Re: [Elecraft] K3 - noise reduction query
On 7/4/2014 10:13 PM, Johnny Siu wrote: I find the noise reduction NR in KX3 is much easier to use and gives a better effect than NR in K3 This may be the result of the DSP used in the KX3, which was designed several years after the K3. Moore's Law, and so on. My neighbor, W6GJB, feels that the KX3 decoders for RTTY and PSK work better than the K3 decoders. I don't have enough experience to offer a judgement call. 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 - noise reduction query
On 7/4/2014 10:13 PM, Johnny Siu wrote: I find the noise reduction NR in KX3 is much easier to use and gives a better effect than NR in K3 KX3'NR is simple to use and gives immediatly good results. K3's NR is more difficult to use but, with low settings like 1-1 or 5-1/5-2/5-3, I find it excellent and it compares favourably (equivalent) with the KX3 and other brands or rigs using mid-range settings. The more agressive settings are very special to use... I tested a lot of NR with various brands. Overall, none is better than the others but for some particular situation, one brand may give better results. This may explain this particular result with the static noises. Laurent F6DEX - Laurent F6DEX -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-noise-reduction-query-tp7590854p7590919.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. A dual core balun that gives good cancellation of common mode currents at the feed point is essential and some folks add another choke on the ground with ground spike on the house side to drain off residual cmc. If you are particularly prone to local noise pickup on your long runs of coax, then another choke at the entry to your house is a good move. Coverage of 160 to 6 is possible but the baluns and chokes need attention to cover that range, especially if suspended and running power unless sturdily supported. Inverted V is easiest. You might not get all the coverage you want in one wire but you can join another ocfd onto the original to get more coverage on difficult bands. The ocfd gives your matching unit an easier time, ie reduced losses. Running your radio without a linear means you can have a lightweight aerial with small balun on fibreglass pole. These gents have done a huge amount of work: http://hamwaves.com/cl-ocfd/ and here http://www.dj0ip.de/off-center-fed-dipole/ http://www.dj0ip.de/off-center-fed-dipole/80m-ocf/ and try the user group: www.windom_ante...@yahoogroups.com 73 David G3UNA - Original Message - From: Jim GM jim.gmfo...@gmail.com To: Elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Friday, July 04, 2014 10:21 PM Subject: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? What antenna lengths are you using on 160M with your KX3 or KXPA100 internal tuner? What is best for 160-6 meters? I like making my own antennas with wire. I usually have to give up one band or another cause it just would not tune up on a certain band. I have tried to stay with in these guide lines. -- Jim K9TF __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 FAST-PLAY field-test firmware now available (rev. 2.11)
Is there any documentation? All I could find was the firmware, and since I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of my KX3 it would give me something to do to pass the time. On 07/04/2014 04:55 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: Thanks for the report, Ken. I'm glad it's working well. Wayne N6KR On Jun 30, 2014, at 1:44 PM, Kenneth A Christiansen w...@i29.net wrote: Hi to the group. I updated my KX3 to this FAST-PLAY firmware just hours before field day started. I made 118 QRP battery contacts using the Fast-Play feature and had no troubles with the download or the firmware. I was able to leave most of the cables between my computer and the KX3 disconnected. I did use the KX3 to USB interface so the N3FJP software could log my frequency for each contact. I found by using FAST-PLAY on the KX3 that I did not have to touch the mouse as N3FJP just kept doing what I wanted and the KX3 was handy beside the computer. A touch of 2 buttons completed most contacts. The built in paddle was used about twice during the entire contest. Once again thanks Wayne as I considered this a wonderful improvement to the firmware. Sent from my iPad On Jun 27, 2014, at 2:05 PM, Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: Several KX3 users have now tested the new fast-play feature (see operating details below), so we're making the firmware available for those who don't mind working with a field-test release. It'll be a great feature for Field Day, but you'll want to get it downloaded and tested before hand. The rev. 2.11 firmware can be found on this page: ftp://ftp.elecraft.com/KX3/firmware/beta/ __ 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 Message delivered to owlg.o...@gmail.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Hello, I can recommend reading the following: http://hamwaves.com/cl-ocfd/index.html The high common-mode signals are apparently well attended to. Per-Tore / LA7NO On 5 July 2014 16:24, Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com wrote: On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to p...@ieee.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 FAST-PLAY field-test firmware now available (rev. 2.11)
