Re: [Elecraft] Problem with K3Util v1.4.1.8 on Ubuntu Linux
Hi Dick, The problem is with the new GTK+ library that installs with all the variants of Ubuntu 11.04 (ie Kubuntu, etc). I'm working on an updated version of the K3 Utility that will address this problem. But until a new release of the utility is available, a work around is to click slightly *above* the buttons - they should activate if clicked just a hair above the button. Regards, David, W4SMT --- On Sat, 7/2/11, Dick Roth raro...@gmail.com wrote: I recently changed Linux distros from CentOS (Red Hat derivative) to Ubuntu 11.04. I haven't been on the air lately because the December blizzards took down my antenna so I didn't notice that the K3 Utility has problems when running on this distro using the Classic desktop. The problem is that I can't click on buttons and get a response. When I reset my desktop to the new, but awful, Unity desktop K3Util runs properly. Does anyone know of a workaround besides logging off, resetting the desktop and then logging back on (only to have to reverse the procedure to get back to the superior Classic desktop)? Any help would be appreciated! -- 73 de Dick, ka1oz Elecraft K3/100 GAP Titan-DX Antenna __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] One minor issue with the KPA500
Thank you Dave and thank you Jack for your e-mail. Glad to know this minor problem is known and will be solved soon. I'm very happy with my KPA500-K S/N 107 which arrived on Monday and was ready for a smoke test in the (very) early hours on Tuesday morning, hi! All went smoothly as usual and the KPA500 is a joy to use. It's so well integrated with the K3, like having a 500W transceiver... I've had 2-3 other linears but you can't beat the KPA500. You can't beat the K3/KPA500 combination. And you can't beat Elecraft! Thanks! 73 Richard - Richard - HB9ANM -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/One-minor-issue-with-the-KPA500-tp6538841p6540499.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
[Elecraft] re-KPA 500 tolerance
Hi Thanks to those who replied to my mail about the KP500 SWR tolerance. My friend is also grateful and sends you thanks and best regards. The best of all to the list, and a Happy National Day ! Jacques de F9OJ __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] jt65 help with k3 after xp software reinstall
I'm good as I already have my k3 and xp still works now that the illness is gone. The bigger issue for the future is when they start attacking smart phones with virus's. Your description below sounds like the hw sw that my company sells but with all the hw its usally over 1m in cost. So its always just a simple configuration issue hi hi. Again thanks for you help, as I got another state in the log that I was missing. Bad thing was early in the morning Australia was real stong on the mode at my qth for the first time ever. Have a great 4th of July Holiday. 73~ Don KD8NNU On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 11:31 PM, Tony Estep wrote: on Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 8:43 PM, gold...@charter.net javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') wrote: I finally made a contact after spending all day on this wonderful windows thing... javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') Well Don, it could be worse; you could have a software-defined radio with virtual audio cables, virtual serial ports, 40 parameter settings for each, unstable drivers, and a mysterious intermittent IRQ conflict. The future of ham radio. javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') 73, javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') Tony KT0NY javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.net') javascript:parent.wgMail.openComposeWindow('gold...@charter.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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem
Jamie, In your note on the 6M problem you didn't indicate if you tried the K3 in the ATU 'BYPASS' position. I had the problem of a high SWR on 6 Meters when the ATU tried to find a match on my 6M yagi with a known relatively good 1.2:1 SWR. In the BYPASS mode the SWR looked fine. Using the ATU produced a much higher SWR on 50 MHz. If your K3 internal SWR display indicates a good SWR in the BYPASS mode, but the ATU cannot find a good match, there is a fix. I received a BETA firmware update along with suggested parameter changes of some of the hidden MENU settings (need to turn TECH MD on) which addressed the 6M ATU problem. The ATU in my K3 now performs as it should on 6 Meters. Local friend K2PI also had the same problem which was resolved with the BETA firmware update. If your 6M SWR is good in the ATU BYPASS mode, drop Elecraft tech support a note. 73, Rich - K1HTV = = = -Original Message- From: James C. Hall, MD [mailto:heart...@nwtcc.com] Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 12:06 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem Hello: After returning my K3 back to the shack after Field Day, I have discovered that 6M no longer transmits with low SWR. I checked all the rear panel connections as it is interfaced through a microham MK2R+ and Stationmaster band decoder. However, I have the 6M antenna coax directly going to Antenna 2 on the radio. Using an antenna analyzer, the antenna shows excellent SWR. Using a dummy load to each antenna port, all bands shows good SWR except 6M. I updated the firmware and cycled the power but I still have the HI SWR showing with 6M. I do have the PR6 pre-amp in line, but the problem is not receive. I'm stumped. Any help appreciated. 73, Jamie WB4YDL -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] jt65 help with k3 after xp software reinstall
Actually this is not what Electraft recommends. You want to stay at about 5 bars for stable power output in digital modes. This is old thinking based upon a different rig design. 73 de Brian/K3KO Windows volume control to keep advancing speaker volume and watch the ALC bars. When you get it to 6, back off about 1 1/2 bars.http://www.time.gov/widget.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3737 - Release Date: 07/01/11 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem
Hi Rich: Yes, my problem is that I have terrible SWR when the ATU is in BYPASS and the antenna is a known resonant load. I also tried to tune into a DL and DID get a 1:1 SWR, but when returning to the antenna with the ATU in BYPASS, the SWR was around 8:1. I'll be opening up the K3 to inspect the L10/C10 area on KAT3. That appears to be the problem area. Gary has sent me an email stating they now have different parts for that area. Thanks again. 73, Jamie WB4YDL -Original Message- From: Rich - K1HTV [mailto:k1...@comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 7:00 AM To: 'James C. Hall, MD'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem Jamie, In your note on the 6M problem you didn't indicate if you tried the K3 in the ATU 'BYPASS' position. I had the problem of a high SWR on 6 Meters when the ATU tried to find a match on my 6M yagi with a known relatively good 1.2:1 SWR. In the BYPASS mode the SWR looked fine. Using the ATU produced a much higher SWR on 50 MHz. If your K3 internal SWR display indicates a good SWR in the BYPASS mode, but the ATU cannot find a good match, there is a fix. I received a BETA firmware update along with suggested parameter changes of some of the hidden MENU settings (need to turn TECH MD on) which addressed the 6M ATU problem. The ATU in my K3 now performs as it should on 6 Meters. Local friend K2PI also had the same problem which was resolved with the BETA firmware update. If your 6M SWR is good in the ATU BYPASS mode, drop Elecraft tech support a note. 73, Rich - K1HTV = = = -Original Message- From: James C. Hall, MD [mailto:heart...@nwtcc.com] Sent: Friday, July 01, 2011 12:06 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem Hello: After returning my K3 back to the shack after Field Day, I have discovered that 6M no longer transmits with low SWR. I checked all the rear panel connections as it is interfaced through a microham MK2R+ and Stationmaster band decoder. However, I have the 6M antenna coax directly going to Antenna 2 on the radio. Using an antenna analyzer, the antenna shows excellent SWR. Using a dummy load to each antenna port, all bands shows good SWR except 6M. I updated the firmware and cycled the power but I still have the HI SWR showing with 6M. I do have the PR6 pre-amp in line, but the problem is not receive. I'm stumped. Any help appreciated. 73, Jamie WB4YDL -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean. __ 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
[Elecraft] K3 Utility and Mac
OK, I give up where does the Help folder go?? I downloaded an installed the app, it comes up asking for license.rtf which is in the help folder. 73s Jim JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] jt65 help with k3 after xp software reinstall
6 minus 1 1/2 bars is 4 1/2 bars, which is different than the recommended 4 bars with the 5th bar flickering on and off how??? 73, Ross N4RP On 7/2/11 8:40 AM, Brian Alsop wrote: Actually this is not what Electraft recommends. You want to stay at about 5 bars for stable power output in digital modes. This is old thinking based upon a different rig design. 73 de Brian/K3KO Windows volume control to keep advancing speaker volume and watch the ALC bars. When you get it to 6, back off about 1 1/2 bars.http://www.time.gov/widget.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1388 / Virus Database: 1516/3737 - Release Date: 07/01/11 __ 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 -- FCC Section 97.313(a) “At all times, an amateur station must use the minimum transmitter power necessary to carry out the desired communications.” __ 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
