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K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

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john@kk9a.com

K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

I am curious what the reason would be for this?

I have operated from several countries using my K3S and I am never so
fortunate to have a noise floor low enough use preamp 2. Most of the time
preamp 1 is also off.

John KK9A (PJ4R in 2018 WPX SSB)

Stengrevics Jstengrevics wrote:

Is there some way to enable preamp 2 without enabling preamp 1? Perhaps
electing attenuation on preamp 1?

73,

John
WA1EAZ

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stengrevics

Re: K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

Hi John,

I operate mostly 6 & 2 meters. On 6m, I have a third preamp between the K3S and the amp. When operating EME, I have to disable Preamp 2 because 3 preamps create too much noise. So, I have disabled Preamp 2. This has allowed me to work EME successfully.

I wanted to try an experiment, disabling Preamp 1 and enabling Preamp 2 while using my 3rd preamp. From what I understand, enabling Preamp 2 disables Preamp 1. But, I don’t know this for sure.

Let me know your thoughts on this.

Thanks & 73,

John
WA1EAZ

> On Apr 6, 2018, at 8:58 PM, <[hidden email]> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I am curious what the reason would be for this?
>
> I have operated from several countries using my K3S and I am never so
> fortunate to have a noise floor low enough use preamp 2. Most of the time
> preamp 1 is also off.
>
> John KK9A (PJ4R in 2018 WPX SSB)
>
>
> Stengrevics Jstengrevics wrote:
>
> Is there some way to enable preamp 2 without enabling preamp 1? Perhaps
> electing attenuation on preamp 1?
>
> 73,
>
> John
> WA1EAZ
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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Cady, Fred-2

Re: K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

Preamp 2 can be used only on 17 m - 6 m and the main and sub 10 db preamps must be off. You are not allowed to have more than 20 db preamplification.

Cheers,

Fred KE7X

________________________________
From: [hidden email] <[hidden email]> on behalf of John Stengrevics <[hidden email]>
Sent: Friday, April 6, 2018 7:04 PM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

Hi John,

I operate mostly 6 & 2 meters. On 6m, I have a third preamp between the K3S and the amp. When operating EME, I have to disable Preamp 2 because 3 preamps create too much noise. So, I have disabled Preamp 2. This has allowed me to work EME successfully.

I wanted to try an experiment, disabling Preamp 1 and enabling Preamp 2 while using my 3rd preamp. From what I understand, enabling Preamp 2 disables Preamp 1. But, I don’t know this for sure.

Let me know your thoughts on this.

Thanks & 73,

John
WA1EAZ

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Jim Brown-10

Re: K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

In reply to this post by john@kk9a.com

On 4/6/2018 5:58 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> I have operated from several countries using my K3S and I am never so
> fortunate to have a noise floor low enough use preamp 2. Most of the time
> preamp 1 is also off.

I've had the opposite experience. MDS of the original K3 was woefully
poor above 15M, even with the preamp switched in. As luck would have it,
I have a very nice ARR GAsFET 6M preamp on the shelf that I'd used in
Chicago that I inserted at the RX antenna patch point; I found that it
improved the MDS all the way down to 12M. I would have missed a LOT of
QSOs without that preamp. Of course, like everyone else, sometimes my
noise level is lower than at other times, and a solar system 500 ft from
my main antenna raises it by 10 dB on 10 and 6 when the sun is hitting it.

When the K3S was introduced, I quickly replaced the Synth boards and the
Transverter board to get that improved preamp, simplifying my RX antenna
switching. I do find, though, that the GAsFET preamp has a slightly
lower NF, so I continue to use it during the 6M season.

73, Jim K9YC

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stengrevics

Re: K3S Enable Preamp 2 Without Preamp 1

I have recently been using the 6m ARR GaAsFET Preamp ahead of my K3S. I also find that it has lower noise and perhaps more gain. The proof is that I have been able to work moonrise/moonset EME with it (no elevation on my antenna).

John
WA1EAZ

> On Apr 6, 2018, at 11:16 PM, Jim Brown <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> On 4/6/2018 5:58 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>> I have operated from several countries using my K3S and I am never so
>> fortunate to have a noise floor low enough use preamp 2. Most of the time
>> preamp 1 is also off.
>
> I've had the opposite experience. MDS of the original K3 was woefully poor above 15M, even with the preamp switched in. As luck would have it, I have a very nice ARR GAsFET 6M preamp on the shelf that I'd used in Chicago that I inserted at the RX antenna patch point; I found that it improved the MDS all the way down to 12M. I would have missed a LOT of QSOs without that preamp. Of course, like everyone else, sometimes my noise level is lower than at other times, and a solar system 500 ft from my main antenna raises it by 10 dB on 10 and 6 when the sun is hitting it.
>
> When the K3S was introduced, I quickly replaced the Synth boards and the Transverter board to get that improved preamp, simplifying my RX antenna switching. I do find, though, that the GAsFET preamp has a slightly lower NF, so I continue to use it during the 6M season.
>
> 73, Jim K9YC
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]