Re: [Elecraft] Antenna tuning or matching unit

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Alan your explanation opens the door to erroneous conclusions. Frequently a
feed line does NOT have a low SWR by design. It is still a feed line in that
it carries RF from the transmitter site to the radiator with a minimum of
radiation from itself. A classic example is the Zepp antenna: a 1/2 wave
long radiator fed at one end with a 1/4 wavelength long open wire feed line.
The SWR on the feed line is intentionally very high because its function is
to translate the very high impedance at the end of the radiator to a low
impedance easily handled by the transmitter, nowadays generally using a
matching network commonly called a "tuning unit" since modern transmitters
are designed for a 50 ohm non-reactive load. 

Another example is a wire radiator fed at the center with open wire feed
line for operation on a variety of bands. Again the SWR in the feed line
will be very high, depending upon the length of the radiator, the length of
the feed line and the frequency of operation. But, using a feed line with an
impedance of 450 to 600 ohms, the SWR in a real-world H.F. installation
where the radiator is at least 1/2 wavelength long at the lowest frequency
of operation, the SWR on the open wire feed line will not exceed about 20:1
so the losses will be very low. The real advantage to this setup is that the
matching network can be in the shack and within easy reach of the operator
instead of being mounted remotely at the center of the radiator. 

I present the use of 50 ohm coaxial line without a matching network as a
"special case" where it possible to design a radiator or system of radiators
that presents an impedance at its feed point that is a close enough match to
50 ohms without the network. However, using a low-impedance like such as the
common coax means we must pay special attention to the SWR on the feed line
to avoid excessive losses. For example, with 50 ohm coax in an HF
installation, it is easy to realize an SWR of greater than 100:1 and very
high losses. In such a case a matching network at the transmitter will not
reduce the feed line losses.   

73, Ron AC7AC


On 2/20/2018 8:16 PM, Alan B via Elecraft wrote:
> This all depends on what is meant by antenna tuning.
> When teaching newbies the wrong phrase can cause problems that are not
seen till later.
> Antennas are tuned with wire cutters or a hacksaw so the feed impedance is
the desired value, ideally 50 ohm resistive or at least a match for the
feeder concerned.
> Of course that is not always practical so an antenna matching unit brings
the antenna or antenna plus feeder input impedance to the value wanted by
the transmitter.
> Too often I have seen students believe the ATU alters the current and
voltage distribution on the antenna so it looks exactly like the
distribution on a dipole of the correct length for the frequency concerned.
> Granted the currents and voltages might change as the ATU is adjusted but
that does not make the antenna radiate more efficiently. The reflection at
the feeder/antenna junction is unchanged.
> In training we use the term antenna matching unit, AMU, to avoid best we
can the students starting off with the wrong impression.
> Amongst ourselves we can get away with slack terminology, we all know what
is meant; in front of trainees it is a different story.

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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Antenna Analyzer Program

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

" The common terminology is such a disaster that it is tiring to fight it." 

Too right! 

73, Ron AC7AC


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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Antenna Analyzer Program

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Fred, isn't that where the antenna starts, or are you limiting "antenna" to 
mean the radiator itself?

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Monday, February 19, 2018 3:52 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX2 Antenna Analyzer Program

Antenna Z?  I think you meant "Impedance at the ATU antenna connector?"

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 2/19/2018 3:02 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
> I’m pretty sure that Wizkers:Radio can do an SWR scan. I did that with an 
> earlier version of the program.
>
> http://wizkers.github.io/wizkers-doc/ins/elecraft-kx3/
>
> An antenna analyzer does a lot more, but an SWR scan is handy.
>
> Hmm, because you can read back the L-C combinations from the ATU, you could 
> estimate the antenna Z from the conjugate match. That would be a lot more 
> like an antenna analyzer.
>
> wunder
> K6WRU
> Walter Underwood
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>

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Re: [Elecraft] Old Posts

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

FWIW, this is not the ONLY list getting tons of old messages, so it is not 
Ele-specific. Another that I am familiar with is QRP-L.

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kev Schache
Sent: Wednesday, February 7, 2018 12:04 PM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Old Posts

I'm also receiving the old posts

KevVK5KS

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Re: [Elecraft] Re who would spend 30 hours building a k2?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

If you are interested in building as well as operating it's a pleasant
experience. Just like a 10 mile hike, you do it one simple, easy step at a
time. 

Those who seem to have had trouble just wanted a K2 to operate and tried to
put the kit together as quickly as possible without double-checking their
work at each step along the way. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W4EDN
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2018 4:52 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Re who would spend 30 hours building a k2?

I bought a used k2 and just spent 12 hrs building a Kant-100.
The k2 looks like a bigger challenge .
Mine had the 100w amp included.
Bill

Sent from my iPod
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Re: [Elecraft] Who would spend 30 hours+ building an Elecraft K2? (plus: special pricing)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

First licensed in 1952, I've never felt as good operating any rig as one I
built myself, either from scratch like my first Novice rig or at the very
least from a kit. 

I still remember running net control during a Civil Defense exercise from
W6CV in Southern CA, a station owned by a good friend with a beautiful
collection of National and E.F. Johnson equipment and, after the exercise
was over as I drove home in my '47 Studebaker eagerly looking forward to
putting my homebrew 6L6 oscillator on the air in the 80 meter novice band.
Doing that was more exciting because I had worked out the circuit from an
old handbook and built it on an salvaged chassis, complete with a tank coil
made out of (door) bell wire wound on a circle of nails. 

My station was completed with a homebrew superhet - several of them over
time. 

Because of that background my K2, built in 1999, is still my favorite rig in
spite of the K3S it shares my shack with. I was an eager participant in many
of the upgrades it got in the first few years, happy to modify the circuits
and do the required testing.  

For SOME of us, the "magic" of cobbling together the parts, working out the
circuit, building and putting a rig on the air is more important than our
contest scores or DXCC standing. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2018 6:29 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Who would spend 30 hours+ building an Elecraft K2?
(plus: special pricing)

Howdy,

Thanks Wayne for the look back. Great stuff! 

Like others, my K2 is not for sale. No matter what other rigs may grace my
shack, the K2 stays. Nope, I didn't build it (I'm all thumbs), but, besides
being a super performer and just tons of fun, being a gift from my first
guide dog upon his retirement (with help, naturally, from other humans), it
has huge sentimental value. Thanks Karl. 

Come to think of it, I think Elecraft has been something of a tradition for
important milestones. The KX1, I got when I went to Ukraine to adopt our
daughter in 2004. It's now living with a longtime friend and partner in
mischief. The KX3 I got myself as a 25th hamiversary gift. What's next? 

Vy 73,

--
Buddy (a fake ham) Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Mobile (preferred): (814)
431-0962
Phone: (814) 860-3194
Email: bu...@brannan.name
"We are all just walking each other home." 



> On Jan 26, 2018, at 7:02 PM, Bill Frantz  wrote:
> 
> I have always thought that real hams build their own equipment and uber
hams design and build their own equipment. I guess that makes Wayne a uber
ham.
> 
> 73 Bill AE6JV
> 
> ---
> Bill Frantz| If the site is supported by  | Periwinkle
> (408)356-8506  | ads, you are the product.| 16345 Englewood Ave
> www.pwpconsult.com |  | Los Gatos, CA 95032
> 
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> bu...@brannan.name

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Re: [Elecraft] UHF connectors [was: Array Solutions Lightning Arrestor]

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It's important to remember that when the "UHF" (239 series) connectors were
developed, UHF meant 28 MHz! Almost no work was being done at over 100 MHz
and the FCC did not even care what one did over 300 MHz: My 1941 ARRL
handbook shows that Hams could do whatever they wanted at such absurdly high
frequencies, nor does the handbook show how to produce RF above the 112 MHz
band (112 became 144 MHz when the FCC reorganized the early TV channel
allocations.)  

That changed very quickly during WWII. Wars do have a habit of spurring
technological development. But the name "UHF" stuck with the SO and PL 239
connectors. As Alan points out, they are quite useful up into what we call
VHF and possibly low UHF today.  

73, Ron AC7AC 

 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Alan
Sent: Tuesday, January 23, 2018 3:18 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] UHF connectors [was: Array Solutions Lightning Arrestor]

On 01/23/2018 11:05 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
> On 1/23/2018 10:29 AM, Walter Underwood wrote:
...
>> But I mostly like them better because they are engineered instead of 
>> a historical accident.:-)
> 
> The technical superiority of N-connectors for use at HF is a wild 
> exaggeration, to the extent of being an urban myth. Yes, there is a 
> SMALL impedance difference at a junction, but it simply doesn't matter 
> at 6M and below, both because the difference in Zo is relatively 
> small, because the length is small as a fraction of a wavelength, and 
> because as frequency increases, small mismatches are reduced by the 
> loss in the feedline (and NOT loss due to mismatch).
> 
> There is, of course, a FICTIONAL loss called "mismatch loss," which 
> shows up in the lab with test equipment that is carefully engineered 
> to have 50 ohm output Z.  ...
Yup.  Here is a posting I made 25 years ago that has actual data:


From: ... (Alan Bloom)

Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1992 23:03:13 GMT

Subject: The Truth about UHF Connectors

Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA

Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc



Ya gotta feel sorry for UHF connectors. Recent strings on this notes

group lambasted them as worthless at VHF and above, and barely tolerable

at HF. One poster called them "5 dB attenuators", and many agreed that

there must be some sort of conspiracy among ham equipment manufacturers

to inflict such garbage connectors on the amateur community.



Today I finally remembered to bring some UHF adapters from home so I

could do some relative measurements of UHF versus type-N.  As expected,

the type-N showed lower insertion loss at high frequencies, but the UHF

connectors were hardly "5 dB attenuators."



For the test I connected an HP8753 RF network analyzer through two short

BNC cables into the following arrangement:

_________

   |   |  | BNC female |  | N female- |  | N male to  |  |   |

__| 10 dB |__| to N male  |__| N female  |__| BNC female |__| 10 dB |__

   | Atten.|  | adapter|  | adapter   |  | adapter|  | Atten.|

   |___|  ||  |___|  ||  |___|



Then I repeated the measurement with the N adapters replaced with UHF.

I normalized the measurements by replacing the 3 adapters with a BNC

double-female. (That is, this was assumed to have 0 dB loss.)



Since two N or UHF adapters were used, I assume the loss per connector

is half the total. The vertical scale was .1 dB/division, so I estimated

the insertion loss to the nearest .01 dB or so:



 - Type N    -- UHF --

FREQ (MHz)  TOTAL  LOSS PER CONNECTOR   TOTAL  LOSS PER CONNECTOR

1.8 0 dB   0 dB 0 dB   0 dB

30  0  00  0

100 0  00  0

150 0  00.02   0.01

200 0  00.03   0.015

450 0  00.18   0.09

600 0  00.26   0.13

900 0  00.66   0.33

10000.05   0.0250.80.4

13000.10.05 0.86   0.43

16000.05   0.0250.50.25

20000.05   0.0250.02   0.01



Insertion loss increases until about 1300 MHz, and then starts to

decrease until it is almost zero for the UHF connector at 2 GHz!  At

that frequency, the connectors are about 1/4 wave long (1 inch,

assuming .66 velocity factor), so I assume that the two adapters are

providing a conjugate match to each other. This confirms my assumption

that the insertion loss is due to reflections (impedance mismatch), not

absorption (true power loss).



Bottom line: UHF connectors work fine through the VHF range, and are not

too bad even on the 420 MHz band if you can stand about .1 dB mismatch

loss per conn

Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 Questions about power and efficiency

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

First, let me assure you that with 19 years experience working with Elecraft, 
running (and sometimes abusing) their gear while writing many of the Elecraft 
manuals, they ALWAYS use very conservative designs. There is no reason 
whatsoever to run less than 500 watts with the KPA500 in terms of operating 
life of the FETs or anything else in the amplifier. 

With respect to your measurements, I've not done them on my KPA500 but note 
that the output filters are designed for maximum efficiency at the full rated 
power. As you change power output, you change the output impedance of the 
finals so it is no longer optimum for the output filters so the finals will not 
be as efficient at the lower power levels. That's usually of no consequence 
because the total heat generated by the finals will always be well within their 
normal operating specifications. 

Of course it IS significant if you are looking to get the highest possible 
overall efficiency out of the KPA500, as your measurements indicate. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Richard Stutsman
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 3:14 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA500 Questions about power and efficiency

I've had my KPA500 for a couple of weeks, now, and I have questions relating to 
its efficiency as a function of power output and band. A friend of mine 
recommended that I run only 300 watts output most of the time in order to 
preserve the life of the FETs. I told him that I didn't spend
$2300 on an amp just to get less than 5 dB of gain in my signal (over my 
100-watt exciter) instead of the 7 or 8 dB I paid for. Am I wrong?

I took a lot of data this morning that indicates that there is an inverse 
relationship between output power and efficiency - to the extent that, down to 
about 300 watts, I find that the amount of heat the finals have to dissipate is 
less, the higher the power output. This is rather anti-intuitive.

And if that is true, then wouldn't it be better for the finals if I routinely 
ran the amp at the higher power, so long as voltage, current, and temperature 
remain within safe limits? Is it safe to run 600 watts on CW, especially on 80 
and 160 meters, where the efficiency appears to be so good that the finals run 
cool at 600 watts - even cooler than at 500 watts?

The following data was taken while transmitting into a dummy load. I adjusted 
the drive power to obtain one of several predefined output power levels and 
then measured input volts and amps and calculated input power (HV x Current), 
power dissipation (Input - Output), and efficiency (Input/Output). Each 
measurement was taken after about one second of key down in CW mode. Doing the 
calculations in between each test allowed the finals and dummy load to cool 
off. I never heard the fan come on. Drive, Output, Input and Dissipation are in 
Watts. I have shown voltages falling slightly below 60.0 in red, but I had no 
problem getting 600 watts output with less than 40 watts of drive, even in 
those cases.

*Band  Drive Output  Volts  Amps  Input Dissipation Efficiency*

 1.82350064.3  10.2   654 154 76%
3060063.9  10.9   697  97 86%

 3.52350065.1   9.4   612 112 82%
3060063.2  10.5   664  64 90%

  5 2450063.7  11.2   707 207 71%
3060062.8  12.0   754 154 80%

  7 2750062.3  12.5   779 279 64%
3560061.2  13.8   845 245 71%

 10 3250061.2  13.4   820 320 61%
3960059.8  14.6   873 273 69%

 14 1522563.4   9.6   609 384 37%
2031062.9  11.5   723 413 43%
2440061.5  12.8   787 387 51%
3350059.0  14.3   844 344 59%
4060058.7  15.8   927 327 65%

 18 2649060.6  12.9   782 392 63%
3360059.6  13.8   822 222 73%

 21 2650060.0  13.9   834 334 60%
3560059.8  15.2   909 309 66%

 24 2350061.4  12.4   761 261 66%
3060061.0  13.5   824 224 73%

 28 2250061.4  12.7   780 280 64%
2760060.6  13.8   836 236 72%

Note that in every case there is lower power dissipation (and therefore less 
heat generated), the higher the power. I decided to test several lower power 
outputs on 20 meters, and I got the maximum dissipation at 310 watts, and the 
dissipation at 225 watts was nearly the same as it was at 400 watts.

I should point out that my HV during standby or idle hovered between 79.5 and 
80.0 volts. I am using the Red tap wire on the 115-volt input.

And, yes, I know not

Re: [Elecraft] Special type of coax - need info

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Here is one source:

https://cabling-supplies.com/dual-rg6-standard-shield-coaxial-500ft-black.ht
ml

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw K4TAX
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2018 1:27 PM
To: j...@audiosystemsgroup.com
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Special type of coax - need info

That is a coax with a double shield except the shields are each insulated. 

Bob, K4TAX


Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 16, 2018, at 3:09 PM, Jim Brown  wrote:
> 
>> On 1/16/2018 12:53 PM, David Christ wrote:
>> Twinax under that name was a two conductor shielded coax like cable for
balanced antennas.  The R-389 for instance had a connector for that kind of
cable.
> 
> I am NOT looking for TwinAX nor two coaxes wither their jackets 
> bonded. RG400 is what I'm looking for, and thanks to those who 
> correctly read my mind. :)
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
> 
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> 


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Re: [Elecraft] Antistatic Silicon Mat?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Right. The mats are usually grounded directly since they have a fairly high 
internal resistance, while the wrist strap that features a metal contact to the 
user has a 1 meg resistor in series. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of SteveL
Sent: Friday, January 12, 2018 12:24 PM
To: Elecraft List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Antistatic Silicon Mat?

Also, I believe ESD wrist straps should have something like a 1 meg ohm 
resistor in the ground connection to mitigate direct (and potentially fatal) 
shock to ground while allowing the bleed off static charge.  A direct 
connection to ground is hazardous!

Steve
aa8af



> On Jan 12, 2018, at 1:19 PM, Dale Chayes  wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Whatever you buy, don’t forget (the obvious, but often overlooked):
> - at least one wrist strap
> - and you have to ground the mat
> 

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Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas MORE

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

A mistaken idea that many Hams get is that a wire antenna has no radiation in 
the "nulls". For example, a half-wave wire is often thought of as having no 
energy radiated off of its ends. There is LESS off the ends, but a real-world 
wire has some radiation in ALL directions as Dave notes. It's just stronger 
radiation in some directions. 

A real long wire (many wavelengths) is easy to match since the longer a wire 
is, the smaller the impedance excursions across the RF spectrum. The hardest to 
match are wires a half wavelength (or less) long. However, most compact ATUs 
are limited in matching range based on simple physics. Their small size cannot 
tolerate the huge RF currents and voltages frequently encountered even at 
moderate power levels. There's a good reason why the old time "antenna tuners" 
(matching networks) were so huge. It's just a matter of basic physics. But 
today most of us use antennas that offer an feed point impedance limited to the 
range our ultra-fast, super-smart "automatic antenna tuners" can handle. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Gilbert
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 11:41 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas MORE


There is only a fixed amount of total energy contained in all the lobes of an 
antenna.  You almost definitely did get lots of lobes ... but you also got lots 
of nulls that exactly offset all those lobes.  You just never heard the the 
hams that were in those nulls and they never heard you.   Whatever you gain in 
one or more directions is sacrificed in one one or more other directions.  This 
is basic physics.

More lobes is not necessarily better.  In fact, taken to the extreme it is self 
defeating because a very large number of lobes (assuming they were somehow all 
of equal strength as you stated) begins to approximate a unidirectional antenna 
with no azimuth gain in any direction.

