RE: [Elecraft] Thermal control for Q1 / Q2 in KPA100?

2006-12-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
Very key point. If you want to take heat out of a box, you're far better to point the fans out and let them draw in cool air from the other side than to point the fan in and "blow cool air in". Here's why. When you blow a fan into a box (K2, PC, or your house in the summer) you're blowing into a

[Elecraft] KPA100 degrades sidetone?

2006-12-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
As I start to use the new POWER I have, I'm noticing things. Take the sidetone for instance. With the QRP K2, the sidetone sounds pretty good. Put it through an external audio filter and it sounds even better. With the K2/100, the more power I run the more low thumps there are on the sidetone

RE: [Elecraft] Thermal control for Q1 / Q2 in KPA100?

2006-12-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- From: Stan Rife From the description of the noise that the fan on your KPA-100 is making, I'd guess you have a defective fan. I never hear the fan on my KPA-100. I have a pretty quiet shack, and operate with the volume fairly low on the K2 and I have only notice

RE: [Elecraft] Thermal control for Q1 / Q2 in KPA100?

2006-12-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
Whizzer - what a good name. It actually startled me when it came on and the noise interfered a bit with copy of the weak station I was working. I may have to go to closed headphones. The MEs here at work tell me similar things. Some of the pads are better than grease. Good, grease is a PITN (ne

[Elecraft] Thermal control for Q1 / Q2 in KPA100?

2006-12-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
As I'm thinking about trying to operate the K2/100 so the fan doesn't run (or doesn't make noise) I wonder some things. First, blowing air out of a box cools the box better than blowing air into it. I'm half surprised the fan blows in. I suppose it is to direct the stream of air on the finals.

[Elecraft] KPA100 operation - is this normal?

2006-12-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
I noticed some things with the KPA100 that I wasn't expecting. Are these normal? 1. Power output fluctuated during a single CW TX session. I'll see the PO indicator on the K2 go up & down by 1 LED on a frequent basis (maybe switching every few seconds). Thinking that I was right on the edge o

RE: [Elecraft] KPA100 - Q2 resistance check error - Problem?

2006-12-02 Thread Darwin, Keith
Much thanks to you guys for the answer. I can now proceed with confidence. 73! - Keith N1AS - From: Ron D'Eau Claire [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sat 12/2/2006 11:50 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Darwin, Keith; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: RE: [Ele

[Elecraft] KPA100 - Q2 resistance check error - Problem?

2006-12-02 Thread Darwin, Keith
I'm building a Rev D KPA100. During the final resistance checks (p.43) I got 11.5 ohms for both Q1 base and Q2 base. The manual 11-16 ohms for Q1 and 12-16 ohms for Q2. So Q1 is OK but Q2 is out of spec? This resistance table was changed by the eratta. Before that it said 12-16 for both tr

[Elecraft] AF mini module - needs a notch filter.

2006-12-01 Thread Darwin, Keith
Please, come out with an enhanced version that has a notch filter! Anyone have a good circuit for a notch filter I could bread-board up and add up stream from the AF mini module? - Keith N1AS - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.n

[Elecraft] Power out ratings of K2 / 100 finals?

2006-12-01 Thread Darwin, Keith
I got curious so I dug up the data sheets on the K2 finals and the KPA100 finals. K2 finals say 20 watts output, KPA100 say 100. Is that for one transistor or two? If two, that suggests the K2 and KPA100 are really taking it easy on those parts and they should last a long time, right? - Keit

RE: [Elecraft] Re: K2 Speaker not muting?

2006-11-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
Could the headphone jack be remote? Could a jack be mounted to the back panel and wired to the headphone jack pads on the circuit board? That would open up the possibility of using some more robust open frame switchcraft shorting jacks. - Keith - -Original Message- I just though of a 'c

RE: [Elecraft] Rework Eliminators

2006-11-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message-> From: Ron D'Eau Claire I surprised that you'd consider my recommendation to read Don's comments as coming down hard on the RE product. Don spends a lot of time working with builders here on the reflector who have problems and I've noticed that a number of those pro

RE: [Elecraft] Rework Eliminators: when to use them, and why

2006-11-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- From: wayne burdick > - If the notion of plug-in substitutes for future options > strongly appeals to you, and you don't mind *carefully* > following the additional set of instructions that comes with > them, then by all means consider this method. This is a KEY point.

