A friend (who is a mechanic at heart) threw together a 4 element quad for 2
meters, along with a moxon for 2 meter sat work. The feed for the 4 element
quad is *straight* coax. To an ugly balun below the antenna.. It feeds at 50
ohm rather nicely. And easy to build. (Spreaders are just
Exactly the way it should be, Arlen. You do NOT have a problem.
Congrats, de Milt, N5IA
-Original Message-
From: Arlen Fletcher
Sent: Friday, April 04, 2014 9:24 PM
To: Elecraft Mailing List
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 S-meter question
I’ve just completed building my K3/10 (S/N 8115)!!!
This is typical of HF receivers from years past-- meter indicates
increasing AGC as you reduce the RF gain; only stronger signals will
flicker above the meter's reduced sensitivity indication.
Supposedly this could be changed in a SDR radio. Some have requested
that the meter not respond in this
Yeah, this is normal behavior.
Same thing happens on my 857D and all other's radios (i hear).
You didn't do anything wrong.
Slava, W2RMS
On Apr 5, 2014, at 8:22 AM, drewko drew...@verizon.net wrote:
This is typical of HF receivers from years past-- meter indicates
increasing AGC as you reduce
Hello,
Have you always wanted an Elecraft? A KX1, K1, K2, K3, whatever?
I build and service them all!
See what my clients have said about my construction and
service work at http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/6768
In addition to tuning your rig, I can also rescue a building
project you might
As you back off the RF Gain (CCW), the minimum signal that can be
copied and that registers on the S Meter is a higher value. With the
RF Gain set fully CW (greatest gain), you're copying the weakest
signal the rig is capable of. These differences are shown by the S
Meter.
You should run RF
PX3 photo can be found here:
http://www.elecraft.com/manual/PX3%20Data%20Sheet%20rev%20B1a.pdf
I notice that the Elecraft Order site shows the PX3 only, no accessories. I
am wondering about the cables for connecting it to the KX3 pass thru and so
forth. I would assume that there will be cables
No extra cables needed. The cable between PX3 and KX3 is included. Plug the
existing KXUSB or KXSER into the PX3 instead of the KX3 for rig control and
logging.
73,
Eric (at Visalia)
elecraft.com
---
Sent from my iPhone 5S
On Apr 5, 2014, at 7:53 AM, ke9uw c-haw...@illinois.edu wrote:
PX3
Too early, Chuck. No manual, either! It may
interface via the cable set they already sell for
the KX3: Dunno.
Patience, Grasshopper :-)
73, Phil W7OX
On 4/5/14, 7:53 AM, ke9uw wrote:
PX3 photo can be found here:
http://www.elecraft.com/manual/PX3%20Data%20Sheet%20rev%20B1a.pdf
I notice
Fred (KE7X) is in the Elecraft booth at Visalia this weekend. A photo or
two of him would be welcomed by those of us here in Montana who can't be
there.
73 - Ken / Rose
elecraftcov...@gmail.com
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Please consider the possibility of offering an enclosure option for the P3.
In many cases, it would be nice to have the P3 in a case footprint similar
to the PX3. Perhaps with the sheet metal design work already done for the
PX3, this would not be cost prohibitive. Possible?
73,
Bruce
N1RX
Hi,
Can anyone point me at some resources to better understand why I want a
K3, as opposed to keeping my Icom 756 Pro III? I am considering the
purchase of a K3/100, I saw a presentation on it at our club meeting,
liked what I saw very much and would like to get more input from people
actually
I'd like to see Elecraft fixing the KX3's bugs before moving on to the next product. In particular,
the horrible thumping QSK needs to be fixed ASAP.
See: 2013 Contest Radio Performance talk by Rob Sherwood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOf2OOGeGi8
(Jump to 17 min 23 sec)
QSK a big
... and the absolute S-Meter Mode isn't implemented until now, too...
73 de Uwe, DL4AC
Am 05.04.2014 18:06 schrieb Mark Newbold m...@dogfeathers.com:
I'd like to see Elecraft fixing the KX3's bugs before moving on to the
next product. In particular, the horrible thumping QSK needs to be fixed
I have 4 active hams living within 1/2 mile of me, and while
the Pro III works well, I can tell from de-sense that others are
on when
one of them operates. The band scope of the PRO III will show
an
increased base line across the entire scope... All 4 run a KW.
