Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Bill Frantz
The XY RTTY tuning ovals are based on the mark and space signals which are 170 Hz apart. I can easily tune RTTY signals with the 10 Hz tuning step in the K3, so 10 Hz stability on both the transmitter and the receiver should be good enough for reliable operation. With the low stability TCXO

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Edward R Cole
Eric, Thanks for the correction/update. That fits my measurements, exactly. I recall about the time the EXREF came out the better spec was given on the TCXO03-1. Regarding the use of wrong part terminology (TCXO-3) its just sloppy memory of the exact product number. I think most knew

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft
Hi Ed, Minor note on our TCXO part numbers: The tighter temp stability TCXO (0.5 ppm typical) is actually Elecraft part number "TCXO3-1". This is the p/n that shows on the K3S order page and in the K3S kit manual as an upgrade. The standard TCXO (5 ppm) supplied with the K3S and K3 has the

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Don Wilhelm
The external reference is only applicable to the K3/K3S with the EXREF option. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/14/2016 3:51 AM, Cortland Richmond wrote: 50% OT but... I'm not complaining about stability, mind; the KX3 temperature compensation routine works really well, but if I use a GPSDO-clocked

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Cortland Richmond
On 3/13/2016 9:08 AM, Don Wilhelm wrote: I think everyone is ignoring something here. What causes the frequency drift in the first place? It is temperature changes - the designation TCXO signifies 50% OT but... I'm not complaining about stability, mind; the KX3 temperature compensation

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-14 Thread Gary Smith
Something I have wondered since running MMTTY and looking at the XY scope is, why do I see the XY ovals shifting clockwise as the station is transmitting. I find decoding is best when the ovals are as close to straight vertical & horizontal. If I let them rotate, I lose the cypher so I have to

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-13 Thread Edward R Cole
se <dro...@necg.de>, elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO Message-ID: <56e5663a.5080...@embarqmail.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed I think everyone is ignoring something here. What causes the frequency dr

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-13 Thread Don Wilhelm
I think everyone is ignoring something here. What causes the frequency drift in the first place? It is temperature changes - the designation TCXO signifies Temperature Compensated Xtal Oscillator. It is already compensated for temperature. If the temperature of the TCXO stays the same, the

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-13 Thread Ian White
Frequency corrections can only be made in 1Hz steps (at 49.380MHz) and because the higher-specification TCXO should drift more slowly, fewer corrections should be required. But this would only be relevant if someone is using an ultra-narrowband digital mode that is sensitive to sudden small

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-13 Thread David Anderson
Hi Oli, I agree it looks like there is no point in paying for the TCXO-3 if you have a reliable constantly available 10 MHz external reference. Perhaps they recommend the better TCXO as a better fallback if for any reason the external ref is not available, I can't think of any other reason for

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-13 Thread Oliver Dröse
what you have installed. Does that clear it up? 73, Ed - KL7UW The question to ask is what amount of frequency stability and accuracy is important for your type of operations. Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2016 08:17:32 +0100 From: Oliver Dr?se <dro...@necg.de> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject:

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-12 Thread Edward R Cole
ortant for your type of operations. Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2016 08:17:32 +0100 From: Oliver Dr?se <dro...@necg.de> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO Message-ID: <56e3c28c.90...@necg.de> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=f

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-12 Thread David Anderson
Oliver, I was wondering about this, I guess it is just that the short term drift is lower so it won't drift as much between frequency measurement corrections which are made for 1 second every 4 seconds according to some info recently published. I doubt it matters much though. I would be tempted

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Oliver Dröse
Why would I need the TCXO-3 instead of the TCXO-1 when using the K3EXREF if the accuracy and stability is provided by the EXREF? Am I overlooking something here? Tnx & 73, Olli - DH8BQA Contest, DX & radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de Am 11.03.2016 um 22:30 schrieb Edward R Cole: First

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Edward R Cole
battery which is float-charged from a good 12v PS. 73, Ed - KL7UW Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2016 13:25:54 -0500 From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <li...@subich.com> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO Message-ID: <56e30db2.6080...@subich.com

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Don Wilhelm
Note that 2 Hz refers only to the reference oscillator which is close to 49,380 kHz. That is about .04 ppm, or about 10 times greater than the specification for the high stability (optional) TCXO. The frequency accuracy at HF will also be .04 ppm - at 10 MHz that is 0.4 Hz, at 20 MHzit is

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
I am not arguing about that calculation Joe, it's proof that you don't need GPSDO accuracy as if will be several orders of magnitude better than that. 73 from David GM4JJJ > On 11 Mar 2016, at 18:25, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote: > > > > While locked to the external source, the

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
AM > To: Richard W. Solomon > Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO > > Dick, > > I found the reference to that figure I quoted, it is in the K3EXREF manual: > > The K3EXREF option locks the K3's reference oscillat

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread John Severyn
Thank you David. That article is very good and answered a lot of questions for me. 73 John AF6QO On 3/11/2016 8:03 AM, David Anderson wrote: You may want to have a look at this for some background on real world frequency stability, and remember that the K3 isn't phase locked to the external

