[Elecraft] New product idea for Elecraft...?
Ron, AC7AC, wrote, under another subject heading: "I'm not bothered by choosing between a dozen switches but sorting through half a dozen menu items to change one gives me a headache." That pretty much sums up my attitude as well, and I've heard other hams– MANY other hams– complain about menus, but I don't recall ever hearing anyone complain about excess knobs, buttons, dials, etc. Reading Ron's thoughts made me wonder out loud, why can't Elecraft or some third party make a "magic box" that would be completely impotent by itself, but with the capability to mate up to one of these small miniaturized wonders like the KX2 or KX3, and which would contain oodles of manual controls for virtually every function the parent rig is capable of providing? This would NOT impact the normal functioning of the parent rig, but would act as an accessory for those who eschew menus and such, and who like their rigs bigger, bulkier and in more traditional formats. I envision a box of switches, buttons, knobs, perhaps even gauges that would be cable-fed (or wi-fied) from the little parent rig sitting behind the magic box. Its size would be whatever was necessary to accommodate the design and would resemble a normal-sized base station. You could conceivably have a separate control for each function the parent rig provides, or if logic dictated, then several controls might be multi-purpose. Then an op could have the best of both worlds. He/she could use his/her KX2/KX3 as a portable rig in the normal way, but when returned to the home station, it could be plugged back into the magic box to power it in a more expansive and convenient manner. Elecraft seems to always be on the lookout for new products. Here's one they might be able to put on the market, up and running, quickly because most of the engineering has already been worked out for the parent rig. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Car interior antennas...
I'm certainly no expert here but a fellow I know once told me that fractal antennas were showing up in car interiors because they're efficient, quite small and don't use much material to construct. Something about punching them out with a die... didn't quite understand what he was saying completely, but fractals might be something to look into. Again, I'm unsure about this, but I think cellphones commonly use fractal antenna technology, too. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K7QO Code Course
My own favorite code course is the FREE one offered by the legendary Chuck Adams, K7QO. You can find it at http://www.k7qo.net and it is chock-full of code practice material, even an entire novel when you get to the point where you can read code in your head. Practice lessons, answer key, instructions and advice on how to use, and more from a fellow who can cruise along effortlessly at 50 wpm+ and you can't beat the price! Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] K7QO code course
__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] FCC R approves 630m ham band
Let's see now, the antenna for 630 meters would be almost four times the length of one for 160? Doesn't sound like a "hiking" antenna to me, unless you're taking along a pack mule, maybe... ;-) Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Improved KX2 knob
I stretched out an O-ring a bit and managed to slip it over the tuning knob on my KX2. It now sits about 1/16th of an inch down from the top face of the knob, and it has greatly enhanced my ability to manually scan through the frequencies. I just put the tip of my right index finger at the side of the knob so that I'm touching both the O-ring and the upper edge of the knob, and that allows me to scoot merrily through the frequencies. The O-ring is black so it blends well with the rig and is barely noticable. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX2 pins
You guys keep referring to pins on the back of the KX2. I looked and looked and then looked some more. Either I have a defective unit or I must be going blind. There are NO pins on the back of my KX2... Perhaps you guys are talking about the pin connector on the TOP side of the radio? I've got some there, but no connectors on the "back". Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] KX2 VFO knob mod...
