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K3 & L4B

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Keith Neighbors

K3 & L4B

Anyone using a K3 with a Drake L4B linear? any problems?
73
Keith

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Rick Stealey

Re: K3 & L4B

I am. Usually ok, but recently it gave a little snap when I hit the key.
This can be caused by the rf from the K3 hitting the L4B before its slow relay is
closed. So I increased delay TX DLY from 8 to 20 milliseconds and it
cured the problem. My L4B has a transistor driver on the PTT line but
this is not supposed to be necessary with the K3. But it doesn't change
the key up time like an external relay would, and the cost was zero.

What's your call, Keith?

Rick K2XT
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vk4tux

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Keith Neighbors

QSK is well worth implementing, I did this with my sb-220, which is a very
similar 3-500z based amp. See;

http://www.wb4hfn.com/DRAKE/DrakeArticles/L4B-QSK/QSK_L4B.html

Also a rf choke and capacitor bleed on the ant rly (ptt line in) at the amp
is worthwhile to prevent any rf flowing down this line to the K3.

Adrian ... vk4tux

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Keith Neighbors
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 10:26 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 & L4B

Anyone using a K3 with a Drake L4B linear? any problems?
73
Keith

--

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Vic Rosenthal

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Rick Stealey

This is not a good idea for CW operation, unless you keep the speed below maybe 20 wpm.
The extra TX delay will severely upset the timing of CW elements (with either an external
or internal keyer) at higher speeds.

A QSK modification is a very good idea for CW or VOX SSB operation with this amp, as
someone has already mentioned.

On 6/7/2012 6:49 AM, Rick Stealey wrote:

>
> I am. Usually ok, but recently it gave a little snap when I hit the key.
> This can be caused by the rf from the K3 hitting the L4B before its slow relay is
> closed. So I increased delay TX DLY from 8 to 20 milliseconds and it
> cured the problem. My L4B has a transistor driver on the PTT line but
> this is not supposed to be necessary with the K3. But it doesn't change
> the key up time like an external relay would, and the cost was zero.
>
> What's your call, Keith?
>
> Rick K2XT
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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vk4tux

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by vk4tux

Just to elaborate the circuit is here;

http://www.somis.org/D-a-07B.jpg

Mains 120v ac supply rectified to feed 150vdc + supply to the resistor volt
drop > speed up circuit is necessary to achieve the HC-1 or RJ-1A <2mS
switch times good fo 35wpm, with no relay noise.

120 - 150 vdc is necessary to supply the circuit. Using 12v to 26v supply
or the available L4B 27 vdc relay supply is a waste of time and too slow.
120vdc is the normal relay supply in the sb-220 (conv to FWB rectifier
recommended) so is readily available for this circuit. Radj is varied to
suit supply vdc level.

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Adrian
Sent: Friday, 8 June 2012 6:46 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 & L4B

QSK is well worth implementing, I did this with my sb-220, which is a very
similar 3-500z based amp. See;

http://www.wb4hfn.com/DRAKE/DrakeArticles/L4B-QSK/QSK_L4B.html

Also a rf choke and capacitor bleed on the ant rly (ptt line in) at the amp
is worthwhile to prevent any rf flowing down this line to the K3.

Adrian ... vk4tux

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Keith Neighbors
Sent: Thursday, 7 June 2012 10:26 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K3 & L4B

Anyone using a K3 with a Drake L4B linear? any problems?
73
Keith

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Rick Stealey

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal

>
> This is not a good idea for CW operation, unless you keep the speed below maybe 20 wpm.
> The extra TX delay will severely upset the timing of CW elements (with either an external
> or internal keyer) at higher speeds.

You're thinking of QSK, Vic. I don't run QSK, just semi break-in (or vox as Ele. calls it). Same
way people have been running theirL4s and L4Bs on cw for 46 years! The TR4 wasn't qsk. The
timing is only an issue on the first dit, then the relay stays activated. No problem.

Rick K2XT

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Vic Rosenthal

Re: K3 & L4B

The problem is that the K3 does not produce good CW when the TX delay is set to more than
about 14. Nothing to do with QSK in this case.

