Audio buzz

[N5AG]

K3 #3547 has developed a buzz on receive and transmit. It will very in rapidity by varying the supply voltage from a high, 14.1 volts (fast buzz), down to 12.4 volts, as low as I can go on a fresh 12 volt battery supply (slower buzz). It still receives audio transmissions and I have been told it is noticeable on transmit as well. Audible on all bands and modes.

This radio was repaired by Elecraft for "lightning damage" July 23, 2010 Invoice #73797 and has worked flawlessly till now.

Any help before I package it up for Aptos?

Allen Griffith...N5AG

[Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ]

Hi Allen,

Are you running a battery charger in parallel with the battery while
operating? That can frequently cause buzz. You might try it with the
charger off-line if so.

While anything is possible, its pretty difficult for the radio itself to
create the buzz you are hearing in RX and TX. If you are still stumped,
please contact [hidden email] and they will help you figure out
what's happening.

73, Eric  WA6HHQ

---
www.elecraft.com


On 11/14/2011 12:39 PM, N5AG wrote:

> K3 #3547 has developed a buzz on receive and transmit. It will very in
> rapidity by varying the supply voltage from a high, 14.1 volts (fast buzz),
> down to 12.4 volts, as low as I can go on a fresh 12 volt battery supply
> (slower buzz). It still receives audio transmissions and I have been told it
> is noticeable on transmit as well. Audible on all bands and modes.
>
> This radio was repaired by Elecraft for "lightning damage" July 23, 2010
> Invoice #73797 and has worked flawlessly till now.
>
> Any help before I package it up for Aptos?
>
> Allen Griffith...N5AG
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Audio-buzz-tp6994000p6994000.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

______________________________________________________________
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

[W4JBB]

Sorry for any duplication as I posted this in another place too.
My K3 arrived (well, I went and got it at UPS this morning). I took the
day off and figured I'd take a good lick at assembly. Counting the
inventory, I've been at it about six hours and everything is going well
except for the concentric knobs. I finally got them on without binding,
but I think I'd rather wind toroids.

Now, I have some questions:

1. I purchased the KRX3, now I'm not sure if I want it. I'm not a
contester, but I like weak-signal work (JT65HF and Olivia). I had
planned on using diversity reception between my hexbeam and 6BTV as I
thought it might benefit me with weak-signals. Again, not being a
contester, is the KRX3 necessary? I did purchase matching 500Hz filters
for both the main and sub-receive. Opinions are appreciated. I'm also to
a point of mounting the front panel and have to take the side panels
back off. I thought this would be a good point for a break and ask the
question. If the consensus is that it's not necessary, I can send it
back for a 10% re-stocking fee.

2. The felt behind VFO A makes a lot of noise. Maybe it's just me, but I
have never noticed that on any other HF rig I've owned. Now, does the
felt washer go around the 1/2" nut or on top of the 1/2" nut? The
pictures look like the felt washer goes on top of the nut. The VFO A
knob is *not* on the plastic bezel.

Thanks for the help.

73, Joel - W4JBB
______________________________________________________________
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

[Rick Prather-2]

Joel,

I'm sure you get a lot of comments with uses for the 2nd receiver. Here's a couple I can think of that might be of interest to you.

Since you like JT65 how about running two incidents of the software and monitoring the JT65 frequencies on two different bands.  If you see something you want you can switch VFO's and work 'em.

I do something similar using cocoaModem on my Mac since cocoaModem will show two different wide band RTTY waterfalls and have one set for the main and the other for the SUB so I can wait for that elusive DX station to show up.

It's also pretty cool to be able to monitor say, 6M waiting for some digital activity while you work a different band.

I would keep it, you will be surprised the uses you find for it.

Rick
K6LE


______________________________________________________________
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

[Vic Rosenthal]

Regarding the value of diversity reception, I cannot speak for digital modes, but it
definitely improves my ability to copy CW, particularly on the bands below 20 meters,
where I don't have a beam. I use vertical and horizontal antennas for polarization
diversity. Not only does it reduce QSB, but it seems to keep character elements from
getting lost in the noise -- I suspect this is because noise pickup of the two antennas is
significantly different.

I have not found diversity useful on the bands for which I have a beam, because the beam
is usually so much better than the vertical that it adds little to intelligibility. Of
course on those bands I use the subrx for split DX pileups with great success (actually,
it is much /less/ useful in contests, where split CW pileups aren't so common).

My guess is that if it helps my brain computer decode CW, it will help your electronic one
with digital signals. Maybe you will get some comments from those who have actually tried it.

Regarding the knob, try adjusting it slightly farther away from the panel. Personally I
like just barely enough friction to keep the knob from moving when I let go of it when it
is stationary.

On 11/14/2011 1:43 PM, Joel Black wrote:

> Sorry for any duplication as I posted this in another place too.
> My K3 arrived (well, I went and got it at UPS this morning). I took the
> day off and figured I'd take a good lick at assembly. Counting the
> inventory, I've been at it about six hours and everything is going well
> except for the concentric knobs. I finally got them on without binding,
> but I think I'd rather wind toroids.
>
> Now, I have some questions:
>
> 1. I purchased the KRX3, now I'm not sure if I want it. I'm not a
> contester, but I like weak-signal work (JT65HF and Olivia). I had
> planned on using diversity reception between my hexbeam and 6BTV as I
> thought it might benefit me with weak-signals. Again, not being a
> contester, is the KRX3 necessary? I did purchase matching 500Hz filters
> for both the main and sub-receive. Opinions are appreciated. I'm also to
> a point of mounting the front panel and have to take the side panels
> back off. I thought this would be a good point for a break and ask the
> question. If the consensus is that it's not necessary, I can send it
> back for a 10% re-stocking fee.
>
> 2. The felt behind VFO A makes a lot of noise. Maybe it's just me, but I
> have never noticed that on any other HF rig I've owned. Now, does the
> felt washer go around the 1/2" nut or on top of the 1/2" nut? The
> pictures look like the felt washer goes on top of the nut. The VFO A
> knob is *not* on the plastic bezel.
>
> Thanks for the help.
>
> 73, Joel - W4JBB
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

______________________________________________________________
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

[Jim Brown-10]

On 11/14/2011 12:51 PM, Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ, Elecraft wrote:
> Are you running a battery charger in parallel with the battery while
> operating? That can frequently cause buzz. You might try it with the
> charger off-line if so.
>
> While anything is possible, its pretty difficult for the radio itself to
> create the buzz you are hearing in RX and TX.

One thing I would suspect based on your symptoms is a weak battery.  
Since about 2003, I've run all of my 12V ham gear from a big Costco deep
cycle battery that is float charged by a 10A supply that regulates to
about 14.1 volts with the battery hanging on it.  I've never experienced
any issues with this, and the batteries last 3-4 years.

73, Jim K9YC


______________________________________________________________
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