RE: [Elecraft] K2 AF noise level?
But is it the AF amp? I *think* (not sure) that I did a test with my K2. Listen to a dummy load and hear the hiss. Turn down the RF gain and the hiss goes away. I KNOW that was the case with my Omni V and I *think* that's the case with the K2 as well. If that's true, then the hiss is from the IF stages and changing the audio amp will do little. Of course, I could be wrong. Wouldn't be the first time :-) After you've done your mod, please post your results. 73 / 72! - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- From: Howard W. Ashcraft [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 4:44 PM To: Darwin, Keith; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 AF noise level? One source of noise is in the K2 audio amplifier. It isn't much of a problem with the standard ___ 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: May 19 - June 19, 2006
~~ N2CQ QRP CONTEST CALENDAR May 19 - June 29, 2006 ~~ Dayton Hamvention (QRP Event - FDIM) May 19-21 Info: http://www.hamvention.org/ ~~ US Counties QSO Party (SSB) May 20, z to May 21, 2359z Rules: http://www.stpaulisland.net/countycontest.html ~~ HIS MAJESTY THE KING OF SPAIN CONTEST (CW) May 20, 1200z to May 21, 1200z Rules: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/kingofsp.htm ~~ EU PSK DX Contest ... Low Power (10W) Category May 20, 1200z to May 21, 1200z Rules: http://www.eudx.srars.org/ ~~ Manchester Mineira - All America Contest (CW) ... QRP Category May 20, 1500z to May 21, 2359z Rules: http://www.powerline.com.br/cwjf/eng4.htm#regulamento ~~ Baltic Contest (CW/SSB) (80 Meters) May 20, 2100z to May 21, 0200z Rules: http://www.lrsf.lt/bcontest/english/rules_html.htm ~~ RUN FOR THE BACON (CW) *** QRP CONTEST *** EDT: May 21, 9 PM to 11 PM UTC: May 22, 0100z 0300z Rules: http://fpqrp.com ~~ QRP MINIMAL ART SESSION (80M CW) *** QRP Contest *** May 25, 1900z to 2300z Rules: http://www.mrasz.hu/portal/modules.php?name=Newsfile=articlesid=140 ~~ CQWW WPX Contest (CW) ... QRP Category May 27, z to May 28, 2400z Rules: http://home.woh.rr.com/wpx/ ~~ VK/trans-Tasman Contests (80 M CW) ... QRP Category May 27, 0800z to 1400z Rules: http://home.iprimus.com.au/vktasman/RULES.HTM ~~ QRP ARCI Hoot Owl Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest *** May 28, 2000 to 2400 LOCAL TIME Rules: http://www.qrparci.org ~~ Michigan QRP Memorial Day Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! May 28, 2300z to May 29, 0300z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/miqrpclub/contest.html ~~ AGCW Activity Week (CW) ... QRP Category May 29, z to Jun 2, 2400z Rules: http://www.agcw.org/agcw-con/2006/Englisch/aktivw_e.htm ~~ QRP BARBERSHOP QUARTET CONTEST (CW QRP)... QRP Contest! May 31, 9PM to 11PM EDT Rules: http://www.io.com/~n5fc/barbershop_contest.htm ~~ Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest *** Jun 3, 0400z to 0600z Rules: http://www.qrp.ru/sprint_e.htm ~~ IARU Region 1 Fieldday (CW) ... QRP Category Jun 3, 1500z to Jun 5, 1459z Rules: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/iarur1fd.htm ~~ Look Around in the Field (LAITF) (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 3, 1600z to 2159z Rules: http://mysite.verizon.net/vze7v384/nj2om/index.html ~~ QRP TACtical Contest (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 3, 1800z to 2359z Rules: http://www.n3epa.org/Pages/TAC-Contest.htm ~~ Adventure Radio Spartan Sprint (CW) ... QRP Contest! Jun 6 , 0100z to 0300z (First Monday 9 PM EDT) Rules: http://www.arsqrp.com/ ~~ GACW WWSA CW DX Contest (CW) ... QRP Category Jun 10, 1500z to Jun 11, 1500z Rules: http://gacw.no-ip.org/contest.html ~~ ANARTS WW RTTY/Digital Contest Jun 10, z to Jun 11, 2400z Rules: http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/anartsry.htm ~~ ARRL June VHF QSO Party QRP Portable Category Jun 10, 1800z to Jun 12, 0300z Rules: http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html?year=2006 ~~ NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint (CW) *** QRP Contest *** EDT: Jun 13, 8:30 PM to 10:30 PM UTC: Jun 14, 0030Z to 0230Z Rules: http://www.arm-tek.net/~yoel/contests.html ~~ West Virginia QSO Party (SSB/CW)... QRP Category Jun 17, 1600z to Jun 18, 0200z Rules: http://www.qsl.net/wvsarc/ ~~ AGCW VHF/UHF CW Contest ... QRP Category Jun 17, 1600z to 1900z (144 Mhz) Jun 17, 1900z to 2100z (432 Mhz) Rules: http://www.agcw.org/agcw-con/2006/Englisch/agcw-dl0_e.htm
