Re: [Elecraft] Spectrogram download site and Virus issues
A few days ago I stopped using both the Microsoft products on several machines here after Microsoft unexpectedly baselined both Defender and Essentials and gave several interviews disclosing they did not match the performance of packages by other vendors. You might want to take a look at what the Microsoft spokesman said. It was certainly a shock to me, and I received an even greater shock when I looked at recent test results. Even the free AVG and Avast products ran rings around Essentials and Defender. I am going to paste in a link, but if it does not work you can search on Microsoft Admits That Security Essentials Is Just a Basic Anti-Virus Product which brings up the Softpedia report on the Microsoft statement. Softpedia Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bill Johnson Sent: Friday, November 08, 2013 6:51 PM To: k...@arrl.net; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Spectrogram download site and Virus issues I suggest using MS Security Essentials, or in Win 8, Windows Defender which is built in. All the other stuff is bloat ware and will not stop a desktop infection when clicking on free stuff or fixes for you PC. Good luck! 73, Bill __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Noisy K3 receiver
I have K3 envy but use an Orion and, as with Van, I have an FT2000 and am a member of that reflector. Until a death-by-lightning incident I also had an FT1000MP. One of the frequently heard complaints on the 2000 and sometimes the Orion reflector is that the Orion is noisy compared to either an MP or 2K. I don't find that to be the case unless I am using too much RF gain with the Orion but quite a few others dont agree. I recall that in early runs of the MP there were many complaints about audio hiss, and InRad had a fix which was a simple audio BW roll-off cap. I suspect Yaesu may have included a similar change in later MP's and MKV's as those complaints stopped. The idea was to eliminate any white noise in the phones when the antenna input was disconnected. That noise was coming from an audio stage. I am very interested in seeing where the K3 noise thread leads. 73 Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jan Erik Holm Sent: Saturday, December 19, 2009 10:12 AM Cc: Elecraft List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Noisy K3 receiver Well something isn´t right or different from other radios. There are radios with lower MDS that sounds much quieter then the K3. Here we have proposals to turn of preamp and make MDS even higher. Not logical and state of the art to me. So again, I know there are receivers with lower MDS then the K3 that sounds much more quiet. IMO something is going on but I can´t put my fingers on it and I don´t have the time to investigate. And believe you me with the experience I do have in the performance of a multitude of different radios going back in to the 60´ties I know what I´m talking about. It´s been most interesting to read some of the comments, maybe something can come out of it and things can be fixed. merry xmas Jim SM2EKM - Don Wilhelm wrote: will return the K3 to full gain. You are correct in reducing the RF Gain to the point where the band noise is reduced. I trust you are also using the attenuator and have the preamp off because these are stages prior to the mixer and will have a greater impact on the band noise reduction than the RF Gain which operates at the IF. For those who have noisy reception, do a trial at a spot in each HF band where there are no signals present - first turn off the preamp, and then if noise is still present and bothersome, turn on the attenuator, then lastly reduce the RF Gain. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Driveway Distortion Demolition Derby
Guy- That's a nice response to a really ridiculous complaint. 73 Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Guy Olinger, K2AV Sent: Tuesday, May 05, 2009 9:50 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Driveway Distortion Demolition Derby Two 100w mobiles in the same driveway and expecting linear response from the RX in one while transmitting on the other? Talking about volts across the antenna jack (or any of the connecting cables) here. Who's the EE? S9 is 50 uv. 1 volt = 20 log 1/ .50 = 86 over S9. Maybe ten volts on the antenna. That's 106 over S9. Hearing some kind of distortion on a 100 over S9 signal is some kind of desperately grave trouble in a K3 trouble worth attention? Really want Wayne spend precious development time figuring that out? Personally I vote for 10 Hz granularity on CW using width and shift. Thought the customary form of communication from thirty feet was audio off the lips. Need 100 watts on 60m to communicate thirty feet? Audio distortion could be the driveway version of RF in the shack. 