfect performance for one minute out of five: 1. 20-wpm plain language copy. 2. 16-wpm five-character code groups copy, including numbers and punctuation. 3. 20-wpm plain language, sent with FCC-provided straight key. 4. 16-wpm five-character code groups, sent with FCC-provided straight key. The only part I had trouble with was item 2. Five or six errors made in five minutes spread just right could kill any one-minute of otherwise good copy. (And by trouble, I mean that I didn't pass my on first attempt.) More than 20 years ago, the FCC got really lazy and decided to issue Morse credit for the commercial license based on the applicant holding the Amateur Extra license. What a joke! He took the exam with him when I finished it and promptly lost it. That technical written exam, Element 6, had 90 multiple-choice questions and 10 schematic drawing or other short answer questions. My examiner told me that I had a passing score based on the other 90 and did not grade those 10 questions. I never took a written FCC exam anywhere that wasn't graded before I left the office or field location. ...the examiner lost my test. That sort of shabby outcome was too often the case with government administered exams. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's exam results for the Senior Reactor Operator license was delayed for several people at a plant I worked 30 years ago. When results finally showed up, the office admitted that the completed exams for these people had slipped behind someone's desk! Government...gotta love it. Mike / KK5F __ 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 Test Post
__ 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] Elecraft Digest, Vol 86, Issue 55
In the Petro Chem bidness we would say Any time you think you have made it fool proof, some damn fool will proove you wrong! Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart From: k4...@juno.com k4...@juno.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thu, June 30, 2011 2:27:01 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Digest, Vol 86, Issue 55 6. Re: Tech Writing (Dave KK7SS) Snip: Dave,I believe you.A very good friend of mine once told me anyone can idiot proof anything, butcan they manager proof it? The basic answer was NO WAY! _ Like we used to say in the medical electronics field; You can make it idiot proof but you can't make it nurse proof!! We also said that if you put an x-ray tech in a room with nothing in it but padded walls and gave her/him three steel balls and came back thirty minutes later, she/he would have lost two and broken the other one!! Pat-K4BEH Penny Stock Jumping 3000% Sign up to the #1 voted penny stock newsletter for free today! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4e0cce11e94fa154ea6st05vuc __ 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] Iambic Keying (WAS: Straight key first?)
You're bringing back some memories. One of the questions in the pool of my 10 schematic drawing or other short answer questions was: Draw a schematic diagram of a maritime battery charging system containing a six pole double throw switch such that each of a pair of batteries is either connected to a load or a charger (and is swapped when the switch is thrown.) I don't recall the exact phrasing of the question but I do recall that the toupee was spinning on top of my sixteen year old head as I tried to work through this question. I eventually drew the correct diagram. I think the 2nd telegraph's written examination was the most difficult of all the written tests I took, including the 1st phone written. I don't want to start a debate here, that was just my impression. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:38 PM, Mike Morrow k...@earthlink.net wrote: I like **some** iambic keyers. The important thing in any discussion of iambic keyers is WHAT MODE(S) does it use. When an iambic dit-dash sequence is being sent, mode B keyers send a dit if the paddles are released during a dash, or a dash if the paddles are released during a dit. In contrast, mode A keyers never send a dit or dash unless the dit or dash paddle is closed. If one is accustomed to one mode, using a keyer in the other mode will be hell. It is very important that mode selection be available in any iambic keyer. There is no paddle manipulation or any other identifiable advantage to mode B, but paddle release timing is much more critical than for mode A. The incompetent and careless design of MOST commercial ham rigs provides Mode B ONLY. When I asked the ICOM folks at their Dayton booth about the reasons for that, the staff was dismissive as if this was