[Elecraft] 4W/G3ZEM
I want to acknowledge the superb performance of my K3, KPA500, KAT500 combo along with my little HF9V while away on my solo 'man in a tent' trip to Timor-Leste. The nominal 220V supply in T-L rapidly ranges +/-20% when it is available at all This would be a challenge for any equipment. Aside from occasional 60V high/low faults reported on the KPA500 everything worked faultlessly. System integration was perfect providing for instant pre-tuned band changes day and night. 15,200 Qs over 10 days CW only. I'm sure to have worked a lot of Elecrafters. K3, KPA500, KAT500 really is the combo of choice for fly-in fly-out DX-peditioning. Thanks to Elecraft for some first class equipment. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] KX3: automated sideband nulling routine using XG3..
Dave The automated routine is embedded in the KX3. No additional software is needed. I used an HP8640B sig gen as I don't own an XG3. Download the appropriate App Note from the URL below. All will become clear. http://www.elecraft.com/KX3/kx3_app_notes.htm I found use of the routine followed by minor manual tweaks produced the best results. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN On Thursday, July 11, 2013 3:20 AM Dave B wrote: FAO: Elecraft... I don't supose for one moment, that there could be a version of that Other Sideband Nulling software, that could be persuaded to work with more normal signal generators, from the likes of HP/Agilent, RS, Marconi etc, via GPIB or Serial (using VISA call's for example?) Else. Are all the commands that the software uses with the XG3 documented, so an interface (with virtual COM port) could be written to do that? (Emulate the XG3, while passing on the frequency/level data to the alternative sig gen.) Regards. Dave G0WBX (with access to some of the above, and a Delphi compiler...) __ 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] V63ZM KH2/G3ZEM
Just a short note of thanks to all of my friends at Elecraft. A few days ago I completed 13 days of essentially CW operation from KH2/G3ZEM and V63ZM. This was a man in a suitcase dx-pedition with everything carried with me from my home in Cyprus. The relevance to this list is that my equipment was 100% Elecraft with a K3, KPA500 KAT500 combo. My antenna was a Butternut HF9V with 160m add-on which on Weno was mounted on the hotel roof. I made QSOs on all 9 bands from 160 - 10m from both locations. Tally for KH2 was around 3,500 and from V6 9,500. My Elecraft equipment performed impeccably. The KPA500 produced 600W output on all bands without the slightest drama. Occasional overdrive, bad SWR or power glitch would cause the amp to trip but it was always immediately reset. Once the KAT500 had learnt the characteristics of the antenna, band hopping was easy and immediate. Overall I have no complaints though I do have one observation When operating from DX locations I always aim to keep the bandwidth occupied by the pile-up as small as possible. I see no reason for a big stage on which to perform and I see no reason to unnecessarily mess up the band for other users. However this approach places huge demands upon receiver dynamic performance due to the number of stations present within receive passband at any point in time. I experimented with all AGC settings but failed to find any providing adequate signal separation with such high station density. Rather than spread the pile to lighten the load I opted for operation with AGC off and bandwidth set to 1kHz. Riding the RF gain control, as we all used to do in the (g)olden days provided the best results by far. My K3 has the current firmware incorporating the AGC improvements. I have no idea whether any other transceiver AGC system would fair better in similar circumstances. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN DU1SVA, KH2/G3ZEM, V63ZM __ 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] KXV3A
Could someone please point me to schematics for the KXV3A or otherwise help with identification of a component? KXV3 schematics are bundled with those for the K3 but I have been unable to find any updated to KXV3A. My KXV3A has suffered a failure due to high level RF while on receive. The burnt out component appears to be D5, located between L1 L2. None of these components are shown in the KXV3 schematic. I am particularly interested to learn the part number of D5. Assistance appreciated. Many thanks. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] KXV3A