MCU 2.11 / DSP 1.30, 6-26-2014 * FAST MESSAGE PLAY: A long-hold of MSG (~3 sec) puts the KX3 into FAST PLAY mode. In this mode, the BAND+, BAND-, and FREQ_ENT switches can be used to play/repeat messages 1, 2, and 3 immediately, without the need to first tap MSG. To turn off fast play, hold MSG for ~3 seconds again, or turn the KX3 off and back on. Notes: (1) In voice modes (using the built-in DVR), only messages 1 and 2 are available, corresponding to BAND+ and BAND- in fast-play. (2) At present, message chaining is only available in CW modes (with both normal and fast-play). Wayne N6KR On Jul 5, 2014, at 2:26 AM, G owlg.o...@gmail.com wrote: Is there any documentation? All I could find was the firmware, and since I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of my KX3 it would give me something to do to pass the time. On 07/04/2014 04:55 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: Thanks for the report, Ken. I'm glad it's working well. Wayne N6KR On Jun 30, 2014, at 1:44 PM, Kenneth A Christiansen w...@i29.net wrote: Hi to the group. I updated my KX3 to this FAST-PLAY firmware just hours before field day started. I made 118 QRP battery contacts using the Fast-Play feature and had no troubles with the download or the firmware. I was able to leave most of the cables between my computer and the KX3 disconnected. I did use the KX3 to USB interface so the N3FJP software could log my frequency for each contact. I found by using FAST-PLAY on the KX3 that I did not have to touch the mouse as N3FJP just kept doing what I wanted and the KX3 was handy beside the computer. A touch of 2 buttons completed most contacts. The built in paddle was used about twice during the entire contest. Once again thanks Wayne as I considered this a wonderful improvement to the firmware. __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Antenna length
Gee, when I lived in the North East (Rochester, NY) I used the antenna rule: If the antenna wire lasted through the winter, it was not long enough! 73 Alan W1HYV __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 FAST-PLAY field-test firmware now available (rev. 2.11)
Wayne, As suggested in my recent post it would be very useful if the KX3 user himself could decide which of the 3 switches he would donate for fast play!? 73, Heinz HB9BCB Am 05.07.2014 um 18:06 schrieb Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com: MCU 2.11 / DSP 1.30, 6-26-2014 * FAST MESSAGE PLAY: A long-hold of MSG (~3 sec) puts the KX3 into FAST PLAY mode. In this mode, the BAND+, BAND-, and FREQ_ENT switches can be used to play/repeat messages 1, 2, and 3 immediately, without the need to first tap MSG. To turn off fast play, hold MSG for ~3 seconds again, or turn the KX3 off and back on. Notes: (1) In voice modes (using the built-in DVR), only messages 1 and 2 are available, corresponding to BAND+ and BAND- in fast-play. (2) At present, message chaining is only available in CW modes (with both normal and fast-play). 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] A good antenna
For a year or more now I have been using a simple near but not resonant 40m vertical delta loop with the peak at about 33feet and fed with a random length of ladder line to a remote auto tuner contained in a water resistant box. Tuner is a MFJ 993b I think. Tunes well 6m through 160m. Not very great performance on 80 and 160m but have made some contacts. I really only use 80m for the QRP fox hunts with some success. Easy to use except the tuner likes 15-20watts for fast tuning. Hunts a little using 5w on some bands. You can see my setup on my qrz page. KA5QQA __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a centre fed dipole instead. Even on 40M it didn't seem very good and I was plagued with RF getting into PCs and them shutting down or periferals stopping working. Plus, despite the hype, it didn't really seem to work well on other bands. The Antenna analyser was very dismissive, showing resonances outside of the Amateur bands and, on some that it was supposed to work on, no sign of any resonance at all. Dave (G0DJA) - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to d...@g0dja.co.uk __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Off center fed dipoles, Windoms and end fed half waves are primarily low power if not QRP antennas where you can do poorly with any antenna. They are prone to arcing, heating and RF where you don't want it. You are better off with conventional low radiation resistance antennas if you plan to use 100 watts or higher. The search for an antenna that will make QRP sound like a kilowatt is futile. The only way to do that is to have excellent conditions and infinite patience which will make anything sort of work. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart On Saturday, July 5, 2014 11:55 AM, Dave d...@g0dja.co.uk wrote: I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a centre fed dipole instead. Even on 40M it didn't seem very good and I was plagued with RF getting into PCs and them shutting down or periferals stopping working. Plus, despite the hype, it didn't really seem to work well on other bands. The Antenna analyser was very dismissive, showing resonances outside of the Amateur bands and, on some that it was supposed to work on, no sign of any resonance at all. Dave (G0DJA) - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to d...@g0dja.co.uk __ 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 Message delivered to wrco...@yahoo.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart On , WILLIS COOKE wrco...@yahoo.com wrote: Off center fed dipoles, Windoms and end fed half waves are primarily low power if not QRP antennas where you can do poorly with any antenna. They are prone to arcing, heating and RF where you don't want it. You are better off with conventional low radiation resistance antennas if you plan to use 100 watts or higher. The search for an antenna that will make QRP sound like a kilowatt is futile. The only way to do that is to have excellent conditions and infinite patience which will make anything sort of work. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart On Saturday, July 5, 2014 11:55 AM, Dave d...@g0dja.co.uk wrote: I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a centre fed dipole instead. Even on 40M it didn't seem very good and I was plagued with RF getting into PCs and them shutting down or periferals stopping working. Plus, despite the hype, it didn't really seem to work well on other bands. The Antenna analyser was very dismissive, showing resonances outside of the Amateur bands and, on some that it was supposed to work on, no sign of any resonance at all. Dave (G0DJA) - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to d...@g0dja.co.uk __ 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 Message delivered to wrco...@yahoo.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Lots of guys have good results with OCF dipoles all over the world. I run a weekly nationwide net for a Brand X radio model using a 40-6 meter OCF dipole. I am the loud signal and I hear all and they all hear me. Of course it helps I am in the Midwest, but still, I run 700 watts into it and NO CMC or other problems. I can run more power, but don't because that is enough to get the job done. Power is not an issue on my OCF dipole. Best advice I ever received on OCF Dipoles comes from a guy who tested several OCF dipoles for common mode noise, and then found the right type of balun/choke to use. IT DOES make a difference how you build and deploy it. If you run the feed line closer to one side than the other, you get CMC. If you use the wrong balun, you get CMC. See here: http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/ Using a proper DUAL Core balun - where the transformer is wound on a separate toroid from the choke wound on another toriod - it works fine and you have no CMC noise issue. Stop by my shack and have a listen. CMC can be a problem if you allow it to be, but not if you pay attention to what you are doing. Again, don't believe me... stop by the shack or join my net some Wed evening and see. (We don't care what brand rig you own - its is ham radio and it is all good) Just MY take. This antenna works better than the AlphaDelta and home brew fan dipoles I used to use... (although I cannot explain why the others did not work as well, they should have...but who knows what they were coupling with in my crowded little lot.) Happy days. - K8JHR -- On 7/5/2014 12:50 PM, Dave wrote: I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a centre fed dipole instead. __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
I have always found the the OCF antennas require a sufficient amount of feedline to mask the weird impedances it has. I have successfully used 135 foot 33% offset fed 4:1 balun with W1JR choke and 100 feet of coax necessary. I tried to use 22 feet and it was a total loss. All with 100 watts of course like Jim suggests. The added length does not add enough loss to account for the change. Mel, K6KBE On Saturday, July 5, 2014 9:50 AM, Dave d...@g0dja.co.uk wrote: I tried a 40M OCFD for a while. I gave up on it and went back to a centre fed dipole instead. Even on 40M it didn't seem very good and I was plagued with RF getting into PCs and them shutting down or periferals stopping working. Plus, despite the hype, it didn't really seem to work well on other bands. The Antenna analyser was very dismissive, showing resonances outside of the Amateur bands and, on some that it was supposed to work on, no sign of any resonance at all. Dave (G0DJA) - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 2:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to d...@g0dja.co.uk __ 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 Message delivered to farrerfo...@yahoo.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
I was using QRP, 3 Watts from the KX3, and I tend to use less than 5W CW on most bands. Even on receive it performed poorly, which is why I wnt back to a dipole. Cheers - Dave (G0DJA) - Original Message - To: Dave ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 5:10 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? Off center fed dipoles, Windoms and end fed half waves are primarily low power if not QRP antennas where you can do poorly with any antenna. They are prone to arcing, heating and RF where you don't want it. You are better off with conventional low radiation resistance antennas if you plan to use 100 watts or higher. The search for an antenna that will make QRP sound like a kilowatt is futile. The only way to do that is to have excellent conditions and infinite patience which will make anything sort of work. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke, TDXS DX Chairman K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Rick DJ0IP has performed many hundreds of cmc measurements over the last year or so. He has yet to publish his complete findings but here is a taste: http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/the-components/the-baluns/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/pre-test-preparation/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/results-test-data/ant-1-b0/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/test-configurations/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/results-test-data/ant-2-b5/ After many hundreds of measurements he has demonstrated that with a *dual core* Guanella 4:1 balun at the feed point, common mode current can be tamed even with deliberately poor antenna and feeder layout. There are not many folks who would take the care and have the patience to do this sort of work. David G3UNA - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Where can I find the results comparing these 4 antennas? http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/the-antennas/ Thanks and 73, Dick, K2ZR -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Cutter Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 1:30 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net; j...