Just for grins I modeled your 700 foot antenna in EZNEC+ and on 20m it gave a 
maximum gain of about 9 dbi in a fairly narrow lobe at 16 degree elevation in 
both directions along the axis of the wire.  It also gave a total of 36 other 
sharply narrow lobes arrayed symmetrically in all other directions, each with a 
gain of about 6 dbi.  Between each lobe was a deep null of around minus 10 dbi. 
This was all at the same 16 degree elevation angle ... there were literally too 
many lobes to count on the 3D pattern, with lots of lobes and nulls at every 
azimuth and elevation angle.

A simple dipole at the same 40 foot height would have given similar gain with a 
much broader lobe (both azimuth and elevation) in the two main directions, but 
of course without the multiple smaller side lobes. Three poles and two 
perpendicular dipoles would have given better overall single band results ... 
the only advantage of the long wire being that it gives a similar pattern along 
with similarly ugly match on multiple bands.

Dave   AB7E

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Re: [Elecraft] Antistatic Silicon Mat?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I follow Elecraft Engineer Paul's advice (after he studied the electrical 
characteristics of a number of mats) and avoid any mats that do not specify 
their ohmic values. Too often, such mats better insulators than static 
dissipating devices.

So I'd at least e-mail the manufacturer for electrical specs. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of F5vjc
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 10:32 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] Antistatic Silicon Mat?

Found on Amazon, looks very handy but is it really antistatic (ESD safe) for 
our purposes?
500 ℃ Heat-resistant silicone repair mat for soldering iron, telephone and 
computer repair, anti-slip desk repair mat with BGA welding repair station by 
XOOL 


73, F5VJC
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Re: [Elecraft] Hexkey correction and abject apology

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

The trapezoidal base paddles sound like they may be "Scotia" paddles from the 
1980's. They are still my 'far and away' favorite paddles with a solid brass 
base on wood and use magnets instead of a spring for return force adjustment. 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 10:22 AM
To: Lyle Johnson; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Hexkey correction and abject apology

Sorry, a technical difficulty in my mind.  I take a photo of my station 
periodically, usually when I change something.  I found the paddle in question, 
it was somewhat old when it was given to me.  It is *not* a hexkey, it has a 
trapazoidal base, narrower in back.  It does have the "yoke" arrangement of the 
BY-1 but it is more square-ish.  From the photo angle, I can't see if it had 
the spring looped around the post.

I also have a photo of my HexKey from Elecraft and it is *definitely
not* a BY-1 mechanism.  I would still have it, and the $400+ wife spent on the 
ZN-SL single-lever for my birthday, were it not for my decreasing ability to 
manipulate the dual paddle with either hand.  It, and the two BY-1's I still 
have, were/are touchy to adjust.  I never became iambicized so I lost nothing 
going to the SL and regained the ability to send over 25 WPM.

I apologize for the mixup

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 1/10/2018 11:49 AM, Lyle Johnson wrote:
> [private]
>
> Hello Fred!
>
> I have a BY-1 as well as an Elecraft-branded Hex key.
>
> The mechanisms on the two paddles I own are completely different.
>
> The BY-1 uses a spring looped around a post for return force.
>
> The Hex Key uses magnets for return force adjustments.  Unlike the 
> BY-1, both paddle arms on the Hex key are independently adjustable for 
> travel as well as force.
>
> I agree with you that they botched it a bit by using coarse instead of 
> fine threaded screws for adjustment, and on mine at least the magnets 
> are not well-centered on the screws which makes the force adjustment 
> even more difficult to fine-tune.
>
> 73,
>
> Lyle KK7P

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Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

A longer wire produces sharper lobes and, taken to an extreme, the pattern
breaks into multiple lobes. So it all depends upon whether the other station
is aligned with one of the lobes. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Cole (NK7Z)
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 9:11 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

Not sure I believe this, lets say a 40 meter dipole, and an 80 meter
dipole-- the 40 dipole works far better on 40, than the 80 meter works on
40, so not always is more wire better.

Now if you are talking long wire, and forgot to state that, I am not sure,
I'd have to get the modeling software out...

73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
http://www.nk7z.net

On 01/10/2018 05:28 PM, William Levy wrote:

> COSMIC rule of antennas! The more wire the better. Always.
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Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Frank, you must have misread my comment. 

When end fed, ANY radiator longer than 5/8 wavelength sees the main lobe
skew toward the end opposite the feed point. That's why vertical antennas
designed for low angle radiation are limited by the 5/8 rule. For horizontal
antennas, the effect is not particularly noticeable until the antenna is
more than a full wavelength. That's how Rhombics and V-Beams develop their
directivity.

There may be a null off of the end even for the long wires I've been
involved with. I am speaking of the main lobe skewing TOWARD the end instead
of being at right angles to the wire.

73, Ron AC7AC 



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
donov...@starpower.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 8:40 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

Ron, 


What you've come to understand is absolutely false except for the special
case of a long wire close to the ground. That special case is called a
Beverage antenna that radiates vertically polarized radiation off the ends. 


When you raise a long wire antenna more than about 0.05 wavelengths above
the ground, horizontal polarized radiation becomes dominant and the
radiation pattern always has a deep null off the ends. 


73
Frank
W3LPL 

- Original Message -----

From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" 
To: "Elecraft Reflector" 
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2018 4:08:40 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas 

Understand that a true "long wire" (greater than 1 wavelength) starts to be
directional off of its end (if fed at one end, that's the opposite end). 

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rich Arland
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 6:02 PM
To: William Levy; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas 

And in a previous posting Sir William of Levy stated: 


"COSMIC rule of antennas! The more wire the better. Always." 


HearHear! Dilly, Dilly Right arm, dude 


Vy 73 es gud DX! 

Rich Arland K7SZ
Cogito ergo CQ (I think therefore, I HAM) 

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Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Understand that a true "long wire" (greater than 1 wavelength) starts to be
directional off of its end (if fed at one end, that's the opposite end).

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Rich Arland
Sent: Wednesday, January 10, 2018 6:02 PM
To: William Levy; Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Long wire antennas

And in a previous posting Sir William of Levy stated:


"COSMIC rule of antennas! The more wire the better. Always."


HearHear! Dilly, Dilly  Right arm, dude


Vy 73 es gud DX!

Rich Arland   K7SZ
Cogito ergo CQ (I think therefore, I HAM)

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Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Hex Key worth?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hexagonal base. The shape of the base confuses mistakes so most do not make
it to the paddles thereby improving sending. It's certainly worth the >$300
to trap errors, isn't it? 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Charlie T
Sent: Tuesday, January 9, 2018 10:13 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Hex Key worth?

A paddle keyer named  "HEX" ???

I thought you were asking about an Allen wrench.
C


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Re: [Elecraft] PAR/LNR EFHW antenna

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

The EFHW with open wire line such as you describe is the classic Zepp antenna. 
They are a single-frequency antenna designed for the Zeppelin airships, hence 
their name. The radiator is exactly 1/2 wavelength long (electrically) with an 
electrically 1/4 wave long open wire feeder. At 1/4 wave long the feeder 
inverts the impedance of the antenna, transforming the very high impedance at 
the end of the half wave radiator into a low impedance at the transmitter. 

A real-world half wave radiator has an impedance at its end of perhaps 4,000 to 
6,000 ohms so, indeed, the current the feed point is very low. The other side 
of the feed line simply goes to an insulator and is connected to nothing else. 
However there is always some small leakage current in the insulator so the 
balance of currents in the feed line is good. 

Of course, such an antenna, like any hunk of wire, can be made to accept power 
on any frequency and, like any other antenna, works best when in the clear and 
well above ground where the Zeppelins tended to hang out, HI! 

73, Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of K9MA
Sent: Tuesday, January 9, 2018 5:48 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PAR/LNR EFHW antenna

On 1/9/2018 19:25, Bill Johnson wrote:
> With a 1/2 wave a counterpoise is not used.

It needs SOME counterpoise, but not much, because the current in it is very 
small.  If nothing else is available, the coax shield will suffice, and causes 
no harm.  The small current at the end of the antenna has to have a return 
somewhere.  I recall old versions of the Handbook showed an EFHW fed with open 
wire, with nothing at all connected to the other conductor, and never could 
figure out how that worked.  I suppose a little common mode current in the open 
wire line.  Later versions, I think, showed a short wire opposite the antenna, 
which at least made sense to me.  The point is that the very small current at 
the end of the EFHW will find a return somewhere, and it really doesn't matter.

One way to tell with a QRP radio whether you need a counterpoise is to watch 
the SWR as your put your hand on the case of the radio or tuner. If the SWR 
doesn't change, you're good to go.  I don't recommend this technique at high 
power levels.

All of this is true ONLY for an end fed antenna which is a multiple of a half 
wave.

73,

Scott K9MA

--
Scott  K9MA

k...@sdellington.us

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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 CW tx decode for practicing

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Back when I and my buddies were learning CW we had to pass 5, then 13 wpm 
sending tests at the FCC to get our license. That provided reassurance that our 
fists were readable. The same was true for my commercial radiotelegraph license 
using a straight key at 20 wpm. 

 

But, IMX, the best decoders still require CW sent to far more exacting 
standards for clean decoding than are necessary for easy, readable copy by a 
human operator.

 

What I sometimes do to check my fist is to record myself sending practice using 
a smartphone, tablet, or whatever is handy placed near the speaker, then play 
it back later and see if it’s a fist I’d enjoy copying. Yes, I still practice 
from time to time. My goal is to send decent CW using a page from a telephone 
book (remember those? Hi!). My goal is to get through one full page of names, 
addresses and phone numbers without a flub. (It’s harder than it sounds.)

 

Also, after 65 years of pounding brass, I’ve never aspired to competitive, 
high-speed CW. It’s rare that I’m QSOing above 25 wpm and I keep my straight 
key hooked up for the occasional QSO at 10 wpm or less – whatever the other 
station is comfortable with. 

 

If you want to work at very high speeds, it is probably necessary to have 
special training in the techniques involved such as hearing whole words instead 
of letters. In the military we had to copy 5-letter code groups at 100% 
accuracy. Since no real “words” were involved, the emphasis was entirely on 
learning to automatically write down the exact letters being sent without 
trying to make sense of the message. That was also valuable in commercial 
traffic handling to avoid stumbling over numbers and foreign or other 
unfamiliar words.  I still copy letters even when puttering around in the shack 
copying CW “in my head”, recognizing each word after the letters are sent. 

 

73, Ron AC7AC

 

 

From: Jim Ewing [mailto:ewingina...@gmail.com] 
Sent: Friday, December 29, 2017 10:25 AM
To: r...@cobi.biz; raysil...@verizon.net; bpehr...@kth.se; 
Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: KX2 CW tx decode for practicing

 

FWIW, I started back into CW at start of 2015, and agree getting on the air is 
essential.  But, I have also found that if I use a code reader to read out what 
I send with straight key or bug in particular, in addition to getting on the 
air, it really helps with weighting and rhythm.  I find that if I just send 
without paying attention to that, I have no idea what I am sounding like, even 
if I try to listen.  Could be just me.  I use a reader on my Android phone 
called Morse Code Agent - just put the phone near the speaker and it reads out 
what I am trying to send - or does not read it out if my weighting or rhytim is 
off.  Useful feedback, especially when you are just getting into it, in order 
not to develop habits that can hurt later.  Or so it has seemed to me.  73, Jim 
Ewing N4TMM  

 

 

 

Message-ID: <008101d37f57$3cf30c40$b6d924c0$@biz>



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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 CW tx decode for code practicing using external straight key

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I agree with Ray. Even if your fist is really rough it is simply great
practice for both of us; you sending and me receiving. And you'll be
surprised at how fast you improve! 

73, Ron AC7AC  

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Raymond Sills
Sent: Wednesday, December 27, 2017 10:13 AM
To: bpehr...@kth.se
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX2 CW tx decode for code practicing using external
straight key

Hi Bjorn:


Personally, I think the best way to practice morse using a hand key, is to
simply get on the air and make QSOs.


73 de Ray
K2ULR
KX3 #211






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Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading a K3?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

You are quite right. I cut/pasted that from a PDF and apparently the clipboard 
did not recognize the ^! 

Thanks! 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: Phil Kane [mailto:k2...@kanafi.org] 
Sent: Saturday, December 23, 2017 8:40 AM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading a K3?

On 12/22/2017 7:59 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire quoted:

> "Typically, a mat will have a resistance of up to 1 Gigaohm (109 ohms). 

> • U-line (Model 12743 specified at 107 ohms) • Desco (Model 66164, 
> specified at 106 to 108 ohms) • 3MTM Portable Service Kit (Model 8505 
> or 8507, specified at 106 to 109 ohms)"
> 

I'm sure that it meant 10^6, 10^7, 10^8, 10^9 ohms.  106-109 ohms is low
resistance  but.   :)


73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

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Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading a K3?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Be aware that some "antistatic" mats are just pieces of soft vinyl without any 
real antistatic properties. 

One of the Elecraft engineers studied several mats and came up with the 
following information included in the newer Elecraft manuals:

"Typically, a mat will have a resistance of up to 1 Gigaohm (109 ohms). Testing 
a mat requires specialized equipment, so we recommend that you choose an 
anti-static mat that comes with published resistance specifications and clean 
it as recommended by the manufacturer. 

"Testing has shown that many inexpensive mats that do not specify their 
resistance have resistance values much too high to provide adequate protection, 
even after they were cleaned
and treated with special anti-static mat solutions.

"Suitable anti-static table mats are available from many sources including:
• U-line (Model 12743 specified at 107 ohms)
• Desco (Model 66164, specified at 106 to 108 ohms)
• 3MTM Portable Service Kit (Model 8505 or 8507, specified at 106 to 109 ohms)"

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of John Stengrevics
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2017 11:26 AM
To: Walter Underwood
Cc: elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Upgrading a K3?

I agree.  I was a total neophyte when I assembled my K3S.  I used a cheap mat 
and wrist band.  Never had a static failure.  As Walter said, cheap insurance.

John
WA1EAZ

> On Dec 22, 2017, at 2:22 PM, Walter Underwood  wrote:
> 
> When working on tube gear, keep one hand in your pocket. When working on 
> solid-state gear, keep one hand on the chassis.
> 
> But a static mat is cheap insurance for when you need to scratch your nose.
> 
> Amazon has one for $11. I think I paid more for mine at Fry’s, but whatever.
> 
> https://smile.amazon.com/Velleman-AS4-Anti-Static-Ground-Cable/dp/B001
> IRVCJC/
> 
> wunder
> K6WRU
> Walter Underwood
> CM87wj
> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
> 
>> On Dec 22, 2017, at 11:08 AM, rkr...@johngalt.biz wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On 12/22/2017 12:16 PM, G4GNX wrote:
>>> Firstly, you absolutely MUST use an anti-static mat, suitably connected to 
>>> ground and an anti-static wrist strap. Whilst you might "get away with it" 
>>> without those items, you may cause unseen damage and you won't know until 
>>> it breaks down. I know the manuals state that you can "touch a metal 
>>> object", but that's very hit and miss. 
>> 
>> I'm going to respectfully disagree.  The problem is not the static or the 
>> ground, the problem is when you have a differential voltage between items.
>> 
>> If you always maintain a forearm on the frame of your device and handle 
>> things carefully while maintaining contact with the frame, you will all be 
>> at the same electrical potential.  Be sure to be in contact with the frame 
>> when opening anti-static bags, too. Hold boards by the edges, don't finger 
>> the gold contacts, and don't touch components if you don't have to.
>> 
>> This technique has worked for me for years.  I don't do sensitive work 
>> often, but I never seem to have all the 'anti-static' stuff when I need it.
>> 
>> The only danger is if you get carried away and lift that arm.
>> 
>> 73
>> 
>> Ray
>> KK4WPB
>> 
>> Molon labe
>> 
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3/KXPA100 Power Output Difference

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

A 20% error is not at all unusual in commercial wattmeters either. The famous 
"Bird" units are only accurate to 5% of full scale. That means that if you are 
reading 1/2 scale the accuracy is only 10% and only 20% as 1/4 scale. Since 
Hams tend not to buy all the slugs needed to ensure their meters read near full 
scale for every measurement, and do not have the slugs professionally 
calibrated at regular intervals (1 year or so), 20% is a pretty optimistic 
accuracy at almost every power level. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Friday, December 1, 2017 8:24 PM
To: Jim Ruff; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3/KXPA100 Power Output Difference

Jim,

Amateur wattmeters are notoriously "famous" for their inaccuracies. 
Errors of up to 20% are not unusual, and in many cases it depends on the band 
because the voltage produced by the measurement diodes are frequency dependent.

So bottom line, don't worry about the 10 watt differential.  You are like the 
man with two watches who does not really know what time it is!

On the KX3 Yahoo Group question, I receive individual emails (not the digest), 
but something has happened, and I cannot post to any of the Yahoo groups that I 
am subscribed to for the past 2 weeks.  I think Yahoo has "gone to the dogs".

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/1/2017 9:33 PM, Jim Ruff via Elecraft wrote:
> I using a KX3/KXPA100 and I'm noticing that when I'm in TX the RF 
> meter on the rig matches the set power of the rig, but on the KXP100 meter, 
> it shows 10 or more watts less output.  Some examples:Rig   Amp50w  40w60w  
> 50w70w  60w80w  70w Here is what i've checked so far.  The Powerwerx PS is 
> showing 13.8v when receiving and dips to 12.9v when in TX, so I don't believe 
> I have a voltage problem.  I've moved the rig's power connection  back and 
> forth from the front of the Powerwerx  PS to the top power pole connection on 
> the back of the KXPA100 with no change.I've also re-tuned all bands from 
> 10-40 meters with my LDG100 remote tuner and the highest SWR I receive is 
> 1.4:1 on 30 and 40 meters.  All of the other bands are 1:1 to 1.2:1, so I 
> don't think I'm getting any power foldback because of high SWR..  Does anyone 
> have any thoughts on what's causing this differential, and if two power 
> output meters are never going to be in sync, which meter is the most accurate?
> Also, as an aside. Is there something wrong with the KX3 group from 
> Yahoo? I haven't recieved a digest in days and when I try to get into 
> the group I get an error message Thanks,Jim W7JHR 
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Re: [Elecraft] K3S New Builder (Tom NB5Q)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

A key time and mistake-saver is to be sure to check off each step in the 
assembly procedure as you complete it. Double check to be sure it was done as 
stated before checking it off. That is why Wayne has mandated check boxes on 
all significant steps, so you can be sure where you left off after a break AND 
to highlight any missed step(s). 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tom Norris
Sent: Saturday, December 2, 2017 12:29 PM
To: Mark Goldberg
Cc: Elecraft Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3S New Builder (Tom NB5Q)

Thank you all for the advice. I'm looking forward to beginning and I plan to 
pace myself and since I'm the caregiver for my wife I will have to ration 
things out. I'm sure I will be back, all of the posts are very interesting and 
seem to always generate a lot of interest and knowledgable answers.