an unimportant question and they didn't care to waste their time on answering it. No Icom garbage for me, ever! This is another area where Elecraft really comes through, with full mode A or B support on all their transceivers. And straight key use? I think it is appropriate to learn first on the straight key, if only for the tradition of it. Back in the days when when Morse exams were given by the FCC, there once was a sending test that required straight key use. Also back in those days, the military sometimes used Morse and straight keys were all that were provided on many radio sets...a young person just might have served in the military back then. But...today it's only tradition, just like the use of Morse itself. Rick wrote: I took my 2nd Class Telegraph examination in Oklahoma City in 1978. I took my Second Class Telegraph exam at the Kansas City FCC office, about that same time. He fired up the CW test then left the room. The test finished, I put my pencil down and waited. No examiner. The Morse exam for the Second Class had four parts, each requiring perfect performance for one minute out of five: 1. 20-wpm plain language copy. 2. 16-wpm five-character code groups copy, including numbers and punctuation. 3. 20-wpm plain language, sent with FCC-provided straight key. 4. 16-wpm five-character code groups, sent with FCC-provided straight key. The only part I had trouble with was item 2. Five or six errors made in five minutes spread just right could kill any one-minute of otherwise good copy. (And by trouble, I mean that I didn't pass my on first attempt.) More than 20 years ago, the FCC got really lazy and decided to issue Morse credit for the commercial license based on the applicant holding the Amateur Extra license. What a joke! He took the exam with him when I finished it and promptly lost it. That technical written exam, Element 6, had 90 multiple-choice questions and 10 schematic drawing or other short answer questions. My examiner told me that I had a passing score based on the other 90 and did not grade those 10 questions. I never took a written FCC exam anywhere that wasn't graded before I left the office or field location. ...the examiner lost my test. That sort of shabby outcome was too often the case with government administered exams. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's exam results for the Senior Reactor Operator license was delayed for several people at a plant I worked 30 years ago. When results finally showed up, the office admitted that the completed exams for these people had slipped behind someone's desk! Government...gotta love it. Mike / KK5F __ 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 -- Rick McClelland, AA5S Fort Collins, CO __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help:
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] K6XX zero beat indicator and the Spot function
Chris, You can reduce the AF voltage at the input of the zero beat indicator with a simple series resistor between the AF Gain pick-off point and the indicator. Size it so your ambient noise does not make it blink with full RF Gain, so you may have to experiment a bit to get it where you want it. I used 100k and it worked fine for me. You could also use a voltage divider to reduce the amount of audio reaching the detector. IMHO, reducing the RF gain to achieve a lack of false indications is not the right way to attack the problem. If you force the AGC to reduce the gain in this case, you will also reduce the dynamic range of the K2 - not a good way to achieve your goal. 73, Don W3FPR On 6/30/2011 11:14 AM, Christopher Kimball wrote: I've installed the K6XX zero beat indicator on my K2. It's a real improvement, for me, over the Spot button action. Alas, it blinks distractingly on the no-signal condition with the RF gain at max. (Reducing the RF gain, fixes this, but I'd rather let the AGC do the gain control.) Is there some point at which I can get a signal from the K2 that indicates the Spot function is active, so I can activate the K6XX? It'd be nice to eliminate the spot signal, too. Clearly, I don't understand where the spot signal comes from. Chris Kimball WB4WZR __ 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] CW Keying
