[Elecraft] [K3] KRX3 L-mix-R problem
Suddenly, I can't hear the sub-receiver in the right headphone unless I use the Ab-b option on the L-MIX-R menu item. (FYI, the b-Ab option also does not work.) I used the A-b option for years. Any clues as to what I may have inadvertently changed to cause this? 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
[Elecraft] KX3: I/Q out on TRANSMIT?
I would like access to the I/Q signals produced by the DSP modulator on transmit. Are these signals available on the rig's I/Q outputs? 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
[Elecraft] FS: K2/100 plus options
I am the builder and non-smoking sole owner of K2 s/n 3070 (rev B) with these options: KPA100 (also provides RS-232 computer interface), KSB2, KNB2, K160RX, KAT100 external autotuner with crossover cable and Yaesu MD-100A8X desk mic. This rig has provided years of faithful service without a hiccough in pileups, contests and daily contacts. You add antenna and mic / key / PC to be on the air with a competition-grade radio. Sale includes: all manuals; 12-Vpower cables; coax jumper from rig to autotuner; N7HKW padded carrying bag, probes, alignment tool, allen wrenches. $1250 shipped CONUS. Let me know if you'd like to make a sked and hear this rig in action. 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] W1: adapting for high power use
I need an internal wattmeter for a homebrew, legal limit, solid-state amp. Except for the fact that the W1 only takes up to 140W without modification, it looks like a great solution. I'm thinking about using a surplus bridge from an industrial ISM generator and padding the DC output by 12-dB before feeding (via miniature coax) to the junctions at D1/R3 and D2/R4. Can anyone think of a reason that this would NOT work? Also, if I simply change the voltage at TP1 by adjusting R17, does the entire power range follow, or does the accuracy suffer at one end of the range or the other? Thanks, 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
[Elecraft] K3: output power low only on 17m SSB!!
I'm hoping someone else has experienced this, because it's too weird for me to figure out. When I QSY to 17m phone and begin to speak into the mic, I get very low output power. The only way I can get to full output is to switch to CW and begin transmitting, during which I see the output power rise to the expected 100W. This is the only band on which this problem occurs. Using the latest firmware. Any clues? 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
[Elecraft] K3: A cure for RF feedback with electret mic
I'm posting this only to add to the reflector's knowledge base of solutions to mic problems. I do not claim that this problem occurs with all electret mics. This information will come as no surprise to Jim, Tom and other frequent contributors. While the solution falls into the realm of good engineering practice, I operate from a variety of locations, the engineering of which is generally outside of my direct control. I've identified a solution that I can apply to the stations I visit - and leave behind, at no great expense. It's worth noting that my problem was *not* solved by shorting the mic ground to the shield as recommended in the Elecraft app note on this subject. The problem behavior does not depend on whether the front- or rear-panel mic jack is used. I use a ClarityAloft headset, which employs an electret element. (To the peanut gallery: yes, there are far cheaper headsets that may work just as well, but I've never found a match for the long-wearing comfort of these units.) The headphones and mic are split at an unshielded box into separate headphone and mic cables. I've been plagued with RF feedback which varies in severity from installation to installation. The feedback is band-dependent, can occur at a power output as low as 10-watts or less and is evidenced by artifacts ranging from distorted audio in the headphone monitor to uncontrollable, full-power output. Interestingly, I don't have this problem with a dynamic mic. Until now, I've never expended the energy necessary to identify the root cause and solve the problem, I've only applied enough of the right kinds of band-aids to bring the transmitted audio from my home shack into the acceptable range. For these tests, the only connections to the K3 were coax to the ANT 1 jack, headset connection to the rear-panel mic and headphone jacks and power from a well-known 25-A switching supply. Since the feedback did not occur when the feedline was terminated in a proper dummy load, my solution started by applying a ferrite choke at the load end of the feedline to ensure that RF is not flowing back to the rig on the outside of the antenna coax shield from a real world load. Choking the load end eliminates the uncontrollable output and brings the audio into the very acceptable range, but I could still detect distortion on some bands and at higher output power levels. Applying the same choke to only the K3 end of the feedline was not nearly as effective, though it did reduce the severity of the feedback. Choking both ends of the feedline eliminated the problem as evidenced by no change in headphone-monitored audio quality from zero watts to full 100-watts output. Choking the load end of the feedline and the mic cable going into the K3 also eliminated the problem. Choking only the mic cable, or the mic cable and the K3 end of the feedline, was not sufficient to eliminate the feedback. Using an AIM4170 to measure choking impedances, I learned quite a bit about ferrite chokes in the process of solving this problem. Suffice it to say that all ferrites are not alike (plug: see www.audiosystemsgroup.com/RFI-Ham.pdf ). The chokes used in these tests consisted of five turns of the subject cable - whether mic or LMR200 feedline - through a Fair-Rite 2631102002 type 31 core. Please contact me off-list if you have questions. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: APF... wow!
The K3's APF feature formalizes behavior that I used to implement by mixing the audio from the main and second RX with the two receivers set to different IF and DSP bandwidths. The first few times I tried the APF, I was not impressed; I thought (mistakenly) that it was not meant to work with the 8-pole 400Hz IF filters in my K3. Boy, was I ever wrong! I followed the suggestions that Eric posted last week - especially using 1Hz FINE tuning - and APF has, indeed, allowed me to hear signals that were inaudible before. In particular, it has allowed me to work VP8ORK from 160m down to 10m, raising copy from ESP to workable in many cases. -- 73 -- 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] K3: APF... wow!
My mistake: Eric is a great guy, but credit for this post goes to Wayne, N6KR: See: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Tips-for-using-APF-td5964773.html My apologies to Wayne! -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Tue, Feb 1, 2011 at 12:43 PM, K3RWN rwnewbo...@comcast.net wrote: Can you help me with finding the posting by Eric that you mentioned? I am not finding it in the archive search or my search topics are off. Rich -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Brian Machesney Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 12:23 PM To: Elecraft Reflector Subject: [Elecraft] K3: APF... wow! The K3's APF feature formalizes behavior that I used to implement by mixing the audio from the main and second RX with the two receivers set to different IF and DSP bandwidths. The first few times I tried the APF, I was not impressed; I thought (mistakenly) that it was not meant to work with the 8-pole 400Hz IF filters in my K3. Boy, was I ever wrong! I followed the suggestions that Eric posted last week - especially using 1Hz FINE tuning - and APF has, indeed, allowed me to hear signals that were inaudible before. In particular, it has allowed me to work VP8ORK from 160m down to 10m, raising copy from ESP to workable in many cases. -- 73 -- 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 __ 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] Informative read: ADC specs for SDR
http://i.cmpnet.com/rfdesignline/2010/09/807_ENOBS_pt1.pdf Part 2 still to come. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: FD 2010
If others had the same Field Day experience we had, then Elecraft should prepare for an orders onslaught. We used three K3s and three tribanders (plus an 80m dipole and 40m beam) at W1MOO. In years past, we had terrible inter-station QRM with *other* radios, despite bandpass filters at all stations. This year, we were able to operate stations on phone and CW *** on the same band *** at the same time. Sure, we had a couple of instances where we would run across an artifact of the other station's signal ( we * did not * employ all the band filtering of years past because we didn't feel we needed it), but there was not the usual sound of Charlie Brown's teacher in the headphones at the CW station, nor the modulation of the noise level in the cans at the phone station. There was significant resistance to using tribanders placed in a line 150 ft and 75 ft apart, because the former monoband antennas themselves were supposed to provide significant isolation, but even the skeptics were convinced. Comments like, Wow, that's really a great rig and Gee, I really like that radio, were commonplace. First-time users were able to quickly pick up the use of the radio's controls. Folks were equally impressed by the fact that they can buy only the features they need and add the features they want later. Another frequent remark, and an effect that I was able to witness for myself, was on the difference between 5-pole and 8-pole filters. The 8-pole filters were preferred, hands-down, over the 5-pole filters. When I used a radio with 5-pole filters, it felt as though the filters weren't even engaged, because so many undesired signals that were inaudible using the 8-pole filters were allowed through - albeit much attenuated - by the 5-pole filters. Hope you all had a fun and safe Field Day 2010. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: all RX muted on transmit?
