Re: [Elecraft] P3 Frequency display
Alan Bloom wrote: I think the PowerMate must be using UP and DN commands to tune the K3 up and down. Currently the K3 does not send updated frequency information to the P3 when receiving those commands. This is on Wayne's bug list. Yes, that's exactly what it (or rather KTune) does. - Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. * G4ILO's Shack - http://www.g4ilo.com * KComm - http://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html * KTune - http://www.g4ilo.com/ktune.html -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/P3-Frequency-display-tp6212996p6214321.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Not hearing signals in K2 with EC2 enclosure KPA100/KAT100 combo
On the weekend, I picked up a nice K2 set - a K2 with internal tuner and battery, plus the remoting of the KAT100 and KPA100 built into an EC2 enclosure. All set up for QRP in field/portabl/patio or full 100 watts in the shack. But an odd thing... this all came from a very reliable ham (a techical guy of long standing circa. 1957 onward) and it was built according to the KK7P web page guidelines, with a printout of Lyle's pages on this from the web site. It does NOT hear RF signals when in the paired mode with amp/tuner connected. I have it set up as per the photos.. with DB9 cable between the I/O Aux jacks on the PA/KAT and the base K2, and antenna attaches to ANT 1 UHF jack on the PA/KAT box. I hear RF fine if I put the antenna line on the basic K2 BNC Antenna 1 jack, but nothing heard in the full setup. I read the pages.. it seems the K2 is to have the tuner set at CAL from what I read, but whether in CAL or in Auto.. I still get nothing heard. I am assuming the RF somehow, somewhere passes from the K2 to the PA/KAT via this IO Aux line? Any ideas...? I figured it would be all ready to go.. sort of direct from his shack table onto mine, but something seems amiss. tnx Brien VE3VAW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [KX1] A LiFePO4 internal battery option
I've been using the Powergenix NiZn cells too, and they do give a usefully higher pack voltage than even the Energizer Lithium AA cells. They are not as easy to manage as Nimh cells, however. You have to use the supplied charger with them, which seems not to initiate recharging unless the cell is significantly drained. This makes it hard to keep them topped up. It also seems to be hard to discover the state of a given cell since the open circuit voltage does not fall much when nearing depletion. Their total capacity under load appears to be quite a bit less than their ratings. Basically there isn't enough information about their characteristics or charging requirements to manage them optimally. Maybe that will change with time, but they don't seem to be catching on, since I've found them at Tuesday Morning stores, which seems to be where many failing products go to die. Chip AE5KA On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 12:30 AM, Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU le...@wa5znu.org wrote: Those are 6.6v, so I guess you use a pair? I've been using LiFePO4 in a lot of things, but haven't seen these that fit in the KX1. At 700mAH they're a bit small, but the constant operating voltage is nice. You might take a look at these, which are available at Fry's and Amazon: http://www.powergenix.com/?q=products/nizn-quick-charger At 1.8v charged you get almost 11v out of 6 of them in the existing AA slots. Of course, you have to remove them to charge. The self discharge isn't as good as LiFePO4 but it's not bad either. Leigh/WA5ZNU -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX1-A-LiFePO4-internal-battery-option-tp6213539p6213762.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Not hearing signals in K2 with EC2 enclosure KPA100/KAT100 combo
Brian, Do you have a BNC cable between the QRP antenna jack (or ANT1 of the KAT2) and the RF in jack of the KAT100? That is where the RF must flow - RF does not flow on any of the lines in the AUX I/O cable. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 8:28 AM, Brian Pepperdine wrote: On the weekend, I picked up a nice K2 set - a K2 with internal tuner and battery, plus the remoting of the KAT100 and KPA100 built into an EC2 enclosure. All set up for QRP in field/portabl/patio or full 100 watts in the shack. But an odd thing... this all came from a very reliable ham (a techical guy of long standing circa. 1957 onward) and it was built according to the KK7P web page guidelines, with a printout of Lyle's pages on this from the web site. It does NOT hear RF signals when in the paired mode with amp/tuner connected. I have it set up as per the photos.. with DB9 cable between the I/O Aux jacks on the PA/KAT and the base K2, and antenna attaches to ANT 1 UHF jack on the PA/KAT box. I hear RF fine if I put the antenna line on the basic K2 BNC Antenna 1 jack, but nothing heard in the full setup. I read the pages.. it seems the K2 is to have the tuner set at CAL from what I read, but whether in CAL or in Auto.. I still get nothing heard. I am assuming the RF somehow, somewhere passes from the K2 to the PA/KAT via this IO Aux line? Any ideas...? I figured it would be all ready to go.. sort of direct from his shack table onto mine, but something seems amiss. tnx Brien VE3VAW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [KX1] A LiFePO4 internal battery option
have lower energy density than regular Li-Ion rechargeables but due to lower voltage one can use 4 of them for about 14 V max as opposed to 3 of the regular ones with 12V max. For K1 the 3 Li-Ion would be a better fit as 10-12V is sufficient and weight is half of LiFePO3. The last one are better IMHO when the minimum voltage is 11V, e.g., for regular HF radios including K3. I have the regular Li batteries in K2 for many years and never a problem except higher Ah at 1/4 weight of lead acid.. The only trouble is a need for connecting to an external charger. A simple choice is a small board that attaches to a laptop charger and contains adjustable 1A regulator. Ignacy, NO9E -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KX1-A-LiFePO4-internal-battery-option-tp6213539p6215015.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] [K2] SSB Failure
I bought a used K2/100, at the end of last year. (Serial 5540 - K2 MCU 2.04P, K2 IOC 1.09, KSB2 1.08, KPA100 1.10). I mostly use CW but do need SSB at times. SSB had been working fine but recently RF output starts out fine - folks reply to my calls - but it then fades out to zero after about 2 minutes of use. The same thing happens whether I'm running 100 watts or 5. If I turn the rig off for ten minutes or so it will again show full output but again fades quickly to zero. I can still get full output on CW even after this happens. If anyone has any thoughts on simple things I might check, please let me know. Thanks - Tom W4CU __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Is DVR audio really getting equalized and compressed?
Barry, I believe that the sound that gets to your ears through your head limits the use of the headphone monitor when judging the quality of your transmitted audio. A good example of this is how different your own voice sounds when you hear it on a tape recorder. Brian K1LI -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Is-DVR-audio-really-getting-equalized-and-compressed-tp6210714p6215147.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Is DVR audio really getting equalized and compressed?
Monitor audio, can be used very effectively for many, non critical adjustments, however, the near to same time hearing of what you say vs what your headphones say... can, with some folks cause a bit of confusion, or distortion of the facts. If critical measurements need be made, one suggestion would be use a scope. The compression, and equalization can be measured effectively, and one can stay clear away from not nice things like splatter and too wide complaints. Have a great day, --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 07:13:00 -0700 From: nekvts...@gmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Is DVR audio really getting equalized and compressed? Barry, I believe that the sound that gets to your ears through your head limits the use of the headphone monitor when judging the quality of your transmitted audio. A good example of this is how different your own voice sounds when you hear it on a tape recorder. Brian K1LI -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Is-DVR-audio-really-getting-equalized-and-compressed-tp6210714p6215147.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] PLL Control Voltage Range
I have been having some flakey operation with the main receiver in SN 1292 recently which I believe I have cured for the moment by re-calibrating the main VCO. As suggested in the manual, I have been observing the PLL control voltages on the VFO B display. Depending on the band, it is varying from a low of about 1.5 volts to about 5.1 volts. I also notice that there is sometime a rather large difference between the PLL1 and PLL2 control voltages (about 2 volts) on a given band, but not in all cases. These voltages do not change much over several tens of KHz tuning on any given band. Do these values and actions sound reasonable? I don't recall seeing a table of acceptable PLL 1/2 control voltage ranges by band. Thanks for any insight, Ken, NU4I __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Is DVR audio really getting equalized and compressed?
One way to avoid that hearing problem is to record your voice on an external device (computer, tape recorder, etc.) and then play the recording (using line in on the K3 rather than a microphone) to be able to listen to the monitor and make your evaluations and/or equalization and compression adjustments. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 10:13 AM, K1LI wrote: Barry, I believe that the sound that gets to your ears through your head limits the use of the headphone monitor when judging the quality of your transmitted audio. A good example of this is how different your own voice sounds when you hear it on a tape recorder. Brian K1LI __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] PLL Control Voltage Range
Ken I can only comment on my own K3 which does not have a second receiver. Variations from 1.5 to 5v are entirely normal - you are observing the voltage on the voltage controlled oscillator. You will see it change gradually as you tune across a band, and then jump as you step to another band (these are the bands covered by the VCO which are not the same as amateur or broadcast bands). Without a second rx, my PLL2 always shows 0.0. Common sense tells me that PLL2 in your case should be similar but not necessarily the same. Regards John G4ZTR -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kenneth Moorman Sent: 28 March 2011 15:45 To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] PLL Control Voltage Range I have been having some flakey operation with the main receiver in SN 1292 recently which I believe I have cured for the moment by re-calibrating the main VCO. As suggested in the manual, I have been observing the PLL control voltages on the VFO B display. Depending on the band, it is varying from a low of about 1.5 volts to about 5.1 volts. I also notice that there is sometime a rather large difference between the PLL1 and PLL2 control voltages (about 2 volts) on a given band, but not in all cases. These voltages do not change much over several tens of KHz tuning on any given band. Do these values and actions sound reasonable? I don't recall seeing a table of acceptable PLL 1/2 control voltage ranges by band. Thanks for any insight, Ken, NU4I __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5993 (20110328) __ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 5993 (20110328) __ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] SSB Failure
First place to start when trouble shooting is the power supply. Check the voltage as the problem begins to occur. If the receiver works when not transmitting it could be recovering enough to keep the radio running. Bill K9YEQ -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W4CU Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 8:56 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] [K2] SSB Failure I bought a used K2/100, at the end of last year. (Serial 5540 - K2 MCU 2.04P, K2 IOC 1.09, KSB2 1.08, KPA100 1.10). I mostly use CW but do need SSB at times. SSB had been working fine but recently RF output starts out fine - folks reply to my calls - but it then fades out to zero after about 2 minutes of use. The same thing happens whether I'm running 100 watts or 5. If I turn the rig off for ten minutes or so it will again show full output but again fades quickly to zero. I can still get full output on CW even after this happens. If anyone has any thoughts on simple things I might check, please let me know. Thanks - Tom W4CU __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [K2] SSB Failure
Tom, My first suspicion is that the ALC is continually building as you speak. You should be able to confirm that by switching the LED bargraph display to indicate ALC - if the ALC meter does decrease between voice peaks, but slowly builds up, you should see it on the bargraph. A bad solder connection on one of the ALC components on the KSB2 board would cause that behavior. Look at the lower left corner of the KSB2 schematic to identify which components are involved. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 9:55 AM, W4CU wrote: I bought a used K2/100, at the end of last year. (Serial 5540 - K2 MCU 2.04P, K2 IOC 1.09, KSB2 1.08, KPA100 1.10). I mostly use CW but do need SSB at times. SSB had been working fine but recently RF output starts out fine - folks reply to my calls - but it then fades out to zero after about 2 minutes of use. The same thing happens whether I'm running 100 watts or 5. If I turn the rig off for ten minutes or so it will again show full output but again fades quickly to zero. I can still get full output on CW even after this happens. If anyone has any thoughts on simple things I might check, please let me know. Thanks - Tom W4CU __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] [K3] LDG Z-11ProII as remote tuner with K3?
