Re: [Elecraft] Win4K3 - Virtual COM Ports on Windows 10

[Mark Goldberg]

I'm using VSPM, which K5FR provided free to hams.

http://k5fr.com/DDUtilV3wiki/index.php/VSP_Manager

It does not do port splitting if that is what you need, and it has
been a few years since I heard from him, but he was blogging as late
as last July, so it is worth a shot to contact him.
73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Jan 15, 2023 at 8:27 AM John Overbaugh  wrote:
>
> I'm trying to set up my KX3 on a new Windows 10 computer using Win4K3.
> Has anyone found a satisfactory solution to com0com's test driver
> issue? Windows 10 enforces signed drivers; because com0com is a test
> driver Windows doesn't trust it. I don't want to disable secure boot
> and allow unsigned drivers, so the work-around isn't acceptable to me.
>
> Has anyone found a driver they like which creates virtual com ports?
>
> 73 de K7JTO
> John O.
> Salt Lake City
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 on commercial airplane

[Mark Goldberg]

I've been a member of aviation standards committees, and the quality of the
members is similar. The best engineers from multiple companies come
together, along with hundreds of years of combined experience. The battery
standards committee was across the hall from ours one time. Theirs was much
more heated. These standards are indeed there for a reason, and based on
real world experience. People from the NTSB, Transport Canada, and similar
agencies also attend. They have investigated many accidents and want to
make sure what went wrong and killed people does not happen again. They, in
my experience, are some of the sharpest people I have met and worked with.
I had long talks with the folks that investigated Swissair 111. That is one
reason I am so careful with electrical installations, at home and even in
our RV, which has 400 Ah of LifePO4s under where we sleep.

I believe that about a 20 Ah LiFePO4 is about the largest that can be put
in your carryon. I have several smaller ones.

One advantage to having batteries in your carryon is that you will not be
selected to put the carryon in the luggage compartment if the overheads are
full. Tell them there are lithium batteries in there and they will select
other luggage.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Tue, Jun 28, 2022 at 2:29 AM Jim Brown  wrote:

> On 6/28/2022 1:46 AM, Geert Jan de Groot wrote:
> > And if you feel otherwise and know it all better - it's a free world and
> > everyone has an opinion! - then I kindly ask you to identify what flight
> > you will be on so I will take the next flight, thank you.
>
> All of your post is well said, Jan. We have the right to our opinion,
> but we don't have the right to endanger others by acting out on the
> basis of our ignorance.
>
> For nearly 40  I've been a member of the Standards Committee of the
> Audio Engineering Society, and lead author our Standards on EMC. I can
> report that all of our Standards are based on Applied Science, and the
> result of serious engineers who are practitioners in a broad range of
> pro audio -- broadcast, recording, live sound -- all with a solid
> engineering grounding. Those lacking that background, or with "an
> agenda," or to be unwilling to yield to others who know more about an
> issue, are quickly sent to the back benches. And all of us have an
> excellent BS filter. The goal is simple -- write Standards that make
> systems WORK, in the REAL WORLD.
>
> One of the things that design professionals from different engineering
> disciplines do in design meetings is play "what if" scenarios to
> evaluate design decisions. A prime example in the real world I've often
> cited is, the design team of the Fukushima nuclear reactor failing to
> ask, or failing to have the imagination or education to come up with
> possible answers to the question, "What Could Possibly Go Wrong With
> Putting Emergency Power Generators in the basement?" In 2011, Mother
> Nature answered rather emphatically that question that should have been
> asked or satisfactorily resolved, but wasn't.  Note that this is an
> example to prove a concept, not an "attack" on anyone. I've been in lots
> of design meetings, and ain't nobody perfect.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] [off topic] Red Dogs

[Mark Goldberg]

I'm thinking Red Dog Bone Capacitors like these:

https://reverb.com/item/32640625-47pf-500v-lemco-dog-bone-capacitor-marshall-jmp-jcm800

https://www.surplussales.com/CAPACITORS/RF-TEMPDOGBONE.HTML

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Jun 22, 2022 at 7:19 AM David Christ  wrote:

> A friend put a question to me this morning.  His dad was an Electrical
> Engineer and had a large number of the ubiquitous "parts drawers" full of
> various components.  One drawer (empty) is labelled "Red Dogs".  Any ideas
> what this might have been?
>
>
> David K0LUM
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 with PX3 Panadapter

[Mark Goldberg]

I would not think the software / firmware would work. The PX3 connects to
the KX3 serial port and they talk. For example, the PX3 knows what
frequency the KX3 is on. It tracks the KX3 and shows colored bars where the
VFO passbands are.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Feb 14, 2022 at 7:58 AM Ed G  wrote:

> Has anyone tried using a PX3 with the K3 transceiver?  Seems like running
> the IF through an LP-PAN, and then connecting the I/Q output of the LP-PAN
> to the PX3 would work.
> --Ed, N3CW—
>
>
>
>
> --
> This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> https://www.avast.com/antivirus
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 wattmeter adjustment

[Mark Goldberg]

The only way to really know for sure is to have a NIST traceable calibrated
wattmeter and have it calibrated on a regular basis. Hams are generally too
cheap to do that. The LP100 does come calibrated, so that would be my go to
reference, but I'll bet Hams will hardly ever get the calibration checked
after purchase. I could not find how much they charge for that service.
Even that is only calibrated to 5% with 3% typical. So, if you off 5W while
measuring 100W, who knows, it might be just the calibration error.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Feb 6, 2022 at 10:11 AM Bob McGraw  wrote:

> 'Twas said "a man with one watch always knows the time.  A man with 3 or
> 4 watches is never quite sure of the time.".
>
> I just recently went through power calibrations on my K3S and my
> KPA500.  All now agree with the power meter reference I used. Also, this
> was done using a known 50.5 ohm dummy load.  On the antennas, even
> though SWR is indicated 1.1:1, there will be differences due to
> difference line complex impedance's.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> On 2/6/2022 9:51 AM, elecraft-requ...@mailman.qth.net wrote:
> > Message: 15
> > Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2022 14:53:59 -0600
> > From: Ronnie Hull
> > To: Dick Dievendorff
> > Cc:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 wattmeter adjustment
> > Message-ID:
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
> >
> > Lucky your that close! My K3, P:, Lp100 and kpa1500 are all wa
> different. I accept the LPA100 as being correct!
> >
> > Ron W5SUM
>
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Re: [Elecraft] SVGA Board For K3

[Mark Goldberg]

With the right tools and a highly skilled operator, that can be replaced.
I've seen FG456 BGAs replaced. Personally, I have neither the tools nor the
skills.

And, I don't mean the $500 BGA rework machines. I mean the ones that cost
many times what the board costs.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Thu, Jan 20, 2022 at 7:03 PM Ken K6MR  wrote:

> The FPGA is a Xilinx XC6SLX9 in a FTG256 1.0 mm pitch BGA package.
>
> *Ken K6MR *
>
> --
> *From:* elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> on behalf of Mark Goldberg 
> *Sent:* Thursday, January 20, 2022 4:18 PM
> *To:* j...@audiosystemsgroup.com 
> *Cc:* Reflector Elecraft 
> *Subject:* Re: [Elecraft] SVGA Board For K3
>
> What is the chip and what package is it in?
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
> W7MLG
>
> On Thu, Jan 20, 2022 at 4:47 PM Jim Brown 
> wrote:
>
> > The SVGA board in one of my two P3s has failed, and a friend who works
> > for Elecraft told me it's un-repairable. The reason is that its the
> > failure of a large chip that simply cannot be un-soldered. He also tells
> > me that orders for the board are still being accepted for an
> > unpredictable delivery time, but that at least a couple dozen more
> > orders are needed to make a production run.
> >
> > The SVGA board is a wonderful tool that I find invaluable. If you want
> > one, now's the time to order it.
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] SVGA Board For K3

[Mark Goldberg]

What is the chip and what package is it in?

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Thu, Jan 20, 2022 at 4:47 PM Jim Brown  wrote:

> The SVGA board in one of my two P3s has failed, and a friend who works
> for Elecraft told me it's un-repairable. The reason is that its the
> failure of a large chip that simply cannot be un-soldered. He also tells
> me that orders for the board are still being accepted for an
> unpredictable delivery time, but that at least a couple dozen more
> orders are needed to make a production run.
>
> The SVGA board is a wonderful tool that I find invaluable. If you want
> one, now's the time to order it.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] Cleaning solder flux

[Mark Goldberg]

There is no clear consensus because there are many different fluxes,
different use cases and different environmental conditions that the
products will be expected to be used in. It would be useful to find out
what the manufacturer of the particular flux used says to do. That is not
sufficient, as the product requirements then come into play. If you really
want to go off the deep end, get copies of IPC-A-610 and J-STD-001, which
define how electronic assemblies should be built and inspected.
Unfortunately, unless you have access through work or academia, they cost
money. They also reference many other documents for specific aspects.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Jan 1, 2022 at 7:56 PM  wrote:

> My thanks to the many who replied.  The answer to my question - whether
> there is a consensus about how (or whether) to remove solder flux from PCBs
> - is a clear no, there is no consensus.
>
>
>
> But I learned a lot.  Tnx to all,
>
>
>
> Ted, KN1CBR
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 Power Level

[Mark Goldberg]

I believe the SPE 1.5K-FA uses one 1800W Mosfet and the KPA1500 uses two
1400W Mosfets. In general, the KPA500 and KPA1500 are more robust than most
of the competitors. I've made mistakes a few times with my KPA500 and it is
still ticking. Everyone I've talked to with an ALS-600 has blown the
finals, sometimes multiple times.

I'm using it with a TS-590 that has the spike fix, but it still is not
perfect.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Sep 18, 2021 at 6:47 PM Jerry Kirshenbaum  wrote:

> re: it'd pay to review the SPE
>
> In May 2021 I bought a SPE 1.5K-FA 2nd generator new from the distributor
> in Texas. I’ve been using a SunSDR2 DX 100W transceiver while I wait to
> receive my K4D. The 1st time the finals blew may have been operator error.
> Subsequently, I discovered that the software allows one to limit the power
> on each band. So I set the SPE to mid power (it has low, mid, high
> settings) and determined the correct output for 700-800W. That left at
> least 20% head room.  Despite this seem lying failsafe procedure, the
> finals blew again. The distributor would not cover this under warranty on
> the grounds that my radio has spurious spikes which blew the finals. In
> fact, if you run the “wrong” radio with this amp, you don’t have any
> warranty because the radio is indicted as the cause of failure sight unseen.
>
> The amp when it works is wonderful. One case, 24 lbs, very quiet. I had
> everything linked together with my SteppIR DB18E through DxLab.
>
> Two times back to the distributor for repair in 3 months was enough. I
> sold it and now have a KPA1500 which is working great.
>
> BTW, the distributor also says the IC-7300 (my backup) has spurious spikes
> as well and presumably is another transceiver not covered under their
> warranty.
>
> 73, Jerry / K0ES
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Silicone batteries

[Mark Goldberg]

Their 100 Ah battery weighs 61 lb. I bet it is still a lead acid battery. A
100 Ah Lithium Iron Phosphate weighs about 31 lb. A Lithium Cobalt may be
half that.
They are dancing around but never say no lead or no acid, only "no acid
mist". Any regular gel cell meets that.

73,

Mark
W7MLG



On Fri, Sep 3, 2021 at 12:14 PM David Gilbert  wrote:

>
> I did look at the link and read both pages for the standard and gel
> batteries.  You should do the same ... there is no way that the gel
> batteries have both silicone and silicate plates, and the text uses both
> interchangeably.
>
> More importantly ... do a Google search like I did for "silicone
> batteries".  You won't find a single other reference to "silicone"
> technology in a battery.   Not a one.  Now do a search for "silicate
> batteries" ... you'll find lots of references to that technology.
>
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
> On 9/3/2021 11:53 AM, Pete Smith N4ZR wrote:
> >
> > Guys, look at the darned link - it's not a typo.
> >
> > 73, Pete N4ZR
> > Check out the new Reverse Beacon Network
> > web server at.
> > For spots, please use your favorite
> > "retail" DX cluster.
> > On 9/3/2021 2:42 PM, David Gilbert wrote:
> >>
> >> It's either a marketing term, or it's a clumsy tech writing mistake.
> >> I vote the latter.
> >>
> >> The description for the regular batteries states that the plates are
> >> a silicate compound, not silicone.
> >>
> >> The description for the gel batteries jumps back and forth between
> >> using silicate and silicone.
> >>
> >> The company name is Silicone Batteries, which makes me think they are
> >> some marketing/selling outlet that is rebranding stuff they buy
> >> elsewhere (probably China) and the company itself may even simply be
> >> a Chinese company attempting to put forth a western storefront and
> >> they messed up the translations.
> >>
> >> I'm not saying that the batteries themselves and the listed specs
> >> aren't legitimate, but it's a clumsy presentation.
> >>
> >> Dave
> >>
> >>
> >> On 9/3/2021 8:29 AM, Andy Durbin wrote:
> >>> When I saw a reference to silicone batteries in a flying discussion
> >>> forum I first thought it had to be a typo or a joke.  It seems they
> >>> are real - http://www.siliconebatteries.ca/index.html
> >>>
> >>> Anyone here had any experience with them?
> >>>
> >>> 73,
> >>> Andy. k3wyc
> >>> __
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> >>
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Re: [Elecraft] Connecting the K4D to an external monitor

[Mark Goldberg]

There is going to be a remote application that runs on devices connected to
the K4 via Ethernet. It is not available yet. There is more info and a
preview in the K4 group a groups.io I saw it running on a tablet and it
provides control, panadapter display and more and is independent of the
screen on the K4. I have a 43" 4k monitor in front of my Ham station
connected to my PC. I sure would like to try it out when it is available.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 12:19 PM Ray Spreadbury via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I guess I did not explain clearly what I want.
> My PC (not a laptop) currently feeds two large screens in my shack. In a
> contest, I use one for my logging program (eg N1MM) and the other for a
> panoramic display from an SDR.
> What I want is for that second screen to show the K4D display via my PC
> 73
> Ray G3XLG
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Please evaluate LiFePo4 battery/charger choice

[Mark Goldberg]

Those power banks are full of switching power supplies and I bet horrible
RF noise generators.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Aug 9, 2021 at 9:04 AM Gwen Patton  wrote:

> I've got a Talentcell 12Ah LiFePO4 that seems to work just fine. I have
> some of their other little power banks, and they work great too.
>
> But I'm trying to concentrate on my USB-C PD power bank solution for the
> time being, to get some additional testing time in on it. I've expanded the
> testing to Qualcomm Quick-Charge 12v 1.5A testing as well. There's plenty
> of PCBs and prebuilt cables out there now to do it easily and cheaply, and
> the power banks are ubiquitous and inexpensive. And they can recharge your
> phone, your tablet, and whatever other USB gear you have. (I have a few
> USB-charged flashlights, my Bluetooth bone-conduction headset, my Bluetooth
> speaker, a little Bluetooth transmitter I can plug into my radio, so I can
> listen to it on said headset,and my 70cm Baofeng T1 Mini is also charged
> via USB. So I have significant reason to standardize on USB power.)
>
> Recently I got a killer USB-C and DC power bank, the Omnicharge Ultimate.
> It's 38.4 Ah, and provides USB-C, limited AC 120V, and a DC line that can
> be set for anything from 5v to 60v at various current levels. Weighs about
> 4 pounds and is a magnificent gadget that'll power just about anything I
> need to power. I could even recharge the Chromebook I use for my MDS 40m
> Phaser digimode transceiver...and power the Phaser as well! Prime Day on
> Amazon gave me a deep discount on it.
>
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> 73,
> Gwen, NG3P
> http://www.ng3p.com
>
>
> On Sat, Aug 7, 2021 at 1:28 PM Jim Brown 
> wrote:
>
> > On 8/7/2021 5:31 AM, John Harper wrote:
> > > I'm a Bioenno fan,
> >
> > I've been using their batteries for 7 years. A 100Ah battery has been
> > running my station for five years.
> >
> > 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] K3: KTCXO-3 Compatible Elecraft K3 TCXO 1 PPM High Stability Ref. Osc. Compatible

[Mark Goldberg]

Most Hams do not have the test equipment to measure phase noise. The big
issue is 49.380 MHz is an unusual frequency and probably a custom order
frequency standard. The knockoff makers generally don't spend for a custom
part. They take a standard TCXO and generate that frequency using a crappy
PLL based synthesizer with high phase noise and lots of spurs. I have not
tested this particular type (Elecraft replacement) though. Others I tested
were awful. The result would be more interference between radios that are
physically close to each other and on the same band. such as contest and
Dxpedition stations. The low phase noise is a big reason that Elecrafts are
prized for such applications. Both RX and TX are affected.

I make replacement TCXOs for Kenwood TS-590s. They also use an unusual
frequency but I was able to get a TCXO chip supplier to provide me a custom
frequency chip that I had to buy in some quantity. That allowed me to
produce a quality product, although things are upside down now with the
component shortages in the industry. If huge companies like auto makers and
a company with a decent volume like Elecraft have part procurement
problems, you can imagine how bad it is for a really small fry like myself.

Has Elecraft stated why they are no longer available? I have not checked
with my supplier recently, but I expect there would be no interest in low
volume runs when demand can't be met for their high volume parts.