[Elecraft] K1 Band Choices
I have a used K1-2 on the way, my first Elecraft rig, that is currently configured for 40/20. Although two of these are my favorite bands, a couple are missing and I'm having a tough time deciding what to put under the hood as standard. At home, my single antenna is optimized for 80M 40M and adding 30M onto this wouldn't be very difficult. Therefore, I am seriously considering building a 4-band board with only 3-bands on it - 80/40/30 and either rebuilding my 2-band board as a 17/15 WARC board for when contesting is too much on 80/40 or a 20/17 or 20/15 board. Would 80/40/30 and 17/15 be a silly way to go, losing 20 altogether? I just want to keep board swapping down to a minimum. None of these combos seem popular with the general population of Eclectic Elecraft Enthusiasts. 73, JT - W6FO - Canton, GA ___ 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] K1 Band Choices
On 5/18/06, Ron Pfeiffer [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I believe the newer 4-band module does not support 80 meters. That is only avail on the 2-band module. From what I have read in the archives, you can put 80M on a 4-band module but, because of component sharing, you'd loose the 4th band and only be able to put 3-bands on the 4-band board. This is why I am thinking of the 80/40/30 combo. N7RR once stated that the following band combinations are possible on the 4-band board. However, only the first two are possible with components provided with the kit. Elecraft has parts kits for 80-15 on the website for $7.50. Possible band combos on KFL1-4: 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 17-m 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 15-m 30-m, 20-m, 17-m, 15-m 80-m, 40-m, 30-m 80-m, 30-m, 20-m 80-m, 20-m, 17-m 80-m, 20-m, 15-m 80-m, 17-m, 15-m Someone please correct me if my info is dated and no longer applies to the current revision of the KFL1-4 board. 73, JT- W6FO - Canton, GA ___ 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] Operating skill
Not to burst anyone's bubble but please keep in mind that Propagation the past two days have been above normal. In fact they were excellent. This is very much a Big factor. And when the propagation returns to normal the next few days the amp will go on to overcome the absorption losses. Best Regards, john-n3drk - Original Message - From: Dale Kretzer [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Elecraft Mail Posting Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 8:20 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Operating skill Seeing joyful reports of snagging DX under challenging conditions, such as just posted by Bill, KA3IXF, adds so much pleasure for me to this great hobby. Not only are they testaments to the fine Elecraft products, but they also attest to the operating skills of so many in the Elecraft Forum group. Comparisons of DX worked don't mean much, however, until they include antennas used. In Bill's case, the key words are with my homebrew, helically wound dipole sitting on my window sill. Now, that's a challenge well met. Good job, Bill! To the phrase, Anybody can do it with power, I'd like to add, Anybody can do it with low power and a good antenna. It's the hams in our happy group who operate under extremely limited conditions that draw the most admiration from me. I can't imagine how discouraging it must be at times for someone living, for example, in a restrictive condo building having to run QRP with wire tacked to an interior wall, a shortened vertical sticking out a window in the darkness, or a stealth antenna tucked in a hidden location. I know those antennas will work and have experimented successfully with them myself, but the skills required to make long-distance contacts with such limitations expresses to me the real heart of ham radio. Hat's off to all of you operating in such a manner, and your enthusiastic postings add a wonderful flavor to the daily forum. Keep the joyful shouts coming! 