To John and all the Old Timers with their great historical stories. My three high school buddies and I were studying the code and theory for our Ham licenses under a great mentor, our AZ SCM. Tucson was in the never, never land that only got visited no more than twice a year by the FCC examiner (RI). We all ended up taking the CW test three times before passing. He just turned down the McElroy tape machine speed from the 1st Class Commercial test, which totally messed up the rhythm (that we were used to). The 2nd time I had copied120 straight letters/characters (65 required), but one in the middle was incorrect. He required also that you be perfect in the straight key sending test ! So finally I passed in '47, and at that time I was the youngest ham in AZ at 15. A year later, we all with ease, passed the Class A test. A couple of years later, a family friend who was a Lt. in the local Naval Reserve, inquired if I might like to join his reserve unit. He said that he needed some one to teach his sailor radiomen the code and some theory. Because I had a ham license and was experienced in CW use, he could offer me a higher than entry level rate. So I accepted the 3rd Class Petty Officer rank, and at a very young 17, began teaching classes of much older seamen. I found that copying with a mill was much easier than with a pencil. My high school touch typing class helped me to easily adapt. The rest of the story : After a ROTC commission (to basically draft dodge Korea), I spent a few years on active duty and many, many in the active (on call) Reserve for a total of 43 (I always was gung ho) and full military retirement. 73, Chuck, W7CS __ 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 Keying
On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 3:23 PM, Chuck Smallhouse w...@theriver.com wrote: ...ended up taking the CW test three times Ah, the CW test. I still remember the beginning of the text from my General exam in 1958: Turning westward, 300 aircraft blanketed the horizon... Tony KT0NY __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
A repeated 12 kHz would be echoed all over the room and lose a lot of it's pulse nature. This continues to look suspiciously like crap from a 12 volt switching power supply that is somehow finding something mechanically resonant in the K3. Back to asking for 12 volts from a linear supply (transformer and 60 Hz rectifiers) or battery. Is this particular K3 serial # prior to the introduction of gold plated pins for the KPAIO3 connection? 73, Guy. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM, W5UXH chuck.broadw...@gmail.com wrote: I looked at the MP3 file using Goldwave. It appears to me that the 12 KHz component is present only during the tics, not continuously. The tic period is roughly 270 msec (I have no idea what the tic is of course). I zoomed in to a single tic (see PDF of images at the link below). It appears that each tic has a very distinct pattern seen in the individual samples which I suspect is the 12 KHz energy. I have no idea what any of this means. 73, Chuck, W5UXH Las Cruces, NM https://sites.google.com/site/k3lineoutrecordings/ab3ls-mp3-file-analysis Images and comments from Goldwave view of the MP3 file Guy, K2AV wrote: Hi Geoff, below... On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS lt;liltechdud...@gmail.comgt; wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS With your image I realize I had been making some assumptions. I need to fill in some details... Are you listening to the audio in earphones or are you hearing it in the free air. I had been assuming listening with your ears only in free air to miscellaneous sound in the neighborhood of the K3. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-KPA100-Squeal-tp6518460p6534295.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 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] OT - Accurate CW Keying
I've been following the recent posts about CW and would like to share an epiphany of sorts. A couple of hours ago, I got my Begali CW Machine. One of the facilities it has is a 'training' facility. Within this training facility is the ability for the machine to evaluate the sender's code and provide immediate visual feedback. Aw geezI've been a proud brass pounder for 51 years. Bugs, paddles, 'swipers, straight keys. I've always thought of myself as pretty darn good with all of them. Well, did I get a dose of reality today. I sounded great on a paddle because it does all the work for me. On the other stuff I'm really not very consistent at all. That new little blue box is now going to be part of my daily routine until IT tells me I'm sending good code. I honestly thought my code was darn good which proves how ineffective it is to try to evaluate oneself. It's equally ineffective to expect that another human can provide accurate feedback. The human listener will have a tendency to guess the upcoming character, allow his or her mind to 'adjust' poor word spacing so the word comes out right, etc. Clearly, some device that can objectively evaluate one's sending is the best feedback. This is without doubt the best investment I could have made toward my personal goal of developing the 'manual' fist possible. Stan WB2LQF __ 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] OT - Accurate CW Keying
