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I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 was down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to STBY, signals came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. Any thoughts?
John K3TN |
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On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote:
> I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 was > down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to STBY, signals > came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. Any thoughts? I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I have not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on the frequencies below 160M. Gary -- Web: http://ag0n.net NodeOp Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp Node 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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Make sure that the amp's PTT line is not pulled low when you expect to be
receiving. 73 de Dick, K6KR -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of AG0N-3055 Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 8:24 PM To: John K3TN Cc: elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote: > I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 > was down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to > STBY, signals came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. Any thoughts? I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I have not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on the frequencies below 160M. Gary -- Web: http://ag0n.net NodeOp Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp Node 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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Disconnected PTT line from KPA500, still 15 db attenuation on RX. -----Original Message----- From: Dick Dievendorff <[hidden email]> To: mcduffie <[hidden email]>; 'John K3TN' <[hidden email]> Cc: 'elecraft' <[hidden email]> Sent: Sun, Feb 10, 2013 5:58 am Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation Make sure that the amp's PTT line is not pulled low when you expect to be receiving. 73 de Dick, K6KR -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of AG0N-3055 Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 8:24 PM To: John K3TN Cc: elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote: > I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 > was down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to > STBY, signals came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. Any thoughts? I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I have not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on the frequencies below 160M. Gary -- Web: http://ag0n.net NodeOp Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp Node 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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My bet is on a fried PIN diode (I think the T/R system gets bypassed
when you switch to standby mode). Best to contact support.... 73, ~iain / N6ML On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 12:01 PM, <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Disconnected PTT line from KPA500, still 15 db attenuation on RX. > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dick Dievendorff <[hidden email]> > To: mcduffie <[hidden email]>; 'John K3TN' <[hidden email]> > Cc: 'elecraft' <[hidden email]> > Sent: Sun, Feb 10, 2013 5:58 am > Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation > > > Make sure that the amp's PTT line is not pulled low when you expect to be > receiving. > > 73 de Dick, K6KR > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of AG0N-3055 > Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 8:24 PM > To: John K3TN > Cc: elecraft > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation > > On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote: > >> I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 >> was down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to >> STBY, signals came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. > Any thoughts? > > I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I > have not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on > the frequencies below 160M. > > Gary > -- > Web: http://ag0n.net > NodeOp Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp > Node 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 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 |
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In reply to this post by mcduffie
On Sat, 09 Feb 2013 21:23:40 -0700, AG0N-3055 wrote:
> On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote: > > > I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 was > > down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to STBY, signals > > came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. Any thoughts? > > I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I have > not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on the > frequencies below 160M. At this point, I cannot duplicate what you saw. But... I've just made a fairly extensive test run on all bands (except 60M) because of my <160M problem mentioned above. At first, I only checked the AM broadcast band and lower, but then thought maybe I should check all of the bands and did so, all the way to six meters. Since I retired and lost access to the IFR to generate reliable signals for testing, I used some local/regional AM broadcast signals for that portion of the spectrum. To check the frequencies under the BC band, I used local/regional LF air-nav beacons. The frequencies below the broadcast band were where the problem was initially discovered, specifically 60KHz WWVB. To keep sensitivity of the meter fairly high, I kept the strength below S-9 for all readings, except one or two more local broadcast stations. I did it with either the attenuator, or tuning to the edge of a filter in a couple of places. I also have the XG3, so used it for all of the later readings on all ham bands (again, I didn't check 60M). When using the XG3, I used 50uv signal with attenuator on for about an S-7 reading on most bands. Be aware that the S-meter calibration on the TS-590 is not 6db per S-unit below S-9. This is a personal aggravation, but most of the manufacturers seem to have a similar problem. Generally, in all of the ham bands, I can see ONE BAR of S-meter drop on the TS-590 when putting the KPA into OPERate VS STandBY. That's not a scientific measurement, just an observable change. It is also pretty insignificant, but it is very repeatable so does exist. In some cases there was no noticeable drop, so I slid off to the edge of the filter and adjusted for one 10Hz step above the threshold of the S-meter bar being lit and then put the amp in OPER position to see the change. There was always a change, but sometimes I had to make that tweak to see it. The spectrum below 160 meters is much more drastic. Broadcast signals suffer lots of signal loss, air-nav signals disappear except for locals, and 60KHz WWVB is totally missing, along with all noise of any kind from the antenna. Switching the antenna in and out, had no effect on noise, not even a pop is heard in the speaker when switching antennas or disconnecting connectors when the amp is in OPER position. In STBY, all sounds normal. Generally speaking, the broadcast band could be summed up by saying, the lower in frequency you go, the more loss you are going to see when switching the amp in and out. It varies from an S-unit or two, to several S-units at the bottom of the band. Below that, it gets much worse. Only the strongest signals get through in the 250-350KHz range, and just about nothing makes it below that. One might ask why not just turn the amp off when not listening to the ham bands. Well, because I shouldn't have to, for one thing. For another, I don't always remember to. These results are also being sent to support. I don't know if there is a pin-diode problem on mine, or if this is to be expected. I don't like it, but can obviously live with it if there's nothing to be fixed. Gary -- http://ag0n.net 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 NodeOp Help Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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Administrator
