Re: [Elecraft] KAT 500 Loses Match

[Morgan Bailey]

The Cha250 b is NOT an antenna capable of greater than 100 watts for any
length of time. It is a 5:1 unun hooked to a 23 foot aluminum radiator. It
needs to be 30 feet in the air and if that happens it will function like a
vertical OCFD. Still it is only good for 100 watts. When running a tuner
with the KAT500 and KPA500 you are heating up the puny unun and the cores
are totally being fried. Plus the reactance probably is generating high
voltage on the short radiator causing arcs across any of the many
connections inside the matching section. A guy fried a base section and I
have it in the garage. That is your problem. I have owned 2 of the antennas
and as such they work in a pinch and work well for fast POTA activation
with 100 watts but other than that they are pretty much a megga compromise
antenna. You would be way better off with a 998 mfg remote tuner and a 43
foot vertical over a radial field. Check out the Zero5 antennas for the
cheapest durable 43foot vertical solution. 73, Morgan NJ8M
BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Fri, Jan 12, 2024 at 4:28 PM Jim Brown  wrote:

> On 1/12/2024 1:46 PM, Paul Ecker wrote:
> > Does this sound like a KAT 500 problem or maybe an RFI problem.
>
> It sounds like a problem somewhere after the output of the power amp,
> including all interconnecting cables, the feedline, and the antenna.
> Common problems are loose connectors and/or adapters, junk connectors
> and/or adapters, connectors poorly installed, moisture somewhere in that
> path, some defect in the antenna.
>
> The vast majority of connectors and adapters sold to hams are junk. If
> it isn't stamped "Amphenol" or with a MIL-spec number, it's probably junk.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 Faulting for High SWR inappropriately

[Morgan Bailey]

Are you developing an overshoot from the K4?

On Mon, Dec 19, 2022 at 4:00 PM David F. Reed  wrote:

> Lou,
>
> I appreciate the suggestion, but it is with a K4D, properly cabled, used
> to work fine, and does it on some bands but not others... changed the
> delay to 15ms and still does it... Also seems to depend on band; for
> example, does it on 10m, not on 12m...
>
> Also, below, I said 2 SWR meters; I meant 3...
>
> 73 de Dave, W5SV
>
> On 19-12-22 21:28, Lou Laderman wrote:
> > Check the delay setting on your transmitter. You might have a hot
> switching issue. I think (but check your manual) that unless you’re using
> the KPA1500 with a K3 or K4 without the 15-pin Elecraft interface cable,
> you’ll want at least 10ms of delay to avoid that. I had that issue with a
> K4 and a PGXL. Default on the K4 is 8ms and the PGXL needed 10ms.
> >
> > 73, Lou W0FK
> >
> > Lou Laderman
> > Sent from my mobile device
> >
> > On Dec 19, 2022, at 2:59 PM, David F. Reed  wrote:
> >
> > My KPA1500 has started faulting inappropriately for High SWR.
> >
> > I say inappropriately because all 2 of my SWR meters (K4D, KPA1500,
> Palstar HF-AUTO) show an SWR of between 1.1:1 and 1.2:1. with just the K$
> transmitting and also with the KPA1500 in fine as it faults out.
> >
> > Any ideas?
> >
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Re: [Elecraft] Any KX2 or KX3 owners have experience with the IC-7300

[Morgan Bailey]

Last FD we ran 4 FTDX10s. No interstation interference with them being 8
feet from each other in a straight line. All antennas were within 100 feet
of each other. 2 cw stations and 2 phone stations had no problems. We did
not run CW and Phone on the same band at the same time, but had no problems
with phase noise hash. I ran 30 wpm CW and so did my son. We had no
problems. As for a great RX, there is nothing better out there in the price
range. Relays, yes. I do not care for QSK because I do not like to listen
to the noise all the time. Each of us used headphones for copy or boom mic
headsets. If you want something smaller and more compact, you might try the
FT710. It has almost the same RX as does the FTDX10 but in a smaller
package. I have not tried it. My SO2R/multi2 set up is with 2 FTDX101
radios. Again we have no problems. Because I find QSK worthless, relays do
not bother me being SO2R. Wearing a set of cans, What relays?

73, Morgan NJ8M
BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Sun, Oct 9, 2022 at 3:56 AM Rick M0LEP  wrote:

> On Sun 09 Oct  wrote:
> > I am almost exclusively a CW operator.  I have an old IC-706MK II that
> > drives me crazy trying to operate CW with all the clacking relays.
> >
> > I am looking at the IC-7300 as my potential field day and RV rig.  Can
> > anyone who has used the IC-7300 for CW tell me if it still uses relays
> > or diodes for sending CW?
>
> It has a relay at least for TX/RX switching. It's nothing like as
> horrible as the old IC-706MK II but you'll want to be wearing enclosed
> headphones.
>
> It also does rather a lot via touch-screen, which can be a bit of a
> nuisance at times.
>
> --
> 73, Rick, M0LEP   (KX3 #3281)
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Sherwood Receiver Tests

[Morgan Bailey]

I can not ever remember operating any radio longer than 5 years or keeping
any radio longer than 10 years. This includes the K3S/P3 that I owned for 5
years. I have learned my lesson about a bird in hand beats 10 in the bush.
I may not have the latest and greatest radio but I have one with a set of
capabilities that I can work with from day one, and day to day, turn on the
radio, twist the knobs and contest mode ready to go. Friends of mine have
Flex radios. They are still waiting for software to be developed. Me, I
went with the FTDX101 and FTDX10. Sure there are bugs in the radios. I know
what they are and work with them. For me, it is not a problem. Being
retired, I can't spend the huge dollar amount when I was working and have
to settle for things that work and are cheaper in price, not cheaper in
quality and underdevelopment.

I loved my K3S, P3, Not so much. Truthfully, I wish Elecraft had repackaged
the K3 in a K4 box and included the nice touch screen as a package...I
would have bought it. Instead the K4 was the evolution. There is no doubt
that the hardware is excellent. Although the K4HD module is not out and I
am wondering how much software engineering it will take to make those
boards work. The KPA500 and KAT500 is the best thing they have going for
them. That combination is excellent. It is nearly bombproof...but do not
run FT8 on it at full power as it will not hold up too well. Other than
that, it is fine. Running RTTY in a contest at 350 watts is fine for the
amp. It stays cool at that power level. The KPA1500, I was not in love
with. It was too loud and too much heat for my liking. I sold it and went
another direction. All of my antennas are resonant for CW and because I run
Tx band pass filters for SO2R, I can not use a tuner, therefore the KPA1500
built in tuner was worthless to me. I was paying for something that I did
not need. I bought 2 Mercury III amplifiers and they run 1KW solid with
high speed contest CW at 37WPM with quiet fans and cool temp 48C.

Would I ever go back to Elecraft? Yes, BUT there would have to be an
overwhelming reason to do so and right now that is not the case.

What would I love to see designed? I think that the world is in great need
of a SO2R interface that is mechanical and does not need a ton of
unreliable virtual comport software to make it run and bombs when windoz
makes an update. One USB interface to make the radio key CW and switch
between transceivers. I would love to have switches rather than software to
make the thing work. Mechanical as possible because once it is set it is
done and software will not be an issue. If Elecraft made an accessory like
that I would buy it at the speed of light. If it required to be run with a
K4, which at this time is a work in progress, I would stay with the MK2R+
which I am currently running.

Not all innovation is good. Sometimes small steps are better than jumping
off a cliff.

My 2 cents, which in today's economy is worthless and still waiting to be
delivered due to the supply chain. LOL!

73, Morgan NJ8M


On Sun, May 1, 2022 at 11:42 PM Barry Baines via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Chuck:
>
> > On May 1, 2022, at 10:04 AM, Chuck MacCluer 
> wrote:
> >
> > The K3 and K3S are dead ends --- they are frozen at their present
> > capabilities. The K4 is a partially filled canvas that can improve over
> > time. For example, the K4s I hear on the air still have, like the K3xs,
> > that ugly popup in the unwanted sideband. They compare in this respect
> > unfavorably with the lowly IC-7300. But the K4 will someday possess
> > predistortion and consequently a pristine transmitted SSB signal. Unlike
> > its predecessors, the K4 has an unlimited future. That's the nature of a
> > full SDR.
>
> Your point is certainly well taken.  Performance enhancements, new
> features, bug fixes, etc. are all possible given the old adage, “It is
> simply the software.”
>
> That said, exactly how a product line evolves over time can have a huge
> impact on both current customers and perspective customers. One can
> certainly argue that those that jumped in line on the day of product
> announcement for the K4 are ‘early adopters’ who are willing to purchase a
> hardware design and then be relatively patient waiting for the
> software/firmware to evolve to the point that announced features are made
> available.  The tradeoff is that ’needed features’ may lag behind the
> ‘basic features’ and that those that forked out real  for the latest
> generation of hardware may start to get ‘antsy’ about not being able to
> take full advantage of a product’s “potential” as software/firmware evolves
> later.
>
> While I have no idea what Elecraft’s development timeline looks like,
> presumably their development schedule is predicated on relative priorities
> as well as creating the building blocks necessary to enhance the software
> over time.  I also don’t know how large their development team is or
> whether they have other 

Re: [Elecraft] K4D R29 beta ESSB and CESSB - Rolls off low end TX frequency response when COmp at 1 or higher.

[Morgan Bailey]

ESSB---Folks, if you want to be a broadcaster with high fidelity, then use
AM. SSB is for COMMUNICATION of information and as such making it a
fidelity race will occupy more bandwidth than is necessary to communicate.
The bands are already crowded, Imagine everyone one in a contest with 1500
watts of ESSB with 4KHZ bandwidth. What a waste of available spectrum. As
long as I do not sound like some woke disney donald duck character and have
clear audio at 2.3khz, I am good to go and freely give up the 1.7khz to
another station's bandwidth.

73, Morgan NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Tue, Apr 5, 2022 at 10:29 PM  wrote:

> Hi All,
>
>
>
> Just received a K4D from a friend. I have it connected and just getting
> used
> to the radio.
>
>
>
> We operate ESSB (4 kHz LSB) on the lower end of 80 meters where there is
> ample room without causing interference. When you rag chew for several
> hours
> it is much more pleasing to listen to.
>
>
>
> I upgraded the radio to R29 beta and set TX to ESSB and TX BW to 4 kHz.
> First thing I noticed is the low frequency rolloff point is fixed and not
> adjustable. The TX bandwidth seems to use the same low frequency cutoff.
>
> Second thing I noticed is the CESSB compressor seems to be programmed in
> both ESSB and normal TX mode as a mid band compressor, boosting the
> midrange, which then makes the audio sound very flat. This happens as soon
> as compression is 1 or higher.
>
>
>
> This is fine for normal SSB TX to add punch and help crack pileups but in
> ESSB mode it should affect the complete TX passband. I guess I have gotten
> used to a couple of other brand SDRs that do use CESSB and don't attenuate
> the lows and highs when engaged.
>
>
>
> I'd like a feature request that the CESSB compression work over the whole
> range of TX audio in ESSB mode and also have the low frequency and high
> frequency cutoffs on TX in ESSB be adjustable, just like the RX filters
> are.
> The CESSB implementation for normal SSB is fine.
>
>
>
> 73
>
> Dave wo2x
>
>
>
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[Elecraft] K3/P3 For Sale

[Morgan Bailey, II]

K3/100 and P3 with SVGA option
No Tuner
200 hz 5 pole CW filter
500 hz 8 Pole CW filter
2.7 Khz SSB filter
K3SYNA
K3IO
K3 S/N 8405
P3 S/N 4543
This has been an excellent radio. I am a non-smoker, have no pets, and the
radio has always been operated indoors in a climate controlled area. Asking
$2300 shipped.
Paypal Accepted or Cash if local pickup.
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Re: [Elecraft] Antennas and Aesthetics

[Morgan Bailey]

Years ago...about 30, I had 2 ele 40, th7 and th5 and Higain Hightower and
double extended zepp ladder line fed cut for 40 which I used for 160-40.
Jobs change and that really changes one's life. I started traveling and as
such could no longer maintain the 3 towers so down it came all the radios
antennas and towers were sold. 23 years later, only being home for 1 month
a year, I finally retired. In the meantime, we sold the 2 story house on
the highest point in the city, and bought a ranch about 300 feet lower
surrounded by trees and hills with no view of the horizon in any direction
from the ground. Well a man has got to have something to do. My wife spent
disposable income on remodeling the house room to room. New kitchen, 3 new
bathrooms, walls were moved or taken down and space opened up. Everytime I
came home for a weekend, something had changed. And of course, each room
needed new furniture. Upon retiring, I told her I was putting up a tower. I
bought a Tashian 52 footer with a motor, and the arguments began...which
later changed to many heated discussions. Finally, a compromise was made. I
told her, I was perfectly content with not having ham radio with towers and
that I was going to buy a new $18,000 motorcycle and I would come home
maybe 6 months a year. I started getting my bike ready for trade in and she
started softening up after a few road trips when I was gone for a few days.
Then I went to Alaska for 21 days and 10,000 miles solo on my bike. I did
not miss the radio at all. It was a great time. When I got back she agreed
to compromise, especially when she saw me maping out 4 corners, Nova
Scotia, PEI, Iceland and Europe. A compromise was quickly made. I put up a
tower and bracketed it to the house. All approved by the city engineer and
building permits were obtained. I have a 38 foot Rohn 45G tower with
Navassa 5 antenna and an inverted L/vertical in the backyard for 160/80/40.
The entire antenna farm is 68 linear feet. As I have gotten older that is
all that I want and want to maintain. It is a pretty bombproof setup and is
easy to climb. During contests I put up other antennas for experimentation
in the front yard. I take them down after the contest. If I get complaints,
I just go out to the garage and start the motorcycle for a few minutes and
that pretty much ends the conversation.

I wish you well in your antenna endeavors. LOL!

73, Morgan NJ8M


BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Mon, Dec 20, 2021 at 9:14 AM  wrote:

> Here's another, utterly impractical, solution:
>
> When my wife and I built our weekend home in the Colorado mountains we
> chose
> the site for its natural beauty.  Antennas are unnatural.  I was content
> with having only dipoles and Vees, but even they spoiled the view.  So,
> every time we were at the house and I wanted to operate, I would raise them
> up.  When done, I lowered them, leaving the supporting ropes dangling
> against their trees with a snap-bolt on each rope's end.  The dipoles
> themselves -- including a multi-band for 10-15-20 and, at the time, Vees
> for
> 40 and 80 -- were rolled up, the coax feed lines were disconnected from the
> sockets under the deck of the house, and it was all put away out of sight.
>
> I no longer do that, and haven't in recent years given age and a bad
> shoulder.  But during the first few years I learned how to deploy and store
> my farm in minutes.
>
> Ted, KN1CBR
>
> On Sunday, December 19, 2021, 8:04 PM, Rich WC3T  wrote:
>
> When we moved to this QTH about 20 years ago my wife (SWMBO) remarked on
> how
> the location was perfect for ham radio as we are on top of a smallish hill.
> ? So. Much. Win. ?Or so I thought.?
> Years later when I had the temerity to launch an OCF dipole across two
> trees, the first words out of her mouth were ?What is THAT POS?? ??
> Obviously she didn?t have the same mentalImage as I did. ? I quietly filed
> the tower plans and am now QRP mobile. ?
>
> 72,
> Rich Hurd / WC3T /?DMR:?3142737??Northampton County RACES, EPA-ARRL Public
> Information Officer for ScoutingGrid:?FN20is
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Band pass filters

[Morgan Bailey]

When you buy RA6LBS filters each comes with a tracing by a spectrum
analyzer showing the exact filter characteristics. On each of these that I
own the tracing matches the Rigol with tracking generator. They really work
well. I have a complete set of 500 watt filters from RA6LBS. They are sold
by DXengineering. My other set is VA6AM they also provide 80 to 100 dB of
rejection with a 3500 watt rating. The cost of those filters with switch,
multiplexers and cabling is more expensive than many people have invested
in their radio alone.

In conclusion, investing in a heavy duty set of filters is cheaper than
blowing up a radio. Plus, it gives one more options.

