Another new K3
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Hi all. New K3 #2717 here, and thought you old timers might be amused, and you yet-to-be old timers might be interested in the rig's 1st impressions. I ordered on Monday, and it arrived in 7 days last Monday, a full week ahead of when I expected it. I would say it took working on and with it all week to finally get things under control and feeling very familiar. Today I even had a chance to hook it up with N1MM and poke around the DX CW contest at 3AM. Yes, my sleep patterns have changes since the K3's arrival. I run a compromise roof antenna, and prepared for the K3's arrival with a 9' vertical wire in the corner of the shack for the 2nd receiver Diversity receive. That's working really well. Even with the marginal setup, I can hear the propagation switching from ear to ear. I think that's what I like best. I have been doing A/B same antenna comparisons between my old FT897 and the K3, and the DX contest was a perfect opportunity for testing with weak signals repeating CQ over and over. At first I was surprised to find the FT897 receiving quite well. In fact strong signals come through much louder on the FT897's AGC. Most weak signals were present on both rigs. Now I see (hear) the difference. On the FT897 they're there, but I can not copy. Seems muddled, and perhaps losing just enough dits here and there to be confusing. On the K3 weak signals are still weak signals, but the DSP brings them through sharper with less noise, and the copy is OK. It's the difference between making or breaking the QSO. I'm sure most on this list already knew that, but I didn't. If there's a signal to receive at all, it can be done. I think it's what I like best. My roof antenna starts right out of the tuner, through walls and ceilings to the roof where it stretches out for 170'. The 2nd receiver vertical indoor wire is right next to the feed point. I was only getting light (compared to loud at times when I really had things screwed up) relay noise from the K3 on 80M. I ran a 20' radial off the indoor antenna's tuner, and the relay noise is gone. That's luck, and a good sign that all things are fixable with enough wire. The Tune feature is really sweet, actually showing the SWR numbers at low power. The keyer memory is fantastic, and fills in information for 50% of most QSO content. This is my 1st QSK machine, and it's silent and great. Let me just say I like what every knob and button does. And I've yet to try phone and see what awaits me there. I am happy. I think that's what I like best. Now if someone would recommend very comfortable headphones to replace the $15 jobbie that got at Walgreens, I would be even happier. 73, Wayne WA9VEE ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Hi all.
My K2 is working fine on 160m, 80m, 30m and 20m but not 40m. I have switched between ANT1 and 2. RANT is OFF. Nothing helps... What went wrong for me? Any settings to check or could it be a hardware failure? 73, Svend OZ7UV
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Svend,
Chack the bandpass filters. Especially check the capasitor values in the BP-filters. I bet that you will find the soultion of your problem there.
73!
Hans / LA2MOA
2009/2/21 Svend Spanget <[hidden email]>
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In reply to this post by Svend Spanget
Svend,
Is this a newly built K2, or one that used to work and has now failed. Do you have the K60XV option? If it is newly built, check to be certain you have installed C6 (on the bottom of the RF Board near the rear panel) correctly. Its leads should be in the outer holes of the set of 3 holes between L1 and L2. If you installed the headers for the K60XV option (or the rework eliminators), you must insert the board into J15. Does it receive on 60 meters? If this is a K2 that worked before, there is likely some failure in either in the Bandpass Filter or the Low Pass Filter. Does it transmit on 40 meters? 73, Don W3FPR Svend Spanget wrote: > Hi all. > > My K2 is working fine on 160m, 80m, 30m and 20m but not 40m. I have > switched between ANT1 and 2. RANT is OFF. Nothing helps... > What went wrong for me? > Any settings to check or could it be a hardware failure? > > 73, > Svend OZ7UV > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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Don,
thank you for answering! This K2 used to work, but after I got my K3, it was left in the background... It will tune to a good SWR. The K60XV option is not installed. 73 Svend, OZ7UV ----- Original meddelelse ----- Fra: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
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Svend,
In that case, try the "Cheap and Dirty Signal Tracing in the K2" that you can download from the Elecraft website Builder's Resource page then Troubleshooting Tips link. The direct link is http://www.elecraft.com/TechNotes/SigTr/K2%20Cheap%20%27n%20Dirty%20Signal%20Tracing.pdf. That should reveal whether the problem is with the bandpass filter or the low pass filter. Once you have located the problem area, check the soldering - yes, even though it used to work, there could still be an unsoldered or poorly soldered connection that has finally developed enough oxidation to now fail. If the soldering is good, the next item to check is the relay K1 if the problem is in the bandpass filter or K12 in the low pass filter. Set the band to 40 meters and check for continuity directly across the relay contacts with your ohmmeter. The relays are latching, so they can be checked after power is removed from the K2. The schematic shows the relays in their non-selected position (i.e. when 40 meters is selected, there should be continuity between K1 pins 3 and 4, but not pins 2 and 3). 73, Don W3FPR Svend Spanget wrote: > Don, > > thank you for answering! This K2 used to work, but after I got my K3, > it was left in the background... > It will tune to a good SWR. > The K60XV option is not installed. > > 73 > Svend, OZ7UV > > Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[hidden email] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html |
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