KX3 2-m module -- whip antenna support, etc.

[wayne burdick]

One of the reasons we went with an SMA jack rather than BNC for the K3's 2-meter module is that the threaded SMA jack works very with a whip and a right-angle adapter. When the adapter is cinched down (finger-tight), the whip resists rotation.

I had a chance to test this last night. With batteries in the KX3, I attached the whip and walked around the house keying up local repeaters. The whip stayed in place.

Today I'm working on reducing 2-meter FM current drain when the receiver is squelched. The idea is to shut the module (and other circuitry) off most of the time, powering it back up to look for a signal that would open the squelch. This would be especially useful when running from internal batteries or emergency power. I'm experimenting with a cycle of 180 ms off, 20 ms on, which seems fast enough to catch any normal repeater activation. Input on this topic would be welcome.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[wayne burdick]

>> One of the reasons we went with an SMA jack rather than BNC for the K3's 2-meter module is
>> that the threaded SMA jack works very with a whip and a right-angle adapter. When the adapter
>> is cinched down (finger-tight), the whip resists rotation.
>
> Does this mean that female SMA is a bulkhead connector, similar to the
> HF BNC?  If so, good show!

Yes.


> 180/20 seems like a low RX duty cycle, so if you have to use that DC
> you might want to allow the op to place the 2m RX in "always on", or
> "battery saver" modes, possibly from the MENU.

The plan is for the 2M MODE menu entry to have three settings:  

  Not Inst.  (not installed)
  NOR        (regular operation, full RX duty cycle in FM mode)
  LOCUR SQ   (low current when squelched, with 180/20 ms cycle time)

The LOCUR SQ setting is still in the experimental phase.

Wayne
N6KR


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[aj4tf]

I would think that checking once every 200 ms (5 times per second) would be more than adequate.  I have an ID-880 that I have programmed with a local repeater channel bank that I can scan for activity. Given the scan rate and the number of channels, it covers each one at about that rate, or maybe a bit slower, and I find it acceptable.

73,  David AJ4TF