73, Morgan NJ8M
BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Tue, Jul 27, 2021 at 9:55 PM Jim Brown  wrote:

> On 7/27/2021 12:53 PM, Morgan Bailey wrote:
> > 80 to 100 dB band to band attenuation is necessary for a contest station.
>
> That depends a LOT on the radios and the amps.
>
> > Reviewing Contest University the RA6LBS talk from a few years ago is the
> > basis for this decision. He probably has the most experience in this
> field
> > beside that of VA6AM. Both make great filters. Just having a filter is
> not
> > enough. One needs a multiplexer in conjunction with the band pass filter
> to
> > get to that DB level. One could stack 2 band pass filters and attain
> > whatever is needed to get the job done. The multi switchable boxes that
> run
> > about 500 to 900 dollars only give about 30 to maybe 40 db of rejection.
>
> That also depends a LOT on the boxes, and some are far better than
> others. See this study I did about 8 years ago for National Contest
> Journal. http://k9yc.com/BandpassFilterSurvey.pdf Several of the units
> are 10-20 dB better than that.
>   It
> > is just not enough to keep the other radio quiet and SAFE from front in
> > overload and toasting the receiver circuits. I use transmitting band pass
> > filters rated at 3500 watts on the output of my amp.
>
> This is a very good way to do it. Most hams overlook the harmonics and
> IMD generated in power amps.
> This coupled with
> > multiplexers on 160/80/40 and 20/15/10 makes for a multi two or an SO2R
> > setup quiet on each radio. Between the multiplexer and associated band
> pass
> > filters I am able to run 1.5KW 160-10 with an antenna farm that takes up
> 68
> > linear feet total for 160-10. Additionally, 160/80/40 are vertical
> > polarized and 20/15/10 are horizontal polarized adding more rejection. It
> > works and works well.
> >
> > One problem that many stations on a small lot have is ignoring Common
> Mode
> > pick up off the shield of the coax. Grounding all shields before entering
> > the shack
>
> YES! AND seriously bonding everything in the shack and the building that
> contains it.
>
> and using 1:1 choke baluns is a necessary step to prevent
> > interstation interference.
>
> Yes, it's quite important to have a SERIOUS common mode choke at the
> feedpoint of EVERY antenna. http://k9yc.com/2018Cookbook.pdf
> >
> > Having radios with very low composite/Phase noise is necessary.
>
> YES!
>
> At the last Visalia DX Convention, gave an overview talk on a dozen or
> so mechanisms that contribute to inter-station interference, and how to
> minimize each. It's here. http://k9yc.com/Multi-Station.pdf
>
> And W2VJN's book on the subject is excellent.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] Band pass filters

[Morgan Bailey]

80 to 100 dB band to band attenuation is necessary for a contest station.
Reviewing Contest University the RA6LBS talk from a few years ago is the
basis for this decision. He probably has the most experience in this field
beside that of VA6AM. Both make great filters. Just having a filter is not
enough. One needs a multiplexer in conjunction with the band pass filter to
get to that DB level. One could stack 2 band pass filters and attain
whatever is needed to get the job done. The multi switchable boxes that run
about 500 to 900 dollars only give about 30 to maybe 40 db of rejection. It
is just not enough to keep the other radio quiet and SAFE from front in
overload and toasting the receiver circuits. I use transmitting band pass
filters rated at 3500 watts on the output of my amp. This coupled with
multiplexers on 160/80/40 and 20/15/10 makes for a multi two or an SO2R
setup quiet on each radio. Between the multiplexer and associated band pass
filters I am able to run 1.5KW 160-10 with an antenna farm that takes up 68
linear feet total for 160-10. Additionally, 160/80/40 are vertical
polarized and 20/15/10 are horizontal polarized adding more rejection. It
works and works well.

One problem that many stations on a small lot have is ignoring Common Mode
pick up off the shield of the coax. Grounding all shields before entering
the shack and using 1:1 choke baluns is a necessary step to prevent
interstation interference.

Having radios with very low composite/Phase noise is necessary. I use
FTDX101 radios in the shack. If radios are noisy and they raise the noise
floor of the other radio during reception, about the only solution is to
get a new radio that is clean on the output. Check out the Sherwood
engineering pages for those ratings. While you are there, one may want to
check out the ratings of ADC front ends vs Superhet front ends.Hybrid
superhet/ADC front end receivers seem to be the best choice for this
environment at the moment. RMDR and Close in blocking dynamic range are the
magic numbers to review.

73, Morgan Bailey NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Tue, Jul 27, 2021 at 1:52 PM David Hachadorian 
wrote:

> You need a filter on the TX radio to prevent its phase noise from being
> heard on other bands.  Just pressing PTT on the TX radio, even without
> putting out any measurable power, will raise the noise floor on multiple
> bands. With suitable band decoders driving filter selection,
> fast-switching between bands is possible.
>
> Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
> Yuma, AZ
>
>
> On 7/27/2021 9:09 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote:
> > Given the improved performance of modern transceivers, is there still a
> call for high specification W3NQN band pass filters in a 2-transmitter
> station?  For example on a Multi-2 contest environment.  For instance K3S +
> KPA + KAT. The filter fitted between radio and amplifier.
> >
> > I have the *feeling* that a receive-only filter (with tx bypass) might
> be all that is needed.  This is much easier to implement than a full
> transmitter-rated set making fast switching between bands (eg for a quick
> look around) very quick and easy from the keyboard, etc.
> >
> > David G3UNA
> > __
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> > .
>
> --
> Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
> Big Bear Lake, AZ
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Apples and Pomegranates

[Morgan Bailey]

Lyn,

You have the exact rig setup that I generally recommend others to buy that
enjoy rag chewing, some ssb net work and just general operating. One of the
Problems with the 7300 is generally not the radio, it is the operator. The
7300 has a pretty hot front end and using Attenuation well will make that
radio shine. It has a really good DSP but you have to get into the menus to
make it sing. Maybe someday there will be a CIV in port to make the 7300
really sing with the KPA500/kat500. The KPA 1500 has a CIV port and works
well with a 7300.  Yes, the audio of the 7300 is great. I do not use full
breakin because I don't enjoy the constant hash/noise in the headphones. My
general setting is semi with 30 to 50 msec delay.

Essentially the KTA/KAP500 makes most any rig into a 500 watt
transceiver---fully automatic. Once the cables are set up, the Kat/kpa
detects the freq and does the band switching. Setting up the KAT for the
frequencies before turning on the amp, once this is done the system is bomb
proof simple operation. I am sure you are enjoying it.

73, Morgan NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Wed, Jun 9, 2021 at 7:13 AM Lyn Norstad  wrote:

> Richard -
>
> I am using the IC-7300 / KPA500 / KAT500 combination every day, and I love
> it.
>
> Most of my ragchewing is SSB, but I am using CW more often these days.  The
> digital modes, especially FT8, FT4, JS8 etc. probably account for 75% of my
> operation.  Of those, JS8 is the ragchew choice.  I also use it extensively
> for EmComm - principally with digital modes such as Winlink (P2P).
>
> The 7300 is a natural for digital modes, and requires only a cable to
> interface.  The menu structure is a joy ... very logical and easy to
> optimize (tweak) settings for any specific mode and save to SD card for
> immediate recall.  For example, I have arrived at very specific settings
> for
> CW by researching what other, more active CWers, are doing and find that I
> am able to carry on a good QSO with stations I couldn't even hear before
> and
> a bandwidth that knocks out the ham down the street.
>
> Operation with the Elecraft "twins" for me is nearly fully automatic.  In
> my
> shack, if I am operating digital modes, I am facing 90 degrees away from
> the
> rig, amp, tuner.  But I don't even need to see them.  The amp and tuner
> track the 7300 perfectly except that the tuner does not update until it
> receives some RF.
>
> I can't say anything authoritative about Yaesu, except that the only Yaesu
> I
> currently own is their top-of-the-line FTM-400XDR mobile - and the menu
> structure bears no semblance to operating logic.  For me anyway, Icom just
> makes more sense.
>
> I regularly get unsolicited reports of "absolutely perfect audio" which is
> nice too.
>
> 73
> Lyn, W0LEN
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Richard
> Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2021 5:36 PM
> To: Elecraft
> Subject: [Elecraft] Apples and Pomegranates
>
> For the casual rawchewer and DXer, how does the IC-7300 compare to the
> FTDX10?
>
> Think in terms of using them with a KPA500 and a KAT500.
>
> Richard Kunc ~ W4KBX
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Re: [Elecraft] A Clarification: IC-7300 vs FTDX10

[Morgan Bailey]

You are describing a pure ADC front in radio...7300,7610 and now K4. The K4
might be better. The K3 is NOT an ADC front end and neither is the FTDX10
or the FTDX101 or the Kenwood 890. I have not had a 6600M at a FD site. But
if I did, the antennas separating them would be the max allowable distance
apart.

73, Morgan NJ8M


On Tue, Jun 8, 2021 at 7:41 PM Bert  wrote:

> FD is only once a year!! ;-))
> Bert VE3NR
>
>
>
> On 2021-06-08 20:32, Jim Brown wrote:
> > On 6/8/2021 4:58 PM, Bert wrote:
> >> Do you think you can work more stations with a K3 vs a 7300
> >> everything else being equal, antennas, location, etc.?
> >
> > I have seen reports that the 7300 is a dog at FD
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] A Clarification: IC-7300 vs FTDX10

[Morgan Bailey]

I went to a radio store to see what all the hubbub was about the FTDX10. I
came prepared to test the radio. After having downloaded the manual and
reading it through 3 or 4 times getting the menus, setting, knobs,
filtering, general settings well in my head, I went to the store and turned
one on for about 2 solid hours. I was so upset with my K3S/P3 costing over
6K$ being shown up by a $1700 radio. Granted it does not have all the bells
and whistles that the Elecraft had but for a great receiver, it blows the
K3 away with band noise, and electrical noise mitigation. I found the
receiver to be much quieter over all and with no harsh roar constantly as
the K3S has. The Pan Adaptor was way easier to use and adjustment to 5khz
wide was a S dream to operate with an adjustable notch and contour
peaking or nulling functions continuously variable for best reception.

I went home and got my money back from Elecraft, $9879, they had it for
over a year, and once it was in my account I ordered sight unseen and
untested both FTDX101MP and D models. The MP came first. I had the D sent
to the factory to install the extra 300hz cw filter. Putting the K3S/P3 on
an A/B switch with the MP, the difference was astounding. I immediately
listed the K3S/P3 and sold it within an hour. It went out the next morning
to UPS and I have had no regrets. Both my son, NS0R, and I operated the
Yaesu's in multiple contests. This was the first time in my life that we
could hear stations that we could not work. Having the Yaesus was an
absolute game changer for me. The VC tune is the money. This last WPX cw we
increased our score by a million because we could hear stations that the K3
was deaf to. The Band noise and intermittent electrical noise in the city
was easily managed by the FTDX101MP. The K3S could not even come close to
this performance. Simply put the FTDX10 and the FTDX101MP/D just have
better receivers, due to the noise mitigation, lower internal noise, easier
to listen to for long periods, and features like the adjustable notch and
contour controls coupled with the VC tune and remarkable DSP, width and IF
shift controls...it is just not a little bit better, it is atleast a
magnitude better. Running SO2R on a city lot with cramped antenna space is
not a problem. They are clean and no phase noise/composite noise is
detected on transmit in the other radio on receive. I have them side by
side. I have given 2 or 3 presentations on Zoom to explain how I use the
rig and the great noise mitigation that It can do. When you push a button
or turn a knob on these radios, something happens. They are not there for
display.

FTDX101MP and D---The best radios I have ever owned or operated.

73, Morgan NJ8M

On Tue, Jun 8, 2021 at 6:55 PM Ray  wrote:

>
>
> Like the Old Saying……
> If you cant Hear them You cant Work them……….
> That is WHY that is a $1000.00 Radio.
> Good Luck Hunting the DX……
>
> Ray WA6VAB K3
>
>
> From: Don Wilhelm
> Sent: Tuesday, June 8, 2021 4:35 PM
> To: Richard; Elecraft
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A Clarification: IC-7300 vs FTDX10
>
> Richard and all,
>
> I have a friend who bought a K3s and then afterward bought an IC-7300.
> He is a weak signal CW type of guy and reports that there are many weak
> signals that he could copy on the K3, but were non-existent on the IC-7300.
>
> His reason for buying the IC-7300 had to do with possible "portable"
> operation.  Of course, the K3 is his rig of choice.
> Yes, he does have the P3 to compliment it.
>
> He had operated my K3 with P3 for 2 years at Field Day and found it
> excellent.  He commented that the K3 with the P3 allowed him to work
> stations "like shooting a fish in a barrel".
>
> I know this does not compare the IC-7300 to the FTDX10, but I thought it
> to be a point of interest to some.
>
> I wonder how many will be comparing the K4 to the K3 with on the air
> experiences.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
> On 6/8/2021 7:00 PM, Richard wrote:
> > Assuming you're a casual rawchewer and DXer, if you had an IC-7300 and
> an FTDX10 side by side, where would they be pretty much equal, and where
> would each outshine the other?
> >
> > Think in terms of using them with a KPA500 and a KAT500.
> >
> >
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Firesign Theater

[Morgan Bailey]

We are all bozos on this buss. LOL...The first time I ever heard
Quadrafonic stereo on a record.

73, Morgan NJ8M
BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Thu, Apr 22, 2021 at 1:41 PM Dave Cole  wrote:

> Do you live in an award winning communications trailer?  Can you jump
> the hole to the center of the Earth?  Is your first name Nick?  Do you
> know the Lonesome Beet?  If so, then you might be a Bozo...
>
> 73, and thanks,
> Dave (NK7Z)
> https://www.nk7z.net
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
>
> On 4/22/21 8:47 AM, Josh Fiden wrote:
> > I’m not the only Firesign Theater fan!
> >
> > Can’t wait to have some quality time hearing receive audio in the cans
> (not just a hamfest).
> >
> > 73
> > Josh W6XU
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> >> On Apr 22, 2021, at 6:49 AM, Henry Pollock - K4TMC 
> wrote:
> >>
> >> See Subject Line...Happy Reading!
> >
> > __
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Re: [Elecraft] Qso today problems

[Morgan Bailey]

No money return, no ticket, also Never again.
BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Sun, Mar 14, 2021 at 4:34 PM Dean L  wrote:

> I did all the above and chased my tail, round and round... I switched
> browsers, and Finally made it into some  "airmeet "session where EVERYONE
> was as put off as me. WOW
> Sent numerous emails and called 2 times. Mr Begalli and Tad "Black hole
> sun" Cook were on the list of unhappy campers.
> This Eric guys must be hiding.
> I spent hours on this hoax
>
> Hope all had better luck, never again !!!
> 73
> Dean K2WW
>
> On Sun, Mar 14, 2021, 13:34 weave...@usermail.com 
> wrote:
>
> > Did you try the “Get your ticket by yourself” link? It will ask for your
> > name/call, email address and order number. That is the way I had to get
> in
> > when my link that they mailed to me didn’t work.
> >
> > 73,
> > Bill WE5P
> >
> > Comfortably Numb
> >
> > > On Mar 14, 2021, at 11:44, Dean L  wrote:
> > >
> > > Anybody else have problems getting a ticket?
> > > I paid my money got my order number now locked out of tickets.
> > >
> > > Wasted half a day yesterday trying to get in
> > >
> > > 73
> > > Dean K2WW
> > > __
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> >
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Re: [Elecraft] Big Knob Fail

[Morgan Bailey]

One of the problems with the knobs is that sometimes, people change the
injected molded knob out for a HEAVY machined knob. The mechanism inside
the radio is not built for this type of installation. A rapid spin with the
angular momentum and torque of the heavy knob will wear out the device.
This will require taking the front panel off and replacing the component.
This has been discussed many times in the past on this forum. It sounds
like his main frequency control device is worn out/damaged and will need
replacement. I would continue to call Elecraft until I get through to a
technician and most likely have it sent in and fixed.

I wish your friend well in getting his rig fixed. Withdrawal is a bummer.

73, Morgan NJ8M

On Wed, Feb 17, 2021 at 3:10 PM Hank Garretson  wrote:

> My buddy Kurt, W6PH, who is not on the list, has a K3S. Recently the VFO
> knob has been intermittent and it is now total fail. Does not change
> frequency. When he goes to CONFIG or MENU, VFO knob does not change
> anything. All other knobs and buttons work including VFO B.
>
> Kurt called Elecraft support and was directed to voice mail.
>
> Any ideas?
>
> 73,
>
> Hank, W6SX
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 on AM

[Morgan Bailey]

The max that you can legally run is 375 watts carrier. That on AM will get
you 1500 watts PEP. YMMV. I do not know the spex on the 1500 but that may
put you in the ballpark. Understanding linearity, for AM is covered here:

https://www.w8ji.com/am_linear_amplifiers.htm

If you want to run AM, this is where I would start reading.

73, Morgan NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a bread board tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 1:06 PM Louis Fiore via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Good afternoon,
>
> Does anyone have any tips on running the KPA1500 amp in the AM mode?
>
> 73, Lou W2LTF
>
> H 973-726-8300
> C 917-270-5421
>
> Sent from my iPhone
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Re: [Elecraft] Occasional second radio use with KPA500

[Morgan Bailey]

I think that here is your answer:

https://www.dxengineering.com/search/brand/acom/product-line/acom-2s1-automatic-two-transceiver-commutators?autoview=SKU=Default=Ascending

Granted it is pricey but will probably work for you.

73, Morgan NJ8M

On Thu, Feb 4, 2021 at 10:48 AM Chuck Chandler 
wrote:

> I've been using the K3S, P3, KPA500 and KAT500 as my main radio.  All three
> antennas are selected by the KAT500.  I also have a second radio, an older
> Yaesu FT-101ZD.  This rig can be switched into the lineup in place of the
> K3S.  I sometimes enjoy using the older rig.  In this manner the FT101ZD
> output goes through the KPA, then the KAT.  I find the KAT plays well, a
> little tap of the key will cause it to auto-tune.
>
> I'd like to be able to use the KPA500 as an amplifier, but so far it won't
> key.  I've tried the RCA Phono plug into the PA Key jack, but as long as
> the K3S is connected the KPA won't go into TX without the proper software
> signal.  I did try with the software keyline interrupter a few months ago,
> but that prevented the K3S from switching the amp unless I also used a
> Y-connecter and phono cord from the K3S for amp keying.  When I did the
> keying didn't seem as crisp, though.
>
> The K-Line is all connected as in the diagram on page 5 of the KAT500
> manual.
>
> Ideally, I could turn off the K3S, switch the feedline from the K3S to the
> 101ZD, and have use of both the tuner and amp.  Is there an easy way to do
> this?  Perhaps one of those breakout boxes?  Any hints appreciated!
>
> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>
> chandler...@gmail.com
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Panadaptor Display

[Morgan Bailey]

. It has
proven itself in high RF environments in many M/M M/2, SO2R and
Dxpeditions. The only complaints I had were its noise reduction was lacking
in ability and after about 10 hours the roar/harshness of sound got to me
sometimes.

