Re: [Elecraft] A shameless plug for the SP3
I've noticed a similar situation recently. I sent a message about KX3 roofing filters and got responses but never received MY original post until a few days later! Just thought I'd mention it. Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 05, 2018 at 08:47 AM, Chuck Milam, N9KY wrote: Interesting E-Mail hiccup here: I never saw N6KR's initial post on the SP3, only the reply below. I wonder if the original message will show up eventually? I don't see it in my spam folder, either. --- Chuck Milam, N9KY n...@arrl.net On Fri, Feb 2, 2018 at 8:35 PM, Bill Johnson wrote: I use mini Bose. Two HAM guests were amazed at the quality of diversity sound. Have a great day, Bill J From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net on behalf of Wayne Burdick Sent: Thursday, February 1, 2018 11:02:51 PM To: Elecraft Reflector Cc: elecraft...@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Elecraft] A shameless plug for the SP3 I use a pair of SP3 speakers with my home K3S. If you use Elecraft's AFX feature (main receiver alone) or if you’re using both main and sub receivers at the same time, you’ll be amazed, like me, at how expansive the stereo audio space “feels" with speakers this good. It can reduce operating fatigue, help with diversity reception, and take full advantage of broadcast-quality signals. To make sure we got the SP3’s acoustics right, we collaborated with an expert in the field--literally a professor of audio physics. He helped us select the speaker, specify the cabinet materials, and ensure there were no oddities anywhere in the frequency range. The cabinet is rock-solid, using overlapping segments to eliminate all edge-to-edge joinery. You could just about park a truck on one (well, OK, a small import). Several SP3 owners have posted comments here: http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/13281 ...so you don’t have to take my word for it. In addition to its great sound, the SP3 includes a front-panel switch for selecting between two mono or stereo audio sources, e.g. two transceivers. 73, Wayne N6KR __ 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 k9...@live.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 n...@arrl.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX3 Roofing Filter Question
I am going to order another KX3 this week. Probably tomorrow. The last one I ordered in 2012 did not have the roofing filter option and I do not THINK I missed it. I use ONLY CW and I do NOT contest. I like to CASUALLY chase DX and I play in low stress sprints like NAQCC but mostly I just like to RAG CHEW. My antenna is an EFHW installed as a "half square" in trees at 30 feet (MyAntennas 4010). I have reviewed the Elecraft site notes, and done a fair amount of Googling and I now am more confused than ever. It seems that the real value lies in dealing with strong signals, crowded bands and ferocious contesting conditions. My bottom line question is this: If I DO NOT get the roofing filter option will my KX3 receiver be LESS SENSITIVE? The Sherwood report shows a pre-amp off sensitivity of .9 uv which improves to a very impressive .09 with the preamp on. Is this somehow related to the roofing filter? I am especially concerned because I remember doing an A/B comparison on a weak signal between my previous KX3 and my 55 year old Drake 2B and the 2B beat the crap out of the factory built KX3. I can't help wondering if the roofing filter I didn't buy in 2012 had something to do with this. I sure could use a real simple answer: buy it or don't buy it? CW sensitivity is my ultimate goal because if I can't hear 'em I can't work 'em. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] K2 for sale
Please contact me off-list if interested. For sale is my K2 (purchased pre-owned from another lister in November 2017). It is a K2/10 and fully optioned with 160M option, noise blanker, KIO2, KAT2, KAF2, KSB2. Includes Kenwood mic MC-43S and Signalink USB and full complement of written documentation, including technical report from Don W3FPR who upgraded it to factory spec on August 28, 2017. Since I only operate HF QRP CW I can't comment on the SSB or digital aspects but I can surely state it's a gorgeous CW rig, both operationally and cosmetically. Reason for selling is simple and straightforward: I want to buy another KX3 because I miss CWT and dual watch. Asking $750 + shipping and insurance via PayPal to CONUS only.. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (OT) - Unplanned Discovery - UPDATE
Howard, I received the core and the replacement choke earlier today. I put the core on the 25' RG174 feedline right at the 9:1 UNUN and was able to wind 10 turns. Then I connected a 33' counterpoise wire to the output BNC using a hose clamp. This was just a quickie "temporary" installation as it was getting dark here in NY. With no other changes made, I tried tuning up on 80, 40, 30 and 20 with my K2/10 and its internal KAT2 tuner. My 80 meter SWR which had been 1.1:1 was now an unusable 2.8:1. This makes sense to me if the choke was now keeping the common mode currents from using "everything" connected to the K2!! I would EXPECT 80 meters to have a high SWR for a 33' wire and it did! My 40 meter SWR went from 1.2:1 to 1:1. My 30 meter SWR went from 1.7:1 to 1:1 and my 20 meter SWR went from 1.1:1 to 1:1. I was only able to make one quick contact but that was a pretty good one - Corsica - on 20M QRP. Then I put the new choke you sent me on the DC cable IN ADDITION to the cracked one that I already had on. I detected NO NOISE at this point. Switching back and forth from battery to Kx33 did NOT change the noise level. Of course, I'm going to keep experimenting through radial placement, elevation and number of radials but for now, it looks like you solved my "noise problem." That's a nifty sized little Kx33 power supply you sell and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. I'm very pleased with the personal support you provided to me. Well, the CQWW starts in 15 minutes and I'm looking forward to a 'no noise' weekend! 73, Stan WB2LQF On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 03:07 PM, i...@proaudioeng.com wrote: Hi Stan, That is great news regarding the antenna being outside, it is my experience and that of many customers that a common-mode (CM) choke at the feedpoint of an end-fed outside is highly effective at decoupling the feedline as part of the active antenna. In my opinion, and those of another expert in the field Jim Brown, it is money wasted purchasing a CM choke. If you had not taken a look at his excellent paper on the subject here is the link: http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf <http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf> Before I was able to measure the performance of chokes I had purchased both a W2DU and DX Engineering choke myself, and thought they worked OK, but had no way to tell. Once I started merely winding coax on mix 31 ferrites, I noticed they worked better than the ones I bought, and the cores are cheap. I ended up selling the DX Engineering unit and in it's place I have two 2.4" mix 31 cores stacked (for higher power handling) with 8 turns of RG-8X, and it is superior. Here is a chart showing how effective winding as many as 6-14 turns around that core can be, I suggest 8-10 turns depending on the size of coax you are using: I will send you a replacement for the small choke which broke in shipment, I am sorry for that. I will also send you a 2.4" diameter mix 31 toroid core so you can make your own CM choke at the feedpoint. The core is weatherproof, so don't worry about it getting wet. I look forward to getting reports from you as to the progress taming this CM noise pickup, and thank you for your patience! Ease of choking CM RFI is the real advantage to the Kx33 you purchased relative to other switchers, it is a characteristic we worked hard to engineer into the supply. Cheers & 73, Howie - WA4PSC On 11/21/2017 2:30 PM, stan levandowski wrote: Howard, thank you for the info and the offer. YES, I would love to have a new ferrite. The one that was shipped was neatly cracked in half! I used it anyway; didn't figure it mattered that much as the mass was still there. And YES, I am going to install additional counterpoises right at the 9:1 UNUN and spread them out. The antenna is not in the attic, it is outside as a sloper from the rear of my townhouse up to the top of a 35' pine tree. It's working great so far. Worked Paraguay last night on 20M and Belgium this morning also on 20M. K2@5 watts. Do you have a recommendation for an effective choke at the UNUN? Beads, a coax choke, something from DX Engineering like their 1:1 isolator?? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 01:28 PM, i...@proaudioeng.com <mailto:i...@proaudioeng.com> wrote: Hi Stan, Thank you for the reply! Regarding antennas; I feel your pain! I have had to endure less-than-optimum antenna setups many times as well. One of the aspects of common-mode currents is they are reciprocal between transmit and receive. In transmit they
Re: [Elecraft] (OT) - Unplanned Discovery
Yeah, me too. I bought it because I thought it would be "super clean" and really small. But its contribution to my problem was pretty much unarguable: Plug it in and I hear noise. Unplug it and I don't hear noise. The instructions that came with it specifically stated that the Kx33 should be placed the full length of the DC plug/cord away from the transceiver. I did that but it didn't work for me. I tried different outlets around the house too. I put chokes on it. No joy. My post is not a complaint about the Kx33 mfgr, or the Samlex Corporation or anyone else. Maybe it's my transceiver, maybe it's my equipment, maybe it's my utility service.I'm not qualified to say or knowledgeable to analyze. I simply wanted to suggest to others in the Elecraft family that if they have "noise" it might be right under their nose and worth checking out vs. blaming propagation or the next door neighbor ;-) P.S. - My "noise problem" is about two years old and coincides with the purchase of my first switch mode power supply. I had a perfectly good linear supply made by Astron but I deemed it too big and klutzy and dumped it. Another one of my great decisions 73, Stan WB2LQF Nov 19, 2017 at 08:05 PM, JT Croteau wrote: I'm really surprised you had an issue with the KX33 supply. - JT __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - Unplanned Discovery
Most people on this Reflector are well educated and intelligent. Apparently, I'm the exception because this one got by me. I'm only owning up to this in the hope that it might help someone else on the Reflector. For the last couple of years I've been bothered by a high background noise level. It happened on my K1, K2, K3, KX2 and KX3. I attributed this to the fact that my antenna has been in my attic for the last fifteen years and propagation hasn't been good lately. I just got official permission from the HOA to install an end fed wire outside. I was thrilled. I put it up. The darn thing wasn't any better than the attic doublet. Noisy as heck! What a letdown! So I'm laying in bed last night reflecting on how my little KX1 was the only Elecraft radio that never had noise problems and seemed to have a receiver quieter than my K3. Whoa! The KX1 always ran on batteries...could it be? I just took delivery on a brand new Kx33 Low RFI power supply a couple days ago. It was advertised in the last QST. Previous to that, I've been using a Samlex 1235M. For the heck of it, I connected my K2 to an SLA battery and the noise was still there. But when I disconnected the Kx33 power supply from the wall, the noise level dropped dramatically. Then I switched to the Samlex and the noise came back. Back on the battery, the noise dropped again as long as the power supplies were unplugged and dead. I have a laptop next to the computer. When I pulled the plug on the laptop supply, the rest of the noise went away. I was down to S0/S1 and CW signals were popping out all over the band again. Running the computer on its internal battery did NOT contribute any noise. It was the computer power supply. Now that I am totally on batteries, I also appear to be immune from both the gas furnace and the dishwasher motor both of which caused me problems when using the AC supplies. YES, I HAD CHOKES ON ALL SUPPLIES, CABLES, WIRE. I've been on the air all day with my new outside antenna, on battery power, making contacts near and far and I feel like I've hit the jackpot. Since I'm totally QRP and CW, being limited to batteries is not an issue. If you're going to check your own supplies out, remember they've got to be OFF/UNPLUGGED from the wall. Just disconnecting them from the radio/computer isn't enough. It's RF. 73, Stan WB2LQF 1 __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - FOR SALE - SEC1235M AND W1 SOLD
All gone. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - FOR SALE - SEC1235M is SOLD
SEC1235M has been SOLD. Elecraft W1 SWR/PWR meter is still available. -- Rebuilding my entire station from the ground up -- with Elecraft gear of course! Following extra "stuff" is for sale. Please contact me off list if interested. 1. Elecraft W1 PWR/SWR meter. Purchased January 2017. Works perfectly. $60. Includes shipping. 2. Samlex SEC-1235M 13.8VDC 30A Power Supply. Purchased January 2017. Mint Condx. $75. Includes shipping. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - FOR SALE
Rebuilding my entire station from the ground up -- with Elecraft gear of course! Following extra "stuff" is for sale. Please contact me off list if interested. 1. Elecraft W1 PWR/SWR meter. Purchased January 2017. Works perfectly. $60. Includes shipping. 2. Samlex SEC-1235M 13.8VDC 30A Power Supply. Purchased January 2017. Mint Condx. $75. Includes shipping. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX3 with BL2 Question
Thank you to everyone for the rapid responses. Now I know my options. As a long time feedpoint autocoupler user, this is a new approach for me and it's nice to get advice before cutting wire and cable up. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Wed, Oct 04, 2017 at 09:26 AM, stan levandowski wrote: When operating a KX3 with the internal ATU into a window line fed doublet through a BL2 balun, what is the preferred connection method: 1. Placing the BL2 right at the KX3 output eliminating any coax. This puts the window line right next to the metal KX3, everything else on the operating desk and the operator. 2. Placing the BL2 five feet away and higher which puts the window line further away and connecting it to the KX3 through a short coax jumper. 3. Placing the balun (weathered-proofed) right at the doublet's center and using coax for the whole run to the KX3. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX3 with BL2 Question
When operating a KX3 with the internal ATU into a window line fed doublet through a BL2 balun, what is the preferred connection method: 1. Placing the BL2 right at the KX3 output eliminating any coax. This puts the window line right next to the metal KX3, everything else on the operating desk and the operator. 2. Placing the BL2 five feet away and higher which puts the window line further away and connecting it to the KX3 through a short coax jumper. 3. Placing the balun (weathered-proofed) right at the doublet's center and using coax for the whole run to the KX3. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] FOR SALE: KXPA100 and KX2 -- SOLD
SOLD SOLD SOLD - KXPA100-F (factory built) SN 2042 purchased 08/30/2016. Includes KXPACBL I/O cable for KX2/KX3, power cable and KX2ACBL ACC cable. Does NOT include ATU option. Asking $625.00, shipped. KX2-F purchased 06/24/2016 SN 0472. Does NOT include internal ATU option. Includes power cable and computer update cable. Asking $575.00, shipped. There are no internal ATUs in either unit because I use a feedpoint autocoupler Both units in absolute mint condx. Never used in the field. This has been my primary “at home only” station. See picture at my QRZ page. All manuals, documentation and invoices included. Ship to CONUS only. PayPal please. Will ship each in its original Elecraft packaging and shipping cartons via insured Priority Mail. Reason for selling: I want 6 meters too and I’m seriously thinking about the K3S. If interested, please contact me off list. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] FOR SALE: KXPA100 and KX2
KXPA100-F (factory built) SN 2042 purchased 08/30/2016. Includes KXPACBL I/O cable for KX2/KX3, power cable and KX2ACBL ACC cable. Does NOT include ATU option. Asking $625.00, shipped. KX2-F purchased 06/24/2016 SN 0472. Does NOT include internal ATU option. Includes power cable and computer update cable. Asking $575.00, shipped. There are no internal ATUs in either unit because I use a feedpoint autocoupler Both units in absolute mint condx. Never used in the field. This has been my primary “at home only” station. See picture at my QRZ page. All manuals, documentation and invoices included. Ship to CONUS only. PayPal please. Will ship each in its original Elecraft packaging and shipping cartons via insured Priority Mail. Reason for selling: I want 6 meters too and I’m seriously thinking about the K3S. If interested, please contact me off list. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX2/KXPA100 Drive Power
Aaron, my SWR is being reported by the KX2 as below 1.2:1 at all times; usually 1:1. I'm using a window line fed doublet through an SGC-231 autocoupler. This situation occurs on all HF bands. I do not have either the KX2 internal ATU nor do I have the KXPA100 ATU. Now you've got me wondering how accurate my KX2 SWR readout is -- I don't presently have an alternative way to check it. My Elecraft W1 crapped out awhile back. The autocoupler has one million possible solutions so I've become accustomed to seeing 1:1 as the norm even when loading a rusty nail. I think I better buy an independent SWR/PWR meter as a first step. Someone else on this list privately emailed me and suggested I may not be getting a full 13.8 volts and the full current through my DC cable. I'm using a switch mode supply - an SEC 1235M. So I've got a couple things to check out now. Thanks, 73, Stan WB2LQF On Wed, Sep 20, 2017 at 12:50 PM, Aaron Marroquin wrote: Hi Stan, This sounds like the amp is folding back it's power. I encountered something similar on my KX3/KXPA100 when I had an issue with my antenna and was experiencing excessive SWR. Check the SWR indicators (both devices). 73, Aaron KK6ZDB On Tue, Sep 19, 2017, 20:12 stan levandowski <sjl...@optonline.net <mailto:sjl...@optonline.net> > wrote: Since I'm basically a QRP op and rarely use more than 25 watts, I guess I didn't notice when this "problem" actually began. So here's the issue: My KX2 will show the power I've set with the knob precisely, right up to 110 watts. However, my KXPA100's green LEDs seem to be about 20 watts lower beginning at the 50 watt level. For example, when I've set the KX2 to 70 watts, the KX2 bar graph indeed reads 70 but the KXPA100 shows the green 50 watt LED. At 100 watts the KX2 reads 100 but the KXPA100 reads 80 watts. At 25 watts, the KX2 and KXPA100 indications are in agreement. I don't know which piece of equipment to believe. According to the KXPA100 manual (which ONLY refers to the KX3), it says the drive levels have been set at the factory against a laboratory grade KX3 and should not normally need to be messed around with. So is the KX2 calibrated in equal fashion at the factory or do I need to go through the CAL Pout routine for each band? Anybody else run into this situation? 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> Message delivered to aaron.marroq...@gmail.com <mailto:aaron.marroq...@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
[Elecraft] KX2/KXPA100 Drive Power
Since I'm basically a QRP op and rarely use more than 25 watts, I guess I didn't notice when this "problem" actually began. So here's the issue: My KX2 will show the power I've set with the knob precisely, right up to 110 watts. However, my KXPA100's green LEDs seem to be about 20 watts lower beginning at the 50 watt level. For example, when I've set the KX2 to 70 watts, the KX2 bar graph indeed reads 70 but the KXPA100 shows the green 50 watt LED. At 100 watts the KX2 reads 100 but the KXPA100 reads 80 watts. At 25 watts, the KX2 and KXPA100 indications are in agreement. I don't know which piece of equipment to believe. According to the KXPA100 manual (which ONLY refers to the KX3), it says the drive levels have been set at the factory against a laboratory grade KX3 and should not normally need to be messed around with. So is the KX2 calibrated in equal fashion at the factory or do I need to go through the CAL Pout routine for each band? Anybody else run into this situation? 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) KX1 --- SOLD
Sold - in about 10 minutes... 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) FOR SALE: KX1
KX1 serial #2967 purchased 12/08/2016 is for sale. Absolute mint condition. Includes all options: KXAT1 internal ATU, KXB3080 adapter, and KXPD1. Also includes Array Solutions 12 VDC @ 1 amp linear power supply. Shipped with all original documentation and invoices. The KXB3080 option was built up and installed by Don Wilhelm on 01/10/2017 and the entire transceiver was inspected and adjusted by Don and found to be totally within Elecraft spec. Asking $475 and I will take care of shipping and insurance. CONUS. PayPal. If interested please email me offline. Reason for selling: I have a KX2. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (KX1) Can KXAT1 tune a doublet?