73, Dale - K6PJV, Sacramento snip Just worked Cyprus, 5B4AGC, 14.027, on my K2, from my third floor apartment, with my homebrew helically wound dipole sitting on my window sill. WOW !!! 73, Bill KA3IXF end snip ___ 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
Re: [Elecraft] Operating skill
Good propagation most certainly is a big factor in QRP DX work, John, but I feel you may have missed my point. Assuming poor propagation, if I make a QRP contact 600 miles away with a decent antenna, and my buddy across town with the same power and a dinky wire hanging out the window does nearly as well or the same, I like sharing his joy at success under such trying circumstances. Working DX under all sorts of varying conditions is another talent I greatly admire, and I think the combination of these varied pursuits amongst we hams adds wonderful flavor to the hobby. I laud your skills as well, John, in snagging those elusive hard ones. Cheers, Dale -K6PJV - Original Message - From: n3drk [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Dale Kretzer [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Elecraft Mail Posting Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 10:26 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Operating skill Not to burst anyone's bubble but please keep in mind that Propagation the past two days have been above normal. In fact they were excellent. This is very much a Big factor. And when the propagation returns to normal the next few days the amp will go on to overcome the absorption losses. Best Regards, john-n3drk ___ 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] K1 Band Choices
W6FO wrote: Possible band combos on KFL1-4: 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 17-m 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 15-m Add the following: 40m, 30m, 17m, 15m. 30-m, 20-m, 17-m, 15-m 80-m, 30-m, 20-m I don't think those two are good combos without some filter redesign to allow 20m and 30m to share the same low pass filter circuits. Normally 40m/30m share one LP filter section; 20m/17m/15m share another. You'd also have to be careful in re-arranging the capacitors that are switched in the RF and Premixer bandpass filter circuits to support these combos. 80-m, 40-m, 30-m 80-m, 20-m, 17-m 80-m, 20-m, 15-m 80-m, 17-m, 15-m The standard KFL1-4 filter board, *as supplied* from Elecraft, can be built for 40m/30m plus ANY TWO of the following: 20m, 17m, 15m. I've never understood why Elecraft advertises the *standard* KFL1-4 as supporting 40m/30m/20m plus ANY ONE of the following: 17m, 15m. It is a little more versatile than that. I guess the assumption is that no one would ever forgo 20m coverage. That's still no reason to inaccurately describe the technical capability of the standard KFL1-4. Mike / KK5F ___ 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] K1 Band Choices - Skipping 20 meters.
-Original Message- Mike Morrow said: ... I guess the assumption is that no one would ever forgo 20m coverage. - Yea, I hear you. You'd think 20 meters is the band nobody would skip but, I find I use other bands more. 20 Meters is where the big guns seem to play. Lots of KW signals making my 5-15 watts seem pretty weak. Lots of big beams too. And I can see skipping 20 from an antenna point of view. 30/40/80 work great with a vertical. It's easy for me to get a dipole 1/2 wave high on 15/12/10. 17 20 (esp 20) are the in between bands where neither the vertical nor the dipole are optimal at my QTH. - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - ___ 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] K1 Band Choices - Skipping 20 meters.