Are both the primary and secondary RX muted when in transmit mode, even if the KRX3 gets its RF from the AUX input? Can this be disabled so that the KRX3 can listen on a separate antenna during transmit on ANT1 or ANT2? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] [K3] Ferrite beads on TMP cables
I want to do some experiments placing ferrite beads on the TMP cables that carry so many signals around the inside of the K3. I can't find the dimensions of the SP060022 connectors on the cables and I don't have a set of calipers to make an accurate measurement. Does anyone know the location of an engineering drawing of this connector? Nothing shown on the web site of Circuit Design, Inc. -- 73 -- 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] [K3] Ferrite beads on TMP cables
Thanks to those who sent me a link to the drawing. In response to several queries I received, I agree that there *should not be* any currents flowing on the outsides of the coax cables. As far as I know, that doesn't mean that there *are* no currents on the outsides of the cables. I think that putting ferrites on the some of the cables is a good way to see if there are currents or not. Now that I have a possible source for the connectors, I may make up my own cables and give them a try. That's one of the reasons I love having a radio I built - or, in this case, assembled - myself. It's a great learning vehicle. In response to other queries as to what might go wrong, I can't imagine why putting ferrites on the outside of the coax would affect the signals traveling on the inside of the coax. If someone can illuminate me, I'm all ears. Brian K1LI On Mon, Apr 5, 2010 at 2:42 PM, Brian Machesney nekvts...@gmail.com wrote: I want to do some experiments placing ferrite beads on the TMP cables that carry so many signals around the inside of the K3. I can't find the dimensions of the SP060022 connectors on the cables and I don't have a set of calipers to make an accurate measurement. Does anyone know the location of an engineering drawing of this connector? Nothing shown on the web site of Circuit Design, Inc. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: plug for DVR
I used my K3 as J7Y in the recent ARRL DX SSB contest. Since I've seen some discussion of the merits of the DVR in the age of PC-recorded audio, I wanted to drop a line here about my experience. I use an extremely comfortable headset with an electret mic that needs bias from the K3, so I can't run the mic directly through the PC without outboard circuitry. Your configuration may dictate different preferences. As a DX station, the most obvious instance to prefer the DVR over PC-generated audio is on 40m, where one picks a CQ frequency below the US phone band allocation and listens up. The need to frequently change listening frequency and (less often) CQ frequency was easily accommodated with the DVR. I would have to have recorded new messages on the PC to achieve the same function, which was not possible with my configuration. I used the same F-keys and macro calls at all times. I followed the same practice, but to a much more limited extent, on 80m - where I was requested mid-contest to listen in the General-class portion of the band. Note that some W/VE stations were transmitting high in the 80- and 40-meter phone bands and listening down, so this practice is not restricted to DX stations. Since I was running the K3 barefoot, I found myself also changing the outgoing CQ message to adapt to changing band conditions, particularly on the low bands. Slower and slightly longer CQs were used when propagation was weaker and the rate was lower. I would also repeat my recorded exchange information during these times to cut down on the receiving stations' needs for fills. Completely the opposite during high-rate periods on 20, 15 and (incredibly) 10 meters. Again, this is just one ham's experience. There may be a host of different ways to accomplish the same thing, but I found the DVR to be a very useful addition to the contesting arsenal. -- 73 -- 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] K3: plug for DVR
Tony, I second your desire to have separate monitor levels for the DVR and the mic and for exactly the same reason. Perhaps the Elecraft gang will put it on our wish list. Brian K1LI On Sat, Mar 20, 2010 at 1:02 PM, N2TK, Tony tony@verizon.net wrote: If there was one wish it would be that the monitor level adjust was independent between the playback on the DVR from the mike. I tent to run the monitor a little high when using the mike. This helps to keep me from yelling into the mike. If I could adjust the DVR monitor separately I could run it at a lower level to give my ears a break. __ 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 - 'High Isolation Headphones'
I received a Clarity Aloft headset as a gift. I am very impressed with the quality of RX and TX sound and they are very comfortable to wear. The headset and boom comprise a continuous wire frame that gently but firmly grasps the head, while the earbud material and transducers are derived from hearing aids, which are obviously designed for long-wearing comfort. The earpieces provide excellent isolation from nearby sounds. The noise from my amplifier blowers -- directly to my left at the operating position -- used to drive me crazy, but no more. I have tried several times to get up and walk away from the radio with the headset on because I forgot I was wearing it. The RX and TX transducers are both of the wide range variety. The first TX audio reports I received said that the audio was very bassy, so the ESSB community should *really* love them. The RX and TX equalizers on the K3 have become very valuable for tailoring the response to communications standards for both day-to-day and contest use. -- 73 -- 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] K2 SSB, Hi Cur message on PTT
Doug, I have owned and used my K2/100 on SSB and CW for almost 10 years, but it has been relegated to second radio duty since getting my K3 a year ago. I've been getting the K2 ready for a DXpedition for the last few days and I have noticed a similar symptom to what you describe, as part of a more-general syndrome that I can't explain and that is very unnerving. The primary problem is that I frequently turn on the K2 in USB mode but I can't get any output. Speaking into the mic simply doesn't produce any output, doesn't move the ALC meter and doesn't produce anything I can hear on the K3. Even though it all worked together fine the previous day. As part of the diagnosis procedure, I removed the mic plug from the front panel and shorted the PTT pin to the adjacent GND pin - I was going to see if touching the MIC pin in this configuration would create output and indicate a faulty line from the mic itself. Lo and behold, shorting the PTT and GND pins produced a *strong* carrier, whose output I could vary with the POWER control. Since this didn't produce the expected result (to say the least!), I remembered that the dot side of the paddle would act as PTT, so I plugged in a paddle and got the same behavior. Just for grins, I switched to CW and everything worked as expected. Switching back to USB, it too now works as expected. At some point in this procedure, I saw both the Hi Cur and the PA Hot warnings, but both are gone now. Don - any thoughts on what's going on here? Do I have to do a reboot of the radio? 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] K3 - sub balance and LOUD audio crashes
Stewart, I had this problem a while ago and thought it had been cleared up, but it's ba-ack, perhaps because I started using Ab-Ab with Sub and split again recently. Doesn't matter if I use CW or SSB. I'm running the latest beta FW. -- 73 -- 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] K3 in CQ 160 CW Contest
Bill, I more than doubled last year's score without doubling QSOs, which means that I had a greater percentage of non-US QSOs. I originally attributed this to improved conditions and was surprised to hear from other nearby stations that conditions for them were not as good as last year. I had completely forgotten that this was my first CQ WW 160 with the K3, but I do remember marvelling during the contest at my ability to hear and work EU and near-AS stations that were calling underneath US/VE stations. This is even more amazing since I use the same, omnidirectional antenna for both TX and RX. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 10:56 AM, Bill W4ZV btipp...@alum.mit.edu wrote: If you want some interesting reading, go to the link below and use Edit Find space K3 space in your web browser. You can then scroll through the 3830 Soapbox summary comments by participants in what is arguably the world's most extreme test of RX capability (i.e. extremely weak signals in the presence of wall-to-wall extremely strong signals). http://www.eskimo.com/~mwdink/3830/CQ160%20CW%20Soapbox%2002-01-2010.txt 73, Bill W4ZV __ 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] Attenuator and RF Gain Settings
