[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report
Good Evening, Conditions were fair on both bands. Some noise on 20 meters, some QSB on 40 meters. 40 meters was not as good as last week but the sun angle is different too. We may have to keep moving it closer to sunset as the year goes on. Or the sun could become more active. Twenty meters may move later too. On 14050.5 kHz at 2200z: W0CZ - Ken - ND K6XK - Roy - IA K4JPN - Steve - GA K0DTJ - Brian - CA On 7047.5 kHz at z: K0DTJ - Brian - CA KG7V - Marv - WA K4TO - Dave - KY K6PJV - Dale - CA W8OV - Dave - TX Reports were of warm temperatures and sunny skies. It is the painting season from the sounds of things. I plan to collect the piles of slash for the next few years. Lots of it is bucked up into firewood lengths, it is just a matter of moving it. I will get my exercise. There was also talk of birds returning and even a few flowers. Spring may be coming. Until next week 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
[Elecraft] KXFL3 Adjustments
I am doing the alignment following the install, and I do not hear any difference regardless of phase/gain, or preamp setting. There is also no difference in S meter display either. I am using a piece of small coax as the pickup antenna. Any suggestions? Mike AI4NS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Correction to the data in the "Here is the real nitty-gritty on how the KAT500 works"
My apologies to all, I had forgotten that the data as the bottom of the previous email was in Excel format. It did not translate well when it went through the reflector. If I have correctly convert the data to text, then this should be better. I will know for sure when I see my post on the reflector. BandHam Ham Ham Lower Upper BandBin Bin Count NameBandBandBandLimit Limit Width Width Start End Width 160 18002000200 1501 3000150010 150 80 35004000500 30014800180020 90 60 5330540575 48016000120020 60 40 70007300300 60019000300020 150 30 10100 10150 50 900113000 400020 200 20 14000 14350 350 13001 17000 400020 200 17 18068 18168 100 17001 19000 200020 100 15 21000 21450 450 19001 23000 400020 200 12 24890 24990 100 23001 26000 300020 150 10 28000 29700 170026001 38000 12000 100 120 6 5 54000 400038001 6 22000 200 110 Jerry, W1IE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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 w...@jetbroadband.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] Here is the real nitty-gritty on how the KAT500 works
GA All, Around last December, I posed the question on how does the KAT500 actually works. This is the answer I received from Dick at Elecraft, the person who designed the software for the KAT500. Most likely he probably wrote it too. There was, however, a request from Eric, Elecraft CEO, when the info was sent to me and I had wanted to know if it was ok for me to pass this info around. Hi Jerry, Eric, our CEO says >>> Sure. But note that Dick does not have time available to answer questions on this as he is tied up on other work. << Thanks for asking in advance. 73, Doug So please do not ask Dick anymore about this subject. As you will see, Dick went into great detail on how the KAT500 works From: Dick Date: Fri, Dec 13, 2019 at 1:40 AM Subject: RE: Question about the KAT500 capability. To: Elecraft Support mailto:supp...@elecraft.com> > Here is how the KAT500 storage allocation works. EEPROM storage for ATU settings is pre-allocated by frequency. I’ve called “the storage area for the six ATU settings for a given frequency segment” a “bin” because the word is often used in the program and documentation. Each “bin” has room for 6 ATU settings. Each of these 6 ATU settings contains bits for the ATU relays (L, C, side, ATU bypass and ANT relays) plus an SWR measured when the ATU was bypassed. The antenna number (ANT relay bit settings) is included in the ATU setting, so we don’t need to preallocate something like 2 ATU settings for ANT1 and 2 ATU settings for ANT2 and 2 ATU settings for ANT3 in a 6-setting bin. Thus you can have 5 ATU settings for ANT 1 in the bin for 1801-1810 and one ATU setting for ANT2 in the same bin. The next bin for 1811 thru 1820 might have 3 settings for ANT2 and 2 settings for ANT3 and one empty. The most recently used ATU setting is moved to the front of the bin when you tune to that setting. When you have a “full” bin, all 6 entries have ATU settings, and do another tune, it might push out the oldest setting. No duplicate settings are stored in any given bin. There is bin storage pre-allocated for all frequencies between 1.501 and 60 MHz. We have MARS, CAP, and a few other commercial/military customers. We didn’t know ahead of time what the frequencies would be for all these customers. MARS customers aren’t always allowed to tell us the exact frequencies they use. So we allocated storage assuming a continuous range between 1.5 and 60 MHz. The ATU isn’t a transmitter, we aren’t constrained to the ham bands. For 80 meters the “bin width” is 20 kHz. Bin 1 is 3001 thru 3020 kHz Bin 2 is 3021 thru 3040 Bin 3 is 3041 thru 3060, etc. The 80 meter ham band is 500 kHz wide (3500-4000). At 20 kHz per bin, there are 25 “bins” for the 80 meter ham band. 3481-3500 one bin, 6 ATU settings. 