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Hi Gary,
This is normal as the KPA500 is designed to attenuate signals the further you go below the 160M band in order to protect the T/R switching diodes from BC band overload. 73, Eric WA6HHQ elecraft.com _..._ On Feb 10, 2013, at 5:28 PM, AG0N-3055 <[hidden email]> wrote: > > The spectrum below 160 meters is much more drastic. Broadcast signals > suffer lots of signal loss, air-nav signals disappear except for locals, > and 60KHz WWVB is totally missing, along with all noise of any kind from > the antenna. Switching the antenna in and out, had no effect on noise, > not even a pop is heard in the speaker when switching antennas or > disconnecting connectors when the amp is in OPER position. In STBY, all > sounds normal. > > Generally speaking, the broadcast band could be summed up by saying, the > lower in frequency you go, the more loss you are going to see when > switching the amp in and out. It varies from an S-unit or two, to > several S-units at the bottom of the band. Below that, it gets much > worse. Only the strongest signals get through in the 250-350KHz range, > and just about nothing makes it below that. > > These results are also being sent to support. I don't know if there is > a pin-diode problem on mine, or if this is to be expected. I don't like > it, but can obviously live with it if there's nothing to be fixed. > > 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 |
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Isn't this basically what the Roofing Filter option in the KX3 does.
Waiting on mine to arrive this Thursday...Rick On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 6:08 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft < [hidden email]> wrote: > Hi Gary, > > This is normal as the KPA500 is designed to attenuate signals the further > you go below the 160M band in order to protect the T/R switching diodes > from BC band overload. > > 73, > > Eric WA6HHQ > elecraft.com > _..._ > > > On Feb 10, 2013, at 5:28 PM, AG0N-3055 <[hidden email]> wrote: > > > > > The spectrum below 160 meters is much more drastic. Broadcast signals > > suffer lots of signal loss, air-nav signals disappear except for locals, > > and 60KHz WWVB is totally missing, along with all noise of any kind from > > the antenna. Switching the antenna in and out, had no effect on noise, > > not even a pop is heard in the speaker when switching antennas or > > disconnecting connectors when the amp is in OPER position. In STBY, all > > sounds normal. > > > > Generally speaking, the broadcast band could be summed up by saying, the > > lower in frequency you go, the more loss you are going to see when > > switching the amp in and out. It varies from an S-unit or two, to > > several S-units at the bottom of the band. Below that, it gets much > > worse. Only the strongest signals get through in the 250-350KHz range, > > and just about nothing makes it below that. > > > > These results are also being sent to support. I don't know if there is > > a pin-diode problem on mine, or if this is to be expected. I don't like > > it, but can obviously live with it if there's nothing to be fixed. > > > > 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 > 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 |
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In reply to this post by Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ
On Sun, 10 Feb 2013 18:08:15 -0500, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft wrote:
> This is normal as the KPA500 is designed to attenuate signals the further > you go below the 160M band in order to protect the T/R switching diodes > from BC band overload. Thanks, Eric. Interesting. Is there a way to eliminate the small loss that remains in the ham bands? I haven't measured it in db yet, but it does exist. I need to see if I can find any of my fixed attenuators to compare. Gary -- http://ag0n.net 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 NodeOp Help Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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In reply to this post by Rick Robinson
Rick,
The roofing filter option for the KX3 serves an entirely different function. It reduces the possibility of a strong adjacent channel signal overloading the KX3 at the product detector stage. The filters in the KPA500 (and the K3) that attenuate signals below 1600 kHz are in the front end (closer to the antenna) so that strong broadcast signals below 1600 kHz will not overwhelm the T/R switch PIN diodes and cause them to be ineffective. 73, Don W3FPR On 2/10/2013 6:48 PM, Rick Robinson wrote: > Isn't this basically what the Roofing Filter option in the KX3 does. > Waiting on mine to arrive this Thursday...Rick > > On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 6:08 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft < > [hidden email]> wrote: > >> Hi Gary, >> >> This is normal as the KPA500 is designed to attenuate signals the further >> you go below the 160M band in order to protect the T/R switching diodes >> from BC band overload. >> >> 73, >> >> Eric WA6HHQ >> elecraft.com >> _..._ >> ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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Oooop's. I saw somewhere about AM band reception. It is the ATU
filters.Here is what I was thinking of.... "The KXAT3 antenna wide range tuner plugs into existing connectors inside the KX3. The KXAT3 stores the settings found for the best match at multiple points across each band, allowing for quick frequency and band changes. The KXAT3 also includes an automatically tuned filter for the AM broadcast band that tracks the VFO, improving image rejection for signals in the 0.3-1.0 MHz range." From the tuner installation manual. Thanks for the clarification thought on the filter. On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 7:11 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote: > Rick, > > The roofing filter option for the KX3 serves an entirely different > function. It reduces the possibility of a strong adjacent channel signal > overloading the KX3 at the product detector stage. > > The filters in the KPA500 (and the K3) that attenuate signals below 1600 > kHz are in the front end (closer to the antenna) so that strong broadcast > signals below 1600 kHz will not overwhelm the T/R switch PIN diodes and > cause them to be ineffective. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > On 2/10/2013 6:48 PM, Rick Robinson wrote: > >> Isn't this basically what the Roofing Filter option in the KX3 does. >> Waiting on mine to arrive this Thursday...Rick >> >> On Sun, Feb 10, 2013 at 6:08 PM, Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft < >> [hidden email]> wrote: >> >> Hi Gary, >>> >>> This is normal as the KPA500 is designed to attenuate signals the further >>> you go below the 160M band in order to protect the T/R switching diodes >>> from BC band overload. >>> >>> 73, >>> >>> Eric WA6HHQ >>> elecraft.com >>> _..._ >>> >>> > 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 |
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In reply to this post by Dick Dievendorff
I have seen this as well and it was a problem with the PTT line.
