[Elecraft] [KX3]Drink some more Elecraft kool-aid today!
Okay, I got the memo. And I did drink some more Elecraft kool-aid as a result thereof. That stuff sure tastes good and goes down smooth! My order for a KXPA-100 with internal KXAT-100 and optional connecting cable set was acknowledged by e-mail from Elecraft at 12:08 AM on 6-18-2013. Total price charged to my Visa credit card was $1081.54, which included $21.74 shipping to Dayton, Ohio via UPS Ground. 73 de AC8NS Hop __ 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] CAIG DEOXIT or Servisol Super 10
The OP was asking about substitutes for Deoxit that less expensive and more readily available in the UK. Following a mild outbreak of intermittent-contact errors on my own quite early K3, someone recommended Contralube 770 (available from Maplin, code N73HL). Contralube is a clear gel which comes in a plastic tube with a convenient long-reach nozzle, and is widely used as a corrosion protector for outdoor electrical terminals. I applied a very small quantity of Contralube 770 to the male connector pins only, by first smearing it thinly along the edge of a QSL card and then wiping the card onto each row of pins from two sides. This ensures an even, thin distribution. (The final amount is much too thin to see on the pin, but I just noticed on the data sheet that Contralube 770 contains a UV-fluorescent dye, so that would be a good way to check for even coverage.) Take very careful ESD precautions when doing this job, because many connector pins are connected directly to ESD-sensitive parts. The whole job took about an hour, and all I can say is... the K3 hasn't failed again. It's impossible to know how much of that benefit has been due to the Contralube, and how much was due to the self-cleaning effects of disassembly and reassembly; but the Contralube has certainly done no harm. (Meanwhile, in a much more challenging application, larger quantities of Contralube have been doing a very good job of protecting the screw terminal strip for the SteppIR. Despite heavy moisture, there is no sign of intermetallic corrosion.) 73 from Ian GM3SEK __ 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] [K2] Sensitivity on 17m
Mike K8CN and I both came to the same conclusion overnight. Check the ATU in bypass mode! Using both RX ANT and forcing bypass via CAL_P, the sensitivity is back on 17m. I also notice smaller but still noticeable loss on 15m. I didn't build this KAT2 myself but it seems to tune OK for TX on all bands. I guess it's time for some ATU troubleshooting but other ideas are appreciated. 73, Bill W4ZV Bill W4ZV wrote During a SOTA activation Saturday I used 17m quite a bit as well as 15 and 20. Sensitivity on 17m seemed weaker than on adjacent bands and I thought it could be my antenna (44' doublet up 25' with 450 ohm ladder linie through a BL1 4:1 and KAT2). Tonight I decided to check it with my XG3 and indeed the 1uV setting is noticeably weaker than on 15 and 20. I first redid RX alignment of L10 and L11 on 15m and then C32 and C34 for 17m with no improvement. The S-meter reads the same for all 3 XG3 levels but 1uV sounds weaker on 17. Anyone have any ideas? 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Sensitivity-on-17m-tp7575428p7575437.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] OT - Thunderbolt GPSDO available
Single 24 volt version with Trimble bullet antenna and 35'RG6. Contact off list. 73 de Brian/K3KO - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3199/5919 - Release Date: 06/17/13 __ 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] [K2] Sensitivity on 17m
ATU INIT appears to have restored the sensitivity loss on affected bands. Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this problem? Hopefully ATU INIT didn't create other problems! 73, Bill Bill W4ZV wrote Mike K8CN and I both came to the same conclusion overnight. Check the ATU in bypass mode! Using both RX ANT and forcing bypass via CAL_P, the sensitivity is back on 17m. I also notice smaller but still noticeable loss on 15m. I didn't build this KAT2 myself but it seems to tune OK for TX on all bands. I guess it's time for some ATU troubleshooting but other ideas are appreciated. 73, Bill W4ZV Bill W4ZV wrote During a SOTA activation Saturday I used 17m quite a bit as well as 15 and 20. Sensitivity on 17m seemed weaker than on adjacent bands and I thought it could be my antenna (44' doublet up 25' with 450 ohm ladder linie through a BL1 4:1 and KAT2). Tonight I decided to check it with my XG3 and indeed the 1uV setting is noticeably weaker than on 15 and 20. I first redid RX alignment of L10 and L11 on 15m and then C32 and C34 for 17m with no improvement. The S-meter reads the same for all 3 XG3 levels but 1uV sounds weaker on 17. Anyone have any ideas? 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Sensitivity-on-17m-tp7575428p7575439.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] [K2] Sensitivity on 17m
Bill, Is the K2 ATU like the ATU in the K3 in that it simply selects values for 50:50 Ohm rather than physically bypassing? If so, something has undoubtedly overwritten the 50 Ohm values. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 6/18/2013 9:21 AM, Bill W4ZV wrote: ATU INIT appears to have restored the sensitivity loss on affected bands. Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this problem? Hopefully ATU INIT didn't create other problems! 73, Bill Bill W4ZV wrote Mike K8CN and I both came to the same conclusion overnight. Check the ATU in bypass mode! Using both RX ANT and forcing bypass via CAL_P, the sensitivity is back on 17m. I also notice smaller but still noticeable loss on 15m. I didn't build this KAT2 myself but it seems to tune OK for TX on all bands. I guess it's time for some ATU troubleshooting but other ideas are appreciated. 73, Bill W4ZV Bill W4ZV wrote During a SOTA activation Saturday I used 17m quite a bit as well as 15 and 20. Sensitivity on 17m seemed weaker than on adjacent bands and I thought it could be my antenna (44' doublet up 25' with 450 ohm ladder linie through a BL1 4:1 and KAT2). Tonight I decided to check it with my XG3 and indeed the 1uV setting is noticeably weaker than on 15 and 20. I first redid RX alignment of L10 and L11 on 15m and then C32 and C34 for 17m with no improvement. The S-meter reads the same for all 3 XG3 levels but 1uV sounds weaker on 17. Anyone have any ideas? 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Sensitivity-on-17m-tp7575428p7575439.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] [K2] Sensitivity on 17m