RE: [Elecraft] Rework Eliminators

2006-11-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
Wow Don & Ron, I'm shocked. Such heavy hitters coming down so hard against the Rework Eliminators (RE). As a novice builder, I built a bare-bones K2 with full RE. I spent the time going through the RE instructions and writing changes into the K2 manual prior to beginning the kit. Then I just fo

[Elecraft] KPA100 - Do I need 2 PS and a 2nd RX?

2006-11-29 Thread Darwin, Keith
I'm building the KPA100. So far, so good. As I peek ahead in the manual I see that I need some "test equipment" I don't have; - 2 Power supplies - Separate receiver How mandatory are these? With the 2 power supplies, can I use two power cables hooked to my singe 20 amp supply? When the

RE: [Elecraft] How does the W-1 work?

2006-11-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
Welcome to the world of SW. In this day, more of the functionality of a circuit is often done in software, and that software can be very complex. In fact, SW in general is far more complex than hardware just because it can be. Complex hardware takes development time, board real estate and pushes

RE: [Elecraft] K2 weird problem

2006-11-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
Rework-Eliminators. Here's where they are great. Get the module header boards and build them up. Takes maybe a hour and you'll have a full set of plug-in dummy boards to replace the options you've removed. Great for trouble shooting. My K2 shows strange things after power on during TX for the

RE: [Elecraft] Weller WTCPT tip life??

2006-11-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
8:55 AM To: Darwin, Keith Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Weller WTCPT tip life?? Keith: The tips'll last until the iron plating comes off... probably another decade (or three) in the future! And I'll bet it's not your sponge. If your tip gets golden immediately, it means one of two things..

[Elecraft] Weller WTCPT tip life??

2006-11-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hi guys, Work (ouch! I smashed my finger and it hurts to type letters like "ki,") .. working on the KPA100 and have noticed soldering is tougher than it was on the K2. Heat transfer from the top to the part/board is hit & miss. When I clean and re-tin the tip of the iron I see it has a bit

[Elecraft] Help - which side of the trimmer cap is the "flat" side?

2006-11-25 Thread Darwin, Keith
I'm working on the KPA100. It has 2 ceramic trimmer caps. The installation instructions say to orient them with their flat side as pictured on the silk screen. The only problem is both ends are flat? Which is the true flat side, the big flat side or the small flat side? - Keith N1AS - - K2

[Elecraft] K2 - the next TenTec Argonaut.

2006-11-22 Thread Darwin, Keith
My first modern rig was a used Argonaut 515 I bought in 1985. Nice on CW, wide on SSB, 2 watts out was pretty light. But it was the top of the line QRP rig and I loved it for that. Time moves on. TenTec struggles, transitions to a direct-sales company and eventually produces a truly top-level

[Elecraft] Source of poor solder joints?

2006-11-22 Thread Darwin, Keith
Looks like poor soldering joints is the #1 problem with rigs we build. While building my KSB2 I was wondering about and came up with an idea. I wonder if many poor solder joints occur because of the lead moving as the soldering tip is removed. In the case of an IC, while I'm applying heat, I'm p

RE: [Elecraft] k2 antenna connector

2006-11-20 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hi Scott, Well, the BNC is soldered to the board and then just sticks out the back of the rig. Changing it to SO-239 would probably require enlarging the opening in the case and possibly moving the hole up. That may get in the way of options down the road. It will probably be easier to build a

[Elecraft] K2 on SSB.

2006-11-20 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hey folks, I completed the SSB module and have put it on the air. Interesting results. First, the board took me 2 evenings to build. I was interrupted both times by the need to shuttle kids here or there but was still able to finish in about 6 hrs (including interruptions). I went with the pre

RE: [Elecraft] My K2's SSB performance.

2006-11-18 Thread Darwin, Keith
Well, I finished the KSB2 option, turning my bare-bones K2 into a K2/SSB. I was expecting mediocre SSB performance. What I got was a pleasant surprise. Modulation level - No problems driving the rig to full power output. I don't have to shout, I just speak and the rig responds with RF output

[Elecraft] KSB2 board - should be renamed.