It's all smoke and mirrors. Don't believe that myth about 20 meters for big guns. We QRP'ers have equal share of the fun! Their sigs and ours is fair game because propagation is King. I've heard QRO stations in the noise too. Amazing! see you on the airwaves! Ron wb1hga Darwin, Keith wrote: Yea, I hear you. You'd think 20 meters is the band nobody would skip but, I find I use other bands more. 20 Meters is where the big guns seem to play. Lots of KW signals making my 5-15 watts seem pretty weak. Lots of big beams too. ___ 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] K1 Band Choices
On 5/18/06, Daniel Reynolds [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: but it looks like you are actually trying to avoid contests all together... Not really, but I am trying to avoid the big contests when all the kilowatt klowns come out of the woodwork. I love the QRP contests and various QRP fox hunts. What I am really trying to avoid is board changes in the field. When do you operate? What bands do you prefer to use? Do you plan on doing more operating from home or in the field? Ideally, I'd like 80/40/30/20 all under the hood at the same time and I'd be happy. However, this simply isn't possible with the K1. My operating time is sporadic because of my work hours. I have equal opportunity to operate during the day and evenings. I do a bit of camping and trying to do even more in the future. This is why I downgraded from a big Ten-Tec rig to the K1. I also do a fair bit of winter camping and want to limit board changes when in the field. I probably should have gone for a KX1 but was offered a pretty good deal on this K1. If money was a factor Money is a bit of a factor. However, I can afford a 4-band board or two 2-band boards. I hope these thoughts have helped a little... Thanks for the input. 73, JT - W6FO - Canton, GA ___ 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] K1 Band Choices
Mike, thanks for the comments. But I am still a bit confused. Would an 80/40/30 combo work on a KFL1-4 board? Thanks - JT On 5/18/06, Mike Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: W6FO wrote: Possible band combos on KFL1-4: 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 17-m 40-m, 30-m, 20-m, 15-m Add the following: 40m, 30m, 17m, 15m. 30-m, 20-m, 17-m, 15-m 80-m, 30-m, 20-m I don't think those two are good combos without some filter redesign to allow 20m and 30m to share the same low pass filter circuits. Normally 40m/30m share one LP filter section; 20m/17m/15m share another. You'd also have to be careful in re-arranging the capacitors that are switched in the RF and Premixer bandpass filter circuits to support these combos. 80-m, 40-m, 30-m 80-m, 20-m, 17-m 80-m, 20-m, 15-m 80-m, 17-m, 15-m The standard KFL1-4 filter board, *as supplied* from Elecraft, can be built for 40m/30m plus ANY TWO of the following: 20m, 17m, 15m. I've never understood why Elecraft advertises the *standard* KFL1-4 as supporting 40m/30m/20m plus ANY ONE of the following: 17m, 15m. It is a little more versatile than that. I guess the assumption is that no one would ever forgo 20m coverage. That's still no reason to inaccurately describe the technical capability of the standard KFL1-4. Mike / KK5F ___ 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] K2 AF noise level?
Keith KD1E wrote: But is it the AF amp? I *think* (not sure) that I did a test with my K2. Listen to a dummy load and hear the hiss. Turn down the RF gain and the hiss goes away. I KNOW that was the case with my Omni V and I *think* that's the case with the K2 as well. If that's true, then the hiss is from the IF stages and changing the audio amp will do little. --- True, but you must turn down both the RF and AF gains controls. The RF gain control (actually it controls the gain of the I.F. amplifier) has a finite range. It won't silence the receiver. The AF gain control is also at the *input* to the audio amp, so turn it all the way down as well to hear the real noise output of the audio amplifier. On my K2, using sensitive headphones, there's no background hiss from the audio amp. It's all coming from the I.F and RF stages. I can hear the background noise increase when enabling the Preamp with a dummy load connected to the antenna port, so some of the background is originating all they way back in the RF stage. Of course, that noise level is way below the band noise even up on 10 meters, so it's not limiting the sensitivity of the receiver. But with the RF and AF gain controls at minimum, so I'll I'd hear is the noise from the audio amplifier, my K2 is completely quiet. 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
RE: [Elecraft] K2 AF noise level?