73,

Tom
NB5Q


On Sat, Dec 2, 2017 at 7:27 AM, Mark Goldberg 
wrote:

> I agree with all this advice. I can tell you that any questions you 
> have will be answered by the fine people on the Elecraft forums, and 
> if they can't, Elecraft provides exceptional help. I have built three 
> Elecraft kits and got help from one of the designers on one of the 
> forums, on a weekend, when I had an issue. You will not get help like that 
> from anyone else.
>
> One thing I do for screws and small parts that are NOT ESD sensitive 
> is to count, measure and sort them all out into labeled bins of 
> something like a bead organizer first. Then you know you have what you 
> need ahead of time. I use the ones with individual round, screw top 
> containers and put little post it note labels on each. Work on a clean 
> ESD protected surface and keep the NON ESD parts bins away.
>
> Best of luck and there is great satisfaction in building what you use.
>
> 73,
>
> Mark
> W7MLG
>
> On Dec 2, 2017 5:45 AM, "John Stengrevics" 
> wrote:
>
>> HI Tom,
>>
>> I, like you, chose to get back into ham radio after many years by 
>> building the K3S.
>>
>> Don suggestions are right on the money.  Follow the instructions to 
>> the letter.
>>
>> I made 3 small errors, all found with the help of Elecraft tech 
>> support, and I think with Don’s help as well.  I attribute the errors 
>> to trying to work too late into the night.  So, don’t try to overdo and 
>> don’t rush it.
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> John
>> WA1EAZ
>>
>> > On Dec 1, 2017, at 11:11 PM, Tom Norris  wrote:
>> >
>> > My first post, new builder, old man (74 years young!). I've been
>> inactive
>> > for some time but looking forward to getting back on CW with the 
>> > new
>> K3S,
>> > P3 kits. I'm sure I will be back here for your valued and 
>> > experienced assistance during the build and setup. I have searched 
>> > for and read a
>> lot
>> > of the posts on the list pertaining to assembling Elecraft kits. 
>> > Thank
>> you
>> > and I hope to use a lot of the information in those posts. If you 
>> > have
>> any
>> > up front advice in the assembly or setup of the following parts, I 
>> > hope
>> you
>> > will share it with me.
>> >
>> > K3S 100W Xcvr. Kit ; P3-K Panadapter Kit; External Speaker; The 
>> > Elecraft K3S and P3 by Fred Cady; K3S ATU; K3S Gen. Cov. RX Module; 
>> > KFL3C-400;
>> 2.8
>> > for 2.7 kHz swap; KFL3B-FM; P3 Video/FFT Adapt.; P3 TX Monitor 
>> > Adapt;
>> 1.8-54
>> > MHz 200W; incl. P3TXMON
>> >
>> > Thanks a lot,
>> > Tom Norris NB5Q New Mexico
>> > __
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>> >
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>> > jstengrev...@comcast.net
>>
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>
>
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Message 

Re: [Elecraft] CW Contest and Elecraft K3s decoder

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I certainly sympathize with your feelings Fred. I too quit contesting when all 
RSTs were 5NN and rude behavior became acceptable. That was a long, long time 
ago. 

I just segue to 30 meters or QRT until the mayhem is over and I can have a real 
QSO with someone. 

Operating is, for me, a form of meditation that reduces stress. The hand that 
reaches for my key has gotten a lot older over the past 65 years of pounding 
brass but the effect on me is still the same.  I choose to keep it that way.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Moore
Sent: Monday, November 27, 2017 5:09 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CW Contest and Elecraft K3s decoder

CW skimmer can copy almost anything.  I will not play in their sand box... 

I think we need a good contest where each ham sends an actual RST he copes, and 
a personally designed 3 alpha numeric check sum.  The check sum get published 
when he/she turns in their log.  The logs get computer compared any call where 
RST and Checksum that is copied correctly during the exchange gets 5 points 
anyone that is incorrect looses 100 points for that QSO.  The contest sponsor 
should be putting out false calls and frequencies on the frequency spotter 
list, if any of those calls show up on any list the whole log gets tossed and 
their name published as a cheat..  There should also be people who only call 
CQTEST and never answer a call, if there call shows that log is also tossed.

I have not use for CW decoded qso's as a learning tool or otherwise.. off my 
soapbox

Fred Moore
email: f...@fmeco.com
   wd8...@gmail.com
phone: 321-217-8699

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Re: [Elecraft] CW Contest and Elecraft K3s decoder

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Back when telegraphy was the most common way to pass traffic, either on wires 
or by wireless, many systems such as Western Union welded the weights on the 
semi-automatic keys for a dit speed of about 15 wpm and did not allow operators 
to use their own keys. That was based on long studies that showed traffic moved 
faster at slower speeds because slower speeds avoided mistakes, requests for 
"fills", etc. 

In the Army we stuck with 13 wpm on the CW nets for the same reason (ca. 1960). 
That's the speed the radio schools trained operators to use. Note that these 
messages were commonly 5-letter code groups that were meaningless until 
decoded, so accuracy was critical. It wasn't possible to spot a mistake like 
one can in plain language text. 

It sounds like today's Ham contesters are rediscovering the same thing. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw K4TAX
Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 6:50 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CW Contest and Elecraft K3s decoder

Kevin et al;

I agree, in fact I'd suppose as the CW speed the number of competent operators 
decreases proportionally.Now I'm not saying "contest at 5 WPM" but 
certainly there are more that can copy 15 WPM than 50 WPM. Just 
sayin'..so for us slow folks and old folks...QRS.

73

Bob, K4TAX


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Re: [Elecraft] Looking for specifics on KX2 / 10 meter FM use

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi Wayne: The only 10 meter Repeater I know of here in western Oregon is
KR7IS on 29.6800 kHz in the Portland area. It uses a -0.1 MHz offset and
162.2 tone, so I can't help with your other two questions. 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
Sent: Thursday, November 23, 2017 11:13 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Cc: k...@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Elecraft] Looking for specifics on KX2 / 10 meter FM use

I had a number of positive responses regarding putting the KX2 on 10 meter
FM, so I have a couple of followup questions:

- Is any TX offset other than -100 kHz used on 10 meter FM??

- Is a 1750 Hz PL tone ever used on this band, as it is in some countries
for 2 meters, etc.?

Bonus points if you confirm that you can key up a 10 meter FM repeater in
your area :)

Thanks,
Wayne
N6KR

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Re: [Elecraft] O.T. Morse is not dead, at least in the U.S. Navy

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Fred, it's called LiFi and uses the ability of LED light sources to handle high 
frequency modulation to send data securely since one has to intercept the 
actual beam to even get the data, much less decode the information. Apparently 
pretty high data rates are possible with the system. 

Here's a press article from about a year ago.

http://dailycaller.com/2016/08/10/revamped-100-year-old-lamp-will-help-the-navy-counter-russia-and-china/

I'm sure we Hams will find a use for the technology, Hi! 

Way back in 1955 when I was in High School I created a very popular display 
that used my S-38 receiver tuned to a popular station. Current powering a 6V 
lantern passed through the S38's audio output transformer to modulate the 
light. The lighet was received by a photoelectric tube across the table, 
amplified and the sound of the radio station played in a remote speaker. The 
sound could be interrupted by passing one's hand in from of the light. 

Even though it was an incandescent bulb with its thermal lag, it still 
reproduced good AM quality audio.

It was good enough (in 1955) that I was encouraged to display it at the annual 
Science Fair where it worked too well. Someone stole the photoelectric tube 
from the display before it could be judged -- but I still got an A on the 
project! 

73, Ron AC7AC
  

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2017 12:34 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] O.T. Morse is not dead, at least in the U.S. Navy

OK, what's different then from WW2 signal lamp usage?  I thought they were 
using a modified lamp with QRQ Morse decoded in some sort of hardward/software 
device, or a digital mode.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County


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Re: [Elecraft] Walwarts - linear supplies

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I have a several linear wall-warts that I collected over the years which I 
guard jealously. 

However a few of them are only a transformer and provide low-voltage AC to the 
equipment. The rectifiers were included in the item being powered. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Monday, November 20, 2017 1:42 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Walwarts - linear supplies

Older wall warts are linear.  If you're smart enough to have saved them, 
there's a good chance you won't have buy anything.  Simply select one with the 
matching voltage and rated for the needed current, cut the cables to both old 
and new warts, splice the old wart to the connector that mates with the unit 
you need to power.

Older warts are often available at second hand stores and flea markets. 
$1 is the going rate. In general, linear warts are much heavier than SMPS 
units, so that's a good first check. A better one is to plug it into AC and 
hold a portable radio next to it tuned somewhere near 2 MHz (like the top of 
the AM BC band). If you hear hash, it's a switcher. If you don't., 99% chance 
that it's linear.

All of this is described in http://k9yc.com/KillingReceiveNoise.pdf

73, Jim K9YC

On 11/20/2017 1:17 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
> All Electroncs (www.allelectronics.com) has analog wall warts of 
> various voltage/current capability depending on what is available in 
> surplus at any given time.  One may not even need regulated voltage as 
> many devices contain internal regulators ...


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Re: [Elecraft] KAT500 Auto or Manual

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Kev:

What you have been doing is fine! Many operators "train" their KAT500 as Don
described, tuning at least once in each segment across all the bands you use
so the KPA500 will memorize the L and C settings. That avoids being
surprised by an "auto-tune" occurring after a quick QSY while running
contests, etc. 

The number of memory segments vary according to band as follows:

Below 3 MHz the segments are 10 kHz wide.
>From 3 MHz through 26 MHz the segments are 20 kHz wide.
>From 26 MHz to 38 MHz the segments are 100 kHz wide.
>From 38 MHz to 60 MHz the segments are 200 kHz wide.

Normally you won't need to do a TUNE in every segment. That depends upon how
fast the SWR changes with frequency with your antennas. 

Once the KAT500 memories are loaded across the bands you use it will not
need to retune. I leave mine in AUTO knowing that if I'm ever surprised by a
tune sequence starting, it's because something has gone wrong with the
antenna or antenna switching that I need to know about immediately. In the
meantime, my QSO only has a short interruption and I can explain to the
other station what happened. 

Putting the KAT500 in MAN will mean that if anything goes wrong causing an
excessive SWR, your KAT500, KPA500 will fault or your the transceiver
driving it will shut down instead.

73, Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kevin der Kinderen
Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2017 11:41 AM
To: Elecraft Reflector Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] KAT500 Auto or Manual

Hi:

... I got comment about how I run my KAT500: "KAT500 - We normally leave the
KAT in the MAN position, not AUTO. With varying SWR, the KAT will tune while
in transmit when in the AUTO position."

I'm not quite sure what that to make of that. I have my KAT500 in the AUTO
position thinking it's a good thing that the KAT will tune if something
happens... which it never does. But in AUTO, at least the tuner will retune
if I jump to a frequency that is not in memory.

In MAN mode, I have to initiate tuning myself. Why would I not want to let
the auto-tuner auto tune?

73,
Kev K4VD
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[Elecraft] O.T. Morse is not dead, at least in the U.S. Navy

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=92864

 

73, Ron AC7AC

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Re: [Elecraft] XV-144 -> redesign = XV-144-2

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

DTMF comes from the rig the XV144 is connected to. The K2 is a CW/SSB rig and 
does not include FM, so the K2 does not have a DTMF tone generator.

If you hook the XV144 to an FM transceiver with a DTMF generator it should pass 
the tones just fine. 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of R Stanley Sutton
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2017 6:42 AM
To: David Ferrington, M0XDF
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net; Samir Popaja
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XV-144 -> redesign = XV-144-2

An upgrade to allow DTMFs would be great for use on repeaters.
Stan KD8KBX

On Thu, Nov 16, 2017 at 5:39 PM, David Ferrington, M0XDF < 
m0...@alphadene.co.uk> wrote:

> For me, nothing, great kit, great employees, great associates 
>
> -73 de M0XDF (from my iPhone)
>
> > On 16 Nov 2017, at 22:31, Ron D'Eau Claire  wrote:
> >
> > Hi Samir:
> >
> > The specs on the XV144 look very similar to SB144H. It looks like 
> > other
> are
> > finally "catching up" with the Elecraft designs.
> >
> > What features are you looking for that the XV144 lacks?
> >
> > 73, Ron AC7AC
> >
> > -Original Message-
> > From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> > [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Samir Popaja
> > Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2017 11:12 AM
> > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> > Subject: [Elecraft] XV-144 -> redesign = XV-144-2
> >
> > Hello Elecraft,
> >
> >
> >
> > Is any plans to redesign the XV-144? Kuhne, HA1YA, SSB Electronic 
> > has
> made
> > new transverters.The XV-144 feels very outdated design.
> >
> >
> >
> > 73' Samir, sm7vzx
> >
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Re: [Elecraft] XV-144 -> redesign = XV-144-2

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi Samir:

The specs on the XV144 look very similar to SB144H. It looks like other are
finally "catching up" with the Elecraft designs. 

What features are you looking for that the XV144 lacks?

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Samir Popaja
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2017 11:12 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] XV-144 -> redesign = XV-144-2

Hello Elecraft,

 

Is any plans to redesign the XV-144? Kuhne, HA1YA, SSB Electronic has made
new transverters.The XV-144 feels very outdated design.

 

73' Samir, sm7vzx

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Re: [Elecraft] Beep

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

SW TONE won't silence it?

>From page 65 of the KX3 Owner's manual:

'... Switch press tones are enabled by default. Using the
SW TONE menu entry, you can turn tones OFF,
ON,..." 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jeff Herr
Sent: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 3:56 PM
To: 'Jeff Herr'; 'Wayne Burdick'
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Beep

Any hope of killing the beep?

this is an old issue.since a lot of changes are in beta maybe this could
be considered?




In regard to the Elecraft Frequency Memory Editor:

When using the QSY capability the KX3 does a beep.

Even with the headphones plugged in, the speaker does a beep.

When I am up late at night this is problematic.

Is there a way to turn off the "beep"





-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jeff
Herr
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2016 16:13 PM
To: 'Wayne Burdick'
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Beep

That is a no go.


-Original Message-
From: Wayne Burdick [mailto:n...@elecraft.com]
Sent: Sunday, May 29, 2016 14:07 PM
To: Jeff Herr
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Beep

This may be due to a switch emulation command being sent. If so, you could
set MENU:SW TONE to OFF.

73,
Wayne
N6KR


On May 28, 2016, at 7:22 PM, Jeff Herr  wrote:

> In regard to the Elecraft Frequency Memory Editor:
> 
> When using the QSY capability the KX3 does a beep.
> 
> When I am up late at night this is problematic.
> 
> Is there a way to turn off the "beep"
> 
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Re: [Elecraft] kxpd3 question

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

With respect, obsessing over perfect code is like demanding that no one speak 
your favorite language without an accent of any sort. 

It's easy to do. Use a keyboard with pre-stored messages. 

But many of us prefer non-canned messages even if they involve some oddities in 
the sending. 

I've encountered far more nearly-impossible or impossible to copy fists from 
commercial operators aboard ships than I've heard on the Ham bands. 

I certainly would never want to deter someone learning Morse from using it on 
the air, even if the best they can do is a roughly sent Name-RST-QTH-73 QSO. 
That was the whole point of the Novice licenses: we learn faster with 
real-world experience on the air. 

I'm always ready to drop down to whatever speed the other station is sending to 
help a new CW operator get "his feet wet" and have fun.

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KENT TRIMBLE
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 12:41 PM
To: Dave Sublette; Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] kxpd3 question

What we DO need to obsess over is sending perfect code.

There's precious little of it out there.

What device is used to send it is irrelevant.

Dave is right on all points.

73,

Kent  K9ZTV


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Re: [Elecraft] kxpd3 question

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

After more than 50 years "pounding brass", mostly with either a bug 
(semi-automatic) key or paddles I still make time for practice sessions - 
especially if I've been off the air for a while. My favorite is to send names, 
addresses and numbers from a telephone book (they are getting rare, but still 
around) with the goal of getting through one full page without a flub. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Sublette
Sent: Thursday, November 9, 2017 9:43 AM
To: kd8...@aol.com
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net; jso...@comcast.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] kxpd3 question

Jerry,

Don’t obsess over which paddle is best for you.  Which ever system you choose, 
it will take hours and hours of off the air practice before you "should” put it 
on the air.  Which ever system you start with, you will learn to love and 
prefer — if you get that far.

I use iambic B and a dual paddle, but don’t often use the squeeze feature.  If 
you start with this, as others have pointed out, you don’t have to squeeze.  My 
opinion is (and it is just an opinion) by starting with the dual paddle, Iambic 
B, you give yourself the most options to expand or change methods.  

It is mostly timing and getting your internal “clock” to a place where you make 
proper, readable communication using Morse.  An automatic keyer doesn’t do this 
for you.  I hear plenty of people using keys who don’t send code that is 
comfortable to copy.

Pick something and start practicing.  You will never master it until you start.

73,

Dave, K4TO 
> On Nov 9, 2017, at 11:36 AM, Mike via Elecraft  
> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jerry,
> 
> I made the decision to use a single lever paddle and not learn the 
> "squeeze" technique needed to run a dual lever paddle. Several reasons:
> 
> The truly high speed guys use single lever paddles--they feel they 
> make fewer mistakes with the single lever.
> 
> If you learn the single lever technique you can use a dual lever 
> paddle and just not "squeeze"
> 
> The dual lever technique doesn't save that much time.
> 
> I think that a lot of the impetus to a dual lever is "CQ", both 
> letters are "squeeze" letters and if you are sending it a lot it is 
> easier to send repeated  CQ's with a dual lever paddle.
> 
> I think regular practice is needed with both single an dual lever  paddles.
> 
> I am fond of my Begali Sculpture single lever, along with my Tony 
> Baleno single lever.
> 
> If you go single lever, if you occasionally use a dual lever paddle 
> you will be happier with minimal space between the paddles; it's 
> closer to the distance your fingers need to move for the single lever.  
> Begali's Magnum  has
> a very narrow space and I use it as well as my Sculpture single lever.   
> Tony Baleno of N3ZN keys will make a dual lever with what ever spacing 
> between the paddles you want.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> 73
> 
> Mike KD8RQE
> 
> 
> In a message dated 11/9/2017 9:31:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
> jso...@comcast.net writes:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> 
> I'm a "no-code-ham" determined to become a  "know-code-ham" and so 
> have signed up to a course by CWops.
> 
> They  require a paddle for sending practice since lessons will be done 
> at 20-wpm.
> 
> 
> Having researched the topic of 'paddles' and from that  effort, I 
> think that a single paddle might work best for me.
> 
> Here are  the negative items which helped form that opinion:
> 
> 1. a comment that  regular practice is needed to maintain competence 
> with a dual-paddle,
> 
> 2. iambic-a or iambic-b just seem physically  complicated.
> 
> 
> In reading my KX3-manual and Fred-KE7X's book, it  seems to me that 
> the
> KXPD3 is capable of only dual-paddle operating. Or have I  missed something?
> 
> 
> I understand that my KX3 has a second port for an  external key (I 
> presume a single-paddle).
> 
> In the past, I recall seeing  photos of hams working KX3-portable with 
> a straight-key but, at those times, I  did not pay attention if any had a 
> paddle.
> 
> 
> TIA for any  reply.
> 
> 73 Jerry  KM3K
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Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Yep, 1998 I believe. I built mine in 2000 and it was S/N 1289 after working
several of them on the air the previous year or so. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bill Johnson
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 4:29 PM
To: Doug Person; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!

