Re: [Elecraft] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology

[Bill W5WVO]

Bill Tippett wrote:


(keyclicks and phase noise).  They're getting better but
IMHO they need to tone down the fluffiness in the QST
articles.


I agree. I find the articles themselves to be mostly non-critical rah-rah 
stuff that the Marketing Department at the radio company could just as well 
have written.



BTW Sherwood measured the SDR-5000's IMDDR3 at
5 kHz as 96 dB.  It's going to be a real horse race to see if
the K3 may top that but if not it should be very close.


I don't know what the test configuration of the SDR-5000 was -- I don't think 
it uses any discrete hardware roofing filters, does it? -- but Elecraft is 
already claiming that the IMDDR3 at 5 kHz spacing (400 Hz CW roofing filter) 
will be greater than 100 dB. (See K3 Specs page) I don't believe Eric would 
have let that spec be on a public web page unless he was pretty certain it 
would still be true when the final numbers come out.  :-)


Bill / W5WVO


___
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] Analog meter

[AJSOENKE]

I bet you could pick up an RCA Volt-Ohmyst (SP?)  for next to nothing.  
Probably one of the most popular bench top meters of all time.. . .  next  to 
the 
Heathkit jobs.  I just saw a post a few days ago for a digital with  an analog 
combined. I wouldn't bother if the analog part is a bargraph. get a  VTVM or 
FETVM with the D'arsonval meter. Old HP's are very good (accurate) but  not as 
portable.
 
Al WA6VNN



** See what's new at http://www.aol.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] Analog meter

[Ian Stirling]

On Sunday 30 September 2007 21:36:16 KBG Luxford wrote:
> I think the analog meter par excellence is the Avometer. 

  The Avometer has only one linear scale, as I remember.
All those cramped at one end AC scales on other meters
are clumsy by comparison. The 20,000 ohms/volt lack of
sensitivity can be overcome by modern high gain, high
impedance linear amplifiers for a particular range.
  I never owned one, but I used them often at school
when I was around 15 years old.
  Elegance par excellance.

Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962
--
___
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] Elecraft CW Net Report for September 30th & October 1st, 2007

[Kevin Rock]

Good Evening,
   A very wet, chilly one here.  Looks like that will not stop any time  
soon.  Today I was up at 3 AM to get ready for the walk, run, bike event  
begun and ended at the Nike campus in Beaverton, Oregon.  We took shifts  
as NCS for the event and while we were not on the air we kept track of the  
situation and the resources required.  Hypothermia and slippery pavement  
caused the most problems.  One railroad crossing bit a lot of bicyclists  
because of its angle in relation to the road.  Talk about pileups!  By the  
time I was cut loose and drove home I was pretty tired as all who checked  
in on the 20 meter net could attest.  Minutes after I signed off I was in  
bed and slept for a solid 90 minutes.  That gave me enough time to rest  
and eat before the second net.  I felt much better for that one.
   Even though forty meters had horrendous QRN for the folks in the  
Midwest I was able to pull out quite a few of you.  I did get some help  
from N0AR and KT5E with informational relays.  Thank you!  Sounds like the  
weather in Minnesota was as wet as it is here.  But then I got some 80  
temperatures from folks further east.  I had a chance to rip out the  
crushed part of my roof and replace the rafters this week.  Unfortunately  
I did not have enough time to do more than tack down the sheathing and  
cover it with a few layers of plastic.  I will insulate on the inside and  
hope for a few clear days so I can finish the exterior.  Even so it felt  
nice to get the job at least half way done.  Now I can collect wood while  
it rains and know Sam is warm and dry.


   On to the lists =>

On 14050.50 kHz at 2300z:
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K2 - 1031
W1WCG - Van - CT - K2 - 2634
K1THP - Dave - CT - K2 - 3942
K4JPN - Steve - GA - K2 - 1422 QNI #70
AA4NN - Joe - SC - K2 - 3751
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
N0SS - Tom - MO - K3 - 008
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138   QNI #70
NK6A - Don - CA - K2 - 1217
KS7D - Mike - FL - K2 - 4443
WA7BOC - Roger - WA - K2 - 755
K4DGW - Dave - VA - K2 - 5982
AB9V - Mike - IN - K2 - 3993

On 7045 kHz at 0200z:
N0SS - Tom - MO - K3 - 008
W6ZH - Pete - CA - K2 - 5138
W0CZ - Ken - ND - K2 - 1031
N7KRT - Jeff - NV - K2 - 5471
KG6UBG - Mike - CA - ?
N2YC - John - NY - K2 - 5949
AA4NN - Joe - SC - K2 - 3751   QNI #15!!
KL7CW - Rick - AK - KX1 - 798
N7RR - Bruce - WA - K1 - 833
N0BK - Bruce - MN - K2 - 3646
KT5E - Jay - CO - K2 - 5037
K6PJV - Dale - CA - K2 - 5345  QNI #40!!!
N0AR - Scott - MN - K2 - 4866
NK6A - Don - CA - K2 - 1217
AE6GC - Jack - CA - KX1 - 1403
WA7BOC - Roger - WA - K2 - 755
K1THP - Dave - CT - K2 - 3942
AB9V - Mike - IN - K2 - 3993
N6IJ -  pretty sure this was KG6UBG checking in again.

   A pretty good evening from what I can tell.  There may be some errors,  
I know there are some missing bits of data.  Please email me with both.  I  
hope to hear you all again so we can test propagation and our ears.  Thank  
you for the enjoyable evening.

   Until next week stay well,
  73,
 Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control 5th Class)







___
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] Analog meter

[Don Wilhelm]

Kevin,

I beg to differ with you.  While the 20,000 ohms per volt meters were 
great with vacuum tube circuits (except when attempting grid 
measurements), they will cause significant loading of many solid state 
circuits creating measurement errors.


A DMM or VTVM has an input impedance in the range of 10 to 11 megohms 
and will not usually cause significant loading.


There were several good quality VOMs available in the 60s having a 
20,000 ohm per volt specification.  Simpson, Tripplett and Avometer are 
among some of the names.  Great VOMs, but their usefulness with solid 
state circuits has diminished because of their relatively low impedance.


73,
Don W3FPR

KBG Luxford wrote:
I think the analog meter par excellence is the Avometer.  Avo was a 
British company that made avometers and tube testers.  I think that 
the company has been taken over by Megger.  Anyway, the Avometer has a 
sensitivity of 20,000 ohms per volt, a physically large scale with a 
mirror backing to avoid parallax errors.  Expensive new, but I got 
mine from that watery place for about $100 plus the petrol for a 60 
mile round trip to pick it up.


Incidentally, I would not be without my DMM and my AADE LC II meter 
(for measuring capacitance and inductance.)


73
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP
___
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] K2 Experience with SM-8 and Heil HM-I Microphones

[Don Wilhelm]

Doug,

You must decide how you want to wire the K2's microphone configuration 
header.


If you choose the Icom configuration, your Icom SM-8 microphone should 
work fine - just plug it in.  If you choose the Heil mic (any of the 
Heil mics), order the adapter that matches the way you have the K2 
microphone header wired - in other words, if you have the K2 wired for a 
Kenwood mic, order the Kenwood adapter, if you have the K2 wired for an 
Icom mic, order the Icom adapter, etc.


Whether you need a bias resistor from 5 volts to the AF pin depends on 
the mic element.  If it is a dynamic element, no resistor should be 
installed, but if it an electret element, you will need the bias resistor.


The two conditions - mic header wiring and the bias resistor are two 
separate issues - the wiring (except for the bias resistor) depend on 
the mic plug pinout, the bias resistor depends on the mic element type.


Most Heil mics for the Icom (-iC suffix) are electret types.  If you are 
not certain, an email to Bob Heil can clarify the element type.  For 
element types of the other transceiver manufacturers, your best resource 
is to ask the manufacturer of the microphone about the element type - we 
can guess, but guesses leave a degree of uncertainty.


73,
Don W3FPR

Doug Person wrote:
I'm just about complete with KSB2. I'm thinking of setting the K2 up 
for either the Icom SM-8 or the Heil HM-I mics.  Looking at the chart 
on page18 of the assembly manual - neither are listed.  Does anyone 
know if the setup for these mics is the same as the other Icom mics 
shown in Table 2?