The increased base line sounds
No doubt the blocking abilities of the K3 should be of interest to you
under those circumstances.
I went through what you are doing a couple of years ago. Wound up trying
a FLEX, which lasted about three weeks before it was returned to the
manufacturer. My reason for return was a lack of
Have you read the reviews at eHam, Dave? They
seems to represent a broad spectrum of users.
I upgraded (from a K2/100) to K3/P3 a month ago or
so and really enjoy it. But I don't have your
local situation. My one active nearby ham uses a
K3/P3/KPA500/KAT500 -- and I've now upgraded to
It appears in the photo that the RX3 plugs into the KX3 directly. Whatever
cables you would plug into the KX3 just plug into the PX3.
Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill
On Apr 5, 2014, at 10:53 AM, ke9uw c-haw...@illinois.edu wrote:
PX3 photo can be found here:
Hi Dave (K6LL),
Thanks for that thought, but I am pretty sure it is not their rigs...
Here is my reasoning for why I think that:
One rig is a K3, and an AL-1500, about 1/2 mile from me, and line of
sight. One of the the others is a 756 PRO III, and I don't know what
amp, about a half mile from
I believe a similar problem exists to some extent on the K3. You really
need to use the RF gain, NR an other noise mitigating methods to
eliminate thumping when in QSK mode on the K3. IF you have a very quiet
environment you might be OK. I usually run the K3 on Semi-BK in and run
the delay to
David...
Obviously, virtually everyone here has an Elecraft product, with the K3
being the big item. So, you'll no doubt get lots of feedback from
different perspectives, emphasizing different specs. All will no doubt
be helpful in making your decision. My comments...
- the company: you just
Bill,
Thank you for your thoughts here! You inadvertently answered a question
I was going to ask, about the K3 vs. the current Flex product. Thank
you again!
I have a request in the Yahoo groups to join as well, so I should be
able to get more data as needed.
In my wanderings across the net
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the tip, I am still sorting through them all...
It is difficult to sort out the I love this rig because I just spent 5K
on it, vs., the I love this rig because I understand it posts. :)
--
Support better RFI practices, please sign this petition:
at Whitehouse.gov
When is the PX3 going to be available for shipping?
You mentioned several software-firmware updates for the PX3 that are planned.
What is the general schedule for each of these updates after initial product
shipment?
When is the manual for the PX3 going to be available?
73
Allen Patterson,
Hi,
is the frequency responce of the KX3-IQ really flat over 250 kHz?
73 de Uwe, DL4AC
-- Weitergeleitete Nachricht --
Von: Allen Patterson all...@cryptosafe.com
Datum: 05.04.2014 19:03
Betreff: [Elecraft] PX3
An: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Cc:
When is the
Hi Robers,
Thanks for the nice overview, Is there any issue you might be aware of
that might cause Elecraft to cease production of the K3, or go away as a
company?
The reasons I ask is I just had a friend who spent $5K on a CCD camera
for his telescope, only to find the company got bought days
David,
Just checked out your QTH -- with your 7 area call sign I was wondering if you
were nearby. Well, Eugene is not that nearby for a casual trip over. I am in
Kirkland, WA.
A friend of mine lives in that area and maybe you know of him. His name is
Riley and his call sign is W7RIL. We
ORIGINAL MESSAGE: (may be snipped)
On 4/5/2014 8:58 AM, David Cole wrote:
Hi,
Can anyone point me at some resources to better understand why I want a
K3, as opposed to keeping my Icom 756 Pro III?
REPLY:
Pro: My favorite thing about the K3 is actually the panadaptor, the P3.
I have an inrad roofing filter installed to the PRO III. Does this
still sound like Phase Noise to you?
Yes, phase noise in your 756ProIII. The phenomena is called reciprocal
mixing - the phase noise from your own synthesizer appears on any strong
signal within the passband.
