Re: [Elecraft] semi qsk (vox) with the K4 need advice

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

FWIW, my K3 driving an Acom 1000 is set to 12ms.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 20/01/2023 17:47, David Hachadorian wrote:
My AL-1500 has pretty slow relays.  I would guess that the AL82 is 
similar.  In my K3, I have config/TX DLY set to 14 ms.


Dave Hachadorian, K6LL
Yuma, AZ

On 1/20/2023 1:33 PM, Gerry via Elecraft wrote:

I usually use a foot switch with my K4 and AL82.

I was wondering what would be the best settings for semi qsk  (vox)  
with the

K4 and AL82 to avoid hot switching.  I want to be conservative.

What I've read so far online has been of little help.

Tks

73

Gerry
K1NY
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Mic

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I guessed that but I hope the lack of the Elecraft MH3 isn't preventing 
them from using KX2.


I know what I would do.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 07/10/2022 18:38, Wes wrote:
I doubt that there is any special except for the fact that some of these 
guys bought and paid for the MH3.


Wes  N7WS

On 10/7/2022 1:24 PM, Mike Harris via Elecraft wrote:
Is there anything so special about the MH3 that another hand mic with 
an adapter cable or re-plugged wouldn't do. There must be a few 
suitable units out in the wild. I use a Kenwood MC-43S with my K2/K3 
and a Yamaha headset with the K3.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO


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[Elecraft] KX2 Mic

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Is there anything so special about the MH3 that another hand mic with an 
adapter cable or re-plugged wouldn't do. There must be a few suitable 
units out in the wild. I use a Kenwood MC-43S with my K2/K3 and a Yamaha 
headset with the K3.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 07/10/2022 16:43, Richard Hill wrote:

I understood that ordered microphone parts were substandard when delivered
and new parts had to be sourced, delaying production.

Would you have preferred they delayed shipping the shack in a box until the
mics were available?

NU6T

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Re: [Elecraft] Systematic error in spots as heard by K3

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I should clarify a loose and potentially misleading last sentence. The 
GPSDO 10MHz external reference clocks a frequency counter that monitors 
the TXCO actual frequency and this number is used to control the synths, 
not the number you have set in REF CAL doing WWV calibration. Nothing 
touches the TXCO.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

The drift of the internal TCXO is easily displayed from a
cold start. The GPSDO ref osc knocks out the drift.
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[Elecraft] K3/K3s protection diodes

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

Apparently Elecraft have published a mod which adds protection diodes to 
the LPA stage.


Where is this mod published?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 ATU Problem

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

HI,

After a bit of button pressing I have noticed the following:

When doing a first tune using the internal ATU the tuning power is a set 
5W. Immediately doing an extended tune the tuning power toggles to 10W. 
It does indeed flash up in the VFO B window whilst tuning is in progress.


This is in no way controlled by any power level set by CONFIG>TUN PWR. 
My CONFIG>TUN power setting is 18W which I use to preset my Acom 1000 
amp tuning.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 08/12/2021 15:42, Rick NK7I wrote:
PS  When using the tuner in the KPA1500 with the K3, it gets the 10 
watts that I have as my default.  I've not tested to see if that can be 
changed to any other value.


I also attempted an ATU tune on the K3 into a dummy load, it's too fast 
for power to be displayed.  ;-)


73,
Rick NK7I





On my K3, (Tech Mode on, just for clarity):

Config | TUN PWR  is set at 10.0 watts.  If I want it set at another 
level, I turn the main VFO knob to set that level.


I just tested that into a dummy load after setting the output per above 
to 9 watts and got 9 watts out (since reset to my default, 10).


73, Merry Christmas,
Rick NK7I


On 12/8/2021 8:34 AM, Tom Boucher wrote:

*You can set TUN PWR in the K3 Config Menu to something other than 5
watts.73,DrewAF2Z*

Drew,
Page 60 of K3 Owner's Manual states: "TUN PWR Note 1: *TUN PWR* does not
pertain to *ATU TUNE, *which always uses 5 or 10 W and is internally
controlled"

Does anyone know how to change the 'internal control' to increase from 
5 W

to 10 W?

73,
Tom G3OLB

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[Elecraft] CW Side Tone in TX Test Mode

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Didn't see an answer to the question.

I can confirm that my K3 with USB upgrade does output the CW side tone 
audio. This was confirmed by Launching Logger32 and looking at the audio 
in the MMTTY RX waterfall display.


A simple test that probably took less time than launching an email.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Legal Limit With FT8

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I'm aware of the concept of tail-ending. I was wondering how it could be 
applied in the context of FT8 which has a proscribed timing structure.


If I'm S I wait until I see a 73 or RR73 and immediately enable TX. 
The timing is then determined by the PC clock. An exchange or not is 
determined by the inclination of the station called. Then it is down to 
chair time.


Most of the time when I come on FT8 it turns into a pile-up. I can have 
anything up to and beyond 10-15 minutes of callers backed up, that is 
the wsjt-x right hand window goes solid pink. Sounds great but can 
become very tedious. When I send 73 or RR73 running a pile the following 
period is used to determine who to call next and that isn't necessarily 
the newly decoded tail ender who sends his call once and expects to be 
answered immediately. What about the guy who has been waiting for ten 
minutes, the one I have already loaded into the TX sequence. The tail 
ender joins the list. Often, if not answered within a cycle or two they 
can be seen calling someone else, left hand window.


The issue from the sharp end is that you can see who has been hanging in 
and the choice has to be made who to make happy and who to disappoint. 
You can only hope they will continue hang in there. A LoTW using W7 in 
WY is another thing altogether. No contest.


So really it comes down to luck of the draw. However, I freely accept 
that VP8/F has a slight edge.


Running an RTTY pile, what I'm looking for is a clean pair of tram lines 
and will happily hop about the audio passband if necessary. Not running 
a multi channel decoder, unlike FT8, means that I have no prior 
knowledge who the caller is until I land on them. What works for me 
running a pile, the tricks of the trade if you will, also seems to work 
for others and after a few minutes watching and learning this has 
enabled me make the QSO with a feeling of smug satisfaction whilst 
others are still blindly calling without success. A modest #266 (RTTY) 
DXCC leads me to believe I'm doing something right.


On topic. All this has been achieved using K3 #00345 much modded and 
upgraded. A bigger investment over time than a shiny K4.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 12/11/2021 10:56, Andy Durbin wrote:

"Please explain "effectively tail-end" using FT8."

To tail end is, at least in my terminology, to call a station at the end of 
their current QSO without waiting for them to call CQ.

To tail-end effectively means, at least in my terminology, to call the station 
without causing QRM to their current QSO and have them answer the call.

"Using FT8" should need no explanation.

One essential aspect of tail ending effectively without causing QRM is to NEVER 
call on the current QSO frequency.

73,
Andy k3wyc

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Re: [Elecraft] Legal Limit With FT8

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Please explain "effectively tail-end" using FT8.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 11/11/2021 21:03, Andy Durbin wrote:

"I have DXCC on RTTY and refuse to add FT QSOs to my total.  They are different 
things.  RTTY requires some skill."

You seem to imply that FT modes require no skill.  I disagree.  There are 
complete LIDS using the modes and there are others who carefully pick TX 
frequencies to avoid QRM to a QSO in progress and time their transmissions to 
effectively tail-end without causing QRM.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 loss of power (KPA3 100W)

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

KPA3 circuit breaker?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 11/09/2021 10:13, David Sumner wrote:

Lee, it may not be that bad. Check Config to make sure KPA3 shows “PA nor” — 
there are other causes of your symptom as well that others may be able to 
comment on. 73, Dave K1ZZ

Sent from my iPhone


On Sep 11, 2021, at 8:35 AM, Lee  wrote:

If I had to guess, I would say the finals are blown in my KPA3.

If I advance the power knob, output is normal up to 12 watts.  As soon as
the power is advanced to 13 watts, the power drops to near 0, perhaps 1/4
watt.

Any help on troubleshooting?

Assuming the finals are blown, is it possible to just return the KPA3 to
Elecraft for repair, rather than the K3 itself?

Thanks for any help!  Lee

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Re: [Elecraft] Need help.

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi Rick,

Have you tried reloading a saved working configuration? Does the red TX 
led illuminate? If you press the TUNE button is there any output and 
what does the SWR indicate.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 07/08/2021 23:16, Richard Isaacs via Elecraft wrote:

I recently purchased a K3 and Panadapter.

No issues since June. Last night after using the radio, covered and went to 
bed. This morning…it’s like the antenna is not attached. No receive and when 
keying the mike…no transmit. All other radios work off my Butternut antenna.  
Went into utilities and reloaded 5.67…still nothing.

Please help and thanks in advance.

Rick
W3RKI

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Re: [Elecraft] K2 Buyers remorse

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi Jerry,

Yes the little fan is a screamer. It's job is to remove heat from within 
the K2 chassis rather than cool the actual PS transistors.


Now to rake over old coals.

A few years ago I was providing a signal source, QRSS 30 seconds dot 
period for a mutual grey line propagation investigation between the 
Falklands and the UK/EU. The fan became a problem because I left the K2 
keying overnight at 20W and the shack is adjacent to the bedroom. The 
lady of the house was unimpressed. To overcome this I purchased a 80mm 
square 12V computer fan and experimented with location and orientation 
to determine the best solution.


This is where there is a divergence of opinion. I found that by propping 
up one side of the fan on a simple square wire loop so that it was 45 
degrees inclined to the heat sink and blowing down on it at the location 
of the PA's I could run the K2 at 30W output overnight and the fan never 
activated, the heat sink remained cool and was acceptably quiet. Shack 
ambient about +20C (68F).


At that time some hotly recommended that the correct way to orient the 
fan was to place it directly on the heat sink sucking air through the 
fins. I tried this but did not find this to be the most effective solution.


My logic, if you can call it that, is simply if I am faced with a hot 
object, say a spoon full of soup, if I want to cool it a little I blow 
gently on it, not try and suck air from all around it.


Whatever, I'm not going to die in a ditch over it.

I only used this arrangement for the rather extended duration of the 
tests. Normal DXing which at the time netted me 200+ DXCC before I built 
a K3 seldom activated the little screamer.


I can email you a picture of the setup if you wish.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 07/08/2021 22:35, jerry wrote:

All,

    Not sure if I'll actually be using this PA...  The fan is just so 
LOUD!  It's like a mini turbine engine running on my desk.


     - Jerry KF6VB

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[Elecraft] Tecsun portables

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

Looking to replace my dead SW portable often used for RFI tracking.

Tecsun seem to be popular. Any suggestions which model?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 Tuner antenna selection stuck in #2 position

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I wish more would do the honour of letting the list know the cure.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 14/06/2021 13:18, Michael K Bottles via Elecraft wrote:

No worries Lance, I hate to tell you how often I have performed “Operator 
Error”!
Kim - K7IM

Sent from my iPad


On Jun 14, 2021, at 09:16, Lance HP  wrote:


I found my issue.operator error.
I didn't realize that the band selection was only 160m. I didn't try changing 
the antenna config when 160m was selected since I don't operate on 160m yet.

I don't remember how that got changed. Anyway...selected all bands AND selected 
enabled for all antennas and it works fine.

Sorry about that!
I am still loving this autotuner. Currently tuning a doublet, but will be 
tuning a longer wire soon (most likely a loop).

Lance
KK4DX

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 Tx Spurious on Specific Frequencies on 160/80/40

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I believe the rather thick "shield" was actually a stiffener to prevent 
microphony at high audio levels using the internal speaker.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 01/01/2021 18:22, g4piq--- via Elecraft wrote:

And a small correction to this in case anyone else gets inspired to do
anything. Grounding just one of the crystals improved the performance by
about 8dB - but did not get as good as the KSYN3 with a shield. It clearly
needs the full treatment.

  


73,

  


Andy, G4PIQ

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Re: [Elecraft] External sound card advice needed to attach to K3

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Not really. It all boils down to understanding what you are doing. 
Windows sounds can be turned off. The best sound card in the world isn't 
going to stop anyone from transmitting garbage. Understanding includes 
setting the audio levels correctly throughout the system. I've used my 
PC sound system with two simple audio cables for years. Now I have 
upgraded my K3 with the K3s I/O and simply pipe audio, CAT, PTT and PC 
CW down the one USB cable.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 01/01/2021 13:56, Rick Bates, NK7I wrote:
A generically 'bad' idea and is the reason that voice, operating system 
sounds (all illegal) and poor audio are often in the digital portions of 
the bands.


HNY!
Rick NK7I

On 1/1/2021 8:50 AM, Wes wrote:

You don't need a sound card beyond the one in your computer.