Doug -- K0DXV


___
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] KX1 and Straight key

[Don Wilhelm]

Dave,

Wire it that way and set the menu to INP HND and it should work FB.

73,
Don W3FPR

Dave G. wrote:

This is  a second email... I didn't se the first one get to the list!!

I want to ise a Straigh (Hand) key with the KX-1\
I'm assuming the following...

Tip => hot
Sleeve => gnd

Am I correct??? I saw nothing in the Manual to indicate which way it goes

-
Dave G
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

Re: [Elecraft] KX1 and Straight key

[Joe-aa4nn]

That's the way it works on the K2.
No harm in trying it that way.
de Joe, aa4nn
- Original Message - 
From: "Dave G." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: 
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 10:03 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 and Straight key



This is  a second email... I didn't se the first one get to the list!!

I want to ise a Straigh (Hand) key with the KX-1\
I'm assuming the following...

Tip => hot
Sleeve => gnd

Am I correct??? I saw nothing in the Manual to indicate which way it goes

-
Dave G
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

Re: [Elecraft] K2 Experience with SM-8 and Heil HM-I Microphones

[Bob Boehmer]

Doug -

I just configured my K2 for a Heil HM-iC.

I bought the Heil Kenwood adapter cable for the mic.

On the mic configuration header:
connect  AF to mic pin 1 and install a 5.6K resistor from AF to 5V
connect PTT to mic pin 2
connect GND to mic pins 7 and 8

I left all other mic pins unconnected.

Works great.

73
Bob WB3FXC

On 9/30/07, Doug Person <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> I'm just about complete with KSB2. I'm thinking of setting the K2 up for
> either the Icom SM-8 or the Heil HM-I mics.  Looking at the chart on
> page18 of the assembly manual - neither are listed.  Does anyone know if
> the setup for these mics is the same as the other Icom mics shown in
> Table 2?
>
> Doug -- K0DXV
___
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] KX1 and Straight key

[Dave G.]

This is  a second email... I didn't se the first one get to the list!!

I want to ise a Straigh (Hand) key with the KX-1\
I'm assuming the following...

Tip => hot
Sleeve => gnd

Am I correct??? I saw nothing in the Manual to indicate which way it goes

-
Dave G
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] K2 Reception Improvement - DSP or AF filter?

[KBG Luxford]

Now that my K2 is on the air (CW only until I assemble the SSB adapter) 
I am thinking about some fruit salad.  The bands are pretty noisy at the 
moment - atmospheric, touch lamps, fluorescents, electrical storms et 
al.  Has anyone experience of both the K2 DSP and AF filter that could 
offer a comparison?


Many thanks and 73
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP
___
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] What's included with K3 Shipment?

[Fred (FL)]

Was wondering what all comes with a new
K3 kit or finished K3?

- Does it come with a Powerpole 13.8VDC pigtail
cable?  With Powerpole male connectors to
plug into the K3?

- Does the K3 have a 13.8VDC fuse, replaceable?
  Didn't see one on backside of K3 diagram?

Any other plugs or cable parts, ala Icom in
their rig "accessory pack"?

Fred, de N3CSY
2nd Prod, K3 order





   

Got a little couch potato? 
Check out fun summer activities for kids.
http://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=oni_on_mail&p=summer+activities+for+kids&cs=bz
 
___
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] Analog meter

[KBG Luxford]

I think the analog meter par excellence is the Avometer.  Avo was a 
British company that made avometers and tube testers.  I think that the 
company has been taken over by Megger.  Anyway, the Avometer has a 
sensitivity of 20,000 ohms per volt, a physically large scale with a 
mirror backing to avoid parallax errors.  Expensive new, but I got mine 
from that watery place for about $100 plus the petrol for a 60 mile 
round trip to pick it up.


Incidentally, I would not be without my DMM and my AADE LC II meter (for 
measuring capacitance and inductance.)


73
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP
___
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: FS: Elecraft T1 kit - new *SOLD*

[Andrew Moore]

My Elecraft T1 kit has been sold.

--Andrew


On 9/30/07, Andrew Moore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Elecraft T1-K
> 20 W standalone antenna tuner, new, unassembled.
> Current rev.  Bought it last month.
>
> $100 plus $5 to ship, within U.S.
>
> (Elecraft price is $135 plus shipping)
>
___
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] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology

[Bill Tippett]

WA6HHQ:

>I discussed the issue of the missing IMDDR3 numbers (Third Order Dynamic 
Range) with Michael Tracy at the ARRL a couple of weeks ago. I expressed 
my strong concern that they had dropped these from the review data and 
were only posting a footnote showing how to calculate them from the IMD 
level and MDS. I pointed out that we, and many others, use the IMDDR3 
numbers as the primary IMD Dynamic range comparison between rigs and 
that the IP3 numbers were not as useful for receiver comparisons, since 
they can artificially be inflated by turning on the attenuator, or 
making a receiver have low sensitivity (deaf).

I agree completely.  It was very surprising they omitted the IMD
numbers from the tables yet included them in the bar graphs at the
very front of the article.

>Also, the multi-level IP3 numbers were in direct response to requests to 
the ARRL from several members of the advisory group that Rob mentions 
below. 

I know W8JI who is on the group believes IP3 is simply
a subject of much confusion and abuse.  My guess is that
one of the European VHF guys in the group lobbied for this.  
But I agree it's mostly a meaningless theoretical number
better represented by measuring MDS and IMDDR3 separately.

>Michael Tracey and the ARRL test lab are above reproach in my opinion.

I agree completely but I wish more of his objectivity were 
shared by some of the folks writing the QST reviews.  I feel
some of Sherwood's criticisms are completely justified, but
this is of course not Michael's responsibility.  Rob also has
his own axe to grind at times so you have to take some
of what he says with a grain of salt.  I had an Orion for 4 
years and *never* heard the AGC hang artifact even though I 
spend 90% of my time on 160 meters where there are plenty 
of BIG QRN crashes.  Rob can also go a bit overboard into 
conspiracy theories about QST advertisers.  I don't buy that.

It sounds like ARRL responded appropriately.  I also
found it humorous that W1ZR in the very same issue was 
describing IMDDR3 and its importance yet it was omitted
in the FT-2000 tabes!  :-)  None of us is perfect.

On the plus side, I commend ARRL for gradually 
moving toward more realistic testing...such as posting 
2 kHz spaced measurements in the QST articles rather
than simply burying the data in an obscure graph in
the Expanded Test Reports.  Same for TX signal purity 
(keyclicks and phase noise).  They're getting better but 
IMHO they need to tone down the fluffiness in the QST
articles.  My personal favorite is G3SJX in RSGB's Radcom.
It would almost be worth the cost of joining RSGB just to get
his reviews.

BTW Sherwood measured the SDR-5000's IMDDR3 at 
5 kHz as 96 dB.  It's going to be a real horse race to see if 
the K3 may top that but if not it should be very close.

73,  Bill  W4ZV
___
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 - Best Practices - Optimization

[Don Wilhelm]

Drew,

When adjusting L34, the peak is quite broad and is difficult to 
determine exactly where to set it - if you can discern no difference, 
then set it somewhere between 1 and 2 turns in from the top and be done 
with it.   Even if you want to refine the setting, start with this 
'adjustment'.


When observing with Spectrogram, I find the best signal source is the 
7000 kHz birdie.  Set the bandwidth to 400 or 500 Hz, turn the preamp on 
and observe both the peak of the signal and the noise floor of the 
receiver (outside the receiver passband).  While the signal is still at 
its peak, you will find a point where the noise floor drops by a small 
amount.  If that ' best signal to noise ratio' is not found near the '1 
to turns in' setting you initially had, it is the wrong point.


As for the AGC Threshold setting, a small amount of difference between 
AGC on and AGC off is OK, but if the difference is large, decrease the 
AGC Threshold voltage from the 'standard' value of 3.8 volts.  Expect 
the S-meter response to change with each different setting of the 
Threshold level, and you will see more interaction between CAL S LO and 
CAL S HI.  If an S-9 response with a 50 uV input is important to you, 
then some 'playing' with the 3 settings (AGC Threshold, CAL S LO and CAL 
S HI) will be necessary.  If the AGC Threshold is set too low (usually 
below 3.65 volts), the S-meter readings may become quite 'squirrelly'.  
So you have 4 parameters that you must compromise with (the 3 above plus 
the S-9 response) - you may not be able to get them all to fall in line 
at your chosen AGC Threshold, and you will have to sacrifice one of 
them.  If you use between 3.75 and 3.8 volts as the AGC Threshold, you 
can usually get the others to fall in line - so take your pick.  That is 
the whole story as I know it.  Dave White recently posted a mod to 
increase the number of adjustment pots from one to 3 which can give more 
independent control over the AGC and S-meter settings.


