Re: [Elecraft] OT: For Sale KPA100 kit new in box
Sold. Thanks all for the interest. 73 Eric N0HHS __ 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] OT: For Sale KPA100 kit new in box
100W option kit for K2, box never opened. Purchased at Dayton in May 2016, I've downsized to an apartment and am unlikely to build it. Would like to get it into hands of someone who will. Asking $350 plus shipping. ($489.95 new) 73 Eric N0HHS __ 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] K2: poor transmitted CW tone quality
I have just finished building K2 #6106 and was checking my transmitted tone and found that it is very warbly--sounds like it is underwater--rather than a nice pure tone. I figured this could be a result of listening at very close range on my KX1, so checked with one of those handy remote receivers on the internet and sure enough, it also sounds like that 700 miles away. Anybody have any ideas for obvious stuff to check? I have done voltage checks and a bit of signal tracing--the only anomaly I have found so far is: in the transmit mixer output, the key-down Vrms on pin 4 of U10 is 0.002 (vs. about 0.016 in the manual); the buffer output, the key-down Vrms on pin 6 of U9, is 0.097 (vs. 0.2 in the manual). So the ratio of my two values (~50) is pretty far off from the typical (~12.5). Is this a red herring, or significant? Many thanks for any help!!! 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 K2 #6106 ___ 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] K2: poor transmitted CW tone quality fix
Tom, N0SS, came through--I had incorrectly installed RC15 on the bottom of the board. He even sent me a nice pdf showing how he had previously encountered the problem and the subtle difference between the correct and incorrect installation (one pin over makes a difference!). Eric Ward [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have just finished building K2 #6106 and was checking my transmitted tone and found that it is very warbly--sounds like it is underwater--rather than a nice pure tone. I figured this could be a result of listening at very close range on my KX1, so checked with one of those handy remote receivers on the internet and sure enough, it also sounds like that 700 miles away. Anybody have any ideas for obvious stuff to check? I have done voltage checks and a bit of signal tracing--the only anomaly I have found so far is: in the transmit mixer output, the key-down Vrms on pin 4 of U10 is 0.002 (vs. about 0.016 in the manual); the buffer output, the key-down Vrms on pin 6 of U9, is 0.097 (vs. 0.2 in the manual). So the ratio of my two values (~50) is pretty far off from the typical (~12.5). Is this a red herring, or significant? Many thanks for any help!!! 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 K2 #6106 ___ 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 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] K2 speaker jack question
OK, a possible dumb question. K2 finished and working FB ! Audio from the headphones is fine, but no audio from the internal speaker, or from the external speaker jack on the back. Receive current is 220mA, so no apparent ground short, as warned against in the manual. All the connections look good. Has anyone encountered this before? Could I have gotten an external speaker jack that is supposed to be wired as in the manual rev. F, rather than in the errata rev F-12 (which is the exact opposite of the original manual)? Thanks for any help or suggestions. 73 Eric N0HHS K2 #6106 ___ 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] toroid enamel wire question
A quick question for an experienced (or anyway, confident!) builder: I am winding the first toroid,RFC14, for my K2 and seem be be inadvertently stripping a bit of the red enamel off the wire when I sew it through the toroid. I don't remember having this happen with the KX1. It appears that the inside edges of the ferrite toroid are kind of sharp. I can avoid it by being EXTREMELY careful while winding. Does it matter if a tiny stretch of insulation is missing? I.e. should I start over whenever I encounter this? TU es 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 K2 #6106 (in process) ___ 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] Black Widow paddle kit
They are real thick--about double the width of the 0.73mm picks I use for actually picking a guitar. They could be broken, but it would have to be intentional, or from dropping the paddle just right. 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 From the looks of it, the paddles themselves are guitar picks - which are easy to get replacements for, and REALLY hard to break (essentially can't be), esp. the heavier thicknesses, which is what it looks like are on the paddle in the picture. ___ 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] Black Widow paddle kit
A fellow ham alerted me to this new kit being offered by Jerry W5JH, who previously offered the popular AZ ScQRPion paddle kit: http://www.w5jh.net/Black_Widow.htm It has magnetic return and costs about $60 shipped. I built one and it works FB--very nice, stiff feel, and highly adjustable. (Ususal disclarimer--no commercial interest--just wanted to make fellow Elecrafters aware in case they do not get the QRP-L where it was announced.) 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] Radio Shack Power Up Device
