Elecraft › [K3]

[K3] multiple error messages on start-up

Classic

List

Threaded

11 messages Options

John Shadle

[K3] multiple error messages on start-up

This is odd. Just finished a QSO with J5UAP on 30m this evening and
then switched over to 40m to pursue some more DX. When I got there, I
wasn't able to get any power out. It showed 0.0W when I tried to TUNE
(I have a remote tuner at the base of my vertical).

I power cycled the radio and then received a multitude of errors upon
power-up (including ERR IO1 and ERR PL1 among others). In addition to
that, the fans were running (I have the 100w amp as well).

I turned the radio off for a minute or so, and now the error has
resolved. I've had the issue of the no power out when TUNE-ing in the
past, but never this before.

Help!
-john W4PAH
K3 #110
______________________________________________________________
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

John Shadle

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

Add to this the fact that the radio now is only putting out 12W
instead of 100W. :-(

Thanks for any assistance.

-john W4PAH

On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:28 PM, John Shadle <[hidden email]> wrote:

> This is odd. Just finished a QSO with J5UAP on 30m this evening and
> then switched over to 40m to pursue some more DX. When I got there, I
> wasn't able to get any power out. It showed 0.0W when I tried to TUNE
> (I have a remote tuner at the base of my vertical).
>
> I power cycled the radio and then received a multitude of errors upon
> power-up (including ERR IO1 and ERR PL1 among others). In addition to
> that, the fans were running (I have the 100w amp as well).
>
> I turned the radio off for a minute or so, and now the error has
> resolved. I've had the issue of the no power out when TUNE-ing in the
> past, but never this before.
>
> Help!
> -john W4PAH
> K3 #110
>

______________________________________________________________
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

AC7AC

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Gary Gregory

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

Plus do a full congig TX etc....
Gary

On 5 May 2011 12:46, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Wow! I've not had those issues turn up on my K3, but suddenly not getting
> more than 12W out sounds like the KPA100 is off-line. Considering how
> "confused" the K3 acted previously, I'd check the CONFIG menu to ensure it
> still shows the KPA100 as "Installed".
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of John Shadle
> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 7:30 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] multiple error messages on start-up
>
> Add to this the fact that the radio now is only putting out 12W
> instead of 100W. :-(
>
> Thanks for any assistance.
>
> -john W4PAH
>
> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:28 PM, John Shadle <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> > This is odd. Just finished a QSO with J5UAP on 30m this evening and
> > then switched over to 40m to pursue some more DX. When I got there, I
> > wasn't able to get any power out. It showed 0.0W when I tried to TUNE
> > (I have a remote tuner at the base of my vertical).
> >
> > I power cycled the radio and then received a multitude of errors upon
> > power-up (including ERR IO1 and ERR PL1 among others). In addition to
> > that, the fans were running (I have the 100w amp as well).
> >
> > I turned the radio off for a minute or so, and now the error has
> > resolved. I've had the issue of the no power out when TUNE-ing in the
> > past, but never this before.
> >
> > Help!
> > -john W4PAH
> > K3 #110
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

--

VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile
Elecraft Equipment
K3 #679, KPA-500 #018
Living the dream!!!
______________________________________________________________
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

Gary Gregory

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

Aaaargh...dang fingers...CONFIG TX GN

Sheesh

Gary

On 5 May 2011 12:51, Gary Gregory <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Plus do a full congig TX etc....
> Gary
>
>
> On 5 May 2011 12:46, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Wow! I've not had those issues turn up on my K3, but suddenly not getting
>> more than 12W out sounds like the KPA100 is off-line. Considering how
>> "confused" the K3 acted previously, I'd check the CONFIG menu to ensure it
>> still shows the KPA100 as "Installed".
>>
>> Ron AC7AC
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [hidden email]
>> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of John Shadle
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 7:30 PM
>> To: [hidden email]
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] multiple error messages on start-up
>>
>> Add to this the fact that the radio now is only putting out 12W
>> instead of 100W. :-(
>>
>> Thanks for any assistance.
>>
>> -john W4PAH
>>
>> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:28 PM, John Shadle <[hidden email]>
>> wrote:
>> > This is odd. Just finished a QSO with J5UAP on 30m this evening and
>> > then switched over to 40m to pursue some more DX. When I got there, I
>> > wasn't able to get any power out. It showed 0.0W when I tried to TUNE
>> > (I have a remote tuner at the base of my vertical).
>> >
>> > I power cycled the radio and then received a multitude of errors upon
>> > power-up (including ERR IO1 and ERR PL1 among others). In addition to
>> > that, the fans were running (I have the 100w amp as well).
>> >
>> > I turned the radio off for a minute or so, and now the error has
>> > resolved. I've had the issue of the no power out when TUNE-ing in the
>> > past, but never this before.
>> >
>> > Help!
>> > -john W4PAH
>> > K3 #110
>> >
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>>
>
>
>
> --
>
> VK4FD - Motorhome Mobile
> Elecraft Equipment
> K3 #679, KPA-500 #018
> Living the dream!!!
>
>

