Re: [Elecraft] KX2 water resistant case

[nate t]

I have a "B Outdoor cases type 1000" pelican style case that ($30 on amazon) 
I'm working on building into something like this: 
http://swling.com/blog/2015/11/scotts-elecraft-kx3-go-box/

I would trust it in the rain, but not out on a river. Plastic seems a bit 
cheaper than Pelican brand...lacks what I'm assuming is fiberglass 
reinforcement that the Pelicans have.

Quick google search shows the Pelican 1120 has a good fit for the KX2 by itself 
- http://radiopreppers.com/images/KX2_1120.jpg 

Amazon has the Pelican 1120 for $25 bucks, with the optional bright colors 
(yellow,orange,etc) which would be useful if it falls in the drink. Pretty 
cheap price of peace of mind IMO.
 
73 N8BSD

> On Jun 10, 2017, at 2:05 PM, Stephen Peterson  wrote:
> 
> For a rafting trip down Cataract Canyon of the Colorado I was looking for a
> water resistant case for the KX2.  Walmart came through with an "Outdoor
> Products,  Watertight Case-Small, model 185OP".  The case is an almost
> perfect fit for the KX2 with just enough room for the paddles, earbuds, and
> power cable.  Under $6.
> 
> Steve, Ki7L
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 tuner getting stuck at 25.4:1 SWR

[nate t]

Hi all,

I opened up the KX3 and pulled the ATU, everything seemed to be in order and 
the LPF was in the correct position. 

I put the original batteries back in to keep the testing the same as 
previously. They were a bit lower than I had previously thought, read 9V 
(alkaline). I put up a 20m dipole and tested it, 20m tuned up right away and I 
let it run for a bit. I then switched down to 40m and it tuned up right away to 
a 1.0:1. After switching back and forth between 40/30/20 a few times, I noticed 
that the relays seemed to be switching a bit slower than normal, and that the 
tuning power was going down to 2.0W instead of the normal 3.0W. 

Went to 40m again, and it started landing on the 25.4:1 SWR every try. Pulled 
up the battery monitor on the display, and while it was running the tuning 
process, the voltage was dropping down to 7.9V, and it'd stick at 25.4:1. 
Switched over to external power and it would properly tune 40m again on the 20m 
dipole without issue. 

The dummy load I ordered arrived today as well, and using new batteries, it 
will tune 1:0.1 on all bands. 

I'm going to chalk this up to being a low voltage situation, and hopefully it 
doesn't return!

I appreciate everyone's suggestions.

73


> On Apr 17, 2017, at 11:35 AM, Walter Underwood <wun...@wunderwood.org> wrote:
> 
> 25.4:1 SWR is what the KX3 reads for a short or an open, if I remember 
> correctly.
> 
> Agreed, open it up, make sure everything is tight, include the ribbon cable.
> 
> wunder
> K6WRU
> Walter Underwood
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
> 
>> On Apr 17, 2017, at 11:20 AM, Don Wilhelm <donw...@embarqmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> Nate,
>> 
>> Since the problem is intermittent, I would not suspect a problem with an 
>> active component.
>> 
>> You might want to remove the bottom cover and check to be certain the 
>> hardware on the BNC jack is tight and the LPF on the BNC connector is 
>> properly positioned.  You may have to lift the KXAT3 to check - see Figure 
>> 43 of the KX3 Kit Assembly Manual.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>> 
>> On 4/16/2017 4:55 AM, nate t wrote:
>>> Hi,
>>> I was working with my KX3 earlier today, RX only, using an endfed, while 
>>> running on batteries, RXing WSPR and PSK31.
>>> After running for a bit, the ATU seemed to stop working. Attempting to 
>>> retune on 40m, it would stick at a 25.4:1 SWR.
>>> Tried switching down to 20m and it retuned right away to a 1.3:1. Applying 
>>> external power to the unit, I tried tuning again on 40m (battery was 
>>> reporting 10V if I recall correctly); It then tuned the end fed up, but 
>>> only to a 1.7, which it will typically match to a 1.0:1, it would also get 
>>> stuck at the 25.4:1 SWR on some of the attempted tunes.
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[Elecraft] KX3 tuner getting stuck at 25.4:1 SWR

[nate t]

Hi,

I was working with my KX3 earlier today, RX only, using an endfed, while 
running on batteries, RXing WSPR and PSK31. 

After running for a bit, the ATU seemed to stop working. Attempting to retune 
on 40m, it would stick at a 25.4:1 SWR. 

Tried switching down to 20m and it retuned right away to a 1.3:1. Applying 
external power to the unit, I tried tuning again on 40m (battery was reporting 
10V if I recall correctly); It then tuned the end fed up, but only to a 1.7, 
which it will typically match to a 1.0:1, it would also get stuck at the 25.4:1 
SWR on some of the attempted tunes.

Trying another dipole I have (10m), and with external power, it will tune up 
30m, 20, 10m to a good SWR (1.0 or 1.2 :1), but on 40m, it will either tune to 
~1.7 - 3:1 (expected), or it falls back onto the 25.4:1. 

When the relays are running through the tuning procedure, I'm noticing that for 
about half the time the relays are clicking, it's showing a 25.4:1 SWR. What I 
mean by this is that it seems for all the possible tuning combinations/paths in 
the tuner used on 40m, there is a fault some where leading to the 25.4:1 SWR 
for many of the paths/combinations.

Found this old mailing list post [1] which the resolution was to have it sent 
in for repair, which replaced Q2/Q7.

I'm wondering if anyone has a suggestion on testing or this issue. I don't have 
a dummy load to test with at the moment, but have one on order. Should I 
suspect it is an issue with the ATU or more likely Q2/Q7? It would most likely 
be cheaper/faster to replace the ATU, but I'm guessing it's more likely that it 
will need to be sent in for repair, and the ATU is fine. Any insight is 
appreciated. 


Regards,
Nate

[1] - http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Re-KX3-tuner-td7600743.html

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