Re: [Elecraft] KAT 500 Antenna Selection Problems

[Ken WA8JXM]

A better solution than my two band change workaround would be to write some

software to read UDP radio info messages from rig control software (in my

case, either N1MM+ or DXLab Suite Commander) and issue BN commands to the

KAT500 through its serial port connection.


No need to write additional code, DXLab already has that functionality ,On
the PORTS setup, there is a secondary serial port that you can direct to
the KAT500 \

Ken WA8JXM
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[Elecraft] Elecraft Cables

[ws6x.ars]

 I have several Elecraft cable assemblies for sale. All are new, unused, still 
in original Elecraft packaging. All prices include shipping.

KPAK3AUX - $35

CBL-1500IC - $14

CBL-KENSER1500 - $59

CBL-YAE-BKDA15 - $59

I accept Zelle, PayPal (F&F), and personal checks. If interested, please 
contact me off list.
Thanks,
Jim - WS6X

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Re: [Elecraft] A dumb question about lightning

[Bill Frantz]

While you are trying to make sense of the best practices lightning protection 
documents:

  N0AX’s ARRL book “Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur”

  Motorola’s STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNICATION SITES
  https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf

  K9YC’s Power, Grounding, Bonding, and Audio for Ham Radio.
  http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf

There are a few items of AC electrical behavior to keep in mind:

Lightning is produced by a giant spark-gap transmitter. It is a VERY broad RF 
signal centered at about 1 MHz.

There’s no such thing as a wire at RF, they are all transmission lines. 
Everything has both inductance and capacitance. These inductances will affect 
the way grounding lines work.

Conductors at RF exhibit what is called the surface effect, where the current 
is limited to the surface of the conductor. This is why 50cm (2 inch) wide 
copper leads, with their large surface area, are recommended. (Note that the 
surface effect is also important for AC power distribution systems at 50 or 60 
Hz.)

Proper bonding in the station can make all the equipment “float” at the same 
voltage above the local soil. If no current flows through the equipment, it 
will not be damaged.

73 Bill AE6JV


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Re: [Elecraft] A dumb question about lightning

[john simmons]

I especially agree with your last sentence. However I like to describe it as:
"Every device is at the same potential".

Nothing will be damaged even if everything is at 20,000 volts- as you say, no 
current will flow.


-John NI0K

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net  On 
Behalf Of Bill Frantz
Sent: Friday, August 4, 2023 3:32 PM
To: Elecraft List 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A dumb question about lightning

While you are trying to make sense of the best practices lightning protection 
documents:

  N0AX’s ARRL book “Grounding and Bonding for the Radio Amateur”

  Motorola’s STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES FOR COMMUNICATION SITES
  https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/Lands_ROW_Motorola_R56_2005_manual.pdf

  K9YC’s Power, Grounding, Bonding, and Audio for Ham Radio.
  http://k9yc.com/GroundingAndAudio.pdf

There are a few items of AC electrical behavior to keep in mind:

Lightning is produced by a giant spark-gap transmitter. It is a VERY broad RF 
signal centered at about 1 MHz.

There’s no such thing as a wire at RF, they are all transmission lines. 
Everything has both inductance and capacitance. These inductances will affect 
the way grounding lines work.

Conductors at RF exhibit what is called the surface effect, where the current 
is limited to the surface of the conductor. This is why 50cm (2 inch) wide 
copper leads, with their large surface area, are recommended. (Note that the 
surface effect is also important for AC power distribution systems at 50 or 60 
Hz.)

Proper bonding in the station can make all the equipment “float” at the same 
voltage above the local soil. If no current flows through the equipment, it 
will not be damaged.

73 Bill AE6JV


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delivered to jasimm...@pinewooddata.com 
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[Elecraft] K3 Options Last Time Buy Update and other products status:

[Eric Swartz]

I've been out of town much of this last month and I apologize for my lack
of regular updates over the past months on the K3 Options. The buck stops
here - I apologize and take full responsibility for the slow updates and
delays in getting these completed and shipped.

The bottom line: We and our vendors were overloaded and had way over
estimated our ability to build and get the options and our regular core
products products out the door at the same time. We've been 'heads down'
focusing on adding capacity to correct this situation.

In my last update I was way over optimistic about our in-house production
ramp up rate and the capacity of our Caif. based PCB assembly houses and
their ability to ramp up production of all of our main products and the
very large number of individual K3 option boards at the same time. The
ongoing semiconductor shortages, while improving, have also continued to
put sand in the gears of production as we took time to hunt down
numerous hard to get parts. We -have- been successful at getting the very
large number of KIO3B and KSYN3A options built and shipped, along with the
K144XV and K144RFLK orders. But that, combined with our post-COVID ramping
up of our K4, Amplifier and Autotuner product lines, severely taxed both
our inside final assembly and our outside PCB assembly sub-contractor's
abilities to handle everything at once. We had to pull back and reset to
add production capacity and first focus on our core Radio, Amp and
Auto-Tuner products, with the K3 last time buy options following that.