I just put PowerPoles on the end of a cigarette lighter/cable assembly that I also bought at the Shack. It has a 10A fuse and even an LED-illuminated power switch built into it. Also, so far I have not noticed any RF from the float charger, but I have not rigorously checked all the ham bands. Eric N0HHS ___ 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] KX1 transmit audio hum/buzz
I installed KXB3080 about a week ago, and just redid L3 with 18 winds. I had not checked my transmit audio since first building the rig. I just checked it transmitting into a dummy load, listening on my Icom 706 with a coax jumper as an antenna. I have a distinct buzz mixed in with the 600Hz tone. It is worst on 30m, but also audible on 20 and 40. It gets much worse when I re install the KXAT1--with the tuner installed, the buzz is louder than the 600Hz tone on 30m, and also louder than without tuner on the other bands. Current draw is within a few percent of the values suggested in the KXB3080 manual; with the display off: 69mA on 80m 47.2mA on 40m 48.6mA on 30m 47.1mA on 20m I may have had bad audio on 30m forever--I have never had a 30m QSO, so no signal reports on that band. But I do not recall anything but a nice clean tone when I tested after I completed the build a couple of years ago. When I go into tune mode, the power output shown fluctuates +/- 0.3W or so (e.g. between 3.2 and 3.5W)--I do not remember it doing this before I did the L3 mod--not sure whether this is related to the problem, but it seems likely. I get the same buzz whether I use a 12V linear power supply or internal Li batteries. I have the N0SS zero beat indicator installed, but if I unplug that board, it makes no difference, so I am assuming it is not involved in the problem. I searched the list for KX1 transmit audio problems but came up blank. Any ideas anyone? Many thanks and 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] K1 Power Supply Opinions
Jameco carries a variety of linear, regulated supplies in different amperages and voltages. They look like wall warts but they are not, provided you make sure you are ordering a linear regulated supply, and not an unregulated swticher. Here is the relevant catalog page off their website: http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/catalogs/c252/P174.pdf I bought a 12V 1A job for my KX1 for $20 including shipping, and it works like a champ--no noise at all. Usual disclaimer about no commercial interest in Jameco. 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] Fuel for the Morse interface fire
A Blackberry or Handspring Treo or similar has a full qwerty mini-keyboard designed to be run with both thumbs. (Come to think of it, a PSK31 rig in the same general size and format as one of these would be incredibly cool, and arguably feasible (factory built and SMD, of course). A running joke among those of us entrepreneurs who work for venture capital-backed companies is how fast your VC board members can type on these things. I don't think they could seriously compete with top QRQ CW ops, but for sure they exceed the 30 wpm barrier. (Arguably, they perform better when typing during some interpersonal interaction to which they are supposed to be paying attention--e.g. a company presentation or a Board mtg...) See y'all in Dayton. 73 Eric N0HHS __ Wayne Burdick wrote: Morse has three other ergonomic advantages you didn't mention: 1. You can send Morse with one hand (even medium-fast text messaging requires two hands) Text messaging with my phone requires cradling the phone in one hand and pressing the digits with the thumb of that hand. What does the other hand need to do? Maybe you have a really big cell phone? :-) de - N3WZ (Jim) ___ 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] agm battery info
There is a 75AH Unigy AGM battery offered through Hamcall that looks ridiculously inexpensive. http://hamcall.net/unigy.html Eric N0HHS ___ 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] RE: Elecraft Rigs as Public Relations Tools
I have to opportunity to mentor a group of Boy Scouts for their Radio Merit Badge starting Tues night, and I will bring the KX1 to show them the incredibly cool stuff you can do with ham radio in 2005. I will make Ron's point that this mode of communication gets through when nothing else can (barring EMP, I guess...). 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] successful tuning indicator installation in KX1
Tom: K6XX SMD tuning indicator kit arrived today. Started on it around 10PM and had it built, installed, aligned, and working by midnight. My only previous SMD soldering experience was the IC in a Rockmite. Only glitch I ran into was an unsoldered pin on the IC--I got low level LED light as soon as I powered up the rig, which went out when I injected the sidetone. A quick check under the magnifier found the problem. One note on your KX1 installation instructions--on p.3, item 15), the 6.8K resistor says (683) after it, when the part (and the parts list on p.1) is labelled 682. Only caused a minor tremor, well short of panic. Also, I used 24ga wire with a thicker jacket (Wireman 534 antenna wire) than the computer ribbon cable you recommend--worked OK but trickier to snake the wires into the correct orientation to allow the bottom cover/battery cases to fit. Thanks again for kitting this great addition to the KX1! 73 Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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
zero beat detector with KX1?
