Re: [Elecraft] Spkrs+Ph ??

2020-06-01 Thread Jack Brindle via Elecraft
Rich may have a very good reason. I also use that setting. My shack is a nice shed in the back yard. When my wife or daughter come out while I am operating with headphones on, the sound fro the speaker lets them know that I cannot hear them. They know to wait until I finish the current QSO, then

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Mark Goldberg
I want to mention that my LDG AT-600Pro has a minimum capacitance that is too high for a good match to my antenna on 6 meters. Certainly seems like removing the Ten Tec tuner would be a good thing to try. Can you open the Ten Tec tuner and use an IR thermometer to monitor the components? I don't kn

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread donovanf
The Amphenol 83-1SP connector that many of us use is rated at 1000 volts RMS, That well exceeds the voltage that most amateur 1500 watt amplifiers can safely produce without much more severe internal damage to the amplifier. www.amphenolrf.com/media/downloads/305/C83-1sp.pdf 73 Frank W3L

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
It's a BIT better on ANT-2, but still faults out on occasion, and I'm not getting a true SWR reading. It is slightly more stable, though, to answer your question. - pjd -Original Message- From: Vic Rosenthal Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2020 1:01 AM To: Peter Dougherty Cc: Jack Brindle ;

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
I have an HF-Auto that is just unsuitable for contest/DX duty, even with the kludge workaround software--which often doesn't work right. I gave up on it and hope to sell it to a ragchewer who will undoubtedly make better use of it than I ever could. And I agree about the Palstar support being.

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Vic Rosenthal
Pardon me if this has already been covered, but do you have the same problem if you connect the antenna to ANT-2 on the KPA? I know you don’t want to do this permanently, but just as a test. Victor 4X6GP > On 2 Jun 2020, at 3:47, Peter Dougherty wrote: > > Thanks for the reply, Jack. > >

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Jim via Elecraft
Mine are also LiFePO4 and extremely trouble free Jim On Monday, June 1, 2020, 9:17:16 PM PDT, Eric Norris wrote: Jim, These were LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Nanophosphate) A123 packs, sold then in 4S1P, 4S2P, and 4S4P configuration.  Totally different animal from what you are  talking abo

Re: [Elecraft] Spkrs+Ph ??

2020-06-01 Thread Nr4c
Just a question. Why do you use speakers AND phones at same time? Maybe so that you can hear radio better but still provide speaker so that you can irritate your wife and kids in the other room? Sent from my iPhone ...nr4c. bill > On Jun 1, 2020, at 10:39 PM, Rich wrote: > > Since Elecraft

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Eric Norris
Jim, These were LiFePO4 (Lithium Iron Nanophosphate) A123 packs, sold then in 4S1P, 4S2P, and 4S4P configuration. Totally different animal from what you are talking about, and as I said, no internal balancing. They had balancing harnesses for hooking up to Cellpro 4S and 10S chargers. The indiv

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Bob McGraw K4TAX
Plus there is L1 which is 0.3uH in the circuit and C7 and C8 in the circuit when in the bypass position.  This does not allow the tuner, even in bypass mode, to work well as an antenna switch on 6M.  The capacitors in question are not rated for the RF current experienced under certain load Z c

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA (Eric Norris)

2020-06-01 Thread Jim via Elecraft
I have two of the original A123 SLA style 7AH sized batteries, model ALM-12V7 and use them with my KX3. They have eight ANR26650 cells arranged in a 4S2P config. The ALM-12V7s can be arranged in series or parallel systems the same as ordinary SLAs. Internal to the battery package are the foll

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Adrian
My recent experience with Palstar has not been good. An expensive DL1500 dummy load in which the SO239 had not been mounted correct bwith the locknut still ten turns loose, requiring dismantle and repair new out of the box by myself. Also a new expensive AT2K tuner in which the roller inductor

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Adrian
My experience is that the Balun-Designs 4:1 current balun works brilliantly on a well designed ocf antenna with decent height and proportions to provide good band sync at the same impedance point, where the different band sine waves intersect, at the approx 1/3 total length feedpoint. shown i

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 6/1/2020 5:47 PM, Peter Dougherty wrote: Ten-Tec Tuner, This might be it, Peter. ! I've used (and loved) the Ten Tec 229 and 238 tuners, but some of their fixed capacitors are under-rated for power. This is fairly well known among Ten Tec users, so I read about it somewhere and replaced