Joe Subich, W4TV-4 wrote Bill, Is the K2 ATU like the ATU in the K3 in that it simply selects values for 50:50 Ohm rather than physically bypassing? If so, something has undoubtedly overwritten the 50 Ohm values. I just did ATU TUNE into a 50 ohm load and the ATU made no changes so I believe you're correct...and ATU INIT restored the correct 50 ohm values. The strange thing to me about the original problem was that the ATU tuned antennas correctly for transmit yet there was RX sensitivity loss on some bands. Oh well... 73, Bill On 6/18/2013 9:21 AM, Bill W4ZV wrote: ATU INIT appears to have restored the sensitivity loss on affected bands. Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this problem? Hopefully ATU INIT didn't create other problems! 73, Bill Bill W4ZV wrote Mike K8CN and I both came to the same conclusion overnight. Check the ATU in bypass mode! Using both RX ANT and forcing bypass via CAL_P, the sensitivity is back on 17m. I also notice smaller but still noticeable loss on 15m. I didn't build this KAT2 myself but it seems to tune OK for TX on all bands. I guess it's time for some ATU troubleshooting but other ideas are appreciated. 73, Bill W4ZV Bill W4ZV wrote During a SOTA activation Saturday I used 17m quite a bit as well as 15 and 20. Sensitivity on 17m seemed weaker than on adjacent bands and I thought it could be my antenna (44' doublet up 25' with 450 ohm ladder linie through a BL1 4:1 and KAT2). Tonight I decided to check it with my XG3 and indeed the 1uV setting is noticeably weaker than on 15 and 20. I first redid RX alignment of L10 and L11 on 15m and then C32 and C34 for 17m with no improvement. The S-meter reads the same for all 3 XG3 levels but 1uV sounds weaker on 17. Anyone have any ideas? 73, Bill W4ZV -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Sensitivity-on-17m-tp7575428p7575439.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@.qth 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@.qth This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Sensitivity-on-17m-tp7575428p7575441.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] NA3DX Field Day Using KX3's
The Explorers Radio Club (NA3DX) will be operating again this year from Maryland (www.ellmore.net/na1dx) using Elecraft KX3 radios on the primary stations. We also have a local reporter and photographer attending Saturday for a story. I'll wear my new blue Elecraft hat I got in the mail last week. Good Luck and Be Safe! Doug, NA1DX Elecraft K3 #7232 __ 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] KX3 Field Day tips (batteries, local oscillator isolation, antenna spacing)
Hi all, Here some tips for getting the most out of your KX3 at field day: 1. BATTERY OPERATION: To conserve battery power, use 5.0 watts or less when running from a 12-V source, and 3.0 watts or less when running from an 8-10 V source (including internal batteries). At these levels, the KX3 automatically switches the power amplifier to a more efficient setting. You can tell that power-saving mode is in effect by a decimal point after the 'W' in the power value (e.g., 5.0 W.). To reduce supply current in receive mode, use headphones rather than the internal speaker, and if lighting conditions permit, turn off the LCD backlight (MENU:BKLIGHT). 2. ANTENNA SPACING: If you're using more than one transmitter, try to keep the antennas as far apart as possible. This is a good practice with all FD stations, because it can prevent receiver de-sensing and intermodulation distortion. If you have no choice but to have the antennas close together, and you hear artifacts (such as SSB signal bleedthrough) in your KX3 while another station is transmitting, try setting MENU:RX SHFT to 8.0 rather than NOR on the affected band. You could also turn the preamp off, or reduce preamp gain on affected bands using the PREAMP menu entry. 3. OSCILLATOR ISOLATION: The KX3, like other radios with a quadrature direct-conversion architecture, uses a VFO (local oscillator) running at or very close to the operating frequency. If you have another radio on the same band as the KX3, and the antennas are close together, the other radio may be able to hear the KX3's oscillator when they're both tuned to the same frequency. To prevent this, the KX3 includes an isolation amplifier that keeps the oscillator from radiating back through the mixer. Normally this amplifier is turned off to save about 15 mA of receive-mode current drain. To turn on the isolation amp, set MENU:RX ISO to ON. This has no effect on performance. Have fun! 73, Wayne N6KR __ 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 Utility revision update
Updated Mac and Linux versions of the KAT500 Utility, appropriate for KAT500 beta firmware revision 01.41 and earlier, are now available on our web site. See http://www.elecraft.com/KAT500/kat500_software.htm 73 de Dick, K6KR __ 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] KX3 Field Day tips (batteries, local oscillator isolation, antenna spacing)
I have an issue to report and it seems this thread as good a place as any. It might help someone else trying the same thing. On 6 meters only, it seems the LO leaks out on the outside of the antenna connector. I can hear it in another radio on the same frequency and the RX ISO has no effect. I am using the KX3 as a second receiver to provide I and Q outputs, with the KX3 antenna connector connected to the output of a buffer amp installed in the other radio after that radio's preamp. If I connect only the shield of the coax the LO is heard. The RX SHFT corrects the problem, a the radios are synced in frequency. I have no other issues with this setup and both receivers provide good results with no obvious anomalies. I have a guy two blocks from me and there is no obvious receiver desense when they transmit. Mark On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 8:45 AM, Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: Hi all, Here some tips for getting the most out of your KX3 at field day: 1. BATTERY OPERATION: To conserve battery power, use 5.0 watts or less when running from a 12-V source, and 3.0 watts or less when running from an 8-10 V source (including internal batteries). At these levels, the KX3 automatically switches the power amplifier to a more efficient setting. You can tell that power-saving mode is in effect by a decimal point after the 'W' in the power value (e.g., 5.0 W.). To reduce supply current in receive mode, use headphones rather than the internal speaker, and if lighting conditions permit, turn off the LCD backlight (MENU:BKLIGHT). 2. ANTENNA SPACING: If you're using more than one transmitter, try to keep the antennas as far apart as possible. This is a good practice with all FD stations, because it can prevent receiver de-sensing and intermodulation distortion. If you have no choice but to have the antennas close together, and you hear artifacts (such as SSB signal bleedthrough) in your KX3 while another station is transmitting, try setting MENU:RX SHFT to 8.0 rather than NOR on the affected band. You could also turn the preamp off, or reduce preamp gain on affected bands using the PREAMP menu entry. 3. OSCILLATOR ISOLATION: The KX3, like other radios with a quadrature direct-conversion architecture, uses a VFO (local oscillator) running at or very close to the operating frequency. If you have another radio on the same band as the KX3, and the antennas are close together, the other radio may be able to hear the KX3's oscillator when they're both tuned to the same frequency. To prevent this, the KX3 includes an isolation amplifier that keeps the oscillator from radiating back through the mixer. Normally this amplifier is turned off to save about 15 mA of receive-mode current drain. To turn on the isolation amp, set MENU:RX ISO to ON. This has no effect on performance. Have fun! 73, Wayne N6KR __ 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 Field Day tips (extending battery life, antennas, etc.)