I think the K2 was available pre 2000 and I was a field tester.

72 & 73,
Bill
K9YEQ, FT'er for K2, KX1, KX3, KXPA100,  KAT500, W2, etc. 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Doug Person
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 10:41 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!

Isn't that exactly the same life span of the K2 -- which is still available?

Doug -- K0DXV

On 11/8/2017 5:59 AM, Graziano Roccon wrote:
> Collins... 817... 706... K3...
> You are all wrong. :-)
>
> Sorry guys but i think is the Kenwood TS-2000, from 2000 to 2017 and still
in production and for sale.
> No other radio reach a so long time in production and availability on the
market (maybe is a record).
>
> Down the hat...
>
> Ciao, Graziano IW2NOY
>
>
>> Il 8 novembre 2017 alle 2.25 Raymond Sills  ha
scritto:
>>
>>
>> I say that the Yaesu FT-817 is king of the hill.   Over 250,000 sold, and
still selling.
>>
>>
>> 73 de Ray
>> K2ULR
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> -Original Message-
>> From: Walter Underwood 
>> To: Elecraft 
>> Sent: Tue, Nov 7, 2017 7:57 pm
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!
>>
>> We know that the K3 sold nearly 10,000, so add in the K3S sales, and that
is more than the KX3.
>>
>> ICOM sure sold a lot of the IC-706 series. I would not be surprised to
see that at the top of the list.
>>
>> If we are talking rigs made specifically for amateurs, the Collins S-line
might not qualify. If we are talking all HF, it is probably some marine or
aircraft HF box.
>>
>> wunder
>> K6WRU
>> Walter Underwood
>> CM87wj
>> http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog)
>>
>>
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>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
>> grazi...@roccon.com
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Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I believe the K2 was sold in 1998. I built mine in 2000 after working a few
on the air. My K2 is S/N 1289. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Doug Person
Sent: Wednesday, November 8, 2017 8:41 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Just RX'd KX3 Serial No. 10,028!

Isn't that exactly the same life span of the K2 -- which is still available?

Doug -- K0DXV

On 11/8/2017 5:59 AM, Graziano Roccon wrote:
> Collins... 817... 706... K3...
> You are all wrong. :-)
>
> Sorry guys but i think is the Kenwood TS-2000, from 2000 to 2017 and still
in production and for sale.
> No other radio reach a so long time in production and availability on the
market (maybe is a record).
>
> Down the hat...
>
> Ciao, Graziano IW2NOY

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Re: [Elecraft] Lightening damage

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It doesn't. But having the grounded tower helps bleed off the charge
building in the atmosphere in the immediate vicinity, greatly reducing the
likelihood of the charge reaching a high enough level to ionize the air and
produce a major lightning discharge. 

Once the air ionizes it becomes a good conductor handling huge currents. But
until then, the charge will leak off harmlessly. 

The voltage gradient always exists. On any day, your head is about 100 volts
above the potential at your feet but you don't feel a thing because the
currents are so small. Lightning occurs when the charge builds up too
quickly for it to bleed off harmlessly. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of j...@kk9a.com
Sent: Tuesday, November 7, 2017 8:59 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Lightening damage

Why would lightning avoid striking a grounded tower?

John KK9A

Richard Fjeld rpfjeld at outlook.com 

I'm trying to avoid taking anyone's side on this discussion.  I wanted to
say that I worked for a  company that had towers throughout the state which
were several hundred feet tall.  Over the years, I only saw one that took a
hit.  The company was so certain their grounding specs had not been
followed, that they made the contractor dig up the entire grounding layout.
It revealed the specs had not been followed.  

Certain radio and TV services need to operate 24/7 and can't shut down when
lightening threatens.  Their grounding methods apparently prevent the towers
from being hit .

Rich, n0ce

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Re: [Elecraft] Took Some Lightning Damage Last Night

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I'm old enough to remember, as a kid, people of my grandparent's age worried 
that the electric "juice" would leak out of unused sockets.  

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-

This whole incident didn't help in my campaign to convince my cousin that 
electricity is really safe and you don't have to unplug all the appliances, 
including electric clocks, when you leave the house.

73 Bill AE6JV


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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 with P3 Transmit Monitor

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi James: That's a very, very old and outdated draft. In those earlier
drafts we simply used rough version of the block diagram as a "filler"
illustration. In most, the ATU does not even appear. 

I don't have any control over which drafts are passed around. You might
check with whoever sent you that version for the latest, dated October 16. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of James Wilson
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2017 1:45 PM
To: Elecraft
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA1500 with P3 Transmit Monitor

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

I presume that by "draft" you are looking at a prelim copy of the KPA1500
Owner's manual.
---
Yes, Ron. KAP1500 Owner's Manual Revision A1 (Draft) dated August 9, 2017.

To further simplify its block diagram the signal path is like this:

TRANSCEIVER (external) --> AMPLIFIER --> INTERNAL SWR BRIDGE --> ATU -->
ANTENNA SYSTEM (external)

The SWR briege in the KPA1500 will report the SWR the amplifier "sees" going
into the ATU. As you know, the point of the ATU is to ensure the amplifier
itself is feeding a 52 ohm non-reactive load which is expressed as an SWR in
the link between the amp and the ATU.
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Re: [Elecraft] KPA1500 with P3 Transmit Monitor

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I presume that by "draft" you are looking at a prelim copy of the KPA1500
Owner's manual.

To further simplify its block diagram the signal path is like this:

TRANSCEIVER (external) --> AMPLIFIER --> INTERNAL SWR BRIDGE --> ATU -->
ANTENNA SYSTEM (external) 

The SWR briege in the KPA1500 will report the SWR the amplifier "sees" going
into the ATU. As you know, the point of the ATU is to ensure the amplifier
itself is feeding a 52 ohm non-reactive load which is expressed as an SWR in
the link between the amp and the ATU. 

I doubt if you'll find a way to 'break in' to the link since the SWR and
Power output from the amplifier itself is already a part of the basic
measurements that is reported by the KPA1500.

You are quite right that putting a coupler at the Antenna output of the
KPA1500 (and so the output of the built in ATU) will simply report the SWR
the antenna system (including feeder) presents to the KPA1500. 

Of course if the ATU is in Bypass the internal SWR measurement will show
that of the antenna system since the ATU is no longer in the circuit. That
only occurs when the SWR presented by the antenna system is low enough to
feed directly. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of James Wilson
Sent: Thursday, November 2, 2017 10:54 AM
To: Elecraft
Subject: [Elecraft] KPA1500 with P3 Transmit Monitor

Looking at a draft of the KPA1500 amplifier, it appears that the only place
to install  a TxMon or Wattmeter coupler is at the  -  output  -  of the
built-in tuner.

At that point, it will always show the SWR of the coax feedline, not the SWR
that the amplifier "sees" as adjusted by the built-in tuner.

Or, is there a coupler built-in inside the KPA1500 ?

What am I missing?

Jim - W4RKS

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Re: [Elecraft] KXDP3 for sale (NEW)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Did you mean KXPD3? 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of w4sc
Sent: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 11:00 AM
To: Elecraft
Subject: [Elecraft] KXDP3 for sale (NEW)


NEW KXDP3 for sale.  $95.00 shipped insured CONUS.  Email off list for
payment options.

73 de BEN W4SC
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Re: [Elecraft] Freq Onwership

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I pictured buccaneers holding cutlasses in their teeth coming out of the
receiver to  take over the shack! 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2017 2:51 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Freq Onwership

Is that Canadian for "borders"?


On 10/29/2017 2:10 PM, Michael Walker wrote:
> The frequency ownership is a farce of course.
>
> I bet it was generated on April 1.  LOL
>
> Regardless, RF know no boarders and it has no bearing over me even if 
> it was legal.
>
> mike va3mw
> 

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Re: [Elecraft] PA Transistors Maintenance in K2

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

When writing and validating the kit assembly procedures, I restrict myself
only to the basic hand tools recommended by the design engineers. The
objective is to avoid customers having to go out and buy additional tools
that are not really needed. If I find that I cannot do a particular step
with those tools I bring it up to Wayne and the other engineers who decide
on an alternative. Sometimes that is to require a new tool. For example, we
went through that over adding the requirement for a temperature-controlled,
ESD-safe soldering iron some years back. The K2 and other early kits had no
such requirement but as more sensitive components were used, Wayne specified
that we add it to the tools requirement.

On the other hand, there are times we have specifically said NOT to use a
special tool. A while back we had a lot of damaged parts because builders
were using electric screwdrivers that had no torque control or which had the
torque set too high, so Wayne had me say NOT to use them, preferring hand
pressure instead.

Actually we do provide torque spec's in one case; the mounting nut for the
transformer in the KPA500. That nut must work against a Belleville washer
that acts as a spring. The objective is to apply the right pressure to the
washer (55 inch pounds) without permanently deforming it. But, even in that
case, the engineers came up with a workable alternative to avoid builders
having to go out and buy a torque wrench. 

73, Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Woolley
Sent: Sunday, October 29, 2017 6:04 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PA Transistors Maintenance in K2

As far as I can tell, no torque settings are given for any of the fasteners,
wouldn't it be an idea to provide those, for people who do have suitable
tools.  Generally there are just warnings not to over-tighten.

On 28/10/17 20:24, Mel Farrer wrote:
>   If the people at Elecraft have done their job and mounted the transistor
properly with the correct torque on the mounting hardware procedure, no
additional maintainance is required.

--
David Woolley
K2 06123

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Re: [Elecraft] PA Transistors Maintenance in K2

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

The K2 is a kit built by the customer, not Elecraft. 

With respect, my experience is different from Mel's. In many years working 
electronics field and shop service industry have found that re-tightening 
hardware subjected to thermal stress is commonly required by manufacturers. 
Manufacturers routinely do that after a "burn in" period of testing before the 
unit leaves the factory. Elecraft customers are instructed to do it on some 
gear after a period of use. 

The rarity of failures in spite of many thousands of rigs in service suggests 
that Elecraft's recommendations are good ones. 

BTW, when Elecraft has found that a better than metal-to-metal thermal 
conduction is needed, they use thermal pads instead of thermal compounds. The 
pads are entirely adequate and avoid customers handling messy compounds. 

In commercial work, when a manufacturer specifies using a thermal compound, I 
use GC Type 44. It is a non-silicon based compound and so does not 'migrate' 
from where it was placed. My small tube has plenty left and it predates the 
computer "age" -  bought it sometime in the 1970's. Like the old Wildroot Cream 
Oil for hair they mean it when they say a "little dab will do ya" yet it 
remains flexible and never hardens. 

73 Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mel Farrer via Elecraft
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2017 12:24 PM
To: Cameron Francey; Dauer, Edward; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] PA Transistors Maintenance in K2

Ted,
 If the people at Elecraft have done their job and mounted the transistor 
properly with the correct torque on the mounting hardware procedure, no 
additional maintainance is required. I have been in the industry for a LONG 
time .  Three things to remember in the mounting of any RF or high power 
device.  Flat surfaces, minimual mating gu, and required torque. Lack of any of 
these will kill a device if not correct.  I have never required retorqueing 
parts, with one exception.   In 000 copper wire terminals, the copper does 
relax and needs to be retorqued to achieve a gas tight seal connection, but 
that is in industrial application.  Small RF devices only need the initial 
torque to be correct.

Mel, K6KBE


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Re: [Elecraft] Failing K3 at 3C0L

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I doubt if anyone expects the receiver to survive if you hook the output of
even a 10 watt transmitter directly to the receiver antenna connector. If
the layout of a multi-transmitter site does not include consideration for
substantial separation between antennas, there will be failures. 

The K3/K3S receivers (sub and main) are protected by carrier-operated relays
that shunt signals to ground in the event they are strong enough to cause
damage. Of course any protective device can be defeated (or destroyed) if
punished too hard. 

Successful multi-transmitter operation begins with a rational antenna layout
considering the power levels involved. IMX, we've always used at least one
wavelength between transmitters running 100 watts or so (250 feet on 80, 120
feet on 40, and so on) and we orient the antennas to minimize coupling. 

73, Ron AC7AC 

 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of brian
Sent: Friday, October 27, 2017 10:35 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Failing K3 at 3C0L

I'm going out on a limb. I've heard that some other DXpeditions had K3
failures in the RX section.  RX dead TX OK.  Apparently, the protection
circuitry was not enough in the close quarter multi-transmitter operations.
It would be nice to know the details or if this or is just rumor.  If this
is so what in the field fixes could be done? 
Alternatively, what additional steps in such contemplated operation could be
taken to further minimize such failures.

73 de Brian/K3KO


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Re: [Elecraft] Using a quadcopter to hang an antenna

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Looks neat and like a lot of fun, but around here I could hire more than
half a dozen climbs by an insured expert for the >$800 cost of the system.
And they install a screw eye in the trunk for a stable and nearly permanent
attachment. I have them install a pulley attached to the screw eye so I can
drop the antenna or replace the downhaul line as needed over the years.

Even so, a quadcopter to play with... H... 

73, Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of John Harper
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2017 2:06 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Using a quadcopter to hang an antenna

A few weeks ago several folks here were discussing the hanging of an antenna
line with a quadcopter and were wondering what's available to allow a quad
to drop a line over a tall tree or other structure.

https://ae5x.blogspot.com/2017/10/using-quadcopter-to-hang-antenna-line.html

I just finished putting my 80m dipole up at the 90-foot level and took a few
photos of what I use to do it. The key to the whole thing is the payload
release device since a quad cannot descend with the line still attached.

-- 

John AE5X
https://ae5x.blogspot.com

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Re: [Elecraft] Suggestions for Introducing a 10-year-old to Amateur Radio and Electronics

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Your foil antenna sounds a great deal like Marconi's first antenna used on the 
family estate to prove radio waves were not just "line-of-sight". 

https://readtiger.com/img/wkp/en/Marconi%27s_first_radio_transmitter.jpg

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Nicklas Johnson
Sent: Sunday, October 15, 2017 10:09 AM
To: Dauer, Edward
Cc: Elecraft Reflector Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Suggestions for Introducing a 10-year-old to Amateur 
Radio and Electronics

I second this.  My first foray into electronics in general and radio in 
particular came from the old Radio Shack / Science Fair "160 in one" and
"200 in one" project kits.  Prepare for a spaghetti-wire mess of jumpers 
between spring terminals, but it was a really great means for me to begin to 
understand, and it was a great way for someone of that age (I think I started 
toying with them around the age of 9) to experiment.

My favorite kit build, of course, was the AM Radio transmitter, which led to a 
lot of experimentation with different antennas to see how far around our 
neighborhood I could pick up my signal, trying to find "improvements"
to the circuit, means of using speaker and line-level inputs instead of the 
microphone input so I could play music more easily, etc. etc.  It turned out 
that, for reasons I didn't understand at the time, a 6-foot-long sheet of 
aluminum foil makes a pretty good broadcast band antenna for a toy kit, much 
better than just a wire :-)

Eventually this led to a postal mail conversation with my uncle, who is a Ham, 
who in turn sent me a copy of "Tune in the World with Ham Radio" to help answer 
some questions I had about antennas.  And then, upon doing the calculations, I 
was dismayed to learn that a proper vertical antenna for the frequency I was 
trying to use would need to be over 150 feet high, well beyond the allowed 
length for a Part 15 transmitter.  Someone should have told me about loading 
coils... I bet I could have gotten a little more range out of that aluminum 
foil!

   Nick



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Re: [Elecraft] K3 after turning on doesn't receive or transmit

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Yes! Like most equipment these days, the K3 needs to do an orderly shutdown 
under control of its processor to turn off safely and reliably. Like your P.C. 
you can pull power unexpectedly and it will often recover okay when power is 
reapplied, but you can also get corrupted data that forces a firmware reload - 
perhaps even using the forced MCU load procedure in the Owner's manual - as 
well as discovering that it turns on in an unexpected state or that it has 
"forgotten" certain parameters you set when it was last used. 

73, Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Cole (NK7Z)
Sent: Friday, October 13, 2017 1:00 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 after turning on doesn't receive or transmit

Respectfully, is that really true?  The K3 needs to be shutdown via the Power 
switch due to some sort of shutdown procedure, (or internal timings issue), 
within the radio?

73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
http://www.nk7z.net

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Re: [Elecraft] : Re: California Fires

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Oregon is still on fire, in spite of rains. The big fire in the Columbia River 
gorge (Eagle Creek fire) is only 5% contained. There are several others as well 
that will not likely go out until sometime over the winter months. 

The huge difference is that the Oregon fires are in mostly wilderness areas 
whereas the major California fires are burning through towns and cities. 

I have friends in the S.F. Bay area who have left for the Monterey area until 
the air clears (that might be a while). 

In spite of the long, boring ride through northern California, I recommend I-5 
to I-504 to I-80 and then I-680 south across the Benicia-Martinez bridge to San 
Ramon.

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of dyarnes
Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2017 5:25 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] : Re: California Fires

Hi All,

My condolences to anyone adversely affected by those fires.  From the TV 
coverage I’ve seen, they look absolutely horrible!!  

We are heading to Oregon next week, to visit our daughter, and I changed our 
normal route in order to go to Pacificon next week.  I suppose attendance may 
be affected somewhat by the fires.  After Pacificon, I thought I would do 
something different than I-5, and go Hwy 101.  However, that looks like It 
takes me right through problem areas.  So, that may get changed as well.  

Last month Oregon was burning up.  Now it’s California!  We seem to be having 
one disaster after another these days.  So many people are in trouble!  I think 
everybody needs to seriously review their insurance coverage!

Hope to see some of you in San Ramon!

73,

Dave W7AQK


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Re: [Elecraft] Going Mobile?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Those were the days when a mobile operator would make his engine stall by 
pressing the PTT when the engine was idling at a stop light. 