2006-11-17 Thread Darwin, Keith
I started the KSB2 last night. Between interruptions, I got about 1/2 way through. I think the board should be renamed. Call it the 103 board. Man are there a bunch of blue "103" caps to install! With tonight's effort I just may have the rig ready for some SSB action this weekend. - Keith

RE: [Elecraft] RF vs. AF gain (was: KX1 vs K1)

2006-11-17 Thread Darwin, Keith
- Don W3FPR said - ... one can leave the AGC on to help protect the ears from the really loud ones. - THIS, I think, is the best of both worlds. The AGC is, after all, just an automatic way to adjust the RF gain. I prefer to use a mix of the two. Turn the R

RE: [Elecraft] KX1 vs K1

2006-11-16 Thread Darwin, Keith
Oh, please tell me more. For home use, which rig has a better receiver? Which one sounds better? Does one have the advantage over the other if you're NOT leaving home? - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- The K1 is a much more pleasant rig to use and has a performance advanta

RE: [Elecraft] ARRL November SS Phone

2006-11-16 Thread Darwin, Keith
Yes, but just to dabble. I *just* got my KSB2 in the mail. I was hoping to have it assembled and ready to go so I could use the K2 but that is looking doubtful. I have the TS-830s which I plan to put on the air. I'll also work on the KSB2 and try to have it so I can at least do some listening d

RE: [Elecraft] Component ID

2006-11-15 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hmmm, I did a quick Google search on 25LC320. It said it was an serial SPI bus EEPROM. Talk about knock me over. I'm in the middle of configuring software to talk to ... a SPI bus EEPROM. If google is right, then the LM380N and 25LC320 are NOT the same thing ... - Keith "whatdoiknowi'mjustasof

RE: [Elecraft] Desoldering tool?

2006-11-14 Thread Darwin, Keith
Ah, yes, that was it. How I need to decide whether to spend $40 on a tool or just bring the stuff here to work ... Thanks! - Keith N1AS - -Original Message- It's the Solder Popper model 12-2157 from GC Tools. It runs in the $36.00 range depending upon retailer. _

[Elecraft] Desoldering tool?

2006-11-14 Thread Darwin, Keith
Sometime in the past, someone posted a link to someplace where a $30 solder sucker soldering iron was being sold. IIRC, it was a pencil iron with a good sucking device attached. Anyone have the link? Or, can you guys recommend a good yet inexpensive tool for doing rework? I'm not interested in

[Elecraft] How long to build KSB2 and KPA100?

2006-11-14 Thread Darwin, Keith
I got a package from Elecraft yesterday. Soon my K2 will be SSB capable and generating 100 watts. How long do each of these kits take to build? I'm guessing 5 hrs for the KSB2 and 25 for the KPA100. The mini-module AF1 took me 2 hours. My K2 took me about 50 hrs to build if that gives you an

RE: [Elecraft] Help - XFIL doesn't work

2006-11-13 Thread Darwin, Keith
I wonder, once this gets figured out, if we'll find that having the Rework Eliminators (so as to avoid pulling the K2 board out once it is done) would have avoided the problem ... Just thinking. Enjoy it as I'm not always known to do it :-) - Keith N1AS - -Original Message- From: Solos

RE: [Elecraft] Elecraft Junk (K2 Modifications)

2006-11-13 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hey Scott, Maybe you *should* put that unopened kit on e-bay! You could instead buy another rig that is a true black box. One that you can't get inside of to fix and one that has a lower reliability rate. Something less mature with more issues. And you'd get to spend more money in the process!

[Elecraft] K2 for SSB

2006-11-10 Thread Darwin, Keith
So what are the land mines in getting a K2 set up for SSB? I've heard mixed reports about how nice or not nice the K2 is for SSB. What is the path to "nice" and does it differ for the K2/100 vs. K2? - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411 ___ Elecraft mailing list P

RE: [Elecraft] (Elecraft) Wide SSB Caps or not?