The K3 is a proven performer at Field Day, whether running QRP or QRO. While the K3 doesn't have the ultra-low current drain of the K2 or KX3, its current requirements are still quite low compared to other high-performance desktop rigs. At QRP levels, it can typically operate for the entire field day period from a fully charged car battery. To extend battery life, you can reduce the K3's current drain using any of the following methods: 1. If you have a KPA3 installed but plan to run QRP, set the KPA3 menu entry to PA BYP. This will limit the range of the power control to 12 W. 2. Turn off the preamp and attenuator when possible. 3. Turn off the subreceiver when not in use. 4. Turn off the LCD backlight (use the DAY setting). 5. Use headphones rather than the internal speaker. The use of all of these techniques should keep RX-mode current drain well under an amp. Regarding antennas: Always keep the antennas for different radios as far apart as possible. If you're using directional antennas, orient them at right angles to each other. If desense or other artifacts occur, turn the preamp off. If the antennas are *really* close together, there's always the 20-dB attenuator. 73, Wayne N6KR __ 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] K1 band change Issue
Mike, Thank you very much for taking the time to give these details. This is extremely helpful. Bill KB1DX On Mon, Jun 17, 2013 at 10:10 PM, Mike Morrow k...@earthlink.net wrote: Bill wrote: ...What I observed is when the Band switch is used to cycle through the bands 30 meters does not show up in the display, but 20 meters appears to show up twice. The K1 does *not* know automatically which bands are available on any filter board that is plugged in. That is why the procedure at the bottom of page 16 of the KFL1-4 manual (rev. A) must be used to manually tell the K1 MPU what bands the plugged-in filter board possesses. Completing that assignment process causes the K1 to format the frequency display (LCD) as appropriate for the assigned bands. In addition, each amateur band 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m has a band-specific display frequency calibration constant stored in the K1 MPU. This constant is set automatically when you perform the OPF (operating frequency) calibration for that band (page 18 of the KFL1-4 manual). So...the other thing that happens (in addition to LCD formatting) when you assign a specific HF ham band to band b1 (b2, b3, b4) is that the previously-stored OPF calibration constant for that ham band is automatically assigned to band b1 (b2, b3, b4). Aside from that, a band assignment does **not** actually affect the operation of the rest of the K1. You could manually assign *all* bands as 20 meters, yet when you cycle through band b1 (b2, b3, b4), the K1 will still actually still function on 40m (30m, 20m, 15m), even though the displayed frequency *appears* to be 20m for each band. One of the appearances of 20 meters functions, but the other does not, That seems to describe your seeing 7.xxx, 14.xxx, 14.xxx, 21.xxx in the LCD as you cycle through the bands. (Normally you should see the repetitive display of 7.xxx, 10.xxx, 14.xxx, 21.xxx as you cycle through.) If that is correct, then which of the two 14.xxx bands does not function? If the one that doesn't work is the first 14.xxx after 7.xxx, then apparently you have a problem with band b2 on you KFL1-4...the band position that should be 30m. Just re-assigning b2 to 30m (either 10.000 for an 18.000 MHz filter board crystal or 10.100 for an 18.100 MHz filter board crystal) will *not* fix the non-functioning band. You should go ahead and assign b2 properly, but then your real troubleshooting begins. OTOH, if the band with the *second* 14.xxx display is the one that is not working, you have troubleshooting to do on your 20m filter circuitry. The 30m circuitry is likely OK, although K1 b2 needs to be re-assigned to 30m. As far as troubleshooting a bad 30m band, you could attempt to re-align the 30m (b2) capacitors on the KFL1-4 per its manual. However, that will also then require re-aligning the 40m band as well. (Part of the 40m resonant circuits make use of the tuning circuits of 30m.) If you are not successful in returning the 30m band to operation by re-alignment, then you'll need to look for another failure. The most common reason for a K1 band to be totally dead is a bad heterodyne crystal on the filter board. Do you have a receiver that could be used to hear the 30m crystal near 18.000 or 18.100 MHz (+/- about 10 kHz), when b2 is selected? ...which is likely 30 meters not being recognized and showing up as 20 meters. Definitely not. The only way your K1 knows what ham band is assigned to b2 is from the band assignment that must be performed manually. The K1 does not sense or otherwise know if any or all bands on a filter board are working or dead. The only information that the filter board gives to the front panel MPU (the central 'brain' of the K1) is whether it is a two-band or four-band filter board. That way the K1 knows whether to let you assign a specific ham band to just b1/b2, or to b1/b2/b3/b4. That part is definitely working. 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] QRP
QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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] QRP
Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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] QRP
I'll keep my K2/100 and just use the KX3 for QRP. Wonder why the amp is so much more than for the K2 100 amp? Steve, N4EUK Sent from my digital toaster On Jun 18, 2013, at 2:37 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 __ 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 Field Day tips (extending battery life, antennas, etc.)
