Re: [Elecraft] Dummy Loads and SWR
I mistakenly gave the wrong christian name for G5RV in reply. Was pointed out correctly by Peter, G3PDL that it was Louis Varney. Reg Varney was a more infamous UK TV personality of the past. Senility creeps up on you and you don't know it is happening until too late! Bob, G3VVT ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] RE: slow CW
I don't think you want to take the speed below 10 wpm. If you can't copy at that speed, increase the space between the letters. If the letters themselves are too slow, they can be hard for others to copy. Increasing the spacing between letters will give you time to compose the next letter and will signal operators not to squirt 20 wpm back at you 73 Howard Ashcraft, W1WF -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 1:01 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Elecraft Digest, Vol 14, Issue 10 Send Elecraft mailing list submissions to elecraft@mailman.qth.net To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to [EMAIL PROTECTED] You can reach the person managing the list at [EMAIL PROTECTED] When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than Re: Contents of Elecraft digest... ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Zu verkaufen: KNB1
Elecraft KNB1 Bausatz zu verkaufen, da doppelt bestellt... Inventur ok. 39EUR inkl. Versand in Deutschland. 73 Gerhard Schwanz DH3FAW mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.gs-personal.de ___ Gesendet von Yahoo! Mail - Jetzt mit 1GB Speicher kostenlos - Hier anmelden: http://mail.yahoo.de ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] RE: slow CW
Howard W. Ashcraft wrote on 06/09/05 11:37 ET: I don't think you want to take the speed below 10 wpm. If you can't copy at that speed, increase the space between the letters. If the letters themselves are too slow, they can be hard for others to copy. I recently heard an op using software or a keyer to send at about 5 wpm, and Howard is right. It was extremely difficult to copy even though it was perfectly formed. Beijing Opera does this, by the way. The words are so long and drawn out that even native speakers of Chinese cannot understand it without great effort. As someone else mentioned, a straight key is probably just the thing to use. Once your speed is up to around 15 wpm paddles start to have a comfort advantage. Mike AB3AP ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Solar Controller QA
Hi I have been getting a lot of questions about my Solar Controller Kit. This should answer most of them. What is it and what does it do? This is a small 2x3 circuit board that allows you to connect a solar panel to a 12 volt sealed lead acid or lead acid battery to keep it charged. The kit comes with instructions, application notes and all parts required to build the controller. The included circuit board is FR4 fiberglass with silk screen and solder mask. The kit does not include a box as most people build it into their battery box. How much power can it handle? The controller uses a 45 amp power fet to switch the solar panel on and off. The current that the controller can handle is limited by the shottkey blocking diodes. I use two of them in parallel rated at 8 amps each so 16 amps is the maximum safe charging current. This equates to about a 200 watt panel What size battery will work with the controller? You can use almost any size battery with the controller although for best results the battery should be sized to the solar panel you are going to use. A rule of thumb is about 2 watts per amp hour has worked well for me although your mileage may vary. For the K2's 2.9 amp hour internal battery a 5-10 watt panel would keep you on the air. For a K2/100 running 70-100 watts a 110 amp hour battery and 100-150 watts of solar panels would work. I have used 2 35 watt panels and a 80 watt panel in parallel for 150 watts into a 110 amp hour sla battery. Can I charge the K2 internal battery with the solar panel and controller? Yes the internal battery can be charged as long as the charge controller is connected directly to the battery through a properly sized fuse. You cannot connect the controller to the normal K2 power connector. You will need to supply a connector on the K2 to connect the charge controller or build the controller into the K2 lid and install a connector for the solar panel. Will it work with other types of batteries like NiCad's or NiMH? No it is designed to work only with 12 volt LA or SLA batteries Is there a 6 volt version? Yes the instructions explain how to change the controller to 6 volts. I will supply the parts on request for 6 volts. How does it compare with the MicroM+? My controller functions exactly the same as the MicroM+ although I use a different IC and different circuit design. My controller is much simpler and includes a circuit to turn off the charge indicator LED when the solar panel is not outputting enough voltage to charge the battery. My controller will handle twice the current of the MicroM+ and because of the precision voltage reference in the IC it does not require any adjustments. Does the controller generate any RF noise? No this a purely analog switch circuit. It does not have any switching power supplies that generate RF noise How much does it cost? $30 check or money order. Sorry no credit cards or paypal I only have 4 of these in stock but I am ordering the parts for more. I should have everything in about a week (need IC's and shottkey blocking diodes) Thanks Don Brown KD5NDB 19132 Falls Creek Drive Flint, Texas 75762 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: Elecraft Digest, Vol 14, Issue 10 -- Dummy Loads