What am I hearing on my K2/100 when on exactly 7.000 plus or minus a few KC's I hear a steady tone when switched to the dummy load? At first I thought it was coming from my computer monitor but it's not. When I switch back to the antenna system the tone is gone or at least so attenuated I can't hear it. k3ey Ron D'Eau Claire [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Keith KD1E wrote: But is it the AF amp? I *think* (not sure) that I did a test with my K2. Listen to a dummy load and hear the hiss. Turn down the RF gain and the hiss goes away. I KNOW that was the case with my Omni V and I *think* that's the case with the K2 as well. If that's true, then the hiss is from the IF stages and changing the audio amp will do little. --- True, but you must turn down both the RF and AF gains controls. The RF gain control (actually it controls the gain of the I.F. amplifier) has a finite range. It won't silence the receiver. The AF gain control is also at the *input* to the audio amp, so turn it all the way down as well to hear the real noise output of the audio amplifier. On my K2, using sensitive headphones, there's no background hiss from the audio amp. It's all coming from the I.F and RF stages. I can hear the background noise increase when enabling the Preamp with a dummy load connected to the antenna port, so some of the background is originating all they way back in the RF stage. Of course, that noise level is way below the band noise even up on 10 meters, so it's not limiting the sensitivity of the receiver. But with the RF and AF gain controls at minimum, so I'll I'd hear is the noise from the audio amplifier, my K2 is completely quiet. 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 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
Fwd: [Elecraft] K1 Band Choices
Another option I am thinking about is multiple 2-band boards. Keep the 40/20 and add a 40/30 and an 80/40. This way, I will have my primary band, 40M, available at all times and switch in 20, 30, or 80 as the need or propogation warrants. 73, JT - W6FO - Canton, GA ___ 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] K2/100 - 02110 For Sale
Elecraft K2/100 - 02110 Rev B (Latest Elecraft Mods) Options: KSB2 - SSB Option K160RX - 160M / 2nd RX Antenna Option K60XV - 60M / Xvrtr Intf. Option KAT100-2 - 100W ATU with EC2 panels KAT100PNL - Kit to convert KAT100-1 to -2 KAT2 - 20W Internal Auto Tuner KBT2 - Internal 2.9AH Battery Kit KDSP2 - Advanced K2 DSP Filter KIO2 - AUX I/O RS-232 Interface KNB2 - Noise Blanker KPA100 - 100 Internal Integration Kit ETS15 - Tilt Stand, 1.5 inch ETS2 - Standard Tilt Stand for the EC2 Heil Handmike KRC2 - Band Decoder Controller Complete Documentation Package Station Professionally Built Perfect Condition, Pictures on request, please REPLY OFFLINE Asking $1700.00 Ship to USA only ___ 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] K2 AF noise level?
Curt, K3EY asked: What am I hearing on my K2/100 when on exactly 7.000 plus or minus a few KC's I hear a steady tone when switched to the dummy load? At first I thought it was coming from my computer monitor but it's not. When I switch back to the antenna system the tone is gone or at least so attenuated I can't hear it. --- That's a known birdie generated internally within the K2 receiver. One disadvantage of a superhet receiver is that *all* superhets have birdies and spurious responses produced by the multiple oscillators and mixing schemes involved in the design. The trick is to work out a design using frequencies that avoids birdies in the normal tuning range. With nine bands covering the HF spectrum, that's a pretty formidable task. One of the advantages of the single-conversion design used in the K2 is that is produces a minimum of such signals, but there are a few and that one at 7 MHz is one of them. Offhand, I'm not sure which combination of oscillators mixing together is producing it, but it is perfectly normal. Indeed, that's the signal the manual recommends you use to adjust L34 in the Alignment and Test procedure, Part II. As you noticed, it's a very weak birdie that is normally audible only if there's no antenna connected to the receiver. Normal off-air background noise at 7 MHz is much stronger than the birdie, so it's not audible in normal operation. 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