The KXAT1 manual states that it can tune a *coaxial* dipole. It also states that the KXAT1 is optimized to tune random wires. I'd like to know if any fellow KX1 owners have successfully tuned a 300 ohm twin-lead fed 44, 66 or 88 foot doublet with the KXAT1 for 40 and 20 meters? Or, do I need an external wider range tuner like the T1? Thanks, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX-1 antenna matching
Thank you to all who offered suggestions, all of which helped me solve this nagging problem. I bought a 33' tape measure from Harbor Freight. I scrapped off the paint at the end, drilled a 3/16" hole and put a bolt, a couple of washers and a two nuts on it. Then I cut a 5' piece of wire and attached one end to the tape measure and the other end to the black BNC terminal on the KX1. I did not fiddle around with the 25 foot radiator. I laid the tape measure right on the grass. By adjusting the tape measure - now I knew exactly how much counterpoise was being deployed and it was infinitely adjustable - I was able to get 1:1 SWRs on 40, 30 and 20 meters. I found that 31 feet on the tape measure + the 5 foot connecting wire worked best as a single compromise counterpoise length for all three bands -- with this 36 foot length I got 1:1 on 40M, 1.3 on 30M and 1.2 on 20M. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX-1 antenna matching
Rick, thanks for your input from way up there in Alaska! The KXAT1 manual suggested (actually "stated") 1/8 wavelength minimum counterpoises per band and that's where the 8 foot wire for 20M came from. Also, my counterpoises have not always been on the earth; sometimes raised by a foot or so. I think I'll scrounge up some wire, some alligator clips and make up some "extensions" like you described and do some testing tomorrow. I also like your idea about clipping it to a metal picnic table. Today, I was operating from a very large (8 foot) and heavy wrought iron picnic table on my rear deck. Never thought about trying that! I've got a nice large central air compressor nearby also but that might introduce RFI. Still, might be worth a quick clip-up to see. Thanks, Stan WB2LQF On Fri, Jun 09, 2017 at 07:22 PM, Frederick Dwight wrote: Stan, I have used a kx 1 for thousands of QSO’s many in the field on 40, 30, and 20 meters. My usual field antenna is a 26 ft piece of wire and one or two 17 counterpoise wires. If the counterpoise (radial) wires are laying directly on the ground, usually I get a very good match on all 3 bands. If part or all of the counterpoise/radial wire is elevated, then sometimes I clip on an extension of about 8 feet to get a better match if the SWR is higher than about 2:1 (probably only necessary on 40 meters sometimes). Occasionally for 40 meter elevated counterpoise operation I have even used a single 34 ft counterpoise wire if I happen to have one available….not likely when backpacking. I would just use your 16 or 17 ft counterpoise for 20 meters…it might improve your 1.6:1 SWR, however I still have my original PA transistor and have often operated with SWR’s around 2:1 or higher, however my goal is to try not to exceed about 2:1. Usually I can get SWR down somewhere between 1:1 and and perhaps 1.9:1 (just a guess) on 40 meters, and often about the same or even slightly better on 20 and 30 meters. I always carry a 8 ft piece of wire with a big clip on the end. Often clipping it to a metal picnic table, guard rail, chain link fence, or car body either instead of a radial, or in addition to one and get satisfactory performance. If I use an elevated counterpoise…then I clip the 8 ft wire onto the end of my 17 ft counterpoise for better matching on 40 and possibly 30 meters. I see no reason to just use a 8 ft counterpoise or radial wire for 20, a 16 or 17 wire should be better on all the bands. Occasionally I lay down two 17 ft radial wires on the ground if I have them and there is room. Some of my attempts at modeling showed slightly improved performance. If I have a preferred direction I often lay them down in roughly that quadrant. The theory is it may slightly help in that direction, but more important it may eliminate a very slight null opposite to the desired direction. This is my unproved theory only since it would be nearly impossible to measure something like a dB or so. This is usually the only antenna I carry for backpacking, or travel around the US or Europe. Something like a linked dipole (usually set up as an inverted V) will often perform significantly better, however I much prefer something like the 26 ft wire….5 minutes to set up and lots of time to operate vs. an hour set up and less operating time. Rick KL7CW Palmer, Alaska Sent from Mail for Windows 10 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] {KX1} Antenna Matching Question
Skip, thanks for your suggestion. It's another option I can try. The KX1 works just fine with a resonant dipole, vertical with radials, mag loops, doublet with the BL2, etc. But all these other antennas require more effort. The beauty of "just wire" means I can stuff it into my pocket, load the KX1 up with 8 AA batteries, stick earphones in the other pocket and let the magic begin! I have a KX2 for more "Serious" operating!! The (now discontinued) KX1 is just for pure SIMPLE FUN. Thanks for contributing another idea I can try. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Fri, Jun 09, 2017 at 06:15 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: I no longer have my KX1 but it got a lot of use when I did. I had the 40/30/20 and KXAT1 options, the 30/80 hadn't been invented when I bought mine and life is too short for 2.5 watts on 80 anyway. I made an end-fed wire out of 23 ft [7 m] of RG-58 by: 1. Putting a male BNC on the end 2. Stripping the outer black covering off to within 2 in [~5 cm] of the BNC 3. Pulling the center conductor [still insulated] through the shield braid at the BNC. This is easily done if you push the braid down to loosen it and then spread it, kink the center conductor, and push it through. When pulled tight without the center conductor, the braid [counterpoise] will become somewhat longer than the center conductor ... maybe 5-10%. Wire goes into tree or telescoping mast, braid lays out on the ground. Tuned SWR on my 3 bands ran around 1.3:1, 20 was often 1:1. The tuned SWR on 40 was a bit dependent on how I ran the counterpoise in relation to the antenna, but the effect was small. I seemed to get better on-air results with the wire sloping from a tree or pole rather than nearly vertical, but that too was a small effect and probably subjective. I kept this antenna rolled up on a camp clothesline reel in my KX1 bag. It went with the KX1 when I sold it. I used a Buddipole for several years in places where I didn't have to carry it very far [heavy], but it was touchy to set up and my "recipes" that worked in the pasture at home never worked at my field sites so set-up took 30-45 min. I finally switched to a mag loop [Alexloop] on a sprinkler tripod which works super with my K2. 2:1 isn't terrible considering that you don't have any transmission line loss. Space limitations in the KX1 dictate that the KXAT1 can have only a limited number of L-C combos [64?], your match may be in between two of them. 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County On 6/9/17 1:55 PM, stan levandowski wrote: When following the instruction in the KXAT1 manual and using a wire between 24-28 feet and a 16' counterpoise for 40 and an 8' counterpoise for 20, the best I can ever get is a 1.6 SWR on 20 and 2.8 SWR on 40. I've spent lots of time shortening and lengthening wires and writing down results and I can't hit the magic combination. The manual also makes it clear on page 8 that a 1:1 SWR is NOT necessary for good performance. I believe this because the little KX1 makes me plenty of contacts with this setup, including DX. I suppose I could just be happy However, it bothers me that these SWRs are the best I can do. I don't like seeing these high ratios on the display. I built this KX1 but had Don Wilhelm build and install the 30/80 module for me. As part of his service, he went over my KX1 and told me that it was up to spec. So my question is: Has any KX1 user out there figured out a wire length, length and number of counterpoises, etc. that gives a better match with the KXAT1's capabilities?? When I say I use a wire, I mean I throw it up into a tree and get it as vertical and possible, then I lay out the counterpoise wires and it all attaches directly to the KX1 with a dual binding post. Just real simple! Thanks for any words of advice and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] {KX1} Antenna Matching Question
When following the instruction in the KXAT1 manual and using a wire between 24-28 feet and a 16' counterpoise for 40 and an 8' counterpoise for 20, the best I can ever get is a 1.6 SWR on 20 and 2.8 SWR on 40. I've spent lots of time shortening and lengthening wires and writing down results and I can't hit the magic combination. The manual also makes it clear on page 8 that a 1:1 SWR is NOT necessary for good performance. I believe this because the little KX1 makes me plenty of contacts with this setup, including DX. I suppose I could just be happy However, it bothers me that these SWRs are the best I can do. I don't like seeing these high ratios on the display. I built this KX1 but had Don Wilhelm build and install the 30/80 module for me. As part of his service, he went over my KX1 and told me that it was up to spec. So my question is: Has any KX1 user out there figured out a wire length, length and number of counterpoises, etc. that gives a better match with the KXAT1's capabilities?? When I say I use a wire, I mean I throw it up into a tree and get it as vertical and possible, then I lay out the counterpoise wires and it all attaches directly to the KX1 with a dual binding post. Just real simple! Thanks for any words of advice and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (OT) - SPAM
AH. My fault! I jumped to conclusions! My apologies to Ken On Thu, Apr 27, 2017 at 03:35 PM, Buddy Brannan wrote: Hi Stan, Different Stan, unless he sent a separate one from the one he sent to the list. The Stan to which he refers is clearly a very new ham (see the quoted message below his). Vy 73, -- Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Phone: 814-860-3194 Mobile: 814-431-0962 Email: bu...@brannan.name On Apr 27, 2017, at 3:31 PM, stan levandowski wrote: I just got an insulting email from "Ken Kopp" under Rose's address - clearly someone has mined the elecraft list. I know Ken and Rose. Ken would not close by explaining to me what "73" means in CW ;-) It also says it was in a "response" to one of my emails. I haven't sent any emails about the the subject of Mormons. There were no links to open but it was impossible for me (I'm no expert) to differentiate this email from any legitimate list message. No harm done here. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 bu...@brannan.name __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - SPAM
I just got an insulting email from "Ken Kopp" under Rose's address - clearly someone has mined the elecraft list. I know Ken and Rose. Ken would not close by explaining to me what "73" means in CW ;-) It also says it was in a "response" to one of my emails. I haven't sent any emails about the the subject of Mormons. There were no links to open but it was impossible for me (I'm no expert) to differentiate this email from any legitimate list message. No harm done here. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Weighted Knob
Doug, this was an excellent idea. Last night I {Gorilla} glued four
nuts into my stock KX2 knob. I wasn't at all convinced that it was
going to be heavy enough to work BUT IT SURE AS HECK DID!! Thanks for
the simple but effective solution.
73, Stan WB2LQF
On Thu, Mar 30, 2017 at 06:29 PM, Doug Millar via Elecraft wrote:
Hi, Well, I might have done it. I like a little heavier knob on my
radios. Ever since I had an HRO radio. I took the KX2 knob and put
4 nuts in each of the four bins in the back of the knob. I took some
modeling clay and forced it in to hold the nuts and to give more
weight. I think that is just about perfect for weight and inertia.