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Re: [Elecraft] My K3's 10 meter band now functions

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

There is, it's called a saved configuration and it's been available 
since day one via the K3 Utility.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO


It might be useful to be able to save the states of all the buttons/menu 
settings/etc. on the radio and easily get back to them. Being able to 
switch back and forth would be nice too. Icing on the cake would be 
having a way to show the differences between the two sets.


73 Bill AE6JV

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Re: [Elecraft] Ice on dipole under snow under ice

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Snow and ice is transparent to HF. When I was in Antarctica we had an 
ice depth radar sounding programme. A DH Twin Otter would fly at 50 feet 
above the snow surface as indicated by the radar altimeter and beneath 
the wings were a couple of 70Mhz dipoles, TX and RX. The 70MHz TX pulses 
penetrated to the underlying rock. Take one height from the other, ice 
depth.


Fantastic flying that was.

It is mentioned in the ARRL Antenna Handbook that a closed loop array 
like a Sterba curtain could be could be fed with a low voltage DC or AC 
current to heat the wire to relieve it of accumulated snow and ice.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 15/12/2020 14:45, David Haines wrote:

Update:

With one-quarter of one leg of the dipole still under ice, I got a 
reception report from PSKReporter on FT8 with 2 watts to Italy. That 
shouldn't work, should it?  Maybe the ice doesn't matter?


KD5VXH recalled a discussion in QST on this very subject, where 400W AM 
melted the ice on one leg of the dipole (fed by coax), but not the other.

'
You can follow the controversy in May and July 1960 letters in QST!

david
KC1DNY

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Re: [Elecraft] 10 METERS IS OUT

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Maybe I'm missing something but what has all this to do with a total 
lack of any TX as well as RX from the K3?


More info is required. Mode, red TX light, power setting Hi/Lo, antenna 
selection.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 14/12/2020 03:13, Jim Brown wrote:
That may be why you didn't hear much. At this point in the solar cycle, 
most propagation on 10M  is not very strong, so it takes the 10 dB or so 
advantage of CW over SSB to make many of the QSOs. I'd guess that half 
of those I made on CW would not have been possible on SSB. One of my 
buddies, N6ZFO made 606 CW and 251 SSB QSOs.


I wouldn't call it a free for all, rather a good contest. At times, I 
might see 100 signals on the P3/SVGA between 28,000 and 28,070 kHz, at 
other times as few as a half-dozen. Late morning here I often had 2-3 
callers to a CQ.


73, Jim K9YC

  On 12/13/2020 8:43 PM, Paul Van Dyke wrote:

Sorry Jim
I was on SSB, we are looking as the antenna maybe too tight. I was 
told it was a free for all on CW

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Re: [Elecraft] k3 no RF in transmit

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Not so. TUNE produces a tuning signal, power set by the user. Used for 
many things eg. tuning linear, external ATU.


ATU TUNE works with internal ATU.

XMIT puts the K3 into TX without any output until you either key or 
apply audio, be it speech or audio output from the PC.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 04/12/2020 15:06, Joseph McIntire wrote:

Tune only works with  an atu

Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone
Get Outlook for Android


From: Joseph McIntire 
Sent: Friday, December 4, 2020 12:04:39 PM
To: Bill Frantz 
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] k3 no RF in transmit

I am using  the XMIT which  produces  a cw output  just like tune but  you can 
adjust the power.

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[Elecraft] KX2 & FT8

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I recall reading from previous postings that the KX's have protection 
from too big an audio input. Perhaps best to start at zero level from 
the PC and work up.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 01/12/2020 12:18, Andy Durbin wrote:
> You said you receive FT8 signals fine.  If that means you are 
decoding then time sync is not likely to be the cause of you problem. 
If decoding ok your time error can be easily assessed by looking at the 
average time error of the signals you decode.  Almost any computer is 
capable of maintaining adequate time accuracy for short term FT8 
operation if it is set within a second at the start of the operating 
session.   Many manage mobile operation with no time sync capability. 
Some use a GPS receiver as a time source.

>
> The most common problem for FT8 TX seems to be that the keying method 
is not compatible with the modulation signal source.   If data vox 
keying is available it is an easy way to bypass that problem.  No KX2 
here so can't tell you how to configure for that rig but it should be 
easy to see if the KX2 is being modulated (no modulation = no power output).

>
> Andy, k3wyc
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Re: [Elecraft] k2 cw filter alignment friture app

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Carlos,

I have just checked since the latest Win10 feature update. Spectrogram 
16 is working OK on my Win10/64 Pro PC. In fact I'm watching 12m FT8 
coming alive on it.


Setup is K3 with USB interface upgrade.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 15/11/2020 05:39, carlos popelier wrote:

hi,
is it possible to use friture instead of spectrogram ,
spectrogram seems not to work on windows10
i have signals on friture spectrogram, so soundcard is working
carlos on6cn


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Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Wetting current and CW paddles

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi Wolfgang,

A DC wetting current has been common in relay circuits that would 
otherwise just be switching low level alternating current signals. I 
recall seeing it applied to RX front end filter switching relays.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO (G3VUI)

On 15/10/2020 04:23, dl2ki wrote:

Hi,

actually I expected a little discussion on a qualified professional level in
this mailing list. Otherwise I would not ask here. But the topic does not
seem to invite to it.


73, Wolfgang
DL2KI

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[Elecraft] Group Support

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Good day,

There have been a few requests for help with "problems" recently to 
which the group has freely applied its hive mind and made suggestions.


Unfortunately this often results in a deathly silence as to the 
resolution. Clearly this could be a learning point for others who might 
trip over the same problem one day, even if it was just finger trouble 
or a brain fart. Assuming they read the posts.


Whatever, most discourteous.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 appears to be in AM even though mode says DATA

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi Tom,

What happens if you disable CAT control from the PC and just try the K3 
without potential outside influence?


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Thunderbird

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Re my K4 mail filter posting. I have received a perfect solution to my 
requirements off list.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

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[Elecraft] K4 mail filter for Thunderbird

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

I have no interest in K4 postings. I have tried all sorts of 
combinations of mail filter setting to dispose of K4 posts without success.


I'm sure someone out there has managed to do this. If so please advise 
how you did it.


Please don't suggest the delete key, I'm familiar with that.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Status of Add-ons for K3?

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

And a perfect example of why email sorting on subject doesn't work.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 24/09/2020 12:43, KENT TRIMBLE wrote:

What all this has to do with Elecraft is beyond me.  Good thing the K4 
is keeping Eric occupied.


73,

Kent  K9ZTV

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 Error IF1 HELP

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Bob,

K3 (not K3s) error code IF1 includes a reference to the KNB3 noise 
blanker. Did you reinstall the NB correctly?


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 23/09/2020 10:20, Bob DeHaney wrote:


  Please disregard my previous incorrect assumptions.  The KPF3A mod is 
installed correctly.

However, after installing the KBPF3A I still get this error at power on.  I can 
find no information regarding correction or troubleshooting this error.  The 
old procedure has been removed from the K3 Menu List.

Vy 73 de Bob DJ0RD/WU5T

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Re: [Elecraft] [K3s] SteppIR Control

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

KIO3B Interface Option manual:

Monitoring RS232 Data
If you have a device such as a STEPP-IR antenna controller or pc program 
that monitors the RS232 port, you

can continue to use it with the USB port active.
You can connect your device to the RS232 data in two ways:
1. Use the RJ-45 to DE-9S cable plugged into the RS232/USB port on the 
K3 and sense the RS232 signals at the DE-9S connector.


2. If you have a P3 Panadapter connected to the K3, sense the RS232 
signals at the connection to the PC connector on the P3. Never attempt 
to sense RS232 signals at the XCVR connector.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 31/07/2020 16:35, John Simmons wrote:
K3 won't do both RS232 and USB at the same time. You'll have to put a 
software shim in your PC to control the SteppIR.




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Re: [Elecraft] Foot Switch Doesn't Work

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I use a donated Heil FS-3 foot switch plugged into PTT IN and it works 
perfectly.


Try plugging a short circuit RCA plug into the K3 and checking if it 
keys or not. The only other RCA socket in that line is KEY OUT to the 
linear!


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 28/07/2020 13:11, kg6mzs wrote:

Hello All,

I've connected a Heil foot switch to to rear panel PTT In RCA jack and 
it doesn't key my K3.


I searched the archives here  and found that Don W3FPR had suggested 
testing the foot switch of another unfortunate, Dick K9OM, who suffered 
the same problem.  This thread went unresolved, AFAICT.


I've tested the Heil and it checks out.

Any ideas as to why my foot switch will not key the K3?

TIA,

Eric

KG6MZS

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Re: [Elecraft] K3s USB com port no longer working

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Under what circumstances did this loss of communication happen? If the 
PC sees the K3 USP port (com?) are the programmes still pointing at it?


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 22/07/2020 12:59, Howard Sherer wrote:

The USB com port on my K3s is still being seen when connected to my
computer but will no longer connect to any program. I have re booted the
computer 2 times and power cycled the K3 and no change.
Any ideas where I should look?

Howard AE3T

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Re: [Elecraft] Cooling Fans

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

FWIW.

Test conditions measured under the K3 DISP menu:

14.1V
1.38A Sub RX on
PA 32C
FP 40C

PA fans off
PA fans on/off at 36C/35C

Room temp 22C

K3 FP and PA temp sensors calibrated against a laboratory thermometer 
adjacent to the K3.


Never really noticed when the PA fans come on in idle conditions due to 
PC fan noise.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 19/07/2020 12:15, John Simmons wrote:
> Tom,
>
> Interesting post. I thought this was the case with my K3 also, but i 
figured out later that it was the fan in my power supply instead. Poor 
hearing!

>
> -de John NI0K
>
> Tom Doligalski via Elecraft wrote on 7/19/2020 8:41 AM:
>> I am the original owner of K3/100 #969, which still works great.
>>
>> I’ve noticed that recently the cooling fan comes on occasionally 
even if the radio is on, but not in use (volume down, no transmitting). 
FP temperature shows 41 C, and PA temperature is at 35 C

>>
>> This is not at objectionable at all, but made me wonder if this was 
a cause for concern.

>>
>> Any ideas?
>>
>> Tom W4KX

On 19/07/2020 12:15, John Simmons wrote:

Tom,

Interesting post. I thought this was the case with my K3 also, but i 
figured out later that it was the fan in my power supply instead. Poor 
hearing!


-de John NI0K

Tom Doligalski via Elecraft wrote on 7/19/2020 8:41 AM:

I am the original owner of K3/100 #969, which still works great.

I’ve noticed that recently the cooling fan comes on occasionally even 
if the radio is on, but not in use (volume down, no transmitting). FP 
temperature shows 41 C, and PA temperature is at 35 C


This is not at objectionable at all, but made me wonder if this was a 
cause for concern.


Any ideas?

Tom W4KX

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Re: [Elecraft] Waterproof SO-239 covers

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I must say that over many years and without any ill effect I've never 
bought into this idea of Gorilering up a PL259 with pliers beyond finger 
tight. A quarter of a turn is an unbelievable suggestion. I've just 
tried it and a couple of degrees is the best I could do without being 
brutal and even then I don't thing it would go any further.


Urban myth maybe?

Also, I've never had a failure after simply applying a generous wrap of 
self amalgamating tape, nothing else, to waterproof coax connectors. Our 
UV environment is pretty powerful, clear skies and sunshine can turn the 
skin on my head into huge dandruff seven days later after 30 minutes 
exposure.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 16/07/2020 12:21, Phil Kane wrote:

On 7/15/2020 6:50 PM, Drew AF2Z wrote:


I would use Coax Seal. Same idea as duct seal but it's more pliable,
more wx resistant and a little stickier. It will last forever, never
hardens and can be peeled off when needed. Might want to screw pl-259
shells onto the socket threads first, then seal them. The sockets &
shells will be pristine when you go to use them.


Don't forget to tighten the connector 1/4 turn after "finger tight" with
a pair of pliers to make a real seal.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402


From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest

Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: [Elecraft] Waterproof SO-239 covers

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

A great selection of bits. Unfortunately when I tried to order a couple 
of microphone connector dust caps for my K2 and K3. The system took the 
order but they refused to post them.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 15/07/2020 23:57, Dave Cole wrote:
American Radio Supply sells metal covers that thread onto SO-239, and 
have a soft rubber insert.  I have been using them on outdoor connectors 
for years now, and they work well...


73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

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Re: [Elecraft] K2 K2/100 post FD review

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Mike,

You are the only one who can determine this. Everyone else is reduced to 
guessing because they don't have access to your PSU/K2/power lead.


Simple:

Measure the PSU voltage on RX at the PUS terminals.
Measure the PSU voltage on TX set to 100W at the PSU terminals.