One guy I knew tore out the whole back seat of his sedan and filled it with a 
KW AM rig (bachelor of course). His mobile antenna featured a copper toilet 
tank float on top to avoid corona discharge on transmit. 

Back then RF radiation levels were consider harmless at any level or frequency. 
There is the well-documented story of the Microwave engineer at Raytheon who 
discovered a chocolate bar in his shirt pocket suddenly melted. He figured out 
that he was standing in front of the open port of a magnetron. And the 
"Microwave Oven" (back then a "Radar Range") was born. 

Working at Lockheed Aircraft Service one night on the F-86 flight line I 
thought I was coming down with the flu because I was suddenly sweaty on a cold, 
winter night. Then I noticed that the fire control radar on one of the F-86's 
nearby with the radome off was "looking" right at me. I moved several meters to 
one side and the dish followed me. I was being irradiated by the RF, raising my 
body temperature. I just moved further away. No one thought that was 
remarkable. 

We have become much more sensitive to such things. But it was not always so, 
even for the current generation of Hams. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 4:34 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Going Mobile?

I recall a construction article a long time ago (mid 1960's) in GE Ham News 
where W8DLD constructed a 1KW mobile linear using a pair of Grounded Grid 814 
tubes and developed the HV from a modified alternator to bring the 3 phase AC 
out and run it to 3 transformers.

Of course, in those days, there were no computers in vehicles to be concerned 
about, and there was plenty of room in the vehicle to mount the exciter, 
usually under the center of the dashboard.  Remember that the Collins KM1 and 
KM2 were designed as mobile transceivers, and they were much larger than the K3.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/9/2017 7:14 PM, Bob Nielsen wrote:
> In the late 1980s WB6FDR showed me his mobile station that had a Kenwood 
> rig with a small control head which he had mounted on the dash of his 
> Mercedes.  The rest of the rig plus a KW amp all fit in the trunk.
> 
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Re: [Elecraft] KX3 SSB ALC Mic Gain - a new problem

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It's worth checking continuity through the cord as well. The wires in the
stretch cords do sometimes break. I used to service radios on large ships,
and broken stretch cord wires on the VHF bridge radios were common. The wire
usually looked fine - the insulation was intact - but the stranded wire
inside was broken. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of John H Farmer
Sent: Sunday, October 8, 2017 1:00 AM
To: donw...@embarqmail.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KX3 SSB ALC Mic Gain - a new problem

Dear Don & Group,

Thanks for your suggestions.  After some more exploration, I think the
problem is the MH3 and here's why:

Backing down the mic gain didn't help and neither did a firmware reload.  I
was suspicious of the MH3 being at fault, as the ALC / Mic gain adjustment
remained perfectly consistent and reliable in data modes.
I then remembered I had a Yamaha CM500 headset lying in a drawer. I made an
adapter (thanks Walter, K6WRU for your very helpful and clear webpage
describing the adapter cable) I plugged it into the KX3 mic socket and lo
and behold, the KX3 plays perfectly with it - the ALC shows 5-7 bars with a
mic gain of 35-37 and I get the expected RF output, which is exactly how it
used to be with the MH3.

I took the MH3 apart and mechanically it all looks sound, no loose wires or
dry joints, and I checked that there is indeed a bias voltage on the mic + (
tip) wire at the microphone.  There's not much to go wrong in there, so I
wonder if the electret element has died.

I'll order a replacement MH3, because even though the CM500 headset works
well, I like using the handmic and I've always had good audio reports using
it.  

Thanks everyone for your interest.

73,

John
VK7JB

-Original Message-
From: Don Wilhelm [mailto:donw...@embarqmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, 8 October 2017 11:09
To: Dr John H Farmer ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX3 SSB ALC Mic Gain - a new problem

John,

Try backing down the MIC Gain setting to something low or mid-range.
If you get the mic voltage too high, the mic amplifier detects that and
inserts attenuation that will shut the audio from the mic down.

So bottom line, start with a low MIC Gain setting and increase it until you
see 5 to 7 bars on the ALC meter.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/7/2017 7:53 PM, Dr John H Farmer wrote:

> Yesterday, I noted that I had no RF output on SSB and find that now I 
> get no ALC indication until the Mic gain is advanced to the maximum
setting of 80.
> Nothing else has changed in my
> 
> setup.  I've checked that MIC Bias is set to ON and the TX EQ settings 
> have not changed.  I've also checked and there is indeed a bias 
> voltage on the Mic socket.

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Re: [Elecraft] K2 20 watt internal tuner

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Note that the internal tuner cannot co-exist with the KPA100 amp. The amp
uses the space occupied by the optional battery pack and ATU. Installing the
ATU/Battery cover with those accessories makes for a nice, one box, QRP
portable rig. It's not a huge issue to swap top covers, changing the K2/100
into a K2/10 or back again. 

Of course you don't need a heavy power supply for just 10 watts (the rated
maximum output from the K2). The difference between 10 watts and 100 watts
will be 10 dB (between 1 and 2 S-units at the receiving end). I've never
found that to be a problem, but then I'm a QRP guy, Hi! 

(Note that while some get more than 10 watts from their K2, it is NOT
recommended operating voice mode (SSB) at higher power levels to avoid
excessive distortion.)

The ATU is similar to the other Elecraft ATU's - a high-efficiency L-network
with series inductance and shunt capacitance at either the input or load
end. One caveat is that the miniature T1 ATU has somewhat restricted
matching range on 160 and 80 meters owing to the limited space inside for
the inductors required. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KM6JMR
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 3:27 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 20 watt internal tuner

I have purchased a K2/100 and was wondering if the 20 watt internal tuner
cover is more or less better for field work or field day.



--

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Re: [Elecraft] practicing CW on K2 without transmitting?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Whenever I'm doing anything with a powered-up rig and don't want to
transmit, I have a dummy load on the antenna port. That way the worst that
can happen is that I waste a little energy warming the dummy load. 

You are my kind of Ham, Peter. I'm not bothered by choosing between a dozen
switches but sorting through half a dozen menu items to change one gives me
a headache. I remember a name the same way - write it down so I can remember
it in print. But if I let it float around in my gray matter "aether" it's
'pt!' - gone in minutes. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Peter Eijlander
(PA0PJE)
Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 4:06 PM
To: Reflector Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] practicing CW on K2 without transmitting?

I glued a 6.3 mm jack to the base of my Ham-Key paddle and a common cathode
double Schottky diode, that can be found in nearly any old PC power supply,
to create a straight-key input and while glueing I made a small DPDT switch
to reverse the paddles for left hand operation...
I know that can be set from the menu but the switch is much easier.

73,
Peter


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Re: [Elecraft] OT - Cruise Operation

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

As Phil noted that all ended in 1999. 

I serviced many of those consoles while they were still required and found it 
interesting how the economics worked. For example, the required "back up" 
receiver was a crystal detector for many years after "high tech" regenerative 
receivers were added. In the 1980's I still found a space (now blank) for the 
crystal detector on some ships (and that is why emergency comms always used 
MCW, right up to the end in 1999, in case someone was hearing the signal on a 
receiver without a BFO such as a crystal detector). 

Most of the ship's LF/MF consoles used a regenerative receiver as the required 
backup, once a superhet took over the main receiver position. It was fun 
servicing them and they were effective. As one Sparks told me when I returned 
his regen receiver, hooked it up and noted that local broadcast band stations 
near the port were causing heavy blocking, "Sonny!" He said, "If'n this tubs 
sink'n and someone is close enough to block my regen he's the ship I WANT to 
talk to!"

As Archie Bunker said, "Those were the days!" 

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bob McGraw K4TAX
Sent: Monday, September 25, 2017 11:17 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT - Cruise Operation

My son, KD4ODR, and myself, K4TAX and our wives on a Royal Caribbean cruise 
many years ago had the opportunity to visit the Radio Room of the ship.   I was 
amazed at the "antique" equipment still in place.   The Chief Radio Officer, in 
addition to the officer on duty, did indicate it wasn't used for much of 
anything, although the automatic SOS system was still functional.  At this time 
they were copying traffic for various ships and all was in CW running in the 
background.   He was surprised that I was able to follow along with many of the 
messages for other ships.  He indicated they monitored the channel 24/7 and 
could easily pick out their ships call as it appeared in a string of calls when 
traffic existed for their ship.

I presume since that time all of this has gone away in view of satellite 
communications and such.

73

Bob, K4TAX


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Re: [Elecraft] 630M Antenna

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It can be useful to explore the really old QST and radio handbooks published
in the 1920's and earlier - especially earlier when many Hams were operating
from small urban lots on wavelengths of 300 to 600 meters. 

At first glance many look much like today's wire antennas. One or more
horizontal wires above the home with a "feed line" leading up from the shack
(often in the attic). But looks are deceiving. The "feed line" is actually
the antenna - a short vertical antenna - connected to the horizontal wires
for "top loading". A robust matching network (a.k.a. "tuner") completes the
system.

Very inefficient, but also very effective under the right conditions.
However, it's clear that once HF propagation was discovered Hams stampeded
onto the "short waves" for a reason. 

73, Ron AC7AC


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Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Possibly Fred. I didn't specify because by the 1980's there were several newer 
types with the same features - some even solid state! They all went away when 
the 500 kHz distress frequency was abandoned in the 1990's.

73, Ron AC7AC  

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2017 11:02 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

AN/CRT-3 [aka BC-778] "Gibson Girl" survival radio.  The ones we had in SE Asia 
in the 60's included a rock-bound 8 MHz distress frequency too.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County


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Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

My reaction to "phone" exactly, since a typical "AM Phone" signal will
occupy 6 of the 7 kHz! 

Back in the days when shipping used these frequencies, only Morse was
allowed for routine communications although modulation was applied to
produce MCW for emergencies. That was a carryover from the days when some
ships still used crystal detectors for emergency comms. Un-modulated CW
produces no tone and at best soft clicks in a crystal receiver. But in those
situations everyone had to QRT around the frequency of the emergency signal
(usually 500 kHz) so sidebands were of no concern. 

It is true that a little bit CAN go a long way. Back in the 1990s when I was
working on ships with MF CW gear I had the opportunity to share coffee with
a radio operator and his captain who had spent hours circling in the Pacific
looking for the source of an SOS on 500 kHz. It turned out to be a
hand-cranked lifeboat transmitter in the Med.! They were chasing a phantom
signal at the antinode half way around the world. The emergency transmitter
ran a couple of watts at best into a very limited antenna hung by a kite or
balloon over the raft.

73, Ron AC7AC  

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Edward R Cole
Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 7:17 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

Bill,

I could not believe it when you stated all modes allowed, so I checked the
CFR47, 90.307
https://ecfr.io/Title-47/se47.5.97_1305

  630m allows RTTY, data (see 97.307 (3)

  630m phone and image (see 97.307 (1)(2)

But seriously no 3-KHz phone should be used since one QSO would occupy
nearly 50% of the 7-KHz wide band.  I'm astonished that the FCC permits
phone on 630m.
CW and digital is most efficient use of spectrum and weak signals.

97.313
https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=2689706e634fb3e73b9f4ef814c352e9&m
c=true&node=se47.5.97_1313&rgn=div8

(l) No station may transmit in the 472-479 kHz (630 m) band with a
transmitter power exceeding 500 W PEP or a radiated power exceeding 5 W
EIRP, except that in Alaska, stations located within 800 kilometers of the
Russian Federation may not transmit with a radiated power exceeding 1 W
EIRP.

So this observes that 630m transmitting antenna are expected to be very
inefficient 500w resulting in < 5w erp.  My inverted-L calculates to be 3w
erp with 100w.

So Mel +20 dBm (100mw) will result in about 3mw erp using my antenna.  Of
course you may put up a full size vertical 521 foot high (with 521 foot
ground plane) or a 1142 foot dipole only 1000-foot high.  Most of us will
use antenna under 10% full size with resulting dismal efficiency.

But 5w erp can go a long distance on 630m; my signal was detected in
Buffalo, NY (about 4,000 miles).

73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 (ARRL Experimental License)
---

To: Bill Frantz ,
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use


Interesting in reading the FCC notice, ALL modes are allowed!!! ?So some
enterprising company should make a transverter for us??? ?It is only
allowing 5W EIRP, a signal generator and do +20 dBm, Hummm.
Mel, K6KBE

   From: Bill Frantz 
  To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
  Sent: Friday, September 15, 2017 4:02 PM
  Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 630 meter band open for use

Just submitted my data for both bands. I got the lat/long from QRZ.com and
checked it against the "Maidenhead" app on my cell phone.

73 Bill AE6JV


73, Ed - KL7UW
   http://www.kl7uw.com
Dubus-NA Business mail:
   dubus...@gmail.com 

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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Looking for adaptor

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Eggzactly! Acronyms are for creating confusion and misunderstanding outside
of a small select group, not for communicating with others in general.

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dean L
Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2017 5:20 PM
To: Wes Stewart; Elecraft Mail List
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Looking for adaptor

On Sep 14, 2017 8:02 PM, "Wes Stewart"  wrote:
There's an LDE on this reflector.

Long Delayed Echo?

73
Dean
K2WW
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Re: [Elecraft] OT: Whole House Generator - Update

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Perhaps it is saying the obvious, but when considering the power
requirements of a home determine how it is heated. Here in Oregon, in the
land served by the Bonneville Hydroelectric dam, a great many homes like
mine are heated electrically. We have a forced air system that employs 3
electric "burners" each drawing 60 amps at 240 vac - more than 43 kW for the
furnace alone. Of course, on startup they draw far more than that for the
first minute until the coils get hot, so a sequencer brings each "burner" on
line one at a time over a period of a few minutes. On cold winter mornings
it's not unusual to see the mains voltage sag from 125 to 118 or less even
if we don't have the furnace running, thanks to all the other electric
furnaces in the neighborhood.

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Saturday, September 9, 2017 2:16 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: Whole House Generator - Update

On 9/9/2017 10:43 AM, Doug Hensley wrote:
> I'm was pleased to hear K3, K3S & KX3 owners consistently reporting
whatever hash their units were producing had no ill effects on their
Elecraft radios during the period their generator was running.

It is quite common for generators to produce RF noise that radiates on power
wiring and is received by nearby antennas. The solutions are 1) bonding the
frame of the generator to the house ground with short, fat copper and/or 2)
a serious multi-turn ferrite common mode choke on the cable from the
generator output, as close to the generator as possible. 
Obviously, proper bonding of all grounds is critical to #1 working.

Square footage of a home affects the electrical load ONLY if the generator
must run HVAC an system, and the load of that system is likely to be MUCH
greater than everything else put together, except a well motor. A larger
generator is likely to put out more RFI and be more difficult to suppress.

73, Jim K9YC

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Re: [Elecraft] What technical similarity do HRO receivers and Elecraft receivers share that is unique? - Answer

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

In the HRO-7 coil sets (that I had) they were screws that changed the 
connections. 

It was a fun thought experiment for those of us who had HRO receivers. 

I miss my HRO but mine came to me from W6HUA - Field Gray who was Jack Webb's 
art direction on the original Dragnet TV shows and well as the feature length 
movies "The DI" and "Pete Kelly's Blues"). I met Field on 80 meters and he said 
he'd sell me his HRO IF I promised that if I needed the cash back he'd buy it 
from me. In College that happened and he took it back for the $100 I paid for 
it (about $15 in today's money). I was just starting college and some months 
later he left it at my Mother's home. I then found out he had become an SK from 
cancer. 

Decades later another young fellow used to spend hours in my shack listening to 
it. Eventually I turned it over to him, no charge because that is what I paid, 
with the same conditions. 

That made it a great receiver, no matter how good it was or was not by today's 
standards. 

That's the Ham radio I grew up in. Most gear was passed onto the next 
generation with no idea of profit. The price we paid was what it was worth to 
us for the enjoyment we gained from it.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Doug Millar via Elecraft
Sent: Sunday, September 3, 2017 5:46 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] What technical similarity do HRO receivers and Elecraft 
receivers share that is unique? - Answer

Hi Don and others-   Ok.Here is my answer-  I don't think I am far off by 
saying that the unique similarity it is in using switched components to effect 
frequency coverage of the same tuning coil. In the HRO they had clips you could 
change over to go to "bandspread" mode on each coil assembly, Elecraft uses 
relays (switches) to change capacitor values in their bandpass filters so that 
the same assembly can cover two ranges. Essentially the same thing. I don't 
think any other companies have used this technique as extensively as National 
and Elecraft. 
Your opinion may vary.Doug
 Dr.Doug Millar EdD.
K6JEY
drzarko...@yahoo.com
562 810 3989  cell/text

 
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Re: [Elecraft] Noise Blankers

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

The advantage of controlling the gain manually is not an "old wife's tale". 
Rather, it's clearly just a technique that is not for everyone. 

AGC will reduce the gain according to the strongest signal inside the I.F. 
passband. Manually riding the "RF" gain ensures that a very weak signal is not 
affected by a strong signal that is also inside the I.F. passband. Of course 
that means your ears could be blasted by that strong signal, which is why Wayne 
included a hard limiter that can be enabled to chop such a signal down to size, 
making it no louder than the weak signal we want to copy. 

It has become a moot point for many operators today who cannot read CW if they 
are hearing two or three (or more) signals within the I.F. passband all at the 
same time. For them, it's essential to have enough I.F. selectivity to isolate 
one signal and so AGC is just fine. 

But some of us have a lifetime of experience sorting out multiple signals with 
our gray matter between the ears and prefer to continue to do so -- probably 
until we all become SKs. 

73, Ron AC7AC

 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wes Stewart
Sent: Sunday, September 3, 2017 3:00 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Noise Blankers

Just a couple of points.

In the K3(S) there is no "RF Gain" control unless by RF gain you mean "It's not 
the audio gain gain control."

The "RF" gain control operates on the i-f amplifier, which is after the analog 
noise blanker. In this regard, it is little different from AGC, which operates 
on exactly the same circuitry. Why some people believe that they are better at 
controlling i-f gain than the AGC system does is beyond me, but old wife's 
tales die hard.  If this is hard to fathom, watch the S meter as you reduce 
"RF" 
gain.  The reading increases, no different from letting the AGC do it.

Attenuation is a different matter. It operates at RF and is a viable tool.

About noise blanking, I think I had a little to say about that almost 40 years
ago: http://k6mhe.com/n7ws/Noise_Blanker.pdf

Wes  N7WS

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Re: [Elecraft] Dusting off the old K3 & Considering a KAT3A

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

What an "antenna tuner" does for you depends upon where you install it. 