Icom rigs are
Hi Bill,
Thanks for your insight, the pro/con list helps a lot. Yes, the
Panadaptor is a wonderful selling point, and something I can not live
without anymore. The Pro III spoiled me in that way.
One thing I was not clear on in the demo, just how wide can the
panadaptor be made to show?
--
Hi Joe,
Thank you for that, I have wondered what it was for years!
--
Support better RFI practices, please sign this petition:
at Whitehouse.gov
http://wh.gov/lpz5Y
On Sat, 2014-04-05 at 13:32 -0400, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
I have an inrad roofing filter installed to the PRO III. Does
One thing I was not clear on in the demo, just how wide can the
panadaptor be made to show?
200 KHz.
73,
... Joe, W4TV
On 4/5/2014 1:36 PM, David Cole wrote:
Hi Bill,
Thanks for your insight, the pro/con list helps a lot. Yes, the
Panadaptor is a wonderful selling point, and
Joe,
Have you, (or anyone else), anything to say about the Noise Filtering
the K3 has? I have a VERY noisy environment on 40 meters here, we live
in Oregon, and lots of farmers and their lights in the area... How does
the K3 deal with that sort of RFI?
--
Support better RFI practices, please
Any hope of a P3 (no bells and whistles) with the PX3 form factor?
73 de Brian/K3KO
-
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2247 / Virus Database: 3722/6804 - Release Date: 04/05/14
__
David,
If you have enough hams setting up and using enough of anything,
eventually they will do everything wrong. :-))
So far, all the bad transmit audio threads on this list that I can
remember were problems external to the K3, and to the best of my
knowledge, Elecraft has done nothing to
Dave,
You might want to review the method used by the ARRL for their
blocking and IMD testing. For these tests they use an extremely narrow
bandwidth, maybe as narrow as 10 or 20 Hz. Completely unrealistic for
any normal use.
What you want to look at is the *lower* of BDR/IMD *or*
Highly unlikely, Dave. Elecraft started in 1998 or
so and has grown by measured steps, well planned
from all appearances, vs. a flash in the pan. The
K3 was preceded by the K2, K1, KX1 and several
other products, all introduced slowly and with
great support. As a result Elecraft has a very
* On 2014 05 Apr 12:55 -0500, David Cole wrote:
Joe,
Have you, (or anyone else), anything to say about the Noise Filtering
the K3 has? I have a VERY noisy environment on 40 meters here, we live
in Oregon, and lots of farmers and their lights in the area... How does
the K3 deal with that
Pet Peeve Alert: A steep Learning curve is a good thing!
A steep learning curve means that you acquire each 'unit' of knowledge (the
rise) in a short time (the run), which is good (rise/run = a large
number means you are gaining lots knowledge in a short time). A shallow
learning curve means that
Dave,
Elecraft is in good financial shape and is *not* running on borrowed money.
Consider also that Elecraft still sells and supports every product that
they have developed, and that includes their first product, the K2 first
available in 1999. I am certain the K3 will be around for a very
Good question. I have run at 192 KHz. with the sound card I have, a
Steinberg UR22. The display I see using NaP3 shows a non-flat response.
In fact, there are some words about this in the KX3 manual.
73,
Barry
K3NDM
On 4/5/2014 1:07 PM, Uwe Hermanns wrote:
Hi,
is the frequency responce of
I was talking to an Elecraft Technical Support person last week about my
plan to purchase my 2nd K3. I assembled one back in 2009, used it for about
three weeks and sold it. Now. after trying numerous other bands and models,
I am back looking at the K3 again. He asked why I didn't keep the 1st one
So that sounds like it can be used with the 1st IF of the K3. Having
both radios that makes the PX3 even more attractive. Size is really
nice for portable operating with KX3. And feed thru of computer
control of KX3, nice!
Guess we need to add to the piggy bank for one!
73, Ed
On Apr 4,
Hi Dave!
A few months before i bought my K3 i bought the K3 book by KE7X.
That is probably the main reason that i subsequently bought the rig.
Slava, W2RMS
On Apr 5, 2014, at 11:58 AM, David Cole d...@nk7z.net wrote:
Hi,
Can anyone point me at some resources to better understand why I want
Ed,
In my current ignorance, I don't know if the PX3 has an RF input. The
literature says it uses the RX I/Q as input - which means it will not
handle the 8 MHz IF output of the K3.