@audiosystemsgroup.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? Rick DJ0IP has performed many hundreds of cmc measurements over the last year or so. He has yet to publish his complete findings but here is a taste: http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/the-components/the-baluns/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/pre-test-preparation/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/results-test-data/ant-1-b0/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/test-configurations/ http://www.dj0ip.de/cmc-test/results-test-data/ant-2-b5/ After many hundreds of measurements he has demonstrated that with a *dual core* Guanella 4:1 balun at the feed point, common mode current can be tamed even with deliberately poor antenna and feeder layout. There are not many folks who would take the care and have the patience to do this sort of work. David G3UNA - Original Message - From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 05, 2014 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to k...@arrl.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Jim, What you say can be correct. However, this need not happen all the time. When common mode issues arise one of the problems is that the wrong type of balun was chosen. Voltage baluns suffer when the VSWR gets too high. What you really need to use on these types of antennas is a current type balun. They have less of a problem than do the voltage type. I use a Carolina Windom here. That means I use a voltage type balun at the feed point, deliberately causing radiation from the shield of the vertical section of feed coax. 18 feet bellow the antenna feed point I place a 1:1 current balun, an RF choke, to prevent common mode problems. I have not had problems with common mode currents with this arrangement, and it will work at higher powers than the 100 Watts I normally use so long as the baluns and coax are rated for the power level you plan to run. 73, Barry K3NDM - Original Message - From: jim j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 5, 2014 10:24:19 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length? On 7/5/2014 2:05 AM, David Cutter wrote: You might consider an off-centre-fed dipole with appropriate balun and choke. Not if you're going to run power. An off center fed antenna generates high common mode voltage, which will fry even the best choke when running power. I wouldn't consider such an antenna at greater than 100W. 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 Message delivered to k3...@comcast.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX3 FAST PLAY
In QRP contesting, I do a lot of band switching. If I understand FAST PLAY correctly, having it on the band switch buttons is a big waste of time. It would take a good 10-15 seconds to de-activate FP, switch bands, re-activate FP. On the other hand, I virtually NEVER use the PRE/NR(1), ATTN/NB(2), and APF/NTCH(3) buttons in contesting or otherwise. Personally I would much sooner see these three buttons used for FP. I also like the idea of Heinz HB9BCB about allowing the user to choose the buttons. What do other contesters think? * John K3WWP - 100% CW / QRP - Proudly promoting Morse Code: * * On the air with my KX3 #2325, K2 #6418, KX-1 #02101 * * As NAQCC VP - # 0002 FC # 1 - http://naqcc.info/ * * As FISTS Keynote QRP Columnist - # 2002 - http://www.fists.org/ * * With my CW-QRP site - http://home.windstream.net/johnshan/ __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
An end-fed half wave inverted L (EFHWL) done properly works very well. It needs to be tuned at the base of the wire against ground. An EFHWL for 80m is an excellent antenna that has no nulls and has vertically polarized low angle radiation equal to a decent 1/4 wave vertical. The horizontal wire fills in the general pattern to a hemisphere with a broad and mild null in the direction of the horizontal pull. It is an ideal all-distance contest antenna, because there are no holes in coverage in any direction or elevation. I have used this antenna at 1.5 kW off and on across 50 years with excellent results. The current max is at the bend, with a high resistance feed at the ground, making the effective series resistance of the grounding system of no consequence. Even a completely pathetic 100 ohm ground at the base does little damage against a 1000-2000-3000 ohm feedpoint for the wire. It IS uncommon and requires tuning at the base of the antenna, and that network requires components usually found in the output tuning networks of tube based QRO amplifiers. You can't feed the base of the antenna directly from coax without a tuner, and you can't buy the tuner off the shelf anywhere. With some DPST relays, coil stock and a single well-chosen fixed value QRO transmit capacitor, the antenna + tuning mechanism can cover the entire 3.5-4 ham band with less than 1.5:1 SWR anywhere. With some further work in the tuning mechanism, and attention to a proper 160m counterpoise, the wire will work well on 160-80-40-30 with distance from any tower(s). In my experience with that over the years, the EFHWL always beat an 80 dipole or inverted vee for DX and was as good as or beat dipole and vee for local and mid range. A 4-square would beat the EFHWL for DX. 73, Guy. On Sat, Jul 5, 2014 at 1:10 PM, WILLIS COOKE via Elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net wrote: Off center fed dipoles, Windoms and end fed half waves are primarily low power if not QRP antennas where you can do poorly with any antenna. __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Fwd: A good antenna Length