3501-3520 one bin, 6 ATU settings 3521-3540 one bin, 6 ATU settings. The ATU overall from 1.5 to 60 MHz has room for 1530 “bins” each containing up to 6 ATU settings. That’s just over 12,000 ATU settings. But most of these are outside the ham bands. Here’s an excerpt from a planning spreadsheet: Our “160 meter band” goes from 1501 through 3000 kHz, 80 meters goes from 3001 through 4800, etc. The frequencies ranges and band names match the K3. Band Name Ham Band Start Ham Band End Ham Band Width Lower Limit Upper Limit Band Width Bin Width Bin Count 160 1800 2000 200 1501 3000 1500 10 150 80 3500 4000 500 3001 4800 1800 20 90 60 5330 5405 75 4801 6000 1200 20 60 40 7000 7300 300 6001 9000 3000 20 150 30 10100 10150 50 9001 13000 4000 20 200 20 14000 14350 350 13001 17000 4000 20 200 17 18068 18168 100 17001 19000 2000 20 100 15 21000 21450 450 19001 23000 4000 20 200 12 24890 24990 100 23001 26000 3000 20 150 10 28000 29700 1700 26001 38000 12000 100 120 6 5 54000 4000 38001 6 22000 200 110 73 My de Dick, K6KR Best regards, Jerry, W1IE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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] Extra Protection For KPA500? AUX CABLE SET??
Not getting any answers from Elecraft.com...still thinking about getting new cables that aren't as thick as a garden hose! KPAK3AUXSE Enhanced Mode. Aux Cable Set + second E850463 Aux Cable Enhanced Mode. Aux Cable set for KPA500 AND second E850463 aux cable for KAT500. AUX Cable Set incl: 15-Pin to 15-Pin DE-15 + Key Line Interrupter adapter So does the Aux Cable Set include two E850463 cables for $50 or only one E850463 and the key line interrupter? And to get two E850463 cables, you have to order two E850463 cables at $30 each? Chuck Hawley c-haw...@illinois.edu Amateur Radio, KE9UW aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net on behalf of Jack Brindle via Elecraft Sent: Friday, March 6, 2020 2:58 PM To: elecraft@mailman qth. net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Extra Protection For KPA500? One other thing to consider is that you don’t want to connect all of the pins straight through from the K3 to the KPA500. There are some conflicts that will cause problems. The Elecraft cables are set up properly with the appropriate pins cut that should not connect between the two devices. An alternative is to use a straight-through HD15-HD15 cable with the appropriate pins cut. Cutting them yourself is a pain, so we really don’t recommend that route. 73! Jack, W6FB > On Mar 6, 2020, at 12:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: > > Just order the two cables from Elecraft as it is a special wired and > configured cable. E85046 I doubt seriously if an aftermarket cable would > work. > > The manual clearly states "do not use a standard VGA cable!" > > The KAT500 manual, page 5, Fig. 1 is the correct configuration for your > application. It requires 2 of the E85046 cables. This is not the time to be > conservative or cut cost corners. You have ~$8500 in radios depending on > this. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > > On 3/6/2020 2:06 PM, Tony wrote: >> Bob: >> >> The AUX cable requirement makes sense. Can you recommend an aftermarket >> cable? I’ll need one for the KPA500 and another for the KAT500. >> >> Thanks >> >> Tony >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Sent from my iPad >> >>> On Mar 6, 2020, at 2:38 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: >>> >>> Tony et al: >>> >>> Go to the K3S CONFIG menu and PWR SET. Set the value to PER BAND. Then >>> exit this menu by pressing MENU/CONFIG. There IS NO value to set at this >>> point. Then with the KPA500 on and in OPER mode, while in RX, set the PWR >>> value on the K3S to 20 watts or what ever power you wish to drive the amp >>> with for that band. That is saved for that mode and band. Then on to the >>> next band. >>> >>> When the KPA500 is in STBY mode the power value is what is set on the K3S >>> for barefoot operation. When the KPA500 is switched to OPER then the power >>> value is what you have set for that mode and band. This does require the >>> KPA500 to communicate with the AUX cable. See page 12 Fig 3 of the KPA500 >>> manual for the configuration. >>> >>> If you have the K3S, the KPA500 and the KAT500, then see page 5of the >>> KAT500 manual, Fig 1 for the correct cables and configuration. >>> >>> As they say, it is all in the manuals. >>> >>> 73 >>> >>> Bob, K4TAX >>> >>> On 3/6/2020 1:07 PM, Tony wrote: > Tony, The Config Menu has a Per-Band power setting (PWR SET = PEr bAnd) > that will set the power output depending on the band selected. If you use > the Aux cable between the K3 and KPA500 is is fully automatic and > seamless. 73 George AI4VZ George: I must be missing something because when I select PER BAND in the config menu, there's no power setting to set. It doesn't display the power like TUN PWR does where the tune power is shown within that menu item so you can adjust it. I have to order the AUX cable, but in the meantime I'd like to use this setting with the K3S so any suggestions would be appreciated. Tony __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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 rmcg...@blomand.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 d...@optonline.net >> > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help:
Re: [Elecraft] Extra Protection For KPA500?
