Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Dave, Going to snip your comments to keep this brief (I hope). Subject line is not even close - but oh well! Having been a technical writer for the aerospace industry (electronics), this is very close subject. Its a challenge to use font and emphasis when one wants certain text to stand out and be noticed Warning! Aux Ant I hope the reflector will show the increased font size and color. I would say that web designers and media artists and advertising specialist deal with this issue. I've tried to keep this in mind when putting together technical presentations (power-point). I have seen fancy wall paper used on the background and use of color combo's that ruined perfectly interesting papers. I just had a eyesight test for new glasses and was told of early onset of macular degeneration (age 70) which was not welcome news, as I still like doing surface-mount construction. So I am sympathetic to your vision issues. I would think/suggest that computerized control panel software might be a solution if one can modify the display fonts (the designer adds change of font size in the set up menu). With our advancing age of hams this might be more than a nicety? I am always running into configuration errors with my complicated station - too many cables and switches that need setting correctly. So far I have not had trouble reading the screen for either the K3 or KX3, but as complex as these radios are, one should suspect pilot error before suspecting failure of the radio or station hardware. 73, Ed - KL7UW - From: w7...@cox.net To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters Message-ID: 2F54AB6B74354B8990CCAB14D9AAC5FE@TDYDell Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset=iso-8859-1; reply-type=original Hi All, If there is a downside to the K3's size, the problem described in this thread demonstrates that. The rig is small, and so is the display. So, some of the displayed info gets overlooked easily. Still, there is a lot of info shown on the display, but much of it is in fine print! Which antenna you are using is one of those small print items. Or, maybe it's just that the info as to the antenna in use gets lost amid all the other info being displayed!!! Since my eyesight is slowly but surely going south on me, I tend to suffer from the small print issue--at least on occasion. In any event, I've committed the same sin as Fred did, and more than once. Most recently was when I was hearing about all sorts of activity on 6 meters, but I was hearing none. That went on for days until I realized I was listening on no antenna! Ask me how dumb I felt when I finally realized my error! 73, Ed - KL7UW http://www.kl7uw.com Kits made by KL7UW Dubus Mag business: dubus...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
On 10/23/2014 12:46 PM, Edward R Cole wrote: Having been a technical writer for the aerospace industry (electronics), this is very close subject. Its a challenge to use font and emphasis when one wants certain text to stand out and be noticed Warning! Aux Ant I hope the reflector will show the increased font size and color. Didn't for me in T-Bird I just had a eyesight test for new glasses and was told of early onset of macular degeneration (age 70) which was not welcome news, as I still like doing surface-mount construction. So I am sympathetic to your vision issues. Sorry to hear that, Ed. So far I have not had trouble reading the screen for either the K3 or KX3, but as complex as these radios are, one should suspect pilot error before suspecting failure of the radio or station hardware. I have no color vision [answering the question, What colors can you see? before it is asked, I can see all of them. I just can't name them.], so I'm a bit sensitive to documents and presentations that try to convey a lot of information in color with no other distinction. If I had gotten to choose the K3 display, I'd have chosen black on white [more contrast] like my Kindle Fire, but I can see the black on orange OK. After my embarrassment with Wayne on the phone, I ALWAYS assume pilot error until I've gone through every icon on the display. If someone has a concise chart of what is remembered where, I'd buy a copy and laminate it for the desk. Incidentally, for any color-challenged folks out there with a P3, Alan put a monochrome waterfall option in not long after I got mine and whined on this list about not being able to see weak signals. A couple of my friends who *can* name colors use it now. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2015 Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015 - www.cqp.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
I think it is great to see your assessment because sometimes it seems we do tend to focus less on the human factors and usability issues. In this case, however, it seems that the feature allowing recall of Rx Ant selection by band plays at least a part. It is a great enhancement, but does allow for the confusion noted. On some radios, Rx Ant is just either on or off (period). On the other hand, I bet few of us suffer that same confusion twice. On Oct 21, 2014, at 10:39 PM, w7...@cox.net w7...@cox.net wrote: such as displays, do present some significant opportunities to EFFECTIVELY convey various pieces of info. It probably takes a real expert to do it right. I don't know if we have any of those in the ham radio business! At least I can't think of a radio that had a display that struck me as being really efficient. -- http://www.qrz.com/db/k7on __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