-- Forwarded message -- From: Robin Bayer rmbaye...@gmail.com Date: Sat, Jul 5, 2014 at 11:50 AM Subject: A good antenna To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net For a year or more now I have been using a simple, near to 40m vertical delta loop with the peak at about 33 feet and fed with a random length of ladder lineby a remote auto tuner and BL2 4:1 Balun contained in a water resistant box below the mast. Tuner is a MFJ 993b I think. Tunes well 6m through 160m. Not very great performance on 80 and 160m but have made some contacts. I really only use 80m for the QRP fox hunts with some success. Easy to use except the tuner likes 20watts for fast tuning. SSometimes I have to tune twice. Once to allow the KAT2 to lower the swr and allow full output. Then the remote tunes. Then I retune or bypass the K2 tuner. Hunts a little a little while using 5w on some bands. Many evenings I will set the K2 on a table under the K2 using its internal tuner and BL2 to directly feed the ladder line and loop which is fed to a lower corner. K2 tunes 10-80m easily. You can see my setup on my qrz page. Robin KA5QQA __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
Hi Guy same thing here I was going to use it on 160 but really like 75 makes a good DX antenna and when the band is open I have no problems breaking pileups,,, up 40 Ft and out ? Horz works OK on all other harmonic related bands ,,, did run some tests with a station 30 miles from me. I used to use a tuner at the base but I find the HB antenna tuner in the shack works well ,,,So what the heck ,,, Use a series of ferrites on the coax feed and run the feed about 50 Ft through the basement to the shack not a QRP antenna ? use a Heath amp drive it wit a K3 bottom line put up some wire and get on the air Bob K3DJC On Sat, 5 Jul 2014 16:08:19 -0400 Guy Olinger K2AV k2av@gmail.com writes: An end-fed half wave inverted L (EFHWL) done properly works very well. It needs to be tuned at the base of the wire against ground. An EFHWL for 80m is an excellent antenna that has no nulls and has vertically polarized low angle radiation equal to a decent 1/4 wave vertical. The horizontal wire fills in the general pattern to a hemisphere with a broad and mild null in the direction of the horizontal pull. It is an ideal all-distance contest antenna, because there are no holes in coverage in any direction or elevation. __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 FAST-PLAY field-test firmware now available (rev. 2.11)
Wayne, That is awesome! Another reason I went with the KX3, upgradable firmware. While most rigs can upgrade their firmware no one is going outside the norm. Now just time to decide if I should sell the TS-2000 LE to get the KXPA100 :) Thanks for the description. I look forward to getting it loaded up. On 07/05/2014 12:37 PM, Heinz Bärtschi wrote: Wayne, As suggested in my recent post it would be very useful if the KX3 user himself could decide which of the 3 switches he would donate for fast play!? 73, Heinz HB9BCB Am 05.07.2014 um 18:06 schrieb Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com: MCU 2.11 / DSP 1.30, 6-26-2014 * FAST MESSAGE PLAY: A long-hold of MSG (~3 sec) puts the KX3 into FAST PLAY mode. In this mode, the BAND+, BAND-, and FREQ_ENT switches can be used to play/repeat messages 1, 2, and 3 immediately, without the need to first tap MSG. To turn off fast play, hold MSG for ~3 seconds again, or turn the KX3 off and back on. Notes: (1) In voice modes (using the built-in DVR), only messages 1 and 2 are available, corresponding to BAND+ and BAND- in fast-play. (2) At present, message chaining is only available in CW modes (with both normal and fast-play). 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement
Good Evening, It has been almost a week since it last rained. I have seen the sun for at least a few hours each day. Maybe, just maybe, the dry season has arrived. I won't hold my breath though. There are some mosquitoes now but they are in no way as large as those I once met in Arkadelphia. They could syphon your blood in seconds flat. These would require many hours to do the same. The sun is quite spotted and due for some flare activity. Hopefully conditions will be better than they were last weekend. While I gathered the information of over 500 stations I was only able to get 120 of them to reply. Oh well, it was fun. Now is the season to pull down last year's antennas and build new ones. Hook up the guy lines to the F-250, put it into 4WD low and try not to get a branch through the cab. After only a month the lines heal into the bark of the tree necessitating the aforementioned procedure. Please join us tomorrow. 14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (3 PM PDT Sunday) 7045 kHz at 0100z Monday (6 PM PDT Sunday) 73, Kevin. KD5ONS - __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] A Good Antenna Length?