73,
Don W3FPR

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

I'd like to know of a good procedure for the IF Alignment (L34). I
tried it with Spectrogram but I really don't see any definite "best"
alignment point; same for doing it by ear.

As for the AGC Threshold adjustment... I read somewhere (sorry, i
forget who) that you should adjust it just to the point where turning
on the AGC does not result in a reduction of low-level rcvr noise (no
antenna). I tried this and it makes for a really hot receiver.

73,
Drew
AF2Z



On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:30:40 -0400, David Wilburn wrote:

  
I have been using my K2 for a bit now.  I have done a couple of 
alignments on it, as I learned lessons what I did not get quite right 
previously.  I listen quite a bit more than I transmit.  I do ok around 
15wpm, but I'm not quite happy with where I am, so I listen and work on 
improving my copy.


I have followed Tom and Don's alignments with Spectrogram, as I do not 
have much in the way of test equipment.  I am at the point where I would 
like to go back through and try it again, and play with the settings a 
bit more, to get them to fit what I like, where I stayed near the 
defaults previously.  I do have the XG2, the wide band noise generator.


Additionally, I have played with the K2 quite a bit to understand how to 
best use it to pull in marginal signals.  This is where best practices 
would come in handy.  How do the folks that are more experienced, pull 
them in?


Has anyone done any write ups on optimizing the K2?  Anything on 
settings for best pulling in the signals?


Elecraft, thanks for the radio and the great forum.



___
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] FS: Elecraft AF1 audio filter - assembled - unused

[Andrew Moore]

Elecraft AF1 active audio filter.
Bought it new last month, assembled and tested, nice build quality.
I have no need for it.

Elecraft price $60 (unassembled) plus shipping
Your price $45 assembled and shipped (within U.S.)

--Andrew, NV1B
___
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] FS: Elecraft T1 kit - new

[Andrew Moore]

Elecraft T1-K
20 W standalone antenna tuner, new, unassembled.
Current rev.  Bought it last month.

$100 plus $5 to ship, within U.S.

(Elecraft price is $135 plus shipping)
___
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] Analog meter

[Don Wilhelm]

JT,

Most of the times that an analog meter is helpful is when making peaking 
adjustments to tuned circuits, so what you really need is a meter system 
that can detect and display the amplitude of an RF waveform - the 
following are suggestions:


For a *really* fast responding 'analog meter', use an oscilloscope - the 
vertical deflection represents the voltage - the advantage of the 
oscilloscope is that it can work at low RF voltage levels as well as 
higher levels.


Many DMMs have an "analog" bar graph display that is fast responding.  
Use in conjunction with an RF Probe.  An older VTVM will suffice instead 
of the DMM, but also will likely be used with an RF Probe in most 
cases.  Note that a VOM will not work very well because it loads the RF 
probe output significantly.


An analog meter SWR meter will measure the relative level of RF at the 
transmitter ouptut - the peak is easy to see when making adjustments.  
This one is already available in many hamshacks and will suffice nicely 
as long as the transmitter is working.


A very nice meter for measuring RF directly over a wide frequency range 
and from very low levels to quite high levels can be homebrewed - see 
the article from QST June 2001 page 38 titled 'Simple RF-Power 
Measurement' by Wes Hayward W7ZOI and Bob Larkin W7PUA.  Fitted with an 
analog meter, this instrument will measure from nanowatts to a 
milliwatt, and when used with a 30 dB coupler like the Elecraft CP1, the 
range can be extended up to about 10 watts, or with the 40 dB Tap that 
is shown in the article, the range goes up to 100 watts.  A very nice 
instrument indeed, but be careful to shield the input well, this is a 
VERY sensitive meter.


73,
Don W3FPR

JT Croteau wrote:

W3FPR and others frequently recommend good quality analog meters for
doing several alignment procedures and for performing countless tests.
 I'd like to get one but have no clue what to look for in this day and
age of digital test equipment.

Advice, recommendations please?

  

___
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] K rig's longevity?

[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft]

Retire at, or near 50? Are you kidding? (Wayne and I are both at the big 
five-o..)


I tried it once, back in my 30's, and went crazy after a year of goofing 
off. After a year I started another company. (Verisys, Inc.) I'm not 
planning on retiring for a very long time, if ever. My father is still 
happily working at 75, not because he has to, but because he loves his 
work and it keeps his mind young. I plan to be doing the same.


Elecraft is not venture capital backed and is fully owned by the 
founders, Wayne and myself. There are no external pressures to cash out. :-)


73, Eric   WA6HHQ
--



David Woolley wrote:

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

The other issue is that Elecraft is a small company and we have 
discovered, this week, that one of their founders is turning 50 and 
another key technician learned algebra in the late 1950s, it seems to 
me that a lot of the key personnel are reaching the point where they 
think about retirement.  As well as losing the product knowledge, 
founders of startup companies in that position often want to turn the 
value of the company into cash to fund their pensions.  To me, the K3 
could well be there in order to make the company sellable.

___
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] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology

[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft]

Hi Bill,

I discussed the issue of the missing IMDDR3 numbers (Third Order Dynamic 
Range) with Michael Tracy at the ARRL a couple of weeks ago. I expressed 
my strong concern that they had dropped these from the review data and 
were only posting a footnote showing how to calculate them from the IMD 
level and MDS. I pointed out that we, and many others, use the IMDDR3 
numbers as the primary IMD Dynamic range comparison between rigs and 
that the IP3 numbers were not as useful for receiver comparisons, since 
they can artificially be inflated by turning on the attenuator, or 
making a receiver have low sensitivity (deaf).


They agreed that they could add the IMDDR3 numbers back in explicitly in 
the data table for future reviews. There is no sinister plot here. :-) 
They absolutely did NOT remove them at the request of any manufacturer. 
Quite the opposite. They were almost unintentionally removed in the post 
lab test formatting at the layout level for the review to save space as 
the review was rushed to print. After discussing this with Michael and 
Joel Hallas, the reviews manager, they said that they would add them 
back in for future reviews.


Also, the multi-level IP3 numbers were in direct response to requests to 
the ARRL from several members of the advisory group that Rob mentions 
below. The primary reason for doing so, as mentioned in the sidebar of 
the FT-2000 review, was to show how some radios depart from the ideal 
IP3 curve at different levels. Personally, as I mentioned above, I feel 
that IP3, while useful for testing stand alone amplifier stages, is not 
useful for receiver comparisons. (Rob also alludes to this in his 
comments.) The same IMD level test is run for IMDDR3 and IP3. The IP3 
number is just calculated differently from the exact same IMD data. The 
best comparison still is the full IMD Dynamic range, IMDDR3, which can 
not be as easily manipulated by artificially changing a receiver's 
sensitivity, as it can for IP3. I can make the K2 have a huge IP3 by 
reducing its front end gain by another 10 dB. Would anyone want that? No.


The better test is to just take the signal generator level necessary to 
create an IMD product equal to the MDS, and compare that generator level 
to the MDS for the receiver. The net difference is the IMDDR3.


Michael Tracey and the ARRL test lab are above reproach in my opinion. 
They take great pains to try to make accurate and useful measurements of 
each rig, and they are ethical to an extreme. Michael spends an 
incredible amount of time and care making each set of test measurements. 
They do not change any data for big advertisers and they buy the rigs 
they test on the open market.  All of the recent changes were made as a 
result of input from the test advisory group that Rob is a member of. 
I'm sure there is still a lot of room for discussion and improvement of 
the tests they run, but the ARRL does a great service for the amateur 
community with their tests (as does Rob). Their ONLY goal with these 
latest changes is to make the data even more useful and repeatable 
between rigs.


