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CW Splatter?

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CW Splatter?

I was informed via e-mail by a fellow ham that my CW signal from my KX3 was splattering about 11k. Although this is the only report I have even received like this, and may be an issue on the other side, it still does concern me.

I do not have another radio where I could transmit into a dummy load and listen.

Has anyone seen this issue on a KX3? Anything I can check?

Thanks and 73,
Roger
AE4RM
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Don Wilhelm

Re: [KX3] CW Splatter?

Roger,

Were you operating at home on a good power supply? Or were you on
batteries that may have become discharged below their limit? The supply
voltage may be a factor.

A properly operating KX3 will not splatter, so the problem may be on the
receiving end.
Can you borrow a receiver or transceiver from a local ham, or take your
KX3 with the dummy load to his shack since yours is portable?
If you do that, make certain you do not overload the monitoring
receiver. Place a short wire antenna on the receiving end and adjust
its distance to the dummy load so the signal is S-9 or a bit less.

If you do find a problem, email [hidden email].
One thing I might suggest is to use the VFO B Alternate Displays to show
the voltage during transmit. If it drops substantially, that might be
one possible cause for that behavior.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/8/2018 5:55 PM, Roger Meadows [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:
> I was informed via e-mail by a fellow ham that my CW signal from my KX3
> was splattering about 11k. Although this is the only report I have even
> received like this, and may be an issue on the other side, it still does
> concern me.
>
> I do not have another radio where I could transmit into a dummy load and
> listen.
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Elecraft mailing list

Re: [KX3] CW Splatter?

Thanks Don,

I’m on a Pro Audio Engineering supply output is 13.5 key down at full output.

Although not a be all tell all, I was monitoring RBN at the time to see where I was being heard and it was reporting my frequency correctly.

THanks!
Roger

> On May 8, 2018, at 6:21 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Roger,
>
> Were you operating at home on a good power supply? Or were you on batteries that may have become discharged below their limit? The supply voltage may be a factor.
>
> A properly operating KX3 will not splatter, so the problem may be on the receiving end.
> Can you borrow a receiver or transceiver from a local ham, or take your KX3 with the dummy load to his shack since yours is portable?
> If you do that, make certain you do not overload the monitoring receiver. Place a short wire antenna on the receiving end and adjust its distance to the dummy load so the signal is S-9 or a bit less.
>
> If you do find a problem, email [hidden email].
> One thing I might suggest is to use the VFO B Alternate Displays to show the voltage during transmit. If it drops substantially, that might be one possible cause for that behavior.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 5/8/2018 5:55 PM, Roger Meadows [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:
>> I was informed via e-mail by a fellow ham that my CW signal from my KX3 was splattering about 11k. Although this is the only report I have even received like this, and may be an issue on the other side, it still does concern me.
>> I do not have another radio where I could transmit into a dummy load and listen.

______________________________________________________________
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Don Wilhelm

Re: [KX3] CW Splatter?

Roger,

OK, that rules out the power supply question.

You did not say which band, or the proximity to your email associate.

There are other weird possibilities. A corroded connection in his
antenna/feedline system or yours which can act as a diode for instance.
He was close enough for you to overload his receiver. If he was using
some of the SDR receivers, they can overload easily. What band? How
strong was your signal at his QTH? Many unanswered questions.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/8/2018 6:33 PM, Roger Meadows wrote:

> Thanks Don,
>
> I’m on a Pro Audio Engineering supply output is 13.5 key down at full output.
>
> Although not a be all tell all, I was monitoring RBN at the time to see where I was being heard and it was reporting my frequency correctly.
>
> THanks!
> Roger
>
>

Rick WA6NHC-2

Re: [KX3] CW Splatter?

It also matters what receiver the other person was using and I'd bet a
buck that their noise blanker was on. My mobile rig (another brand) is
notorious for hearing garbage (but lower noise) with NB on (because it
bypasses a portion of the rx chain).

While it's disconcerting, more information is needed before fretting
over one report.

You might be able to use a remote SDR radio for your tests, there are
several online that anyone can access.

Rick nhc

On 5/8/2018 4:34 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Roger,
>
> OK, that rules out the power supply question.
>
> You did not say which band, or the proximity to your email associate.
>
> There are other weird possibilities. A corroded connection in his
> antenna/feedline system or yours which can act as a diode for instance.
> He was close enough for you to overload his receiver. If he was using
> some of the SDR receivers, they can overload easily. What band? How
> strong was your signal at his QTH? Many unanswered questions.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 5/8/2018 6:33 PM, Roger Meadows wrote:
>> Thanks Don,
>>
>> I’m on a Pro Audio Engineering supply output is 13.5 key down at full
>> output.
>>
>> Although not a be all tell all, I was monitoring RBN at the time to
>> see where I was being heard and it was reporting my frequency correctly.
>>
>> THanks!
>> Roger
>>
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

k6dgw

Re: CW Splatter?

In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list

If it really IS on your signal and not an issue at the receiving end
[more likely], that sounds like arcing in your antenna/feedline system.
Arcing at 10 W seems strange, but it can be "micro-arcs" inside a poorly
assembled connector. Before tearing anything apart, I'd arrange for a
test or two with others. I would be very surprised if it had anything
to do with your KX3. For some reason, human nature is to always assume
the worst for a cause.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 5/8/2018 2:55 PM, Roger Meadows via Elecraft wrote:

> I was informed via e-mail by a fellow ham that my CW signal from my KX3 was splattering about 11k. Although this is the only report I have even received like this, and may be an issue on the other side, it still does concern me.
>
> I do not have another radio where I could transmit into a dummy load and listen.
>
> Has anyone seen this issue on a KX3? Anything I can check?
>
> Thanks and 73,
> Roger
> AE4RM
>