73,

Mark
W7MLG





On Mon, May 10, 2021 at 5:58 PM Hank via Elecraft 
wrote:

> I was thinking the same thing.  Several posters here said that the phase
> noise created was worse than the Elecraft part.  I do not understand enough
> about the process to understand how that works.  I keep hoping someone will
> buy one and try it out - and test the phase noise!
>
> Hank
> K4HYJ
>
>
> - Original Message -
> From: RVZ via Elecraft (elecraft@mailman.qth.net)
> Date: 05/10/21 19:27
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3: KTCXO-3 Compatible Elecraft K3 TCXO 1 PPM High
> Stability Ref. Osc. Compatible
>
> I'm interested in adding a KTCXO-3 to my K3S.  Since Elecraft no longer
> sells them I'm wondering if anyone has purchased one of the Chinese
> versions being sold on eBay and if so how it worked?
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/182814802678
>
> Tnx & 73, Dick- K9OM
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Re: [Elecraft] RF Cable From KX3 to KXPA 100

[Mark Goldberg]

For a 2 foot cable, I don't think the loss will be significant whatever
cable is used. Cable loss for RG8 is about 1.6 dB / 100 ft at 50 MHz. Cable
loss for RG8x is about 2.5 dB / 100 ft at 50 MHz. Cable loss for RG58 is
about 3.3 dB / 100 ft at 50 MHz. So 2 ft of each would be 0.03 dB or 0.05
dB or 0.06 dB, all insignificant. Connector loss is on the order of .1 dB
per connector. So, more important will be the quality of the connectors and
the quality of the cable shielding. I use way better cables than required,
so I would not be a good reference point, but I use a lab quality RG58C/U
cable containing a stranded center conductor (for flexibility) with two BNC
connectors and an adapter between my KX3 and amp. Don't buy cheap no name
cables from Amazon or eBay.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, May 9, 2021 at 3:49 PM w...@flashdog.us  wrote:

> Hi Everyone,
>
> Quick question:  Should the coax from the KX3 to the KXPA100 be RG-8x or
> RG-8 (or the equivalents). The length will be two (2) feet.
>
> Tnx & 73,
>
> Jeff/wb0m
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Re: [Elecraft] What kind of hook-up wire does Elecraft use?

[Mark Goldberg]

If you want the best, super easy to solder and strip, there is M16878/4.
M16878/5 or M16878/6 Silver plated stranded Copper wire with Teflon
insulation. It is very expensive and I can't see where to buy small
quantities except on eBay where it may be sketchy. /4 is probably most
typical 600V insulated. I got some off spool ends and you may find it at
Hamfests if someone is doing surplus stuff. It does not dry out and lose
plasticisers like PVC, so it is good even if it is old.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sun, May 2, 2021 at 10:19 AM David Haines  wrote:

> My son has been having trouble with the quality of hook-up wire he's
> able to buy for his projects.  There's clearly a difference in vendors.
>
> I'm sure Elecraft uses the best.  Any help here?
>
> david
> KC1DNY
> in the woods of Maine
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Re: [Elecraft] This does not bode well for the chip users of the world

[Mark Goldberg]

For smaller customers that are not buying millions of parts at a time, it
is even worse, as they have no leverage. That includes the company I am
working for and I would assume companies like Elecraft. Even for simple
orders from distributors of in stock parts they are taking a week to ship
rather than the usual next day shipment. It is really disruptive.

Regards,

Mark

On Thu, Apr 29, 2021 at 10:20 AM Dave Cole  wrote:

> An interesting story from OPB dealing with the global shortage of chips...
>
>
> https://www.opb.org/article/2021/04/29/it-s-not-just-cars-ipads-and-macs-suffer-from-semiconductor-crunch/
>
> --
> 73, and thanks,
> Dave (NK7Z)
> https://www.nk7z.net
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> ARRL Technical Specialist, RFI
> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Question

[Mark Goldberg]

Is the key line indication on all the time? This may be indicative of a
stuck key line. There was an unsoldered resistor on mine causing the issue.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Apr 18, 2021, 2:38 PM  wrote:

> I just purchased a used KPA500 (SN 0456) from a close friend. The amp was
> just back to the factory for several repairs and was thoroughly tested. The
> report reads, "KPA500 #0456 meets or exceeds all factory specifications."
> My
> friend unboxed the amp and made several QSOs to be sure all issues were
> fixed. He then personally delivered the amp to my QTH.
> Over the weekend I got the amp added to my operating position and was quite
> surprised to find that input signals are attenuated significantly when the
> amp is switched from STBY to OPER. No, this is NOT the issue with having
> the
> aux cable and the PA key line connected at the same time. This is with NO
> PA
> key, and NO aux cable connected. The amp has no connection but RF input and
> output. It is independent of band. This is with a matched antenna, band
> switched manually with the front panel buttons. When I engage OPER the
> input
> signal is attenuated by ~20 dB.
> On the TX side, the amp is fine. On most bands I get full rated output into
> a dummy load with approx. 20 Watts of drive from the K3.
> I noticed on the service report, one of the tests was, "Tested receive
> attenuation and IMD." I'm curious about "receive attenuation." This would
> seem to be related to my problem. Looking at the block diagram, I surmise
> something in the TR switch is malfunctioning.
> Before I bug an already-overloaded Elecraft support, I am open to
> suggestions. Am I missing something obvious?
> TIA es 73,
> Jim - WS6X
> P.S. Yes, I have read the manual, and scoured the archives. The only thing
> I
> can find regarding input attenuation in the OPER mode involves incorrect
> cabling.
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 with N connectors ?

[Mark Goldberg]

Not to start a flame war about N vs UHF connectors, I prefer N and
built my KPA500 and Hardrock 50 amps with them. My KX3 remains BNC,
and any cable I have that is disconnected often is a BNC, sometimes
with a BNC male to N female adapter, which are really common. No one
but Hams still use PL259/SO239 connectors. The flange type four screw
panel mount connectors are interchangeable. Change them back if you
really want to. I now have really good interconnects with N connectors
on my radios, switches and amplifiers. Since Hams don't like them, you
can find really cheap, really good cables with N connectors at
Hamfests, whenever they come back again. By good, I mean double
shielded or heliax cable. It makes a big difference in terms of RF
leakage compared to the 75% braid crap if you have multiple radios. I
also make my own cables with real Amphenol (and other good brand)
connectors.

I've found surplus heliax cables from Cell Tower installs and test
setups made of the really expensive Gore Teflon cable for pennies on
the dollar. Real Amphenol silver plated connectors and adapters are
common, also very reasonable.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Apr 10, 2021 at 8:45 AM Larry Shapiro  wrote:
>
>
> Good morning all.
>
> Quick question.
> I recently bought a nice K3 ser # 89xx ,and it came with 2 N connectors on
> the back instead of the usual UHF SO-239.
> The seller said it came from the factory that way.
> Is this common ?
> I have never seen this before.
> Thank you,
> Larry k6ro
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 phones output either noisy or too loud for my earphones?

[Mark Goldberg]

They are very short on specs. I expect it just contains a couple
resistors of unknown value. They are expensive if that is all they
contain. The concern I might have is the attenuation depends on the
impedance of the headphones. Since your headphones are already
unusual, it might be that their impedance is unusual also and you may
not get the expected results.

I don't see why variable ones that have two ganged potentiometers
should have stereo balance issues, assuming they choose potentiometers
with matched resistance curves. Adding resistors does reduce the
damping, so the sound will not be as good, but for communication audio
that is not too critical. There are multiple volume control adapters
for between $6 and $10. I might certainly try those to see if they
work. If they have balance issues, return them. If not, they are more
likely to provide the right amount of volume reduction. Really good
ones might have variable transformers. I haven't researched this type
of product much though.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 11:33 AM Julia Tuttle  wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I've run into a curious issue with my KX3 and Etymotic ER3SE earphones.
>
> It seems that the ER3SEs are sensitive enough that I end up only using the
> lowest handful of volume levels on the KX3, and that, at those low levels,
> the sidetone (and presumably other sound) ends up distorted (presumably
> because the DAC's dynamic range got too small).
>
> My instinct is to get an inline attenuator for the earphones -- something
> like this:
>
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B075PVVHF5/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=A2H1DLE1VLYNIR=1
>
> I'm specifically looking for something with fixed attenuation, because many
> of the variable ones have stereo balance issues.
>
> Does this seem like a reasonable course of action? Does anyone know of
> cheaper and/or better options? I'm not really set up for building my own
> right now.
>
> 73,
>
> Julie
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Re: [Elecraft] Now looking for a K3S KTCXO3-1

[Mark Goldberg]

I have a Perseus SDR set up to measure phase noise, and also had
access to a high dollar phase noise measurement system. The Perseus
was sufficient to see the difference, about a 20 dB increase at 15 kHz
or so, which is significant. I have links to my setup on my qrz.com
page.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Mar 10, 2021 at 8:51 AM Wes  wrote:
>
> Ok.
>
> How did you measure phase noise?
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
>
> On 3/10/2021 7:55 AM, Mark Goldberg wrote:
> > If the Chinese TCXOs for the K3 are anything like the ones for Kenwood I
> > have measured, they exhibit much higher phase noise. That will result in
> > much increased transmit phase noise. That will interfere with anyone trying
> > to listen close to you in location and frequency.
> >
> > The K3 is a good neighbor, which is one of the reasons it is prized for
> > DXpeditions and Multi Radio contest stations.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Mark
> > W7MLG
> >
> > On Wed, Mar 10, 2021, 7:33 AM Wes  wrote:
> >
> >> If it mattered to me I would give the Chinese version a shot.
> >>
> >> Wes  N7WS
> >>
> >> On 3/10/2021 6:18 AM, Gary Peterson wrote:
> >>> A replacement K3S KTCXO3-1 is no longer available from Elecraft.  Does
> >> anyone have a stable KTCXO3-1, surplus to their needs, that they would
> >> consider selling?
> >>> Even a standard, plus or minus 5 ppm TCXO might possibly be an
> >> improvement.
> >>> There are also some, alleged, KTCXO3-1 oscillator modules for sale on
> >> eBay for about 40 bucks.  Has anyone had experience with any of these?
> >>> Thanks, in advance, for any advice, opinions or admonishments.
> >>>
> >>> Gary, K0CX
> >> __
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Re: [Elecraft] Now looking for a K3S KTCXO3-1

[Mark Goldberg]

If the Chinese TCXOs for the K3 are anything like the ones for Kenwood I
have measured, they exhibit much higher phase noise. That will result in
much increased transmit phase noise. That will interfere with anyone trying
to listen close to you in location and frequency.

The K3 is a good neighbor, which is one of the reasons it is prized for
DXpeditions and Multi Radio contest stations.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Mar 10, 2021, 7:33 AM Wes  wrote:

> If it mattered to me I would give the Chinese version a shot.
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
> On 3/10/2021 6:18 AM, Gary Peterson wrote:
> > A replacement K3S KTCXO3-1 is no longer available from Elecraft.  Does
> anyone have a stable KTCXO3-1, surplus to their needs, that they would
> consider selling?
> > Even a standard, plus or minus 5 ppm TCXO might possibly be an
> improvement.
> >
> > There are also some, alleged, KTCXO3-1 oscillator modules for sale on
> eBay for about 40 bucks.  Has anyone had experience with any of these?
> >
> > Thanks, in advance, for any advice, opinions or admonishments.
> >
> > Gary, K0CX
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Port problem

[Mark Goldberg]

When does it disconnect?

Does it disconnect if you don't transmit?

Does it disconnect if you transmit with the KPA500 in standby?

Does it disconnect if you transmit with the KPA500 operating?

Does it matter which band you are on?

If the answers to the above are different, you may have an RF on the
USB / RS232 problem that is present during high power transmissions.
Try bonding the computer to the amp with a wide braid and make sure
both are grounded well. If you are on an upper floor, maybe a
counterpoise might be needed.

The KPA500 remote utility works well, but needs two computers, one
near the KPA500 and one near the shack. The advantage is you don't
have to use long USB / RS232 cables. The two computers can be on WiFi
which usually is not bothered by HF.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Mar 3, 2021 at 9:46 AM Tim C  wrote:
>
> I live in a nursing home and am mobility impaired and must control my KPA500 
> with my computer.  I saved for over a year for the amp.  My KPA500 will stay 
> connect to my computer for <2 min and the Utility locks up and the only way 
> to get it to load again is to re-boot the computer.  The error messages I 
> receive all say the port is in use which it is not.  I have uninstalled and 
> re-install the FTID comport driver many times.  The baud rate of 38400 for 
> both computer and amp.  I have downgraded and up graded the firmware.
>
> S/N 4293 ;  FW 01.52 Utility Version 1.13.17.16 ;  OS Window 10 64 bit
>
> 73, Tim WB8HRO
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 power reading?

[Mark Goldberg]

The meter itself can be off too. Using more slugs does help things,
but to be really sure, test equipment needs to be periodically
calibrated, which Hams never do. Dummy loads should be measured with a
VNA. So, what you did is a big help, but still can't provide 100%
assurance that it is accurate. I understand that is the best most Hams
can do and probably better than most.

An LP-100A does come with a NIST traceable calibration from the
factory and it can be recalibrated, again something Hams never do. I
have one fancy scope / spectrum analyzer that I do get calibrated
yearly and I use that for a reference. I have a VNA with a set of
calibration standards and use that to measure attenuators / taps that
I put between my transmitter and the analyzer. I admit I do not
calibrate anything else, but I use the calibrated stuff as transfer
standards. I also have a couple GPSDOs as frequency standards to
compare to.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Feb 6, 2021 at 4:55 PM Jim McCook  wrote:
>
> Good points, Ray and Jim,  I should have been more detailed with what I
> posted. I checked The Bird 43 with two other Bird 2500w slugs from
> friends and they were all reading the same with a dummy load at 1500w.
> I did the KPA1500 calibration using the Bird with a high power dummy
> load, then checked again with my antennas in band segments where they
> present no significant reflected power and near 1:1 SWR.  At those
> points they were in sync.  Most of my antennas are flat on CW segments
> at specific spots without using the tuner in the KPA1500.  I operate 99%
> CW and realize that when the load changes from 50 ohms the Bird reads
> wildly high and cannot be trusted.  - Jim W6YA
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Re: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4?

[Mark Goldberg]

I can't see this as being a good business model. A company has finite
resources. If they spend time and money on a rental business, they
can't spend time and money on their core business. I'd much rather see
Elecraft build and ship as many K4s as possible than spend time and
money on a rental business. Add to that the possible fraud (rent with
a stolen credit card and abscond with the K4) and the need to fully
check out the unit after rental (people buy things on ebay, claim they
are broken and return a different, damaged item for a refund) they
would have to charge an exorbitant amount to not lose money.

If you really wanted to try one out, you could buy it, use it for a
while and then offer it for sale to someone else. With the K4 in such
demand, you may even be able to get more than list price for a gently
used one that can be purchased today.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Feb 3, 2021 at 10:46 AM Eric Garner  wrote:
>
> isn't that why most expensive things require a deposit to rent them?
>
> Eric KI7LTT
>
> On Wed, Feb 3, 2021 at 9:32 AM Alan - G4GNX  wrote:
>
> > I can't see that working.
> >
> > When a renter defaults and does a runner, Elecraft would have to layout
> > a lot in recovery fees and maybe even end up with a pile of junk for
> > their trouble.
> >
> > It might work in a very small country or if they had a physical presence
> > in all states.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Alan. G4GNX
> >
> >
> > -- Original Message --
> > From: "John Harper" 
> > To: "Elecraft list" 
> > Sent: 03/02/2021 17:20:47
> > Subject: [Elecraft] Can I rent a K4?
> >
> > >I wonder if this model would work?
> > >
> > >Flex offers a refund for those who try one of their rigs and don't like
> > it.
> > >But a rental would pose less risk to the manufacturer.
> > >
> > >There are (rumored) a small number of K4's in existence - the rest, of
> > >course, are on hold. But regardless...even after full production has
> > begun:
> > >
> > >What if, before plunking down 4 kilodollars, I could rent the rig for two
> > >weeks?
> > >
> > >If I don't like it, I send it back to Elecraft and I'm only out the rental
> > >fee and the cost to ship (renter pays shipping in both directions).
> > >
> > >If I do like it, I keep the rig and pay the balance.
> > >
> > >The rental fee would separate the serious potential buyers from those
> > >simply wanting a two-week joyride. The question is, how much of a rental
> > >fee would be acceptable for a company to offer such a business model?
> > >
> > >John AE5X
> > >https://ae5x.blogspot.com
> > >
> >
> > __
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>
>
> --
> --Eric
> _
> Eric Garner
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Re: [Elecraft] Virtual K4 application -- sneak preview

[Mark Goldberg]

It's not lost on me that it is a 4K resolution image. My Ham shack
monitor is a 43" 4K TV just waiting patiently for a K4 kit.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Jan 24, 2021 at 12:17 PM Wayne Burdick  wrote:
>
> Those of you who saw Eric's Friday presentation got a brief look at one part 
> of our K4 remote control effort -- a 100% emulation of the K4 front panel 
> called Virtual K4, or "VK4" for short. (Yes, it would even work on Fitzroy 
> Island if you had an internet connection.) This is in addition to direct 
> K4-to-K4 control.
>
> Th VK4 application will eventually run on multiple platforms, including pads 
> and laptops. It will support direct touch as well as mouse control, including 
> the very useful mouse wheel for adjusting simulated rotary controls. We're 
> fleshing out the various data streams including audio, panadapter, and CW 
> keying. Of course third-party developers are free to create their own 
> interfaces using the K4's extensive remote-control command set.
>
> If you missed it, here's a directly link to the Virtual K4 concept drawing. 
> You can also get to it on our K4 page, in the "K4 Updates" section.
>
> https://ftp.elecraft.com/K4/virtual_K4_app.jpg
>
> (The sharp-eyed will notice a few features in the app that don't appear on 
> the K4 front panel itself.)
>
> If you have comments or suggestions, feel free to send them to me directly or 
> discuss on your favorite list.
>
> Note: In general we post everything of interest to the primary Elecraft 
> reflector (this list). Postings to other lists may be more sporadic, so be 
> sure to check here as well.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 USB cable

[Mark Goldberg]

You cable likely has a fake Prolific USB to RS232 chip. The latest
drivers will refuse to use it. Where did the cable come from? I don't
think Elecraft used fake chips.