There are a lot of great radios out there. Putting your finger anywhere in
the top 10 will get you a great radio. It is a matter of operator choice
and how much you are willing to spend. Having had $9879 on deposit to
Elecraft for over a year and not so much as an email form letter thanking
me for my interest free collateral that I extended to them for the usery,
well, it did not leave a very good taste in my mouth. I own the KPA1500. It
is a nice amp. The tuner is great. Easy to operate and interface. I plan to
purchase a KPA500 to match my KAT500 to put in my travel trailer, but as
for the K4, I have moved on. I wish you well Elecraft.

Morgan Bailey NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL

On Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 8:32 AM Grant Youngman  wrote:

> This question was addressed during the recent Zoom presentation/Q  The
> answer is no — except.
>
> Some displays supports multiple video inputs that can be assigned to
> quadrants on the display.  So you could assign the K4 video stream to a
> quadrant (essentially a logical dedicated display), for example,  if your
> display supports that function.
>
> Grant NQ5T
>
> > On Jan 26, 2021, at 7:57 AM, Ray Spreadbury via Elecraft <
> elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I wonder if it is possible to show the panadaptor(s) display as a
> separate floating window on the external monitor?
> > So that for example you could have your logging program windows open as
> well as a separately floating K4 panadaptor display showing on the same
> monitor.
> > 73 Ray G3XLG
> >
>
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[Elecraft] Mag Loop from MFJ

[Morgan Bailey]

They are unreliable pieces of junk. The housing does not protect the
capacitors that are in house made and bugs can crawl into the housing and
short them out. Secondly, the plastic housing in Kansas will be destroyed
by the sun. The best thing about the loop is the loop itself. It is built
well. The caps are cheap. Tuning the bastard is not consistent, not fast,
and highly touchy. The only loop worth purchasing is the Ciro Mazzoni loop
from Italy sold by DX engineering. It will take abuse and has an excellent
tuning feature that will follow your radio. Each time you change freq with
the MFJ it is a task to get it to tune again. A friend of mine bought one
and it was soon offered to me for $100. Then he became so frustrated with
it that he wanted me to take it for free if I would dig the post out of the
ground he mounted it on. I Passed knowing that any dipole would blow it
away. Even an end fed random wire will beat it in performance if put up
right. In the end there are many cheaper options that work far better than
the MFJ mag loop.

73,
Morgan NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL
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[Elecraft] K4 Pan bandwidth or span

[Morgan Bailey]

Maybe I missed it, but what are the choices for the Span on the Pan
Display? Additionally, can the spans be set to different values for VFO A
and B? Specifically, other than the mini pan screen what are the minimum
and maximum values for Full screen view for one VFO and for Half screen
showing the second VFO. I am not seeing it in the manuals. Or, Maybe I just
missed it.

73,
Morgan Bailey NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a bread board tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL
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[Elecraft] Fwd: K4

[Morgan Bailey]

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a bread board tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL


-- Forwarded message -
From: Morgan Bailey 
Date: Wed, Jul 29, 2020 at 3:55 PM
Subject: K4
To: K8TE , 


I have a few dollars short of $10,000 on deposit to Elecraft for 2, K4
radios. I am in the first group. I am looking forward to getting them going
here in my shack. I am building an SO2R station and fully realize the
challenge in doing so. VA6AM triplexers for 160/80/40 and 20/15/10 and the
associated band pass filters and a 2x8 hamation switch to control all
antennas to either radio.  Are already in place. Triplexers and Bandpass
filters don't work with high SWR, or atleast, they don't work very long. My
antennas are simple. Now that I have retired. I put up a 38 foot tower
(Rohn 45G bracket to the house)  with a Navassa 5+6mtr beam and for
160/80/40 I use a vertical for 40 with a 160/80 inverted L all fed with the
same coax. The 160/80 L is actually a full sized inverted L 33 feet up and
33 feet out then at the end is a 174 microhenry coil that stops 80meters
but inductively loads 160. It gives me 2:1 for 30khz on 160. On a city lot,
that is pretty good. It has to be, because that is all I can do
without wonky interaction between the antennas. All of my antennas are cut
for the CW portions of the band. I don't work much SSB. The beam, JK
Navassa5 gives full band coverage under 1.5:1 on all bands, warc included.
Is this a great contest station in the middle of a city, not by a long
shot. I am getting too old to be a tower monkey to manage guy wires and
correct tensioning that is needed in Kansas with the huge temp variation.
My tower is simple and is good enough. I do well enough. It keeps me happy.
Much of the time I only compete against myself.

 I have read your QRZ page and all the self accolades, in a word,
Impressive. Providing for my family and helping them grow into good
citizens has been a rewarding life for me and my wife of 43 years. One of
my sons is a ham, NS0R. Both of us enjoy CW.  I will never be able to do
such as you have as my work career did not permit it. I traveled for the
last 20+ years providing relief anesthesia in major trauma centers from
Alaska to Maine and down to North Carolina and almost everything in
between. I have joined many ham clubs over the years and mostly Elmered new
hams setting up antennas, station building to include safety, grounding and
ergonomics. Having lived in a hotel room for nearly 3 decades, I
transformed them into a combination Makers Den vs Mad Bomber decoration
with all the wire, coils, EMT boxes, Aluminum, Fiberglass Spider beam
poles, etc. Making EFHW, Fan Dipoles and Parallel wire dipoles in the long
halls of a hotel at 3 AM provided me with a way to help others get on the
air. I still do it. How many antennas that I have built, given away and
installed at various QTHs, I have no idea.I regularly get calls from hams
who have questions from NY to KS to Maine. How many hours I have spent on
other peoples towers either building them or installing beams and other
antennas, I have no idea.

Having run curves with all my antennas on a RigExpert 230, and saving them
for comparison has enabled me to problem solve regarding antenna
interaction. Knowing what I know from empirical testing over the years and
having seen many great Ozone Generators AKA: antenna tuners, I always seek
to optimise antennas for the band segment that I have chosen to work. I
have seen people use tuners and flash over the lightning surge protector
and burn out a gas discharge tube all because of high SWR. Knowing that one
can get away with terrible antennas at low power and SWR of 15:1 matched to
1:1 is a workable solution for operation with low power, because QRP works.
The problem that I address in my posts is make the best of your station. No
antenna does everything. No antenna is 100% efficient. I stress making the
best antenna possible for operating. Because most new hams and some
financially taxed hams dont have the money to spend on the hobby, I have
always tried to provide an antenna that will work without a tuner as much
as possible, thus saving money for the new op. In doing so, baluns
don't blow up, RFI is kept to a minimum. Enjoyment is experienced because
of simple functionality and not having to deal with RFI problems such as
those experienced when the RF gets into the shack computer during a contest
will be realized.

My point being, if anyone who is going to drop $5K on a K4 station, they
should spend another $200 on fabrication to make the radio a performer to
its optimum. If you have deep pockets buy a Tashian 70 foot positive up
positive down, tilt over that will hold 50 sq ft wind load and enjoy. If
$20,000 to $30,000 is not in your budget then at least build a decent
antenna system, be it a vertical, EFHW, Fan dipole, parallel wire dipole,
or put up fiberglass masts

[Elecraft] Yaesu FT DX10

[Morgan Bailey]

By now probably most everyone has read Rob Sherwood's review of the new kid
on the block, the Yaesu FTDX10. It has pushed the IC7300 out the door for
the best bang for the buck place. What I was most interested in was the
phase noise of the radio. It is minimally down to at least -148db. That is
where the 7300 falls flat on its face. Additionally, so does Yaesu 450D and
991A. Those 2 radios are one radio shack radios. I know this because I own
both of them.

$1700, what a great price point to recommend a new ham that wants a contest
grade radio that he can build upon. Seemingly, based on the Sherwood stats,
the FTDX10 would work well in a 2 radio environment. That would beg the
question, would they be ideal for an SO2R setup. $3400 for 2 radios and add
a $100 to $300 dollar controller and you are GTG. WOW! Granted the radios
do have many shortcomings  when it comes to a full contest grade radio but
for the most part they, could be an excellent choice. The problem with
field day is that tons of people have Ic7300s and they are a disaster at
FD. The FTDX10 should solve all those problems being low on phase noise.
Maybe our FD ops will be much easier and if the rigs were FTDX10s. We shall
see.

Where the FTDX10 falls flat is in a few areas that can be worked around.
The areas that they are deficient are, one antenna port, no rx antenna
port, nonstandard plugs for ALC and PTT lines for an amp and other
associated station accessories, such as amps, sequencers, etc, and
ofcourse, no diversity receive capability. My all time hate is the RJ45
connector for microphone input.  And, I don't believe it can do dual watch.
It is either VFO A or B not both. This is what I can gather from the
literature in the trade brochure.

All except, dual rx and diversity can be worked around. At this price point
this is an excellent box. It is about the same size as a current K3S but a
bit shorter in height. There is an optional CW filter/narrow banpass filter
of 300 hz but I have no idea the steepness of the cut off for that filter.
Plus there is an adjustable rise time feature that allows the user to
produce an undesirable cw signal. This is one of the big negatives that
Yaesu incorporates into their radios.

Same size as a K3S, built in Pan, Video out, 3 usb ports, SD card for DVR
recording providing record on fly and 5 memory bands, 5 built in CW memory
slots, optional outboard keypad to key DVR and CW memory banks, with all of
these features, this now is the best bang for the buck and the rx surpasses
the K3S spex plus the DNR and filtering is astounding in Yaesu radios. Heh,
even the cheapest 450D DNR function can eliminate 40 meter alternator noise
in my F150 when I run mobile. It is even better in this radio, most likely,
because it is generations better and an SDR. It weighs 13 pounds, did I say
DXpedition or travels well. That is yet to be seen. Some of the main
mechanics of the main tuning and bezel knobs might cause some worry. Time
will tell. The radio is made on a cast aluminum frame much the same as the
991A. My 991A has been abused, mobile, salt water ops, special events, FD,
camping, portable from picnic table...still works great. I have used it on
FT8 for days at a time running 80 watts. No problems. Now that I am retired
and home, the 991A has been relegated to 2/440 operation only. I just might
sell it and raise money for my new FD radio, the FTDX10.

The real issue with this radio is, the K3S used prices might just have
dropped another $500. The K3S is nearing the EOL time and the replacement
with better RX stats and a pan adaptor included with no extra cabling or
boxes fitting into the same size as a K3/K3S for Less than 1/3 of for the
most part what a a full K3S/P3 with video out would cost. Yes you would be
missing a few features but for the most part, Yaesu has hit it out of the
park with the FTDX10.

Have I turned the dial on one, put a set of cans on my head, operated CW on
one, in a word No. I might end up driving to Ohio to take a listen to one
at DXengineering, if they are open (post Covid 19) and see what all the
hubbub is about. Dollars and cents wise, almost 3 FTDX10s can be had for
the price of one K4 base model. As with all Yaesu and Icom products, the
first offering is to recoup R, and what the market will bare. My guess is
that it will stabilize just as the 991A did, which was initially MSRP
$1999, I am thinking down to what it is now, $1199. So that would within a
year, put this radio dropping to compete with the 7300 at about $1200 for
the Yaesu. Even right now, I would choose the FTDX10 over the Yaesu, hands
down. It is just a far better radio.

I'm wondering when Elecraft is going to come out with a mid market radio
like perhaps a...KX4?

Best DX and happy Contesting,

Morgan NJ8M

BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
watts. LOL

Re: [Elecraft] Reaching across the chronological divide

[Morgan Bailey]

n competitive aspects
> > to the no infrastructure. I think all of these things could appeal to
> > younger people if presented right.
> >
> > On the other hand, I was a 14-year-old ham in 1987, and I had exactly
> zero
> > success in getting much of anyone interested in this greatest of all
> > hobbies, so that could mean I don’t have any idea what I’m talking about.
> >
> >
> > Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
> > Email: bu...@brannan.name
> > Mobile: (814) 431-0962
> >
> >
> >
> > > On Jan 3, 2021, at 10:21 AM,   wrote:
> > >
> > > This is funny:
> > >
> > > " I expect a fire war when I say this and that is, most extra class
> hams
> > > licensed with in the last 15 years are dumber than a bag of hammers
> when
> > it
> > > comes to radio theory, operation, station building, safe practices or
> > > anything as simple as soldering or crimping on a PL259."
> > >
> > > I'm one of those Hams that is dumber than a hammer.  I got my Novice
> > license
> > > in 1974 and finally got around to upgrading to Extra in the last 15
> year.
> > > Actually since CW is my favorite mode of operation I was ambivalent
> about
> > > upgrading.  Only till I realized Extras don't need to memorize that
> band
> > > edges did I upgrade.
> > >
> > > No, I don't waste time on games.  I spent the last forty years
> building a
> > > career.  I ran an R team for 5, was CTO of multiple companies, I do
> > both
> > > electronic and software engineering, oh did I mention I have 14
> > patents?  I
> > > can solder the smallest surface mount devices by hand.  I just finished
> > > building an observatory in my back yard.  I built a 1965 replica
> Cobra, a
> > > GIANT analog synth, and I restore vintage computers.  (Real ones
> > 8008/8080
> > > era...)
> > >
> > > No, please just send me the golden hammer, I admit, I'm the dumbest of
> > all
> > > dummies and proud of it.
> > >
> > > 73
> > >
> > > len
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > -Original Message-
> > > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
> > > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Morgan Bailey
> > > Sent: Saturday, January 02, 2021 1:32 PM
> > > To: Tom Azlin W7SUA ; Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> > > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Reaching across the chronological divide
> > >
> > > Chronological divide, Heh. I am 67 years old, for 7 years I played WoW,
> > for
> > > 6 years I played Everquest and for 5 years I have played Guild Wars 2.
> I
> > > enjoyed each of these games. I moved on to the more progressive game
> but
> > > still enjoy playing them from time to time. I only play GW2 at this
> time.
> > > Making the games set up and work with all peripherals is no harder than
> > > setting up FT8. Setting up RTTY with 2 or 3 decoders and getting
> > everything
> > > to work...much harder. I am finding that many people in their 40s and
> 50s
> > > are getting into Amateur Radio. Some want the challenge of making stuff
> > > work, some want the antenna building experience, some want kit building
> > but
> > > most seem to be from a subset of the population that are what one might
> > call
> > > internet geeks. These guys do great in the transition to ham radio.
> > > Many gamers spend upwards to 2k$ on a video card only for their game
> box.
> > > So, $$$ is generally not a limiting option for this group. When they
> get
> > > hooked, they are hooked hard. In NCJ a few years ago, there was an
> > article
> > > about contesting and video games. The parallels between the 2 of being
> > "in
> > > the zone" were made. The same psychological high is involved but
> > actually,
> > > it is more involved and dynamic than an online game.
> > >
> > > Pile ups, gotta love them, any mode you can get them, cw or ssb will
> > provide
> > > that psychological high that melts the time away and keeps you on your
> > toes.
> > > One can get so involved that you have to force yourself to take a deep
> > > breath and relax the shoulders and refocus on your posture so you can
> > > continue to run. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours later, you have to pee, get a
> > drink,
> > > grab a snack and get at it again. It is addicting. I am glad that cw
> > > contests are not every weekend because my life 

Re: [Elecraft] Reaching across the chronological divide

[Morgan Bailey]

Chronological divide, Heh. I am 67 years old, for 7 years I played WoW, for
6 years I played Everquest and for 5 years I have played Guild Wars 2. I
enjoyed each of these games. I moved on to the more progressive game but
still enjoy playing them from time to time. I only play GW2 at this time.
Making the games set up and work with all peripherals is no harder than
setting up FT8. Setting up RTTY with 2 or 3 decoders and getting everything
to work...much harder. I am finding that many people in their 40s and 50s
are getting into Amateur Radio. Some want the challenge of making stuff
work, some want the antenna building experience, some want kit building but
most seem to be from a subset of the population that are what one might
call internet geeks. These guys do great in the transition to ham radio.
Many gamers spend upwards to 2k$ on a video card only for their game box.
So, $$$ is generally not a limiting option for this group. When they get
hooked, they are hooked hard. In NCJ a few years ago, there was an article
about contesting and video games. The parallels between the 2 of being "in
the zone" were made. The same psychological high is involved but actually,
it is more involved and dynamic than an online game.

Pile ups, gotta love them, any mode you can get them, cw or ssb will
provide that psychological high that melts the time away and keeps you on
your toes. One can get so involved that you have to force yourself to take
a deep breath and relax the shoulders and refocus on your posture so you
can continue to run. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 hours later, you have to pee, get a
drink, grab a snack and get at it again. It is addicting. I am glad that cw
contests are not every weekend because my life would end. LOL. SERIOUS
online gaming requires raiding to really advance in MMORPG games. Serious
ranking for WRTC takes the same. It takes tech, engineering, $$$ and
commitment to advance in the world of contesting. What reward? Well, if you
like to compete then this is your mojo. If you like to collect wallpaper
for working all places, counties, countries, etc it is there. If you want
to be recognised in a magazine for contest performance that is here.

In the ham radio world there are no cash prizes. Not so in the gaming
world, there really are professional gamers. Heh for that matter, I used to
farm gold in games and sell it for $$$. I did this while waiting to Raid.
In games you have dps meters and one always tried to be on the top of the
pile by being best in your class for whatever your function was. N1MM has a
rate meter and mults window based on band population and  feedback and
spotting networks. How does one get these gamers to transition to Amateur
Radio? Good question. When I state that my hobby is Ham Radio, I get, "I
did not think people did that now. Or Really, what is that? Why would you
do that?" the conclusion that I get from these comments is: there is not
enough exposure of the population to Amateur Radio. Plain and simple people
just don't hear about it or see it in action. There are no public special
events. There are not enough elmers to encourage people. There are no
longer any towers being put up because of HOA and zoning ordinance rules.
Towers used to be focal points for people to talk about. Why does he have a
tower? Once that question was asked then a tour of the shack generally was
involved and maybe 1 in 10 or 20 became interested to progress into the
hobby. Rarely do you see a tower any more. Less exposure, less questions,
about the hobby. People in general are curious.

