K3 antenna tiner related question

[Ken Kopp-3]

A relay in the area of the antenna tuner in my K3 (S/N 56)
is clicking randomly on several bands as I send CW.  It
does -not- follow the CW keying and seems to be totally
random in nature.  The "click rate" isn't related to keying
speed, either.  T/R change-over delay isn't involved. I've
had no reports of keying anomalies when on the air, and
it sounds normal in my K2's receiver.  There is only one
antenna cable connected to the radio, to "ANT 1"

Does anyone else observe this?  It's quiet ... the only way
I became aware of it was when I accidently bumped the key
while I was leaning over the radio doing something behind it.

73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
     [hidden email]
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[John-483]

Ken

Does it happen in the bypass mode?

I wonder if there may be a little SWR left after the tune cycle, and
when you key, the ATU tries to take it out.
  John
k7up


At 08:51 PM 16/07/08, you wrote:

>A relay in the area of the antenna tuner in my K3 (S/N 56)
>is clicking randomly on several bands as I send CW.  It
>does -not- follow the CW keying and seems to be totally
>random in nature.  The "click rate" isn't related to keying
>speed, either.  T/R change-over delay isn't involved. I've
>had no reports of keying anomalies when on the air, and
>it sounds normal in my K2's receiver.  There is only one antenna
>cable connected to the radio, to "ANT 1"
>
>Does anyone else observe this?  It's quiet ... the only way
>I became aware of it was when I accidently bumped the key
>while I was leaning over the radio doing something behind it.
>
>73! Ken Kopp - K0PP
>     [hidden email]
>_

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[Julian, G4ILO]

John-483 wrote

Ken

Does it happen in the bypass mode?

I wonder if there may be a little SWR left after the tune cycle, and
when you key, the ATU tries to take it out.
  John
k7up

But the KAT3 shouldn't try to tune unless you press the button, should it?

[John-483]

At 02:29 AM 17/07/08, you wrote:

>John-483 wrote:
> >
> >
> > Ken
> >
> > Does it happen in the bypass mode?
> >
> > I wonder if there may be a little SWR left after the tune cycle, and
> > when you key, the ATU tries to take it out.
> >   John
> > k7up
> >
> >
>But the KAT3 shouldn't try to tune unless you press the button, should it?

I don't think so. I had a IC-765 that did though. The tuner in it
never did work right. Guess I'm just relating to that experience.

John

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[AC7AC]

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

[Kevin Rock]

Just because the sun has no spots does not mean it is inactive.  Lately there have been some coronal mass ejections which have fed the Heaviside layer with much needed ions.  Aurora have come as far south from the magnetic north pole as Washington.  Twenty meters has been open at odd times too.  Seasonal E openings are still popping up but they are less common now as we get into high summer in the northern latitudes.  

But, if propagation is poor, that does not mean you have to give up on amateur radio.  Keep practing sending code using the handy 'TEST' feature.  Or you could rework your antennas, build another kit, study for that upgrade, lay out radials for your vertical antenna, or even study more theory simply for the sake of knowing how your radio works ;)  

One day the sun will have more spots on it.  All of the skills you have developed during the low spot of the cycle will allow you to have even more fun as propagation gets better.  There are many ways to enjoy amateur radio; there is no half full!
   73,
      Kevin.  KD5ONS


-----Original Message-----

>From: Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]>
>Sent: Jul 17, 2008 10:21 AM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: [Elecraft] (K1, KX1, K2, K3): Is the Sun Broken?
>
>This applies to all HF rigs ;-)
>
>While you're sitting around waiting for the next big solar cycle, you might
>enjoy checking out this story from NASA about old Sol. This was passed onto
>me by my buddy Mychael, AA3WF (the "toroidguy"):
>
>http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list96374
>8
>
>I look at that spike back in the late 50's fondly. That was my first solar
>cycle as a Ham.
>
>At least there's no sign we're going to experience another 70-year long
>spotless "Maunder Minimum"
>
>Ron AC7AC
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
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[drewko]

Wow, a contrarian view of the solar cycle from a NASA physicist,
standing firm against the "growing buzz in lay and academic circles".