To add to this: In the case where you have a horizontally-polarized antenna and a vertical, it might feel like the vertical should be placed off the end of the dipole, but in fact that's where vertically-polarized response of the dipole is maximum, so the vertical should actually be placed broadside to the dipole where the dipole's vertical polarization is minimum! This seems weird, but it will make for the maximum isolation between the two antennas. If the two antennas are both horizontally-polarized, then the usual off the end rule does apply. Al W6LX __ 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] QRP
Maybe because the description of the KL500V says This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3. And because the amp is not certified for US amateur radio, despite the headline. The description says, These units are for industrial, scientific, medical, or export use only. Finally, it does not appear to have any output filtering at all. wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:37 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
Yes, all that is true, but the point is there are less expensive amplifiers available. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.orgwrote: Maybe because the description of the KL500V says This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3. And because the amp is not certified for US amateur radio, despite the headline. The description says, These units are for industrial, scientific, medical, or export use only. Finally, it does not appear to have any output filtering at all. wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:37 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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 -- 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] QRP
I hope that previous reply did not seem overly facetious. I own an RM Italy amp and I'm taking a close look at this KXPA100 so I'm well aware of the cost/benefit ratio for less expensive amplifiers. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:37 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 -- 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] QRP
On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 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
[Elecraft] KX3 Field Day tips
Wayne, Thanks for the info on the KX3s for Field Day. Do you have any setting you recommends for the K3s in combination with the KX3s for Field Day? Doug Ellmore, Sr. d...@ellmore.net www.ellmore.net/na1dx Elecraft K3 #7232 __ 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] Thoughts on the KXPA100 [was: QRP]
Hi Richard, It's true that there are lower-cost alternatives to the KXPA100, including backpack-style 30-50 W amps. The latter would be a good choice if you're looking for minimum size and weight in an amp. Many competing 100-W amps don't cover 160-6 meters, or don't make it to 100 W on 6 meters. Many have poor IMD performance on some bands (we bought one of each and tested them in our lab; some were truly awful). None of them offer a companion internal ATU. We were very aggressive in our efforts to minimize cost, but we had some non-negotiable objectives: 160-6 meter coverage at full power; individual low-pass filters on every band to optimize for low transmit IMD; extensive monitoring circuitry to ensure safe operation; a large heatsink to eliminate the need for fans; and full integration with the KX3, including automatic control of the ATU option and its dual antenna jacks. We included a carrying handle and mounting points for mobile installation--as far as I know, these are unique to the KXPA100. The KXPA100 isn't for everyone, but it does meet our stringent performance and functional objectives. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better…. __ 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] QRP
Rick, From the web site you reference: (This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3) 73- Mike WA8BXN ---Original Message--- From: Rick McClelland, AA5S Date: 6/18/2013 2:37:35 PM To: Richard Thorpe Cc: Elecraft Discussion List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 __ 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] Thoughts on the KXPA100 [was: QRP]
Regarding Wayne's points. Compared to the KXPA100, the RM Italy 150v (lots of used ones available for $150) doesn't have 6 meters, has loud fans relays, suffers from diminishing power output on the bands above 20 meters and the IMD performance isn't acceptable unless used in the low power setting. I think it is qutie obvious that, despite the cost, the KXPA100 is a much better piece of equipment. I'd love to replace my boat anchor with the KXPA100 but I just spent my spare ham funds on my wife's birthday present this morning. Maybe another day. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:55 PM, Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: Hi Richard, It's true that there are lower-cost alternatives to the KXPA100, including backpack-style 30-50 W amps. The latter would be a good choice if you're looking for minimum size and weight in an amp. Many competing 100-W amps don't cover 160-6 meters, or don't make it to 100 W on 6 meters. Many have poor IMD performance on some bands (we bought one of each and tested them in our lab; some were truly awful). None of them offer a companion internal ATU. We were very aggressive in our efforts to minimize cost, but we had some non-negotiable objectives: 160-6 meter coverage at full power; individual low-pass filters on every band to optimize for low transmit IMD; extensive monitoring circuitry to ensure safe operation; a large heatsink to eliminate the need for fans; and full integration with the KX3, including automatic control of the ATU option and its dual antenna jacks. We included a carrying handle and mounting points for mobile installation--as far as I know, these are unique to the KXPA100. The KXPA100 isn't for everyone, but it does meet our stringent performance and functional objectives. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better…. __ 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] QRP
Hi Rick: That looks to me to be a warmed-over CB amp. And, I have no idea how well RM Italy supports their products. They may be as good as Elecraft... or they may not. But, I =know= how Elecraft supports their products and their customers... and how quickly they do it. 73 de Ray K2ULR KX3 #211 On Jun 18, 2013, at 2:37 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 __ 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] Thoughts on the KXPA100 [was: QRP]
I had a RM Italy amp for about two months and it was horrible. I tried it in my mobile and it had all sorts of issues and only really worked on 15m. I would not recommend it to anyone. I sold it for 1/3 of the price I paid for it warning the guy about it profusely. He has been using it now and then with little issue with his flex 1500 at his home QTH. Maybe that makes a difference but I could not recommend one to anyone. On the other hand my THP HL450B is a sweet ride. The only thing I don't like about it is no 6m. With 10W input I was getting 200W output on all HF bands it covers. It is probably the most expensive solid state amp $ per watt in the market. So that would probably keep some people away. Keith AK6ZZ Sent from my iPhone please excuse typos On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:13 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com wrote: Regarding Wayne's points. Compared to the KXPA100, the RM Italy 150v (lots of used ones available for $150) doesn't have 6 meters, has loud fans relays, suffers from diminishing power output on the bands above 20 meters and the IMD performance isn't acceptable unless used in the low power setting. I think it is qutie obvious that, despite the cost, the KXPA100 is a much better piece of equipment. I'd love to replace my boat anchor with the KXPA100 but I just spent my spare ham funds on my wife's birthday present this morning. Maybe another day. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:55 PM, Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: Hi Richard, It's true that there are lower-cost alternatives to the KXPA100, including backpack-style 30-50 W amps. The latter would be a good choice if you're looking for minimum size and weight in an amp. Many competing 100-W amps don't cover 160-6 meters, or don't make it to 100 W on 6 meters. Many have poor IMD performance on some bands (we bought one of each and tested them in our lab; some were truly awful). None of them offer a companion internal ATU. We were very aggressive in our efforts to minimize cost, but we had some non-negotiable objectives: 160-6 meter coverage at full power; individual low-pass filters on every band to optimize for low transmit IMD; extensive monitoring circuitry to ensure safe operation; a large heatsink to eliminate the need for fans; and full integration with the KX3, including automatic control of the ATU option and its dual antenna jacks. We included a carrying handle and mounting points for mobile installation--as far as I know, these are unique to the KXPA100. The KXPA100 isn't for everyone, but it does meet our stringent performance and functional objectives. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better…. __ 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 __ 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] QRP
