My practical experience is that miniature antennas do not work very well.
You end up with a miniature signal which is not much use with QRP.
I recently operated from Vanuatu as YJ0BJ and I used a Steppir CrankIR
vertical for 10 - 40m. It worked very well indeed and whilst it does not
assemble in
Phil,
as Merv, KH6/K9FD already said do not worry about the special antennas for
range below 500kHz if you want to start with just reception.
Simply use your current lowbands antenna 160/80m with good preselector
(BPF+preamp) and you are on board.
I am using this setup for 137kHz and it works
Peter,
check my MW stick short tests here:
http://topband.blog.cz/1011/mw-stick-vs-half-sloper-antenna-s-test
I am using it for several years as no one have enough RX antennas on LB
option and it is an interresting option. (do not compare it with Bevs or
Hi-Z...)
If You are interresting in the
On 19 Jul 2015, at 17:45, Wayne Burdick asked
Is the best antenna for backpacking a very small magnetic loop? A cleverly
designed, center-loaded telescoping whip? A length of #30 wire lofted by a
small helium balloon? (Or, more intriguingly, some combination of these?)
How about a
LOL.
Well, with poor ground conductivity, they become worm cookers. ;)
Dave AB7E
On 7/19/2015 9:59 PM, Phil Wheeler wrote:
Dave,
Re It's not going to radiate any lower than the horizon... -- I'd
swear, based on on-the-air results, that I've had a few antennas which
achieved that
So far, I've found nothing that comes close, and there's nothing more
frustrating than getting to the top and then finding the antenna you
have is doing a poor job. I now regard anything which relies on loading
coils with deep suspicion. That coil's usually doing a fine job of
converting RF to
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Well, I never operated from uncomfortable locations like above the tree
line, but my experience with portable antennas has been the same. Short
loaded antennas are not as good as wires. I prefer a dipole that can be
configured as a sloper, V, etc. I have a 33' collapsible fiberglass
pole that
I suggested this about two years ago as a DXpedition antenna for 160m.
With the right drone, it could hold up enough wire to continuously power
it, and with GPS it would automatically adjust for varying wind. It's
not a backpacking antenna, though ... far too much weight.
Dave AB7E
Yes, I too prefer to get wire in the sky, and an inverted-V dipole works
pretty well. I have one with link breaks in it so that it can quickly be
changed for different bands (using 2mm or 3mm radio-control power
connectors for the breaks because they're very small, light, and make a
good
One of the better sources of information and portable antennas is found
at http://www.dj0ip.de/antennas/ http://www.dj0ip.de/antennas/
Rick has some extensive test results on baluns and portable antennas on
his website. His OFCD antenna is an ideal back packing antenna covering
most all
Special driver. Sigh, more Windows-only ham software. A Telnet connection could
be used by hamlib.
wunder
K6WRU
CM87wj
http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
On Jul 20, 2015, at 1:53 AM, Dr. William J. Schmidt, II b...@wjschmidt.com
wrote:
Yes you can use it one of two ways... in TCP
While waiting the arrival of my K3S, the question arises for the
requirement for a Windows driver for USB connecton. Is there something
special required for Windows 7 Pro 64 bit system? I didn't see anything
in the Owners Manual, but I could have missed it too.
Also, is anyone aware of
Or for those who own a Navigator or similar interface, do not need the
new KXV3A interface board. They may already have a single USB connection
to the radio. Using the setup I have now, It took less than 30 minutes
to remote control my K-Line via my iPhone 6 plus yesterday, now if
someone just
On 20 July 2015 07:53:04 CEST, Dr. William J. Schmidt, II
b...@wjschmidt.com wrote:
Yes you can use it one of two ways... in TCP mode, there is a small
driver loaded on your PC that creates a pseudo RS232 port on the
computer that all your existing software connects to. Your software
thinks it's
Chris,
I can get it to work some... Use the little squares on the left to do
the cut, then use the actual data entry field to do the paste...
Not sure what Elecraft did for cut and paste, but it does not work as I
would expect it to work either.