If we want Amateur Radio to survive, we as a whole have to whet that
curiosity. We have to be Elmers. We have to welcome people and encourage
them to get involved. We have to be honest about the realistic expectations
of the hobby both in what it can and can not do, what is going to be the
realistic cost to get going from marginal rig/station to contest capable
station. The greatest disservice that is currently being done is licensing.
I traveled for 23 years up and down the east coast. I have attended many
radio club meetings and the focus has been licensing, getting more hams.
Sadly, that is not the answer. Many of those that got the license never
operated. Then there are the shack-on-the-crack 2 meter hams that just get
on repeaters and yack all day long. The same 3 or 4 guys on the repeater
day in and day out talking about the same thing. Heck if I were a new ham,
I would give it up in short order and try to sell my baufong asap. The
problem is even though we get people licensed there is little or No
followup with helping them get on the air. When I got my license over 50
years ago, I studied the Ameco Radio theory course. I bought the ARRL
handbook. That was my bible, my religion when I was 12 years old and living
on the farm. Today you buy a license manual. It has all the questions and
answers. Marking out all the wrong answers so that only the question and
right answer appears and after reading just the 

Re: [Elecraft] Free shipping

[Morgan Bailey]

Same here Paul. It is not their fault that COVID screwed their pooch. I
want them to stay in business.

73,
Morgan NJ8M



On Fri, Jul 31, 2020 at 10:54 AM Paul Gacek via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Maybe but I have to imagine that the recent past has been rough and tough
> for Elecraft on many fronts.
>
> I for one will be thrilled just to receive my K4 and happy to pay the list
> price and whatever is the market shipping rate.
>
> Paul
> W6PNG/M0SNA
> www.nomadic.blog
>
>
>
> > On Jul 31, 2020, at 8:05 AM, Joseph Trombino, Jr 
> wrote:
> >
> > Howdy Gang.
> >
> > For all those Elecrafters who have plunked down kilo-bucks for the first
> K4’s coming off the line (when—grin?), let’s all ask Elecraft to reward out
> good faith by providing free shipping on said K4’s.
> >
> > Certainly would be a nice gesture, not sure about it being a good
> business practice though (grin).
> >
> > Looking forward to receiving my K4, hopefully before my 76th birthday in
> September!!
> >
> > All the best to Elecraft in these trying times in getting a product to
> market.
> >
> > Getting ready to put my Flex 6600M up for sale (grin).
> >
> > Stay healthy and enjoy.
> >
> >   73, Joe W2KJ
> >   I QRP, therefore I am
> > __
> > 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 w6...@yahoo.com
>
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> Message delivered to mbaileyc...@gmail.com
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Re: [Elecraft] "On second thought, I'll take the stairs."

[Morgan Bailey, II]

This is excellent.
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] FW: New CW audio recording: K3 vs. K4D

[Morgan Bailey]

Armchair analysis, not having the radio in front of the equipment, taking a
compressed audio file and staking a claim...this is sadly funny. Go to
Eham.net and look at the same thing by people who believe themselves an
authority on smoke signals.

I'll wait for my 2 K4's to arrive. I know I will be quite happy. The radios
are feature rich and will take a learning curve. What makes a good/great
radio is not just what the equipment on the bench reads out or measures.
There is ergonomics, ease of operation, asthetic beauty, technical
electronic construction and design that make the total package. For
instance, Flex radios are plagued with problems in software, drivers,
memory cards, multiple error messages, failure to boot taking 45 minutes to
get the OS working properly, and besides, they are one of the most ugly
radios on the market. People still buy the 6600M and use it for contesting
even though it does not score in the top ten on Sherwood tests. Contests
are still won every day with radios that are 30 years old and with new tech
that  are plagued with problems. If you want a stereo, then go buy a stereo
and leave the audio analysis to the audiophiles, besides I doubt your ears
are that good at any age. If one was an orchestra Maestro, then maybe this
might be true but for the average ham, these clips sound great. There are
known problems with the audio recordings like RF getting into the MK2R+.
Now there is an area that Elecraft could surely work on and make their own
seamless interface to the elecraft line for SO2R operation.

On Sat, Jun 27, 2020 at 5:01 AM E.H. Russell  wrote:

> I finally got a chance to listen to the recordings. The K4 sounded very
> bottom heavy with band noise. I did a quick analysis on the spectrum
> analyzer and confirmed that the K3 envelope looks ok, but something is not
> right about the K4. The K3 is centered on about 450hz and is symmetrical,
> with steep skirts on both low and high end. The K4 appears to be set at the
> same center but it blossoms out on the lows, accounting for the low
> frequency band noise evident in the recording. The K4 filter high end is
> also soft.
>
>
>
> Spectrogram available here:
>
> http://www.qrv.com/download/K3K4CWspectrum.png
>
> The K3 is light blue and the K4 is green (the red and blue are unused
> channels).
>
>
>
> It looks like the DSP filter on the K4 may have a configuration problem.
>
>
>
> Tks,
>
> 73 Ed w2rf
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
>   <
> elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
>  > On Behalf Of Charlie T
> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2020 6:21 PM
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net 
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New CW audio recording: K3 vs. K4D
>
>
>
> This is sorta like demonstrating a 4K TV screen using a 1080 video.
>
>
>
> Too many detracting variables, recorder, internet, D to A, your audio
> system,  etc.
>
>
>
> Charlie k3ICH
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -Original Message-
>
> From:  
> elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net <  elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net>
> elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net> On Behalf Of
>  kt...@watershipfarm.com
>
> Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2020 8:32 AM
>
> To:   elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] New CW audio recording: K3 vs. K4D
>
>
>
> I would have to say both sound better then my KX3 speaker.  ;-)  And I'm
> waiting for my
>
> K4D!   BTW, the recording doesn't sound as good and my K2.  :-)  So we'll
>
> see if the K4 can
>
> hold up against the K2.  :-)
>
> --
>
> 73, William KT5TE
>
>
>
> On Wednesday, June 24, 2020 10:32:51 PM CDT Macy monkeys wrote:
>
> > Overall, the K3 sounded a little smoother to my ears. I do not own a
>
> > K3 nor have I ordered a K4. But I would be happy with either one!
>
> >
>
> > John K7FD
>
> >
>
> > > On Jun 24, 2020, at 7:24 PM, Bob Wilson, N6TV < 
> n...@arrl.net> wrote:
>
> > >
>
> > > 73,
>
> >
>
> > __
>
> > Elecraft mailing list
>
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> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> > Help:  
> http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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> >
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> support this email
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> > list:   http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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Re: [Elecraft] Kpa500

[Morgan Bailey]

I have built 3 of those and they are flawless. Excellent amps. They keep
running and are the greatest thing out there.

73
Morgan NJ8M

On Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 11:44 AM WILLIE BABER  wrote:

> I received kpa500k yesterday evening, about 4:30 pm. I was done building
> it at about 1:30 am, with time out for supper.  I did the HV test before
> going to bed.
> ...very easy build; however, I was already familiar with the hardware
> sizes which could otherwise slow down assembly.
> I like the small size of kpa500 given its power output with a built in
> power supply.
> 73, will, wj9b
> CWops #1085
> CWA Advisor levels II and III
> http://cwops.org/
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Re: [Elecraft] New Heil HM10 XD Microphone - Poor Design?

[Morgan Bailey]

I quit using Heil products. Many of the ear muffs rotted off after one
sweaty session at FD. I switched over to a $29.99 Logitec boom mic computer
headset with 1/8 plugs. I figured it would break easily, I was wrong, I am
still using it after 7 years and many sweaty operating conditions, FD,
Special events, POTA, etc. Never a problem and my voice is very natural and
I regularly get great sound reports from people that know my voice.On the
K3s with factory defaults, I just leave the equalization sliders alone and
I am good to go. I have used the same headset traveling playing computer
games in hotel rooms for 10 years.  Both my son and I abandon Heil products
because of their product construction and reliability issues. The computer
gaming manufactures understand what it takes to make a great comfortable
headset and Bob Heil could take lessons from them. For instance, cloth ear
muff covering, braided nylon cable coverings, easy swivel phones on the
headband, lightweight but strong construction that does not crush your ears
like a set of unpadded tuna cans mounted to a 29cent headband from the
dollar store. Even the Heil replacement cables made of flat 3 wired cable,
will rot and crack in high humidity and heat that we regularly experience
in Kansas. The cables fatigue so easily and are easily cut if a drawer or
door closes on them or if a chair rolls over them, you are done. Operating
outside in South Texas or near sea air in Maine in the summertime will do a
number on the cables and the earmuff covering. The computer headsets have
the nylon braided covering and the braid is moulded into the connector
preventing sharp bending fatigue. For me it is Logitec with the
electrec mic. They are lightweight, totally cover the ear, mute external
sound well and cost 1/10th of what a set of heils run and last at least 4
to 5 times as long probablyafter 7 years, I'm still on my first pair.
In contrast I was going through a set of Heils every 18 months as something
would go wrong. Generally the flimsy cables would short/open circuit or the
earmuffs would rot off. Don't even mention the $250 dollar set that after
wearing for 4 hours, gives me a headache and is as heavy as 2 anvils
crushing into the side of your head. Why did I buy so many Heil products,
mainly because I could not try them on. I go to BestBuy, The headsets are
all on display for comfort and sound quality. Try them on, choose your
pair, walk out a happy man.

My 2 cents and for what it is worth, and $2.98 you can get a cup of joe.

73,
Morgan NJ8M

On Wed, Jun 24, 2020 at 12:45 AM Tony  wrote:

> All:
>
> I purchased the new Heil HM-10 dual element microphone thinking it would
> perform as well as my old HM-10 which has the HC4 and HC5 mic elements.
> Unfortunately, that's not the case and reason seems to be the way the
> new mic was designed.
>
> The mic elements are at a 45 degree angle and placed much further away
> from the windscreen compared to the old mic. The result is that the new
> mic requires near maximum gain (maximum with some rigs) to set the ALC
> properly, even when you're up close to the mic.
>
> By comparison, the early HM-10 faces it's elements forward and close to
> the windscreen so the mic requires A LOT less gain which results in much
> better overall performance.
>
> The elements on the new HM-10 have individual windscreens as well and
> that seems to add further restriction. The HC4 / HC5 elements on the old
> mic have no additional windscreens.
>
> The good news is that Heil did a great job duplicating the HC4 / HC5
> frequency response so the new elements produce the great articulation
> the old elements are known for. The problem with the new mic (as I see
> it) is it's physical design.
>
> Has anyone else compared the new HM-10 XD to the old HM-10 with their
> K3S or any other transceivers?
>
> Tony -K2MO
>
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Re: [Elecraft] OT Good Source for Stainless Fasteners and Connectors?

[Morgan Bailey]

That is a great site. Thanks for sharing.

73,
Morgan NJ8M

On Mon, Jun 22, 2020 at 7:04 AM Fred Soop  wrote:

> Albany County Fasteners. They used to sell from eBay but now have their
> own web site.
>
> www.albanycountyfasteners.com 
>
> 73
> Fred AC9RQ
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500

[Morgan Bailey]

Charles, your thinking on pairing the amp with tuner inside had great merit
and housing it inside of a K4 enclosure. Heck man that is the best idea I
have heard. I hope Elecraft takes the move on that especially now since
they already have the format for the case made and only have to change the
front and back plates and G2G.

73,
Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Wed, Jun 17, 2020 at 9:21 AM hawley, charles j jr 
wrote:

> Hey, that's a thought. Reinvent them to match the height of the K4 and
> maybe include the tuner inside the KPA500 box.
>
> Chuck Hawley
>  c-haw...@illinois.edu
>
>  Amateur Radio, KE9UW
>  aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles
>
> 
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> on behalf of Bill Steffey NY9H 
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 7:54 AM
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net 
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500
>
> what could they do that would  update them  make them taller
> like the K4 
>
> On 6/17/2020 12:47 AM, Don Putnick wrote:
> > With the sunset of the K3S, what are the plans for the future of the
> KPA500
> > and KAT500? Enquiring minds want to know.
> > 73 Don NA6Z
> > __
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Re: [Elecraft] Computer Monitor Recommendations

[Morgan Bailey]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075PMWCKS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8=1
These
are great monitors. We use them in the hospital. RF pretty much immune. No
RFI generation and great for reading and Logging programs. Plus, They come
with 3 sets of cables. HDMI, VGA, Display port. I have 2 of these mounted
on this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009S750LA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8=1
 .
Then I took 2 band clamps to the pole and mounted this:
https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkCentre-Desktop-i5-6500T-Windows/dp/B07QGLC4FW/ref=pd_rhf_ee_p_img_4?_encoding=UTF8=1=BPF1Q6NJ43K17FSHV78W
. It has 6 usb ports, 3 type 2 and 3 type 3. More than enough for an SO2R
set up. 2 for radios, 1 for controller, 2 for separate keyboards and 1 for
mouse. No Usb break out boxes. Clean Setup. The Lenovo is hospital approved
for high rf environments. It is totally a metal box and works great for
logging, web streaming/browsing and light gaming, Guild Wars, EQ, WoW. It
is my set up.

Best of luck in your choices.

73
Morgan NJ8M



On Fri, Jun 12, 2020 at 9:06 AM krug261--- via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I realize this subject has come up several times in the past; I've been
> through the archives. However, computer equipment changes all the time. I
> am in the market for a new "quiet" monitor for the station. Are there
> monitors people would happily recommend? Conversely, are there
> brands/models you would keep away from? Or even a type of monitor you would
> not recommend for a shack?
>
> Thanks and 73, Bob, KA2TQV
>
> KX3, KXPA100, PX3
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[Elecraft] FD rule change

[Morgan Bailey]

I for see more participation and way more activity due to the rule change.
Looking forward to working from home station, especially now that I have
one.

73,
Morgan NJ8M
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 power supply fan noise

[Morgan Bailey]

Head to walmart and buy a box of cheap hot pink foam ear plugs that have 30
db noise reduction. Or have her wear earbuds to a new ipod listen to
music...sign her up for pandora.

LOL

Vy 73,
Morgan NJ8M

On Sat, May 23, 2020 at 9:35 AM Peter Dougherty  wrote:

> Is there any way to power off the fans (or lower their RPM) on the PSU if
> the amp is in standby mode?
>
> I would like to keep my rig on 6m throughout the day during the Es season.
> The problem is my 6m antenna is on antenna port 2 on the KPA, which
> requires
> the amp to be powered up. I only need to TX when a new grid pops up, but I
> do like to monitor the band during the day while I'm working. My XYL is
> working from home, and is in the same room for about 9 or 10 hours a day,
> and the noise after 10 minutes was too much for her. Any suggestions?
>
> Please-n-thanks.
>
> -
> 73 and Good DX
> Peter, W2IRT
>
>
>
> President, North Jersey DX Association
>
> DXCC Card Checker
> Letter O Manager, ARRL Incoming 2nd District QSL bureau
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 S-meter characteristics

[Morgan Bailey]

Maybe it is just me but, Turn the radio on, adjust the audio/rf/agc
controls, hear the station, work him, move on. I dont need a fancy dbm or
an iconic number of engineering controls, to say what the dbm was when I
worked the guy. When you contest, who the hell cares, hear him, work him,
move on. In simple terms, I just want selectivity, and no agc pumping and
no front in desensing from a 40 db over nine station 2khz away.

Im looking forward to a quiet front end, that keeps me from having to
listen to 48 hours of static that is generated by the stages with in the
radio. Love my K3S, great radio. Simple to operate once you learn its
controls and never has failed me.

Looking forward to K4 delivery.

