Elecraft CW Net Announcement
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Good Evening,
Loggers moved in early Monday. Today I am hearing the beeping like after a CW contest. Each time the harvester moves forward or backward there are a series of blasts from the air-horn. The logger told me it is fed directly from the hydraulic cooling system's air pumps. Luckily he is done with the wood nearest the house. That means it will be quieter next week. Here is a link to the harvester he is using. https://www.barko.com/products/tracked-harvesters/ With this machine he is cutting, limbing, and bucking to length about one tree a minute. If the log he is cutting is unmarketable he bucks it up for firewood. There is no way I will ever be able to use it all. A note on our Elecraft CW Net exchange. Since it is a directed net I call for check ins then work each in order. I send a signal report and pass control to the operator. They send me a signal report and whatever it is they want to talk about and then pass control back to me. Weather is simple and often gets mentioned. Snow, ice, hail, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, forest fires, etc have been described. Crop reports, pets, kids, and travel too. Occasionally a new antenna will get checked. Other times a new piece of gear will get tested. We did hear the 1500 watt amp first-hand quite early in its history. As the KX1, K3, KX2, and KX3 came along they got checked in too. Operators have used the legal limit down to milliwatts to get my attention. My ears were tested at both ends of that spectrum :) Some folks like to practice copying faster code so they follow along. I get many comments about net reports and how they could hear me even if they did not check in. I have never closed any of the nets; I think that would be presumptuous. At the end of every net I send QNF which means there is a free net. I normally am off the air at that point but I do leave the radio on and can hear further exchanges. It has been fun for many years. There was another short lived sunspot from cycle 25 this week. That's two in less than a month. I sense a trend. Maybe this spring we'll see a flowering of new spots. Please join us tomorrow on: 14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (2 PM PST Sunday) 7047 kHz at 0000z Monday (4 PM PST Sunday) 73, Kevin. KD5ONS - ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
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I need to null the SWR detector on my KPA500. I've not found any
adjustment procedure as such. And from the schematic, there is none. I do have a rather precise Bird 50.5 ohm dummy load. I see SWR values higher than 1:1 on the LED display and also on the LCD display on higher frequency bands. I've found that the PWR ADJ does affect not only the indicated power but the FAULT values as well. I am suspect that the SWR error likewise affects the Fault actions. Any thoughts? 73 Bob, K4TAX ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: KPA500 SWR Calibration
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Bob;
The KPA500 does not use a Breune style bridge, but rather a true directional coupler. It does not need to be nulled; there is no adjustment. There is an adjustment for the power; see the PWR ADJ setting in the manual. 73! Jack, W6FB > On Nov 17, 2019, at 6:58 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]> wrote: > > I need to null the SWR detector on my KPA500. I've not found any adjustment procedure as such. And from the schematic, there is none. > > I do have a rather precise Bird 50.5 ohm dummy load. I see SWR values higher than 1:1 on the LED display and also on the LCD display on higher frequency bands. I've found that the PWR ADJ does affect not only the indicated power but the FAULT values as well. I am suspect that the SWR error likewise affects the Fault actions. > > Any thoughts? > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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] ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Fwd: Elecraft CW Net Announcement
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In reply to this post by kevinr@coho.net
This message never got posted on the Elecraft reflector. I sent it last
night but it never showed up. Kevin. KD5ONS -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Elecraft CW Net Announcement Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2019 20:28:53 -0800 From: kevinr <[hidden email]> To: [hidden email] Good Evening, Loggers moved in early Monday. Today I am hearing the beeping like after a CW contest. Each time the harvester moves forward or backward there are a series of blasts from the air-horn. The logger told me it is fed directly from the hydraulic cooling system's air pumps. Luckily he is done with the wood nearest the house. That means it will be quieter next week. Here is a link to the harvester he is using. https://www.barko.com/products/tracked-harvesters/ With this machine he is cutting, limbing, and bucking to length about one tree a minute. If the log he is cutting is unmarketable he bucks it up for firewood. There is no way I will ever be able to use it all. A note on our Elecraft CW Net exchange. Since it is a directed net I call for check ins then work each in order. I send a signal report and pass control to the operator. They send me a signal report and whatever it is they want to talk about and then pass control back to me. Weather is simple and often gets mentioned. Snow, ice, hail, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, forest fires, etc have been described. Crop reports, pets, kids, and travel too. Occasionally a new antenna will get checked. Other times a new piece of gear will get tested. We did hear the 1500 watt amp first-hand quite early in its history. As the KX1, K3, KX2, and KX3 came along they got checked in too. Operators have used the legal limit down to milliwatts to get my attention. My ears were tested at both ends of that spectrum :) Some folks like to practice copying faster code so they follow along. I get many comments about net reports and how they could hear me even if they did not check in. I have never closed any of the nets; I think that would be presumptuous. At the end of every net I send QNF which means there is a free net. I normally am off the air at that point but I do leave the radio on and can hear further exchanges. It has been fun for many years. There was another short lived sunspot from cycle 25 this week. That's two in less than a month. I sense a trend. Maybe this spring we'll see a flowering of new spots. Please join us tomorrow on: 14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (2 PM PST Sunday) 7047 kHz at 0000z Monday (4 PM PST Sunday) 73, Kevin. KD5ONS - ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: Fwd: Elecraft CW Net Announcement
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It came into my inbox last night, so it did get posted.