--
Thanks and 73's,
For equipment, and software
FWIW, I have greatly reduced RFI issues by using rs-232 serial cable
connections. I went with them because I have found USB cables seem to be
pipelines for computer hash to get into my rigs. I just got tired of
experimenting with ferrites every time I changed computers or connection
schemes. I
Hi Bob,
When I got my K3 I decided to totally rebuild much as you did... Desk
is movable, and uses hangers for the cabling...
See:
http://nk7z.net/rebuilding-the-shack/
for photos of the back of the desk, not just the front...
--
Thanks and 73's,
For equipment, and software setups and
I am on my second KX3, having sold the first one and then find myself
missing it. However, I now find the KX3 routinely overheats in digital
modes. Specifically, at just 5 watts on WSPR with transmission time of 2
minutes (as regulated by WSPR software) the KX3 overheats HI TEMP at a
minute and
The KIO3B includes an FTDI-based serial port (drivers widely available
for all sorts of OSes and versions of same) and a UAC1-compliant CODEC
(driver built in to most OSes since late in the last millennium). It
works fine with DM780 and other digital mode programs, you just need to
set it up
My favorite all around travelling/hiking KX3 antenna is a 20 mtr endfed
half wave (EFHW) wire fed with an electrical quarter wave of TV
twinlead. See
http://w0vlz.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-portable-antenna.html With the
KX3/KXAT3 it will load up on 40, 30, 20, 17 and 10.
My 20 meter zepp
The KX3 operates well in most environments in modes with reasonable
key-down times. Recognizing that more and more operators are using
digital modes with extended key-down times, we recently replaced the
supplied heat sink of the KX3 with one having significantly more thermal
mass and
I found an unbuilt kit during a move, and now to get it built...
Anybody have the build instructions for the M3 Semi Analyzer kit ?? I cant
find them online, and the site is gone.
Will also be looking for an L/C/R kit in the near future if anyone has one
sitting around that is not going to
I would suspect Elecraft has adopted a trusted and proven USB interface,
maybe even that of FTDI in which case, if the drivers are not already on
your system, they are easily downloaded from the FTDI website. As the
new interface board in the K3s has its own USB Codec as I seem to
recall,
Forwarded Message
Subject:Re: Elecraft Digest, Vol 135, Issue 22
Date: Mon, 20 Jul 2015 07:47:56 -0600
From: ad0es ad...@ad0es.net
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
http://www.lantronix.com/device-networking/embedded-device-servers/xport.html
On 07/19/2015
I have adopted a plan in that regard. On digital modes I run my K3/100
adjusted to the point the PA just kicks in (around 12-13 watts). At that
point the 100W PA is loafing along and as far as I can determine
exhibits no overheating no matter how long a transmission I make on
PSK31 or any of
Given the need to support both audio sound card data and
RS-232 data, I would expect the USB driver in the K3S to first
simulate a USB hub and then these two USB devices. Someone with
a K3S can verify this, at least on a Mac, with the USB
information from the hardware information. On the mac
There is a hub on the KIO3B main board, with its downstream ports
connected to the Codec and to a FT232R USB/serial chip.
73,
matt
W6NIA
On Mon, 20 Jul 2015 07:43:29 -0700, you wrote:
Given the need to support both audio sound card data and
RS-232 data, I would expect the USB driver in the K3S
During field day, we trained up our GOTA ops to use CW Skimmer. I
suggested they could make QSOs as fast or faster than PSK, RTTY, or
voice. You can see some pics on QRZ searching NA3DX. It proved true.
Our setup used a KX3 at 5w, Win4K3 Suite providing Panadapter and radio
control interfacing,
If you are really connected to the earth and the resistance of the earth is
really infinite then your efficiency is zero and it has the same effect as if
you only have a shielded wire connected to the radiator. But this is
impossible in real life, but is you install a counterpoise that is
If you feed your antenna as a dipole, then your counterpoise is the lower leg.
Your radiation resistance will be low if your antenna is short. You need
something to raise it to about 50 ohms which will be either a coil across the
feed point or a capacitor. I have found that there are so few
Keep in mind that the self-supported antenna may not be on a mountaintop.
73 -- Lynn
On 7/20/2015 9:58 AM, Al Lorona wrote:
[I've re-named this thread. Was 'Miniature self-supporting HF Antennas'.]