Many thanks Fred. I believed I had the most recent schematics but I was mistaken. I have now downloaded an update. I was guessing it was a 64-05. It's as well I asked. Rather a pity though, as Farnell hold the -05 butnot the -04. I do some more digging to see if I can identify an EU source. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN Cady, Fred Sun, 21 Oct 2012 04:03:53 -0700 GM Bob, The schematics dated June 2010 have the KXV3A. D5 is a BAP64-04. Looks like it is being used as a switch controlled by the 7T voltage, I can email you the schematics if you wish (7 MB). Cheers and 73, __ 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] Elecraft KPA500 vs Tokyo Hy-Power 1.1Kfx
Jim The ST SD2933 and Microsemi VRF2933 are only superficially similar. The key differentiator is drain source breakdown voltage, which for the SD2933 is 130V but for the VRF2933 is typically 180V. The THP 550fx was designed using SD2933 devices but failures were high. I have met several dead HL550fx amps on my trips to the Pacific. The THP1.1kfx is essentially the same amp. THP now use devices marked THP2933. I can't say with absolute certainty but I believe these to be VRF2933. Running the VRF2933 from a 60V supply is a good idea. Doing the same with SD2933 isn't such a good one. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN Date: Fri, 17 Aug 2012 18:20:39 -0400 From: Robbins, James jsrobb...@earthlink.net Subject: [Elecraft] Elecraft KPA500 vs Tokyo Hy-Power 1.1Kfx To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Message-ID: 45b49d8f-baf4-4b94-81fe-7690a8f9b...@earthlink.net Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed I am wondering if anyone has an explanation for why the Elecraft KPA500 amplifier (500 watts) employs 2 VRF2933 FETs (Microsemi) in the final PA where the THP uses 4 ST2933 FETs (STMicroelectronics) to generate very similar power levels. The data sheets for each FET indicate that both brands are rated at 300-400 watts, support similar mismatches and run at similar voltage maximums. They have very similar specs all together. Perhaps our amplifier gurus could weigh in here. Much appreciated. 73, Jim Robbins N1JR __ 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] Fwd: An AGC Story
Sorry Geoff. My setup is fairly basic but I believe quite adequate. I use two +10dBm low noise xtal oscillators operated within the 40m band. The output of each is attenuated 20dB before combining via a Minicircuits SCP-2-1. Thereafter the signals pass through an 8MHz LPF to a step attenuator. The SCP-2-1 provides around 33dB port to port isolation at 7MHz. Isolation between the oscillator output stages is therefore around 73dB. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN On 12 December 2010 10:04, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.net wrote: Thank you, Bob. But you have robbed Geoff of his favorite whipping boy. We will have to take Geoff out to a pub and help him drown his sorrows. What was your setup? 73, Guy On Sat, Dec 11, 2010 at 11:11 PM, Bob Henderson b...@5b4agn.net wrote: Bottom posted for context. Geoff GM4ESD wrote If I had a K3, before I changed the HAGC threshold my *first* measurement would be to look at the output of the SA612 mixer (with a spectrum analyser) while introducing two or more very close spaced signals into the antenna port, so that these signals do get through the roofer - as in a pileup. The objective, of course, would be to obtain an acceptably clean output from the mixer with non intrusive products over a wide range of input levels. IMHO the higher the HAGC's threshold can be the better, provided its control is tight enough when activated to protect all what follows. I made within DSP b/w IMD measurements on my K3 and comparable measurements on my K2. These were included in a post dated 5 December but you may have missed it. The following measurements relate to K3 S/N 4904 on 7MHz with 2.7kHz roofing filter and 2.7kHz DSP b/w. Default slow AGC was selected. The table shows input level at the K3 antenna connector for each of two carriers spaced 500Hz. At each input level, the level of the strongest IMD product observed at the AF output using an HP8568B is recorded alongside. -73dBm Better than -55dBc (Input S9) -63dBm -55dBc -53dBm -50dBc -42dBm -45dBc -33dBm -42dBc -23dBm -37dBc (Input S9+50) These figures are good and IMHO entirely acceptable. Some older transceivers would struggle to provide -35dBc at S9. I made a similar set of measurements with my old K2 S/N 997 -73dBm -50dBc -63dBm -48dBc -53dBm -45dBc -43dBm -48dBc -33dBm -45dBc -23dBm -15dBc Broadly speaking the K3 is as good or better than the K2, which is itself good. It is possible later mods to the K2 may have made it even better. The most recent mods to my K2 were carried out over 5 years ago. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] An AGC Story