I found a large O-ring, black rubber, stretched it out with pliers several times until I could simply slip it over the VFO knob and back from the edge perhaps a sixteenth of an inch or so all the way around. It looks good, blends in with the rig, and by placing a fingertip anywhere around the circumference of the knob with a bit of my finger resting on the O-ring, it tunes very easily. It's as good as a dimple or a pimple, it's cheap, it's easy, there's no glue or solder involved and the O-ring should slip off easily if I ever decide to try something else. So far, it works well enough that I haven't even been tempted to search for any alternatives. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] The "Kinda Random Antenna"
I've found over the years that a McCoy Dipole works pretty well, often MUCH better than expected. What is a McCoy Dipole? Named after Lew McCoy, it follows his rules of construction. "Make it as long as you can, get it as high as you can, and feed it with ladder-line." No math, no measurements, no sweat. But a TUNER (transmatch) is definitely needed. Emory Schley N4LP Kurt N. Sterba was correct. Textbook antennas aren't always possible, or even needed. If the situation is difficult, any radiator is better than none. However, hams in general are anal animals on the subject of antennas. My attitude has always been what's a db or two among friends, and quite often that is the number we are sweating. But, if you can't make it exactly like Kraus writes, get as close as you can and let your antenna tuner worry about the match and don't think about that extra db. 73, Barry K3NDM -- Original Message -- From: "Fred Jensen" <k6...@foothill.net> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: 1/29/2017 6:10:29 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] The "Kinda Random Antenna" >N6BT famously set up a "phased array" of 3 light bulbs in a V-beam >configuration and achieved WAC. He called it "The Illuminator." Kurt >N. Sterba [a regular in the old WorldRadio] is correct, the power will >go somewhere. My home antenna is a 136' wire strung along the wood >fence on electric fence insulators. Fed at the end, no overt >counterpoise [the outside of the coax shield handles that]. Not spec'd >for 160 but the KAT3 matches it fine. Invisible to HOA. NVIS on 160 >and 80, semi-NVIS on 40. > >One thing to remember: feeding electrically long wires results in >complicated radiation patterns. The higher in frequency you go, the >more it's going to squirt your RF in different directions, not all of >which point at the DX. But, mine works very well considering it's >about 1.8 m off the ground. > >73, > >Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW >Sparks NV DM09dn >Washoe County > >On 1/29/2017 10:26 AM, Barry wrote: >>Wayne, >> I know what you are saying and agree. In very simple terms, if you >>can load it, it will radiate. That was a position that a writer with >>the nom de plume of Kurt N Sterba too in a book he wrote. By the >>physical law of conservation of energy, it all has to go somewhere. >>And, that could be heat or radiation. In his book he claims to have >>loaded a shopping cart and talked to people. >> >> Yes, you can do these things as long as you make good connections >>and the tuners can handle it. All of the discussion is how to pick a >>length that the tuner will accept. Once there, physics takes over. And >>just to prove my point, and yours, I just worked the CQ 160 CW >>contest. My antenna was a vertical 20 meter dipole center fed with >>open wire. My radio is a K3s. I worked across this country, Canada, >>and some DX with this 33' wire antenna that by all rights should have >>been over 200'. I would have done better, but my local power company >>added another handicap, line noise. Bottom line: Throw some wire up >>and see if it can be loaded. If yes, go for it. >> >>73, >>Barry >>K3NDM > >__ >Elecraft mailing list >Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm[http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm] >Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > >This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net[http://www.qsl.net] >Please help support this email list: >http://www.qsl.net/donate.html[http://www.qsl.net/donate.html] >Message delivered to k3...@comcast.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft[http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft] Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm[http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm] Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net[http://www.qsl.net] Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html[http://www.qsl.net/donate.html] Message delivered to silverlo...@gmx.com __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Random wire lengths for antennas
My KX2 Owner's Manual, page 10, says "A length of about 25 feet for each wire, matched to the KX2's output using an antenna tuner (see ATU, pg. 11) will typically provide good performance on 40-10 m. (Without an ATU, resonant lengths are required for each band.) This antenna is ideal for outings where all gear must fit into a small bag (e.g., our model CS-40)." I just bought my KX2 in late November/December 2016, so I presume this is the latest edition of the Owner's Manual. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Morse reader on KX2
I'm having a bit of a problem with my KX2, not a serious one, but a confusing one. Whenever I use the built-in keyer to send my callsign, the screen readout interprets my call as N4LEG instead of the correct N4LP. This happens at 13 wpm, but if I change the speed to 12 wpm, then my callsign is interpreted correctly. I don't think it's my keying because the internal keyer handles that. Does anyone else experience a problem like this... and is there a solution? Thanks Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
Re: [Elecraft] Checking VFO accuracy using WWV