I was interested in WA5ZNU's recent post about tri-state and side tone levels on the KX1. Can't claim to understand it completely-I am a lowly biologist. Anyway, I have been interested in building some version of a visual zero beat detector that uses a PLL tone-decoder IC for use with the KX1. I have read about the K2 guys using N0SS's PC board version of the circuit designed by KR5L. Has anyone tried it (or the Jackson Harbor Press kit, or any such similar) with the KX1? Is the side tone too fuzzy/harmonically rich to make it work? TU es 73, Eric N0HHS KX1 #670
Re: [Elecraft] Internal AAA batteries for KX1?
I have a rechargeable lithium CR-V3 battery for my digital camera-it is 3V nominal, and the same size as 2 AAs smushed together side-by-side. The 3+3 cell arrangement in the KX1 precludes using these, but I wonder if someone is going to come out with a rechargeable lithium AA-or do they already exist? Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 I saw a posting yesterday on QRP-L where someone saw AAA Lithium batteries for sale so I went to the Energizer.com site and sure enough it looks like Eveready is now manufacturing a 1250 mah AAA Lithium cell. This got me to thinking about how great it would be if Elecraft offered an alternative bottom cover for the KX1 that had 2 X 4 AAA holders giving 12+ V instead of 10V with the 2 X 3 AAs. ___ 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] KX1 frequency on power-up
What frequency does the KX1 go to on power-up? I can't figure out how it picks it--not the last freq on which I TX, not one of the memories, not the last one I tuned on. Maybe this is in the manual, but I didn't see it. TNX for help with a possible dumb q... 73, Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] KX1 frequency on power-up
Found my own answer by searching the list archive. The freq displayed when the band button was last tapped once is the one that comes on at power-up-an undocumented feature. Nothing like looking before asking. Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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] KX1 frequency on power-up
Right, got it--on p.29 at the end of Alignment and Test Pt. I--I was looking in the Operation section at the end. EW -Original Message- From: David Toepfer [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, August 30, 2004 1:18 PM To: Eric Ward; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX1 frequency on power-up BTW, It's not undocumented. It's in the manual. dt . --- Eric Ward [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Found my own answer by searching the list archive. The freq displayed when the band button was last tapped once is the one that comes on at power-up-an undocumented feature. ___ 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] KXPD1 sensitivity
Try swapping the rubber grips. My craftsmanship left the wire on the dit side is a little bumpy, even after squishing it with needle nose pliers-it sends continuous dits with one of the rubber sleeves, but not the other. Also, make sure the spring steel levers are aligned so that they fit into the cavities molded into the rubber grips-if they are out of alignment even a little, they will be trapped against the contact wire-I had this momentary problem when I first assembled mine. (Also, at the risk of telling you something you don't need to know, check that your dit wire is not accidentally grounding to the aluminum bracket somewhere.) 73 Eric N0HHS I just got done with my KX1 construction, including the KXPD1 paddles. Another very nice setup from Elecraft! My question is how do I make the paddles less sensitive to touch. I find that the left side (dits) is very sensitive, and at one point, it started sending dits all on its own. I have squeezed the wires inside down as close to the PC board as they can be, but that didn't help. The right side of the paddle is working fine. Anyone have any other suggestions?? Thanks, Dan W1RDB ___ 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] cheap 1A linear power supply