There are two places where a low SWR is important: the load the finals in
the rig "see" and the load the transmission line "sees". In most HAM
installations the load the finals see is probably the most critical because
if it is not within specs the transmitter may shut down or the final
amplifier devices may self-destruct. Fortunately, Elecraft rigs have
protection against self destruction by reducing the output power as needed
but having the power reduce automatically is seldom desirable to the
operator. 

Before about the 1960's, the output tuning networks in Ham transmitters were
adjustable to provide a decently-low SWR to the finals with a wide variety
of loads. Back then with vacuum tube amps it was common to "dip the plate
current and adjust the loading for rated plate current at the dip". That
adjusted the output network for a proper match to the finals, but required
adjustment when QSYing. Then "no tune" rigs appeared which met the more
stringent FCC requirements for suppression of spurious emissions but
required a proper load: typically 50 ohms non-reactive.

A lot of antennas did NOT provide a "proper load" to the rig, so the use of
antenna tuners became popular. Many rigs built the antenna tuner into the
rig itself to ensure the final amplifier transistors (or tubes) always saw
an acceptable load. That is the function of all of the built-in ATUs in the
Elecraft rigs. 

That protects the finals in the rig but did nothing to help the load the
transmission line "sees". As the transmission line sees a higher and higher
SWR, its losses increase. That load is determined by the antenna. And, when
it is not practical to adjust the antenna for a good load at all
frequencies, remote antenna tuners have become more common when transmission
line losses are too large. Many, if not most, Hams simply live with the
increased transmission line losses up to the point where their transmission
line fails by being over-stressed with the excessive currents or excessive
voltages produced by the standing waves on the transmission line. This
occurs most commonly in the coaxial lines used by most Hams at QRO powers.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Drew AF2Z
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2017 7:17 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Dusting off the old K3 & Considering a KAT3A

An antenna current meter is pretty handy. I have a box of parts on my desk
waiting to become one. At least when it shows zero current I'll be able to
figure out pretty quickly that I forgot to connect the antenna, hehhe..

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On 08/31/17 18:09, Bill Frantz wrote:
> Sorry Jim. You are indeed correct about the feedline SWR. While there 
> are other SWRs within the radio, they aren't of much interest.
> 
> However, these radios do report a SWR in the UI, and that is what I 
> was referring to. Since a naive user might look at that figure and 
> say, "The SWR is 2. The antenna must be good.", it is important to 
> know that the tuners can produce a low figure on that meter with 
> nothing connected to the antenna connector.
> 
> 73 Bill AE6JV
> 

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Re: [Elecraft] 14 volt batteries?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I wonder if that had anything to do with (in the past at least) 50V and up were 
considered "dangerous" voltages that required special protection and warnings.

Of course any of us who happened to get across the circuit with even a 12V 
battery and a large inductance in series disagreed - after we picked ourselves 
up off of the floor.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Kane
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2017 8:39 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 14 volt batteries?

On 8/20/2017 7:10 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> More recent battery technology have produced a number of batteries 
> with different voltages, but most ham gear has stayed with the voltage 
> commonly available in a vehicular mobile environment.  That is just 
> "the fact of the matter".

Commercial "fixed station" equipment has largely migrated to 48V, the 
historical "Bell System" standard.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

>From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: [Elecraft] N6KR/7 Eclipse station test, 14060.0 (now)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

So far (it is Saturday evening) the roads here on the coast at Newport are
quiet for this time of the year. But the Oregon coast is not the easiest
place to get to anyway. I won't mind if it stays quiet through Monday! 

Anyone can check Oregon road conditions and see the road cameras here:

https://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/CCentry.asp

Maybe it is all a "tempest in a teacup". 

I suspect Wayne is in the ideal spot for viewing on the East side of the
coastal mountains and so away from the marine overcast but not so far east
he gets downwind from some nasty wildfires.

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Matt Zilmer
Sent: Saturday, August 19, 2017 7:24 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] N6KR/7 Eclipse station test, 14060.0 (now)

How's the traffic?  Reports here are such that you might want to start
driving around 3 AM local.

73,

matt, W6NIA


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Re: [Elecraft] Eclipse logistics and em-comm nets?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It is what it is. The newscasts tonight said Oregon roads were unusually clear 
(with a few exceptions as noted). It appears the locals are trying to stay out 
of the way, but we do that here on the coast every summer so the tourists 
visiting can enjoy themselves, even when stopping traffic for a photo. 

We will see what happens Sunday and Monday. 

Like I said, "... August 22nd will be a great relief!" 

Compared to a great many "American" films, I liked Godzilla a lot. 

73 Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Fred Jensen
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2017 5:13 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Eclipse logistics and em-comm nets?

Jeez Ron, it sounds like the intro to one of those B-grade disaster movies from 
my childhood.  No one knows if Godzilla will show up.  The eclipse likely won't 
extend past the normal attention span of a teenager ... then everyone needs to 
leave and return home.  I do hope the hams are ready if needed.

OH, forgot ... there are those who take offense at calling Godzilla a B-movie.  
I am truly sorry and I apologize.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 8/18/2017 11:57 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Other than I-5, Oregon's highways are one lane each way with few exceptions 
> in more built up areas. As Eclipse viewers arrive, the roads fill up fast. 
> Local news reported that one town in the eastern Willamette Valley had a 30 
> mile long bumper-to-bumper back up yesterday. I-5 should be moving at least.
>
> Here in Newport on the central Oregon coast (within the band of "totality"), 
> traffic is heavy and growing worse by the day. People are being reminded that 
> they may NOT camp on the beaches. Besides, we should have record high tides 
> caused by the sun and moon tides converging on eclipse day. Many beaches will 
> be under water. Lodging and camps are at full capacity. In spite of visitors 
> being warned they will be fined, we expect to find roadsides that have any 
> space and parking lots everywhere filled with campers and trailers. During 
> the eclipse we expect to find vehicles just stopping in the road to watch, 
> oblivious to the fact it stops traffic for as long as they sit there (that 
> already happens from time to time every summer when people stop in the middle 
> of the highway, get out of their vehicles, and take pictures (sigh...).
>
> The local telephone services are installing many hundreds of portable 
> "towers" to augment the regular cell towers. Even so, I won't be surprised if 
> Wayne is correct: Amateur Radio may be the most reliable communications 
> system.
>
> Also, hundreds of additional ambulances are on scene to handle more 
> emergencies, although whether they will be able to get where they need to go 
> is in doubt. Many roads have NO shoulders where people can pull over. A deep 
> drainage ditch runs down each side of most rural roads just off the edge of 
> the pavement.
>
> A number of helicopter ambulances are arriving to help where emergency 
> vehicles cannot reach.
>
> National Guard personnel are being dispatched to help with traffic in various 
> locations and they have better off-road vehicles for places where the 
> highways are jammed.
>
> One major concern locally is on the morning of the 21st when people here 
> discover the sky is overcast (as it usually is on the coast this time of 
> year- at least until noon) they will try to head east along US20, one lane 
> each way through the 3,000 foot coastal mountains, to reach cloudless skies.
>
> Gas prices up over a dollar ($3.25 yesterday) and are sure to continue to 
> rise as long as the pumps don't run dry. Gas is delivered from over the 
> coastal mountains and it's likely that no new deliveries are being made 
> before the crowds dissipate.
>
> Similarly, grocery store shelves are emptying out and may not be restocked 
> before the eclipse.
>
> Our local water company is concerned about handling the load imposed by 
> having 5 or 10 times the normal number of people using it. They recommend 
> storing extra water now.
>
> Overall the emergency services point out that this is a great test of our 
> readiness for the anticipated "Cascadia event" that we train for regularly 
> including strong earthquakes, tsunami and no passable highways for several 
> days at least.
>
> That may be, but August 22nd will be a great relief!
>
> 73, Ron AC7AC
>

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Re: [Elecraft] Eclipse logistics and em-comm nets?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Other than I-5, Oregon's highways are one lane each way with few exceptions in 
more built up areas. As Eclipse viewers arrive, the roads fill up fast. Local 
news reported that one town in the eastern Willamette Valley had a 30 mile long 
bumper-to-bumper back up yesterday. I-5 should be moving at least.  

Here in Newport on the central Oregon coast (within the band of "totality"), 
traffic is heavy and growing worse by the day. People are being reminded that 
they may NOT camp on the beaches. Besides, we should have record high tides 
caused by the sun and moon tides converging on eclipse day. Many beaches will 
be under water. Lodging and camps are at full capacity. In spite of visitors 
being warned they will be fined, we expect to find roadsides that have any 
space and parking lots everywhere filled with campers and trailers. During the 
eclipse we expect to find vehicles just stopping in the road to watch, 
oblivious to the fact it stops traffic for as long as they sit there (that 
already happens from time to time every summer when people stop in the middle 
of the highway, get out of their vehicles, and take pictures (sigh...). 

The local telephone services are installing many hundreds of portable "towers" 
to augment the regular cell towers. Even so, I won't be surprised if Wayne is 
correct: Amateur Radio may be the most reliable communications system.

Also, hundreds of additional ambulances are on scene to handle more 
emergencies, although whether they will be able to get where they need to go is 
in doubt. Many roads have NO shoulders where people can pull over. A deep 
drainage ditch runs down each side of most rural roads just off the edge of the 
pavement. 

A number of helicopter ambulances are arriving to help where emergency vehicles 
cannot reach. 

National Guard personnel are being dispatched to help with traffic in various 
locations and they have better off-road vehicles for places where the highways 
are jammed. 

One major concern locally is on the morning of the 21st when people here 
discover the sky is overcast (as it usually is on the coast this time of year- 
at least until noon) they will try to head east along US20, one lane each way 
through the 3,000 foot coastal mountains, to reach cloudless skies. 

Gas prices up over a dollar ($3.25 yesterday) and are sure to continue to rise 
as long as the pumps don't run dry. Gas is delivered from over the coastal 
mountains and it's likely that no new deliveries are being made before the 
crowds dissipate. 

Similarly, grocery store shelves are emptying out and may not be restocked 
before the eclipse.

Our local water company is concerned about handling the load imposed by having 
5 or 10 times the normal number of people using it. They recommend storing 
extra water now. 

Overall the emergency services point out that this is a great test of our 
readiness for the anticipated "Cascadia event" that we train for regularly 
including strong earthquakes, tsunami and no passable highways for several days 
at least. 

That may be, but August 22nd will be a great relief!

73, Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
Sent: Thursday, August 17, 2017 10:05 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Eclipse logistics and em-comm nets?

Wow... sure hope this isn't the case in North Tennessee...  :)

__
Clay Autery, KY5G
MONTAC Enterprises
(318) 518-1389

On 8/17/2017 11:17 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> Many of us are headed into the solar eclipse zone in the next few days, my 
> family included. We’re leaving today for Ashland, Oregon. Early on Saturday 
> (possibly *very* early), we’ll be driving to a campground in Corvallis, right 
> in the Path of Totality.
>
> There are widespread predictions of epic gridlock for many of Oregon’s 
> roadways. I’m guessing this will be true in other states as well. Authorities 
> are suggesting that travelers have several days worth of food and water, as 
> they could be stranded on freeways that become parking lots. Many gas 
> stations in small towns like Bend are already out of fuel.
>
> The cellphone network could be affected as well. Imaging 1 million people 
> camping, in effect, on I-5, state route 97, etc., trying to call home or 
> reach emergency services. Under the circumstances, amateur radio may very we 
> called upon to provide emergency communications. Fortunately many of us will 
> be using mobile or portable stations that are immune to loss of power or cell 
> service.
>
> If you know of any specific networks that are planning to activate for this 
> event, please post that info here (and elsewhere).
>
> Lacking any defined plan, I’ll be monitoring 7283.5 kHz, home of the daily 
> west-coast “Noontime Net”. 40 meters is ideal for this sort of regional 
> coordination and emergency traffic, especially in areas not well served by 
> VHF/UHF repeaters. I’

Re: [Elecraft] Is it my KX3/antenna or is it lousy band condx?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Sometimes convenience is more important than 3 dB of power. That is the case
for many installations, including those T2FDs on National Guard armories. 

After all, EVERY antenna is a compromise of some sort. For example, consider
the unidirectional Rhombic antenna, a staple of major commercial
point-to-point stations since Marconi's day strung among a large field of
telephone poles.

A Rhombic is basically bi-directional with two main lobes 180 degrees apart
in azimuth. But a resistor is added to make it unidirectional by absorbing
half of the transmitter power that would normally be radiated in the "wrong"
direction. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ken G Kopp
Sent: Sunday, August 13, 2017 10:28 AM
To: j...@audiosystemsgroup.com
Cc: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Is it my KX3/antenna or is it lousy band condx?

The antenna Jim's is referring to (below) is ... I believe ... better known
as a "T2FD".  In a case of conning the unknowing B & W ... and maybe even
themselves ... sold hundreds of them to the Army National Guard.  You see
them hanging above every armory here in MT.

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Re: [Elecraft] Is it my KX3/antenna or is it lousy band condx?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

And we used to think plasma panel TV's were bad! Argh!

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Brown
Sent: Saturday, August 12, 2017 8:08 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Is it my KX3/antenna or is it lousy band condx?

On 8/12/2017 7:31 PM, krug261--- via Elecraft wrote:
> I came back to radio after a 15 year break.

The thing that's changed is the proliferation of noise generators. The RF
environment has become so bad that broadcasters have raised the issue with
the FCC, and the FCC is studying it in a serious way.

In a tutorial/applications note about finding and killing it, I made an
educated guess that the average residence has at least two dozen, and
probably three dozen, HF noise sources.

http://k9yc.com/KillingReceiveNoise.pdf

73, Jim K9YC

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Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

ThenWHY are YOU pursuing it ??? 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 6:21 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

Bwah!  My favorite!

Can we please let this thread die?

__
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MONTAC Enterprises
(318) 518-1389


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Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Yep, and that is what I do too. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Drew AF2Z
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 7:31 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

Since QRP means "reduce your power" I figure it's an invitation to crank my
output down to 5 watts and reply. If I can hear him at 5 watts he'll
probably hear me and we'll both be using the minimum power required to make
the contact.

73,
Drew
AF2Z



On 07/26/17 14:33, Ken G Kopp wrote:
> I view it as a "I'm special ... Please take pitty on me - I -never-
respond.
> 
> 73
> 
> K0PP
> __
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> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email 
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> pu...@af2z.net
> 

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Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I agree 100% with Wayne about "...built my own radio..." 

Along the same lines, I answer any signal that sounds less than "perfect". It's 
more than likely it's a HB rig which leads to a very interesting QSO. 

Now, I will admit to having had a QSO when I said my power was less than 5 
watts and the other station same back saying "SRI OM. YOU ARE TOO WEAK TO 
COPY". 

If I'm feeling "onry" I have replied "SRI. NOW AT 500 WATTS. HW IS COPY?" and 
the other station replies "FB. SOLID COPY NOW" 

But.. I'll admit, I'm still at 5 watts. 

Like most things, perception an preconceived opinions are EVERYTHING!

73 Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 12:57 PM
To: Nicklas Johnson
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"

Signing /QRP tells the other station at least two things: (1) your signal is 
weak because of power level, not propagation, so they don’t have to worry that 
you can’t copy them; and (2) you’re really excited to work them, even if 
they’re local :) 

For many of us, it’s this enthusiasm and extra effort on both sides that makes 
QRP contacts enjoyable, at times even mystical. It’s a spontaneous team effort, 
like quantum entanglement.

Example: I had QSO on 15 meters with Rwanda (from Arizona) running 200 mW to an 
8’ wire running directly to the back of a Safari 4. There is no question that 
*both* of us were ecstatic after he finally copied my callsign.

“/QRP” also often means “I built my own radio!” or “I’m reducing my carbon 
footprint!” (In my case, both.)

I greatly appreciate it when another station accepts the challenge and 
opportunity presented by QRP.

72,
Wayne
N6KR


> On Jul 26, 2017, at 12:27 PM, Nicklas Johnson  wrote:
> 
> I can't imagine any world in which I would get bent out of shape or 
> judgmental about someone signing /QRP.  I'm not in this hobby to see 
> how many people I can *refuse* to speak to, let alone for a reason 
> that would require my making assumptions about the mental or emotional 
> state of a stranger.  Part 97 says /QRP is a perfectly valid 
> indicator, so there's certainly no rule being broken.  So why on earth would 
> I care?
> 
> I wouldn't get irate with someone for using a Marconi antenna, or 
> critique their use of a dipole instead of a Yagi, either.
> 
>   Nick
> 
> On 26 July 2017 at 14:56, Chris Tate - N6WM  wrote:
> 
>> I dont care what they add as a designator as long as I get the q in 
>> the log.
>> 
>> If I was really bent out of shape I would log them and then email 
>> them later and make any elmery suggestions after the fact, in a nice way.
>> Calling them a lid would not fit that bill.
>> 
>> ~C./WM
>> 
>> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
>> [elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net]
>> on behalf of Kevin der Kinderen [kkinde...@gmail.com]
>> Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2017 11:42 AM
>> To: Ken G Kopp
>> Cc: Elecraft
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Signing "/QRP"
>> 
>> I view it as an invitation or a challenge. I always respond.
>> 
>> 73,
>> Kev K4VD
>> 
>> On Wed, Jul 26, 2017 at 2:33 PM, Ken G Kopp  wrote:
>> 
>>> I view it as a "I'm special ... Please take pitty on me - I -never- 
>>> respond.
>>> 
>>> 73
>>> 
>>> K0PP
>>> __
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
>>> 
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this 
>>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
>>> kkinde...@gmail.com
>>> 
>> __
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>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this 
>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
>> ct...@ewnetinc.com 
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>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this 
>> email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
>> n...@n6ol.us
>> 
> 
> 
> 
> --
> *N6OL*
> Saying something doesn't make it true.  Belief in something doesn't 
> make it real. And if you have to lie to support a position, that 
> position is not worth supporting.
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> This list hosted by: h

Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It's useful to remember that a screw (or bolt) is a spring. When tightened
it stretches lengthwise. Like any spring, it offers the best "grip" when
subjected to the right range of pressure. 

Way back in my High School days (1950's - before Mercury was a toxic
substance) I watched a demonstration using a bolt and nut made of frozen
Mercury. Mercury is not elastic. Liquid Mercury was poured into molds for a
nut and bolt and hardened with liquid nitrogen. Using gloves, the
demonstrator assembled the nut and bolt using a large wrench to apply a
great deal of torque. That done, anyone could loosen it without a wrench by
just twisting the nut or bolt with minimal finger pressure (inside the
gloves of course). There was no resistance since Mercury does not stretch.

It's easy to over torque (stretch) small screws. That's why the Elecraft kit
assembly manuals do not recommend using power screwdrivers. The Elecraft
factory in Watsonville is equipped with special torque-limiting power
screwdrivers to allow quick assembly with screws not so tight they are
damaged or broken. 