Comments? Doug jEY
drzarko...@yahoo.com
562 810 3989 cell/text
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Re: [Elecraft] (OT) - portable radial idea?
Hi Don and thanks for the suggestions. Yes, I already have a 67 foot doublet fed with window line as well as simple wires and counterpoises in line with page 10 of the KXAT1 manual. They work just fine. No argument there. But I stumbled upon this "linear loaded" vertical antenna and thought I might try it. It's is a 20 foot piece of 300 ohm TV line with the conductors twisted and soldered together at the top and taped to a twenty foot crappie pole. At the bottom, for working 20 and 30 meters, both of the conductors are connected to the red BNC terminal on the KX1 making the the radiator just a "fat" 20 foot wire. For working 40 meters the bottom conductors are separated and one goes to the red BNC terminal and the other just hangs loose making it a 40 foot antenna. The write-up I found states, "On 40m the folded wire creates a linear loading effect due to the capacitive coupling between the two wires (note that currents are not equal and opposite so there is no cancellation of signal as you might initially think). This added capacitance allows the wire to be resonated on 40m by the internal tuner in the K1, KX1 or also by the Elecraft T1." The fellow who offered this antenna idea said that he had been using it successfully for quite awhile. Adding the BL2 is my idea because it will be part of the solution for making the bottom connections. My intent is to come up with a "decent" portable antenna that I can erect anywhere in just one minute. I want to come up with some creative way to make all the pieces work together effortlessly, rapidly and reliably, including dealing with the crappie pole. My dream is to drop the crappie pole into a homemade holder on my camp chair, push up the pole with the antenna following, walk the roll of ribbon cable out in a straight line, go back to the chair, sit down, turn on the KX1 and start operating! It's my springtime project I ordered a 100 foot role of ribbon cable so I can do a little experimenting with opening up the ends. On Fri, Mar 10, 2017 at 09:44 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Stan, It can be made to work, but will be a real "bear" to adjust to resonance unless you separate the ends. If you are feeding with 300 ohm twinlead, why not make a 66 foot long center fed dipole out of it. Alternately if this is for portable work, us no feedline at all - just a BNC to binding post adapter at the KX1. Use 2 lengths of wire as is shown on page 10 of the KXAT1 manual. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/10/2017 7:14 PM, stan levandowski wrote: I found the plans (June 2010 Elecraft Reflector) to build a 40/30/20 meter "linear loaded" portable antenna for my KX1 (using a crappie rod, 300 ohm twinlead for the radiator, a BL2 balun, and ribbon cable radials cut to 1/4 wavelength for each of the bands (16, 25 and 33 feet). My question is how terrible would it be to use a piece of that thin computer ribbon cable cut to the three lengths but NOT separated? This would make it easier to deploy and roll back up. Has anyone ever tried using unseparated ribbon cable counterpoises? The materials are on order and I'm sort of anxious to know. __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) - portable radial idea?
I found the plans (June 2010 Elecraft Reflector) to build a 40/30/20 meter "linear loaded" portable antenna for my KX1 (using a crappie rod, 300 ohm twinlead for the radiator, a BL2 balun, and ribbon cable radials cut to 1/4 wavelength for each of the bands (16, 25 and 33 feet). My question is how terrible would it be to use a piece of that thin computer ribbon cable cut to the three lengths but NOT separated? This would make it easier to deploy and roll back up. Has anyone ever tried using unseparated ribbon cable counterpoises? The materials are on order and I'm sort of anxious to know. Obviously, this is a compromise antenna and I'm shooting to design a package for maximum installation speed vs. maximum efficiency. Thanks, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (OT) CW Resonant Speaker
A cylinder with a closed end is a "closed cylinder" and requires the formula that uses 2f instead of f. The "real" formula accounts for lots of variables, including diameter of the sphere. But a ballpark formula that works just fine for less complex designs is just Length (in feet or fractions of a foot) equals the speed of sound in air (in feet per second which is approximately 1100) divided by either f (for an open end cylinder) or 2f (for a closed end cylinder) where f is the desired frequency of resonance you want. Much like making a simple dipole, you can start with the formula but it takes trimming to get it optimized. Example: You want a speaker resonant at 600 Hz. It is closed at one end ( the end in which you mount the speaker). The tube is *about* two inches in diameter. L=1100/2f -- L=1100/1200 -- L=..916 ft. -- .916 inches x 12 inches = 10.9 inches. The preceding is not perfect but, like a dipole, it needs final trimming. That's where an adjustable design (like the PVC versions with a sleeve) make it easier to trim vs. building a wooden box (like the KD1JV box design). 73, Stan WB2LQF On Fri, Feb 17, 2017 at 06:07 PM, Mark Petiford via Elecraft wrote: I think a pipe with a speaker in the end is considered a closed end cylinder, but I am not completely sure. If so, resonant lengths are shorter. Here is the page from one of my favorite websites if you are interested in experimenting with resonant speakers: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Waves/opecol.html#c1 Good educational website from Georgia State University. Mark, KE6BB On Friday, February 17, 2017 2:14 PM, Mike Furrey wrote: I have not but you certainly can do it. The length of the tube will determine the peak resonant frequency and you would have to experiment with the length to tune it to the pitch you like best to listen to. Remember the days you would blow across a bottle to make a tone? The more you drank out of the bottle the lower the pitch. I like this project and I am going to build one and it will be with a straight tube mounted on a little stand so it aims towards me. 73, Mike WA5POK On Friday, February 17, 2017 12:58 PM, P.J.Hicks wrote: Has anyone built the resonator with a straight length of tube? Perhaps terminated with a 45 deg. cut? Might be an interesting experiment. The 45 deg long radius street elbow in 2" is an order only item in my area so thought I'd substitute a straight length. PJH, N7PXY __ 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 mikefur...@att.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to rv6am...@yahoo.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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] (OT) CW Resonant Speaker
For those with interest I just put up a video comparison of a standard "communications speaker" vs. the "CW Resonant Speaker" detailed in the article of the same name in the February 2017 QST, page 43. Included for Elecraft KX product owners is the amp necessary to use the headphone jack output. Click on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htjgeHEf3-g 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) Follow-up on CW Resonant Speaker
Folks, I posted about having built the CW Resonant Speaker in the February 2017 and having problems with low audio. This is a follow-up report for those with interest in this subject. It works! It's fabulous! It's unbelievable how great it sounds! CW pops out and background noise is significantly reduced. I built it EXACTLY as described in the article and ordered the EXACT parts listed. My problem was not enough audio coming from either my KX1 or my KX2 headphone jacks. I purchased a fully assembled 15 watt mono amplifier - Qianson TDA2030A 15W Mono Channel Audio Power Amplifier Board AC/DC 12V AMP Module - Amazon for $11.80. With the new amp, my speaker is acoustically resonant at 760 Hz and I have plenty of volume; enough to fill the room. The author had claimed "around 700 Hz" so it's in the ballpark. I can verify that the construction article was accurate. I wanted 600 Hz so I built a vinyl sleeve to insert into the street elbow and set my sidetone pitch for 600 Hz then slid the sleeve up and down until I got a very obvious peak in volume. I'm still a "can fan" for serious CW operating, but it's nice to be able to listen to sweet CW that pops right out now that the higher frequency sounds are substantially subdued. This was a really worthwhile little project. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (KX1) A Story for a Winter Day in NY
On Thu, Feb 09, 2017 at 10:45 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: Beautiful obit for the KX1 Stan. Ops like you will remember it like us O.T.s remember our 6L6 crystal controlled oscillators built on a breadboard. Newer rigs do as well (sometimes better) but are never the same. Whoa there, Ron! Next week is my 68th birthday. I ain't no kid! My FIRST rig was a crystal controlled 50L6 fed doubled DC by a 50Y6 using one half of the line cord and a cold water ground. It was called "The 22 Watt Monster" and it came out of a 1963 CQ Magazine. Clearly, pre OSHA... THAT is THE rig that earned me a QSL card from WA1BVN (clearly a SK by now) up near Boston who wrote on it, "Solid 579, Stan, you must have had your foot in a water bucket." Oh, lest I forget - the antenna was my bedspring. Remember when bed springs were real metal springs? I lived in an apartment and couldn't have an antenna. I'd heard about "loading a bed spring and, as a kid, I totally fell for it. Thank God for Pi Networks. I ran that bed spring for several weeks until I discovered magnet wire. Now THAT"S A MEMORY, Ron, right up there with my little KX1 and your 6L6 MOPA 73, Stan, WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (KX1) A Story for a Winter Day in NY
Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1. It was a
replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into the
Elecraft world. I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.
Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup (plus
other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier KXPA100 for
the KX3lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and we come to
today. Elecraft has made a small fortune on me!
We're having a blizzard in New York. My picnic table out back has over
12 inches of snow on it. As a prisoner of the house, I decided to do a
little operating; However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30 meters. It
wasn't so hot on 20 meters either. I went down to the living room and
built a fire. But gosh, I really wanted to operate...
So I brought my KX1 down to the living room. I stretched a 40 foot
length of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace. I have a 67
foot bent up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler and
that's where one end of the RG174 extension coax went. The other end
connected the antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries. With less than 13.9
VDC, the KX1 doesn't have the oomph required to kick the autocoupler
into tune mode. No problem. I just used my QRO setup to find the match
on 14.030. That would give me a few kHZ either side with a good SWR.
So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on batteries
putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the antenna, a
coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard outside, a bent up
antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof and conditions on 20
meters reportedly "Fair."
Well, guess what. I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New
Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas. After an
hour, I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked V53DX, a
new QRP country for me.
Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the
Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued! I don't
recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on this
reflector about it either.
I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change
is inevitable. In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before the
KX1.
I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP rigs
I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW - I'm
happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!
During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I
explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious. I spent a lot of
money too! They were all well engineered. They all worked. They all
had their own uniqueness. BUT the KX1 distinguished itself because it
had everything one needs to operate right there onboard. The LNR
Mountain Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack of
cigarettes. However, the operator had to have an outboard key, an
outboard power supply and an outboard antenna tuner. That's more like a
full carton smokes. Same for the LD-5 and LD-11.
The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its
elegant design and robust menu. I love my KX2 with its dual watch
function, autospot feature and filtering. But now it's hooked up to the
amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go" operations.
The KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one nice package.
Sorry to see it go west.