Mike W0MU On 2/10/2013 3:58 AM, Dick Dievendorff wrote: > Make sure that the amp's PTT line is not pulled low when you expect to be > receiving. > > 73 de Dick, K6KR > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of AG0N-3055 > Sent: Saturday, February 09, 2013 8:24 PM > To: John K3TN > Cc: elecraft > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] KPA500 - Rx Attenuation > > On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 19:51:09 -0800 (PST), John K3TN wrote: > >> I thought 40M signals sounded kinda low, and the noise floor on the P3 >> was down - but then noticed when I turned the KP!500 from OPER to >> STBY, signals came about 15db. No fault indicated. TX power seems fine. > Any thoughts? > > I'm currently investigating a similar problem. To speak to your issue, I > have not seen it at all. However, there is something similar happening on > the frequencies below 160M. > > Gary > -- > Web: http://ag0n.net > NodeOp Page: http://ag0n.net/irlp > Node 3055: http://ag0n.net/irlp/3055 > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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In reply to this post by Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ
Gentlemen, I am having problems transmitting on RTTY using the built in facilities of the K3 with the K3 Utility program and am using AFSK. Decoding works perfectly with the terminal program but the transmit messages when keyed do not result in any action by my K3. I have done this operation previously but now something is wrong. The PC is only used for the K3 Utility and for this operation the terminal facility of the Utility program is being utilized. I have tried tx with two K3s and two PCs but no joy. Some basic setting is wrong and I am flummoxed can someone point me to a solution. Humbly yours Doug EI2CN ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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I am sorry to have bothered you good people. One uses FSK D not AFSK A
when using the internal facilities of the K3 to generate RTTY. 73 Doug EI2CN -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Doug Turnbull Sent: 12 February 2013 11:29 To: 'Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft'; [hidden email] Cc: 'elecraft' Subject: [Elecraft] [K3] Trouble TX on RTTY Gentlemen, I am having problems transmitting on RTTY using the built in facilities of the K3 with the K3 Utility program and am using AFSK. Decoding works perfectly with the terminal program but the transmit messages when keyed do not result in any action by my K3. I have done this operation previously but now something is wrong. The PC is only used for the K3 Utility and for this operation the terminal facility of the Utility program is being utilized. I have tried tx with two K3s and two PCs but no joy. Some basic setting is wrong and I am flummoxed can someone point me to a solution. Humbly yours Doug EI2CN ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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In reply to this post by Doug Turnbull
The K3's internal encoder works in data modes FSK-D and PSK-D only. See K3
Utility Help, Terminal page, Data mode buttons: <snip> Receive-only Text Decode is available in AFSK-A, but the KY command used for transmit requires CW, FSK-D or PSK-D. If no characters are sent, or sending seems to "stutter", it may be because your K3 is in an inappropriate Mode or Data sub-mode, or Text Decode is not functioning. See the Elecraft K3 Owner's Manual sections on Data Modes and "Advanced Operating Procedures: Text Decode and Display" for details. 73 de Dick, K6KR -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Doug Turnbull Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2013 3:29 AM To: 'Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft'; [hidden email] Cc: 'elecraft' Subject: [Elecraft] [K3] Trouble TX on RTTY Gentlemen, I am having problems transmitting on RTTY using the built in facilities of the K3 with the K3 Utility program and am using AFSK. Decoding works perfectly with the terminal program but the transmit messages when keyed do not result in any action by my K3. I have done this operation previously but now something is wrong. The PC is only used for the K3 Utility and for this operation the terminal facility of the Utility program is being utilized. I have tried tx with two K3s and two PCs but no joy. Some basic setting is wrong and I am flummoxed can someone point me to a solution. Humbly yours Doug EI2CN ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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