Compare both of these with the internal K2 voltage display.

Report the findings.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 30/06/2020 21:34, Mike Kopacki wrote:

I didn’t have ring connectors big enough but I did have spade connectors. I 
crimped and soldered them but there was no change in the voltage readings 
during receive and transmit.

Is it possible that the power supply is failing?

Why, if the voltage drops during transmit to 11.6V, does the radio still put 
out 100W on 30, 40 and 80 meters?

Thanks,
Mike NJ2OM

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Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

The mod applies to the ability to increase the sensitivity (gain) of the 
amp by bypassing the input attenuator so that it can be driven to a 
useful power output with a lower power exciter. There isn't any 
suggestion that the amp should be driven beyond its normal power level. 
Hence unless the exciter was dirty, clean signals is not part of the 
equation.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO


 18/06/2020 14:25, Phil Hystad via Elecraft wrote:

Why would you modify your KPA500 and risk warranty, repair, and clean signals 
for a mere 1/2 S-Unit at best?




On Jun 18, 2020, at 9:27 AM, Gmail - George  wrote:

Paula Keezer NX1P modified a KPA500 to allow it to be driven to about 500
watts by a KX3.
She published it - but I can not find it on the web.
The mod increased the gain by less than 3 db (seems I recall 2.something).
You would need the 12 to 15 watts to drive it to about 500 watts.

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Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I read it as what would their future availability be, nothing to do with 
updating.


Not uncommon to read about the KPA500 being paired with other 
transceiver brands.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 17/06/2020 09:54, Bill Steffey NY9H wrote:
what could they do that would  update them  make them taller 
like the K4 


On 6/17/2020 12:47 AM, Don Putnick wrote:
With the sunset of the K3S, what are the plans for the future of the 
KPA500

and KAT500? Enquiring minds want to know.
73 Don NA6Z

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Re: [Elecraft] Firmware

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Quite so.

However, this sounds like a pretty old K3 that hasn't been blessed with 
certain or any factory hardware mods which will have a bearing on 
features available and detailed in the revised menu options.


At the very least the firmware release notes, which are presented in 
historical detail with each firmware release, need to be read through.


Regards and good luck,

Mike VP8NO

On 14/06/2020 12:27, Don Wilhelm wrote:

Joe,

I cannot recall any instance where the firmware upgrade broke the K3 - 
same for the KX3/KX2.
There have been a few who suspected a problem with a firmware upgrade, 
but it turned out to be some other problem.


I would recommend that you simply upgrade to the latest and be done with 
it.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/14/2020 9:28 AM, Joseph McIntire wrote:

Hello all,
    I was looking for some older  firmware for the K3. I found  the  
latest  on Elecraft's web site. But my radio currently has MCU1.96 and 
SYN 1.73. I didn't want to jump straight to the latest  version  due 
to if o e of the  versions affected  my  radio  adversely I would not 
know which one caused it. So I was wanting to find each individual  
version so I could load them as I want.i may want to stop  before I 
get to the latest version. Thank you for listening to my rambling.

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Re: [Elecraft] Off-Topic - Antenna element repairs

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

DX Engineering probably has what you require for tubing repair. Given 
that you are repairing from the inside a thicker wall would be useful, 
easy with a length inside the first repair length.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 16/03/2020 14:06, Fred Jensen wrote:

#3

73,
Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 3/15/2020 3:01 PM, ae...@carolinaheli.com wrote:
I have a vertical antenna to repair and install that I believe is the 
same

as  or close to a hi-gain AV-18HT.
https://www.hy-gain.com/Product.php?productid=AV-18HT.
The main antenna vertical was cut so it could be taken down. I 
purchased it

used in hopes I could repair and install it.
I have two different places that require repair. Purchasing new parts for
the element appear to approach the cost of an entirely new antenna.
I'm thinking of three different methods of repair but lack experience.
1. I can braze the elements using aluminum brazing rods and flux.
2. I can get them welded back together but am concerned that the 
tubing is

very thin.
3. I can try to find tubing of sufficient size to put inside and then
pop-rivet/braze the pieces together.

What do you folks suggest?

Thanks in advance. I've collected about a fourth of the wire necessary 
for

the radials.

Jerry D. Moore
AE4PB

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[Elecraft] KX3 temperature compensation

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Ref a recent post on this subject:

"That said, I did notice--as with others in previous posts to the various
Elecraft/KX3 lists--that the signal is significantly shifted on 6 meters
when performing the second reference calibration based on a HF signal 
(and vice versa). However, there doesn't seem to be much of a difference

regardless of where one calibrates on HF. For me, since I don't do much
operating on 6 meters, I kept the 10MHz based reference calibration. It
would be nice if one could set a separate reference frequency for 6m/2m 
vs. HF so that the radio can be right on frequency regardless of where 
it's being used."


From the Elecraft wed site:

The XG50 is a simple 49.380MHz signal source specifically designed for 
use with the KX3 Extended VFO Temperature Compensation Procedure.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO




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Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: Turnbuckle Threads -- Clarification for All

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Just remember to wire the turnbuckle after tensioning otherwise a nice 
free turning item will tend to unwind.


There are web sites that illustrate various options.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 02/11/2019 12:28, Richard wrote:




Begin forwarded message:

From: Richard 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Turnbuckle Threads -- Clarification for All
Date: November 2, 2019 at 11:25:17 AM EDT
To: Mark Goldberg 

These ropes are more accurately anti-droop cords on a long-boom yagi.

I am in central Florida, nowhere near salt water, temperatures nominally 95F to 
40F.

I AM using stainless turnbuckles: "stainless steel/stainless steel” means both 
the body and the screws are stainless steel.

These turnbuckles are recommended by Justin Johnson of InnovAntennas for his 
antennas.

The two answers I like best so far are Permatex anti-seize and John Deere corn 
head grease. Any more?

Richard


On Nov 2, 2019, at 10:56 AM, Mark Goldberg mailto:marklgoldb...@gmail.com>> wrote:

Richard:

If you are asking about anti-seize, I use Nickel anti-seize on stainless 
hardware, even in Aluminum.
What is your environment? Are you near salt water? What are your temperature 
extremes?
I am in a dry climate so Aluminum - Stainless Steel galvanic corrosion is not a 
big issue.

John:

What is the reason to not use stainless steel if properly rated for the load?


73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 7:27 AM John Stengrevics mailto:jstengrev...@comcast.net>> wrote:
I would not use stainless.


John
WA1EAZ


On Nov 2, 2019, at 10:17 AM, Richard mailto:flat...@comcast.net>> wrote:

For stainless steel/stainless steel turnbuckles being used on guys ropes, 
what’s the best stuff with which to protect the threads?

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Re: [Elecraft] Question on frequency when in fine/medium/coarse

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I checked this another way by using the radio debug window in Logger32. 
It polls the radio and displays the set frequency. This can also be 
checked using the K3 Utility by entering FA; into the command test window.


Changing the resolution of the K3 step size only changed the reported 
frequency by the step size. The finer resolution, lease significant, 
digits remained intact. This negates to a degree the utility of the EXT 
REF functionality option set for the base K3 and 2m transverter lock.


There would perhaps be some advantage in resetting the discarded display 
digits in the synth frequency setting word to zero to match.


An interesting potential gotcha for folks checking into nets using a 
coarse step size or transverting to VHF/UHF channelised modes e.g. FM 
repeaters without realising there could be unseen and potentially large 
residual offsets. Is this another possible cause of the the occasional 
reported frequency errors, usually attributed to REF CAL errors?


It all really comes down to cockpit drill once the situation is known. I 
usually run the display at 10Hz resolution, the last digit in fine 1Hz 
resolution set to 0 e.g. 21019.46(0) however, this will be messed up the 
first time I use auto SPOT with CWT.


I wouldn't bet the farm on a modification to the K3 firmware, even if 
desirable, at this stage of its life cycle.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 17/10/2019 10:30, Bill Weaver wrote:
   
   
The undisplayed digits are used, i.e. the freq does not shift to the displayed 100Hz. In my example the freq (while listening to a CW QSO) did not shift but stayed at 7.02647 Khz.
   

   
73,
   
Bill WE5P

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Re: [Elecraft] K60XV - No longer available?

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

The question is what is no longer obtainable to cause this. The K60XV as 
a unit isn't a complicated item. Component, metalwork?


Regards,

mike VP8NO


I was looking to purchase the K60XV 60 Meter option for my K2 this past
week and was informed by Elecraft Customer Support that it had been
discontinued, and I should ask around on this mail list to see if anyone
has one that they are willing to sell.
I am going to try to get the upgrades that I need while they are still
selling them.


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] KPA500 Coax size requirements

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

It is a shame to see folks go cheap on the cable. My rule of thumb is 
1dB or less between the rig and the antenna at the highest frequency of 
operation.


Warm coax is lost rf which we have paid heavily to generate.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Digital modes on 144MHz only

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Our first commercial 11 metre dish earth station built in 1984 had a 
4GHz 60dB gain, 33 Kelvin, electrically cooled two stage parametric LNA 
at the feed horn. the cable to the receive system was LDF4-50 with 20dB 
loss to a six port passive splitter.


The LNAs despite being pressurised constantly with dry air with a small 
bleed hole had to be purged of frost every six months by turning the 
cooling into heating and increasing the outflow of air. After 12 hours 
of cool down they had to be retuned, pump frequency and power to achieve 
60dB flat gain over 500MHz bandwidth. Times have changed.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 05/07/2019 10:08, Wes wrote:
That isn't quite right either.  The preamp gain must be much higher than 
the following losses to minimize second stage degradation. (Line loss 
degrades the NF of the second stage)


Wes  N7WS

On 7/5/2019 5:35 AM, Martin wrote:


That's not quite right. The overall system noise is determined by the 
preamp noise figure when mounted as close  to the antenna as possible. 
Cable losses (=noise) after the preamp can be neglected, as long as 
the gain of the preamp is higher than the losses in subsequent 
components. So the cable AFTER the preamp can be pretty lossy. OTOH, 
too much gain from the preamp easily overdrives your transceiver's RX. 
A good balance between gain vs. cable losses is mandatory. The noise 
figure of the pramp is crucial.
If you are satisfied with your transverter's noise figure , mount it 
close to the antenna via a short run low loss cable, if you can. This 
saves the expenses for a preamp.


This applies to the RX path. I'm not talking cable quality or output 
power for TX.

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Re: [Elecraft] Help with K3S upgrades

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Agreed. I've have the external ref module which actually measures the 
TCXO frequency and on my K3 the drift is pretty close to over after 60 
minutes. I've tracked it all the way to four hours. It is useful to keep 
an eye on the front panel temp (DISP - FP). The TXCO is located in close 
order with the front panel and that influences the drift. Mine usually 
tops out at 37 to 39C.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 25/05/2019 17:24, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
Glad you found the information of assistance.    I suggest a bit longer 
warm up than 30 minutes, but for starters, 30 minutes is OK.   I usually 
go for 1 hr to 2 hrs in a temperature stable environment. 
But...that's just me.


73

Bob, K4TAX

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Re: [Elecraft] KTCX03-1 high stability reference oscillator

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Yes, a 10MHz GPS locked reference source. Or wait for about an hour from 
cold for the TXCO to stabilise. Calibration might be off, east to 
correct, but it will not be moving much.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 19/05/2019 18:02, HB wrote:

Thanks Jim….Good feedback.

Any other worthwhile mods to achieve stability?

Hank
K4HYJ

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Re: [Elecraft] Recommend a K3s foot switch

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I use a Heil FS-3. I just cut the 1/4 in plug off along with much of the 
surplus cable and fitted an RCA plug. Couldn't be easier.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 17/04/2019 09:29, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
Yes and the length of the 1/4" phone plug plus the length of the adapter 
to an RCA connector is something of serious length sticking out behind 
the radio.  Sure is a grand opportunity to get the radio RCA connector 
damaged.  Estimated total length of the albatross is about 3".    Not on 
my radio!


73

Bob, K4TAX

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Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 Input Current vs Output Power

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Is measuring it out of the question?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 22/03/2019 11:51, Tim N9PUZ wrote:

Is there a chart or formula that describes the input current required for a
KXPA100 amplifier at various power output levels? In a battery operation
scenario I'm curious about the current draw at say 50W output vs. 100W
output.

Tim N9PUZ

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Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: AW: K3 KPA3 bias adjust

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

This is interesting.

When I measure the current of my early K3 #00345 using the internal 
display I see only a small difference when in TX at 10W or 100W power 
setting.  Both are in the region of 2.25/2.35A TX (1.22A RX) with the 
internal measured voltage RX 14.1V TX 14.0V.