You probably need a new cable to work with the latest drivers.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Jan 17, 2021 at 4:26 PM Chris Meagher  wrote:
>
> Hi
> I recently acquired a new shack laptop, Win 10 Home,
> connected elecraft USB-RS232 cable to update firmware with the latest
> utility.
> But unsuccessful, got the message -
> 
>
> So I ended up doing it no problems with an older Win 7 laptop.
> Does anyone have any experience with this or a solution?
>
> thanks
> ChrisVK2ACDK3/10 serial no. in the 600's
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Re: [Elecraft] Arc Fault Detector Woes

[Mark Goldberg]

I had done some research a while back of various postings on forums
and came to the conclusion that the fixed Eaton BR or Square D
Homeline AFCIs would work OK in the presence of RF.

I have not tried either yet. ARRL had a link to a contact at Eaton here:

http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-helps-manufacturer-to-resolve-arc-fault-circuit-interrupter-rfi-problems

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Mon, Jan 4, 2021 at 3:34 PM weave...@usermail.com
 wrote:
>
> Tom,
>
> I had the same problem with a new house in 2011. The Eaton breakers of that 
> era (2010-2012 or so) were faulty and being replaced by Eaton. It’s a long 
> shot that it’s the cause of your problem but I mention it just in case (or if 
> someone else is having a chronic problem).
>
> 73,
> Bill WE5P
>
> Comfortably Numb
>
> > On Jan 4, 2021, at 15:31, Tom Doligalski via Elecraft 
> >  wrote:
> >
> > Over the last several weeks I’ve been having problems with the arc fault 
> > detector (AFCI) in my fusebox.This does not control the power to the shack, 
> > but to our garage door operners.
> >
> > It seemed random at first, but I think I’ve tracked it down a bit.
> >
> > Running an Elecraft K3/KPA500/KAT500 combo. The AFCI ONLY trips when on 80 
> > CW, running 100 watts (the KPA500 in standby bode). If the KPA500 is ON 
> > (running 500 watts) there is no problem.
> >
> > Seems fine on other bands….
> >
> > 80M antenna is a Carolina Windom. The usual baluns/line isolator/grounding 
> > stuff.
> >
> > Any ides?
> >
> > Kinda worried that there is an issue with the 100 W amp in the K3.
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Re: [Elecraft] Firmware rev. 2.95 available for KX3; supports device for audio SWR reporting

[Mark Goldberg]

Thanks. I might even work on my screwdriver antenna autotuner now.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Dec 28, 2020 at 1:37 PM Wayne Burdick  wrote:
>
> KX3 version 2.95 firmware is now available. It supports the "SW;" remote 
> control command (read SWR value during transmit).
>
> One reason we added support for this command is that Joe, VE3VXO, has built a 
> hardware module that polls the rig (using the SW; command) and outputs a 
> "recognizable audio pattern proportional to the current VSWR." Feel free to 
> contact Joe if you have questions about this. At least one blind KX3 operator 
> is already using one.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Radio Update

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sun, Dec 6, 2020 at 5:14 PM Dave Cole  wrote:
>
> Hi Paul,
>
> Not to pick nits, but I would rather have them write code that does not
> worry them when the Linux kernel is updated.

Unfortunately, that is not possible.

I've been working with Linux for decades now. Unfortunately, they
sometimes change stuff in the kernel that you never even guessed would
change that breaks your code. It's the way it is. Sometimes it is for
security reasons. It's just a cost of using Linux. Windows, IOS are no
different. Stuff breaks all the time. At least with Linux you can look
at the source code to see exactly what changed and how to fix your
code. I expect Elecraft will get it sorted out quickly. They are smart
folks.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 RX signal loss

[Mark Goldberg]

Check if the key line is stuck on. Is the TX LED on when in receive?

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Nov 4, 2020 at 5:56 AM Jim McDonald  wrote:
>
> My KPA1500 seems to disconnect the antenna when switching the amplifier from 
> standby to operate.  It transmits OK but the receive signal path seems to be 
> open.
>
> 73,  Jim N7US
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Response time for tech support??

[Mark Goldberg]

On Fri, Oct 30, 2020 at 9:55 AM Jack Brindle via Elecraft
 wrote:
> Once you get all this taken care of, the KPA500 is a pleasure to use. But 
> then I’m biased…

Can't resist. zero biased? self biased? good old fashion grid biased?

Hope everyone is OK and stay safe.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Kidde smoke detectors

[Mark Goldberg]

I have an older wired alarm system that uses serial data, and it is
indeed awful. The serial data is quite slow but it has no filtering. I
added an LC filter that works well enough to keep the RFI out of my
station, at least down to the level of what comes from my neighbors
and keeps my station from setting off the alarm system (most of the
time).

At my son's house, he and neighbors have some SimpliSafe and other
wireless alarm systems and the HF Ham bands are wiped out by the RFI.
I have no idea what nominal frequency range or signalling they use. I
would expect for battery life they would not transmit often, but
whatever they do to create the RFI is continuous.

I also have a hard wired smoke alarm from Kidde. That uses a DC
interconnect between units. I believe any unit that goes off pulls a
line up to about 9 V and they all go off. They are kind of cagey as to
exactly what the interconnect signal is though, so I may be a little
off.  I have not detected any issues with RFI or susceptibility. Those
may indeed work for you.

I do have a Spectrum Analyzer and multiple types of clamp on probes
and antennas but have not taken the time to do any quantitative
measurements of any of these.

Having to tell the Fire Department that the fire alarm is false is not
a good thing.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Oct 24, 2020 at 7:38 PM Jim Brown  wrote:
>
> On 10/24/2020 6:53 PM, Harlan Sherriff via Elecraft wrote:
> > So, guess I’ll send these back and get some hardwired interconnected units.
>
> That is probably a recipe for noise, radiated by that interconnected
> wiring. The security industry has long been notorious for EMC to and
> from their systems. WiFi interfacing should reduce both significantly,
> but before committing to anything, chat up engineers at the company
> about RFI.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
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Re: [Elecraft] Seeking comments on Ham Expo from participants

[Mark Goldberg]

I think that competitive prize part could just be dropped. If the
system wasn't successfully gamed this time, it will be next time.
There are plenty of folks around the world with time on their hands to
create bots to do just about anything. It just begs for someone to do
it and now they will have months to come up with it. It isn't worth
the time for the organizers to waste trying to stop it.

Regards,

Mark

On Sat, Aug 22, 2020 at 3:19 PM Grant Youngman  wrote:
>
> According to a post by the organizers, there was even some cheating done to 
> rack up scores to win a prize.  And those results had to be ferreted out and 
> removed from the picture.  Sadly not surprising …
>
> Grant NQ5T
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Seeking comments on Ham Expo from participants

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sat, Aug 22, 2020 at 1:48 PM Eric Swartz  wrote:
> We’re waiting for the recording K4 Q video that followed my show talk. the 
> show recorded that one.  When we receive it we will put it up on the Elecraft 
> YouTube page.
>
> I’ll also check to see if we have the recordings from our various Demo/Q 
> sessions, including the K4 sessions, that we held at our virtual booth.
I pretty much agree with what was said already. I did find the trick
to watch the presentations at a different time and full screen. I am
eagerly awaiting the recorded Q sessions. I couldn't see them all at
the time.

I'm a semi-retired engineer and I've used lots of CAD programs, both
electrical and mechanical. It was still very interesting to see how
you did things with Sketchup Pro. No other supplier has come anywhere
close to showing how their engineering process works. It was really
interesting to see how you got a balance between free and not
functional enough and the big iron stuff that is thousands per seat
per year. I am still a little annoyed with them for making what was a
free program not free, but I guess you get over it if it meets your
needs, technically and financially. I've really enjoyed my
communications with all of you, including the developers and engineers
on the forums. I've never gotten a tour and demo by the company owner
any other place!

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 PX3 desktop stand

[Mark Goldberg]

Gem's Products KX3 and PX3 mounts and some plywood works for me. See
the bottom of this page:

https://sites.google.com/site/marksmobilehamstation/

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sun, Aug 9, 2020 at 1:18 PM Ron Bell via Elecraft
 wrote:
>
> Any recommendation for a desktop stand for a KX3 and PX3 that would keep
> both at proper angle and manage the wires?
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 power out

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sat, Jul 11, 2020 at 7:06 PM Frank O'Donnell  wrote:
> As for Walter's point about the ATU, the results are mighty odd. I just
> set the KX3 to 40 meters with 15 watts out, appropriate slug in the Bird
> 43, set ATU to bypass and started keying. The power out dropped to about
> 5w. I then set ATU to auto and tapped the ATU Tune button. With the
> radio still set to 15w out, the Bird now peaked at about 25w! Is it
> plausible that antenna tuning activity within the KX3 could actually
> increase the TPO by ~5x? Or does that cast even more suspicion on the Bird?

The KX3 will definitely cut way back on power out if it sees a
mismatched load or a line voltage drop. I use my KX3 to tune a
screwdriver antenna. I normally set the power out to about 3W, but
sometimes forget and leave it at 15W. When matched, it puts out a full
15W. When it sees a high SWR, it will cut back to a few watts. I have
the tuner bypassed. The KX3 will show you what it sees as the SWR as
well as the power, and you can also look at reflected power on the
Bird. Hopefully those will tell you something.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 power out

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sat, Jul 11, 2020 at 12:41 PM Frank O'Donnell  wrote:
>
> After a fair time of non-use, today I got out my KX3 and started working
> through configuration checklists. Among other things I thought I'd check
> the power out.
>
> For this test I used a Bird 43 and MFJ-260C dummy load. For HF I used a
> Bird 2-30 MHz 25w element, and for 2m a 100-250 MHz 10w element. I put
> the KX3 in CW mode and keyed with the KXPD3 paddle. When changing to
> each HF band I hit the ATU Tune button.
>
> On 40m and 20m I found that with the Pwr knob set to 15w, the Bird
> showed about 8w out. With the Pwr knob set to 5w, the power out is about 3w.
>
> After changing the antenna port and Bird element, on 2m with the radio
> set to 3w the Bird shows about 2.5w out.
>
> Any thoughts on these results, or suggestions on other things to check?
>
>The KX3 is running off the Pro Audio Engineering PAE-Kx33 power supply,
>plugged into the 9-15 vdc connector.

Do you know that the Bird and slugs are good? Do you know that the
dummy load is good?  Bird meters, when they are calibrated, are
specified at 5% of full scale, so +/- 1.25 W for the 25 W element and
+/- 0.5W for the 10W element. Bird meters are rugged, but not really
all that accurate. The dummy load should be 50 ohms resistive over the
frequency range of interest. If they have been cooked, they often
change.

So, for two meters being off by 0.5W is within the calibration
accuracy, even if the slug was calibrated. Slugs don't usually drift
much though, unless cooked. Hams hardly ever calibrate their test
equipment because it does cost a lot to do so, and it has to be done
every year or two. In the case of the slugs, I think that calibration
means measure and if bad, chuck it. The meter itself has a
calibration, I believe.

For 40M and 20m the readings are so different that it is likely
something is wrong. Can you measure a different rig or with a
different meter?

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500 Codan Envoy

[Mark Goldberg]

I think as a Ham, you can use anything you want on the Ham bands. As a
manufacturer to sell it, it may need type acceptance for the service
it is intended to be used in.

Lots of people use aviation HF rigs on the Ham bands and you can use
an amp that works on 11M or with more than the allowable gain. A
manufacturer can't sell that for use in the Ham bands, but an
individual Ham can use anything as long as it is operated within the
regulations. I know a friend that has a huge amplifier capable of
maybe 10kW. He got a visit from the FCC (long ago, don't think they
care now). He showed them how it was correctly operated within the
regs and how he had the ability to measure it and assure it was. The
FCC guy wished him a good day.

Other services where the operator is not technical and has not passed
a technical exam require radios type accepted for that service as I
understand things.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Jun 29, 2020 at 7:47 AM Lyn Norstad  wrote:
>
> Maybe Bob wants to use the Envoy 2 on the ham bands.  I'm not familiar with
> the Codan line of military/business transceivers, but I see that model does
> have transmit coverage from 1.6 to 30 MHz.
>
> Perhaps the real question is whether it would be legal to use that rig on
> the ham bands.  Since it can apparently cover the 160 - 10m bands without
> modification, wouldn't it need to be type accepted?
>
> 73
> Lyn, W0LEN
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mark Goldberg
> Sent: Monday, June 29, 2020 9:09 AM
> To: Bob Morgan
> Cc: Elecraft Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500 Codan Envoy
>
> That is not a Ham radio. Is it legal to use an amplifier type accepted
> for Ham radio for other services?
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
> W7MLG
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 29, 2020 at 6:49 AM Bob Morgan  wrote:
> >
> > I would like to know if any in the group has used the KPA 500 with a Codan
> > Envoy 2. Any help would be much appreciated.
> > Bob Morgan
> > KJ4SV
> > 865 207 9568
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
> > __
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500 Codan Envoy

[Mark Goldberg]

That is not a Ham radio. Is it legal to use an amplifier type accepted
for Ham radio for other services?

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Mon, Jun 29, 2020 at 6:49 AM Bob Morgan  wrote:
>
> I would like to know if any in the group has used the KPA 500 with a Codan
> Envoy 2. Any help would be much appreciated.
> Bob Morgan
> KJ4SV
> 865 207 9568
>
>
>
> --
> Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
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Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500

[Mark Goldberg]

NX1P created a modification that is legal for an individual Ham to do
at your own risk. It is more complicated than just a jumper. This is
the only site I could find it at:

https://docplayer.net/22608412-Kpa-500-modifications.html

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Thu, Jun 18, 2020 at 8:34 AM Charlie T  wrote:
>
> Isn't there some sort of "jumper" or ???, that will increase the gain to 
> something other than the ridiculous and prohibitive +13 dB figure,  for 
> "international" (wink-wink) sales, sorta like the "MARS" mod in almost all 
> radios these days?
>
> 99.9% of the chicken band users today are happy with their 5 watt radios.
> However, that restrictive and useless  +13 gain law does NOTHING to stop the 
> REALLY big guns on 27.025 who typically run amps using tubes that have 
> HANDLES on them!
> (I've personally seen channel 6 mobile set-ups running power in excess of 25 
> kilowatts.)
>
> 73, Charlie k3ICH
>
>
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net  On 
> Behalf Of Nr4c
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2020 3:14 PM
> To: Paul Gacek 
> Cc: Don Putnick ; Elecraft Reflector 
> 
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Future of KPA500 & KAT500
>
> The KAT500 has three antenna out ports. It only needs one In so the KPA500 
> needs only one out port.
>
> As for the 10 W in and 500 out idea.  That is prohibited by law. They’re only 
> allowed to sell an amp with max gain of 13dB.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ...nr4c. bill
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Computer Monitor Recommendations

[Mark Goldberg]

The noise shown on the spectrum is not from the monitor. No change in or
off.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, Jun 13, 2020, 8:54 AM Mark Goldberg  wrote:

> On Sat, Jun 13, 2020, 8:03 AM Rick Bates, NK7I 
> wrote:
>
>> I went with a 50" 4K TV (LG from Costco ~US$300) mounted to the wall
>> behind the operating desk.  If your computer can manage 4K video (or
>> even HD), LOADS of space to see (don't need my readers)
>
>
> I also installed a slightly smaller (43") LG 4K monitor from Costco on the
> wall. No EMC issues I can detect.
>
> See my qrz.com page, part way down. Lots of room for Ham Radio
> applications.
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
> W7MLG
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Computer Monitor Recommendations

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sat, Jun 13, 2020, 8:03 AM Rick Bates, NK7I  wrote:

> I went with a 50" 4K TV (LG from Costco ~US$300) mounted to the wall
> behind the operating desk.  If your computer can manage 4K video (or
> even HD), LOADS of space to see (don't need my readers)


I also installed a slightly smaller (43") LG 4K monitor from Costco on the
wall. No EMC issues I can detect.

See my qrz.com page, part way down. Lots of room for Ham Radio applications.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

[Mark Goldberg]

I failed to mention, my antenna system is a 300 ft long horizontal loop fed
by ladder line with a homebrew two core switchable 1:1 or 4:1 Guanella
current mode Balun. The Balun has a measured return loss of about 32 dB at
50 MHz with a 200 ohm resistive load. That was surprisingly good, but
confirmed with a calibrated VNA. Yes, I spent some time with Jerry Sevick's
book.

The antenna is not deluxe for 50 MHz, but it is all I have. It's just so
happens that only small values are required in the tuner to match it, and
the LDG tuner parasitic capacitance it too high even when in bypass mode. I
expect it is difficult to build a physically large high power tuner and
keep the parasitics down, so the Ten Tec may have similar issues. As I
said, I know nothing about it. From Peter's most recent email, this may be
the case.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Tue, Jun 2, 2020 at 8:26 AM Bob McGraw K4TAX  wrote:

> As a rule, if one needs a tuner to get a good match on 6M, I'd say they
> need to look carefully at their antenna system.  My 6M yagi shows less than
> 1.5:1 over the lower 2 MHz of the band, 50.0 - 52.0 MHz.  The lowest SWR
> occurs at 50.2 with a Z value of 42 ohms and an X value of 0.0.  Of course
> higher gain antennas typically have a bit less bandwidth, but still, the
> lower 1 MHz should be totally usable without a tuner.
>
> Besides, tuners only make the transmitter happy and the added feed line
> loss due to SWR still remains.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> On 6/2/2020 1:09 AM, Mark Goldberg wrote:
>
> I want to mention that my LDG AT-600Pro has a minimum capacitance that is
> too high for a good match to my antenna on 6 meters. Certainly seems like
> removing the Ten Tec tuner would be a good thing to try. Can you open the
> Ten Tec tuner and use an IR thermometer to monitor the components? I don't
> know anything about it's construction. You could see them heating up.
>
> Just running medium power of maybe 500W would slow things down and let you
> see the SWR increasing before the amp trips. That would confirm that
> something is heating up vs arcing.
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
> W7MLG
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

[Mark Goldberg]

I want to mention that my LDG AT-600Pro has a minimum capacitance that is
too high for a good match to my antenna on 6 meters. Certainly seems like
removing the Ten Tec tuner would be a good thing to try. Can you open the
Ten Tec tuner and use an IR thermometer to monitor the components? I don't
know anything about it's construction. You could see them heating up.