I need a remote tuner setup for an inverted-L antenna and am considering a battery powered LDG Z-11ProII. I like the compact size and QRP capability of this tuner. Does anyone have any experience with this tuner used remotely or have any other suggestions that I should look into? Thanks - Will, AI4VE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale
Hi All, I just noticed that if I turn on my Sub Receiver and enter b SET mode my S-Meter displays full scale (+60 db). The Sub Receiver is fully operational with full sensitivity. The RF Gain Control also works normally as far as receive sensitivity is concerned. However, the full scale S-Meter display would lead one to think the RF Gain Control is fully off (counterclockwise, which it is not). Is anyone else seeing this kind of behavor? Maybe this is explained in the Manual and I overlooked it, but it sure seems strange to me. Thanks for your feedback, Frank - W6NEK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] beat freq method
Trying to set the freq cal for the reference using method 2 since I do not have a freq counter. I may be tone deaf or something but I am not sure what the beat-freq sounds like. Wish someone would post or send a sound file demonstrating the beat freq when off, close and good sounds like. I tried setting it on 15mhz and thought I was close but when listening to WWV on 10mhz had to go down 300 hz to understand the voice transmission. Also 15mhz voice was fuzzy until I tuned off freq about 100hz. Guess I am confused at this point. I do understand that this really just adjusts vfo's so when at band edges I do not go out of band. However when using DX spots with N3FJP auto tune clicks I am off freq. Have to dial around to get clear signal so if I don't then they do not hear my calls well. Am sending this message to K3 support a well but appreciate any responses from the community. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/beat-freq-method-tp6215961p6215961.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3/100/F
Hello This is my first message to this reflector, so if I mess things up don't be supprised. I have some questions about the K3/100/F. I just ordered one and will not have it for a couple weeks. Is there any gotchas that I need to know about before I start messing around with it? The only accessory I order with it is the internal antenna tunner. I have never even seen one except in pictures, but like the things I hear about it. I have had four K2's in the past and it looks like the K3 is totally different from that. So any information about it will be new to me! 73 Scott N5SM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale
Frank - Nope on 2412. Mine works normally. George AI4VZ . . . Sub Receiver and enter b SET mode my S-Meter displays full scale (+60 db) . . . Is anyone else seeing this kind of behavor? __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
If your tone perception needs assistance, try using an audio spectrum analyzer on your computer - I use Spectrogram (download from Tom Hammond's website www.n0ss.net), but others like Specravue or Spectrum Lab will work just as well. Tune in WWV - make certain you are tuned to the carrier - use CW mode (you will not be able to understand the voice in CW mode), and adjust the VFO so the carrier is quite near the audio pitch of your sidetone. Now turn on the sidetone, and adjust the AF gain so the sidetone level is about the same as the tuned carrier. You will see both tones on the audio Spectral display - when they are close to each other, listen for the 3rd tone. Its pitch will be the difference between the other two and results in a slow rising and falling in amplitude of the other two tones. When that rising and falling slows to zero, that is zero beat. Once you know what it sounds like, do the Ref Cal as indicated in the manual. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 1:31 PM, jrstorms wrote: Trying to set the freq cal for the reference using method 2 since I do not have a freq counter. I may be tone deaf or something but I am not sure what the beat-freq sounds like. Wish someone would post or send a sound file demonstrating the beat freq when off, close and good sounds like. I tried setting it on 15mhz and thought I was close but when listening to WWV on 10mhz had to go down 300 hz to understand the voice transmission. Also 15mhz voice was fuzzy until I tuned off freq about 100hz. Guess I am confused at this point. I do understand that this really just adjusts vfo's so when at band edges I do not go out of band. However when using DX spots with N3FJP auto tune clicks I am off freq. Have to dial around to get clear signal so if I don't then they do not hear my calls well. Am sending this message to K3 support a well but appreciate any responses from the community. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/beat-freq-method-tp6215961p6215961.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
Hello jrstorms, Trying to set the freq cal for the reference using method 2 since I do not have a freq counter. I may be tone deaf or something but I am not sure what the beat-freq sounds like. Wish someone would post or send a sound file demonstrating the beat freq when off, close and good sounds like. ... You could not hear a beat frequency. Noboby can hear it. But you can locate it. Turn your VFO/BFO slowly around the target frequency (up and down). If you VFO/BFO frequency was higher than the target frequency you can hear the tone/frequency goes lower and lower. At one point you can't hear it. If you turn the VFO/BFO in the same direction, so you can hear the tone/frequency again, but the frequency goes now higher. The area, at which you can't hear the tone, that is the beat frequency. -- 73/72 de Ingo, DK3RED - Don't forget: the fun is the power! www.qrp4fun.de - dk3...@qrp4fun.de __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale
Thanks Dick and George, Looks like I have a hardware problem and need to contact Elecraft Support. I wanted to make sure that this wasn't normal before contacting them. Many thanks for the feedback, Frank - W6NEK - Original Message - From: W6NEK w6...@socal.rr.com To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 9:28 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale Hi All, I just noticed that if I turn on my Sub Receiver and enter b SET mode my S-Meter displays full scale (+60 db). The Sub Receiver is fully operational with full sensitivity. The RF Gain Control also works normally as far as receive sensitivity is concerned. However, the full scale S-Meter display would lead one to think the RF Gain Control is fully off (counterclockwise, which it is not). Is anyone else seeing this kind of behavor? Maybe this is explained in the Manual and I overlooked it, but it sure seems strange to me. Thanks for your feedback, Frank - W6NEK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] A comment about Receiving
For me, receive capability was an important factor, among others, in the decision to buy an Elecraft. The model is irrelevant to this post. For years, I have been studying comments made about receiving, as opposed to those who think a radio is 'good to the last watt'. Recently, there was a rather lengthy thread about whether a K3 user was having receive problems or not. I'd like to share an experience with the group. Over the years, I have used coax fed antennas and lived with compromise SWR figures. I wanted an all-band antenna so I recently changed the 80 meter dipole so that it is center fed with homebrew 450 ohm ladder-line to a tuner. I use an MFJ Matchmaker (TM) to 'tune the tuner'. While it puts out a white noise, I tune for minimum S-meter reading. When finished, a quick transmit reveals the SWR. One day while tuning close to optimum at the frequency I was on, and because I receive while I tune, I began to hear a weak CW signal. At first, I thought it had just come on frequency, but as I listened, I realized that the station had been in qso for awhile, but I didn't hear it until I reached optimum resonance with the tuner. I knew a resonant antenna was important, but I was surprised at the difference it could make in receiving. A good receiver is wasted if the signal doesn't get to it. Richard Fjeld, n0ce rpfj...@embarqmail.com I'd rather be learning. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3/100/F
Howdy Scott, If you've had K2's then you probably will get used to the K3 pretty quick. Some suggestions: Plug an antenna into the top antenna port on the back (antenna #1) Turn the power on and start playing with it while you read the manual. When you see a control your not familiar with look it up in the manual and practice what the manual say's with that control. You can download the manual from here http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K2%20Errata%20H-2.pdf Browse it while youre waiting for the rig. That will get you going and EXCITED about the rig. Tom N5GE On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:40:03 -0700 (PDT), Scott McDowell n...@yahoo.com wrote: Hello This is my first message to this reflector, so if I mess things up don't be supprised. I have some questions about the K3/100/F. I just ordered one and will not have it for a couple weeks. Is there any gotchas that I need to know about before I start messing around with it? The only accessory I order with it is the internal antenna tunner. I have never even seen one except in pictures, but like the things I hear about it. I have had four K2's in the past and it looks like the K3 is totally different from that. So any information about it will be new to me! 73 Scott N5SM __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] (no subject)
set authenticate ajax set delivery off end __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3/100/F
better make that the K3 link http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20D9sm.pdf and it's errata http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20errata%20D9-1.pdf GB 73 K5OAI Sam Morgan On 3/28/2011 1:09 PM, n...@n5ge.com wrote: Some suggestions: Plug an antenna into the top antenna port on the back (antenna #1) Turn the power on and start playing with it while you read the manual. When you see a control your not familiar with look it up in the manual and practice what the manual say's with that control. You can download the manual from here http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K2%20Errata%20H-2.pdf Browse it while youre waiting for the rig. That will get you going and EXCITED about the rig. Tom N5GE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
What you are doing (in CW mode) is matching the sidetone of the carrier to that of the K3 internal side tone. You cant hear the beat tone when they are close together, BUT, when they are VERY close the tone VOLUME will go up and down. Going either side of zero beat the volume will rise and fall faster. You want to tune very slowly and get the RISE/FALL of volume level to a null in the middle. Other freqs you can check your calibration is CHU at 7850.000 or 14670.000 or at night 3330.000kHz. Use CWT and SPOT while tuning the reference signal in the CW Mode. With the freq. set to FINE, it will display the to nearest Hertz and you can see how close you got the reference oscillator. AM signals will sound good when the tuned frequency (USB) matches the carrier frequency. 73, Mike AC5P From: jrstorms jrsto...@hotmail.com To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Mon, March 28, 2011 12:31:40 PM Subject: [Elecraft] beat freq method Trying to set the freq cal for the reference using method 2 since I do not have a freq counter. I may be tone deaf or something but I am not sure what the beat-freq sounds like. Wish someone would post or send a sound file demonstrating the beat freq when off, close and good sounds like. I tried setting it on 15mhz and thought I was close but when listening to WWV on 10mhz had to go down 300 hz to understand the voice transmission. Also 15mhz voice was fuzzy until I tuned off freq about 100hz. Guess I am confused at this point. I do understand that this really just adjusts vfo's so when at band edges I do not go out of band. However when using DX spots with N3FJP auto tune clicks I am off freq. Have to dial around to get clear signal so if I don't then they do not hear my calls well. Am sending this message to K3 support a well but appreciate any responses from the community. -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/beat-freq-method-tp6215961p6215961.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] A comment about Receiving