[Elecraft] KAT3 6M problem
Hello James, Could you please let me know when you bought your KAT3? I bought mine in Oct 2010 and don't know whether the modification in L10/C10 areas was done. TNX 73, Johnny VR2XMC 從︰ James C. Hall, MD heart...@nwtcc.com 收件人︰ 'Rich - K1HTV' k1...@comcast.net; elecraft@mailman.qth.net 傳送日期︰ 2011年07月2日 (週六) 10:27 PM 主題︰ Re: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem Hi Rich: Yes, my problem is that I have terrible SWR when the ATU is in BYPASS and the antenna is a known resonant load. I also tried to tune into a DL and DID get a 1:1 SWR, but when returning to the antenna with the ATU in BYPASS, the SWR was around 8:1. I'll be opening up the K3 to inspect the L10/C10 area on KAT3. That appears to be the problem area. Gary has sent me an email stating they now have different parts for that area. Thanks again. 73, Jamie WB4YDL -Original Message- From: Rich - K1HTV [mailto:k1...@comcast.net] Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 7:00 AM To: 'James C. Hall, MD'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem Jamie, In your note on the 6M problem you didn't indicate if you tried the K3 in the ATU 'BYPASS' position. I had the problem of a high SWR on 6 Meters when the ATU tried to find a match on my 6M yagi with a known relatively good 1.2:1 SWR. In the BYPASS mode the SWR looked fine. Using the ATU produced a much higher SWR on 50 MHz. If your K3 internal SWR display indicates a good SWR in the BYPASS mode, but the ATU cannot find a good match, there is a fix. I received a BETA firmware update along with suggested parameter changes of some of the hidden MENU settings (need to turn TECH MD on) which addressed the 6M ATU problem. The ATU in my K3 now performs as it should on 6 Meters. Local friend K2PI also had the same problem which was resolved with the BETA firmware update. If your 6M SWR is good in the ATU BYPASS mode, drop Elecraft tech support a note. 73, Rich - K1HTV __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] jt65 help with k3 after xp software reinstall
On Sat, Jul 2, 2011 at 10:28 AM, Ross Primrose N4RP n...@aiko.com wrote: 6 minus 1 1/2 bars is 4 1/2 bars, which is different than the recommended 4 bars with the 5th bar flickering on and off how??? ROFLMAO!! Good question, Ross. In any event, the question was about JT65HF, which transmits only 1 tone at a time, hence according to its author can be amplified even by a class C amp. You could have lots of bars without IMD because there's nothing to IM. The key issue was whether or not Don could make the bars go up and down by varying the audio output from his JT65 program, so he could be sure that he was actually transmitting something. He's now up and running, so all's well that ends well. Tony KT0NY __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Feature Request
Neat idea, Hank! On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 4:23 PM, W6SX Hank Garretson w...@arrl.net wrote: It would be wonderful if there were a CONFIG option to have CWT SPOT zero beat using RIT instead of VFO A. This would be very useful during contests when CQing. -- Rick Tavan N6XI Truckee, CA __ 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
[Elecraft] KPA500 Oper/Stby beep
I am not finding where to turn off the beep that sounds when changing the KPA500 status from standby to operate (and back). Sometimes it gets very 'buzzy' sounding and a I would like to just turn it off. Anyone else have this happen? ..mike AI6II -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Oper-Stby-beep-tp6541107p6541107.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] P3
I don't contribute to this list very often...However, in this case, I feel I must. I operated FD with the W7DK this year and fellow K3 owner K7MO who brought His K3 - AND - P3. This was my first time using the P3 in a contest and was I every amazed at how Much I used it. Operating 15 phone, I found that it was what I was looking at All the time. Looking for a place to call CQ...and especially late in the day Looking for those that I had not worked. What a great tool. Time to add one in my shack! Have to order an additional cover from Rose too. Clay Freinwald, K7CR __ 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
[Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
Rich, NU6T, and I activated Leviathan Peak [SOTA W6/SN-039] on 26 Jun and did a 2B Battery FD entry too. His K1, my K2. On both radios, we heard a whoosh whoosh ... sound in the headphones, sort of like the sound in the movie Contact sending prime numbers, although these did not come in primes [I counted]. It varied in intensity, in frequency of the whooshing, and AF gains had no effect, although turning off the radio ended it. Sometimes it quit altogether only to come back. K1 was on 20, K2 on 15. The frequency was slow enough that we could count the whooshes [hmmm ... T-bird spell check tells me that's actually a real word :-)]. Turning off the other radio had no effect. The noise is gone back home. There are quite a few radios on the peak all powered by a very large solar array. Judging by the antennas, they range from high band VHF into microwaves. We were on the ground adjacent to the tower, in front of a concrete block vault topped by an abandoned fire lookout. I had my KX1, but didn't think to check it. We're figuring that something up there was irradiating the radios strongly enough after the AF gain control to cause this, we have no idea what. If so, it was irradiating us too, although neither of us glow in the dark, which we're taking as a good sign. A real puzzle. 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Feature Request
If you are using N1MM Logger software, put the {CLEARRIT} macro in your Run F3 message. In the RUN mode it will reset the RIT after every QSO. 73, Ted W4NZ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Rick Tavan N6XI Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 11:54 AM To: W6SX Hank Garretson Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Feature Request Neat idea, Hank! On Fri, Jul 1, 2011 at 4:23 PM, W6SX Hank Garretson w...@arrl.net wrote: It would be wonderful if there were a CONFIG option to have CWT SPOT zero beat using RIT instead of VFO A. This would be very useful during contests when CQing. -- Rick Tavan N6XI Truckee, CA __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Oper/Stby beep
Are you sure this is coming from the KPA500? The only beep the KPA500 emits is when a hard fault occurs. Jack Brindle, W6FB Elecraft Engineering On Jul 2, 2011, at 9:05 AM, ai6ii wrote: I am not finding where to turn off the beep that sounds when changing the KPA500 status from standby to operate (and back). Sometimes it gets very 'buzzy' sounding and a I would like to just turn it off. Anyone else have this happen? ..mike AI6II -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Oper-Stby-beep-tp6541107p6541107.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
On 7/1/2011 12:00 PM, Phil Kane wrote: IIRC Eric mentioned a while back that one of the stumbling blocks to offering a power supply is the requirement for Underwriters Laboratories testing and compliance as well as similar certification in other countries and markets - a rather expensive proposition for the volume that would be sold. From my experience in the world of pro audio, i can attest to the the expense of complying with safety certifications like this, and I think that Elecraft is wise to steer clear of it. For that matter, I have yet to see Elecraft make a bad business decision. One of Elecraft's greatest strengths is Eric's business acumen. 73, Jim Brown K9YC __ 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
[Elecraft] Build shots of KPA500
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ak5x/sets/72157626974789347/ Sent from my IPhone __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
It might be a good project for one of our home builders to design a project, or perhaps a repackaging of a commercial product to fit in the P3 case. Since I don't yet own a P3, I am not sure how big that task might be. While I am coming to believe that Wayne and Eric can do anything, they certainly don't have time to do everything and a lot of things that we would like to see would not add to the longivity of Elecraft. The prosperity of Elecraft is certainly in all us Elecraft users best interest. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart From: Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Sat, July 2, 2011 12:44:43 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? On 7/1/2011 12:00 PM, Phil Kane wrote: IIRC Eric mentioned a while back that one of the stumbling blocks to offering a power supply is the requirement for Underwriters Laboratories testing and compliance as well as similar certification in other countries and markets - a rather expensive proposition for the volume that would be sold. From my experience in the world of pro audio, i can attest to the the expense of complying with safety certifications like this, and I think that Elecraft is wise to steer clear of it. For that matter, I have yet to see Elecraft make a bad business decision. One of Elecraft's greatest strengths is Eric's business acumen. 73, Jim Brown K9YC __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
I can attest that obtaining UL, CSA and foreign certification for anything that plugs in is an involved and costly process. I went through the process a few years ago with a medical product, and I can understand why Elecraft might want to avoid marketing AC PSU's. 73! Ken - K0PP elecraftcov...@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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
