[Elecraft] QST - My new book about CW and Morse Code

[Chris R. NW6V]

Greetings.

I'd a daily reader and occasional poster to the group - K#, KX3, KAT500,
and KPA500.

Forgive the commercial interruption, but I wanted to share that my book,
The CW Way of Life, is now available on Amazon. https://amzn.to/3ltqzBo

I announced it a couple of weeks back on the LICW and SKCC group site, and
the feedback from readers has been almost embarrassing. One fellow called
it a "modern-day seminal work on CW." Several said they wish they had it
when starting out. ALL have called it a good read.

Enjoy!

73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Remote Software?

[Chris R. NW6V]

Wayne said:

"Did I mention we're also working on a DX tractor beam?"

No secret there - the attraction from Elecraft is very strong...

73 - Merry Xmas - and HNY
Chris NW6V
DDddd-dddDD
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: High school drafting class, ~1975

[Chris R. NW6V]

>
> Wayne Burdick n6kr at elecraft.com
> 
>  wrote:"Here's to those moments, and to that timeless pursuit: turning
> abstractions into reality."


Indeed. There is nothing so sublime as the moment of clarity when the last
pieces of a jigsaw puzzle align, and the vision in your mind's eye
crystalizes into reality.

Thanks for sharing your visions with us :-)

73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] Copying CW and Pitch

[Chris R. NW6V]

On Sat, Mar 13, 2021 at 5:45 PM Jim Brown  wrote:

> On 3/13/2021 10:48 AM, Sverre Holm (LA3ZA) wrote:
> > A CW sidetone pitch of 400 Hz is consistent with what little research
> there
> > is on this. A paper from 1992 says that "/All subjects improved their
> > recognition as the frequency was lowered to 500 Hz, some even at 250 Hz.
>
> As a retired designer of large sound systems, I had to learn a lot about
> acoustics and psychoacoustics (the science of how humans' ear/brain
> interprets what we hear). That science tells us that, like most of our
> senses, hearing is logarithmic both with respect to frequency and
> loudness. This means that our discrimination of one frequency as
> compared to another increases with decreasing frequency. That is, we are
> better able to separate signals from each other with RX pitch set to
> lower frequencies.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC

Exactly right.

I have screaming-loud tinnitus at 1700hz - which is louder than
conversation, and rises and falls in pitch and volume with every
heartbeat... Fun, fun.

Changing sidetone from 800 to 400 made a HUGE difference in my ability to
copy through the chaos. I did so after reading an article 2 or 3 years ago
- perhaps those referenced, but I thought it was done by the USAF for
intercept operators in the late 60's - I may be mistaken.

 ut for those who might not get the implications of what Jim said: our
perceptions depend less on absolute values than on the difference between
two values. That's why when you get "hot" with a fever, you "feel cold"
(and want heat, blankets, etc.): the outside air is now "colder" with
respect to your skin temp.

In terms of Morse, if the signal you're listening to is at 800 Hz, and the
interfering signal (or even the tone of the white noise) is at 700 Hz, the
100hz difference amounts to just 12%. However, if the desired signal is at
400 Hz, and the interfering signal at 300, that 100hz difference is now
25%. At 300/200, it's 50%. Bigger differences are easier to copy.

I did have to reprogram myself to listen at the lower frequency -
familiarity had bred contentment.

73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 vs. K4D Question

[Chris R. NW6V]

Terry,

I could use your self-description by adding "used to" in the context of
contests (I'm up to 297 confirmed and contest opportunities for the rest
are slim to none).

Then I'd add: "lives on tiny urban/city lot surrounded by both horrible QRM
and hills."

My antennas were as you describe: a 2-el 5-band beam up a whopping 30 feet,
and a wire running through and around trees like a demented pretzel at that
same height. And you're right, while diversity thrives on differences, it
doesn't thrive on THOSE differences.

In my quest for DXCC on 40 and 80, I'd added a pair of DXE active receive
verticals and noise canceller in a failed attempt to phase my way through
the s5-s6 noise wall - there were far too many noise sources for
cancellation to be effective. So I was left with a receive antenna that
didn't work all that well in noise-hell, either.

Then, after letting it sit mostly unused for 6 months, I tried diversity
reception.

Wow.

When you're working down near the noise, QSB can kill many a QSO. But even
with my minimal antennas, the way signals "float" as the RF rotates through
polarizations is remarkable to hear: a signal that would otherwise be lost
often comes up in one ear just as it drops in the other...  I recently
worked VK6LW when he was unreadable on either the long-wire or the receive
ant, but was readable with diversity turned on.

It sometimes seems like the difference between mono and stereo music.

Anyway, diversity reception was unquestionably the key to 80M DXCC from
this QTH.

Point is: if my K3 hadn't already had that second receiver, it's unlikely I
would have added one just to try. So if you can swing the cash - like a
good scout: "be prepared."