Vy 73,
Morgan Bailey NJ8M



On Thu, Apr 23, 2020 at 11:33 PM Al Lorona  wrote:

> Now that the K4 has exact knowledge of its gains and losses through the
> preamps, attenuators, splitters, bandpass filters and so forth, could this
> enable an alternate way of visualizing the receiver's range? This alternate
> measurement would be quite useful in setting the controls optimally for any
> situation.
>
> Imagine a scale -- I suppose it would be in dBm -- showing the K4's total
> dynamic range. Say it's 100 dB in total. The lowest point is the minimum
> discernable signal (MDS); the highest point is the damage level, or if
> that's a bit too frightening, call it the maximum ADC level or something
> else to denote it as a Level Not To Be Exceeded.
>
> Since the K4 will know not only what the noise floor of the band you're
> listening to is, but the absolute value of that level in dBm, the scale can
> be annotated with a dynamic marker to show where the band noise falls in
> that 100 dB range. I'm calling it 'dynamic' because it'll vary a few dB as
> band noise does, but it will sit at a calibrated level, relatively
> motionless on the scale as Wayne described the S-meter doing.
>
> As the operator kicks in more gain by turning on preamps or turning up the
> RF Gain, the scale shifts downward by the same amount. For instance, if the
> scale was showing -120 to -20 dBm -- a 100 dB range -- and then the
> operator turns on a 10 dB preamp, the scale must change to -130 to -30 dBm,
> because the preamp has made the receiver more sensitive while also reducing
> the max permissible level.
>
> Conversely, if the operator turned on 10 dB of attenuation, then the scale
> would shift upward to -110 to -10 dBm, indicating clearly that sensitivity
> is being sacrificed for greater large signal handling capability. The noise
> floor, being a relative constant, would move closer to the bottom of the
> window, or rather, the window would move relative to the noise floor in
> such a way as to place it 10 dB closer to the bottom end.
>
> So actually, as I'm thinking about this, the meter wouldn't move at all.
> It's the noise marker that would float higher and lower within the window
> as you varied the controls, just as on an S-meter. I guess what I'm
> describing here is more or less an S-meter calibrated in dBm!
>
> But perhaps the best reason for looking at the receiver this way would be
> to tune the controls precisely for a given noise floor. Twenty meters, with
> its -120 dBm noise floor, will require one combination of preamps and/or
> attenuators. On 80 meters, if the noise is, say, -100 dBm, the operator
> knows (because he can see the graphic) exactly how much attenuation is
> acceptable while still keeping the band noise marker in the operating
> range. It would behoove the operator to keep the noise floor marker near
> the bottom to 1) give him the maximum dynamic range under those conditions,
> and 2) to avoid becoming "my K4 is noisy" guy.
>
> Presumably, as each K4 goes through RF calibration at the factory it will
> know exactly the gain of each preamp, attenuator, filter, and splitter in
> its path. The scale could be custom for each individual unit, although I
> wouldn't want to start any "my K4 is more sensitive than yours" wars.
>
> I leave it to the programmers to decide on the specific eye candy of such
> a readout. I for one would find this type of meter fun and useful in
> getting a mental picture of where in dynamic range space the receiver is
> sitting.
>
> Can anybody see any flaws in this idea? I can foresee at least one. I
> don't know how the front end of the K4 will work, but if it is constantly
> moving the receiver range in response to what it hears, that is, in
> response to the total amount of power incident on its antenna port, then
> perhaps that might pose a real challenge to giving this type of feedback to
> the user. I don't know.
>
> Al  W6LX
>
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[Elecraft] CW skimmer

[Morgan Bailey]

Is one able to run CW skimmer on a K4. If so what model is best suited for
this the K4 or K4d? Or should i use an RSP2 with out board computer
dedicated to doing skimmer with the skimmer software?
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Re: [Elecraft] Will there be a K4

[Morgan Bailey]

SO2R with out ground loop problems ..or Rock solid SO2R solution...for k3s
or other radios. I have the MK2R+ and I want a better solution.

On Mon, Mar 25, 2019, 01:08 Martin Sole  wrote:

> Well since you asked and made this sort of official, here's a few
> things, though in no particular order of merit:
>
> Integrated 7” (or bigger) panadaptor with touch screen.
>
> ‘Proper’ band stacking registers.
>
> Equal sized vfo knobs for A and B.
>
> Individual mode buttons.
>
> AGC, NB, NR all with front panel controls adjustable on the fly.
>
> More digital mode integration, built in FT8 with up-gradable software as
> digi modes develop.
>
> Integrated PSU for 100-250 Vac.
>
> 50V minimum PA.
>
> Ground Breaking earth shattering TX IMD.
>
> Using the built in touch screen full descriptive menu.
>
> Bigger rotary controls with more space.
>
> RF performance equal to or better than best of the best.
>
> Modular design with bare bones to fully loaded capability.
>
> PA options from 10 to 500 watts fully integrated with ATU (KPA500/KAT500).
>
> I/Q output.
>
> Proper base station radio without concern for portability (K3S is
> already the leader there).
>
> More extensive API giving ability to do literally everything the radio
> can do from a computer.
>
> Removeable head so the base radio can be remoted and the control head
> used from where you need to be.
>
> More ‘And’, less ‘Either or’ (Mic/Line selection level etc).
>
>
> Martin, HS0ZED
>
>
>
>
> On 25/03/2019 07:14, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft wrote:
> > Inquiring minds want to know:
> > What would you all like to see as a “K4” ?
> >
> > Eric
> > elecraft.com
> >
> > __
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[Elecraft] New Product speculation

[Morgan Bailey]

1.) A full SO2R box that seamlessly integrates 2 K3S radios with all the
necessary cabling fully shieldied with minimal problems interfacing with
N1MM+.

2.) A band pass filter solution from 160-10 with auto switching controlled
with full automation by either pressing the band switch buttons on
different K3S or by clicking the Icon on N1MM+.

Yeah I can dream. Right now i have the MK2R+. Nice unit but really a bit of
a pain to routwall the cables necessary for the control of 2 rigs.

Because of the interface problems, I am looking at the Flex 6600 as a one
box solution and using the K3S as a back up rig. I have been underwelmed at
the 6300 as a CW radio, but it has been some years since i sat at one and
maybe the software is fixed better. Time will tell. In the end, The cost of
a second K3S/P3 is the same as the FLEX. $5k either way.

I am getting ready to retire and will be shopping hard for that final radio
for contesting full time. Money is drawing intrest in the bank and i am
just waiting for the reviews. Unfortunately the Icom 7610 is not an option,
even though i do love the ICOM line, it just does not have the performance
necessary for a CW radio in a high RF environment. I would not be much
better off buying 2 7300s and puting them with the MK2R+. Unfortunately the
selectivity and desensing is the issue. They sure do sound good on SSB but
if i wanted broadcast audio i would be running Antique Modulation.

Just my 2 sense.

Vy 73,
Morgan Bailey NJ8M
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Re: [Elecraft] recommendations for CW paddles under $125

[Morgan Bailey, II]

I have had excellent luck with the Kent TP-1. It runs a little more than
$125. I think you can pick them up for around $160. It is my main key and I
take it with me everywhere I operate including field day. It has served me
well for many thousands of qso's without the need for re-adjustment or
polishing the contacts.

On Jan 13, 2018 8:56 AM, "Niel Skousen"  wrote:

> so all the HexKey discussion has awakened an itch to ask
>
> What's the 'best' paddles under $125 ??
>
> Niel
> WA7SSA
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Re: [Elecraft] Linear thoughts

[Morgan Bailey]

I have a 1500 watt alpha sitting in the corner. It is a great amp,
although, I don't like the clunky relays and the fan noise to cool the
tubes. Once in a while I like to not have to use cans to operate, but for
the most part I do use the headphones. After having the Alpha and SB 220,
and TenTec Titan amps the Alpha was the loudest. It is kind of an antique
and it is my only piece of boat anchor equipment that I own. I bought a THP
1.5kfx amp and I have been running it at 500 watts when ever I turn it on.
I can run it at 1k or 3db increase in power and from the other end there is
no change in the rx station report. I run CW 98% of the time. But the amp
is used on SSB for the rag chew on a local level and yes I use an amp to
talk across town on 40 meters just to keep the cursing hog farmers and
drunks from messing with us. It works well for that. People just stay away.
But it also attracts the casual drop by who joins the QSO and is welcome to
stay awhile.

500 watts for the last 3 years has been more than enough. It is easy to
hold a frequency in a contest with that power and it causes no
problems with neighbors. Since I only use balanced antennas, my RFI
problems have disappeared. I can run 1500watts with no problems or lights
going on and off and garage doors opening. It is nice to have some headroom
in an amp and that is what the THP gives me. It just loafs at 500 watts. I
run it on 220v and the panel lights don't even change intensity.

I would vote for a 1k amp by Elecraft but probably would only run it at 750
tops. And No I don't need 6 meters so a 160-10 would be great. After all,
Elecraft came out with the KX2 vs KX3 and did just that, 80-10 no 160 or 6,
and I am just fine with that. So if they made an amp with 160 - 10 then
that would be fine by me. It may be even as simple as saying with the
software that the KPA 500 if the software were to change and state 750
watts 160-10 and 500 on 6, heck I would be even happy with that.

Elecraft stuff just works and I am happy with that. I so want to pull the
trigger on the KX 2 or 3 and it temps me every time I visit the page to see
what new stuff has come out.

In the near future, like right now, SDR radios are going to dominate the
field and I really want to see what Wayne, has cooked up for dealing with
that issue. SO2R is the wave of the future in contesting and K9CT is the
poster boy for the Flex 6700 and Maestro interface when it comes to
contesting. He sold all of his K3/P3 stations and has a full compliment of
Flex. Maybe, if Elecraft made a great interface that would work with the
K3S/N1MM then that is an area that should be explored for SO2R.

Every thing is contingent on market share and perceived value. Face it K3
owners are rather an elite crowd. First we are buying radios, when fully
equipped are nearing the $4k mark and from a cosmetic stand point of view,
they are not pretty on the out side. Utility is everything for us, and
simply the K3 works.

In the end, if Elecraft made a better amp than the KPA 500, I would
probably buy it. Maybe even 2 of them for my station conversion to SO2R.

I know guys that buy 2 KPA500.KTA500 for running SO2R with the Flex
6700/maestro set up. It works well for them. Once I retire, I will probably
do the same and run 2 k3s with them. It is the logical solution for me,
especially since I love the quiet relays/pin diode switching and the almost
silent fans when running hard with the KPA500.

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M



On Thu, Mar 16, 2017 at 2:44 PM, Bill Johnson <k9...@live.com> wrote:

> Erik,  I sold my solid state THP2.5kfx for the same reason of not being
> able to lift it easily.  I bought the KPA500 to replace it.  The difference
> in power isn't all that much to me but I don't contest.  I can make up for
> the power difference easily by improving my antennas.  I am doing so now as
> weather permits.  At least I have a great amp with nearly as much on the
> receiver's S meter on the other end.
>
> 73,
> Bill
> K9YEQ
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> Erik Basilier
> Sent: Thursday, March 16, 2017 2:27 PM
> To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] Linear thoughts
>
> I recently sold my legal limit tube amp after a bit of a mental struggle.
> The seller in me finally won after I realized that "if I can't lift it, I
> shouldn't own it". I was tempted to replace it with an ALS-1306, but I
> operate RTTY and in that mode the 1306 wouldn't be good for more output
> than a KPA500. Today I received my (new to me) KPA500. However, in a
> contest someone with 1500 Watts will have a big advantage over my 500 W, so
> the subject of higher power may soon come back to me. With the competion
> today in solid state linears, I have to believe that Electraft will in the
> future offer a bigger linear. To me it would be sad if the new Elecraft

Re: [Elecraft] Augment KX3 or buy K3?

[Morgan Bailey]

If you are even marginally serious about operating around other rigs (field
day), forget using the 7300. It does not have the necessary filtering to be
useful in that environment. Forget CW pileups with the 7300. The comment on
buttons is rather laughable when you mention the 7300, one knob and
infinite menus even to just change the CW speed. 1200$ for a 7300 is best
spent sitting in the bank. The KX3 blows it away. If you can pick up a 7300
for 750$ then go for it but understand it is not an Elecraft. You are
buying a bells and whistles radio and not a contest grade by any means
communication grade radio.

As for the 7610, it is all promises and yet to be totally revealed. If it
is even half the rig that people are saying it is, well, good stuff does
not come cheap. Expect a 3500-4000 dollar price point. And if it breaks,
forget having the rig faster than a 3 month turn around. Call up Elecraft
and you get a guy who speaks the Kings English and knows the rig and most
likely can tell you what needs to be replaced over the phone.

Don't get me wrong, The 7300 is a nice package. It is a very beginner
radio. It does a lot of stuff and is one of the easiest rigs to get
computer control interfaced with. Especially, if you want to do psk modes
then it is very nice and just by plugging in a USB cable, you are on the
air. That and HRD and you are cooking.  For a contest grade radio, no. For
a beginner radio, it has many bells and whistles that are nice but
filtering is not one of them, unfortunately, because their front end
selectivity is weak.

Right now I have seen many TS590s / SG for sale for under 1k. These radios
are easily computer linked. Using a K1EL winkeyer and N1MM, what a great
combination. I found one outstanding feature is their internal antenna
tuner. It matches stuff that easily a 10:1 SWR mismatch and does not fold
back the power after the match. I have personally used one on Field Day at
least 2 times and they worked great for CW and SSB. Their menu is intuitive
and easily addressed. For a beater radio, it is great. They have really
good front ends for their price point and excellent selectivity. They run
100 watts off the line and recently QRZ had one for sale for $750. Now that
is where I would spend my sheckles. If I were looking for a second rig and
wanted less cabledom problems for the best radio and the least dollars,
done deal. Does it compare to a K3S, not even marginally, but most people
if you sat them down in front of a radio would know enough to know the
difference.

In the end, truth be told, most ops will never realize the capability of a
KX3, KX2 or K3S and would be just as happy with any rig that would let them
get on and talk to their good buddies, give weather reports or talk about
hog farming on 160 at 11pm at night. Only when you are a discriminating op
would you want or need better than a $700 to $1300 radio. I love my K3S and
each time I run in a contest, I learn something new about some feature that
I had not used before. On the other hand, I also own a Yeasu 450 and it is
my test radio for antenna building and recently I put it in my truck as a
mobile. It works great. going down the road running CW or a casual SSB QSO,
it works great. It puts out 100 watts and works for me. For a contest grade
radio, no so much. Its front end is easily over loaded in a pileup and it
is selectivity is more than some what lacking. For casual operation, it is
a great deal. The major downfall of the radio for casual operation and temp
set ups is that the internal antenna tuner is severely lacking. It is
limited to a 3 to 1 miss match.

Knowing what is possible in radioland and having the money to buy what ever
one wants with out so much as blinking, that is not me. Would I love to
have a Flex 6700 with full second rx and Maestro interface to run SO2R...Oh
Hell yes. Am I willing to invest $10,000 to get there...oh hell NO. What
happens if is get a virus in the software that runs the radio? Im done.
What happens if some part for the main box goes down, Im done. There is
always a better mouse trap over the horizon. One can live well if one lives
with in their means...providing they are not starving to death and have a
warm place to sleep that is clean dry and disease free.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M

On Tue, Mar 7, 2017 at 7:31 PM, Harry White  wrote:

> Gareth,
>
> Why buy either?
>
> A K3s/10-K is $2049.95. A K3s/100-K is $2599.95 (To be equivalent to the
> KX3
> with the amplifier) and then you need the ATU at $379.95 for a total of
> $2979.90. And that is before you add any extra filters, a second receiver,
> DVR, etc., etc.
>
> A KXPA100-K is $749.95 and the tuner is $379.95. Then add the PX3 at
> $474.95
> and you are up to $1604.85. And that is before you buy all the cables and
> other goodies.
>
> With either radio you end up with a rat's nest of cables to make them
> anywhere near useful. And they both have the antiquated orange display and
> way, way too few controls. 

Re: [Elecraft] [Elecraft_K3] Compare the 7300 to a K3

[Morgan Bailey]

I have sat down at a 7300 and it is true that the front end has little
filtering. Additionally, If you have a loud station on CW with in 500hz of
the station you are trying to work, who is weak, the front in will be
de-sensed and the AGC will pump and your QSO will be over. Like most SDR
radios that do not have a Roofing filter ahead of the DSP processing,
selectivity, at best, is questionable. I tuned in to CWOPS CWT contest on
Wednesday evening session and realized that the 7300 is not a CW contest
grade radio. It is too menu deep, big finger unfriendly, for the most part
comparing it to the P3 the band scope on marginal to worthless, and the
less than 500 hertz selectivity for CW is lacking. These observations are
all based on having both the K3S and P3. Although, one thing that the 7300
shines is in its easy computer interfacing to run digital modes. This radio
is a great digital mode radio. If for no other reason, I would buy the 7300
and dedicate it to this mode. But, I don't do digital modes. When packet
radio first came out on HF, it just thought it was the beacon for the
Nation Tune Up Frequency. LOL

My only hope is that the Icom 7610 will address the above issues. When ever
it comes out, maybe Dayton time, that is a radio I want to play with. But
again, most likely it will be in the same dollar level as a K3S P3
combination. For the guy that is starting out in radio, the 7300 offers a
lot of value but learning the controls that are menu hidden rather than
easily adjustable knobs, may not be the best for a new ham to learn on.

My other radios are an Icom 746, Yeasu 450d, yeasu 718, Elecraft K1 4 band
with tuner and of course the K3S with P3 and THP 1.5 running through the
Kat500. Each of these radios has advantages. I am currently putting the
450d into my truck for mobile operation on SSB and to some extent, limited
CW work while mobile.

In the end, each radio has its limitations, but the major limitation is
always money. Buy the best you can afford, put up an efficient antenna and
just have fun. End of Story. The man who dies with the most toys may well
win, but, all the rest of us can still have tons of fun along the way.

