[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report
Good Evening, Conditions were not very good. Noise on both bands. Forty meters had summer storms with some QRM. I may need to move that net down a little. I am also tempted to move it later for a few months. Weather reports ranged from hot and muggy, to hot and dry, to just plain hot. A few of us are getting coastal breezes but even Idaho is warming up. It felt odd to wake up after dawn. Since it is getting drier the loggers start their work earlier. Some arrive around 3 AM while work is well underway by 4 AM. The heavy equipment makes the house shake. On 14050.5 kHz at 2200z: NO8V - John - MI K6XK - Roy - IA K0DTJ - Brian - CA On 7047.6 kHz at z: WM5F - Dwight - ID K0DTJ - Brian - CA K6PJV - Dale - CA 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 / 270V ERR
"If you check the schematics, the 270V is made/comes from the power supply...BUT the 60V enable relay (feeds the voltage divider and read on the front panel) is on the PA board... " May I suggest that you look at KPA Power Supply Schematic sheet 1 of 2 and locate relay K1 (60 V Enable) which is controlled by the interlock switch and signal 60 V ENBL. How is 270 V produced if this relay is open? How is 270 v produced if 60 V is not present? I do not think it a coincidence that the OP has lost 270 V and 60 V. I suspect a common cause. 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [POSSIBLE SPAM] Re: KPA500 / 270V ERR
If you check the schematics, the 270V is made/comes from the power supply... BUT the 60V enable relay (feeds the voltage divider and read on the front panel) is on the PA board... -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On Behalf Of Andy Durbin Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2022 7:35 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [POSSIBLE SPAM] Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 / 270V ERR "I think it may actually be the other way around... The 60V relay does not close if 270V is missing?" Assume 60 V Enable relay K1 is not closed. How would 270 V be produced? The secondary winding of T1 is open circuit. 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 b...@wjschmidt.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] KPA500 / 270V ERR
"I think it may actually be the other way around... The 60V relay does not close if 270V is missing?" Assume 60 V Enable relay K1 is not closed. How would 270 V be produced? The secondary winding of T1 is open circuit. 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 / 270V ERR
I think it may actually be the other way around... The 60V relay does not close if 270V is missing? -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net On Behalf Of Andy Durbin Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2022 6:49 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 / 270V ERR HV and 270V are separate power supply rails but, if my read of the schematic is correct, 270 V depends on 60 V being present. 60 V requires the interlock switch to be closed. Diagnosing this may require having the top off and the interlock defeated. Everyone should evaluate their own competence and risk tolerance. 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 b...@wjschmidt.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] KPA500 / 270V ERR
HV and 270V are separate power supply rails but, if my read of the schematic is correct, 270 V depends on 60 V being present. 60 V requires the interlock switch to be closed. Diagnosing this may require having the top off and the interlock defeated. Everyone should evaluate their own competence and risk tolerance. 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K2 versus K3 specs
Couldn't agree more. Due to a change in living arrangements I am down to a KX3/100 and a K2/100. From a technical and portability point of view the KX3 has the edge. But the K2 just sounds more like, and its innards (which I assembled) just look more like, what a radio was when I became captivated by ham radio more than 60 years ago. A friend (KB0YH) has my K2 out for sea trials after its having sat unused for quite a while. When he signs off on it I'll be hard pressed to decide. The K2's 100-watt amp and tuner in the low-rise chassis are no longer available, I believe. If that's so, the combo is probably fairly valuable. But so is nostalgia, which generally improves with age. Ted, KN1CBR Message: 1 Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2022 13:19:27 -0500 From: Bob McGraw To: Elecraft Mailing List Subject: [Elecraft] K2 versus K3 specs Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Regardless of specs, there is one fellow when asked about the best radio will always answer "it is the one you enjoy using". 