10 volts externally imposed RF wandering around on your cable of choice is a formula for wierdness no matter where the station. Someone is really lucky they didn't smoke something. And if the K3 did get toasted in this driveway radio demolition derby, that would be the K3's fault too, right? Double fault, K3 was distorting the audio while the front end was being roasted. Bad K3. Bad K3. Some of the radios bandied about earlier were specifically designed in World War II to survive conditions related to an enemy was trying to kill the operator. I'd call that a design standard specifically requested and paid for. Since one tank could be next to another, I'd call that reasonable. Such radios ARE still made and paid for. You really want to go pay for military grade radios, you can get them, at a price far exceeding the MSRP for a K3. Use a kilowatt in your driveway. No problem. Use 10 kw in your driveway like the CB powerfests. No problem. Personally I'd like to keep the features I pay for confined to peacetime, and it does not occur to me as good practice to be transmitting high power in the same driveway with another radio on-band with a tuned antenna. Others may see it differently but I consider the situation in the first paragraph as being careless with a friend's property. We have contest stations with such situations possible, but we use filters, stubs, remote receiving antennas, etc, to make it possible to operate with nowhere near a volt on-band. Sometimes use radios borrowed from friends, and guess who pays to repair a smoked front-end, and guess which embarrassed soul has to explain same to friend. Whether the audio was distorted in a smoke-it episode is really a low grade consideration. 73, Guy. __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] Your Opinion: The realities of QRP vs. QRO
I'd say on 160m that although DXCC is possible (or was possible in the past) on 160m, a high percentage of the contacts I have made on that band are not possible with QRP. If there is a relatively common DXCC entity (who needs another DL?) the odds are good for QRP given good conditions. If it's a rare one near the noise floor and you aren't lucky enough to be the first to hear it and if conditions are not ideal, you are going to have to crack a pileup--and if you are not QRO there is little chance of that on 160m. That is my experience--which is of course subjective. But you can be a little more objective if you look at the 160m DXCC list maintained my ARRL. Start at the top and work down till you find a few QRP operators. There are none for a long, long time. The thrill of working BY on 160m at 1.5 kw is to me just as satisfying as working 3A on 160m with 5w. They are just very different activities, both a lot of fun. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Steve Ellington Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 9:33 AM To: dw; Elecraft_List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Your Opinion: The realities of QRP vs. QRO Obviously a troll. Steve Ellington n...@carolina.rr.com - Original Message - From: dw bw...@fastmail.fm To: Elecraft_List elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 7:34 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Your Opinion: The realities of QRP vs. QRO A few years back in our little farming community, there was a fellow whose name was Francis. Francis was an avid hunter. At this time, the rumor went around the community that Francis had been fined for deer jacking. Out of his truck one night, with a spot light, he took a shot at a plastic deer planted by game wardens. Soon it became a joke...Sir Francis the deer slayer. Something within me seemed to understand Francis' point of view. He was a pragmatist... He had little interest in the thrill of the hunt. He was focused on the efficiency of the catch. Although QRO is far from illegal, it does seem to be somewhat more focused on the efficiency of the catch than the thrill of the hunt. So there is a certain un-romantic reality to QRO vs. QRP. I'm wondering, what percentage of contacts you've made QRO, that you would estimate as not attainable QRP. I hope I didn't break the list rules getting off-topic with the story :~/ -- dw d...@sover.net __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.0.237 / Virus Database: 270.11.8/1985 - Release Date: 03/05/09 07:54:00 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K3 receiver desensing on CW during contest
It seems that soundcard based AFCW has become popular with some contesters, for reasons which elude me. There is great opportunity to transmit wide, distorted cw signals if things are poorly adjusted. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gregory Fischer Sent: Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:59 PM To: K2MK Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 receiver desensing on CW during contest This is more than likely due to dirty signals on the TX end. I was using a QS1R connected to the K3 IF and measured the width of some of the strong signals. Some were as wide as 2.6 kHz Not very good for a CW signal. In this case there is just not much you can do. 73 Greg AB7R On Feb 22, 2009, at 4:45 PM, K2MK wrote: I had a great time with my K3 during the ARRL DX contest. I do SP and I was trolling around with my filter width at 50Hz. Absolutely outstanding. The auto spot is equally outstanding. At 50Hz width it was quite clear that many stations call off frequency. Using RIT, I could see that it was typical for them to be 70Hz or more away from the DX station but I could not hear them in my 50Hz passband. The real problem was when one of them was S9 or greater. They completely swamped weaker DX stations. Sound within the passband just blanked out. No band noise and no DX station. And there was no recovery between dits and dahs. It was actually easier to copy the DX station when people were calling directly on top of him. You could at least hear him between the dits. (Obviously if I was calling CQ instead of SP I would have a wider passband and I would have just worked the stronger off frequency station). For my style of operating this was a disappointment. I tried AGC-F and AGC-S but I forgot to try AGC off. I also varied the AGC THR and AGC SLP. I tried NR off and on. (I was not using NB). I tried PRE and ATT off and on. I tried riding the RF gain. I tried shifting the passband but shift doesn't work well when the width is only 50Hz. Nothing helped. I also tried opening up the passband. That didn't help either but I don't remember the results. This was not a one time thing. It happened at least 20 different times on different bands. I guess this is perfectly normal. I was just wondering what operational trick is available to compensate. 