Question is does the KPA3 have bypass mode bias control?

No change if in TX test mode, ensuring no output. The bypass relay 
operates and the power display scales correctly with change over Hi/Lo 
power.


These numbers compare with the PSU current meter.

Anyone else seeing this? Has something gone missing with a firmware upgrade?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO


On 07/03/2019 16:03, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
I just looked at the current values of my K3s using the internal DISP 
current and voltage values.


This is how it came from the factory after replacement of the KPA3A rev 
E amp on 5/30/2018.



In RX USB mode = 1.6A  Vcc = 13.8V  Audio volume at minimum.

In TX USB mode no audio,   10 watt PWR setting = 1.60A

In TX USB mode no audio, 100 watt PWR setting = 2.91A

The PWR delta is 1.31 amps


In RX CW mode,  = 1.03A   Vcc 13.8V   Audio volume at minimum.

In TX CW mode PTT closed, key open, 10 watt PWR setting 1.54A Vcc  13.7V

In TX XW mode, PTT closed, key open, 100 watt PWR setting 2.85A Vcc 13.6V

The PWR delta is 1.31 amps


Your values may be different if you have the 2nd receiver and can vary 
depending on your Vcc.


73

Bob, K4TAX

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[Elecraft] Fwd: AW: K3 KPA3 bias adjust

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

Forwarded a 2009 email exchange for your info. I have NOT tried this so 
use with care and at your own risk.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO


 Forwarded Message 
Subject: AW: [Elecraft] K3 KPA3 bias adjust
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 19:46:55 +0100
From: Koppendorfer Klaus 
To: Jan Erik Holm 
CC: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 

Locate the BIAS pot at the front of the KPA3, between the heat sink and 
the KPA3 shield. Note what the display current is in the VFO B readout 
when you tap the Display button and turn the VFO B knob to the current 
readout. In RX, it should be 1.0A or so.   In XMIT (not TUNE), it should 
be about 1.90 to 2.0A when the Power knob is set to 12w or above so the 
KPA3 is made active (but there is no RF output since XMIT is used). Or 
you can press the PTT button but do not speak.


If there is much more current than this, set the BIAS pot to minimum 
(fully counter clockwise). Then tap XMIT (not TUNE) and note what the 
current is in VFO B's readout. Slowly turn up the BIAS pot until you see 
400-500mA more current that was seen with the BIAS pot at minimum.


73
OE6KYG
KX1 244
K2 1331
K3 115



-Ursprüngliche Nachricht-
Von: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-
boun...@mailman.qth.net] Im Auftrag von Jan Erik Holm
Gesendet: Samstag, 03. Jänner 2009 19:35
Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Betreff: Re: [Elecraft] K3 KPA3 bias adjust

Thanks Ron but I knew this already.

Probably have to write to K3support and ask,
however I´m very surprised nobody could answer
on the reflector.

Jim SM2EKM
--
Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Hello Jim:
>
> That pot, along with all the other trimmers in the K3, is adjusted at
the
> factory. There are specific cautions against touching any of them in the
> field; all field adjustments are done in firmware.
>
> If you have a problem with the KPA3, suggest you post a message to
> k3supp...@elecraft.com. If an adjustment is needed that can be done in
the
> field, one of the fellows there can give you specifics.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jan Erik Holm
> Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2009 6:55 AM
> To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 KPA3 bias adjust
>
> I find nothing about it in any manual. R11 on KPA3
> I guess. What are the specifications for the bias
> adjust?
>
> 73 Jim SM2EKM


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[Elecraft] HI Current

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

From the firmware release notes:


K3 MCU 5.66 / DSP 2.88 / FPF 1.26, 11-28-2018

* ADDED SWR READ COMMAND:  "SW;" returns the most recent SWR reading in 
transmit or TUNE mode, e.g. "SW023;" for an SWR of 2.3:1. Max value 
returned is "SW99;" (SWR = 99.9:1).


K3 MCU 5.64 / DSP 2.88 / FPF 1.26, 2-22-2018

* RCV MODE "HI CUR" THRESHOLD CHANGED:  The threshold at which "HI CUR" 
(excessive current drain) warnings appear in receive mode has been 
increased. Some users with all options enabled (including the sub 
receiver, internal transverter, and K-Pod) were seeing spurious HI-CUR 
warnings and disabling of one speaker channel.



Enjoy,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] 160 unusual conditions.

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I assume there was Elecraft gear somewhere in this SWL stuff.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 04/02/2019 14:12, Petr, OK1RP/M0SIS wrote:

"Heard ZL4AS yesterday using FT8 between 0815 and 0825."

...so you did not heard him just your PC decoded it, right?

Do not want to start disputation or III.war just teasing... hi.

Good luck,
Petr

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Re: [Elecraft] K3S 6M Tune Pwr

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Been the situation for a long time. K3 #00345. Never bothered to query 
it. As you say, no big deal.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 02/02/2019 15:20, Mike Cox wrote:
Both of my K3S's do exactly the same thing here. Both are running F/W 
5.66. I reverted one to a previous F/W (version 5.64) and the same 
symptoms persisted. I did not measure the actual output with an external 
Wattmeter; these are the values as reported by the K3 itself.


It's not a big deal for me but it certainly seems curious.

Mike, AB9V

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Re: [Elecraft] Auto-spot, tuning aids, and the arcane history of CW pitch-matching

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Yet another trick learnt by hard experience given away for free :-(

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 22/01/2019 11:14, Nr4c wrote:

Now, one thing you missed...  when you’re working a big pileup and you feel you 
just can’t get through, it may be that all your “buddies” are doing the same 
thing, using Auto-Spot!

Now turn on XIT and set it to 12-20 Hz either way. Now your signal will be just 
a little different from all the others and you have a better chance of being 
heard.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 SWR Anomaly

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Looking at the KAT3 schematic indicates that in bypass all the relays 
are set such that all the series inductors are individually short 
circuited and all the capacitors are open circuit. This potentially 
introduces strays due to the short circuit inductors, relays and pcb 
tracks still in the RF path.


I believe it is mentioned on the Elecraft web site that this is the 
reason for the KAT3A having a "true bypass" or words to that effect.


It was suggested that you could tune out the strays by tuning the ATU 
into a dummy load rather than simply putting it in bypass.


I've just checked my KAT3 action by tuning each band via the Ant1 port 
into an Oak Hills Research 100W dummy load and comparing the result with 
simply bypassing it.


All the way from 160m to 10m both states "Auto" and "Bypass" read 1.0-1
On 6m both read 1.1-1.

I normally have the KAT3 in "bypass" given that much of the time my K3 
is looking at the input circuit of an Acom 1000 or the antennas are 
already an acceptable match. There were clearly some long forgotten 
tuning solutions still sitting in the atu memory which were tuned out 
whilst feeding the dummy load.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 21/01/2019 12:40, Grant Youngman wrote:

The revised KAT3A has a hard bypass with relays.  The KAT3 does a “soft” bypass 
by placing the tuning network in some kind of neutral position.

I don’t know what the KAT3 actually does to achieve this, but is it possible 
this is somehow related to the anomaly you are seeing?  With the KAT3 in  
“neutral” (whatever that actually means), since the SWR bridge sits between the 
KPA3 output and the KAT3 input, maybe that’s something to look at — or at least 
get more info from Elecraft about how it works and if that might be related.

Grant NQ5T
K3 #2091 KX3 #8342


On Jan 21, 2019, at 8:34 AM, Ed G  wrote:

Hi Barry,
 I think what I am seeing is related to your experience. I ran through some 
additional testing. I see perhaps some slight differences between ANT1 and ANT2 
positions as far as SWR readings, but nothing significant, at least on 40 
meters.
 I do now see something I’m even more puzzled over. While collecting SWR 
readings into a dummy load on 10 meters, I initially did see a high (2.0:1) 
reading on the K3 meter. I switched in the K3 tuner, and brought the SWR down 
to 1:1.  But when I then bypassed the tuner, the low 1:1 SWR remained.  This 
was true for either ANT1 or ANT2.  I really don’t understand that.
 So back to 40 meters, where I first noticed the high SWR anomaly. I 
thought I would try the tuner again, and then bypass it, to see if SWR would 
stay low on the K3 meter as it did on 10 meters.  It did not.  So I still have 
the anomaly on 40 meters, and it is the same on either ANT1 or ANT2 positions.
 To summarize:
1.  SWR using a dummy load on 40 meters remains constant using an external 
LP-100A meter, but varies greatly using the K3 meter. As you tune up in 
frequency on the 40 meter band, the SWR on the K3 meter rises to almost 3:1, 
and the K3 output power drops back significantly.
2. Antenna tuner settings appear to “stick” on 10 meters, even when the tuner 
is bypassed.

I believe some users, assuming there are others that have K3s which would 
exhibit this behavior, may not have noticed this anomaly. I do believe it may 
be responsible for what some users have noticed when using their K3 with an amp 
such as the KPA1500. That is, power overshoot. I suspect the K3, at least for 
me on 40 meters, is folding back power in response to a false SWR reading, and 
this can be seen in how the KPA1500 amp correspondingly drops back in power as 
the user transmits.  That is perhaps why (again, for my situation) I see the 
power overshoot only on 40 meters when using my KPA1500.
--Ed—

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Re: [Elecraft] Frequency Anomaly -- Tamed

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Remember that what you have set is a fixed number representing the TCXO 
frequency that is correct only at the time you adjusted it. The reason 
being is that the TCXO frequency drifts. Mine will move +48Hz from a 
cold start to plus four hours. Thereafter is hardly moves. This drift 
will result in the display frequency and the true frequency diverging.


In my unit I have concluded that setting REF CAL after about an hours 
warm up is a reasonable compromise. However, I guess not all TCXOs will 
drift the same way or at the same rate.


The biggest driver is likely front panel temperature because the TXCO is 
located within that environment. My K3 front panel is pretty loaded with 
the sub RX dsp board and the DVK. It increases from +24C at switch on 
and reaches +39C after a couple of hours. This is easily recorded and 
from that you can judge what would be a suitable warm up period before 
doing the Method 2 calibration.


All this was determined when I started using a 10MHz GPS disciplined 
reference and the K3 REF LOCK option.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 19/01/2019 22:36, Richard wrote:

To all who jumped in to help — thanks.

I just performed Method 2 as found on page 53 of the K3s Owner's Manual, and it 
made a huge difference all around. Wish I could paste it here.

Cheers!
Richard Kunc — W4KBX

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Re: [Elecraft] WSJT-X Frequency Anomaly

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Do a sanity check by listening to WWV. That will tell you if your 
various radios are telling frequency lies or not.


The thing to be aware of is that the reference oscillators in the 
respective radios will drift. There is a method using WWV in the K3 
manual to check and adjust the REF CAL error.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 18/01/2019 18:23, Don Wilhelm wrote:

Note that in the two cases mentioned, you reported 47 +/-1 Hz difference.

That is not much and can easily be attributed to a difference in the 
calibration of the radio or the audio frequency accuracy of the soundcards.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/18/2019 12:07 PM, Rick WA6NHC wrote:


On 1/18/2019 8:54 AM, Richard wrote:
After working a friend on 10 meters with FT8 I phoned and asked him 
why he always stayed up high at 2454 Hz. He said WSJT-X said he was 
dead on 2500 Hz.


I asked him what it said my frequency was. He said it was 1048 Hz; my 
WSJT-X said I was dead on 1000 Hz. We did more testing at other 
frequencies and on other bands and found similar discrepancies.



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Re: [Elecraft] Yama CM-500 Replacement

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi,

I bought a pair of Koss SB-45 when my CM-500 ear cushion covers started 
disintegrating leaving the dreaded black dandruff. My wife fabricated a 
couple of fabric covers and the problem was resolved. Recently I was 
sent a pair of fabric earphone covers by a friend obtained from Amazon 
who for some reason won't ship to the Falklands. They are simple 
elasticated covers and they slip over the ear pieces. A satisfactory 
extension to the life of the CM-500.


Returning to the Koss  SB-45. I substituted them for the CM-500 and a 
local could hardly detect any difference. The mic boom is a bit more 
springy and take a bit more effort to tailor to the individual 
preference. The cord is much lighter than the CM-500 which could be a 
weak point. Mine have been in the draw for a couple of years unused 
because the CM-500 are refusing to die.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 09/01/2019 02:51, Walter Underwood wrote:

I’ve heard good things about the Koss SB-45. It has an electret mic and is 
about half the cost of the CM-500, at $25. I have not used the SB-45.

https://www.amazon.com/Koss-sb45-SB-45-Communication-Stereophones/dp/B00081A2CW

I would not get the Koss SB-40. That looks like the Yamaha, but has a dynamic 
mic that has gotten some bad reports.