We are well past the posting limit for a single topic. Let's give this one a rest for now. 73, Eric List Moderator etc. 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] About Rose of Rose's Cases and Covers
This e-mail may reach you via several routes and/or mailing lists. I apologize if you receive multiple copies as I try to reach everyone. Some of you are aware that a few weeks ago a small cancer was discovered on the interior wall of my uterus. Although all the women in my family going back several generations have suffered from breast cancer, I though that at age 75 I'd made it OK. The matter was addressed quickly and I had a complete hysterectomy within just a few days. The good news is that my oncologists tell me the small cancer had not escaped from within the uterus and that I'm cancer free. I've had CT scans, X-rays and other tests and the oncologists tell me they find no sign of any remaining cancer. However, they suggest that I have a series of chemotherapy treatments as a preventative matter. Rather than receive the treatments on the usual three-week or monthly basis I've elected to go for treatment once a week. This means that I receive smaller infusions of the drugs each time with less impact on my body. It's still debilitating, however. I've now had four treatments and they will continue for a total of 18. My treatment is being done at a relatively new cancer center at Community Hospital in Missoula, about 110 miles from here. I couldn't ask for better care. A treatment takes 3 - 4 hours while in a large recliner chair. No-cost snacks and drinks are provided, and there are free cancer-coping items like wigs ... I'm starting to lose my hair ... hats, scarves, etc. available, courtesy of the American Cancer Society. All this has severely impacted my sewing on case and cover orders, of course. It's looking like I'll be able to sew a couple of days a week, and I'll be turning out your orders as quickly as I can. Your understanding has been heart-warming. Thank you! It's been my practice to acknowledge your order(s) and place them in my queue and then notify you when I'm about to start your order so you can make payment. There -are- several who have went ahead and made payment. If you want to confirm that all is well with your order, don't hesitate to inquire. Ken will be helping with the order tracking and correspondence. If you don't wish to wait for me to fill your order, feel free to cancel. FWIW, I -don't- plan to quit my little business, but if you want to cancel your order, I will certainly understand. 73! Rose - N7HKW elecraftcov...@gmail.com 406.560.3738 __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 sluggish keyer
The problem, according to my own experience, is that the ground in intermittent. Each paddle arm is the ground that makes contact with each standoff. Without a good grounding, the contact action between the set screw and the standoff is sometimes hit or miss. The reason the ground is occasionally weak is because the contact with ground by each keying paddle is designed to be via the pivot pins of each paddle arm. They are independent and sometimes intermittent grounding occurs. This results is missed dots or dashes (dits/dahs) being keyed. There are some solutions outlined on the web whereby one does a little soldering of two small wires to ground and then screw down the opposite ends of said wire under the heads of each countersunk screw head on each respective paddle arm. (These screw heads are the spring retainer screws.) I developed another reliable solution whereby no soldering is required. (I am good at soldering but the miniaturization of the solder pads here are very delicate. I feel sure warranty issues come to mind as well. ) A great alternative is to provide backup grounding. To do so, 1. Disassemble as if changing springs. 2. The spring is coated for durability and anti-corrosion. So, on each end, place the spring opening (each end alternatively) on a micro file (or very fine emory board) and remove just the coating on the ends that contact the arms. 3. Delicately, use a small screwdriver or tool to remove the paint where the spring contacts each arm. Take your time. The paint is durable. Just remove an amount about the size of a lock washer. This will, in effect connect each paddle arm together. 4. When disassembling the key, you removed three allen screws. The heads of these screws fit into a recessed hole. At the bottom of that recess, you will need to remove the paint there as well. You need only do one but I did all three to be sure. 5. Reassemble the keyer. This mod resulted in 100% keying. The original reliability was dependent on the pivot arms of each paddle independently. This mod increases the reliability by transferring a good ground (via the spring) over to the arm that may be intermittently ungrounded. This method is still statistically less than 100% over time, but whereas I was getting keying errors regularly, they have completely disappeared. Happy keying. 73, Bill, AA4BQ - 73, Bill - AA4BQ Jupiter, FL. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX3-sluggish-keyer-tp7590116p7590946.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
