Dick,
The KX3 will not see those extreme cold temps. Where we live it
rarely drops below -15F and typically is 0 to +10F at night in
winter. The KX3 has a RAM bracket in my truck so it might sit
outside at night. I was wondering how it would react to being powered
on at down to -15F. Truthfully it might not ever face that as I have
remote start for the truck to warm up for winter driving so the cab
might reach +20 or higher before I would use it. A few miles driving
and the cab should be +50 to 60F which is comfortable wearing a winter coat.
More than likely I would just bring the radio inside at night if
planning to use it the next day. My experience with the TS-180S was
that the cold effected the LCD screen so operating was not possible
until it warmed.
That experience in 1986 was the coldest I have seen in my 36 years up
here in AK. Quite possible the temp dropped to -80F at night (-78F
is the official record for AK). Fortunately at extreme cold the air
is completely calm most of the time. Dog teams coming into the
checkpoint reported -45F on the ridge tops but with 30-40mph winds
which would feel much colder than what we were down in the lake valley.
The coldest I have experience at home on the Kenai Peninsula is -35F
and that was nighttime so I stayed inside near the wood stove. I now
live in a modern home with force-air natural gas heat and its +67F to
+71F year round.
Radio gear is std in all vehicles used at Prudhoe Bay on AK's "north
slope" but either they leave the engines run continuously or they are
plugged in with electric heaters on the inside keeping the interior
from freezing. Ever climb into a suburban when the seats are -40F
and hard as a rock (a very cold rock)? In fact the seats split apart
if allowed to get that cold.
Most repeaters up there are enclosed in warmed buildings and only
antenna and coax outside.
I had fun up there in Nov.1980 installing MOT radios in heavy
equipment that was parked outside (it was only -15F so my bare hands
took a punishment). After a couple days one of the operators showed
me how to start up the engines and I got a little warmth inside the
cabs (+15 vs -15).
I was young (36) and adventurous - making $6500 in three weeks
working 18-hour days didn't hurt, either.
73, Ed - KL7UW
From: Richard Fjeld <rpfj...@outlook.com>
To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Cold K3
On 10/4/2016 7:16 PM, Edward R Cole wrote:
I've not tried running my K3 at outside temps,
Hello Ed,
I would caution you against trying your K3 in those temps. Minus 60
degrees F. is the coldest on record for Minnesota, and you experience
far colder that that. The cold may do multiple things to the K3 if it
has multi-layer circuit boards. I didn't notice if it does.
Our club left a repeater in an unheated enclosure one winter. I would
estimate it wasn't much colder than minus 30 degrees F. at that
location. (To clarify for others, this is 30 degrees F. below zero.) I
have seen what the multi-layer circuit board looked like. More
specifically, the thru-the-hole solder connections from one layer to
another were cracked. Maybe it was the type of solder used???
I'm sure circuit designs have changed since the first solid state rigs I
described in the cold. LCD screens hadn't been heard of yet. I'm
surprised they don't freeze and get damaged in your temps. It is
interesting to read of your outdoor experiences.
73,
Dick, n0ce
73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
"Kits made by KL7UW"
Dubus Mag business:
dubus...@gmail.com
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