Wow, Don, the effect of setting the AGC THR is dramatic! I live in a very rural location that seems relatively free of man-made noise. With antenna connected, the K3 S-meter shows about S-5 background noise. (S-0 with no antenna!) Surprising to me, turning *down* the AGC THR to 002 (was set to 008) really quieted things down and made signals pop out of the noise the way you describe. (Note: NF and NB are OFF) I could hear the background noise level rise monotonically as I increased the THR setting and fall as I decreased it. With seven AGC variables to adjust -- DCY, HLD, PLS, SLP, THR, -F and -S -- setting AGC up for a given operating scenario in a given location seems like a very complex topic. Is there any way this could be reduced to a tutorial for the K3 Wiki (like K3NA's entry at http://www.zerobeat.net/mediawiki/index.php/K3_Receiver_Gain_Configurations, which addresses the no AGC case)? This might create a run on N-GENs... -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Tue, Feb 2, 2010 at 4:50 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: I just thought of something that might help those confused by the AGC Threshold setting. One other way to look at the required AGC Threshold level is to think of it as an S-meter level If your noise is S-1 or lower (on the K3's S-meter), you can set the Threshold to 002 or higher and all may be well OTOH, if you have an S-7 noise level indicated, the AGC Threshold should be set to 008 or higher. This is not an exact science number - the AGC Threshold menu parameter values are not tied to the S-meter, but hopefully the relative scale can give you an indication of which way to move the setting to avoid activating the AGC on the ambient noise coming in on your feedline. As I have said before I believe the default setting of 005 is even too low - mine normally is set at 008 even though I have a relatively quiet location. 73, Don W3FPR __ 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 the drum a little
Merv, I noticed some of the raspy or buzzy quality you heard, but for me it was not on all signals. I have also noted that quality on signals for the past week or so; perhaps it is atmospheric. For the first time, I turned on the K3's ATT and found that I was even better able to separate callers, particularly when trying to pick out relatively weaker EU signals from stronger NA signals responding to my CQ. This, of course, was all going on in the midst of many strong signals spaced very close together. Brian K1LI On Sun, Jan 31, 2010 at 1:53 PM, Merv Schweigert k...@flex.com wrote: One question I have, when the band is wall to wall with strong signals the CW note seems to have a raspy quality on receive, not a real pure DC note, is this some side effect of DSP or what? Maybe its just my ears. Tuned 20 meters this morning and all sounds fine, its just when there are many many strong signals on the band, I hear this, have heard it before but figured it is my ears. This is slight and most may not even hear it. No blanker on, no NR on, just standard settings. 73 Merv KH7C __ 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 Use of KUSB cable with the K2
Ron, This topic has been discussed over just the past few days here on the reflector. Apparently, people are having different experiences. My K2 works by plugging the K2's ** serial cable ** into the end of the KUSB cable and setting up the application software to run at 4800 / N / 8 / 1. It seems that ONE SHOULD NOT PLUG THE KUSB INTO THE K2'S AUXIO JACK for risk of damage to the K2. 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 6:20 AM, KM4VX ronce...@earthlink.net wrote: I realize this topic is not new, but it is confusing to review the archives when searching this question. The KUSB is sold to support the K3. It is not advertised to support the K2. Can it be used out of the box to support the K2? Can I plug it into the serial port of the K2 (okay not a real serial port but looks like it) and then connect it to a USB port on my laptop without damaging the K2? I thought there might be a good reason why ELECRAFT does not list it for use with the K2 as well as the K3. I seem to recall a warning about damaging the K2 when using the wrong interface, but can't find it in the K2 manual or module building instructions. Any help would be appreciated. Many thanks, and this reflector is addictive! Ron -- __ 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: connecting a condenser mic
I have a condenser mic that is not on the list of known mics in the docs or on the Elecraft web site. I'm trying to decide whether to simply short the +5V to the AF when connecting my condenser mic to the KSB2, or to place a resistor in between. I am more concerned about potential long-term adverse effects on the mic element by operating it out-of-spec than I am concerned with damaging the K2. A DMM shows the DC resistance of the element to be 400 Kohms! Not really surprising, I guess, since a condenser mic is electrically similar to a capacitor. The manufacturer specs the mic element at 4.5Kohms and 1.5V to 9.0V bias. Applying the KSB2's +5V directly to the mic element's 4.5K ohms should produce 1mA drain, no sweat for the KSB2, and right in the middle of the manufacturer's applied DC voltage spec. The manufacturer's tech sent me a wiring diagram that shows a +12V supply with a series resistor between 470 and 2.2K ohms to the mic. The 470 ohm resistor would apply nearly 11V to the mic, if the mic element and the series act as a pure voltage divider. The 2.2K ohm resistor would produce 8V at the mic. The KSB2 schematic shows a 2.2uF electrolytic cap between the MIC AF and the rest of the KSB2, so I wouldn't think there's any risk of a short. Help from those in the know, please? -- 73 -- 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] K2: connecting a condenser mic
Thanks, Don. Not knowing any better, I simply shorted the AF and MICBIAS when I connected the mic to the K3. From what I can see in the K3 schematics, the only bypassing on the MICBIAS line is 1uF (rev B, sheet 5 of 7, Front Panel - Miscellaneous). Can I build the same resistor into the mic plug and use it that way for both the K2 and K3? Brian K1LI On Fri, Jan 29, 2010 at 9:34 AM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Brian, Is that a 3 terminal mic element? If so, then you can follow the manufacturer's instructions and apply the 5 volts to the voltage terminal on the element. OTOH, most of these elements are 2 terminal, and the voltage should be applied to the AF pin through a resistor - try 5.6k like the Elecraft MH2 uses as a first trial, it will likely work because the resistance is not critical. If you try to connect the 5 volts directly to the AF terminal, you will effectively bypass all the audio to ground. For AC signals, a power rail is jst the same as ground because there are large bypass capacitors on the voltage rail. 73, Don W3FPR Brian Machesney wrote: I have a condenser mic that is not on the list of known mics in the docs or on the Elecraft web site. I'm trying to decide whether to simply short the +5V to the AF when connecting my condenser mic to the KSB2, or to place a resistor in between. I am more concerned about potential long-term adverse effects on the mic element by operating it out-of-spec than I am concerned with damaging the K2. A DMM shows the DC resistance of the element to be 400 Kohms! Not really surprising, I guess, since a condenser mic is electrically similar to a capacitor. The manufacturer specs the mic element at 4.5Kohms and 1.5V to 9.0V bias. Applying the KSB2's +5V directly to the mic element's 4.5K ohms should produce 1mA drain, no sweat for the KSB2, and right in the middle of the manufacturer's applied DC voltage spec. The manufacturer's tech sent me a wiring diagram that shows a +12V supply with a series resistor between 470 and 2.2K ohms to the mic. The 470 ohm resistor would apply nearly 11V to the mic, if the mic element and the series act as a pure voltage divider. The 2.2K ohm resistor would produce 8V at the mic. The KSB2 schematic shows a 2.2uF electrolytic cap between the MIC AF and the rest of the KSB2, so I wouldn't think there's any risk of a short. Help from those in the know, please? __ 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 KUSB PROBLEM
Eric, I am using the KUSB with my K2 and N1MM Logger. I plugged the K2's serial cable into the end of the the KUSB adapter. I am running at 4800 bps, no parity, 8 data bits and no stop bits. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 8:39 AM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Eric, You have run into a situation where the USB/serial adapter does not like to work at lower baud rates. I know it is counter-intuitive, but it seems to be true. Use your Keyspan adapter with the K2 because you have found it to work. 73, Don W3FPR Eric wrote: I thought I was clear but perhaps not--the KUSB does not work with the proper cable I built as per Elecraft instructions but the Keyspan adapter does. I am not trying to connect my K2 to my XP laptop using an RS-232 cable. Has anyone been successful connecting a K2 using a KUSB? 73 Eric WD6DBM __ 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: Why can't I use my 1.8kHz filter for SSB TX?
