K3 portable SSB problems?
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K3 portable SSB problems?
 
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I worked VP6DX on 20m today, SSB with about 50W to a Buddipole vertical
from a park in central coastal california. The battery was a LiFePO4 pack about the size of 10 AA's, and the mic was an electret headphone set that I got for $10. I heard they were on 17m and had no trouble raising VP6DX on 17m SSB but I got reports of "transmitter problems." I had some big toroids with me so I wrapped 12 turns at the entrance to the mic/spkr jacks. Other wires in were the coax, the power (about 4") and a Palm Paddle, about 2ft. I turned the compression to 0, the power to 25W, and the monitor to 0, and used PTT, but I still got a report of transmitter problems. It's also possible that the battery was dipping causing the rig to FM; in the past I haven't seen Elecraft rigs to be vulnerable to that, but I topped up the battery anyway. It's capable of delivering 14A continuous. I'll go investigate when I can get back to the shack in a few days, but it would be nice to work VP6DX again this weekend on the higher bands. Has anybody used a K3 at medium power with a nearby antenna and found some areas that need careful attention? I've probably become lax by using low power with my K2 in the field, so there may be something I'm overlooking. 73 es TNX, Leigh/WA5ZNU _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Leigh,
Please remember the absolute minimum voltage required is 11V. It's very possible your batteries dropped below this while running 50W. The K3 is not as efficient at that power as it is at 100W. Next time try dropping power to about 10-15W. It should be easier on the batteries and still be enough to work VP6DX. Lots of folks are working them at 5W. 73! Greg AB7R -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Leigh L Klotz, Jr. Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:37 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? I worked VP6DX on 20m today, SSB with about 50W to a Buddipole vertical from a park in central coastal california. The battery was a LiFePO4 pack about the size of 10 AA's, and the mic was an electret headphone set that I got for $10. I heard they were on 17m and had no trouble raising VP6DX on 17m SSB but I got reports of "transmitter problems." I had some big toroids with me so I wrapped 12 turns at the entrance to the mic/spkr jacks. Other wires in were the coax, the power (about 4") and a Palm Paddle, about 2ft. I turned the compression to 0, the power to 25W, and the monitor to 0, and used PTT, but I still got a report of transmitter problems. It's also possible that the battery was dipping causing the rig to FM; in the past I haven't seen Elecraft rigs to be vulnerable to that, but I topped up the battery anyway. It's capable of delivering 14A continuous. I'll go investigate when I can get back to the shack in a few days, but it would be nice to work VP6DX again this weekend on the higher bands. Has anybody used a K3 at medium power with a nearby antenna and found some areas that need careful attention? I've probably become lax by using low power with my K2 in the field, so there may be something I'm overlooking. 73 es TNX, Leigh/WA5ZNU _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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How about my asking this question from the other end... I know that the max
voltage specified for the K3 is 15V but what about 16? If the V knob on my astron got accidentally bumped it would max out at 16 unless I go inside and crank that down. But at times I've needed 16 so I'd like to leave it alone there... My Kenwood is specified to be able to take it and so I therefore don't have to ever worry about it if it gets bumped the radio continues to work fine and I just turn it down a bit again when I notice it. Would the K3 be fine when it takes its place here in a few months if that accidentally happened? It's never happened on my workbench/shack but it did happen once during a field day and I was glad that I'd checked things out and made sure.... Also I run my K1 in this same setup... I've never run more than 14.5 into the K1 (It's rated to 15 as well) but just would like to be sure that 16 wouldn't kill things on the K1/K2/K3 and the like. Thanks -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Greg Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 8:35 PM To: Leigh L Klotz, Jr.; [hidden email] Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? Leigh, Please remember the absolute minimum voltage required is 11V. It's very possible your batteries dropped below this while running 50W. The K3 is not as efficient at that power as it is at 100W. Next time try dropping power to about 10-15W. It should be easier on the batteries and still be enough to work VP6DX. Lots of folks are working them at 5W. 73! Greg AB7R -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Leigh L Klotz, Jr. Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:37 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? I worked VP6DX on 20m today, SSB with about 50W to a Buddipole vertical from a park in central coastal california. The battery was a LiFePO4 pack about the size of 10 AA's, and the mic was an electret headphone set that I got for $10. I heard they were on 17m and had no trouble raising VP6DX on 17m SSB but I got reports of "transmitter problems." I had some big toroids with me so I wrapped 12 turns at the entrance to the mic/spkr jacks. Other wires in were the coax, the power (about 4") and a Palm Paddle, about 2ft. I turned the compression to 0, the power to 25W, and the monitor to 0, and used PTT, but I still got a report of transmitter problems. It's also possible that the battery was dipping causing the rig to FM; in the past I haven't seen Elecraft rigs to be vulnerable to that, but I topped up the battery anyway. It's capable of delivering 14A continuous. I'll go investigate when I can get back to the shack in a few days, but it would be nice to work VP6DX again this weekend on the higher bands. Has anybody used a K3 at medium power with a nearby antenna and found some areas that need careful attention? I've probably become lax by using low power with my K2 in the field, so there may be something I'm overlooking. 73 es TNX, Leigh/WA5ZNU _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Leigh L. Klotz Jr WA5ZNU
At 02:51:53 EST on Sun 17 Feb 2008 Brett Howard wrote ...