73 Chris NW6V


Terry N7TB said:
>
> From: 
>
>1.  I am predominantly a CW operator

> 2.  I do enjoy working DX contests, but as a hunt and pounce guy, just
> looking for countries I may have not worked before.  I am not a serious
> contester trying for points and awards.
> 3.  For non-dx contests, I operate at or near QRP levels to see how
> well
> I am getting out on my antennas.
> 4.  I am predominantly a rag chewer on CW,  or casual operator for
> regular CW QSO's.
> 5.  I have two antennas, one a Yagi for 20, 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters.
> The other is an EFHW  for 30 (with tuner) 40 and 80.
>
> I am not sure diversity receive would be all that useful with such
> different
> antennas.
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 Remote software and KPA500 remote software

[Chris R. NW6V]

"Once you turn it OFF with the front panel switch, it needs to be turned on
the same way.  After that, yes the utility is fully functional."

I suspect the serial connection is getting confused and not properly
reconnecting in the power up/down situation. I see that between the K3 and
the Win4K3 suite frequently. If I power down the K3 I usually need to
restart the computer to get all the serial connections talking again.

This could well be an artifact of the specific serial connectors used.
PRoblems with one band of chip versus another are a constant source of
conversation.

As per the engineers and the experience of others, the behavior you're
seeing is not part of the design per se.

73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] "2" or "3" Paddle

[Chris R. NW6V]

Hiya Tommy.

I own both the KXPD2 and KXPD3 and strongly prefer the KXPD2.

The KXPD3 was bought at the same time as my KX3 and served well for several
years. However I never "liked" it - found it clunky to send on and the
sharp edge of the paddles bit into my fingers, so I was on the lookout...

Then I tried the KPXPD2 at SeaPAC - and bought one on the spot. I have
never used the KXPD3 again.

As a point of reference, here in the home shack my preferred sending
implements are not paddles at all, but Vibroplex Lightning Bugs - of which
four sit on my desk as I type this...

As always, YMMV :-)

73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] Excel Test

[Chris R. NW6V]

Walter,

Bravo!. :-) I'm going to steal this line...  :-)

73 Chris NW6V

On Tue, 25 Feb 2020 08:09:02 -0800  AM  wrote:

>
> "Turning a PDF back into structured text is like turning hamburger back
> into a cow."
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] 4k monitors for the shack, late 2019

[Chris R. NW6V]

Hi Scott.

You wrote  "What can people suggest for quasi-affordable *RF-quiet* 4k
displays in
the 27-40" range?"

I'm using an LG 27UD69P that I picked up as open stock at Best-Buy last
year and am quite satisfied. It's beautiful.

It does have an external PS, and is very happy to run off the same supply
as the rest of the rig, as is the Intel NUC PC it's connected to (Tim Duffy
of DXE uses these at every position of the K3LR super-station). This was an
important consideration because I wanted to be able to run the whole rig,
computer and all, off a big ol' 100AH LiPO battery, both for emergency use,
and when I wanted to kill all the noise possible when chasing DX down into
said noise.

I made the change to this configuration last year, before I retired as an
IT director, so at the time I had access to a number of DC-driven monitors.
This LG was the quietest of the four I tested. One Dell (not 4K) was a
hell-hole of RFI... :-)

Although this monitor was the "quietest" of the bunch, it was not
completely quiet. But. as Jim K9YC noted, I put ferrites on both the HDMI
and power lines to eliminate "noticeable" RFI.

I say noticeable because I "monitored the monitors" with a panadapter
running on a laptop hooked to the station antennas. Once the ferrites were
installed on this LG, what remained was but the faintest trace on 12M, *at
the antenna, *and that was good enough for me.

As another mentioned, the "noticeable" aspect of the RFI is important. If I
hold my RFI sniffer (a Kenwood TH-F6 HT) within about a foot of the
monitor, oriented at one specific angle, it is still putting out RFI. But
since I can't see the RFI at the antenna, that RFI is not impacting my
operations: The inverse-square law is reducing the intensity below
"noticeable" levels by the time it gets to the antennas, which is all that
matters.

And that of course is in the context of my background noise levels, which
at this city QTH are high (even after extensive mitigation work). So
background noise could render this internally generated noise undetectable.
But my existing system is sensitive enough to notice the differences among
several switching and analog supplies, so I'm satisfied that I'm not overly
QRMing myself.

So: I suggest testing whatever monitor you select, and buy enough snap-on
ferrites and extra-long cables (for enough turns) to filter any remaining
RFI.

Also, If you can get the monitor at a best-buy or some other place that
allows returns without restocking fees, you should be able to find one that
fits all your criteria.

Please let us all know what you find that works!

73 Chris NW6V
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[Elecraft] September 25th is VAIL Day - The First Telegrapher

[Chris R. NW6V]

Greetings.



Wednesday 25 September 2019 is the 212th birthday of Alfred Vail.



While Samuel F. B. "Finley" Morse is correctly credited with conceiving and
parenting the telegraph as a communication system - the global wired
information network and business - the details of how information was to be
passed across that network, using human operators, was largely the work of
his partner, Alfred Vail.



In other words, Morse invented the "electro-magnetic telegraph," but Vail
was "The First Telegrapher."