Yes, I did search the archives to find out why you can transmit through some filters and not through others before posting this question to the reflector. The only authoritative information I found information was this from July 2008: Until further information to the contrary is available from Elecraft, you must select the 2.7 or 2.8 filter for SSB, Data and CW transmit. The AM transmit filter must be 6 kHz and the FM transmit filter must be 13 kHz. Any other settings will result in failure and a ERR TXF (Error TX Filter) message. See the Errata sheet that shipped with your K3. 73, Don W3FPR To the best of my ability to discern, this does not indicate the reason for the limitation. In fact, the phrase until further information and the fact that ESSB uses a different filter than traditional SSB indicates to me at least the possibility that there may be firmware reasons for this limitation (like BFO alignment on TX and RX), not that there aren't also possibly hardware reasons (like carrier rejection, etc.). If someone knows the theory of the radio's operation well enough to help me understand the limitation, I would like to be enlightened. So yes, I did look for the answer in the reflector archives and no, this is not a request for Elecraft to take valuable time out from their other activities to react to my personal wish list. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Sun, Jan 24, 2010 at 1:19 PM, Jim Brown j...@audiosystemsgroup.comwrote: On Sun, 24 Jan 2010 10:01:05 +, rfenab...@gmail.com wrote: Have you searched the reflector or the website for past communications on the topics that interest you? There are engineering reasons why you can transmit through some filters and not others. These are not firmware issues, they are RF design issues. Elecraft has very good engineers, and they tend to make good decisions. 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
[Elecraft] K3: transmitted RF feedback with condenser mics?
I am getting transmitted RF feedback into the K3 when running high power with a headset that uses a condenser element. With an otherwise identical setup, I don't have any problems with either of my two headsets that have dynamic mic elements, using either the front- or the rear-panel mic jacks. I hear the distortion in the K3's own monitor, but I have confirmed the distortion using my K2 as a second receiver (1 wire in the ANT jack, RF gain near zero, ATT on to prevent front-end overload) and with on-the-air tests with stations hundreds to thousands of miles away. The problem headset is designed for aviation use and, as far as I can tell, uses a shielded mic cable. Has anyone else had and resolved this problem? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: Why can't I use my 1.8kHz filter for SSB TX?
I've searched the archives and found that use of a filter other than 2.7kHz for SSB TX seems to be forbidden. One selects a non-standard filter for ESSB; why can' t this filter be the 2.1kHz or 1.8kHz filter? -- 73 -- 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] K3 and Alpha 91b
Mike, I have used my K3 and A91b successfully on all bands from 160 through 10 meters for over a year. No problems with SSB on any bands. I have run full output on 160 and 80/75, both SSB and CW. Net: I can't think why you're having trouble. I do have one problem on the low bands that I do not associate with the K3 but might be playing into your situation somehow. I believe my house wiring is picking up RF, which kills my DSL connection whenever I run high power on 160 and sometimes when I only run 100W barefoot from the K3. Have you run the setup into a dummy load? Brian K1LI On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 3:59 PM, n...@aol.com wrote: I have an Alpha 91b hooked to the K3 (SN 8376) and I'm having an Odd problem ... on 75/80 meter SSB, if I run the amp at 45 watts, which is what works on CW without issue, I encounter significant nuisance tripping of the Amplifier to the fault condition. The amp also exhibits a power spike into the 2KW range often times when it faults. If I reduce the power to 30 watts on the K3, the amp runs 1500 watts OK without tripping. Please resist the temptation to say Run at 30 watts then. All other bands ... except 6 meters which I didn't check, do not exhibit this issue. Power out from the K3 is 45 watts and the amp runs 1500 watts out with NO nuisance tripping. I've talked to the tech's at Alpha and at least one other K3 owner has had this same problem. He asked me to check the amp with another radio so, using my spare radio, Yaesu FT-450, to drive the amp I have no nuisance tripping on any band while running 45-50 watts into the amp. Neither radio has ALC hooked up, only the TR relay. Both radios and amp are grounded to the same ground buss. RF calibration was done when the radio was assembled and I have not re-done that process. Any ideas as to why the radio would exhibit a tendency to over drive the amp just on 75/80 meters? Mike N9QR __ 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: An old filter question - - the underwater noise
http://www.rt66.com/~hypoxic/K2stuff/ultreject.html On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 2:08 PM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy gm4...@btinternet.com wrote: Duane, Can you remember the web-site of this K2 owner? 73, Geoff. GM4ESD __ 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 how often do you use it?
I sold a big rig in deference to the K3. Many of the big screen features of the big rigs - and more, I'll wager - will be provided by the P3 at a price which will *begin* to put the K3+P3 combo in the same league as the big rigs but still with the performance advantages that many Elecraft owners value. For me, this highlights the SUPERIORITY of Elecraft's marketing - you can pay for only the features you need: output power, 2nd receiver, portability, screen size, etc. I'd like to have this kind of unbundled value from my satellite TV provider! -- 73 -- 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] Noisy DSP radios theory
Keith, I wonder why you believe that all DSPs would amplify harmonics. When properly designed, a DSP behaves in a linear fashion - i.e., it does not produce the harmonic distortion you describe. The criteria for proper DSP design include limiting the bandwidth of the input signal to prevent aliasing (the Nyquist criterion), limiting the amplitude of the signal to avoid saturating the A/D converter and scaling the DSP operations to avoid numerical overflows. I agree with your assertion that harmonic distortion could produce a noisy sounding receiver, but I can't think of any reason why well-designed radios... before DSP necessarily had any more or less tendency to behave in a linear fashion; being square-law devices, tube-type and MOSFET-based amplifiers produce more even-order harmonic distortion which some judge as less objectionable (purportedly because mechanical sound generators, like musical instruments, produce even-order harmonics) than bipolar-junction transistors. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 12:24 PM, Keith Hamilton tu...@zoominternet.netwrote: I believe it is a fault of all DSP radios that they amplify the HARMONICS of a sound too much. In our earlier days before DSP, radio amplifiers tended to amplify only the fundamental of a sound and not the partials (harmonics 2,3,4,5,6 etc.) ... But if the sound and ALL of its nearby harmonics are all amplified equally, or the harmonics are not down in amplitude far enough from the fundamental, you might get a busy, or noisy receiver. This could equate to amplifying the harmonics too much in a final PA and having a 'noisy or as we call it, a dirty transmitter. __ 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] Remote Matching Thought
This seems like a potential application for the KRC2. Could it not be co-located with a relay-controlled array of matching components? I know that one of the big concerns is the length of the AUXBUS cable; perhaps BCD control via something akin to rotor cable would be more appropriate. Yes, the per-band-segment selection of control relay values would have to be determined a priori, but once identified should be repeatably selectable with the KRC2's 36 output drivers. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: will the P3 require the KXV3 option?
To get the IF Out signal? -- 73 -- 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] K3 needs survey -- firmware and application software
I would like to be able to lock the V-M front panel key. In what must surely be the latest evidence of my brain's declining function, I constantly confound the V-M and M-V buttons, inadvertently writing over the memory contents. Pressing the V-M button while it is locked would produce an audible beep and the text message unlock V-M Along the same lines, I find that pressing M-V does not load both saved frequencies into the main and sub receivers if the main and sub are set to different bands when the key is pressed. I would like to have a way to make this the default behavior when pressing the M-V key. -- 73 -- 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] K3 Key Out line
Phil, You can see the T-R switching circuitry in the schematics available on the Elecraft web site. Just search for t-r and you'll find the circuitry for both the 10W and 100W PAs. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 12:01 PM, Phil Hystad k7...@comcast.net wrote: I noticed from the documentation that the K3 Key out line can handle up to 200 VDC and 5 amps. I assume this means that when the key out is closed that it can handle 5 amps of current. So, I am curious, what kind of switch mechanism is used for TR switching. Is this an actual relay or is it some kind of transistor switch. I am guessing transistor based switch but this is where I started wondering about the 200 VDC and 5 amp capability thing. Or, am I totally off base. I am willing to be off base without shame because I really do not know a lot of details of how these things are actually done. Oh, two more minor decisions on configuration to make and then I order my K3, probably just after Christmas sometime. phil, K7PEH __ 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] kit building or buy ready for use
I second Don's comment, re: If you build the K3, fears about adding options, doing upgrades or performing any maintenance later on will be minimized because you know how it 'goes together'. The ability to add features as requirements change and money becomes available is a major feature of Elecraft products and the K3 is no exception. I had to remove the KRX3 and the front panel assembly to add the DVR and a filter unit. I was nervous because it had been nearly since I built the kit, but the process went very, very smoothly. I would have felt a much higher barrier to taking advantage of the K3's field upgrade-ability if I had not put it together myself. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: Noisy Receiver? - not here!