73, Mike K2MK __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] OT - What logging programs interface to LOTW
Logic interfaces with LOTW and eqsl. 73 Bob W2WG _ From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Lee Buller Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 10:41 PM To: Jim Miller; Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT - What logging programs interface to LOTW Any program that uses Cabrillo or ADI file structure. But, I think DX Suite actually interfaces with either eQSL or LoTW. It will actually go out and get your QSOs, but I have very little experience running the program. Just messed with it. Lee K0WA In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense. Is Common Sense divine? --- On Sun, 1/18/09, Jim Miller jimmil...@stl-online.net wrote: From: Jim Miller jimmil...@stl-online.net Subject: [Elecraft] OT - What logging programs interface to LOTW To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net Date: Sunday, January 18, 2009, 8:47 PM Which logging and/or radio control programs interface with LOTW? I use LOTW so little that it is a HUGE hassle every time I try it but I am hoping to get more time to spend playing radio. I am hoping that the radio interface/control programs will generally support an easy interface to LOTW. Thanks es 73, de Jim KG0KP - K3 #1442 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (6.0.0.386) Database version: 5.11560 http://www.pctools.com/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor-antivirus/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] K3 - DSP ringing on CW SSB
I'm not disagreeing with Julian at all but wanted to toss out some related ideas. The noise you hear does become colored as you crank down a properly designed DSP filter--and centered on the filter freq. On the other hand some poorly designed filters are excited by energy near the center freq and do ring. I have a rice box reviewed in a recent QST, and the review pointed out the filter is so bad at 100Hz and below it becomes unusable. A little noise crackle and ringing like a bell begins and does not drop much for a few seconds--tough on high speed cw. Another phenomenon to consider is aliasing. This has popped up in a few versions of Orion software causing ghost signals to appear in the subreceiver. I was recently amused to find an audio discussion of this in which someone commented about a ghost band playing. Here's a link http://www.dsprelated.com/showmessage/24519/1.php . I would really be surprised if the K3 had any of these problems. So far I haven't bought one but I am creeping up to it. Julian, I really like your VOAProp package. 73 Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Julian, G4ILO Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2008 9:17 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 - DSP ringing on CW SSB Perhaps I don't understand the meaning of the term 'ringing' but it seems to me that on any radio when you use a narrow filter you hear a sort of ringing noise that has a pitch of the frequency the filter is centered on. It's an inevitable result of the fact that you are not hearing an even distribution of noise across the whole audio spectrum, but a narrow segment of noise whose amplitude distribution follows the shape of the filter. In other words, I think it's normal. - Julian, G4ILO. K2 #392 K3 #222. http://www.g4ilo.com/ G4ILO's Shack http://www.ham-directory.com/ Ham Directoryhttp://www.g4ilo.com/kcomm.html KComm for Elecraft K2 and K3 -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/K3---DSP-ringing-on-CW---SSB-tp793827p794022.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com E-mail message checked by Spyware Doctor (5.5.1.322) Database version: 5.10590e http://www.pctools.com/en/spyware-doctor/ ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Solder shelf life (flux)?
I just finished off a roll of Kester which was probably more than 10 years old. It was good to the end. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mike Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2007 9:43 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Solder shelf life (flux)? Does solder eventually go bad? I'm sure the metal components don't, but I wonder about the flux. I'm talking about a span of many years. I'm using Multicore MM00979. What I'm using now is fresh, but I'm placing a Newark order for other stuff and thought I might include some more solder if it doesn't spoil. Thanks. -- 73, Mike, KC0KBC Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB Elecraft KX1 #1819 (in work), XG2 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Hearing CW - Fundamental Keying Waveform?