On 21/10/2014 01:18, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Those of us who have officially become olde phartes, no longer report such events to the statistical data base, and have no intention whatsoever of telling anyone how many times we *really* do that to ourselves. Being a fully paid up member of the Old Pharts Club if I make a change to the configuration I then make a backup. Then if I F*** it up, before I try anything else I do a restore that usually and somewhat, magically, cures the problem :-) The price for all that wonderful K3 technical flexibility. Absolutely. Clive G8POC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
I'm part of that club. I saved considerable time by going to the trouble shooting section of the manual. On page 65 I found this lovely section: No received signal: Check (1) receiver being squelched (if RF/SQL controls are assigned to squelch via CONFIG:SQ MAIN or SQ SUB, rotate squelch controls fully counter-clockwise); (2) RF GAIN too low (set RF gain controls fully clockwise); (3) bandwidth too narrow (set WIDTH or tap XFIL, and also verify filter configuration settings); (4) switching to an open receive antenna on the KXV3 (RX ANT IN); (5) switching the KAT3 to an open antenna jack; (6) CONFIG:REF CAL parameter not adjusted properly; (7) CONFIG:KXV3 may be set to TEST, which routes all RF through the XVTR IN/OUT jacks. 73 Bill AE6JV On 10/20/14 at 5:18 PM, k2av@gmail.com (Guy Olinger K2AV) wrote: Please note that at last count 98.91% of all K3 owners have pulled that wrong antenna per band stunt on themselves and spent at least an hour looking elsewhere for the problem. --- Bill Frantz| QRP: So you can talk about | Periwinkle (408)356-8506 | the ones that got away. | 16345 Englewood Ave www.pwpconsult.com | | Los Gatos, CA 95032 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Hi All, If there is a downside to the K3's size, the problem described in this thread demonstrates that. The rig is small, and so is the display. So, some of the displayed info gets overlooked easily. Still, there is a lot of info shown on the display, but much of it is in fine print! Which antenna you are using is one of those small print items. Or, maybe it's just that the info as to the antenna in use gets lost amid all the other info being displayed!!! Since my eyesight is slowly but surely going south on me, I tend to suffer from the small print issue--at least on occasion. In any event, I've committed the same sin as Fred did, and more than once. Most recently was when I was hearing about all sorts of activity on 6 meters, but I was hearing none. That went on for days until I realized I was listening on no antenna! Ask me how dumb I felt when I finally realized my error! I think Elecraft did a pretty good job arranging the K3's display of info, but surely it could have been a lot better. After all, nobody is perfect! Actually I strongly suspect that designing a proper display (regardless of how big or little it is) is more than just good organization. It's an art as well as a science! Probably there is some very esoteric psychological set of issues that would suggest that certain things be displayed a certain way, or with bigger font size, or whatever else you can do to make each piece of info stand out as necessary. Maybe if enough people are overlooking a key indicator on the display it could be enhanced by making it blink? I don't know what the solution really is. This may be a poor metaphor, but Fred's post made me think about all the times I went to a seminar, and the presenter had flip charts covered from corner to corner with all sorts of info listed in a very mundane way. In essence, the visual aids were so busy that not much of it sunk in. Compare that to someone who approaches making charts like this with a more modest amount of info on each page, or at least does a much better job of highlighting key info. Color coding helps, as does varying the size of key items. Underlining works too! Elecraft does employ a lot of techniques, but I can't say that they have done it as effectively as it could be. The point is that communication tools, such as displays, do present some significant opportunities to EFFECTIVELY convey various pieces of info. It probably takes a real expert to do it right. I don't know if we have any of those in the ham radio business! At least I can't think of a radio that had a display that struck me as being really efficient. Dave W7AQK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