How is it any different than plugging in the KPA500 to the ac line/mains? Elecraft has already done that. Enough said. 73 Elliott WA6TLA - Original Message - From: Ken - K0PP kengk...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 12:05 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? I can attest that obtaining UL, CSA and foreign certification for anything that plugs in is an involved and costly process. I went through the process a few years ago with a medical product, and I can understand why Elecraft might want to avoid marketing AC PSU's. 73! Ken - K0PP elecraftcov...@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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
I think that you could possibly put a switcher in the P3 but I don't think it is practical. You would need a cooling fan in their for a 20 to 25 amp supply and I don't think the P3 is set up to handle a fan. 73, phil, K7PEH On Jul 2, 2011, at 11:16 AM, WILLIS COOKE wrote: It might be a good project for one of our home builders to design a project, or perhaps a repackaging of a commercial product to fit in the P3 case. Since I don't yet own a P3, I am not sure how big that task might be. While I am coming to believe that Wayne and Eric can do anything, they certainly don't have time to do everything and a lot of things that we would like to see would not add to the longivity of Elecraft. The prosperity of Elecraft is certainly in all us Elecraft users best interest. Willis 'Cookie' Cooke K5EWJ Trustee N5BPS, USS Cavalla, USS Stewart __ 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
[Elecraft] Elecraft SSB net announcement
The weekly Elecraft SSB net will meet tomorrow (7/3/11) at 1800Z on 14.3035 MHz +/- QRM. I will be net control from sunny Oregon, and we'll try relays to pull in the stations that I can't hear. See you there. 73, Phil, NS7P __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
The KPA500 has plug in power supply. Is there a different standard for a power supply that's integrated vs. a stand alone unit? If the P3 had a 20A switching supply to power itself and maybe an external accessory with a power pole connector output, would that have to be UL listed? Rob NV5E From: kengk...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2011 13:05:26 -0600 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? I can attest that obtaining UL, CSA and foreign certification for anything that plugs in is an involved and costly process. I went through the process a few years ago with a medical product, and I can understand why Elecraft might want to avoid marketing AC PSU's. 73! Ken - K0PP elecraftcov...@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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
On 7/2/2011 9:22 AM, Fred Jensen wrote: We're figuring that something up there was irradiating the radios strongly enough after the AF gain control to cause this, we have no idea what. If so, it was irradiating us too, although neither of us glow in the dark, which we're taking as a good sign. A real puzzle. How close and exposed was the rig to a medium or high power radar installation? Sounds like that (audio rectification). That was a problem with the air defense radar at Almaden Air Force Station (Mt. Umunhum, south of San Francisco) being rectified in all the home stereo systems in what is now called Silicon Valley until that radar was replaced by PavePaws at Beale AFB. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
And much of that space in the P3 is reserved for P3 add-ons that are in development. Maybe most current list members never built a K2 and noted how empty the finished box was - at first! And, of course, a K3/10 without any options looks awfully empty too. I rather like the idea of an external power supply. It doesn't need to occupy table-top space; mine sits on a box under the desk. And many want an uninterruptable supply made up of a battery that is charged from the mains or a solar panel that allows station operation up to 100 watts output in the event of a mains power failure. And there are those (like me) who avoid switchers on general principles. I've already got enough gadgets all over the house producing prodigious digital disquiet only somewhat curbed by enclosures, shielding, chokes, and the like. 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- I think that you could possibly put a switcher in the P3 but I don't think it is practical. You would need a cooling fan in their for a 20 to 25 amp supply and I don't think the P3 is set up to handle a fan. 73, phil, K7PEH __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
Robb: ... would that have to be UL listed? The answer is yes. Additional certifications would be needed elsewhere in the world. Worse, power line surge and conducted emissions tests would be needed. These tests are not cheap. de Fred, AE6QL -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rob May Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 1:46 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? The KPA500 has plug in power supply. Is there a different standard for a power supply that's integrated vs. a stand alone unit? If the P3 had a 20A switching supply to power itself and maybe an external accessory with a power pole connector output, would that have to be UL listed? Rob NV5E __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
Rob, Anything with an AC power cord must have UL certification. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 4:45 PM, Rob May wrote: The KPA500 has plug in power supply. Is there a different standard for a power supply that's integrated vs. a stand alone unit? If the P3 had a 20A switching supply to power itself and maybe an external accessory with a power pole connector output, would that have to be UL listed? Rob NV5E From: kengk...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2011 13:05:26 -0600 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? I can attest that obtaining UL, CSA and foreign certification for anything that plugs in is an involved and costly process. I went through the process a few years ago with a medical product, and I can understand why Elecraft might want to avoid marketing AC PSU's. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
Hi Don, Does the KPA500 have UL certification? 73, Mike K2MK Don Wilhelm-4 wrote: Rob, Anything with an AC power cord must have UL certification. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 4:45 PM, Rob May wrote: The KPA500 has plug in power supply. Is there a different standard for a power supply that's integrated vs. a stand alone unit? If the P3 had a 20A switching supply to power itself and maybe an external accessory with a power pole connector output, would that have to be UL listed? Rob NV5E From: kengk...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Sat, 2 Jul 2011 13:05:26 -0600 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? I can attest that obtaining UL, CSA and foreign certification for anything that plugs in is an involved and costly process. I went through the process a few years ago with a medical product, and I can understand why Elecraft might want to avoid marketing AC PSU's. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Power-Supply-tp6535892p6541674.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
K7PEH You would need a cooling fan in their for a 20 to 25 amp supply and I don't think the P3 is set up to handle a fan. My RS-20M doesn't have or need a cooling fan (though that's in part due to its venting and heat sink, so that needs to be carried over to the P3 enclousre). I'm going to see if I can migrate it to the P3 (which itself probably doesn't generate a lot of heat). If it needs one, fans are small and can sit right on top of the case, fed with 12 V from the supply that will now reside inside. AC7AC And much of that space in the P3 is reserved for P3 add-ons that are in development. I expect I'll be so happy when my bare bones P3 arrives that I'll live with it as-is for a while. If I'm tempted to fill out the inside with add-ons, I'll remove the supply at that time and figure out Plan B. AC7AC I rather like the idea of an external power supply. It doesn't need to occupy table-top space; mine sits on a box under the desk. Same here - but I'd like it more if it matched the P3 enclosure. And now it might... This may be too ambitious but I'll give it a shot and won't be too proud to say you can say you told me so if I fail. If it's too much of a stretch to fit a 20 A supply in there, I'll use a supply of less than 20 A, and settle for running less than 100 watts from the K3. When I get a KPA500 sometime in the (distant?) future, I'm sure the stepped-down K3 would still have plenty drive to run the amp at a level acceptable for my needs. Really wish I could just buy a blank P3 enclosure and save all the trouble. --Andrew, NV1B __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Utility and Mac
David if that is the case should it not be included in .app file contents and not an external help folder? Jim On Jul 2, 2011, at 4:26 PM, David Fleming wrote: Hi Jim, The HELP folder goes in the same location as the executable. Regards, David, W4SMT --- On Sat, 7/2/11, JAMES ROGERS w4...@bellsouth.net wrote: OK, I give up where does the Help folder go?? I downloaded an installed the app, it comes up asking for license.rtf which is in the help folder. 73s Jim JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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 JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
