Re: [Elecraft] What minimum temperature should the K station be kept at during a hard freeze

[Doug Hensley]

Thanks for the response jack.  i'm in Baton Rouge so worrying too about the 
temperature.
Louisiana homes are not designed nor built for cold weather so, like you, it 
will be a challenge
to keep the pets warm and the pipes flowing 😉 

Doug W5JV





Visit https://www.qrz.com/db/W5JV for some great vacuum tube finds.



From: Jack Brindle 
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2024 1:58 PM
To: Doug Hensley 
Cc: Elecraft List 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] What minimum temperature should the K station be kept 
at during a hard freeze

Usually the limiting factor for low temperature in modern equipment is the LCD. 
They have a problem crystalizing much below freezing and thus are not usable in 
very cold temperatures.

I hope thing don’t get too cold in your area - we are forecast to see 19F here 
in SW LA on Tuesday morning. Yuck!

73,
Jack, W6FB


On Jan 13, 2024, at 1:13 PM, William Hammond via Elecraft 
 wrote:

Doug, You didn’t specify which “K” radio you were inquiring about.  My K4D 
manual page 45 says:  0 C to 50 C  or 32 F  to 122 F.  The K3s manual specifics 
0-50 C for frequency stability.   The K2 manual does not mention operating 
temperatures. The KX3 manual does not specify.  I checked the non “K”,  IC-7300 
manual and  operating range is stated as: -10 C to +60 C or +14 F to +140 F 
just for a sanity check.   To be safe, keeping the radio above freezing is a 
good idea.  I would think that condensation or moisture of any kind is the 
enemy in the cold.  Storing and operating are different things.

That said, I worked on a military radio that mounted in the 47 section of the 
B-52D, F  with no environmental controls. It was subjected to 50,000‘ altitude 
and  -50 C, F .  The failure rate of that radio was much greater than the same 
radio that was in the pressurized and air-conditioned in a forward section of 
the aircraft.  I might add that these radios were electrically tuned to a 
frequency using DC motors and heterodyned crystals (the AN/ARC-34) and it was 
almost always the tuning that failed.  These radios were in tropical conditions 
in Guam or Thailand when not flying.  They used sub-miniature tubes about a 
third the size of a miniature tube.

73, Bill-AK5X

On Jan 13, 2024, at 9:22 AM, Doug Hensley 
mailto:w...@hotmail.com>> wrote:

What minimum temperature should a K station be kept at during a hard freeze
and is there a cold temperature point at which it should not be powered up?

Please reply to the list and as always do not reply to a digest.  Thanks in 
advance
for any information.

73, Doug W5JV





Visit https://www.qrz.com/db/W5JV for some great vacuum tube finds.


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Re: [Elecraft] What minimum temperature should the K station be kept at during a hard freeze

[Doug Hensley]

Thanks Bill,

Much appreciate the information as well as the response.

I have a K3s pair, each with a P3 on one side of the station and
a K1 adjacent to it.  Both, of course, with power supplies.  My
K3s's are factory sn 10xxx units and will be here for the duration.

Fascinating story on the AF front.  Thanks for sharing.

Stay warm,

Doug W5JV






Visit https://www.qrz.com/db/W5JV for some great vacuum tube finds.



From: William Hammond 
Sent: Saturday, January 13, 2024 1:13 PM
To: Doug Hensley 
Cc: Elecraft List 
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] What minimum temperature should the K station be kept 
at during a hard freeze

Doug, You didn’t specify which “K” radio you were inquiring about.  My K4D 
manual page 45 says:  0 C to 50 C  or 32 F  to 122 F.  The K3s manual specifics 
0-50 C for frequency stability.   The K2 manual does not mention operating 
temperatures. The KX3 manual does not specify.  I checked the non “K”,  IC-7300 
manual and  operating range is stated as: -10 C to +60 C or +14 F to +140 F 
just for a sanity check.   To be safe, keeping the radio above freezing is a 
good idea.  I would think that condensation or moisture of any kind is the 
enemy in the cold.  Storing and operating are different things.

That said, I worked on a military radio that mounted in the 47 section of the 
B-52D, F  with no environmental controls. It was subjected to 50,000‘ altitude 
and  -50 C, F .  The failure rate of that radio was much greater than the same 
radio that was in the pressurized and air-conditioned in a forward section of 
the aircraft.  I might add that these radios were electrically tuned to a 
frequency using DC motors and heterodyned crystals (the AN/ARC-34) and it was 
almost always the tuning that failed.  These radios were in tropical conditions 
in Guam or Thailand when not flying.  They used sub-miniature tubes about a 
third the size of a miniature tube.

73, Bill-AK5X

On Jan 13, 2024, at 9:22 AM, Doug Hensley  wrote:

What minimum temperature should a K station be kept at during a hard freeze
and is there a cold temperature point at which it should not be powered up?

Please reply to the list and as always do not reply to a digest.  Thanks in 
advance
for any information.

73, Doug W5JV





Visit https://www.qrz.com/db/W5JV for some great vacuum tube finds.


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