73, Eric   WA6HHQ
-


Bill Tippett wrote:



Rob Sherwood gave his permission to post this on the
FT-2000 list.  Since that is public information I am posting
it here also.  BTW I agree with his comments on the "new"
methodology.

73,  Bill  W4ZV


What has gone wrong with the ARRL's new Product Reviews in QST?

For several years I participated as part of a group of hams who were 
trying to improve the testing of radios reviewed in QST.  Several 
reviews in the past had included questionable data on receiver 
performance.  A sincere effort was initiated to correct testing 
problems within the lab, and hopefully to also improve the "hands on" 
portion of the report.



What has changed in the ARRL reports?

Some of the changes are of minor interest, like measuring the noise 
figure of an HF radio.  Noise figure is generally used by VHF and UHF 
enthusiasts, but adding these data points certain hurts nothing.  Is 
noise figure, or noise floor, or sensitivity a significant issue in 
today's receivers?  The 75A-4 has an excellent noise floor, as 
reported in the January 2006 QST Annual Vintage Issue.  Few of us have 
such a quiet location that atmospheric and galactic noise don't 
overshadow the noise floor of a modern receiver.


What we did get was additional confusion in the ethereal world of 
third-order intercept (IP3), in place of real dynamic-range data.  The 
League used to measure it one way, then a second way, and now three 
ways.  Is this supposed to be helpful?  The old way (measured at the 
noise floor) was acceptable. The second way referenced an imprecise 
S5, now defined as -97 dBm, and a third new way at 0 dBm.  Zero dBm is 
really strong, something we don't likely ever see, unless we are 
working Field Day or Multi-Multi contests from near-by transmitters.  
(I am assuming we are not living i

[Elecraft] Fwd: new ARRL rx measurement methodology

[DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL]

Elecrafters:

Here is an email I received (check the date below) in response to my
query about the "new" testing methodology at ARRL.  Specifically, I
asked about how to interpret the "dbc" measurement now include with
the analysis.  I don't think they even answered the question I asked.
However, here is a bunch more "stuff" - interesting, if not all that
informative.

And I wonder why they "didn't have room to explain them as fully..."
One would think that when everything is turned on its head, that they
would MAKE the room. ?

de Doug KR2Q

-- Forwarded message --
From: Tracy, Michael,  KC1SX <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sep 18, 2007 10:00 AM
Subject: RE: new rx measurement methodology
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: "Wilson, Mark K1RO" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>


Hi Doug,

I'm glad you asked, as we changed a lot of things at once and I didn't
have room to explain them as fully as I could have otherwise.

In my August 2004 article on Product Review testing (recommended
reading - if you haven't seen it already, it is on the Product Reviews
web page), I said that blocking dynamic range is a measurement of the
difference from the noise floor to a level of a single strong offset
(in frequency) interferer that causes blocking (aka desense) in the
receiver.  I also said that receivers can behave one of two ways in
this test - either they will gain compress, or the receiver's local
oscillator noise will increase.  The latter effect is known as
reciprocal mixing because it is caused by the interferer (however
"clean" it might be) mixing with the receiver's LO.  Well, as it
happens both effects actually occur in every receiver, but one of them
tends to dominate.  In the earlier tests where reciprocal mixing
occurred, we reported the result as a noise limited BDR, with a number
that was somewhat nebulous because it wasn't actually blocking, and it
wasn't the standard method of measuring and reporting reciprocal
mixing.

Thanks to new measurement techniques, we can now measure gain
compression and reciprocal mixing independently, and report both.  The
blocking gain compression figure indicates how high above the noise
floor an interferer has to be to cause the receiver to reduce its
gain. The reciprocal mixing figure indicates how far below an
interfering signal the noise from the LO phase noise mixing occurs.

In the FT-2000D, on 20 meters with the preamp off, the noise floor is
-122 dBm.  The blocking gain compression at 20 kHz offset is 136 dB,
so the interferrer that caused gain compression is +14 dBm.  However,
the reciprocal mixing is -103 dB relative to the interferrer, so the
noise would be -89 dBm, which is far above the noise floor.  So in
this case, the reciprocal mixing dominates.  In fact, for all of the
blocking measurements on the FT-2000D, the reciprocal mixing dominates
over the gain compression.

For third order IMD dynamic range and intercept, we also chose to give
more information than in previous reviews.  Higher IP3s are actually
expected for higher input levels on most receivers, and the reason can
be seen in Figure C of the sidebar. Look at the third-order response
for the receiver input levels in the -30 dBm to -20 dBm range; rather
than a straight line (as seen at lower levels), the response is very
distorted, and by that I mean distorted from the "typical" response of
devices much simpler than receivers. This behavior is not new by any
means (the receiver used to produce fig. C is 1991 vintage), but
wasn't investigated fully until relatively recently. Even after we
found out about it, we struggled for some time on how to best report
it and finally decided to go with the format of the 2000D table.

As to what constitutes good or poor performance on IMD and IP3, it is
a little hard to say just yet, but will get easier as more new method
data becomes available.  The IMD dynamic range from past reviews was
based on the noise floor level.  In the new data, the noise floor
level is the first row in each set of frequencies/offsets.  In past
reviews (since 1993 anyway), the IP3 figure was actually calculated
from higher levels, corresponding to a "5" level on the receiver's
S-meter.  As all receivers are different, that didn't really give the
reader a direct comparison.  So we chose to use a level of the old
Collins (and ITU) standard for S5, which is -97 dBm.  The figures
based on this level are closest to past published IP3s.  The inclusion
of data based on a 0 dBm input level is entirely new, and was the
suggestion of several members of our advisory group.  Most folks will
never see interferers anywhere near that high, but folks near
broadcasters and in metropolitan areas certainly will (it is probably
not coincidence that one of our advisory folks lives on a hill about
20 miles from NYC).

73, Michael Tracy, KC1SX, Test Engineer
ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio
Tel: 860-594-0214
___
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: Elecraft@mailma

Re: [Elecraft] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology (LONG!)

[K4IA]

Ouch - I would say he nailed it!   I have serious issues with the AGC as 
handled by the Orion's DSP.

What  will the K3 offer?

k4ia
Craig "Buck"
Fredericksburg, Virginia USA  




** See what's new at http://www.aol.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] K rig's longevity?

[N2EY]

In a message dated 9/30/07 6:17:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:


> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> 
> > Will it be possible to keep a K2 working 35 years? I don't see why not, 
> given 
> > that almost all the parts are readily available, the documentation is wide 
> 
> > open and free, and expert assist is available from several sources. Plus 
> when 
> 
> Most of the documentation is closed, as, as you point out yourself, the 
> radio does a lot in software, and the software source isn't released; 
> not even the AuxBus protocol is documented. 

It's documented, just not publicly. That could always change.

 It's also the case that 
> 
> component substitution, including piggy backed surface mount parts, have 
> had to be made already.
> 
> The impact of the closed software is that, even if you can get the PIC 
> chips, you won't be able to program them.  Also, where the firmware has 
> restrictions for legal reasons, and these go away (e.g. the Thai 
> government permits use of additional amateur radio frequencies, or, on 
> my reading of the UK licence, and assuming the situation has arisen and 
> 
> Elecraft have actually complied, if a UK Novice gets a Full licence and 
> is therefore allowed to operate equipment that is not restricted, by 
> design, to authorised frequencies, the user may have trouble getting an 
> upgrade).
> 
> ncidentally, making the software public domain is not a good idea, as 
> it will be ineffective in the UK, and most other countries, with the, 
> probable, exception of the USAb, and doesn't allow one to restrict 
> implied warranties.  It's better to use a liberal and perpetual licence.
> 

WHich could happen in the future.

> The other issue is that Elecraft is a small company and we have 
> discovered, this week, that one of their founders is turning 50 and 
> another key technician learned algebra in the late 1950s, it seems to me 
> that a lot of the key personnel are reaching the point where they think 
> about retirement.

Heck, I'm 53, and I was thinking about retirement 20+ years ago!

  As well as losing the product knowledge, founders of 
> 
> startup companies in that position often want to turn the value of the 
> company into cash to fund their pensions.  To me, the K3 could well be 
> there in order to make the company sellable.  My experience of 
> innovative startups, where the founders sell out, is poor.  I've had to 
> leave my old ISP, because of the consequences of that.
> 

Of course that could happen.