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Bob McGraw K4TAX
I agree with Jim, K9YC  on these points. ** OCFD antennas are noted to have lots of common mode current issues.   These are a chore to tame. ** Most commercial baluns or common mode chokes are poor designs, of inadequate material, designs copied from other poor designs but packed in a pretty

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 6/1/2020 3:31 PM, Walter Underwood wrote: Even with a 1:1 SWR, 1000 W is pretty close to the 500 V peak rating for a UHF connector. The vast majority of HF stations with big power amps use UHF connectors throughout, and are without such problems as long as quality connectors are properly

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 6/1/2020 7:13 AM, Adrian wrote: If you use a decent combination balun such as ; https://www.balundesigns.com/model-4116-4-1-hybrid-balun-1-5-54mhz-3kw/ if you have any metal structure in range of the field, or These are probably effective as impedance matching devices, but everything I've

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
It's the 6 element LFA on a 6.8 meter boom. The balun is their 50 MHz ferrite core balun. I want to get the Ten-Tec tuner out of the equation forthwith but unless I can solve the fan noise problems it's a non-starter. My XYL is working from home in the same home-office that my shack is located

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 6/1/2020 6:45 AM, Alan - G4GNX wrote: I have a similar issue with ferrite 'balun' heating, although mostly tested on 40 metres. I'm using an OSCFD (Windom) which has a main 4:1 balun at the feed point, but also has a sleeve 'balun' consisting of 8 ferrites wrapped in a plastic sleeve, about

[Elecraft] Spkrs+Ph ??

2020-06-01 Thread Rich
Since Elecraft is so backed up. I thought would ask this question here I just received my invoice for repairs to my K3S There was a notation stating: SPKR + PH wrong toogle. Reset to NO I found this unusual as I have it set to YES since my headphones and stereo external speakers both plugged

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jack Brindle via Elecraft
Is it the 3 element 6m LFA? That is an interesting antenna. Which of the baluns did you get? They show three - two for 50 - 70 MHz, and a third for HF and 6m. G0KSC has some interesting designed - I will be waiting to hear your results with this one. I’ll go through your details here and see wh

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
Thanks for the reply, Jack. Here's a FULL summary of what is in the line at this moment from the jack on up. PL-259 (soldered, Amphenol 83-1SP as all are) to about 2 feet of RG-213 feeding into a Ten-Tec Tuner, which is being used only as an antenna switch and is in bypass. This is needed beca

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Ted Edwards W3TB
Back to Bob K4TAX I had a common mode current problem when I lived in Virginia and ran 100 watts barefoot, and it came as I could not do a significant angle away from the antenna --- which I eventually solved. I really do love the OCF idea. Through modeling it and patterns and then careful select

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread David Gilbert
I had an antenna for 160m that had a fairly high SWR at the feedpoint, but was easy to match to 50 ohms with a series inductor less than 30 feet further down the line toward the shack. I put a common mode choke per K9YC's designs at the antenna feedpoint, though, and even though it was actually tw

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Dave Cole
Is it possible that Common mode is getting into the amp, and forcing a fault? 73, and thanks, Dave (NK7Z) https://www.nk7z.net ARRL Volunteer Examiner ARRL Technical Specialist ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources On 6/1/20 2:40 PM, Fred Jensen wrote: Nearly same experience Bob

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Walter Underwood
Even with a 1:1 SWR, 1000 W is pretty close to the 500 V peak rating for a UHF connector. Type N connectors are rated at 1500 V peak. wunder K6WRU Walter Underwood CM87wj http://observer.wunderwood.org/ (my blog) > On Jun 1, 2020, at 3:17 PM, George Kidder wrote: > > One of my antennas is a co

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread George Kidder
One of my antennas is a commercial "G5RV" fed with 33' of 450 ohm ladder line, terminated in a PL-259 pair, with coax from there to the shack.  Apparently this combination results in very high RF voltage at the PL-259, and it arcs over at 1000 W (not from an Elecraft amp!).  This combo goes wil

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Jack Brindle via Elecraft
Lets take another try at this. There still isn’t enough information in your emails to really determine what might be going on. From the amplifier’s viewpoint, *everything* from the antenna jack on the back of the amplifier is part of the antenna system. So far we know it consists of some section

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Ted Edwards W3TB
I am following this with great interest. Like Alan G0GNX, I also use an OCF, RG-8X out to the current balun in this case, 300 ohm to the antenna. K3, KPA-500 and KAT-500. If I am running stations in a contest on 40m and also 80m CW, It "appears" that my VSWR rises after a half hour and then the K