It may be possible if one feeds the K3 IF output to an SDR device
(Softrock RX, LP-Pan, SDR-IQ, etc) which does
Hi,
Thanks for the tip, I just ordered it.
--
Support better RFI practices, please sign this petition:
at Whitehouse.gov
http://wh.gov/lpz5Y
On Sat, 2014-04-05 at 15:03 -0400, Slava Baytalskiy wrote:
Hi Dave!
A few months before i bought my K3 i bought the K3 book by KE7X.
That is
Hi Don and All,
Wayne already answered this question. The PX3 is designed to accept
the KX3's I/Q outputs and will not work with the K3's IF output. I
belive Wayne anticipated this type of quesion and posted a note
specifically to answer it.
73,
matt W6NIA
On Sat, 05 Apr 2014 15:17:00 -0400,
Hi Everyone,
The latest release of Win4K3Suite now has integrated Club Log spotting
functionality.
If you currently have a Club Log account, Win4K3Suite will allow you full point
and click QSY to spots that are filtered by your Club Log profile. In addition,
if you use the KX3 Spectrum
I ordered the firmware for 60 metet option for k2. What I got says kx1 1.02.
Looked at kx1 manual the firmware chip is same number of pins. Couldnt read
sticker. What would the 60meter firmware sticker say not kx1 right?
WT5Y
Sent from my Cricket smartphone
I though I read 200 kHz (like P3). It may not matter about flat because this is
a dedicated device so it can correct any deviations in the radio.
Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill
On Apr 5, 2014, at 1:07 PM, Uwe Hermanns uherma...@t-online.de wrote:
Hi,
is the frequency responce of the
Hmm. I don't think it uses any IF, I read it as I/Q (audio spectrum) with
ability to show frequency adjusted for offset.
Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill
On Apr 5, 2014, at 2:56 PM, Edward R Cole kl...@acsalaska.net wrote:
So that sounds like it can be used with the 1st IF of the K3.
Hi all,
Nice rig, and thanks to all for answering... I have formulated the
first, (of many-- I am sure), questions.
Can the second RX be phase shifted relative to the main RX in order to
try some RFI cancellation?
It strikes me that a local RFI source will maintain a relatively stable
phase
Read the data sheet.
The PX3 uses the KX3’s baseband RX I/Q signals. It is not compatible with the
8.2-MHz I.F. signal from the K3.
http://www.elecraft.com/manual/PX3%20Data%20Sheet%20rev%20B1a.pdf
wunder
K6WRU
On Apr 5, 2014, at 1:56 PM, Edward R Cole kl...@acsalaska.net wrote:
So that
Yes. I posted the text from the manual two days ago in the KX3 list.
The RX I/Q outputs from a receiver are not “flat” over an infinite frequency
range; the signal-conversion process results in some slope (decrease in gain)
as you move farther from the center frequency. In the case of the KX3,
Yes, John, I agree with you. A steep learning curve gives me the drive to
learn. I did read the manual of K3 and the KE7X's book from cover to cover so
as to learn every bit of K3.
The kit assembly process (not building since no soldering) also gives me the
chance to know the architecture of
Hi Ed,
no, just baseband audio. Maybe you mixed up kHz and MHz when I was
asking for 8 kHz? That's not the 8.215 MHz IF of the K3. ;-)
73, Olli
Contest, DX radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de
Am 05.04.2014 20:56, schrieb Edward R Cole:
So that sounds like it can be used with the 1st IF
Don is certainly right. But what I've been wondering already is what
will happen to Elecraft if Wayne Eric will retire? I know there's a
real great crew at Elecraft now but hey, they are the master minds,
aren't they? ;-)
73, Olli
Contest, DX radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de
Am
Yep. That what I was questioning. I, too, remembered those words. I also
know it will take more than just inserting an amplifier with inverse
gain characteristics. I know it can be done. However, that doesn't sate
my curiosity as to how they did it. I just hope the solution isn't
proprietary.