73 Bob, K4TAX Message: 7 Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2022 16:44:23 -0400 (EDT) From: brianpepperdine brianpepperdine To:elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K2 versus K3 specs Message-ID:<50dd47e2.3064.181fe7498b7.webtop...@sympatico.ca> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed; delsp=no I realize there are a myriad of differences between the K2 and K3, but today I read the specs in each owners manual and was somewhat surprised that the each is listed at about -135 dBm sensitivity (pre-amp on for K2...pre-amp off at - 130 dBm for K2). I was curious since I was going thru those tests on the K2/KAT100 set I havein anticipation of any hamfest that might come around...whether to retain or not. If this is basically what this rig does (K2) aside from what more my K3 offers in other ways (variable bandwidth filter etc) then the K2 seems to be something to hold onto, pending a decent offer I could live with. Anyhow, I am just spit-balling and throwing this out there, FWIW. Brian VE3HI -- __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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] KPA500 / 270V ERR
James I had the 270 V Err message on my KPA500 as well, S/N 3406. It turned out to be R16 on the PS board had opened (S/B 100 ohms). This resistor feeds the voltage multiplier circuit to get to 270V. Don't know if this is your problem or not but does not hurt to check. It is an SMD resistor and I think is accessible from the top. Bruce, WB6IZG On Sun, Jul 17, 2022 at 2:51 PM James Bennett via Elecraft < elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote: > Hi - I’ve had my KPA500 serial number 3645 for several years and until > today have had zero problems with it. Previously it was driven by a K3; > currently (until today!) a K4D. Last time I used it, it worked great. Today > I powered it on after having it off for several days and when I went to > Operate mode, I got the dreaded 270V ERR display. When I display HV it > shows “1”. Everything else seems to be OK - band changing works fine, > metering of the power and frequency are OK - just can’t go to Operate mode. > The top cover is on just as tight as it has been for years. Fuses are all > OK. > > Looked through the archives and did see a few hits, but most were related > to loose top cover or incorrect voltage settings. > > I’ve fired off an email to Elecraft support earlier today but thought I’d > run it by the owner community too. > > Suggestions? > > Jim Bennett / K7TXA > Eagle, ID > > > > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto: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 bruce.forsb...@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
[Elecraft] KPA500 / 270V ERR
Hi - I’ve had my KPA500 serial number 3645 for several years and until today have had zero problems with it. Previously it was driven by a K3; currently (until today!) a K4D. Last time I used it, it worked great. Today I powered it on after having it off for several days and when I went to Operate mode, I got the dreaded 270V ERR display. When I display HV it shows “1”. Everything else seems to be OK - band changing works fine, metering of the power and frequency are OK - just can’t go to Operate mode. The top cover is on just as tight as it has been for years. Fuses are all OK. Looked through the archives and did see a few hits, but most were related to loose top cover or incorrect voltage settings. I’ve fired off an email to Elecraft support earlier today but thought I’d run it by the owner community too. Suggestions? Jim Bennett / K7TXA Eagle, ID __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto: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] Using the K3s Tune button causes a growing SWR on my KPA500
Hello Andy The main reason I abandoned small transmitting loops was their susceptibility to temperature variation, one cause being power input, the other due to instantaneous change when the sun comes out. Apologies for sliding off topic. David G3UNA > On 17/07/2022 16:38 Andy Durbin wrote: > > > Don't need to have ferrite in the antenna system to see this sort of SWR > "runaway". I have the same problem with my home brew small transmitting > loop if I run over 100 W. > 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Using the K3s Tune button causes a growing SWR on my KPA500
Don't need to have ferrite in the antenna system to see this sort of SWR "runaway". I have the same problem with my home brew small transmitting loop if I run over 100 W. Spent some time trying to figure out what was heating and causing the loop's resonant frequency to shift. My preliminary analysis showed expected temperature coefficient was opposite sign to that observed. Decided the only way to really understand the problem was thermal imaging but have not got round to that yet. 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 arch...@mail-archive.com