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Not really. The drivers are available for windows, mac, and flavors of unix.
They are standard drivers.
Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ J68HZ 8P6HK ZF2HZ PJ4/K9HZ VP5/K9HZ PJ2/K9HZ
Owner - Operator
Big Signal Ranch – K9ZC
Staunton, Illinois
Owner – Operator
Villa Grand Piton - J68HZ
Hi Al,
As it happens, W6GJB and I are building a custom 80M vertical for FD use
on a mountaintop. As part of the design process, I've compared it to an
inverted Vee at the height where we could rig it without trees. The
model, of course, is for flatland, and while HFTA can tell us how
being
Yes that is where i started. With one of those outboard boxes a couple of years
ago. I found it easy to condense the whole thing into the K3. The part I'm
working in now is the VOIP integration so that with just a single connection,
you can be completely remote.
Dr. William J. Schmidt - K9HZ
There is plenty of Ethernet-to-RS-232 hardware around if you want to roll
your own.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RS232-RS485-to-TCP-IP-Ethernet-Serial-Device-Server-NEW-/301230345289?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0hash=item4622ba4c49
$19, connect via TCP, TCP Server, or UDP, UDP server.
I find surplux Moxa
[I've re-named this thread. Was 'Miniature self-supporting HF Antennas'.]
When the ground is perfect, that's the best case for a vertical antenna. If the
ground becomes worse than ideal, then the losses increase and performance is
not as good and the pattern changes: less radiation to the
I would like to ask a few questions before I start connecting cables.
For the past 2 years I've used the 15 pin ACC port from the K3 to SPE
expert 2KFA , this is working FB ! Now I want to add a Band Decoder auto
coax switch ! I have the correct Y-cable, it checks out pin for pin.
I'll wire to
On Mon,7/20/2015 7:34 AM, Niel Wiegand wrote:
My favorite all around travelling/hiking KX3 antenna is a 20 mtr
endfed half wave (EFHW) wire fed with an electrical quarter wave of TV
twinlead. See
http://w0vlz.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-portable-antenna.html With
the KX3/KXAT3 it will load
FB Bill,
Yes, I have a couple of the boards. My career is in telecom/VoIP...
software, rather than hardware.
What microprocessor you using? Are you using open source software? I'd be
interested to know which
one.
Essentially, you are doing RemoteRig over, in a different form factor.
This is
Has the Temperature Compensation been done on that KX3 ??
http://www.elecraft.com/manual/KX3%20Custom%20VFO%20TC%20rev%20A9.pdf
I routinely run m KX3 at 5 watts using WSPR WSJT-X for JT65/JT9
modes.The Temperature Compensation has been done, along with the
replacement of the standard
The one I got bitten by was the one reviewed here:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1378
It isn't too bad for the top end of HF when most of the adjusting coil
is not involved, but performance drops off dramatically once more than
about a third of the adjustable coil is exposed. If you've
Look for a Genasun GV10-PB. MPPT, dead quiet. I'm using one with a pair
of Trojan 6V flooded lead acid batteries and a couple of 60W panels. The
link below may be the best price.
Terrible spelling, Buddipole, Sorry.
Mel, K6KBE
From: Mel Farrer farrerfo...@yahoo.com
To: David Gilbert xda...@cis-broadband.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 2:38 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Miniature self-supporting HF antennas
A
Ed,
I've been using a Morningstar Prostar PS15M for several years, connected
between my G.E. 72 watt solar panel and a bank of AGM batteries in the shack.
The batteries run my K3, KX3, and KAT500, in addition to a 12v desk lamp. I
have zero RFI from this device.
Jim Bennett / W6JHB
Folsom,
.I tried my KX3 on digi modes and gave it up for this reason. I could run my
FT-817 all day,but can't get 5 minutes from the KX3 at 5w..heck,I've even
had mine shut down running ssb on 6m outside in the summer.
Only cure I found was to run about 1 watt or less
Scott W0SGM
KM4VX wrote
I am on
Louis,
Contact Elecraft (pa...@elecraft.com) and ask if you can obtain the bags
of parts for the K2 RF Board.