As long as we are discussing hearing cw I'd like to ask a question that has been bothering me for many years. I am very sensitive to chirp, and that is not what I am referring to. When I listen to a good cw signal in the range of about 20-35 wpm I heard the dots and dashes as at slightly different frequencies. This may simply be some sort of psychological quirk unique to me. I am not even sure slightly different frequencies or tones is correct way to describe it. Realizing that I am not listening to a sinusoidal tone but sequences of short and long symbols and that long strings of dots will have wider sidebands than long strings of dashes, I wonder if this is relevant in any way. Most likely it is some sort of personal quirk. But I wonder if anyone on this reflector by any chance notices anything similar or has an explanation? Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Martin Gillen Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 9:13 AM To: elecraft Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Hearing CW - Fundamental Keying Waveform? Hmm, Any detectable chirp seems to drive some of today's ARRL Official Observers into near apoplexy but I enjoy hearing it! That's interesting. Which FCC or ARRL guideline mentions chirp, or otherwise attempts to regulate the keying waveform? I had a look through our Canadian guidelines: RIC 2 - Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service I can't find anything about chirp, although there is a clause about frequency stability, and I suppose that chirp could be defined as frequency stability over a period of time equivalent to a code element. But I rather think that it means drift and not chirp. So - as long as I keep to 6kHz bandwitdh and 1kHz on 30m, then it looks like I'm allowed to have chirp on my signal. Now where do I need to solder a small cap on the KX1 to introduce some nice distinctive chirp on my signal?... 73 Martin. VA3SIE. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise...
Dave- I bought a Graciella at Dayton so am very interested in this thread. Are you talking about Caig Deoxit or something else? Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David A. Belsley Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 10:21 PM To: Kenneth Moorman Cc: Elecraft Reflector Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise... I put the stuff on my keys a couple of years ago and haven't had any problems since. I think it will last indefinitely. I learned about the stuff on this reflector, so I suspect there are those with even longer experience who may want to chime in. best wishes, dave belsley, w1euy On May 24, 2006, at 9:54 PM, Kenneth Moorman wrote: Hi David, How long will the Deoxit treatment last? Thanks, Ken, NU4I - Original Message - From: David A. Belsley [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: n3drk [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 9:26 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali contacts - old thread reprise... A tenth-drop of Deoxit on the contacts will produce the same effect with no abrasion at all. best wishes, dave belsley, w1euy On - david a. belsley professor of economics ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Begali and K2
Is it true that the Pro III does not support Curtis Mode B? I have heard 90% of cw devotees use Mode B! Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rich McCabe Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 6:28 PM Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali and K2 Thanks Vic, Thats great info although most of it over my head :) The dilema I have now is I was considering ordering the new MicroHam USB keyer. It sounds like this might not be a good solution right now. To make things worse, I really am a novice at CW. I never have been very fast at it although I used to enjoy it. My last CW contact was... uh about 17 years ago. Never used anything but a straight key. So what do you think. I buy a Begali signature so now I really have to use it !! Bold move I know, but that usually works for me. Have you heard anything about the new material that Begali might be using (according to MicroHam)? I really thought a clean electrical contact was just that. Couldnt get any better ! I would like to be able to use the key on my Pro III as well but it does not support Mode B. For whatever reason I do better with that mode. 73, Rich kd0zv - Original Message - From: Vic K2VCO [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Rich McCabe [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, March 20, 2006 5:19 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Begali and K2 Rich McCabe wrote: I just bought a new Begali Signature to go with my K2/100. I was thinking about buying a MicroHam/K1EL USB CW keyer to work with my Pro III so I can run mode B. I just ran into this article about a debouncer and the Begali keys. http://www.microham-usa.com/Products/Begali.html This seems pretty wild to me, but thought I would toss it out the the CW Pros ! It seems the problem is related to PIC based keyers. Does this apply to the K2 and what do you think about the whole theory? To a smaller extent, yes it does. Here's an edited excerpt from a review of the Magnetic Pro (very similar to the Signature) that I wrote for eHam: The contact alloy behaves almost like a semiconductor, maintaining a constant forward voltage drop over a range of current. Measuring the contact resistance with an ohmmeter gives 'funny' readings; it's more interesting if your meter has a diode voltage