73, Stan WB2LQF
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
I didn't know it made that much difference, Don. My headset is a much higher impedance and I have plenty of audio with it. Must be something I don't understand here. Too late to change the speaker; it's all glued in. I'll take the amp route. On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 09:35 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Stan, One of your big problems is that the speaker specified in that project is 8 ohms - if you can find a 4 ohm speaker, you will almost quadruple the available audio. The other solution is to use an amplifier. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/6/2017 8:47 PM, stan levandowski wrote: Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
Bingo. That makes sense. I've already sketched out a little 386 amp I can build on a popsicle stick and tomorrow I'll dump my junkbox out on the kitchen table and go to work. I guess I should start looking at the manual before I bother people!! BTW, other than the volume problem I have, this little sucker REALLY makes the CW pop. And yes, it IS sharp. If I'm not right on, my sidetone disappears! 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 10:11 PM, Brian Hunt wrote: Stan, If you refer to the KX2 Block Diagram (Page 62 of my manual) you will see that the PH (headphone) takeoff is a low level and the SPKR(speaker) output has an additional amplifier associated with it. I think Wayne did this to minimize the current drain when using headphones, while providing usable speaker volume for fixed/station powered use. Plugging a resonant speaker without an amplifier into the headphone jack will result in the low volume that you are seeing. At least that's the way I understand the design. If you want viable, fixed KX2 operation, use a follow-on amplifier with the resonant speaker. 73, Brian, K0DTJ On 2/6/2017 17:47, stan levandowski wrote: Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. Do I have to take the speaker output directly off the KX2's speaker terminals to get more volume? __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
Ken, "...two of the original speakers..." means you built them or Bill built them for you or you mean the "original" Sky-Tec? I've tried it with the KX2 filter set all the way to 2.8. Also tried it with my KX1 and the same low volume. I don't understand this term "padding" but it was suggested to me in a post on the CW list that "most modern transceiver have headset outputs that are padded to protect hearing" and I thought that might have something to do with this low volume. I really want to experience this phenomenal sound I've heard so much about!!! 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 09:18 PM, Rose wrote: In answer to a list member question ... the speaker is acoustically resonant and -very- narrow. I suspect Stan's build and his KX2's filtered output tone are too far apart. I have two of the original speakers and they are phenomenal! 73 Ken - K0PP On Feb 6, 2017 19:07, "stan levandowski" <sjl...@optonline.net <mailto:sjl...@optonline.net> > wrote: No,Peter, it "acts" like a filter to focus on CW frequencies between approx 500 to 700 Hz while downplaying higher frequency noise. Good stuff available via Google and Youtube and page 43 of current QST 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 09:01 PM, Peter Lambert wrote: G'day, CW resonant speaker ? - does it have a filter in it ? If the frequency is significantly different to the KX2's filter it would explain the extremely low volume. 73's Peter VK4JD -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net <mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net> ] On Behalf Of stan levandowski Sent: Tuesday, 7 February 2017 11:48 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Subject: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. Do I have to take the speaker output directly off the KX2's speaker terminals to get more volume? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF Sorry for the bum post; fat fingers!! __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> Message delivered to plamb...@qa.com.au <mailto:plamb...@qa.com.au> __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft <http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm <http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net <mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net <http://www.qsl.net> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html <http://www.qsl.net/donate.html> Message delivered to elecraftcov...@gmail.com <mailto:elecraftcov...@gmail.com> __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
Nice speaker but unfortunately won't help me out here. I need mono output for this speaker and it's only 2 inches and 8 ohms. If I could get the volume from the headphone jack that I get from the KX2 speaker, I'd be quite satisfied. Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 08:55 PM, Walter Underwood wrote: I use this audio amp to drive speakers from my KX3. It is 15 W per channel stereo, runs off 12 V, and costs under $9. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C4MT274/ wunder K6WRU Walter Underwood CM87wj http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog) On Feb 6, 2017, at 5:47 PM, stan levandowski wrote: Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. Do I have to take the speaker output directly off the KX2's speaker terminals to get more volume? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF Sorry for the bum post; fat fingers!! __ 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 wun...@wunderwood.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
No,Peter, it "acts" like a filter to focus on CW frequencies between approx 500 to 700 Hz while downplaying higher frequency noise. Good stuff available via Google and Youtube and page 43 of current QST 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Feb 06, 2017 at 09:01 PM, Peter Lambert wrote: G'day, CW resonant speaker ? - does it have a filter in it ? If the frequency is significantly different to the KX2's filter it would explain the extremely low volume. 73's Peter VK4JD -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of stan levandowski Sent: Tuesday, 7 February 2017 11:48 AM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. Do I have to take the speaker output directly off the KX2's speaker terminals to get more volume? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF Sorry for the bum post; fat fingers!! __ 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 plamb...@qa.com.au __ 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
[Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is so low that it's unusable. Do I have to take the speaker output directly off the KX2's speaker terminals to get more volume? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF Sorry for the bum post; fat fingers!! __ 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
[Elecraft] KX2 speaker/headphone question
Hi folks. I need some assistance. Is the KX2's headset jack "padded" to protect hearing? I'm asking because I built the "CW Resonant Speaker" in the current QST and it works great but the volume is s __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] (W1) W1 Power/SWR Meter Question
Will I harm my W1 by leaving the W1 Power slide switch in the "on" position and turning the meter on and off with my station supply? I'm asking because the tiny slide switch seems rather fragile and using it perhaps several times a day is sure to eventually break it. I noticed that when I power the W1 off with the station supply, the green LED slowly decays; when turning the W1 off with the slide switch, the same LED goes out immediately. That suggests that the microprocessor is involved in shutdown. I know that all Elecraft transceivers require an orderly shutdown via their onboard processors. Does this apply to my W1 also? Am I looking for trouble here?? Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft-Free Straight Key Night
Congratulations for cruising with the spoilers deployed. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Jan 12, 2017 at 05:39 AM, gliderboy1955 via Elecraft wrote: I want to publicly congratulate myself for operating SKN this year with only my souped up HW-16 and box-stock HG-10 VFO. Usually I get frustrated with the boat anchors and go Elecraft at some point. The dark K-line called, all right. "Isn't that chirp a bit embarassing?" "How long has it been since you had to listen to more than one CW signal at a time? Not easy anymore, huh." "It's a tad rude to drift into another QSO, don't you think?" "Hey, I wonder what's happening 10 KHz up? I'd be happy to show you." The dark K-line was always polite. Always ready to help. Always ready to cool off the shack. Kind of Jeeves-like, but with a mixture of Eric and Wayne's voices. I resisted for the first time since K3 #2545 came into my life. 73 WD6DBM Eric Sent on my Samsung Galaxy S® 6. __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] {OT} - Variation on use of a coaxial switch
Thank you, Don. An Alpha Delta has that isolation. I thought it would be OK but as a hobbyist and not a pro, I don't know what I don't know. Happy New Year. Stan WB2LQF On Fri, Dec 30, 2016 at 06:44 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Stan, If your maximum power is 100 watts and the isolation of the switch is 40dB or more then I don't think you have any problem. 73, Don W3FPR On 12/30/2016 5:49 PM, stan levandowski wrote: I would like to use a coaxial switch for an unintended use and I'm not sure if it's a good idea in terms of RF isolation and potential equipment damage. I'm no expert in this area but I know this list is a wealth of expert opinion, so here's my question: I want to buy a two position coaxial switch. I want to connect ONE antenna to it and switch this antenna between a KX2/KXPA100 (100 watts) and a KX1 (about 3 watts). The coax cable coming from this switch to the KX2 is a short piece of RG8X and the coax cable going from this switch to the KX1 is 25' of RG-174 (yes, I already computed the dB loss and I can live with). Am I likely to cause any damage to to either piece of equipment? Thanks, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 donw...@embarqmail.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
[Elecraft] {OT} - Variation on use of a coaxial switch
I would like to use a coaxial switch for an unintended use and I'm not sure if it's a good idea in terms of RF isolation and potential equipment damage. I'm no expert in this area but I know this list is a wealth of expert opinion, so here's my question: I want to buy a two position coaxial switch. I want to connect ONE antenna to it and switch this antenna between a KX2/KXPA100 (100 watts) and a KX1 (about 3 watts). The coax cable coming from this switch to the KX2 is a short piece of RG8X and the coax cable going from this switch to the KX1 is 25' of RG-174 (yes, I already computed the dB loss and I can live with). Am I likely to cause any damage to to either piece of equipment? Thanks, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (KX1) - Question of Power Modification Timing
Don thank you for this rapid and complete answer. I'm printing this email out to include with the KX1 documentation. I'll always be using either the internal AA cells or a dedicated 12VDC wall wart so I think I'll just install the mod now and avoid de-soldering. 73 and Seasons' greetings, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Dec 18, 2016 at 06:35 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Stan, The information in the Power Mod instructions is correct. SOME KX1s have lower power output than others due to component tolerances. Ni some cases, this becomes more of a problem with the KXB3080 installation. I would not arbitrarily install those resistors. Install the KXB3080 option and then test all bands using a 13.8 volt power source. If you can achieve 3.5 watts on all bands, that is all the design point offers. If one or two bands are lower, first try adjusting the spacing of the green turns on L1 and L2 to see if you can even out the power. If you cannot achieve 3.5 watts on any band, then install the power mod. I must add that the heatsinking of the KX1 and the rating of the zener diode in the PA stage are not designed for more than 5 watts. If you are getting more than 5 watts on any band, turn R1 to a lower level to limit the power to 5 watts. If you will always be operating on a voltage less than 13.8 volts (battery operation), you may want to install the power mod anyway. The actual power output will depend on the power supply voltage. 73, Don W3FPR On 12/18/2016 6:12 PM, stan levandowski wrote: I'm building my second fully optioned KX1. I built one a few years ago with no problem and it was great. I sold it when I bought a KX3. I missed it so much I just bought myself another one. But I could use some advice because something doesn't make sense to me. I opened the 30/80 meter parts package and found a "Power Output Modification Kit" for the KX1. It consists of two resistors: replacements for R11 and R30. I have not yet installed the "original R11 and R30" so can I just install these power mod resistors NOW to avoid future de-soldering? This sounds like a dumb question, I know, but it seems that if this has been a known problem for the KX1 since April 2006 (Revision B), why weren't the kit resistors upgraded a long time ago, or made an addendum to the KX1. Why were they in the 30/80 module kit? What's the connection? Do the upgrade resistors only apply to the 30/80 mod? If I had not ordered the 30/80 mod, I would not have known about this power mod. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 donw...@embarqmail.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
[Elecraft] (KX1) - Question of Power Modification Timing
I'm building my second fully optioned KX1. I built one a few years ago with no problem and it was great. I sold it when I bought a KX3. I missed it so much I just bought myself another one. But I could use some advice because something doesn't make sense to me. I opened the 30/80 meter parts package and found a "Power Output Modification Kit" for the KX1. It consists of two resistors: replacements for R11 and R30. I have not yet installed the "original R11 and R30" so can I just install these power mod resistors NOW to avoid future de-soldering? This sounds like a dumb question, I know, but it seems that if this has been a known problem for the KX1 since April 2006 (Revision B), why weren't the kit resistors upgraded a long time ago, or made an addendum to the KX1. Why were they in the 30/80 module kit? What's the connection? Do the upgrade resistors only apply to the 30/80 mod? If I had not ordered the 30/80 mod, I would not have known about this power mod. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (KX2) Tuning Knob
Answered my own question: http://www.gemsproducts.com/product/kx2-vfo-a-knob-beta/ 73, Stan WB2LQF Oops! Let's try this again... Has anyone on this list either developed or discovered a method to put a finger dimple on the KX2 VFO knob? Elecraft used to sell a finger dimple for the K2 but no longer stocks it. A Google search found no hits for a finger dimple. The KX2 is now my main rig and, together with the KXPA100, it's a fine setup for my kind of operating but the trying to spin the knob is aggravating. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (KX2) Tuning Knob
Oops! Let's try this again... Has anyone on this list either developed or discovered a method to put a finger dimple on the KX2 VFO knob? Elecraft used to sell a finger dimple for the K2 but no longer stocks it. A Google search found no hits for a finger dimple. The KX2 is now my main rig and, together with the KXPA100, it's a fine setup for my kind of operating but the trying to spin the knob is aggravating. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (KX2) Tuning Knob
Has anyone on this list either developed or discovered __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Weird startup
I upgraded yesterday and my "weird" situation appears to be resolved. Probably a good practice to regularly upgrade to the latest level.I should have trusted Elecraft more! I certainly will from now on. Thanks Wayne and Eric and 73, Stan WB2LQF On Tue, Nov 29, 2016 at 09:30 AM, Paul Smith wrote: I am not sure what my KX2 has been doing but it seemed "deaf at times" I have operated nothing but the simplest kit built rigs for 15 years so the KX2 has a bunch of stuff Im not sure of yet. I just this morning upgraded the software to the latest version. It seems to hear really well I worked a guy in TX and he was gangbusters at 5 watts. Thanks Wayne and Eric for a great radio and easy fixes. de Paul N0NBD Sent from Outlook __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] (KX2) - Randomly Powers Up "Weird"
AhhhI shall gather up my courage and press onward with my first KX2 update.Thanks and 73,Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 07:17 PM, Wayne Burdick wrote: Hi Stan, I would use the latest "one-click" production firmware release (MCU 2.69/DSP 1.49). This corrects a DSP problem that in rare cases could result in the DSP not sampling signals correctly. 73, Wayne N6KR -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of stan levandowski Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 4:08 PM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] (KX2) - Randomly Powers Up "Weird" For the last couple of months my KX2 randomly comes up acting like it has a very tight filter engaged although all screen indications are normal. In plain language it sounds "hollow" as if it were at 50 Hz. Yet all screen indications are normal (for example, it shows 400 Hz from its last use). There are no error messages. This is very random; not a regular event. When it does occur, all I have to do is turn the power off and then immediately back on and all is well. My KX2 is connected to an SEC1235M power supply and is also connected to the KXPA100 amplifier. It's always in CW mode because that's all I use. This "weird" power up situation occurs even if the KXPA100 is physically disconnected. The KX2 otherwise works normally in all regards. My firmware is at 2.61, DSP at 1.46 and PA at 1.32. These are "as shipped" by Elecraft at purchase time. My serial number is 0472. Just wondering if this little issue has visited anyone else. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] (KX2) - Randomly Powers Up "Weird"
Thanks, Bill. The KX2 doesn't actually have a "sub" receiver; if you mean dual watch then no, it's rarely engaged unless I'm working split DX. It's not a VFO A/B issue either. I guess I should update my firmwareI only work CW and my needs are simple so I've refrained from updating so far. The little rig and its amp work so well.I'm always afraid of screwing something up!! 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 05:25 PM, Bill Johnson wrote: Stan, I would try MCU 02.68 and DSP of 01.48 and see if that helps. If you have the unit on SUB receiver you may be looking at two different settings for each VFO and the spread between VFO A and B can be confusing. I use SSB and leave the SUB on. When there are two close signals I have to check both VFO's for same settings. Filters can be different, etc., from what I have witnessed. 73, Bill K9YEQ -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of stan levandowski Sent: Monday, November 28, 2016 4:08 PM To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] (KX2) - Randomly Powers Up "Weird" For the last couple of months my KX2 randomly comes up acting like it has a very tight filter engaged although all screen indications are normal. In plain language it sounds "hollow" as if it were at 50 Hz. Yet all screen indications are normal (for example, it shows 400 Hz from its last use). There are no error messages. This is very random; not a regular event. When it does occur, all I have to do is turn the power off and then immediately back on and all is well. My KX2 is connected to an SEC1235M power supply and is also connected to the KXPA100 amplifier. It's always in CW mode because that's all I use. This "weird" power up situation occurs even if the KXPA100 is physically disconnected. The KX2 otherwise works normally in all regards. My firmware is at 2.61, DSP at 1.46 and PA at 1.32. These are "as shipped" by Elecraft at purchase time. My serial number is 0472. Just wondering if this little issue has visited anyone else. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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 k9...@live.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
[Elecraft] (KX2) - Randomly Powers Up "Weird"
