K144XV Option

[W4JBB]

Sorry if this is a duplicate post. I think I sent it from the wrong email.

I am looking at further downsizing my station and I have a question
about the K144XV transverter for the K3.

My current setup is the K3 (160 - 6 m), the P3, and an Icom ID-880H
(D-STAR). I am on D-STAR less than once per month. For that matter, I
rarely get on 2 m when I'm at home. Two meters is my to-and-from work
and my out-and-about driving band. I don't do mobile HF because it's too
much to fiddle with and I drive a company work truck (I probably
wouldn't do mobile HF unless someone else was driving). Even though I do
not get on 2 m from the house very much, I'd still like the capability
and I'm in the process of simplifying and minimizing my life. I thought
the K144XV would help with that.

What are the opinions of the K144XV? All good and bad are welcome.

Thanks,
Joel - W4JBB
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[W7GJ, Lance]

Hello Joel,

I have the K144XV built-in tranvsverter option for the K3, and I am very pleased with
it.  Here are some thoughts about it:

On the POSITIVE side, it is very stable in frequency, and allows me to operate  2m
EME without changing rigs or cables ;-)

However, it only has ONE coaxial connector on the rear of the radio, so you lose the
ability to have a separate receive input like you can on all the other bands.   The
option for a 2m transverter set up is ELIMINATED when you install the K144XV.  So, I
had to add a pair of coaxial relays on the back of the rig to switch the rig to
connect to my preamp and receive line on RX, or my amplifier on TX.  Since it only
has 10w output maximum, I had to add a solid state intermediate amp in the TX line to
drive my 8877.

If all you want to do on 2m is use it barefoot for repeaters, or have it run through
some sort of RF-SWITCHED solid state amp, you should have not trouble.  Of course, I
don't have the FM filters in mine anyway, so I couldn't use it on FM repeaters even
if I wanted to.

The only issue I have with it is that it seems to be a little off frequency on 2m,
but I am sure there must be some way to tweak just the 2m frequency.  I know when I
still had the option of using the external 2m transverter ports, there was an option
for tweaking the K3 frequency to adjust for variations in the frequency of the
transverter xtals.

Hope this helps!  GL and VY 73, Lance

On 12/7/2013 2:10 PM, Joel Black wrote:

> Sorry if this is a duplicate post. I think I sent it from the wrong email.
>
> I am looking at further downsizing my station and I have a question about the
> K144XV transverter for the K3.
>
> My current setup is the K3 (160 - 6 m), the P3, and an Icom ID-880H (D-STAR). I am
> on D-STAR less than once per month. For that matter, I rarely get on 2 m when I'm
> at home. Two meters is my to-and-from work and my out-and-about driving band. I
> don't do mobile HF because it's too much to fiddle with and I drive a company work
> truck (I probably wouldn't do mobile HF unless someone else was driving). Even
> though I do not get on 2 m from the house very much, I'd still like the capability
> and I'm in the process of simplifying and minimizing my life. I thought the K144XV
> would help with that.
>
> What are the opinions of the K144XV? All good and bad are welcome.
>
> Thanks,
> 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
>

--
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT   59834-0073
USA
TEL: [phone]
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Windows Messenger: [hidden email]
Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME
email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web
page (above)!

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[Matt Zilmer-2]

Use of the K144RFLK will provide better K144XV frequency stability.
This device locks the transverter's internal oscillator to the TCXO.

It's listed under K3 and Accessories on Elecraft's web page.

73,
matt W6NIA

On Sat, 07 Dec 2013 17:31:04 +0000, you wrote:

>Hello Joel,
>
>I have the K144XV built-in tranvsverter option for the K3, and I am very pleased with
>it.  Here are some thoughts about it:
>
>On the POSITIVE side, it is very stable in frequency, and allows me to operate  2m
>EME without changing rigs or cables ;-)
>
>However, it only has ONE coaxial connector on the rear of the radio, so you lose the
>ability to have a separate receive input like you can on all the other bands.   The
>option for a 2m transverter set up is ELIMINATED when you install the K144XV.  So, I
>had to add a pair of coaxial relays on the back of the rig to switch the rig to
>connect to my preamp and receive line on RX, or my amplifier on TX.  Since it only
>has 10w output maximum, I had to add a solid state intermediate amp in the TX line to
>drive my 8877.
>
>If all you want to do on 2m is use it barefoot for repeaters, or have it run through
>some sort of RF-SWITCHED solid state amp, you should have not trouble.  Of course, I
>don't have the FM filters in mine anyway, so I couldn't use it on FM repeaters even
>if I wanted to.
>
>The only issue I have with it is that it seems to be a little off frequency on 2m,
>but I am sure there must be some way to tweak just the 2m frequency.  I know when I
>still had the option of using the external 2m transverter ports, there was an option
>for tweaking the K3 frequency to adjust for variations in the frequency of the
>transverter xtals.
>
>Hope this helps!  GL and VY 73, Lance
>
>On 12/7/2013 2:10 PM, Joel Black wrote:
>> Sorry if this is a duplicate post. I think I sent it from the wrong email.
>>
>> I am looking at further downsizing my station and I have a question about the
>> K144XV transverter for the K3.
>>
>> My current setup is the K3 (160 - 6 m), the P3, and an Icom ID-880H (D-STAR). I am
>> on D-STAR less than once per month. For that matter, I rarely get on 2 m when I'm
>> at home. Two meters is my to-and-from work and my out-and-about driving band. I
>> don't do mobile HF because it's too much to fiddle with and I drive a company work
>> truck (I probably wouldn't do mobile HF unless someone else was driving). Even
>> though I do not get on 2 m from the house very much, I'd still like the capability
>> and I'm in the process of simplifying and minimizing my life. I thought the K144XV
>> would help with that.
>>
>> What are the opinions of the K144XV? All good and bad are welcome.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> 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
>>

Matt Zilmer, W6NIA
www.elecraft.com
831-763-4211  x129
Skype: matt.zilmer

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[Jim Bennett]

Hi Joel -

I did what you are considering - downsizing, sort of. I had the K3/100 and P3 combo along with an IC-207H dual band radio. I rarely ever got on 440, so I decided to add the K3 internal 144 MHz module. As a bonus, selling the dual-bander paid for a good part of the K144XV's price! Installation was pretty easy, and the unit works perfectly. I have the FM filter in the K3 so I can (and do) use the local repeaters when I get in the mood. In addition, having CW/SSB capability on 2 meters is pretty cool. A long time ago I had a Yaesu FT-736R and I did a little CW operating on the band, and I missed that capability. Anyway, the K144XV puts out a max of about 10-12 watts, so unless you've got a tower and a nice high-gain yagi on top of it, you aren't going to be doing Worked All States or EME. I gave my 2 meter signal a little more muscle by building the 80 watt all-mode linear amp that was designed by W6PQL and featured in the May 2013 issue of QST. Here is a link to the amp info on
  his web site: http://www.w6pql.com/2_meter_80w_all_mode_amplifier.htm

Bottom line: a nice addition to your K3 and a way to eliminate a piece of equipment from your desk.

Jim / W6JHB

On   Saturday, Dec 7, 2013, at  Saturday, 6:10 AM, Joel Black wrote:

> Sorry if this is a duplicate post. I think I sent it from the wrong email.
>
> I am looking at further downsizing my station and I have a question about the K144XV transverter for the K3.
>
> My current setup is the K3 (160 - 6 m), the P3, and an Icom ID-880H (D-STAR). I am on D-STAR less than once per month. For that matter, I rarely get on 2 m when I'm at home. Two meters is my to-and-from work and my out-and-about driving band. I don't do mobile HF because it's too much to fiddle with and I drive a company work truck (I probably wouldn't do mobile HF unless someone else was driving). Even though I do not get on 2 m from the house very much, I'd still like the capability and I'm in the process of simplifying and minimizing my life. I thought the K144XV would help with that.
>
> What are the opinions of the K144XV? All good and bad are welcome.
>
> Thanks,
> 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

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[W4JBB]

Thanks for all the replies regarding the K144XV option. For some reason,
I never got them in my email reader - they seem to be filtered. Have I
filtered myself? I do not know.

