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KX3 Gain Calibration - Failing

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Aaron Marroquin

KX3 Gain Calibration - Failing

I have been a lurker on the reflector for almost a year and this is my
first email to request guidance.

I have a KX3 and a KXPA100 and with the recent thread about running a
calibration I figured I needed to do likewise. The amp is a new addition to
my setup so I am still learning the details. Anyway, while running the KX3
Utility I get a failure during the calibration process (the output is
below). The amp is in bypass mode and I am using an MFJ-260C for the dummy
load attached to ANT1.

Is the failure only on 29.000Mhz or does the whole process fail if any of
the calibrations fail? Anyway to continue?

Also, could the temperature of the dummy load impact the test, that is if I
run the test back to back several times, as the dummy load heats up will
this impact the process (I am thinking yes)? Should I cool the dummy load
before testing?

Thank you in advance.

Aaron KK6ZDB

/****KX3 Utility Output Below****\

Elecraft KX3 Utility Revision 1.16.2.12
OS Version 10.0 Build 14393
KX3 MCU revision 02.38. RS-232 speed 38400 bit/s
Calibrating at 1.900 MHz
Calibrating at 3.750 MHz
Calibrating at 5.336 MHz
Calibrating at 7.150 MHz
Calibrating at 10.125 MHz
Calibrating at 14.200 MHz
Calibrating at 18.110 MHz
Calibrating at 21.200 MHz
Calibrating at 24.930 MHz
Calibrating at 29.000 MHz
Power did not settle
Sample values:

5.9 W ;
5.9 W ;
6.0 W ;
5.9 W ;
Elapsed time: 93 seconds
Tx Gain calibration failed because power readings did not converge to a
consistent value
Calibration failed
Elapsed time: 93 seconds
--

Thank you,

Aaron M. Marroquin
(707) 540-4446
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Don Wilhelm

Re: KX3 Gain Calibration - Failing

Aaron,

The most common reason for a failure in the KX3 TX Gain Calibration is a
dummy load that does not present a good 50 ohm non-reactive load.
You can check your dummy load at 28 or 50 MHz with an antenna analyzer.

You apparently did not disconnect the KXPA100 when running the KX3 TX
Gain Cal procedure. Remove the KXPA100 and run with the KX3 and the
dummy load only.
If you do the manual procedure in the KX3 manual, it should be good for
all bands where it passed. If you used KX3 Utility, it quits on the
first band that produces an error.

After you get a successful TX Gain Calibration with the KX3 only, then
do the TX Gain Cal for the KXPA100 as indicated in Appendix B of the
KXPA100 manual. Your dummy load must be rated for 75 watts or greater.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2017 1:52 PM, Aaron Marroquin wrote:

> I have been a lurker on the reflector for almost a year and this is my
> first email to request guidance.
>
> I have a KX3 and a KXPA100 and with the recent thread about running a
> calibration I figured I needed to do likewise. The amp is a new addition to
> my setup so I am still learning the details. Anyway, while running the KX3
> Utility I get a failure during the calibration process (the output is
> below). The amp is in bypass mode and I am using an MFJ-260C for the dummy
> load attached to ANT1.
>

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KENT TRIMBLE

Re: KX3 Gain Calibration - Failing

Aaron . . .

In addition to what Don says, I'd recommend setting the KX3's POWER
control to the maximum before running the TX GAIN procedure. I've had
it fail when I had the output set at 5 watts. Running it to maximum
would then result in a successful calibration.

By the way, I always do a TX GAIN calibration after each firmware
upgrade, although I'm not sure it's necessary.

73,

Kent K9ZTV

On 1/2/2017 1:37 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Aaron,
>
> The most common reason for a failure in the KX3 TX Gain Calibration is
> a dummy load that does not present a good 50 ohm non-reactive load.
> You can check your dummy load at 28 or 50 MHz with an antenna analyzer.
>
> You apparently did not disconnect the KXPA100 when running the KX3 TX
> Gain Cal procedure. Remove the KXPA100 and run with the KX3 and the
> dummy load only.
> If you do the manual procedure in the KX3 manual, it should be good
> for all bands where it passed. If you used KX3 Utility, it quits on
> the first band that produces an error.
>
> After you get a successful TX Gain Calibration with the KX3 only, then
> do the TX Gain Cal for the KXPA100 as indicated in Appendix B of the
> KXPA100 manual. Your dummy load must be rated for 75 watts or greater.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 1/2/2017 1:52 PM, Aaron Marroquin wrote:
>> I have been a lurker on the reflector for almost a year and this is my
>> first email to request guidance.
>>
>> I have a KX3 and a KXPA100 and with the recent thread about running a
>> calibration I figured I needed to do likewise. The amp is a new
>> addition to
>> my setup so I am still learning the details. Anyway, while running
>> the KX3
>> Utility I get a failure during the calibration process (the output is
>> below). The amp is in bypass mode and I am using an MFJ-260C for the
>> dummy
>> load attached to ANT1.
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
>
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>

K0NKC

Re: KX3 Gain Calibration - Failing

I found another issue that causes the TX Gain Calibration test to fail. I hope the person who had this problem before when it failed on 6m sees this. If you don't have 13.8 volts going to the radio it will fail the test. I had a 12 volt power supply. It would not give it enough power to push 6 watts on 6 meters. I switched power supplies and it fixed the problem.