John, KC7DRI ________________________________ From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> on behalf of kevinr <[hidden email]> Sent: Sunday, November 17, 2019 10:59 AM To: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] Fwd: Elecraft CW Net Announcement This message never got posted on the Elecraft reflector. I sent it last night but it never showed up. Kevin. KD5ONS -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Elecraft CW Net Announcement Date: Sat, 16 Nov 2019 20:28:53 -0800 From: kevinr <[hidden email]> To: [hidden email] Good Evening, Loggers moved in early Monday. Today I am hearing the beeping like after a CW contest. Each time the harvester moves forward or backward there are a series of blasts from the air-horn. The logger told me it is fed directly from the hydraulic cooling system's air pumps. Luckily he is done with the wood nearest the house. That means it will be quieter next week. Here is a link to the harvester he is using. https://www.barko.com/products/tracked-harvesters/ With this machine he is cutting, limbing, and bucking to length about one tree a minute. If the log he is cutting is unmarketable he bucks it up for firewood. There is no way I will ever be able to use it all. A note on our Elecraft CW Net exchange. Since it is a directed net I call for check ins then work each in order. I send a signal report and pass control to the operator. They send me a signal report and whatever it is they want to talk about and then pass control back to me. Weather is simple and often gets mentioned. Snow, ice, hail, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, forest fires, etc have been described. Crop reports, pets, kids, and travel too. Occasionally a new antenna will get checked. Other times a new piece of gear will get tested. We did hear the 1500 watt amp first-hand quite early in its history. As the KX1, K3, KX2, and KX3 came along they got checked in too. Operators have used the legal limit down to milliwatts to get my attention. My ears were tested at both ends of that spectrum :) Some folks like to practice copying faster code so they follow along. I get many comments about net reports and how they could hear me even if they did not check in. I have never closed any of the nets; I think that would be presumptuous. At the end of every net I send QNF which means there is a free net. I normally am off the air at that point but I do leave the radio on and can hear further exchanges. It has been fun for many years. There was another short lived sunspot from cycle 25 this week. That's two in less than a month. I sense a trend. Maybe this spring we'll see a flowering of new spots. Please join us tomorrow on: 14050 kHz at 2200z Sunday (2 PM PST Sunday) 7047 kHz at 0000z Monday (4 PM PST Sunday) 73, Kevin. KD5ONS - ______________________________________________________________ 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] ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: KPA500 SWR Calibration
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In reply to this post by Elecraft mailing list
Jack, et.al.