Having followed this thread, I can heartily endorse Elecraft's method of idiot-proofing K3 power control when used with the KPA500. I have tuned each band for maximum output (except 200W on 30 meters per regulations). When the amp is in standby and I key the K3, I see the output level on the amp's display. When switching to operate, I get the prescribed amplifier output. A momentary touch of the K3 PWR knob shows the drive level (17 - 25 watts, band-dependent). Technology has finally found a way to minimize blown amps during the wee hours of a contest! 73 de Ed Urologist Tells Men To "Fix" Their ED With This New Trick! Med Journal http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5e655eae6fb2f5eae5e62st02vuc __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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] KAT500 antenna selection
Thanks for that, Rick. I have done as you suggested, and while I have not found a "good" match on 630, I have found what I believe is a "somewhat workable" match for use under QRP (< 2 watts) conditions with my existing 360 foot antenna. If anyone here wants to try a contact, I would suggest FT8 on 0.474200 at 900 Hz as a good starting point. Rick, you and I worked on 160m FT8 back in December, and are a bit over 1400 miles apart. When I last experimented with 630, I made a number of contacts at about that distance in the late evening hours. Do you have 630m? 73 Lyn, WØLEN -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rick Bates, NK7I Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2020 7:39 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 antenna selection I'll submit that the KAT500 was designed long before 630 meters was generally open and the values needed to present a low SWR are far larger than needed elsewhere. Anything below 160M is a 'specialty' band that far fewer will attempt. However you COULD go through the values that the KAT500 offers manually and see if something could work. You could use an antenna analyzer in SWR mode (fixed freq not sweep) to tune the antenna at almost any frequency (at flea power, all legally). Rick NK7I On 3/7/2020 11:09 AM, Lyn Norstad wrote: > Andy - > > You bring up some good points, and I will be watching for the input from the > assembled brain trust. > > One issue I have with the KAT500 is that it only goes down to 160 meters. > My previous tuner would handle much lower frequencies, allowing me to work > 630 meters. No such luck with the KAT500. If there is a workaround, I'd > like to hear what it is. > > Also keep in mind that tuning it on "off band" frequencies requires that you > transmit a signal of at least a minimal value ... which is technically not > legal. > > 73 > Lyn, WØLEN > > > -Original Message- > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andy Durbin > Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2020 11:10 AM > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 antenna selection > > The KAT500 has continuous frequency coverage for saving and selecting tuning > solutions and is not constrained to amateur band limits. However, the > antenna selection can only be defined for the amateur bands. > > Does the KAT500 simply use the antenna selection defined for the amateur > band closest to the out of band operating frequency? > > 73, > Andy, k3wyc > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto: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 l...@lnainc.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 rick.n...@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 l...@lnainc.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] Where is Elecraft Support ?
Exactly Jim. Elecraft had to discontinue their 60 meter adapter (K60XV) for the K2 as a key part is no longer available, and it would require a major board change to continue providing the same functionality. Evidently they no longer sell enough of that option to make it fiscally possible. Neil, KN3ILZ On 3/7/2020 3:46 PM, Jim Brown wrote: On 3/7/2020 11:15 AM, Alan wrote: Just as we were ready to go into production the part was discontinued. I had to scramble to figure out some other means to perform the function (which meant a PC board turn). Yes, and for Elecraft, that's a significant expense for a vintage product. The better mfrs, like Elecraft, do their best to stockpile parts as spares, but there's a limit to what you can do, and the sort of curve balls you've described do get thrown. Our emerging worldwide health crisis has the potential for damaging, even eliminating, a lot of businesses both large and small. 73, Jim K9YC -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG. https://www.avg.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