Since a screw is basically an inclined plane that stretches the screw when
tightened, vibration will allow the screw to turn (slide along the plane of
the threads), hence the use of lock washers or chemical compounds in such
environments to stop any movement. 

Perhaps the issue with the KX2 paddles is the vibration as the contacts
collide allowing the screws to turn. Working remotely on the Elecraft
manuals I've not been directly involved with the issue, so that is pure
speculation.

73, Ron AC7AC 


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Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I suspect you are right, since the website lists it as an "Adhesive". 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mark Goldberg
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 2:38 PM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire
Cc: Elecraft; w4sc
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

Loctite 425 appears to be the only one they recommend for metal to plastic.
It is Cyanoacrylate based. It may not be that much different from the plain
old CA glue you used, except it is a pretty Loctite blue!

http://www.na.henkel-adhesives.com/product-search-1554.htm?nodeid=8797887234
049


73,

Mark
W7MLG


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Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi Josh: 

When I bought Loctite I had a choice of only two, red and blue. So I just
looked and that's all the Loctite web site lists now (they do have a variety
of glues and other chemicals but I am looking at threadlockers). Red Loctite
requires heating the screw to 500F to remove it. Blue Loctite can be removed
using hand tools. They do say they are not "recommended" for use on
plastics, but I believed they meant securing plastic threaded parts. In my
case it was a steel screw and nut so I used blue Loctite on the screw
threads. A tiny amount of the Loctite must have flowed onto the plastic hole
in the parts the screw and nut were securing. That was enough that resulted
in slow disintegration from a hole for a #4 screw out to an inch more in all
directions. 

I'll continue to use a drop of CA glue since I've never had a screw secured
with it come loose yet they are easily removed when needed. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Josh Fiden
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 1:20 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

There are something like 40 different formulations of Loctite Threadlocker.
It's a great product *if* you select the correct one for your application.
The wrong one can be a disaster.

73,
Josh W6XU

On 7/24/2017 12:48 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> Perhaps Loctite has changed the formula

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Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I avoid Loctite after using it to secure a steel screw and nut holding a
plastic part. Over the next six months the plastic around the screw
disintegrated - crumbled. That was several years ago. Perhaps Loctite has
changed the formula, but I haven't succumbed to making another test.

I found that a small drop of thin (not gel) CA glue (a.k.a "superglue") on
the threads of a screw works very well, yet the screw can be removed later
if needed with little effort. The threads do not need to be coated. Just a
small amount where the screw enters the threaded section, or a small drop on
the end of the screw where it exits are all that is needed. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mark Goldberg
Sent: Monday, July 24, 2017 11:09 AM
To: w4sc
Cc: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [KX3] Re: Kx2 paddle issue

There are many different Loctites of each color. Exactly what has worked for
you? I have settled on Blue Loctite 243 for it's improved temperature range,
better compatibility with Stainless Steel hardware and oil resistance.

73,

Mark
W7MLG

On Mon, Jul 24, 2017 at 10:05 AM, w4sc  wrote:

> You may want to reconsider using Loctite Red (or Blue), the highest 
> strengths.  If you ever want to disassemble that part of the XDP2, it 
> may take heat and excessive force to loosen.
>
> Loctite Purple is probably more than adequate for the securing of the 
> posts.  A tiny dab of Purple on the end of the screw threads worked 
> great for me.
>
> REF; http://henkeladhesivesna.com/blog/the-difference-between-
> red-blue-green-and-purple-threadlockers/
>
> 73 de Ben W4SC
>
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Re: [Elecraft] W2 watt meter- multiple sensors question

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Yes. It just takes switching the 8-wire connection to a new sensor with
something like this:

http://www.computercableinc.com/ccinc/products.jsp?sub=Switch+Boxes+-+Manual
&id=1173

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dave Fugleberg
Sent: Saturday, July 22, 2017 2:31 PM
To: Elecraft List
Subject: [Elecraft] W2 watt meter- multiple sensors question

I see that the W2 can support up to 2 remote sensors, selectable from the
front panel.
Is it possible to support more (say 4 total) with some kind of external
switching arrangement?
I have a K3 with three XV series transverters (144, 222, 432). Each
transverter feeds a power amp and connects to an antenna for that band. I
currently use separate external meters at the output of each amplifier. I'd
like to replace those with a single meter that can monitor whichever band
I'm transmitting on.
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Re: [Elecraft] Really OT: Inside-the-vehicle HF antennas (possible bonus points)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I thought that was how FM antennas were implemented in some cars already, but 
without using resistance wire. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Randy Bright
Sent: Saturday, July 15, 2017 8:18 PM
To: Wayne Burdick
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Really OT: Inside-the-vehicle HF antennas (possible 
bonus points)

Would there be a way to repurpose the defrost wiring that is sandwiched between 
the layers of glass in some back windows and use that thin wire for your 
antenna?

Randy
AK4QK
Member Calhoun County Amateur Radio Assn.
NAQCC #6312

On Jul 15, 2017 7:54 PM, "Wayne Burdick"  wrote:

> I’m dealing with one of the last unsolved problems in amateur radio: 
> how to operate HF mobile without an antenna. At least not one that, 
> according to some vehicle co-owners/spouses, would defile your new sedan.
>
> For 10 bonus points that have only philosophical value, your challenge 
> is to create an invisible mobile antenna and actually make a QSO on 
> it. For practical purposes (i.e., not frying the car or passengers) 
> let’s say the maximum power level is 10 watts. The bands of interest are 
> 40-10 meters.
>
> Here are some ideas I’m considering:
>
> - mag loop in the rear window
> - thin wire loop on a roof rack
> - gamma match to the entire roof
> - surface acoustic waves
> - prayer
>
> Other ideas?
>
> Yes, I know this violates the laws of physics and bioethics. And I 
> fully expect the car to generate debilitating levels of RFI. But isn’t 
> this the least you’d expect from an unsolved problem?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
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Re: [Elecraft] my KX2 experience and a minor structural issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

There is nothing wrong with immersing the plastic bezel in a dish of soapy
water. Just be sure it's a liquid soap in the water and not a scouring
cleanser. 

After washing, using my fingers to gently rub the bezel in the soapy water,
I lay the bezel on a soft terrycloth towel or even a paper towel and pat it
dry. 

Then, while assembling, I use an air duster to blow off any bits that
accumulate on the inside of the bezel or LCD when mounting the bezel. 

If you do end up with a scratch on the bezel, use any of the acrylic
polishes commonly available. Most automotive stores sell it to clear the
lenses on automobile head and tail lights. A lot of wear and heavy scratches
can be polished away very easily with that stuff. 

Many airport shops that sell supplies also carry it for polishing aircraft
windscreens that become pitted and scratched over time. 

73, Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of n...@zianet.com
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 11:57 AM
To: Walter Underwood
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] my KX2 experience and a minor structural issue

Walter Underwood writes:

> With sand, I would not use a rag. Flush under running water until clean,
then dry off gently.

Actually, that's how I did it.  You verbalized it better than me.  The point
is, wiping off sand and grit on plastic with a dry rag is guaranteed to
cause scratches.  Let water do the work; avoid soaps and harsh cleaning
agents.

72, Paul NA5N

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Re: [Elecraft] my KX2 experience and a minor structural issue

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I keep an air duster handy to blow off the LCD and inside of the bezel just
before mounting it. 

I agree 100% with the liquid dish washing detergent suggestion to clean the
surfaces. It's what we recommend in the kit assembly manuals for all the
Elecraft rigs. 

However, never spray, dribble, etc., a soap mixture directly onto the LCD.
Wet a soft cloth with the mixture and wipe the surface with it just as you'd
clean a monitor screen. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Chris Tate - N6WM
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 2:34 PM
To: Bob McGraw K4TAX; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] my KX2 experience and a minor structural issue

Of course..  My bigger concern is the sand that squeaked through the opening
in the plastic lens and the case..  and sand is in the lcd.. going to need
to be very careful with that.

From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] on
behalf of Bob McGraw K4TAX [rmcg...@blomand.net]
Sent: Monday, July 10, 2017 2:00 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] my KX2 experience and a minor structural issue

A drop or two of liquid dish washing detergent and soft cloth or rubbing
with ones fingers works quite well.A word of caution, NEVER wipe a
dry plastic lens.   Any dust particle will most likely scratch the surface.


On 7/10/2017 3:38 PM, KD7PY wrote:
> I use this to clean the display and lens..
>
> https://www.amazon.com/Blower-Digital-Screens-Cleaning-Keyboards/dp/B0
> 0LV01BT2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1499718910&sr=8-7&keywords=camera+lens
> +brush
>
>
> Ed   KD7PY
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: 
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/my-KX2-experience-and-a-minor-str
> uctural-issue-tp7632377p7632385.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> __
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> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to 
> rmcg...@blomand.net
>


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Re: [Elecraft] K3. FD shutdown

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

If it was mine, I'd start by dropping it onto the operating desk from a
height of about 6 inches, onto the bottom feet and, if that didn't make it
quit, onto the side feet. 

I presume the cables you checked were external to the K3. There are a number
of coaxial cables with TMP connectors around the synthesizer and reference
oscillator boards the might be loose since they are simple friction fit
connectors. 

IF it is a K3/100, be sure the KPA3 amplifier module is fully seated and the
screws are in place. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Nr4c
Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2017 8:49 AM
To: elecraft
Subject: [Elecraft] K3. FD shutdown

My K3 (s/n 453x) has been used for FD and other outdoor events plus use at
home (till I  rec'd one of the first K3Ss). On at least 2 events in past
year it has exhibited little output power. Batteries were checked, cables
checked and replaced, to no avail. Display did not show SWR when TUNE button
pressed (only "--"). Another K3 was swapped in and everything was fine. 
I took radio home and it worked perfectly. 

This year at FD, it quit at around midnight. Even tried <12 W to verify LPA.
Result little or almost no power. Checked LPA screws but they were tight.
Voltage on radio was just above 12v on TX. Took it home and it shows no sign
of low power. It has worked well all week. 

Reloaded FW from Elecraft and reloaded last CONFIG file (May 2017 just
before first event of year and did TX cal at this time). 

Now hooked to dummy load and running stress test with FD CW msg on repeat. 

Anyone have ideas?

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill


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Re: [Elecraft] OT: 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 power outlets

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Clay, I believe it has to do with danger to your equipment should the
connection between the battery and the chassis open. In that case all the
current to all the automobile systems, from starter to lights to ignition,
radio, etc., would flow through the ground path provided by the radio if it
is connected directly to the negative battery terminal. Since that can be
100's of amperes when starting the engine, no radio is likely to survive. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2017 8:21 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: 2017 Chevy Silverado 1500 power outlets

Horse puckey!  I DEFY you to prove the physics OR math of that ridiculous
statement.

__
Clay Autery, KY5G

On 6/27/2017 9:55 AM, donov...@starpower.net wrote:
> WARNING! 
>
>
> For extremely important safety and fire prevention reasons reasons, no 
> accessory should ever be connected directly to the negative terminal 
> of an automotive battery . Just like when charging an automotive 
> battery, the negative lead of a cable running directly to the battery 
> should always connect to the engine block and never directly to the 
> battery.
>
>
> The positive lead must be fused where it connects to the battery. 
>
>
> There's an excellent discussion here: 
>
> https://www.w8ji.com/negative_lead_to_battery.htm
>
>
> 73
> Frank
> W3LPL

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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Yes. I was busy cooking dinner and was glancing at the power displayed on an
external meter from time to time. 

I've not seen the power shut down on me, but then I'm seldom running QRO
(>10 watts) with any rig. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: Wayne Burdick [mailto:n...@elecraft.com] 
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 4:51 PM
To: Ron D'Eau Claire
Cc: Irma & Linas(LY2H); elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

Auto power reduction happens at 63 C. But it may very well have gone down to
55 C awhile after dropping to 5 W. 

Wayne
N6KR


http://www.elecraft.com

> On Jun 18, 2017, at 4:38 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire  wrote:
> 
> Sri, I meant the temp was 55C, not 45C after the automatic power 
> reduction kicked in.
> 
> 73 Ron AC7AC
> 
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau 
> Claire
> Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 4:28 PM
> To: 'Irma & Linas(LY2H)'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink
> 
> Fired up my "stock from the factory" KX2 into a dummy load at 10 
> watts, key down, and it dropped to 5 watts after 4 minutes running 
> from a 13.8 vdc supply.  PA temp was about 45C.
> 
> Hope that helps with your analysis.
> 
> 73, Ron AC7AC
> 
> -Original Message-
> From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Irma & 
> Linas(LY2H)
> Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 2:33 PM
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink
> 
> Hello folks,
> I am looking for the practical , empyrical, real info based on the 
> individual measurements of the maximum Key-down time/temperature at 
> the 10w output of the KX2 before it drops down to 5 W issuing a 
> message of "HI TEMP". I would also like to learn about comparison of 
> the KX2 stock heatsink vs the Pro-audio Engineering KX22 product.
> 
> The reason is that I have decided to install the KX22 on my KX2 ( # 
> 148*) after a short dx-pedition to Aland islands in May. I was 
> handling quite a pile-up from the hotel room and after some 5 min of 
> intensive CQ-ing and answering on CW the PA temperature gone up to 
> 59-60C degrees and the power dropped down to 5 W and it was 
> frustrating :) Today I have installed the PAE
> KX22 heatsink. The key-down at 10 W into a dummy load in CW mode 
> lasted for around 3 minutes starting from the ambient temp. 27C. I 
> don't think this is very impressive baring in mind the Pro-audio's  
> claim of the 250% key-down time improvement. Unfortunately, I was not 
> so smart to test the key-down time with the stock heatsink before I 
> changed it to the new one, :) But I remember Wayne was posting  here 
> in the previous thread something abt 7 min of key-down at 10W... So, 
> with the 250% improvement with the KX22 it should last... for some 24 
> min?! in my case, It doesn't sound very realistic , neither 7 min with 
> the stock heatsink, nor 24 min with the Pro-Audio ( maybe ,bad thermal 
> contact, not enough of grease?). That's why it would be very 
> interesting  to compare the real-life empyrical data of the other KX2
owners.
> 
> 73! Linas LY2H
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Sri, I meant the temp was 55C, not 45C after the automatic power reduction
kicked in. 

73 Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau Claire
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 4:28 PM
To: 'Irma & Linas(LY2H)'; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

Fired up my "stock from the factory" KX2 into a dummy load at 10 watts, key
down, and it dropped to 5 watts after 4 minutes running from a 13.8 vdc
supply.  PA temp was about 45C. 

Hope that helps with your analysis.

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Irma & Linas(LY2H)
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 2:33 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

Hello folks,
I am looking for the practical , empyrical, real info based on the
individual measurements of the maximum Key-down time/temperature at the 10w
output of the KX2 before it drops down to 5 W issuing a message of "HI
TEMP". I would also like to learn about comparison of the KX2 stock heatsink
vs the Pro-audio Engineering KX22 product.

The reason is that I have decided to install the KX22 on my KX2 ( # 148*)
after a short dx-pedition to Aland islands in May. I was handling quite a
pile-up from the hotel room and after some 5 min of intensive CQ-ing and
answering on CW the PA temperature gone up to 59-60C degrees and the power
dropped down to 5 W and it was frustrating :) Today I have installed the PAE
KX22 heatsink. The key-down at 10 W into a dummy load in CW mode lasted for
around 3 minutes starting from the ambient temp. 27C. I don't think this is
very impressive baring in mind the Pro-audio's  claim of the 250% key-down
time improvement. Unfortunately, I was not so smart to test the key-down
time with the stock heatsink before I changed it to the new one, :) But I
remember Wayne was posting  here in the previous thread something abt 7 min
of key-down at 10W... So, with the 250% improvement with the KX22 it should
last... for some 24 min?! in my case, It doesn't sound very realistic ,
neither 7 min with the stock heatsink, nor 24 min with the Pro-Audio ( maybe
,bad thermal contact, not enough of grease?). That's why it would be very
interesting  to compare the real-life empyrical data of the other KX2
owners.

73! Linas LY2H
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Re: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Fired up my "stock from the factory" KX2 into a dummy load at 10 watts, key
down, and it dropped to 5 watts after 4 minutes running from a 13.8 vdc
supply.  PA temp was about 45C. 

Hope that helps with your analysis.

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Irma & Linas(LY2H)
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 2:33 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KX2 heatsink

Hello folks,
I am looking for the practical , empyrical, real info based on the
individual measurements of the maximum Key-down time/temperature at the 10w
output of the KX2 before it drops down to 5 W issuing a message of "HI
TEMP". I would also like to learn about comparison of the KX2 stock heatsink
vs the Pro-audio Engineering KX22 product.

The reason is that I have decided to install the KX22 on my KX2 ( # 148*)
after a short dx-pedition to Aland islands in May. I was handling quite a
pile-up from the hotel room and after some 5 min of intensive CQ-ing and
answering on CW the PA temperature gone up to 59-60C degrees and the power
dropped down to 5 W and it was frustrating :) Today I have installed the PAE
KX22 heatsink. The key-down at 10 W into a dummy load in CW mode lasted for
around 3 minutes starting from the ambient temp. 27C. I don't think this is
very impressive baring in mind the Pro-audio's  claim of the 250% key-down
time improvement. Unfortunately, I was not so smart to test the key-down
time with the stock heatsink before I changed it to the new one, :) But I
remember Wayne was posting  here in the previous thread something abt 7 min
of key-down at 10W... So, with the 250% improvement with the KX22 it should
last... for some 24 min?! in my case, It doesn't sound very realistic ,
neither 7 min with the stock heatsink, nor 24 min with the Pro-Audio ( maybe
,bad thermal contact, not enough of grease?). That's why it would be very
interesting  to compare the real-life empyrical data of the other KX2
owners.

73! Linas LY2H
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Re: [Elecraft] Packing Peanuts

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I dislike the peanuts too but about the static charge note that all the 
Elecraft manuals instruct builders to wear a grounded wrist strap or as a 
minimum, touch a metallic ground before touching any sensitive parts. 

73. Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net 
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of GaryK9GS
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2017 8:02 PM
To: Ian Kahn, KM4IK; 'Kevin - K4VD'; 'Elecraft Reflector'
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Packing Peanuts

Frankly I'm shocked that Elecraft used Styrofoam packing peanuts.   I work in 
electronics manufacturing and my company has banned them from our building well 
over a decade ago.  All of our vendors are required to not use them.  They are 
a killer for electronic components.
It is precisely the static charge that causes them to stick to everything.   
What do you think happens to that static charge that is present on your body 
after handling this packing material when you open a static bag containing 
static sensitive parts?  It has to go somewhere.


