[Elecraft] STATIONMASTER, K3, P3, AND PC INTERCONNECTION
I am confused about the connection and communication between my PC and my MicroHam stationmaster (SM), K3, P3 and hope that someone can help clear this up. I just modified my K3 to upgrade it to the KIO3B digital I/O board. Before upgrading to the KIO3B, I had used a custom RS232 cable to the CAT port on the and the entire system worked fine using DXLabs, or N1MM as the “logger” program. To reconfigure the cables and connect them in the right order, I consulted the SM website and support page which indicates the connection flow was from the PC to the SM (all via USB), then to the P3, then to the K3. To implement this, I connected the PC to SM via USB, then used the E980296 “Y-Cable”, provided by Elecraft, and connected the RS-232 connectors to the back of the P3 (ensuring the cables matched the configuration shown in the KIO3B upgrade kit), and the other end with “RJ” connector to the K3. When I powered this system up, the K3 firmware recognized the KIO3-B board properly. However, this configuration does not work. Upon starting the Router program, the Tab indicating the status of the SM shows the usual green check mark. Moving to the port tab, the Router program indicates the COM port is open (one arrow green) and is sending data but it is not receiving anything back (red arrow is not present) from the radio. Have I configured the system correctly? BTW No changes were made to the inside of the SM. I had used COM Port 7 in my previous configuration and have not changed that either. 73’s, Greg N9GB __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft 80M SSB Net Report
3806 kHz (We met on 3803 kHz this evening), 9PM ET Sunday (0200Z Monday). Thanks to the following check ins (w) and relays (rel): Call State Radio/Amp Name 1 N8SBE MIK4D/KPA500 Dave (w),(op) 2 K8NU OHK4D/KPA1500 Carl (w) 3 W9PCS WIK4D/KPA500 Paul (w) 4 WB9JNZ ILFTdx101d/KPA1500Eric (rel),(w) 5 K1NW RIK4D/KPA500 Brian (w) 6 AC3CT PAFT-991A Tim (w) 7 W8KEN OHK4D/KPA1500 Ken (w) 8 WN9A INK4D/KPA1500 Larry (w) 9 K5WC ARK4D/Mercury John (w) 10 KE8TRL MIIC-7300 Blaine (w) 11 WM6P GAK4D/KPA1500 Steve (w) 12 K1DIH CTK4D/Tokyo Hi-Power Brian (w) 13 K2RIG NJK4/Mercury III Bill (w) 14 KF4BY SCK3/Alpha 74AStan (w) 15 WW4JF TNK3s/KPA500 E F PJOHN (w) 16 K5WA TXK4D/Alpha 2000A Bob (w) We had a total of 16 check ins this week (including the NCS). Signals were good all around. Thanks to Eric, WB9JNZ for the relay assist this evening. 80M was in good condition. Very nice hearing from the new check ins and hope to see all of you again. The net concluded at 9:39 PM ET. In spite of the recent frequency change, the turnout continues to be very encouraging. We ended up on 3803 kHz tonight at Carl's K8NU suggestion/observation that 3803 cleared up just before 9pm ET last week, and it appeared to do so again this week. We did hear another weak (to us) conversation that started to get stronger later in the net, so if 80M continues to improve we may not be able to hold 3803, either. Time will tell. I'll continue to monitor adjacent frequencies to see if we can find another one close by that will work better for everyone. In the meantime we will continue to attempt to meet on 3806 kHz. If you go to https://netlogger.org at the net starting time, you should see the frequency we are using that evening. Looking ahead, we will NOT meet on Christmas Eve or New Year's eve, so this was the last 80M Elecraft SSB Net of this year. Happy Holidays and see you next year! 73, -- Dave, N8SBE __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report
Good Evening,
Twenty meters was full of ongoing QSOs when I searched for a
frequency. Thank you for finding me; I'm sure propagation assisted you
all. Conditions were better than I had hoped for. Noise was low on
twenty meters and not much higher on forty meters. QSB was moderate on
twenty but signals were strong enough to limit any problems. Forty
meters had just a little more, some of it fast. Sunset had passed me
but the ionosphere had not yet settled down.
