KSB2 INSTALL - RX LOST

[CJA]

Just throwing this out there while I start backtracking to figure it out.

I have installed the K160RX, KAT2, KBT2 and now the KSB2.  Prior to install I was able to hear activity on the bands.  After install I could hear very few stations.  On the ones that I could hear, it was barely so even with full AF gain and the SWR meter would barely deflect.  This AM a friend tried to TX on 40m at 5, 10 and 50 Watts.   So it seems I have induced a deafness problem.  I have also installed the Elecraft mic with the Rbias resister and jumpers.  I was missing one jumper but used one from my computer junk box.  It was slightly different as it does not have a "top" like the ones Elecraft provided.  I include this on the off chance this might mean something to those of you far more experienced and knowledgeable than I.  I have attempted to TX into a dummy load and I get "dot" deflections on the SWR meter in the 5-7 range but a separate watt meter indicates well below the set power.

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts on tracking down this gremlin they are certainly welcome.

Thanks & 73's,

Chris
K7CJA
K2#4662

[Don Wilhelm-4]

Chris,

Track down the receive problem first - it is not related to either the
mic wiring or the transmit path.
The problem is on the KSB2 board.
First thing to check is the orientation of the diodes on the KSB2 board
- all the cathodes (marked ends) should be mounted away from the board.
The second thing to check is the windings of RFC1 and RFC2 - if you
scraped the wire insulation on the core when winding the toroids, the
bare wire can short to the crystal cans and ground out the signal.  Take
a thin strip of paper and insert it between the toroids and the crystals
to check for that condition.
Be certain you soldered all the pins of P2 and P3 (and the corresponding
headers on the RF Board).

As a check on the integrity of the receive path of the basic K2, try
removing the KSB2 board and insert a wire jumper between pins 1 and 3 on
both J9 and J10 on the RF board.  The receiver should become functional
- if not, you inadvertently disturbed something on the RF Board during
the KSB2 installation.

If one of those suggestions does not reveal the trouble, it is time for
some in-depth troubleshooting.  Get out the DMM and ask about it again.

73,
Don W3FPR

MTcja wrote:

> Just throwing this out there while I start backtracking to figure it out.
>
> I have installed the K160RX, KAT2, KBT2 and now the KSB2.  Prior to install
> I was able to hear activity on the bands.  After install I could hear very
> few stations.  On the ones that I could hear, it was barely so even with
> full AF gain and the SWR meter would barely deflect.  This AM a friend tried
> to TX on 40m at 5, 10 and 50 Watts.   So it seems I have induced a deafness
> problem.  I have also installed the Elecraft mic with the Rbias resister and
> jumpers.  I was missing one jumper but used one from my computer junk box.
> It was slightly different as it does not have a "top" like the ones Elecraft
> provided.  I include this on the off chance this might mean something to
> those of you far more experienced and knowledgeable than I.  I have
> attempted to TX into a dummy load and I get "dot" deflections on the SWR
> meter in the 5-7 range but a separate watt meter indicates well below the
> set power.
>
> Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts on tracking down this gremlin they are
> certainly welcome.
>
> Thanks & 73's,
>
> Chris
> K7CJA
> K2#4662
>  
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[James C. Hall, MD-2]

[Joe Planisky]

Have you checked the obvious things? I feel qualified offering the  
following suggestions as I've made all of these mistakes myself :-)

- Make sure the antenna is plugged into the right connector.  If your  
KAT2 is connected, use one of the "Antenna Tuner" connectors on the  
back side of the top panel.  If the KAT2 is NOT connected, use the  
Antenna connector on the back of the bottom cover next to the power  
connector.

- Make sure the KAT2 RF cable (J7) is connected to P6 on the RF  
board.  (I don't know if it's changed, but it used to be that the RF  
connector (P6) and the battery connector (P3) were the same.  There  
are warnings in the manual about getting them mixed up.)

- Make sure the KAT2 control cable (J8) is plugged into P4 on the  
Control Board correctly. The green wire should be at the top.

73
--
Joe KB8AP


On May 15, 2008, at 10:26 AM, MTcja wrote:

>
> Just throwing this out there while I start backtracking to figure it  
> out.
>
> I have installed the K160RX, KAT2, KBT2 and now the KSB2.  Prior to  
> install
> I was able to hear activity on the bands.  After install I could  
> hear very
> few stations.
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[Peter Wollan]

This sounds a lot like a problem I had installing the KNB2 (which  
still isn't solved, regrettably).  The cables between the top cover  
and the main boards of the K2 have a variety of connections, and they  
can get flexed in taking the cover off.  In my case, the ground  
shield broke at the KAT2 -- somehow this allowed strong signals to  
leak through anyway, giving a mostly deaf K2.  Resoldering the shield  
and removing the KNB2 restored full receive.  (I'm still slowly  
trying to figure out what's wrong with the KNB2).

Tracking the complete receive path is hard.  Look first for bad  
connections where signals go in or out of the added modules.

And keep telling yourself you'll get it working perfectly someday ...

        Peter N8MHD
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[Joe Planisky]

Oh, forgot about rAnt.  Make sure you didn't accidentally turn on rAnt  
(the receive-only antenna you get with the K160RX option) in the  
menu.  It's right next to the CAL menu item and I've accidentally  
turned it on while calibrating the filters.

73
--
Joe KB8AP

On May 15, 2008, at 11:34 AM, Joe Planisky wrote:

> Have you checked the obvious things? I feel qualified offering the  
> following suggestions as I've made all of these mistakes myself :-)
>
> - Make sure the antenna is plugged into the right connector.  If  
> your KAT2 is connected, use one of the "Antenna Tuner" connectors on  
> the back side of the top panel.  If the KAT2 is NOT connected, use  
> the Antenna connector on the back of the bottom cover next to the  
> power connector.
>
> - Make sure the KAT2 RF cable (J7) is connected to P6 on the RF  
> board.  (I don't know if it's changed, but it used to be that the RF  
> connector (P6) and the battery connector (P3) were the same.  There  
> are warnings in the manual about getting them mixed up.)
>
> - Make sure the KAT2 control cable (J8) is plugged into P4 on the  
> Control Board correctly. The green wire should be at the top.
>
> 73
> --
> Joe KB8AP
>
>
> On May 15, 2008, at 10:26 AM, MTcja wrote:
>
>>
>> Just throwing this out there while I start backtracking to figure  
>> it out.
>>
>> I have installed the K160RX, KAT2, KBT2 and now the KSB2.  Prior to  
>> install
>> I was able to hear activity on the bands.  After install I could  
>> hear very
>> few stations.
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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[James C. Hall, MD-2]