Rich, Yes the tuner acts as a preselector and peaks up the signal. Years ago I wrote W6AM a letter asking him if he used an antenna tuner with his rhombic antennas. He replied that he did use a tuner but not so much to improve the impedance match to the rhombics for transmit, (he had them tuned up pretty well) but to act as a preselector to peak up the signals. He went on to describe his setup, using Collins 75A4 receivers and a Johnson KW matchboxes. He said the big Johnson KW matchbox, not the smaller one, was very effective at peaking up the received signal. I was convinced that the tuner was a a good thing to have in line for receive if he had receive enhancement using the tuner with his big rhombics ! Bob K6UJ On Mar 28, 2011, at 11:05 AM, Richard Fjeld wrote: For me, receive capability was an important factor, among others, in the decision to buy an Elecraft. The model is irrelevant to this post. For years, I have been studying comments made about receiving, as opposed to those who think a radio is 'good to the last watt'. Recently, there was a rather lengthy thread about whether a K3 user was having receive problems or not. I'd like to share an experience with the group. Over the years, I have used coax fed antennas and lived with compromise SWR figures. I wanted an all-band antenna so I recently changed the 80 meter dipole so that it is center fed with homebrew 450 ohm ladder-line to a tuner. I use an MFJ Matchmaker (TM) to 'tune the tuner'. While it puts out a white noise, I tune for minimum S-meter reading. When finished, a quick transmit reveals the SWR. One day while tuning close to optimum at the frequency I was on, and because I receive while I tune, I began to hear a weak CW signal. At first, I thought it had just come on frequency, but as I listened, I realized that the station had been in qso for awhile, but I didn't hear it until I reached optimum resonance with the tuner. I knew a resonant antenna was important, but I was surprised at the difference it could make in receiving. A good receiver is wasted if the signal doesn't get to it. Richard Fjeld, n0ce rpfj...@embarqmail.com I'd rather be learning. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] A comment about Receiving
How does the preselector know to peak up the RX signal and not also peak up the noise? Dale W4OP Rich, Yes the tuner acts as a preselector and peaks up the signal. Years ago I wrote W6AM a letter asking him if he used an antenna tuner with his rhombic antennas. He replied that he did use a tuner but not so much to improve the impedance match to the rhombics for transmit, (he had them tuned up pretty well) but to act as a preselector to peak up the signals. He went on to describe his setup, using Collins 75A4 receivers and a Johnson KW matchboxes. He said the big Johnson KW matchbox, not the smaller one, was very effective at peaking up the received signal. I was convinced that the tuner was a a good thing to have in line for receive if he had receive enhancement using the tuner with his big rhombics ! Bob K6UJ On Mar 28, 2011, at 11:05 AM, Richard Fjeld wrote: For me, receive capability was an important factor, among others, in the decision to buy an Elecraft. The model is irrelevant to this post. For years, I have been studying comments made about receiving, as opposed to those who think a radio is 'good to the last watt'. Recently, there was a rather lengthy thread about whether a K3 user was having receive problems or not. I'd like to share an experience with the group. Over the years, I have used coax fed antennas and lived with compromise SWR figures. I wanted an all-band antenna so I recently changed the 80 meter dipole so that it is center fed with homebrew 450 ohm ladder-line to a tuner. I use an MFJ Matchmaker (TM) to 'tune the tuner'. While it puts out a white noise, I tune for minimum S-meter reading. When finished, a quick transmit reveals the SWR. One day while tuning close to optimum at the frequency I was on, and because I receive while I tune, I began to hear a weak CW signal. At first, I thought it had just come on frequency, but as I listened, I realized that the station had been in qso for awhile, but I didn't hear it until I reached optimum resonance with the tuner. I knew a resonant antenna was important, but I was surprised at the difference it could make in receiving. A good receiver is wasted if the signal doesn't get to it. Richard Fjeld, n0ce rpfj...@embarqmail.com I'd rather be learning. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.894 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3535 - Release Date: 03/28/11 02:34:00 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] [K3}beat freq method
It seems there's a common misconception that one has to have some sense of musical pitch to use this method. Especially with the K3, using CWT, it's completely unnecessary. If you can hear the volume (not the pitch) of the tone going up and down, that's all you need. Using an oscilloscope, you wouldn't have to hear at all. Here is the procedure I recommend: 1. Select fine VFO resolution (1 Hz). 2. Select CW mode and set bandwidth to 500 Hz. (You don't have to have a CW xtal filter.) 3. If using WWV, do the calibration only when the carrier is unmodulated. If you try it when there are audio tones, you may end up tuning to one of the sidebands. 4. Using CWT, tune to the calibration signal. This will get you very close to zero beat. 5. Locate CONFIG:REF CAL. 6. Tap SPOT to enable the sidetone, and adjust its level to be about the same as that of the signal. You should hear the beat, a fluctuation in volume. If necessary, adjust the sidetone level for the strongest beat. (If you can't hear it when adjusting the sidetone level, shift the VFO a few Hz.) Tune the VFO for the slowest possible fluctuation, probably less than 1 per second. 7. Note the VFO display frequency. If it isn't within 1 Hz of the calibration signal, adjust the REF CAL frequency in small increments, always retuning the VFO for zero beat as above, until the VFO display reads with 1 Hz of the calibration frequency. 8. Using the K3 utility, save the configuration. (Or record the REF CAL value.) 9. Cancel SPOT and exit the menu. Note to Wayne and Eric: Feel free to use this. 73, Scott K9MA On 3/28/2011 1:31 PM, jrstorms wrote: Trying to set the freq cal for the reference using method 2 since I do not have a freq counter. I may be tone deaf or something but I am not sure what the beat-freq sounds like. Wish someone would post or send a sound file demonstrating the beat freq when off, close and good sounds like. I tried setting it on 15mhz and thought I was close but when listening to WWV on 10mhz had to go down 300 hz to understand the voice transmission. Also 15mhz voice was fuzzy until I tuned off freq about 100hz. Guess I am confused at this point. I do understand that this really just adjusts vfo's so when at band edges I do not go out of band. However when using DX spots with N3FJP auto tune clicks I am off freq. Have to dial around to get clear signal so if I don't then they do not hear my calls well. Am sending this message to K3 support a well but appreciate any responses from the community. Scott Ellington Madison, Wisconsin USA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
A couple of hints: 1. You must be in CW mode with three digits showing to the right of the decimal point in the freq display. It helps a lot to narrow the WIDTH to 200 Hz or even less. You won't hear [or at least be able to understand] the voice announcements, and the second ticks will sound strange. Set VFO A to the exact WWV frequency [e.g. 15.000.000] in the display. I suggest you start this whole procedure during one of the minutes when WWV does *not* have the tone on, assuring you are listening to the CW beat note from the carrier. If you are close and your BW is less than 200 Hz, you may not hear the tone when it comes back on. 2. You turn on the sidetone by doing a HOLD on the MON knob [CMP PWR] You'll hear the sidetone at whatever you have the PITCH set to. 3. The knob now adjusts the level of the sidetone in your phones. For this to work, that level needs to be approximately equal to the level of WWV in your phones. You can equalize them with either the MON knob or the AF gain, or both. 4. When you're in CONFIG:REF CAL, as you tune VFO A, the pitch of WWV will vary, the sidetone will remain constant. Your goal is to get WWV exactly the same pitch as your continuous sidetone. If it is a bit off, you may actually hear the very low beat note. If it is close, you'll hear the combined audio signals fading up and down rather than a beat note. That fading *is* the beat note but it's too low a frequency to hear it as a tone. 5. As you close in on a match between WWV and your sidetone, the in and out fading will slow down, almost stop, and then begin to speed up again as you move past zero beat. It takes a bit as you are right at the zero beat point to find the absolute slowest in and out fading. 6. Although you can't tell when your K3 is in FINE tuning rate, the frequency is moving step-wise when you tune. You'll find as you approach zero beat, the in and out fading will slow, and then speed up a tiny bit, most likely never really stopping. That's because one DDS tuning step was just a tad below exact, and the next DDS step was just a tad above exact. Pick the step with the slowest rate. If you actually get the in and out fading to stop, you should buy a Power Ball ticket immediately :-) 7. The fading you hear is actually the individual cycles of the beat note. When you're very close, you can count the number of peaks in some period, say 30 sec, and divide that count by the length of the period you used [in seconds]. The quotient is the beat note frequency. Mine is about 0.1 Hz which translates to 0.1 Hz frequency error when receiving. 8. Use the highest frequency WWV you can hear. Even without the KBPF3, I could hear 2.5 [at night], 5 [most of the time], and 15 and 20 during the day. For the record, I've done this several times figuring the K3 will drift. So far, I cannot detect any drift and my REF CAL frequency hasn't changed since I first calibrated. Be sure your K3 FP temp has stabilized before starting [tap DISP and use VFO B to find FP followed by a temp]. OK, I lied, that's 8 hints and one hint-let. 73, Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 3/28/2011 5:45 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote: Tune in WWV - make certain you are tuned to the carrier - use CW mode (you will not be able to understand the voice in CW mode), and adjust the VFO so the carrier is quite near the audio pitch of your sidetone. Now turn on the sidetone, and adjust the AF gain so the sidetone level __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
This brings up an interesting point, though it doesn't affect the method at all. The beat Fred refers to results from adding of the sidetone to the signal tone: When they happen to be in phase, the volume goes up 6 dB, when they are exactly out of phase they cancel, so you hear the volume go up and down. It is a completely linear process. This is not what produces the sum and difference beat frequencies in a mixer, which requires nonlinearity or multiplication. If you look at the audio coming out of a receiver with a spectrum analyzer, with two audio tones present, you will see only those two frequencies, not sum and difference frequencies. (Except for some tiny traces due to inevitable distortion.) So, for example, if you tune in a signal for a 400 Hz tone, and the sidetone is 600 Hz, you will NOT hear a 200 Hz beat, unless you turn the volume up so high that your receiver and/or ears produce distortion products. (Don't do that!) When you get close, though, you will hear that fluctuation in volume, which we can use to match frequencies. 73, Scott K9MA On Mar 28, 2011, at 2:18 PM, FredJensen wrote: If it is close, you'll hear the combined audio signals fading up and down rather than a beat note. That fading *is* the beat note but it's too low a frequency to hear it as a tone. Scott Ellington Madison, Wisconsin USA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] paddle key training