Unless you have a goodly stock of resistors and capacitors, that is
likely to be the less expensive that ordering the parts one at a time.
The only caution I can give is that some
On Mon, Jul 20, 2015 at 3:56 PM, David Gilbert xda...@cis-broadband.com
wrote:
...properly built coils aren't nearly as bad as you say
===
True, but even with a high-Q coil a typical base-loaded antenna inevitably
has low efficiency. This is the consequence of the fact that a
A good example is the Biddipole concept.
Mel, K6KBE
From: David Gilbert xda...@cis-broadband.com
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2015 1:56 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Miniature self-supporting HF antennas
In general, properly built coils aren't nearly as bad as
On Mon,7/20/2015 1:56 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
It all depends on the rest of the antenna, and yes, a very short
antenna with a crummy coil in the wrong place is going to suck. But
some of the best antennas on the market right now use coil loading
very effectively.
There was an excellent
Lyle: Thank you. My KX3 was purchased last week so I am confident it has the
new heat sink. I have adjusted WSPR to 3 watts and it works. Since the radio
does warm up I am going to use a computer fan to aid the heat sink. I
believe Elecraft should have upgraded to a better heat sink. I do not
In general, properly built coils aren't nearly as bad as you say they
are. It is possible to build coils with a Q of several hundred, and if
you do the math you'll see that the resulting loss is essentially
trivial. It all depends on the rest of the antenna, and yes, a very
short antenna
Since I carry my KX3 into the backwoods, I am glad mine doesn't have
a heavier heat sink that is an aid to high duty cycle digital modes. Easy
enough to blow some air by it when not portable to avoid the issues in
those modes.
To each his own.
Chip
AE5KA
I'm getting a package of info together and will respond soon.
Tony KT0NY
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This
For those wanting info on mobile installations, here is a website that
has plenty of very good information. Some can be adapted for apartment,
condo and other types of dwellings.
http://www.k0bg.com/
73 Bob, K4TAX
On 7/20/2015 2:50 PM, Tony Estep wrote:
I'm getting a package of info
Hello All:
I started to build a K2 a ways back, and since then have lost some of the packs
of components (e.g. The resistors listed on p.48, Assembly Part II.
I have completed the build up through and including Part I, but now I don't
know that I can finish it. Can the basic components be
I have a MPPT controller and they produce a lot of radio interference.
From what I understand PWM also cause radio interference. I believe
that the older diversion controllers are quiet. Normally they would
waste a lot of energy but if one were running enough equipment so the
battery was
I am using K3 Utility and, in the past, have been happily downloading
firmware onto my computer for use on several K3s here as well as my
brother's K3. In the last few days, I have been trying to update my K3 to a
newer firmware release but keep getting an error message that Access is
denied
Small dimension and weight dictate thin wires, say gauge 26-28. A magnetic
loop is relatively heavy for portable QRP.
Verticals made of piece of wire are great over salt water or when conditions
are great. For support I use 25ft pole collapsible to 2 ft. Away from the
sea, two long wires made
KM4VX wrote:
I now find the KX3 routinely overheats in digital modes.
Ron, there is a test report on our website showing the difference between stock
Elecraft and our Kx31 heatsink at:
https://proaudioeng.com/products/pae-kx31-heatsink-kit/
Click on the 'Testing' tab to read the procedure
Louis,
Take a complete inventory of what you need and then call Elecraft. They
are still selling this kit. With the great customer service they offer, I'll
bet they can supply you with what you need at minimal cost if it is just a bag
of components like resistors. Good luck and keep us
Ok, so I've removed the KPA100 completely, and disconnected the KAT2 serial
and RF connections. I connected my W2 watt meter on the output of ANT2 of
the KAT100, and the LOAD side of the sensor to a 50 ohm dummy load. The
readings and indications I got are as follows:
160M1.00:1 No LED
I have yet to encounter a thermal shutdown. The only time I had a
power fallback was in France during an extended CW QSO with my brother
at an ambient temperature of 31 degrees Celsius.
I did the temp. calibration by the way.
KX3 nr 3244. Never whispered with it, I have a dedicated TX for that
The extended Temp Compensation will not help with a hi temperature problem.