On 14049.5 kHz at 2300z:
W0CZ - Ken - ND
K0DTJ - Brian - CA
K6XK - Roy - IA
W8OV - Dave - TX
NO8V - John - MI
K4JPN - Steve - GA
AB9V - Mike - IN
On 7047.5 kHz at 0100z:
W0CZ - Ken - ND
K0DTJ - Brian - CA
WM5F - Dwight - ID
K9FN - Dave - IN
Until next week 73,
Kevin. KD5ONS
-
“So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a
sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never
negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-cell-atlases-reveal-untold-variety-in-the-brain-and-beyond-20231213/
A function called at the animation thread frame rate, or via triggered
event.
static float chi = 0.0; // animation control
rate
void saw( void ) // Sawtooth chi between end points by
increments
{
static bool up = true; // multithread
compatible
if( up ) { if( ( chi+=0.11 ) > 15.0 ) up = false; }
else { if( ( chi-=0.11 ) < -15.0 ) up = true; }
}
__
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[Elecraft] For Sale K-POD $350 plus shipping. New in box. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X
For Sale K-POD $350 plus shipping. New in box. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] For Sale K-POD $350 plus shipping. New in box. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X
For Sale K-POD $350 plus shipping. New in box. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] For Sale K4D with KAT4 ATU asking $5, 700 plus shipping. For Sale K4D with KAT4 Auto-Tuner asking $5, 700 plus shipping. Excellent condition. Original owner. Original shipping boxes. Sellin
For Sale K4D with KAT4 Auto-Tuner asking $5,700 plus shipping. Excellent condition. Original owner. Original shipping boxes. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] For Sale KPA1500 asking $6, 700 plus shipping. New in 2023. Excellent condition. Original owner. Original shipping boxes. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, phot
For Sale KPA1500 asking $6,700 plus shipping. New in 2023. Excellent condition. Original owner. Original shipping boxes. Selling due to QTH relocation. Contact off list for questions, photos, shipping, pickup/delivery, phone call, etc. Thank you. 73, Jim WI6X __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] For Sale PX3-K
I have complete PX3-K as packaged by Elecraft for sale. Panadapter kit for the KX3. Asking $560 ppd CONUS. Contact off list. 73, Mike AC5P __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] P3
On 12/17/2023 1:12 PM, Brian Hunt wrote: I’ve discovered that it’s easier to see a very weak signal on the waterfall than in the amplitude plot. Setting the SVGA screen for 25% spectrum and 75% waterfall gives lots of space to see dim traces. You may have to adjust the threshold a bit. YES! The settings I've described will optimize that visibility in the waterfall. Increasing the time in the waterfall to the max, especially with the SVGA (about 2 minutes), is great help in finding empty spots to call CQ in a contest, and to find running (CQing) stations to work. 73, Jim 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] P3
Hi Jim, I’ve discovered that it’s easier to see a very weak signal on the waterfall than in the amplitude plot. Setting the SVGA screen for 25% spectrum and 75% waterfall gives lots of space to see dim traces. You may have to adjust the threshold a bit. 73, Brian, K0DTJ > On Dec 17, 2023, at 12:13, Fred Jensen wrote: > > Can't speak to the K3s, but the K3 required a modification to the 1st IF [8 > MHz] gain for my P3 to show weaker signals. It was just a resistor change. > > 73, > > Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW > Sparks NV DM09dn > Washoe County > > Jim Murray via Elecraft wrote on 12/17/2023 12:05 PM: >> Hello all, Having acquired a fully loaded K3s fairly recently I am behind >> the curve of those fortunate enough to have a K4. Its taken several weeks >> to get a decent handle on the K3s and now on to the P3. I have all the >> manuals including Fred Cadys K3s and P3. I find the K3s to be excellent and >> pretty remarkable compared to the many other transceivers I've owned over >> nearly 50 years. The P3 has the vga board and is connected up. All is well >> Except; weak signals do not show up on the P3. I can hear a rather weak >> signal but nothing at that point on the P3. My thought is at this point the >> P3 is not doing me much good looking for a weak dx signal. I have to think >> I have something not set up right etc.. Any help on what I'm missing would >> be appreciated.Thanks,Jimk2hn >> > > > > -- > This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. > www.avg.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 > Message delivered to huntin...@coastside.net __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] P3