John Shadle

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

In reply to this post by AC7AC

That was my first thought, Ron.

I had previously had my TUN PWR set to 25W, but when I looked at that
menu item it was set to 12W. I had not changed the setting.

The KPA100 was no offline in the config menu at all.

I reflashed the firmware and now it's all working, I think. The
LP-100A wattmeter is showing about 75W out with a 1.6 SWR into my
antenna (the K3 says I'm getting 100W out). That seems a little low to
me. Next I'll try a dummy load...

The investigation continues.

-john

On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:46 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Wow! I've not had those issues turn up on my K3, but suddenly not getting
> more than 12W out sounds like the KPA100 is off-line. Considering how
> "confused" the K3 acted previously, I'd check the CONFIG menu to ensure it
> still shows the KPA100 as "Installed".
>
> Ron AC7AC
______________________________________________________________
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

John Shadle

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

In reply to this post by Gary Gregory

Doing that now. Thanks, Gary.
-john

On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 10:52 PM, Gary Gregory <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Aaaargh...dang fingers...CONFIG TX GN
> Sheesh
> Gary
>
> On 5 May 2011 12:51, Gary Gregory <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> Plus do a full congig TX etc....
>> Gary
______________________________________________________________
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

John Shadle

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

Just did the TX GAIN CONFIG and I'm getting only ~80W into the dummy
load on all bands. Hmmm.

Thoughts?

Maybe my LP-100A is poorly aligned, but I don't think so...

-john W4PAH
______________________________________________________________
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

John Shadle

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

OK. I'm really going to bed now--but before I do I noticed that I can
turn the TX ALC 'off' in the CONFIG menu and manually adjust the TXGN
HP for each band to achieve the 100W into the dummy load (as measured
through the LP-100A).

Is this advisable?

-john W4PAH

On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 11:15 PM, John Shadle <[hidden email]> wrote:
> Just did the TX GAIN CONFIG and I'm getting only ~80W into the dummy
> load on all bands. Hmmm.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Maybe my LP-100A is poorly aligned, but I don't think so...
>
> -john W4PAH
>
______________________________________________________________
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

Gary Gregory

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

TX ALC should work in the OFF position just fine. I don't use ALC on the
KPA_500 anyway so it should be fine.
Gary

On 5 May 2011 13:34, John Shadle <[hidden email]> wrote:

> OK. I'm really going to bed now--but before I do I noticed that I can
> turn the TX ALC 'off' in the CONFIG menu and manually adjust the TXGN
> HP for each band to achieve the 100W into the dummy load (as measured
> through the LP-100A).
>
> Is this advisable?
>
> -john W4PAH
>
> On Wed, May 4, 2011 at 11:15 PM, John Shadle <[hidden email]>
> wrote:
> > Just did the TX GAIN CONFIG and I'm getting only ~80W into the dummy
> > load on all bands. Hmmm.
> >
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > Maybe my LP-100A is poorly aligned, but I don't think so...
> >
> > -john W4PAH
> >
>

GW0ETF

Re: [K3] multiple error messages on start-up

In reply to this post by John Shadle

John,

I consider myself a bit of an expert in the "multiple error messages on start-up" front! (do a search here on my callsign...)

After many months of headscratching, removing/replacing modules and even replacing chips, it turns out in my case to be poor contacts in some of the pins of the front panel connectors. My K3 #145 is not in a particularly 'hostile' environment but this will still crop up occasionally; removing the front panel and a clean of the connectors with isopropanol always cures it long term.

I get multiple errors and the reason you're only getting 12W out will almost certainly be due an ERR PA1 in your list; nothing wrong with the PA module, just the software thinking it's not there.

Good luck!

Stewart Rolfe, GW0ETF