While I find pursuing perfect spacing with a hand key a fun activity, I don't find perfect CW fun to copy. Machine perfect (keyer or keyboard sent) CW is, to me, like listening to computer-generated speech. I love a fist with personality - even when that personality makes some a little hard to follow (like a very deep accent in speech). Ron AC7AC -Original Message- ...I honestly thought my code was darn good which proves how ineffective it is to try to evaluate oneself. It's equally ineffective to expect that another human can provide accurate feedback. The human listener will have a tendency to guess the upcoming character, allow his or her mind to 'adjust' poor word spacing so the word comes out right, etc. Clearly, some device that can objectively evaluate one's sending is the best feedback. This is without doubt the best investment I could have made toward my personal goal of developing the 'manual' fist possible. Stan WB2LQF __ 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 Keying
Years ago, Chuck Bender W1WPR, chief operator at W1AW, was giving the Novice exam to young Jamie White, son of a couple HQ staffers. He didn't want to make the 5 wpm CW test too easy for fear of being accused of going easy on the ARRL kid. The text included: McKeesport is situated at the confluence of the Youghiogheny and the Monongahela. I believe Jamie got 100%. Alan N1AL On Thu, 2011-06-30 at 15:32 -0500, Tony Estep wrote: On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 3:23 PM, Chuck Smallhouse w...@theriver.com wrote: ...ended up taking the CW test three times Ah, the CW test. I still remember the beginning of the text from my General exam in 1958: Turning westward, 300 aircraft blanketed the horizon... Tony KT0NY __ 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 Keying
For the last few years, some of the traffic handlers in California have been running a trivia game, conducted via the NTS. For a short while, tough copy got taken to somewhat of an extreme. Try NAME THE ICELANDIC VOLCANO WHOSE ASH CLOSED AIRPORTS IN EUROPE IN 2010. Or WHAT IS THE SCIENTIFIC TERM FOR STOMACH RUMBLING QUERY. Or WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AA AND PAHOEHOE QUERY. At some point we toned it down because we didn't want to scare anyone off! 73 Kate K6HTN On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 2:24 PM, Alan Bloom n...@sonic.net wrote: Years ago, Chuck Bender W1WPR, chief operator at W1AW, was giving the Novice exam to young Jamie White, son of a couple HQ staffers. He didn't want to make the 5 wpm CW test too easy for fear of being accused of going easy on the ARRL kid. The text included: McKeesport is situated at the confluence of the Youghiogheny and the Monongahela. I believe Jamie got 100%. Alan N1AL On Thu, 2011-06-30 at 15:32 -0500, Tony Estep wrote: On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 3:23 PM, Chuck Smallhouse w...@theriver.com wrote: ...ended up taking the CW test three times Ah, the CW test. I still remember the beginning of the text from my General exam in 1958: Turning westward, 300 aircraft blanketed the horizon... Tony KT0NY __ 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] So, how's the backlog on KPA500 kits going?
Big Brown brought KPA500-K #114 this afternoon, all neatly boxed in inimitable Elecraft style. Going through inventory slowly now, savoring every moment. Resolved to get a commercial Nema6-15P to IEC320 type cable (cables.com SKU C13615p10--the 10 denotes 10ft, $15) recommended by others so I can use the 220v outlet installed earlier for this purpose. Perhaps the big E should stock some of these cables and offer an exchange similar to that currently offered to our overseas friends and some, me for one, prefer to use a commercially made up cable rather than make one up locally. Meanwhile, I'll wire it for 110v and try it out. An exciting weekend looms! 73, Van W1WCG North Haven, CT On 6/29/2011 7:57 PM, KD3RF wrote: Are we getting any closer to getting caught up on the backlog? Are shipments still going out? Lots of KPA500 buyers wondering what the latest status is? Not seeing many reports beyond S/N 101 received... -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/So-how-s-the-backlog-on-KPA500-kits-going-tp6531207p6531207.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 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 Keying
