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KX3/KXPA100 issue

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David F. Reed-2

KX3/KXPA100 issue

I am running a KX3 into a KXPA100.

It all plays very nicely except for one issue; on a seemingly random
basis, it seems to lose communications between them in a big way. The
KX3 has (without my doing anything) reset the PA Mode to Off, and the
PWR to 5.0. When this happens, let's say I have power set to 30 watts;
the KXPA100 shuts down and to get it back up, I have to go to the KX3,
re-enable PA MODE from Off to On, and and reset the PWR level from 5.0
watts to 30 watts.

My questions are:

1. Is anyone else experiencing this?
2. What is going on?
3. How do I fix it

Any help appreciated.

Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave
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geoff allsup

Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

If supply power goes off even momentarily (instead of turning power off on the KX3) that's exactly what happens. Check your supply would be my first suggestion.

geoff - W1OH

Sent from my iPhone

Geoff Allsup, W1OH [hidden email] or [hidden email]
Senior Engineer Upper Ocean Processes Group
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA

> On Sep 30, 2016, at 07:42, David F. Reed <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I am running a KX3 into a KXPA100.
>
> It all plays very nicely except for one issue; on a seemingly random basis, it seems to lose communications between them in a big way. The KX3 has (without my doing anything) reset the PA Mode to Off, and the PWR to 5.0. When this happens, let's say I have power set to 30 watts; the KXPA100 shuts down and to get it back up, I have to go to the KX3, re-enable PA MODE from Off to On, and and reset the PWR level from 5.0 watts to 30 watts.
>
> My questions are:
>
> 1. Is anyone else experiencing this?
> 2. What is going on?
> 3. How do I fix it
>
> Any help appreciated.
>
> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Bob N3MNT

Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

Make sure you turn off the KX3 before you shut off power supply.

David F. Reed-2

Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by geoff allsup

Geoff,

Thanks for the idea... That might be it; I am not in the shack when it
happens, though if that were it, I would be surprised, as I have the
internal batteries in place, and I would have thought that the power
doesn't go away if the external supply drops. Could be just enough I
guess...

Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave

On 9/30/16 07:20, Geoff Allsup wrote:

> If supply power goes off even momentarily (instead of turning power
> off on the KX3) that's exactly what happens. Check your supply would
> be my first suggestion.
>
> geoff - W1OH
>
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> Geoff Allsup, W1OH [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]> or
> [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> Senior Engineer Upper Ocean Processes Group
> Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA
>
>
> On Sep 30, 2016, at 07:42, David F. Reed <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
>> I am running a KX3 into a KXPA100.
>>
>> It all plays very nicely except for one issue; on a seemingly random
>> basis, it seems to lose communications between them in a big way. The
>> KX3 has (without my doing anything) reset the PA Mode to Off, and the
>> PWR to 5.0. When this happens, let's say I have power set to 30
>> watts; the KXPA100 shuts down and to get it back up, I have to go to
>> the KX3, re-enable PA MODE from Off to On, and and reset the PWR
>> level from 5.0 watts to 30 watts.
>>
>> My questions are:
>>
>> 1. Is anyone else experiencing this?
>> 2. What is going on?
>> 3. How do I fix it
>>
>> Any help appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave

David F. Reed-2

Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

Joel,

thanks for the help; typically I am not in the shack when this happens.
Software sometimes running WSJT-X, sometimes DXLab suite.
Firmware revisions: KX3 - MCU: 02.38, DSP 01.37 ... KXPA100 - 01.35

thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave

On 9/30/16 06:55, Joel Black wrote:

> Dave,
>
> I run the same setup adding the PX3. First, I am *not* experiencing this with my setup. Second, what are you doing (i.e. software controls, macros, etc.) right *before* this happens? What version of F/W are you running on each?
>
> 73,
> Joel - W4JBB
>
>> On Sep 30, 2016, at 06:42, David F. Reed <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> I am running a KX3 into a KXPA100.
>>
>> It all plays very nicely except for one issue; on a seemingly random basis, it seems to lose communications between them in a big way. The KX3 has (without my doing anything) reset the PA Mode to Off, and the PWR to 5.0. When this happens, let's say I have power set to 30 watts; the KXPA100 shuts down and to get it back up, I have to go to the KX3, re-enable PA MODE from Off to On, and and reset the PWR level from 5.0 watts to 30 watts.
>>
>> My questions are:
>>
>> 1. Is anyone else experiencing this?
>> 2. What is going on?
>> 3. How do I fix it
>>
>> Any help appreciated.
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave

Don Wilhelm

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

David,

The KX3 may still be running by virtue of the internal batteries if the
KXPA100 power drops, but that will not prevent the KX3 from turning off
the PA ON menu and dropping the power to 5 volts.

Check your power cable - look in the end of the APP connector. If you
see the end of 2 pieces of metal (both the spring finger and the contact
blade) the contact blade is not latched, give it a push from the wire
side until it latches.

Check the connections at your power supply, they must be tight - if you
can move them at all, they are not tight. Also check the fuse and
fuseholder. The fuse must make tight contact with the fuseholder contacts.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/30/2016 9:24 AM, 'David F. Reed' [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:

>
> Geoff,
>
> Thanks for the idea... That might be it; I am not in the shack when it
> happens, though if that were it, I would be surprised, as I have the
> internal batteries in place, and I would have thought that the power
> doesn't go away if the external supply drops. Could be just enough I
> guess...
>
> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave
>
>
> On 9/30/16 07:20, Geoff Allsup wrote:
>> If supply power goes off even momentarily (instead of turning power
>> off on the KX3) that's exactly what happens. Check your supply would
>> be my first suggestion.
>>
>>

Don Wilhelm

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

I have been corrected - last word of 1st paragraph should have been
'watts' instead of 'volts'.
I trust everyone knew that!