I have never understood “the thinking” with many Ham’s when the discussion of Dummy Loads comes up. Some Ham’s will tell you, the minute they hear you tune up on a frequency that you just made a QRL inquiry on, “GET A DUMMY LOAD, WHAT ARE YOU TUNING UP ON THE AIR FOR”! Well, what if my antenna represents several hundred Ohms on one wavelength, and only several Ohms on another? I have a Bird Model 43 Wattmeter, and a Bird Dummy Load. From a “DC” perspective, it measures 50.0 Ohms. From and “AC” stand point it also measures 50.0 Ohms from 1.8 MHz to 902 MHz. It has very little error even at 1300 MHz. That is a good thing, because I depend upon it for real work, like assessing line losses etc! ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] KRC2 V1.3 Updates
Folks; The KRC2 Version 1.3 updaters have now been posted to the Elecraft Manuals and Downloads web site. This is a bug fix update. It corrects a rather nasty problem with BCD band output that shows up on the KRC2ACC, and may also occur on the standard KRC2 product. We recommend that all KRC2 owners update to this latest version of firmware. Note that if you have purchased a KRC2 within the last two months (including at Dayton), you most likely already have the V1.3 firmware in your KRC2. The Manuals and Downloads page also contains a downloader for Windows to make installation of the update much easier. If you are using a non-Windows system, there is a relatively easy download procedure using a terminal program to apply the update. (Just ask!) -Jack Brindle, W6FB === ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] PLL Reference Oscillator Range Test
Hi, I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to HAM radio, and the K2 is the first serious electronic project that I've undertaken. I have now come to a point where I need to seek some advice from people who are more experienced than I. I'm currently measuring the range between the high and low frequencies for the PLL Reference Oscillator. As the manual states, I should be getting a value between 9.8 and 15 kHz. However, my actual measured value is 8.94 kHz. I've done the previous step, 4MHz Oscillator Calibration, using an external frequency counter. I've adjusted C22 to have the internal frequency counter match the external one. Going on to the next step, I measured the High frequency range on the PLL Reference Oscillator and read a result of 12100.01 kHz, and a result of 12091.07 kHz for the low range. As I mentioned before, this is only a 8.94 kHz difference. I've also checked over some of the previous posts on this group, and have gone over some of the recommendations posted; specifically measuring the voltage across D16 and D17, which was about 7.75 V I'm at a loss now as to what else I should try, or whether I am able to move on and accept this value. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, David - VA7DMS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] test
just testing my new email adress ; sorry for the bandwidth 73 de Chris / F6FTB ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] PLL Reference Oscillator Range Test
Wow, thank you very much for such a quick response! As it happens, I already have a 10uH choke installed, so I guess my next step will be to contact electraft's parts department and ask if they'll send me a 12uH choke to try. Hopefully this will resolve the problem. Thanks again for your help! David - VA7DMS On 09/06/05, Giulio Pico IW3HVB [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: David Cartwright ha scritto: cut I'm currently measuring the range between the high and low frequencies for the PLL Reference Oscillator. As the manual states, I should be getting a value between 9.8 and 15 kHz. However, my actual measured value is 8.94 kHz. I've done the previous step, 4MHz Oscillator Calibration, using an external frequency counter. I've adjusted C22 to have the internal frequency counter match the external one. Going on to the next step, I measured the High frequency range on the PLL Reference Oscillator and read a result of 12100.01 kHz, and a result of 12091.07 kHz for the low range. As I mentioned before, this is only a 8.94 kHz difference. I've also checked over some of the previous posts on this group, and have gone over some of the recommendations posted; specifically measuring the voltage across D16 and D17, which was about 7.75 V I'm at a loss now as to what else I should try, or whether I am able to move on and accept this value. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, David - VA7DMS Check if L31 (RF choke) is valued at 10 microH. If the answer is Yes, change it with a 12 microH one. This should solve the problem. Send an e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] cause they are able to send you the replacement. Happy Building. Giulio IW3HVB K2#4681 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Dummy Loads and SWR