Gents, On the flip side, I - and, apparently, many other operators from whom we've heard on this and other reflectors - have run the K3 for 30+ hours out of a 48-hour contest and not experienced the fatigue you describe. Such fatigue would make any rig an intolerable chore to use and would detract substantially from the rave reviews the K3 has received in contesting circles. I agree with other post-ers to this reflector that I frequently find myself reaching to turn DOWN the RF gain control (I operate with factory-supplied AGC defaults). In this respect, I don't find anything WRONG with the K3, but I do find it to be DIFFERENT and I have had to modify my listening habits to accomodate that difference, just as I have had to do when changing radios in the past. We all appreciate that igs from different manufacturers have different sounds; I would describe the K3 as less soft than the TS850, more precise than the FT1KMP and similar to the Omni VII (I lack experience with Icom beyond using the 706MkIIG mobile). Now that I think of it, this appears to track the evolution of DSP from none to very low IF to higher IF. 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Thu, Dec 17, 2009 at 12:26 AM, James Sarte k2qi@gmail.com wrote: I've worked long pileups [with] the FT-1000, and I don't recall ever having as much noise-related fatigue as I get when I use the K3... It just seems the K3's noise characteristics seem stronger and perhaps a tad harsher than what comes out of the Yaesu. __ 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] OT: antenna farm
Clint, I don't know all your constraints, but since you are considering putting up multiple individual antennas to work in opposite directions, you may want to consider reversible wire beams or reversible Moxon rectangles. There is a wealth of information at www.cebik.com (free to create a userid) and at the Moxon Antenna Project (see, e.g., http://www.moxonantennaproject.com/w8egb/w8egb_reverse.htm ) Good luck! 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] K3: Online K3 Demo
Dave, I think that's a good idea, particularly since I've heard some hams comment that they bought one rig and not another because of the ability to operate it remotely (couldn't transmit, of course - no control op). This demo could tip the balance for that segment of the market. Brian K1LI On Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 3:45 PM, David Gilbert xda...@cis-broadband.comwrote: And although users wouldn't be able to directly check the ergonomics of the K3, they might be able to do so indirectly. As many K3 owners have already pointed out, once you have the K3 set up the way you want it there isn't a lot of need to change anything while operating it ... particularly during a contest. Even remote operation of the rig would help confirm that. __ 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] 150 watt boots for 160m
Julius, Do you want to amplify 10 watts to 150 watts, or 100 watts to 150 watts? The former is nearly 12dB- about 2 S-units - while the latter is less than 2dB - about 1/3 of an S-unit, a difference which would be very difficult to discern on the air. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 10:44 AM, Julius Fazekas n2wn phriend...@yahoo.comwrote: Wondering if anyone has a suggestion of a solid state amp or pushing the K3 PA to obtain 150 watts out on 160m? A kit or HB would be fine... 73, Julius n2wn - Julius Fazekas N2WN Tennessee Contest Group http://www.k4ro.net/tcg/index.html Tennessee QSO Party http://www.tnqp.org/ Elecraft K2/100 #4455 Elecraft K3/100 #366 Elecraft K3#1875 -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/150-watt-boots-for-160m-tp4151943p4151943.html Sent from the [K3] 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] K3: DRM listening?
Now that I'm enjoying SWLing again, I'd like to try to decode Digital Radio Mondiale. Has anyone succeeded in doing this without buying a purpose-built DRM receiver? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: band switch question
Wayne, You wrote, What I do is set up the per-band quick memories for different modes and starting points on each band. In the case of 80 m, tapping MV / M1 gets me to CW mode at 3540, M2 is LSB at 3900, M3 is AM-SYNC at 3870, and M4 is PSK31 at 3580. Does one have to already be somewhere in the 80m band for this approach to work? -- 73 -- 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] K3: CW feature request
N1MM Logger and DX Lab Suite both give you the option. On N1MM Logger, open the Configuration panel, choose the Other tab and check the Use Reverse CW box in the lower right-hand corner. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 1:43 AM, Ralph Parker ve...@dccnet.com wrote: I've tried really hard to adjust to CW on LSB, but it just doesn't work for me. To make matters worse, much software (eg. N1MM) insists on re-setting the CW mode to 'normal' (after I've set it to 'REV') at the most inopportune moments. I plead for a CONFIG option to set CW 'normal' to USB. I'd even pay money for this! VE7XF __ 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: killing RX key clicks
Stewart, I'm starting a new thread on this subject because your post reminded me to write in on the subject. Since a key click is an impulse of signal to the RX, perhaps they could be reduced by a noise blanker type of function. That will make it even more impossible to know that you're close to an offending station! Now, if we could just cancel the offending station's signal all together, there will be no more QRM! -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Tue, Dec 1, 2009 at 4:41 AM, GW0ETF gw0...@btinternet.com wrote: Ref key clicks. adjust the onboard system which emits anti-phase sound to cancel the engine noise and so make them silent to other vessels nearby. So I wonder if it might be feasible to develop a system on the K3 to use the 2nd rx to listen to the offending signal and the software produce an anti-phase 'key click' in the main receiving bandwidth to cancel the clicks...? 73, Stewart Rolfe, GW0ETF (GW6W in cqww..) __ 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 static electricity
Steve, In addition to being bad for your radio, the dry air that's allowing the static charges to build up on your skin aren't good for the rest of your body (sinuses, skin, etc.). We use a whole house humidifier that sits on the floor near the wood stove (Vermont crude is a lot cheaper than the slick stuff, even though it's more work...). No problems with static, snoring, etc. -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: no audio out with AGC off in FW 3.63
Pretty self-explanatory from the subject line. Seems that AGC must be enabled to get audio out. Doesn't seem right and not the same behavior as before, unless someone can tell me what I've inadvertently set incorrectly. -- 73 -- 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] K3: no audio out with AGC off in FW 3.63
Anyone ever listen to Cheech and Chong's Big Bambu album back in the 70s? I feel like Sister Mary Elephant responding to Lyle's correct answer: Thank you. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 5:10 PM, Lyle Johnson k...@wavecable.com wrote: ...unless someone can tell me what I've inadvertently set incorrectly. Check CONFIG:AF LIM 73, Lyle KK7P __ 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 Production Firmware Release (3.63) and audio blast
I was among those who experienced audio blast with a previous release when operating QSK and subRX together. I've been working DXpeditions split for the past few hours and don't hear anything untoward with this release. -- 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Mon, Nov 23, 2009 at 2:55 PM, Dennis Watkins androm...@wildblue.netwrote: Have you fixed the audio blast issue?? __ 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 WSPR
Eric, force the PA on even at low power to keep things cool I don't know about that, but you can force the PA fans on by: - Press the POWER button to turn the K3 on - Hold CONFIG to select the Configuration menu, then turn VFO B to KPA3 - Turn the VFO A knob to PAIO ON... further to PAIO TST... past TST to FN1, then FN2, FN3 and FN4 - The fans should start turning at FN1 and increase speed as you continue to FN4 If you press CONFIG again, the fans will be left running at the FNx speed you chose. 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: BAND up/down problem with FW 3.56 and later
Since installing v3.56 and continuing with v3.57, the front panel BAND control always takes me to 5.975 MHz in AM-S when I try to QSY to 40m. I can get to 7.xxx MHz frequencies via keypad and logging programs, but not via BAND control. Any ideas on what's going on? -- 73 -- 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] K3: BAND up/down problem with FW 3.56 and later
