[Elecraft] MMTY settings for K3S

[eric norris via Elecraft]

I am trying to setup standalone MMTY to run rtty.  Does anyone know the 
super-secret settings in mmty OPTIONS--SET UP TNC EMULATION MODE?
I have assigned the K3S' sound card.  I am in DATA AFSK mode, 45-45 baud,  915 
(I like it low) 170hz shift.  I appear to be receiving (though who knows, no 
rtty signals).  Port # is correct.
Help a Noob.  Bonus points for how I set rx text to something larger than 
2pt--you know, human-readable.
Thanks!

73, Eric WD6DBM

 
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 or K4D?

[Ed W0YK]

Invoice, Packing List, radio menu, radio display, etc.73,Ed W0YK
 Original message From: Roger Stimson  Date: 
11/5/21  12:14  (GMT-08:00) To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K4 
or K4D? How can I tell if I have a K4 or a K4DK8RS  -  RogerSent from 
Mail for 
Windows__Elecraft 
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Re: [Elecraft] PLL Range test

[Don Wilhelm]

James,

Listen to Dave, he is 'on target' with his post, and he is now the K2 
'expert'.  But it might be helpful if you post the PLL high and low 
frequencies as well as the range test results.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/5/2021 8:27 AM, JAMES GUNNOE wrote:

To follow up on my question about the PLL range test, how critical is it to be 
at or below 15Khz? Currently I am at 15.40Khz after playing around with the 
winding spread. The errata sheet says to be between 9.98Khz and 15Khz 
difference in the high and low reading.

73
James, KJ4KEM



On 11/04/2021 7:57 PM Comcast  wrote:

  
Hello again,

Still building a K2. I got to the PLL reference oscillator range test and did 
have to remove one turn from the toroid.My range at first was 20.6 Khz.
I got it down to 15.38Khz. I am worried if I remove another turn it will be too 
low. I went ahead with the continued testing and all the numbers (test results) 
are good.
I stopped for the night on the BFO alignment.
My questions is, is the 15.38Khz ok or do I need to remove another turn from 
the toroid?

73

James, KJ4KEM
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 or K4D?

[Dave]

Look at the invoice?

On 11/5/21 12:11 PM, Roger Stimson wrote:

How can I tell if I have a K4 or a K4D

K8RS  -  Roger

Sent from Mail for Windows

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73,
Dave,
https://www.nk7z.net

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Re: [Elecraft] Problem Tuning K3: now off centre fed dipole

[Eric Swartz]

Folks - Thread CLOSED. In the interest of relieving mail overload for those
who are not interested in the argument on this topic, please take this off
the list as it has been beaten to death.

73,
Eric
List moderator, COO, CFO and general playground monitor.. ;-)

*elecraft.com *


On Fri, Nov 5, 2021 at 11:13 AM Jim Brown  wrote:

> On 11/5/2021 4:24 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote:
> > As has been said on many occasions, there is no real difference between
> a dipole fed in the middle and one fed off centre: as long as you can get
> the current to run in the dipole by suitable matching and don't waste it
> along the way, they are indistinguishable to the dx station.
>
> Statements like this ignore three fundamental facts.
>
> 1) Off-center fed antennas are noisy on receive, and you can't work who
> you can't hear. This usually doesn't matter in the middle of nowhere,
> but it matters a LOT in most of the developed world, where all of us are
> surrounded by switch-mode power supplies (almost everything that plugs
> into the wall), controllers for variable speed motors (HVAC systems and
> other systems), grow lights, and solar systems.
>
> 2) When used on bands other than their half-wave length, horizontal
> patterns are wildly variable, with multiple peaks and nulls at angles
> predictable by antenna fundamentals.
>
> 3) It is impractical to EFFECTIVELY choke them at the feedpoint to kill
> RX noise, the feedpoint being at the off-center point on the horizontal
> wire, not down the matching section from the antenna, and it is also
> impractical to EFFECTIVELY choke a feedline where it is severely
> mismatched. Again, this doesn't matter in the middle of nowhere, but it
> matters a LOT where most of us live.
>
> And it DOES matter to the DX station who calls you repeatedly and you
> don't hear him, thanks to your RX noise. This has been happening to me a
> lot on 60M FT8, where I'm licensed for 100W EIRP, and most of the rest
> of the world is licensed for 15-25W. That power gives me a 6-8 dB
> advantage, and stations I decode at -10 dB don't hear me!
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 or K4D?