After my post yesterday about the accuracy of the Heath Cantenna dummy load being found to be off value, I started wondering about the original specifications and did a little search. Heath spec'd the Cantenna as having a VSWR of 1.5:1 across the HF range. Now, if the reactance is negligible over that range (the Cantenna is rated for frequencies as high as 900 MHz so the reactance should be very low below 30 MHz), then a perfectly in spec Cantenna might show as little as 35 ohms or as much as 75 ohms and still meet factory specifications. That's something to consider whenever working with older gear. Modern manufacturing techniques have spoiled most of us with cheap and highly accurate devices and parts that would have been simply unavailable or incredibly expensive only a few years ago. A dummy load with an SWR 1.5:1 is a fine dummy load for most purposes, but when doing things like critical power measurements, etc., it's good to realize that the actual value may not be as close to the desired value as one hopes. Ron AC7AC ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] test
please ignore 73 de Chris /F6FTB ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Balun
Hi All, I (a Ham to be) am planning to buy a K2 in the future. I am planning my antenna now and am going to borrow a radio in the mean time. I am planning on building a simple dipole that will stretch from my rooftop to a neighbor's tree. I would like it to be a total of 131' long but I will have to see. The antenna will be fed by 450 ohm ladder line. Some questions: Does the ladder line connect directly to the K2? Do I need a balun with this setup? If I cannot squeeze in the full 131 is it better to make the antenna shorter or can I run one end of the dipole around the edge of my (flat) rooftop to get 131'. In otherwords one end of the dipole would be straight will the other would have a couple of doglegs. This scenario is also appealling as it would place the feedline out of view of my wife. (Feng Shui detractor) Can I use pieces of plexiglass for insulators and dipole center assembly? Thanks Rich ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Balun
Rich, You will need the Elecraft balun kit for the feeder at the rig before it connects to K2 by a short coax jumper. You can use any plastic that has no conductive material in it as insulators. The one you mention is fine, (plexiglas). You can also use PVC plumbing fittings from Home Depot, or buy the grey conduit pvc and cut insulators out of that. In the beige PVC plumbing fittings are Tees for center insulator, and nipples for end insulators. Or just buy the grey conduit as it is more resistant to sunlight, and cut to needed lengths. You can dogleg the ends of your dipole, (doublet since it is non resonant, 131 ft.). That would be symmetric and better than folding only one end. You need to keep the center and feeder part in straight line for 60 per cent of total length for most efficiency. Do not shorten the doublet, in fact usually an all band doublet is made of 135 feet of wire, center fed by ladder line, and of course you need a tuner at the end of the line, after your balun. I think I covered all your points. Use as much wire as you can, up to 135 feet, as straight as you can get mid part of it. Plastic is fine for insulators. Darker plastic resists the sun more. You will need a tuner for all bands coverage. You can fold, droop, bend the ends of a doublet to make it fit. You could put up a PVC flag pole and run the ladder line inside it, and hang the doublet as an inverted Vee from the top. Use smaller wire, like no. 16 for low visibility and use dark wire, flat black if possible. It will tend to blend into sky background. GL and 72, Stuart K5KVH It might be better to let them hang down rather than be up close to roof edge. Some roofing has a foil backing or metal at edges. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Balun
