K3 - very brief first impressions...

[Jeff Stai]

Trying to grab a moment to post some first impressions - here goes:

- The kit arrived in perfect condition with a complete inventory, no missing parts! Doing the
inventory took me about 90 minutes, but I've done a few Elecraft inventories before...

- I didn't keep good notes on time, but after inventory it took about 5 hours to assemble the basic
K3/10 at a non-hurried rate, and about half an hour to do the alignment and final checks.

- On a windows machine firmware download is easy and quick. You install the downloader and it knows
how to find the server and check versions. The downloader includes a port test to make sure your
serial port is speaking with the K3. Worked perfectly on COM6 (which is more than you can say about
a lot of programs...)

- There were a couple places where the assembly was a little tight and weird. I will say that if you
are forcing it, you may be doing it wrong - and if something won't go where it is supposed to, try
other angles until it does. Taking a step back helps too.

- If you have built a K2, you can do this. The mechanical assembly is similar enough.

- The part of the assembly process that is most like the K2 is installing the KPA3 100 watt amp -
specifically the early K2... For the K3, you assemble and test it as a 10W radio before you install
the KPA3. Then you disassemble half the rig to put in the KPA3: top and bottom covers, the KNB3, and
so forth. Parts everywhere and a pile of screws! You end up making a lot of changes to the back of
the radio. Needless to say, I also found this part to be the most fun! (OK, the Front Panel was also
a lot of fun to piece together :)

- Be sure to run a complete set of TX Gain calibrations on each band at both 5W and 50W, or it won't
let you transmit!

Operating:

- I took advantage of the CQWW phone this weekend and operated phone only to start. This week is CW
if I can stop working long enough. I'll do RTTY once my connector order comes in and I can hook up FSK.

- The K3 swims in a space formerly occupied by an FT1000D!

- During the CQWW I wanted to practice tuning in difficult and closely spaced phone signals. Good
news: the K3 can do that! I found by just fiddling with the Width and Shift I could pull out a weak
signal hidden by an adjacent strong signal a few 100HZ away. Many voices were readable down to a
1.2KHz width! And the auto notch works like a charm.

- The Monitor works well, and once you read the instructions the Mic Gain and Comp are easy to set.
My hearing has a little trouble figuring out how much Comp is too much, however...

- All my stuff is set up for Yaesu but I had a spare cable for the Goldline which I converted to the
Elecraft pinout by moving two wires. (I like using the boom mic because it forces me to sit up
straight...) Works like a champ.

- Also got it working with the ACOM2000A - the power control makes it easy to nail the 15W necessary
to tune the amp the first time.

- Made a few dozen contacts in the CQWW just for fun. Busting pileups no problem. A cool treat: I
received tonight a video file from V73RY of him working me! I think he just did some video of some
contacts and decided to share them with the stations he worked - but now I know what the K3 sounds
like in Tonga.

That's all for tonight - any questions, fire away! 73 - jeff wk6i


--
Jeff Stai               [hidden email]
Twisted Oak Winery      http://www.twistedoak.com/
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[M0XDF]

Did you gt a mail from Lisa first, asking you to confirm your order before
shipment?


On 30/10/07 07:36, "Jeff Stai" <[hidden email]> sent:

>
> Trying to grab a moment to post some first impressions - here goes:
>
> - The kit arrived in perfect condition with a complete inventory, no missing
> parts! Doing the
> inventory took me about 90 minutes, but I've done a few Elecraft inventories
> before...

--
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade
they know they shall never sit in. -Greek proverb


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[Jeff Stai]

hi David - I did get a "your order will ship within two weeks" email (and it did). But before that I
had emailed Lisa to check the order because I wasn't sure which filter options I had ordered - so
she didn't have to email me.

Every email I have ever gotten from Lisa has been clear and helpful. That would be the least of my
worries! :)

hope this helps! - 73 - jeff wk6i

David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote:
> Did you gt a mail from Lisa first, asking you to confirm your order before
> shipment?
>

--
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[M0XDF]

I have an HM10 dual I'm planning on using with my K3 - did you find any
issues with setup for a Goldline.

I plan on using the ProSet-K2 from the front mic connector and the HM10 on a
boom in the back. I think the Proset will need bias (does it?) and the HM10
not - I haven't figured out from the op manual whether the bias is settable
on a per connection basis yet?


On 30/10/07 07:36, "Jeff Stai" <[hidden email]> sent:

> - All my stuff is set up for Yaesu but I had a spare cable for the Goldline
> which I converted to the
> Elecraft pinout by moving two wires. (I like using the boom mic because it
> forces me to sit up
> straight...) Works like a champ.

--
I never did a day's work in my life; it was all fun. -Thomas Edison


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[Jeff Stai]

A silly bit of trivia:

- I ordered the K3 on April 27.

- I completed building it on October 27.

- The serial number is 27.

Like I said - silly! - jeff wk6i

--
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[Jeff Stai]

David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote:
> I have an HM10 dual I'm planning on using with my K3 - did you find any
> issues with setup for a Goldline.

None at all - I guessed that the "High Gain" range would be required for a bare HC4 element, and
that seems to be correct.

>
> I plan on using the ProSet-K2 from the front mic connector and the HM10 on a
> boom in the back. I think the Proset will need bias (does it?) and the HM10
> not - I haven't figured out from the op manual whether the bias is settable
> on a per connection basis yet?

Yes - you can set bias and gain *range* from the main menu separately for the front and back mic
inputs. You do have to set which one is active, and you do have to set the gain level from the knob
on the front panel *I think*. It wasn't a concern of mine so I don't know if they save the value
when you switch between front and rear connector.