Just running medium power of maybe 500W would slow things down and let you
see the SWR increasing before the amp trips. That would confirm that
something is heating up vs arcing.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Jun 1, 2020 at 9:01 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX  wrote:

> Plus there is L1 which is 0.3uH in the circuit and C7 and C8 in the
> circuit when in the bypass position.  This does not allow the tuner,
> even in bypass mode, to work well as an antenna switch on 6M.
>
>   The capacitors in question are not rated for the RF current
> experienced under certain load Z conditions.  They heat, change value,
> and the SWR creeps up.  Allow them to cool and the SWR is back to the
> starting point.I usually tweaked mine such that the SWR started off
> a bit high, came down as I transmitted and if transmitting a bit longer
> the SWR increased.   Later I got tired of this and changed the group of
> disk ceramic caps to 470 pf Russian doorknob caps.  Problem solved.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
> On 6/1/2020 10:08 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
> > his might be it, Peter. ! I've used (and loved) the Ten Tec 229 and
> > 238 tuners, but some of their fixed capacitors are under-rated for
> > power. This is fairly well known among Ten Tec users, so I read about
> > it somewhere and replaced those in my tuners with caps having higher
> > power ratings.
>
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Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

[Mark Goldberg]

I haven't seen a discussion of your grounding system or feedline length. 6M
can be picky.  What does your ground system look like? Do you have any
common mode chokes on the feedline? Have you tried adding or subtracting
2-3 feet from the feedline? If it is exactly a multiple of 1/2 wave or 1/4
wave changing the feedline length will move it away from that. Have you
tried adding a counterpoise in the shack? That's not the ultimate solution
but if it improves things it will tell you something. Can you point an IR
thermometer at tuner / balun inductors to see if they are getting hot? Just
throwing out ideas.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sun, May 31, 2020 at 9:08 PM Peter Dougherty  wrote:

> New coax and old coax behaved identically. HOWEVER, running into about 80
> feet of old RG-213 and into the Cantenna dummy load and it doesn't fault.
> This is the only condition on 6m where there is no fault. Brand new coax,
> old coax, brand new antenna, old antenna, with balun, without balun. Always
> faults except when feeding the pure resistive dummy load. If there's any
> reactance it trips or gives false SWR info.
>
> I would also add, why would a 2:1 SWR trip out the amp at 25 or 30 Watts
> of drive? On the regular HF bands I can use the internal tuner to take out
> a 2.5 or 3:1 SWR and it still sends 1400-1450 Watts up the pipe..
>
>  - pjd
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Looking to add LP700 to KPA1500 - ideas?

[Mark Goldberg]

I tend to agree. With the right calculations, the reported power, SWR and
matching inductors and capacitors from the KPA1500 will tell you more about
the antenna. In addition, the KPA1500 already has a monitoring port that
could be used for an output modulation / spectrum monitor. Of course,
something like that would have to be built that took those inputs. I expect
a K4 will do it!

The KPA500 does get calibrated at the factory for power, SWR, etc, probably
against decent, calibrated test equipment. I'll bet it is designed to hold
some sort of calibration over time. Hams tend to treat uncalibrated test
gear as gospel. An external power meter, just because it reports to the
nearest 0.1W isn't necessarily better. Any commercial operation calibrates
on a regular cycle. Being a slightly less cheap Ham than most, I do get one
scope / spectrum analyzer calibrated every year, so at least I have
something to compare the other stuff to.

Does the KPA500 report the tuner topology (if it is even switchable)? Is it
an L match? Does it report which element is the shunt element?

Does a specific L and C and shunt element match only one unique load? The
other issue is that the Ls and Cs reported are probably 20% or more off, so
the calculation would not be perfect. The C and L ladders are not even
guaranteed monotonic, so a reported LC combination may be off. Tuners often
try the next one higher and lower. I did measurements of an LDG tuner and
the inductance jumped up and down. Step N-1 was not necessarily less
inductance than step N. Two steps generally got in the right direction.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 12:07 PM Rick NK7I  wrote:

> The KAT500 (and utility) can show the values used by the tuner to match
> the 50 ohm impedance of the radio.  Similar is possible either via the
> KPA1500 utility or the front panel of the KPA1500.
>
> While it doesn't show the complex load; it gives enough to begin to
> figure out what the antenna is presenting (for use in apps like WinSmith
> etc) so one can make intelligent changes in the antenna.
>
> I've used the utility for monitoring (and remote control) of the
> KPA500/KAT500 combo for years; now I'm using the KPA1500 utility for the
> same reason.
>
> The KPA1500 presents a lot more useful information on the front panel
> (click on the menu button then the down triangle to select the menu you
> want).  Because my antennas are resonant, I park the amp display at
> power out, efficiency, volts and amps used and temp.  The power out on
> the utility also shows the reflected power in watts, nice to know.
>
> If you put the LP sensor between the amp and the (not resonant) antenna,
> any mismatch will likely give you erroneous readings that would offer no
> value.  It would compare the antenna value (say 150 ohms of mixed
> reactance/resistance) to the tuner value (whatever is required to match
> to 50 ohms).  The worse the unmatched condition, the more useless the
> display becomes.  It wants to see 50 ohm in, 50 ohm out to provide
> accurate power readings.
>
> So if your antennas demand a matching circuit (tuner), the LP sensor
> becomes less valued at the output of the amp.
>
> 73,
> Rick NK7I
>
> On 5/20/2020 9:41 AM, Andy Durbin wrote:
> > "If it were mine, I would put the LP700 on the antenna line to monitor
> what is going on with the antenna itself."
> >
> > My LP-100A is between my KPA500 and my KAT500.  I want to know what load
> is being presented to the KPA500.   Neither the KPA500 not the KAT500 can
> display complex load values.  Since the LP-500 and LP-700 are intended to
> sample amplifier RF input and amplifier RF output I would expect the
> amplifier output sampling to be performed before the tuner.  But no, I
> don't know how to do that with a KPA1500.  It would seem to require an
> internal modification and two additional rear panel connectors.
> >
> > 73,
> > Andy, k3wyc
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Re: [Elecraft] (no subject)

[Mark Goldberg]

In actual usage, I get about 250W - 300W out from my KPA500 when driven
with 15W from my KX3.

I use it in my RV station, description linked to on my qrz.com page.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, May 16, 2020 at 1:40 PM Edward R Cole  wrote:

>
> Just read the KX3 (with upgraded firmware) does 15w output, so 31.6*
> x 15w = 474w from a KPA500; *15-dB.
>
> I have the KX3 but not the KPA500.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>
> From: "hawley, charles j jr" 
> To: Tommy Judson 
> Cc: Edward via Elecraft 
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Availability
>
> I think I would get the KX3 which is in stock and maybe the KPA500
> and KAT500. I?m not a 1500 watt guy. The KX3 can drive that to 250
> watts or so...and get the K4 later.
> The KX3 would be a fun radio to keep.
>
> Chuck Jack Hawley
> KE9UW
>
> Sent from my iPhone, cjack
>
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
>http://www.kl7uw.com
> Dubus-NA Business mail:
>dubus...@gmail.com
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Headphones

[Mark Goldberg]

I do want to understand what "must accept" means. Why did the FCC put #2 in
there?

I'm from the avionics industry. We have to not produce unwanted RF
interference and we have to operate correctly in the presence of high
levels of RF. Especially in recent years, someone could put their phone
down on top of your unit and subject it to huge fields. We test in fields
of hundreds of volts per meter and have to work.

My products also have to work with 4V of ripple on the power input with no
effect.

Bose knows how to design for these environments. I was on regulatory
committees with people from Bose and they were very sharp. So, if they are
not obligated to fix this, I was just suggesting that they still might if
contacted and that they have the knowledge to fix it.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, May 9, 2020 at 8:06 PM Phil Kane  wrote:

> On 5/9/2020 7:08 PM, Nr4c wrote:
>
> > Beg to differ. Part 15 devices have no legal protection from
> interference. You use at your own risk.
>
> That's what I said.  We deal with that professionally.
>
> >> (2) this device must accept any interference received, including
> >>> interference that may cause undesired operation.--
>
> Philip M. Kane  Esq / P.E. -  K2ASP
> VP - General Counsel & Executive Engineer
> CSI Telecommunications, Inc. - Consulting Engineers
> San Francisco, CA - Beaverton, OR
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Re: [Elecraft] Headphones

[Mark Goldberg]

Have you contacted Bose? They are FCC part 15 and even say this in the user
manual:

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules and with Industry Canada
license-exempt RSS standard(s).
­Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may
not cause harmful interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.

I think it is incumbent upon them to make them work.

I know they have the capability. Their aircraft headsets have to operate in
very similar conditions. Aircraft have HF radios.

I operate a station in our small RV with a KPA500 and a collection of other
electronics and bluetooth devices, with good bonding and ferrites in
hopefully the right places. Everything works with no issues.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, May 9, 2020 at 11:47 AM John Reilly  wrote:

> FWIW, I bought a pair of the Bose 700 headphones, and I'm NOT happy.
> They are very susceptible to RF, especially on 40 and 80m. They make
> their system "bong" sound when I transmit. I have tried several toroid
> chokes, even one close to the ear piece -- no help. On 40m, I have the
> problem at power levels ranging from 5 to 1200 w. Too bad, they fit and
> sound great.
>- John, N0TA
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Re: [Elecraft] McAfee Login

[Mark Goldberg]

Careful, I bet this is a phishing email. The domain is registered in India.
I bet is does not actually belong to Mcafee and actually is owned by one of
those fake call centers that charge you to remove a virus that they
installed.

73,

Mark
W7MLG



Domain Name: MCAFEECOMACTIVATES.ORG
Registry Domain ID: D40220010407447-LROR
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy.com
Registrar URL: http://www.whois.godaddy.com
Updated Date: 2020-04-10T07:27:50Z
Creation Date: 2019-05-23T08:58:14Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2020-05-23T08:58:14Z
Registrar Registration Expiration Date:
Registrar: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Registrar IANA ID: 146
Registrar Abuse Contact Email: ab...@godaddy.com
Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1.4806242505
Reseller:
Domain Status: clientDeleteProhibited
https://icann.org/epp#clientDeleteProhibited
Domain Status: clientRenewProhibited
https://icann.org/epp#clientRenewProhibited
Domain Status: clientTransferProhibited
https://icann.org/epp#clientTransferProhibited
Domain Status: clientUpdateProhibited
https://icann.org/epp#clientUpdateProhibited
Registrant Organization:
Registrant State/Province: Delhi
Registrant Country: IN
Name Server: DNS2045A.TROUBLE-FREE.NET
Name Server: DNS2045B.TROUBLE-FREE.NET
DNSSEC: unsigned

On Sat, May 2, 2020 at 6:46 AM Jim Rhodes  wrote:

> I, personally, get tired of having to override the installation of mcafee
> software when updating other software. Offer it if you like, but don't make
> the *%#*& stuff the default. Of course I almost never use the default
> option anywhere.
>
> On Sat, May 2, 2020 at 6:29 AM darnelljason12 
> wrote:
>
> > Windows upgrading is one of the important items the machine needs. By
> > offering the latest functionality it helps our system; repair the bugs as
> > well as security patches. While performing the update in Windows 10,
> > however, the user may notice things are not working properly. Numerous
> > people have encountered error code 0x8007007e when updating the device.
> > What
> > are the reasons for that, and how do we fix it? Here is all you might
> need
> > to know about it - mcafeecomactivates. org. If you have  McAfee Login
> >    issue, then call
> our
> > support team and get solution
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
> > __
> > Elecraft mailing list
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> >
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> > Message delivered to jimk...@gmail.com
> >
>
>
> --
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> j...@rhodesend.net
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 / KPA500

[Mark Goldberg]

My confusion is connecting the KPA500 to both the KX2 and K3 at the same
time. I use my KPA500 with two different radios, but it is only connected
to one of them at a time. In my case it is:

RF, RS232 and PTT in from my TS-590S
OR
RF, and PTT in from my KX3

I assumed that pull ups / downs when units are not powered up would mess
things up and they are not designed to be wired ored,  especially when not
powered up. Since I don't have a K3, I don't know how it connects up.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Tue, Apr 28, 2020 at 4:48 PM Jack Brindle via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I went back and reread this . My question is this - with the interrupter
> in place, does the K3 still key the amplifier?
>
> I suspect you are running into the issue of pull-ups on the K3 pulling the
> PTT signal up to Vcc. Of course Vcc when the K3 is off is 0 volts, which
> causes the KPA to key.
> We see the same issue with the BAND lines, which is why the KPA500
> switches to 60 meters shortly after the K3 is powered off.
>
> So, I’m wondering what is going on also. More details and tests should
> resolve the questions.
>
> 73!
> Jack, W6FB
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 Tuner Question for the Group

[Mark Goldberg]

On Tue, Apr 21, 2020 at 12:29 PM David Gilbert 
wrote:

>
> Well, not all 10:1 conditions are equal (low impedances tend to give
> higher tuner voltages and power loss than higher impedances),


Dave's comment is very significant. Matching capability, loss and the power
level a tuner can handle will vary with the specific impedance of the
antenna and the construction of the tuner in question. You can't generalize
by SWR alone. So the answer, really is "it depends".

I have a switchable 4:1 or 1:1 balun and that helps get the impedance the
tuner sees into a better range for a specific frequency. I've got a
horizontal loop, not resonant on any band and the switchable balun is one
more tool in the toolbox. Unfortunately, tuner manufacturers don't publish
the capacitance and inductance ranges or voltage and current capability of
the parts they use. You can open it up and read the values off the parts
and then software like TLW or Elsie will allow you to know if it can tune a
specific impedance. If not, you can add components. My loop is a little
short for 160, so I have an external shunt inductor to help the tuner. It
will tune, but everything gets hot, so it is pretty lossy.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] scratchs on display

[Mark Goldberg]

It was about $24 with tax last summer, but I was able to pick it up, so
tax, but no shipping.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Apr 15, 2020, 2:12 PM Richard Perry  wrote:

>
> ... and that ALL having been said, I'll bet you that the cost of a
> replacement cover from Elecraft is cheaper still :)
>
> 


>
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Re: [Elecraft] KAT3A Question

[Mark Goldberg]

On Sat, Apr 11, 2020 at 6:09 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX 
wrote:

> My 6M yagi shows a 5.3:1 SWR as indicated on my K3S on 28.3MHz with the
> ATU in Bypass mode.   When the KAT3A ATU  in the radio resolves a match,
> the indicated SWR indicated is 1.1:1 on the radio.
>
> Using the same antenna but using my KAT500 ATU the best SWR resolved is
> 1.6:1 as indicated on the radio.
>
> Now my antenna analyzer on 28.3 MHz with my 6M yagi connected shows and
> SWR of 7.5:1, a Z value of 16.6 ohms, and R value of 7.3 ohms and the X
> value of 14.7.
>
> That same antenna on the analyzer at 50.2MHz shows the SWR at 1.2:1, Z
> at 39.9, R at 40.0 and Z at 0.0
>
> My conclusion:  although the SWR values may be indicating acceptable
> values, the 6 meter Yagi operated on 10 meters would make a very lousy
> antenna.   You'd be much better off to use an 80 meter dipole or better
> yet, just a 10 meter dipole.
>

In addition, a Yagi operated at a non resonant frequency, especially below
it's design frequency is likely to not act like a Yagi at all. The pattern
depends on the elements being close to resonance. More wire / aluminum is
usually better. A physically short antenna may be tunable but it won't be
efficient. Much of the power will be dissipated in the tuner or balun or
feedline as losses. A physically short antenna + tuner + high power often
results in smoke somewhere! I use a 300 foot horizontal look and it can be
tuned from 80 to 6 meters. Who knows what the pattern is at high
frequencies but I can make contacts!

So, a tuner is a good idea, but it won't solve every problem. Because it is
easy to understand, Hams use SWR, but in actuality the same number for SWR
results from an infinite number of impedances ( R and X), not all of which
can be handled by the tuner the same way. ARRL has done some comparison
testing with tuners with various impedances, I believe. I don't know if the
losses have been measured, but you can take two different impedances that
result in an SWR of 4:1 and only some can be tuned, depending on the tuner.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA 500

[Mark Goldberg]

My experience is that slowly increasing SWR is from a component heating up,
usually an inductor in a tuner or balun. You don't see it with lower power.
Ferrite cores change their inductance radically as they heat up near their
Curie temperature. If they get to their Curie temperature, they lost their
magnetic properties. As the SWR goes up, they get even hotter, SWR goes up
more and if you don't stop transmitting, they will fail.

All SWRs with the same number are not equal in terms of losses in a tuner
or balun. As Victor described, when the load it highly reactive, there are
more losses in the tuner or balun. If you have an IR thermometer, you
should be able to point it at inductors and see what is getting hot.

