KX1 receive problems?

[Chris Kantarjiev K6DBG]

I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my
new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original
constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ...
I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that
took me a little while to figure out).

I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy):
24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea
from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great.
Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the
occasional motorboat.

I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the
rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never
intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right?
This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built
in receive offset?)

I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be,
so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other
suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench?

I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone
be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator
understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter?

Thanks!

73 de chris K6DBG/AG
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[Kevin Shaw]

>> I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be ...

I just finished Part 2 of my K2 assembly. Everything looks fine -
calibration went smoothly. I threw together a temporary 1/2 wave dipole that
I have lying on the floor. I kind of expected to hear more activity on 40
meters. I haven't heard anything outside of Florida (I haven't tried it at
night yet). Guess I need to start working on that outside antenna now.

Kevin
N8IQ/4


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Chris Kantarjiev
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:05 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?

I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my
new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original
constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ...
I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that
took me a little while to figure out).

I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy):
24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea
from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great.
Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the
occasional motorboat.

I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the
rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never
intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right?
This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built
in receive offset?)

I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be,
so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other
suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench?

I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone
be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator
understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter?

Thanks!

73 de chris K6DBG/AG
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[Kevin Shaw]

Thanks Daniel. It's been a long time since I've been on 40 meters.

Kevin
N8IQ/4


-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Reynolds [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 2:34 PM
To: Kevin Shaw
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?

40m during the daytime is going to be pretty much limited to within 500
miles
radius. In the late afternoon/early evening, it starts to go long - at least
1000 miles ... even further as the night progresses. Sometimes the band gets
so
long at night that it almost sounds dead (when everyone is asleep) except
for
weak DX signals you might hear. The band starts to get short again as the
sun
rises over the horizon. The shortest the band gets is usually around 12-4 PM
in
the afternoon.

73,
Daniel AA0NI
Oklahoma City

--- Kevin Shaw <[hidden email]> wrote:

> >> I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be ...
>
> I just finished Part 2 of my K2 assembly. Everything looks fine -
> calibration went smoothly. I threw together a temporary 1/2 wave dipole
that

> I have lying on the floor. I kind of expected to hear more activity on 40
> meters. I haven't heard anything outside of Florida (I haven't tried it at
> night yet). Guess I need to start working on that outside antenna now.
>
> Kevin
> N8IQ/4
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Chris Kantarjiev
> Sent: Wednesday, December 21, 2005 1:05 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] KX1 receive problems?
>
> I passed my 5WPM test on Saturday (yay!) so I'm trying to get my
> new-to-me KX1 (s/n 1049) on the air. I bought it from the original
> constructor, and I thought it had been used to make QSOs, but ...
> I found the ATU in 'cal' mode, which makes me suspicious (that
> took me a little while to figure out).
>
> I'm using a doublet made from 24g zip cord (it's what I had handy):
> 24 feet split and 40 feet non-split as feedline (based on an idea
> from Bob NW8L). The ATU will now tune it to 1.0; that's great.
> Unfortunately, I can't hear anything except band swish and the
> occasional motorboat.
>
> I can tune WWV dead on 10.000 but can only barely make out the
> rhythmic beat of the seconds as they go by - the voices are never
> intelligible, in fact, barely audible. (Hmm. Is that even right?
> This is in 'normal' CW mode, which I understand to have a built
> in receive offset?)
>
> I can't believe that the bands are as dead as I perceive them to be,
> so I'm going to go through the receiver alignment again. Any other
> suggestions of what to look for while I've got it open on the bench?
>
> I have a synthesized RF generator and will try using that. Would someone
> be so kind as to tell me what 'S9+20dB' is in units that my generator
> understands (uV), to adjust the S-meter?
>
> Thanks!
>
> 73 de chris K6DBG/AG
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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>

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