Richard Soennichsen wrote: Does the ladder line connect directly to the K2? No, the K2 has unbalanced output. But see below. Do I need a balun with this setup? You need some means of connecting the ladder line to the K2 without unbalancing the feedline. The best way to do this is with a true balanced tuner. There are several on the market, or you can find an old Johnson Matchbox (made in the '50's or '60's, they are still around). I'm assuming that you want to use your antenna on more than one band. A 4-1 balun would work on 80 meters, but whether or not it would be useful, useless, or a hinderance on other bands depends on the feedline length. Note that a balanced tuner, unbalanced tuner, a balun, or nothing at all will 'work', allowing you to make QSOs. There will be differences in efficiency, noise pickup on reception, and possible RFI. If I cannot squeeze in the full 131 is it better to make the antenna shorter or can I run one end of the dipole around the edge of my (flat) rooftop to get 131'. In otherwords one end of the dipole would be straight will the other would have a couple of doglegs. This scenario is also appealling as it would place the feedline out of view of my wife. (Feng Shui detractor) If the legs are straight for about half their length, the doglegs would be better. In general, I prefer bending the antenna to shortening it. Can I use pieces of plexiglass for insulators and dipole center assembly? Yes, plexiglas is a very good insulator. -- 73 Vic, K2VCO Fresno, CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Balun
I guess one of the issues, are you ordering a K2 with its auto tuner? In that case, my suggestions apply, to adding the Elecraft balun, and using the internal K2 tuner for your antenna. It is also true that a balanced line tuner will work after the K2, and before your ladder line. Since surplus Johnson Match Boxes do not match on all bands and are harder to find in surplus; you might check out the new line of MFJ balanced tuners. They have a double Tee network, and use large, well suited components. They go between the K2 and the ladder line, for manual tuning like a Match box did. I was impressed with them at Ham Com where they were on display. In addition to a double network to balance the tuner, they float the tuner input with a RF choke isolation, to insure you do not couple RF back to the rig on outside of coax. -Stuart K5KVH ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar June 11-30, 2005
N2CQ QRP CONTEST CALENDAR June 11-30, 2005 GACW WWSA CW DX Contest (CW) ... QRP Category Jun 11, 1500z to Jun 12, 1500z Rules: http://gacw.no-ip.org/contest.html ARRL June VHF QSO Party QRP Portable Category Jun 11, 1800z to Jun 13, 0300z Rules: http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html?year=2005 NAQCC WEEKNIGHT 40/80-METER SLOW SPEED SPRINT (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 15, 0030z to 0230z Rules: http://www.arm-tek.net/~yoel/sprint_0506.html West Virginia QSO Party (SSB/CW)... QRP Category Jun 18, 1600z to Jun 19, 0200z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/wvarrl/wvqp.html Quebec QSO Party (All) ... QRP Category Jun 18, 1700z to Jun 19, 0300z Rules: http://www.raqi.ca/qqp/regs.html Run For The Bacon (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 20, 0100z to 0300z Rules: http://fpqrp.com SP QRP Contest (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 25, 1200z to Jun 26, 1200z Rules: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/spqrp.htm Marconi Memorial Contest (CW) ... QRP Category Jun 25, 1400z to Jun 26, 1400z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/ik6ptj/ ARRL Field Day (CW/SSB/RTTY)... QRP Category Jun 25, 1800z to Jun 26, 2100z Rules: http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html?year=2005 QRP ARCI Milliwatt Field Day (ALL)... QRP Contest! Jun 25, 1800z to Jun 26, 2100z Rules: http://www.qrparci.org/contest.htm QRP BARBERSHOP QUARTET CONTEST (CW QRP)... QRP Contest! Jun 29, 9PM to 11PM EDT Rules: http://www.io.com/~n5fc/barbershop_contest.htm Thanks to SM3CER, WA7BNM, N0AX(ARRL), WB3AAL and others for assistance in compiling this calendar. Please foreward the contest info you sponsor to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and we will post it and give it more publicity. Anyone may use this N2CQ QRP Contest Calendar for your website, newsletter, e-mail list or other media as you choose. (Include a credit to the source of this material of course.) 72 de Ken Newman - N2CQ [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.amqrp.org/contesting/contesting.html http://www.n3epa.org/Pages/Contest/contest.htm ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] More on solar panels and the controller