For the last couple of months my KX2 randomly comes up acting like it has a very tight filter engaged although all screen indications are normal. In plain language it sounds "hollow" as if it were at 50 Hz. Yet all screen indications are normal (for example, it shows 400 Hz from its last use). There are no error messages. This is very random; not a regular event. When it does occur, all I have to do is turn the power off and then immediately back on and all is well. My KX2 is connected to an SEC1235M power supply and is also connected to the KXPA100 amplifier. It's always in CW mode because that's all I use. This "weird" power up situation occurs even if the KXPA100 is physically disconnected. The KX2 otherwise works normally in all regards. My firmware is at 2.61, DSP at 1.46 and PA at 1.32. These are "as shipped" by Elecraft at purchase time. My serial number is 0472. Just wondering if this little issue has visited anyone else. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Magnetic Loop Antenna Question
Yeah, if I remember my experience, it was rather "mono frequency" for a few kHz. Then I had to adjust the coupling for better SWR. It wasn't all that user-friendly! However, it was a great and cheap way to play with a mag loop. I remember sitting on my front porch with a K1 and working DX with it. The loop was just tie-wrapped to a broomstick stuck into a patio umbrella stand and sitting on my driveway. It was enough to get me interested in reading and experimenting so it accomplished the authors' objective. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 01:57 PM, w7aqk wrote: Stan, Well, my first question was "how about the capacitor?". I looked at the article, and it says no capacitor needed, but that it is mono band only. I would have to guess that it is "mono-frequency" as well, or just about!!! Dave W7AQK -----Original Message- From: stan levandowski Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2016 7:01 AM To: w7aqk Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Magnetic Loop Antenna Question My first loop was because of an article I read online that said, "Look no further! Here is all you need: 10 feet 3 inches of 3/4-inch hard line, 2 hose clamps, a chassis connector, a little bit of house wire, and you could be in business as shown in the photo below" The darn thing worked incredibly well! It was for 40 meters. Here's the "starter article" at http://www.antennex.com/hws/ws0902/hardline.html This inspired me to build a square loop made of two inch copper pipe with a vacuum variable and a 1 rpm 12VDC motor which I switched by reversing polarity. It was for 20 meters and worked great with QRP. I finally bought an Alexloop for true portable work. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 04:41 AM, w7aqk wrote: Terry, If you have the inclination at all, why not build one! It's really not all that hard to do. Quite a few years ago I did that, and the thing worked pretty well. I got the info from a QST article from back in the 90's. The hardest part might be finding a proper capacitor for tuning, but if your junk box has much in it, you may have that problem solved. I complicated things a bit by adding a small low voltage motor to turn the capacitor. You need to use one that has a very low rpm rate for that, but they are available. Not counting the motor, the whole thing cost lest than $10 to build. I used copper tubing, but you could use coax shield. I recommend copper tubing. Even though band conditions are rather poor these days, you can still do good things with a mag loop--especially on 20 meters. You may not be able to run that amp through it, unless you get a pretty husky capacitor, but 15 watts is not usually a problem. You just might be surprised at what you can do with one of these things. They are fun to play with. 73, Dave W7AQK __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Magnetic Loop Antenna Question
My first loop was because of an article I read online that said, "Look no further! Here is all you need: 10 feet 3 inches of 3/4-inch hard line, 2 hose clamps, a chassis connector, a little bit of house wire, and you could be in business as shown in the photo below" The darn thing worked incredibly well! It was for 40 meters. Here's the "starter article" at http://www.antennex.com/hws/ws0902/hardline.html This inspired me to build a square loop made of two inch copper pipe with a vacuum variable and a 1 rpm 12VDC motor which I switched by reversing polarity. It was for 20 meters and worked great with QRP. I finally bought an Alexloop for true portable work. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Nov 13, 2016 at 04:41 AM, w7aqk wrote: Terry, If you have the inclination at all, why not build one! It's really not all that hard to do. Quite a few years ago I did that, and the thing worked pretty well. I got the info from a QST article from back in the 90's. The hardest part might be finding a proper capacitor for tuning, but if your junk box has much in it, you may have that problem solved. I complicated things a bit by adding a small low voltage motor to turn the capacitor. You need to use one that has a very low rpm rate for that, but they are available. Not counting the motor, the whole thing cost lest than $10 to build. I used copper tubing, but you could use coax shield. I recommend copper tubing. Even though band conditions are rather poor these days, you can still do good things with a mag loop--especially on 20 meters. You may not be able to run that amp through it, unless you get a pretty husky capacitor, but 15 watts is not usually a problem. You just might be surprised at what you can do with one of these things. They are fun to play with. 73, Dave W7AQK __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] OT: Some "No Code" background
I'm very happy with Amateur Radio (or "ham radio" for those who prefer). It might not be perfect, whatever that measure might be, but it affords me the opportunity to participate in the world's greatest hobby in the manner I so choose. Had our hobby not grown as it did, I wonder if Elecraft would have ever achieved the size, excellence and reputation is enjoys today? Reading QST is sometimes beyond my ability to comprehend. I'm no rocket scientist. Why should ham radio be "a place for those who have proven that they have the necessary skills to continue to practice those "ancient" and no longer commercially viable skills"? There are no commercially produced regenerative receivers and most modern transmitter don't have any tubes. As far as Morse code is concerned, it's the only mode I choose to use - 100%. I also limit myself to HF and to QRP. Those are my choices. Similarly, there are many others who prefer to focus on just digital, or just VHF, or just.you name it. This hobby has room for real rocket scientists as well as slowpokes like me. On Mon, Aug 01, 2016 at 06:51 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: Given that amateur radio in the US is now completely "no code" - there is no need to become proficient even for an Amateur Extra class license - the early "no code" steps were a Faustian bargain just as the fiction of "semi-automatic control" for digital operations was a Faustian bargain. As much as it pains me to say, we would arguably be better off with fewer licensees and maintaining a reasonable standard for entry. There is no credible evidence that amateurs can continue to advance the state of the art and evidence to the contrary that the current license base represents a trained pool of operators. The quality of operators and the behavior heard on the air today is abhorrent when judged by the standards of 15 years ago. Perhaps it is time to review the basis and purpose behind amateur radio and move to a "national park" model. That is a place for those who have proven that they have the necessary skills to continue to practice those "ancient" and no longer commercially viable skills. Consider it the "primitive" areas of the National Parks 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 8/1/2016 5:18 PM, Ken G Kopp wrote: I got one of the 1st Novice licenses issued ... in September, 1951. Took the exam in Oklahoma City, where the FCC came only once per year. My "Elmer" was a retired Navy CW op and I was taught well. Long ago I was a commercial shipboard RO on a NOAA vessel. I'm one of the six people who created the "no code" license. In what I consider one of the greatest honors in my Amateur Radio ... I -detest- the name "ham" ... career the ARRL appointed me as one of the six members of their No Code Study Committee. BTW, each of us were / are die-hard CW operators. We we --told-- by the FCC that we would be getting some form of codeless licensing and we should come up with something that most could live with. Lots of "details" were covered over a year and a half of meetings, conference calls, etc. I still have a large box of pro and con correspondence in the attic. The number of letters is about equally divided. An example of the results ... yesterday I had a KE0 proudly tell me he'd just passed his "expert" license, and, his radio emitted a multi-tone CB "roger beep" each time he unkeyed his microphone. Without the "no code" license we most likely wouldn't have Amateur Radio with the record 750K licenses we have today, and there's political "safety in numbers". Please, let's not start a thread on the subject. I just thought some "first person" input would be of interest. 73 Ken Kopp - K0PP __ 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 li...@subich.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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Propagation
Ah, yes Ron -- Paper QSLs! On my QRZ page it says "No LoTW, no eQSL and no Buro." I still revere old fashioned QSL cards, with handwritten notes and some evidence that our QSO was something more than just "599 TU". Try showing your grandchildren a printout of your LoTW contacts and see how many oohs and aahs you get ;-) 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Jul 25, 2016 at 01:04 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: I don't "chase DX" but over the years have had a number of great, albeit short CW rag chews with various DX stations on a dead band. Usually the DX responds to my CQ, noting that they were surprised to hear me because the band seemed dead. So we chat for a few minutes. Unfortunately (depending upon your point of view) the various spotters would notice us, alert the 'net and soon there would be tuners on top of us so we'd QRT. As one DX station noted, "Sigh, here we go again..." and sure 'nuf pandemonium would erupt on the frequency with the DX station sending "UP 2 UP 2 UP 2..." while I set down my 'phones, refreshed my cup of tea and wrote him a thank you note on an old-fashioned paper QSL card. 73, Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of stan levandowski Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2016 7:54 PM To: k6...@foothill.net Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Propagation Well, science provides predictions and suggests outcomes but I'm still a hopeless romantic who tunes the bands in spite of the numbers. Tonight I found a completely dead 20M band at 0220Z except for a single CW QSO in progress between WB6UIA (QRZ says Wyoming) and XE2HOE in Baja California (La Paz). When they were finished, I gave XE2HOE a call and got a 579. He was a steady S9 and the guy in Wyoming was S6. I live in NY, my antenna is a 67' doublet in my attic and my rig is a KX2 and it was running at 5 watts (I'm 100% CW and QRP). Afterward, I tuned the band again but heard nothing. Guess everyone read the prop stats and turned off their radios 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Jul 24, 2016 at 09:35 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: There have been a string of M-class flares for the last 30 hours or so. Initial ones were in the M.8-M.9 range, recent ones somewhat smaller. A was 8, Kp was 3 earlier this afternoon which wouldn't normally suggest terrible conditions, but I guess if the ionization is already very weak, any disturbance can have a large effect. 73, Fred K6DGW> - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2016 - www.cqp.org On 7/24/2016 6:28 PM, Kurt Cramer wrote: Today was the most difficult Elacraft SSB net I have ever seen. Two nets were running at the same time.. One on the East coast, the other on the west coast! They couldn’t hear each other. About half past the hour I started hearing Eric in Chicago here in Arizona. I guess there were a couple of solar flares. 73 Kurt W7QHD __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to r...@elecraft.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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Propagation
Well, science provides predictions and suggests outcomes but I'm still a hopeless romantic who tunes the bands in spite of the numbers. Tonight I found a completely dead 20M band at 0220Z except for a single CW QSO in progress between WB6UIA (QRZ says Wyoming) and XE2HOE in Baja California (La Paz). When they were finished, I gave XE2HOE a call and got a 579. He was a steady S9 and the guy in Wyoming was S6. I live in NY, my antenna is a 67' doublet in my attic and my rig is a KX2 and it was running at 5 watts (I'm 100% CW and QRP). Afterward, I tuned the band again but heard nothing. Guess everyone read the prop stats and turned off their radios 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Jul 24, 2016 at 09:35 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: There have been a string of M-class flares for the last 30 hours or so. Initial ones were in the M.8-M.9 range, recent ones somewhat smaller. A was 8, Kp was 3 earlier this afternoon which wouldn't normally suggest terrible conditions, but I guess if the ionization is already very weak, any disturbance can have a large effect. 73, Fred K6DGW> - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2016 - www.cqp.org On 7/24/2016 6:28 PM, Kurt Cramer wrote: Today was the most difficult Elacraft SSB net I have ever seen. Two nets were running at the same time.. One on the East coast, the other on the west coast! They couldn’t hear each other. About half past the hour I started hearing Eric in Chicago here in Arizona. I guess there were a couple of solar flares. 73 Kurt W7QHD __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] {OT} Message for Alex Grimsberg PY1AHD
Alex, I've sent you three more emails from sjl...@optonline.net and apparently none of them have reached you. I know of no technical problems on my end. Apparently you can email successfully to me but my messages don't reach you. Please check your mail handler and advise. Thank you, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] {OT} Alexloop Walkham Antenna
I would like to correspond with anyone who has experience using the Alexloop antenna with 1-2 watts. Normally, I use either an end fed antenna and a T1, a resonant linked dipole, or a resonant Par HF Omni-Angle (for 20 and 17 meters). They all work quite well for their intended use but require some effort to erect. I have been reading about the Alexloop Walkham for at least the last two years. It would present some distinct advantages to me and the reviews seem to be overwhelmingly positive. My concern is that while I have a KX2 for my home station, I only take my LNR five band Mountain Topper out on my portable jaunts. On a 9 volt transistor battery, I get a bit over 1 watt; on 12 volts I get 2.5 watts. My specific interest is in finding out as much as I can about how this small Alexloop performs at such low power levels since its efficiency is reported to be about 7% on 40 meters, rising to about 25% on 20 meters. An email to Alex has gone unanswered for the last two days. Thanks and 73 from Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] {OT} Interesting Band Condx Website
This website just came to my attention. Perhaps it might be of interest to others. http://www.bandconditions.com/ Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) Prodigal Son Returns
As a long time Elecraft builder and owner (K1, K2, K3, KX1, KX3, KXPA100, KPA100, KAT2, PX3, T1 and many options and mini-modules), I decided to "...take a walk on the wild side" about a year ago. I sold most of my gear and bought an LNR LD-5, then an LD-11 and also a Mountain Topper MTR3B. I was looking for a "fresh start" and "something new." I blame retirement for this... They were all good products; I have nothing negative to say at all. I certainly got my money's worth. And yes, the LD-11 receiver IS phenomenally quiet! But it simply wasn't Elecraft! I missed the Reflector where the company owners are active. I missed the ease of ordering and the rapid shipment. I missed the richness of the product inventory. Most of all, I felt a little twinge every time I'd make a contact and the other guy was running a K something or other! So, a little over a week ago, I listed my stuff for sale and ordered a KX2. It should be here in a couple of weeks. I'm very happy to once again be a member of the Elecraft Family. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Shipping of KX2's
I ordered a KX2 on June 5 and received today, from Madelyn, an email that Elecraft received my order, my Paypal transaction went through and that current shipping is running 2 to 3 weeks from date of order. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] KX3 connection to doublet question
For several years, I've been using my multiband non-resonant 94' doublet, fed with a short run of 450 ohm window line, to a remotely mounted SG234 autocoupler and then a 25 foot run of 50 ohm coax to my KX3. Has been working with perfection; no complaints, except I cannot operate QRP below 3 watts because that's the minimum RF required for the autocoupler. Now, if I wanted to extend my 450 ohm line and connect it directly to the KX3 and use the KX3's internal tuner, would there be any benefit in a 1:1 isolation balun at the KX3? I can't think of any reason this would be necessary except as a transition from the window line to a convenient coax output to the KX3. What would the KX3 prefer?? Thanks, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] New Product to help many K3/KX3 users
Very similar to the Elevator Separation Annunciator System I installed in my homebuilt aircraft. If my elevator ever broke off in flight, a red light would blink wildly, an upswept alarm would sound and a recording of the Lord's Prayer would begin to play. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Mar 16, 2015 at 08:24 PM, James kvochick wrote: https://factualradio.wordpress.com/2015/03/16/geen-idee-engineering-companion-radio-assistant-peripheral/ Now we’re getting some place! __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] list
Those of us with KX3s are having so much fun operating that we don't have time for emails. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Mar 15, 2015 at 05:53 PM, bs usb wrote: I see a lot of traffic about the K3 and very little regarding the KX3. I am wondering why that is. Is the KX3 just that much more problem free or is the K3 that much more popular? __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] CW for those with Poor Hearing
My hearing sensitivity in my right ear is much lower than in my left ear and, in addition, I have a constant ringing (Tinnitus) which I've become accustomed to so it's less bothersome than it sounds. I find lower tones markedly more comfortable. I only operate 100% CW and I always use headphones. I've tried many different brands,including some of those modern earbud thingys the young folks jam into their ears but that's about the most annoying thing I've ever experienced. For years now,I've been using the David Clark model 10-S-DC listen only stereo headset. These are aviation-grade but non-TSOd and are meant for passengers who want to listen to their personal electronics as well as connect into the aircraft intercom system. These have excellent clarity and independent volume controls which complements DXing with my KX3's Dual Watch function. The clamping pressure is LESS than the standard aviation grade DCs but enough to work just great as a passive noise reduction feature. The sensitivity (loudness) of this consumer model clearly exceeds my original aviation DCs. So that's how I've solved my problem and I don't even think about it anymore as I operate. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Feb 05, 2015 at 06:55 PM, Bob Gibson via Elecraft wrote: Same way here.. I wear headphones! 73s Bob W5RG From: Harry Yingst via Elecraft To: Elecraft Reflector Sent: Thursday, February 5, 2015 5:42 PM Subject: [Elecraft] CW for those with Poor Hearing While in the Navy I damaged my hearing from exposure to loud noises (Naval Aircraft)Since then I've always had a real struggle copying CW (but I'm stubborn and keep trying) I was playing around with the pitch and found that the higher frequency toneshave a ringing to them but as I went lower in pitch the ringing faded quite a bit. So I'm basically looking for tips to help me to be able to copy better. Thank you __ 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 w...@yahoo.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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] KXPA100 play nice with an LDG AT 100 PROII?