But support of older products is an issue with *any* company nowadays. How 
many ham-rig manufacturers today give full support to rigs they made 20, 25, 
30, 
35 years ago? 

> From what I know of the hardware, I would be most worried about the K2 
> headphone jack, as it is not particularly generic and a known weak 
> point. 


 I'm also somewhat concerned about the relays.  They are almost 
> 
> impossible for an individual to source and they have a limited life, and 
> the KAT2, in particular, hits them hard.
> 

I didn't know they had a limited life - how many operations? What is the 
failure mode?

---

It should be remembered that in most cases, the way old rigs are kept alive 
is a
combination of:

- replacing old parts with new equivalents (orange drop caps replacing old 
wax-and-paper caps), 

- custom-making new parts to replace the old (usually done to mechanical 
pieces)

- finding old caches of parts (this is how I fixed a GE Fanuc Workmaster unit 
to program Series Six PLCs a few months ago)

- cannibalism of parts-rigs to keep good ones working. 

73 de Jim, N2EY



**
 See what's new at http://www.aol.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] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology (LONG!)

[Mike Fatchett W0MU]

> 
> When will the day come when the information in QST is more than a
> fluff review, and a free multi-page advertisement for the manufacturer?

When the magazine publishing costs are not paid for by the advertisers?

I can't wait to compare the K3 with my 2000 and 1000MP.

Mike W0MU
Sent using the Microsoft Entourage 2004 for Mac Test Drive.


___
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] K rig's longevity?

[Fred (FL)]

I'm sure there are computer savvy wizs in the
Elecraft community - with the ability to
"dis-assemble" the firmware in rigs like the
K2 and K3.  One would hope this is so, for the
sake of the long time longevity of our firware.

It would also require a unique close up and
personal hardware knowledge of these rigs,
and their chip sets.

Heaven forbid - but should the corporate airplane
go down in a hurricane, with all hands aboard -
who's to keep the Elecraft firmware alive? Ditto,
say a unfriendly takeover, by Yaseu, etc.?  Major
companies, are supposed to worry about such
rare happenings, for the customers sake.

PC CMOS BIOS is an example - which Phoenix Inc.,
did quite well at.  I believe I have the example
spelling right  ?

Fred, de N3CSY


  

Tonight's top picks. What will you watch tonight? Preview the hottest shows on 
Yahoo! TV.
http://tv.yahoo.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] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology (LONG!)

[Ed Rodriguez]

Thats is why new is not always the best, I keep my ft 736r for 6 meters and 
my knwd ts 950sdx, loaded with all the options for Hf.. and I hope the K3 
will out preform them all. as I expected with the FT 2000 which was a flop 
for me..
Keeping my fingers crossed, on the K3 , I am on the third waveBill 
thanks for your input..really appreciated...


de
Wp4o, Ed


- Original Message - 
From: "Bill Tippett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

To: 
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 7:08 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology (LONG!)





Rob Sherwood gave his permission to post this on the
FT-2000 list.  Since that is public information I am posting
it here also.  BTW I agree with his comments on the "new"
methodology.

73,  Bill  W4ZV


What has gone wrong with the ARRL's new Product Reviews in QST?

For several years I participated as part of a group of hams who were 
trying to improve the testing of radios reviewed in QST.  Several reviews 
in the past had included questionable data on receiver performance.  A 
sincere effort was initiated to correct testing problems within the lab, 
and hopefully to also improve the "hands on" portion of the report.


As time went on, however, it appeared to me that the group had become 
fixated on minutia, and at the same time the League was unwilling to look 
at real problems in new radios being offered to the amateur radio 
operator.  I have not contributed lately in the steering committee, as I 
felt I was banging my head against the wall.


Some of the nonsense coming out of the League has been around for a long 
time, like the following quote from the 2004 review of the Icom IC-7800. 
"I was able to hear calling US stations on back scatter that I don't 
believe I would have heard on the '930."  Did the reviewer bother to turn 
on his TS-930?  No, he just assumed he was hearing something unusual on 
the receiver being reviewed (or hyped) in QST.


Has anything improved in 2007?   The latest October review of the FT-2000D 
(200 watt version of the FT-2000 that was earlier reviewed in February) 
states the following: "Why would I need a 200 W transceiver?  After using 
it for a while, I was quite impressed with the extra punch the '2000D 
offered during routine CW and SSB contacts compared to the 100 W version." 
How could anyone tell a difference of 3 dB, especially compared to 
operation of the FT-2000 eight months ago?  This kind of reporting is 
drivel.


What has changed in the ARRL reports?

Some of the changes are of minor interest, like measuring the noise figure 
of an HF radio.  Noise figure is generally used by VHF and UHF 
enthusiasts, but adding these data points certain hurts nothing.  Is noise 
figure, or noise floor, or sensitivity a significant issue in today's 
receivers?  The 75A-4 has an excellent noise floor, as reported in the 
January 2006 QST Annual Vintage Issue.  Few of us have such a quiet 
location that atmospheric and galactic noise don't overshadow the noise 
floor of a modern receiver.


What we did get was additional confusion in the ethereal world of 
third-order intercept (IP3), in place of real dynamic-range data.  The 
League used to measure it one way, then a second way, and now three ways. 
Is this supposed to be helpful?  The old way (measured at the noise floor) 
was acceptable. The second way referenced an imprecise S5, now defined 
as -97 dBm, and a third new way at 0 dBm.  Zero dBm is really strong, 
something we don't likely ever see, unless we are working Field Day or 
Multi-Multi contests from near-by transmitters.  (I am assuming we are not 
living in Europe with their 5 megawatt AM broadcast transmitters.)


0 dBm is S9 + 73 dB, assuming any S meter reads that level accurately. 
(The Flex 5000A would actually do that.)  On my IC-781, 0 dBm reads S9 + 
50 with 30 dB of internal attenuation, or something like S9 + 80 dB with 
the attenuators off, if the S meter  would read that high, which is does 
not.  What happens when you put two 0 dBm signals into an IC-781 at 20 kHz 
spacing?  The IMD reads S9 + 18 dB.  At 2 kHz spacing the IMD reads S9 + 
60 dB!  The 781 is not a radio with performance problems, so what do these 
new and improved measurements really mean?


If you look at the FT-2000 chart for IP3 at 2 kHz with the preamp off, you 
see the IP3, measured at the noise floor, is -19 dBm.  This is not a good 
number, particularly since a Yaesu radio with "IPO" enabled (no preamp) is 
similar to most other radios with the 10 dB attenuator enabled.  Yet if 
you measure the FT-2000 at 0 dBm, the IP3 calculates out to +15 dBm, which 
sounds good.  This new information is meaningless at best, or misleading 
at its worst.  Why is the IP3 so high at 0 dBM?  Because the 
inter-modulation is so strong (S9 + 60 dB) the AGC has basically turned 
the gain of the radio off.


Most operators will run an FT-2000 with preamp 1 enabled, since it gives a 
reasonable noise floor, sen

Re: [Elecraft] K rig's longevity?

[Matthew Zilmer]

Since I hardly ever post here, I have no guilt over doing so on this
moderately controversial topic.

Many software houses and embedded systems outfits make their software
components available, only in the event of their demise, via escrow.
Typically the escrowed software follows the comapny's assets as it is
bought and sold.  But it also may be released into the public domain
or to a specific customer  if the company's assets exceed its
liabilities and no entity rescues it.  "Going out of business" is the
term I was looking for

Escrow into the public domain is not typical, because most companies
that fold still have residual assets, and usually someone buys them at
fire sale prices.  Many valuable [not market value, but value to
each/any of the users] assets like this are locked up in "IP Farms",
where IP = intellectual property.  That's usually not good for a large
user base, but it's reality.  I believe the escrow writer can specify
that the asset(s) may be disposed of in a certain way, and that this
spec follows the asset(s) forever.  But I've also heard of IP houses
getting around this and locking the door forever.

We used escrow and trade secret modes at a very interesting little
crypto house I worked at a few years ago.  Some of the agencies we did
work for insisted on certain terms and conditions, and that the design
disclosure include all data/specs on all components needed to
reproduce the design in its entirety.  All of the stuff that wasn't
deliverable in the contract was held in escrow.