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Fred Jensen
Nearly same experience Bob:  Sloping V, 135 ft legs, from top of 80 ft tower fed with homemade 600 ohm open wire using a DX Engineering 4:1 "balun" [a strange, usually misunderstood piece of electronic apparatus often used for the wrong reasons] rated at 10 KW.  It warmed up noticeably at 1.2 K

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
Your point is valid, however the underlying fact in my situation is that the new antenna with the new 1:1 current balun (i.e. feedline choke) is presenting **identically** to my old antenna that didn't have a balun. Neither better nor worse. - pjd -Original Message- From: elecraft-bou

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Bob McGraw K4TAX
Based on my experience, balun power ratings are for MATCHED conditions.  It is rare that hams use a balun in a matched condition.    Thus a 1:1 balun should see 50 ohms on the input and 50 ohms on the output, while a 4:1 balun should see 200 ohms on the output and 50 ohms on the input.   In the

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Ned Mountain WC4X
I had a similar issue with my K3s/KPA 1500 that defied logic. Without going into all the details, I finally sent both the K3s and KPA 1500 back to Elecraft to have them analyze it as a systems problem. It turned out to be a faulty 100W PA on the K3s that would generate very short high level trans

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 6/1/2020 6:37 AM, stephen shearer wrote: Ground loops can be another issue. I was having a "feed back" issue with my KX3/KXPA100 ans solved it eliminating ground/power loops. DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! First, ain't no such thing as a "ground loop." The real cause of problems we BLAME on this

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Adrian
In that case, then it should also fault with a 50 ohm dummy load under the same settings. Does it ? Adrian Fewster Everything I'm seeing is pointing to the fault being inside the KPA-1500 at this point. - pjd __ Elecraft mail

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
The balun (1:1 current choke here) is a red herring. If you follow this thread all the way back, you'll see that the previous antenna was not balun fed, and it used a length of 75 ohm cable and stubs to match. And in this case the balun is made by InnovAntennas, specifically for this antenna (als

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread David Thompson via Elecraft
Morning Doug, Like many others who responded to you, I use Bioenno LFP batteries to power my radios in the field. I currently have three packs, a 3Ah, a 15Ah, and a new 60Ah. The latter was purchased for Field Day and will power my K3, station computer, and whatnot in the field. (Yes, I’m going

Re: [Elecraft] KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues

2020-06-01 Thread john
I am not familiar with the KPA1500 but I am wondering if the tuner is causing the poor SWR on your good 6m antenna? Is it bypassed? John KK9A Peter Dougherty w2irt wrote: I have never driven the amp with 90 Watts. Ever. The 90W figure is what comes out of the K3s *after* the amp has t

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Eric Norris
I, too, use Bioenno batteries. They work well, and I have tested the ones I own under load, and the advertised capacity ratings are pretty accurate. My one gripe is that the balancing circuitry is built into the pack. This causes them to slowly self-discharge. The original A123 batteries use a b

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
I have never driven the amp with 90 Watts. Ever. The 90W figure is what comes out of the K3s *after* the amp has tripped out. With the amp in 'operate' I feed it typically 25-35 Watts. Here are the error codes, as requested (truncated for length--there are MANY more): 441 20-06-01T01:02:22 FLT

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Tim N9PUZ
The internal battery isn't proprietary. Elecraft has some made for them with the power connector they use. I bought some spares from Tenergy a while back and soldered on my own connectors. I'm not sure why, at the time Elecraft had a shipping policy about more than two batteries I believe. I have

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
The new full-length LMR-400 cable is about 3 feet longer than the old 2-section coax I had before (old = 3/8” hardline and about 8 feet of RG-213). The entry point is grounded to rod immediately below it, connected by 1.5” braid. - pjd From: Mark Goldberg Sent: Monday, June 1, 2020 12:

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Peter Dougherty
That's worth a shot. I have a ~7 foot RG-213 patch cable from the back of the amp to the entry box. I don't have any more LMR-400 so I can't use that, but I do have quite a bit of 213 and will make a new patch cable. That's the only bit of the old system that's still remaining. - pjd -Ori

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Adrian
If you use a decent combination balun such as ; https://www.balundesigns.com/model-4116-4-1-hybrid-balun-1-5-54mhz-3kw/ if you have any metal structure in range of the field, or https://www.balundesigns.com/model-4115ocf-4-1-for-ocf-dipoles-1-5-54-mhz-5kw/ for a total current 4:1 balun. These