[Kevin McQuiggin]

Menu/Radio Type will tell you!


> On Nov 5, 2021, at 12:11 PM, Roger Stimson  wrote:
> 
> How can I tell if I have a K4 or a K4D
> 
> K8RS  -  Roger
> 
> Sent from Mail for Windows
> 
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[Elecraft] K4 or K4D?

[Roger Stimson]

How can I tell if I have a K4 or a K4D

K8RS  -  Roger

Sent from Mail for Windows

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Re: [Elecraft] [K2] K2/100 - Serial Port Quit Working

[Bill Coleman]

Yes, Vss Vdd and Vcc all look like appropriate values. 

> On Nov 4, 2021, at 3:47 PM, Don Wilhelm  wrote:
> 
> Bill,
> 
> Make certain you have +12 volts on U4 pin 1 and +5 volts on U4 pin 16 and 
> about -25 volts (-8 to -27 volts) on U4 pin 8.
> If those are correct, replace U4 and it should work)
> 
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> 
> On 11/4/2021 3:29 PM, Bill Coleman wrote:
>> About 10 days ago, I was having trouble with the K2/100, as it was no longer 
>> talking to WSJT-X correctly. I could get the audio running, but it would 
>> never contact the radio.
>> 
>> Trying to set up for CQ WW Phone, I had the same trouble with N1MM.
>> 
>> Tried to use the PORT TEST feature by going to the SEC menu, selecting PORT, 
>> going into EDIT, and pressing the DISPLAY button. It would say TEST, but I’d 
>> see no characters transmitted.
>> 
>> Since I use USB serial adapters, I tried two of them, to no avail. Can’t get 
>> a peep out of the K2/100.
>> 
>> Opening up the rig and digging out the scope, if I send characters on the 
>> serial port, I see pulse trains on KPA100 U4 - the MAX1406 chip - pin 11 
>> (R3OUT). So, it would appear that characters are reaching the main CPU.
>> 
>> If I put the scope probe on pin 12 (T2IN), it remains locked on ground, 
>> never moving, even when I do the PORT TEST.
>> 
>> If I remove the P1 connector from the control board, and put the scope probe 
>> on pin 1 of that connector, I DO see pulse trains from the PORT TEST. This 
>> indicates to me that the CPU is OK, but something is wrong at the MAX1406 
>> chip in the KPA100.
>> 
>> In addition to not getting a response from the K2, it doesn’t appear to obey 
>> commands. If I send RT1; or XT1; it doesn’t turn RIT or XIT on.
>> 
>> I tried using a different main CPU chip (I have one with older firmware), 
>> but that doesn’t appear to make a difference. I’m wondering if my problem is 
>> a blown MAX1406 chip.
>> 
>> Any recommendations or advice? It’s a big pain to remove the KPA100 board, 
>> so I want to make sure what I’m replacing before I go after it.
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: aa...@arrl.net
Web: http://boringhamradiopart.blogspot.com
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
   -- Wilbur Wright, 1901

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Re: [Elecraft] Problem Tuning K3: now off centre fed dipole

[Jim Brown]

On 11/5/2021 4:24 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote:

As has been said on many occasions, there is no real difference between a 
dipole fed in the middle and one fed off centre: as long as you can get the 
current to run in the dipole by suitable matching and don't waste it along the 
way, they are indistinguishable to the dx station.


Statements like this ignore three fundamental facts.

1) Off-center fed antennas are noisy on receive, and you can't work who 
you can't hear. This usually doesn't matter in the middle of nowhere, 
but it matters a LOT in most of the developed world, where all of us are 
surrounded by switch-mode power supplies (almost everything that plugs 
into the wall), controllers for variable speed motors (HVAC systems and 
other systems), grow lights, and solar systems.