The ProSet-K2 does need bias and you can set that separately for front and back connector. See page
13 for the description, and see pg 49 for the menu setup.

hope this helps! - jeff wk6i

>
>
> On 30/10/07 07:36, "Jeff Stai" <[hidden email]> sent:
>
>> - All my stuff is set up for Yaesu but I had a spare cable for the Goldline
>> which I converted to the
>> Elecraft pinout by moving two wires. (I like using the boom mic because it
>> forces me to sit up
>> straight...) Works like a champ.
>

--
Jeff Stai               [hidden email]
Twisted Oak Winery      http://www.twistedoak.com/
Winery Blog             http://www.elbloggotorcido.com/
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[Greg - AB7R]

Yes...bias is settable independently between the FP and RP mic connections.  Although you can have both mics connected at the same
time, you do need to use the menu entry for MIC SRC to select the mic you want to use, or to select Line IN.  I like to keep this
menu item programmed into one of the PFx buttons.  When you have the menu open and make your selection, you tap "1" to toggle
between hi and lo gain, and tap 2 to turn bias on or off (these apply to the FP and RP mic options).


-------------------------
73,
Greg - AB7R
Whidbey Island WA
NA-065
K3#0009

On Tue Oct 30  4:06 , "David Ferrington, M0XDF"  sent:

>I have an HM10 dual I'm planning on using with my K3 - did you find any
>issues with setup for a Goldline.
>
>I plan on using the ProSet-K2 from the front mic connector and the HM10 on a
>boom in the back. I think the Proset will need bias (does it?) and the HM10
>not - I haven't figured out from the op manual whether the bias is settable
>on a per connection basis yet?
>
>
>On 30/10/07 07:36, "Jeff Stai" [hidden email]> sent:
>
>> - All my stuff is set up for Yaesu but I had a spare cable for the Goldline
>> which I converted to the
>> Elecraft pinout by moving two wires. (I like using the boom mic because it
>> forces me to sit up
>> straight...) Works like a champ.
>
>--
>I never did a day's work in my life; it was all fun. -Thomas Edison
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>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
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[k6dgw]

Jeff Stai wrote:
>
> Trying to grab a moment to post some first impressions - here goes:
>
> That's all for tonight - any questions, fire away! 73 - jeff wk6i
>

Hey Jeff,

When the fermentation schedule allows, I'd sure like to hear about the
RX audio equalizer.  I'm hoping I can use it to emulate what my high
tech DSP hearing aids do and start enjoying phone contests some.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2008 Cal QSO Party  4-5 Oct 08
- www.cqp.org
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[M0XDF]

Thank you, yes helps a lot - still waiting .....

hihi


On 30/10/07 08:15, "Jeff Stai" <[hidden email]> sent:

>
>
> David Ferrington, M0XDF wrote:
>> I have an HM10 dual I'm planning on using with my K3 - did you find any
>> issues with setup for a Goldline.
>
> None at all - I guessed that the "High Gain" range would be required for a
> bare HC4 element, and
> that seems to be correct.
>
>>
>> I plan on using the ProSet-K2 from the front mic connector and the HM10 on a
>> boom in the back. I think the Proset will need bias (does it?) and the HM10
>> not - I haven't figured out from the op manual whether the bias is settable
>> on a per connection basis yet?
>
> Yes - you can set bias and gain *range* from the main menu separately for the
> front and back mic
> inputs. You do have to set which one is active, and you do have to set the
> gain level from the knob
> on the front panel *I think*. It wasn't a concern of mine so I don't know if
> they save the value
> when you switch between front and rear connector.
>
> The ProSet-K2 does need bias and you can set that separately for front and
> back connector. See page
> 13 for the description, and see pg 49 for the menu setup.
>
> hope this helps! - jeff wk6i
>
>>
>>
>> On 30/10/07 07:36, "Jeff Stai" <[hidden email]> sent:
>>
>>> - All my stuff is set up for Yaesu but I had a spare cable for the Goldline
>>> which I converted to the
>>> Elecraft pinout by moving two wires. (I like using the boom mic because it
>>> forces me to sit up
>>> straight...) Works like a champ.
>>
>

--
Sin lies only in hurting others unnecessarily. All other "sins" are
invented nonsense. -Robert A. Heinlein, science-fiction author (1907-1988)



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[Jeff Stai]

Fred Jensen wrote:
>
> When the fermentation schedule allows, I'd sure like to hear about the
> RX audio equalizer.  I'm hoping I can use it to emulate what my high
> tech DSP hearing aids do and start enjoying phone contests some.
>

To be honest, that isn't even on my list of things to play with any time soon. I'm not sure what it
will do to help with phone contests. If you want to shoot me some things to try, though, I'll do my
best to describe what happens! 73 - jeff wk6i

--
Jeff Stai               [hidden email]
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[M0XDF]

Thanks Greg - just can't wait - I WANT MY K3

Maybe we should start a company - IWantMyK3.com

hihi


On 30/10/07 14:08, "Greg - AB7R" <[hidden email]> sent:

> Yes...bias is settable independently between the FP and RP mic connections.
> Although you can have both mics connected at the same
>
> time, you do need to use the menu entry for MIC SRC to select the mic you want
> to use, or to select Line IN.  I like to keep this
>
> menu item programmed into one of the PFx buttons.  When you have the menu open
> and make your selection, you tap "1" to toggle
>
> between hi and lo gain, and tap 2 to turn bias on or off (these apply to the
> FP and RP mic options).
>
> Greg - AB7R

--
No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account not
only the world as it is, but the world as it will be.
-Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992)


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