A while back, I took a close look at the mic plug on my Yamaha CM-500 headset. 
It is labeled “Koss”.

wunder
K6WRU
Walter Underwood
CM87wj
http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)

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Re: [Elecraft] FW: New customer message on December 14, 2018 at 02:22 AM

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

John,

The KAF2 audio filter makes the audio much nicer, the always in line LPF 
cuts out the hf hiss should you ever listen to SSB.


Noise blanker if your environment requires it.

These things can be retrofitted if you plan to upgrade it by stealth.

Once you have an idea what you're aiming for, go onto the Elecraft site 
and download the respective manuals.


My K2 is #01400 vintage mid year 2000.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 04/01/2019 16:06, Don Wilhelm wrote:

John,

If you want only CW, the basic K2 and KPA100 will do that for you.
If you need a tuner, the KAT100 is a good wide range autotuner.

The basic K2 covers 80 thru 10 meters except for 60 meters.
To add 60 meters, the K60XV kit is in order and to add 160 meters and 
the receive antenna connection you will want the K160RX.


73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/4/2019 7:52 AM, John Daws wrote:

Just to copy you in to an enquiry sent to Waters and Stanton in the UK


I intend to buy the K2/100 kit but need to be sure about precisely what I
need for CW only use


Any advice welcome - and needed1


Best


John M6KET/2E0XET


From: John Daws 
Sent: 04 January 2019 12:06
To: sa...@wsplc.com
Subject: FW: New customer message on December 14, 2018 at 02:22 AM


FAO Glynn


Sent this to Peter Waters but have been advised to forward it to you 
in the

meantime.


Would appreciate your thought on exactly what I need to specify on 
this kit

order- and some quotes


Many thanks


John


From: John Daws mailto:johndaw...@gmail.com> >
Sent: 04 January 2019 11:56
To: 'Peter Waters'  >

Subject: RE: New customer message on December 14, 2018 at 02:22 AM


Peter - have considered all advice and now feel ready to make a definite
order; I have also found someone I trust to build the kit.


I would like to order a K2/100 kit. For CW use only.


1.I don't think therefore I need the SSB adapter?


2.I don't need the 160/60 metre modules.


3.Are the audio filter options needed - would they enhance CW operation??


4.I would need to ask you about the High performance noise blanker??


5.I would not need the Hand Mic and I don't know what the 'Elecraft 
Logo hat

is??!!


6.My understanding is that the ATU KAT100 would have to be an external 
unit

for the K2/100.

A price on this would also be needed.


7.SOME IDEA OF PRICE BASED ON THIS WOULD BE APPRECIATED.


Please feel free to phone me or respond by e-mail so I can move this
forward.

I appreciate that the kits have to be ordered from the USA.


Thanks for your help


Best


John


M6KET/2E0XET




From: Peter Waters  >


Sent: 14 December 2018 22:46
To: Madelyn Gomez mailto:made...@elecraft.com> >;
John Daws mailto:johndaw...@gmail.com> >
Subject: Re: New customer message on December 14, 2018 at 02:22 AM


Hi John,


I just picked up on your email that Elecraft copied me in on. I built 
myself

a K2 around 12 years ago and enjoyed it a lot. However, it is a component
level kit and also requires coils to be wound.


We do actually import the kits to order but I am not aware of any UK 
builder

that currently offers a build service. It is quite a few hours work and
would only really be economical if you could find somebody who could 
build

it as a a hobby project rather than a commercial operation.


The KX3 is actually very close to the K2 in terms of power output and 
has a

lot more features. An amplifier would be a better route to go. The kit
versions are quite easy to build and require no special skills or test
equipment. It is totally solder less.


I will be happy to give you any additional advice you may need.



Regards,




Peter Waters G3OJV.

   _

From: Madelyn Gomez mailto:made...@elecraft.com> >
Sent: Friday, December 14, 2018 9:56:26 PM
To: John Daws; Peter Waters
Subject: Re: New customer message on December 14, 2018 at 02:22 AM


Hi John,


We still have the K2 kit but we sell it as full soldier kit only.


The radio operators here in the US that would rather not build,  purchase
the kit and have it shipped directly to a builder then on to themselves.


Perhaps Waters and Stanton can provide you a list of folks they feel are
good builders?


Madelyn Gomez

Elecraft Sales

125 Westridge Drive, Watsonville, CA.
831-763-4211



On Fri, Dec 14, 2018 at 2:22 AM Elecraft (Shopify) mailto:mai...@shopify.com> > wrote:










You received a new message from your online store's contact form.





Name:

John Daws

Email:

johndaw...@gmail.com 

Phone:

00441527893645

Body:

Just an enquiry from  UK customer.
Have currently got and enjoy a KX3 but with my 2E0 license now I can 
use 50

watts.*
I am CW only and likely to remain so!
I tried a K2/100  yesterday at a dealers and love it to bits- its 
simplicity
and ease of operation- but have no way of knowing the quality of the 
build

inside  the chassis: it appears to work!
Waters and Stanton in the UK have been very helpful but they no longer
import K2's.
Is it posible to 

Re: [Elecraft] K3 Fan Control Command?

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

G'day Eric,

CONFIG > KPA rotate VFO A knob from PA nor and select Fn1, Fn2, Fn3 or 
Fn4 for increasing constant fan speed.


It is sticky and survives a power cycle.

At a glance there doesn't appear to be a command for this in the 
programmer's Reference.


The fans only draw outside air through the PA compartment, you will 
still be able to fry eggs above the front panel.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 08/12/2018 05:43, eric norris via Elecraft wrote:

Has there been any thought given to adding a fan control command to the K3/K3S? 
 It would be nice to get some cool air inside the radio after repeated  
extended digital transmissions below 12 watts.  The radio gets very warm.
73 Eric WD6DBM

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[Elecraft] Problematic precipitate

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

To hark back to posts of a few days ago.

Question answered, wsjtx FT8 v2.0.0-rc3 which the launch pop-up 
indicates cannot be used after 30 Nov is correct. It has ceased to run, 
blown up!


Now the question is do I bite the bullet and install v2.0.0-rc5 and 
emulate my neighbour who spends a lot of time calling CQ and getting 
very little action with 77-bit messages or do I revert to v1.9.1 and 
continue to have plenty of action? For now v1.9.1 wins. I don't have the 
time to waste unnecessarily achieving so little.


My beam is currently stuck pointing up the Americas, South, Central, 
North including VE and KL. Consequently I've been working on FT8 
mode/band WAS as well as handing out grid GD18 which I confirm 
immediately via LoTW after I QRT from a run.


December is a new month in the ARRL Grid Challenge and it seems a 
bizarre thing to do to try and force fundamental mode changes at this 
late stage of the activity.


FWIW I have made WAS FT8 mixed band and 17m single band pending a 
confirmation of HI. 15m and 12m are not too far behind.


In this quest my much upgraded K3 #00345 has performed flawlessly and 
continues to do so whilst running the current pre Beta 5.66 test firmware.


Regards,

Mike (a.k.a. sludge) VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] FT8 Upgrade

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Not quite right. FT8 v2.0.0-rc3 is compatible with v1.9.1 as long as you 
do NOT check:


"Always generate 77-bit messages" and "Decode only 77-bit messages" 
under the F2 > Advanced tab.


I installed v2.0.0-rc4 which locks you into 77 bit messages and found 
very little decode action on my waterfall so I reverted to v2.0.0-rc3.


It is advised that -rv3 cannot be used after 30 November. Is it software 
bombed and will stop working, time will tell. I have downloaded rc5 but 
as yet haven't bothered to install it and might just pass over it to the 
general release v2 when I feel it's worth doing.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 28/11/2018 17:20, Jim Brown wrote:

While V 2.0 is currently in Beta, it's well-advanced beta, and works 
very well. Those using 1.9 cannot copy or transmit to stations using V 
2.0 and those using the latest V 2.0 betas cannot copy stations using V 
1.9. The non-beta release of 2.0 is scheduled for Dec 10. (Early 2.0 
beta versions DID allow 1.9 and 2.0 users to communicate, but this 
capability has been removed to allow the final version to work better.)


Users are encouraged to switch to the new version as soon as possible. 
The only downside is that most users are still using V 1.9, so you won't 
be able to work them, but this will gradually change as more users 
upgrade, and the transition will happen more quickly as more users 
upgrade. K1JT's Quick-Start Guide is here.


https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/Quick_Start_WSJT-X_2.0.pdf

Links to installation packages are here.

https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/wsjtx.html

73, Jim K9YC


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Re: [Elecraft] NEW Elecraft Webpage now up

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

The "Get Support" form rejected my phone number as incorrect format. No 
information on what it didn't like or what was expected, US domestic 
probably.


My standard format is:

+{country code}sp{number} eg. +500 12345

Not a problem on other sites.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Timekeeping (was Re: CODEC)

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I'm running Mieinberg NTP service and all our international access is 
via geosat. NTP status is showing for the currently selected stratum 1 
source 573.909 delay, 1.022 offset and 6.176 jitter.


wsjt-x FT8 DT on most decodes are running at 0.1 to 0.3 with a few 
strays out to 0.7 to 1.0 and one W station at -2.7


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 09/10/2018 10:14, Dave B via Elecraft wrote:

You might as well say, why use an OS that was originally designed to run
on 16 bit hardware.

Like Windows (and I'm /not/ a MS fan)  Meinberg (and others including
NTP/NTPD itself) have moved on along with the times.


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Re: [Elecraft] CODEC

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

No flak, just a comment.

I upgraded my K3 #00345 with available K3s bits. I use the USB interface 
for all K3<>PC communications, CAT and audio for digital modes. I use 
Logger32 with the internal hooks to MMTTY, MMVARI, 2-Tone and GRITTY. 
Logger32 receives logging broadcasts directly from wsjt-x (FT8) without 
the need for additional software and gives me full access to my logbook 
stats. FT8 decodes at -22dB are common.


I use VOX only for CW, everything else is PTT driven, either PC or foot 
switch (SSB). All my data mode audio levels are balanced for TX level 
across the various applications, absolutely no fiddling with my K3 line 
levels are required.


It can be done. I'm still using Win7.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 01/10/2018 17:08, Wes Stewart wrote:
I had a K3 in service (now a spare) for about 8 years before getting a 
K3S.  I didn't do WSJT but some RTTY and PSK using the Line In/Out into 
my Lenovo laptop internal sound card.  Worked like a champ, started with 
zero and now have 255 countries on RTTY.


I tried to use the K3S USB sound and got tired of the incessant need to 
fuss with drive and VOX levels.  I requested many times for firmware 
that would save VOX settings by mode to no avail. (When I had another 
issue, Elecraft Support actually told me that they didn't recommend VOX 
on digital modes.)


I've returned to using the analog audio in/out of the radio and the 
laptop sound card, which is higher quality anyway.  (I have a TASCAM 
US-100, highly recommended by the resident audio guru, but haven't found 
it to be any advantage.)  This also makes it easier to resort to the 
spare radio when necessary.


Wes  N7WS  standing by for the flack from the faithful.


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Re: [Elecraft] New Website

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Probably needed updating to accommodate the different display options 
eg. phones an tablets.


In truth, over the past many years it has become rather dated and 
clunky. I just hope it doesn't go bloat. An improvement in the online 
order system which is a TPITA for me because it doesn't have a full 
country list would be great. Accommodation of address formats other than 
US style with "required" fields that for many of us don't exist.


Bring it on,

Mike VP8NO

On 22/09/2018 14:09, Ron Genovesi wrote:

I know
    It’s like vehicles or radios right? Why do we need new designs.
    Is that what you mean?

  Ron Genovesi
    N3ETA
Sent from my iPhone


On Sep 22, 2018, at 8:36 AM, John_N1JM  wrote:

I guess sometimes I'll never understand why a website needs to be 
changed. I

suppose it is like the grocery store changing where things are on the
shelves. :-)

John N1JM


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Re: [Elecraft] help wiring a mic?

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

Hi Ron,

Fear not, my spelling is quite different to US English. Never had a problem.

On another subject. KH1 was #331 mixed for me. I started from zero in 
mid 2000 after a spell of about 10 years QRT. The first 257 were with 
the K2. All have been worked K2/K3 and for the first three years only 
made about 500 QSO QRP to a low wire and less entities than is possible 
over a major contest weekend.


Now rather more tooled up!