Steve, I did not buy the internal tuner either. Instead I use an SGC-237 remote autocoupler with my KXPA100 and there are no problems at all. The only thing I have to remember is to initially turn the power knob on the KX3 down to under 20 watts when I go to a new band until the initial match is resolved. Then I can jack it up. I believe the internal tuner would be smart enough to reduce tune power automatically but with an outboard setup you have to do it yourself. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Dec 11, 2014 at 03:11 PM, Stephen Roberts wrote: Can't afford to get the tuner and the amp so thinking of just getting the amp for now. Do you think there would be a major diff using an outboard tuner like the LDG? Steve, W1SFR __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] PX3 question
Sounds like I've finally arrived -- I could never afford an S Line and I can't justify a K line but at least I'll have a KX3 Line. Now I'd just like to see it stated in a print ad in QST and I'll die a happy ham! 73, Stan WB2LQF On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 11:46 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote: The entire premise behind the KX-Line __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] PX3 Question
Side-by-side works best for me. Today I installed all right angle connectors. I was going to build a nice long ramp (I'm handy and I'm not too bad at wood working) but instead I decided to order two more ready-made ramps from Steve W1SFR at http://kx3helper.com/ http://kx3helper.com/ I already have one for my CW Machine and I couldn't ask for more! My intent is to line all three of them up, catty corner on my operating desk and at a 45 degree angle to me, with my laptop mill right in the center and my sideswiper, bug, straight key and paddle (ugh...) on my right and in that order ;-). I may secure the ramps to each other or may leave them standalone for more flexibility. Each one of these ramps weighs about one ounce and is darn near immovable when pushing buttons. In my opinion an elegant solution at a very modest cost. What I like about Steve's solution is that I don't have to depend upon the KX3's legs to hold it on the Nifty stand + I can still operate it with my Adventure paddle attached to the front. He has two models, one that permits KXPD3/Adventure paddle use and one that does not. 73, Stan WB2LQF KX3 Line On Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 03:40 PM, Rick Tavan N6XI wrote: As others have said, the IQ connecting cable is very short. Although you can place the PX3 to the left of the KX3, it ends up as quite a long pair, especially if any of your KX3 connectors are straight instead of right-angle. I've found it both neater and more ergonomic to place the PX3 just above the KX3. I use a wire-frame reading stand to hold the KX3 and it's just tall enough to let me balance the PX3 on top of the KX3. However, it's not as secure as I'd like and involves metal-to-metal contact between the two boxes so I intend to buy or build a slightly larger stand, perhaps with a mini-shelf between the two boxes. The advantage of vertical adjacency instead of horizontal, to my thinking, is a smaller footprint on the desk and less eye motion between the PX3 and the KX3 displays. 73, /Rick N6XI On Tue, Dec 9, 2014 at 3:20 PM, stan levandowski sjl...@optonline.net mailto:sjl...@optonline.net wrote: I'm just a click away from ordering a PX3, and I've perused the FAQs and online manual but still have a question that some PX3 owner on this list should be able to answer for me: How far away from (and to the left of) the KX3 can I place the PX3? I didn't see any cable lengths given, just a warning not to make the connecting cables longer. I need this information to figure out how wide I can build my new ramp to hold them. While most of the connectors on the KX3 are space saving right angles, I still have straight connectors on my headset and outboard keyer and I don't want to change them ( I have my reasons...) Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to rta...@gmail.com mailto:rta...@gmail.com -- Rick Tavan N6XI Truckee, CA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] PX3 Question
I'm just a click away from ordering a PX3, and I've perused the FAQs and online manual but still have a question that some PX3 owner on this list should be able to answer for me: How far away from (and to the left of) the KX3 can I place the PX3? I didn't see any cable lengths given, just a warning not to make the connecting cables longer. I need this information to figure out how wide I can build my new ramp to hold them. While most of the connectors on the KX3 are space saving right angles, I still have straight connectors on my headset and outboard keyer and I don't want to change them ( I have my reasons...) Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] PX3 Question
Thank you Bruce (and also thank you David Ahrendts, KC0XT) This is what I needed. Looks like everything is going to work out just fine! Now I can switch to the other window and press enter on the order page ;-) 73 and thanks again, Stan WB2LQF On Tue, Dec 09, 2014 at 06:32 PM, Bruce Beford wrote: Hi, Stan I'm not sure how you want this measured, so here's a couple of measurements for you... Using the PX3CBL cable kit that comes with the PX3, the maximum separation between the two units is about 8 inches.(from the right of the PX3 to the left of the KX3) Measured from the outside edges (that is, with the PX3 on the left of the KX3), the maximum distance between the left edge of the PX3 and the right edge of the KX3 is 21. I hope this helps. Let me know if you would like different dimensions measured. GL es 73, Bruce N1RX __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Ultimate System
In January 2014 I took a look at my station - all that equipment, all those keys, all those cables -- lots of physical stuff between me and the ham radio I used to enjoy and almost as much software. All I really needed was my KX3, a wire antenna, pencil and paper and a bug or Cootie. So I put my CW Machine in a freezer bag and stuck it up on a shelf. I bought an ARRL paper log book and a fancy-schmantzy .5 mm lead pencil. I divorced myself from LoTW and eQSL and noted QSL via Mail Only on QRZ. Then I downloaded my HRD log and scratched HRD from my computer. Finally I moved the computer out of the shack. I was Looking for an Echo of my youth in the 60s; a simpler time. I was going to hand log all my contacts, exchange real QSL cards, only use my bug and 'swiper and turn my back on all the technology and interfaces that I held responsible for my discontent. Well, that lasted nine months. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made in ham radio. Thankfully, the CW Machine's non-volatile memory still contained my old log records and ARRL's LoTW Help Desk helped me get back into the fold. The computer is back in the shack and I'm now reconnected with the technology aids that really do add so much value and facility. The only good that came from this experience was the ultimate realization that it's not 1960 and I can't go home anymore. I'm stuck in the 21st Century whether I like it or not. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Dec 07, 2014 at 06:01 PM, Orville wrote: Or possibly consider the method I use which does more than any other product currently available on the market, including contest serial number generation, ultimatic keying, bug emulation, self-contained log book, rtty function, call sign lookups to QRZ, automatic ADIF generation and updates to eQSL and LoTW, and much more, All this is through the wonder of my Nr. 2 pencil and a Big Chief tablet in conjunction with my PC and K3. (This system does not require any software updates to my K-line which currently exceeds all my needs and expectations.) 73, K5VWW __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] GND Connection Between KX3 KXPA100
I just bought a KXPA100 and I'm not using any ground between it and the KX3. My station is on the second floor and I use a balanced antenna in my attic so I don't have either a station ground beyond the house wiring's 3rd prong nor do I have an RF ground. I have no problems and no RFI either. I'll be interested in whatever answers are posted here. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Tue, Nov 25, 2014 at 10:36 AM, Paul Bousquet wrote: Just wondering how important it is to have connect the GND terminals between the KX3 and the KXPA100 amp. The KXPA100 manual states the station ground should be connected to the KXPA100 GND thumbscrew. I was just wondering since there are many cables connected between the two if the additional GND connection is truly necessary. PS: This is my first attempt at communicating on the list and I just wanted to say how helpful it has been. I have spent many hours searching and getting information perviously posted. Thanks, Paul N1PEB __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX3 - SWR Display of --
I just got a KXPA100 yesterday. It seems to work as specified except
that above 10 watts of power, the KX3 display randomly {like in not all
the time} shows two dashes instead of the SWR.
I do not have the internal tuner option. I am using my SGC237
autocoupler into a center fed Zepp. My W2 wattmeter shows the proper
power output and the SWR is usually 1:1 or very close.
This does not occur at power levels at or below 10 watts which means
it's most likely not the KX3's problem but rather the amplifier's
behavior.
Happens on different bands and frequencies. If this is documented
somewhere then I've missed it.
73, Stan WB2LQF
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 - SWR Display of --
Dick and Matt, thanks for the responses. Now I'm better informed which
is always a good thing!
Have a pleasant Thanksgiving, folks.
I must say that the level of integration between the KX3 and the KXPA100
is simply stunning!
As a dedicated QRP op for over half a century it was very difficult for
me to make this purchase just on general principles. I finally bought
it to help the OTHER guy out during long ragchews, not for myself. I'm
a very charitable guy.
73, Stan WB2LQF
On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 03:01 PM, Dick Dievendorff wrote:
Sorry Matt, this isn't quite right.
The KXPA100's SWR bridge is on its LPF board, and is part of all
KXPA100's,
with or without the KXAT100 Antenna Tuner Option.
The KX3 currently doesn't display the KXPA100's SWR, it instead
displays the
KX3 SWR measurement.
When the KXPA100 is PA Bypassed (under about 10 watts), the KX3 SWR
bridge
sees the antenna impedance, so the SWR display is appropriate.
However when
the KXPA100 is not bypassed, the KX3 SWR display is of the input of
the
KXPA100.
Wayne has on his KX3 firmware todo list a task to display KXPA100
SWR on
the KX3 display when appropriate.
The KX3 displays dashes when its power is too low for an accurate SWR
measurement.
The KXPA100's view of the antenna system SWR can be displayed with the
KXPA100 Utility Operate Page, LEDs on an KXAT100-equipped KXPA100, or
an
external SWR meter like our W2.
73, Dick, K6KR
-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Matt
VK2RQ
Sent: Friday, November 21, 2014 11:36 AM
To: stan levandowski
Cc: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 - SWR Display of --
Above 10W of power, the KX3 will disable the internal KXAT3 ATU and
rely on
the amplifier to supply the SWR readings over the ACC1 cable. However,
the
SWR bridge for the amplifier is part of the KXAT100 ATU option for the
amplifier, so if this option is not equipped, the amplifier will not
be able
to supply any SWR readings. I'm guessing this is the reason you are
seeing
the '--' dashes for SWR when operating above 10W. If the behaviour is
intermittent, it may indicate a problem with your ACC1 cable
connection.
73, Matt VK2RQ
On 22 Nov 2014, at 3:06 am, stan levandowski wrote:
I just got a KXPA100 yesterday. It seems to work as specified except
that
above 10 watts of power, the KX3 display randomly {like in not all
the
time} shows two dashes instead of the SWR.
I do not have the internal tuner option. I am using my SGC237
autocoupler
into a center fed Zepp. My W2 wattmeter shows the proper power output
and
the SWR is usually 1:1 or very close.
This does not occur at power levels at or below 10 watts which means
it's
most likely not the KX3's problem but rather the amplifier's behavior.
Happens on different bands and frequencies. If this is documented
somewhere then I've missed it.
73, Stan WB2LQF
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 - SWR Display of --
That's exactly what I experienced. Tweaking the power level fixed
it. I was messing at about 12-13 watts when it first occured.
Increased to 15 and it went away.
Don't laugh.for a 50+ year veteran of QRP operating, it's not that
easy to turn the knob up to 75 or 100 watts. I have to wean myself in a
serie
On Fri, Nov 21, 2014 at 03:11 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
Stan,
That indication is normal when the power level is too low for a
valid SWR computation.
The KX3 SWR indication is used below 10 watts, but the KXPA100
indication is used above that level.
It should go away if you increase (or decrease) the power a bit. It
sounds as though you are operating right on that critical threshold.
73,
Don W3FPR
On 11/21/2014 11:06 AM, stan levandowski wrote:
I just got a KXPA100 yesterday. It seems to work as specified
except that above 10 watts of power, the KX3 display randomly {like
in not all the time} shows two dashes instead of the SWR.
I do not have the internal tuner option. I am using my SGC237
autocoupler into a center fed Zepp. My W2 wattmeter shows the proper
power output and the SWR is usually 1:1 or very close.
This does not occur at power levels at or below 10 watts which means
it's most likely not the KX3's problem but rather the amplifier's
behavior.
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Re: [Elecraft] Using tube transmitter with K3/KX3/K2 as receiver?
