K3 - intermittent CW chirp
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I have a K3 with almost all the options. I recently installed the KXV3. I'm not sure if the problem started after doing this but I did receive my first chirp report shortly after. The rig is almost a year old but has the newest firmware.
It seems to happen when the shift filter is moved and seems to disappear when touching it. But it does not always happen and it is hard to make happen when I purposely try. So it could the shift filter could be coincidental. I have tried with 2 different power supplies and also in a fellow ham's shack so it must be a problem the rig itself. Anyone else experienced this problem? I searched the archive and found only one incident but did not see a solution. |
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Check in with k3support. You may have recent firmware, but you also
need to run VCO CAL to take advantage of the latest updates to the synthesizer control algorithm. 73, Wayne N6KR On Jun 12, 2009, at 1:56 PM, G4LNA wrote: > > > I can't think what that can possibly be, I take it that you have > monitored > the chirp yourself on a separate receiver to actually confirm the > chirp is > there and not the result of a fault on the distant receiver? Just a > thought, > have you tried removing the KXV3 and see if everything returns to > normal? > Sorry just questions, no answers at the moment. > > > LB3SA wrote: >> >> I have a K3 with almost all the options. I recently installed the >> KXV3. >> I'm not sure if the problem started after doing this but I did >> receive my >> first chirp report shortly after. The rig is almost a year old but >> has the >> newest firmware. >> >> > > -- > View this message in context: > http://n2.nabble.com/K3---intermittent-CW-chirp-tp2941027p3069904.html > Sent from the [K3] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > > --- http://www.elecraft.com ______________________________________________________________ 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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Thanks for the responses. It was also suggested that I do the KSYN mod and then the VCO CAL. I did both and still have the problem.
But this is a very localized problem and I am now able to reproduce it whenever I like. I'm actually wondering if this is a bug... so if someone else could please do a test to see if you're also able to hear the chirp I would appreciate it. It only happens for me with a frequency from 3.577.11 to 3.577.19. Any other frequency works fine - when SHIFT is centered... When SHIFT is set to for example 0.45; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.11 - 3.577.19 Power setting or filter WIDTH does not make any difference. I am using a dummy load when testing. You do of course have to listen to yourself on a second receiver if you try this: 1) Set K3 to 80M CW 3.577.15 2) Make sure the SHIFT control is centered at 0.60 and try keying. When I QSY to to 3.577.00 the problem goes away but comes back on all frequencies between 3.577.00 and 3.577.07 when the SHIFT control is set to .045. I can change the frequency slightly the other direction too and reproduce the problem by changing the SHIFT control. The problem is absolutely consistent but the SHIFT control needs to be exact at the 'problem FC' to cause the problem. If you can't reproduce it with these exact settings, maybe try to vary the sift control a few notches. 73, Are - LB3SA <quote author="wayne burdick"> Check in with k3support. You may have recent firmware, but you also need to run VCO CAL to take advantage of the latest updates to the synthesizer control algorithm. 73, Wayne N6KR |
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This sentence:
When SHIFT is set to for example 0.45; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.11 - 3.577.19 Should read: When SHIFT is set to for example 0.45; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.00 - 3.577.07 My apologies <quote author="LB3SA"> Thanks for the responses. It was also suggested that I do the KSYN mod and then the VCO CAL. I did both and still have the problem. But this is a very localized problem and I am now able to reproduce it whenever I like. I'm actually wondering if this is a bug... so if someone else could please do a test to see if you're also able to hear the chirp I would appreciate it. It only happens for me with a frequency from 3.577.11 to 3.577.19. Any other frequency works fine - when SHIFT is centered... When SHIFT is set to for example 0.45; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.11 - 3.577.19 Power setting or filter WIDTH does not make any difference. I am using a dummy load when testing. You do of course have to listen to yourself on a second receiver if you try this: 1) Set K3 to 80M CW 3.577.15 2) Make sure the SHIFT control is centered at 0.60 and try keying. When I QSY to to 3.577.00 the problem goes away but comes back on all frequencies between 3.577.00 and 3.577.07 when the SHIFT control is set to .045. I can change the frequency slightly the other direction too and reproduce the problem by changing the SHIFT control. The problem is absolutely consistent but the SHIFT control needs to be exact at the 'problem FC' to cause the problem. If you can't reproduce it with these exact settings, maybe try to vary the sift control a few notches. 73, Are - LB3SA
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I'm sorry to hammer the board with all these messages but I found one more criteria for the chirp to appear:
I have all 8 pole filters: 250Hz, 400Hz, 1.8kHz, 2.8kHz an 6.0kHz installed in the main RX. I am not able to reproduce the problem when WIDTH is set from 400Hz or less. It's only from 450Hz and up I get the problem. The chirp goes away instantly as I hit 400Hz or lower. |