On 6/30/2011 1:32 PM, Tony Estep wrote: Ah, the CW test. I still remember the beginning of the text from my General exam in 1958: Turning westward, 300 aircraft blanketed the horizon... My favorite tape was the 13 wpm one with The launching of the four stage rocket... I still use that phrase in situations such as That really set me off like a four stage rocket The 20 wpm had one with ...the foreman and his crew... The code groups had a bunch of interesting combos, and it took me a while to realize that there were several pairs, one reading forwards (FILSN) and one reading backwards (NSLIF), scattered through the chart. See what we have lost with Volunteer Examiners?? :-) -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ 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] N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar: July 2011
~ N2CQ QRP CONTEST CALENDAR July 2011 ~ RAC Canada Day Contest (CW/SSB) ... QRP Category Jul 1, z to 2359z Rules: http://www.rac.ca/service/contesting/ ~ DL-DX RTTY Contest (RTTY/PSK) Jul 2, 1100z to Jul 3, 1059z Rules: http://www.drcg.de/ ~ Original QRP Contest (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jul 2, 1500z to Jul 3, 1500z Rules: http://www.qrpcc.de/contestrules/oqrpr.html ~ Firecracker Sprint (PSK31 40M) ... QRP Category Jul 2, 2000 to Jul 3, 0200 (Local Time) Rules: http://www.podxs070.com/contest-calendar ~ UBA Foxhunt (CW/PSK31/SSB) *** QRP Contest *** Jul 4, 1930z to 2030z Rules: http://www.on5ex.be/foxhunt/foxhunt.html ~ MI QRP Fourth of July Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jul 4, 2300z to Jul 5, 0300z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html ~ Adventure Radio Spartan Sprint (CW) ... QRP Event! Jul 5, 0100z to 0300z(First Monday 9 PM EDT) Info: http://adventure-radio.org/wiki/index.php?title=Spartan_Sprints ~ Summer FOX Hunt - QRP 20M CW... QRP Contest! EDT: July 7, 9 PM to 1029 PM UTC: July 8, 0100z to 0229z Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/ ~ FISTS Summer Sprint (CW) ... QRP Category Jul 9, 2000 EDT to 2400 EDT Rules: http://www.fists.org/sprints.html ~ IARU HF World Championship (CW/SSB) ... QRP Category Jul 9, 1200z to Jul 10, 1200z Rules: http://www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship ~ SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (Straight Key CW) ... QRP Category Jul 10, z to 2359z Rules: http://www.skccgroup.com/sprint/wes/index-wes.html ~ QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jul 10, 2000z to 2359z Rules: http://www.qrparci.org ~ NAQCC-EU Monthly Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest *** Jul 11 1800z to 2000z Rules: http://naqcc-eu.org/sprints ~ UBA Foxhunt (CW/PSK31/SSB) *** QRP Contest *** Jul 11, 1930z to 2030z Rules: http://www.on5ex.be/foxhunt/foxhunt.html ~ CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category Jul 13, 1300z to 1400z and Jul 13, 1900z to 2000z and Jul 14, 0300z to 0400z Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html ~ Summer FOX Hunt - QRP 20M CW... QRP Contest! EDT: July 14, 9 PM to 1029 PM UTC: July 15, 0100z to 0229z Info: http://www.qrpfoxhunt.org/ ~ Digital Mode Club (DMC) Contest (RTTY) ... QRP Category Jul 16, 1200z to Jul 17, 1200z Rules: http://www.digital-modes-club.org/ ~ CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) ... QRP Category Jul 16, 1300z to 1400z and Jul 16, 1900z to 2000z and Jul 17, 0300z to 0400z Rules: http://www.cwops.org/onair.html ~ Feld Hell Club Sprint (Feld Hell) ... QRP Category Jul 16, 1600z to 1800z Rules: http://sites.google.com/site/feldhellclub/Home ~ North American QSO Party (RTTY) /QRP Entries Noted Jul 16, 1800Z to Jul 17, 0600Z Rules: http://www.ncjweb.com/naqprules.php ~ CQ WW VHF Contest (All, 6 2 Meters) ... QRP (10W) Category Jul 16, 1800z to Jul 17, 2100z Rules: http://www.cqww-vhf.com/ ~ RSGB Low Power Field Day (CW) ...QRP Contest! Jul 17, 0900z to 1200z Jul 17, 1300z to 1600z Rules: http://www.rsgbcc.org/hf/rules/2011/rqrp.shtml ~ Colorado Gold Rush (20 mtr CW QRP) ... QRP Contest July 17, 2000z to 2159z Rules: http://www.cqc.org/contests/index.htm ~ RUN FOR THE BACON (CW) *** QRP CONTEST *** EDT: Jul 17, 9 PM to 11 PM UTC: Jul 18, 0100z 0300z Rules: http://fpqrp.org/ ~ UBA Foxhunt (CW/PSK31/SSB) *** QRP Contest *** Jul 18, 1930z to 2030z Rules: http://www.on5ex.be/foxhunt/foxhunt.html ~ NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint *** QRP CONTEST! *** EDT: Jul 20, 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM UTC:
Re: [Elecraft] So, how's the backlog on KPA500 kits going?