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Joe Subich, W4TV
> While locked to the external source, the K3’s reference > oscillator frequency is maintained within 2 Hz. The K3's reference oscillator is 49.380 MHz (+/-) not 10 MHz. The K3EXTREF uses the external 10 MHz signal to gate a counter which counts the reference. That count is then used to

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
Dick, I found the reference to that figure I quoted, it is in the K3EXREF manual: The K3EXREF option locks the K3's reference oscillator frequency to an external 10 MHz source by automatically controlling the REF CAL function. While locked to the external source, the K3’s reference oscillator

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
? > > 73, Dick, W1KSZ > > -Original Message- > From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David > Anderson > Sent: Friday, March 11, 2016 9:04 AM > To: g...@ka1j.com > Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 M

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Petr, OK1RP/M0SIS
Hi, in case of such amount of bucks is planned to be spent for "ready to go" unit then Leo Bodnar is the very good choice but I preffer this "Low Jitter / Low Phase Noise" model:

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Richard W. Solomon
read ? 73, Dick, W1KSZ -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of David Anderson Sent: Friday, March 11, 2016 9:04 AM To: g...@ka1j.com Cc: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO You may want to h

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
You may want to have a look at this for some background on real world frequency stability, and remember that the K3 isn't phase locked to the external reference and is only going to be within 2Hz. https://www.febo.com/pages/stability/ 73 from David GM4JJJ >

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread David Anderson
Hi Gary, Because the K3 only -frequency- locks the frequency to within about 2Hz you won't notice any difference between them. Similarly because the K3 TCXO isn't -phase- locked to the external reference any phase noise on the reference won't affect low phase noise of the synthesiser in the

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference - GPSDO

2016-03-11 Thread Gary Smith
I appreciate the replies to my question about sourcing a 10 MHz external reference for my K3s. I didn't realize I needed more than the K3EXREF to gain this accuracy and thanks to these replies, I now better understand what will and what will not work. While I would prefer to be able to buy a

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread Pete Smith N4ZR
Take a look at this GPSDO . Needs 13-15 VDC and a powered GPS antenna, but it is plug and playon any frequency from 450 KHz to 800 MHz, with software-adjustable output

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread Wes (N7WS)
I haven't used this to frequency lock my K3S or K3, but it is my house standard. http://www.force12inc.com/products/gps-locked-precision-frequency-reference-low-jitter-gps-clock-450-hz-to-800-mhz-output.html On 3/9/2016 5:55 PM, Gary Smith wrote: Udo & Kevin, Thanks for the reply. I hadn't

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread brian
age- From: Kevin Cozens Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2016 5:51 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference Am 09.03.2016 um 18:37 schrieb Gary Smith: What external 10-MHz reference signal source might I find get that is not terribly expensive that will do the pro

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread Petr, OK1RP/M0SIS
Gary, just one more thing... If you will decline the Rubidium standard solution and you will thinking more about the GPSDO then my own recommendation is for James, G3RUH solution. It is "ready to go" box, very nice built. Not cheap, but no Chinese crapy and it is using new and very clean AXIOM40

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread Edward R Cole
will drift off frequency about 1-Hz in six months so regular checking a couple times per year is needed. GPSDO does not need this. 73, Ed - KL7UW Date: Wed, 09 Mar 2016 12:37:04 -0500 From: "Gary Smith" <g...@ka1j.com> To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] 10 MHz ex

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-10 Thread Petr, OK1RP/M0SIS
Hi Gary, there is several options how to solve the 10MHz ref. source for your K3. Some of them has been mentioned over here already. In all cases you can find Pros and Cons... In fact you need to know what is your own prefference > precision, simplicity, consumption, price etc. Try to look for

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread wb4jfi
rch 09, 2016 5:51 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference Am 09.03.2016 um 18:37 schrieb Gary Smith: What external 10-MHz reference signal source might I find get that is not terribly expensive that will do the proper job and allow me to get this working? Yo

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Richard W. Solomon
. 73, Dick, W1KSZ -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of HankP Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2016 8:50 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference As a casual observer of this thread - does the oscillator

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Clay Autery
A... mann!! Now that I know I can build one fairly easily, I may have to do that instead of getting the Leo Bodnar Low-Jitter, custom low phase noise XTAL version...

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Don Wilhelm
Hank, It needs to be 10 MHz and very stable. If it is not right on 10 MHz, it will still lock, but the K3 frequency will be off as much as the reference is different than 10 MHz. 73, Don W3FPR On 3/9/2016 10:49 PM, HankP wrote: As a casual observer of this thread - does the oscillator have

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread HankP
As a casual observer of this thread - does the oscillator have to be precisely 10 mhz to a zillion decimal places OR does it just need to be close to 10 mhz and verry stable ? Years ago hams used to build 10 mhz xtal oscillators/buffers - put them in a thermos bottle - dig a post

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Richard W. Solomon
plentiful. 73, Dick, W1KSZ -Original Message- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of W Paul Mills Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2016 8:14 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference Little more work than a kit, but you may want