Has anyone tried the 12V 1A linear regulated wall wart from Jameco (part # 170245CL) as a hotel room power supply for the KX1? It is cheap and sounds like it would work-i.e. not a switcher and regulated. TNX and 73, Eric N0HHS ___ 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] Re: was airports and planes -- soldeting stations
I used the soldering station from Circuit Specialists, recommended in the Summary of available soldering stations article by Tom, N0SS. It appears on the page that you get to by clicking the How to build and test your kit link, which is on the Builder resources page, a link for which is on the Elecraft website front page--2 levels down makes it a little harder to find ; ) The station was $39.95 as reported--came with a tip about 1.5 mm dia, which worked fine--they also sell a few mm chisel tip, which is good for the antenna jack. I had previously built a Rock Mite with an unregulated Shack iron. It worked, but was much more stressful--pretty easy to melt the PC board. I figured no big deal for a $25 bag of parts. But a $40 investment to avoid reducing a nice $279 bag of parts to junk seemed like cheap insurance. They also throw in a free DMM on $50+ orders. And they have a BNC-to-dual binding post adapter for a few bucks. No interest in Circuit Specialists, except as a 1 time customer. 73, Eric N0HHS KX1 #760 ___ 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/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] KX1 and airport security
Went through 2 airports (RDU and STL) this weekend. KX1+ ~60ft of 26 ga wire were in a Rubbermaid container, which I took out of my carry-on and put in bin to go through the x-ray. One screener asked me if it was an electronic device. No one opened the Rubbermaid box. I was surprised it did not attract more attention-circuit boards, a metal box, 6 AA batteries, a big coil of wire?!? 73, Eric N0HHS KX1 #670 ___ 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/elecraftHelp: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Dumb(?) dummy load question
In an attempt to save pennies, I got a 10W 50 ohm resistor ($1.79 for two) at the Shack and soldered it to a male BNC--I figured this would make a serviceable QRP dummy load. The resistor checked out at 50.0 ohm on my DMM. When I hooked this to my KX1 and went through the ATU alignment procedure (nulling C9, etc), I only get an apparent out put of about 0.3W (according to the display on the radio). Ditto when I tune my G5RV--I get to 1:1.1, but with only 0.3W. (This antenna/feedline system is tunable by my LDG Z100 to 1:1; see below.) I had previously gone through the ATU alignment using, instead of a dummy load, the G5RV routed through the external match (the LDG Z100) tuned for that frequency. I figured that would be pretty close to 50 ohm, since it achieves an apparent 1:1 on that freq with my Icom 706 rig. When I use the tuned G5RV as a dummy load and go through alignment, I get what appear to me more reasonable values--i.e. when I subsequently tune the same antenna with the KX1 ATU, I get 4.3W and SWR of 1:1.6. So something funky is going on and I cannot figure it out. Is there some bloody obvious reason why the 10W resistor is not a good dummy load? Is something else wrong with my rig, which otherwise is nominal in all respects? (BTW, I have R4 maxed out clockwise.) I do not have a wattmeter, so I cannot independently check output with and without the ATU installed, but the rig is transmitting on 40 and 20m. Thanks for any ideas... 73, Eric N0HHS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Dumb(?) dummy load question
Many thanks to all the replies indicating correctly that the resistor I was using is wirewound, a.k.a. a coil/inductor at RF, and therefore not a useful dummy load. Live and learn... 73, Eric N0HHS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft You must subscribe to post. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, Unsub etc): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft page: http://www.elecraft.com