Hi I had several more questions on the solar controller Will the controller work with Volkswagen panels? Yes these panels work very well with a small battery and the controller. This is a good match for a K1. A K2 really needs a little more power so two or three VW panels can be paralleled. These panels can be had for the asking at some VW dealers or for a few dollars on EBay. They are placed in the windshield and plugged into the cigarette lighter socket of VW's to keep the battery charged while shipping or on the dealers lot A very nice solar setup can be assembled with an EC1 project box from Elecraft and a Powersonic PS-1228 battery. This battery will fit nicely in the EC1 with room to spare for the controller. This battery is 2.8 amp hours so it should run the K1 or K2 with no problem. A 5 to 10 watt panel in full sun will keep it charged even while operating. Can the controller be left connected to the battery indefinitely? Yes the controller goes into a maintain or float mode when the battery is fully charged. The shottkey blocking diode disconnects the controller when the panel output drops below the battery voltage so there is only a few micro amps of current flow when the panel is in the dark. For larger setups I have used a 35 amp hour SLA battery of the type used on power wheelchairs and a 70-80 watt panel with the controller. This will operate a K2/100 at 50-100 watts out. This was the setup for field day last year used by one of the operators here Does the price include shipping Yes in the continental US by first class mail Thanks Don Brown KD5NDB ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] KDSP2 problem
Hi all, OK, I think I have all the upgrade modes working on my K2 #402. It was a lot more work than I thought it would be; lots of changes. The CW filters seem significantly better than before. And the SSB filter looks quite flat. However, I just installed the KDSP2, and based on the manual the auxbus isn't communicating with the dsp unit. I seem to be able to use the default filters, but when I hit display I still get the voltage and current readout. Also I think I was supposed to get a clock setting routine when I first powered up. Everything seemed to go together OK, except the width of the socket for the clock IC is significantly narrower than the IC pins. I had to actually bend the pins inwards in order to get them into the socket. That's the first time that has happened. I am studying the schematic now. Any suggestions? Also, what happens if I want to do a cal pll or something. Don't I need the freq counter probe plugged in to do that? Would I need to remove the DSP unit and then short out the connector where r18 and r19 are shown? As good as the radio was before the mods, its gonna be a killer once I get this dsp working. I'm impressed. Thanks, Steve, W2MY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Balun
Stuart Rohre wrote: I guess one of the issues, are you ordering a K2 with its auto tuner? In that case, my suggestions apply, to adding the Elecraft balun, and using the internal K2 tuner for your antenna. It is also true that a balanced line tuner will work after the K2, and before your ladder line. A K2 with auto tuner followed by a balun will work well on some bands, and poorly on others. The balun's effectiveness and efficiency will depend on the 'common mode impedance' it sees on various bands. This depends on the length of the antenna and feedline. There will most likely be combinations of frequency and dimensions in which the balun will heat up and waste power, as well as combinations in which it will not do its job, and power will be lost by radiation from the feedline (with associate noise pickup and possible RFI). Again, almost anything will 'work'. The question is, How Well? -- 73 Vic, K2VCO Fresno, CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KDSP2 problem
... I just installed the KDSP2, and based on the manual the auxbus isn't communicating with the dsp unit. I seem to be able to use the default filters, but when I hit display I still get the voltage and current readout. Also I think I was supposed to get a clock setting routine when I first powered up. Be sure the RTC mode is ON or you won't be able to communicate with the DSP (initial Checkout, Page 18 of KDSP2 manual). If the DSP chip itself is having a problem, there would be no audio. Lyle KK7P ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KDSP2 problem
Aah, OK Lyle. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid me. I guess I should have read page 18. I was so careful reading the manual when I was building it, but I guess I got a bit lax after getting to the installation part. Thanks for the good advice. I am relieved that I didn't screw up the building of it. I lost the sidetone after changing the RTC setting but got it back after several tries. The DSP is incredible. Especially after I studied the manual and fiqured out some of the basic procedures, like knocking the noise reduction in and out quickly on CW, changing the center frequency, etc. Thanks a million, Steve, W2MY Lyle Johnson wrote: Be sure the RTC mode is ON or you won't be able to communicate with the DSP (initial Checkout, Page 18 of KDSP2 manual). ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] KDSP2 problem