Escrow may be a possibility for Elecraft, but they'd have to look into
it.  I have a feeling they're staying a little too busy to take the
time.

matt zilmer, WA6EGJ
K2, s/n 2810
Upland, CA.

==

On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 23:16:04 +0100, you wrote:

>[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
>> Will it be possible to keep a K2 working 35 years? I don't see why not, 
>> given 
>> that almost all the parts are readily available, the documentation is wide 
>> open and free, and expert assist is available from several sources. Plus 
>> when 
>
>Most of the documentation is closed, as, as you point out yourself, the 
>radio does a lot in software, and the software source isn't released; 
>not even the AuxBus protocol is documented.  It's also the case that 
>component substitution, including piggy backed surface mount parts, have 
>had to be made already.
>
>The impact of the closed software is that, even if you can get the PIC 
>chips, you won't be able to program them.  Also, where the firmware has 
>restrictions for legal reasons, and these go away (e.g. the Thai 
>government permits use of additional amateur radio frequencies, or, on 
>my reading of the UK licence, and assuming the situation has arisen and 
>Elecraft have actually complied, if a UK Novice gets a Full licence and 
>is therefore allowed to operate equipment that is not restricted, by 
>design, to authorised frequencies, the user may have trouble getting an 
>upgrade).
>
>Incidentally, making the software public domain is not a good idea, as 
>it will be ineffective in the UK, and most other countries, with the, 
>probable, exception of the USAb, and doesn't allow one to restrict 
>implied warranties.  It's better to use a liberal and perpetual licence.
>
>The other issue is that Elecraft is a small company and we have 
>discovered, this week, that one of their founders is turning 50 and 
>another key technician learned algebra in the late 1950s, it seems to me 
>that a lot of the key personnel are reaching the point where they think 
>about retirement.  As well as losing the product knowledge, founders of 
>startup companies in that position often want to turn the value of the 
>company into cash to fund their pensions.  To me, the K3 could well be 
>there in order to make the company sellable.  My experience of 
>innovative startups, where the founders sell out, is poor.  I've had to 
>leave my old ISP, because of the consequences of that.
>
> From what I know of the hardware, I would be most worried about the K2 
>headphone jack, as it is not particularly generic and a known weak 
>point.  I'm also somewhat concerned about the relays.  They are almost 
>impossible for an individual to source and they have a limited life, and 
>the KAT2, in particular, hits them hard.

___
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] Sherwood on ARRL Testing Methodology (LONG!)

[Bill Tippett]

Rob Sherwood gave his permission to post this on the
FT-2000 list.  Since that is public information I am posting
it here also.  BTW I agree with his comments on the "new"
methodology.

73,  Bill  W4ZV


What has gone wrong with the ARRL's new Product Reviews in QST?

For several years I participated as part of a group of hams who were 
trying to improve the testing of radios reviewed in QST.  Several 
reviews in the past had included questionable data on receiver 
performance.  A sincere effort was initiated to correct testing 
problems within the lab, and hopefully to also improve the "hands on" 
portion of the report.


As time went on, however, it appeared to me that the group had become 
fixated on minutia, and at the same time the League was unwilling to 
look at real problems in new radios being offered to the amateur 
radio operator.  I have not contributed lately in the steering 
committee, as I felt I was banging my head against the wall.


Some of the nonsense coming out of the League has been around for a 
long time, like the following quote from the 2004 review of the Icom 
IC-7800.  "I was able to hear calling US stations on back scatter 
that I don't believe I would have heard on the '930."  Did the 
reviewer bother to turn on his TS-930?  No, he just assumed he was 
hearing something unusual on the receiver being reviewed (or hyped) in QST.


Has anything improved in 2007?   The latest October review of the 
FT-2000D (200 watt version of the FT-2000 that was earlier reviewed 
in February) states the following: "Why would I need a 200 W 
transceiver?  After using it for a while, I was quite impressed with 
the extra punch the '2000D offered during routine CW and SSB contacts 
compared to the 100 W version."  How could anyone tell a difference 
of 3 dB, especially compared to operation of the FT-2000 eight months 
ago?  This kind of reporting is drivel.


What has changed in the ARRL reports?

Some of the changes are of minor interest, like measuring the noise 
figure of an HF radio.  Noise figure is generally used by VHF and UHF 
enthusiasts, but adding these data points certain hurts nothing.  Is 
noise figure, or noise floor, or sensitivity a significant issue in 
today's receivers?  The 75A-4 has an excellent noise floor, as 
reported in the January 2006 QST Annual Vintage Issue.  Few of us 
have such a quiet location that atmospheric and galactic noise don't 
overshadow the noise floor of a modern receiver.


What we did get was additional confusion in the ethereal world of 
third-order intercept (IP3), in place of real dynamic-range 
data.  The League used to measure it one way, then a second way, and 
now three ways.  Is this supposed to be helpful?  The old way 
(measured at the noise floor) was acceptable. The second way 
referenced an imprecise S5, now defined as -97 dBm, and a third new 
way at 0 dBm.  Zero dBm is really strong, something we don't likely 
ever see, unless we are working Field Day or Multi-Multi contests 
from near-by transmitters.  (I am assuming we are not living in 
Europe with their 5 megawatt AM broadcast transmitters.)


0 dBm is S9 + 73 dB, assuming any S meter reads that level 
accurately.  (The Flex 5000A would actually do that.)  On my IC-781, 
0 dBm reads S9 + 50 with 30 dB of internal attenuation, or something 
like S9 + 80 dB with the attenuators off, if the S meter  would read 
that high, which is does not.  What happens when you put two 0 dBm 
signals into an IC-781 at 20 kHz spacing?  The IMD reads S9 + 18 
dB.  At 2 kHz spacing the IMD reads S9 + 60 dB!  The 781 is not a 
radio with performance problems, so what do these new and improved 
measurements really mean?


If you look at the FT-2000 chart for IP3 at 2 kHz with the preamp 
off, you see the IP3, measured at the noise floor, is -19 dBm.  This 
is not a good number, particularly since a Yaesu radio with "IPO" 
enabled (no preamp) is similar to most other radios with the 10 dB 
attenuator enabled.  Yet if you measure the FT-2000 at 0 dBm, the IP3 
calculates out to +15 dBm, which sounds good.  This new information 
is meaningless at best, or misleading at its worst.  Why is the IP3 
so high at 0 dBM?  Because the inter-modulation is so strong (S9 + 60 
dB) the AGC has basically turned the gain of the radio off.


Most operators will run an FT-2000 with preamp 1 enabled, since it 
gives a reasonable noise floor, sensitivity and AGC threshold. Yet no 
information is available with this typical setting for the newly 
touted IP3 reporting method, which at 2 kHz would be about -30 dBm 
for the League's sample.  (The FT-2000 I measured was considerably 
worse.) To get a meaningful dynamic-range number, the reader now has 
to subtract two numbers.  Why is this important data now missing, or 
at least obfuscated?  Could it be the big advertisers in QST didn't 
like seeing 2 kHz dynamic-range numbers that are typically around 70 
dB? Only the League could take 

Re: [Elecraft] K rig's longevity?

[David Woolley]

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Will it be possible to keep a K2 working 35 years? I don't see why not, given 
that almost all the parts are readily available, the documentation is wide 
open and free, and expert assist is available from several sources. Plus when 


Most of the documentation is closed, as, as you point out yourself, the 
radio does a lot in software, and the software source isn't released; 
not even the AuxBus protocol is documented.  It's also the case that 
component substitution, including piggy backed surface mount parts, have 
had to be made already.


The impact of the closed software is that, even if you can get the PIC 
chips, you won't be able to program them.  Also, where the firmware has 
restrictions for legal reasons, and these go away (e.g. the Thai 
government permits use of additional amateur radio frequencies, or, on 
my reading of the UK licence, and assuming the situation has arisen and 
Elecraft have actually complied, if a UK Novice gets a Full licence and 
is therefore allowed to operate equipment that is not restricted, by 
design, to authorised frequencies, the user may have trouble getting an 
upgrade).


Incidentally, making the software public domain is not a good idea, as 
it will be ineffective in the UK, and most other countries, with the, 
probable, exception of the USAb, and doesn't allow one to restrict 
implied warranties.  It's better to use a liberal and perpetual licence.