WHY! Why, oh Why? When someone take the Time and Effort to create something of high Quality. There is always some fault being found with it? It's either the price is too high, the box isn't fancy enough or it's of the wrong color. You name it! In the same breath, we'll complain bitterly about the Cheap Chinese Junk! Lord knows, it doesn't seems to be any pleasing some of us! 73 Milverton. From: Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com To: Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.org Cc: Elecraft Discussion List elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 1:47 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP Yes, all that is true, but the point is there are less expensive amplifiers available. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.orgwrote: Maybe because the description of the KL500V says This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3. And because the amp is not certified for US amateur radio, despite the headline. The description says, These units are for industrial, scientific, medical, or export use only. Finally, it does not appear to have any output filtering at all. wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 11:37 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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 -- 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 __ 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] QRP
That's not actually true if they don't meet specs or are illegal. Dave AB7E On 6/18/2013 11:47 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Yes, all that is true, but the point is there are less expensive amplifiers available. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.orgwrote: Maybe because the description of the KL500V says This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3. And because the amp is not certified for US amateur radio, despite the headline. The description says, These units are for industrial, scientific, medical, or export use only. Finally, it does not appear to have any output filtering at all. wunder K6WRU __ 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] QRP
Guys, I'm not advocating the purchase the RM Italy, or any amp, other than the KXPA100. My point was that there are many other amps available, even at very low cost, among which one may choose the quality/features/benefits that suits one's budget. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 1:17 PM, Ray Sills raysil...@verizon.net wrote: Hi Rick: That looks to me to be a warmed-over CB amp. And, I have no idea how well RM Italy supports their products. They may be as good as Elecraft... or they may not. But, I =know= how Elecraft supports their products and their customers... and how quickly they do it. 73 de Ray K2ULR KX3 #211 On Jun 18, 2013, at 2:37 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-**Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/** B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 __**__**__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/**mailman/listinfo/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.**htmhttp://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:elecr...@mailman.qth.**net 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] QRP
Please also note that most amplifiers like the one referenced below are not compliant with the FCC Part 97 rules (which require FCC certification of all external amateur amplifiers, built or kit, that are offered for commercial sale ) and are not legal to sell into the U.S. Many also do not meet amateur harmonic emissions standards. We are required to design to the FCC rules and to receive their official certification prior to sale. Of course it is legal to buy these foreign amps as far as I can tell. 73, Eric elecraft.com On 6/18/2013 11:42 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: I hope that previous reply did not seem overly facetious. I own an RM Italy amp and I'm taking a close look at this KXPA100 so I'm well aware of the cost/benefit ratio for less expensive amplifiers. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:37 PM, Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com wrote: Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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] QRP
What I thought was interesting was that for most of the models there were only one to three in stock. That makes me think they are selling like hot-cakes to the CB market, or they are trying to get rid of them. 73, Tom Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:27:36 -0700, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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] QRP
Dear OMs and Yls, I do not wish to be a traitor but perhaps the Ten-Tec model 418 at $800 and an external antenna tuner if required is more affordable. I will use my K3 for QRO and so am not too bothered but this amplifier is pricy. Then again Elecraft is the new Collins. The Italian amplifier mentioned is not something I would want near me. I am not knocking Italian equipment as I have an Expert 2K - FA which I like. The KL amplifier though is a no no. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: 18 June 2013 18:49 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 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 __ 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] QRP
but probably not legal to *use* them in the US unless they meet Amateur technical standards... 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013 - www.cqp.org On 6/18/2013 12:26 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: Many also do not meet amateur harmonic emissions standards. Of course it is legal to buy these foreign amps as far as I can tell. __ 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] QRP
I think we ALL have an obligation to ensure our TX output is clean. We ALL share in the harmful results if we don't in the form of QRM that we complain about every day. These cheap amps have little or no output filtering and most do not have any real semblance of ALC making it very easy to overdrive them. The performance of all the Elecraft gear in this regard (and it's equivalent in receive) is stunningly good and in my opinion worth every damn cent. Best regards to the team at Elecraft for their efforts in making truly great quality gear !. It seems perfectly logical that a KX3 and 100W map should be around the same price as a K3-100. 73's Peter VK4JD -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tom H Childers Sent: Wednesday, 19 June 2013 5:33 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP What I thought was interesting was that for most of the models there were only one to three in stock. That makes me think they are selling like hot-cakes to the CB market, or they are trying to get rid of them. 73, Tom Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:27:36 -0700, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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] QRP
The Ten-Tec and the Elecraft are very close in price. Ten-Tec 418: $785 Elecraft KXPA100: $749 (assembled) wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:38 PM, Doug Turnbull wrote: Dear OMs and Yls, I do not wish to be a traitor but perhaps the Ten-Tec model 418 at $800 and an external antenna tuner if required is more affordable. I will use my K3 for QRO and so am not too bothered but this amplifier is pricy. Then again Elecraft is the new Collins. The Italian amplifier mentioned is not something I would want near me. I am not knocking Italian equipment as I have an Expert 2K - FA which I like. The KL amplifier though is a no no. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: 18 June 2013 18:49 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 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 __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
It looks like the KXPA100 is priced fairly among market peers. And then, added to that is the gold seal quality of Elecraft. Maybe the perception of a lower price is the main fault here. I will probably not get this amplifier right away since I prefer QRP with the KX3. I do have the KPA500 and I think that the KX3 can drive that to a reasonable QRO signal. Haven't tried that yet though. PEH's iPad On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:49 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.org wrote: The Ten-Tec and the Elecraft are very close in price. Ten-Tec 418: $785 Elecraft KXPA100: $749 (assembled) wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:38 PM, Doug Turnbull wrote: Dear OMs and Yls, I do not wish to be a traitor but perhaps the Ten-Tec model 418 at $800 and an external antenna tuner if required is more affordable. I will use my K3 for QRO and so am not too bothered but this amplifier is pricy. Then again Elecraft is the new Collins. The Italian amplifier mentioned is not something I would want near me. I am not knocking Italian equipment as I have an Expert 2K - FA which I like. The KL amplifier though is a no no. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: 18 June 2013 18:49 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 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 __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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 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] QRP
On 6/18/2013 12:26 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: Of course it is legal to buy these foreign amps as far as I can tell. But it is NOT LEGAL TO USE THEM if they do not comply with Part 97, which requires that the transmitted signal comply with good amateur practice with respect to occupied bandwidth and spurious trash. 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
Re: [Elecraft] OT - Thunderbolt GPSDO GONE
On 6/18/2013 13:10, Brian Alsop wrote: Single 24 volt version with Trimble bullet antenna and 35'RG6. Contact off list. 73 de Brian/K3KO - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3199/5920 - Release Date: 06/18/13 __ 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] QRP and amplifiers for same.
