Re: [Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY problem

2014-01-05 Thread Kenneth A Christiansen
Hi Ron and the group

I hope you got your equipment to work on RTTY yesterday but if you didn't I 
have been there and done that several times. I didn't see anyone else respond 
so I will share some of my experiences. 

The first thing on all Windows systems newer than XP, Right click SPEAKERS than 
select playback devices, then communications and make sure to check DO 
NOTHING This turns off the AVC functions that are used by SKYPE and other 
similar programs. This may be causing your variations in level to the ALC.

AFSK and FSKD use lower SSB on the Elecraft rigs while PSKD and DATA A use 
upper SSB. Your software must be set to match. My software was designed for 
other rigs and I must use INVERTED for AFSK or FSKD to make it work. Another 
variation I have seen to match some other rigs is TX INVERTED only. 

You should try the TEST position to see if you have the same ALC problem with 
no RF. It is possible to get RF feedback and or hum if there is a cable problem.

I have also seen software do you a favor by switching to USB or RTTY after 
you have set up your transceiver. Needless to say this can cause unexplained 
problems until I can figure out what happened.

I used FSKD in the contest yesterday to transmit and MixW to receive along with 
the N3FJP logging program.  I used the following commands for F1 and F2. F1 kyw 
W0CZ W0CZ ;rx;  F2 kyw 599 ND ND ;rx;  .  I also did some other F keys as 
desired. The rx; forces the transmitter to shut down right away after the 
message. I used the CATCMD function in the MixW macros but I think other 
software might have a similar method. If I use the K3 or KX3 utility than I use 
the COMMAND TESTER tab as the TERMINAL tab filters out all the commands. The 
MixW, MTTY and other programs often demodulate better than the utility for 
receiviing.

I worked 161 RTTY contacts in the contest yesterday, all hunt and pounce using 
FSKD, in about 7 hours using 10, 15, 20, 40, and 80 meters. The antenna was my 
Hy-Gain Hy-Tower with radials. The station was the KX3 and the KXPA100-AT at 
100 watts. 

Someone remarked yesterday that they had a new KX3 KXPA 100 station and they 
missed the P3 from the K3. I had the same problem and now use the iMic USB 
sound card from the I/Q jack on the KX3 and ROCKY software to give me a 
panadaptor display. It is not as nice as the P3 but it sure does work well for 
finding a contact either in a contest or for rag chewing.

One final comment the KXPA100 has done everything I have tried so far. One 
caution though is PSK31 needs to be run at 50 watts or less because on that 
mode linearity becomes extremely important. If I operated in the RUN mode 
instead of HUNT and POUNCE it would also be important to cut my power back to 
50 watts or less to prevent overheating the amplifier or the KX3.

I hope these comments and suggestions are helpful.

73 and happy hamming in 2014

Ken  W0CZ
w...@i29.net

Sent from my iPad

 On Jan 4, 2014, at 2:42 PM, Ron W3ZV w...@verizon.net wrote:
 
 I am trying to operate AFSK on 15m in the ARRL RU contest. I have 2 contacts 
 in the last 2 hours. I am by no means a big gun, but I am usually better than 
 this. Lineup is K3-KPA500-KAT-500. No problems on receive. Drive is set to 
 produce about 350 watts from the KPA-500. SWR is below 1.5. As far as I can 
 tell, baud rate, and shift are okay. I don’t think I am reversed. I know my 
 signal is getting out, because I get a lot of AGN AGN. What disturbs me is 
 that my ALC indication is rapidly jumping between 2 to 5 bars. This is not 
 the 4 solid and 5 flickering. Power out on the KPA500 jumps between 300 and 
 400 watts. If anyone has a suggestion to get me back in the fray, I would be 
 most grateful.
 
 Ron W3ZV
 
 
 
 
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Re: [Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY problem

2014-01-05 Thread Michael Eberle
Yes, what you describes sounds like what happened to me when I switched 
to 80 meters.  I did have to click the 'reverse' button on Fldigi to 
receive properly.  Then when I tried to work stations, I got a lot of 
'AGN.'  I noticed the bargraph displays on the W2 watt meter kept 
flashing.  I finally checked the DATA MD button and it was on 'AFSK A' 
instead of 'DATA A.'  After changing it back to 'DATA A' and unchecking 
the 'reverse' button in Fldigi, I had no more problems.


Mike
KI0HA


On 1/4/2014 14:52, Tony Kennedy wrote:

Are you in DATA A mode, or if not do you have compression turned up too far?

73 -KD0TSX


On Saturday, January 4, 2014, Ron W3ZV wrote:


I am trying to operate AFSK on 15m in the ARRL RU contest. I have 2
contacts in the last 2 hours. I am by no means a big gun, but I am usually
better than this. Lineup is K3-KPA500-KAT-500. No problems on receive.
Drive is set to produce about 350 watts from the KPA-500. SWR is below 1.5.
As far as I can tell, baud rate, and shift are okay. I don’t think I am
reversed. I know my signal is getting out, because I get a lot of AGN AGN.
What disturbs me is that my ALC indication is rapidly jumping between 2 to
5 bars. This is not the 4 solid and 5 flickering. Power out on the KPA500
jumps between 300 and 400 watts. If anyone has a suggestion to get me back
in the fray, I would be most grateful.

Ron W3ZV




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[Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY problem

2014-01-04 Thread Ron W3ZV
I am trying to operate AFSK on 15m in the ARRL RU contest. I have 2 contacts in 
the last 2 hours. I am by no means a big gun, but I am usually better than 
this. Lineup is K3-KPA500-KAT-500. No problems on receive. Drive is set to 
produce about 350 watts from the KPA-500. SWR is below 1.5. As far as I can 
tell, baud rate, and shift are okay. I don’t think I am reversed. I know my 
signal is getting out, because I get a lot of AGN AGN. What disturbs me is that 
my ALC indication is rapidly jumping between 2 to 5 bars. This is not the 4 
solid and 5 flickering. Power out on the KPA500 jumps between 300 and 400 
watts. If anyone has a suggestion to get me back in the fray, I would be most 
grateful.

Ron W3ZV




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Re: [Elecraft] K3 AFSK RTTY problem

2014-01-04 Thread Tony Kennedy
Are you in DATA A mode, or if not do you have compression turned up too far?

73 -KD0TSX


On Saturday, January 4, 2014, Ron W3ZV wrote:

 I am trying to operate AFSK on 15m in the ARRL RU contest. I have 2
 contacts in the last 2 hours. I am by no means a big gun, but I am usually
 better than this. Lineup is K3-KPA500-KAT-500. No problems on receive.
 Drive is set to produce about 350 watts from the KPA-500. SWR is below 1.5.
 As far as I can tell, baud rate, and shift are okay. I don’t think I am
 reversed. I know my signal is getting out, because I get a lot of AGN AGN.
 What disturbs me is that my ALC indication is rapidly jumping between 2 to
 5 bars. This is not the 4 solid and 5 flickering. Power out on the KPA500
 jumps between 300 and 400 watts. If anyone has a suggestion to get me back
 in the fray, I would be most grateful.

 Ron W3ZV




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