The other issue is that Elecraft is a small company and we have 
discovered, this week, that one of their founders is turning 50 and 
another key technician learned algebra in the late 1950s, it seems to me 
that a lot of the key personnel are reaching the point where they think 
about retirement.  As well as losing the product knowledge, founders of 
startup companies in that position often want to turn the value of the 
company into cash to fund their pensions.  To me, the K3 could well be 
there in order to make the company sellable.  My experience of 
innovative startups, where the founders sell out, is poor.  I've had to 
leave my old ISP, because of the consequences of that.


From what I know of the hardware, I would be most worried about the K2 
headphone jack, as it is not particularly generic and a known weak 
point.  I'm also somewhat concerned about the relays.  They are almost 
impossible for an individual to source and they have a limited life, and 
the KAT2, in particular, hits them hard.


--
David Woolley
Emails are not formal business letters, whatever businesses may want.
RFC1855 says there should be an address here, but, in a world of spam,
that is no longer good advice, as archive address hiding may not work.
___
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] Analog meter

[Jim Wiley]

JT -


One of the best analog voltmeters is the Hewlett Packard 427A.  It is 
functionally similar to the "standard" VTVM of vacuum tube days, with 
better accuracy and the bonus of some low-volts ranges.  An excellent 
buy, and there are a couple on eBay right now for very reasonable 
prices.   Here is one of them:  eBay item number 250159852289.  There 
are others listed as well.



I have 2 of these and use them frequently, and as others have said, an 
analog instrument is hard to beat for tuning up the various stages in a 
transceiver.



Standard disclaimers apply - no connection to seller, etc.


- Jim, KL7CC


___
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] K3 RS232 port, "KEY"?

[Doug Faunt N6TQS +1-510-655-8604]

I see in the K3 FAQ that DTR and/or RTS on the RS232 I/F can be
assigned to "KEY".

Does anyone happen to know if this includes FSK keying, when in that
mode?  If not, it ought to.

73, doug


___
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 Experience with SM-8 and Heil HM-I Microphones

[Doug Person]

I'm just about complete with KSB2. I'm thinking of setting the K2 up for 
either the Icom SM-8 or the Heil HM-I mics.  Looking at the chart on 
page18 of the assembly manual - neither are listed.  Does anyone know if 
the setup for these mics is the same as the other Icom mics shown in 
Table 2?


Doug -- K0DXV
___
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] K rig's longevity?

[Phil Kane]

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007 19:11:01 -0400, JT Croteau wrote:

> I have seen many great products that end up dying a useless
>death because code was sold to people who never did anything
>with it.

  I fear that about the very same mail client that I am using to
  post this message.  PMMail started as a mail client designed by
  two graduate students for the IBM OS/2 operating system which I
  was running at the time.  It was head and shoulders above
  anything available at the time in features and ease of use.
  Because of the popularity of the Windows operating systems,
  they ported it to that platform several years later.  They also
  developed a news reader for OS/2 that had the same "look and
  feel" as the mail client but never ported it to Windows, and
  arranged sales of their products through a specific distributor
  which eventually got the rights to the programs.

  After they graduated from college and lost interest in
  developing future versions, they went their own ways and there
  hasn't been any upgrades in the last four years.  Rumor has it
  that they have sold the source code for their OS/2 product to
  an individual who may or may not rewrite it - I stopped using
  the OS/2 platform several years ago.  No upgrades to the
  Windows product is expected, nor a port of the newsreader to
  the Windows platform.  As a result I have had to migrate to
  Forte Agent, a top-of-the-line newsreader, but it doesn't have
  all the features that the OS/2 newsreader had.

  With the plethora of mail clients available, why an I sticking
  to this program?  It has two features that I haven't found in
  any of the other programs - it saves messages as individual
  text messages rather than buried in a data base, and it
  permits the use of an external text editor for both composing
  and reading messages.

  Will the same thing happen with our K-line gear?  I certainly
  hope not.

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



___
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] what you can work on a dead band

[DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL]

Around 1730z today I was wasting some time, tuning around the bands
hearing a lot of hiss and some TQP guys.  Then I heard someone saying
NA up 2.  He was rather weak here.  After a few exchanges, he gave his
call - it was a 5R8.

Well, I gave him a call and at first he got KP2Q but that was quickly
corrected to KR2Q.  Wow...  After doing QRP DXing and contesting for
over 20 years, this stuff still amazes me.

And yes, it was a K2 at 4 watts output.

Neat.

de Doug KR2Q
___
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] Analog meter

[JT Croteau]

W3FPR and others frequently recommend good quality analog meters for
doing several alignment procedures and for performing countless tests.
 I'd like to get one but have no clue what to look for in this day and
age of digital test equipment.

Advice, recommendations please?

Thanks

-- 
JT Croteau, N1ESE - Manchester, NH (FN42gx)
___
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 - Best Practices - Optimization

[drewko1]

I'd like to know of a good procedure for the IF Alignment (L34). I
tried it with Spectrogram but I really don't see any definite "best"
alignment point; same for doing it by ear.

As for the AGC Threshold adjustment... I read somewhere (sorry, i
forget who) that you should adjust it just to the point where turning
on the AGC does not result in a reduction of low-level rcvr noise (no
antenna). I tried this and it makes for a really hot receiver.

73,
Drew
AF2Z



On Sun, 30 Sep 2007 12:30:40 -0400, David Wilburn wrote:

>I have been using my K2 for a bit now.  I have done a couple of 
>alignments on it, as I learned lessons what I did not get quite right 
>previously.  I listen quite a bit more than I transmit.  I do ok around 
>15wpm, but I'm not quite happy with where I am, so I listen and work on 
>improving my copy.
>
>I have followed Tom and Don's alignments with Spectrogram, as I do not 
>have much in the way of test equipment.  I am at the point where I would 
>like to go back through and try it again, and play with the settings a 
>bit more, to get them to fit what I like, where I stayed near the 
>defaults previously.  I do have the XG2, the wide band noise generator.
>
>Additionally, I have played with the K2 quite a bit to understand how to 
>best use it to pull in marginal signals.  This is where best practices 
>would come in handy.  How do the folks that are more experienced, pull 
>them in?
>
>Has anyone done any write ups on optimizing the K2?  Anything on 
>settings for best pulling in the signals?
>
>Elecraft, thanks for the radio and the great forum.

___
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] DSP Shape Factor and Weak Signals

[Greg]

Barry,

The K3 has a great tool similar to this.  Its called a dual pass band filter
but a better description may be a context filter.  The firs 20dB or so is
narrow but the the skirt widens out below that.

73
Greg
AB7R


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Barry N1EU
Sent: Sunday, September 30, 2007 4:50 AM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] DSP Shape Factor and Weak Signals


My experience with low band dx'ing on the Orion concurs with W4ZV's -
particularly in noisy conditions.  Instead of using a steep skirted
400hz filter, I found that using a broad skirted but nominally
narrower (100-150hz) filter in DSP consistently did a better job
pulling the weak sigs out of high noise on the Orion.

Will the K3 afford adjustability of the DSP filter shape?

73,
Barry N1EU
___
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] OT-Bug Wanted

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

They're usually available from e-bay at prices well under $100, especially
if you're not looking for museum quality condition. Both Vibroplex and Les
Logan's Speed-X designs turn up there regularly. 

Of course you can buy a variety of brand new Vibroplex bugs on-line at
www.vibroplex.com. 

Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
Looking to pick up a bug ... mine was stolen during a move.  It can be
dirty, 
dented, etc. - not for cellection purposes or resale, I need a way to
torture 
myself and the op on the other side of the QSO.

Thanks

73 - k3hrn
Thom,EIEIO

___
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 - Best Practices - Optimization

[David Wilburn]

I have been using my K2 for a bit now.  I have done a couple of 
alignments on it, as I learned lessons what I did not get quite right 
previously.  I listen quite a bit more than I transmit.  I do ok around 
15wpm, but I'm not quite happy with where I am, so I listen and work on 
improving my copy.


I have followed Tom and Don's alignments with Spectrogram, as I do not 
have much in the way of test equipment.  I am at the point where I would 
like to go back through and try it again, and play with the settings a 
bit more, to get them to fit what I like, where I stayed near the 
defaults previously.  I do have the XG2, the wide band noise generator.