drop range, such as my Fluke 79. Anyway, the result of this is that the key does not work properly with keyers like Winkey, which use a single PIC input and voltage divider to distinguish dots and dashes. Microham has actually developed an interface to solve this problem. More broadly, however, the contact resistance behavior causes intermittent problems with other keyers that do use separate PIC inputs, such as the Logikey K3 and the internal keyers in my Elecraft K2 and TS850s. This problem can be described as an intermittent 'misfire', in which there is a delay before dot or dash generation starts after the contacts are closed. I believe that the delay is caused by the time constant of the bypass capacitors and the variable contact resistance. The Microham device is reported to help with Winkey, but does not help with the Logikey K3 (I tried it). The delay seems to appear more frequently the more heavily you use the paddle, which I suspect has to do with the thickness of an oxide layer that develops on the contacts. If you let it sit for a while, the frequency of the problem decreases. The Begali keys can be ordered with gold contacts, which I recommend. It's possible to order replacement parts, but since the contacts are part of the movable arms, the cost of the replacement kit for my key was $78. I bit the bullet and ordered the kit; hopefully it will solve the problem. In the meantime, I'm using my old Bencher. Since you already have the key, I suggest that you try it and see how it works. Some people don't report a problem, in my opinion because they don't beat on it enough. -- 73, Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Coax Switch between two rigs (long)
If you yield to temptation and buy the Elecraft 1KW or 1.5 KW (almost here according to a well placed representative last night) amp, or if you use any amp, be VERY careful about switching as you describe. Of course most QRPers would not dream of defecting to the dark side, but a few do from time to time. The switches mentioned in this thread do not have any or tight specs on port to port isolation. Commercial switches such as the Transco's are speced at 50-60 db port isolation. I learned this after frying a transceiver front end with a consumer grade switch which did ground the unused terminal. A contesting buddy educated me about the need for a high isolation positive contact crossover or transfer switch. Another thing I have learned over the years is that most ground systems are RF hot to a certain extent in many very well built ham installations. For instance, W8JI, RF designer par excellence for DXEngineering and previously for many companies, tells me that despite his extensive ground system --with a ring surrounding his building ( his system is intended to protect the electronics from lightning attacking his 300' and smaller tower farm), his ground system is RF hot. Maybe I should say RF warm. What I mean is that if he (or I) look with a spectrum analyzer ( or listen with a receiver) at the RF noise that comes off a connection to the station ground, you find that the station ground may make a pretty decent RX antenna. The signals may be many dB down from what's coming off your wire or yagi, but they are there in areas with less than perfect earth. If your ground system shows signals 30-40dB down and you are QRO you may have a problem. I also found out about this the hard way. Just for fun, try connecting a short wire from the cover screw on an AC receptacle to a receiver input terminal. You might be surprised as to the signal pickup--including various power system noise sources. So if you are going to use rig switching, especially if using an amp, you do want to make sure that the switch shorts the unused transceiver input. There is a neat way to check whether you are going to experience a dangerous amount of RF pickup. If you can find a Radio Shack that still has and can find hobbyist parts, look for their grain of wheat miniature incandescent bulbs. They have some that are rated at 6v/25ma etc, but you want the one rated at 1.5V/25ma. Solder it to a coax connector and screw it into an unoccupied port on your switch. Crank up your tx/amp to the max power you are going to use and key the TX. Watch the bulb. If you see nothing from the lamp, you are ok. If you see a dull glow, be worried about just how consistent your switch is (I have an Alpha Delta--which I use now only for beverage switching) which shows variable performance, the reason for which is apparent if you open it up and look at the guts). If you see a bright glow or pop the bulb don't even think about using the switch. I have squirreled away the info somewhere, but one of the Beverage gurus has calculated that the typical modern rig is probably borderline with about 15ma being driven into the RX, either through a connection to a RX antenna like a beverage, or power flowing into the transceiver antenna connection when the transceiver is in the receive mode. By the way, that bulb in series with a RX antenna with back-to-back signal diodes across the RX antenna jack, makes a pretty decent protector/indicator when used in low-band dxing. I combined this with ON4UNs front end protection box and have found it very useful. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, March 01, 2006 10:17 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Coax Switch between two rigs The Daiwa CS201 DOES ground the unused terminal. Check it out. K3YT ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] QRP viability during solar cycle min?