Vy 73,
Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Mon, Feb 27, 2017 at 3:06 PM, Rick WA6NHC <wa6...@gmail.com> wrote:

> I use the K3 (entire K line) at home most of the time (the BEST radio I've
> ever used and the integration is beyond compare).  I'm very used to the
> controls having moved from the Kenwood TS-940; they're VERY similar and it
> was a shallow learning curve.  I wanted a portable, RV and FD radio and
> considered another K3 by moving my K3 parts into a K3S.  I didn't want a
> huge budget since that radio wouldn't be used enough to justify a large
> expense.
>
> I went with the IC-7300 (now less expensive).  It's small, has many of the
> features I use on the K3 (bandscope being the main one) and with the AH-4
> tuner means I can be on the air with almost any wire, quickly.  That
> combination was less than a K3 and added the 'scope.  It's also light (a
> huge consideration for RV life). It also caused me to learn about battery
> technology so I now power it with LiFePo4 batteries instead of using the RV
> house battery (which also means I don't have to hunker indoors).
>
> In use, it's sensitive, easy to use but it's 'different' from the K3 (I
> likely need to spend more hours on the Icom but haven't; it's not intuitive
> to me).   The Icom has some of the controls (like keyer speed) hidden in
> touch menus instead of on the front panel (where they belong, like the
> Elecraft folks figured out). It's a different mindset since I'm not a long
> time Icom user.  The touch screen is nice; the scope works fine once set,
> but you also can't save the settings per band or mode; it's rather limited
> compared to the P3 (touch and QSY is nice, but never ON the exact freq you
> want).  If you have fat fingers, you'll be frustrated with the touch screen.
>
> The '7300 lacks a couple (what I would consider basic) connections.  There
> is only ONE antenna port (anyone have a 160-6M antenna?), there is no video
> output of the scope (so I don't have to squint), in fact there aren't any
> real options beyond microphone and mounting bracket.  I've had to learn
> about Icom interfacing so I could run FSK (AFSK was easy via USB).  The
> '7300 is designed to be an entry level BASIC radio.  And that is exactly
> what I wanted for the RV and holiday style operations.  The AH-4 allows me
> to use a grossly non-resonant wire as an antenna; much like the Elecraft KX
> radios (which I didn't choose because I'd have to buy an amp too and this
> was a budget purchase, the AH-4 had a sizable rebate).
>
> On FD  the '7300 was grossly overloaded  by others on the air at the
> site.  If I was on 15M and the 20M or 40M station transmitted, the 7300
> front end crumpled with MAJOR de

Re: [Elecraft] OT: Hookup Wire

[Morgan Bailey]

You might think about buying some 8 stranded rotator cable and stripping
out the outer bundling insulation. Most likely you might even have a few
feet of that in the old junk box. And, You will get 8 colors.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M

On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 10:14 PM, Phil Hystad  wrote:

> Slightly off topic but definitely ham radio oriented and my only ham
> radios are all Elecraft gear.
>
> I am looking for stranded copper hookup wire, say #20 to #24 with very
> flexible insulation.  I have some of this now, like about 7 inches, but I
> need more.  I do not know any brand names or even what this is called.  A
> friend of mine thought it might be the Teflon insulated wire.
>
> Can anyone suggest some brand names or products that I can search
> on-line?  Out-of-band responses please to keep this OT topic from crowding
> up the forum.
>
> Thanks,
>
> 73, phil, K7PEH
>
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Re: [Elecraft] [OT] end-fed halfwave antennas

[Morgan Bailey]

I can echo the EFHW experiences as above but, they for me, are slightly
more noisy then a quarter wave vertical. Other than that, that is my only
objection that I have to the EFHW. Every one that I have used has been
excellent.

If you talk to Balun designs they make a 52 to 1 match box that I know for
sure will easily take 800 watts CW on 40. I ran one that way and had no
problems. With power I did use a line isolator inside the shack to protect
against common mode on the shield of the coax. I had no problems with that
set up. It worked and worked well.

I have built 2 tuner boxes for them, I bought 2 old tuners that used an L
network and rewired them to a parallel tank circuit and we, my son NS0R
have used them with 1kw and had great success. No shack problems and they
radiate like a beast because the current is high in the wire and not at the
feed point on the ground. We have used them at Field Day, WPX, Sweepstakes
as our 20 and 40 meter antennas. We both work from a city lot and have no
beams. For us, using these antennas we were able to do 1400 QSO in WPXCW
with a half hearted effort.

We use the same boxes to tune half square antennas as they also have high
impedance feed points.

I personally have used a 20 meter half square...1/4 up then 1/2 wave over
to 1/4 wire elements on 20 and this will make a quarter wave on 80 that we
used with a few radials. So we got 2 bands out of one antenna. In the half
square config on 20 meters, using it as an 80 meter made it NVIS. It did
work.

I am going to have to the me a KX3 or Kx2 some day soon. I wish I had one
now because I am heading to Maine and would like to operate there into
Europe from the coast. And, you can bet I will be taking an EFHW for ease
and portability.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M

On Tue, Feb 14, 2017 at 1:34 PM, Robert Vargas-KP4Y via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Agree...I'm a big fan of EFHW. I have made comparisons between an HFHW
> with a short radial and 1/4 WL with a few radials and the EFHW beats the
> 1/4 WL 100% hands down. This is a great example of empirical results
> speaking louder than theoretical predictions.
>
> 73,
> Robert-KP4Y/W4
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Feb 14, 2017, at 1:19 PM, Gil G. via Elecraft <
> elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
> >
> >
> > I will second Guy here.
> > The best antenna I have ever used is the vertical EFHW. I never used a
> counterpoise wire, never felt that tingling in your fingers you might feel
> with a random wire and a metal key.
> > I have used 100mW to 500mW regularly with end feds with great results,
> single hop up to 1300 miles, 5K miles on 1W.
> > I say that having built all kinds of antennas and used them in all sorts
> of configurations, random wires, with and without counterpoises, slopers,
> inverted Vs, dipole, Windom, magnetic loops, quad, short whips, yagi, and
> except for the beams nothing beats the EFHW!
> > A horizontal dipole might perform as well but they are rarely high
> enough to perform as well, except of course for NVIS on the lower bands,
> and then, a horizontal EFHW will work as well.
> > The only antenna that came close in performance was a large magnetic
> loop.
> > Whatever the theory says, I am talking about real in-the-field
> performance where nothing comes close.
> > Gil
> > AK4YH & F4WBY
> >
>
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Re: [Elecraft] EFHW

[Morgan Bailey]

I will also testify that this antenna has worked well for us. My son above,
NS0R, has used it in favor of a beam because of a tower HOA issue with his
wife. LOL. Both of us have literally worked thousands of QSO with this
antenna. The Parallel tuner will handle most any HIGH impedance antenna,
that being 2000-5000 ohms. Having a roller inductor in parallel with a
variable cap really makes the difference. Once the dip is attained, the
bandwidth is the whole band on 20, and 15 both phone and CW will be under
2:1 or better. The hard part is getting the stray capacitance in the
construction out of the box. At times that has been problematic, but still
workable.

Vy 73, Morgan NJ8M

On Mon, Feb 13, 2017 at 9:31 AM, Morgan Bailey, II <mcb2...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> I can vouch for the EFHW.  It works great.  I built a parallel tuned
> circuit using a roller inductor and a 15-350pf cap.  I have used this
> several times on 20 meters feeding a 33.5 foot vertical wire.  I use about
> 4 10 foot radials, which is probably overkill, and run it through a good
> choke and it has been a great performer.  I have also used this box to feed
> a 20 and 40 meter halfsquare.  I have ran 500 watts through both the half
> square and the 20 meter EFHW with no arcing and an SWR  < 1.5 and a
> reactance of 3 or 4.  No problems, works great.
>
> The only issue I have had is that the EFHW tends to be a little bit noisier
> than a traditional vertical, but I can put this antenna up and operate in
> less than 10 minutes so it's worth the small amount of extra noise.
>
> 73, Morgan, NS0R
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[Elecraft] EFHW

[Morgan Bailey, II]

I can vouch for the EFHW.  It works great.  I built a parallel tuned
circuit using a roller inductor and a 15-350pf cap.  I have used this
several times on 20 meters feeding a 33.5 foot vertical wire.  I use about
4 10 foot radials, which is probably overkill, and run it through a good
choke and it has been a great performer.  I have also used this box to feed
a 20 and 40 meter halfsquare.  I have ran 500 watts through both the half
square and the 20 meter EFHW with no arcing and an SWR  < 1.5 and a
reactance of 3 or 4.  No problems, works great.

The only issue I have had is that the EFHW tends to be a little bit noisier
than a traditional vertical, but I can put this antenna up and operate in
less than 10 minutes so it's worth the small amount of extra noise.

73, Morgan, NS0R
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Re: [Elecraft] 9:1 Balun

[Morgan Bailey]

Be careful in the 9 to 1 vs 4 to 1 vs 1 to 1. The 9:1 is generally an UNUN.
When you run 100 watts or less most 1kw manufactured baluns or Ununs will
take a wide variety of SWR if you are only running 100 watts. Because this
thread is I believe about QRP the amount of power dissipated due to loss is
not a factor. When you jump to 500 watts, core heating, saturation and
breakdown are a risk.

For instance, the W2AU balun that is manufactured as a center feed point
for a dipole is only rated for the power at 1:1 SWR. In the printed
literature the power rating drops off considerable as one goes to 2:1. I
have personal experience with this particular balun when an 80/40 trap
dipole was constructed using that balun and the Unadalla KW40 traps.
Operating 40 was no problem as it was nearly 1:1 anywhere we operated [CW],
but on 80 CW the bandwidth was much narrower, as to be expected and nearing
the edges when we ran 500 watts into the antenna with the balun rated at
1kw, well, it's core heated up, SWR drastically changed, heating the core
windings so much that the solder to the SO239 connecting the core to the
coax melted off. We knew that the SWR was between 2.5-3:1 on the edges of
the 80 meter range. So be careful. Additionally, I have little faith in
stick Baluns or Ununs, I personally do not believe they are nearly as good
as a Toroid constructed balun.

Ununs seem to in my experience, tolerate wide ranges in SWR. I have used a
9:1 unun and their new 52:1 transformer for end fed antennas  manufactured
by Balundesigns.com with excellent results running 800 watts CW with little
or no heating of the core and consistent results in a multiband
environment. This was done using a 43, 53 and 87 foot end fed
vertical/random wire/ inverted L and Half Square configurations. I have not
modeled the pattern with NEC but I have compared it on Reverse Beacon
Network [RBN] and I am definitely getting out. Full well knowing that Non
resonant antennas are not as good as resonant ones, yes there is a
difference in RBN reporting which favors the resonant, but, not always.
This is because there is "funky lobe radiation"  that can give a high
report to just random one or two reporting stations and then the rest are
10-15 db less than the resonant over a wider area of report stations. This
supports the pattern is not predictable, or as predictable as a resonant
antenna installed correctly. Knowing we are addressing compromise
installation for multiband usage, this I believe is acceptable. If you have
goals of working or covering with gain and directivity, then there is no
replacement for well designed and well installed resonant antennas. This is
especially true in the competitive environment of contesting.

When an antenna that is not balanced is used, the RF will seek a way to
ground. Problems with feed line radiation, and RF in the shack are
problematic. Using a counterpoise or limited radial system is recommended
to provide the missing balance and a path to ground. This is generally not
a problem at QRP levels but because a few 100 miliwatts  of power coming
back to the shack does not cause much problems but, jump that up to 10 or
100 watts and problems will surely make your life a living hell trying to
keep the computer, keyboard, mouse cables connected and ATU from resetting
and starting tuning cycle again and again. Best solution is to run resonant
balanced antennas if one can, if one can't, invest in a few line isolators
for the coax before it hits the shack and then have a good stock of Mix 31
ferrite beads for each cable in the shack, eg, usb, keyer, mic, speaker,
keyboard, mouse...you get the idea.

In the end, when one runs QRP power, balun/unun saturation and performance
degradation, allows most anything to fly, jump the power to 100 watts,
watch out, then to 800 watts...reforming injection formed plastic is in
your future. Although, relative to this discussion,  making an unun or
balun with a T25 core and 32gauge wire will most likely produce the same
disasterous results with 10 watts. LOL.

Finally, Any antenna is better than No antenna.

Morgan NJ8M

On Tue, Jan 31, 2017 at 12:59 AM, gliderboy1955 via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> What are the advantages/disadvantages of using a 9:1 balun v. using the
> switchable Elecraft balun at 1:1 or 4:1 or no balun at all when using a
> random wire portable?
> Why 9:1?
> Thanks
> 73 Eric WD6DBM
>
>
> Sent on my Samsung Galaxy S® 6.
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Help: 

Re: [Elecraft] Magnetic Loop Performance

[Morgan Bailey]

First off, Is your loop 48 inches diameter or total circumference of 48
inches?

Second, is your cap a butterfly cap. Those camps make a huge difference in
performance. Although I have successfully used a double ganged cap with
excellent results.

Using a toroid to connect the loop with the turns on the toroid and the
pipe going through the loop may be a better set up.

Spacing on the coil turns and contact with the loop will change
dramatically and I would highly recommend a faraday loop for
feeding/driving the loop. make this coil/loop a circle with diameter 1/5
the diameter of the loop. For a 48 inch diameter loop that would be about
9.5 inches diameter. My loop worked great with a 1/4 inch copper tube 1/5
the diameter of the main loop fed directly across the coax, that is, braid
on one side center on the other. I adjusted the matching by moving the loop
up and down on the central axis. It worked great and would take 350 watts
with out heating up, providing the resonant frequency of the loop was
matched with the capacitor. My cap was rated at 2500 voltage break down.

You might consider a gamma match with your loop, Although this will make
the loop favor one side over the other but only marginally.

Personally, I have never had much luck with just turns on wire on the loop
to make it work. I know it is in the literature but it never worked
repeatability for me because of the variability of the construct.

I never used a 1to1 balun on any of my loops. And never got kissed by RF
coming back at me. I could see that a wire wound choke balun may introduce
inductance in the match and cause problems where as a bead balun may not
cause problems.

Also you are expecting way to much from this loop. Loops only work well for
1 maybe 2 bands at a time. This is limited by the variability of the
capacitor and the inter capacitance of the construct. As you go up in
frequency your need way way less capacitance and soon your loop will be
unmatchable. Your 48 inch loop makes the conductor length of 12.5 feet.
This is way big for 15 meters because it is greater than a 1/4 wave at that
frequency and loops only function as a loop if they are a fraction of a
quarter wave in frequency. You loop, if it is 48 inches in diameter is
ideal for 30 and 20 meters and with the right capacitor will be usable on
40 with reasonable efficiency.  A 2.5 foot diameter loop for the high bands
is more in the ideal range for 20-10 meter operation. Because the total
circumference of the loop is only 8 feet which is shorter than a 1/4 wave
at the lowest frequency, 28 mhz. A loop this size will best work on 15-10
 meters and will be matchable to work with decreased efficiency on 20. It
calculates to about 48 % on 20 with all the other values much higher in
efficiency as the frequency goes up. The Problem is with the matching
capacitor minimum and maximum values and the intrinsic capacitance of the
total system changing the resonance. Finding capacitors has always been the
weak point in Loop construction. Vacuum variables with high Q values are
the best widest frequency solution and can run the most power to the
antenna because of their high voltage break down.  The problem is the
fragility and the cost factor of the capacitor. I shopped EBAY and found
air variable double gang or butterfly caps that would work over a wide
value of frequency for pennies  compared to the dollars spent on vacuum
variables, and for less than 100 watts, worked quite well.

This website has helped me immeasurabley when I was constructing loops. For
me this was the best calculator and guide to construction.

 http://www.66pacific.com/calculators/small_tx_loop_calc.aspx

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M



On Mon, Oct 24, 2016 at 7:22 PM, johnpierce <ja-pie...@verizon.net> wrote:

> I could use some help with a MagLoop.  I constructed a 48" loop from 3.8"
> copper pipe.  I have a 51 pf capacitor across the open end of the loop.  I
> am feeding the loop with a 4 turn coil around the copper pipe opposite of
> the capacitor.  Before checking the loop I tested a carbon resistor on the
> balun (ant side).  Using a 50ohm resistor on the ant side of a 1:1 Balun
> which was fed with a 2' piece of 50 ohm coax and with the loop disconnected
> I get the following readings from a MFJ 259B antenna analyzer:
>
>
>
> Freq  Resistance  X
>
> 9.7mhz 66ohm0
>
> 10  680
>
> 12  770
>
> 14  890
>
> 17  109  0
>
> 21  126  0
>
> 27  128  0
>
> 27.6   780
>
>
>
> Reattaching the feed coil and the balun I get the following readings
>
> Freq  Resistance  X
>
> 9.7mhz 18ohm77
>
> 10  20  

Re: [Elecraft] Motor for Cap in Mag Loop

[Morgan Bailey]

A stepper motor or a cheap 12 volt servo motor with a 1 to 2 rpm turn rate
hooked up with a 5 dollar circuit board that pulses the dc to the motor.
All can be had on ebay for about 40 dollars.

additionally, insulate the motor shaft from the cap shaft and mount in
plastic because the rf will mess with things. Use beads on the leads to the
motor. An antena company in Italy will send you the butterfly cap and the
controller for about 300 dollars and it is already wired and ready for a
loop. They make square loop antennas but you can buy any thing they sell
and that is the easiest way to do it and it is pretty bomb proof.

It will allow you to be away from the antenna and not near any RF. They
have the best system that is pre-fabed. Here is the link.

http://www.dolstra.nl/Antennes/HF/Magnetic%20loop/
INAC%20Loops/Inac_loops.htm

You can get the direct order from Inac from googling it.

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 10:22 PM, Morgan Bailey <mbaileyc...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> A stepper motor or a cheap 12 volt servo motor with a 1 to 2 rpm turn rate
> hooked up with a 5 dollar circuit board that pulses the dc to the motor.
> All can be had on ebay for about 40 dollars.
>
> additionally, insulate the motor shaft from the cap shaft and mount in
> plastic because the rf will mess with things. Use beads on the leads to the
> motor. An antena company in Italy will send you the butterfly cap and the
> controller for about 300 dollars and it is already wired and ready for a
> loop. They make square loop antennas but you can buy any thing they sell
> and that is the easiest way to do it and it is pretty bomb proof.
>
> It will allow you to be away from the antenna and not near any RF. They
> have the best system that is pre-fabed. Here is the link.
>
> http://www.dolstra.nl/Antennes/HF/Magnetic%20loop/
> INAC%20Loops/Inac_loops.htm
>
> You can get the direct order from Inac from googling it.
>
> Vy 73,
>
> Morgan Bailey NJ8M
>
>
>
> On Thu, Oct 27, 2016 at 9:06 PM, johnpierce <ja-pie...@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>> I have seen general definitions about motors for driving a capacitor in
>> Mag
>> Loop.   But I have not seen a recommendation of a specific type to look
>> for
>> on Amazon or Ebay.  For starters I am looking for a 12vdc reversible
>> motor.
>> I would like to start with a simple push button system for tuning.  Maybe
>> I
>> will consider a stepper later.  I think that would need some computer
>> control.  I am also wondering what RPM to consider for use on the lowest
>> frequency (40mtrs).  The capacitor I am expecting to use would not have a
>> stop and could travel a full 360 degrees.
>>
>>
>>
>> John
>>
>> Ad2F
>>
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>>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] [K3] The Way We Rank Receivers (long)

[Morgan Bailey]

EXCELLENT excellent excellent post...Great summary. The listen ability and
ease of ergonomic operability are the reason I love radios with knobs. This
is what the maestro is trying to do for for the Flex 6XXX radios. There is
just not a better box for both on the market other than the K3, K3s, KX3,
KX2. Seemingly Elecraft has nailed it. Your post only confirms what I
believe all Elecraft owners already know and experience when we hit the
power on switch.