Additionally, I have played with the K2 quite a bit to understand how to 
best use it to pull in marginal signals.  This is where best practices 
would come in handy.  How do the folks that are more experienced, pull 
them in?


Has anyone done any write ups on optimizing the K2?  Anything on 
settings for best pulling in the signals?


Elecraft, thanks for the radio and the great forum.
--

David Wilburn
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
K4DGW
K2 #5982

___
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] Strange new drift on my K2

[JT Croteau]

Drew,

Have you ruled out the simple obvious?  Felt washer is no longer
putting enough friction on the VFO knob to keep it still?

-- 
JT Croteau, N1ESE - Manchester, NH (FN42gx)
___
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] DSP Shape Factor and Weak Signals

[Lyle Johnson]

Question for Lyle or whoever might know...does the K3 DSP
allow for easy adjustment of the tap setting?  


There are several ways to get this effect.  Altering the tap settings 
may be one way.


The K3 initial firmware provides two features that may be used to 
achieve a similar effect.


The first is to set the wider bandwidth using the WIDTH control, then 
turn on NR (noise reduction).  If the band is quiet, this will result in 
suppression of noise.  When a signal appears, NR essentially builds a 
low tap count filter around it, so you get much of the effect you're 
referring to.  Of course, the narrower the WIDTH setting, the less 
effect NR will have.


If the band is crowded, you can use the dual passband feature (sometimes 
referred to as focus and context filtering) to emphasize the signal near 
the sidetone pitch you prefer while still allowing you to hear - at 
reduced gain - nearby frequencies.


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

Re: [Elecraft] Strange new drift on my K2

[Vic K2VCO]

Andrew Moore wrote:


When I let go of
the main tuning dial, within seconds the frequency starts climbing up
the band at a rate of about 100 Hz every 10 seconds (rough estimate).


There *was* a problem like this with an old version of the firmware. If 
this is the cause you can update the firmware or make a simple hardware 
mod. See .

--
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] Best CW Pitch???

[drewko1]

Ok, I've recorded several sets of filter settings for different
sidetone/offsets, so now I can change them in about a minute. Doing
this shouldn't be a problem for the rig, right?

If you wanted to you could put one set of filters in the CW Normal
slots and another set in the CW Rev slots. I suppose for the CW Rev
filters you could put the BFO on the 'wrong' side of center and you
would then have two sets of filters, two different sidetone/offsets,
both CW Norm, right? Not sure I'd really want to do that; just
wondering.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007 16:33:53 -0400, Don W3FPR wrote:

>Drew,
>
>Like other things in life, one often must make compromises.  That 
>compromise would ideally be made based on your preferences and with 
>knowledge of what is best for certain conditions.
>
>We know that low pitches are better for the brain to separate two 
>different pitches (a signal in QRM), and we also know that very high 
>speed CW operators like a higher pitch because it is easier to discern 
>the code elements.  If you belong to either group, your choice is 
>obvious, but I believe for most, the compromise using the Elecraft 
>default of 600 Hz makes sense - but you can change it for any reason if 
>you have a desire to do that.
>
>I have heard that weak signal operators (i.e. EME) like to use a wide 
>bandwidth, but I have not heard about a preferred pitch.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR

___
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] Strange new drift on my K2

[Andrew Moore]

I recently noticed some drift on my K2, but it's not happening the way
I'd expect.

This morning it happened again, as follows.

I turned the K2 on the K2 with volume turned down almost completely
and left it that way for a couple hours, tuned to 7040 kHz.  Then I
turned volume up to a normal listening level and immediately tuned
down to a CW signal at 7024 kHz.

Tuning resolution was set rather course at 100 Hz.  When I let go of
the main tuning dial, within seconds the frequency starts climbing up
the band at a rate of about 100 Hz every 10 seconds (rough estimate).

I changed tuning step to 1000 Hz, and the apparent drift kept
happening, but this time in a 1000 Hz step *within the same time
period as before*.

It's almost as if my encoder is drifting... not the radio.

After a few minutes things seemed to stabilize.

I just tweaked the main dial again, and drift started, this time in
the other direction.

The rig seems to go into these drift fits only when I tweak the knob.

I've never seen this behavior on my K2 before.  It's been very stable
since I built it more than two years ago (serial number 4958).

A couple weeks ago I did a very thorough realignment of everything
(peaked inductors and caps, tuned filters, calibrated S meter,
measured MDS, etc.) using test oscillator and calibrated noise
generators ('til I fried my N-gen.. D'oh!).  Top to bottom tune-up.
I'd swear it sounded better than ever -- or maybe that was just the
conditions on 40... but this drift seems to coincide roughly with that
realignment.  Maybe a complete coincidence.

Help?

--Andrew, NV1B
___
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] OT-Bug Wanted

[Thom LaCosta]

Looking to pick up a bug ... mine was stolen during a move.  It can be dirty, 
dented, etc. - not for cellection purposes or resale, I need a way to torture 
myself and the op on the other side of the QSO.


Thanks

73 - k3hrn
Thom,EIEIO
Email, Internet, Electronic Information Officer

www.baltimorehon.com/Home of the Baltimore Lexicon
www.tlchost.net/hosting/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
___
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] DSP Shape Factor and Weak Signals

[Barry N1EU]

My experience with low band dx'ing on the Orion concurs with W4ZV's -
particularly in noisy conditions.  Instead of using a steep skirted
400hz filter, I found that using a broad skirted but nominally
narrower (100-150hz) filter in DSP consistently did a better job
pulling the weak sigs out of high noise on the Orion.

Will the K3 afford adjustability of the DSP filter shape?

73,
Barry N1EU
___
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] K3 status Update - Sept. 29, 2007

[Thom LaCosta]

On Sat, 29 Sep 2007, JT Croteau wrote:


Ya know, I've been wanting an Elecraft rig for the past 6 to 7 years
and have been following the reflector for much of that time.  With all
the excitement and joy in building my first K2, accessories, and test
equipment over these past few months, I forgot that you had this
database.


It's kinda handy...you can search by call, by city, etc.  I've used it a few 
times to try and find some local K2 owners.




I'm off to make my entry.

BTW, where'd I put that redneck translator for Eric's latest update?  *grin*


Yew can fin` one cheer:

http://www.rednecktranslator.com/convert.php

73 - k3hrn
Thom,EIEIO
Email, Internet, Electronic Information Officer

www.baltimorehon.com/Home of the Baltimore Lexicon
www.tlchost.net/hosting/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
___
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] Testing

[R. Kevin Stover]

-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-
Hash: SHA1

Just a test. I haven't received any mail for the last day or so.

- --
R. Kevin Stover, ACØH
-BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-
Version: GnuPG v1.4.7 (MingW32)
Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org

iD8DBQFG/3ic11jxjloa2wsRAsHbAKCG3BX0gpx6W+TiXiJsbRgL4pfBeQCg0BWm
lL1J3PIjwBv51Ub2Na9vwOI=
=FZTT
-END PGP SIGNATURE-
___
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] DSP Shape Factor and Weak Signals

[Bill Tippett]

This is a little related to the previous CW Pitch discussion.
I sometimes also like a wide bandwidth and/or wide shape factor
when listening to weak signals.  Orion's DSP had the ability to
change the DSP filter tap settings which had the effect of widening
the shape factor.  I notice the same effect has been mentioned by
the Flex Radio guys.  See the Thread titled "[Flexradio] Lower DSP
Buffer for SSB Receiving Weak Sigs" below:

http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/

Question for Lyle or whoever might know...does the K3 DSP
allow for easy adjustment of the tap setting?  If so, can this be
adjusted from the front panel with one of the PF keys?

73,  Bill  W4ZV

  


___
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: K3 Manual in 7 - 10 days

[Simon Brown (HB9DRV)]

We were born on the same day, just different continents. I used to think 50 
was old - very old. Now when I attend conventions I get the feeling that I'm 
one of the youngest there.


The advantage of getting older is having more money for radios, downside is 
needing to wear glasses to read the manuals and buttons on the faceplate 
(hint hint)!


I'll raise a glass or two of good Erdinger in the general direction of the 
west coast on Tuesday.


Simon Brown, HB9DRV

- Original Message - 
From: "wayne burdick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>


... Tuesday, when I'm taking half a day off. I'm turning 50 that day, and 
I've earned a little break  :)


___
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