C Cd Sent from my iPhone On Mar 25, 2011, at 4:52 PM, Gary Gregory garyvk...@gmail.com wrote: *Ken..the FW will reverse it too.* * * *Gary * On 26 March 2011 09:49, Ken - K0PP kengk...@gmail.com wrote: Thumb on right paddle makes dits. Have a left-handed guest op? Suggest turning paddles around backwards and reach over the top. (:-)) 73! Ken Kopp - K0PP elecraftcov...@gmail.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- *VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile Elecraft Equipment K3 #679, KPA-500 #018 Living the dream!!!* __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3/100/F
*Scott,* * * *Did you order a microphone with the K3* * * *I didn't and had to scramble around looking for a Kenwood wired microphone..:-)* * * *Enjoy* * * *73's* *Gary * On 29 March 2011 04:29, Sam Morgan k5oai@gmail.com wrote: better make that the K3 link http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20D9sm.pdf and it's errata http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20errata%20D9-1.pdf GB 73 K5OAI Sam Morgan On 3/28/2011 1:09 PM, n...@n5ge.com wrote: Some suggestions: Plug an antenna into the top antenna port on the back (antenna #1) Turn the power on and start playing with it while you read the manual. When you see a control your not familiar with look it up in the manual and practice what the manual say's with that control. You can download the manual from here http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K2%20Errata%20H-2.pdf Browse it while youre waiting for the rig. That will get you going and EXCITED about the rig. Tom N5GE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html -- *VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile Elecraft Equipment K3 #679, KPA-500 #018 Living the dream!!!* __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Not hearing signals in K2 with EC2 enclosure KPA100/KAT100 combo
Hi - this may be obvious and if so - sorry. You need two RF cables (plus the antenna cable itself) to make this work. First a BNC to BNC cable goes from the K2 ANT1 jack to the AUX RF jack on the rear panel of the KAT100 this provides an RF path from the K2 to the KPA100 via an internal (to the KAT100/KPA100 box) coax. You also need a PL259 to PL259 cable from the ANT.(50ohm) jack on the KPA100 to the RF IN jack on the KAT100. This connects the ouput of the KPA100 to the input of the KAT100. Now you can connect the antenna to the PL259 ANT1 jack on the KAT100. Of course you also need to power the K2 via it normal power jack and the KAT100/KPA100 box via the Anderson Power Pole connector on the KPA100. You mentioned that you have the control cable connected between the K2 and the external box. Hope this helps - I built and use this combination all the time. Lou W2ROW -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Not-hearing-signals-in-K2-with-EC2-enclosure-KPA100-KAT100-combo-tp6214719p6216683.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Question about the K2
Hi all. Just a few days ago I just realized you could build the K2 as a complete QRP setup and then add the KAT100-2/KPA100 in the EC2 custom enclosure to make it a QRO rig. Wow. Very cool. I was thinking about building a K2-100 and a K2 so I would have a rig for both occasions. Now I find out that I can have just one K2 setup to do both if I am reading this correctly. LOL. I always wanted to know why people would want to put the KAT100 in a large case. Now I know why. What my question is, is it OK to have the internal QRP tuner in at the same time that I have it hooked up to the KAT100-2/KPA100 or does the internal tuner have to be taken out to use the KAT100-2/KPA100 add-on? This is really going to be a very cool setup for me because I love to go out on weekends and do QRP work and during the weekdays work traffic nets where I need more power most of the time. This seems the best of both worlds to me and now I only have to build one K2 and save a lot of cash. It's funny. I have been watching this reflector for a while now and it isn't till now that I just found out that this was an option. Does anyone have any experience with this setup and how they like it or have any suggestions? Thanks for your time. 73 de W2EEC Eric __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
What my question is, is it OK to have the internal QRP tuner in at the same time that I have it hooked up to the KAT100-2/KPA100 or does the internal tuner have to be taken out to use the KAT100-2/KPA100 add-on? Yes, it's okay to keep it there. When using the QRO tuner (in the remote case), just put the QRP tuner (KAT2) into bypass mode. --Andrew, NV1B .. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3/100/F
AW Shoot Sam! Thanks for straightening that out! Tom N5GE On Mon, 28 Mar 2011 13:29:29 -0500, Sam Morgan k5oai@gmail.com wrote: better make that the K3 link http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20D9sm.pdf and it's errata http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner%27s%20man%20errata%20D9-1.pdf GB 73 K5OAI Sam Morgan On 3/28/2011 1:09 PM, n...@n5ge.com wrote: Some suggestions: Plug an antenna into the top antenna port on the back (antenna #1) Turn the power on and start playing with it while you read the manual. When you see a control your not familiar with look it up in the manual and practice what the manual say's with that control. You can download the manual from here http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K2%20Errata%20H-2.pdf Browse it while youre waiting for the rig. That will get you going and EXCITED about the rig. Tom N5GE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale - Fixed
Hi All, I just want to follow up on my Sub Rcvr S-Meter issue. I sent a email to K3support at elecraft.com. I got a response from Gary Surrency within an hour. He suggested I re-run the Calibrate RF Gain procedure in the K3 Utility. Using my trusty XG-1 and the K3 Utility both receiver S-Meters were calibrated within a few minutes. Fast and easy fix! As always, Elecraft support is quick to respond. Outstanding service and support. Thanks again Gary! Thanks for the bandwidth, Frank - W6NEK K3 S/N 312 - Original Message - From: W6NEK w6...@socal.rr.com To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 10:53 AM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale Thanks Dick and George, Looks like I have a hardware problem and need to contact Elecraft Support. I wanted to make sure that this wasn't normal before contacting them. Many thanks for the feedback, Frank - W6NEK - Original Message - From: W6NEK w6...@socal.rr.com To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 9:28 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K3 Sub Rcvr S-Meter Reads Full Scale Hi All, I just noticed that if I turn on my Sub Receiver and enter b SET mode my S-Meter displays full scale (+60 db). The Sub Receiver is fully operational with full sensitivity. The RF Gain Control also works normally as far as receive sensitivity is concerned. However, the full scale S-Meter display would lead one to think the RF Gain Control is fully off (counterclockwise, which it is not). Is anyone else seeing this kind of behavor? Maybe this is explained in the Manual and I overlooked it, but it sure seems strange to me. Thanks for your feedback, Frank - W6NEK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1204 / Virus Database: 1498/3535 - Release Date: 03/28/11 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
Eric, That setup works quite well. I had it set up here until I got the K3 and sold the KPA100/KAT100 combo - I will keep my K2 until it is pried from my cold dead hands, it is a Field Test model SN 00020. When the K2 detects that the KPA100 is installed, it forces the KAT2 to bypass and ANT1 output. They work quite well together. Don't forget that your KAT100 must be the KAT100-2. It has all the hooks required to plug in the KPA100 cables. The AUX I/O communications cable is the same as that shown for the KAT100 and can plug into either the KAT100 or the KPA100. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 4:51 PM, Eric Champine wrote: Hi all. Just a few days ago I just realized you could build the K2 as a complete QRP setup and then add the KAT100-2/KPA100 in the EC2 custom enclosure to make it a QRO rig. Wow. Very cool. I was thinking about building a K2-100 and a K2 so I would have a rig for both occasions. Now I find out that I can have just one K2 setup to do both if I am reading this correctly. LOL. I always wanted to know why people would want to put the KAT100 in a large case. Now I know why. What my question is, is it OK to have the internal QRP tuner in at the same time that I have it hooked up to the KAT100-2/KPA100 or does the internal tuner have to be taken out to use the KAT100-2/KPA100 add-on? This is really going to be a very cool setup for me because I love to go out on weekends and do QRP work and during the weekdays work traffic nets where I need more power most of the time. This seems the best of both worlds to me and now I only have to build one K2 and save a lot of cash. It's funny. I have been watching this reflector for a while now and it isn't till now that I just found out that this was an option. Does anyone have any experience with this setup and how they like it or have any suggestions? Thanks for your time. 73 de W2EEC Eric __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
Andrew, Not even that complicated - the firmware does that automatically (and selects ANT1) when the presence of the KPA100 is detected. No effort on the part of the user is required. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 4:58 PM, Andrew Moore wrote: What my question is, is it OK to have the internal QRP tuner in at the same time that I have it hooked up to the KAT100-2/KPA100 or does the internal tuner have to be taken out to use the KAT100-2/KPA100 add-on? Yes, it's okay to keep it there. When using the QRO tuner (in the remote case), just put the QRP tuner (KAT2) into bypass mode. --Andrew, NV1B __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
NV1B When using the QRO tuner (in the remote case), just put the QRP tuner (KAT2) into bypass mode. W3FPR Not even that complicated - the firmware does that automatically (and selects ANT1) when the presence of the KPA100 is detected. No effort on the part of the user is required. Even better. I should have known Elecraft would have an Ele-gant solution. Kudos to the team. --Andrew, NV1B .. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Lightning question: I have driven an 8 foot copper clad rod just out side my operating station. Its about 6 feet from the rod to my desk. I have attached a solid copper wire (1/4 thick) to the ground post (with a ground rod clamp) The wire goes thru the wall and is bonded to a copper pipe that is 1-1/8 wide that is just under the desk. So on to my question: What is the BEST way to connect my equipment (k3, SB-200 and a remote coax switch) to the copper pipe? Coax braid from RG8 or solid copper wire? and why Thank You guys... Phil Santa Fe soon to be a xx5SSR... __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Phil, I drove a copper pipe into the ground outside my shack and then put a 4 inch copper strap to the pipe and brought it through the wall and sealed it off. Then put a bolt and nut with large washers on the inside. Each piece of equipment has the same length braded material that goes to the nut and bolt. Then outside, I took a number 4 wire and ran it from the pipe to the house ground next to the mains coming in. Along the way I added additional ground rods. I also took this wire to my tower which has 6 ground rods connected to it. I've had two strikes on my 70 ft tower and no damage inside. Heavy enough to take out the traps of my Mosley PRO 67B but no equipment. Phil Philip LaMarche LaMarche Enterprises, Inc p...@lamarcheenterprises.com www.LaMarcheEnterprises.com 727-944-3226 727-937-8834 Fax 727-510-5038 Cell www.w9dvm.com K3 #1605 CCA 98-00827 CRA 1701 W9DVM -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Townsend Sent: Monday, March 28, 2011 5:36 PM To: d...@w3fpr.com Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico. Lightning question: I have driven an 8 foot copper clad rod just outside my operating station. It's about 6 feet from the rod to my desk. I have attached a solid copper wire (1/4 thick) to the ground post (with a ground rod clamp) The wire goes thru the wall and is bonded to a copper pipe that is 1-1/8 wide that is just under the desk. So on to my question: What is the BEST way to connect my equipment (k3, SB-200 and a remote coax switch) to the copper pipe? Coax braid from RG8 or solid copper wire? and why Thank You guys... Phil Santa Fe soon to be a xx5SSR... __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