Again you summary is excellent and great reading. Well written and well
thought out and equally well presented.

Strong work.

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Tue, Oct 25, 2016 at 12:21 AM, Al Lorona <alor...@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> Receivers are always ranked by the "2 kHz third order dynamic range", such
> as at: http://www.remeeus.eu/hamradio/pa1hr/productreview.pdf  but do we
> really grasp the meaning of these specs? For instance, the Elecraft K3's
> (after synthesizer upgrade) number is 103 dB, good enough to be in the top
> ten. In fact, this number is so strong that very few hams will ever be
> affected by it. To the best of my knowledge, I have *never* been close to
> running out of dynamic range. To understand why, let's put "103 dB" into
> English.
>
> Let's say you're on 20 meter CW, operating at 14.050 MHz. You're listening
> through your fine Elecraft 500 Hz crystal filter when suddenly, and by
> incredible coincidence, two equally strong 49 dB over S9 signals begin
> transmitting at the exact same time, one on 14.052 and the other at 14.054
> MHz, exactly 2 kHz and 4 kHz up from where you're listening. With the
> preamp off (which is totally believeable on 20 meters with a decent
> antenna) you will just barely hear a "ghost signal" right at the noise
> level... if you notice it at all. That "ghost" signal is the two-tone, 3rd
> order intermod product generated in the K3 receiver by those two hugely
> strong and perfectly placed signals.
>
> Not a very likely scenario, but that's what 103 dB of dynamic range buys
> you.
>
> I have assumed a noise floor or MDS of -130 dBm because it's a nice round
> number. If your 20 meter noise floor is higher than this, then the two
> signals would have to be *even stronger* to hear the intermod come out of
> the noise.
>
> Even if each of those interferers was *60* dB over S9 -- pegging the
> S-meter-- the intermod product on 14.050 would still be only S5. Amazing.
> This kind of performance begs the question, "How much more dynamic range is
> really needed?" and some (like Rob Sherwood) have said that once you're
> above 90 dB, you already have enough, at HF at least.
>
> Perhaps it's time to rank receivers by a different measurement, something
> that affects more of us. Looking through the table at the link above we see
> another measurement called "2 kHz blocking gain compression" and for the
> same K3 it is 143 dB. This is a measurement not of two interfering signals,
> but a single interferer just 2 kHz away. Since there's only one signal, it
> won't generate a "ghost", but it will reduce the gain of the receiver. ARRL
> defines this as the signal level that reduces the gain by 1 dB. One dB is
> really small, something like changing your RF Gain knob from the 3:00
> o'clock position to maybe the 2:45 o'clock position. Barely noticeable.
> Nonetheless, for our K3 the signal required to do this is about +13 dBm, or
> 20 milliwatts, which is probably near the damage level of the receiver!
> (I'm quite sure that Wayne has made intercontinental QSOs at 20 mW.) It's a
> theoretical value that very, very few hams would ever encounter... only the
> ones living next door to
>   a guy running a kilowatt. So this measurement is even less relevant to
> us.
>
> Finally, we notice a measurement called "2 kHz reciprocal mixing dynamic
> range" -- probably the limiting spec nowadays for top tier receivers. In
> our example of the single strong signal, way before reducing the gain of
> the receiver, that signal will have another effect: it will mix with the
> phase noise of the K3's own local oscillator and deposit that phase noise
> right onto your desired frequency of 14.050 MHz. As you're listening there,
> you suddenly notice that the noise floor seems to be rising for no apparent
> reason. You listen some more, and notice that the noise is following some
> kind of CW keying. You glance at your panadapter and notice an enormous
> signal just 2 kHz away on 14.052. So there are two culprits: that strong
> signal, and the K3 oscillator phase noise. The K3 with upgraded synths has
> a spec of "-115 dBc", again near the top of the list, which means that a
> signal 2 kHz away and 115 dB above the noise floor will cause the noise

[Elecraft] Mag Loop

[Morgan Bailey]

yed the construction.

They are not a miracle antenna but any antenna is better than no antenna
and for many this may be the only option to be able to operate. Hell when I
get moved into a retirement home, I will use it for a clothes rack and
transmit on it when no one is looking.  Since digital, PSK**, would be an
ideal use for a loop as you don't need much power for the computer to do
the heavy lifting. QRP signals are still good enough for computer ears, but
not necessarily for ours.. LOL. In the end, it is another example of "QRP
Works."

Good luck with your Loops

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M
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Re: [Elecraft] Technology Change

[Morgan Bailey]

Thank you everyone for the kind words that have been sent to me via email.
Im 62 yrs old and still love radio as much as when the magic of the fist
xtal set that I put together.

It is still magic that I can close a switch and broadcast RF and
instantaneously some one 5 to 7000 miles away hears me and sends my call
back to me. When ever I do this it is a connection to the world, to another
person making the magic happen. Over and Over it is like xmas when some one
answers my CQ or when I answer someone else.

Some of my best times was when I just sit back and listen to 2 or 3 guys in
a round table talk on CW. I really enjoy just listening. I can hold my own
on CW and copy most of the time in my head and keep notes of name qth, job
and kids etc on paper. People are life and most of the qso's beyond
equipment and signal report are great. I use an amp to make this happen
longer to keep the window of propagation up 30 min to an hour longer,
knowing that I may never hear this person again. Now that I use N3FJP ACLOG
for logging, I realize I have talked to many people and can pick up where I
have left off with them.

So. My best advice is use an electronic logger and keep notes in the log.
It will make so much better communication. My brain is good but I cant
remember everything. Remembering in the log and coming back gives the other
operator validation that someone cared enough to take the time and give
value to their time from the last QSO. Take this time and be more than an
operator, be a caring person that is interested in more than just
contesting and making the numbers. There is a time and place for the
numbers but in the off times, relaxing, keep a long and you might be
surprised how wonderful this is when someone comes back with your name when
you call CQ.

Hi morgan! always suprises me.

Dale Carnegie, once said, "the most beautiful word in the language is the
sound of your own name especially when some one else remembers and
addresses you." Logging can help with this. After all, there are a few
million of us out there looking for the magic.

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Sat, Sep 24, 2016 at 3:15 AM, Roger Stein <burch.cr...@gmail.com> wrote:

> Great read Morgan! Thank you for taking the time to record your historical
> experience.
> 73, Roger K7SJ/VE1 Halifax NS
> First crystal set in the late 50's
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Sep 23, 2016, at 10:47 AM, Morgan Bailey <mbaileyc...@gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > I made a miss key, GiGo (for all you fortran non porgramers that means
> > Garbage in Garbage out), 1625 not 1628arggg..then there was the
> trusty
> > OA3 regular of purple phase noise generator of a mercury vapor
> tube...then
> > there was the magic EYE of the ARK 5 command transmitter...with the flip
> up
> > top with the mirror on it...man those were the days when a BA/Weller 30
> > watt iron a few old TV and Radio sets could get you on the air with
> about 1
> > pound of solder. What great fun that was...when you could actually take a
> > TV apart for the terminal strips and drill out the rivets on the tube
> > sockets, bend an aluminum cookie sheet or use oak lath on 1 by 2s for the
> > tube base chassis open high voltage on the cathode key and static
> generated
> > clix that could be heard on any radio in the house...Bring on the
> resistor
> > across the key and cut down the clix...yeah we have come a long way. Not
> to
> > mention the 2ft by 4ft dupe sheet for Multi-single contesting for each
> > band. Making ladder line because you could not afford the nice round coax
> > when you were 12 years old...it cost more than the entire radio rx and
> tx.
> > using fence wire with oak lath strips cut and drilled then boiled in wax
> to
> > weather proof, the out put of the tube would load just about any thing.
> > Just put a light bulb across the antenna terminals and tune for maximum
> > smoke, with the antenna hooked up...or use a neon light close to the feed
> > line and do the same when you could afford to buy a ne2 light bulb.
> Finding
> > one on the farm was hard. Had to get a ride 70 miles away to a Laffyette
> > radio store to buy one. OMG found a Wave meter there, used it to tune
> after
> > that ...was over driven so connected a resistor to the antenna of the
> meter
> > to bring it in range. Worked DXCC with one 1625 and cw  a dipole fed with
> > ladder line and coils wound on toilet roll cardboard soaked in waterglass
> > then varnished to make them really stiff. All this was before PVC at a
> big
> > box store. They took down the wire from the telephone poles...yes
> telephone
> > wire was like 10 gage copperweld wire...got it free for the taking ...
> had
> > to use a barbed wire fence to

Re: [Elecraft] Technology Change

[Morgan Bailey]

watts and second and third harmonics on 14 and 21 came in to the FCC
monitoring station in Nebraska. Oh I was scared. So scared that I sold the
radio and bought a Gonset G76 transceiver and had great fun then. Finally,
Loaded hay all summer and bought a Swan Cygnet 270 B and had to manually
switch from Transmit to RX when running CW nets for NTS. Was a NCS for QKS
and TCC  for CAN EAN liason at 14. Got into girls about then and a job and
did not do anything after I got my general for about 18 years was QRT.
College, Family, Wife and finally went to Michigan and got in with a bunch
of great hams there...AC8W and the late Duck Duck...AKA K8DD Hank. And of
course Roy NT8V. Discovered electronic memory keyers then from the AEA
company. CK1 and the morsematic. Still have both. They work great. But,
Switch to the K1EL usb keyer for computer interface. Nothing better and
easier than that. Well again took some time off from radio when I moved
back to Topeka Ks. I put up 3 towers and had 3 beams with 40-10 covered
with GAIN. Oh what a blast I had. Jobs changed and life changes with the
need for income...QRT again and on the road. 16 years QRT this time. All
radios and towers and beams sold. Sold the house and bought the fixer up
retirement home all one floor for my last house then started  working all
over the US as a contract relief anesthetist. Went to a hamfest and bought
an Elecraft K1 that some one put together. I bought it for RX only to
listen to cw...missed it greatly. Best RX I had ever owned. What a miracle
in a small box. Was totally amazed. Bought it for 140$$ and it was the 4
band model. I was amazed. Well one Saturday in the cold winter in North
Dakota where I was working, I was severely bored and turned on the radio
and what would you believe was the SS weekend. Loved contesting, but with 3
watts and no antenna worth squatwell I found some old wire in the trash
and hooked about 15 feet of it up across the room and clipped it to the
drape of the hotel room on the ground floor and called the stations that
were loudest. I had to get on the net to see how to turn on the Automatic
antenna tuner, did this, and bingo 3.5 watts out on 40 and 20 meters. In
the next 10 hours I worked over 60 contacts with this set up. If any one
would have said it was possible...I would have thought them a bold faced
liar. Well I was convinced. QRP works!!!. Especially with the K1. The funny
part was that I was on the ground floor on the inside concourse of a brick
hotel shaped in a U. Was totally amazed. Desided to get back on the air
more often.

My son bought a K3 and still I had no radio or antenna at home, but I
bought an electric crank up tower...have to get the priorities straight. No
radio but, I gots a tower. LOL. Well Tower is still horizontal but I run a
vertical to a K3S and KTA500 with a Tokyo Hypower amp KFX 1.5. N1MM for
logging to an I5 computer with SSHD and they work great. Working on getting
a better antenna set up but will address that when the house is paid off
and retired...26 months for the house then the aluminum seeds will be
planted in the back yard. New beams are in the box and phasing array is
used for FD. DX engineering NCC1 and active antennas for RX. It works well.
Now another 4 years of work and I will be able to play radio ... heck maybe
SO2R and a bit of paper chasing from my city lot antenna farm.

Sorry to rattle but I wanted to show the evolution of the radio and tech
for me. I failed to mention all the radios in between the ones mentioned
but the evolution of radio for me is something that has been great and in
the least keeps the Alzheimer's at bay.

Vy 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M

On Fri, Sep 23, 2016 at 7:42 AM, Morgan Bailey <mbaileyc...@gmail.com>
wrote:

> Whats this 6146 stuff...what happened to the 1628 or the 807...and not to
> mention the trusty 813 and for the big power ...304TL...whoot bring on them
> big filament transformers...
>
> On Thu, Sep 22, 2016 at 10:45 PM, Jim Brown <j...@audiosystemsgroup.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On Thu,9/22/2016 8:24 PM, Dauer, Edward wrote:
>>
>>> Two thoughts on this . . .
>>>
>>
>> Great observations, Ted! And one more thought, articulated in a novel by
>> Thomas Wolfe, published in 1940. The title is "You Can't Go Home Again."
>> The meaning of the title is that we can't go back to where we grew up (or
>> where we had "a life") and expect it to be the same, because things change
>> in many ways. People we knew then have moved on, they have
>> grown/changed/evolved, the things that made up the life of that place and
>> of those people are different, often VERY different. So we can go back to
>> the same physical place, but we can't go back to the life we remembered.
>> And it's not that our memory is faulty, but rather that the world has moved
>> on.
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>>
>>
>>

Re: [Elecraft] Technology Change

[Morgan Bailey]

Whats this 6146 stuff...what happened to the 1628 or the 807...and not to
mention the trusty 813 and for the big power ...304TL...whoot bring on them
big filament transformers...

On Thu, Sep 22, 2016 at 10:45 PM, Jim Brown 
wrote:

> On Thu,9/22/2016 8:24 PM, Dauer, Edward wrote:
>
>> Two thoughts on this . . .
>>
>
> Great observations, Ted! And one more thought, articulated in a novel by
> Thomas Wolfe, published in 1940. The title is "You Can't Go Home Again."
> The meaning of the title is that we can't go back to where we grew up (or
> where we had "a life") and expect it to be the same, because things change
> in many ways. People we knew then have moved on, they have
> grown/changed/evolved, the things that made up the life of that place and
> of those people are different, often VERY different. So we can go back to
> the same physical place, but we can't go back to the life we remembered.
> And it's not that our memory is faulty, but rather that the world has moved
> on.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] [OT] Antenna Question

[Morgan Bailey]

How stiff is the 20 meter vertical? I take an 8 inch long piece of 1.5in
pvc and make a stand off at the base and the top for the vertical. Then run
a wire from the 20 meter feed point to the top of the 20 meter vertical
giving you 17feet...then out another 17 feet and you will have an inverted
L. Otherwise you can put a 20 meter trap at the top and put a 17 feet piece
of wire out with no stand offs and do the same thing. Although, if you use
the parallel feed, you can use the 40 meter wire (inverted L) on 15 meters
easily with no tuner. Just put down a few wires on the ground and let the
grass grow over them

You may need to add a counter traction on the vertical with an insulated
rope to keep the vertical from bowing in the direction of the 40 meter L.
It should work really nicely for you.  I know that this works because I use
a 40 meter vertical that I have rigged to work 160 through 10.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M


On Sun, Aug 7, 2016 at 10:42 AM, Don Wilhelm  wrote:

> Clipping a 17 foot wire to the top may be easier than adding an inductor.
> Add at least one 33 foot counterpoise wire - or extend one of the 20 meter
> counterpoise wires with another clip-on 17 foot wire.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
> On 8/7/2016 11:32 AM, j...@kk9a.com wrote:
>
>> That is a huge mismatch. Assuming that the portable 20m vertical is easily
>> assessable I would just clip on an inductor at the base to make it
>> resonant
>> on 40m.  If you have elevated radials you would have to put one there also
>> or just lay the radials on the ground.
>>
>> John KK9A
>>
>> [Elecraft] [OT] Antenna Question
>>
>> rick jones n3ikq
>> Sat Aug 6 22:58:39 EDT 2016
>>
>> Ok sorry for not providing enough info! Consider this scenario: I have a
>> portable vertical with 4 counterpoise wires that is resonant on 20. Lets
>> say
>> I want to tune the antenna up on 40. I can have a tuner right at the base
>> of
>> the antenna OR I can just use a balun at the base of the antenna and use
>> the
>> built in ATU in the K3. Is there a difference in how much power is getting
>> to the antenna? I assume the tuner at the base is the best option which
>> always makes me doubt the usefulness of having an ATU built in to a rig in
>> terms of getting the most power to the antenna. Am I on the right track?
>> Thanks! Rick
>>
>>
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[Elecraft] 43 ft vertical

[Morgan Bailey]

I personally love the idea of a 43 foot vertical. I use the Dx Engineering
Thunderbolt for 60 meters, it is 1.5 inches at the top. I collapse it down
to 33ft6in. Gives a fully resonant antenna on 40. Add a 17.5 foot wire with
outrigger (pvc supported on vert by hose clamp) and now you have 20meters.
Next run a wire with another set of out riggers up to the top and out 33
feet and you have 80 meters. Next wind 132 turns 18ga wire on 1.5in pvc and
add to the 80 wire end then add about 15 feet of wire and you have 160.