2006-11-09 Thread Darwin, Keith
2006 12:45 PM To: Darwin, Keith Cc: Elecraft Discussion List Subject: Re: [Elecraft] (Elecraft) Wide SSB Caps or not? Bob, VE3XM wrote: > Take it from a SSB op go for the 2.4 SSB caps, I believe 2.6 Kcs. is > too wide for effective SSB reception. &g

RE: [Elecraft] K2 CW monitor

2006-11-09 Thread Darwin, Keith
Yea, I guess I was thinking patching some other sidetone circuit into the K2 in place of the existing sidetone circuit. It would not be easy. In my case, I'm quite happy with the K2 sidetone (and I'm very picky!) so I won't be cutting any traces in my rig! - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411 - -Origi

RE: [Elecraft] K2 CW monitor

2006-11-09 Thread Darwin, Keith
Really? I have an 830s (soon to be sold) and find the K2's side tone is vastly superior to the 830. After one QSO on the 830, I'm wanting to shut the rig off. With my K2, the side tone sounds very similar to the tone of a received CW signal. Not quite the same, but pretty close. IIRC Island Ke

RE: [Elecraft] Wide SSB caps or not?

2006-11-09 Thread Darwin, Keith
Tnx Don & Ron, Well, I ordered the cap kit along with the SSB option so the real question is whether or not to put 'em in. In my case, I have external EQ and AF filtering so I can tailor the response of my mic to make it narrow if I need to focus the energy for QRP work and I can roll off the hig

[Elecraft] Wide SSB caps or not?

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
So guys, I just ordered the SSB board and the 100 watt PA. I also ordered the wide SSB caps. Should I put them in or leave them out? Can you hear the difference between 2.4 KHz and 2.6 KHz on receive? On transmit? SSB is only about 5% of my operating time. I'll dabble in 'phone here and the

RE: [Elecraft] K2 Roofing Filter?

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
Since the NB occurs right before the existing Xtal filter, adding more filtering in the NB slot would increase the skirts of the filter, but it wouldn't do a whole lot more. In other rigs with 2 filters, they are at different IFs and have other stages between them. Having a 2nd filter earlier in

[Elecraft] How about a KS (SSB)?

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
I have a buddy interested in a K2. He wasn't until I loaned him mine while I was on vacation. He was luke-warm before he borrowed the rig. He borrowed, he listened, loved the receiver and is considering a purchase. Sweet. But he's mostly an SSB op and stumbles a bit at the mixed reviews of the

RE: [Elecraft] K2 in SS CW...

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
Nice post Chris. Tnx for the comparison with a known contest rig. What I find amazing is that we're even comparing the K2 to an FT1000. That the $600 bone-stock K2 can truly run with the big boys (in this case, one that has been tricked out somewhat) is absolutely astounding. - Keith N1AS - - K2

RE: [Elecraft] KPA1500, KPA800 rollout delay

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
Ah, yes, now I remember why I had pushed them out of my mind ... Thanks! - Keith N1AS - -Original Message- ... KPA1500 ... $5,900; ... KPA800 ... $3,900. ... kit versions ... $300-500 less. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.q

[Elecraft] K2 AGC - magic?

2006-11-08 Thread Darwin, Keith
There's something about the K2 that I haven't figured out yet. When I listen to my 830s, 2B or the R4A, Omni V or other rigs I've owned, I find their AGC to be very aggressive (Esp. the 2B). When a signal hits, the AGC really drops the gain and when the signal is gone, the gain goes way up. This

RE: [Elecraft] KPA1500, KPA800 rollout delay

2006-11-07 Thread Darwin, Keith
Refresh my memory. What are these? Linear amps, 800 and 1500 watts out? 100 watts in? Price? - Keith N1AS - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- Lou Laderman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: The KPA1500 and KPA800 amps were earlier projected for an October/November rollout. Elecraft has ad

RE: [Elecraft] Another odd behavior - Solved!

2006-11-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
QRP mode only? Gets brighter on TX? Yep I know what that is. It's the Mojo. It lights up everything in it's field including the eyes of the operator. You did say "any thoughts on this would be appreciated". LOL. - Keith N1AS (no one as smart) - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- From:

[Elecraft] KD1E QRT - New call.

2006-11-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hey guys, Saturday, the FCC web page said my vanity app. was approved. KD1E has been canceled. I'm now N1AS. Now, if I can just remember to type it that way :-) - Keith KD ... er, um N1AS - - K2 5411 - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@m

[Elecraft] AF Mini-module in SS 'test.