Eric I have my K2 set up this way. The base K2 has the internal tuner, battery pack, SSB, NB, and so on, including the KIO2 and the 160 meter option. This is my go bucket version for emergency and portable use. Then, for QRO use, I have the KPA100 and KAT100 in a separate EC2 case. I do not have to remove any of the base K2 options to use the amplifier - it just plugs in. 3 cables - RF, control I/O, and power - everything takes care of itself from that point. The only caveat is that when running high power you have to make sure that power is applied to both the K2 and the KPA100 before turning the rig on with the front panel switch - otherwise, the K2 will not detect the presence of the amplifier, and will not switch from one to the other as needed. When the the two units are interconnected, the K2 tuner (KAT2) is disabled automatically, and returns to service when the 2 boxes are separated. When I built the KPA100/KAT100/EC2 combo I decided not to install the speaker and wiring in the KPA100 - I left it in the base K2. - Jim, KL7CC Eric Champine wrote: Hi all. Just a few days ago I just realized you could build the K2 as a complete QRP setup and then add the KAT100-2/KPA100 in the EC2 custom enclosure to make it a QRO rig. Wow. Very cool. I was thinking about building a K2-100 and a K2 so I would have a rig for both occasions. Now I find out that I can have just one K2 setup to do both if I am reading this correctly. LOL. I always wanted to know why people would want to put the KAT100 in a large case. Now I know why. What my question is, is it OK to have the internal QRP tuner in at the same time that I have it hooked up to the KAT100-2/KPA100 or does the internal tuner have to be taken out to use the KAT100-2/KPA100 add-on? This is really going to be a very cool setup for me because I love to go out on weekends and do QRP work and during the weekdays work traffic nets where I need more power most of the time. This seems the best of both worlds to me and now I only have to build one K2 and save a lot of cash. It's funny. I have been watching this reflector for a while now and it isn't till now that I just found out that this was an option. Does anyone have any experience with this setup and how they like it or have any suggestions? Thanks for your time. 73 de W2EEC Eric __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] beat freq method
There's a reason why mathematicians speak with equations rather than words. ;-) Scott is entirely correct, the sidetone signal and the audio signal add linearly in the K3 audio amplifier stage(s) and what you hear is their algebraic sum. If my choice of words implied that the effect was non-linear mixing, it was unintentional. Being an OF from the days of receivers, transmitters with VFO's, and modulators, often on separate chassis', getting on someone's frequency entailed turning your VFO [only] on, and adjusting it until its signal, as heard in your receiver, added algebraically with the AM carrier or CW tone until the exact effect in REF CAL took place ... as the VFO approached the audio tone of the signal, they began to fall in and out of phase with each other slower and slower, and you heard the beat [or slow pulsing in amplitude] between them. When that beat stopped [or got very slow], your VFO was Zero Beat and you would transmit on the same frequency as the other station ... if you transmitted fairly quickly ... VFO's in those days tended to drift around some unless they were built by Art Collins. And, thus the origin of the term Zero Beat. Let's assume your VFO signal was 250 cycles higher than the frequency of the other station. You would then hear it, the other station, and a 250 cycle component from the algebraic sum of the two, just as you would hear a 1 cps beat as you got the VFO within 1 cycle. I suppose a musician with a very good sense of pitch might be able to identify the three frequencies involved [other station's note, VFO note, and 250 cps sum], but I can't. What I can tell is that there is a component in there and which way to move the VFO to achieve zero beat, and nearly everyone else can do that as well. That's all that's required for the Method 2 REF CAL. If you are deaf, just hang an analog AC multimeter across the headphone leads and you can watch the beat on it. Method 2 is an example of a very simple, test equipment-free mechanism that can achieve a really amazing frequency accuracy for your K3. I used the terms cycle and cps in this because Hz hadn't been invented in the ancient era I was drawing my example from, and the term zero beat that originated from it can be both a verb phrase or a noun phrase. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings I might have left about REF CAL Method 2. 73, Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 3/28/2011 7:41 PM, Scott Ellington wrote: This brings up an interesting point, though it doesn't affect the method at all. The beat Fred refers to results from adding of the sidetone to the signal tone: When they happen to be in phase, the volume goes up 6 dB, when they are exactly out of phase they cancel, so you hear the volume go up and down. It is a completely linear process. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] EXTERNAL 10MHZ KIT
When might we see the kit to reference a 10Mhz source? K6CG __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
Wow. Thanks Don and Andrew. I am really glad that I found this all out before I purchase anymore stuff. This is going to save me a lot of money that I can use for other toys :-) You know. I really liked the K2 before but now it rocks even more with the new capabilities that I didn't know about before. Wow. SN# 00020. Like a Timex watch It keeps on ticking... :-) This is why I like Elecraft so much. This is my second rig I am building. My first was the K1 and I use it often. 73 de W2EEC Eric On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 5:26 PM, Andrew Moore andrew.n...@gmail.com wrote: NV1B When using the QRO tuner (in the remote case), just put the QRP tuner (KAT2) into bypass mode. W3FPR Not even that complicated - the firmware does that automatically (and selects ANT1) when the presence of the KPA100 is detected. No effort on the part of the user is required. Even better. I should have known Elecraft would have an Ele-gant solution. Kudos to the team. --Andrew, NV1B .. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] EXTERNAL 10MHZ KIT
Very soon. I was just proofing the manual. 73, Wayne N6KR On Mar 28, 2011, at 3:13 PM, Richard Thorpe wrote: When might we see the kit to reference a 10Mhz source? K6CG __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Phil, Before you do anything else, get enough #6 or #4 bare copper wire to connect that new ground rod to the Utility Entry Ground for your house. The wire should be buried to keep it out of the way of mowers, etc., but the connection is more important than where the wire runs. First, it is required by National Electric Code, and 2nd because it is dangerous without it. Should you have a ground fault in your house wiring, everything connected to that isolated ground rod can carry the ground current - touching anything within the area that is connected to the house wiring, but not to the ground rod at the same time as touching those items which are connected to the ground rod can cause electrocution. I would bet you were not planning to ground the desk lamp to your new ground rod - so run that ground rod to ground rod connecting wire for your safety and your family and pets. Now back to your original question - I would use stranded #14 or #12 wire because it is sufficiently flexible and easily managed. Solid copper wire will break if flexed (by moving equipment around on the desk), and braid from RG-8 is a bit messy to deal with. Use ring tongue terminals on each end of the wire (crimp if you have the correct tool, solder if you do not). Yes, ring tongue terminals require that you put the ground screw through the terminal hole, but do provide a better connection than other terminals with an open end that allow connection without putting the screw through the hole. To attach to your copper pipe buss bar, drill it with a small diameter drill (1/8 inch) and use self-tapping metal screws (#6 or #8) The connections should be tight. I prefer solid copper bar over a pipe because I can use a stainless steel screw with internal toothed lockwasher and a nut to maintain tightness. Normal plated hardware can react with copper and the connection can fail with time and corrosion - use stainless steel to minimize that reaction. Still, that is not sufficient protection for lightning - it will bleed off static charges from distant lightning surges, but make sure your antenna system has a DC path across the coax, and use surge protection devices (PolyPhaser or other) on your coax. In addition, I would advise using an antenna switch in the shack to switch between the coax runs to the shack, and put a dummy load on one of the selections - switch to the dummy load when the transceiver is not in use. And make a DC path across the coax to the transceiver/amplifier at the switch. A 100 uHy choke of sufficient current capacity for your maximum power will do, or alternately a 5k to 10k resistor (I would suggest 5 or 10 watts for your SB-200 power level). If you do not want to open your antenna switch and add it to the coax going to the transceiver/amplifier, then mount the resistor (or choke) in a PL-259 from center conductor to the shell and use a UHF Tee Adapter at the input of your antenna switch - the coax to the transceiver/amplifier connects to one side ot the TEE and the PL-259 with the resistor or choke connects to the other side - the 3rd (male) end of the TEE goes to the antenna switch input connector. All in all, simple grounding is not simple, other measures must be employed in lightning prone areas. But your first step is to connect that isolated ground rod to the Utility entrance ground - that is a personnel safety issue and is much more important than protection for your equipment. Much more information about lightning protection is available at the PolyPhaser website. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 5:35 PM, Phil Townsend wrote: Lightning question: I have driven an 8 foot copper clad rod just out side my operating station. Its about 6 feet from the rod to my desk. I have attached a solid copper wire (1/4 thick) to the ground post (with a ground rod clamp) The wire goes thru the wall and is bonded to a copper pipe that is 1-1/8 wide that is just under the desk. So on to my question: What is the BEST way to connect my equipment (k3, SB-200 and a remote coax switch) to the copper pipe? Coax braid from RG8 or solid copper wire? and why Thank You guys... Phil Santa Fe soon to be a xx5SSR... __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] [K3] LDG Z-11ProII as remote tuner with K3?