I use the beacons as a propagation tool. Recently there have been many days when I can hear very few and no strong beacon signals on any band. On days like these you will be hard pressed to work dx on any band at any power. However from time to time at QRO you can make some surprising contacts. One I was pleased with lately was Singapore on 80m at sunset. That contact could not have been made at QRP. Interestingly enough the view of 10 years ago that when the HF bands are at their worst due to an inactive sun, 160m-40m will be at their best. This certainly seemed to be true a number of cycles back, but not in the last two cycles. During good propagation conditions it is possible to work good DX on 160m with 100W or somewhat less, but if you look at the leaders on the band they are nearly all QRO. I tend to park my QRP gear when the cycle goes sour and to use it a lot in better parts of a decent cycle. Nothing like the thrill of a long haul DX contact with QRP, but you may want to haul out a bigger rig or amp on many days till the sun starts being more active. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2006 4:07 PM To: Darwin, Keith Cc: Elecraft Discussion List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP viability during solar cycle min? Keith, If you want to hear how strong signals from a 100, 10 , 1 or 0.1 watt transmitter can be in real time, take a listen to the International Beacon Project stations on 20m through 10m. These beacons are located across the world, and transmit in sequence on each band. When it is a particular beacon's turn to transmit, it sends its call in CW followed by four long dashes - one at 100w followed by one at 10w, one at 1w and lastly one at 0.1mW. Then the next beacon does the same. Each beacon is given 10 seconds transmission time. The transmitters operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and somewhere I have the details of their antennas which I think are all omnidirectional verticals. Their frequencies are 14100, 18110, 21150, 24930 and 28200 kHz , and these beacons are a very useful 'tool' for catching band openings especially on 12m and 10m at this point in the solar cycle. It is surprising how often 10m is open even now but no ham signals are heard because everybody is listening, or is elsewhere. It is my belief that in working DX a very important thing is a good calling technique. A continental friend of mine runs 100mW, works DX on 40m, and it is a treat to hear him drop in his call whilst the mob catches its breath. 73, Geoff GM4ESD Keith, KD1E, wrote on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 5:19 PM K1 or K2. Hmmm, the debate continues. But wait, we're approaching a sunspot min. My antennas are pretty limited. I have a 28 foot vertical (fed with a tuner near the base) for 40 thru 15 and a dipole at 25 feet but that is about it. No towers, no high wires, no yagis. How limiting will 5 or 10 watts (even with that Elecraft Mojo) be under current conditions? Are we entering into conditions where QRP with simple antennas will become rather frustrating? Is it K2/100 time? - Keith KD1E - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers-Routers
I have recently moved to a new QTH and am slowly getting things in shape to get back on the air. I ran into a lot of nasty RFI problems. The previous owner had installed smart house wall switches throughout the house. They were supposed to control incandescent lamps only, but in fact they controlled fans, wall outlets, etc. Besides sending a few entertainment radios to the dump before I figured out what was going on, the RFI was horrendous. Gradually I removed them only to find I still had problems. While doing some electrical work an electrician found the signal injector for the system behind the main breaker panel, and that eliminated nearly all the noise. I should say nearly all the broadband noise, as I was left with birdies about every 30 kHz or so. Eventually I tracked those down to a Linksys Wireless G router, model wrt54gs. My previous Linksys bit the dust just before I moved, so I can't say if I would have heard the birdies from this one had I installed it in the old QTH. I have wireless and wired connections running off this router, and have helped the problem by installing ferrite on the power wart lead and all the data leads. But I have not been able to eliminate the rather broad birdies that seem to fall at nice dx frequencies. Has anyone on the reflector had such a problem and found a way to cure it? Searching on the internet I find that RFI from routers is a well known phenomenon, but I have seen no suggestions for curing the problem. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob - W5BIG Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 9:32 AM To: tom.w3qs; 'Elecraft Reflector' Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers Hi Tom, One major source of noise is the CRT monitor. It helps to make the screen display as uniform as possible, like a blank window or a plain background without texture. 73/ Bob - W5BIG - Original Message - From: tom.w3qs [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: 'Elecraft Reflector' elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 7:03 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers Good Morning Group, I am back on the air (4991) after nearly 20 years. The first thing I noticed was all the interference on 20 meters. Hetrodynes everywhere! What's going on? Took me a while to figure out that it was the computer - not there 20 years ago! So, other than removing it from the shack (ghastly thought) is there any font of wisdom on this subject or general guidance? Thanks and 73, Tom, W3QS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers-Routers