On 10/20/2014 5:09 PM, Gene wrote: I have noticed that signals on 40 meters do not appear very strong on my K3. The audio and signal strength is very low. Other hams in the area hear signals S9 +5 while these only register S1 at best on the K3. Antenna type and height are almost identical as I have. Attenuator is not on and noise reduction has minimal effect. Turning up the RF gain does not help. Signals on other bands seem to be normal. Has anyone experienced this? Check to be sure you don't have the RX antenna input selected on 40m without an RX antenna connected. This feature is remembered per band. Gus Hansen KB0YH __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Gene, Do you have the correct antenna input selected? ANT1/2 if the KAT3 is installed, or RX ANT if the KXV3 is installed. It sounds like you may have the RX ANT selected rather than the main antenna. That is a per-band setting, so it would only be a problem on one band. 73, Don W3FPR On 10/20/2014 7:09 PM, Gene wrote: I have noticed that signals on 40 meters do not appear very strong on my K3. The audio and signal strength is very low. Other hams in the area hear signals S9 +5 while these only register S1 at best on the K3. Antenna type and height are almost identical as I have. Attenuator is not on and noise reduction has minimal effect. Turning up the RF gain does not help. Signals on other bands seem to be normal. Has anyone experienced this? __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Dear Gene, :)) Please note that at last count 98.91% of all K3 owners have pulled that wrong antenna per band stunt on themselves and spent at least an hour looking elsewhere for the problem. 95% of the 98.91 have done it twice. 90% of the 95 have done it three times or more. 50% of the 90 have trouble remembering that for more than six months at a stretch and do it again on a more or less semi-annual basis. Those of us who have officially become olde phartes, no longer report such events to the statistical data base, and have no intention whatsoever of telling anyone how many times we *really* do that to ourselves. The price for all that wonderful K3 technical flexibility. In any event, welcome to the Royalle Fraternitie of RX Antennae Selection F***-Ups. You have arrived. 73, Guy. On Mon, Oct 20, 2014 at 7:17 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Gene, Do you have the correct antenna input selected? ANT1/2 if the KAT3 is installed, or RX ANT if the KXV3 is installed. It sounds like you may have the RX ANT selected rather than the main antenna. That is a per-band setting, so it would only be a problem on one band. 73, Don W3FPR On 10/20/2014 7:09 PM, Gene wrote: I have noticed that signals on 40 meters do not appear very strong on my K3. The audio and signal strength is very low. Other hams in the area hear signals S9 +5 while these only register S1 at best on the K3. Antenna type and height are almost identical as I have. Attenuator is not on and noise reduction has minimal effect. Turning up the RF gain does not help. Signals on other bands seem to be normal. Has anyone experienced this? __ 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 k2av@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Aside from the well known fact that 86.41% of the adult population makes up their own statistics, I'm part of Guy's 98.91%. 30m was dead and infinite SWR. Wayne called me, said Let's start with the easy part ... and everyone can finish the story. I've now done it twice on my K3, second time I knew what to check. I had this same problem on 2m with my FT-847 on 2m FM, couldn't raise the local repeater ... 2m coax connected to the 6m connector, nothing in the 2m connector. No one called me from Japan. :-(( 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2015 Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015 - www.cqp.org On 10/20/2014 5:18 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Dear Gene, :)) Please note that at last count 98.91% of all K3 owners have pulled that wrong antenna per band stunt on themselves and spent at least an hour looking elsewhere for the problem. 95% of the 98.91 have done it twice. 90% of the 95 have done it three times or more. 50% of the 90 have trouble remembering that for more than six months at a stretch and do it again on a more or less semi-annual basis. Those of us who have officially become olde phartes, no longer report such events to the statistical data base, and have no intention whatsoever of telling anyone how many times we *really* do that to ourselves. The price for all that wonderful K3 technical flexibility. In any event, welcome to the Royalle Fraternitie of RX Antennae Selection F***-Ups. You have arrived. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Besides, 87.4% of all statistics are made up. On 10/20/2014 5:18 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote: Those of us who have officially become olde phartes, no longer report such events to the statistical data base, and have no intention whatsoever of telling anyone how many times we*really* do that to ourselves. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Besides, 87.4% of all statistics are made up. Therefore, it is very likely you just made up that number 87.4%. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] K3 on 40 meters
Numbers are like people. If you torture them enough they will tell you what you want. Terry, KQ5U On 10/20/2014 9:14 PM, Phil Hystad wrote: Besides, 87.4% of all statistics are made up. Therefore, it is very likely you just made up that number 87.4%. __ 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 tmyers1...@sbcglobal.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