Phil, AD5X, has an article on a T/R switch at: http://www.ad5x.com/images/Articles/QSKBArevA.pdf I've built it and it works FB. As far as why one would want to do this: It's just downright fun to build a homebrew tube rig, for QRP or otherwise, and to restore a vintage transmitter. If we already have a good, modern transceiver in the shack, then half the problem is solved. I've had much fun with my Xtal controlled 6C4-5763 rig, chirps and all 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 12:18 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Eric, Although I am not certain why you would want to do that, it can be done - Elecraft gear offers seamless transceive operation all by itself, so I do not understand the fascination with an external tube type transmitter. OTOH, if you really want to do that -- __ 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
Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Key Clicks
I have the same problem with my KX3 serial 0325, uC=1.5 and DSP=1.21. I never really noticed it until I abandoned paddles and reverted to bug and 'swiper operation. It's not impossible; just unpleasant so I turn down the AF gain with my left hand when transmitting. It may have always been there but paddle usage doesn't really require the concentration that bug and 'swiper use demands to achieve proper spacing and timing. Anyway...that's my two cents. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Sep 14, 2014 at 10:13 AM, Mark Newbold wrote: I'm going to jump in here with my 2 cents worth, because I would REALLY like Elecraft to clean up the QSK on the KX3. Recently I've been noticing annoying pops in the speaker when sending CW. Maybe they've always been there. I never noticed them before. It's been a while since I installed firmware, so they must have been present but ignored for a while at least. They really jumped out at me when I started playing with a new sideswiper paddle last week. The pops happen at key-up, not key-down. They are heard with the internal speaker and also with external speaker or headphones. The pops are present when using the internal keyer, with an external keyer, and with a hand key. If I send a series of dits while varying the keyer speed (with external keyer), the pops are most pronounced around 19 wpm. My KX3 is S/N 77, on FW 2.11. Dual watch is not active. RIT and XIT are off. My AFX mode is DELAY. My QSK delay is set to 0.01 to try and reduce the QSK thumping. --Mark K7NEW On 9/13/2014 03:42, Joel Black wrote: With my KX3 terminated into a dummy load, split and dual watch active, VFO B 1 - 5.3 kHz up or down from VFO A, filter set to 450 Hz and centered, I am getting key clicks on VFO B. NB and NR are off. 73/72, Joel - W4JBB KX3 #1479 __ 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 sjl...@optonline.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] (OT) FS: Begali Paddle SOLD
SOLD - Thank you! Begali Leonessa dual action iambic/mono paddle. Please email me off-list if interested. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) FS: Begali Paddle
Begali Leonessa dual action iambic/mono paddle. Please email me off-list if interested. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ 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
[Elecraft] (OT) -- Regarding the QRP Discussion
FYI - if any Listers here happened to work 3DA0US in the last couple of days, you might be interested to learn that he was running a KX3 at between 5 and 10 watts depending upon his DC input level. His antenna was a PAR Omni Angle on a 22 foot fiberglass pole. He made 400 contacts in two days of operating and he was only on a few hours each day. In a couple of weeks he'll be operating as 7P8US with the same rig and antenna. The PAR Omni Angle is only a 7 foot aluminum rectangle with a matching network and it only weighs a couple of pounds. Most hams would probably dub the Par Omni Angle a suboptimal or compromise antenna. A well versed operator, knowledge of propagation, patience, preparation, perseverance and top shelf equipment goes a long way to offset the handicap of a compromise antenna. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] (OT) -- Regarding the QRP Discussion
When I bought mine a few months ago, it was $99 for the antenna and one matchbox; each additional matchbox was $20. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Feb 06, 2014 at 08:40 PM, Jim Lowman wrote: Does anyone know what this antenna costs? On the website, it says E-mail for pricing. 73 de Jim - AD6CW On 2/6/2014 5:05 PM, stan levandowski wrote: FYI - if any Listers here happened to work 3DA0US in the last couple of days, you might be interested to learn that he was running a KX3 at between 5 and 10 watts depending upon his DC input level. His antenna was a PAR Omni Angle on a 22 foot fiberglass pole. He made 400 contacts in two days of operating and he was only on a few hours each day. In a couple of weeks he'll be operating as 7P8US with the same rig and antenna. The PAR Omni Angle is only a 7 foot aluminum rectangle with a matching network and it only weighs a couple of pounds. Most hams would probably dub the Par Omni Angle a suboptimal or compromise antenna. A well versed operator, knowledge of propagation, patience, preparation, perseverance and top shelf equipment goes a long way to offset the handicap of a compromise antenna. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] (OT) FOR SALE: High Quality Keys, Bugs, Paddles
I am paring down my high quality key collection to one bug, one paddle, and one straight key. CW enthusiasts who may be interested in any of the below should contact me OFF-LIST for details about each key. I will send you an information file which includes condiiton, images and prices. I'm more interested in finding good homes for these works of art vs. making money so the prices are very reasonable. The Elecraft List is the first and only place this notice is being posted at this time. Sorry - Will ship to continental U.S. Vibroplex Champion (1965) includes flat-arm Vari-Speed Begali Spark straight key Begali Blade straight key Begali Sculpture MONO paddle Begali Stradivarius iambic paddle Begali Traveler Light portable iambic paddle Alberto Frattini Semi-Automatico bug in brass (this is the dual lever bug) Alberto Frattini Marconi 213 straight key in chrome Alberto Frattini Lamallare iambic paddle in chrome Alberto Frattini J-36 bug in chrome Schurr MMK mid-sized straight key in brass Original N2DAN Mercury paddle dated 01/94 #242 by Steve Nurkiewicz. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] (OT) UPDATE: High Quality Keys, Bugs, Paddles
Overwhelming response. Keys remaining are: Begali Spark straight key Begali Blade straight key Alberto Frattini J36 bug in chrome Alberto Frattini Marconi 213 straight key in chrome Contact me off-list for further info and images if interested. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] {OT} WW2DEM
For those with interest: The museum ship USS SLATER in Albany, NY is the very last of 563 destroyer escorts built during World War II that remains afloat in America. It's been restored to 1945 condition and represents a real piece of history. For years, the amateur station has limped along with 30 year old technology. Today, WW2DEM is on-the-air with its new All-American-made 100 watt fully optioned K2. Many thanks to Dale Putnam WC7S who built up the K2/100 plus options for only the cost of shipping, to Tony Baleno who built and donated a beautiful ZN-9 paddle and to Ken WB2ART who provided attractive bezel personalization. The ship is on the air most Saturdays (daytime) on 7062 CW; 7262 SSB or 14062 CW; 14262 SSB Only the ship's vintage maritime antennas are used. They consist of 70 and 80 foot wire verticals and a 100' long wire plus a 190' long wire that runs towards the fantail and then back up to the main mast. Matching is easily accomplished with the KAT2. There is a QRZ page entry for WW2DEM with QSL info, etc. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] QRP
Nice going, Tony. And you were still only 30 dB (approx 5 S Units) down from a 100 watt station! 72, Stan WB2LQF On Sun, Sep 29, 2013 at 10:49 AM, Tony Castellano wrote: Last evening I had my best CW QRP contact yet. Running 0.1 Watts (100 milli Watts) to my wire antenna (OCF) I worked Japan, JA7BXS and received a 559 signal report. My QTH is in Hopewell Juction, NY which is close to Poughkeepsie, so this equates to 67,105 miles per Watt. I was using my KX3 by the way. I only work CW QRP, and to date, I have 182 countries. Tony Castellano W1ZMB tcaste...@optonline.net Hopewell Junction, NY RV-6 N401TC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE
About 3 weeks ago, I learned about a new miracle antenna - I usually dismiss such nonsense because there *is* no miracle antenna. However, the person who informed me is a trusted, capable, educated ham and DXpeditioner who is not easily impressed. I still don't believe in miracles but this 2.5 lb, 7 by 4 foot, easy up/easy down, no tools required, easy-to-tune $99 new product by Dale Parfitt [designer of the PAR End FedZ series] offers a realistic alternative to those with severe antenna restrictions, attic installations, SOTA needs, and so on. It is easily mounted on a Jackite or similar fiberglass pole. Just put it on and slide it down until it's a good friction fit. The antenna is resonant for a single band ( choose: 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 or 6) and additional matchboxes can be purchased for around $25 each. I bought the 17 meter version and in two weeks of non-scientific, casual A/B testing against my 44' doublet, the Omni Angle has been equal or better on receive the majority of times and about the same on transmit. On receive it seems notaby less noisy than my doublet. It is horizontally polarized. I don't want to create an antenna controversy here on proper antenna testing techniques -- I seem to have a flair for doing that -- ;) But I do want to pass along info on this new product which might be very useful to those of us who have to live with antenna restrictions or who need options for effective portable operations. Here is a short Youtube video I cobbled together to demonstrate my 17 meter PAR Omni Angle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGTq4zVAW_w 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE
Go to: http://www.parelectronics.com/index.php http://www.parelectronics.com/index.php and click on HF Omnis Dale Parfitt (PAR) sold EndFedZ to LNR. Dale remains in business at PAR Electronics mostly doing business with commercial, government and military. I think that's where the confusion is. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 11:13 AM, Carlton Haycock wrote: I thought PAR was out of the antenna business, sold to LNR? From: stan levandowski sjl...@optonline.net To: Elecraft List elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, September 26, 2013 9:57:15 AM Subject: [Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE About 3 weeks ago, I learned about a new miracle antenna - I usually dismiss such nonsense because there *is* no miracle antenna. However, the person who informed me is a trusted, capable, educated ham and DXpeditioner who is not easily impressed. I still don't believe in miracles but this 2.5 lb, 7 by 4 foot, easy up/easy down, no tools required, easy-to-tune $99 new product by Dale Parfitt [designer of the PAR End FedZ series] offers a realistic alternative to those with severe antenna restrictions, attic installations, SOTA needs, and so on. It is easily mounted on a Jackite or similar fiberglass pole. Just put it on and slide it down until it's a good friction fit. The antenna is resonant for a single band ( choose: 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 or 6) and additional matchboxes can be purchased for around $25 each. I bought the 17 meter version and in two weeks of non-scientific, casual A/B testing against my 44' doublet, the Omni Angle has been equal or better on receive the majority of times and about the same on transmit. On receive it seems notaby less noisy than my doublet. It is horizontally polarized. I don't want to create an antenna controversy here on proper antenna testing techniques -- I seem to have a flair for doing that -- ;) But I do want to pass along info on this new product which might be very useful to those of us who have to live with antenna restrictions or who need options for effective portable operations. Here is a short Youtube video I cobbled together to demonstrate my 17 meter PAR Omni Angle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGTq4zVAW_w 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE
Hi Vic. My 44' doublet is in my attic, arranged as a flat top for 24' and then drooping straight down at both ends. The antenna is almost exactly 30' above the earth. It is fed with 14' of 450 ohm ladder line straight down through a slit in my ceiling and into a linen closet where it meets up with an SG237 autocoupler. This keeps the autocoupler out of the winter cold and summer heat of the attic. From there I have a run of nice clean 50 ohm coax to my second story shack This attic doublet arrangement is nearly 4 years old and has served me exceedingly well on 40 through 10 meters, inclusive. I only run 5 watts CW at all times simply because I love QRP and I love CW and it's my thing. The frequency agility of the doublet/autocoupler combination has been wonderful because those of us in restrictive environments usually don't have room for more than one, possibly two good antennas. I have a very RF friendly attic in terms of no foil insulation, no HVAC, only PVC plumbing stacks, etc. Of course, there is some attenuation but at HF I believe (from what I've been able to research) that this attenuation is frequently overstated and often considered to be far worse than what it really is. In my experience, the worst penalties that follow an attic (or any indoor) installation - RF exposure notwithstanding - are skewed radiation pattern and house noise. i By comparison, the Omni Angle when this video was made was at 27' - 3' lower than the doublet's flat top section. That was 15' above the lower deck + 12' up on the Jackite. The Omni Angle was facing E-W in the sense that the front wire portion was pointing in that direction; the attic doublet was pointing in the same E-W direction. Of course, we can all agree, I'm sure, that this information doesn't help all that much in comparing these two antennas because the drooped attic doublet had some vertical component and most assuredly some skew in its pattern + as another Lister pointed out, on 17M there are lobes on the doublet. But here's what I think is important to know: For those of us (and we're probably an increasing number in today's world) who can't enjoy antenna freedom this Omni Angle represents another option and a darn good one from my experience of the last 3 weeks. In my case, it fits the footprint of my deck. I can put it up on my 31' jackite to about the 25' + 15' for the upper deck gives me 40' of height, clear of my roof line, and away from the attic house noise. My attic doublet is my overall favorite antenna and out of the weather and is always ready for me. It's earned me DXCC at the QRP level, QRP WAC, and I've worked all states too. It's gotten me to Japan from NY on 5 watts more than once. But this Omni Angle also got me to Tokyo on 5 watts just last week. So, based on my experience, the Omni Angle is a competitive antenna for a restrictive home QTH, for portable work and, in my case, for stationary mobile where I drive to a scenic rest stop, drop a fiberglass pole into my hombrew mount on my VW Bug, hoist an antenna that's significantly better than a Hamstick, and enjoy ham radio. Hope this helps to answer your questions, Vic, as well as those of other Listers with antenna restrictions. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 12:33 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote: How high was the 44' doublet? How was it oriented compared to the Omni Angle antenna? Is the doublet in inverted V or horizontal configuration? I am finding this interesting because I am soon moving to an antenna-restricted location. On 9/26/2013 6:57 AM, stan levandowski wrote: About 3 weeks ago, I learned about a new miracle antenna - I usually dismiss such nonsense because there *is* no miracle antenna. However, the person who informed me is a trusted, capable, educated ham and DXpeditioner who is not easily impressed. I still don't believe in miracles but this 2.5 lb, 7 by 4 foot, easy up/easy down, no tools required, easy-to-tune $99 new product by Dale Parfitt [designer of the PAR End FedZ series] offers a realistic alternative to those with severe antenna restrictions, attic installations, SOTA needs, and so on. It is easily mounted on a Jackite or similar fiberglass pole. Just put it on and slide it down until it's a good friction fit. The antenna is resonant for a single band ( choose: 20, 17, 15, 12, 10 or 6) and additional matchboxes can be purchased for around $25 each. I bought the 17 meter version and in two weeks of non-scientific, casual A/B testing against my 44' doublet, the Omni Angle has been equal or better on receive the majority of times and about the same on transmit. On receive it seems notaby less noisy than my doublet. It is horizontally polarized. I don't want to create an antenna controversy here on proper antenna testing techniques -- I seem to have a flair for doing that -- ;) But I do want to pass along info on this new product which might
Re: [Elecraft] [OT] - PAR HF OMNI ANGLE