We have now qualified and added several additional CA based PCB assembly
houses to work with our parts ordering group, which greatly increases our
production capacity. We are already using them for a wide range of boards
with good results and faster delivery.

This increased capacity has allowed us to catch up with our K4, Amplifier
and KAT500 Autotuner backlogs and these products now typically ship from
stock. (or occasionally 5-10 working days after order, depending on short
term order surges etc.)
**Catching up on these products has opened up additional capacity for our
K3 Options production, where we are now heavily focused.**

We're currently working with our PCB assembly vendors to solve any
remaining parts problems and to firm up the delivery dates for the
remaining K3 options. Fortunately we have sufficient raw unstuffed PC
boards in house for a number of the K3 options, which will speed the
production process. I will report back here in about 2 weeks, during the
week of 8/21, with updated status for each product, showing production
status, open issues etc.

(I may also report earlier on a subset of the K3 Options if we receive any
of the information we've asked for early (next week or the following week.)
One item that may start shipping soon is the KPA3A 100W option. We're
currently confirming if we have all the sheet metal and other parts in
house that go with the built and tested KPA3A RF assemblies.)

One additional note:
We've also been successful ramping the KX2 production rate enough to exceed
the order rate and reduce the backlog. We are working hard to push that
higher so KX2s are shipping from stock soon. We are also shipping against
our KX3 backlog and are working hard to get that production rate up so we
can get it back into a stocking situation.

73,
Eric WA6HHQ
*elecraft.com *
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Re: [Elecraft] Buying a K4 in UK

[Eric Swartz]

I am currently in contact with Justin at Moonraker. We also met at the
Friedrichshafen Ham Radio show in June.  I'll report here as soon as I have
additional information on both the local sales and service for our products
in the U.K.

One note - For the reasons others have noted, we are also interested in
supporting independent repair persons inside the U.K who are familiar with
our products. Please contact me directly.   eric(at)elecraft.com

Also, in addition to our in and out of warranty repair center for the Eu
since 2011, Carlo Bianconi in Bologna, Italy, who has an excellent lab and
does expert work, we have also added our Swiss Distributor, Lutz
Electronics as an additional repair center for in and out of warranty
products. The feedback from customers who have repairs done there has also
been excellent. Lutz speaks vey good English, German and French and also
has an expedited method for shipping to them from Germany.

On buying directly from us, one area of confusion among some international
buyers in the UK and elsewhere in the EU is that while quoted prices for
our products at local retail stores in Eu and the UK already include the
addition of your local VAT and the cost of shipping and insurance to them
from the U.S., the on-line prices on orders shipped directly from us do not
include the VAT or import duty. That is required by the international
authorities on your end to be paid by the buyer upon receipt.   (Shipping
cost and insurance is also added by us to the invoice at the time of
billing prior to shipment.)

72,
Eric
*elecraft.com *


On Wed, Aug 2, 2023 at 2:05 PM David Aslin G3WGN  wrote:

> All my Elecraft kit (K3 + 'S' upgrades, P3, KPA500, KAT500, KX3, K2, W2
> etc) was bought via mostly separate orders direct from Elecraft, so
> multiple experience of this buying route.  No hassles with any of the
> shipments, but a week or so delay while the VAT/customs process completed.
> Even at today's elevated shipping prices, cost was always less than the W
> & S price.
>
> More concerning is the lack of accessible service facilities.  Claudio in
> Bologna is a great engineer and did an exemplary job of upgrading and
> checking over the the KPA500s owned by members of the 6Gs DXpeditions
> group; BUT, shipping a returnable item to Italy (or elsewhere in the EU) is
> now a huge bureaucratic nightmare.
> I would hope that Eric and Justin Godefroy (who I do not know, but I
> understand owns & runs Moonraker) are in conversation.  If not, does anyone
> on here know Justin well enough to encourage that to happen?  Checking with
> Eric would be easy, but there may be need for 'encouragement' at the UK
> end.  Moonraker would get loads of brownie points if they hired an engineer
> and had them trained on Elecraft products - and given the lack of other
> service facilities in UK, could have them trained on other products too, to
> make the hire cost-effective.
> 73, David G3WGN M6O
>
> -Original Message-
> From: Dave 
> Sent: Wednesday, August 2, 2023 1:12 PM
> To: Elecraft Discussion List 
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Buying a K4 in UK
>
> I bought my K4D from W&S 2 years ago, but they no longer list much
> Elecraft equipment and seem to have lost interest.
>
> All my other Elecraft kit came direct from Elecraft. W&S are unlikely to
> handle warranty or repairs for items bought elsewhere, which is a pity as
> the only place outside of the UK for service is either Italy or back to the
> factory.
>
> 73 Dave G4AON
> --
> Sent from my iPhone SE
>
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>
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