Re: [Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread drewko 

Well, this is not quick and dirty, but FWIW...

WSPRnet is great for antenna comparisons. Write a script to switch your 
K3 between the two antennas at frequent known intervals. Run it over the 
course of days or weeks and you will have literally thousands of signal 
reports which, if you know what times each antenna was switched in, you 
can compare as you like in a spreadsheet. Compare signals strengths; 
number of stations worked with each antenna; geographics areas, band 
performance, etc.


I did this when switching from an outdoor antenna that I would soon have 
to take down to a multi-band indoor antenna, wondering what deficit the 
indoor ant might have on various bands and how much increase in power I 
might need to overcome it. (I had a K3/10 at the time and was 
considering the 100 watt PA).


Anyhow, you can't beat WSPR for antenna comparisons.

73,
Drew
AF2Z




On 09/28/15 10:39, Bill Conwell wrote:

I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
using my K3 (and/or P3).



(I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)



I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
It seems like the former.)



Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
rises - with Scaling maximized.)



I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)



Thoughts?



Tnx,



/Bill, K2PO

Portland, OR


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Re: [Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread Chris Hallinan 
On Mon, Sep 28, 2015 at 10:39 AM, Bill Conwell  wrote:

> I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
> unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
> dbV to display.


How do you do that?

-Chris
K1AY
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Re: [Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread Lyle Johnson 
Regarding the K3, select an antenna, be sure RF gain is at max and turn 
AGC OFF.  Set the display to AFV for a couple seconds.  This provides a 
baseline value against which the DBV display is calculated.  (This means 
dB in terms of voltage, not the traditional, standard dBv.  Thus 2x the 
voltage is shown as a 6 dB increase.)


The measurement time is either 0.5 seconds or 1.0 seconds in the DSP 
code.  The AFV TIME config menu item is either 500 (for 500 
milliseconds, or 0.5 seconds) or 1000 (for 1.0 seconds).  You'll want to 
dwell on a signal for twice that period to be sure the reading is 
accurate, then jot it down.  Now switch antennas, wait again and then 
jot it down.


The calculations in the DSP are true RMS calculations over the time 
period.  The previous results are not averaged.  Each measurement time 
is independent.


73,

Lyle KK7P

On 9/28/15 7:39 AM, Bill Conwell wrote:

I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
using my K3 (and/or P3).

  


(I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)

  


I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
It seems like the former.)

  


Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
rises - with Scaling maximized.)

  


I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)

  


Thoughts?

  


Tnx,

  


/Bill, K2PO

Portland, OR

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Re: [Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread David Cole 
Interesting question just popped into my head as I read this...  

Does the P3 follow which RX is selected?  

-- 
Thanks and 73's,
For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
www.nk7z.net

For MixW support see;
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
For Dopplergram information see:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
For MM-SSTV see:
http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info


On Mon, 2015-09-28 at 07:39 -0700, Bill Conwell wrote:
> I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
> using my K3 (and/or P3).
> 
>  
> 
> (I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
> signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)
> 
>  
> 
> I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
> unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
> dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
> sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
> It seems like the former.)
> 
>  
> 
> Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
> give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
> by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
> switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
> rises - with Scaling maximized.)
> 
>  
> 
> I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
> presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
> attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
> antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)
> 
>  
> 
> Thoughts?
> 
>  
> 
> Tnx,
> 
>  
> 
> /Bill, K2PO
> 
> Portland, OR
> 
> __
> Elecraft mailing list
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> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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[Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread Bill Conwell 
I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
using my K3 (and/or P3).

 

(I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)

 

I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
It seems like the former.)

 

Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
rises - with Scaling maximized.)

 

I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)

 

Thoughts?

 

Tnx,

 

/Bill, K2PO

Portland, OR

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Re: [Elecraft] Best way to make comparative antenna signal strength measurements using K3 (and P3)

2015-09-28 Thread Kenneth Christiansen 
Hi Bill

The P3 does follow the antenna you have selected. I just verified it again but 
I have a beam and a vertical and have compared them that way for years.

The AFV function is set by the follow steps
TAP   DISP/METER
Turn the B VFO nob to select AFV and wait several seconds for it to stablaize.
Turn the VFO B to dBV

I just tried that again and my vertical measures +.05 dBV and my beam measures 
-2.6 dBV both looking at 20 meter noise and the ATT and PRE set the same for 
both the REG and RX ANT.

I hope that helps you

73 and good luck

Ken  W0CZ   w0cz at i29 dot net


Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 28, 2015, at 9:47 AM, David Cole  wrote:
> 
> Interesting question just popped into my head as I read this...  
> 
> Does the P3 follow which RX is selected?  
> 
> -- 
> Thanks and 73's,
> For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
> www.nk7z.net
> 
> For MixW support see;
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/mixw/info
> For Dopplergram information see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/dopplergram/info
> For MM-SSTV see:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MM-SSTV/info
> 
> 
>> On Mon, 2015-09-28 at 07:39 -0700, Bill Conwell wrote:
>> I'd like to do some quick and dirty comparing of antenna output signals
>> using my K3 (and/or P3).
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> (I've got two antennas I'd like to compare using different received carrier
>> signals - e.g., from a neighbor's TX, W1AW RTTY bulletins, etc.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I see that the K3 can display the RMS value of receiver AF output (mVp-p),
>> unaffected by AF GAIN control.  And after that stabilizes, I can also get
>> dbV to display.  (How long is the stabilization period?  Does the display
>> sample and hold a single value, or is it averaged and continuously updated?
>> It seems like the former.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Is this the way to go, or is there something I can do with the P3 that will
>> give a readout in dBm?  (I guess I could make a rough graphical measurement
>> by setting the P3 display threshold to match the weaker signal, then
>> switching to the stronger signal, and seeing how far above that threshold it
>> rises - with Scaling maximized.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I know there's also W8WWW's S-Meter Lite, with which I've also dabbled -
>> presenting a digital S-meter, or relative dB, output.  (Or I could do a step
>> attenuator approach, but then I couldn't compare by simply flicking the
>> antenna switch, and QSB would be a problem.)
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Thoughts?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Tnx,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> /Bill, K2PO
>> 
>> Portland, OR
>> 
>> __
>> Elecraft mailing list
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>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> Message delivered to d...@nk7z.net
> 
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