I've got a horizontal loop that is slightly too small for 160. I have an
added shunt inductor in the line to allow my tuner to tune it, but the
inductor, which is on a 2.4" core still gets hot. Most tuners have smaller
inductors than that. My home built balun also has 2.4" cores. Many baluns
use smaller cores.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Fri, Apr 10, 2020 at 7:16 AM Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP 
wrote:

> I would be more likely to suspect something after the KPA500, such as
> the tuner or a balun. I've experienced significant balun heating,
> especially when using a balun other than a straight-through 1:1 balun,
> or when the load is highly reactive. Balun power ratings assume a
> non-reactive load.
>
> 73,
> Victor, 4X6GP
> Rehovot, Israel
> Formerly K2VCO
> CWops no. 5
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
> On 10/04/2020 14:26, Alan - G4GNX wrote:
> >
> > I have a strange fault a couple of times recently, where the SWR starts
> > to increase during the time of a single 'over'. I've been using the K3S
> > set at 100W out, via the KPA500 (in standby) and the KAT500 tuner,
> > without any problem, but after I've switched the linear to Operate and
> > driving it to 200W, the SWR creeps up. I don't think it's an antenna
> > issue, but a possible heat problem with the KPA500. I watched the
> > temperature display on the KPA500 and initially on Standby it shows
> > about 38 degrees C. After transmitting at 200W the temperature slowly
> > rises above 60 degrees C, but the fan doesn't cut in. Does anyone know
> > if this is normal behavior and what temperatures I should expect to see?
> > I have tested the fan via the Menu function and it works as expected.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Alan. G4GNX
> >
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: I am looking for Lithium style battery pack for KX3/KXPA100 and BiPAP machine.

[Mark Goldberg]

I have a 12V 20 Ah (240 Wh) LiFePO4 and it will run my heated CPAP machine
(likely a different model) for two nights in a tent (about 50 Degrees F).
The FAA will allow two spare batteries up to 160 Wh each most of the time.

I think, unless you can charge the battery before using it for the radio,
you should have a different battery for the CPAP and the radio, maybe two
or three and rotate them, rather than trying to use it for both, running it
down with the radio and not having enough for the night to run the CPAP
machine.

I'd also suggest you get a 12V Watt Hour meter and see how much the two
devices actually use with your specific conditions. I bought ones like
these and added my own Powerpole connectors:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LVTST80

You usage will not be the same as someone else's and the CPAP usage
depended on the ambient temperature. I did not use an amp with my KX3, so
even a 3.8 Ah battery lasted hours.

73,

Mark
W7MLG



On Sun, Feb 9, 2020 at 10:09 PM Tox  wrote:

> +1
>
> Sizing would depend strongly on number of nights and transmitting
> time, but the bioenno lfp, a cigarette lighter adapter for your model
> bipap, a powerpole to 12v socket adapter,would cover things pretty
> well.
>
> If you want to fly with it, consider getting two separate 96Wh
> batteries to avoid FAA hassles.
>
>
> Scott
> ad6yt
>
> On Sun, Feb 9, 2020 at 7:53 PM Clay Autery  wrote:
> >
> > https://www.bioennopower.com/
> >
> > LiFePO4, the best balance of power per unit volume/weight and safety.
> > They probably have one to meet your requirements off the shelf, but they
> > are capable of producing pretty much any custom battery you require.
> >
> > __
> > Clay Autery, KY5G
> > (318) 518-1389
> >
> > On 02/09/20 19:17, Al wrote:
> > > Greetings
> > >
> > > I am looking for a battery pack for for my KX3 station with a KXPA100
> > > amp and accessories. I also have a BiPAP (CPAP) machine. It has a
> > > 12V/6.67 amp power supply. When boon docking, the battery pack has to
> > > support needs to support a day of haming and the BiPAP for about 8 hrs
> > > each night.
> > >
> > > IIRC: I had found a couple of companies that manufactured power pacs
> > > in different chemistries, voltages and sizes. They also had good
> > > descriptions of the advantages and disadvantages of the various Li
> > > chemistries. I have lost track of them through various computers.
> > >
> > > I looking for a reputable company that can build me a battery pac that
> > > has good safety features and of suitable size. I am not necessarily
> > > looking for the cheapest battery pac--safety, reliability  and
> > > appropriate storage capacity are primary concern. Cost is factor as
> > > well, but I am wary of bargain basement specials.
> > >
> > > Thank you, Al ve7ear
> > >
> > > __
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>
>
>
> --
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Battery and charger recommendations for 50 watt solar panel

[Mark Goldberg]

My Morningstar PWM controller has a bang bang mode that only switches once
a second or so. In the normal mode it is noisy. You give up the extra
efficiency from an MPPT charger, but it is much cheaper.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Jan 4, 2020 at 8:45 PM Jim Brown  wrote:

> What can you tell us about RF noise from the Morningstar charge
> regulators when the wiring between panels, regulator, and battery is
> very close to antennas? I'd be willing to bet it varies widely from one
> regulator family to another.
>
> Another critical point -- current drawn from the panels and fed to the
> battery is pulsed DC, so should be viewed DC 100% modulated by DC square
> waves. ALL wiring in the charge path must be twisted pair to minimize
> radiation from it to nearby antennas.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
> On 1/4/2020 3:11 PM, n6...@outlook.com wrote:
> > Reasonably priced is up to you Wayne but for proven and reliable I
> recommend products from. At my place of
> work we have several of their MPPT and PWM controllers in service, some as
> much as 10 years now. I use their Prostar PWM controller on my personal
> standalone system with a 100 watt panel and a modest lead acid battery. In
> my experience their more compact Sunsaver products work well too and both
> are available on Amazon.
>
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Battery and charger recommendations for 50 watt solar panel

[Mark Goldberg]

Contact my friend Harry at h.niedec...@wirlnet.com (
https://squareup.com/store/wirlnet-com). He builds larger systems, but may
have a smaller one too. In any case, he knows the lay of the land and what
is good and what is not. Tell him I sent you.

I use 12V LiFePO4s which keep the voltage up (>12V) much longer than Lead
Acid and weigh less. I've got them in sizes from 3 Ah for backpacking with
my KX3 to 400 Ah in our RV running my KX3 and a big inverter for my KPA500.
Morningstar has a bang bang mode on some solar controllers that don't
output much RFI.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Sat, Jan 4, 2020 at 3:24 PM Wayne Burdick  wrote:

> I finally installed a single 50 W, 12 V solar panel on the roof for light
> backup purposes -- phone/pad/laptop/flashlight charging, natural-power use
> of the KX2/KX3, etc. Connecting the panel directly to automotive-style USB
> chargers works great when the sun is shining.
>
> My 15 year old thinks it's cool. He wants me to turn the mains breaker off
> for a whole day so we can get the full off-grid experience :)
>
> To facilitate that more rigorous purpose, I'd like to add a modest battery
> pack, say 10 to 20 AH, that is charged by the PV panel without
> intervention. The charger has to be compatible with simultaneous
> charge/discharge, i.e. we may need charge USB devices at the same time the
> PV panel is charging the battery. The battery voltage should be 11 to 12 V
> minimum after any controller drops so it'll work with the radios.
>
> I could cobble something together from several different vendors, but I'd
> prefer to purchase system components that are already proven, reliable, and
> reasonable in cost. Any recommendations?
>
> tnx
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Station for sale

[Mark Goldberg]

Although I expect you are nowhere near me, where is the tower located? What
rotor? Those will probably help sell it, as transportation for a tower and
antenna system that big is an issue.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Tue, Nov 12, 2019 at 2:33 AM David F. Reed  wrote:

> Due to an upcoming move, I am putting my complete ham station for sale
> (will reconstruct another one when I am settled into the new QTH, wherever
> and whenever that ends up being).
>
> Antenna system:
> 70 ft. Self supporting aluminum tower, 3 element quad covering 20, 17, 15,
> 12, 10 and 6m (4 elements on 6), dipoles (bazooka type) for 75/80 and 160M,
> and a 160’ folded dipole (for covering 60, 40, and 30 m)  and about 400’
> hardline. Tower and antennas will require takedown and disassembly.
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Turnbuckle Threads

[Mark Goldberg]

Richard:

If you are asking about anti-seize, I use Nickle anti-seize on stainless
hardware, even in Aluminum.
What is your environment? Are you near salt water? What are your
temperature extremes?
I am in a dry climate so Aluminum - Stainless Steel galvanic corrosion is
not a big issue.

John:

What is the reason to not use stainless steel if properly rated for the
load?


73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, Nov 2, 2019 at 7:27 AM John Stengrevics 
wrote:

> I would not use stainless.
>
>
> John
> WA1EAZ
>
> > On Nov 2, 2019, at 10:17 AM, Richard  wrote:
> >
> > For stainless steel/stainless steel turnbuckles being used on guys
> ropes, what’s the best stuff with which to protect the threads?
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Advantages of direct conversion

[Mark Goldberg]

You can find a lot of explanations by searching "advantages of direct
conversion sdr".

Adam has a good explanation here as it relates to amateur radio:

https://www.ab4oj.com/sdr/apdxc16_sdr.pdf

The K4 page K4FAQ tab has some good info too:

https://elecraft.com/pages/k4-pre-order

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 4:20 PM Fred Jensen  wrote:

> I've asked this sometime before but did not get any answer, I'll try
> once more ... What are the advantages of direct conversion over a
> superhet?  I know "how" both work, my curiosity is, "What capabilities
> drive a radio like a K4 to use direct conversion?
>
> 73,
> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
> Sparks NV DM09dn
> Washoe County
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[Elecraft] OT - Hot Air Soldering Guns for SMDs

[Mark Goldberg]

I have a well used hot air gun (OK Industries SMT-1160) but I use my Metcal
iron and hot tweezers a lot more. They have an infinite selection of tips
for almost anything. They are expensive though, even used.

For us old farts with unsteady hands and bad eyes, a vacuum pickup, lots of
tweezers and a binocular microscope are a huge help. A flux bottle with a
dispensing needle tip and a bottle of Isopropyl  Alcohol are musts too. I
have some tiny solder, solder wick and solder paste for my reflow oven. The
reflow oven is the bees knees if you are building a lot.

Youth and delicate hands also helps, I have neither but I get by.

Look at my qrz.com page for my setup and links to more info.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sun, Oct 20, 2019 at 12:33 PM Dauer, Edward  wrote:

> I am thinking about trying my hand at building a kit with a bunch of
> SMDs.  I don’t yet know the gauge.  Any suggestions about the brand or type
> of hot air soldering gun I should buy?  Any other tools I’ll need, like
> narrow-gauge solder, wicks, whatever?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ted, KN1CBR
>
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Looking for schematic and troubleshooting info on MFJ-223 VNA

[Mark Goldberg]

I have no experience with that one, but a common failure of other small two
port VNAs is ESD blowing the RF switches at the ports. That is a one port
VNA, so I don't know if it even has switches.

What can it hurt to replace whatever part is closest to the connector?

I have a MiniVNA Tiny two port VNA and it works well, although dynamic
range could be better.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Thu, Aug 22, 2019, 5:11 PM Wayne Burdick  wrote:

> I already did what they said they would do: open it up and look for any
> parts that had come loose and resolder them. They don't build it and can't
> do much in the way of troubleshooting. It's also out of warranty.l
>
> Wayne
>
>
> On Thu, Aug 22, 2019 at 5:01 PM Gary K9GS  wrote:
>
> > I have one of these and I'd be interested in what you find out. Did you
> > transmit into it by mistake?I'm pretty sure MFJ doesn't manufacture these
> > but I would contact their customer service and see what they say.73,Gary
> > K9GS
> >  Original message From: Wayne Burdick  >
> > Date: 8/22/19  6:11 PM  (GMT-06:00) To: Elecraft Reflector <
> > elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Looking for schematic
> > and troubleshooting info on
> > MFJ-223 VNA My MFJ-223 VNA took a dive (cause unknown). The SWR
> > readings are very high regardless of load. Has anyone found a schematic
> for
> > this thing? The manual also mentions an MCU reset switch, but I'm
> guessing
> > that's outdated. No such
> >
> switch.tnxWayneN6KR__Elecraft
> > mailing listHome: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraftHelp:
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htmPost: mailto:
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Coax size requirements

[Mark Goldberg]

Take a look at this coax loss calculator. It will tell you how much loss
there is in the coax, including extra loss due to SWR. You will have to
determine how much loss you can tolerate.

https://www.qsl.net/co8tw/Coax_Calculator.htm

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Tue, Aug 20, 2019, 12:19 PM Carter Craigie  wrote:

> Hello friends,
>
> I am contemplating buying a KPA500 amplifier/tuner Combo, and driving it
> from my Elecraft K2/100 rig. I hope I would be able to do that!
>
>  From what I have read on eHam Reviews, it appears that I can run the
> amp/tuner combo on 117v. from the convenient wall socket. Is that correct,
> as well?
>
> I cannot find any mention of the coax requirements, from the radio/combo
> out to our 80-meter wire loop antenna. Right now, using only my K2/100 I am
> able to use  8X coax.
>
> Will I still be able to use that coax cable with up to 500 Watts output?
>
> What other considerations do I need to make?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Carter Craigie, N3AO
> Blacksburg, VA
>
>
> --
> Carter, N3AO
> Blacksburg, VA
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Re: [Elecraft] AX1 Loaded Whip Antenna - Elevation and

[Mark Goldberg]

https://www.thebalancesmb.com/how-money-laundering-works-on-ebay-4145387

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Thu, Aug 8, 2019, 2:09 PM David Gilbert  wrote:

>
> It doesn't seem obvious at all to me that it's a knockoff.  There are
> only 2 units available and he's asking way too high a price for a knockoff.
>
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
> >
> > On 8/8/2019 11:05 AM, Raymond Sills via Elecraft wrote:
> >> I suspect that Wayne and Eric would take a big exception to the use
> >> of the Elecraft name in their obvious knock-off product.
> >>
> >> 73 de Ray  K2ULR  KX3 #211
> >>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] AX1 Loaded Whip Antenna - Elevation and Counterpoise?

[Mark Goldberg]

Yeah, i didn't catch that he was going to use the internal tuner and just
forgo the external one at the other end of the coax.

In that case, I agree with Dave.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Wed, Aug 7, 2019 at 6:19 PM Wes  wrote:

> I haven't been following this thread closely but I think Dave makes good
> points.  As to the final fold-back, if I waded through this correctly, I
> understand that the OP has the built-in tuner in his KX2.  That solves
> that issue.
>
> BTW, SWR = 15:1 is a return loss of about 1.1 dB, not 3 dB.
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
>
> On 8/7/2019 5:29 PM, Mark Goldberg wrote:
> > You need to take into account the radio finals. When the SWR is high, My
> > KX3 cuts back because it gets too much reflected power. I expect the KX3,
> > and in fact any other radio or amplifier is similar. 15:1 is about half
> the
> > power coming back.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Mark
> > W7MLG
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Aug 7, 2019 at 5:14 PM David Gilbert 
> > wrote:
> >
> >> Rather little of this discussion makes sense to me.
> >>
> >> Let's look at this realistically:
> >>
> >> 1.  The antenna tuner in the KX2 is rated to be good up to 10:1 SWR.
> >> Let's assume it's good to 15:1.
> >>
> >> 2.  Let's assume you're using a decent cable for portable operation like
> >> RG-8X.
> >>
> >> 3.  Let's assume that the length of your coax when operating portable is
> >> not much more than 30 feet long.
> >>
> >> 4.  Let's assume under the current solar flux conditions you're spending
> >> most of your time on 20m or lower in frequency.
> >>
> >> 30 feet of RG-8X has a loss of 0.4 db or less for that length at those
> >> frequencies, and per the charts in the link below the additional loss
> >> due to a 15:1 SWR is no more than 2 dB.
> >>
> >> http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-transmission-line2.htm
> >>
> >> Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that justifies dragging along a
> >> remote tuner.  You could recover a heck of a lot more dB by simply
> >> bringing a somewhat larger portable antenna.
> >>
> >> 73,
> >> Dave   AB7E
> >>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] AX1 Loaded Whip Antenna - Elevation and Counterpoise?

[Mark Goldberg]

You need to take into account the radio finals. When the SWR is high, My
KX3 cuts back because it gets too much reflected power. I expect the KX3,
and in fact any other radio or amplifier is similar. 15:1 is about half the
power coming back.