2006-11-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
I used the AF mini-module with all 3 rigs (830s, 2B, K2). Gee, this thing works well. It successfully killed the hiss in my headphones and helped cut QRM when I went to the BPF positions. The 830s benefited the most from the filter. The 2B was also helped but with the AGC being affected by stro

[Elecraft] K2 vs. 830s vs 2B in SS 'test.

2006-11-06 Thread Darwin, Keith
Wow, what a weekend. I dabbled off & on in the SS 'test. Got to listen to my 3 rigs and compare them head to head under tough conditions. After extensive listening with all 3, the K2 has emerged as the clear winner in the group. It stood head & shoulders above the other two in the way it handled

RE: [Elecraft] Audio Filter mini module

2006-11-02 Thread Darwin, Keith
Before I bought the AF mini-module, I compared the schematic to the K2 AF. Nope, not the same. The mini-module has the benefit of more controls and a built-in AF amp. Listening to them, I think the KAF2 rings more in the narrow position than the mini-module does but it's been a while since I lis

[Elecraft] Audio Filter mini module

2006-11-02 Thread Darwin, Keith
I bought one a few weeks ago but preaching duties at church kept me from having any free time to look at it. Our new pastor has arrived so I can return to non-preaching status which puts some free time back into my life. Time for that AF mini module! Last night I put it together. The entire kit

RE: [Elecraft] OT: 50 years

2006-10-31 Thread Darwin, Keith
A year ago a friend of mine was going into local store. She looked up as the approached the door and saw her mother coming out of the store. Only it wasn't her mother, it was her own reflection. I wrote a song a few years ago about becoming "my dad". The chorus said: When I look in the mirror

RE: [Elecraft] Re: K2 #5652 speaker

2006-10-31 Thread Darwin, Keith
Shame, shame, shame! So you made a mistake, ea? Welcome to the club :-) I *almost* completed my K2 with no mistakes. Near the end of one building session, I had very carefully soldered a resistor into its place, trimmed the leads and as I checked it off in the book realized I had the right resi

RE: [Elecraft] Mic Gain, K2/100

2006-10-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
A mic preamp. You can buy some pretty serviceable mixing boards for very little money. Plug your mic into a cheap Behringer UB502 or UB802 mixer and send the output into your rig's mic jack. You'll get variable input gain plus some EQ. While Behringer stuff isn't really all that great, it is mo

[Elecraft] K2 vs. TS-830s during the contest.

2006-10-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
I only listened. I used the crazy contest as a way to evaluate my receivers. Hooked both rigs up to my 32' vertical and listened on 40 meters. The CW portion of the band was full of SSB. I started with the 830s and it was doing OK. Not much grunge being generated in the receiver. I then switc

RE: [Elecraft] Cutting component leads

2006-10-23 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- From: Ken Kopp The following is from a NASA-certified solderer ... me. (:-)) Contrary to the belief/practice of many, component leads protruding through a solder pad should NEVER be cut off flush with the board. They should be cut off at a length that is several diam

RE: [Elecraft] Cutting leads in tight places

2006-10-23 Thread Darwin, Keith
Here's a different approach. Don't sweat it. If you can't get down there with a small pair of cutters, then the excess lead isn't going to produce any poke wounds in your hands as you handle the board. Get as close as you can and leave what you can't I recall some difficulty when I built my K2

[Elecraft] FS: KAF2, K2 audio filter.

2006-10-18 Thread Darwin, Keith
I bought it and built it a few months ago. It works just fine. Surplus to my needs. $75 shipped lower 48-states. e-mail off list to: keith.darwin [at] goodrich (dot) com - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailm

RE: [Elecraft] When S-Meters are Useful (WAS: When do you use fastAGC?)

2006-10-17 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hmm, using the full bar graph to show S1 to S9? Not a bad idea. I may do that once I get the 41 step attenuator. All this AGC talk makes me think TenTec's hang AGC should have been the ideal. In effect it would turn the RF Gain down when a big signal came in and keep it down until the signal w

RE: [Elecraft] When S-Meters are Useful (WAS: When do you use fastAGC?)

2006-10-17 Thread Darwin, Keith
Boy Jack, if there was some small kit that could sample a signal in the K2 and send something out the back that could drive the LDG S-meter that would be great. It would be even greater if it could just plug into the K2 using one of the option slots. - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Me

RE: [Elecraft] Re: When do you use fast AGC?

