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Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

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WK8A

Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went to
do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the SWR
was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
loads and cables and found the same result.

I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that the
external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as expected)
but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or 1.5:1 up to 2.9:1
on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on all bands,
however.

Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in the
KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix might be.
Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other workarounds?
Many thanks in advance!

73 de John, WK8A
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WK8A

Re: Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 17:45 John Woodard <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went to
> do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the SWR
> was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
> loads and cables and found the same result.
>
>
> I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that
> the external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as
> expected) but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or 1.5:1 up
> to 2.9:1 on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on all
> bands, however.
>
>
> Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in
> the KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix might
> be. Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other
> workarounds? Many thanks in advance!
>
>
> 73 de John, WK8A
>

Michael Eberle

Re: Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

In reply to this post by WK8A

I had an issue getting the TX gain calibration to pass at 52 MHz once,
but it was because SPLIT was enabled on 6 meters. For some reason my K3
will not transmit a carrier on 6 meters by holding the TUNE button if
SPLIT is enabled. It will on every band but 6.

Mike - KI0HA

On 2/5/2018 22:59, John Woodard wrote:

> On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 17:45 John Woodard <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went to
>> do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the SWR
>> was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
>> loads and cables and found the same result.
>>
>>
>> I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that
>> the external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as
>> expected) but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or 1.5:1 up
>> to 2.9:1 on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on all
>> bands, however.
>>
>>
>> Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in
>> the KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix might
>> be. Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other
>> workarounds? Many thanks in advance!
>>
>>
>> 73 de John, WK8A
>>
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Ken K6MR-3

Re: Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

In reply to this post by WK8A

The dummy load needs to be connected to the XVTR OUT jack, not the main
antenna connector. The tuner path has nothing to do with it.

See K3 manual around page 53 or so.

Ken K6MR

On 05-Feb-18 20:59:03, "John Woodard" <[hidden email]> wrote:

On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 17:45 John Woodard <[hidden email]>
wrote:

>I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went
>to
>do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the
>SWR
>was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
>loads and cables and found the same result.
>
>
>I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that
>the external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as
>expected) but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or
>1.5:1 up
>to 2.9:1 on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on
>all
>bands, however.
>
>
>Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in
>the KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix
>might
>be. Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other
>workarounds? Many thanks in advance!
>
>
>73 de John, WK8A
>

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Jack Brindle-2

Re: Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

In reply to this post by WK8A

John;

Where did you have the dummy load connected for the milliwatt calibration? As shown on
page 52 of the K3S manual, it should be connected to the XVTR OUT jack, NOT the
main antenna jack.

Note that the milliwatt calibration is optional. If you aren’t planning on using a transverter,
there is no need to do it.

Jack, W6FB

> On Feb 5, 2018, at 8:59 PM, John Woodard <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 17:45 John Woodard <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went to
>> do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the SWR
>> was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
>> loads and cables and found the same result.
>>
>>
>> I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that
>> the external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as
>> expected) but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or 1.5:1 up
>> to 2.9:1 on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on all
>> bands, however.
>>
>>
>> Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in
>> the KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix might
>> be. Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other
>> workarounds? Many thanks in advance!
>>
>>
>> 73 de John, WK8A
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

WK8A

Re: Different SWRs on K3 and External Meter

Thanks so much to everyone! Very helpful. The dummy load was connected to
the main antenna jack, which might then be part of the problem. However, I
do use the K144XV internal transverter, so it sounds like I might still
need to do the milliwatt calibration.

On Tue, Feb 6, 2018 at 12:06 PM, Jack Brindle <[hidden email]> wrote:

> John;
>
> Where did you have the dummy load connected for the milliwatt calibration?
> As shown on
> page 52 of the K3S manual, it should be connected to the XVTR OUT jack,
> NOT the
> main antenna jack.
>
> Note that the milliwatt calibration is optional. If you aren’t planning on
> using a transverter,
> there is no need to do it.
>
> Jack, W6FB
>
>
> > On Feb 5, 2018, at 8:59 PM, John Woodard <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> >
> > On Sun, Feb 4, 2018 at 17:45 John Woodard <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> >
> >> I just installed the KXV3B board, upgrading from the KXV3A. When I went
> to
> >> do the 1mW calibration at the end, the calibration failed because the
> SWR
> >> was 2.9:1 on 52 MHz. I tried a couple more times, with different dummy
> >> loads and cables and found the same result.
> >>
> >>
> >> I then connected an external SWR meter to the dummy load and found that
> >> the external SWR meter showed a flat 1:1 SWR with the dummy load (as
> >> expected) but the K3 SWR value was always higher, typically 1.4 or
> 1.5:1 up
> >> to 2.9:1 on 52 MHz into the dummy load. The tuner works perfectly on all
> >> bands, however.
> >>
> >>
> >> Has anyone had a similar issue? I can’t quite tell if the problem is in
> >> the KAT3 or on the K3 main board, and more importantly what the fix
> might
> >> be. Also, since the 1mW calibration failed, are there any other
> >> workarounds? Many thanks in advance!
> >>
> >>
> >> 73 de John, WK8A
> >>
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 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]
>
>