Ordered my kit on 4/7 at 12:17pm, and just received the pre shipping confirmation of order request from Elecraft. The usual ready to ship out your KPA500 order within the next 3-5 business days. 73, John KH7T __ 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] So, how's the backlog on KPA500 kits going?
And mine was almost 2 days later, on 4/9... Guess I will have to wait a little longer! -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/So-how-s-the-backlog-on-KPA500-kits-going-tp6531207p6535670.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] Tech Writing
Dave, The reason they told you to write for a Grade 7 educational level was probably because they heard about some of the students my dad dealt with when he was a junior level radio instructor in the Coast Guard in WWII. From his description it sounded like he was teaching a basic shop (tool usage) class at the time. Being a Minnesota farm boy, dad assumed that everybody knew what screwdrivers, pliers, etc. were and initially started out apologizing for having to go through all the basics.. However, he quickly found out that a lot of the city boys had no idea which end of a screwdriver to hold. One incident he particularly liked to chuckle about was a fellow who was having difficulty cutting a piece of metal with a hacksaw. The fellow was giving the saw a workout (had the blade red hot) but wasn't getting anywhere. The fellow was amazed at how much better the saw worked when the blade was flipped over so the teeth were pointing down into the work instead of up (yep, he had the blade _upside down_) 73, Al On Wed June 29 2011 11:33:57 pm Dave KK7SS wrote: An Operations Manual group I wrote for a US Army Project was rejected with instructions that it was to be written to a Grade 7 education level! Including pictures, for example, of which way to turn a screwdriver to remove or insert a screw - and which end to use! I kid you not! -- Dave G KK7SS Richland, WA __ 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] Power Supply?
I am getting ready to retire. I am going to treat myself to a new elecraft station. K3 fully loaded and a new KPA500 amp and P3. I really wish they made a power supply to match and a desktop version of a microphone. I saw a keyer that had the name on it. Any thoughts of them ever producing a power supply and mic. Thanks KC6CNN Gerald Manthey -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Power-Supply-tp6535892p6535892.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] Power supply and mic
I am almost ready to retire. a few more months. I am going to treat myself to a elecraft complete station. I thinking a fully loaded K3 and KPA500 and a P3. I wish elecraft made a matching power supply and desk microphone. I found a paddle that has the name on it. I would like to own a complete Elecraft station. What do you guys think? will they make them some day? Thanks KC6CNN Gerald Manthey -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Power-supply-and-mic-tp6535913p6535913.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] Power Supply?
On a related note, since it's been a long time since I asked, is there a possibility of offering a bare enclosure to match the P3? That size would be pretty good for accommodating a speaker and a power supply capable of driving the K3. Sure would look nice alongside the K-line, too. --Andrew, NV1B .. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:25 PM, KC6CNN kc6...@gmail.com wrote: I am getting ready to retire. I am going to treat myself to a new elecraft station. K3 fully loaded and a new KPA500 amp and P3. I really wish they made a power supply to match and a desktop version of a microphone. I saw a keyer that had the name on it. Any thoughts of them ever producing a power supply and mic. Thanks KC6CNN __ 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] Tech Writing
On 6/30/2011 5:56 PM, Al Gulseth wrote: Being a Minnesota farm boy, dad assumed that everybody knew what screwdrivers, pliers, etc. were and initially started out apologizing for having to go through all the basics.. However, he quickly found out that a lot of the city boys had no idea which end of a screwdriver to hold. My dad was a city boy, an accountant, yet in the hall coat closet he had a toolbox with hand tools. I, too, am a city boy and I learned to use them all before I was 12 years old. All of my friends did too. My son is a city boy and was a first class bicycle mechanic by that age. Different pokes for different strokes. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ 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] tech writing
This thread looks like it will go on for eternity. __ 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] So, how's the backlog on KPA500 kits going?
#110 received yesterday (Wednesday) on the air tonight. Easy build, pay attention to use the right screws. 4 hours or so to build from opening the box. One washer missing, Stephanie did a great job of picking/packing all the parts. Ordered 4/6/11 at 1:06 PM. 73, Mike W1USN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KD3RF Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 7:58 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] So, how's the backlog on KPA500 kits going? Are we getting any closer to getting caught up on the backlog? Are shipments still going out? Lots of KPA500 buyers wondering what the latest status is? Not seeing many reports beyond S/N 101 received... -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/So-how-s-the-backlog-on-KPA500-kits-goi ng-tp6531207p6531207.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 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] Learning Code, Etc.