Yes - back in the 1960's stereos, pa systems such as those found in churches and businesses and even some TVs and telephones all over a wide area covering several towns heard a loud 400 Hz buzz that lasted several seconds at a time and which repeated perhaps twice a minute. It went on 24x7. I was called upon to help quiet some systems and, as a Ham operator, had to prove my radio wasn't the cause in a few cases. That was easy. I just had the neighbors turn up the volume so he could hear the buzz outside and then pointed to the antenna revolving on top of distant Mt Umunhum so they could hear the noise erupt every time the antenna pointed their way. (Umunhum is an American Indian word meaning resting place of the hummingbird. Somehow that was appropriate.) The interference was very strong at my QTH at least 20 miles line-of-sight from the antenna. The peak pulse power from such systems is often huge and is always a possibility when strange things happen in a new location. There was general relief all over the area when the huge antenna disappeared from the mountain. Little did I, or anyone, realize at that time that we were about to be invaded by millions of noise switching wall warts and other digital noise generators. Quieting Umunhum's noise was child's play compared to dealing with them. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- That was a problem with the air defense radar at Almaden Air Force Station (Mt. Umunhum, south of San Francisco) being rectified in all the home stereo systems in what is now called Silicon Valley until that radar was replaced by PavePaws at Beale AFB. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
Andrew... Isn't the RS-20M a linear power supply? I do not have an RS-20M, I have two RS-35M and neither of those have fans either. But, I was assuming that the power supply we have been discussing would be a switcher and contained in a smaller box (the P3 box) so I think it would demand a fan. I have had two other switchers in a box about the size of the P3 and both of them had fans -- noisy fans in fact which is the reason I got rid of them. phil On Jul 2, 2011, at 2:21 PM, Andrew Moore wrote: K7PEH You would need a cooling fan in their for a 20 to 25 amp supply and I don't think the P3 is set up to handle a fan. My RS-20M doesn't have or need a cooling fan (though that's in part due to its venting and heat sink, so that needs to be carried over to the P3 enclousre). I'm going to see if I can migrate it to the P3 (which itself probably doesn't generate a lot of heat). If it needs one, fans are small and can sit right on top of the case, fed with 12 V from the supply that will now reside inside. AC7AC And much of that space in the P3 is reserved for P3 add-ons that are in development. I expect I'll be so happy when my bare bones P3 arrives that I'll live with it as-is for a while. If I'm tempted to fill out the inside with add-ons, I'll remove the supply at that time and figure out Plan B. AC7AC I rather like the idea of an external power supply. It doesn't need to occupy table-top space; mine sits on a box under the desk. Same here - but I'd like it more if it matched the P3 enclosure. And now it might... This may be too ambitious but I'll give it a shot and won't be too proud to say you can say you told me so if I fail. If it's too much of a stretch to fit a 20 A supply in there, I'll use a supply of less than 20 A, and settle for running less than 100 watts from the K3. When I get a KPA500 sometime in the (distant?) future, I'm sure the stepped-down K3 would still have plenty drive to run the amp at a level acceptable for my needs. Really wish I could just buy a blank P3 enclosure and save all the trouble. --Andrew, NV1B __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
I really don't understand the hubbub about having a matching power supply. Mine has never matched any radio hooked up to it and it sits on the floor. I'd hope Elecraft wouldn't waste time and resources on trying to re-invent the pretty much perfected power supply wheel unless they can make a quantum leap in power supply performance, like they did with receiver performance on the K2 and 3. I just don't see it. A power supply is a power supply. They are commodity items. Someone thinks they're going to shoehorn the guts of an RS-20M into a P3? Good luck! I don't think the transformer would fit much less the heat sink. -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
phil Isn't the RS-20M a linear power supply? Correct, linear. Again I'm not sure if it can be crammed into a P3 enclosure, but come Friday, I'll know :) I too despise noisy fans. I'd pick one carefully! --Andrew, NV1B .. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 6M problem
I learn a ton from this list Ron and have been on it for, let's see, 12 years could it be? I know of one HAM in the Upper Peninsula of MI who searched me on the list and then called me to discuss how to operate some of the functions. The list continues to provide me with quite an education and at times allows me to donate a little of my learning. 73, Bill K9YEQ -Original Message- I've been following this list for a decade now. One of the most popular uses of this list has been to bring general troubleshooting and repair questions here or just to explore why something happens. There are still a lot of solder jockeys here[WRJ] ..[WRJ] and I am one of them who love to build. who remain a key part of that legacy [WRJ] 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- I simply cannot understand why folks post to a general list rather than going to Elecraft in the first place? Seems like a good way to waste a lot of time and energy unnecessarily IMHO. 73, Bill __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
On 7/2/2011 1:50 PM, Phil Kane wrote: How close and exposed was the rig to a medium or high power radar installation? Sounds like that (audio rectification). None remotely close. When it was still McClellan AFB, there was a shop in the corner which repaired mobile tactical radar equipment. Interstate 80 went over an overpass over the Union Pacific tracks there, and got just high enough to put my hearing aids into the bottom of the beam as I commuted to work. It's an unmistakable sound, not what we were hearing. You do trigger a possibility however. I used to use my K2 for RTTY and had a problem with some sort of cross-coupling between the CAT cable and the audio to/from the computer and my headphones. It sounded a lot like what we heard on Leviathan, and appeared to be N1MM polling the radio. It too sort of came and went some, and did not interfere with RTTY transmission or reception, just annoying in the cans. I'm wondering if there is some connection to one or more data systems in the vault. The solar array is very large, possibly the noise was associated with the charge controllers. At any rate, I don't glow in the dark and Rich would have said something if he did, and the pulses we heard were not a series of prime numbers [alas, not ET, little, green or otherwise]. Our K1/K2's are fine. until that radar was replaced by PavePaws at Beale AFB. About 20 mi from me. The radar feeds 520 peak watts each [individual PA's] to 1,760 antenna elements in a phased array antenna with about 37 dBi gain in the 70cm band. That's about 900 KW peak real watts, and about 4.5 GW EIRP. Those of us with 70cm repeater systems have had to take some draconian measures to comply with the USAF requests to lower our power at the radar. At 4,586 megawatts EIRP, how come I've never heard it? [That's a rhetorical question. It's just mildly strange that we don't hear it] 73, Fred K6DGW - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
AC0H I really don't understand the hubbub about having a matching power supply ... AC0H I just don't see it. A power supply is a power supply. They are commodity items. Simply a desire to have one match the rest of the station. I like that Elecraft made the K3, P3 and KPA500 match. They put considerable effort into that design, and did so deliberately, and it works. Some people care about aesthetics, and some don't. Kudos to all of them; to each his own. --Andrew, NV1B .. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
When I got my Icom 756 Pro III about six years ago or so, the Icom PS125 was part of the deal. HRO (or, Icom) was offering the PS125 as a free add-on to the Pro III purchase. I thought that was cool because of the common lookfeel of the two sitting side-by-side. But, that feeling lasted only a few days when I started being bothered by the fan. Until then, I really had no fan noise problems. I complained to HRO thinking that I got a lemon but they assured me that the noise I was hearing was likely normal as they have noisy fans there in their rig setup at the store. So, eBay came to the rescue and I sold the PS125 for $150. I am not sure if the buyer got a deal or not given that it was roughly half the retail price and less then a month old and yet it was noisy too. But, he never complained to me. As for me, I have two nice Astron RS-35M linear supplies and they are nice and quiet. Plus, since I moved them under the bench on a little shelf of their own, I never really know that they are there. I have two nice DC distribution panels up on the bench top for my rigs to feed from the power supplies. 73, phil, K7PEH On Jul 2, 2011, at 3:24 PM, Andrew Moore wrote: AC0H I really don't understand the hubbub about having a matching power supply ... AC0H I just don't see it. A power supply is a power supply. They are commodity items. Simply a desire to have one match the rest of the station. I like that Elecraft made the K3, P3 and KPA500 match. They put considerable effort into that design, and did so deliberately, and it works. Some people care about aesthetics, and some don't. Kudos to all of them; to each his own. --Andrew, NV1B .. __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Oper/Stby beep