Regards,

Mark
W7MLG


On Wed, Aug 7, 2019 at 5:14 PM David Gilbert 
wrote:

>
> Rather little of this discussion makes sense to me.
>
> Let's look at this realistically:
>
> 1.  The antenna tuner in the KX2 is rated to be good up to 10:1 SWR.
> Let's assume it's good to 15:1.
>
> 2.  Let's assume you're using a decent cable for portable operation like
> RG-8X.
>
> 3.  Let's assume that the length of your coax when operating portable is
> not much more than 30 feet long.
>
> 4.  Let's assume under the current solar flux conditions you're spending
> most of your time on 20m or lower in frequency.
>
> 30 feet of RG-8X has a loss of 0.4 db or less for that length at those
> frequencies, and per the charts in the link below the additional loss
> due to a 15:1 SWR is no more than 2 dB.
>
> http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/qsl-transmission-line2.htm
>
> Maybe it's just me, but I don't think that justifies dragging along a
> remote tuner.  You could recover a heck of a lot more dB by simply
> bringing a somewhat larger portable antenna.
>
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
>
>
>
> On 8/7/2019 3:57 PM, Phil Hystad via Elecraft wrote:
> > Sounds like an idea worth trying — I have always wondered about the coax
> loss between my KX3/KX2 and my portable antenna no matter which one it is
> (i.e. AX-1, Wire and counterpoise wires, Buddipole, etc.).
> >
> > But, really glad I did not sell the T1 on several occasions of thinking
> about selling it.  I have not used my T1 since I sold my KX1 almost three
> years ago.
> >
> > phil, K7PEH
> >
> >> On Aug 7, 2019, at 10:23 AM, Wayne Burdick  wrote:
> >>
> >> I think a T1 at the base would make a noticeable difference if the coax
> were more than a few feet long and the whip's resonance well removed from
> the target operating frequency. Short whips can be extremely narrow-banded.
> >>
> >> Wayne
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Aug 7, 2019, at 7:40 AM, Don Wilhelm 
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Bret,
> >>>
> >>> Yes, the T1 mounted at the antenna will reduce the potential loss in
> the coax.
> >>>
> >>> Will you notice the difference?  Maybe or maybe not.
> >>>
> >>> 73,
> >>> Don W3FPR
> >>>
> >>> On 8/7/2019 7:54 AM, MaverickNH wrote:
>  It comes to mind I have an Elecraft T1 ATU I might try attaching
> directly to
>  the base of the AX1 rather than relying on the KX2 ATU 25-40ft from
> the
>  antenna. I try to operate closer but sometimes have to run that RG58
> to
>  clear obstructions. Thoughts?
> >>> __
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 Headphone set up problem

[Mark Goldberg]

The exact cable Wunder suggested is still available at Amazon for $4.95.
They can probably thank him for some sales! I bought one.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Fri, Jul 5, 2019 at 1:11 PM Don Wilhelm  wrote:

> Note carefully that Wunder specified a "SPLITTER" and that is different
> than an 'adapter'.
>
> The more common mono to stereo adapter will NOT cure the condition.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 7/5/2019 3:28 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
> > The mic plug is shorting the “mic button” (PTT) contact. Set MIC BTN to
> OFF in the menus or use an off the shelf stereo to mono splitter.
> >
> > I described the latter in this blog post. The splitter also gives you
> cleaner mic bias and a PTT jack.
> >
> >
> https://observer.wunderwood.org/2015/08/16/yamaha-cm500-headset-with-ptt-on-elecraft-kx3/
> >
> > wunder
> > K6WRU
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Re: [Elecraft] OT a bit: K3 Ant Tuner

[Mark Goldberg]

On Fri, Jul 5, 2019 at 12:54 PM Jack Brindle via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> As commonly used, bandpass filters have one main use - to protect
> receivers. That may be the local receiver, protecting it from sting out of
> band signals, or a neighbor receiver, gain protecting it from strong out of
> band signals.
>

You are only thinking of good Elecraft radios. There are plenty of crap
radios that transmit harmonics or even wideband noise.


> This quite well describes SO2R stations, where we are very concerned about
> receiver damage. The BPF is commonly placed between the transceiver and
> antenna, which for a multiple of reasons needs to be 50 ohms impedance.
> One of the major jobs given to the BPF is to suppress harmonic content of
> the transmitted signal, for which the antenna load will most certainly NOT
> present a 50 ohm load to the BPF. There are many references for this, I
> would refer to W2VJN’s publication “Managing Interstaion Interference” and
> the excellent articles by K9YC (who will most likely join into the
> discussion shortly). Jim has done a lot of testing with BPFs, and has some
> very interesting articles comparing and discussing their use, as well as
> other articles about how to avoid damaging receivers in SO2R stations with
> their use, as well as the use of stubs for harmonic suppression.
>
> The point is, BPFs are designed for both scenarios, to pass signals
> in-band, where the load impedance is 50 ohms, and reject out of band
> signals, where the impedance is almost never50 ohms. Note that most BPFs do
> not do much for in-band signal rejection (by design). Using them to protect
> a receiver in the same band is a recipe for disaster.
>
>
In general a BPF will present a low impedance shunt load and a high
impedance series load. Even into an unmatched load, it is likely that the
BPF will still have a much lower shunt impedance and a much higher series
impedance than what it is working into. In the example I showed, the change
out of the passband was much less than the change in the passband. Out of
the passband, it still works pretty well to reject signals. The unmatched
load affects the in band performance a lot.

I found Elsie to be really useful to get an understanding of what filters
do under various conditions.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] OT a bit: K3 Ant Tuner

[Mark Goldberg]

I stand corrected.

I made an assumption, probably incorrectly, that the reason they had a
second tuner was that the first did not successfully tune the antenna. They
just decided to put the bandpass filter between the two tuners, which would
have provided a mismatch at both the filter input and output. I just used a
mismatch at the output as an example. I just provided an example of filter
performance degradation with even what would be considered a reasonable SWR.

I prefer Jack's solution of bypassing the internal K3 tuner. I do have a
situation where my antenna tuner can't tune my antenna on 160. Rather than
try to use two tuners in series with the requisite losses, I added a shunt
inductor on a big ferrite core to provide most of the required inductance
for a match. It gets hot.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Fri, Jul 5, 2019 at 10:57 AM David Gilbert 
wrote:

>
> I think you misread the situation.  The question isn't whether to put a
> single antenna tuner between the antenna and filter versus putting it
> between the rig and the filter.  The question is whether putting an
> ADDITIONAL tuner (the one internal to the K3) at the input of the filter
> is a good idea.  And to me it seems the answer is yes.
>
> I think we all agree that the right feed impedance and load impedance
> for a filter is important.  And as I pointed out, not just for power
> handling, but also for the filter to actually filter as it was intended.
>
> 73,
> Dave   AB7E
>
> On 7/5/2019 10:18 AM, Mark Goldberg wrote:
> > I could not let this go. I've done a lot of work with bandpass filters.
> The
> > mismatch will degrade the filter.
> >
> > For an example, I used Elsie, which is a filter calculator. Using the
> > example 20 Meter bandpass filter, the passband loss is about .25 dB with
> > matched 50 ohms in and out. Changing the output impedance to 38+j12 (38
> > ohms plus 135 nH inductor at 14.15 MHz, about 1.5:1 SWR), the passband
> > losses increase to about 0.4 - .44 dB and vary more over the band.
> >
> > Here are the schematics and plots, anyone is welcome to check my
> > calculations, as I do make mistakes!
> >
> >
> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kj31IL_px6nVyRadW4nOi_c6FLgyaRyk/view?usp=sharing
> >
> > The loss in the filter will almost double. For 100W in, the loss goes
> from
> > about 6W to about 10W. So, it is not a good idea. A worse match will
> result
> > in even more losses, perhaps overheating and destroying the filter.
> >
> > 73,
> >
> > Mark
> > W7MLG
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 5, 2019 at 8:32 AM Don Wilhelm 
> wrote:
> >
> >> Rich,
> >>
> >> Yes and no.  With 2 antenna tuners in-line, there will be a bit more
> >> loss due to inductor winding resistance, but other than that, it should
> >> do harm.
> >>
> >> Several bandpass filters indicate that they should be between the rig
> >> and the tuner (so the bandpass filters are not run at a high SWR).
> >> If the power rating of the bandpass filter is marginal with respect to
> >> the rig power, then I would observe that caution. Refer to the bandpass
> >> filter specs.
> >>
> >> 73,
> >> Don W3FPR
> >>
> >> On 7/5/2019 10:57 AM, Rich wrote:
> >>> To minimize emails direct replies would be nice.  I searched the web
> and
> >>> could not find an answer.   I know there are a ton of smart folks on
> >>> this list so I thought I would ask.
> >>>
> >>> On Field Day at typical setup is :
> >>>
> >>> K3 (or any radio) - bandpass filter -  External Antenna Tuner  -
> Antenna
> >>>
> >>> So the antenna was tuned via the external tuner, but saw a guy then
> >>> using the K3 ant tuner to touch up the SWR between the radio and the
> >>> bandpass filter.  Is that an acceptable practice?
> >>>
> >> __
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Re: [Elecraft] OT a bit: K3 Ant Tuner

[Mark Goldberg]

I could not let this go. I've done a lot of work with bandpass filters. The
mismatch will degrade the filter.

For an example, I used Elsie, which is a filter calculator. Using the
example 20 Meter bandpass filter, the passband loss is about .25 dB with
matched 50 ohms in and out. Changing the output impedance to 38+j12 (38
ohms plus 135 nH inductor at 14.15 MHz, about 1.5:1 SWR), the passband
losses increase to about 0.4 - .44 dB and vary more over the band.

Here are the schematics and plots, anyone is welcome to check my
calculations, as I do make mistakes!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kj31IL_px6nVyRadW4nOi_c6FLgyaRyk/view?usp=sharing

The loss in the filter will almost double. For 100W in, the loss goes from
about 6W to about 10W. So, it is not a good idea. A worse match will result
in even more losses, perhaps overheating and destroying the filter.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Fri, Jul 5, 2019 at 8:32 AM Don Wilhelm  wrote:

> Rich,
>
> Yes and no.  With 2 antenna tuners in-line, there will be a bit more
> loss due to inductor winding resistance, but other than that, it should
> do harm.
>
> Several bandpass filters indicate that they should be between the rig
> and the tuner (so the bandpass filters are not run at a high SWR).
> If the power rating of the bandpass filter is marginal with respect to
> the rig power, then I would observe that caution. Refer to the bandpass
> filter specs.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 7/5/2019 10:57 AM, Rich wrote:
> > To minimize emails direct replies would be nice.  I searched the web and
> > could not find an answer.   I know there are a ton of smart folks on
> > this list so I thought I would ask.
> >
> > On Field Day at typical setup is :
> >
> > K3 (or any radio) - bandpass filter -  External Antenna Tuner  - Antenna
> >
> > So the antenna was tuned via the external tuner, but saw a guy then
> > using the K3 ant tuner to touch up the SWR between the radio and the
> > bandpass filter.  Is that an acceptable practice?
> >
> __
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Re: [Elecraft] When Transmitting on FT8 - KPA500 has issues - KD8ZYD

[Mark Goldberg]

I'm going to take these two postings and suggest the possibility of RF
getting into the USB link to the PC causing it to drop samples.

Check the grounds and make sure there is a good ground connection between
the PC, Signalink and the radio equipment. Try ferrite beads (Mix 31) on
the USB line or a different USB cable.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 9:06 PM Bob McGraw K4TAX  wrote:

> A clue. at 500 watts with the KPA500 there is an issue.  At 50 watts
> using just the K3 there is no reported issue.  What's the difference?
> RF field strength.  Sounds like it might be and RFI issue.
>
> Check all PL-259's and make sure they are VERY TIGHT.   Check jumper
> cables, between each piece of equipment and make sure they are in good
> condition and connectors are properly attached and installed.   If in
> doubt, replace them.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>



On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 8:41 PM Michael Walker  wrote:

> Good to send the video
>
> It sounds like the Sound card is dropping audio frames then and can he test
> with WSJTx in their TUNE mode.  Does the same thing happen.
>
> If it was me, I would review the sound card settings for the sound card
> device.  Make sure it IS the one you think it is.
>
> Could the computer be suffering from high DPCs.. aka, is it busy doing
> something else like a virus scan or indexing?
>
> This is one of those times that it would be good to know more about the
> computer hardware, like CPU speed, memory, etc.
>
> Mike va3mw
>
>
> On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 11:15 PM Jack Brindle via Elecraft <
> elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>
> > Fred sent me the video, which is actually very revealing. First the
> change
> > rate is very rapid, higher than I initially expected. The asterisk is on
> > constantly, and the power off time is not long enough for power to drop
> to
> > zero. But what I found very interesting is that the output power
> indication
> > on the K3 is fluctuating at the same rate as the KPA500 is indicating.
> That
> > leads me to believe that the K3 output is rapidly changing on and off.
> The
> > next question is what might be causing this - it might be the K3, but it
> > also could be upstream, in Fred’s Signalink or perhaps the computer /
> > program that is feeding audio to the radio system.
> >
> > With that in mind, and knowing the calibre of folks on the list who are
> > very adept at digital setups, let's see if we can troubleshoot the system
> > and get Fred going again the way things should be.
> >
> > 73!
> > Jack, W6FB
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Re: [Elecraft] When Transmitting on FT8 - KPA500 has issues - KD8ZYD

[Mark Goldberg]

Can you watch the SWR when this happens? If the antenna is hard to tune,
the tuner may find a match, but it may actually be fairly lossy, with power
being dissipated in the tuner. As the tuner inductors heat up, they change
value, and the SWR goes up, triggering a retune. You should be able to see
the same thing with just a carrier at high power. If that is the case, you
should do something to your antenna to make it easier to tune up. This
happens to me on 160. My antenna is too short and presents a low impedance.
The tuner can tune it, but not for very long before it heats up.On SSB or
CW, the lower duty cycle doesn't heat things up as much.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 6:29 PM Fred  wrote:

> Hi Ken,
>
> It only happens when running digital mode FT8. And it doesn’t happen all
> the time when running digital mode. Ken I’ll send the video I made. I just
> looked at it and it has an *.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Fred
> 248-613-4086
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Jul 1, 2019, at 9:22 PM, Ken Winterling  wrote:
> >
> > Fred,
> >
> > Does this condition also happen on SSB, RTTY, CW or only while running
> digital mode?
> >
> > Is it possible the PTT/key line is being dropped?  When the power drops
> is there an asterisk (*) on the left side of the KPA500 display?  An
> asterisk will appear on the left side of the LCD display if there is a
> valid PA KEY/PTT signal is being received from the transceiver. If there is
> no asterisk the amp isn't receiving a valid PA KEY/PTT signal from the
> transceiver.  If there is an underscore instead of an asterisk it means
> that the amplifier keying is being inhibited by a low signal on pin 11 of
> the AUX connector.
> >
> > Ken
> > WA2LBI
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> On Mon, Jul 1, 2019 at 9:06 PM Fred  wrote:
> >> Hi,
> >>
> >> I have a K3, P3, KPA500, KAT500 and a SignaLink for sound.  Sometimes
> when
> >> I transmit on FT8 running full power on the KPA500, the KPA500 will
> click
> >> on/off.  The power doesn't turn on/off, it seems like a relay inside.
> The
> >> power meter will go to about 500 watts, then down to 0, then to abut 500
> >> watts...and down to 0 maybe once a second.  I have a short video I can
> send
> >> if someone would like to see it.  When I bypass the KPA500 and use 50
> watts
> >> or so just on the K3, no issues.
> >>
> >> Please let me know if you have any questions.
> >>
> >> 73, Fred
> >>
> >> KD8ZYD
> >> --
> >> Thanks,
> >>
> >> Fred
> >>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 batteries

[Mark Goldberg]

LiFePO4s will stay at high enough voltage for most of the discharge cycle
to keep the KX3 above 15W. 9Ah will run it a long time.

Regards,

Mark


On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 1:14 PM Chris Waldrup  wrote:

> Will the Bioenno batteries have enough terminal voltage to get the 15W?
> I'm looking at a 9Ah unit and if so will stop by Gigaparts on the way home
> from work today and pick one up.
>
> Chris
> KD4PBJ
>
> > On Jun 25, 2019, at 9:46 AM, Walter Underwood 
> wrote:
> >
> > That may be, though the discharge curves on the data sheets seem very
> similar. Note that the two data sheets use different discharge rates, like
> 2000 mAh vs 2500 mAh. They both have the same specs for "Internal Impedance
> (after discharge to E.V.=1.0V)”: Approx. 25mΩ(at 1KHz). I have to admit
> that I have no idea what that means.
> >
> > Eneloop: https://eneloop101.com/wp-content/uploads/BK-3MCC-AE.pdf <
> https://eneloop101.com/wp-content/uploads/BK-3MCC-AE.pdf>
> > Eneloop Pro:
> https://eneloop101.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BK-3HCC.pdf <
> https://eneloop101.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/BK-3HCC.pdf>
> >
> > These are for the latest generation of each.
> >
> > wunder
> > K6WRU
> > Walter Underwood
> > CM87wj
> > http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
> >
> >> On Jun 25, 2019, at 6:10 AM, Chip Stratton 
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I think Eneloop Pro have a higher internal resistance than the regular
> Eneloop. In my experience, using both of them sequentially, the KX3 went
> more quickly to the enforced 5 watt maximum output with the Eneloop Pro
> cells compared to the standard Eneloop, despite the higher ultimate
> capacity of the Eneloop Pro. But, YMMV!
> >>
> >> Chip
> >> AE5KA
> >>
> >> On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 9:32 PM Walter Underwood  > wrote:
> >> Right, Eneloop Pro get 500 cycles instead of 2000 for regular Eneloop.
> But I’m OK with 500 charge cycles and getting 2550 mAh instead of 2000 mAh.
> >>
> >> The Wikipedia page for Eneloop is fairly informative.
> >>
> >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eneloop <
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eneloop>
> >>
> >> wunder
> >> K6WRU
> >> Walter Underwood
> >> CM87wj
> >> http://observer.wunderwood.org/  (my
> blog)
> >>
> >>> On Jun 24, 2019, at 5:15 PM, Dave Sublette  > wrote:
> >>>
> >>> IIRC, the Eneloop Pro has fewer recharge cycles than do the regular
> >>> Eneloops.
> >>>
> >>> K4TO
> >>>
>  On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 7:57 PM John Harper  > wrote:
> 
>  Panasonic Eneloop Pro
> 
> > Best KX3 batteries
> 
> > My old rechargeable batteries are failing.   Recommdation for
>  replacements?
> 
> 
>  John AE5X
>  https://ae5x.blogspot.com 
>  __
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> >>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 batteries

[Mark Goldberg]

I've brought the 3 Ah ones on aircraft multiple times and had no issues. I
brought a copy of the UN safety certification that I got from the battery
company but have never been asked for it.

The batteries did save me from having my bag checked once though. I put my
bag in the overhead. Someone else came by and moved my bag trying to get
theirs in the overhead and the overhead would not close. The flight
attendant, not knowing what happened wanted to check my bag. I stated it
had lithium batteries in it and she checked the bag belonging to the person
that moved my bag. I didn't have to argue at all. Karma!