Re: [Elecraft] K1 Band Choices
JT Asked: Would an 80/40/30 combo work on a KFL1-4 board? You could build a KFL1-4 board mostly normally per directions, with band 1 being 40m and band 2 being 30m, and both using the current LP and bandpass filter designs. After that, you could build band 3 as an 80m band, using the component values for 80m that others on this list have developed. So yes, an 40m/30m/80m KFL1-4 is definitely possible. In the as-designed KFL1-4, the each of the two sections or branches of the output low pass filter supports multiple bands. The section that supports 40m and 30m allows the fundamental frequencies of 7 MHz and 10 MHz through, but does not allow the second and higher harmonics of 14 MHz and 20 MHz through. Similarly, the section that supports 20m, 17m, and 15m allows the fundamental frequencies of 14 MHz, 18 MHz, and 21 MHz through, but does not allow the second and higher harmonics of 28 MHz, 36 MHz, and 42 MHz through. This shows why a particular section of the LP filter can NOT serve for multiple bands that are harmonically related. An LP filter that passed both 3.5 MHz and 7 MHz signals for 80m and 40m operations would also allow the second harmonic of 3.5 MHz right on through too. I built my four-band board for the standard 40m/30m/20m/15m bands. I built a two-band board for the 80m and 17m bands. I don't often swap in the two-band filter board, but it's nice to have that capability when desired. Mike / KK5F ___ 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: Fwd: [Elecraft] K1 Band Choices
JT wrote: Another option I am thinking about is multiple 2-band boards. Keep the 40/20 and add a 40/30 and an 80/40. The downside to having the same band, in this case 40m, on multiple filter boards, is that only ONE frequency display calibration factor per each HF ham band can stored by the front panel MPU. The MPU can store one calibration factor for each of the nine ham bands from 160m to 10m. Unless all of your 40m heterodyne crystals on each of your filter boards oscillate at nearly the same frequency, there will be some frequency display error on 40m whenever a board is installed that wasn't in place when the display was last calibrated. The heterodyne crystals can vary several kHz between each other, so there could be a display error of several kHz. 73, Mike / KK5F ___ 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: Fwd: [Elecraft] K1 Band Choices
On 5/18/06, Mike Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: The downside to having the same band, in this case 40m, on multiple filter boards, is that only ONE frequency display calibration factor per each HF ham band can stored by the front panel MPU. Sheesh, I can't win for losing on this. Heh. Thanks for the replies everyone. Not quite sure what I am going to do but with the 4-band board created after the K1 was developed and all this component sharing on the 4-band board going on, maybe a 4-band board isn't what I want anyway and sticking with all 2-band boards will be more efficient in the long run. I am now thinking of keeping the 40/20 board as is and build a 30/15 board and a low band 160/80 board. I think I can live without 17M. 73 JT, W6FO ___ 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] KAT100 on 30 Meters
I am using the K2/100 KAT100 combination into a Carolina Windom 80. It works well on all bands (excluding 160). On 30 meters the KAT100 SWR seems to occasionally fluctuate wildly as indicated by the LEDs. The leftmost LED is always (stays) lit with power applied even during the fluctuations. A Bird 43 wattmeter with 250H slug is in line between the KPA100 output and the KAT100 input. At no time while the LEDs were fluctuating did the SWR on the wattmeter go off zero. I chalk this up to stray RF in the KAT100 even though it is grounded. I receive good clean RST reports on 30 meters at all power levels. When the KAT100 LEDs are erratic, it doesn't always mean SWR trouble. It may mean stray RF though. Grounding the KAT100 (and K2) and sanding the panels at block joints may or may not help. You just live with it or put up another antenna. Roy Morris W4WFB No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.6.0/342 - Release Date: 5/17/2006 ___ 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] No update on the News page!!!