Thanks, Yes I see from the circuit it is not a Breune. I have calibrated the indications for power and all is well in that regard. I just see a higher SWR that actually exists. That under certain conditions causes the amp to fault. I'll figure a work-a-round and be able to deal with it. 73 Bob, K4TAX On 11/17/2019 10:12 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: > Bob; > > The KPA500 does not use a Breune style bridge, but rather a true directional coupler. It does not need to be nulled; there is no adjustment. > > There is an adjustment for the power; see the PWR ADJ setting in the manual. > > 73! > Jack, W6FB > > >> On Nov 17, 2019, at 6:58 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]> wrote: >> >> I need to null the SWR detector on my KPA500. I've not found any adjustment procedure as such. And from the schematic, there is none. >> >> I do have a rather precise Bird 50.5 ohm dummy load. I see SWR values higher than 1:1 on the LED display and also on the LCD display on higher frequency bands. I've found that the PWR ADJ does affect not only the indicated power but the FAULT values as well. I am suspect that the SWR error likewise affects the Fault actions. >> >> Any thoughts? >> >> 73 >> >> Bob, K4TAX >> >> >> >> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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] > ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: KPA500 SWR Calibration
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I know I've seen an explanation somewhere, but it's common to have
different readings between the tuner, amp and rig when connected to an antenna. Readings seem to even out when connected to a dummy load...at least in my case. 20 meters is my worst, and the amp will kick out at times. On 11/17/2019 2:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: > Jack, et.al. > > Thanks, Yes I see from the circuit it is not a Breune. I have > calibrated the indications for power and all is well in that regard. > I just see a higher SWR that actually exists. That under certain > conditions causes the amp to fault. I'll figure a work-a-round and > be able to deal with it. > > 73 > > Bob, K4TAX > > > On 11/17/2019 10:12 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: >> Bob; >> >> The KPA500 does not use a Breune style bridge, but rather a true >> directional coupler. It does not need to be nulled; there is no >> adjustment. >> >> There is an adjustment for the power; see the PWR ADJ setting in the >> manual. >> >> 73! >> Jack, W6FB >> >> >>> On Nov 17, 2019, at 6:58 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX <[hidden email]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> I need to null the SWR detector on my KPA500. I've not found any >>> adjustment procedure as such. And from the schematic, there is none. >>> >>> I do have a rather precise Bird 50.5 ohm dummy load. I see SWR >>> values higher than 1:1 on the LED display and also on the LCD >>> display on higher frequency bands. I've found that the PWR ADJ >>> does affect not only the indicated power but the FAULT values as >>> well. I am suspect that the SWR error likewise affects the Fault >>> actions. >>> >>> Any thoughts? >>> >>> 73 >>> >>> Bob, K4TAX >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> 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] >> > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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] -- Joe Hutchens AJ8MH - Radio Marquette, MI ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
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Hi all,
I am not familiar with the term "Breune" as applied to SWR bridges or directional couplers, so I Googled it. As I suspected, it applies to the single transformer design where the RF voltage is sampled by a capacitive divider. While these can be made to work adequately well when properly adjusted, the need for adjustment is a definite disadvantage. As long as the two transformers in the two transformer design are well matched (ideally identical) there is no need for any (balance or null) adjustment in this design. I am happy to see that all of the Elecraft equipment I have seen use the the two transformer design. AB2TC - Knut AJ8MH-Radio.Joe.Hutchens wrote > I know I've seen an explanation somewhere, but it's common to have > different readings between the tuner, amp and rig when connected to an > antenna. Readings seem to even out when connected to a dummy load...at > least in my case. 20 meters is my worst, and the amp will kick out at > times. > > On 11/17/2019 2:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: >> Jack, et.al. >> >> Thanks, Yes I see from the circuit it is not a Breune. I have >> calibrated the indications for power and all is well in that regard. >> I just see a higher SWR that actually exists. That under certain >> conditions causes the amp to fault. I'll figure a work-a-round and >> be able to deal with it. >> >> 73 >> >> Bob, K4TAX >> >> >> On 11/17/2019 10:12 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: >>> Bob; >>> >>> The KPA500 does not use a Breune style bridge, but rather a true >>> directional coupler. It does not need to be nulled; there is no >>> adjustment. >>> >>> There is an adjustment for the power; see the PWR ADJ setting in the >>> manual. >>> >>> 73! >>> Jack, W6FB >>> > <snip> -- Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
Re: KPA500 SWR Calibration
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The Breune Bridge directional coupler, designed by and named for Warren Breune of Collins Radio, can be a very accurate and useful device for measuring power. I was lucky to learn about it from W1FB when we both worked at the League. Elecraft has used it in several radios, including the K2.