LiFePO4 batteries are also safer than other Lithiums, but they seem to be
treated the same by the airlines and shipping companies.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 7:23 PM Eric - Gmail 
wrote:

> The FAA rules on taking batteries on airplanes can be found in the
> document "Batteries Carried by Airline Passengers: Frequently Asked
> Questions" at
>
> www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ash/ash_programs/hazmat/passenger_info/media/Airline_passengers_and_batteries.pdf
>
> will allow you to take a battery as large as 160Wh. The larger Bioenno's
> (9AH and up) are over 100 Wh
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 won't go above 10W

[Mark Goldberg]

Go with LiFePO4 cells. Four cells will keep the voltage between 12 and 14.4
V from 10% to 100% state of charge and most of the time the voltage is
between 13 and 13.5 V. I use small ones (3 AH )for backpack portable
operation, 20 AH for fixed portable and my RV has 400 Ah to run the rig
forever! The KX3 stays at the max 15W almost all of the time. No fuss, just
works, and they keep their charge for months. Small ones start at about $50.

Regards,

Mark


On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 12:40 PM Fred Soop  wrote:

> I have looked at the power issue (even though I'm not yet a KX3 owner) and
> with NiMH cells at 1.2 V, the 8 cell internal battery holder would only be
> 9.6 V. I'm considering an external battery pack with (2) 6 cell holders for
> 12 cells total. That would be 14.4 V total. A single series diode would
> bring that down to 13.7 V. The NiMH cells do start at 1.5 V with full
> charge for a short time, so some additional series diodes would be needed
> with a fresh charge and could be switched out as the cell voltage drops to
> 1.2 V. A voltmeter and rotary switch with 5 diodes would do the job.
>
> 73
> Fred Soop AC9RQ
>
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Field Day report

[Mark Goldberg]

Oops, adding my call.

Mark,
W7MLG

On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 11:44 AM Mark Goldberg 
wrote:

> I'd be interested to hear how it does in the presence of close in strong
> signals, especially SSB. I was operating a KX3 on SSB in close frequency to
> someone that was far away, but they had all the knobs up to 11 and was
> maybe S9+20 and about 10 kHz wide with lots of splatter. I could hear
> anyone that came back to me but I eventually abandoned the frequency
> because most could not hear me. 20 SSB was wall to wall with someone about
> every 1.5 kHz or closer.
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 10:12 AM Wayne Burdick  wrote:
>
>> George (KJ6VU), John (KJ6K) and I operated a basic K4 for several hours
>> as the 20 meter CW station at the Bay-Net Field Day site east of San Jose.
>> This was the K4's first outdoor shake-down. The stakes were high, since the
>> K4 has to pick up where the K3S/P3 leave off, fulfilling a dual role as
>> both a high-end desktop and field/portable station.
>>
>> Observations:
>>
>> - the light weight (~10 pounds) made it easy to transport and set up
>>
>> - there was virtually no mutual interference between the K4 and a very
>> active 40 meter SSB station using an antenna about 40' away
>>
>> - thanks to the low noise at this location we were able to hear many weak
>> signals clustered together, and found signal clarity to be excellent
>>
>> - the LCD was clearly visible, without color washout, despite a full
>> assault by bright sunlight bleeding through our translucent white tent
>> cloth (some other radios at the same location had displays that were almost
>> impossible to see)
>>
>> - the ATU did was able to tune a narrow-banded 20 meter yagi on other
>> bands, when necessary, including 15, 10, and 6 meters
>>
>> - the radio ran from a very small Li-Ion battery (KXBT2, ~2.5 AH) for
>> quite awhile, proving it works at 11 V, which is important for stations
>> running from a somewhat depleted car battery or other emergency supply
>>
>> - operators were very complimentary of the internal speaker, though I'm
>> partial to stereo audio and was using a pair of 8", 4 ohm (passive)
>> external speakers most of the time
>>
>> We had a bit of fun late in the afternoon on Saturday when we switched
>> from the Yagi to an AX1, Elecraft's 4 foot 20 meter whip. This may seem
>> frivolous, but it's an important test because it shows that the radio's
>> shielding is working well. It should handle an end-fed wire with a balun
>> right at the antenna jack.
>>
>> Here are some comments we received afterward from KJ6K:
>>
>> "It was a real thrill to play with the K4 while making making CW contacts
>> with it during Field Day. It's an amazing technical and usability design
>> achievement. The user interface for many modern radios is so complex that
>> an operator may need to refer to the manual frequently to figure out how to
>> access a desired function, and never be able to do so quickly. The display
>> on the K4 is gorgeous, and the use of touch, along with physical controls,
>> provides a very intuitive and efficient user interface.
>>
>> "My own interests in ham radio have always been mostly in the science and
>> engineering, so my operating is mostly casual, with HF CW my favorite mode.
>> The architecture of the K4 is really exciting; the performance and endless
>> possibilities for features and connectivity is really cool."
>>
>> Thanks, John!
>>
>> Looking forward to full-contact Field Day battle mode with a couple of
>> K4s next year :)
>>
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>>
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Re: [Elecraft] K4 Field Day report

[Mark Goldberg]

I'd be interested to hear how it does in the presence of close in strong
signals, especially SSB. I was operating a KX3 on SSB in close frequency to
someone that was far away, but they had all the knobs up to 11 and was
maybe S9+20 and about 10 kHz wide with lots of splatter. I could hear
anyone that came back to me but I eventually abandoned the frequency
because most could not hear me. 20 SSB was wall to wall with someone about
every 1.5 kHz or closer.

73,

Mark


On Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 10:12 AM Wayne Burdick  wrote:

> George (KJ6VU), John (KJ6K) and I operated a basic K4 for several hours as
> the 20 meter CW station at the Bay-Net Field Day site east of San Jose.
> This was the K4's first outdoor shake-down. The stakes were high, since the
> K4 has to pick up where the K3S/P3 leave off, fulfilling a dual role as
> both a high-end desktop and field/portable station.
>
> Observations:
>
> - the light weight (~10 pounds) made it easy to transport and set up
>
> - there was virtually no mutual interference between the K4 and a very
> active 40 meter SSB station using an antenna about 40' away
>
> - thanks to the low noise at this location we were able to hear many weak
> signals clustered together, and found signal clarity to be excellent
>
> - the LCD was clearly visible, without color washout, despite a full
> assault by bright sunlight bleeding through our translucent white tent
> cloth (some other radios at the same location had displays that were almost
> impossible to see)
>
> - the ATU did was able to tune a narrow-banded 20 meter yagi on other
> bands, when necessary, including 15, 10, and 6 meters
>
> - the radio ran from a very small Li-Ion battery (KXBT2, ~2.5 AH) for
> quite awhile, proving it works at 11 V, which is important for stations
> running from a somewhat depleted car battery or other emergency supply
>
> - operators were very complimentary of the internal speaker, though I'm
> partial to stereo audio and was using a pair of 8", 4 ohm (passive)
> external speakers most of the time
>
> We had a bit of fun late in the afternoon on Saturday when we switched
> from the Yagi to an AX1, Elecraft's 4 foot 20 meter whip. This may seem
> frivolous, but it's an important test because it shows that the radio's
> shielding is working well. It should handle an end-fed wire with a balun
> right at the antenna jack.
>
> Here are some comments we received afterward from KJ6K:
>
> "It was a real thrill to play with the K4 while making making CW contacts
> with it during Field Day. It's an amazing technical and usability design
> achievement. The user interface for many modern radios is so complex that
> an operator may need to refer to the manual frequently to figure out how to
> access a desired function, and never be able to do so quickly. The display
> on the K4 is gorgeous, and the use of touch, along with physical controls,
> provides a very intuitive and efficient user interface.
>
> "My own interests in ham radio have always been mostly in the science and
> engineering, so my operating is mostly casual, with HF CW my favorite mode.
> The architecture of the K4 is really exciting; the performance and endless
> possibilities for features and connectivity is really cool."
>
> Thanks, John!
>
> Looking forward to full-contact Field Day battle mode with a couple of K4s
> next year :)
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] Terminal resistance

[Mark Goldberg]

I cut a cross-section of my battery cable crimps and it essentially is one
solid block of copper:

See this page:

https://sites.google.com/site/marksrvmods/home/battery-wiring

Note that expensive crimpers are "calibrated". They make one or more
connections on sacrificial wiring and cross-section them to verify that the
crimps are good. Since I cheaped out on a crimper, I did the same to give
me some confidence it was done right. A better crimper with the correct
sized dies would not require the careful multiple crimps I had to do with
this wiring.

I've used the Powerwerx crimping tools on many 15, 30, 45 and 75A
Powerpoles and not had any issues with them. I don't solder them.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft K4 and Accessibility

[Mark Goldberg]

What do people think about voice recognition? Recent Google Android phones
do a decent job of voice recognition on the phone itself with no connection
to the internet or cloud voice recogniton servers. There are open source
voice recognition software applications that run on Linux. No idea how
powerful the K4 processor is or how capable it might be to do this, but I'm
throwing the idea out there.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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[Elecraft] Yet Another K4 Thread (YAK4T) (TM) - Sampling Rate, ENOB, FPGA? and Requests

[Mark Goldberg]

Way down in the specs you have the sampling rate, 122 MHz and I don't see a
spec for the A/D Equivalent Number Of Bits (ENOB). That is a useful measure
of the dynamic range, as most if not all 16 Bit A/Ds have a lower number of
ENOB. Perhaps these should be more prominently advertised as they can be
used to compare direct sampling SDRs in a more Apples to Apples fashion.

Do you use an FPGA as a Digital Down Converter? If so, prominently
advertise that too.

Having a high bandwidth I/Q output to USB or Ethernet, and a driver to the
standards used by multiple Panadapter and Spectrum Analysis software would
also be great.

Lastly, the ability to directly sync to a low phase noise 10 MHz reference
without frequency jumps would be very useful with said Spectrum Analyis
software to be able to use the K4 as a measuring tool. Maybe two modes,
sort of follow a crappy 10 MHz source and lock to one that has low enough
phase noise to match your radio's performance.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] Mobile high power

[Mark Goldberg]

My Sprinter is rated by Mercedes to handle 100W at HF. I'm pushing that a
little, but that is another reason I am satisfied with 250W. Sprinters are
used a lot for ambulances, work trucks, and government vehicles, all with
radios, so I figure if they had RF problems, they would have to fix them. I
have a carefully planned installation with good grounding and ferrites on
the cables. I do notice a lot of noise from other vehicles, way more than
is coming from mine.

I've done a lot of RF compatibility work, both conducted and radiated RF
emissions and RF susceptibility. I see minimal RF emissions and no RF
susceptibility issues with my vehicle, but it is designed with RF in mind.
It is full of digital busses. Most vehicles are not designed for RF
compatibility.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] WWV 100th Anniversary Event

[Mark Goldberg]

On Mon, May 6, 2019 at 12:12 AM John Marvin  wrote:

>
> So, how is this Elecraft related you might ask? Well the club is still
> looking for operators,  and Elecraft is a sponsor for the event,
> providing four KX3's and four KPA500 amplifiers for the event (Thanks
> Wayne and Eric!). So if you decide you want to take a trip to Fort
> Collins to help out, you may be very familiar with the equipment used!
>

This begs the question: Why KX3s with KPA500s? That is what I use in my
mobile station and it provides about 250W due to the FCC amplifier gain
requirements. I am fine with it, as that is what I have and higher power
may affect the vehicle. I have seen someone post a modification to remove
an attenuator in the amp and recalibrate the power meter, but I would
assume that Elecraft will not be allowed to do that, as the FCC Cert holder.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] Dummy load

[Mark Goldberg]

How much do you want to spend?

One of these Bird Termaline series, or similar is the top of the line, but
will cost you:

https://www.birdrf.com/Products/Test%20and%20Measurement/Loads/Coaxial-Terminations/500-watts/8201_500-Watt-Oil-Cooled-Terminations.aspx

I was lucky to find a DA412B/U military surplus 600W dummy (similar to Bird
8401) load at a hamfest for cheap.The good ones have N or better connectors
and Hams tend to avoid them. Adapters are not expensive if you want to
connect to PL259s, but I actually use Ns in most of my station. It will
take a continuous key down from my KPA500 with no problem.

73,

Mark


On Wed, May 1, 2019 at 5:04 AM richard gilley 
wrote:

> Hi,
> Would like a recommendation for a 500 watt dummy load.
>
> Thank you all
> Richard  AD1G
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3

[Mark Goldberg]

Forgot to include my call.

73,

Mark
W7MLG
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3

[Mark Goldberg]

The I/Q feeds through the PX3. You need to take the I/Q out of the PX3 and
send it to a high quality sound card, usually a USB sound card.

If you want wideband, choose a 192 kHz card from here:

http://www.telepostinc.com/soundcards.html

I use a U7.

The rig control also feeds through the PX3 and the amp to USB on your
computer.

73,

Mark




On Sun, Apr 21, 2019 at 11:15 AM Tomy Ivan via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> Does anyone know how to hook up the proper cable,?, to run an SDR like
> HDSDR on the KX3 withthe PX3 also hooked up. We are also using the KXPA100
> amp.
> I know the end that fits in the IO R on the PX3 is a 2.5 mm  can I use on
> the other end a USB A.Where might I find this cable? I only have USB
> connections on my Asus Laptop.
> 73! Tomy KF7GC
> AZ STM, A1-Operator
> NM AZ Section Net,
> ORS, www.atenaz.net
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 failed!

[Mark Goldberg]

It's been said there are no coincidences. Have you checked your coaxes /
connectors? I agree that protection built in should not allow radios to
blow finals, but this sounds like too much of a coincidence with two
different radios blowing to not be an external intermittent connection. Try
wiggling all the cables with low power. Unfortunately, sometimes a problem
will only show up as arcing at high power. Is there another HAM near you
with a powerful amp and antenna close to yours?

Best of luck,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, Feb 16, 2019 at 8:50 AM  wrote:

> Exact same thing happened to my K3s in October, now my KPA-1500. Yeah, So
> done here. Once repaired and confirmed working it will be up for sale.
> Going
> back to a tube amp after this.
>
>  - pjd
>
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> On
> Behalf Of Paul Baldock
> Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2019 10:28 AM
> To: rocke...@gmail.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 failed!
>
> It sounds like one of the output devices have failed. Half power out is
> usually the indicator. A number here have reported this happening.
> It would be nice to know why this problem is occurring and if Elecraft are
> working on a fix.
>
> - Paul
>
> At 07:10 AM 2/16/2019, rocke...@gmail.com wrote:
> >I talked to Peter on the phone. He has no bias current when amp is
> >transmitting with no power applied (key on SSB without talking. He is
> >reading 54 volts and has tried power cycling amp from power supply
> >switch and reseated all cables. Definitely BAD distortion on SSB (we
> >are close enough to hear each other). Looks like one RF device let
> >loose and it is dragging down the bias voltage. That is my guess.
> >
> >Dave wo2x
> >
> >
> >-Original Message-
> >From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
> > On Behalf Of Wes
> >Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2019 9:49 AM
> >To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> >Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 failed!
> >
> >I think a two-tone test is the best evaluation tool..  The generator is
> >built into the K3 if you have another receiver that you can use to
> >listen to the amp output.  I use an SDR-IQ which is a very nice tool
> >for this but any other SDR would do.
> >
> >Sorry for your pain.
> >
> >Wes  N7WS
> >
> >On 2/16/2019 7:28 AM, li...@w2irt.net wrote:
> > > I was operating in the ARRL-CW contest this morning and on 20m, with
> > > a
> > > 1.2:1 SWR on the Yagi, all of a sudden I saw my power drop to about
> > > 450-500W with about 40W in. Worked a few stations but not as easily
> > > as when I turned everything on this morning. Switched over to phone
> > and made a few contacts.
> > > Audio is fine barefoot with 100W out of the K3s-which suffered blown
> > > finals itself during CQWW SSB last fall, but with the amp in I got
> > > reports that my audio was badly distorted.
> > >
> > > Before I send it in, is there anything I should look at or any
> > > diagnostics I can easily perform? For the cost of this, I'd have
> > > thought protection would have kicked in to prevent anything untoward
> > > from happening. I'm in complete disbelief, to be honest.
> > >
> > > -
> > > 73 and Good DX
> > > Peter, W2IRT
> > >
> >
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 Remote - How to get it to work on a WAN ?

[Mark Goldberg]

Take a look at this in the archives:

http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/KPA1500-Static-IPv4-address-td7645170.html

Maybe something there will help. There are ways to do it in a more secure
manner.

I'm not a big fan of exposing your $6000 amplifier with no security to the
wild internet. Somebody will figure out how to do "bad things".

73,

Mark


On Mon, Feb 11, 2019 at 8:19 PM Rich Yost via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> I also cannot get the KPA1500 Remote to function over the internet (WAN)
> I even put it into a DMZ with no luck.
>
> works great on my LAN
>
> Does anyone have any directions on how this is to be setup ?
>
> Can't someone make a mobile app that works ?
>
> Rich
> n2ry
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Re: [Elecraft] Duty on warranty repairs

[Mark Goldberg]

On Fri, Feb 1, 2019, 7:33 AM Barry 
> The insurance claim, processed by the vendor paid for the replacement which
> was then shipped.  The invoice on the second one was marked "replacement
> for
> damaged product," and valued at $10, so it passed right through without any
> duty or tax.  That's how Elecraft should describe and value the radio on
> return.
>


Actually the best thing, as described earlier is to register the product
with customs before sending it for repair, including the form with the
unit, and having the repair shop return the unit with the form. No duty
should be owed. In the US, it is explained here. Most other countries are
similar. Basically you prove ahead of time the unit was in your country and
only temporarily exported for repair.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/133/kw/Sending%20Goods%20Back%20for%20Repair/session/L3RpbWUvMTU0OTAzMjY5NC9zaWQvUGdELXRpNm8%3D

Various country's customs frown upon companies playing fast and loose with
valuations.

I agree with your poor opinion of DHL. I have had a much easier time with
USPS.

73,

Mark

>
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Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Urban stealth HF: Inside-the-backpack loop antenna?