2006-10-16 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- Still, top o' the line receivers like the K2 feature I.F. AGC that is far more versatile than the receivers with those huge S-meters. And maybe the piddlin' little bargraph puts the real value of an "S" reading in perspective . Ron AC7AC --

RE: [Elecraft] Re: When do you use fast AGC?

2006-10-16 Thread Darwin, Keith
I guess I'm the oddball. I run CW on AGC slow 90% of the time. Turning off AGC disables the S-meter and watching the S-meter is part of my enjoyment of the hobby (there, I said it)! If the signal is coming over the north pole and is fluttering rapidly, I'll go to Fast AGC. Using fast AGC incr

RE: [Elecraft] Problem: K2 Audio Tuning Click or Warble

2006-10-11 Thread Darwin, Keith
Nice recording. Mine definitely does NOT do that. I wish I could be more help. - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- From: Bill Acito W1PA Tuning through a quiet band, I noticed as I tuned slowly across a CW signal, I could clearly hear some "artifact" chirps or warbles with e

RE: [Elecraft] Icom 735 inquiry

2006-10-10 Thread Darwin, Keith
I had an IC735. On paper it sure looked like a great rig. In practice I found the sound of the rig to be irritating. Background noise was harsh and spiky for lack of a better word. Recovered audio left me wanting to turn the rig off. GC receive, which I though would be a great thing, turned ou

RE: [Elecraft] 3rd Party SSB Monitor?

2006-10-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
There's the good old fashioned way of doing it. Use a separate receiver. Maybe a KX-1? My shack is evolving (no Darwin jokes, please :-) at the moment. I'm planning on running the output of my rigs (currently 3) into a mixing board that will feed a single audio filter which will feed my head

[Elecraft] AF1 Mini-module on order.

2006-10-04 Thread Darwin, Keith
I just ordered mine. I was wanting the wattmeter but ended up not liking the final product. The audio filter and stepped attenuator are on my short list of things to get. AF1 order went in today. I have a new PC board vise (vice?) at home just dying to be used. I picked up reading glasses yes

RE: [Elecraft] Power Suppy for K2

2006-10-02 Thread Darwin, Keith
For my K2, I went with the Astron RS-20M supply. It is a linear supply, not a switching supply. I went that way because I knew it would work, would generate no noise and would be something I could service down the road. I got the 20 amp supply even though my K2 is only 10 watts output. Someday,

RE: [Elecraft] new mini-modules: applications

2006-09-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
Is moving the BNCs and the battery box to the back of the board enough to allow it (WM1 or Audio Filter) to mount cleanly in an enclosure or will other components on the board prevent the LEDs or pots from poking the right distance through the enclosure wall? - Keith KD1E - -Original Message-

RE: [Elecraft] New Mini-Modules - They're here!!

2006-09-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
The LP-100 sounds great - but it is out of my price range. I may eventually talk myself into it but not at this time. And to be honest, I really prefer an analog meter as it is much easier to peak my TS830s on TX with an analog meter. Now, if I were a computer sort of guy, having a watt meter mo

[Elecraft] New Mini-Modules - They're here!!

2006-09-27 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hey guys, did you see? Three new mini modules are on the order page and their manuals are available for download. - Power meter - AF filter - Stepped attenuator I looked them over and gotta say, I was very disappointed. I had really envisioned a meter in a case that would match my K2. Someth

RE: [Elecraft] RE: How Morse is learned

2006-09-25 Thread Darwin, Keith
Jeff (& the group), I've been a ham since my teen years, 30 yrs ago. Actually it's not that long on the ham-radio time scale. Anyway, I've been mostly CW since then but have not been continuously active. I figure I have something like 10+ yrs of continuous ham experience. My code speed, afte

RE: [Elecraft] noiseblanker

2006-09-25 Thread Darwin, Keith
There is a part of me that says "if you're having to search for a way to test the NB, then you didn't need it in the first place" :-) - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to po

RE: [Elecraft] K2 at a fall camporee

2006-09-25 Thread Darwin, Keith
Well, OK, what are the JOTA freqs? At least that would be a start. - Keith - -Original Message- Richard said, I was not looking for a sked per se. The times are from 6pm(EDT) fri. till about 12 noon Sunday ... I was planning to use the jamboree (JOTA) freqs as a starting point. __

