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Firing up K3 SN 2051 -Help

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Randy Cook

Firing up K3 SN 2051 -Help

I got some time last weekend, and a bit this week, and s/n 2051 is
alive. Assembly was relatively easy, and 98% of the manual is spot -
on, so I am very satisfied. The firmware download worked on my Mac
the first time and MacloggerDX connected immediately after I set the
correct baud rate in the K3 and hooked up a cheap eBay USB to serial
cable.

I do have an issue, and would ask the group for help. I will call
Elecraft again on Monday, but hopefully it is minor and I can resolve
tomorrow.

All tests went well. I walked though all the settings in Config and
Menu. When I did the initial Transmitter Gain test with 5 watts, the
'dummy load' I made turned out to have a lot of reactance. After a
quick call to Elecraft, I made a new load, tested it on a simple
antenna analyzer, (MJF 239) and it was 50.4 ohms/no reactance across
the ham bands. I then re-did the Transmitter Gain at 5 watts, and got
1.0-1 across all bands.

So far so good. I used a Yaseu MD-100 mic into the rear mic input,
set the appropriate menu (rear input, no bias, mic low). I am now
doing the Transmitter Setup on page 26. I configured the xtal via the
K3 utility. OK.

I cannot transmit audio. The Voice Monitoring setup works, and I can
adjust the MON function and hear audio in the speaker and the
headphones, so the Mic works. When I go to Mic Gain and Compression
Settings, I cannot get any CMP or ALC indications on my meter. If I
transmit, the TX light is on, the resistors get a bit warm, but
nothing indicated on the SW or RF meter and nothing on CMP or ALC
meters. It is if the modulation doesn't work. I tested it on 40m
LSB. Nothing.

Any ideas?

73

Randy Cook
[hidden email]

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N8XPQ

Re: Firing up K3 SN 2051 -Help

Randy,

How do you have the microphone connected to the rig? You mentioned that you are using the rear mic connections. Have you made you own adapter? I had attempted to use the same mic and re-wired it for my K3 and it just didn't work properly. I know this mic requires an input voltage, however I don't remember what it is. I want to say it is 8v, and I don't think that the K3 bias is the same, which introduced the problem. Just a few thoughts.

Mike N8XPQ

Randy Cook wrote

I got some time last weekend, and a bit this week, and s/n 2051 is
alive. Assembly was relatively easy, and 98% of the manual is spot -
on, so I am very satisfied. The firmware download worked on my Mac
the first time and MacloggerDX connected immediately after I set the
correct baud rate in the K3 and hooked up a cheap eBay USB to serial
cable.

I do have an issue, and would ask the group for help. I will call
Elecraft again on Monday, but hopefully it is minor and I can resolve
tomorrow.

All tests went well. I walked though all the settings in Config and
Menu. When I did the initial Transmitter Gain test with 5 watts, the
'dummy load' I made turned out to have a lot of reactance. After a
quick call to Elecraft, I made a new load, tested it on a simple
antenna analyzer, (MJF 239) and it was 50.4 ohms/no reactance across
the ham bands. I then re-did the Transmitter Gain at 5 watts, and got
1.0-1 across all bands.

So far so good. I used a Yaseu MD-100 mic into the rear mic input,
set the appropriate menu (rear input, no bias, mic low). I am now
doing the Transmitter Setup on page 26. I configured the xtal via the
K3 utility. OK.

I cannot transmit audio. The Voice Monitoring setup works, and I can
adjust the MON function and hear audio in the speaker and the
headphones, so the Mic works. When I go to Mic Gain and Compression
Settings, I cannot get any CMP or ALC indications on my meter. If I
transmit, the TX light is on, the resistors get a bit warm, but
nothing indicated on the SW or RF meter and nothing on CMP or ALC
meters. It is if the modulation doesn't work. I tested it on 40m
LSB. Nothing.

Any ideas?

73

Randy Cook
k6crc@arrl.net

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Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com