I guess I did not describe it well. I am listening to the K3 audio. The K3 is connected to the KPA500 via the Elecraft Auxbus cable. When I hit the Oper/Stby button on the KPA500 to toggle on or off, I hear a tone. Usually it is a clear bell like tone. Sometimes that tone gets very 'buzzy' sounding although I cannot tell you when or how at this point. If the tone comes from the K3, as I most likely does, I want to turn it off. Since it is initiated by the button on the KPA500, I wondered if that was where I would make the change. I have already set the SW Tone to Off on the K3 configuration, but it does not effect the KPA500 Oper/Stby tone. It might be better to try and find out what causes the 'buzzy' sound, but for now I would be happy just to eliminate the beep's initiation. ..mike AI6II Jack Brindle wrote: Are you sure this is coming from the KPA500? The only beep the KPA500 emits is when a hard fault occurs. Jack Brindle, W6FB Elecraft Engineering On Jul 2, 2011, at 9:05 AM, ai6ii wrote: I am not finding where to turn off the beep that sounds when changing the KPA500 status from standby to operate (and back). Sometimes it gets very 'buzzy' sounding and a I would like to just turn it off. Anyone else have this happen? ..mike AI6II -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Oper-Stby-beep-tp6541107p6541107.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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 __ 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 -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Oper-Stby-beep-tp6541107p6541818.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Utility and Mac
OK got it figured out now. Senior minute! Just needed to create a folder or two in the applications directory. Tickin' like a Timex now (and if you remember that, you are old!). :-)) Jim, W4ATK On Jul 2, 2011, at 4:47 PM, JAMES ROGERS wrote: David if that is the case should it not be included in .app file contents and not an external help folder? Jim On Jul 2, 2011, at 4:26 PM, David Fleming wrote: Hi Jim, The HELP folder goes in the same location as the executable. Regards, David, W4SMT --- On Sat, 7/2/11, JAMES ROGERS w4...@bellsouth.net wrote: OK, I give up where does the Help folder go?? I downloaded an installed the app, it comes up asking for license.rtf which is in the help folder. 73s Jim JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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 JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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 JIM ROGERS, W4ATK w4...@bellsouth.net http://web.me.com/jimrogers_w4atk K3/100 P3 K2/10 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
I have an Astron 20M and IIRC the transformer alone is bigger than the P3 enclosure. And then there's the big finned heat sink hanging on the back (the reason it doesn't need a fan). If you can squeeze the transformer in the enclosure and find somewhere to mount the regulator circuit, the heat sink might fit on the top of the P3, giving it a sort of Jurassic look :-) But there's another important issue beyond size - the magnetic field. Linear supplies are electrically quiet but very *noisy*, magnetically. The strong 60 Hz magnetic field can wreak havoc in many nearby devices and circuits. Extensive magnetic shielding is normally employed when a large transformer in near sensitive circuits - normally very heavy and bulky for larger transformers and still not completely effective. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andrew Moore Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 3:19 PM To: Phil Hystad Cc: Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? phil Isn't the RS-20M a linear power supply? Correct, linear. Again I'm not sure if it can be crammed into a P3 enclosure, but come Friday, I'll know :) I too despise noisy fans. I'd pick one carefully! --Andrew, NV1B .. __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
On 7/2/2011 2:48 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: There was general relief all over the area when the huge antenna disappeared from the mountain. The FPS-24 long-range Air Defense search radar antenna was huge, all right. and it operated in the 214-236 MHz range wiping out TV Channel 13 (Sacramento) reception and 220 MHz band operation in the SF Bay area. One didn't realize how big it was until one was at the site. Then there was the FPS-90 (affectionately called the Tipsy One D after an earlier model), an S-Band height finder radar, which nodded in a vertical plane while being slaved to a bearing in the horizontal plane corresponding to a target in the search radar. The hidden gem on that hill was the UHF (300 MHz band) multi-KW ground-to-air data link, with a final tube the size of a wastebasket. General Electric made a fortune on that system. This was all tied into the Air Defense Command SAGE system (of not-so-blessed memory) and I was given the nickel tour there in the late 1970s shortly before it was decommissioned. Lest I be accused of disclosing national secrets, this is all written up in Wikipedia articles, as has most of the hush-hush projects that I worked on during the Cold War. Start with Almaden Air Force Station. Little did I, or anyone, realize at that time that we were about to be invaded by millions of noise switching wall warts and other digital noise generators. Quieting Umunhum's noise was child's play compared to dealing with them. The functions of that system were moved to the PavePaws system, and those of us using the 70 cm band in the San Francisco - Sacramento area became well aware of that system when we were ordered by the FCC at the behest of the USAF to lower 440 MHz repeater powers, in some cases to single-digit watts, to avoid interfering with PavePaws. Many repeaters just went off the air. Back to Elecraftyes, the wall-warts come in two flavors - those that are clean and those which I send to the recycling bin. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 K2 - Interesting noise
On 7/2/2011 3:23 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: At 4,586 megawatts EIRP, how come I've never heard it? [That's a rhetorical question. It's just mildly strange that we don't hear it] The per-channel dwell time is shorter than the squelch reaction time, and they try to avoid operating in the ham band whenever they think about it. Or so I was told... :-) The AF and its contractor has been very silent on the actual system capabilities and susceptibility, even when we needed that info in the repeater power reduction project. It's been I'll tell you when it's OK, to use an old hackneyed phrase. -- 73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane Elecraft K2/100 s/n 5402 From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
You know, I like a good Martini occasionally when I am one the air. Why can't a good mixer be built in the K3 enclosure. Also the guys should include an computer that can log contacts and have good voice recognition so the K3 can do contacts automatically. Then all you would have to do is turn on radio have it scan your favorite frequency and talk to your buddies. Then I could go out with my wife and enjoy and evening with her and my Martin ..EH! Love my two K3s George, W6GF --- On Sat, 7/2/11, Ron D'Eau Claire r...@cobi.biz wrote: From: Ron D'Eau Claire r...@cobi.biz Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? To: 'Andrew Moore' andrew.n...@gmail.com, 'Phil Hystad' phys...@mac.com Cc: Date: Saturday, July 2, 2011, 4:03 PM I have an Astron 20M and IIRC the transformer alone is bigger than the P3 enclosure. And then there's the big finned heat sink hanging on the back (the reason it doesn't need a fan). If you can squeeze the transformer in the enclosure and find somewhere to mount the regulator circuit, the heat sink might fit on the top of the P3, giving it a sort of Jurassic look :-) But there's another important issue beyond size - the magnetic field. Linear supplies are electrically quiet but very *noisy*, magnetically. The strong 60 Hz magnetic field can wreak havoc in many nearby devices and circuits. Extensive magnetic shielding is normally employed when a large transformer in near sensitive circuits - normally very heavy and bulky for larger transformers and still not completely effective. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Andrew Moore Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 3:19 PM To: Phil Hystad Cc: Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply? phil Isn't the RS-20M a linear power supply? Correct, linear. Again I'm not sure if it can be crammed into a P3 enclosure, but come Friday, I'll know :) I too despise noisy fans. I'd pick one carefully! --Andrew, NV1B .. __ 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 __ 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 __ 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
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Announcement