Hi, Ron- The smart home system was pretty elderly, having been installed about 1983, two owners back. The house has an alarm system, and when a sensor detected an intruder, it generated a coded output signal which went to the box hidden behind the breaker panel. The box in their generated a 2 part code that was put on a house wiring carrier signal and injected at the panel. The signal went throughout the house on the ac wiring and when it reached a smart switch with the right unit code and house code (maybe they were worried about doing things by mistake in the house next door) the switch would turn on a light in the vicinity of the suspected intrusion. Actually several signals would be sent so that several lights would be turned on. There were little bar slides on most of these switches allowing you to turn off the remote feature if you wanted. We also discovered a little remote control allowing you to turn on things remotely if you wanted. Some of the smart switches included a dimmer which could be operated by the remote control. It was the dimmer capability that caused me to send several things to the dump. The dimmers were designed for incandescent lights only drawing 500w or less, but the original electrician had wired them to the upper socket in many ac outlets. I guess the idea was to going into a room, hit the wall switch and use the dimmer to control table lamps plugged into the upper outlets. But the dimmer was never designed to handle fluorescents or switching power supplies, and I destroyed several things before finding I wanted to dump the smart system. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: ron [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 10:31 AM To: ROBERT CARROLL Cc: 'Elecraft Reflector' Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers-Routers Wow, good work Bob. Thank you for sharing it with us. I made my wife throw out all (2) the touch lamps and removed all dimmer switches. (It makes the radio dim) but never thought about the router causing birdies that I do have (always on your favorite freqs). Can you explain what the signal injector behind the panel was for? Ron wb1hga (still not entirely noise free, yet) ROBERT CARROLL wrote: I have recently moved to a new QTH and am slowly getting things in shape to get back on the air. I ran into a lot of nasty RFI problems. The previous owner had installed smart house wall switches throughout the house. They were supposed to control incandescent lamps only, but in fact they controlled fans, wall outlets, etc. Besides sending a few entertainment radios to the dump before I figured out what was going on, the RFI was horrendous. Gradually I removed them only to find I still had problems. While doing some electrical work an electrician found the signal injector for the system behind the main breaker panel, and that eliminated nearly all the noise. I should say nearly all the broadband noise, as I was left with birdies about every 30 kHz or so. Eventually I tracked those down to a Linksys Wireless G router, model wrt54gs. My previous Linksys bit the dust just before I moved, so I can't say if I would have heard the birdies from this one had I installed it in the old QTH. I have wireless and wired connections running off this router, and have helped the problem by installing ferrite on the power wart lead and all the data leads. But I have not been able to eliminate the rather broad birdies that seem to fall at nice dx frequencies. Has anyone on the reflector had such a problem and found a way to cure it? Searching on the internet I find that RFI from routers is a well known phenomenon, but I have seen no suggestions for curing the problem. Bob W2WG -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Bob - W5BIG Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 9:32 AM To: tom.w3qs; 'Elecraft Reflector' Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers Hi Tom, One major source of noise is the CRT monitor. It helps to make the screen display as uniform as possible, like a blank window or a plain background without texture. 73/ Bob - W5BIG - Original Message - From: tom.w3qs [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: 'Elecraft Reflector' elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 7:03 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Interference from Computers Good Morning Group, I am back on the air (4991) after nearly 20 years. The first thing I noticed was all the interference on 20 meters. Hetrodynes everywhere! What's going on? Took me a while to figure out that it was the computer - not there 20 years ago! So, other than removing it from the shack (ghastly thought) is there any font of wisdom on this subject or general guidance? Thanks and 73, Tom, W3QS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info