Steve, Thanks for your suggestion - BND MAP was, indeed, the culprit. I had disabled 60m, but it somehow got re-enabled. 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 8:33 AM, Steve Ellington n...@carolina.rr.comwrote: Go to config/BND MAP. Scroll through the bands and make sure 7.0 is IN. Maybe somehow it got changed to OUT. Steve N4LQ __ 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: new feature idea / question
I was just reading about the differing levels of success that people have with active noise cancelling units. It occurred to me that one should be able to achieve the same kinds of results using the second RX and separate antenna in the K3 - with the addition of control over the phase (delay) of the arriving signal. On its face, it would seem that one could achieve destructive interference between the noise only coming from a sense antenna and the noise + signal coming from a better receive antenna. Thoughts? -- 73 -- 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] K3: 160m SWR issue
The issue(s) that I'm facing are being dealt with fully in the other thread re: K3 SWR accuracy. I would like to abandon this thread. 73 -- 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] K3: 160m SWR issue
Good question, Rudolf, but no the ATU is not engaged. On Tue, Nov 3, 2009 at 2:56 PM, hb9ari hb9...@bluewin.ch wrote: Hi Brian, Just an idiot question: are you using the K3 ATU? 73, Rudolf HB9ARI Don Wilhelm wrote: Brian, Is the higher reflected power indicated on the K3 or is it the reading on a meter in the line between the amp and the antenna? If it is read on an external meter -- Is there any possibility that something is arcing over at high power - check your antenna system for that condition. If the indication is on the K3, then the problem is in the input circuit for the amp (giving a non-50 ohm resistive load to the K3). 73, Don W3FPR Brian Machesney wrote: I'm feeding a double L antenna on 160m (visualize a vertical dipole with the top and bottom legs bent to form something like a capital C and fed in the middle of the vertical leg). The SWR bridge on the K3 shows 1:1 SWR, but when I fire up my Alpha 91B, I see significant reflected power. I recently saw a post on the topband reflector from another K3 owner whose 160m output power is being reduced from 100W to 50W by the K3 even though the SWR reads 1:1 on the K3's internal SWR bridge. Has anyone else seen this or have an explanation for it? __ 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 -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: 160m SWR issue
I'm feeding a double L antenna on 160m (visualize a vertical dipole with the top and bottom legs bent to form something like a capital C and fed in the middle of the vertical leg). The SWR bridge on the K3 shows 1:1 SWR, but when I fire up my Alpha 91B, I see significant reflected power. I recently saw a post on the topband reflector from another K3 owner whose 160m output power is being reduced from 100W to 50W by the K3 even though the SWR reads 1:1 on the K3's internal SWR bridge. Has anyone else seen this or have an explanation for it? -- 73 -- 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] KRX3 + RX antenna
It may seem obvious, but be sure that you also routed one of the TMP cables to the AUX connector! K1LI On Fri, Oct 23, 2009 at 11:12 AM, Arie Kleingeld PA3A p...@xs4all.nlwrote: Don't forget to hold the sub button so that the diversity mode kicks in. 73 Arie PA3A -Oorspronkelijk bericht- If I want to listen to both the 80m vertical and the RX loop at the same time, is this all I need to do: - set both receivers to the same frequency - connect RX antenna to AUX RF BNC - set KRX3 to Ant = BNC in the config menu Is that all there is to it? __ 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] KRC2: VFO aware?
I'm considering a KRC2 purchase. Can the KRC2 control outputs based on the TX VFO? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: Mixing sub-RX audio in stereo headphones
I have the 8-pole 1.8-kHz filter for phone contesting, but it's on the border of intelligibility for my ears. I want to overcome this by mixing in a small amount of wider-bandwidth audio from the linked sub-RX with a wider filter. While I can set SPKRS to 1 to accomplish this, it seems that with stereo *headphones* I am forced to have the main and sub in left and right ears rather than mixed together into both ears. Any hints on how I can do this? Have I missed something in the manual? Do I have to plug my stereo headphones into the speaker jack? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] K3: SO2R-in-a-box
Call me stubborn, but I believe that it should be possible to *make* the K3 and a logging program work together as SO2R-in-a-box. This probably involves external, switched bandpass filters, might involve an external antenna switch and/or applying a context swtich via the logging program, but it seems that it must be possible - and a good idea. Has anyone made this work? Is anyone working on it? Is anyone interested in starting up a new group (off this reflector) to work up ideas? -- 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] Morse Trainer
Ed, Getting frustrated is no fun! In addition to just getting on the air, you might want to try one of the Morse training programs listed here: http://www.ac6v.com/morseprograms.htm#CWT Does anyone on the reflector have experience with a Morse trainer that they can recommend to Ed? 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 8:51 AM, EMD edwarddo...@mac.com wrote: So I hope to get finished and on the air soon, so I can frustrate everyone with my poor morse. Another learning process. 73, Ed KE7HGA __ 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: Topband: Fw: 3d2kj
Can anyone help the team on Fiji? Rys - I will follow up with a response from the reflector if I see it. 73 -- Brian -- K1LI -- Forwarded message -- From: Ryszard Tymkiewicz r...@ippt.gov.pl Date: Mon, Oct 12, 2009 at 2:04 AM Subject: Topband: Fw: 3d2kj To: topb...@contesting.com I'm sorry I attache longer text here but our friends on Fiji have serious problems. Below text were sent to Elecraft too but because of holidays I'm not sure if they will be able to read it now. Maybe someone will be able to help them? 73 Rys SP5EWY = Dear Sir, My callsign is 3D2KJ (SP5DRH at home), We are on a dx-pedition on Fiji with the main interest to activate 160m. We have here two rigs: K2 and K3 in use. The last night we have encountered a serious trouble with our K3 (S/N 1739) Since that time, we are observing short (a few seconds) lost of power on 160m, while CW is used. This behavior concerns ONLY 160m! That happens with a small power level being set at 6W, as we are using this rig to drive an external PA. Then, the output returns to the previous level, with a short view of a full bar on the LCD display. We tried to find if it occurs on TUNE position as well, but it looks that it happens very rarely there. The rate of this behavior seems to be unpredictable but it is sometimes a few times within a minute! On other bands everything is OK. It looks, moreover, that the rig produces sometimes some spurious signals on 160m resulting an odd behavior of our home made PA, while using a K2 instead of K3 solves the problem. This makes us unhappy since this failure might jeopardize our program. Since one of us (3d2mj #8211; home sp5eaq) is an engineer in electronics, we have performed several tests and we are now convinced that the nature of the problem is of K3. We re-initialized the rig and nothing changed. The transceiver is loaded with the low SWR input of the PA but the same problem happens if it is loaded just with an antenna. Any local external support is impossible, we have basic tools (including soldering iron), some spare parts (but not K3 origin) and an AC/DC meter. There is a possibility that the problem began during a crash of PA during transmition without load (failure of antenna). The PA has been then repaired, but soon we found the K3 problem. It might be just a coincidence since before we had used 15W of drive. 73 de 3d2kj3d2mj == ___ Topband mailing list topb...@contesting.com http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/topband __ 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 hum problem - not the usual? [Try CONFIG:AFSK TX = FIL ON]
Wayne, Thanks for that suggestion - it worked!! One starts to wonder if there is any thing that this radio can't do! 73 -- Brian -- K1LI On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 5:58 PM, Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: The K3 has a CONFIG menu entry called AFSK TX. If you set it to FIL ON, a 400-Hz transmit-mode audio filter is inserted, centered around the mark/space tones. This is only available when the rig is set for AFSK A mode. It should be effective against low-frequency hum coming in through the mic or LINE IN connectors. 73, Wayne N6KR __ 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 hum problem - not the usual?
