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K3EXREF query

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alsopb

K3EXREF query

Anybody install with with the subrx in place?

My recollection is that the installing the screw with the lockwasher on
the panel side of the master oscillator PCB was a bit tricky.

Also the extra hole for the SMA connector is already in use here for
something else.

I'm wondering if there is such a thing as a TMP male/female cable that I
could hook up to from the K3EXREF board to the aux BNC antenna male TMP.
I don't use that.

I don't use xverter BNC's either.

Any other suggestions for locating the K3EXREF SMA end.

73 de Brian/K3KO

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Nr4c

Re: K3EXREF query

Try using a 1/4 by two inch strip of paper with a small hole near one end. Place screw with washer thru hole in pcb, now place lock washer on screw and thread the screw into the hole in paper strip. Strip will hold all together while starting screw into back of shield. Once screw is started, just pull the paper out and tighten screw. The tiny scrap of paper that falls out won't hurt anything and you won't spend time locating washer that fell in otherwise.

...bill nr4c
Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE DROID

Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:

>Brian, the K3EXREF installation manual (available on the Elecraft web site)
>shows the installation with the subreceiver in place. It's quite simple. The
>only option that must be removed is the K144XV if your K3 is equipped with
>it.
>
>You are right that one must be careful to not lose the split lock washer
>between the KREF3 and the front panel, but testers didn't find the process
>very difficult to do.
>
>What a couple of people who suffered hand tremors reported doing to avoid
>that lock washer falling off was to put a small drop of petroleum jelly or
>soft candle wax on the screw after placing the lock washer on it. That kept
>the washer from easily falling off while they repositioned the KREF3 board
>and started the screw threads into the fitting on the front panel shield.
>
>I can't answer your questions about a M-F TMP cable or using the other
>available openings instead of the REF connector opening.
>
>73, Ron AC7AC
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [hidden email]
>[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Brian Alsop
>Sent: Saturday, July 20, 2013 8:42 AM
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: [Elecraft] K3EXREF query
>
>Anybody install with with the subrx in place?
>
>My recollection is that the installing the screw with the lockwasher on the
>panel side of the master oscillator PCB was a bit tricky.
>
>Also the extra hole for the SMA connector is already in use here for
>something else.
>
>I'm wondering if there is such a thing as a TMP male/female cable that I
>could hook up to from the K3EXREF board to the aux BNC antenna male TMP.
> I don't use that.
>
>I don't use xverter BNC's either.
>
>Any other suggestions for locating the K3EXREF SMA end.
>
>73 de Brian/K3KO
>
>
>-----
>No virus found in this message.
>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/6006 - Release Date: 07/20/13
>
>______________________________________________________________
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Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy-3

Re: K3EXREF query

In reply to this post by alsopb

The most useful tool, which I have found for this type of application, is
the simple screw "Grabber". Not only can this tool be used to hold a screw
and washer(s) while starting the thread, but also while removing a screw and
washers. It can also be used to retrieve bits of wire, screws, washers and
other small items which may have fallen into "difficult to reach" places.

The tool requires only one hand to hold it during use, and is operated by
the thumb of that hand. It is also very inexpensive, about $2, and is
available from most of the major stockists.

73,
Geoff
LX2AO

On July 20, 2013 at 6:39 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> You are right that one must be careful to not lose the split lock washer
> between the KREF3 and the front panel, but testers didn't find the process
> very difficult to do.
>
> What a couple of people who suffered hand tremors reported doing to avoid
> that lock washer falling off was to put a small drop of petroleum jelly or
> soft candle wax on the screw after placing the lock washer on it. That
> kept
> the washer from easily falling off while they repositioned the KREF3 board
> and started the screw threads into the fitting on the front panel shield.

k5wmg

Re: K3EXREF query

I've used a little bit of coax seal too many times to count. Stick a bit in
the screwdriver tip and it will hold the screw very well.Used t recently
re-building a T-8 Tennadyne Log Periodic with lots of difficult to access
areas. Didn't drop a one (and they would have gone into the boom and been
totally inaccessible).

Mike, k5smg
Bella-Green Bed & Breakfast
www.bella-green.com

On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 10:52 AM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy <[hidden email]>wrote:

> The most useful tool, which I have found for this type of application, is
> the simple screw "Grabber". Not only can this tool be used to hold a screw
> and washer(s) while starting the thread, but also while removing a screw
> and washers. It can also be used to retrieve bits of wire, screws, washers
> and other small items which may have fallen into "difficult to reach"
> places.
>
> The tool requires only one hand to hold it during use, and is operated by
> the thumb of that hand. It is also very inexpensive, about $2, and is
> available from most of the major stockists.
>
> 73,
> Geoff
> LX2AO
>
>
>
> On July 20, 2013 at 6:39 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>
> You are right that one must be careful to not lose the split lock washer
>> between the KREF3 and the front panel, but testers didn't find the process
>> very difficult to do.
>>
>> What a couple of people who suffered hand tremors reported doing to avoid
>> that lock washer falling off was to put a small drop of petroleum jelly or
>> soft candle wax on the screw after placing the lock washer on it. That
>> kept
>> the washer from easily falling off while they repositioned the KREF3 board
>> and started the screw threads into the fitting on the front panel shield.
>>
>
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email].**net <[hidden email]>
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

alsopb

Re: K3EXREF query

Thanks guys for the suggestions.