Bottom posted for context. Geoff GM4ESD wrote If I had a K3, before I changed the HAGC threshold my *first* measurement would be to look at the output of the SA612 mixer (with a spectrum analyser) while introducing two or more very close spaced signals into the antenna port, so that these signals do get through the roofer - as in a pileup. The objective, of course, would be to obtain an acceptably clean output from the mixer with non intrusive products over a wide range of input levels. IMHO the higher the HAGC's threshold can be the better, provided its control is tight enough when activated to protect all what follows. I made within DSP b/w IMD measurements on my K3 and comparable measurements on my K2. These were included in a post dated 5 December but you may have missed it. The following measurements relate to K3 S/N 4904 on 7MHz with 2.7kHz roofing filter and 2.7kHz DSP b/w. Default slow AGC was selected. The table shows input level at the K3 antenna connector for each of two carriers spaced 500Hz. At each input level, the level of the strongest IMD product observed at the AF output using an HP8568B is recorded alongside. -73dBm Better than -55dBc (Input S9) -63dBm -55dBc -53dBm -50dBc -42dBm -45dBc -33dBm -42dBc -23dBm -37dBc (Input S9+50) These figures are good and IMHO entirely acceptable. Some older transceivers would struggle to provide -35dBc at S9. I made a similar set of measurements with my old K2 S/N 997 -73dBm -50dBc -63dBm -48dBc -53dBm -45dBc -43dBm -48dBc -33dBm -45dBc -23dBm -15dBc Broadly speaking the K3 is as good or better than the K2, which is itself good. It is possible later mods to the K2 may have made it even better. The most recent mods to my K2 were carried out over 5 years ago. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] Recommended AGC settings for separation of signals in CW pile-ups
CQ WW CW is now over. We used K3s at P3F this year. While performance was generally considered good, some questions were raised over the effectiveness of the K3 in separating signals in large piles. Similar concerns appear to have surfaced from other users including the guys at 9L5VT and C6ATA. Anecdotal evidence suggests the old TS930 and TS850 performed better in such circumstances. I suspect the AGC systems of the K3s used had not optimised. Has collective experience of the K3 contesting community derived optimum settings for the K3 AGC system in this kind of situation? Thanks Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] Re Recommended AGC settings for separation of signals in CW pile-ups
Barry N1EU wrote: Bob, this topic has come up a few times in the past and is something that has my full interest during/after each cw contest. I hate to say it, but I don't think there's much of a solution via AGC settings. I typically run with AGC OFF and minimal RF Gain to try and maximize transfer of RF to AF rx dynamic range, but it honestly doesn't help much with the pileups. Perhaps it's just the nature of K3's A/D/A. I've used both the K3 and Orion in ARRL160 this weekend and my sense is that the similarly rx gain optimized Orion does a bit better in those situations where there are multiple callers on frequency. 