I bet they digitize it as early as possible, then use an FIR filter to reshape
it. Or scale the values after they FFT, since that is already in the frequency
domain. The scale values would be a vector of constants, so it would be really
fast and wouldn't even add delay (the bane of FIR
Hi Oliver.
Succession is always a problem for a company which needs 'creativity'. Wayne,
a clever and brilliant engineer, and Eric, an excellent marketing profession,
are the key personnel.
I trust there is still some time and no immediate hurry for them to think about
succession.
Anyway, I
The trick is to be older than either Wayne and Eric. I am older than both of
them so no worries on my part. Besides, I am already retired and I am pretty
sure that neither Wayne nor Eric are thinking of retiring in the next couple of
years.
If that happens though, there are so many excellent
Fellow Hams, One of you wanted me to name my heatsinks. They have now
officially been christened Cooler KX . The first production run is fully
subscribed and the final in stock heatsink is on it's way to Sweden in 2
days(04/07/14). Pre-orders are being taken to gauge if there is further
interest.
Hi Bruce. I was looking at the PX3 case today. It's not very deep and the
current P3 won't fit in there. And Eric did confirm that.
Some people have cut the stock P3 sides, top and bottom shorter to achieve
a similar profile.
73 jeff wk6i
On Saturday, April 5, 2014, Bruce Beford
In my transition to Win7, I added a 2 port serial PCI card (NewEgg purchase
-- Sunix 5037A) to my Dell PC. I was going to use one of these 2 ports to
communicate with my K3 Utility terminal program. Very handy CW / RTTY
application. Shortly after installation I made a nice contact on 30m RTTY
I was hoping to get a hint from the manual as well as answer a few other
questions, But it isn't on line yet.
The IQ data coming out of the KX3 is analog. It could be that they are,
in fact, feeding an A/D converter directly. The rest would be just some
software and a look up table. I guess I
It was disappointing to hear some of the SSB signals from VK9MT, especially
on 20 metres late Wednesday 2/4 , the transmit audio especially on that
occasion was weak and distorted.
I had similar bad Tx audio reports when I took my K3 to Norfolk Island VK3NT
which was never completely resolved,
Good Afternoon,
Here are the outstanding net reports for March. One week was posted
previously.
73,
Kevin. KD5ONS Net Control Operator 5th Class
Outstanding March Net Reports
March 2, 2014
On 14049.5 kHz at 2300z:
NO8V - John -
Bill,
It is usually more effective to put the ferrite on the feedline. A good
current choke at the antenna feedpoint, and perhaps another at the shack
entry end.
If the feedline runs away from the radiator at right angles and is not
otherwise run in the field of the antenna, the one at the
They planned the creation and evolution of
Elecraft over the last 15 years very well. I
suspect they've done some succession planning,
too. Anyway, I'm not too concerned: Wayne is a tad
over 20 years younger than I :-)
73, Phil W7OX
On 4/5/14, 4:22 PM, Oliver Dröse wrote:
Don is certainly
Yes, the I/Q signal from the KX3 goes through an analog buffer directly
into a two-channel analog to digital converter. All processing is then
done digitally by the DSP. Correcting the frequency response is a
simple matter of multiplying the frequency points by the correct number
before they
What kind of cables are you using between the PC and the K3? If shielded, are
you sure the shields are connected to the DE9 shell at both ends? The RF
_could_ be getting into the conductors and causing problems in the
computer/serial card and not actually the K3. The computer could then be
I just ordered KE7X's book, and will use it to help me understand how to
configure my order for a rig. Based on all the positive reports, here,
and in many private emails, I will be ordering a fully loaded K3
shortly. I am a firm believer in user base support, and my God this
radio has that! It
Hi Bill,
I've had RF problems with powered speakers and with USB. In my case,
the antenna is more than 50 feet from the shack location. Some RF was
getting into the speaker input or circuitry anyway. Since it also got
into the USB, I also isolated the computer.
The antenna is not resonant
When is the PX3 going to be available for shipping?
You mentioned several software-firmware updates for the PX3 that are
planned.
What is the general schedule for each of these updates after initial
product shipment?
When is the manual for the PX3 going to be available?