On 6/7/2012 5:43 PM, Rick Stealey wrote:

>
>
>>
>> This is not a good idea for CW operation, unless you keep the speed below maybe 20 wpm.
>> The extra TX delay will severely upset the timing of CW elements (with either an external
>> or internal keyer) at higher speeds.
>
> You're thinking of QSK, Vic. I don't run QSK, just semi break-in (or vox as Ele. calls it). Same
> way people have been running theirL4s and L4Bs on cw for 46 years! The TR4 wasn't qsk. The
> timing is only an issue on the first dit, then the relay stays activated. No problem.
>
> Rick K2XT
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Jim Brown-10

Re: K3 & L4B

On 6/7/2012 10:01 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
> The problem is that the K3 does not produce good CW when the TX delay is set to more than
> about 14. Nothing to do with QSK in this case.

Hmmm. I have no experience with this (because my Ten Tec Titan amps work
fine with default settings), but might this be fixed by using something
like a WinKey and tweaking the weighting?

73, Jim K9YC
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Keith Neighbors

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Keith Neighbors

On 6/7/2012 8:25 AM, Keith Neighbors wrote:
> Anyone using a K3 with a Drake L4B linear? any problems?
> 73
> Keith
>
Thanks for all the replies both off list and on the reflector....it
appears no problems

73
Keith, W4HHN

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Rick Stealey

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal

Wayne,
Is that true?

Rick K2XT

>
> The problem is that the K3 does not produce good CW when the TX delay is set to more than
> about 14. Nothing to do with QSK in this case.
>

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Keith Heimbold

Error PA1 and PL1 issue

I just turned on my K3 this morning and received to my surprise Error PA1
and PL1 messages. It was working fine yesterday. When energizing the rig I
heard a couple clicks and then I energizes. Receive audio is low and output
is next to zero. I am reinstalling firmware as I saw that it worked for
someone in the past. I will keep everyone posted.

Keith
AG6AZ

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Keith Heimbold

Re: Error PA1 and PL1 issue

Everything with the upload of the firmware 4.51 seemed to have solved this
issue. The reflector database was extremely helpful. Could this be a portend
of some serious issue in the K3? Any thoughts on this.

Thanks,

Keith
AG6AZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Ham Radio
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 6:36 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Error PA1 and PL1 issue

I just turned on my K3 this morning and received to my surprise Error PA1
and PL1 messages. It was working fine yesterday. When energizing the rig I
heard a couple clicks and then I energizes. Receive audio is low and output
is next to zero. I am reinstalling firmware as I saw that it worked for
someone in the past. I will keep everyone posted.

Keith
AG6AZ

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Vic Rosenthal

Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Jim Brown-10

No, it's not that simple. Just try it in TEST mode and see.

On 6/8/12 3:02 AM, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 6/7/2012 10:01 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>> The problem is that the K3 does not produce good CW when the TX delay is set to more than
>> about 14. Nothing to do with QSK in this case.
>
> Hmmm. I have no experience with this (because my Ten Tec Titan amps work
> fine with default settings), but might this be fixed by using something
> like a WinKey and tweaking the weighting?
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

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Greg - AB7R

Re: K3 & L4B

He is correct. Pretty much any setting above 12 start to degrade the CW
causing it to sound choppy. Wayne and Lyle already know about it since
it has been noted some time ago.

73
Greg

On 6/8/2012 10:25 AM, Vic, K2VCO wrote:

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Re: K3 & L4B

In reply to this post by Vic Rosenthal

I would recommend replacing the amp relay with a faster one or pin diodes as a real fix but if you just want VOC CW you can lengthen the VOX delay so that the VOX does not drop between characters.

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 8, 2012, at 12:25, "Vic, K2VCO" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> No, it's not that simple. Just try it in TEST mode and see.
>
> On 6/8/12 3:02 AM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> On 6/7/2012 10:01 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>>> The problem is that the K3 does not produce good CW when the TX delay is set to more than
>>> about 14. Nothing to do with QSK in this case.
>>
>> Hmmm. I have no experience with this (because my Ten Tec Titan amps work
>> fine with default settings), but might this be fixed by using something
>> like a WinKey and tweaking the weighting?
>>
>> 73, Jim K9YC
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>>
>
> --
> Vic, K2VCO
> Fresno CA
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
>
>
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