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread W Paul Mills
Little more work than a kit, but you may want to look at this. On 03/09/2016 06:55 PM, Gary Smith wrote: > > Udo & Kevin, > > Thanks for the reply. I hadn't researched any of the options, I > thought the K3EXREF was all I needed. Now that I have a

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Gary Smith
Udo & Kevin, Thanks for the reply. I hadn't researched any of the options, I thought the K3EXREF was all I needed. Now that I have a better idea what to look for, I'll find something. I just need to be sure it fits what the requirements are. I'm surprised to find almost all the sources are

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Kevin Cozens
Am 09.03.2016 um 18:37 schrieb Gary Smith: What external 10-MHz reference signal source might I find get that is not terribly expensive that will do the proper job and allow me to get this working? You can look for a GPS disciplined oscillator (GPSDO), an FE-5680 Rubidium based oscillator, or

Re: [Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Udo Langenohl - DK5YA
Gary, there is a huge amount of sources available, i.e. http://world.taobao.com/item/42336500072.htm?fromSite=main=a312a.7700824.w4004-11814489530.4.1iUOwV or http://www.ebay.ca/itm/10MHZ-OUTPUT-Square-WAVE-GPS-DISCiPLINED-CLOCK-GPSDO-with-Antenna-power-supply-/171813807811 or

[Elecraft] 10 MHz external reference

2016-03-09 Thread Gary Smith
I ordered the K3EXREF and thought it was the oscillator itself which would provide the external signal source to the K3s. I thought this was all I was going to need but I see now that is not the case. Looking on the Elecraft order page, they don't sell a reference source. What external 10-MHz

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-04 Thread Edward R Cole
EXREF measurements showed better than 2-Hz accuracy which implies better than 0.1ppm. It was something like 3-Hz at 50-MHz. 73, Ed - KL7UW From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <r...@cobi.biz> To: <Elecraft@mailman.qth.net>, "'Doug Hensley'" <w...@hotmail.com> S

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-03 Thread Phil Kane
On 11/2/2015 8:19 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: > n the Elecraft manuals and other technical writing I stick with the S.I. > standard notation. You can find details on line here; > > http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/units.html > > The units are on that page and click on the link at the bottom for

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-03 Thread Ron D'Eau Claire
>From the K3EXREF manual Introduction: The K3EXREF option locks the K3's reference oscillator frequency to an external 10 MHz source by automatically controlling the REF CAL function. While locked to the external source, the K3's reference oscillator frequency is maintained within 2 Hz. Since the

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-03 Thread Edward R Cole
et> Subject: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1 Message-ID: <col129-w84c7dcf545de8aa3b4b74a91...@phx.gbl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" I've been following the thread on using a 10 mHZ external reference and the pr

[Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Doug Hensley
I've been following the thread on using a 10 mHZ external reference and the prospect seems both affordable and at least initially fun BUT I'd like to ask is it really a practical improvement over Elecraft's available KTCXO3 internal 1ppm reference? Or is this just a way to achieve more

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Bob McGraw - K4TAX
Yes, I've been following this as well. And to that end, I have a commercial GPS Disciplined Oscillator that is used as a reference for the test equipment in the shop. In checking my K3s I find, with the optional TCXO, the accuracy is typically +/-2 Hz on all bands.Few if many other

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optional KTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Harry Yingst via Elecraft
One advantage it to lock all your gear to the same master oscillator.    From: Doug Hensley <w...@hotmail.com> To: "elecraft@mailman.qth.net" <elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Sent: Monday, November 2, 2015 3:34 PM Subject: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Gary
<elecraft@mailman.qth.net> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1 Yes, I've been following this as well. And to that end, I have a commercial GPS Disciplined Oscillator that is used as a reference for the test equipment in the shop. In checking m

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Ron D'Eau Claire
an.qth.net] On Behalf Of Gary Sent: Monday, November 2, 2015 2:04 PM To: Bob McGraw - K4TAX; elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1 Bob, Thanks for asking, I too have struggled to understand the need given I only use the original di

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Wes (N7WS)
Precisely or more accurately, accurate! This pastime is no more inane than contesting or working QRP. On 11/2/2015 3:50 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote: IMX, such pursuits of precision become a hobby in themselves. __ Elecraft mailing

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Bayard Coolidge, N1HO via Elecraft
ollars' worth, N1HO From: Wes (N7WS) <w...@triconet.org> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, November 2, 2015 6:04 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1 Precisely or more accurately, accurate! This pastime is no more inane than

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Phil Kane
On 11/2/2015 4:57 PM, Bayard Coolidge, N1HO via Elecraft wrote: > (And, to be even more inane, the correct abbreviation is "MHz." > -capital M for Mega, capital H/lower case Z for Hertz, since it's > aunit named for a person, and is therefore capitalized. Notwithstanding that the accepted

Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1

2015-11-02 Thread Ron D'Eau Claire
- From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Phil Kane Sent: Monday, November 2, 2015 5:07 PM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] 10 mHZ external reference VS the K3S's optionalKTCXO3-1 On 11/2/2015 4:57 PM, Bayard Coolidge, N1HO via Elecraft wrote