[Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?
I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ... I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that took me a little while to figure out). I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy): 24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great. Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the occasional motorboat. I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right? This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built in receive offset?) I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be, so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench? I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter? Thanks! 73 de chris K6DBG/AG ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?
I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be ... I just finished Part 2 of my K2 assembly. Everything looks fine - calibration went smoothly. I threw together a temporary 1/2 wave dipole that I have lying on the floor. I kind of expected to hear more activity on 40 meters. I haven't heard anything outside of Florida (I haven't tried it at night yet). Guess I need to start working on that outside antenna now. Kevin N8IQ/4 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Kantarjiev Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:05 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems? I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ... I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that took me a little while to figure out). I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy): 24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great. Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the occasional motorboat. I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right? This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built in receive offset?) I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be, so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench? I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter? Thanks! 73 de chris K6DBG/AG ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?
Thanks Daniel. It's been a long time since I've been on 40 meters. Kevin N8IQ/4 -Original Message- From: Daniel Reynolds [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:34 PM To: Kevin Shaw Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems? 40m during the daytime is going to be pretty much limited to within 500 miles radius. In the late afternoon/early evening, it starts to go long - at least 1000 miles ... even further as the night progresses. Sometimes the band gets so long at night that it almost sounds dead (when everyone is asleep) except for weak DX signals you might hear. The band starts to get short again as the sun rises over the horizon. The shortest the band gets is usually around 12-4 PM in the afternoon. 73, Daniel AA0NI Oklahoma City --- Kevin Shaw [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be ... I just finished Part 2 of my K2 assembly. Everything looks fine - calibration went smoothly. I threw together a temporary 1/2 wave dipole that I have lying on the floor. I kind of expected to hear more activity on 40 meters. I haven't heard anything outside of Florida (I haven't tried it at night yet). Guess I need to start working on that outside antenna now. Kevin N8IQ/4 -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Chris Kantarjiev Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:05 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems? I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ... I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that took me a little while to figure out). I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy): 24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great. Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the occasional motorboat. I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right? This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built in receive offset?) I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be, so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench? I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter? Thanks! 73 de chris K6DBG/AG ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