2) When used on bands other than their half-wave length, horizontal 
patterns are wildly variable, with multiple peaks and nulls at angles 
predictable by antenna fundamentals.


3) It is impractical to EFFECTIVELY choke them at the feedpoint to kill 
RX noise, the feedpoint being at the off-center point on the horizontal 
wire, not down the matching section from the antenna, and it is also 
impractical to EFFECTIVELY choke a feedline where it is severely 
mismatched. Again, this doesn't matter in the middle of nowhere, but it 
matters a LOT where most of us live.


And it DOES matter to the DX station who calls you repeatedly and you 
don't hear him, thanks to your RX noise. This has been happening to me a 
lot on 60M FT8, where I'm licensed for 100W EIRP, and most of the rest 
of the world is licensed for 15-25W. That power gives me a 6-8 dB 
advantage, and stations I decode at -10 dB don't hear me!


73, Jim K9YC

73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] Problem Tuning K3: now off centre fed dipole

[Ray]

Great Article…….
WA6VAB  Ray  K3 

Sent from Mail for Windows

From: CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft
Sent: Friday, November 5, 2021 4:24 AM
To: k...@altaeng.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Problem Tuning K3: now off centre fed dipole

Chuck

I'm not an expert but you might find it useful to read
http://www.karinya.net/g3txq/baluns/baluns.pdf

Antennas popular with Elecraft back-packers are off centre fed dipoles: eg 20ft 
of wire up a tree and 10ft of wire on the ground as an example.
Many low power and one-man dxpeditions use these antennas and win trophies!  
I used an 80m ocf dipole in an IOTA contest with team CR5CW running 100W and a 
K3 and did pretty well. 

As has been said on many occasions, there is no real difference between a 
dipole fed in the middle and one fed off centre: as long as you can get the 
current to run in the dipole by suitable matching and don't waste it along the 
way, they are indistinguishable to the dx station.  Centre fed multi-band 
antennas can waste power in the matching unit, take care. Use Elecraft internal 
matching and it's all plug and play. 

Build one or buy one and just have multi-band fun from one antenna.  

David G3UNA


> On 04 November 2021 at 20:54 Charles K0MV  wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi David,
> 
> Thanks for the synopsis below.  I found it very useful being unfamiliar 
> with amateur practice over the years with OCF antennas.  My antennas are 
> all center fed.
> 
> I replied to this message because it was the most informative. Other, 
> later messages on this thread were also interesting.  But generally, the 
> discussion lacks quantitative data and so it is difficult to objectively 
> evaluate the efficacy and drawbacks of different realizations.  It is 
> also difficult to project which realization or changes would fit a given 
> set of constraints.
> 
> The positive aspect is there has been years and years of experimentation 
> and different approaches to this multiband dipole problem.  I would like 
> to hear more on these.
> 
> Could you describe G3TXQ's 2 core Guanella balun solution more 
> completely?  I checked the Spiderbeam website and it is not clear to me.
> 
> I think this is relevant to Elecraft since many applications are 
> portable and QRP.  We want that antenna to really work and understanding 
> it better, helps.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Chuck K0MV
> 
> 
> On 11/4/21 9:59 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote:
> > Hi Dan
> >
> > Good question.  I'll answer as a non-expert as best I can.
> >
> > This is essentially a quest for a multi-band dipole that is easy to make 
> > and use.  If you can put up mono band dipoles and beams for all your bands, 
> > you probably will not bother going this route.
> >
> > The popular description of the ocf dipole (going back at least to the 50's) 
> > has a feed point of one third/two thirds on the dipole.  (BTW this is 
> > otherwise a normal half wavelength dipole.
> >
> > This provides approximately 200 ohm feed point impedance for most popular 
> > HF bands, eg 80, 40, 20 and 10m, not 15m.
> >
> > Back in the 60's we could use coax into a valve PA, which I preferred to 
> > the G5RV which needed an outboard matching unit.  In transistor days we 
> > used a modest matching unit with an swr meter and were ignorant of common 
> > mode current.
> >   
> > In the 90s I used ladder line to ground level and an auto-tuning unit into 
> > a tent for field day, believing it to be more efficient.   With grounded 
> > coax I didn't have live chassis syndrome and out in the wilds there was no 
> > noise pickup.  Later I used ladder line through a balun then into the radio 
> > with an on-board matching unit and that was, for me a great step forward 
> > with auto-tuning.
> >
> >
> > It was discovered by some users that the common mode current performance 
> > using off-the-shelf baluns and chokes was inadequate and could result in 
> > live chassis syndrome and noise pickup on receive from home locations.  
> > Poor matching on 15m was still a problem as were the WARC bands.
> >
> > Now in the 21st Century, just a few years ago, Rick DJ0IP tackled the 
> > problem starting with a 40m ocf dipole using a new balun/choke combination. 
> >  He read that W8JI and others recommended a 20% feedpoint to bring 15m into 
> > the 200 ohm region. He then used a Guanella 2-core balun solution from 
> > Steve G3TXQ and others to provide the 50 ohm output with low common mode 
> > current.  It had to be the dual core version, the single core version 
> > simply didn't suppress the cmc.  This is now marketed by Spiderbeam.  
> > Moving to an 80m version was difficult but with a hybrid balun/choke 
> > combination he devised a combination that provided at least as good cmc and 
> > this version is also marketed by Spiderbeam. They both work on 15m and some 
> > WARC bands. For some layouts a modest on-board matching unit is required 
> > for complete coverage which is a far cry from bulky outboard units; good 
> > news for portable 