Good Evening, When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. To everyone who recognizes these famous words I ask you to review the rest of the document. It is quite inspiring to read, on this, our birthday. Happy 235th!! Weather has become warm. The hottest day of the year so far at 73 degrees Fahrenheit. With no breeze this is pretty hot. I know it is a little warmer in other parts of the world but this is what I experience. It is nice to see the sun again after all the wet and cold weather. I finally broke down on Wednesday and started a fire to feel warmth again. Now I have a stack of wood next to the stove ready for our next cold snap. Between appointments I was able to get on the air a couple times this week. Conditions were not too bad on twenty meters. I could hear both into Alabama and California. I hope conditions are just as good tomorrow. If anyone is interested in acting as a relay station on either net please email me. I will turn the net over to you for a few minutes so you can call areas in my skip zone. It sure would prove helpful to those I cannot reach directly. Please join us tomorrow afternoon and evening. 1) Hail signs (first letter or two of the suffix of your call) 2) NCS help (as well as QSP/QNP relay help) Sunday 2200z (Sunday 3 PM PDT) 14050 kHz Monday z (Sunday 5 PM PDT) 7045 kHz Stay well, Kevin. KD5ONS - __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
A beer bottle opener would be nice as well :-) 73, Tony W7GO On 7/2/2011 4:54 PM, george fritkin wrote: You know, I like a good Martini occasionally when I am one the air. Why can't a good mixer be built in the K3 enclosure. Also the guys should include an computer that can log contacts and have good voice recognition so the K3 can do contacts automatically. Then all you would have to do is turn on radio have it scan your favorite frequency and talk to your buddies. Then I could go out with my wife and enjoy and evening with her and my Martin ..EH! Love my two K3s George, W6GF - __ 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
[Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
I just installed the first toroid, RFC14, in my K2 kit. After winding it, I sprayed it with conformal coating, and just before installing it I put a small dab of RTV3145 (non-corrosive) silicone seal on the end next to the PC board and then soldered it in place. So I turn the page in the manual and the very next thing in bold is Do not use adhesives or fixatives of any king to secure toroids to the PC board. Would this also apply to conformal coating? Should I remove RFC14 and take the RTV off it? Thanks, Ron VE8RT __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Ron, I suggest that you indeed do that. Actually on RFC14 it will likely make little difference because the exact inductance is not critical, but once the RTV hardens, you will have a bear of a time getting it off should it ever need replacement. Do not use any fixatives on any more of the K2 toroids. Many compounds will alter the inductance, and it is just not necessary. To emphasize that point, I often refer to the K2 that I built for an OTR truck driver. That K2 lived for years in the cab of his 18 wheeler, and never suffered any toroid damage - the toroids were adequately supported by their leads. More specifics, T5 (and sometimes, but not often, the inductors in the LPF) may need tweaking by adjusting the turns spacing. The use of any fixatives will prevent that, and require you to purchase new cores and rewind the toroids. Build the K2 as specified in the manual, and you will have no problems - if you add or subtract anything, it may not work correctly. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 9:02 PM, R Thompson wrote: I just installed the first toroid, RFC14, in my K2 kit. After winding it, I sprayed it with conformal coating, and just before installing it I put a small dab of RTV3145 (non-corrosive) silicone seal on the end next to the PC board and then soldered it in place. So I turn the page in the manual and the very next thing in bold is Do not use adhesives or fixatives of any king to secure toroids to the PC board. Would this also apply to conformal coating? Should I remove RFC14 and take the RTV off it? __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Oper/Stby beep
Hookay, I figured out what I am responding to. It turns out the 'buzzy' beep only happens when the K3 is in SSB mode (not a mode I use all that often) and Noise Reduction is on. It almost sounds like an overloaded audio circuit, or maybe like the trailing hash that you see/hear in the movies when the police officer un-keys his mic...that's roger, over.. kesh! Unpleasant to hear, but not more than an annoyance. I still would like to silence the beep when I switch the Oper/Stby button on the KPA500. Is there a way? .. mike AI6II -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA500-Oper-Stby-beep-tp6541107p6542246.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Thanks Don, I've received a few helpful responses already, which I appreciate. I could do without the RTV, except I like it at RFC14 because its jammed into a tight space, and as you mentioned, its a RF choke which wouldn't be critical. For a very long time conformal coating has been used in my field, avionics. Its great stuff to reduce board corrosion in damp environments, even if its just from condensation. That is if its applied carefully and the board and adjustable components and contacts are well masked. If it won't mess things up, when its finished I'd like to apply conformal to parts of the board, especially the underside of the board. Back to the RTV on RFC14, there is a very small dab of it on the bottom of the core, just to keep it upright. Anymore than a small dab would be a waste. OK, future cores I'll leave alone unless the manual says otherwise. And conformal coating parts of the board can wait until I look into this further. I have spare cores and wire, and an reasonably good LCR meter at work, I'll see what difference the coating makes in the value of toroidal coil. Ron On 2-Jul-11, at 7:29 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Ron, I suggest that you indeed do that. Actually on RFC14 it will likely make little difference because the exact inductance is not critical, but once the RTV hardens, you will have a bear of a time getting it off should it ever need replacement. Do not use any fixatives on any more of the K2 toroids. Many compounds will alter the inductance, and it is just not necessary. To emphasize that point, I often refer to the K2 that I built for an OTR truck driver. That K2 lived for years in the cab of his 18 wheeler, and never suffered any toroid damage - the toroids were adequately supported by their leads. More specifics, T5 (and sometimes, but not often, the inductors in the LPF) may need tweaking by adjusting the turns spacing. The use of any fixatives will prevent that, and require you to purchase new cores and rewind the toroids. Build the K2 as specified in the manual, and you will have no problems - if you add or subtract anything, it may not work correctly. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 9:02 PM, R Thompson wrote: I just installed the first toroid, RFC14, in my K2 kit. After winding it, I sprayed it with conformal coating, and just before installing it I put a small dab of RTV3145 (non-corrosive) silicone seal on the end next to the PC board and then soldered it in place. So I turn the page in the manual and the very next thing in bold is Do not use adhesives or fixatives of any king to secure toroids to the PC board. Would this also apply to conformal coating? Should I remove RFC14 and take the RTV off it? Ron VE8RT ve...@xplornet.com Yellowknife, NT, Canada 62 26.765N 114 22.503W Grid Square DP22tk Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their window? Is 60:8 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Ron, Forget the LCR meter with the K2 kit - other than to evaluate the effects of various fixatives for toroids. Wind the toroids with the number of turns specified and all will be OK. As far as conformal coating, again, it makes repair or rework a pain - but if you insist ... What I can say is that I have worked on many K2s (over 600 to date), and some have been subjected to extreme environmental conditions (salt spray, high humidity, etc.), and on all of those, even though the exterior of the K2 shows signs of corrosion from that environment, all those I have seen look pristine on the surfaces of the boards. Based on that, I would discourage using any conformal coating, it is just not necessary unless you intend to dip your boards in salt water. I have no idea what problems may occur if you would use a conformal coating, other than that the coating must be worked through if any repairs or upgrades are needed in the future. When measuring with an LCR meter, be certain it is working at the frequency that the toroid will actually be used. Many LCR meters work at a low fixed frequency, and the results obtained from those meters can be misleading when the toroid is used at the frequency that it was designed for. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 9:48 PM, Ron VE8RT wrote: Thanks Don, I've received a few helpful responses already, which I appreciate. I could do without the RTV, except I like it at RFC14 because its jammed into a tight space, and as you mentioned, its a RF choke which wouldn't be critical. For a very long time conformal coating has been used in my field, avionics. Its great stuff to reduce board corrosion in damp environments, even if its just from condensation. That is if its applied carefully and the board and adjustable components and contacts are well masked. If it won't mess things up, when its finished I'd like to apply conformal to parts of the board, especially the underside of the board. Back to the RTV on RFC14, there is a very small dab of it on the bottom of the core, just to keep it upright. Anymore than a small dab would be a waste. OK, future cores I'll leave alone unless the manual says otherwise. And conformal coating parts of the board can wait until I look into this further. I have spare cores and wire, and an reasonably good LCR meter at work, I'll see what difference the coating makes in the value of toroidal coil. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Thanks Don, good point on the LCR meter, it measures values at 1KHz. The remaining coils are being installed as per the manual. I service avionics for living, the better gear has conformal coated boards. The coating is very thin, applied as an aerosol, and hasn't been a problem for repairs, a soldering iron will melt through it no problem. Older coatings, which were applied very thick, were a headache. Its hard not to want to use it, I've had my gear end up in puddle at Field Day after a gust of wind blew over the tent, tables, and all. First things first, I'll finish it as per the manual. The help here has been wonderful, and fast! Thanks everyone, and enjoy your long weekend! Ron VE8RT On Sat, 2011-07-02 at 22:14 -0400, Don Wilhelm wrote: Ron, Forget the LCR meter with the K2 kit - other than to evaluate the effects of various fixatives for toroids. Wind the toroids with the number of turns specified and all will be OK. As far as conformal coating, again, it makes repair or rework a pain - but if you insist ... What I can say is that I have worked on many K2s (over 600 to date), and some have been subjected to extreme environmental conditions (salt spray, high humidity, etc.), and on all of those, even though the exterior of the K2 shows signs of corrosion from that environment, all those I have seen look pristine on the surfaces of the boards. Based on that, I would discourage using any conformal coating, it is just not necessary unless you intend to dip your boards in salt water. I have no idea what problems may occur if you would use a conformal coating, other than that the coating must be worked through if any repairs or upgrades are needed in the future. When measuring with an LCR meter, be certain it is working at the frequency that the toroid will actually be used. Many LCR meters work at a low fixed frequency, and the results obtained from those meters can be misleading when the toroid is used at the frequency that it was designed for. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 9:48 PM, Ron VE8RT wrote: Thanks Don, I've received a few helpful responses already, which I appreciate. I could do without the RTV, except I like it at RFC14 because its jammed into a tight space, and as you mentioned, its a RF choke which wouldn't be critical. For a very long time conformal coating has been used in my field, avionics. Its great stuff to reduce board corrosion in damp environments, even if its just from condensation. That is if its applied carefully and the board and adjustable components and contacts are well masked. If it won't mess things up, when its finished I'd like to apply conformal to parts of the board, especially the underside of the board. Back to the RTV on RFC14, there is a very small dab of it on the bottom of the core, just to keep it upright. Anymore than a small dab would be a waste. OK, future cores I'll leave alone unless the manual says otherwise. And conformal coating parts of the board can wait until I look into this further. I have spare cores and wire, and an reasonably good LCR meter at work, I'll see what difference the coating makes in the value of toroidal coil. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Reminds me of a story that I heard years ago while on an assignment in England. Seems that the Rolls Royce company didn't have an automatic transmission in their cars. Since automatic transmissions were the up-and-coming thing they decided that they needed one to offer in the Roolls Royce. Rather than design one from scratch they surveyed the field and decided that the best of breed was one made by General Motors. They entered into an agreement with GM to use theirs. They took a GM automatic transmission into their shop and tore it down completely. They wanted any transmission that was going into a Rolls Royce to be top quality, inside and out. Everything passed muster except for one part. It had a rough surface. That just wouldn't do so they machined the surface to a Rolls Royce standard. The trouble was that when the transmission was assembled it wouldn't work. They contacted GM and found out that the surface in question had to be rough or the transmission wouldn't work. Best to trust the judgment of the design engineers. 72, Jim - W4BQP K2 #2268 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Hi Jim, I've worked on aircraft for over 30 years and know what engineers can do :-) There are many airworthiness directives issued after the engineers have finished their work. I'd better not get something started, as I really do appreciate the work of the engineers. More field experience would help some of them. Ron VE8RT On Sat, 2011-07-02 at 22:47 -0400, Jim Campbell wrote: Reminds me of a story that I heard years ago while on an assignment in England. Seems that the Rolls Royce company didn't have an automatic transmission in their cars. Since automatic transmissions were the up-and-coming thing they decided that they needed one to offer in the Roolls Royce. Rather than design one from scratch they surveyed the field and decided that the best of breed was one made by General Motors. They entered into an agreement with GM to use theirs. They took a GM automatic transmission into their shop and tore it down completely. They wanted any transmission that was going into a Rolls Royce to be top quality, inside and out. Everything passed muster except for one part. It had a rough surface. That just wouldn't do so they machined the surface to a Rolls Royce standard. The trouble was that when the transmission was assembled it wouldn't work. They contacted GM and found out that the surface in question had to be rough or the transmission wouldn't work. Best to trust the judgment of the design engineers. 72, Jim - W4BQP K2 #2268 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
And you have found where a page break was inadvertently put in the wrong place. That caution about not securing the toroids belongs on the previous page. It will be moved. Thanks Ron IIRC from numerous threads asking the same question over the past decade, there is concern that *some* compounds can alter the inductance enough to have a deleterious effect on performance. Since (literally) thousands of K2's are out there, bouncing around in vehicles and otherwise being used in the field without any reports of a toroid breaking loose, it has always been recommended to simply leave them standing on their leads. 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron VE8RT Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2011 6:48 PM To: d...@w3fpr.com Cc: Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not? Thanks Don, I've received a few helpful responses already, which I appreciate. I could do without the RTV, except I like it at RFC14 because its jammed into a tight space, and as you mentioned, its a RF choke which wouldn't be critical. For a very long time conformal coating has been used in my field, avionics. Its great stuff to reduce board corrosion in damp environments, even if its just from condensation. That is if its applied carefully and the board and adjustable components and contacts are well masked. If it won't mess things up, when its finished I'd like to apply conformal to parts of the board, especially the underside of the board. Back to the RTV on RFC14, there is a very small dab of it on the bottom of the core, just to keep it upright. Anymore than a small dab would be a waste. OK, future cores I'll leave alone unless the manual says otherwise. And conformal coating parts of the board can wait until I look into this further. I have spare cores and wire, and an reasonably good LCR meter at work, I'll see what difference the coating makes in the value of toroidal coil. Ron On 2-Jul-11, at 7:29 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Ron, I suggest that you indeed do that. Actually on RFC14 it will likely make little difference because the exact inductance is not critical, but once the RTV hardens, you will have a bear of a time getting it off should it ever need replacement. Do not use any fixatives on any more of the K2 toroids. Many compounds will alter the inductance, and it is just not necessary. To emphasize that point, I often refer to the K2 that I built for an OTR truck driver. That K2 lived for years in the cab of his 18 wheeler, and never suffered any toroid damage - the toroids were adequately supported by their leads. More specifics, T5 (and sometimes, but not often, the inductors in the LPF) may need tweaking by adjusting the turns spacing. The use of any fixatives will prevent that, and require you to purchase new cores and rewind the toroids. Build the K2 as specified in the manual, and you will have no problems - if you add or subtract anything, it may not work correctly. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 9:02 PM, R Thompson wrote: I just installed the first toroid, RFC14, in my K2 kit. After winding it, I sprayed it with conformal coating, and just before installing it I put a small dab of RTV3145 (non-corrosive) silicone seal on the end next to the PC board and then soldered it in place. So I turn the page in the manual and the very next thing in bold is Do not use adhesives or fixatives of any king to secure toroids to the PC board. Would this also apply to conformal coating? Should I remove RFC14 and take the RTV off it? Ron VE8RT ve...@xplornet.com Yellowknife, NT, Canada 62 26.765N 114 22.503W Grid Square DP22tk Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their window? Is 60:8 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