RE: [Elecraft] K2 at a fall camporee

2006-09-25 Thread Darwin, Keith
Are you going to set up a sked? What times and freqs? I assume you're talking SSB (sorry, bad pun) not CW. 73! - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- My K2 (5296) and I and other various radios, will be setup at Manatoc Reservation in Akron Ohio. The event is a Moecomdws distr

RE: [Elecraft] filter settings and hearing

2006-09-19 Thread Darwin, Keith
When I did my filter alignment with spectrogram I found the perceived tone center lowered progressively as I went from wide to narrow. I went back and redid the alignment with spectrogram in logarithm display mode and the tone center became consistent from wide to narrow. - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411

[Elecraft] Vertical for 40 & 80 - follow-up

2006-09-14 Thread Darwin, Keith
Hey Elecrafters, Elecraftonites & Elecraftonians! Several months ago I posted a question about using a Hustler 80 meter resonator on the top of my simple stick vertical antenna to turn it into a 2 band antenna. I have this 1/4-wave-on-30-meters vert that I feed with a tuner. It is fine on 40, 3

RE: [Elecraft] K2 build C71 and C174

2006-09-12 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- ..doing a complete inventory will uncover these issues before they are soldered into the wrong positions. I did not do an inventory - until I got the caps section. Sheesh, there are so many and it is hard to tell which ones are which. I m

RE: [Elecraft] DMM Recommendation

2006-09-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
OK, Ok, smarty-pants, I'll spell it out ... Volts - ohms - amps. :-) LOL!~ - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- From: Dan Barker Wow! A meter that receives Voice Of America? Who'd a thought that? The meter does cap and freq measurements as well as V-O-A.

RE: [Elecraft] Yahoo Elecraft Group

2006-09-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
There's a Yahoo Elecraft group? - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- Does anyone use the Yahoo Elecraft group? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (A

RE: [Elecraft] DMM Recommendation

2006-09-05 Thread Darwin, Keith
I needed (wanted) a new DMM a few months ago. Initially was leaning toward Fluke but didn't want to spend the money. I ended up buying an Extech off e-bay. It in the Mouser catalog for $200+. I got mine for about $90 or so, new in the box. I think it was a discontinued model as the seller had

RE: [Elecraft] newbie question

2006-08-31 Thread Darwin, Keith
Another option that I highly recommend. Rework Eliminators. This 3rd party kit enables you to build the K2 as if it has all the options and provides simple jumper boards to populate the empty option slots. Then, when you do build / add an option, you don't have to do any rework to the board. Wi

RE: [Elecraft] newbie question

2006-08-31 Thread Darwin, Keith
Oh, yes, I forgot about that. I do have one option on my K2 that I can't live without. An FT-100 knob! 73! - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- The only really necessary option is the finger dimple (plus a source of power)! Bob W1SRB

RE: [Elecraft] newbie question

2006-08-31 Thread Darwin, Keith
None of them. There are no options that I cannot do without. Stated another way, I'm pretty happy with my K2 with no options. The only option in my K2 is the AF and I currently have it switched off. I don't run SSB and don't miss it. I don't do computer control - no need for RS-232 I/O I don't

RE: [Elecraft] 5730 Hears!

2006-08-30 Thread Darwin, Keith
I can't help with the tech questions but can address the hooky issue. Do what I did, become mildly sick. Sick enough that you really truly don't feel good enough to go to work but well enough that you can sit and watch TV all day. You'll find that sitting and watching TV is as restful as sitti

Real world design (RE: [Elecraft] KX1 mixer discussion)

2006-08-29 Thread Darwin, Keith
Boy Wayne, doesn't it stink to be constrained by the real world when doing designs! LOL! - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- From: wayne burdick ... For rigs like the KX1, what the world needs is a Gilbert cell multiplier (mixer) IC with gain, NF, LO drive, and current requ

RE: [Elecraft] K2 Front Panel Extension

2006-08-29 Thread Darwin, Keith
Well, that's a good question. Here's my initial list: Xfil 1 Xfil 2 Xfil 3 Xfil 4 USB LSB CW VFO Speed 1 VFO Speed 2 VFO Speed 3 AGC_F AGC_S AGC_0 Atten PreAmp ... But it doesn't end there because I want more than just buttons. I also want knobs: VFO (larger knob

RE: [Elecraft] wherefore art thou, K3?