73,
Gary K9GS

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Re: [Elecraft] Packing Peanuts

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

By now someone must have done a graduate thesis on the lost productive hours
caused by people chasing those things. 

So how many cubic kilometers of peanuts are lying buried in landfills? How
many are stuck in the guts of hapless seagulls and other scavengers? 

Boggles the mind.

73, Ron AC7AC 




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Re: [Elecraft] OT Learning Morse anew

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

In military and commercial brass pounding in the USA, we were limited to
something between 13 and 20 wpm, usually closer to 13, because long studies
demonstrated that slower is faster because of fewer mistakes copying every
letter correctly on a keyboard or paper. And hearing whole "words" was a
path to disaster if one was copying five letter code groups. 

If I was caught trying to run an Army CW net above about 15 wpm I'd likely
end up on KP for a month. (KP = kitchen police: cleaning kitchens, peeling
potatoes, etc.) The object was to ensure that everyone on the circuit could
copy perfectly the first time. 

In the "day" some commercial point-to-point circuits required the operators
use the "company key" provided - a bug with the weights welded on for about
15 wpm just to keep the speeds down for faster message handling.  

I've seen commercial ship/shore traffic running very slow due to a shipboard
operator who was not proficient at CW. The shore station had to run equally
slow, no matter how painful. 

But Amateur Radio is a whole different world with different skills being
most useful, skills such as head copy at 20 or 30 wpm. I enjoy "reading the
mail" on CW while puttering around the shack, just as if listening to a
voice transmission. And many Hams enjoy constantly pushing the envelope on
speed just for the fun of it. Ham radio is, after all, a Hobby. If the other
station copies the name as Don, not Ron, and the QTH as Forest Lawn (a
cemetery in Los Angeles) and not Forest Grove (a town in Oregon), it's
easily corrected on the next transmission.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of KENT TRIMBLE
Sent: Monday, June 12, 2017 11:31 AM
To: f...@fmeco.com; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT Learning Morse anew

One caveat, Fred . . .

Traffic handlers MUST copy on paper or on a word processor.

In my opinion, one is not a skilled telegrapher until one can copy in head
and on paper with equal accuracy.

73,

Kent  K9ZTV



On 6/12/2017 11:59 AM, Fred Moore wrote:
> the moral... put down the pencil and paper.
>
> Fred Moore
>

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Re: [Elecraft] 6m off-frequency

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

On my few excursions into SSB land, I've actually had operators answer my CQ
saying I was "off frequency" because I was not aligned exactly on some
multiple of 500 kHz. 

I apologize for any confusion and state that I am on XXX.440 or some similar
"non 500" frequency. And then return to CW. 

I do remember the days of a 10 minute long CQ followed by ten more minutes
of tuning across the Novice band looking for an answer. I often miss those
days and the ops I met back then. 

73, Ron AC7AC


-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Mike Rhodes
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 6:10 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 6m off-frequency

...would certainly be interesting to set those operators who tune for the
"zeros" down in front of a vintage rig with a tuning dial - although I think
Erik alluded to that a bit in his post. Better yet, how about a stint in the
crystal controlled Novice band where you tuned from one end of the band to
the other in search of an answer to your call.

Mike / W8DN
Yes, a crusty OT

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Re: [Elecraft] Field use of Counerpiose

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Agree with Don 100%. Keep in mind that the power is divided between the
counterpoise and the end fed antenna wire. The power divides according to
their impedances; if the impedances are equal, you lose 3 dB (half of the
power) in the counterpoise. So the idea is to have the counterpoise present
the lowest impedance possible and the antenna present the highest impedance
possible.

Usually the easiest first step is to raise the impedance the antenna
presents. That's usually limited by the range of the tuner you are using to
match the system to your transmitter but the ideal length is an electrical
1/2 wave of wire. Get a close as the tuner have can find a match.  

Next you lower the impedance of the counterpoise - the more wires the better
although the advantage of more than 6 or 8 wires is pretty small. As Don
noted, that also keeps the RF voltage at the rig low. 

Those are the ideals for an end fed wire. Most of us have to settle for
something less for a variety of reasons. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 3:11 PM
To: Gerry Miller; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Field use of Counerpiose

Gerry,

If your purpose for your "counterpoise" is simply to complete the antenna,
then it does not make much difference whether it is grounded or not.
But if its purpose is to keep RF off the enclosure of the rig, there is a
difference.  If it is 1/4 wavelength long, then it should not be grounded -
just like any 1/4 wavelength wire, it is a low impedance point at the
'shack' end.
OTOH, if it is 1/2 wavelength long, ground it to produce a low impedance at
the 'shack end.

A bit of study on antennas and feedline characteristics may be helpful. 
The 'counterpoise' acts like an antenna wire.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/11/2017 4:44 PM, Gerry Miller wrote:
> 
> Does one ground to earth, the far end of an HF counterpoise or just let it
float above ground at a field location?  I had always believed it should not
be grounded.

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Re: [Elecraft] OT Learning Morse anew

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi Jim:

I KNOW I learned Morse all wrong, according to today's experts. Listened to
ARRL bulletins, code practice tapes a neighbor Ham made for me and a buddy
and practiced sending on a straight key focusing on proper spacing at all
times. 

I can copy 40 to 45 wpm in my head, 35 wpm on a keyboard and 20 wpm on
paper. Since 99.9% of QSO's I encounter on the air are at around 20 wpm I've
never pushed much beyond that for routine operating. 

So the obvious questions are:

What speed do you want to attain? 

What technique are you using to raise your speed? (My "technique" has always
been to copy a LOT of CW and try to find stations sending at about my upper
limit. I don't need to work them. In fact not having to copy is an
advantage. I just want to "read the mail".) 

What is a PAE heat sink, an after-market heat sink?

73 Ron AC7AC



-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Sr Sturges
Sent: Sunday, June 11, 2017 3:25 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: [Elecraft] OT Learning Morse anew

I think I learned code all wrong. Can't ever seem to get my speed up.

Surely some of the astute among you _know_ The Perfect Method, and I hope
you will share?

To complete the OT-ness of this msg, I recently completed the QRP Labs
Ultimate WSPR/QRSS kit and re-learned the joys of soldering iron burns,
again. Certainly nothing wrong with Hans' excellent kits, and the price is
amazing for the functionality, design, and quality.

Then I installed the PAE heat sink end panels on my KX2. The latter is not
for the faint of heart! I STRONGLY recommend the somewhat buried hint in
PAE's instructions to remove the AT board before attaching the PA
transistors to the heat sink. Tried it the other way and re-discovered that
my micromanipulation skills are right up there with my CW -- maybe better,
which is damned depressing.

So, any help mastering Morse?

Thanks in advance and 73,

Jim N3SZ

--
Jim Sturges, N3SZ
Amateur Radio operators do it with frequency.
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Re: [Elecraft] BL2 Balun Question

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Terry, to answer your question, that ground connection simply ensures the
balun pcb and the outer shield of the coax cable feeding the balun remain at
a low RF potential, even if you feed a fairly high impedance load. 

You are correct to connect them to the A and B terminals. Either wire to
either terminal is fine. The "balun" isolates the wires from  the coaxial
line. IF the balun and rig are close to each other, I'd not use the balun
for short end fed wire / counterpoise wire setups.

Note that the RF currents flowing inside a coaxial transmission line *are*
balanced if the line is terminated in a balanced load. The balance is
determined by the load, not the transmission line. 

Since RF flows on the surface of the conductors, there are actually three
(3) conductors in a coaxial transmission line: 1) The center conductor, 2)
The inside surface of the shield and 3) The outside surface of the shield. 

A properly installed coaxial line will prevent coupling between the inside
and outside of the shield. If, for example, one connects a coaxial line to a
dipole by unbrading a length of shield, twisting it and soldering it to one
side of the dipole the inner and outer surfaces of the coaxial shield are
now connected in parallel. RF currents now flow down the outside of the
shield in parallel with that side of the dipole. In some situations, this is
of little concern but if one wants the advantage of the inherent shielding
provided by coax, it is important to decouple the outer surface of the
shield from the inside surface.  

The "balun" can provide this function by suppressing RF currents flowing out
of the end of the coax that would otherwise flow down the outside of the
shield. Grounding the pcb keeps it at a low RF voltage even when feeding a
high impedance load, if the ground is effective at the frequency in use. 

73, Ron AC7AC


On 6/8/2017 11:47 AM, Terry Brown wrote:
> I have the BL2 Balun and use it for balanced lines to Coax.  Occasionally,
> when I am using a wire and counterpoise to the BNC binding posts, I try to
> match a shorter wire for 80 meters than what I really should due to lack
of
> space in RV sites.  I believe I am connecting the Balun correctly; hooking
> the long wire to A and the counterpoise to B on the Balun inputs.  I can
get
> a shorter wire to tune that way.
>
>   
>
> My question is:  what is the purpose of the GND connection on the Balun?
> Does it need to be grounded when in use?  Looking at the circuit diagram
in
> the manual, I don't think the counterpoise should be attached to the
ground
> connection?
>
>   
>
> I'd be interested in how others hook up their BL2 Baluns.
>
>   
>
> Thanks and 73's,
>
>   
>
> Terry de N7TB
>
> _

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Re: [Elecraft] QRP and Camping/Back packing in the Bay Area

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Quite so. It's been a number of years since I drove up and down that
mountain several times a week servicing repeaters for General Communications
Engineering, but there were also a number of repeaters there in the old Land
Mobile frequency range of 30 to 50 MHz as well as the VHF and UHF repeaters.


Ron AC7AC 

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Kane
Sent: Tuesday, June 6, 2017 2:56 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] QRP and Camping/Back packing in the Bay Area

On 6/6/2017 2:32 PM, Chris Tate - N6WM wrote:

> Ya no campfires.. but this is a good time for Juniper campground at Mt 
> Diablo..  get some elevation on that qrp signal..  SOTA W6/CC-045.
> you can drive right up to your camp area..

But be aware that Mt. Diablo is "RF city" with all the communication sites
up there on both North Peak and South Peak.  (I used to maintain one.).  Not
much HF if any but plenty of VHF, UHF, and microwave.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
Elecraft K2/100   s/n 5402

>From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon
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Re: [Elecraft] QRP and Camping/Back packing in the Bay Area

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

For a combination of campfires and great operating environment you might
look into one of the beaches on the coast, such as New Brighton State Park
in Capitola, just south of Santa Cruz on the Monterey Bay. You probably
won't have any issues with a campfire in the locations designated for
camping and it's hard to beat the effects of that huge, unobstructed ground
plane to the west that we call the Pacific Ocean. 

I'm sure there are many other camping beaches that a little on-line research
will turn up. It's been a couple of decades since I lived in Capitola. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Satterwhite via
Elecraft
Sent: Tuesday, June 6, 2017 1:27 PM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] QRP and Camping/Back packing in the Bay Area

 Hello everyone, I'm looking to go camping or Backpacking this weekend with
my QRP set up and have some fun. Not to sure where a good place is in the
Bay area or surrounding areas for that would be. I would prefer to get away
from the crowds, some where I can have a small camp fire, bring my dog, and
of course have decent propagation.
My short list so far is Mt. Diablo, or Black Diamond mines.
Does anybody have any other suggestions? I'm just getting back into the
camping/back packing scene and would like to integrate QRP with it!
Thanks, Dave KM6P
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Re: [Elecraft] August 21st Eclipse Net?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Isn't that simply focused on WWVB propagation to see the effect on VLF
signals? 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Tom Francis, W1TEF
Sent: Friday, June 2, 2017 12:20 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] August 21st Eclipse Net?

There is a plan to have study the effect.

http://eng.umb.edu/~eclipsemob/

Tom, W1TEF
Lexington, SC


On 6/2/2017 2:54 PM, Bruce Beford wrote:
> Does anyone know of any plans for any HF nets that will be running 
> specifically for observers of the Solar Eclipse on August 21st? I plan 
> to travel to Nebraska for the event, and will have radios with me (of 
> course.) Bruce Beford, N1RX
>
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> kx2_...@swsports.org
>

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Re: [Elecraft] KPAIO3 modification - E740287

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Hi Alan:

Use Rev B. Rev A of the instructions had an error that was corrected by an
errata. Apparently you don't have that errata. The change was subsequently
included in the Rev B printing. 

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of G4GNX
Sent: Sunday, May 28, 2017 5:53 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KPAIO3 modification - E740287

I'm in the process of upgrading our club's K3, new synth, DSP and a stack of
small mods.

I've come up against an issue that's causing me some confusion. The mod for
the KPAIO3 consist of a small electrolytic capacitor soldered to two pins on
the KPAIO3 module. I have two versions of instructions, one dated April 13
2016 - Revision A and the other dated August 10 2016 - Revision B. I presume
that Rev B supersedes Rev A, so I should follow Rev B?

The images on both sheets appear to show the KPAIO3A module, but describe
the KPAIO3 module, so I presume for the purpose of modding they're the same,
however the Negative lead of the new capacitor is shown going to different
points on the module, depending which instruction sheet is viewed and
looking at the trace layout on either, this doesn't make sense. Besides
that, the trace layout on the module that I have is different to both of the
paper descriptions.

Can anyone shed any light on this conundrum or know if any addendum has been
issued?

73,

Alan. G4GNX

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Re: [Elecraft] LiIon types, and safety (was: Fire in the house li-ion)

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

I have found that having a KXBT2 around is very handy in the shop. If I have
the K2, K3, KX3 or other 13V rig on the bench and want to power it up for
checks, to run an alignment, etc., I just plug in the KXBT2. 

-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Stephen Prior
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2017 3:08 PM
To: Wayne Burdick
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] LiIon types, and safety (was: Fire in the house
li-ion)

Which is why I've given up on homebrewing an extra pack - albeit for
external use - I have bought another KXBT2!

73 Stephen, G4SJP

On 24 May 2017 at 22:01, Wayne Burdick  wrote:


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Re: [Elecraft] Clever K3s cooling scheme?

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

Right, Roy. It's a whole different cooling system. The K2 has an EXTERNAL
heat sink. The fan assists by cooling the components inside the KPA100 amp,
pushing air in across the components and out through holes around the
forward edge of the heat sink. The heat sink fins are on top of the K2 in
open air.

As you note, the fans exhaust warm air from the heat sink inside the K3 out
through the back.  

73, Ron AC7AC

-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Roy
Koeppe
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2017 5:36 AM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Clever K3s cooling scheme?

Re all the fans postings, it appears my K3s uses convection cooling during
light usage periods, drawing air in at the rear, backwards thru the idle
fans, and out the top. When fans engage, air flow is reversed...drawn in
thru the top and out the back. "Simplicity is ingenuity."

73,   Roy   K6XK 


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Re: [Elecraft] BL2 -- Antenna Balun Usage

[Ron D7;Eau Claire]

It is useful to remember that a so-called "balun" is nothing more than a length 
of transmission line - most commonly parallel wires. The line needs to be long 
enough to have sufficient inductance to produce balanced currents at the 
terminated end. Greater inductance is achievable by winding the transmission 
line into a coil, and even more if that coil has a ferrite core. 

So, as Bill notes, the impedance it presents to the source (your rig) will vary 
based on the impedance of the load, just like any other transmission line. 

73, Ron AC7AC

 

-Original Message-
From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Bill 
Leonard N0CU
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2017 12:42 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] BL2 -- Antenna Balun Usage

I am no expert when it comes to baluns, but here are several comments that are 
based upon some research that I have recently done on the subject:

1) Now, unlike in the past, the most commonly used balun is the current balun. 
Most current baluns use some type of transmission line (if they do, they are 
called transmission line transformers). If the load on a balun’s output does 
not represent a 1:1 SWR for the balun, the impedance measured at the input of 
the balun will be close to the balun load impedance only when the electrical 
length of the balun’s line is a multiple of an electrical half wavelength. I 
suggest that you try putting 25 ohm and 100 ohm resistive loads on your baluns 
and see what you measure at the input. The BL-2 uses a relatively short length 
of coax (~12 in I believe), however, 12 in of RG58 will show 80+j33 at its 
input at 30 MHz when terminated with 100 ohms (using TLW). My high power DXE 
1:1 current choke (balun) has a much longer length of coax than the BL-2. It 
reads 43 +j32 ohms at 30MHz with a 25 ohm load (measured with a VNA 2180 
network analyzer). If you can determine the length and type of coax in the 
balun that you are using, you can use ARRL’s TLW software to estimate what the 
actual balun load impedance is by inputting the line parameters and the 
impedance you measure at the balun input.

2) What happens to balun performance as the SWR increases is a question that I 
have yet to find an answer to. I am not aware of any balun manufacturer that 
attempts to quantify this behavior with any spec. There seems to be general 
agreement that baluns do not like highly reactive loads.

3) Balun heating is a complex issue that many “experts” don’t agree on.
Looking at it simplistically, there are two sources of heating in current 
baluns (voltage baluns are very different than current baluns when it comes to 
heating). The first source of heating is the loss in the transmission line used 
in the balun. If a short length of high quality coax is used, the loss (ie, 
heating) should be relatively small. However, the confined space and poor heat 
transfer in the balun housing could mean that even a small amount of loss can 
be problematic in a poorly designed, high power balun.
What many “experts” don’t realize is that the normal (differential mode) signal 
flowing down the coax does not cause any heating in the ferrite core in a 
current balun (this is not the case with a voltage balun). This is because this 
signal is completely contained between the outer surface of the center 
conductor and inner surface of the shield in the coax. What does cause heating 
in a current balun is the common mode current flowing on the outer surface of 
the shield on the coax used in the balun. This is the unwanted current that the 
balun is intended to reduce. Also, a number of articles claim that ferrite core 
temperatures can reach critical values (where the core fails) well before the 
core saturates and thermal runaway occurs.

4) Heating from common mode current is another area where the “experts”
don’t agree. Heating due to common mode current is a function of transmitter 
power, design of the balun (ie, type of core, core size/mix, style of balun, 
heat transfer of housing, balun load impedance, etc) and the “system” issues 
that affect the balun’s performance. Depending on the values of the important 
system parameters, adding a balun can either increase, decrease, or have no 
effect upon the common mode current flowing on a transmission line. The common 
mode current and the resistive component of the balun’s common mode impedance 
are critical factors that determine the amount of heating in the balun’s 
ferrite core. A surprising number of “experts” make claims for power handling 
capabilities of various types of baluns without even mentioning the importance 
of these “system” issues. Tom Rauch (W8JI) and Tom Thompson (W0IVJ) have 
written articles that use EZNEC to quantitatively show the importance of these 
“system” issues when it comes to estimating common mode currents on 
transmission lines. However, as enlightening as these articles are, I am 
doubtful that EZNEC can be used to accurately predict the