Vic, I don't know how to model. It's on my bucket list. However, my personal opinion is that while modeling may give a general starting point, all bets are off once the antenna - especially an indoor antenna - is actually put in place. You've got a point about Italy not exactly being west of me. In fact, IZ2GRG bears 55 degrees. But this still bodes well for the Omni Angle in that it's omnidirectional and did a heck of a job on rescuing his signal from a fixed doublet looking the wrong way. This just points out one more nagging constraint we antenna-restricted hams have to deal with: the direction our homes face! To offer one more nugget from my inventory of sometimes weird solutions to being antenna-restricted: My attic doublet is always up and ready and connected to a 6 way antenna/transceiver coax switch. I have two more coax cables running outside and usually, I put up one of my other non-permanent antennas which is always vertically polarized -- either a PAR EndFedZ or a 40-6 meter EFHW also vertical. My third antenna is a 53 foot random wire at 28' that terminates in a 9:1 BalunDesigns UNUN and it's outside and stealth. But the 44' doublet in the attic clearly and consistently outperforms everything in my arsenal except the new Omni Angle which has been interestingly competitive as noted. I have no idea how the Omni Angle would work indoors, in an attic for example. Frankly it has such a small footprint and is so light and rapid to erect that I probably will never bother to try it there. However, it could easily be installed in an attic or even near the ceiling in a room. This is because of the easy way it assembles and disassembles; not a problem assembling it around and between the attic framing. And at 2.5 lbs I suppose a simple plant hangar in the ceiling would hold it up easily. In closing, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have found antenna solutions that allow me to enjoy enjoy QRP to the fullest extent. I wish everyone else the same good fortune. And Thank God for the invention of collapsible fiberglass poles! Where would we be without them?? 73,Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Sep 26, 2013 at 03:21 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote: Stan, Interesting. I did a quick EZNEC plot of the pattern of a 44' doublet (close to a full wavelength) at 30' on 18.07 MHz and didn't see any deep undefineds in the horizontal pattern. But in the direction of Italy from NY it is down about 5 dB from the maximum gain in the E-W direction. I recently modeled the 'cobweb' antenna, which is a 'square' dipole similar to the Omni-angle configuration; it had a maximum gain of about 2 dB less than a dipole and would be down an additional 1.4 db in the direction of Italy. So my guess is that about only 1.6 dB of the difference between the dipole and the Omni-angle antenna came from the patterns. The rest could be attributed to the location of the doublet in the attic and the dropped ends (I didn't model this, but I suspect it has an effect). On 9/26/2013 11:46 AM, stan levandowski wrote: Hi Vic. My 44' doublet is in my attic, arranged as a flat top for 24' and then drooping straight down at both ends. The antenna is almost exactly 30' above the earth. It is fed with 14' of 450 ohm ladder line straight down through a slit in my ceiling and into a linen closet where it meets up with an SG237 autocoupler. This keeps the autocoupler out of the winter cold and summer heat of the attic. From there I have a run of nice clean 50 ohm coax to my second story shack This attic doublet arrangement is nearly 4 years old and has served me exceedingly well on 40 through 10 meters, inclusive. I only run 5 watts CW at all times simply because I love QRP and I love CW and it's my thing. The frequency agility of the doublet/autocoupler combination has been wonderful because those of us in restrictive environments usually don't have room for more than one, possibly two good antennas. I have a very RF friendly attic in terms of no foil insulation, no HVAC, only PVC plumbing stacks, etc. Of course, there is some attenuation but at HF I believe (from what I've been able to research) that this attenuation is frequently overstated and often considered to be far worse than what it really is. In my experience, the worst penalties that follow an attic (or any indoor) installation - RF exposure notwithstanding - are skewed radiation pattern and house noise. i By comparison, the Omni Angle when this video was made was at 27' - 3' lower than the doublet's flat top section. That was 15' above the lower deck + 12' up on the Jackite. The Omni Angle was facing E-W in the sense that the front wire portion was pointing in that direction; the attic doublet was pointing in the same E-W direction. Of course, we can all agree, I'm sure, that this information doesn't help all that much in comparing these two antennas because the drooped attic doublet had some
[Elecraft] [OT] The Joy of QRP
...so there I am tuning across 20 meters and the band seems dead. Having learned a lot about self-fulfilling prophesies across my 53 year ham career, I go up to 14.060 and send one quick CQ. A tiny signal appears but the KX3 has what it takes to make the most of the situation. I manage to dig out N4KGL/6. He's about a 329; he gives me a 449. Seems Greg is sitting in a hotel room at LAX in front of his own KX3 hooked to a Buddistick. We're both running 5 watts. My antenna is a doublet in my attic in New York. Coast-to-Coast on 5 watts and a couple of suboptimal antennas on a dead band. Ahthe joy of the unexpected! 72, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] (K2) - Wanted to Buy - K2/100 FOUND ONE THANKS
Thanks all for your responses and offers. Found a solution and presently in process. Thanks again, Stan WB2LQF. Fellow Listers, I am looking for a 100 watt K2 at a reasonable cost. Please reply off-list with condition, installed options and asking price. We would like to replace the outdated gear presently used at WW2DEM with a quality modern Made in the USA rig. Of course Elecraft immediately comes to mind. WW2DEM is the museum ship USS SLATER, the last WWII destroyer escort afloat in America. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] (K2) - Wanted to Buy - K2/100
Fellow Listers, I am looking for a 100 watt K2 at a reasonable cost. Please reply off-list with condition, installed options and asking price. We would like to replace the outdated gear presently used at WW2DEM with a quality modern Made in the USA rig. Of course Elecraft immediately comes to mind. WW2DEM is the museum ship USS SLATER, the last WWII destroyer escort afloat in America. 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [KX1] paddle question
Good morning, Doug. You can not use the KX3PD paddle directly with the KX1 because the KX3PD is a two point mount and uses a very different plug and jack arrangement, whereas, the KX1PD is a single point mount and the plug is an integral 1/8 inch stereo. If you wanted to use the KX3PD with the KX1 you would have to fabricate your own transition mount. The Begali Adventure that you refer to will work on both radios because you would purchase individual mounts for each of the radios. Yes, the KX1 is a *still* a neat little rig and I frequently take it out, instead of my KX3, just because the QSOs earned on 900 milliwatts with a 26 foot piece of wire and a 16' counterpoise are very rewarding. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Sat, Sep 07, 2013 at 07:09 AM, Doug Turnbull wrote: Dear OMs and Yls, I just took delivery of a KX1 purchased used. I am most impressed with the small radio and have now made four QSOs with fellow EUs running 4 Watts to a 4 el SteppIR at 24M. Well the test will come when I change over to a hank of wire operated against a counterpoise. The receiver is amazing to me and the transmitter pretty good.So much is in such a small package. My main gripe just now is the lousy paddle which comes with the KX1 as a option.I also have a KX3 also purchased used and waiting for me in Connecticut. It has a paddle which I have tried on my friends KX3 - this paddle is much better than the one on the KX1.Can I swap the KX3 paddle onto the KX1?I know Bengali has an elegant wee paddle which mounts on the KX1 or KX3 depending on the attachment purchased. This may be my ultimate solution but the KX3 paddle if it mounts would be a big help. I do not want to carry around an external paddle weighing more than the KX1. The extremely small size and weight have a great attraction to me. Having a big bag of accessories is not to my liking. A simple radio and some wire seems to be ideal for me.The KX3 is for different applications. The receiver is great fun on both CW and SSB and the stability of it impresses me. Today was discussing the old Hallicrafters SX28 and you know the KX1 seems to have a better receiver. I think this small wonder is great fun and can see why Elecraft has kept it in the product line. 73 Doug EI2CN K3, KX3, KX1 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] {KX1} - Begali Adventure mounted to a KX1 - video
For KX1 users who wonder what it would look like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZvKZ9aXCf4 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Loop antenna's
I have a nonresonant-in-any-ham-band 44' doublet in my attic peak at 31' above ground. Only 26' is actually flat top while the rest droops down at the ends. I have 16' of 450 ohm ladder line coming through a slit in the ceiling just above a linen closet. In that linen closet, on a shelf right below the ceiling is an SG237 auto coupler. From that point onward to my shack, the coax feed line is nice and clean and length no longer matters. I've had this antenna up there for four years now and have yet to find a more effective solution for my antenna restricted QTH. I've experimented with other attic solutions, including various full, random and partial wave loops. Outside, I've experimented with temporary end fed wires in different configurations, random stealth wires, and vertical antennas. They've all worked but so far nothing has consistently outperformed my attic doublet, day in and day out, for effortless frequency agility between 40 meters and 6 meters, inclusive of all bands. It loads on 80 meters also, well enough to provide me with some winter time entertainment. Without bragging, this doublet has earned me QRP WAC, WAS, and a QSL album with a host of impressive QSO not only with KW stations and large antennas but with some very modest stations using simple wire antennas in some remote locations around the world. Attic success requires, in my opinion and experience, two conditions: 1) an RF Friendly attic and 2) Enough height. An RF Friendly attic includes no metal foil building insulation and shingles that do not absorb RF, no HVAC, and luck. Enough height suggests that a two story (or higher) attic trumps a low ranch style home. The antenna is looking for height above ground, not height above the attic floor! There is much talk of distorted patterns, RF absorption, and other consequences. At HF frequencies, there is very little RF absorption in wood. And who cares about pattern distortion as long as the antenna works well ;) With 53 years of ham radio behind me, I've yet to find any simple wire antenna --overall-- that beats a resonant dipole for single band work or a parallel line fed doublet and a coupler for frequency agility. P.S. - the autocoupler is in the closet below the attic to keep it out of the intense summer heat and winter cold. Attics are not the greatest environment for electronic equipment. My two cents, Stan WB2LQF On Mon, Aug 12, 2013 at 10:54 PM, k3...@comcast.net wrote: Let me throw some stuff out. Electrically small loops can work out very well if they are constructed correctly. I was impressed with the Alexloop that one of our Field Day operators brought to the site. It was used for an unrelated station on site that the operator was using to demo his new KX3 using PSK-31 on 20 meters. He had the loop because he wanted a portable antenna that might work. The Alex fit his needs nicely. However, there are much more effective antennas that can be used in a fixed location. One of those antennas is a 1/2 wave dipole up in an attic, fed with open wire to a point below the ceiling where there is a transition to coax using a balun and a tuner. The 1/2 wave length is dependent on room available in the attic, and it doesn't need to be in a totally straight line. The antenna can have some bend at the end. The antenna tuner will work out the impedance issues. I put one of these up for a friend who has a two story house with a very high pitched roof and enough room to install 66' of wire. He has been happy working 40-10 meters. My friend lives in an antenna restricted development just as the initiator of this thread. And lastly, A loop antenna made of wire the traces the outside roof periphery using insulated wire colored to match the roofing will also work well. It can be fed just like a loop sky wire ( shown in ARRL pubs). Your neighbors won't see it and it can work out pretty well. I would get too anal about total wire length as open wire is pretty low loss stuff, even at very high SWR, and a balun and tuner will take care of the issue with coax. Just make sure that the tuner is as close to the open wire as possible. Antennas are fun. Every ham has his own idea about what is best. I make no claim as to how close to best these are, but they do work. Best of luck. 73, Barry K3NDM - Original Message - From: Bill Ross To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, August 12, 2013 3:50:17 PM Subject: [Elecraft] Loop antenna's I read the two posts about the MFJ loop antenna and thought I would add my own personal comments on my experience’s with loops. Years ago, I bought a MFJ 36” loop with the remote tuner and while it worked from indoors from 30m to 10m, it wasn’t earth shaking. I was always the weakest signal in a round table. That was when MFJ was still recommending using the loop in a horizontal position rather than vertical as they do now. Now, I had been reading some
Re: [Elecraft] OT: Cristal Sets
When I was 10 years old (55 years ago), I found a child's picture book in the library that showed a copper penny, a safety pin, and a wire coil mounted on a piece of wood. I had no particular interest in radio or science at that time but this book appealed to me. I borrowed the book, went home and built the radio. My antenna was just a piece of wire on the floor. The darn thing worked! Now, several decades later I realize that living across the street from the WALL transmitter helped out a lot ;) But that little book and a single afternoon started me off on the greatest hobby in the world. I have since tried reconstructing such a set and never had any luck. It's got to be a real copper penny, the older and more beat up the better, and the safety pin has to find exactly the right spot and make contact just right. Except if you live across from the transmitter tower in which case you can probably just go outside and listen to your gutter and downspout junction! Stan WB2LQF On Thu, Jul 25, 2013 at 03:52 AM, David Gilbert wrote: Actually, I'm pretty sure the crystal set you are referring to used a piece of galena (a lead sulphide compound), not germanium (and not geranium, which is a flower). Early crystal sets used a piece of springy wire called a cat whisker to contact the galena at a sometimes difficult-to-locate crystal, in essence forming a crude point contact (i.e., Schottky) diode. The crystals are small but naturally occurring in the galena. My dad had such a set and I remember using it when I was about six or seven years old (60 years ago for me), but by that time actual germanium diodes were available and my first real radio used one of those. 73, Dave AB7E On 7/25/2013 12:22 AM, Chuck Smallhouse wrote: My first experience hearing local AM stations was using an actual chunk of geranium crystal mounted in a blob of lead, that you'd traded some of your best agate marbles for, You used the point of a fine safety pin to scratch around on that chunk of geranium to find the sweat spot, where the station (s) came in the best into your headphones. It didn't seem to be the same spot night after night ! You tried to use the longest wire that you could sneak out your window and up to near the top of the tallest tree in your back yard. Later if you wanted to separate KVOA (1290) ad KTUC (1400), here in Tucson, you had to wind a big coil on an empty round oatmeal box, and try and tune it with a variable capacitor that you'd rescued from a defunct radio. This was all mounted on a bread board, generally a short section of a 1x 6 or a 1x 8pine or redwood board. Terminal points were metal screws into the board (preferably brass) that the wires were wrapped around ! Gee, that was well over 70 years ago ! Time sure flies when you are having fun ! Chuck,. W7CS __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft Radios for Sale
PLEASE REPLY OFFLIST IF INTERESTED K2/10 serial #6XXX Purchase Date July 8, 2010 Options include: KAF2 Audio Filter and Real Time Clock KAT2 Automatic Antenna Tuner KNB2 Noise Blanker Toroids were pre-wound by “The Toroid Guy” N8BX Brass Knob All original documentation As equipped, the original cost was $1200. I will sell for $600 + actual cost for UPS professional packing, insurance, signature confirmation and shipping cost to your CONUS zip code. K1-4 (80, 40, 20, 15) serial #2XXX Purchase Date April 8, 2011 Options include: K1 Backlight KAT1 Automatic Antenna Tuner KNB1 Noise Blanker Toroids were pre-wound by “The Toroid Guy” N8BX Brass Knob All original documentation As equipped, the original cost was $600. I will sell for $300 + actual cost for UPS professional packing, insurance, signature confirmation and shipping cost to your CONUS zip code. I built the K1 and K2 myself. My credentials include 53 years in amateur radio, Amateur Extra Class License, all commercial licenses (GROL with Ship Radar, GMDSS Maintainer, 2nd Class Radiotelegraph Certificate). Non-smoking environment. Cosmetically, both the K1 and K2 are 10 out of 10. Operationally, everything works as it should on the K2 and there are no issues. The K1 exhibits its characteristic drift for a few minutes when first turned on but no other issues. PAYPAL and CONUS only. Reason for selling: My little KX3 is all the radio I need for my exclusive QRP CW operating. Breaks my heart to see the K1 and K2 just sitting unused on the shelf. Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Elecraft Radios for Sale - SOLD
Both K1 and K2 sold within minutes of posting Thanks and 73, Stan WB2LQF __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] New ham but seasoned CW r/o, between classic K2 and progressive KX3
Arno, I'm looking at your email and reading between the lines: You want to make the most of the time you have left and you want to reconnect with a meaningful time in your life which is spelled CW. I am also a former US Navy RM and I operate 100% QRP CW. I own (and use) all the Elecraft transceivers and that's the problem: They are all so wonderful I can't bear to part with any of them. Having said all this, I find myself constantly reaching for my KX3. It has the performance, the all-important dual watch which makes DXing a split incredibly efficient, and it's been working with no issues since I got #0325. The ATU can load anything. The automatic spotting function is outstanding. In my opinion the KX3 *is* designed for CW. I just totally ignore the SSB and other modes stuff. If I were in your situation I would buy the KX3. 73, Stan WB2LQF On Thu, May 30, 2013 at 1:23 PM, Arno Dienhart wrote: Hello, I am a new ham, retired, and this is a kind of bucket list thing: I might have one or two years left and want to get back into CW that I know well from my time in the (German) Navy. I have been looking hard at a K2 and would be able to build it but that would not be the reason to get it. Life is short and I'd prefer to just assemble a KX3. What I like about the K2 is that it is designed for CW, and I would not add SSB, nor the amp, but the ATU. I also own a dual band HT, which I use for local ARES volunteer work and scanning the PD band. Other than that, I'm not really into verbal rag chewing, be it local or DX (blame my snotty CW attitude). Only today did I realize what the KX3 is. Assembling it would be just fine. While the smaller size is not necessarily a buying point for me, I wouldn't mind it (I will take it outdoors). What I don't really need or want are the other modes (SSB, data, and SDR), so I wonder whether I am getting the wrong radio with a KX3 that is not a dedicated CW machine. If all I did were CW, with DX ambitions nevertheless, which do you think would be the better radio for me? Thank you in advance for your suggestions and ideas, and also further questions, if you have them. 73, Arno __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