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 06/07/2018 20:48, n3...@coastside.net wrote:

Kind of make you wonder. Just how many questions don’t get asked. I know 
I’ve been on this reflector for a while now and have yet to dare ask anyone 
anything.
If you use the wrong punctuation or mis-spell something! You could get lynched 
or tarred and feathered and run out of town.
We won’t even broach the subject of differing opinions.
  Ron Genovesi
N3ETA
Sent from my iPhone


On Jul 6, 2018, at 8:00 AM, Walter Underwood  wrote:

I looked up the mic on Amazon, and it is a $20 studio look-alike. I’m sure it 
has a twenty-five cent electret element under all that stuff, but cheap 
electret mics are very good.

So it probably is a decent mic and it isn’t too expensive. If you like the look 
of it and can power it, why not? The detailed info on Amazon says it works with 
5 V bias. One reviewer says the response rolls off under 150 Hz, which would be 
good for communications use.

https://www.amazon.com/Neewer-Professional-Broadcasting-Recording-Microphone/dp/B00XBQ8UGG/

wunder
K6WRU
Walter Underwood
CM87wj
http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)


On Jul 6, 2018, at 5:16 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX  wrote:

Operator mike technique is very important with regard to good to great audio.

I've found that my $20 Behringer 8500 sounds as good as my $100  Shure SM 58.  
Likewise my $200 Heil PR 781 needs for one to pay special attention to 
mike-to-mouth distance in order to control proximity effect.

Price and type do not assure one of "great audio".  OTOH - I find most hand mikes 
supplied with radios sound "plastic" with various resonances and rattles and squeaks, 
noticeable on the air.

Bob, K4TAX


Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 6, 2018, at 6:48 AM, Charlie T  wrote:


This mic is intended for studio and recording work. It is a very poor
choice for ham radio.

73, Jim K9YC



I feel Jim's choice of the term "poor" is correct, but in a monetary sense.

Yes, you may be able to get the mike to communications quality with racks of
audio processing equipment etc.,
but you will probably spend more for all that when you add the cost of the
mike, than radio costs by itself.

Seem a tad wasteful to me when the radio already has a good EQ and a mike
costing a fraction of the fancy "studio" mike will sound the same on the
other end of the QSO.

I don't under the fascination (or logic?) of using a wide response and
expensive microphone just to narrow it down to 300 to 2800 Hz, unless you're
H3LL bent on putting out a 10 kHz wide VOA grade signal that is frankly,
illegal anyway.

Yeah, yeah I know,  you're voice is "different" and you need all that stuff
to make it sound "right".
If that's what you want, then by all means go for it.
It's the same logic as using your (insert $200k car) to make daily commuter
runs mostly stuck in traffic.

73, Charlie k3ICH



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Post: 

Re: [Elecraft] Transverter calibration

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

G'day,

Another data point to add. Apologies for it being a bit long.

My K3 is fitted with the line up REFLOCK, EXTREF (10MHz GPSDO) and 
KTCXO-3 +/-1ppm. In the past I have done several warm up runs from cold 
start to to T+4 hours where for all practical purposes KTCXO-3 drift as 
measured by the EXTREF module stopped. The results are repeatable with 
small variations, cold start temperature and room temperature were a 
reasonably consistent, +23C. Front panel temperature change gives a 
reasonable indication of the warm up environment of the KTCXO-3.


My KTCXO-3 at power up starts at 49.379.836 on average and after warm up 
stops drifting at 49.379.890. It goes through two plateaux phases the 
first at T+5 minutes (49.379.863) until T+26 minutes (49.379.865). It 
then starts a slow rise to T+120 where after it enters the second 
plateaux (49.379.884) where after there is little change. This is 
repeatable. However, it must be noted that this is my KTCXO-3 other 
units will have their own characteristic, even drifting in the opposite 
direction.


I was unable to programme my GPSDO for both 10MHz and 145.5MHz outputs, 
maybe a forbidden combination, must get to grips with this. So I decided 
to do a run with a sniff of the 145.5MHz signal fed into the 2m input 
and the K3 not locked to an external source.


The manual REFCAL setting was at the top end of the drift range 
(49.379.886).


After cold start and a quick tune to the 145.500.000 signal the initial 
dial reading had to be set 176Hz high. There after retune took place for 
the first hour at one minute intervals and the dial error recorded. 
Retune was accomplished by offsetting the dial slightly LF and netting 
with TAP SPOT. There is a small 3Hz difference between netting from LF 
or HF using this method so for consistency LF was always used.


The change in dial reading was consistent with the previously measured 
warm up drift characteristic of my KTCXO-3:


T+1   +176Hz
T+5   +98Hz
T+28  +86Hz
T+60  +17Hz
T+80  +11Hz
T+100 +9Hz
T+120 +8Hz
T+180 +4Hz
T+240 +1Hz

At T+240 the manually set REFCAL frequency and the true drifting 
frequency of the KTCXO-3 will have converged. The dial frequency and the 
signal frequency has also essentially converged.


When I figure out how to programme two frequencies out of my GPSDO or 
find a suitably stable 2m source it will be interesting to run the same 
test with my K3 EXTREF locked.


There is great faith placed in digital displays to tell the truth, 
however, there are factors at play which can render this truth to be a 
little coloured. Any radio with a free running reference oscillator for 
example will be in error at some point.


I standby to be shot down.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 23/06/2018 19:41, W1GO (Joe) wrote:

Alan,

I have the same issue; mine is off about 50Hz.  Not a huge deal but just enough 
to be annoying on VHF SSB and CW.  I do have the REFLOCK, EXTREF (10MHz GPSDO) 
and KTCXO-1; nothing left to add.  You are correct that you can’t adjust the 
offset once you’re in this configuration.  As I say, for me its “only” about 
50Hz but its consistent.  I was gonna have to Elecraft team look at it in their 
lab the next time I send the rig in (if I send it in).  Aside from that I’m 
living with the 50Hz delta.

Joe
W1GO

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Re: [Elecraft] Transverter calibration

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

From the K144XV Reference Oscillator Phase Lock Option Installation Manual:

Recalibrating the K144XV

With the K144 XV Reference Oscillator Phase Lock option installed, you 
no longer need to calibrate the two crystal local oscillators as 
described under Frequency Calibration in the K144 XV Installation and
Operation manual. Once the proper settings are made in the CONFIG menu, 
the calibration occurs automatically as both oscillators are phase 
locked to the master K3REF oscillator in the K3.


Enable the calibration as follows:

Be sure you have K3 Firmware ver. 4.42 or later installed.

Tune the K3 to any frequency in the 2-meter band.
Hold CONFIG to access the CONFIG menu and select XVn OFS, where n is the 
transverter number you assigned to the K144XV (see Enabling the K144XV 
Module in the K144XV Installation and Operation manual).


Tap the 0 switch until you see REFLOCK on the K3’s LCD. The 
automatically calculated offset will appear in upper half of the K3’s 
LCD. This enables reflock for both the 144 and 146 MHz band segments.


You don’t have to repeat the procedure for each segment.

If the K3 EXREF option is also installed, the K3’s reference oscillator 
itself will be automatically calibrated by the external 10 MHz 
reference. In this case, enabling REFLOCK for the K144XV module will 
allow the K144XV frequency to track the external reference. The accuracy 
of the 2-meter frequency will be less than that on HF by a factor of 
about two, due to the higher frequency of the K144XV local oscillators.


I have that installed in my K3 along with the EXTREF module driven by a 
10MHz GPSDO. From a cold start the automatically calculated offset can 
be seen to change +100Hz as the TCXO drifts with warm up.


Belief and reality ain't necessarily the same thing.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 22/06/2018 15:46, Don Wilhelm wrote:

Alan,

I have not worked with the REFLOCK, but I believe the XV1 OFS parameter 
must still be set in the menu.  The REFLOCK cannot read the labels on 
the top of the K144XV.


73,
Don W3FPR

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Re: [Elecraft] K3S XREF GPSDO recommendation needed

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

This is lifted from an Elecraft document:

"ELIMINATING FREQUENCY JUMPS ON 2M WHEN USING THE K3EXREF AND K144XV PLL 
LOCK MODULE"



In order to lock to an external reference, the K3EXREF module counts the 
frequency of the 49.380-MHz reference oscillator for about one second, 
repeating about every four seconds. During this count time, the 
circuitry draws about twice as much current as when it's static (it goes 
from 7 mA to 15 mA). When it's drawing more current, it slightly 
decreases the supply voltage to the reference oscillator, causing a 
small frequency shift observable at 2 meters and possibly even on 6 meters.



The mod is simple to apply.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO


On 06/06/2018 16:17, Clay Autery wrote:

Does anyone have any idea how often that "check and nudge" procedure is 
done or better the logic behind how it is determined when to make a 
correction?  I assume it is implemented in firmware.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3S XREF GPSDO recommendation needed

[Mike Harris via Elecraft]

I don't think that is correct. Nothing touches the TCXO, the VCTRL pin 
is not used. The EXREF module just reads the actual ref frequency and 
that information is used to set up the synths. As the TCXO drifts the 
synths just use the new measured ref frequency.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

> BTW the K3 frequency is established by the TCXO and the external
> reference merely performs a periodic check. Any freq error causes a
> correction instruction to the TCXO to bring it back onto frequency.  The
> TCXO-3 is rated at 0.5 ppm which is +/-5 E-7.  Adding the EXREF limits
> drift to 0.1ppm or E-7.

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Re: [Elecraft] K2 key autodetect problems

[Mike Harris]

Hi Chip,

Not saying this is your problem but my Bencher twin paddles started 
going random nuts. The contact gap is small, less than the thickness of 
a sheet of 70gm paper. During keying it would stick one side or the 
other. It turned out to be the screws fastening the contact pillars not 
being tight. I guess over the years the plastic insulating washers must 
have compressed allowing the pillars to imperceptibly move.


Since tightening them, the only problem with the paddles is me.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 27/03/2018 15:36, Chip Stratton wrote:

I have the external circuit using two diodes to allow the K2 to detect when
a straight key is used instead of the paddles. Occasionally with the paddle
plugged in but not keyed, the K2 will  spontaneously start sending a string
of dashes. This will terminate, sometimes only briefly, when I do key the
paddle. It happens even when K2 transmit power is turned all the way down,
and I've never had trouble with RF in the shack.

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Re: [Elecraft] OT: USB and LSB - How we got there

[Mike Harris]

Members only.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 15/02/2018 14:37, donov...@starpower.net wrote:

The 5.2 MHz SSB exciter construction article that Ian referred to

in January 1949 QST is here:



http://p1k.arrl.org/pubs_archive/29327


73
Frank
W3LPL





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[Elecraft] Old Posts

[Mike Harris]

G'day,

Am I the only one being bombarded by old posts? 50+ turned up this 
morning, some going back to 29th January.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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[Elecraft] KX3

[Mike Harris]

Hi,

We have a visitor at another QTH. He is using a KX3. At present he seems 
to have a problem.


If he transmits on 28511kHz I receive him on 28510kHz. When I transmit 
on 28510kHz he receives me on 28511kHz.


The same applies when he is received on other radios so it's not my K3.

I have a copy of the manual, however, without being able to see or touch 
the thing life is difficult. Similarly getting some sense out of the 
other op.


As far as I can tell the KX3 isn't in split, doesn't have any RIT/XIT.

Any other reason why this 1kHz offset should be happening.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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[Elecraft] KPA100 Mosquito

[Mike Harris]

Out of interest I've just completed a test run on K2 #1400 with the 
following results:


Setup:

K2 > Oak Hills Research 100W load > sampled by a -20dB coupler > Oak 
Hills research WM2 QRP wattmeter terminated with a precision load good 
to 6GHz.


Room temp 20C

K2 set to 20W out, 28.5MHz, confirmed by wattmeter.

Result:

The mosquito came on after three minutes of 20W tune power. 8A from PSU.

After about 15 minutes of tune the KPA100 heat sink reached 58C measured 
by a laboratory thermometer. Hand said the same thing, could only touch 
it for about three seconds.


Set CAL tPA to track cool down and compared with the thermometer. Good 
agreement.


The mosquito shut off at 37C indicated by K2 tPA reading.

Conclusion:

Seems normal that the mosquito will come on during an extended run of 
psk at 20W output. The exact timing will depend upon how well the CAL 
tPA has been set, duty cycle and ambient temp.


If you don't like the mosquito then blow the KPA100 heat sink with a 
small 12V PC fan. This is what I did during weeks of overnight QRSS 
beaconing on 40M for the RSGB propagation committee grey line study.


Make of it what you wish.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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[Elecraft] K3 PA supply Gold Pins

[Mike Harris]

Hi,

After nine years the dreaded "ERR 12V" struck. Possibly brought about by 
my increasing use of high duty cycle RTTY and FT8. Normally I'm S so 
the high current pins don't usually see much heating time.