Among other things, Vail invented the straight key, the up/down printing
register (which first revealed the signals as "dots and dashes"),
discovered "copy-by-ear" (listening to the thunking of his printing
register),  and authored "American Morse" (to increase efficiency and
throughput using his keys and printers). Vail may also have invented the
original dot-dash alphabet, which was used for some early demonstrations,
and was at worst its co-author.



I'm writing a book about all that, hoping to pierce the fog of time and
render our understanding more clearly. But one thing was abundantly clear:
Morse's telegraph was the first "smart device" - made so by the inclusion
of the telegrapher's mind as an integral component of the system -
performing "copy by ear." This gave it a critical market advantage early on
when line quality was terrible, and mechanical reliability poor.



As a matter of the greatest irony, until its inevitability was forced upon
him by those economic realities, and the weight of telegraphers almost
universally practicing it, Morse was strongly opposed to copy-by-ear
because it diminished the importance of "permanent printouts," which were a
key distinguishing feature of his original invention and the original
patents.



You see, Morse never imagined copy-by-ear would happen, or that it was
important.



Vail lived it.



So: I'm commemorating Vail's birthday by using a replica of Vail's straight
key for all QSOs on the 25th, and I'll be calling "CQ VVV."  There's a
picture on my QRZ page. The key works well up into the low 20s, but I'm
always happy to QRS.


Feel free to join in and send some Vs yourself!  Hope to work you on the
air! Oh, and I'll be using a K3 and KPA500...:-)


73 Chris NW6V
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Noise While Off

[Chris R. NW6V]

I may be wrong, but that may not be what Dick, WM6G, is referring to.

I've had a KPA500 for quite some time, so I have an idea of what
constitutes "normal."

In the last few months I've noticed that every morning, between roughly
9-10 AM, I hear brief 1-5 second pulsations of easily audible hum emanating
from the KPA500. The pulsing events last perhaps 30 seconds to a minute,
and may happen more than once.

Yes, this ceases if the power cord is out or the power switch on the rear
is OFF. But again, it is brief-lived when it occurs, and it's new.

To me, guessing, it sounds like something connected to the main AC feed is
coming up out of phase, then finally syncing, after which the hum stops.

A neighbor's solar array? I have no idea as of this point.

73 Chris NW6V


>Message: 23
>Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2018 12:48:19 -0500
>From: Bob McGraw K4TAX 
>To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Noise While Off
>Message-ID: <47eb73a6-cc2f-5fd6-4318-17e76867d...@blomand.net>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
>
>Although the front panel switch is OFF, the control circuit of the power
>supply remains ON as long as the rear power switch is ON or power is
>applied.? It is normal to hear a small amount of hum from the power
>transformer and the left rear of the cabinet to be slightly warm.? See
>page 14 of the KPA500 manual for more detail.>
>
>73
>Bob, K4TAX
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Re: [Elecraft] Samuel Morse's birthday (Friday, April 27th); good excuse to break out your old hand keys

[Chris R. NW6V]

Hilarious Fred!

That image of a woefully distraught Sam will never leave me :-)

73 Chris NW6V



Message: 10
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2018 21:49:25 -0700
From: Fred Jensen 
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Samuel Morse's birthday (Friday, April 27th);
good excuse to break out your old hand keys
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed

So where and when might we find you?? Can I still use my keyer?? My hand
key looks like a work of art but is so clunky even Alfred would have
rejected it.? Sam is reported to have been so distraught that his
numerical dictionary was being rejected in favor of "copying by ear"
that he took to bed for several months.? Sadly, it wasn't his bed, he
was a guest at a friends house.? We do have a guest room, but need
advance notice should you plan to become equally distraught.? More than
a day or two and we'll have to schedule a trip to Costco.
Granddaughter's track meet is canceled on Fri, I will have time.

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County
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Re: [Elecraft] Samuel Morse's birthday (Friday, April 27th); good excuse to break out your old hand keys

[Chris R. NW6V]

Good Idea Wayne!

And I'll remind the assembled masses that the unsung hero in the story of
Morse code was a fellow named Alfred Vail - who played Wozniak to Morse's
"Steve Jobs." Vail pretty much invented the dash-dot code as we know it, as
well as the hand key. But it's Morse's name, as owner of the company that
paid for it, on the patents. Sic transit Gloria.

Searching archives, I found a note where Morse urged Vail to increase the
spacing between the characters he was sending because they were running
together. Imagine that! Morse was the first guy ever to complain about
somebody's fist!

73 Chris NW6V


--

Message: 8
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2018 20:24:40 -0700
From: Wayne Burdick 
Subject:
Message-ID: <48f17a07-a981-4ced-a8c2-4131bdb53...@elecraft.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

No matter how busy I am tomorrow, I aim to make at least one QSO on this
coming Friday in honor of Samuel Morse?s birth (227 years ago!). I?ll be
dusting off my oldest hand key for the occasion, one with a leg strap and
Levi?s-style button that was used by the South African army circa WW2.

If you have an even older hand key, and you manage to get its contacts
cleaned in time for this auspicious date, please send me a photo of it.
I?ll collect the photos and post them on the Elecraft website photo gallery.

73,
Wayne
N6KR
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