Reading the various emails on this subject, I can't help but put in some of my memories. At age 17 in 1940 I got my ticket with the call W8VHF in Detroit, MI. Have never used VHF. Learned the code by using a 2-tube regen rcvr to listen to cw on 40 and 80m and by listening to some naval stations until I could copy the stuff. Had a buzzer to learn sending. Since then I have been using cw about 98% of my operating time. I'm not a high speed operator. I remember two guys who were whizzes on cw. One was W8CW: I think his name was McDonald, he was a telegrapher for Bell Telephone in Detroit, and a runner up to McElroy in cw speed contests. The second was Win Peebles, W8GQB, one of my Elmers after I got my ticket. Earlier in his life he worked for one of the broadcast stations or newspapers copying national and international news sent out by the news services. Perhaps it was Press Wireless. He claimed he could do the following. Copy the code on a mill, stop and eat a candy bar, get a drink from the fountain, and go back to typing where he left off. I believe it. By the way one of the emails on this list, or maybe the DxLab list, mentioned being trained for maintenance of high power transmitters for the navy. When WWII came around the Signal Corps sent me to Press Wireless for the same kind of training. However, on arriving in the Pacific war, I never got near a big transmitter. That's all folks! 73, Bud, K9ZT __ 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] [KAT500] Size??
Experts -- Has Elecraft mentioned the physical size of the forthcoming (someday) of the KAT500 ? Is it the same as the K3 and the KPA500? I am starting to plan a new arrangement for the K-line which will ultimately be: K3+P3+KPA500+KAT500+KBEAM. OK, I just sort of threw that KBEAM in there but I think I will start calling everything in my shack with a K-something or other. I mean, it is almost that already. I can't forget my Key either, or maybe it is KKey. 73, phil, K7PEH (yet another K) __ 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] Tech Writing
Al, I believe the Grade 7 educational level is standard for tech writing. I recall that when I was at IBM evaluating tech documents, that was the level they were written for. It seems as though a technician educated in his field is not expected to be able to comprehend the English language beyond the 7th grade level. Doesn't that speak wonders for the goals of our education system!! In my engineering career, I have struggled with engineering graduates who could not even form a sentence with proper capitalization and punctuation and spacing (two spaces after a period, etc.). I recall a grumpy old college professor from my engineering curriculum who taught a course in what was called Western Civilization - which was a combination of history, English composition, reading and writing skills. That bold professor had the audacity to state that his course was the most important in our engineering studies - we laughed then, but it turned out that he was correct. An engineer who cannot communicate effectively through the written word, is just not effective in his task, and the rest of the knowledge is for naught. 73, Don W3FPR On 6/30/2011 8:56 PM, Al Gulseth wrote: Dave, The reason they told you to write for a Grade 7 educational level was probably because they heard about some of the students my dad dealt with when he was a junior level radio instructor in the Coast Guard in WWII. From his description it sounded like he was teaching a basic shop (tool usage) class at the time. __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
This is a brand new K3 that I assembled about a month ago. The Serial Number is 5517. I have been using an Astron SS-25A power supply with this which is indeed a switcher. I have a battery that I'll be hooking up to it to see if this is still a problem. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 4:41 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.netwrote: A repeated 12 kHz would be echoed all over the room and lose a lot of it's pulse nature. This continues to look suspiciously like crap from a 12 volt switching power supply that is somehow finding something mechanically resonant in the K3. Back to asking for 12 volts from a linear supply (transformer and 60 Hz rectifiers) or battery. Is this particular K3 serial # prior to the introduction of gold plated pins for the KPAIO3 connection? 73, Guy. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM, W5UXH chuck.broadw...@gmail.com wrote: I looked at the MP3 file using Goldwave. It appears to me that the 12 KHz component is present only during the tics, not continuously. The tic period is roughly 270 msec (I have no idea what the tic is of course). I zoomed in to a single tic (see PDF of images at the link below). It appears that each tic has a very distinct pattern seen in the individual samples which I suspect is the 12 KHz energy. I have no idea what any of this means. 73, Chuck, W5UXH Las Cruces, NM https://sites.google.com/site/k3lineoutrecordings/ab3ls-mp3-file-analysis Images and comments from Goldwave view of the MP3 file Guy, K2AV wrote: Hi Geoff, below... On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS lt;liltechdud...@gmail.comgt; wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS With your image I realize I had been making some assumptions. I need to fill in some details... Are you listening to the audio in earphones or are you hearing it in the free air. I had been assuming listening with your ears only in free air to miscellaneous sound in the neighborhood of the K3. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-KPA100-Squeal-tp6518460p6534295.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 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] [KAT500] Size??