Allen Patterson,
Sir, I am trying to sell some amateur radio gear for my father who is moving
and due to health reasons will be unable to keep his gear. Here is the ad that
I want to post. Are you able to post this for me? I'm not sure if this is the
right way to post ads in this forum so please advise if I am
Yes, I have seen the user-modified P3 units. I am still hoping Elecraft will
offer a set of panels to repackage the P3 into a shallow case, similar to
the PX3.
73
Bruce N1RX
_
From: Jeff Stai [mailto:wk6i.j...@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 05, 2014 8:05 PM
To: Bruce Beford
Cc:
If you ever want a demo of a K3 or KX3, I would be more than happy to do
so. I live 20 mi south of Annapolis MD. I have done so for many members
of our club and their non-club friends. I have even demo'd the KX3 to our
club to show winlink use.
I think about 4 or 5 have purchased KX3s so
I thought this sounded fishy. Be aware this post came via the
Netherlands, IP 82.192.90.130 and Japan 180.42.37.37 Draw your own
conclusions.
Gary
KA1J
Sir, I am trying to sell some amateur radio gear for my father who
is moving and due to health reasons will be unable to keep his gear.
I want to thank all the K3 owners in my area for their kind responses. It
really speaks well of the owners willingness to help clarify questions.
73,
Tom
N3XQ
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On 04/05/2014 05:22 PM, cjac...@gmail.com wrote:
I usually work on a very good antistatic which is silicone rubber as
well so hot solder won't affect it, but I do not wear a strap. I just
put my hands, the boards, etc. on the mat when I work.
It is possible to be static-safe without a mat or
Elecraft K3/100 Serial Number 6175, with:
KXV3A Receive ANT IF out and XVRTR Interface board
KTCX03-1 High Accuracy 0.1ppm Reference Oscillator
KDVR3 Digital Voice Recorder board
KBPF3 General Coverage Receive module
Standard 5 pole 2.7khz filter
K3EXREF External Reference Input
New Kit cost is:
Don,
I mistook the statement: Will it support both 0 ans 8 kHz
IF? to be 8-MHz and knowing the K3 IF to be 8.215 MHz jumped to a
wrong conclusion. I would have known had I first read the
announcement. You are the fifth person to notify me of my error.
Since the PX3 takes audio baseband
David,
I ran an Icom 756 Pro III prior to purchasing my K3. I really liked the
ProIII, but some things that come to mind about my decision roughly
1.5yr ago are:
- Repair on the ProIII would have been difficult as compared to the K3
where I built the kit and am comfortable swapping parts.
Good Evening,
Spring is gradually awakening the plants and bringing more birds
each day. The local marsh is noisy with the frogs, toads, and water
fowl. Even though it is warming there have been few sunny hours during
the week; mostly shades of grey with many showers and a few ice pellet
If I were to buy the K3 subreceiver I understand that performance is best if
the filters all line up and match. That is, the filters in the main receiver
should be duplicated in the subreceiver.
So, what is the downside if this is not done. The main reason I am considering
the KRX3 is for DX
The weekly Elecraft SSB net meets tomorrow (Sunday, 4/6/14) at 1800z on 14.3035
MHz. I will be NCS from western Oregon. See you there.
73,
Phil, NS7P
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Once, before my K3 lost its mind, if I keyed the VOX during the playing of
a recorded message, the message would stop. Now nothing but a button push
on REC will stop it. Rather unhandy for contest operating.
What am I forgetting?
--
Dick - K4XU
Phil,
I don' t think it is necessary to have the same number of filters in
each receiver. My K3 main RX has 13khz, 6khz, 2.8khz, 500hz, and 200hz
filters. My subreciever has 13khz, 2.8khz and 500hz filters. This gives
me great flexibility with the subreciever and saved me lots of money,
Ah!!! That makes sense. Thank you Matt, and all those that responded. I
appreciate your attempts to educate me. :-)
73
Arlen AA7F
On Apr 5, 2014, at 7:38 AM, Matt Zilmer mzil...@roadrunner.com wrote:
As you back off the RF Gain (CCW), the minimum signal that can be
copied and that
90 matches
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