We moved to the two-toroid directional coupler many years ago when we went to higher power designs. This coupler has the advantage that it is the turns count on the toroids that determines the amount of signal available at the sampling port. I believe the KPA500 uses a 30db coupler (not exactly 30db, but very close). There are no capacitors or pots to adjust, so the measurement accuracy essentially is determined by the tolerance of the components in the circuit - namely the resistors and capacitors, as well as the measurement device. These days that is the ADC on the micro controller that is calculating and displaying the measurement. As in all measurement devices, the accuracy is not absolute, but depends on these tolerances. We provide the ability to adjust the measurement data so that if you have a highly accurate and well calibrated device, you can use it to calibrate the power that the Elecraft device displays. Warren Breune created some really fantastic things, including the directional coupler that bears his name. 73! Jack, W6FB > On Nov 18, 2019, at 12:22 PM, ab2tc <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Hi all, > > I am not familiar with the term "Breune" as applied to SWR bridges or > directional couplers, so I Googled it. As I suspected, it applies to the > single transformer design where the RF voltage is sampled by a capacitive > divider. While these can be made to work adequately well when properly > adjusted, the need for adjustment is a definite disadvantage. As long as the > two transformers in the two transformer design are well matched (ideally > identical) there is no need for any (balance or null) adjustment in this > design. I am happy to see that all of the Elecraft equipment I have seen use > the the two transformer design. > > AB2TC - Knut > > > AJ8MH-Radio.Joe.Hutchens wrote >> I know I've seen an explanation somewhere, but it's common to have >> different readings between the tuner, amp and rig when connected to an >> antenna. Readings seem to even out when connected to a dummy load...at >> least in my case. 20 meters is my worst, and the amp will kick out at >> times. >> >> On 11/17/2019 2:19 PM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote: >>> Jack, et.al. >>> >>> Thanks, Yes I see from the circuit it is not a Breune. I have >>> calibrated the indications for power and all is well in that regard. >>> I just see a higher SWR that actually exists. That under certain >>> conditions causes the amp to fault. I'll figure a work-a-round and >>> be able to deal with it. >>> >>> 73 >>> >>> Bob, K4TAX >>> >>> >>> On 11/17/2019 10:12 AM, Jack Brindle wrote: >>>> Bob; >>>> >>>> The KPA500 does not use a Breune style bridge, but rather a true >>>> directional coupler. It does not need to be nulled; there is no >>>> adjustment. >>>> >>>> There is an adjustment for the power; see the PWR ADJ setting in the >>>> manual. >>>> >>>> 73! >>>> Jack, W6FB >>>> >> <snip> > > > > > > -- > Sent from: http://elecraft.365791.n2.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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
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In reply to this post by AJ8MH-Radio.Joe.Hutchens
http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-SWR-Numerical-Indication-td7643839.html#a7643944
On 11/17/2019 2:34 PM, AJ8MH Radio wrote: > I know I've seen an explanation somewhere, but it's common to have different > readings between the tuner, amp and rig when connected to an antenna. Readings > seem to even out when connected to a dummy load...at least in my case. 20 > meters is my worst, and the amp will kick out at times. > > ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
Re: KPA500 SWR Calibration
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I've been doing a bit of looking at SWR indications. The numbers are
factually frightful. With 100 watts forward power and 0.25 watts reflected the SWR is 1.1:1. And with 500 watts forward and 1.25 watts reflected the SWR is still 1.1:1. I believe that says 0.25% of the power is being reflected. But I ask, what is the SWR at the antenna feed point? It is certainly higher than at the transmitter due to feed line losses. In using 100 ft of RG-213 at 14 MHz, the matched line loss is 0.780 dB. With a 1.1:1 SWR the total loss goes up by 0.001 dB and the SWR at the Load is 1.12:1 where Z = 48.25 -j4.63 ohms. All of this is just "killer math" and makes absolutely no difference except to the operator that expects an SWR of 1.0:1 all the time. 73 Bob, K4TAX > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-SWR-Numerical-Indication-td7643839.html#a7643944 > > > ______________________________________________________________ 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] |
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