I may purchase at a later date, but for now, I'll have to keep what I
have. I have to sell the ID-880H and have it fully fund the K144XV.
Unfortunately, that is not possible given all the additional equipment
I'd have to buy to keep my current capabilities. To have it replace what
I have, I'd have to purchase the 13 MHz FM filter which I do not have.

However, that is not to say that I will *not* buy that option.

Years ago, I was big into amateur satellites. That era of my amateur
radio hobby ended with the lack of reliable linear transponder
satellites and the restrictions that came about after the events of
9/11/2001. This is neither the time nor the place for political
arguments regarding those decisions and I do not debate news or politics
anymore. That said, I still have a couple of 2m antennas I used for
satellite work. One of them is a dual-polarized (not circular) Cushcraft
that might work nicely for terrestrial 2m CW.

Terrestrial 2m CW really intrigues me.

73,
Joel - W4JBB
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[Dave-3]

There was talk by Wayne when the K144XV was introduced that the K144XV could
be wired for a separate 144rx ports, but I have seen nothing written up so
far.

I noticed that there was a 3 pin header (normally with jumper) near the
unused cable outlets marked "144IF" in the box cover. Investigation revealed
that by removing the jumper and connecting a coax centre conductor to the
centre pin of the 3 and the coax shield to the previously unused pin
(ground) I had a separate 144 receiver Input. I have an rg174 lead coming
out of the back panel, there is probably a prettier way!

Perhaps this will get "officially" written up some day?

Dave

Ww2r
 

From: "Lance Collister, W7GJ" <[hidden email]>
To: Joel Black <[hidden email]>, elecraft
        <[hidden email]>, [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K144XV Option

Hello Joel,

However, it only has ONE coaxial connector on the rear of the radio, so you
lose the
ability to have a separate receive input like you can on all the other
bands.   The
option for a 2m transverter set up is ELIMINATED when you install the
K144XV.  

Hope this helps!  GL and VY 73, Lance


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[W7GJ, Lance]

Hi Dave,

Boy, it sure would be GREAT if there were some way that the K144XV receive line could
be routed out through the BNC connectors in the transverter module so you could
enable the 2m receive by either adding a BNC jumper or an external receive-only
preamp acoss those terminals!  For those of us with tower mounted preamps on 2m, a
separate 2m receive line would sure be convenient!!!

VY 73, Lance


On 12/9/2013 5:38 PM, WW2R Elecraft wrote:

> There was talk by Wayne when the K144XV was introduced that the K144XV could
> be wired for a separate 144rx ports, but I have seen nothing written up so
> far.
>
> I noticed that there was a 3 pin header (normally with jumper) near the
> unused cable outlets marked "144IF" in the box cover. Investigation revealed
> that by removing the jumper and connecting a coax centre conductor to the
> centre pin of the 3 and the coax shield to the previously unused pin
> (ground) I had a separate 144 receiver Input. I have an rg174 lead coming
> out of the back panel, there is probably a prettier way!
>
> Perhaps this will get "officially" written up some day?
>
> Dave
>
> Ww2r
>  
>
> From: "Lance Collister, W7GJ" <[hidden email]>
> To: Joel Black <[hidden email]>, elecraft
> <[hidden email]>, [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K144XV Option
>
> Hello Joel,
>
> However, it only has ONE coaxial connector on the rear of the radio, so you
> lose the
> ability to have a separate receive input like you can on all the other
> bands.   The
> option for a 2m transverter set up is ELIMINATED when you install the
> K144XV.
>
> Hope this helps!  GL and VY 73, Lance
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

--
Lance Collister, W7GJ
(ex WA3GPL, WA1JXN, WA1JXN/C6A, ZF2OC/ZF8, E51SIX, 3D2LR, 5W0GJ, E6M, TX5K)
P.O. Box 73
Frenchtown, MT   59834-0073
USA
TEL: [phone]
QTH: DN27ub
URL: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj
Windows Messenger: [hidden email]
Skype: lanceW7GJ
2m DXCC #11/6m DXCC #815

Interested in 6m EME?  Ask me about subscribing to the Magic Band EME
email group, or just fill in the request box at the bottom of my web
page (above)!

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