73,
Don W3FPR

David,

The KX3 may still be running by virtue of the internal batteries if the
KXPA100 power drops, but that will not prevent the KX3 from turning off
the PA ON menu and dropping the power to 5 volts.

Check your power cable - look in the end of the APP connector. If you
see the end of 2 pieces of metal (both the spring finger and the contact
blade) the contact blade is not latched, give it a push from the wire
side until it latches.

Check the connections at your power supply, they must be tight - if you
can move them at all, they are not tight. Also check the fuse and
fuseholder. The fuse must make tight contact with the fuseholder contacts.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/30/2016 9:24 AM, 'David F. Reed' [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:

Don Wilhelm

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by David F. Reed-2

I have just been alerted that a loose RJ-45 plug in the KXPA100 Control
jack can cause that same problem. Make sure the plug is fully inserted
and the locking tab has clicked into place.

73,
Don W3FPR

----------------------------------------------------------
David,

The KX3 may still be running by virtue of the internal batteries if the
KXPA100 power drops, but that will not prevent the KX3 from turning off
the PA ON menu and dropping the power to 5 volts.

Check your power cable - look in the end of the APP connector. If you
see the end of 2 pieces of metal (both the spring finger and the contact
blade) the contact blade is not latched, give it a push from the wire
side until it latches.

Check the connections at your power supply, they must be tight - if you
can move them at all, they are not tight. Also check the fuse and
fuseholder. The fuse must make tight contact with the fuseholder contacts.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 9/30/2016 9:24 AM, 'David F. Reed' [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:

David F. Reed-2

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm

Don,

understood; the cables and PS and its connections are fine. I expect
what is happening is I am occasionally losing line power, which shuts
down the PA without it communicating to the XK3; I think that is what is
resetting things...

Thanks for the help & 73 de W5SV, Dave

On 9/30/16 09:16, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> I have been corrected - last word of 1st paragraph should have been
> 'watts' instead of 'volts'.
> I trust everyone knew that!
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> David,
>
> The KX3 may still be running by virtue of the internal batteries if
> the KXPA100 power drops, but that will not prevent the KX3 from
> turning off the PA ON menu and dropping the power to 5 volts.
>
> Check your power cable - look in the end of the APP connector. If you
> see the end of 2 pieces of metal (both the spring finger and the
> contact blade) the contact blade is not latched, give it a push from
> the wire side until it latches.
>
> Check the connections at your power supply, they must be tight - if
> you can move them at all, they are not tight. Also check the fuse and
> fuseholder. The fuse must make tight contact with the fuseholder
> contacts.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 9/30/2016 9:24 AM, 'David F. Reed' [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:
>>
>> Geoff,
>>
>> Thanks for the idea... That might be it; I am not in the shack when it
>> happens, though if that were it, I would be surprised, as I have the
>> internal batteries in place, and I would have thought that the power
>> doesn't go away if the external supply drops. Could be just enough I
>> guess...
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave
>>
>>
>> On 9/30/16 07:20, Geoff Allsup wrote:
>>> If supply power goes off even momentarily (instead of turning power
>>> off on the KX3) that's exactly what happens. Check your supply would
>>> be my first suggestion.
>>>
>>>
>

David F. Reed-2

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm

Don,

understood; the cables and PS and its connections are fine. I expect
what is happening is I am occasionally losing line power, which shuts
down the PA without it communicating to the KX3; I think that is what is
resetting things...

Thanks for the help & 73 de W5SV, Dave

On 9/30/16 09:16, Don Wilhelm wrote:

Jim Rhodes-3

Re: [KX3] Re: KX3/KXPA100 issue

In reply to this post by Don Wilhelm

And make sure the contacts on your control cable are securely crimped.
Lessons learned from experience are best remembered.

On Sep 30, 2016 8:38 AM, "Don Wilhelm" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I have just been alerted that a loose RJ-45 plug in the KXPA100 Control
> jack can cause that same problem. Make sure the plug is fully inserted and
> the locking tab has clicked into place.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> David,
>
> The KX3 may still be running by virtue of the internal batteries if the
> KXPA100 power drops, but that will not prevent the KX3 from turning off the
> PA ON menu and dropping the power to 5 volts.
>
> Check your power cable - look in the end of the APP connector. If you see
> the end of 2 pieces of metal (both the spring finger and the contact blade)
> the contact blade is not latched, give it a push from the wire side until
> it latches.
>
> Check the connections at your power supply, they must be tight - if you
> can move them at all, they are not tight. Also check the fuse and
> fuseholder. The fuse must make tight contact with the fuseholder contacts.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 9/30/2016 9:24 AM, 'David F. Reed' [hidden email] [KX3] wrote:
>
>>
>> Geoff,
>>
>> Thanks for the idea... That might be it; I am not in the shack when it
>> happens, though if that were it, I would be surprised, as I have the
>> internal batteries in place, and I would have thought that the power
>> doesn't go away if the external supply drops. Could be just enough I
>> guess...
>>
>> Thanks & 73 de W5SV, Dave
>>
>>
>> On 9/30/16 07:20, Geoff Allsup wrote:
>>
>>> If supply power goes off even momentarily (instead of turning power
>>> off on the KX3) that's exactly what happens. Check your supply would
>>> be my first suggestion.
>>>
>>>
>>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>