: : Also I run my K1 in this same setup... I've never run more than 14.5 into the K1 (It's rated to 15 as well) but just would like to be sure that 16 wouldn't kill things on the K1/K2/K3 and the like. -- Brett, I could be imagining this, but recall Wayne posting something about a firmware change to automatically turn off the K3 before it gets damaged. I don't know the priority of this change. 73, Gary KI4GGX _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Brett Howard
As you point out the max is 15V. I'll have to fine out from engineering
what - if anything - would happen at 16v. Greg AB7R -----Original Message----- From: Brett Howard [mailto:[hidden email]] Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 11:52 PM To: 'Greg'; 'Leigh L Klotz, Jr.'; [hidden email] Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? How about my asking this question from the other end... I know that the max voltage specified for the K3 is 15V but what about 16? If the V knob on my astron got accidentally bumped it would max out at 16 unless I go inside and crank that down. But at times I've needed 16 so I'd like to leave it alone there... My Kenwood is specified to be able to take it and so I therefore don't have to ever worry about it if it gets bumped the radio continues to work fine and I just turn it down a bit again when I notice it. Would the K3 be fine when it takes its place here in a few months if that accidentally happened? It's never happened on my workbench/shack but it did happen once during a field day and I was glad that I'd checked things out and made sure.... Also I run my K1 in this same setup... I've never run more than 14.5 into the K1 (It's rated to 15 as well) but just would like to be sure that 16 wouldn't kill things on the K1/K2/K3 and the like. Thanks -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Greg Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 8:35 PM To: Leigh L Klotz, Jr.; [hidden email] Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? Leigh, Please remember the absolute minimum voltage required is 11V. It's very possible your batteries dropped below this while running 50W. The K3 is not as efficient at that power as it is at 100W. Next time try dropping power to about 10-15W. It should be easier on the batteries and still be enough to work VP6DX. Lots of folks are working them at 5W. 73! Greg AB7R -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of Leigh L Klotz, Jr. Sent: Saturday, February 16, 2008 7:37 PM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] K3 portable SSB problems? I worked VP6DX on 20m today, SSB with about 50W to a Buddipole vertical from a park in central coastal california. The battery was a LiFePO4 pack about the size of 10 AA's, and the mic was an electret headphone set that I got for $10. I heard they were on 17m and had no trouble raising VP6DX on 17m SSB but I got reports of "transmitter problems." I had some big toroids with me so I wrapped 12 turns at the entrance to the mic/spkr jacks. Other wires in were the coax, the power (about 4") and a Palm Paddle, about 2ft. I turned the compression to 0, the power to 25W, and the monitor to 0, and used PTT, but I still got a report of transmitter problems. It's also possible that the battery was dipping causing the rig to FM; in the past I haven't seen Elecraft rigs to be vulnerable to that, but I topped up the battery anyway. It's capable of delivering 14A continuous. I'll go investigate when I can get back to the shack in a few days, but it would be nice to work VP6DX again this weekend on the higher bands. Has anybody used a K3 at medium power with a nearby antenna and found some areas that need careful attention? I've probably become lax by using low power with my K2 in the field, so there may be something I'm overlooking. 73 es TNX, Leigh/WA5ZNU _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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We tested it at higher voltages, and it can certainly handle 16 V for
short periods under normal circumstances. But I still recommend 15 V max. 73, Wayne N6KR > Brett Howard wrote: > I know that the max > voltage specified for the K3 is 15V but what about 16? If the V knob > on my > astron got accidentally bumped it would max out at 16 unless I go > inside and > crank that down.... --- http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Administrator
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Brett Howard wrote:
> I'm assuming "short periods" to be several minutes? The nice thing about a "max" spec is that I don't have to speculate on how long you could exceed it :) > I'm sure its a ways out but I find it interesting to see a mode to > shut down in an over voltage situation... This is on the firmware list. > One of my least favorite times at work is when they "shoot the > engineer". This happened long ago, but we keep rising from the dead to improve things.... > So Wayne I saw that Elecraft was at SeaPac last year. Are you > planning on being there again this year? I'd like to go (I went a few years ago -- fun time!). Sometimes it'll be Eric or Lisa. More of us if we aren't incredibly busy. 73, Wayne N6KR --- http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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