Re: [Elecraft] K4 or K4D

[Wes]

IMHO, no.

Wes  N7WS

On 11/5/2021 9:05 AM, Dave Barr wrote:
I operate from a 50 by 115 foot lot using a tribander and two open wire fed 
dipoles.  I use a K3 with the auto antenna tuner, but no panadapter.  Primary 
interest is contesting (usually qrp and S) and DX chasing.  I never operate 
2R in contests. There can be fairly high rf noise levels in the neighborhood, 
say S3 to S6, but not always.


My question is this:  Does the K4D have a real advantage over the base K4 for 
me.

Thanks for your opinions.

Dave, K2YG


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Re: [Elecraft] K4 or K4D

[Greg Mitchell]

The reasons to get a K4D over a K4 I think are only:
1) You need diversity receive.
2) You need to receive on two frequencies on different bands while still
having bandpass filters engaged (the K4 can receive on 2 separate bands at
once, but it has to bypass bandpass filters).

On Fri, Nov 5, 2021 at 12:06 PM Dave Barr  wrote:

> I operate from a 50 by 115 foot lot using a tribander and two open wire
> fed dipoles.  I use a K3 with the auto antenna tuner, but no
> panadapter.  Primary interest is contesting (usually qrp and S) and DX
> chasing.  I never operate 2R in contests. There can be fairly high rf
> noise levels in the neighborhood, say S3 to S6, but not always.
>
> My question is this:  Does the K4D have a real advantage over the base
> K4 for me.
>
> Thanks for your opinions.
>
> Dave, K2YG
>
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[Elecraft] K4 or K4D

[Dave Barr]

I operate from a 50 by 115 foot lot using a tribander and two open wire 
fed dipoles.  I use a K3 with the auto antenna tuner, but no 
panadapter.  Primary interest is contesting (usually qrp and S) and DX 
chasing.  I never operate 2R in contests. There can be fairly high rf 
noise levels in the neighborhood, say S3 to S6, but not always.


My question is this:  Does the K4D have a real advantage over the base 
K4 for me.


Thanks for your opinions.

Dave, K2YG

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[Elecraft] Fw: Re[2]: PLL Range test

[Dave Van Wallaghen]

GM James,

I think you will be fine with a 15.4KHz range. The problem when approaching 
ranges much greater than that is that although the K2 firmware will linearize 
the VFO adequately, the granularity of fine increments may start to suffer, and 
it'll be more susceptible to temperature change.