Hey Guys, You said you'd post the Dayton Specials on the morning of the 18th It's now afternoon on the West Coast and no Special Offers I'm biting my nails to the quick... :^\ Dave KK7SS ___ 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] RF Ground (WAS: KAT100 on 30 Meters)
Getting an effective RF ground at the higher frequencies isn't really difficult, but it sometimes takes thinking about it a little differently. The problem is that wires going to an earth ground are usually quite long in terms of wavelength. That makes them ineffective. For example, you have a 23 foot wire running from the rig to a solid earth ground on 30 meters, you'll have no RF ground at all at the rig. Indeed, just the opposite will occur and the rig will tend to float at a high RF voltage while transmitting. The reason is that 23 feet of wire is about 1/4 wavelength at 30 meters. A 1/4 wavelength long wire inverts the impedance seen at each end. If the end at the earth ground is truly grounded, the other end of the wire at the rig will be at a very high impedance. In short, the copper ground wire will look like an excellent RF insulator at 30 meters. Most situations aren't that simple, but it gives a good example of how a seemingly innocent ground wire running to a good earth ground may not provide an RF ground at all. Even a 10 foot wire or less will show substantial impedance at 30 meters and hold the rig well above RF ground. We can put that impedance inversion that occurs at the ends of a 1/4 wave long wire to work for us to produce a simple, effective RF ground. Connect one end of the wire to the rig and insulate the other end. The insulated end is forced to be at a high RF impedance, so the rig end is, by definition, at a low RF impedance (i.e. at RF ground). It is important to insulate the far end of the 1/4 wavelength long wire, not just to avoid RF burns while transmitting, but to force it to remain at a high impedance. That technique gets the ground impedance down in the vicinity of 35 ohms, which is generally a very good RF ground (most grounds using ground stakes or a few radials on or buried in the ground have an impedance in the range of hundreds of ohms at RF). The value can be lowered even further though by shortening the wire and then resonating it to a 1/4 wavelength on the operating frequency. Some companies sell 'tuners' specifically for this purpose. MFJ makes one called an Artificial Ground. They are also easy to construct. Basically, all that's needed is a loading coil. A coil and capacitor may be easier to tune because the taps on the coil become less critical. A low-power 'antenna tuner' can also be used. What we're doing is turning something that is a big problem if we're making an antenna into an advantage to make a good RF ground. When we're forced to use an electrically short antenna that we resonate to 1/4 wave long using loading coils or an antenna tuner, we have to accept relatively low efficiency because such an antenna has a very low RF impedance. The shorter we make it, the lower the feed point impedance. The lower the feed point impedance the lower the efficiency. If we use it as an RF ground, we put that low impedance to work for us. By resonating a short wire at 1/4 wavelength at the operating frequency and connecting it to the rig ground, we supply a very low RF impedance that keeps troublesome RF voltages off of the rig. The disadvantage of such a ground is that the system Q, or sharpness of tuning, gets high. That means that for a given adjustment, it will provide an effective RF ground over a fairly narrow range of frequencies. Such systems normally must be retuned whenever you QSY around within the band more than a few kHz. That can be a pain to do and rather defeats the convenience of an automatic antenna tuner! For that reason, most operators use a 1/4 wavelength long wire, which has a low enough impedance to provide an effective RF ground for most purposes and which still has a low enough Q that it doesn't need adjustment while tuning across the band. 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] VCO Alignment
Hello All - I ordered K2 #5329 in January, and was just able to start on it a few weeks ago. After a short break I'm back at it and this afternoon got to the Alignment and Test, Part II. All was well until I got to VCO Alignment on page 61. At first I was not able to adjust L30 and get the VCO voltage to 6.0 volts. All I could get was 7.99 volts. After reading the archives, I spread the turns on T5, and sure enough, I could get 6.0 volts at R30. But, it seems after adjusting, it drifts up slowly. So, I decided to go through the bands and see what I got. At 3500 Khz, it was a little low, and everything 7300 and above is at 7.99 volts. I've looked the board over again and again, and can't see anything wrong. Whenever I check R30 at 4000 KHz, it will be off 6.0 volts, when I adjust it back, it continues to drift, and everything above 7300 is pegged at 7.99 volts. I hope someone has some suggestions, because I'm stumped. Thanks in advance, Steve - WD7M ___ 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] VCO Alignment