[Mark Goldberg]

I would expect any high Q antenna like a loop would be detuned by any
movement or any metal you pass by. One more reason to support automatic
mobile screwdriver / mag loop antenna tuning on the KX series.
A flag on a backpack would be more or less ignored. Just put a flag on the
top of the AX1. Counterpoise is an issue though. Maybe a short one down
your leg?

Now, if you dressed as a homeless or otherwise distressed person, lots of
weird things are possible, tinfoil hat with a big flag, dragged wire
disguised as one of those fake animals on a leash, etc. The weirder, the
more people will ignore you.

Hopefully taken in the spirit of which it is posted.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Tue, Jan 22, 2019 at 1:57 PM Wayne Burdick n...@elecraft.com [KX3] <
kx3-nore...@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

>
>
> I’ve engaged in plenty of ultralight HF pack operation, with a KX2, AX1
> antenna and a dragged counterpoise. In wide open spaces it’s a blast. But
> urban settings with dogs, wire-eating cacti and overzealous Neighborhood
> Watchers can distract from one’s radio experience.
>
> So, just for grins, I’d like to try something completely incognerdo: no
> visible antenna. A small remotely tuned loop (say 12” diameter) would seem
> to be the best choice, as it would fit entirely inside a small backpack. It
> could have  modest efficiency while not requiring a counterpoise wire.
> Rigid 1” copper pipe formed in a square would be convenient to deploy.
>
> The loop would be only 6 to 8” from soft tissue, so you’d want to run QRP,
> of course.  OTOH, we’re talking about HF. A cellphone by your ear is
> probably worse.
>
> Any other antenna suggestions?
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
> 
> elecraft.com
>
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: USPS mailing

[Mark Goldberg]

Actually, there are issues with USPS Priority Mail if you use Paypal and
sell to someone you don't know and hope to use the Seller Protections. If
you read the fine print, Paypal does not accept the proof of delivery
unless a specific signature is obtained, which is not available with
Priority Mail. I still use it, but there is a risk the buyer can claim they
did not receive the product and ask for a charge back from Paypal. I have
never had anything lost or any customer claim it was not received.

Once, a UK customer was not home and did not pay the Customs fee in time.
The box was dutifully sent back to me. I received it two months later and
reshipped it to the customer. About three months after the order, they
finally got it! Now I make sure they have the tracking number and remind
them when it gets to their country so they are looking for it.

Another time a clearly marked package to a foreign country got mistakenly
sent to a US post office because the automatic reader picked up part of the
address that looked like a zip code. I tracked that down with the help of a
small town postmaster and it finally made it to the destination.

So, I have had some "incidents" but eventually every package got to it's
destination.

On a big order I did not want to risk, I shipped via DHL. It was way more
expensive and they had some issues with customs too, but it finally arrived.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Wed, Jan 2, 2019 at 12:03 PM Victor Rosenthal 4X6GP 
wrote:

> 1. In the US, USPS priority mail is great. If you are sending something
> outside of the country it is out of USPS' control at the foreign
> airport. This is where the fun begins. In Israel, our postal service
> adds at least 2 weeks to get a package through customs, and you don't
> know where it is or what's going on for most of that time. Sometimes
> things get lost, and sometimes there are complications with customs. UPS
> does it in half a day without problems, but the cost can be
> astronomical. I bought a big Johnson Matchbox from a guy in MN. UPS
> charged more than $450 to ship it.
>
> 2. There is no good reason for Americans to not sell things to
> foreigners if the foreigner agrees to pay the actual shipping in advance
> by Paypal or bank transfer. All the risk is on the buyer. The only thing
> the American has to do is fill out a customs form when he sends it.
>
> 73,
> Victor, 4X6GP
> Rehovot, Israel
> Formerly K2VCO
> CWops no. 5
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
> On 02/01/2019 19:40, Rose wrote:
> > I've been making Elecraft cases and covers for eleven years.  All
> > of the hundreds I've made have been sent via USPS Priority Mail.
> > To date, not a single one has gone astray … a remarkable record.
> > I live "in the country" and have no mail delivery, so all of my USPS
> > business is transacted in town at the Post Office.
> >
> > I purchase task-specific sizes of cartons from U-Line. usually 50
> > at a time.  Cover orders are sent in padded envelopes, again
> > purchased specifically from U-Line for the task.
> >
> > The Post Office provides a delivery date on each Priority Mail
> > receipt, and these … so far … have proved highly accurate.  Priority
> > mail will reach anywhere in the US within a maximum of three days.
> > An exception … an order to Turkey took -five- days! (:-)
> >
> > I will -not- use any other service.  Fed-Ex is an awful organization,
> IMO.
> >
> > 88 !
> > Rose - N7HKW
> > elecraftcov...@gmail.com
> > 1-406-560-3738
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Re: [Elecraft] Fwd: KPA1500 problem

[Mark Goldberg]

It's been said before. Check your cables and connectors for arcing. It
won't happen with lower power but as the voltage goes up with higher power
it may arc across a bad cable or connector. Possibly even in a tuner.

Can you test with different cables or a dummy load?

73,

Mark


On Sun, Dec 30, 2018 at 5:35 PM Steve  wrote:

>
>
> Sent from my I-Phone
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> > GE, folks
> > My KPA1500 (s/n 121) has developed a problem:
> > When applying power (15-20W) from the K3 to the amp, it immediately
> faults to:low gain fault ratio 3 (sometimes ratio 2 to ratio 6). The SWR
> indicator shows high SWR as the amp faults. 100w only from exciter will
> cause ATU to tune to 1:1 but when amp is switched on, it immediately faults
> as above. Looked through archives and manual. No mention of this particular
> fault. Any ideas would be appreciated.
> > 73 and HNY
> > Steve AA4V
> >
> >
> > Sent from my I-Phone
>
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Re: [Elecraft] How to wire KX3 to an Amp

[Mark Goldberg]

Are you going to use the KX3, KXPA100 and the KPA500 all together? I can't
help with that as I don't have the KXPA100.

I use the KX3 with just the KPA500. You get about 250W out with 12W in.

You use the ACC2IO cable that comes in the right angle cable kit or
standalone and an RCA to RCA cable.
https://elecraft.com/products/kx3-pckt-accessory-cable-kit
https://elecraft.com/products/e980232_acc2-io-cable-module-config-via-kx3s-acc2-io-menu-item-included-in-the-kx3-pckt-cable-set

It picks up the frequency with the first dit or a small carrier. Hope this
helps or someone else pipes up if you want to use all three together.

73,

Mark
W7MLG



On Thu, Dec 20, 2018 at 1:21 PM John Pierce  wrote:

> I recently purchased a KPA500 with the cable to connect to the KX3.   Can
> someone tell me where the plugs on cable that connects the  KPA100 amp plug
> into the KX3?  I have been told that that cable can be used to connect to
> the KPA500 without the frequency control.
>
>
>
> John
>
> Ad2F
>
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 drifting downwards

[Mark Goldberg]

What is your menu setting for MIC BTN? If it is set to UP.DN and used with
a non Elecraft mic without up/down buttons, it may trigger the frequency
change. Try changing the setting to PTT.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Wed, Dec 5, 2018 at 6:41 AM André ..  wrote:

> Hello to everyone .
>
> I have a brandnew KX3 and have the following problem .
>
> Using the KX3 in SSB or CW mode then he start to drift downwards with 1Khz
> almost every time when the KX3 going in TX mode  (push the mic or footswith
> or  the keyer ) .
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] 1.5V recharchable AA cells for KX3?

[Mark Goldberg]

Amazon reviews are not good for similar cells of the same brand, lots of
references to them popping and leaking chemicals out, sometimes even with
the supposed right charger. They also are reported to lose capacity quickly
with a few discharge cycles. I also expect that 3000 mAh is an
exaggeration.  I would not risk my expensive radio with them.

I just use external 4 cell LiFePO4 packs, still going strong after may
years and discharge cycles. Voltage holds up throughout the discharge cycle.

73,

Mark
W7MLG



On Wed, Oct 10, 2018 at 9:51 AM Bob N3MNT  wrote:

> I have not used them, however I looked at them and the discharge curve
> shows
> a very steep drop in output voltage very early on in the discharge cycle
> (15%).  Also having to remove them continually increases the potential to
> damage the ribbon cable. so I choose to stick with Eneloops
>
>
>
> --
> Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 - Static IPv4 address

[Mark Goldberg]

I have to second the VPN solution. I have a similar setup with an incoming
VPN. You can be anywhere in the world with a computer or mobile device and
connect to your home network and have access to everything as if you are
there.

I also use OpenVPN, but on a larger Linux computer. It also can be run on a
router with DD-WRT or even on a commercial router designed for this
purpose. There are other VPNs also.

If you do port forwarding, anyone on the internet can access your KPA1500.
As far as I can tell, it is not meant to be connected to the internet.
There is no security or password protection. And, someone will figure out
how to do bad things. There are just people like that out there. I
generally think port forwarding is a BAD IDEA! Many security and baby
cameras that use port forwarding have been hacked. There are even automatic
search engines to find them.

A VPN on the other hand provides pretty good security. The VPN server runs
on a computer on your network. A client runs on the remote device. It
generally requires something you know (a password) and something you have
(a digital certificate on the client ). So, for anyone to get in, they need
both your client device and the password. You can revoke a stolen digital
certificate and create another if needed. There have been vulnerabilities
on VPNs, but they get patched and if you keep updated, you are certainly
better off than using port forwarding.

There are a couple drawbacks though. Your ISP may block some incoming
connections. I also would say that I did successfully set it up, and it has
worked for years with no problems, but it was not simple. There are
cookbooks to do so, but they are long cookbooks. A commercial router with
this capability may be better if you don't feel so inclined..

Good luck in whatever you do.

73,

Mark
W7MLG




On Wed, Sep 19, 2018 at 9:34 AM, Lynn W. Taylor, WB6UUT <
kx...@coldrockshotbrooms.com> wrote:

> I have a Raspberry Pi 3 running OpenVPN to solve exactly this kind of
> problem.
>
> OpenVPN lets you connect remotely from the outside world and actually get
> an IP off of your own LAN.
>
> The best thing about this is you aren't opening ports that *might* be
> vulnerable to some exploit -- other than the Pi, but at least it's a single
> point of attack.
>
> You don't have to be a Linux expert to do this, you can pretty much do
> this in cookbook fashion successfully.
>
> Once installed, you also get access to any NAS boxes, your home printer,
> etc. from anywhere -- the VPN is just like a really long ethernet cable.
>
> Eventually, I'll get FLDIGI running on the Pi, when time permits, and have
> everything I need to run digital from anywhere inside or outside my home.
>
> 73 -- Lynn
>
>
> On 9/19/2018 8:30 AM, John Langdon wrote:
>
>> I set the IP by using the facility in my router to assign a fixed IP to a
>> MAC address. Using the "KPA1500 remote" software I can access the amp on
>> the local LAN via Ethernet or via the USB connection.
>>
>> I have not been able to access it remotely via the Ethernet interface by
>> forwarding an external port to the KPA1500 IP address and port, so I use
>> the USB interface and then Windows desktop connection to accomplish remote
>> control. This is okay for one person access, which is all I need.  The
>> software should provide multi-user access, but I have not been able to
>> achieve that so far.
>>
>> 73 John N5CQ
>>
>>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
>> On Behalf Of Burl Borcherding
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2018 7:46 AM
>> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>> Subject: [Elecraft] KPA1500 - Static IPv4 address
>>
>> Is it possible to set a static IP address on this amp?  I am thinking
>> using one of my static IPv4 address and port 1500.  This would eliminate
>> the local /server computer.
>> Or is there a better method of using remote K3, KPA1500 and RemoteRig?  I
>> want to be able to use the KPA1500 app to monitor the amp.
>>
>> Burl,  AJ9Q
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 TX Calib Dummy Load Recommendations

[Mark Goldberg]

A good one that you know is 50 ohms over the range of frequencies and power
you want to use it at. Unfortunately, any particular model may be good or
bad, depending on how it has been used or abused. Is there any way you can
get access to an analyzer to determine if the dummy load is good? I have a
Vector Network Analyzer, but few hams will have one of those.

Also, if you really want to do a real calibration, you should have a
calibrated reference to check against. Lots of devices can be 5-10% off if
not calibrated, worse if abused or damaged. A Bird meter is only specified
to I think 5% of the full scale. So if it is a 200W full scale, it could be
10W off. So 100W might read 110W or 90W.  I've got a calibrated Spectrum
Analyzer and Signal Generator that I use to calibrate all my other stuff
against, but again, few Hams will have similar or spend to keep them in
calibration.

In general, oil filled dummy loads with fins like the Birds shown lower on
this page are going to be good, but expensive:

https://www.birdrf.com/Products/Test%20and%20Measurement/Loads/Coaxial-Terminations.aspx

You can find similar ones used, hopefully not abused and not filled with
PCBs.

I've got a similar one that must be decades old and it works well and is
pretty close to 50 ohms over the HF range. I have not opened it to see what
it is filled with!

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Sat, Aug 25, 2018 at 4:09 PM, Steve Lawrence via Elecraft <
elecraft@mailman.qth.net> wrote:

> What are recommended dummy loads to consider for use when running the K3
> TX Calibration?
>
> Thanks - Steve WB6RSE
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Re: [Elecraft] [KPA1500] Auto start KPA1500-Remote in host mode ?

[Mark Goldberg]

Take a look at Autohotkey. It is a scripting language for Windows that can
do things like simulate key presses and mouse clicks, and a whole bunch
more. If you can write it in their scripting language and compile it to an
executable, that can be run on startup. I use it to automate the
interactions of multiple programs.

I have an example script for checking the state of check boxes  and sending
mouse clicks to my Perseus SDR control panel here:

https://sites.google.com/site/spectrumlabtesting/home/resetperseus-exe

Maybe you can do something similar. If you can program, you can do it in
their scripting language.

If you mark your internet connection as a metered connection, Windows 10
will delay most updates. You can manually trigger the updates or change to
unmetered to run them.


I hope this helps.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Wed, Aug 15, 2018, 11:44 AM Warren Merkel wrote:

> I'm looking to get the KPA1500-Remote utility to survive these darn
> Windows 10 forced reboots after Windows Update.   I can get the KPA1500
> Remote utility to auto-start FB after a reboot.
>
> However, it doesn't remember it was in "Host Remote" mode and just comes
> up waiting for mouse clicks that will never come -- since it's on an
> unattended PC running RCForb.  I'm using it in "Ethernet" mode, though
> the KPA1500's USB cable is also connected to the same PC for RCForb.
>
> There doesn't seem to be any command line options yet, or at least
> nothing is documented or listed from a /h, /help, or /? command line
> parameter.
>
> Am I missing something in the setup dialogs?
>
> Other observations:
>
> When the "Start Hosting Remote" command button is clicked, I get the
> warning dialog: "IP Address Appears not to be a Local IP or Invalid IP..."
>
> My IP addresses are sane as both the PC and the KPA1500  have valid
> addresses in the 192.168.x.x address space.  Could this warning dialog
> be getting in the way of the auto-start of Hosting Remote mode.
>
> The process name shows up in task list as "KPA500-Remote", though I know
> it's really the KPA1500 version of the app.
>
> Constructive suggestions welcomed.
>
> KPA1500 Remote version 1.0.14.0
>
> Warren Merkel, KD4Z
>
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] HRD slow accessing K3 frequency controls

[Mark Goldberg]

Can you try the K3 utility and talk directly to the K3 and eliminate HRD
from the picture? You could try the Windows and Linux versions and compare
operation. Someone else may have to suggest what operation would exercise
the interface. I would NOT try a firmware upgrade, try something innocuous
that still transmits a lot of data. I don't have a K3, so can't suggest
what that could be.

Check for hard disk issues. I have seen long pauses with a bad hard disk
that worked but had to retry many times before working. You did say you
tried another SSD, but was the original disk still plugged in?

Linux has much better hard disk diagnostics and you can do a SMART self
test.

Check your serial cable, maybe try a different one.

Swap serial ports and see if that makes a difference.

That's all I can think of for now.

73,

Mark
W7MLG




On Wed, Aug 8, 2018 at 9:13 PM, Bill  wrote:

> Computer has a serial board with two ports. One for the K3 (P3) and one
> for the 480. Not used for anything else. No adapters.
>
> Pulled a two month old backup SSD out of the safe. No go - did not work
> then either.
>
> I am sure the computer is busy doing something - which I don't know about
> - causing a resource hog delay.
>
> This is why 99% of the time, I am running Linux Mint. But, the number of
> programs that really are good for ham radio and work on Linux is small.
> Most of the stuff is garbage. So I keep Windows around.
>
> I did find an Apple driver update - took it out and noticed no difference.
>
> This is becoming one of those things that is taking more time than it is
> worth. I think this is how MS wear their customers down. Long live Linux!
>
> Bill W2BLC
>
>
>
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[Elecraft] KXUSB Signal Levels Was: Re: Connecting a KXUSB to the K2 RS232

[Mark Goldberg]

HI, can you confirm that the KXUSB uses TTL signal levels rather than
standard RS232 levels? I got an extra one with my PX3 and repurposed it to
talk to a GPSDO that requires TTL serial levels and it seems to work fine.
I just put a 3.5mm TRS jack on the GPSDO.

73,

Mark
W7MLG


On Mon, Aug 6, 2018 at 8:01 AM, Don Wilhelm  wrote:

> Hans,
>
> Do not connect a standard serial cable or a USB to serial adapter to the
> K2 AUX IO connector - keep in mind that it is not labeled "RS-232" for a
> reason.
>
> Yes, you can make an adapter to connect the KXUSB to the K2.  A 3.5mm jack
> and a DE9 male connector as well as 3 wires are needed.
> Connect the KXUSB tip to the DE9 pin 3, the ring to pin 2 and the Sleeve
> to pin 5.
>
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