On 12/17/2023 12:05 PM, Jim Murray via Elecraft wrote: My thought is at this point the P3 is not doing me much good looking for a weak dx signal. I have to think I have something not set up right etc.. What is required is careful (and ongoing) adjustment of P3 controls. For everyday operation, I set the display range to 32 dB, set Averaging to max (20), and adjust the noise floor to the bottom of the display. The first two adjustments are more or less set and forget; the noise floor will change from day to day and from band to band. On CW and RTTY, I typically use display widths of 50 to 100 kHz, or whatever covers the activity; on SSB, I usually set it to the 200 kHz max. In both cases, setting the center so that I'm seeing that activity. What Averaging does is cause random noise to cancel, but causing signals to be reinforced. Averaging is the power tool that lets us see weak signals. Averaging also emphasizes electronic noise, that's acting like miniature radio transmitters. It's also important to set the P3 so that the frequency limits of the display remain fixed as we tune the band; if we set it to always be centered, averaging will re-start as we tune, rendering it useless. If I'm going for very weak signals on a quiet band, I'll change that 32 dB display range to 24 dB; in a contest, with lots of big signals, to 42 dB. I do NOT recommend averaging of the waterfall itself. These applications notes on different topics include P3 and P3/SVGA screen grabs. The first two are "on-the-air;" the third was done in my shack, looking at the bandwidth of various rigs and amps. If you know what you're doing, the P3 and P3/SVGA are very good test instruments, that are with respect to frequency resolution, far superior to HP spectrum analyzers! http://k9yc.com/K6XXAmpTalk.pdf http://k9yc.com/KillingReceiveNoise.pdf http://k9yc.com/P3_Spectrum_Measurements.pdf 73, Jim 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] P3
Can't speak to the K3s, but the K3 required a modification to the 1st IF [8 MHz] gain for my P3 to show weaker signals. It was just a resistor change. 73, Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW Sparks NV DM09dn Washoe County Jim Murray via Elecraft wrote on 12/17/2023 12:05 PM: Hello all, Having acquired a fully loaded K3s fairly recently I am behind the curve of those fortunate enough to have a K4. Its taken several weeks to get a decent handle on the K3s and now on to the P3. I have all the manuals including Fred Cadys K3s and P3. I find the K3s to be excellent and pretty remarkable compared to the many other transceivers I've owned over nearly 50 years. The P3 has the vga board and is connected up. All is well Except; weak signals do not show up on the P3. I can hear a rather weak signal but nothing at that point on the P3. My thought is at this point the P3 is not doing me much good looking for a weak dx signal. I have to think I have something not set up right etc.. Any help on what I'm missing would be appreciated.Thanks,Jimk2hn -- This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software. www.avg.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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] P3
Hello all, Having acquired a fully loaded K3s fairly recently I am behind the curve of those fortunate enough to have a K4. Its taken several weeks to get a decent handle on the K3s and now on to the P3. I have all the manuals including Fred Cadys K3s and P3. I find the K3s to be excellent and pretty remarkable compared to the many other transceivers I've owned over nearly 50 years. The P3 has the vga board and is connected up. All is well Except; weak signals do not show up on the P3. I can hear a rather weak signal but nothing at that point on the P3. My thought is at this point the P3 is not doing me much good looking for a weak dx signal. I have to think I have something not set up right etc.. Any help on what I'm missing would be appreciated.Thanks,Jimk2hn __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [Elecraft-AX/KX/KH] Elecraft 80M SSB Net Announcement
David, Point taken. We did meet below 3.8 MHz, but there were complaints from US amateurs that we were excluding General class amateurs stateside. Considering that I've never heard anyone trying to check in from GB when we were lower in frequency, I wouldn't expect to see any that early in the evening US-time, although in the winter it is almost 3 hours past sunset for the Midwest USA. Sorry that you feel excluded. I would suggest trying the 20M net on 14.303.5 at 1800 UTC every Sunday. K1NW who is in Rhode Island, frequently turns his antenna towards GB to pick up a station that checks in from there regularly. Hope to hear you on the 20M net. 73, -- Dave, N8SBE On 2023-12-17 13:34, David Pratt wrote: It might be best to refer it as a 75m net, Dave. 3806 kHz excludes folks in the rest