Questions about K3: Reference oscillator calibration

classic Classic list List threaded Threaded
3 messages Options
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Questions about K3: Reference oscillator calibration

tomb18
Hi,

I just finished my kit and I seem to have some difficulty determining if the ref. osc. is calibrated correctly.  I am using an off air signal (wwv).  I can hear the monitor tone and then another one that gets lower in pitch as I turn vfo a.  But i can never hear a "zero beat".  The frequency as set is 49,381,650.  Is this ok?
Can I use instead an MFJ-259B antenna analyser that can be used as a frequency counter? or a scope?

Thanks
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Questions about K3: Reference oscillator calibration

AC7AC
CONTENTS DELETED
The author has deleted this message.
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: Questions about K3: Reference oscillator calibration

W5UXH
In reply to this post by tomb18
I cannot address you by name or call, but greetings none the less (possibly you are Tom?):

I just uploaded a Youtube demo of the procedure that I use to calibrate the K3 on WWV at 10 MHz.  In the demo I start off with a nominal 6 Hz error and show how I make use of the toggle between CW-NORMAL and CW-REVERSE to judge when I am exactly zero beat.  It is a matter of judging when the tones heard from the WWV carrier (not the modulated tones they have on the carrier) are equal as I switch between CW-NOR and CW-REV using the MODE-->ALT function to toggle back and forth.

Since I was 6 Hz high, I turned the REF CAL frequency down from 49.379.780 to 49.379.756 (24 Hz) to accomplish the calibration adjustment.  Your exact frequency will of course not be the same as mine.

I do not know if this will be sufficiently clear in the demo, but I find it works very well for me.  When I did this 3 months ago, my starting error was 25 Hz high.  Since calibrating it to 0 Hz error at that time,  I have "drifted" only 6 Hz.  Not bad at all (no high stability option installed here).  The demo is hopefully found at this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SWRlTUG5RM

73,

Chuck, W5UXH
Las Cruces, NM


tomb18 wrote
Hi,

I just finished my kit and I seem to have some difficulty determining if the ref. osc. is calibrated correctly.  I am using an off air signal (wwv).  I can hear the monitor tone and then another one that gets lower in pitch as I turn vfo a.  But i can never hear a "zero beat".