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline

2020-06-01 Thread Alan - G4GNX
I have a similar issue with ferrite 'balun' heating, although mostly tested on 40 metres. I'm using an OSCFD (Windom) which has a main 4:1 balun at the feed point, but also has a sleeve 'balun' consisting of 8 ferrites wrapped in a plastic sleeve, about 3 feet from the feed point. If I run the

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread stephen shearer
Ground loops can be another issue. I was having a "feed back" issue with my KX3/KXPA100 ans solved it eliminating ground/power loops. 73, steve WB3LGC On 6/1/20 8:25 AM, David Olean wrote: Hello Peter I suspect RFI as well. I do not have a KPA1500, so my advice is not worth much, but the fa

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Dave Cole
Peter, If my antenna system had 2.5 to 3 to 1 SWR, I would not run 1.5 KW. I'd be looking at my antenna... 73, and thanks, Dave (NK7Z) https://www.nk7z.net ARRL Volunteer Examiner ARRL Technical Specialist ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources On 5/31/20 9:07 PM, Peter Doughe

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Tommy
I use a Bioenno 9ah battery with mine, works great. Tom - KB2SMS On 6/1/20 7:39 AM, Doug Daniels wrote: I'm hoping to get my KX2 for Field Day, and am looking to get an external battery to use for FD as well as SOTA. I'm looking at the Talentcell and Bienno 12v 12Ah ones. Anything specific to

Re: [Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread JP Douglas
Amazon is selling a 12v 6amp battery for $30 w/free shipping, fits in the palm of your hand. Ordered one last Friday to use w/KX3... 73 de Jose Douglas KB1TCD On 6/1/2020 7:39 AM, Doug Daniels wrote: I'm hoping to get my KX2 for Field Day, and am looking to get an external battery to use for F

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread David Olean
Hello Peter I suspect RFI as well. I do not have a KPA1500, so my advice is not worth much, but the fact that the fault only occurs when a signal is being radiated sends me a red flag.  I had a similar problem here with my SPE amplifier power output. I was measuring it on an LP-100A wattmeter

[Elecraft] Digital Display Unit for W2 and maybe W1 watt meter

2020-06-01 Thread Keith Ennis via Elecraft
First I'd like to thank all everyone that bought my DDU.  I have had some great feedback. I had an email last week asking me if my DDU would work with their W1 watt meter.  The model I am selling now will not.  But I can rewrite the code to work with the W1.  I would only do this if there are en

Re: [Elecraft] Elecraft Net on 75M

2020-06-01 Thread JP Douglas
Hi all, I run a 75m Emergency Mgmt regional net Sundays at 21:00 UTC on 3.940 and The Seagull net is active rest of the week here in ME same freq. I find the band goes long shortly after the net is over, around 21:30. Might want to not use 3.940 for a net... I’d be willing to try Elecraft net an

[Elecraft] External battery for KX2, field day and SOTA

2020-06-01 Thread Doug Daniels
I'm hoping to get my KX2 for Field Day, and am looking to get an external battery to use for FD as well as SOTA. I'm looking at the Talentcell and Bienno 12v 12Ah ones. Anything specific to the KX2 I need to know about external batteries? I know the internal one is more or less proprietary. -- -

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Jim Brown
On 5/31/2020 7:22 PM, Peter Dougherty wrote: This is a brand-new balun from InnovAntennas, made specifically for this antenna, received this past Thursday. The word "balun" has been used to describe nearly a dozen VERY different physical things, and is thus totally useless as a descriptor of w

Re: [Elecraft] Problems with KRX3A

2020-06-01 Thread Gareth M5KVK
Hi All I just wanted to put on record my thanks to all those who offered advice and support as I worked through the issue with my KRX3A. It’s all working now. For the record, I think it was a poor connection caused by one of the TMP cables not being engaged fully. 73 Gareth, M5KVK ___

Re: [Elecraft] Problems with KRX3A

2020-06-01 Thread Gareth M5KVK
It seems to have been a transient. Signals appear to be comparable this morning. This is all by ear of course. 73 Gareth, M5KVK On 31/05/2020, 18:09, "Grant Youngman" wrote: Glad to hear you got it working. But you shouldn’t be seeing a signifiant difference between the two receivers,

Re: [Elecraft] NOT the feedline (was KPA-1500 faulting on 6m; SWR issues)

2020-06-01 Thread Eric Norris
Is there any chance RF is getting in to the KPA1500 via an alternative route, like one of your HF antennas, a faulty switch, loose bonding/ground, or even a change in house wiring or wifi router, antenna rotator cable, picking up the RF and radiating/routing it to the KPA1500 from the antenna? It'