The whole job on #00345 took about three hours of patient progress, 
dismantle, repair and rebuild. Interestingly only the pins on the RF 
board were toasted and not those on the PA module which looked as good 
as new. I ended up replacing the two sets of six pins, one set a clear 
necessity and one set precautionary and one damaged female connector.


The most annoying thing about the whole job were the TMP coax connectors.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Adjusting Audio Level for Digital Modes

[Mike Harris]

How about using the mouse scroll wheel, it adjusts the power in 0.1dB 
steps. At least it does on my Win7 box.


The waterfall sliders also respond to the scroll wheel.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 08/09/2017 21:52, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:

As an operational note for WSJT-X.  Version 1.8.0 -rc2

To adjust the audio level via the software slider marked *Pwr* on the 
right, I find it more precise to place the cursor just above or just 
below the slider bar, depending which way you wish the audio level to 
go, and click the left mouse button one time. This will move the slider 
to the next step.  I find this to be easier than placing the cursor on 
the slider and trying to move it up or down.

How about using the mouse scroll
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Re: [Elecraft] Ecoflex cable

[Mike Harris]

I installed Ecoflex 10 cable from the shack to the top of my tower in 
2008. A year or two ago it was mentioned and illustrated in the RSGB 
"RadCom" magazine the potential problem of screen foil break up and 
possible centre conductor migration through the foam dielectric in 
sections of this type of cable at places of repeated flexing.


My two runs of Ecoflex 10 terminate at the top of the tower with two 
extension runs providing the a rotator loop and continuing onwards to 
the HF and 6m beams on an eight foot mast above the top bearing. One run 
was Ecoflex 10 the other was RG213 type.


Recently I removed both extension cables for destructive inspection in 
the area of the rotator loop.


The copper foil screen of the Ecoflex 10 was seriously cracked, in some 
places almost to the point of complete severance. The braid element of 
the screen which is not particularly dense was OK.


The RG213 type cable showed no sign of damage whatsoever.

Naturally a rotator loop over a period of years takes a hammering and it 
seems this sort of foam, braid, foil cable is not first choice for the job.


Two replacement rotator loop runs of RG213 type cable have now been 
installed from the top of the tower to the antennas. The extra loss of 
these short lengths at HF and 6m are in my case insignificant given that 
the full run length shack to antenna is approximately 160 feet.


My only experience is with Ecoflex 10, cable from other manufacturers 
may behave differently.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 23/08/2017 17:22, Wes Stewart wrote:
About three years ago I purchased some Ecoflex-10 cable assemblies from 
Vibroplex. These had what seemed to be very nicely made PL-259 type 
connectors preinstalled. (Getting lazy in my old age)  It appears that 
Vibroplex no longer sells these but other vendors do.


This note is to report on the performance in the field so far. In 
addition to the ones used as patch cords in the station, I installed one 
60 foot length on my Rohn fold-over tower from the base to the Yagi on 
top.  The upper end was used as a rotor loop, so it saw that flexing.


Prior to installing this cable I performed characterization measurements 
using my DG8SAQ vector network analyzer 
(http://sdr-kits.net/VNWA3_Description.html) running the supplied 
software and post processing the s11 data with Zplots 
(http://ac6la.com/zplots1.html).  The VNWA was calibrated with SMA 
standards but of course, measured with SMA-to-UHF adapters.  No attempt 
was made at that time to pick nits and subtract out adapter errors as 
they are pretty meaningless in this application. Cited with ridiculous 
precision, the loss at 30 MHz was 0.438 dB.


A few days ago I had need to fold over the tower for another purpose and 
decided to remeasure this cable and see how it's fared after nearly 
three years exposure in the Arizona desert.  The present attenuation was 
0.483 dB, which is remarkably close, especially considering the 
uncertainties involved.  I am quite pleased and wouldn't hesitate to use 
this wherever flexing is an issue.  I will continue to use Heliax where 
it isn't.


FWIW,

Wes  N7WS

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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 generating signal

[Mike Harris]

Not quite the full story, so no cigar. From the KX3 Owners Manual p49 
"RF band-pass filters":



Following the band pass filters and T/R switching are two RF 
preamplifiers and an attenuator. These provide various tradeoffs between 
RF gain and noise figure (or MDS), as well as local oscillator (LO) 
isolation. The latter would be useful in situations where another 
receiver in close proximity could be tuned to the same
frequency. A problem inherent in most direct conversion (zero IF) 
receivers is that some LO energy leaks to the antenna and is radiated. 
This can be a problem when another receiver & antenna is in very close 
proximity and is tuned to the same frequency. The isolation preamp in 
the KX3 (RX ISO menu entry) virtually eliminates this signal leakage.



Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 19/08/2017 10:00, Richard Ferch wrote:

The KX3 is a direct-conversion transceiver, not a superhet. The behaviour
you observed is normal with any direct-conversion receiver. The local
oscillator operates directly on the signal frequency and can be heard in a
nearby receiver.

73,
Rich VE3KI

AE4RM wrote:


Today when operating QRP, the gentleman I was at the park with wanted to
compare receiving a CW signal. We weren't comparing rigs but antennas. He
had a FT 817.

When he tuned to the frequency I was listening to it sounded like someone
was tuning up on frequency on his radio. I changed frequencies and the
noise went away.  When I tuned back to where he was, it came back. We

could

only hear it on his radio but my KX3 was definitely generating the signal.

This was on 40m around 7020.

What would cause this? It does not seem normal.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3: Frequency Stability of radio

[Mike Harris]

A pity an overview of the answers wasn't shared.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 12/08/2017 22:08, Dave Cole wrote:
I'll respond to my post to keep things short...  Thank you to both 
posters for the info.  You answered my questions.


73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
http://www.nk7z.net

On 08/12/2017 04:00 PM, Dave Cole wrote:

Hi,

I use a program called SBSpectrum to graph very subtle changes in 
Doppler of the Ionosphere, while using WWV as a standard.  The changes 
are on the order of only a few Hz at most.


I have noted the K3 makes frequency corrections every few minutes in 
discrete steps.  These steps are too large for what I want.


If I add an external frequency standard, like a GPSDO, will the K3 
still display these steps in frequency correction, or will the K3 
simply lock to the external signal source and not move in frequency?


I asked this once before about a year ago, and got an answer, but I 
have forgotten that answer...  Sorry for the repeat question.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3: Odd ALC behavior

[Mike Harris]

A blast from the past, it's been 17 years since I was involved with this 
stuff.


In E1 PCM multi channel voice transmission systems the standard test 
tone was 1024Hz so as not to interact with the 8kHz sampling rate.


This is not a fault but a fact of life.

Maybe the designers would care to mention the DSP sampling rate for the 
TX audio.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 04/08/2017 15:46, Richard Lamont wrote:
> On 04/08/17 19:33, Brian Hunt wrote:
>> Here's some followup:
>> FLDIGI shows the "pumping" affect with carrier tones of 500, 1000, 1500,
>> and 2000 Hz.
>> WSJT-X 1.8 shows the "pumping" affect with carrier tones of 1000, 1500
>> and 2000 Hz (couldn't select 500 Hz).
>>
>> The affect is very narrow with frequency.  10 Hz either way and the
>> output and ALC display and MON output is rock solid.  Changing the K3
>> filter center frequency has no effect on the above.
>
> This looks like a beat between the modulating frequency and some
> sampling process associated with the ALC meter.
>
> 73,
> Richard G4DYA
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[Elecraft] WSJT-X and PTT

[Mike Harris]

For what it's worth. I have run JT65, FT8 and WSPR from WSJT-X using my 
K3 #00345 fitted with the latest K3s digital I/O module. PTT mode no 
problems. The USB port is handling everything, audio, CAT (PTT and band 
switching).


When using Logger32 for CAT, RTTY/PSK audio, software CW, again it's all 
over the USB cable.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading K3

[Mike Harris]

An interesting question is just what is the difference between the KRX3 
and the KRX3A.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 23/06/2017 17:57, Gmail - George wrote:

The above assumes the new sub-receiver will operate with the old style
synthesizer!

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[Elecraft] Roofing Filters

[Mike Harris]

Wandering the web I notice that INRAD are offering K3 Roofers somewhat 
less than Elecraft prices.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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[Elecraft] Type 31 Ferrite

[Mike Harris]

I've got a small stack of 2.5 inch diameter type 31 ferrite rings. 
Interestingly the resistance measured on the ring was dramatically 
different depending upon which of the flat sides measured.


One side 600kOhm+/- whilst on the other 10>20kOhm. This was the same for 
all of them.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Another really good reason to come to the Visailia DX convention this weekend...

[Mike Harris]

Decreasing by 200 each second led to the left. Makes 100W per led 
starting at 100.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 20/04/2017 15:29, Clay Autery wrote:

Yep...  top LED 1900, decreasing by 200 each LED descending to the left
of the photo.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3 slightly off frequency

[Mike Harris]

Immediate apologies, this is a tad long but hopefully interesting.

My K3 has the new synths (2), K144XV with REF Lock option and all is 
well without doing the KREF3 modification. I guess this is an it either 
works or it don't situation.


With respect to the post about off frequency, not a simple answer.

Firstly accuracy and resolution or precision are not to be confused, one 
doesn't imply the other. The K3 display may read to 1Hz but that doesn't 
mean it is accurate to 1Hz. If folks in a net all set their various 
digital displays to the same frequency it doesn't mean they are all on 
the same frequency.


As has been mentioned there is a perfectly good method of adjusting 
calibration detailed in the handbook using WWV. It doesn't directly tune 
or otherwise adjust the reference oscillator (TCXO) but lets whatever is 
involved with controlling the synths what the reference frequency really 
is so that the error can compensated for mathematically. That is my 
understanding. I have been using this WWV method for the past nine years 
and was convinced that the TXCO was probably drifting with age and have 
often said that the CONFIG: REF CAL is not a one off adjustment. This 
unfortunately turns out not to be the whole story.


Now it has to be said, the TXCO does drift, shock, horror. The high 
stability option is described as being +/-1ppm but actually seems to 
achieve 0.5ppm, at least mine does. How do I know this? I don't have a 
frequency counter, or at least I didn't and in fact you don't need one 
as will be discovered later. What I do have is the K3 external reference 
frequency lock option fitted and recently purchased a Leo Bodnar GPS 
disciplined reference clock which provides the necessary 10MHz drive for 
the ext ref option. With a new toy you have go to play and what I 
discovered follows.


With the GPS source up and running, turning on the K3 and enabling the 
external ref feature the REF CAL measured TXCO frequency will be 
displayed, counted by the ref lock module. This frequency will be seen 
to change with warm up. My TXCO has a positive drift of approx 26Hz+/- a 
couple in the first three minutes, for the next 30 minutes it drifts a 
further 6Hz. Thereafter it slowly drifts until after four hours it tops 
out at +57Hz or so and by this measurement method stops drifting.


However, there is more. At the same time as noting the REF CAL frequency 
every minute, for the first hour, I also recorded the front panel (FP) 
temperature. This started at 23C and over the measurement period 
increased to 38C. It was observed that the rise in FP temp and the drift 
follow a similar trajectory. As would be expected.


I have monitored the REF CAL frequency for a couple of months now and 
note that the TXCO drift on my unit always maxes out at more or less the 
same reading.


I have reached the conclusion that if at least two hours of warm up are 
allowed and a WWV cal operation is then performed you will be in a 
pretty good place with respect to total drift and subsequent overall 
frequency (dial) accuracy.


It is easy to discover the pattern and extent of the drift of the TXCO 
in your K3 without any external measuring equipment, external ref locks 
or such.


1. From cold tune to a WWV frequency you will be able to receive 
reliably for a few hours. Higher the better.

2. Wait 5 minutes or you will be chasing a moving target.
3. Perform a REF CAL and note the reading.
4. Perform a REF CAL every half hour, less if you feel like it and note 
the readings.
5. Eventually the reading will really slow down and more or less stop 
changing.
6. Choose a reading that indicates that the bulk of the drift has 
happened, (1-2 hours)

7. Set REF CAL to that reading and sleep well. Good enough for HF.

Given the highest and lowest frequency readings a further experiment can 
be performed to discover the consequences of the TXCO drift on dial 
accuracy. It only takes a few minutes.


1. Set REF CALL to the lowest recorded frequency and tune the K3 to a 
stable test frequency, I used my XG3, note the "dial" reading in fine 
frequency display, 3 digits after the decimal point. I used the CW auto 
spot feature to do the final tune.
2. Set REF CAL to the highest recorded frequency and retune the K3 as 
above noting the "dial" frequency.