What it will do is reduce the frequency drift over a wide frequency
range - so for maintaining frequency stability while the KX3 is heating
up, yes that stability will be increased. The temperature problem with
Jeremy,
Do not order alternatives for use in the wattmeters. Use only 1N5711s
if you want the best voltage response vs. frequency.
Those parameters are not specified. Elecraft chose those diodes long
ago based on testing for that frequency response.
If you are looking for alternatives, and
Jeremy, why not order the diodes from Elecraft and be sure you get the
correct ones?
73!
Ken - K0PP
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Post:
Jeremy,
Your first link resulted in an error 404, but the 2nd showed a diode
that I believe may be a specialty version. It was highly overpriced at
over $11 each. The Aligent data sheet for the 1N5711 shows it to be a
15 ma device.
You would do better to order from Elecraft. Order E560004 -
Ok, redid the tests in CAL mode with the following results:
160M 1.03:1 No LED indication on KAT100. K2 showed 1.0:1 Hi Current
warning
80M 1.03:1 No LED indication on KAT100. K2 showed 1.0:1 Hi Current
warning
60M 1.02:1 No LED indication on KAT100. K2 showed 1.0:1 Hi Current
I use KI0BK's Solar controller, $40 plus shipping, controls up to 170 watt
panels, has PP connectors, no RFI. Built by a ham. Note that input and
output are configured differently. Well satisfied.
ki0bk.no-ip.com/~pwrgate/LLPG/Site/Solar.html
Darryl, KK5IB
--
View this message in context:
Jeremy,
Hopefully you had the ATU menu set to CAL for those tests. If not,
please re-do the measurements.
Assuming that you were set for ATU CAL, I can offer these comments:
With the configuration you have now - KAT2 and KPA100 out of the
picture, those results indicate that 1) the KAT100
The diodes I was looking at were 1N5711, but they were either 70V 15mA
(http://www.digikey.ca/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?DetailitemSeq=176360177uq=635730153536694158)
or 70V 33mA
(http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en/discrete-semiconductor-products/diodes-rectifiers-single/1376383?k=1n5711).
I
Ron, I don't have a KX3, but from what I can recall, everyone who has ran that
Temp Compensation deal has been very satisfied and said that it helps .
Maybe someone who has done the compensation could comment .
73) Milverton. /W9MMS.
From: KM4VX ronce...@earthlink.net
To:
What are the specs for the diodes? I'm seeing 70V 15mA as the common size.
--
View this message in context:
http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KAT100-Tuning-Failure-tp7605018p7605166.html
Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
On Mon,7/20/2015 3:10 PM, James Bennett wrote:
I've been using a Morningstar Prostar PS15M
I don't recall the model number, but the Morningstar I encountered on a
sailboat was quite noisy.
73, Jim K9YC
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Ron the problem is that digital modes run key-down for long periods
of time. No radio (except an Alpha amp is designed to do that). As
Lyle states it is a thermal issue and not a digital design issue.
Either run less power to keep from overheating or consider installing
a bigger heat sink.
I suspect the denial is at your end, not Elecraft's. Make sure the
directory you are FTPing *into* allows you access. Make sure the target
directory is still the correct one. If it is, try running the Elecraft
utility as administrator.
73, Guy K2AV
On Monday, July 20, 2015, Dave Olean
Hi all,
First post here.
Can the KX3 RX I/Q output be used with the CW Skimmer program?
Anyone any experience with this…love to hear.
Gerard VK2JNG
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19 rack on castors with two tethered cables - coax to remote antenna switch
and mains power (UPS with microseconds switch mounted on rack). Oh,
actually I haven't used this rack of QRO equipment since discovering QRP a
couple of years ago.
73 de ken ke4rg
When the debate is lost, slander
Hi Ron,
I've never run my KX3 on digital as it came out of the box but from the testing
I've done I think you're going to struggle with digital until you add a
third-party heatsink. I installed the VE7FMN heatsink after experiencing
overheating issues running SSB on 10m in California summer
Has anyone knowledge of placing a k-line on a desktop in such a way that it is
secure when the desktop is in a motorhome?
I have some ideas of course but looking for something better perhaps.
Thanks
Gary
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