If you like to experiment and have enough #26 red enamel wire left, you might 
try taking off another turn and see what the range is. If not, then I think you 
will be just fine with your range.

BTW - I did all the testing for this change and used a set of cores to perform 
multiple tests. I saw these variances as well from the same batch of cores. The 
mix varies some between cores and produces different inductances with the 15 
turns of #26 wire. Some I had to take a turn off and some were fine. I had one 
that produces a 18KHz range. Pulling a turn returned it to around 15KHz.

73,
Dave, W8FGU


On 11/5/2021 8:27:26 AM, "JAMES GUNNOE"  wrote:


To follow up on my question about the PLL range test, how critical is it to be 
at or below 15Khz? Currently I am at 15.40Khz after playing around with the 
winding spread. The errata sheet says to be between 9.98Khz and 15Khz 
difference in the high and low reading.

73
James, KJ4KEM



 On 11/04/2021 7:57 PM Comcast  wrote:


 Hello again,
 Still building a K2. I got to the PLL reference oscillator range test and did 
have to remove one turn from the toroid.My range at first was 20.6 Khz.
 I got it down to 15.38Khz. I am worried if I remove another turn it will be 
too low. I went ahead with the continued testing and all the numbers (test 
results) are good.
 I stopped for the night on the BFO alignment.
 My questions is, is the 15.38Khz ok or do I need to remove another turn from 
the toroid?

 73

 James, KJ4KEM
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[Elecraft] KX2 For Sale - Fully Loaded

[Roger Marrotte via Elecraft]

I'm selling my KX2.  It's like new. I've only used it a few times on the
picnic table in the back yard and a few times in the shack.  It works great
but I don't get around much any longer. It spends most of it's time in it's
case on a shelf. It comes with the following: KX2 serial #99, KXAT2 tuner,
KXIO2, two KXBT2 battery packs, KXBC2 charger, KXPD2 keyer paddle, ES60
padded case, MH3 hand microphone, AX1 Multi band whip antenna, AXE1 40M
antenna extender for the AX1, AXB1 whip bipod, KX2GNDPLUG mini banana plug,
BNCBP post adapter, BNCRA male-female right angle BNC, KX2ACBL KX2 accessory
cable, a random wire and a ground wire with attached connector, and manuals.
Sold as a set only.  Asking $1250.- including shipping. USA only.

 

Roger, W1EM

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Re: [Elecraft] PLL Range test

[JAMES GUNNOE]

To follow up on my question about the PLL range test, how critical is it to be 
at or below 15Khz? Currently I am at 15.40Khz after playing around with the 
winding spread. The errata sheet says to be between 9.98Khz and 15Khz 
difference in the high and low reading.

73
James, KJ4KEM


> On 11/04/2021 7:57 PM Comcast  wrote:
> 
>  
> Hello again,
> Still building a K2. I got to the PLL reference oscillator range test and did 
> have to remove one turn from the toroid.My range at first was 20.6 Khz.
> I got it down to 15.38Khz. I am worried if I remove another turn it will be 
> too low. I went ahead with the continued testing and all the numbers (test 
> results) are good.
> I stopped for the night on the BFO alignment.
> My questions is, is the 15.38Khz ok or do I need to remove another turn from 
> the toroid?
> 
> 73 
> 
> James, KJ4KEM
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Re: [Elecraft] Problem Tuning K3: now off centre fed dipole

[CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft]

Chuck

I'm not an expert but you might find it useful to read
http://www.karinya.net/g3txq/baluns/baluns.pdf

Antennas popular with Elecraft back-packers are off centre fed dipoles: eg 20ft 
of wire up a tree and 10ft of wire on the ground as an example.
Many low power and one-man dxpeditions use these antennas and win trophies!  
I used an 80m ocf dipole in an IOTA contest with team CR5CW running 100W and a 
K3 and did pretty well. 