The lowest to highest REF CAL frequency is the total TXCO drift in Hz. 
The lowest to highest "dial" frequency will indicate the consequence of 
that TXCO drift in Hz. You will be pleased to note that the two do not 
match. The K3 tuned frequency change is rather less than the TXCO drift.


Reset the REF CAL reading to that you previously chose to be your K3's 
sweat spot.


The above shows why I was wrong in relating the REF CAL frequency 
changes to TXCO ageing. In reality it all comes down to warm up time.


I hope this was worth the read.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 09/04/2017 05:51, Roger via Elecraft wrote:

KREF3MDKT   This modification increases the output 

Re: [Elecraft] Feature Request

[Mike Harris]

Noted, thanks.

Mike VP8NO

On 08/04/2017 15:12, Richard Lamont wrote:

On 08/04/17 18:58, Mike Harris wrote:

I'm losing track here. Am I correct in understanding:

1. SSB Sidetone required when wearing headphones.

2. SSB Sidetone not required when headphones are unplugged and listening
to speaker.

3. SSB Sidetone automatically zeroed upon unplugging headphones.

4. Headphones are just that, not a headset with mic, and are plugged
into the front panel socket otherwise plugging and unplugging would be
inconvenient.


Yes.

73,
Richard G4DYA

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Re: [Elecraft] K3S SSB TX monitor - feature request

[Mike Harris]

Hi,

I use the rear panel jacks for my CM500 headset and I hear TX monitor in 
both configurations.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO




2) If you use the REAR panel phones jack, the monitor audio comes through
the phones as expected. If SPKR+PHONES is set to yes, the RX audio comes
through the speakers, but the transmit Monitor audio does not.

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[Elecraft] Feature Request

[Mike Harris]

I'm losing track here. Am I correct in understanding:

1. SSB Sidetone required when wearing headphones.

2. SSB Sidetone not required when headphones are unplugged and listening 
to speaker.


3. SSB Sidetone automatically zeroed upon unplugging headphones.

4. Headphones are just that, not a headset with mic, and are plugged 
into the front panel socket otherwise plugging and unplugging would be 
inconvenient.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] Amplifier

[Mike Harris]

I had the opportunity to borrow an R professional field strength meter 
from the local telco when there were concerns over the installation of 
mobile phone towers in town. The worriers obsessed over the towers but 
completely ignored the little transmitters they and their kids would be 
clamping to the side of their brains.


My HF beam is 12.5 metres high on a tower. With 1kW from the amp, 
standing directly at the base of the tower the field strength measured 
was well below the guidlines for RF exposure.


Living at the base of a steep sloping ridge to the south it was easy to 
elevate myself to the plane of the antenna beaming at me from about 35 
to 40 metres. When the TX at 1kW was keyed there was no indicated 
increase in field strength over the background reading. Also duty cycle 
comes into play.


There are a couple of FCC bulletins, OET65 and specifically for radio 
amateurs OET65B which go into a lot of detail on this subject. They are 
dated late 1997 and I've not check to see if there are more recent 
revisions.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 07/04/2017 09:50, Wes Stewart wrote:

I assume you're commenting on the 1KW 20' away, although failed to say
so.  Turn this scenario around: pretend that you were trying to do
medical treatment or research by heating your body to a biologically
significant temperature. How much power to a transducer 20' away would
it take?


On 4/7/2017 3:10 AM, Bill wrote:

That proximity would scare me - I'd feel like I was on a skewer in a
microwave oven.

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Re: [Elecraft] K3S SSB TX monitor

[Mike Harris]

The K3 is the only transceiver I've used with this facility. Monitor 
level is saved per mode. I have SSB = 4, CW = 10 and Data = 5.
I never notice any monitor audio on SSB, neither do I particularly feel 
the need and could just as well turn it off. Sidetone on telephones was 
an attempt to stop folks shouting. Maybe a lack of it is why you can 
hear the one sided conversations of folks talking on mobiles from across 
the street.


For me CW monitor is for sidetone and Data monitor is just a gentle 
background burble to indicate all seems to be working.


The house is pretty quiet and at nearly 69y my hearing is OK not having 
been exposed regularly to damaging noise levels. I usually use CM500 
phones anyway with CONFIG AF GAIN = LO and the AF gain pot seldom above 
9 o'clock.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO



On 06/04/2017 19:08, Richard Lamont wrote:

Barry,

Thank you. You've confirmed what I suspected: that the desired
functionality doesn't exist.

To prevent monitor audio from the microphone from reaching the speaker,
while keeping it going to the headphones, and to do this without
operator intervention, seems a simple enough requirement.

Having to fiddle with the monitor level after plugging or unplugging
headphones is a right pain. What I'm asking for seems such a no-brainer
I can't believe it isn't standard. Why on earth would anyone want their
live microphone audio routed to the speaker? It's a transceiver, not a
public address system.

73,
Richard G4DYA

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[Elecraft] K3(s) Beta Firmware

[Mike Harris]

Wondering when the next K3(s) Beta firmware mentioned a couple of weeks 
ago will be released.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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[Elecraft] Fwd: Re: Frequency Counter for Calibrating K3S

[Mike Harris]

Slip up at this end, I didn't send it to the list.

And whilst I'm resending I might as well mention that I am using the Leo 
Bodnar GPSDO to drive the REF IN port on my K3. I have found that the 
unit locks up within 30-45 seconds from power up with the antenna in the 
shack, near the north facing window with a clear half hemisphere view.


Totally unnecessary for general HF operation but having driven a 
commercial Intelsat standard B 11 metre dish earth station with all the 
necessary test equipment you can become a bit anal about this stuff.


So for the second time:

The "Method 2" using WWV is fine, however, there is a slight gotcha.

I have the 1ppm TCXO in my K3 and have been using WWV since new (#1400). 
Checking the REF CAL regularly I've noticed the setting changes slightly 
each time, ageing of the TXCO I was thinking, there will be some truth 
in this but it isn't the whole story and once I started using the 10MHz 
ref-lock feature fed from a GPSDO reference a whole new story emerged 
from monitoring the change in the REF CAL parameter, the TCXO frequency.


My TCXO will drift HF approx 28Hz within the first four minutes after 
switch on, perfectly reasonable. It will then plateau for about 26 
minutes and thereafter start to drift a further 27Hz HF for the next 90 
minutes. For the next two hours it will drift HF another 5Hz and stop.


All the time whilst this drift is taking place the front panel is 
heating up, mine is fitted with the sub RX DSP board so fully loaded. On 
RX only the temp changes from 23C at switch on to 40C over the four 
hours. The bulk of this temperature change taking place in the first 
hour, only a few degrees there after.


I suspect that on RX the front panel is the main source of heat within 
the box and over time is the main factor contributing to TCXO drift.


I observed that TXCO drift is not translated directly Hz for Hz to 
calibration accuracy. I did check it on 28MHz and and found that cal 
drift was approximately half that of TXCO drift. Wayne will know the truth.


So from all this I would suggest that a one to two hour warm up before 
doing a REF CAL using WWV might be a good idea.


Using WWV you can do your own TXCO drift measurements. Just do a "Method 
2" REF CAL as soon as possible after switch on and again at 30 minute 
intervals for the next couple of hours making a note of the REF CAL 
readings as you zero beat WWV. Armed with that info you can set the REF 
CAL to a number which indicates a good stability has been reached.


I'm not saying all K3(S) will have the same drift pattern as #1400. My 
TXCO is well within the 1ppm spec and if the first four minutes is 
discounted it is nearer 0.5ppm which has been reported as typical and 
hence no need for a "Method 3".


Clearly checking the REF CAL at random times after power up will give 
varying set points. This is what has made me offer previously that 
setting REF CAL is not a one off deal. Given a bit of ageing of the TCXO 
then maybe it is over a sensible time scale of a couple or more of years.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO
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Re: [Elecraft] [K3S] KREF3MDKT

[Mike Harris]

Hmm.

"The KREF3A Reference Oscillator in the K3S has been updated as needed
at the factory".

Is this just the resistor mod or has there been a change to the canned TXCO?

Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 22/01/2017 13:25, Raymond METZGER wrote:


Hello,

I recently started assembling the K3S/100 kit (SN 10,614) I bought in 2015, 
which will include the KPA3A and the KRX3A options (the last one bought mid 
2016 when I realized the assembling of the K3s would be simpler if I mount at 
the same time the Main and the Aux DSP boards). My assembling manual is 
revision A, dated May 27th, 2015.  I will shortly be installing the KREF3 
module (page 52 of the assembling manual). Some days ago, I realized there is a 
KREF3MDKT kit available at Elecraft, but I'm unable to determine if I need it 
or not. The modification instructions of the KREF3MDKT kit say :

"The modification is not needed unless
- you have the new KSYN3A synthetisers  and both sub receiver and the K144XV 
options installed
- or if you have a K3s transceiver.

The KREF3A Reference oscillator in the K3s has been updated as needed at the 
factory"

 I'm confused by the "Unless.. Or" structure of this sentence.


Thank you for clarifying my mind and
I wish to everybody a wonderfull new year 2017


Raymond, F4FNT
K2/100, K3/100 and shortly K3s/100 !

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Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: Re: K3 signal at 28004

[Mike Harris]

Hi,

The S3 signal is probably from within the K3. As previously mentioned I 
have this signal which in my case is 28004.676. Note: I do not have a 
KAT500.


Out of curiosity I changed the K3 REF CAL parameter from the last 
calibration setting of 49.379.892 to 49.379.700 a change of 192. The 
frequency of the odd signal shifted and was displayed now on 28004.559 a 
change of 117Hz. This might give an indication as to why different K3's 
present this signal at slightly different frequencies.


I indicated in an earlier post that the signal vanished when PRE 2 was 
activated, this was entirely due to it being buried by extra antenna 
noise. When I repeated the test with my XG3 which clearly doesn't have a 
load of antenna noise the signal still dropped by an indicated 8dBV or 
so, if I remember correctly, when switching from PRE 1 to PRE 2. This 
still makes me think it is due to a locational change within the box of 
the respective pre-amps.


Does this matter, not a bit. At least it is Elecraft related.

Regards,

Mike VP8NO


On 11/12/2016 15:38, Robert G Strickland wrote:

I have an original K3, #6232, with the new synthesizer. I hear the
signal at 28.004.55. It is S5 with the KAT500 turned on in either the
AUTO of MAN mode. In the BYP mode or with the KAT turned off, the signal
is still there but drops to an S3.

Interesting that while "everyone" hears it, not everyone hears it at the
same, exact frequency. Also, no one else has mentioned being able to
hear it, however faintly, with the tuner off or in the BYP mode.

...robert, KE2WY

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[Elecraft] Fwd: Re: K3 signal at 28004

[Mike Harris]

 Forwarded Message 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 signal at 28004
Date: Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:23:38 -0300
From: Mike Harris <mike.har...@horizon.co.fk>
To: James Bennett <w6...@me.com>

I have that signal on my K3 without any other Elecraft peripherals 
wrapped around it, internally it is pretty well stuffed with options. 
However, I have installed the K3s KIO3B and KXV3B and observe the following:


With the antenna connected and using the 500Hz 5 pole CW filter if I 
tune off 1kHz and set the dBV metering to 0dBV+/- on the noise floor 
when re tuning to the signal I see 3dB+/- increase.


Enabling PRE 1 and re zeroing the dBV reading on tune increases to 
+11dBV+/-.


Enabling Pre 2 and re zeroing the dBV reading on tune the signal has 
vanished.


Pre 1 and Pre 2 are not co located and it is possible that layout is 
determining what is being picked up internally.


Maybe a K3s owner would like to report the presence or not of this 
signal. The K3s RF board has apparently been redesigned making it quieter.


Cycling the preamps on an weak external signal coming in off the 
antenna, results in the expected changes in signal and noise, that is 
when Pre 2 is enabled the external signal doesn't vanish.


This will need to be re visited using my XG3 on 1uV to eliminate QSB 
effects.


Regards,

Mike VP8NO

On 11/12/2016 02:51, James Bennett wrote:

Hank - I had that same signal at 28.004 and it was caused by my KAT500, as I 
recall. Elecraft has a fix for that - simple mod to the KAT500, if I recall 
correctly. Do you have a KAT500 and have you possibly removed power from it? If 
so, that's probably where your signal has gone. Just a guess

Jim Bennett / W6JHB
Folsom, CA


On Dec 10, 2016, at 5:30 PM, HankP <pfizenma...@q.com> wrote:

Ok I give up - I always have a strong signal about 28004 on my K3 and it was 
there this morning just like always and most all day - now its GONE and the rx 
seems like its still working normally -107 dBm on the P3 for the 1 uv in . TX 
ok too. Just no 28004 ??? What is the magic ?? Hank K7HP

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