of the world where the band is 3.5 to 3.8 MHz. 73 de David G4DMP David Pratt on a Huawei phone. On 17 Dec 2023 17:54, "Dave New, N8SBE" wrote: Please join us on 3806kHz (NOTE THE NEW FREQUENCY WHICH MOVES US INTO THE GENERAL CLASS BAND)plus or minus QRM (see the Netlogger discussion, below), 9PM ET Sunday (0200Z Monday). Note that the net stays on the same local time, when we switch back and forth to/from Daylight time, so the UTC time changes, but not the local time. Now that we have moved into Standard time and have shorter daylight hours, 80M should be stronger now during the winter. Your net control this week will be Dave, N8SBE. I'm using Netlogger, so if you go to netlogger.org and look for the 80M Elecraft SSB Net, you will be able to see the exact frequency we've settled on for the evening. Hope to see you this evening on the net. 73, -- Dave, N8SBE _._,_._,_ - Groups.io Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#78865) [1] | Reply To Group | Reply To Sender | Mute This Topic [2] | New Topic [3] Your Subscription [4] | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [5] [n8...@densbe.com] _._,_._,_ Links: -- [1] https://Elecraft-KX.groups.io/g/main/message/78865 [2] https://groups.io/mt/103228497/439435 [3] https://Elecraft-KX.groups.io/g/main/post [4] https://Elecraft-KX.groups.io/g/main/editsub/439435 [5] https://Elecraft-KX.groups.io/g/main/leave/7800204/439435/1116782756/xyzzy __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] [Elecraft-AX/KX/KH] Elecraft 80M SSB Net Announcement
__ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Elecraft 80M SSB Net Announcement
Please join us on 3806kHz (NOTE THE NEW FREQUENCY WHICH MOVES US INTO THE GENERAL CLASS BAND)plus or minus QRM (see the Netlogger discussion, below), 9PM ET Sunday (0200Z Monday). Note that the net stays on the same local time, when we switch back and forth to/from Daylight time, so the UTC time changes, but not the local time. Now that we have moved into Standard time and have shorter daylight hours, 80M should be stronger now during the winter. Your net control this week will be Dave, N8SBE. I'm using Netlogger, so if you go to netlogger.org and look for the 80M Elecraft SSB Net, you will be able to see the exact frequency we've settled on for the evening. Hope to see you this evening on the net. 73, -- Dave, N8SBE __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] merry chrsitmas and happy new year to all
merry christmas and new year to all i hope ya have blessed week as well i been on 60 on my kx2 alot now for my frist time late tgis years lots of fun 73 to all Jackie N4MJG __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] User's Dilemma
Early in my career at SW Bell (then management with AT Info Systems) I was a Teletype tech. We worked on Model 28, 33, 35, 40, 3274 bisync terminals, printers, tape punch, readers and tape printers. Classes on each model were five days a week, eight hours a day for three weeks. It took me at least a year to become proficient on most models. After two years I could pull a mainshaft on a Model 28/35 to replace clutch parts and have it back in service in 20 minutes. At that point as a TTY tech I was called on and traveled to assist others in a difficult repairs. My standard to become up to speed (maybe 90%) is about six months for the many jobs I had at AT Sidebar: The model 33s were the 'economy' models. Adjustments were made by bending various parts, arms, levers, etc. From a technician point of view they were junk. John WB5THT On 12/16/2023 7:51 PM, elecraft-requ...@mailman.qth.net wrote: Re: [Elecraft] User's Dilemma Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Send it to Watsonville for the best service. Let me give you a story of my personal experience. When I started with K2 repairs, I had Gary Surrency to bounce any difficult situations off of.? Gary was kind enough to lead me 'by the hand' through the initial process.? I was on the east coast area working remotely with both Gary (Arizona) and Watsonville. After about 6 months, Gary asked me why I only asked about difficult questions, and I told him that the easy ones I had already solved. Go on to my 'retirement' from repairs.? Dave Van Wallaghen W8FGU took over.? Dave already had experience with the legacy gear that I was working on. Still, it took about 6 months before Dave was fully on-board, and after almost 2 years, he still asks about some of the 'really strange stuff' that he encounters, and I may or may not be able to offer any additional information.. __ 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 Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] User's Dilemma