I need a remote tuner setup for an inverted-L antenna and am considering a battery powered LDG Z-11ProII. I like the compact size and QRP capability of this tuner. Does anyone have any experience with this tuner used remotely or have any other suggestions that I should look into? Thanks - Will, AI4VE __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Question about the K2
Jim, That caveat is not required. The K2 will detect the KPA100 when it is powered on. If there is no power to the KPA100 you will see the message NO PA POWER. But if power is later applied to the KPA100, it will come on-line and provide full power output. This switching is automatic, and available for those operating with the KPA100 mounted either on the base K2 or externally. In other words, the K2 with the KPA100 is designed so if you operate the KPA100 with a power supply running on the AC mains, and power the base K2 from a battery, should the mains power go out during a QSO, the KPA100 will drop out and the base K2 will still be powered from the battery, enabling the QSO to continue even with the lower power out of the base K2. There is a test sequence in the KPA100 manual to verify this power switching mechanism. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 6:07 PM, Jim Wiley wrote: The only caveat is that when running high power you have to make sure that power is applied to both the K2 and the KPA100 before turning the rig on with the front panel switch - otherwise, the K2 will not detect the presence of the amplifier, and will not switch from one to the other as needed. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Don, I often see this warning and I have some questions. You said: First, it is required by National Electric Code, and 2nd because it is dangerous without it. Should you have a ground fault in your house wiring, Please define a ground fault as you are using the term here. everything connected to that isolated ground rod can carry the ground current - touching anything within the area that is connected to the house wiring, but not to the ground rod at the same time as touching those items which are connected to the ground rod can cause electrocution. How would everything in your home suddenly become hot? Thanks, Bob __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Hi Bob, One of the things that has been difficult for me to understand since becoming a ham is the difference between micro electronics and (for lack of a better term) macro electronics. When the leads are 0.25 thick and feet long, the potential difference at the ends of a wire is significant, and if there is more than 1 wire the varying impedances can cause currents where you don't think there should be any. Because of this, what I used to understand as a single ground (e.g. a layer on a PC board) is really 4 separate things in a ham shack. The ground is all electrically a single circuit, and all drain current, but because they have human-scale sizes, different currents will take different paths due to the differing impedances from source to drain in the circuit. So while your house ground and your ground rod may both be buried in the ground, they may have significant differences in potential. This difference is how everything in your house can suddenly become hot. They are hot because, relative to the different ground potentials, there is a voltage change. The grounds also both have huge current carrying capacity, which can kill you. An excellent description of these different grounds is found in the 2010 ARRL Handbook: begin quote 28.1.8 Grounds As hams we are concerned with at least four kinds of things called ground, even if they really aren't ground in the sense of connection to the Earth. These are easily confused because we call each of them ground. 1) Electrical safety ground (bonding) 2) RF return (antenna ground) 3) Common reference potential (chassis ground) 4) Lightning and transient dissipation ground IEEE Std 1100-2005 (also known as the Emerald Book, see the Reference listing, section 28.1.13) provides detailed information from a theoretical and practical standpoint for grounding and powering electrical equipment, including lightning protection and RF EMI/EMC concerns. It's expensive to buy but is available through libraries. end quote. The National Electric Code requires that all ground circuits be bonded together at the service panel entrance to prevent electrocution. Inside the house, the green wire is used by ground fault protection circuit. Your ground rod with it's short connection to your shack will provide a lower impedance path for RF return and common reference potential for your equipment (and help keep stray RF currents out of the rest of the house). Lightning ... well, mother nature is one tough cookie. Again, the ARRL Handbook has excellent information on grounding and shack safety in general. I have also been studying Jim K9YC's papers on RFI, which includes extensive information on the many strange ways RF currents can get to where we do not want them. http://audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf I'm sure someone will correct any egregious errors I have made above, but I hope I got the salient point across: all your ground circuits must be bonded to the service entrance panel or you risk serious injury. 73, Byron N6NUL - Northern California Contest Club - CU in the 2011 Cal QSO Party 1-2 Oct 2011 - www.cqp.org __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Don's comments are spot on as usual - A comment about what you are trying to do. That is to provide a very low-inductance path for RF to that ground. Low-inductance conductors are: 1) Very short inductors. 2) Physically large inductors. 3) Parallel inductors. So, given you have the run as short as you can, now you make it as large as you can. Braid is excellent because it's big (compared to most wires) and very flexible. Parallel conductors, like any parallel inductances, have less inductance than one. So it's an option if you must stay small, but have room for several wires connected at both ends. I use an inverted L antenna that terminates right in the shack on a shelf above the rig. Like you, I have a ground just outside the shack wall. My ground connection runs about 5 feet along the inner wall and then a conductor takes the ground outside (a run of about 10). The 5-foot ground conductor on the inner wall is a sheet of copper about 2 feet wide. I picked up a roll of copper sheet at a hobby store and thumb tacks hold it on the wall behind the operating desk. My equipment is all grounded by simply soldering a short pig-tail lead onto the sheet wherever needed directly behind each piece of equipment. Of course that ground is also bonded to the mains ground. My work requires me to constantly pull equipment off the operating desk to tear it apart, so I terminated all of those ground pig-tails in banana plugs with jacks attached to the grounding screws on the gear. Makes disassembling things easy. (The trick is trying to remember where all the cables go when I put it back - someday I'll discover cable labels, Hi!) Ron AC7AC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Grounding and lightning protection is not a simple subject Phil. Here's what I would recommend: If your home is wired to NEC standards, the neutral [center-tap on the pole pig] will be tied to the safety ground [green wire in your outlets] and earth at the service entrance ... only. This means that the green wire in each outlet snakes back to the service entrance before encountering a real ground. It thus makes a useless RF ground and lightning is RF [see below]. A. You *must* tie your ground rod back to the ground at the entrance panel. NEC requires it and if it isn't so tied, it can create a real safety hazard if you should encounter a ground fault. Make it as short as possible, buried is best, but if short means run under the house, that's OK. Use #14 copper or larger. B. AC is excluded from the inside of a conductor by the magnetic field it creates, and flows near the surface [skin] effect]. The higher the frequency, the closer to the surface it is. The conductors on one of the original 230 KV lines from Hoover Dam to Los Angeles are hollow for that reason. C. Lightning currents are mainly RF, and flow only on the very surface of the conductor and you want a lot of surface area, volume contributes almost nothing. So, wide copper strap is good. Large gauge stranded copper wire is less effective but better than solid wire. For the fire lookouts on peaks here in the Sierra Nevada, they use 3/8 - 1/2 stranded wire running around the roof, catwalks, and tower legs, bonded to everything including an extensive ground system. D. Surviving a direct hit to your tower or antenna is problematical at best. Even if you disconnect and ground your antenna [and rotator] cables, the induced currents will create high peak potentials to your equipment [and everything else in the house]. You can't stop that from happening, and your radio chassis can momentarily rise to very high potentials.The grounding goal for your equipment is to keep it all together. The radio chassis can experience a peak pulse, but if everything else also gets that same pulse, the differential potential between them is very low, and little current will flow. The way you do this is to bring your ground strap into the shack, and using the shortest wiring you can, ground *each* piece of equipment *separately* to the same point on the strap. E. A grounded entrance panel for your coax and rotator cables is very good, use Polyphasers or similar to bring the cables through. They won't survive a direct hit, but in that case, that's the least of your worries, your house may be on fire by then. :-( They will clamp off induced pulses however and limit potential excursions on your equipment. F. Unless your home is on stilts over salt water [unlikely in NM :-) ] I'd guess that your ground rod is probably pretty high impedance for any currents generated by lightning. At the TV station I worked at in college [500' tower on a 1,300' ridge], the ground system ran all around the building with a bunch of ground rods, and included things like the tower, the fridge, plumbing, the 3 1/8 hard-line exterior, even the gate on the road, and the steel trench covers inside, They still made a deafening clang when we took a nearby strike. Hams do install systems like that around their houses, it's expensive and it's really a trade off with risk. G. If you have an Elecraft rig, you're covered. If you don't, make sure there's a bleed [RF choke or high value resistor] across the antenna connector. Precip static can sound innocuous if annoying, but without the bleed, it can store charge in the input circuit and ultimately cream it. We killed 2 IC-756PRO II's in 2009 from this in a snowstorm during the Cal QSO Party in Alpine County. If you have any specific questions, I'd recommend first contacting Jim, K9YC [who is really near Santa Cruz CA]. He has a wealth of information and tutorials on his web site. The grandson of Art, my Elmer of 57 years ago, W6RMK, now holds his grandad's call and has made his living as a lightning expert. If some question comes up, I'll be glad to take it to him. This pretty much exhausts my knowledge. 73, Fred K6DGW Auburn CA On 3/28/2011 9:35 PM, Phil Townsend wrote: Lightning question: I have driven an 8 foot copper clad rod just out side my operating station. Its about 6 feet from the rod to my desk. I have attached a solid copper wire (1/4 thick) to the ground post (with a ground rod clamp) The wire goes thru the wall and is bonded to a copper pipe that is 1-1/8 wide that is just under the desk. So on to my question: What is the BEST way to connect my equipment (k3, SB-200 and a remote coax switch) to the copper pipe? Coax braid from RG8 or solid copper wire? and why Thank You guys... Phil Santa Fe soon to be a xx5SSR... __ Elecraft mailing list Home:
[Elecraft] K3 carrying case options?