73, Barry N1EU Hello Barry, Comments from others indicate a perception of within passband IMD as the cause of the problem. In response to this I made some measurements this morning. The following measurements relate to K3 S/N 4904 on 7MHz with 2.7kHz roofing filter and 2.7kHz DSP b/w. Default slow AGC was selected. The following table shows input level at the K3 antenna connector for each of two carriers spaced 500Hz. At each input level, the level of the strongest IMD product observed on an HP8568B is recorded alongside. -73dBm Better than -55dBc (Input S9) -63dBm -55dBc -53dBm -50dBc -42dBm -45dBc -33dBm -42dBc -23dBm -37dBc (Input S9+50) These figures are good and IMHO entirely acceptable. Some older transceivers would struggle to provide -35dBc at S9. I made a similar set of measurements with my old K2 S/N 997 -73dBm -50dBc -63dBm -48dBc -53dBm -45dBc -43dBm -48dBc -33dBm -45dBc -23dBm -15dBc Broadly speaking the K3 is as good or better than the K2, which is itself good. It is possible later mods to the K2 may have made it even better. The most recent mods to my K2 were carried out over 5 years ago. These figures appear to confirm within passband IMD is not creating the mud. Perhaps AGC artefacts generated in a more dynamic (true to life) scenario might be the cause. The addition of Bandwidth Adaptive Stereocode to the K3s DSP armoury might provide dramatic benefit. The current AFX facility doesn't seem all that useful. The term Bandwidth Adaptive Stereocode likely won't mean much to many. You will recall Orion offered Stereocode for CW but its effectiveness in narrow b/w was very limited due to the code having been optimised for wider bandwidths. Listening to CW on Orion in an SSB b/w with stereocode enabled provided an impressively wide sound stage which significantly aided signal separation. Unfortunately the fixed b/w code resulted in a sound stage which shrank with reducing b/w similarly reducing its usefulness. In my time between Orion and K3 I have been fortunate enough to become involved in G3XJP's PicaSTAR project. Peter implemented Bandwidth Adaptive Stereocode in Picastar DSP. The results have been dramatic. Preferred pitch appears centre stage with lower tones moving progressively off in one direction and higher in the other. As the bandwidth narrows so tonal separation increases across the sound stage. I'm not aware of any commercially produced Ham transceiver which offers this capability. Perhaps Elecraft will be the first. What say Lyle? 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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 Wide AGC threshold
As a new K3 owner, it is entirely possible I am treading ground already well trodden. My apologies should this be so. While waiting for delivery of an Inrad 500Hz roofing filter, I have been accumulating experience with S/N 4904. I am enjoying my new rig greatly, although I confess to finding an odd thing or two puzzling. One of these relates to the level at which wide AGC has been set. My primary shack transceiver is a home built, G3XJP designed Picastar, which has a similar architecture to the K3 but is based upon the much older Analog Devices ADSP2181 and AD1885 AC'97 codec. Unlike the K3 with its multiple choice roofing filter bandwidths, my Picastar uses a single 4kHz wide roofer in all modes. The thing puzzling me is that I find de-sensing by strong signals within roofer b/w but outside DSP b/w far more noticeable on the K3 than on Picastar. I expected the opposite to be true given the Picastar codec has only a 16 bit ADC whereas the K3 has 24 bit. A quick measurement reveals K3 wide AGC threshold around 70dB above MDS whereas on Picastar it is closer to 80dB. With Star's 16 bit ADC this equates to around 10dB headroom whereas the K3's 24 bit ADC implies headroom in excess of 30dB. On the face of things it would appear some 20dB of extra defence against strong signals in the no man's land between roofer b/w and dsp b/w has been sacrificed. I am wondering why? Perhaps I am missing something? Thanks. Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] Fwd: K3 Wide AGC threshold
Guy Thank you for putting me straight on the terminology. Perhaps I can rephrase my question. The hardware AGC appears to be set at a level which precludes effective utilisation of the 100dB+ DR of the DSP system. This seems to suggest the existence of something between roofing filter and ADC which needs protecting due to it having rather less than 100dB+ DR? 73 Bob, 5B4AGN On 19 November 2010 15:44, Guy Olinger K2AV olin...@bellsouth.net wrote: That's not the wide AGC. It's the defensive hardware AGC that is in the actual IF string after the roofing filter before the analog to digital converter (ADC). It's function is to limit the level presented to the ADC as you surmise. It is also primitive, easily seen in the schematics. Handling strong signals without any AGC pumping, using an SSB roofer ahead of a CW DSP bandwidth, I doubt was a design goal of the RX. What you experience is common for those without a CW roofer. There was some variation in how the K3 handled this which was up in beta firmware very early on, and various settings were evaluated by the community. I'm sure you can find the blow-by-blow back in the archives. 