Or is it.  

Since the recent "clarification" of Administrator Michael D. Griffin's
heretical view on global warming the number of NASA people who are
willing to take a public position against any aspect of the global
warming dogma are probably fewer than the number of sunspots in July.
I don't think you willl be hearing any of them speculating about the
possibility of another Maunder Minimum, however interesting and
informative such speculation would be.

Anyhow, there is a cure for poor band conditions: a new K3.  Even if
there are no signals I can switch the NR on and off. Amazing. I wish
every rig had NR like the K3. I bet that would put a few more people
on the bands.


73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:21:42 -0700, Ron AC7AC wrote:

>This applies to all HF rigs ;-)
>
>While you're sitting around waiting for the next big solar cycle, you might
>enjoy checking out this story from NASA about old Sol. This was passed onto
>me by my buddy Mychael, AA3WF (the "toroidguy"):
>
>http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list96374
>8
>
>I look at that spike back in the late 50's fondly. That was my first solar
>cycle as a Ham.
>
>At least there's no sign we're going to experience another 70-year long
>spotless "Maunder Minimum"
>
>Ron AC7AC
>

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[Dan Barker]

Great article, Ron. Nice to see were we fit in the recent cycle.

It was interesting that the graph of sunspot numbers doesn't show even a
hint of the biggest solar storm of the past millennia (Aug 26-Sep 4, 1859).
There weren't a LOT of sunspots, but there were some really BIG ones. Naked
Eye (smoked glass, please!) visible.

It had effects similar to EMP and would really be a disaster today. Fields
far over 20 volts/kilometer would do more than burn down telegraph stations
and electrocute telegraphers. We'd lose most every transformer on the grid.
I wonder what percentage of spares to the total in use transformers the
power companies and distribution transformer manufacturers have stockpiled?

Dan / WG4S / K2 #2456

<snip>

While you're sitting around waiting for the next big solar cycle, you might
enjoy checking out this story from NASA about old Sol. This was passed onto
me by my buddy Mychael, AA3WF (the "toroidguy"):

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2008/11jul_solarcycleupdate.htm?list96374
8

I look at that spike back in the late 50's fondly. That was my first solar
cycle as a Ham.

At least there's no sign we're going to experience another 70-year long
spotless "Maunder Minimum"

Ron AC7AC

</snip>

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[AC7AC]

CONTENTS DELETED

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[dave.wilburn]

I was surprised to work DX on 10m over the weekend.  Several countries
in Europe on 10m, as well as Morocco.  Portugal on 6m, my first 6m
contact.

David Wilburn
K4DGW



Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> ...there is a cure for poor band conditions: a new K3.  Even if there are no
> signals I can switch the NR on and off. Amazing. I wish every rig had NR
> like the K3. I bet that would put a few more people on the bands.
>
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>
> -----------------------
>
> I find the low frequency bands (160, 80, 40 and occasionally 20) a great
> deal of fun with frequent surprises during sunspot minima.
>
> But I'm not hung up on getting a 5/9 report from outer "somewhere else" on a
> distant continent every time I get on  the air, and don't mind spending a
> while tuning around on a seemingly-dead band.
>
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
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>

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[Steve Harvey-2]

<snip>

>Wow, a contrarian view of the solar cycle from a NASA physicist,
>standing firm against the "growing buzz in lay and academic circles".

>Or is it.  

>Since the recent "clarification" of Administrator Michael D. Griffin's
>heretical view on global warming the number of NASA people who are
>willing to take a public position against any aspect of the global
>warming dogma are probably fewer than the number of sunspots in July.
>I don't think you will be hearing any of them speculating about the
>possibility of another Maunder Minimum, however interesting and
>informative such speculation would be.

<snip>

Obviously, the current sunspot cycle, as well as global warming and the
precessing of the poles, is caused by the Bush administration and the big
oil companies.  Where is Al Gore when you need him?<G>

These problems, however, are the least of our worries.  Check out the
following:

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s5i7193

73 de nn0b,

--Steve



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