Hello all, I am a fairly new K3 owner; three months now and I am hooked! I'd like to take my K3 on several contest expeditions and so I am looking for a carrying case (prefer a soft case). Any guidance appreciated. vy 73, Chris, NX4N __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Bob, A ground fault is either an open ground wire in the AC wiring system, or it is more commonly a short of the hot wire to ground (could be just leakage, like leakage from a capacitor from the hot wire to the chassis). The separate grounds do not have the same resistance back to the AC mains ground, and will cause the equipment chassis to elevate above the potential of the grounded AC mains safety ground wire. How much depends on how much resistance difference there is between the two ground rods (soil does not conduct very well in many areas). I refer you to section 28.1.9 of the ARRL Handbook for 2010, especially figures 28.6 and 28.7 which clearly illustrate the situation. This information was not in the 2005 edition of the ARRL Handbook, and I don't know when it was first included, but I am very glad to see it covered. Don't have the ARRL Handbook? Get one, it is worth the price. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 6:45 PM, w...@w5ov.com wrote: Don, I often see this warning and I have some questions. You said: First, it is required by National Electric Code, and 2nd because it is dangerous without it. Should you have a ground fault in your house wiring, Please define a ground fault as you are using the term here. everything connected to that isolated ground rod can carry the ground current - touching anything within the area that is connected to the house wiring, but not to the ground rod at the same time as touching those items which are connected to the ground rod can cause electrocution. How would everything in your home suddenly become hot? Thanks, Bob __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Byron, Thanks for posting that quote. As a matter of importance, all grounds are not the same. What we have been discussing is the Electrical Safety Ground, which IMHO is the most important one to be considered. The safety of you and your family depend on it. The RF return (antenna ground) does not have to be at earth ground potential (but usually will be when it enters the shack through a grounded coax connector). If you think of this as the antenna RF Return rather than as ground, the situation may be a bit clearer. The RF Ground point is that reference point determined by your antenna - for a center fed balanced antenna, it is that point where the antenna current passes through zero and changes phase at some point between the feedline connections to the radiator(s). This point is obviously not earth ground, but it should be considered the RF Ground point for that antenna. A vertical with grounded radials is similar, but a better term for the radial field is RF radial screen than using RF Ground, which it may or may not be. Chassis ground is another example. In some pieces of equipment, it is isolated from the Safety Ground - consider a power supply with an isolated return terminal - or consider equipment that is powered from a battery, there is no need to connect its common to the AC Safety ground for it to be functional, but if there are exposed areas of that return ground that are likely to be touched (that ground is connected to a metallic enclosure), then it should be connected to the AC safety ground even when operated on batteries. Lightning and transient dissipation ground is a different animal altogether. The currents can be huge, and the frequencies involved are all over the RF spectrum. The principle behind any lightning protection grounding is to provide enough low impedance conductors in the earth to dissipate that surge over as large an area of the earth as possible - that takes a lot of ground rods spread over a large area and very fat conductors between them. Yes, that system of ground wires and rods must also be connected to the AC entry ground rod unless the distance between those two grounds is at least 150 feet apart. Towers, fences, and anything metallic within that 150 foot radius should also be connected to that Lightning and Dissipation ground system. If in doubt, connect it. I refer you to the writings of Ron Block - I consider his information on lightning protection for the ham shack authoritarian. He published a 3 part article in QST beginning in June 2002 (Google for lightning protection Ron Block). I suggest reading it if ham station protection is one of your goals. It is the document I considered golden when I was setting up the ground system for my station and antennas. I was dealing with new construction which made installation a bit easier, but I have tried to implement as many of his recommendations as possible, including perimeter wires around the buildings. Even so, I do not operate when a lightning storm is nearby. No matter how good your protection installation may be, it is not to be trusted for a direct hit. Disconnect the equipment and get out of the shack. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 7:15 PM, Byron Servies wrote: begin quote 28.1.8 Grounds As hams we are concerned with at least four kinds of things called ground, even if they really aren't ground in the sense of connection to the Earth. These are easily confused because we call each of them ground. 1) Electrical safety ground (bonding) 2) RF return (antenna ground) 3) Common reference potential (chassis ground) 4) Lightning and transient dissipation ground IEEE Std 1100-2005 (also known as the Emerald Book, see the Reference listing, section 28.1.13) provides detailed information from a theoretical and practical standpoint for grounding and powering electrical equipment, including lightning protection and RF EMI/EMC concerns. It's expensive to buy but is available through libraries. end quote. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
All of this is of course, very good advice. I would like to add a little humor experience driving through the southwest on the way back to my post at Fort Gordon, GA. I left CA and went to the southern route to GA which took me to Flagstaff, AZ and east. While on the way, I had my 6 meter antenna on the back of my 1957 Chev convertible and the rig unconnected in the back seat. While driving across the desert, in the afternoon while the overhead storm was obvious, I heard some snapping sounds, but could not find a source. I stopped for dinner and got back in the car to continue.. After a while I heard the snapping sound again. But everything still seemed fine. When the light faded and the sky darken, the snapping sound was accompanied by a flash in the car. I pulled off and looked around when it flashed again, it was the end of the coax connector and the static electricity was arcing across the end of the connector. I piece of gum wrapper across the end stopped the arcing and I continued to Ft. Gordon at ease. Mel, K6KBE From: FredJensen k6...@foothill.net To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Mon, March 28, 2011 4:39:36 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico. Grounding and lightning protection is not a simple subject Phil. Here's what I would recommend: If your home is wired to NEC standards, the neutral [center-tap on the pole pig] will be tied to the safety ground [green wire in your outlets] and earth at the service entrance ... only. This means that the green wire in each outlet snakes back to the service entrance before encountering a real ground. It thus makes a useless RF ground and lightning is RF [see below]. A. You *must* tie your ground rod back to the ground at the entrance panel. NEC requires it and if it isn't so tied, it can create a real safety hazard if you should encounter a ground fault. Make it as short as possible, buried is best, but if short means run under the house, that's OK. Use #14 copper or larger. B. AC is excluded from the inside of a conductor by the magnetic field it creates, and flows near the surface [skin] effect]. The higher the frequency, the closer to the surface it is. The conductors on one of the original 230 KV lines from Hoover Dam to Los Angeles are hollow for that reason. C. Lightning currents are mainly RF, and flow only on the very surface of the conductor and you want a lot of surface area, volume contributes almost nothing. So, wide copper strap is good. Large gauge stranded copper wire is less effective but better than solid wire. For the fire lookouts on peaks here in the Sierra Nevada, they use 3/8 - 1/2 stranded wire running around the roof, catwalks, and tower legs, bonded to everything including an extensive ground system. D. Surviving a direct hit to your tower or antenna is problematical at best. Even if you disconnect and ground your antenna [and rotator] cables, the induced currents will create high peak potentials to your equipment [and everything else in the house]. You can't stop that from happening, and your radio chassis can momentarily rise to very high potentials.The grounding goal for your equipment is to keep it all together. The radio chassis can experience a peak pulse, but if everything else also gets that same pulse, the differential potential between them is very low, and little current will flow. The way you do this is to bring your ground strap into the shack, and using the shortest wiring you can, ground *each* piece of equipment *separately* to the same point on the strap. E. A grounded entrance panel for your coax and rotator cables is very good, use Polyphasers or similar to bring the cables through. They won't survive a direct hit, but in that case, that's the least of your worries, your house may be on fire by then. :-( They will clamp off induced pulses however and limit potential excursions on your equipment. F. Unless your home is on stilts over salt water [unlikely in NM :-) ] I'd guess that your ground rod is probably pretty high impedance for any currents generated by lightning. At the TV station I worked at in college [500' tower on a 1,300' ridge], the ground system ran all around the building with a bunch of ground rods, and included things like the tower, the fridge, plumbing, the 3 1/8 hard-line exterior, even the gate on the road, and the steel trench covers inside, They still made a deafening clang when we took a nearby strike. Hams do install systems like that around their houses, it's expensive and it's really a trade off with risk. G. If you have an Elecraft rig, you're covered. If you don't, make sure there's a bleed [RF choke or high value resistor] across the antenna connector. Precip static can sound innocuous if annoying, but without the bleed, it can store charge in the input circuit and ultimately
Re: [Elecraft] Not hearing signals in K2 with EC2 enclosure KPA100/KAT100 combo
Brian, Perhaps a photo or two might help. http://wilcoxengineering.com/amateur-radio/kpa100inec2 Cheers, Alan Alan D. Wilcox, W3DVX (K2-5373, K3-40) 570-321-1516 http://WilcoxEngineering.com http://eBookEditor.net https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/28062?ref=awilcox Williamsport, PA 17701 On 3/28/11 8:28 AM, Brian Pepperdine wrote: On the weekend, I picked up a nice K2 set - a K2 with internal tuner and battery, plus the remoting of the KAT100 and KPA100 built into an EC2 enclosure. All set up for QRP in field/portabl/patio or full 100 watts in the shack. But an odd thing... this all came from a very reliable ham (a techical guy of long standing circa. 1957 onward) and it was built according to the KK7P web page guidelines, with a printout of Lyle's pages on this from the web site. It does NOT hear RF signals when in the paired mode with amp/tuner connected. I have it set up as per the photos.. with DB9 cable between the I/O Aux jacks on the PA/KAT and the base K2, and antenna attaches to ANT 1 UHF jack on the PA/KAT box. I hear RF fine if I put the antenna line on the basic K2 BNC Antenna 1 jack, but nothing heard in the full setup. I read the pages.. it seems the K2 is to have the tuner set at CAL from what I read, but whether in CAL or in Auto.. I still get nothing heard. I am assuming the RF somehow, somewhere passes from the K2 to the PA/KAT via this IO Aux line? Any ideas...? I figured it would be all ready to go.. sort of direct from his shack table onto mine, but something seems amiss. tnx Brien VE3VAW __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 carrying case options?