73, Guy. On Fri, Nov 19, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Bob Henderson b...@5b4agn.net wrote: As a new K3 owner, it is entirely possible I am treading ground already well trodden. My apologies should this be so. While waiting for delivery of an Inrad 500Hz roofing filter, I have been accumulating experience with S/N 4904. I am enjoying my new rig greatly, although I confess to finding an odd thing or two puzzling. One of these relates to the level at which wide AGC has been set. My primary shack transceiver is a home built, G3XJP designed Picastar, which has a similar architecture to the K3 but is based upon the much older Analog Devices ADSP2181 and AD1885 AC'97 codec. Unlike the K3 with its multiple choice roofing filter bandwidths, my Picastar uses a single 4kHz wide roofer in all modes. The thing puzzling me is that I find de-sensing by strong signals within roofer b/w but outside DSP b/w far more noticeable on the K3 than on Picastar. I expected the opposite to be true given the Picastar codec has only a 16 bit ADC whereas the K3 has 24 bit. A quick measurement reveals K3 wide AGC threshold around 70dB above MDS whereas on Picastar it is closer to 80dB. With Star's 16 bit ADC this equates to around 10dB headroom whereas the K3's 24 bit ADC implies headroom in excess of 30dB. On the face of things it would appear some 20dB of extra defence against strong signals in the no man's land between roofer b/w and dsp b/w has been sacrificed. I am wondering why? Perhaps I am missing something? Thanks. Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] Still no tx or rx on new K3
Bob I had a similar experience for a few minutes during set-up of my new K3. In my case I had not installed a roofing filter at FL1, choosing instead to leave a gap there for later installation of a wider filter. The firmware default assumes a filter will be present at FL1 and the absence of one made the RX deaf and provided 0W RF out on TX. Once I had changed the default filter location, which I did using the Elecraft K3 utility, the RX came to life and TX Gain Cal ran just fine producing the required 5W output on every band. This might possibly be your problem. Good luck. Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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 S/N 4904 QRV
I'm rather late coming to this particular party, as these days I mostly operate with my home built Picastar transceiver. Plans to activate T88ZM and KH0/G3ZEM early in the new year, combined with a sense of foreboding over the idea of braving the vagaries of world-wide airport security, whilst armed with a home made electronic contrivance, have persuaded me to finally take the plunge adding a K3 to my Elecraft inventory. S/N 4904 kit including KXV3A and KPA100 arrived here yesterday morning. I had a thoroughly enjoyable day assembling the unit then running through alignment. The new baby finally hit the airwaves at 1545z in a 40m long path QSO with VE6MRV. I am absolutely delighted. I now just await arrival of a 500Hz roofer from Inrad. Lisa handled my order placement with great charm and efficiency. Elecraft certainly delivers quality in style. Many thanks to the Elecraft team. 73 Bob, 5B4AGN __ 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] kpa800 question
N2TK, Tony said There is no antenna tuner in the amp. Tony I believe you are mistaken. I spent some time talking to Eric at Dayton and also to Dick K4XU, the semiconductor applications engineer involved in the design. They left me with a firm impression the amp has an auto-tune atu built in, together with a switch mode psu. The 800W version is to be available in part constructed kit form and also fully built. Timescales appear to Fall 05. A full 1500W is also planned and availability will lag the 800W version by a few months. The 1.5kW amp will have an external psu on which the amp can stand. Overall size of the amp is approx 80% the size of an Alpha 87A, with which it shares similar styling. The 800W version is also planned to be field upgradable to the 1.5 kW spec. Bob, 5B4AGN, P3F ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