As has been said on many occasions, there is no real difference between a 
dipole fed in the middle and one fed off centre: as long as you can get the 
current to run in the dipole by suitable matching and don't waste it along the 
way, they are indistinguishable to the dx station.  Centre fed multi-band 
antennas can waste power in the matching unit, take care. Use Elecraft internal 
matching and it's all plug and play. 

Build one or buy one and just have multi-band fun from one antenna.  

David G3UNA


> On 04 November 2021 at 20:54 Charles K0MV  wrote:
> 
> 
> Hi David,
> 
> Thanks for the synopsis below.  I found it very useful being unfamiliar 
> with amateur practice over the years with OCF antennas.  My antennas are 
> all center fed.
> 
> I replied to this message because it was the most informative. Other, 
> later messages on this thread were also interesting.  But generally, the 
> discussion lacks quantitative data and so it is difficult to objectively 
> evaluate the efficacy and drawbacks of different realizations.  It is 
> also difficult to project which realization or changes would fit a given 
> set of constraints.
> 
> The positive aspect is there has been years and years of experimentation 
> and different approaches to this multiband dipole problem.  I would like 
> to hear more on these.
> 
> Could you describe G3TXQ's 2 core Guanella balun solution more 
> completely?  I checked the Spiderbeam website and it is not clear to me.
> 
> I think this is relevant to Elecraft since many applications are 
> portable and QRP.  We want that antenna to really work and understanding 
> it better, helps.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Chuck K0MV
> 
> 
> On 11/4/21 9:59 AM, CUTTER DAVID via Elecraft wrote:
> > Hi Dan
> >
> > Good question.  I'll answer as a non-expert as best I can.
> >
> > This is essentially a quest for a multi-band dipole that is easy to make 
> > and use.  If you can put up mono band dipoles and beams for all your bands, 
> > you probably will not bother going this route.
> >
> > The popular description of the ocf dipole (going back at least to the 50's) 
> > has a feed point of one third/two thirds on the dipole.  (BTW this is 
> > otherwise a normal half wavelength dipole.
> >
> > This provides approximately 200 ohm feed point impedance for most popular 
> > HF bands, eg 80, 40, 20 and 10m, not 15m.
> >
> > Back in the 60's we could use coax into a valve PA, which I preferred to 
> > the G5RV which needed an outboard matching unit.  In transistor days we 
> > used a modest matching unit with an swr meter and were ignorant of common 
> > mode current.
> >   
> > In the 90s I used ladder line to ground level and an auto-tuning unit into 
> > a tent for field day, believing it to be more efficient.   With grounded 
> > coax I didn't have live chassis syndrome and out in the wilds there was no 
> > noise pickup.  Later I used ladder line through a balun then into the radio 
> > with an on-board matching unit and that was, for me a great step forward 
> > with auto-tuning.
> >
> >
> > It was discovered by some users that the common mode current performance 
> > using off-the-shelf baluns and chokes was inadequate and could result in 
> > live chassis syndrome and noise pickup on receive from home locations.  
> > Poor matching on 15m was still a problem as were the WARC bands.
> >
> > Now in the 21st Century, just a few years ago, Rick DJ0IP tackled the 
> > problem starting with a 40m ocf dipole using a new balun/choke combination. 
> >  He read that W8JI and others recommended a 20% feedpoint to bring 15m into 
> > the 200 ohm region. He then used a Guanella 2-core balun solution from 
> > Steve G3TXQ and others to provide the 50 ohm output with low common mode 
> > current.  It had to be the dual core version, the single core version 
> > simply didn't suppress the cmc.  This is now marketed by Spiderbeam.  
> > Moving to an 80m version was difficult but with a hybrid balun/choke 
> > combination he devised a combination that provided at least as good cmc and 
> > this version is also marketed by Spiderbeam. They both work on 15m and some 
> > WARC bands. For some layouts a modest on-board matching unit is required 
> > for complete coverage which is a far cry from bulky outboard units; good 
> > news for portable operation.
> >
> > I would call these *modern* off centre-fed dipoles, ie well into this 
> > century.
> >
> > I have no financial connection with anyone in that business and I will say 
> > that I have never seen anyone else produce such a large