To ALL, Agreed, we should have clean signals as there is a plethora of lids who are only interested in getting the absolute amount of power out of ANY amplifier, be they simple, or super fancy. Too many GOOD amps are overdriven and cause a lot of trouble on the band they are used on, let alone the harmonic by products. Technically the regulations in a round about way say an SSB signal should be limited to a 3 Khz bandwidth MAX! There are way too many hi fi broadcast lids and such that seem to delight in putting their garbage into the next 3 khz channel up or down from the QSO they are in! Politeness seems to have vanished from amateur radio at times! NOTHING that the FCC writes into regulations, or forces the manufacturers to include in their products will eliminate the common mule headed LID operator. In my humble opinion, the ONLY way to properly tune a SSB linear amplifier up correctly, is by the two tone method. You will get the MOST talk power and cleanest signal this way with no guessing. 73, Sandy W5TVW -Original Message- From: Peter Lambert Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:42 PM To: n...@n5ge.com ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP I think we ALL have an obligation to ensure our TX output is clean. We ALL share in the harmful results if we don't in the form of QRM that we complain about every day. These cheap amps have little or no output filtering and most do not have any real semblance of ALC making it very easy to overdrive them. The performance of all the Elecraft gear in this regard (and it's equivalent in receive) is stunningly good and in my opinion worth every damn cent. Best regards to the team at Elecraft for their efforts in making truly great quality gear !. It seems perfectly logical that a KX3 and 100W map should be around the same price as a K3-100. 73's Peter VK4JD -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tom H Childers Sent: Wednesday, 19 June 2013 5:33 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP What I thought was interesting was that for most of the models there were only one to three in stock. That makes me think they are selling like hot-cakes to the CB market, or they are trying to get rid of them. 73, Tom Amateur Radio Operator N5GE ARRL Lifetime Member QCWA Lifetime Member On Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:27:36 -0700, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2013.0.3345 / Virus Database: 3199/6420 - Release Date: 06/18/13 __ 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] [K2] Diode types for connecting both paddle straight key
It is an advantage to use a Shottky diode for the auto-detect circuit and not a standard silicon diode. I've given the arguments for that here: Reliable auto-detect for keyer for Elecraft K2 http://la3za.blogspot.no/2012/05/reliable-auto-detect-for-keyer-for.html - Sverre, LA3ZA K2 #2198, K3 #3391, LA3ZA Blog: http://la3za.blogspot.com, LA3ZA Unofficial Guide to K2 modifications: http://www.qslnet.de/member/la3za/K2/mod.html -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Diode-types-for-connecting-both-paddle-straight-key-tp7575425p7575473.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] [K2] Diode types for connecting both paddle straight key
Steve, Virtually any diodes should work in this setting. If you have volts of RF on your straight key/paddle/computer keying lines, the change to a conventional silicon diode with its slightly higher offset voltage won't give you any freedom from false triggering. Are you experiencing RF feedback issues with your existing setup? I've used 1N4148 diodes in my K2/10 computer keying line without problem for several years, but that's only because I had an abundance of them in my parts bin. 73, Mike, K8CN -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K2-Diode-types-for-connecting-both-paddle-straight-key-tp7575425p7575474.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] QRP
OK, but this one doesn't count as an option. Not if you can't use it without breaking the law and spoiling the band for everyone in range of your signal. On 6/18/2013 11:47 AM, Rick McClelland, AA5S wrote: Yes, all that is true, but the point is there are less expensive amplifiers available. On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.orgwrote: Maybe because the description of the KL500V says This amp does not work well with Flex or KX3. And because the amp is not certified for US amateur radio, despite the headline. The description says, These units are for industrial, scientific, medical, or export use only. Finally, it does not appear to have any output filtering at all. wunder K6WRU -- 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
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
On 6/18/2013 1:04 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 6/18/2013 12:26 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: Of course it is legal to buy these foreign amps as far as I can tell. But it is NOT LEGAL TO USE THEM if they do not comply with Part 97, which requires that the transmitted signal comply with good amateur practice with respect to occupied bandwidth and spurious trash. The RM Italy amps appear to cover 11m ... that may be where they originated. My increasingly imperfect memory reminds me [maybe incorrectly] that in the US, it is illegal to market, sell, advertise, or posses such an amplifier, even if you don't use it. Right? 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013 - 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
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
Take a look at the RMI KLA300Plus. It has full individual band filters and is sold here in the US. I use it with my FT817 mobile. Mel, K6KBE From: Fred Jensen k6...@foothill.net To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:51 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 1:04 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 6/18/2013 12:26 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote: Of course it is legal to buy these foreign amps as far as I can tell. But it is NOT LEGAL TO USE THEM if they do not comply with Part 97, which requires that the transmitted signal comply with good amateur practice with respect to occupied bandwidth and spurious trash. The RM Italy amps appear to cover 11m ... that may be where they originated. My increasingly imperfect memory reminds me [maybe incorrectly] that in the US, it is illegal to market, sell, advertise, or posses such an amplifier, even if you don't use it. Right? 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013 - 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 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] [K2] Diode types for connecting both paddle straight key
Thanks for your comments, Sverre and Mike. Yes, I believe I have had RF-induced odd keying problems (with a transverter/amp on 144 MHz at about 100-300 W out, the key being around 5m from the antenna, but not in the main beam). They seemed to respond to moving cables around, putting ferrite chokes on cables and the like, but it was never very certain what was happening. I have a whole bunch of TCG125 general purpose rectifiers (1 kV, 2.5 A) so I tried a pair of them last night. They seem to work, though the only real test will be extended operating time. I measured the voltage on each of the dash and dot paddles with the straight key down (0.53 and 0.42 volts) and the total current through the straight key (0.7 mA). With half this current through each of the 220 ohm filter resistors I should have 0.61 and 0.50 V at the PIC, so this would appear to be adequate according to the criterion suggested in Sverre's link. I hope it works ok...if not I do have a few 1N5818 Schottky rectifiers which haven't made into projects yet 73, Steve VE3SMA __ 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] QRP and amplifiers for same.