Has Elecraft mentioned the physical size of the forthcoming (someday) of the KAT500 ? I believe Wayne mentioned the P3 form factor. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 6/30/2011 11:50 PM, Phil Hystad wrote: Experts -- Has Elecraft mentioned the physical size of the forthcoming (someday) of the KAT500 ? Is it the same as the K3 and the KPA500? I am starting to plan a new arrangement for the K-line which will ultimately be: K3+P3+KPA500+KAT500+KBEAM. OK, I just sort of threw that KBEAM in there but I think I will start calling everything in my shack with a K-something or other. I mean, it is almost that already. I can't forget my Key either, or maybe it is KKey. 73, phil, K7PEH (yet another K) __ 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: KPA100 Squeal
No go. Hooked the radio up to a gel cel battery and we're still getting the 12Khz junk coming from something and the clicking between TX and RX. I made a longer recording of the 'junk' and posted it. Cycled between TX and RX a few times using the manual TX button on the front. Then finished off with a few dits and dahs. All while in TX Test mode. http://alien.liltechdude.com/files/index.php?dir=Recordings/file=kpa3squealrev2.mp3 Anyone from Elecraft have anything on this? AB3LS On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 1:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS liltechdud...@gmail.comwrote: This is a brand new K3 that I assembled about a month ago. The Serial Number is 5517. I have been using an Astron SS-25A power supply with this which is indeed a switcher. I have a battery that I'll be hooking up to it to see if this is still a problem. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 4:41 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.netwrote: A repeated 12 kHz would be echoed all over the room and lose a lot of it's pulse nature. This continues to look suspiciously like crap from a 12 volt switching power supply that is somehow finding something mechanically resonant in the K3. Back to asking for 12 volts from a linear supply (transformer and 60 Hz rectifiers) or battery. Is this particular K3 serial # prior to the introduction of gold plated pins for the KPAIO3 connection? 73, Guy. On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 1:52 PM, W5UXH chuck.broadw...@gmail.com wrote: I looked at the MP3 file using Goldwave. It appears to me that the 12 KHz component is present only during the tics, not continuously. The tic period is roughly 270 msec (I have no idea what the tic is of course). I zoomed in to a single tic (see PDF of images at the link below). It appears that each tic has a very distinct pattern seen in the individual samples which I suspect is the 12 KHz energy. I have no idea what any of this means. 73, Chuck, W5UXH Las Cruces, NM https://sites.google.com/site/k3lineoutrecordings/ab3ls-mp3-file-analysis Images and comments from Goldwave view of the MP3 file Guy, K2AV wrote: Hi Geoff, below... On Thu, Jun 30, 2011 at 9:24 AM, Geoff Wolf AB3LS lt;liltechdud...@gmail.comgt; wrote: And, for even more information, I analyzed the audio that I recorded and the squeal is right around 12Khz. It peaks at -48dB (louder than the QSK relay clicking) http://imgur.com/V8o5t - image of the analysis AB3LS With your image I realize I had been making some assumptions. I need to fill in some details... Are you listening to the audio in earphones or are you hearing it in the free air. I had been assuming listening with your ears only in free air to miscellaneous sound in the neighborhood of the K3. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-KPA100-Squeal-tp6518460p6534295.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 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