After enjoying my K3 for about nine months, I was recently alerted to audible 60-Hz hum on my transmitted audio signal. After reading the many hum related posts on the reflector, I began investigating. Step 1 was to remove all connections to the rig except the DC power and the coax to the external PA (I placed a direct short on the keying line input at the PA). Without a mic connected, the indication of the problem is that the PA registers output power with no audio input. The problem only occurs in an SSB mode when the nearby PA is both on and enabled (i.e., not on standby) and when the K3 is both within about 8-in of the PA and parallel or at right angles to it; rotating the rig about 15 degrees around the z-axis eliminated the hum. All in the usual vein, so far. There are several aspects of this problem that I find hard to understand: - With all conditions apparently constant, the problem is at least somewhat intermittent and will build up to full output over about a 3 second period when it does occur - When hum is being produced, the K3 output power meter reads zero while the external PA is putting out something near full power! (Ordinarily, it takes 20 watts of output power from the K3 to drive the external to this power level) - Lowering the output power setting on the K3 reduces the amount of hum power registering on the PA output power meter; there is a marked reduction in hum power when I pass the K3's internal PA power threshold and the hum power goes to zero when the K3 power output is set to zero - There is hysteresis in the output power registered by the external PA vs. the output power setting on the K3; i.e., starting with K3 output power set to zero, the K3 output power setting which produces the onset of hum power as shown by the external PA is a larger value than the K3 output power setting at which the external PA hum power decreases / disappears. I am space challenged inasmuch as I have an SO2R setup, so moving the K3 will be difficult. Any thoughts on what's going on? -- 73 -- 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] K3 USB CAT Interface
Fred, I use KUSB with K3 and have no trouble sending CW from N1MM using RTS and DTR from a WinXP laptop. Just letting you know that it *can* work. 73 -- Brian -- K1LI Snip: I was surprised the KUSB from Elecraft doesn't work for the logger-rig interface. I guess all USB-Serial adapters are not created equal. If one doesn't work, try a different one. __ 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] Key out (was CW sideband)
If you don't want power output when you hit the key, turn off the VOX while in CW mode - the rig responds with PTT in the message area. To get power out with VOX off, you must press the XMIT button or active the PTT (with a footswitch, for example) while keying the paddles. Depending on what you mean, this is also the answer to the full QSK statement. VOX on means that pressing the key activates the transmitter. QSK on means the RX is active between code elements. Here is the truth table for VOX and QSK: VOX QSK Off (message = PTT) Off (message = SEMI) XMIT button or PTT to transmit Off On (message = FULL) Same as Off - Off On (message = VOX)Off Key = transmit; no RX between elements On On Key = transmit; RX between elements 73 -- Brian -- K1LI K1 270 -- K2 2070 -- K3 2465 On Thu, Apr 23, 2009 at 1:35 PM, Carl Clawson carlclaw...@verizon.netwrote: ps: the first thing that drives me crazy about the K3? The fact that the radio (and the amp) key when I'm playing with my paddles and just wanna hear my own CW. Me too. I guess it must be done this way for people who send the key first to their amp or antenna switch, and then get their PTT back to the radio from it? Like from an extra contact pair on a relay that bypasses a mast-mount preamp. People hate smoking those. I also would like to be able to turn it off, so that Key Out occurs only when VOX or PTT is already asserted. Yet another menu option for the bottom of the software wish list! Also, I'm away from my K3 now but I could swear that it works at full QSK even if you don't have QSK enabled. That's pretty odd. 73 and thanks for listening, Carl WS7L K3 #486, 1 year old and owner is still smiling. __ 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/low RF power out on 17m
I have a problem which, as far as I can tell, is unique to 17m operation. Regardless of what I do with the PWR control, I can't get more than a few watts out in either SSB mode (i.e., USB or LSB). I can get full power out by switching to CW mode, transmitting a few characters, and returning to SSB mode. The problem is NOT fixed if I simply switch to CW and back to SSB. I am running firmware version 3.06. 73 -- 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] K3 FW 3.03+ : scan item
I have run into an item - I won't call it a problem or bug because I don't know that the function is not intended. With the bands the way they are, I scan a lot. Of course, you have to load the min and max scan frequencies by a M-V operation. But this doesn't work unless VFO A and VFO B are already on the same band. Feature or issue? Brian K1LI On Thu, Mar 26, 2009 at 4:06 PM, wayne burdick n...@elecraft.com wrote: Hi all, The major features introduced in K3 beta revision 3.03 (DSP 2.10) have now had quite a bit of on-air time. Thanks to feedback from early adopters, we've just improved them further with the release of 3.04 (DSP 2.11). These features are excellent additions to the K3 that you really should try: - Band independence for the sub receiver (CONFIG:VFO IND) - New AGC features, especially for use in pileups (CONFIG:AGC DCY, AGC HLD) - Fast-tuning spurious receive signal removal (CONFIG:SIG RMV) - Multiple ATU settings per band; per-band/per-antenna auto/bypass selection - Improved behavior of PTT and the TX LED - Extended transverter frequency coverage when used with a 10-m I.F. It's pretty easy to do a beta installation; see instructions at http://www.elecraft.com/K3/k3_software.htm Please let us know how the new features are working. Meanwhile, Lyle (KK7P) and I are working on the next round 73, Wayne N6KR --- http://www.elecraft.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] K3 digital mode audio input via LINE IN
I can't get the K3 to transmit using audio supplied to the LINE IN jack. I'm working in DATA A mode. I CAN transmit with audio supplied to both the front- and rear-panel MIC jacks. I have tried selecting the main MENU MIC SEL = LINE IN as well as the MIC+LIN = ON setting, but no go. Any suggestions as to what I've forgotten to set up? 73 -- 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
[Elecraft] How long to complete K3 master reset?
I pressed and held the K3 power switch until the MCU LD message appeared - that was over a half-hour ago. How long should this take to complete? Trying to solve the low sub RX audio problem. 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] Low SubRX audio below 20m
Bob, That fixed the problem. Thanks for the suggestion - the master reset is always the last resort! 73 - Brian - K1LI On Sun, Mar 22, 2009 at 8:18 PM, Robert Ansell robert-ans...@msn.comwrote: Hi Brian, yes I've experienced this and for me the fix was to do a hard reset but do not under any circumstances upload your config settings. Mine were for some reason corrupted. I did this and balance returned to center! Make sure you copy down on paper all your settings and put them back by hand. I wrote them all down rebooted then got them all back with a recal on the rig and mine was fixed. Talked to Elecraft on this one so the info comes from them. don't forget to save everything when you are done. Just for giggles I assume that you did a double strike on transfering all from vfo a to vfo b RIGHT? Bob Ansell K1WGM - Original Message - *From:* nekvts...@gmail.com *To:* Elecraft reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net *Sent:* Sunday, March 22, 2009 4:01 PM *Subject:* [Elecraft] Low SubRX audio below 20m On 30m and below, the sub RX audio is much lower in level than the main RX. I am set up to use the SUB audio control as the balance control between the main and SubRX audio levels (SPKRS: 2, SPKR+PH: no, SUB AF: balance). Both receivers get their RF from the main antenna. On 20m and above, this works fine - adjusting the control to the 12 o'clock position centers the stereo audio image between the two speakers. On 30m and below, however, the sub RX audio is much lower - the balance control is at about 3 o'clock (ie, injecting a much smaller amount of main RX audio) to center the stereo image. Thus, I have to ride this control when changing bands. I am using the latest public firmware revision, but I believe I have had this problem for some time. I did purchase matched filters for the main and sub RX's, and I have re-checked to ensure that they are set up with the same parameters. The state of the AFX control has no perceptible effect and I see that AF GAIN and AF LIM cannot be set differently for main and sub RX. Any thoughts on what is causing this? I don't see any previous mention in the reflector archives. Brian K1LI K3 #2435 -- K2 #2070 -- K1 #270 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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 RTTY MODE
Don, I am a digital mode neophyte. Is it possible - or, is it considered to be too much of a kludge - to receive a digital mode (be it PSK or RTTY) via PC soundcard and send CW to the K3 for translation into the digital mode? It seems that this would avoid some of the pitfalls associated with using a PC to generate radio quality audio. Do you know if any of the popular programs does this? Thanks, Brian K1LI On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 3:25 PM, Don Wilhelm w3...@embarqmail.com wrote: Dick, Rather than using SSB mode for data, use the DATA modes, it is less troublesome and compression is set to zero automatically.. Use DATA A mode for soundcard digital modes, or AFSK A for soundcard RTTY. See page 31 of the K3 manual. With good carrier balance, an AFSK signal is equal to an FSK signal. The K3 AFSK A data mode sets the mark frequency in the VFO (rather than the carrier frequency), and allows use of the dual passband filter which is designed for RTTY use. The narrow roofing filters and the full range of DSP filters can be used for DATA modes if you configure the narrow filters for receive in that mode. Transmit must always use the 2.7 or 2.8 kHz filters, but the K3 figures out the arithmetic involved. If you wish to use the FSK input to the K3, you will have to provide a level translation and drive the FSK input on the ACC connector. MMTTY has methods of activating the FSK input. 73, Don W3FPR Richard W. Solomon wrote: Does anyone have any idea when they will upgrade to Keyboard operation for RTTY ? Now, I mean using real FSK, not this sound card AFSK stuff. In some radios, AFSK requires you to use the SSB mode, which does not allow filter selection. The Yaesu does. 73, Dick, W1KSZ __ 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] So, anyone going to get more CW filtering?