Hello Don, I was a car mechanic for about 40 years before I became a coffee roaster. I ran my own shop for about 20 years. It was the same way in the automotive industry, it took me a while to train new people. Even if they were experienced mechanics, although the experienced ones were much easier to train than the apprentices. My problem was in my shop I fixed whatever came by. So people had to learn all of the older cars. Good explanation, I have sent my KX three to Ella craft once for repairs. I don’t necessarily abuse it, but I’m bounced around a lot and take it a lot of places. It’s been the best transceiver I’ve ever had, and Ella craft has been the best company I’ve ever worked with on any Sort of project. Whether radios or other things that may need repair or upkeep. Gerry Leary Wb6ivf On Dec 16, 2023, at 6:51 PM, W3FPR wrote: Send it to Watsonville for the best service. Let me give you a story of my personal experience. When I started with K2 repairs, I had Gary Surrency to bounce any difficult situations off of. Gary was kind enough to lead me 'by the hand' through the initial process. I was on the east coast area working remotely with both Gary (Arizona) and Watsonville. After about 6 months, Gary asked me why I only asked about difficult questions, and I told him that the easy ones I had already solved. Go on to my 'retirement' from repairs. Dave Van Wallaghen W8FGU took over. Dave already had experience with the legacy gear that I was working on. Still, it took about 6 months before Dave was fully on-board, and after almost 2 years, he still asks about some of the 'really strange stuff' that he encounters, and I may or may not be able to offer any additional information.. Bottom line is that it takes about 6 months to a year before a good technician can be so familiar with the gear that he is working on to be proficient on his own. He still needs some support that can only come from the designers or those long experienced with the product. Training new techs can be more efficient in Watsonville than in remote locations. Keith is the current expert there (as well as Vic). and support from them can be as quick as walking over to their 'office'. So, yes, it takes a bit more postage to ship to Watsonville, but that is where the expertise to properly do the K3, Kx2, Kx3, and K4 repair resides. If you are talking about the legacy gear (K1, KX1, K2), then that expertise is currently in Michigan. We have shown that remote work works, but for other than the legacy gear, the best place is still Watsonville, CA. For the best service, accept the delays that are inevitable. It would be nice to turn a repair in a day or two from receipt, but from personal experience, when I had 14 repairs lined up, I was forced to take them on a first-in, first out basis. If I had a difficult repair in-line, it slowed down my expectations. When the number got over 10, I became anxious and tried to get them out as soon as possible, but not compromising my goal of making all repairs complete and tested when done. 73 and have a great Christmas (0r Happy Holidays if you prefer), Don W3FPR On 12/15/2023 5:46 PM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote: > Sorry, Adrian - I hear you but I am not willing to accept that location > trumps everything. Sure it costs money to train new techs, and I'm sure it's > hard to recruit them, but what is the alternative? Continue to be without a > very expensive and essential piece of equipment for weeks/months? > > 73, Pete N4ZR > > On 12/15/2023 3:41 PM, KJ7SOY wrote: >> Pete: >> >> I can understand your frustrations. However I think your sentiment that “the >> current situation needs to be addressed, either in Watsonville or otherwise” >> doesn’t recognize current global business realities. >> >> As background, I lived in Monterey, just down the road from Watsonville, for >> three years (2013-2016) and I know the area well. Watsonville has a >> population of about 50,000 and the primary industry (about 80% of the >> business in the area) is agriculture. People won’t move to small/medium >> sized agricultural communities because there isn’t a lot there for them, so >> importing skilled staff isn’t feasible. Domestically there aren’t skilled >> persons around who could be hired to work on the radios because again it’s >> primarily an agricultural community. >> >> The company itself isn’t large, I understand, and they’re going as fast as >> they can all the time. With the current global labor shortage it’s close to >> impossible to hire people in ANY industry, and electronics fabrication and >> repair is no exception. >> >> So basically what you’re saying is the company should buck the global trend >> and import or train staff who are willing to move to a small agricultural >> community in north central California to work on skilled electronics repair. >> It just won’t happen. There IS no way to “address the situation”. This