2006-08-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
Bob, that's a GREAT idea. As I think about it, I realize ... I DON'T WANT A K3. There, I said it. I don't want a K3, I just want an larger and more spread out UI for the K2. I want a new front panel, bigger case, bigger knobs. BUT that ruins the K2 for portable use, now doesn't it. So, your

RE: [Elecraft] K2 crystal grounding

2006-08-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
There is an errata that says to put 2 grounds to each crystal. One to the top, one to the side (or maybe one on each side? I believe the change was part of the errata for the SSB module??? - Keith KD1E - - K2 5411 - -Original Message- Could anyone send me a picture of the crystals X7-X

[Elecraft] OT - Virus? Problem with list server? Who is "Keith Grosse?"

2006-08-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
The last 2 messages I sent to the list made it, but I also got a funny "bounce" message. --- Sorry. Your message could not be delivered to: Keith Gosse (Mailbox or Conference is full.) Anyone else seeing this? Do I have a virus? - Keith KD1E -

[Elecraft] Kenwood 480 (was ... K3?)

2006-08-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
If I believe the ample info available from the ham community, the Kenwood, while offering a lot of polish, is lacking in what I'd call essential performance. At the core, it's receiver does not do as well as the K2 (or K3 presumably) at handling the dynamics of the current HF bands and doesn't do

RE: [Elecraft] wherefore art thou, K3?

2006-08-28 Thread Darwin, Keith
Quite a post there Doug. Thanks for the comments & insight. ... But ... That line of logic would have suggested the K2 would not have been successful. A QRP rig for $600? Gee, for that price we can get a full power rig from Asia. But as history has show, the risk has paid off and the K2 has i

RE: [Elecraft] K2 price increase

2006-08-24 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message- From: Bob >... but let's be realistic -- it's only a 5% increase... Oh, don't get me wrong, I have no problem with prices going up. Businesses have costs and need to make a fair profit on their goods. It's not about price increases, it's about notifying your client ba

RE: [Elecraft] K2 price increase

2006-08-24 Thread Darwin, Keith
Oh Man, I wish I had known prices were going to go up! I was planning on buying several options over the next year and would have bought them all at once if I'd have known they were going up. I sure wish elecraft would have posted a price increase notice before hand. I guess I'll live without so

[Elecraft] TT Triton IV - How does it compare to the K2?

2006-08-23 Thread Darwin, Keith
Any TT fans out there? How is the Triton IV receiver in terms of: - Receiver quietness - Recovered audio tone / quality - IF filtering (I know it is audio in the TT rig) I'm thinking it will be my next old rig to play with but wondered if anyone who has both a Triton and a K2 can comment on

RE: [Elecraft] K2 vs. Drake 2B - New vs. classic.

2006-08-21 Thread Darwin, Keith
-Original Message from Jim, N2EY- >... it should be remembered that all of this is subjective. >That doesn't mean it's "right" or "wrong", ... Absolutely. Right on. One of the things I loved about the K2, was the clean audio. It was one of the main factors that allowed me to sell my

RE: [Elecraft] K2 vs. Drake 2B - New vs. classic.

2006-08-20 Thread Darwin, Keith
Let me clarify. I did my listening test under headphones - Nice hi-fi headphones. The same ones I used in the studio when mixing my band's CD a couple of years ago. Your right, you can't trust the sound of many rig speakers. These headphones work well and I know them very well. Tonight, th

[Elecraft] K2 vs. Drake 2B - New vs. classic.

2006-08-19 Thread Darwin, Keith
I had some fun today. Hooked the K2 and the Drake 2B up to the same antenna and fed the headphone output of each into a mixer. I could then tune them both to the same signal and switch back and forth quickly to hear them in the same headphones. Interesting results. Good: The K2's selectivi

RE: [Elecraft] First K2 question

2006-08-16 Thread Darwin, Keith
I didn't inventory my K2, just built it. Then I hit the stage of installing caps into the RF board. Lots of caps. I spread them out on the bench, sorted into groups and made sure I could ID each one. That was very useful so I could make sure I had the right ones. Once that was done I went ba

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