Steve, Check the number of red wire turns on T5 - count the wire as it goes threough the center of the core - counting only the outside turns can produce a numer that is one turn less than the proper number. This sounds like the sitation that occurs when there is one extra turn on T5. If you find the turns on T5 are indeed correct, the next most probable area to be investigated is the capacitors in the VFO Range Select area. If you have installed the rework eliminators, be very certain you follow the instructions for the rework eliminators carefully - the capacitors for the VFO Range select area chnge with these instructions. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- I ordered K2 #5329 in January, and was just able to start on it a few weeks ago. After a short break I'm back at it and this afternoon got to the Alignment and Test, Part II. All was well until I got to VCO Alignment on page 61. At first I was not able to adjust L30 and get the VCO voltage to 6.0 volts. All I could get was 7.99 volts. After reading the archives, I spread the turns on T5, and sure enough, I could get 6.0 volts at R30. But, it seems after adjusting, it drifts up slowly. So, I decided to go through the bands and see what I got. At 3500 Khz, it was a little low, and everything 7300 and above is at 7.99 volts. I've looked the board over again and again, and can't see anything wrong. Whenever I check R30 at 4000 KHz, it will be off 6.0 volts, when I adjust it back, it continues to drift, and everything above 7300 is pegged at 7.99 volts. I hope someone has some suggestions, because I'm stumped. Thanks in advance, Steve - WD7M -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.6/339 - Release Date: 5/14/2006 ___ 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] Dayton Specials!
I apologize for the delay getting this posted. We had an extremely busy day setting up the Dayton booth and I just got back to the room a few minutes ago.. Eric) Dayton Specials: 1. Purchase a K2 with a: KSB2, a KAT2 or a KAT100 and get $50 off your purchase. (That's equivalent to a KSB2 for 1/2 off :-) One $50 discount per K2 and KSB2/KAT2/KAT100 accessory order. (Order 2 K2s and 2 of the above accessories and get two discounts!) 2. Purchase a K1, KX1, XV Transverter (or a K2 without the above special) and get a free XG1 test oscillator. All of our customers who are not at Dayton can also get these specials from our web order form during Dayton (May18-21) and for at least the next 2 weeks. The $50 credit is shown as a checkbox option on the K2 web order form. (It is only valid if you purchase the K2 + one option listed above.) For K1, KX1 and XV purchases, order the XG1 and make a note about the free XG1 in the notes section of the on line order form and we will reduce the cost of your order by this amount. For those of you here at Dayton - See you tomorrow! 73, Eric and Wayne -- _..._ ___ 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: Dayton Specials!
One clarification: Only a KSB2 -or- a KAT2 -or- a KAT100 needs to be purchased with a K2 for the discount. 73, Eric Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ Elecraft wrote: I apologize for the delay getting this posted. We had an extremely busy day setting up the Dayton booth and I just got back to the room a few minutes ago.. Eric) Dayton Specials: 1. Purchase a K2 with a: KSB2, a KAT2 or a KAT100 and get $50 off your purchase. (That's equivalent to a KSB2 for 1/2 off :-) One $50 discount per K2 and KSB2/KAT2/KAT100 accessory order. (Order 2 K2s and 2 of the above accessories and get two discounts!) 2. Purchase a K1, KX1, XV Transverter (or a K2 without the above special) and get a free XG1 test oscillator. All of our customers who are not at Dayton can also get these specials from our web order form during Dayton (May18-21) and for at least the next 2 weeks. The $50 credit is shown as a checkbox option on the K2 web order form. (It is only valid if you purchase the K2 + one option listed above.) For K1, KX1 and XV purchases, order the XG1 and make a note about the free XG1 in the notes section of the on line order form and we will reduce the cost of your order by this amount. For those of you here at Dayton - See you tomorrow! 73, Eric and Wayne ___ 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
