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KX3 not switching ant when changing bands

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richard L gilley

KX3 not switching ant when changing bands

Hi,
Following F. Cady advice on grounding the station equipment to a common bus, I did so. My set up includes a KXPA100 with the ATU, the KX3 and PX3. Now I noticed that the KX3 does not always indicate the same antenna as the KXPA100 when I switch bands. Sometime it does and then does not, or will change after 5 to 10 seconds. I have a Vertical for 30 meters, and a Dipole for 40 and 20 meters, the KXPA100 switches immediately.

I have powered down all the equipment, restarted and sometime this does the trick and all is well. But sometime it does not. If I remove the ground from the KX3 and the PX3 the issue goes away.
The equipment ground is #18 stranded, < 10” to the bus, the bus has a copper braid to the KXPA100, the antenna grounds and on to the station ground rod 8’ feet outside the shack.

At the moment all is OK. I just do not know the root cause. Any ideas or thoughts.

R Gilley
AD1G

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Don Wilhelm

Re: KX3 not switching ant when changing bands

Instead of grounding each piece of equipment separately to a ground rod,
try "bonding" instead. Connect the KX3 to the PX3 with heavy wire (or
braid), then connect the KX3 to the KXPA100 with heavy wire - from the
KXPA100, connect to the ground rod.

You should see a reduction is audio noise on the PX3 (which can be made
worse by separate ground wires) and the KXPA100 and KX3 should 'play'
better together.

If you want more information on bonding, look at the documents produced
by Jim Brown K9YC - he posts frequently on this reflector.

One thing to keep in mind - grounding everything (the KX3 and PX3 are
'grounded" by virtue of the bonding wires) will not do anything about RF
pickup - Mother Earth is not a sink for RF. The grounding is for AC
main safety and some protection against lightning and static charges
(but not a direct strike).

73,
Don W3FPR

On 11/27/2018 4:58 PM, richard gilley wrote:

> Hi,
> Following F. Cady advice on grounding the station equipment to a common bus, I did so. My set up includes a KXPA100 with the ATU, the KX3 and PX3. Now I noticed that the KX3 does not always indicate the same antenna as the KXPA100 when I switch bands. Sometime it does and then does not, or will change after 5 to 10 seconds. I have a Vertical for 30 meters, and a Dipole for 40 and 20 meters, the KXPA100 switches immediately.
>
> I have powered down all the equipment, restarted and sometime this does the trick and all is well. But sometime it does not. If I remove the ground from the KX3 and the PX3 the issue goes away.
> The equipment ground is #18 stranded, < 10” to the bus, the bus has a copper braid to the KXPA100, the antenna grounds and on to the station ground rod 8’ feet outside the shack.
>
> At the moment all is OK. I just do not know the root cause. Any ideas or thoughts.
>
> R Gilley
> AD1G
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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>

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Bob McGraw - K4TAX

GROUNDING and BONDING

The book GROUNDING and BONDING for the Radio Amateur, by H. Ward
Silver, N0AX is one of the most complete and concise publications on the
topic.    It covers most all aspects of the topic specifically for ham
radio applications.   Written in easy to understand language with
pictures and drawings makes for an ideal addition to any hams library.
It is available from ARRL Publications.

{Disclaimer:   I have no affiliation with the author or ARRL other than
being an ARRL member. }

73

Bob, K4TAX

On 11/27/2018 4:46 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Instead of grounding each piece of equipment separately to a ground
> rod, try "bonding" instead. Connect the KX3 to the PX3 with heavy
> wire (or braid), then connect the KX3 to the KXPA100 with heavy wire
> - from the KXPA100, connect to the ground rod.
>
> You should see a reduction is audio noise on the PX3 (which can be
> made worse by separate ground wires) and the KXPA100 and KX3 should
> 'play' better together.
>
> If you want more information on bonding, look at the documents
> produced by Jim Brown K9YC - he posts frequently on this reflector.
>
> One thing to keep in mind - grounding everything (the KX3 and PX3 are
> 'grounded" by virtue of the bonding wires) will not do anything about
> RF pickup - Mother Earth is not a sink for RF. The grounding is for
> AC main safety and some protection against lightning and static
> charges (but not a direct strike).
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 11/27/2018 4:58 PM, richard gilley wrote:
>> Hi,
>> Following F. Cady advice on grounding the station equipment to a
>> common bus, I did so. My set up includes a KXPA100 with the ATU, the
>> KX3 and PX3. Now I noticed that the KX3 does not always indicate the
>> same antenna as the KXPA100 when I switch bands. Sometime it does
>> and then does not, or will change after 5 to 10 seconds. I have a
>> Vertical for 30 meters, and a Dipole for 40 and 20 meters, the
>> KXPA100 switches immediately.
>>
>> I have powered down all the equipment, restarted and sometime this
>> does the trick and all is well. But sometime it does not. If I
>> remove the ground from the KX3 and the PX3 the issue goes away.
>> The equipment ground is #18 stranded, < 10” to the bus, the bus has a
>> copper braid to the KXPA100, the antenna grounds and on to the
>> station ground rod 8’ feet outside the shack.
>>
>> At the moment all is OK. I just do not know the root cause. Any
>> ideas or thoughts.
>>
>> R Gilley
>> AD1G
>>
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

Jim Brown-10

Re: GROUNDING and BONDING

On 11/28/2018 6:24 AM, Bob McGraw K4TAX wrote:
> The book GROUNDING and BONDING for the Radio Amateur, by H. Ward
> Silver, N0AX is one of the most complete and concise publications on
> the topic.

Ward and I collaborated extensively on that book.

73, Jim K9YC

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