Rose Kopp, N7HKW, makes great cases and covers for the whole K-line. I have several; they are really well made and functional. Check them out at: http://tinyurl.com/7lm3m5 You can reach Rose at: elecraftcov...@rfwave.net - 73, Stan - KR7C -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-carrying-case-options-tp6217251p6217389.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 carrying case options?
Stan Gibbs wrote: You can reach Rose at: elecraftcov...@rfwave.net Make that: elecraftcov...@gmail.com - 73, Stan - KR7C -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-carrying-case-options-tp6217251p6217501.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
You guys should all move to the northwest, such as Seattle. Lightning is more rare then a 100 degree summer day. It happens but definitely not often. Sent from my iPad On Mar 28, 2011, at 5:49 PM, Mel Farrer farrerfo...@yahoo.com wrote: All of this is of course, very good advice. I would like to add a little humor experience driving through the southwest on the way back to my post at Fort Gordon, GA. I left CA and went to the southern route to GA which took me to Flagstaff, AZ and east. While on the way, I had my 6 meter antenna on the back of my 1957 Chev convertible and the rig unconnected in the back seat. While driving across the desert, in the afternoon while the overhead storm was obvious, I heard some snapping sounds, but could not find a source. I stopped for dinner and got back in the car to continue.. After a while I heard the snapping sound again. But everything still seemed fine. When the light faded and the sky darken, the snapping sound was accompanied by a flash in the car. I pulled off and looked around when it flashed again, it was the end of the coax connector and the static electricity was arcing across the end of the connector. I piece of gum wrapper across the end stopped the arcing and I continued to Ft. Gordon at ease. Mel, K6KBE From: FredJensen k6...@foothill.net To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Mon, March 28, 2011 4:39:36 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico. Grounding and lightning protection is not a simple subject Phil. Here's what I would recommend: If your home is wired to NEC standards, the neutral [center-tap on the pole pig] will be tied to the safety ground [green wire in your outlets] and earth at the service entrance ... only. This means that the green wire in each outlet snakes back to the service entrance before encountering a real ground. It thus makes a useless RF ground and lightning is RF [see below]. A. You *must* tie your ground rod back to the ground at the entrance panel. NEC requires it and if it isn't so tied, it can create a real safety hazard if you should encounter a ground fault. Make it as short as possible, buried is best, but if short means run under the house, that's OK. Use #14 copper or larger. B. AC is excluded from the inside of a conductor by the magnetic field it creates, and flows near the surface [skin] effect]. The higher the frequency, the closer to the surface it is. The conductors on one of the original 230 KV lines from Hoover Dam to Los Angeles are hollow for that reason. C. Lightning currents are mainly RF, and flow only on the very surface of the conductor and you want a lot of surface area, volume contributes almost nothing. So, wide copper strap is good. Large gauge stranded copper wire is less effective but better than solid wire. For the fire lookouts on peaks here in the Sierra Nevada, they use 3/8 - 1/2 stranded wire running around the roof, catwalks, and tower legs, bonded to everything including an extensive ground system. D. Surviving a direct hit to your tower or antenna is problematical at best. Even if you disconnect and ground your antenna [and rotator] cables, the induced currents will create high peak potentials to your equipment [and everything else in the house]. You can't stop that from happening, and your radio chassis can momentarily rise to very high potentials.The grounding goal for your equipment is to keep it all together. The radio chassis can experience a peak pulse, but if everything else also gets that same pulse, the differential potential between them is very low, and little current will flow. The way you do this is to bring your ground strap into the shack, and using the shortest wiring you can, ground *each* piece of equipment *separately* to the same point on the strap. E. A grounded entrance panel for your coax and rotator cables is very good, use Polyphasers or similar to bring the cables through. They won't survive a direct hit, but in that case, that's the least of your worries, your house may be on fire by then. :-( They will clamp off induced pulses however and limit potential excursions on your equipment. F. Unless your home is on stilts over salt water [unlikely in NM :-) ] I'd guess that your ground rod is probably pretty high impedance for any currents generated by lightning. At the TV station I worked at in college [500' tower on a 1,300' ridge], the ground system ran all around the building with a bunch of ground rods, and included things like the tower, the fridge, plumbing, the 3 1/8 hard-line exterior, even the gate on the road, and the steel trench covers inside, They still made a deafening clang when we took a nearby strike. Hams do install systems like that around their houses,
[Elecraft] K2 Question
I have an early serial numbered K2 (#1103) which I am running barefoot. Among other options, I have installed the KI02 and ATU. Those who have built the earlier models will recall the need to cut some of the the traces on one of the front panel boards (there are two boards up there - I forget which one was cut). I now find it necessary to remove my KI02 and I will probably have to replace it (don't ask!). My question to the group is -- in light of my having cut those traces, will the ATU still tune if I remove the KI02? (I forget if we cut the traces when installing the KI02 or the ATU). I hope at least some of this makes sense. Thanks in advance for your usual help. 73 Tom WB2QDG K2 1103 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
Tnx Just what we need, more traffic on downtown I-5 KXBill From: phys...@mac.com Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 19:53:15 -0700 To: farrerfo...@yahoo.com CC: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico. You guys should all move to the northwest, such as Seattle. Lightning is more rare then a 100 degree summer day. It happens but definitely not often. Sent from my iPad __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning season is on the way in New Mexico.
I'm on the central Oregon coast, close to the waves, and we see lightning storms several times a year from squalls brought ashore by the Pineapple Express (the strong weather pattern that draws storms from the vicinity of Hawaii right to us). I'm always careful to keep the antenna grounded when not in use. Of course we don't see the sort of static build-up one gets in the dry southwest and other places, but one close call with a lightning stroke can easily make up for anything we missed due to dry air. It sounds like you're rather protected from that stuff in Seattle there on the eastern side of the Olympic peninsula. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- You guys should all move to the northwest, such as Seattle. Lightning is more rare then a 100 degree summer day. It happens but definitely not often. Sent from my iPad __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] A comment about Receiving
The antenna tuner acts as a pre-selector so to speak, by making the sytem of the antenna, the transmission line, and the radio, resonant, and matched impedence. All of this adds up to minimize losses in a couple of ways. The impedence matching means that the xmission line and antenna are as close to the input impedence of the radio (nominally 50 Ohms these days). If it is not at 50 Ohms then you do not get maximum power in to the rig based on simple simple Ohms law power. A highly simplified way of explaining resonance part of a resonant antenna is the act of making sure all of the current is in phase with the voltage so that when the power does get to the reciever, that it is in a useable form to drive things. It is somewhat the reverse or inverse of a good spring and shock absorber system on a carif you have things wrong, and drive along a rough road with bumps spaced jsut right relative to how fast, then all heck breaks loose; maximim power transferred, and that is a resonant system. If things are not resonant, well, you get a smooth ride in your car, or in the case of your radio, poor reception (and transmission). -ron WT5RZ -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/A-comment-about-Receiving-tp6216105p6217679.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Question
Tom, You made some cuts and added some wire to the Control Board when adding the KIO2 if your K2 SN was less than 3000 (the new boards already have this change installed. No need to reverse that wiring, just unplug the KIO2 cable and all will be well. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/28/2011 11:17 PM, Tom McCulloch wrote: I have an early serial numbered K2 (#1103) which I am running barefoot. Among other options, I have installed the KI02 and ATU. Those who have built the earlier models will recall the need to cut some of the the traces on one of the front panel boards (there are two boards up there - I forget which one was cut). I now find it necessary to remove my KI02 and I will probably have to replace it (don't ask!). My question to the group is -- in light of my having cut those traces, will the ATU still tune if I remove the KI02? (I forget if we cut the traces when installing the KI02 or the ATU). I hope at least some of this makes sense. Thanks in advance for your usual help. 73 Tom WB2QDG K2 1103 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
[Elecraft] Lightning in New Mexico
The ground rod (#1) I placed just outside my shack/ house is about 16 or 17 feet from the meter/ ground rod that connects to the AC mains. So if I run a bunch of fat parallel wires that are bonded to BOTH ground rods that will be a good thing to do. (and required...by law)(knock on the the door ITS the ground police) As a matter of fact during the lightning season I disconnect the antennas from my gear when it looks like the Wx is gonna go south. (South,??? why not North???) Antennas consist of a 20 meter Gap vertical and nested marconi for 40m and 80m at 24 feet... Kinda like a dipole. These antennas run to an outside remote coax switch. I have beat into the dirt another 8' foot ground rod(G.R. #2) next to the outside coax switch and have installed a Poly Phasor on the output coax that goes into the shack and poly phasors on each of the coax cables from the antennas. All the poly phasor's ground lugs are connected to ground rod #2. (Each Poly phasor has its own wire going to ground rod #2) This remote coax switch and ground rod #2 are about 12 feet from the AC mains. If I understand correctly, I should also bond this ground rod #2 to the the AC mains ground rod as well But if I do that then those antennas will be connected to the grounds in the house via the AC mains ground rod? This seems counterintuitive? I mean... now there will be the very real possibility of lightning in the house wiring??? Again Thank you for your help!!! Phil Santa Fe P.S... We get lightning almost as bad as Florida. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Lightning in New Mexico
On 3/28/2011 10:12 PM, Phil Townsend wrote: (knock on the the door ITS the ground police) Grounding regulations are there because they are the right way to protect people and property from Lightning and from faults on the power system. They are written in the form of Electrical Building Codes (the NEC in North America) by some VERY sharp Electrical Engineers who really do understand radio, audio, video, lightning, and all the other ramifications of proper grounding. They are not big government to be scorned, they are based on God's Laws of Physics to be learned and respected. Our concern is not the ground police (the local Electrical Inspector) -- it's LIGHTNING or a serious fault on the power line that can make you a very unhappy guy if you do it wrong. 73, Jim Brown K9YC __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