To appreciate the problem one needs to look at Fig's 7 and 9 in the
K3EXREF manual. There is no room for tools. Nor do I think any kind of
gop is a good idea. (Though if this screw were necessary for grounding
I don't think they would have used a split washer but rather inner tooth
washers)

Upon further reading, the corrections of this module appear to be in
~1Hz steps. I was more interested in something that disciplines the
oscillator in a finer more continuous way.

73 de Brian/K3KO

On 7/21/2013 16:01, Michael Goins wrote:

> I've used a little bit of coax seal too many times to count. Stick a bit in
> the screwdriver tip and it will hold the screw very well.Used t recently
> re-building a T-8 Tennadyne Log Periodic with lots of difficult to access
> areas. Didn't drop a one (and they would have gone into the boom and been
> totally inaccessible).
>
> Mike, k5smg
> Bella-Green Bed & Breakfast
> www.bella-green.com
>
>
> On Sun, Jul 21, 2013 at 10:52 AM, Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy <[hidden email]>wrote:
>
>> The most useful tool, which I have found for this type of application, is
>> the simple screw "Grabber". Not only can this tool be used to hold a screw
>> and washer(s) while starting the thread, but also while removing a screw
>> and washers. It can also be used to retrieve bits of wire, screws, washers
>> and other small items which may have fallen into "difficult to reach"
>> places.
>>
>> The tool requires only one hand to hold it during use, and is operated by
>> the thumb of that hand. It is also very inexpensive, about $2, and is
>> available from most of the major stockists.
>>
>> 73,
>> Geoff
>> LX2AO
>>
>>
>>
>> On July 20, 2013 at 6:39 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>>
>> You are right that one must be careful to not lose the split lock washer
>>> between the KREF3 and the front panel, but testers didn't find the process
>>> very difficult to do.
>>>
>>> What a couple of people who suffered hand tremors reported doing to avoid
>>> that lock washer falling off was to put a small drop of petroleum jelly or
>>> soft candle wax on the screw after placing the lock washer on it. That
>>> kept
>>> the washer from easily falling off while they repositioned the KREF3 board
>>> and started the screw threads into the fitting on the front panel shield.
>>>
>>
>> ______________________________**______________________________**__
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/**mailman/listinfo/elecraft<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft>
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.**htm<http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm>
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email].**net <[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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>
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/6008 - Release Date: 07/21/13
>
>

-----
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2242 / Virus Database: 3204/6008 - Release Date: 07/21/13

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Bayard Coolidge, N1HO

Re: K3EXREF query

>>> Upon further reading, the corrections of this module appear to be in ~1Hz steps.
>>> I was more interested in something that disciplines the oscillator in a finer more continuous way.

I have a K3EXREF on order from Aptos, as well as a Trimble Thunderbolt coming via E-Bay.

The Trimble Thunderbolt produces two outputs, a 10.000000 MHz sine wave and a 1 pps pulse.
The 10MHz sine wave will be sent to the EXREF, which will then use that to phase-lock an
oscillator internal to the K3. I'll leave it to you to study the EXREF installation/user's manual as
well as the K3 schematics (which are downloadable from the Elecraft web site) to see precisely how
that's done. But from what I've read so far, if you want sub-Hertz accuracy for the FMTs, etc., you'll
need to zero-beat to WWV, count your nulls, and then calculate and apply a correction factor to your
measurements. Otherwise, you're going to be looking at some very long integration times to ensure
that your local oscillator is at 10.0000000 MHz (or whatever). There may be some newer devices out
there that output a higher frequency reference signal, and if so, I suspect that they would be very, very
expensive. My informal research indicates that the Thunderbolt listed at around $1200-$1500 new
10+ years ago, and obviously used ones on E-Bay are much less expensive, but if you were looking
for something better than that (a rubidium or cesium oscillator?), the cost will be considerably higher.

K5CM has published a couple of interesting papers at his website, http://k5cm.com, and KE5FX's
Lady Heather's disciplined oscillator control program web page helps explain some of the short- and long-term
frequency tolerance issues at http://www.thegleam.com/ke5fx/heather/readme.htm which would
be well worth your while to study.

Another good source of information for you might be the Time Nuts: http://www.leapsecond.com/time-nuts.htm

Hope that helps!

73,

Brandy, N1HO

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