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To all - I see the problem here too - I have checked 80,40,20,15 & 10M and see it on all bands in a very narrow range of frequencies as noted before. The IF shift changes things also as noted. I hear very distinct clicks when this is happening also. I have found a workaround...if the XMIT button is tapped, the red TX led comes on AND all the chirp and 'clicks' are gone! This tells me there is a problem going from receive to transmit only on these noted frequencies. Going into 'XMIT' mode never allows the radio to get into 'receive' mode - hence the problems disappear. I have sent a more detailed email to Wayne on this issue. Tim |
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Thanks for your response Tim. It's nice to see that it isn't just me that is going mental! :)
I'm surprised however that Elecraft has not responded yet but they may not have seen the message. It does work fine with the TX button activated but I hope it's not really an acceptable workaround in the long run. And you do have to constantly monitor yourself on a second receiver to be sure all is OK. Further testing reveals that (with WIDTH setting to 450kHz or wider): When SHIFT is set to 0.55; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.06 - 3.577.16. When SHIFT is set to 0.60; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.11 - 3.577.21. When SHIFT is set to 0.65; the problem happens on all frequencies from 3.577.16 - 3.577.26. This frequency range is where I spend 90% of my time since ity is Norway's local CW rag chew area so it is important to me that the radio works here. 73, Are - LB3SA
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Did you try k3support at elecraft.com? For most K3 support issues, you should use that address and not this list (unless you feel your problem is a user problem or a simple technical issue). Wayne and Eric both read this list but have been on vacation recently, and I don't believe Gary AB7MY or other support people are on the list (excluding Ron AC7AC who is responsible for documentation issues). If your problem is anything complex at all, your best bet is to contact k3support directly. I've found responses from support are both prompt and competent. 73, Bill |
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I did try Bill and we're in touch. They are prompt and excellent as always.
More testing revealed that it only happens with the 1.8kHz 8-pole roofing filter on CW... I do have the 1.0kHz roofing filter in my Sub RX and just swapped it so I the 1.8 is in my Sub RX. It now works fine without chirp on all filter settings. I'm still not sure if my particular 1.8kHz filter is partially defect or if only this particular combination of settings causes it but Wayne is looking in to it. 73, Are - LB3SA
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In reply to this post by LB3SA
Hi Are, I don't monitor my XMIT normally - I just happened to notice the chirp on 15 or 10M a few months ago by complete accident using my K2 as the monitor. Initially I thought there was something wrong with the K2! I bounced around on a few bands without noticing the chirp then suddenly it went away on the band I that I originally heard it...I obviously changed frequencies out of the chirp 'window'. I disregarded the issue until I started to see chirp traffic on the reflector then I started a more thorough investigation. Regarding your findings, the width makes no difference for me. For 50hz to 2700hz widths, I still hear the chirp. The chirping frequencies all end for me at 3577.83 regardless of the shift setting. The start freq's are as follows: shift = 550hz starts at 3577.67 khz 600 hz 3577.68 650 hz 3577.69 I'm sure individual setups change things as I only have the stock 5 pole filter (2700hz @ -0.84khz). I'm guessing changing filters or the offset may move things a bit - maybe even synthesizer calibration at the factory may enter into things - I dont want to mess with that though... Additionally, I found them at : 7000.64 - 7000.83 7010.71 - 7010.83 14015.77 - 14015.83 21029.13 - 21029.83 28023.79 - 28023.83 Yours will probably be different from mine as they are on 80M. Notice that they all end in xxxx.83KHz!! I didnt look for them in the WARC bands but I should do that. I also stopped looking once I found the first one on a particuliar band as I wanted to see if this was only found on 80M at the time. I would hope these posts have someone's attention at Elecraft. It would be interesting to see how widespread this is. Additionally, I have yet to receive a bad report from anyone on the air. 73, Tim - AI9K |
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Thanks Tim!
The width setting doesn't affect it here either as it turns out. What does affect it however is which roofing filter I use which in turn incidentally is switched by using the width control. Your findings made me look more and I do still have chirp but with the different filter configuration I just moved the 'chirp window'. My window now is ending at 3549.83 on 80M. I also for the first time went looking on other bands and the 'chirp windows' are there too... yuck. On 20M my window starts at 14090.54 and ends at 14090.63 when using the 1.0kHz roofing filter and SHIFT set to center (.060). All the above is when using the 1.0kHz roofing filter. I have yet not been able to find a chirp window when using the 400kHz or 250kHz roofing filters. Since the windows are so small and often in the less commonly used CW areas I guess the odds are very small for getting bad reports hence why we haven't heard about this before. 73, Are - LB3SA |
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