And then there's the Armstrong approach to engineering exhibited in the American Packard V12 of the 1930's.The big V12 engine had so much torque one could leave the transmission in high gear and start from a dead stop with no strain. Many owners never shifted gears. I do second-guess engineers at times, but when I do and modify their design I give up all excuse to go back to the designer to find out why the product doesn't work as advertised. So one of the first questions I have when contemplating an 'improvement' is, Do I have the means to determine the impact of my change? Ron AC7AC -Original Message- Reminds me of a story that I heard years ago while on an assignment in England. Seems that the Rolls Royce company didn't have an automatic transmission in their cars. Since automatic transmissions were the up-and-coming thing they decided that they needed one to offer in the Roolls Royce. Rather than design one from scratch they surveyed the field and decided that the best of breed was one made by General Motors. They entered into an agreement with GM to use theirs. They took a GM automatic transmission into their shop and tore it down completely. They wanted any transmission that was going into a Rolls Royce to be top quality, inside and out. Everything passed muster except for one part. It had a rough surface. That just wouldn't do so they machined the surface to a Rolls Royce standard. The trouble was that when the transmission was assembled it wouldn't work. They contacted GM and found out that the surface in question had to be rough or the transmission wouldn't work. Best to trust the judgment of the design engineers. 72, Jim - W4BQP K2 #2268 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
U don't need all those adhesive for all toroids. 73 Johnny Sent from my iPhone 4 R Thompson ve...@xplornet.com 於 2011年7月3日 上午9:02 寫道: I just installed the first toroid, RFC14, in my K2 kit. After winding it, I sprayed it with conformal coating, and just before installing it I put a small dab of RTV3145 (non-corrosive) silicone seal on the end next to the PC board and then soldered it in place. So I turn the page in the manual and the very next thing in bold is Do not use adhesives or fixatives of any king to secure toroids to the PC board. Would this also apply to conformal coating? Should I remove RFC14 and take the RTV off it? Thanks, Ron VE8RT __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Hi Jim Good story! I think that was a few years ago. Rolls-Royce acquired a license to produce the HydraMatic in 1952! I remember 1952 well, as that was the year we got our first TV, The last ones on the block to do so. 73, Rick Dettinger K7MW Reminds me of a story that I heard years ago while on an assignment in England. Seems that the Rolls Royce company didn't have an automatic transmission in their cars. Since automatic transmissions were the up-and-coming thing they decided that they needed one to offer in the Roolls Royce. Rather than design one from scratch they surveyed the field and decided that the best of breed was one made by General Motors. They entered into an agreement with GM to use theirs. They took a GM automatic transmission into their shop and tore it down completely. They wanted any transmission that was going into a Rolls Royce to be top quality, inside and out. Everything passed muster except for one part. It had a rough surface. That just wouldn't do so they machined the surface to a Rolls Royce standard. The trouble was that when the transmission was assembled it wouldn't work. They contacted GM and found out that the surface in question had to be rough or the transmission wouldn't work. Best to trust the judgment of the design engineers. 72, Jim - W4BQP K2 #2268 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] P3
Clay, Very true! Once you get used to using the P3 you can't imagine running without it. Rick K6LE On 7/2/2011, at 9:06 , Clay Freinwald wrote: I don't contribute to this list very often...However, in this case, I feel I must. I operated FD with the W7DK this year and fellow K3 owner K7MO who brought His K3 - AND - P3. This was my first time using the P3 in a contest and was I every amazed at how Much I used it. Operating 15 phone, I found that it was what I was looking at All the time. Looking for a place to call CQ...and especially late in the day Looking for those that I had not worked. What a great tool. Time to add one in my shack! Have to order an additional cover from Rose too. Clay Freinwald, K7CR __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] securing toroids in K2, why not?
Ron, Not diminishing your field experience, but speaking only from my experience with the K2 ... Consider in the case of the K2, the engineer's decisions have been scrubbed by first the Field Testers - ranging from experienced builders (including other engineers) to those who are building a kit for the first time - plus 12 years of positive customer experience. That covers a LOT of field experience. I have been with the K2 experience for 12 years now (yes, I am an electrical engineer and understand the design), and have found that the design decisions of the K2 designers have been correct for the most part. Any minor problems have been worked out between the designers and the testers and customers. The K2 is a mature product, and all the bugs have been worked out - I challenge you to find a new one (but if you do, it will be definitely addressed). The K2 designer(s) have had a goodly share of field experience themselves, plus a lot of prior successful transceiver designs. Wayne Burdick designed the Wilderness Sierra and several other successful transceivers before embarking on the K2 journey. Transceivers that are still held in high esteem many years later. I am quite familiar with the pride of the designer syndrome, having spent 14 years of my professional career evaluating products prior to announcement for a large corporation. My task was to assure that the product met its specifications, and was achieved through extensive testing under extreme conditions. Many products did not make the grade, but others were modified as a result of the efforts of my test team in order to provide the customer with a product that worked as specified. In other words, I am well experienced in evaluating product designs as well as creating test procedures to verify and support the product. I can say that the K2 meets its specifications without embellishment. Again, there is no need to apply any fixatives to the K2 (or K1 or KX1) toroids, If you prefer conformal coating, so be it, but understand that it is at your own peril - some techniques could void your warranty. The instructions to produce a working K2 are in the manual. Follow them, and do not add or subtract anything, and you will be rewarded with a very good transceiver - 12 years of experience by both testers and customers is behind your efforts, and it is all documented in the manual. 73, Don W3FPR On 7/2/2011 11:12 PM, R Thompson wrote: Hi Jim, I've worked on aircraft for over 30 years and know what engineers can do :-) There are many airworthiness directives issued after the engineers have finished their work. I'd better not get something started, as I really do appreciate the work of the engineers. More field experience would help some of them. Ron VE8RT On Sat, 2011-07-02 at 22:47 -0400, Jim Campbell wrote: Reminds me of a story that I heard years ago while on an assignment in England. Seems that the Rolls Royce company didn't have an automatic transmission in their cars. Since automatic transmissions were the up-and-coming thing they decided that they needed one to offer in the Roolls Royce. Rather than design one from scratch they surveyed the field and decided that the best of breed was one made by General Motors. They entered into an agreement with GM to use theirs. They took a GM automatic transmission into their shop and tore it down completely. They wanted any transmission that was going into a Rolls Royce to be top quality, inside and out. Everything passed muster except for one part. It had a rough surface. That just wouldn't do so they machined the surface to a Rolls Royce standard. The trouble was that when the transmission was assembled it wouldn't work. They contacted GM and found out that the surface in question had to be rough or the transmission wouldn't work. Best to trust the judgment of the design engineers. 72, Jim - W4BQP K2 #2268 __ 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 __ 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 __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Power Supply?
Agreed Kevin! Personally I would prefer that the brilliant minds in Watsonville (and various other skunkworks sites) spend their necessarily limited resources working on Elecraft type projects (improving and updating and perfecting the K2, K3, P3, KPA500, KAT500 etc.) and whatever back room projects they have on the fire than spending their time producing products such as power supplies, which, in my case, sit on the floor out of sight and just - supply power. Actually, I am amazed at their ability to have so many balls in the air without apparently dropping any! Rick K6LE On 7/2/2011, at 3:00 , R. Kevin Stover wrote: I really don't understand the hubbub about having a matching power supply. Mine has never matched any radio hooked up to it and it sits on the floor. I'd hope Elecraft wouldn't waste time and resources on trying to re-invent the pretty much perfected power supply wheel unless they can make a quantum leap in power supply performance, like they did with receiver performance on the K2 and 3. I just don't see it. A power supply is a power supply. They are commodity items. Someone thinks they're going to shoehorn the guts of an RS-20M into a P3? Good luck! I don't think the transformer would fit much less the heat sink. -- R. Kevin Stover AC0H ___ __ 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