What you have when you get done is:

160 meter inverted L with a bit of compromise. but still workable on a city
lot.
80 meter inverted L no compromise with full size.
40 meter 1/4 wave full sized vertical
20 meter 1/4 wave full sized vertical
15 meter fully loads on 40
10 loads on 80

It works well for me. I live on a city lot and it plays great. I use a
receiving array for 80 and 160 with phasing and preamps. NCC1 Dx
engineering system.

Most 42 foot /43 foot verticals require 150 feet of coax to balance out the
loss/swr to hook you in to thinking that you have a great antenna. But most
any antenna is better than no antenna. And, if all you have is a 43 foot
vertical, use it. Enjoy it. There is a qrp op on CWOPS that all he has is a
43 ft vertical. He does great with it but also he can walk out his back
door and pee in the ocean, so that is really not a fair comparison due to
the salt water and the magic it gives.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M
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[Elecraft] Endless Amplifier Posts

[Morgan Bailey]

Back to the endless amp forum posts.

*The Plain Truth*

Better antennas = better communication.
Transmit antennas are not always be best antennas for reception.
Propagation determines communications.

Power has little to do with propagation when it is in your favor.

If you cant hear them you cant work them. And even then, if you can hear
them many times, propagation is not 2 way.

Having a 1500 watt signal on the air has nothing to do with being able to
hear who is hearing you. Otherwise, your just QRM. Alligator syndrome.

RFI from 1500 watts, Near Field interference, Electrical energy cost are
all added problems of excessive power.

Water soaked Coax with poor antenna installation with negative 12 db
loss takes 1500 watts to 100 watts on a 100 ft run, using, 100 watts going
down to 1/2 watt, you can still talk because: QRP works!

A 1500 watt amplifier is not going to make you a better operator.
Many amps today that are being produced over seas have tetrode finals that
will put out 2500 watts easily, check your coax at the frequency that you
want to run and you may be in for a surprise. If you swr is greater than
near unity, you may have problems with the reflected power melting down the
foam by heat and creating more loss. With an amp you have to have resonant
antennas, you don't want RF in the shack. And at that power level antenna
tuners become a very effective Ozone generator, keeps you shack smelling
nice and fresh but it does not do much for your finals and spark gap was
outlawed quite some time back.

I have a 1.2 kw amp and run it at 450 to 500 watts, why, because it puts me
in a contest class that I can be competitive in because I don't have 6
towers with stacked beams. Hell I don't even have a beam, just a good
vertical and made 1500 QSO in CQWW WPX, from the middle of the USA, Kansas.
I do have a NCC1 Dxengineering 2 antenna receiving array that I put up for
contests only. But, on the other hand, I run CW and CW gets through 599
with 100 watts where the same would take 15000 watts on SSB for the same
arm chair communication.

The cheapest way to communicate with less power is painful for some, but
the truth is always painful when you take the easy way out.

Drum Roll,

Learn CW

My 2 cents, and add that to 3$ and you might be able to get a good cup of
coffee or a good sized can or Monster III.

Vy 73,

Morgan NJ8M
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2

[Morgan Bailey]

A few years ago I built a parallel LC network from a roller inductor and a 
variable cap rated for approximately 2.5kv and have used it to match 20 meter 
EFHW many times. I run 500 watts into it from the kpa500 through a choke balun 
in the shack. I use (5) 8 foot radials for a counterpoise and I tape the wire 
to a 40 foot spiderbeam fiberglass pole in a vertical configuration.  I have 
never had any problems with rf in the shack using this antenna with the choke. 
In fact I have more problems with rf from my 80 meter inverted-L than I do the 
EFHW.  I built the antenna for field day use but I have had excellent results 
with it in several local and DX contests. I easily have over 3000 q's with this 
antenna and the only real complaint I have is that at times it can be a bit 
noisy. I originally built the box to match a 40 meter halfsquare but it works 
well on 20, 80, and 160 as well. 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 14, 2016, at 8:01 PM, Don Wilhelm  wrote:
> 
> Keep in mind that the original End Fed Half Wave antenna was the original 
> Zepp antenna.
> A halfwave radiator that was fed from one side of a quarter wave transmission 
> line.
> That antenna was trailed from a Zeppelin airship.  The 1/4 wave transmission 
> line reduced the high impedance of the halfwave antenna to a low impedance 
> (see transmission line characteristics).  The ideal characteristic impedance 
> for the 1/4 wave transmission line is 300 ohms - see the work of N3GO - "the 
> J-Pole according to N3GO" at http://knightlites.org/n3go_workshop/index.htm.
> 
> Of course, the transmitters in those airships had adjustable amplifier tank 
> circuits which could match almost anything except a very high impedance - 
> that function has been moved to the ATU in recent times and the PA output 
> stage is designed to work into 50 ohms.
> 
> If you want a modern-day example of the EFHW fed with 1/4 wave transmission 
> line, consider the J-Pole antenna that is popular for VHF - it is nothing 
> more than the original Zepp antenna oriented vertically.
> 
> I have no idea how the "Zepp antenna" designation has been construed in 
> amateur radio circles to apply to a balanced center fed non-resonant radiator 
> but it has been so construed that we have to be careful when saying "I have a 
> Zepp (or Extended Zepp) antenna - it no longer means what it originally did.
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
>> On 7/14/2016 8:38 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
>> I totally agree. End-fed half waves are tweaky. One terminal is the antenna 
>> wire and the other terminal must be something. The RF will find something to 
>> drive as the other “pole” of the antenna. There are no monopole antennas.
>> 
>> It could be the outside of the coax, it could be a “counterpoise” (not fond 
>> of that term), or it could be your hand on the key. Ouch.
>> 
>> I was using “ground reference” as the negative side of what you measure RF 
>> voltage against. Whatever that is.
>> 
>> There might be an antenna topic with more voodoo than end-fed antennas, but 
>> I don’t know what it is. The EC-130J flies a long wire out behind it and 
>> broadcasts on medium wave. I guess the other pole of that antenna is the 
>> airplane itself. 
>> http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104535/ec-130j-commando-solo.aspx
>>  
>> 
>> 
>> wunder
>> K6WRU
>> Walter Underwood
>> CM87wj
>> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>> 
>>> On Jul 14, 2016, at 5:14 PM, David Gilbert  wrote:
>>> 
>>> OK, I can buy that ... except that the term "ground reference" as used by 
>>> you and Don doesn't really apply.  The counterpoise is simply providing 
>>> some minimal balance to the high impedance at the end of the EFHW, and it 
>>> doesn't need to have anything to do with "ground".
>>> 
>>> If the counterpoise is located at the rig (as I inadvertently thought Don 
>>> was suggesting) instead of at the end of the antenna then indeed the 
>>> feedline would radiate, and if located at the rig the impedance 
>>> transformation effect of the transmission line (depending upon it's length) 
>>> could easily put a low impedance there ... rendering a short counterpoise 
>>> essentially ineffective.
>>> 
>>> For the record, I know how electricity works.
>>> 
>>> Dave   AB7E
>>> 
>>> 
 On 7/14/2016 3:42 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
 The transmitter needs to drive into two terminals. That is how electricity 
 works. If you do not provide a ground or a capacitive RF ground 
 (counterpoise), the ground is the chassis of the transmitter. In a big 
 grounded shack, that might be a stable reference. Otherwise, you need to 
 provide a ground reference. Without that, the feed impedance changes every 
 time you touch the rig.
 
 The ground reference does not need to handle much RF current, because of 
 the high impedance 

[Elecraft] Field Day Report

[Morgan Bailey]

The Kaw Valley ARC in Topeka, Kansas has been doing field day for many
years. It has run hot and cold. With the sun spot cycle heading in to the
dumpster, 40 and 80 and possibly 160 will be the money bands for operation.
This year my son, NS0R and I, NJ8M, worked, planned, built antennas and our
club bought a set of band pass filters for 20 15 and 10. These were the new
DX Engineering ones. They used a Triplexer and associated filters for the
tribander. 2 dipoles one for 80 and one for 40 were set up for the club
phone stations. They ran 2 stations there. Their radios are Icom 7000s.
Most of our phone ops are not used to non arm chair copy and had GREAT
difficulty listening through the QRM.

This year we had a goal of 3000 qso's. bummer that we did not quite make
it, 2701. Well there is always next year.

The CW station that we operated was with one K3 and a K3S. Simple 6btv, 20
meter half square and 3 element 40 meter vertical array. With those
antennas we were able to work 1600 cw Qs and about 200 ssb Qs. The K3/S
performed well. No hitch or glitch. We had fun, now back to the drawing
board for next years antennas.  We are thinking about moxon for 20 meters
and keeping the 40 meter array and then putting up a 53 ft vertical with a
9:1 unun to a remote latching relay tuner for 80 and etc instead of the
6btv.

We have not wanted to get into the tower stuff but the phone guys, AKA, the
rest of the club, put up the tower for ssb and made less then 300 Qs on 20,
it is just a waste.

We have found out that simpler antennas are best.

I Was wondering if any one has much experience with a moxon beam antenna?

Very 73,

Morgan Bailey NJ8M
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[Elecraft] SO2R

[Morgan Bailey]

Wayne,

What i would really like to see implemented is an SO2R controller placed in
a KAT500 size box.  I think it would be the ideal size for the interface.
Using 2 K3/K3S radios and full amplifier capability. This would include
sequencer switching for turning off amplified RX arrays and a 12/13.6 V
power supply switching for an array pre-amp. Power supply does not need to
be included, just a good fast relay to sequentially turn off the pre-amps
so they don't get blown up using an amp in near proximity. Include an input
for a ps on the back and that way what ever pre-amp you have the op
supplies the voltage and you supply the switching.

Next using the same size box, the KAT500, put band pass filters in the box
for 2 radios or at least one radio. Auto and manual buttons on the front
panel if possible.

Most importantly, the matching SO2R box and i can deal with filters as
needed for the antennas that I use.  I don't even have a K3S yet but soon
will be making a $6000 investment of a K3S and associated equipment.

Lastly, If possible making a 1000 to 1200 or possible 1500 watt amp in 2
boxes each the size of a K3S…10x10x4. Use one box for the PS and the other
for the amp.  PS on the floor to clean up op table and keep the flow of the
gear.  I loved the Ten Tec titan amp and omniV gear that I once owned
because it all fit together well. I currently have the 1.5kl THP amp. What
a great amp that is. Way over built but rock solid stable.  It puts out 900
watts and it is solidly built but weights a ton. If the same guts but in 2
boxes PS/RF control decks, that would make my day. Yes i know it is going
to be costly but what good amp is not costly. And yes i understand the cost
benefit ratio that a small business must analyze but I also think that
Elecraft people drink the koolaide and would gladly love to have a black
ugly box that says elecraft on it in the spartan, utilitarian fashion that
is so epicly descriptive of the Elecraft line. No frills that not needed,
just pure function done well.

I just pulled 800 feet of coax and switching cables today and will soon be
putting down 1200ft of radials under a vertical. Next year is the tower.
Beams are in the garage. Plan to be radioactive in october and doing SS in
Nov as my first contest in 16 years.

73 NJ8M
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[Elecraft] Yet another filter question

[Morgan Bailey, II]

Hi all

I apologize if this topic has been covered here before.

I've had my K3 for about a year now, and I'm considering adding another
roofing filter.  I currently have the 400 hz 8 pole filter and it has
served me very well, but there were several instances during the 2014 WPX
cw contest as well as 2014 SS where I needed something tighter.  I've seen
the filter plots for the 5 pole and 8 pole filters, and while my initial
gut feeling was to go with the 8 pole 250 hz filter, I'm now questioning
whether or not that would be wise.  According to the plots, there isn't
much difference between the two filters, and based on this data alone it
would seem that the better choice would be to go with the 200hz 5-pole.

I'm sure I'm missing something here.

Thoughts?

Thanks

73, Morgan, NS0R.
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Re: [Elecraft] Problems activating VOX in Data Mode

[Morgan Bailey]

Thanks for the help everyone.  The problem was that for some reason I had
20 meters set to FSK.  I changed it to AFSK and now everything is working
as expected.  I really appreciate all the help.

73, NS0R, Morgan

On Sun, Mar 1, 2015 at 8:34 PM, Morgan Bailey mcb2...@gmail.com wrote:

 Hi all

 I've got an unusual problem.  I'm primarily a CW op, but lately I have
 been playing with RTTY and PSK.  One thing that I've noticed is that I
 don't seem to be able to activate VOX when in Data Mode on 20 meters.  This
 works fine on every band, but on 20 meters it displays an N/A when I try to
 activate it.  I'm sure there is something obvious that I'm missing here.
 Anyone have any ideas?

 Thanks

 73, NS0R, Morgan

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[Elecraft] Problems activating VOX in Data Mode

[Morgan Bailey]

Hi all

I've got an unusual problem.  I'm primarily a CW op, but lately I have been
playing with RTTY and PSK.  One thing that I've noticed is that I don't
seem to be able to activate VOX when in Data Mode on 20 meters.  This works
fine on every band, but on 20 meters it displays an N/A when I try to
activate it.  I'm sure there is something obvious that I'm missing here.
Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

73, NS0R, Morgan
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Re: [Elecraft] Separate Receiving Antenna

[Morgan Bailey]

Depending on the size of your lot you could also try a very short beverage
antenna.  I use a 160 foot unterminated wire through a 6:1 binocular core
transformer and feed it with 75 ohm coax.  It is up about 4 feet off the
ground.  It works surprisingly well on 20 through 10 meters.  It's
performance is marginal on 30 and 40 but sometimes it helps with band
noise.  It may as well be a dead short on 80.  It is not ideal in any case,
but it was cheap and has helped with my horrible power line RFI problem.

On Sat, Jan 31, 2015 at 1:36 PM, Benny Aumala benny.aum...@gmail.com
wrote:

 Small large band RX loops are commercially available, but freight
 costs makes them prohibitive expensive.
 You may approach it with kits, too.
 Look for VNorton here:

 http://www.qrp-shop.biz/epages/qrp-shop.sf/en_GB/?
 ObjectPath=/Shops/qrp-shop/Categories/%22DL-QRP-AG%
 20Baus%C3%A4tze%22/Aktiv-Antenne

 and another interesting:

 http://active-antenna.eu/

 Both let you to make loop yourself.

 This is good for RX as it is broadband.
 TX antenna for limited space is Small Magnetic Loop.
 Big disadvanage is tunable small bandwidh. Even this can be made
 automatic to follow VFO:
  https://sites.google.com/site/lofturj/

 Benny   OH9NB

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[Elecraft] S9+40 Noise

[Morgan Bailey]

Hi all,

Just wanted to say thanks for hanging in there with me tonight.  I've got a
major problem with power line RFI at the moment.  Ever since the weather
cooled down I've been fighting with S9+40 noise coming from 2 poles
adjacent to my lot.  I may have to take a break for a few weeks, as there
is only so much the K3 NR/NB combo can overcome.

Hopefully I can get this resolved by the power company quickly.


73, Morgan NS0R.
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Re: [Elecraft] Using kio3 won't deactivate k3 speaker.

[Morgan Bailey]

Yes. When I plug the phones into the front socket (with an adapter) everything 
works correctly.  The headset I'm using is a heil pro-set elite. 

Sent from my iPhone

 On Jul 15, 2014, at 1:23 AM, Oliver Dröse dro...@necg.de wrote:
 
 No problem overhere. Migh be your plug is not activating the disable 
 contact in the socket. What happens if you plug in your headphones into the 
 front socket? Does that disable the internal speaker correctly?
 
 73, Olli - DH8BQA
 
 http://www.dh8bqa.de
 
 
 
 Am 15.07.2014 um 07:39 schrieb Morgan Bailey mcb2...@gmail.com:
 
  elecraft@mailman.qth.net
 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0)
 
 Hi all, quick question. According to the k3 docs, I should be able to plug h=
 eadphones into the rear jack of the kio3 module, and set the spkr+ph option 
 t=
 o no, and that should allow me to attach my headphones and mic to the rear p=
 anel without activating the k3 internal speaker.   The problem I'm having is=
 that no mater what configuration setting I use, I'm always getting audio ou=
 t of the phones and k3 speaker when I use the rear panel. What am I missing 
 h=
 ere?  The goal is to use the rear panel jacks and NOT have the k3 speaker ac=
 tivated.=20
 
 Ideas? =20
 
 Sent from my iPhone=
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[Elecraft] Using kio3 won't deactivate k3 speaker.

[Morgan Bailey]

 elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Mime-Version: 1.0 (1.0)

Hi all, quick question. According to the k3 docs, I should be able to plug h=
eadphones into the rear jack of the kio3 module, and set the spkr+ph option t=
o no, and that should allow me to attach my headphones and mic to the rear p=
anel without activating the k3 internal speaker.   The problem I'm having is=
 that no mater what configuration setting I use, I'm always getting audio ou=
t of the phones and k3 speaker when I use the rear panel. What am I missing h=
ere?  The goal is to use the rear panel jacks and NOT have the k3 speaker ac=
tivated.=20

Ideas? =20

Sent from my iPhone=
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Re: [Elecraft] Using a KAT-500 and THP HL-1.5KFX

[Morgan Bailey]

Bump… Anyone?  I'm about to be in the same boat pretty soon.  Already have
the 1.5kfx and I'm going to have a k3 and a kat500.  I'm hoping that that
there is a way to make them work together smoothly, much like the
k3/kpa500/kat500 do…


On Sun, Jun 22, 2014 at 6:43 AM, Peter Chamalian W1RM w...@comcast.net
wrote:

 Is anyone using this combination with automatic bandswitching/tuning?  I
 have the amp and K3 along with the special cable that connects the K3 to
 the
 amp for auto bandswitching.  I'm hoping that will also work with the
 KAT-500
 added.



 Thanks,





 Pete, W1RM



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