I echo Dave's remarks, though I have the 8-pole 400Hz filter. Being in VT made me the focus of several spot pileups, but I experienced none of the desense issues that someone reported on the reflector. There were numerous wide stations, which caused me to tailor the RX EQ settings in an effort to further reduce the audibility of their key clicks. All in all I can say that the K3 (built in January) performed flawlessly. The only item on my wish list is an outboard tuning device to sit on the desk to the left of the keyboard (like my former Omni VII). 48 hours is a long time to reach up to the rig (on a shelf at eye level above the laptop screen) and the keyboard up/down arrow facility isn't flexible enough (station spacing on the band is fairly even, so you want to zip up the the next station and then slowly tune it in). I can see that I'm going to wear out the paint above the bezel where the fingers of my right hand rest while my thumb rotates the dial. 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] K3 sub-receiver usefulness?
Johnny, The beautiful thing about Elecraft products is that you don't have to make the final decision now. You can purchase the rig without the second receiver and buy it when you figure what you need it for. That said, I think the question you want to ask yourself is, What could I do if I had *two* K3s? I can scarcely think of a day that passes that I *don't* use the second receiver. For example, at sunrise and sunset, I scan the 160m band with one receiver and listen with the other receiver to see who comes back to the big guns who are calling CQ. It's a great way to see where the band might be open to and sometimes I can call the same stations a kc or two up and get a reply. With the forthcoming band independence between the main and sub receivers, I plan to enjoy a shortwave station on one receiver while I troll a dead band for signs of life. Come on, sunspots!! Perhaps the most common practice is listening to both a DX station and the pileup at the same time. I became accustomed to this with my FT1KMP, but lost the ability when I switched to my K2 for its more bullet proof receiver and also missed it with my Ten Tec Omni VII. Since having it again in the K3, I spend *a lot* less time trying to bust a pileup simply because I have a lot better chance of putting my signal in a quieter spot where the DX will hear it. Sure, you *can* sort of do this without the second receiver, but in my experience not nearly as effectively. I plan to take this to the next level and use the radio as a single-box SO2R in future contests - that should be interesting!! Like most engineering questions, the answer is, It depends. It depends on what you want to do and what you're comfortable doing. I admit that after 40 years in the hobby, it has taken a little practice to integrate two K3s into my operating style. Now I definitely would not want to do without it. 73, 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] K3: USB Adapter cooked
Lee, I usually have trouble with my DSL connection when I operate high power on 160 and 80, even though the antenna is 200 feet from the shack. I have been attributing it to RF pickup by the long-ish phone lines and AC wiring in the house. This weekend, I had trouble with my amp, so I moved it onto the bench a few feet away from the main operating position where I could observe it in action. Surprisingly, the DSL connection worked flawlessly!! The only thing that changed was the positioning of the cables from the rig to the amp and from the amp to the window sash through which the cables exit. The lesson I take from this is that there must be enough RF current on the coax shields that they radiate enough to disrupt sensitive electronics. Perhaps ferrites over the coax would prevent this happening to you again. Brian K1LI On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 9:37 AM, Lee Buller k...@swbell.net wrote: Now, I know that there are some issues in my shack concerning my Inverted-L feed. The feed point is less that 15 feet from the shack/rig/tuner/amp. All were grounded to a single point. Still, the USB adapter cooked and I attribute this to high amounts of RF in the shack. And, since I am not going have any more children...it seems that I just lost the USB adapter. This only happened on 160 meters. Any comments? ___ 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
[Elecraft] ANT2 routing to KRX3 via KAT3
Pardon my density, but I can't figure out how to realize the function depicted in figure 3 of the K3 Owner's Manual: routing a signal from the ANT2 connector to the KRX3 through the KAT3. I don't see anything in the FAQ. Can someone, please, tell me how to configure the rig so that K1 and K3 are properly actuated. Thanks, Brian K1LI K1 # 270, K2 # 3070, K3 # 2465 ___ 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
[Elecraft] KRX3: configuration for second antenna routing
Pardon my density, but I can't figure out how to realize the function depicted in figure 3 of the K3 Owner's Manual: routing a signal from the ANT2 connector to the KRX3 through the KAT3. I don't see anything in the FAQ. Can someone, please, tell me how to configure the rig so that K1 and K3 are properly actuated. Thanks, Brian K1LI K1 # 270, K2 # 3070, K3 # 2465 ___ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KRX3: configuration for second antenna routing
Don, Thanks for the help, but I'm still not with you. I want to operate in SO2V mode with the main and sub receivers on different bands using different antennas connected to the ANT1 and ANT2 connectors. I have the TMP cable connected between the KAT3 and the KRX3 input. The TMP cable from the Aux RF BNC connector is present but insulated, per the manual instructions, so it is inactive. I want the input to the KRX3 to come from the ANT2 connector. What I need to know is how to set the configuration options to make this happen. Obviously, the KAT3 and KRX3 CONFIG menu options are set to something other than notInst. The only options for the KRX3 are Ant-Atu and Ant=bnc. So, if I have the KRX3 set to Ant=bnc and the KRX3 input coming from the KAT3, I would expect the KRX3 input to come from the ANT2 connector - but it doesn't; it still comes from the ANT1 connector. What am I missing? Brian K1LI ___ 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
Re: [Elecraft] KRX3: configuration for second antenna routing
FOUND IT In order for the KRX3 to get its input from the ANT2 connector, the KRX3 input must come from the KAT3 **AND** one must set the KRX3 to ANT2 using the B_SET button. Whew!!! Brian K1LI On Tue, Jan 20, 2009 at 10:46 PM, Brian Machesney nekvts...@gmail.comwrote: Don, Thanks for the help, but I'm still not with you. I want to operate in SO2V mode with the main and sub receivers on different bands using different antennas connected to the ANT1 and ANT2 connectors. I have the TMP cable connected between the KAT3 and the KRX3 input. The TMP cable from the Aux RF BNC connector is present but insulated, per the manual instructions, so it is inactive. I want the input to the KRX3 to come from the ANT2 connector. What I need to know is how to set the configuration options to make this happen. Obviously, the KAT3 and KRX3 CONFIG menu options are set to something other than notInst. The only options for the KRX3 are Ant-Atu and Ant=bnc. So, if I have the KRX3 set to Ant=bnc and the KRX3 input coming from the KAT3, I would expect the KRX3 input to come from the ANT2 connector - but it doesn't; it still comes from the ANT1 connector. What am I missing? Brian K1LI ___ 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
[Elecraft] KNB3 problems after KRX3 installation
After installing the KRX3 module, I get an ERR IF1 message when I power the radio on (this is the only error message); the manual indicates a problem with KNB3. Further, holding LEVEL produces IF N/A in the VFO B area of the display (the DSP NB function appears to operate correctly based on audible observations). The ERR IF1 message does not appear if the KNB3 is disabled via the CONFIG menu. I took the following dianostic steps: - Removed the KRX3 and set the KRX3 CONFIG value to not Inst, with no effect - Removed and reseated the KNB3 on the RF board, with no effect - Swapped the main KNB3 with the sub KNB3, with no effect There does not appear to be any way to independently set the action of the main and sub KNB3, so I can't use the sub for differential diagnosis. Any suggestions from the esteemed list? I have K3 s/n 2435 with microcode version 2.67 firmware rev 5 installed today (4 Jan 09). Regards, Brian K1LI ___ 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