The DSP is incredible. Especially after I studied the manual and fiqured out some of the basic procedures, like knocking the noise reduction in and out quickly on CW, changing the center frequency, etc. Keep in mind the front panel shortcut with the latest K2 firmware. AFIL+REC will toggle the denoiser on and off without being in the DSP menus, and AFIL+SPLIT will similarly toggle the automatic notch filter on and off. Enjoy the KDSP2! 73, Lyle KK7P ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Installing the Q7, Q8 Mounting Parts
Hi all, I ordered 2 shoulder washers, 2 spacer washers, and a bunch of the soft plastic thermal insulators from Elecraft so I can finalize the job of doing the upgrade mods on K2 #402. I was just wondering about the theory of this layout. The tab of the transistor is pressed against the thermal pad by the spacer which is tightened by the mounting screw. I guess you need to only tighten it so much as to not puncture the soft insulator. I am confused because there is a 2-D fastener at this location situated in such a way as to appear to be a spacer. If the 2-D fastener actually governs the height of the circuit board above the case heat sink, then tightening the screws for the transistor heat sinks would not work because the 2-D fastener would prevent the movement. Tightening the screw would only warp the board. If the 2-D fastener did not restrict the tightening of the heat sink screws then why are they there? You would think the 2-D fastener would be the exact height to prevent the plastic insulator from being over-compressed, but it doesn't seem to be that way. My old spacers are so warped, probably from heat, that they look like truncated cones, wider at the base. My guess is that in this state they were not putting any pressure on the transistor tab to force it into the plastic insulator. In that case its a wonder I didn't burn the transistors out. What about using a mica insulator? That would never puncture. Is mica worse at being a thermal conductor than the soft plastic ones used in the K2? 72, Steve, W2MY ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Balun
Since you aren't trying to make the antenna self-resonant, you will need to have an antenna tuner, as others observed. The tuner will convert whatever impedance the antenna presents at the end of the feedline to 50 ohms as required by the K2. That impedance will vary depending upon the band, and a KAT2 (for the QRP K2) or KAT100 for the K2/100 will do FB. I do NOT recommend the MFJ T-Match tuners for this duty, and I especially do not recommend using their built-in baluns. About the length, unless you are going to work 160 meters, any length over 66 feet will be FB. The difference in performance between a half-wave center fed antenna and a 1/4 wave center fed antenna is virtually nil. Once you are over 1/4 wave long, the most important thing is height, especially for working DX on the lower bands. I wouldn't invest one bit of energy getting an doublet like you are contemplating any longer than 90 or 100 feet for 80-10 meter operation. There's nothing to be gained by doing so. The ideal antenna tuner for you is a balanced tuner. None of the Elecraft tuners are inherently balanced, although they are starting to show up on the market again as more and more hams go to the type of doublet you are putting up in order to easily work all the HF bands. A balun will probably work okay, but they become unpredictable when the SWR on the line is high, as it will be in your antenna. Sometimes people actually get out better simply hooking one side of the open wire feeder to the K2 case and the other to the center pin on the output of the ATU. That produces a large degree of imbalance in the feeders, so they'll radiate. That can actually be a help if your feeders are out in the clear and pretty much vertical. Nothing is as much black magic in his Hobby as antennas! Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Stuart Rohre Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 3:39 PM To: Vic Rosenthal; Richard Soennichsen Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Balun I guess one of the issues, are you ordering a K2 with its auto tuner? In that case, my suggestions apply, to adding the Elecraft balun, and using the internal K2 tuner for your antenna. It is also true that a balanced line tuner will work after the K2, and before your ladder line. Since surplus Johnson Match Boxes do not match on all bands and are harder to find in surplus; you might check out the new line of MFJ balanced tuners. They have a double Tee network, and use large, well suited components. They go between the K2 and the ladder line, for manual tuning like a Match box did. I was impressed with them at Ham Com where they were on display. In addition to a double network to balance the tuner, they float the tuner input with a RF choke isolation, to insure you do not couple RF back to the rig on outside of coax. -Stuart K5KVH ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] The Don Brown Solar Charge Controller ...
