Operated K3 SSB in CW band - not sure why

[kcflyers]

Not sure if I should post this question here or on the TRX Manager forum.

I was operating my K3 remotely, using TRX Manager, in the just finished ARRL DX contest.  Was operating 20 meters SSB.  Last evening after contest I looked at my email and saw several from hams who heard me on 14027 (CW portion of band).  I was repeatedly saying my call.  This apparently continued for perhaps 20 minutes.

I was doing search and pounce, so was using VFO A to tune around and transmit.  I did noticed last night that VFO B was set to 14027, not sure how that happened.  

I first thought I accidently interchanged VFO A and B.  If I had done that, however, the 14027 would have been displayed in the Monitoring screen of TRX Manager (which I think would have been very obvious to me), and I wouldn't have been able to tune and listen to the SSB stations.  I did not have Sub on.  No split.

My understanding is that VFO A is always used for transmit.  So having VFO B on 14027 should not have made it possible to transmit there.  And with Sub off, I don't see how VFO A could be transmitting on 14027 while I was tuning/listening in the SSB band.

I really don't want to have this problem occur again, so have been scratching my head as to how it did, and what I can do to be more careful.  Any thoughts?

[Richard Ferch]

VFO A is not always used for transmit. Whenever the radio is in Split
mode, VFO B is used for transmit. If you found yourself transmitting
using VFO B, Split must have been engaged somehow, either from the Split
button or from the software.

VFO A is always used for the main receiver.

When Split is off, the transmitter uses VFO A, but when Split is on, the
transmitter uses VFO B.

The subRX uses VFO B when Sub is in normal mode, but it uses VFO A when
Sub is in Diversity mode.

73,
Rich VE3KI

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[Guy, K2AV]

My question is whether or not you were making contacts S&P during the time
that this was occurring. If you WERE making contacts, then split was not on,
and you have a problem of the B VFO frequency getting into the A VFO cable.

If you do not have the KRX3, then the the single KSYN3 is switched back and
forth and there is no possiblility of the problem you speak of unless you
WERE actually transmitting split and the [SPLT] marker on the display would
have been showing, just to the right of the [SUB] marker.

But since you were talking about [SUB] I assume you have the KRX3 and a PAIR
of KSYN3, and VFO B is the running frequency of the second KSYN3.  You need
to check both mini-coax ends of every cable coming out of either KSYN3 and
the KREF3.  It is very easy for those to be not fully seated.

Also, if you have an older K3 and either KSYN3 is lacking the stiffener mod,
you should do this. A beneficial side effect of this mod is to increase
shielding to the KSYN3's.

You can see illustrations of this mod at


http://www.elecraft.com/manual/ELECRAFT%20KSYN3%20Stiffener%20Mod%20Rev%20D.pdf

73, Guy.

On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 9:18 AM, Richard Ferch <[hidden email]> wrote:

> VFO A is not always used for transmit. Whenever the radio is in Split
> mode, VFO B is used for transmit. If you found yourself transmitting
> using VFO B, Split must have been engaged somehow, either from the Split
> button or from the software.
>
> VFO A is always used for the main receiver.
>
> When Split is off, the transmitter uses VFO A, but when Split is on, the
> transmitter uses VFO B.
>
> The subRX uses VFO B when Sub is in normal mode, but it uses VFO A when
> Sub is in Diversity mode.
>
> 73,
> Rich VE3KI
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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[kcflyers]

Thanks for both comments.  I am very embarrassed by this, and want to make sure I don't do it again!!

I do have the sub receiver, which as far as I know was off during that time (not really sure of anything right now).  My last contest contact was at 1405, next was 1538.  During that time I did stop for breakfast, but that seems a longer delay than I remember.  So quite possible I was calling in the period after 1405, to no available for maybe 20 minutes.  (I must have thought my propagation at 8AM Colorado time was real bad!).

I have never had the problem before, and didn't have it later.  So best guess is that I inadvertently selected split (with sub off).  And transmitted on VFO B.  Then when I got back from breakfast, somehow the split got turned off.  

My K3 is s/n 14xx, which has all factory mods that I know of.

[Richard Ferch]

Guy,

It wasn't me. It was "kcflyers" (call sign unknown) who reported this -
I wasn't awake enough when I replied and forgot to include his original
message, which demonstrated a lack of understanding about the use of the
two VFOs:

> My understanding is that VFO A is always used for transmit.  So having VFO B
> on 14027 should not have made it possible to transmit there.  And with Sub
> off, I don't see how VFO A could be transmitting on 14027 while I was
> tuning/listening in the SSB band.

If he was somehow making S&P QSOs while this was happening, he must have
been transmitting simultaneously on both frequencies, which certainly
would be an indication of serious problems inside the radio.

I suspect he was not making QSOs and just had Split turned on without
being aware of it.

73,
Rich VE3KI


On 07/03/2011 12:57 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:

> My question is whether or not you were making contacts S&P during the
> time that this was occurring. If you WERE making contacts, then split
> was not on, and you have a problem of the B VFO frequency getting into
> the A VFO cable.
>
> If you do not have the KRX3, then the the single KSYN3 is switched back
> and forth and there is no possiblility of the problem you speak of
> unless you WERE actually transmitting split and the [SPLT] marker on the
> display would have been showing, just to the right of the [SUB] marker.
>
> But since you were talking about [SUB] I assume you have the KRX3 and a
> PAIR of KSYN3, and VFO B is the running frequency of the second KSYN3.
>   You need to check both mini-coax ends of every cable coming out of
> either KSYN3 and the KREF3.  It is very easy for those to be not fully
> seated.
>
> Also, if you have an older K3 and either KSYN3 is lacking the stiffener
> mod, you should do this. A beneficial side effect of this mod is to
> increase shielding to the KSYN3's.
>
> You can see illustrations of this mod at
>
> http://www.elecraft.com/manual/ELECRAFT%20KSYN3%20Stiffener%20Mod%20Rev%20D.pdf
>
> 73, Guy.
>
> On Mon, Mar 7, 2011 at 9:18 AM, Richard Ferch <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
>     VFO A is not always used for transmit. Whenever the radio is in Split
>     mode, VFO B is used for transmit. If you found yourself transmitting
>     using VFO B, Split must have been engaged somehow, either from the Split
>     button or from the software.
>
>     VFO A is always used for the main receiver.
>
>     When Split is off, the transmitter uses VFO A, but when Split is on, the
>     transmitter uses VFO B.
>
>     The subRX uses VFO B when Sub is in normal mode, but it uses VFO A when
>     Sub is in Diversity mode.
>
>     73,
>     Rich VE3KI
>
>     ______________________________________________________________
>     Elecraft mailing list
>     Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>
>
>
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[kcflyers]

I should have listed my call.

John Raydo, KØIZ

[Richard Ferch]

"kcflyers" wrote:

> I have never had the problem before, and didn't have it later.  So best
> guess is that I inadvertently selected split (with sub off).  And
> transmitted on VFO B.  Then when I got back from breakfast, somehow the
> split got turned off.

That is certainly possible. I'd suggest you experiment a bit with this,
using the same radio control software you were using during the contest
to see whether and how its display corresponds with the radio's state.
Note that on the radio, when SPLIT is pressed and held, the SPLT
indicator appears and there is a triangle below the TX pointing down to
the B indicator; when SPLIT is pressed and held again to remove the
Split state, the SPLT indicator turns off and the triangle moves above
the TX, pointing at the A. This is independent of the SUB setting.

73,
Rich VE3KI
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