K3- How Robust iis the Tuner?

Well, I finally got a minute to turn on the K3 this weekend.  Flipped over to 40 meters and set everything up for some RTTY contacts.  Tuned the tuner and let out a call on RTTY at 100 watts during the sprint.

Forgot that I had the Big Tuner in the line set for 20 meters.  Of course the SWR was off the scale but the K3 had tuned it to 1:1. After the first transmission, I realized this were not right looking at the external meters and quickly change things.  The K3 was working OK....but....I did smell a stink.  Smelled like a component got hot.

Now then, the K3 seems works OK....tunes up well with the tuner (with the right switches in the proper place on the tuner) and it seems OK. 

So, how tough is this tuner in the K3?

Lee - K0WA
"Mistakes are bound to happen"


In our day and age it seems that Common Sense is in short supply. If you don't have any Common Sense - get some Common Sense and use it. If you can't find any Common Sense, ask for help from somebody who has some Common Sense. Is Common Sense divine?

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[Julian, G4ILO]

Lee Buller wrote

So, how tough is this tuner in the K3?

I don't know, but I have done what you did (though realised it before causing a stink.) I would really like to have the tuner automatically bypass when selecting the antenna socket that has the external tuner on it.

[AC7AC]

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[Steven.Zabarnick]

Maybe it needs to be more robust? Last week I was attempting to tune a
short ladderline fed (via a balun) doublet on 80 meters using the KAT3. The
tuner successfully tuned the system for the cw part of the band, but had
trouble on 75 meters. I tried retuning a few times, and noted smoke and a
burning smell. Now antennas connected to the ANT1 connector are deaf, while
using the ANT2 connector the tuner works fine.

I've successfully used this antenna on 80 meters using an external manual
Palstar balanced tuner, but never got a match using the internal tuner in
my IC756. While the IC756 tuner cannot provide a match, it never was
damaged in my attempts.

On the bright side, Elecraft support is sending a replacement KAT3, no
questions asked.

Steve N9SZ

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[Roy Davis]

Just for information, DX Engineering has a good page on their website
(Choosing the correct balun).  They recommend current type baluns, but
different ratios for different antenna.  I use a multi band dipole fed with
ladder line.  I use what they recommend for a multi band dipole.  The
antenna is cut for the lowest frequency to operate, and use a 1.1 Balun.
The ladderline is 1/8 multiples of the lowest frequency to operate.  I use
the 450 ohm ladder line because it was on hand, 300 ohm is what's
recommended.

With this setup my Palstar tuner tunes easily, and the K3's tuner tunes
easily as well when used alone with the antenna.

I hope this of interest to the group.

Roy - WK4Y
# 1366


----- Original Message -----
From: <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, October 13, 2008 3:19 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3- How Robust iis the Tuner?



Maybe it needs to be more robust? Last week I was attempting to tune a
short ladderline fed (via a balun) doublet on 80 meters using the KAT3. The
tuner successfully tuned the system for the cw part of the band, but had
trouble on 75 meters. I tried retuning a few times, and noted smoke and a
burning smell. Now antennas connected to the ANT1 connector are deaf, while
using the ANT2 connector the tuner works fine.

I've successfully used this antenna on 80 meters using an external manual
Palstar balanced tuner, but never got a match using the internal tuner in
my IC756. While the IC756 tuner cannot provide a match, it never was
damaged in my attempts.

On the bright side, Elecraft support is sending a replacement KAT3, no
questions asked.

Steve N9SZ

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[David Cutter]

I use a low and very much bent 2 x 88ft doublet with about 6ft or so of
450ohm ladder line straight to the PL259.  Tunes top to 10 with low swr.  No
rf or other earth/ground on the rig.  No rf-in-the-shack problems which
makes me very lucky,  I think.

David
G3UNA

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