Those wishing to see what the Don Brown Solar Charge Controller looks like, go here: http://weywalker.home.mindspring.com/ The 3 photos are of his controller installed inside my Davis Wireless Weather Station's Integrated Sensor Suite ... I constructed this one as a 6 Volt charge controller ... mounted with hook/loop strips to the inside of the ISS's door ... battery is much larger capacity than the ISS requires ... being going strong for well over 1.5 years ... I have 2 more of his controller kits (unbuilt) for use in future projects ... Small, high quality p-c board, easy to assemble, priced right ... what more can you ask? 72/3, Weymouth Walker K8EAB near Atlanta K2 #2650 KX1 #104 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] An Aftermarket PCB Based Un-Module Header Kit
We are putting the finishing touches on the PCB layouts and User's Guide for our un-module header kit, which we now expect to sell for about $12.50 plus shipping and handling. The kit will include: o (8) double-sided, plated-through hole, silk-screened PCBs. o (2) 36-pin 0.100 break-away SIP male headers. o (3) resistors (one each of 100, 470, and 560 ohms). o (2) caps (one each of 4.7 pF and 0.100 uF). o (1) printed and bound copy of our 32 page User's Guide. We need at least 40 pre-orders before we can commit to production of our first batch of 100 kits. So far 15 kits have been reserved, leaving us 25 away from this goal. Please visit our unpcbs Yahoo group to learn more about our new product (see http://groups.yahoo.com/group/unpcbs/). There you can pre-order a kit for yourself using the group's polling feature. We especially invite those of you to join who: o Are contemplating building your first K2. o Are about to build another K2. o Have a bare K2 and wish to perform all of the rework necessary to install any of the optional modules. o Have a partially loaded K2, and intend to add more options. o Like to tinker and are often removing and modifying your optional modules. o Frequently use un-module headers that you made yourself, and have always wanted something more durable (especially for your UN-KNB2 o Repair K2s for other guys and gals who can't get them working after building them. o Build K2s for those who are unable to build their own. o Are perfectly happy with your loaded QRP or QRO K2, but know of other K2 owners who are not Reflector regulars, and who might otherwise miss this post. o Just like to build things. o Have a K2 but don't fall into any of the above categories. o Don't have a K2 and don't fall into any of the above categories. If your still with us, you should realize that we are inviting everyone to visit our website. We hope that you will soon. 73, Ken, WB2ART, K2 #769 Gary, KI4GGX, K2 #4067 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Installing the Q7, Q8 Mounting Parts
Steve, If the proper materials are used, the height of the transistor tabs (with thermal pads attached) will be only slightly higher than the 2-D fastener (by about the thickness of the thermal pad). So when the heat sink (rear panel) is attached, the transistor tabs will be in full contact with the heat sink. The newer mounting hardware uses a fiber washer, a phenolic spacer and the shoulder washer (older hardware used a metal washer, a soft plastic spacer and the shoulder washer). The relative height of the 2-D fastener and the transistor tabs insures that the transistor tabs have positive contact with the heat sink. A hint on removing the heat sink without losing the transistor mounting hardware - cut 2 pieces of electrical tape about 1 1/2 inches long and place it over the screw heads (on the top of the RF Board). The tape will hold the screws in place so the heat sink can be removed and the PA transistor mounting hardware will stay in place. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- I ordered 2 shoulder washers, 2 spacer washers, and a bunch of the soft plastic thermal insulators from Elecraft so I can finalize the job of doing the upgrade mods on K2 #402. I was just wondering about the theory of this layout. The tab of the transistor is pressed against the thermal pad by the spacer which is tightened by the mounting screw. I guess you need to only tighten it so much as to not puncture the soft insulator. I am confused because there is a 2-D fastener at this location situated in such a way as to appear to be a spacer. If the 2-D fastener actually governs the height of the circuit board above the case heat sink, then tightening the screws for the transistor heat sinks would not work because the 2-D fastener would prevent the movement. Tightening the screw would only warp the board. If the 2-D fastener did not restrict the tightening of the heat sink screws then why are they there? You would think the 2-D fastener would be the exact height to prevent the plastic insulator from being over-compressed, but it doesn't seem to be that way. My old spacers are so warped, probably from heat, that they look like truncated cones, wider at the base. My guess is that in this state they were not putting any pressure on the transistor tab to force it into the plastic insulator. In that case its a wonder I didn't burn the transistors out. What about using a mica insulator? That would never puncture. Is mica worse at being a thermal conductor than the soft plastic ones used in the K2? 72, Steve, W2MY -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.6.6 - Release Date: 6/8/2005 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