Hi Guys; I really don't mean to show my ignorance, but all this talk about calibration and power out is good up to a point, but if your signal is off the mark by a couple Hertz, does it really make any REAL WORLD difference? Even when running PSK31 surely you can be off the "beam" a Hertz or two or three, maybe more– and you'll still have rock solld communications. One fellow seemed unhappy with a rig putting out "only" 80 watts instead of the full 100, but there is no way the ham on the other end of the QSO is going to detect the "deficit". It pretty much boils down to "Can he hear me" and "Can I hear him"? If the answer is yes to both questions, then all the rest is just fodder for textbooks and endless discussion/arguing. I know engineers and wannabe engineers want absolute accuracy. I'm no fan of sloppiness myself, BUT if you actually consider what you're dealing with along with the vagaries of propagation, then "close enough" should be good enough for anyone. If the tool (the radio/antenna system, in this case) is good enough to get the job done, then isn't that "good enough," period? I really don't wish to start any in-fighting here, and I freely admit I'm not technologically competent enough to sustain my opinions in any absolute way in a technical discussion, but really, instead of wasting so much time slicing hairs, wouldn't you really rather be on the air instead, having fun? I would. :-) Merry Christmas/Happy Hannukah/Have a Good Day (Take your pick), Emory Schley N4LP Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 12:18 PM From: "Brian Denley" <b.den...@comcast.net> To: brian <als...@comcast.net> Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Checking VFO accuracy using WWV Thanks to all for the explanations. Brian Denley KB1VBF Sent from my iPad > On Dec 18, 2016, at 8:46 AM, brian <als...@comcast.net> wrote: > > Expectations may be too high. > > All these WWV methods assume there is no Doppler shift present on the WWV > signal. Other things to consider: TCXO drift, synthesizer limitations and new > synthesizer quirks. > > During disturbed times, Doppler could be 1 Hz or more. > Unfortunately, the Doppler shift present depends upon just about everything-- > location, time of day, atmospheric reflecting layer heights, path, the list > goes on. > > Keep in mind the new synthesizers add an additional quarter Hz (+/-) > uncertainty. The syncing of the SI570 to the master oscillator produces > sawtooth jumps of that magnitude, sometimes more vs time. > There are also band to band variations introduced by limitation in finding > exact synthesizer divide ratios. Old synthesizers showed many Hz deviations > from band to band and as one tuned up the band. These variations are much > smaller with the new synthesizers. > > Then there is drift. If you are not using XREF, you will experience maybe 10 > Hz or more warm up drifts. The high stability oscillator takes about four > hours to reach its most stable point. The standard oscillator reaches that > point a few hours earlier. > > The old engineer cautioned: "Never believe the last digit displayed in any > device". In this case, don't expect to be within 1 Hz on all bands, all > frequencies at all times-- no matter what calibration method you use. Look at > the K3 specs. Nowhere will you find an expectation of such accuracy. > > 73 de Brian/K3KO > >> On 12/18/2016 12:40 PM, K9ZTV wrote: >> The R.L. Drake Company referred to the zeroing or beating indicators as >> "canary chirps," the goal being to slow the "chirping" until there was a >> steady tone indicating you were then dead-on. I still find that the most >> descriptive way to tell someone how to identify the pulsing when doing the >> Reference Calibration against WWV in a K3 (at the highest frequency you can >> copy them). The trick is to get the right balance in volume between WWV's >> main carrier tone and the K3's sidetone so you can hear the "chirps." >> >> Kent, K9ZTV >> >> >> __ >> Elecraft mailing list >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm[http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm] >> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net >> >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net[http://www.qsl.net] >> Please help support this email list: >> http://www.qsl.net/donate.html[http://www.qsl.net/donate.html] >> Message delivered to als...@comcast.net >> > __ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: > http:
[Elecraft] FM on KX2?
If you invoke the LCDTEST from the menu, the far rightside Mode column lists "FM T" so is it safe to assume that FM operation may be added to the KX2 at some point in the future? Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] FM on KX2?
__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Error in KX2 Owner's Manual
Is there someone we should report Owner's Manual errors to? On page 15 of the KX2 Owner's Manual, the chart lists the 30-meter band as covering 10.0-10.150, which is inaccurate. The amateur radio portion is actually 10.1-10.150... hope no one goes out of band because of this. Emory Schley N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] newbie question
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[Elecraft] Newbie question... AGAIN!
OK, I'll try this again... I'm the new owner of a KX2 and am trying to learn all I can about the rig. One thing about it truly stumps me. The multi-purpose knob at the far right side of the rig is labeled OFS, and for the life of me, I cannot figure out what OFS stands for. I turned my computer loose on the PDF copy of the Owner's Manual and could find nothing identifying that label there. I also searched through the printed version of the manual. If it's in there somewhere, I've been unable to find it. I even wrote a note to Elecraft about it, and for some reason, they ignored my note even though they were quite responsive in answering questions BEFORE I bought the radio. So, I now turn to you. Does ANYONE know what "OFS" stands for? Thanks, Emory N4LP __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] newbie question
__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Newbie question...
__ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