On 6/18/2013 1:30 PM, Sandy Blaize wrote: Politeness seems to have vanished from amateur radio at times! Politeness seems to have vanished from the world at times. Amateur Radio is no different. __ 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] QRP
Just for what it's worth. I assume most of us talking about the KXPA100 have KX3's -- and that we chose the KX3 over the FT-817. I started looking at the FT-817, and jumped pretty quickly to the KX3, even though adding all the options (except the paddles) made the KX3 more than a bit more expensive. The amp looks good. -- Lynn On 6/18/2013 12:55 PM, Phil Hystad wrote: It looks like the KXPA100 is priced fairly among market peers. And then, added to that is the gold seal quality of Elecraft. Maybe the perception of a lower price is the main fault here. I will probably not get this amplifier right away since I prefer QRP with the KX3. I do have the KPA500 and I think that the KX3 can drive that to a reasonable QRO signal. Haven't tried that yet though. PEH's iPad On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:49 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.org wrote: The Ten-Tec and the Elecraft are very close in price. Ten-Tec 418: $785 Elecraft KXPA100: $749 (assembled) wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:38 PM, Doug Turnbull wrote: Dear OMs and Yls, I do not wish to be a traitor but perhaps the Ten-Tec model 418 at $800 and an external antenna tuner if required is more affordable. I will use my K3 for QRO and so am not too bothered but this amplifier is pricy. Then again Elecraft is the new Collins. The Italian amplifier mentioned is not something I would want near me. I am not knocking Italian equipment as I have an Expert 2K - FA which I like. The KL amplifier though is a no no. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: 18 June 2013 18:49 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 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 __ 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 -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.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 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] Embedded Systems F/W Engineer Position at Elecraft
Elecraft is growing , and we are looking for a full-time senior embedded systems f/w engineer. This is a great opportunity to join our engineering team as we look forward to designing new and exciting products for the Amateur Radio market. The candidate should have at least 5 years of experience developing firmware for present-generation micro-controllers, as well as experience with hardware/firmware integration and with basic RF circuitry. Firmware skills should include use of real-time operating systems, user interface development, and ability to use in-circuit debugging and simulation tools. Digital signal processing knowledge is also a plus. An amateur radio license and familiarity with Elecraft products is desirable but not required. Please submit your resume, cover letter and recent salary history to: e...@elecraft.com (or reply to this email) Location: Elecraft HQ in Watsonville, CA (South of Santa Cruz on the Monterey Bay) Please only reply to e...@elecraft.com so we can make sure to get your information quickly to a central location we all can access. This is the best method to reach us regarding this posting and we will be looking at this email address daily for replies. (Also, please, no mail, phone calls or direct emails to Wayne, Eric or employees of the company.) We look forward to hearing from you! 73, Wayne N6KR Eric WA6HHQ __ 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] QRP
Well I have had a long think about the KX3 and all the accessories. I tried to be objective and of course I had to consider all my priorities and operating habits. The end result being I sold the KX3 yesterday and will stick with my much used K-Line. Elecraft make terrific gear but not everything they produce is a perfect match for everyone. Some base their choices on cost while others don't. Many of us dive in simply because of the quality and support and they go hand in hand. To me, that is the primary reason I don't shop other brands but of course that is my decision. 73 Gary On 19 June 2013 10:31, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT k...@coldrockshotbrooms.comwrote: Just for what it's worth. I assume most of us talking about the KXPA100 have KX3's -- and that we chose the KX3 over the FT-817. I started looking at the FT-817, and jumped pretty quickly to the KX3, even though adding all the options (except the paddles) made the KX3 more than a bit more expensive. The amp looks good. -- Lynn On 6/18/2013 12:55 PM, Phil Hystad wrote: It looks like the KXPA100 is priced fairly among market peers. And then, added to that is the gold seal quality of Elecraft. Maybe the perception of a lower price is the main fault here. I will probably not get this amplifier right away since I prefer QRP with the KX3. I do have the KPA500 and I think that the KX3 can drive that to a reasonable QRO signal. Haven't tried that yet though. PEH's iPad On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:49 PM, Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.org wrote: The Ten-Tec and the Elecraft are very close in price. Ten-Tec 418: $785 Elecraft KXPA100: $749 (assembled) wunder K6WRU On Jun 18, 2013, at 12:38 PM, Doug Turnbull wrote: Dear OMs and Yls, I do not wish to be a traitor but perhaps the Ten-Tec model 418 at $800 and an external antenna tuner if required is more affordable. I will use my K3 for QRO and so am not too bothered but this amplifier is pricy. Then again Elecraft is the new Collins. The Italian amplifier mentioned is not something I would want near me. I am not knocking Italian equipment as I have an Expert 2K - FA which I like. The KL amplifier though is a no no. 73 Doug EI2CN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.**netelecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces@**mailman.qth.netelecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown Sent: 18 June 2013 18:49 To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP On 6/18/2013 11:27 AM, Richard Thorpe wrote: 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 My arithmetic says $1,000 as kits for the amp and tuner. +$100 factory built. These kits are so simple, and the components are factory tested, so it's silly not to take advantage of the discount. Likewise, the KX3 is $900 as a kit. If you're going to backpack with it or use it with random wires, you'll want the QRP tuner, $170, and the paddle $130. Add the cost of the KX3 and it's still a LOT less than a K3, AND you have both a world class 100W transceiver, a world class 10W rig for backpacking, or to throw in your carry-on for various trips. And you can use the KX3 as a mobile head with the 100W amp buried in the trunk or under a seat. Or you can put the KX3 on a desktop and the 100W amp under the desk. 73, Jim K9YC __**__**__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/**mailman/listinfo/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.**htmhttp://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:elecr...@mailman.qth.**net 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/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.**htmhttp://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:elecr...@mailman.qth.**net Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- Walter Underwood wun...@wunderwood.org __**__**__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/**mailman/listinfo/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.**htmhttp://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:elecr...@mailman.qth.**net 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/elecrafthttp://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help:
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
On 6/18/2013 5:31 PM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT wrote: I started looking at the FT-817, and jumped pretty quickly to the KX3, even though adding all the options (except the paddles) made the KX3 more than a bit more expensive. There are many important differences between the FT-817 and the KX3. The FT-817 is a cheap QRP radio with lots of phase noise and a receiver that overloads easily. The KX3 is a world class QRP radio that's clean enough to drive an amplifier to legal limit power without throwing trash around to your neighbors, and with a receiver that won't get blown away by a big signal a block or so away. And when you add the 100W amp, you've got one of the finest 100W rigs you can buy. In addition to all its other features. 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
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
On 6/18/2013 5:48 PM, Jim Brown wrote: There are many important differences between the FT-817 and the KX3. Exactly. __ 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] QRP
Lets end this thread at this time in the interest of reducing list volume overload. Its past the single topic max posting threshold. 73, Eric Elecraft List modulator 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
Re: [Elecraft] Thoughts on the KXPA100 [was: QRP]
At 02:55 PM 6/18/2013, Wayne Burdick wrote: Many competing 100-W amps don't cover 160-6 meters, or don't make it to 100 W on 6 meters. Many have poor IMD performance on some bands (we bought one of each and tested them in our lab; some were truly awful). None of them offer a companion internal ATU. 73, Wayne N6KR Hi, A very nice looking amp. A few questions: I assume from the detail description that the KXPA100 face plate sans the built in ATU would have just the upper row of lights, Power out, ATT, TX, ON and the OFF/ON slide switch. I assume that the sans built in ATU version would automatically bypass the amp when in the OFF position. I also assume that the attenuation, ATT light is activated automatically as is the band selection. At what power level will the automatically switched ATT kick in? At the moment my favorite antenna tuner (manual) is the ezee match which is very easy to tune and has 2 separate antenna inputs. Physically the KXPA100 would fit very nicely on top of the AT case (exactly 6 in wide and 12 in deep). I assume, that should I wish to add the built in ATU in the future that it would include a new faceplate with the added lights and buttons. Thanks 73 Jim, VE3CI __ 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] FW: Tom Fitzgerald
wer http://learningmetatrader.com/nfx/ytokkzwali/aufbxklayleprv/himt.phpTom Fitzgerald __ 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] Chirp with K2/XV222 - Fuseholder Issues
It looks like one of the causes of my chirp on 222 MHz with the K2/XV222 combo was an unreliable fuseholder (an in-line type for an AGC/3AG/1-1/4x1/4 inch fuse). I wonder if automotive blade type fuses/holders might be more reliable as far as contact resistance goes. Does anyone have any good knowledge on this ? 73, Steve VE3SMA __ 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] QRP
Better check the writeup. It says that the amp will not work with the Flex or KX3. 73, Barry K3NDM - Original Message - From: Rick McClelland, AA5S aa5s.r...@gmail.com To: Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com Cc: Elecraft Discussion List elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Tuesday, June 18, 2013 2:37:20 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP Why spend more when you could spend less? http://www.amazon.com/RM-Italy-KL-linear-amplifier/dp/B00CBRWIM8/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_1 On Tue, Jun 18, 2013 at 12:27 PM, Richard Thorpe kis...@me.com wrote: QRP is looking better, I looked at the out the door price of the Elecraft 100W amp with tuner. Ouch! around $1300.00 bucks with tax and shipping I was imagining around $600.00 I'm way out of step. Yikes! a hundred watt KX3 is close to the price of a 100 watt K3. K6CG __ 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 __ 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] Chirp with K2/XV222 - Fuseholder Issues
When I built my KPA100 back in 2003 my kit was short part of the fuse holder so I went down to the automotive store and bought one. A few months later my K2/100 started shutting off unexpectedly while transmitting. I discovered that the fuse holder was warm enough that the plastic was softening slightly, allowing it to stretch so the spring loaded contacts no longer pressed hard enough against the fuse! The lighter the contact, the more the resistance, the more the resistance the more the holder stretched under the spring pressure. I had long since received the axial fuse holder Elecraft uses and installed it. I've not had an issue since. I assumed the holders Elecraft sourced used a more robust plastic. However, if that ever happens again, I'll switch to the blade-type automotive fuses. As you noted, their contacts are larger and should have much lower resistance. Also, the electrical contact pressure doesn't depend upon the molded plastic like axial type holders do. I think there's a reason we don't see axial type fuses in automobiles any longer and I sure don't experience fuse holder failures in my car! 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- It looks like one of the causes of my chirp on 222 MHz with the K2/XV222 combo was an unreliable fuseholder (an in-line type for an AGC/3AG/1-1/4x1/4 inch fuse). I wonder if automotive blade type fuses/holders might be more reliable as far as contact resistance goes. Does anyone have any good knowledge on this ? 73, Steve VE3SMA __ 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] KX3 VFO tuning noise...an observation...
I agree the noise got MUCH worse when I installed the ATU and roofing filter kits. Is there any earthing or whatever I can add to quieten it down again? The noise was acceptable before I installed the additional cards now it is very annoying. I have the NR menu setting set to on but it is still horrible. I hope a firmware update will sort out the problem. Other than that the KX3 has the best receiver i have ever used. ZL3DW -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-VFO-tuning-noise-an-observation-tp7567365p7575490.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] KX3 VFO tuning noise...an observation...
I've never noticed an increase in noise when installing either option, but just to be sure, we're going to test it again. Ill get back to you ASAP if we think your KX3 may have an anomaly of some kind. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jun 18, 2013, at 9:06 PM, zlham zl...@qsl.net wrote: I agree the noise got MUCH worse when I installed the ATU and roofing filter kits. Is there any earthing or whatever I can add to quieten it down again? The noise was acceptable before I installed the additional cards now it is very annoying. I have the NR menu setting set to on but it is still horrible. I hope a firmware update will sort out the problem. Other than that the KX3 has the best receiver i have ever used. ZL3DW -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-VFO-tuning-noise-an-observation-tp7567365p7575490.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
