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They Laughed At My K1

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jperelst

They Laughed At My K1

All the big radios laughed at my K1 when I set it up at the club Field Day site.

But they stopped laughing when it churned out QSO after QSO on 40 and 20 meters -- mainly because it has a better receiver for CW than ICOM 746 and 756 base stations.

And they especially stopped laughing when one of the generators died, knocking one of the big rigs off the air. The K1 stepped in and ran for 12+ hours on batteries (overnight) and a solar cell (daylight).

Plus, just think of those multiplier points for QRP and for solar power.

KB1QBZ
K1 #2552

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Joseph M. Durnal

Re: They Laughed At My K1

FB - I haven't finished my K1 yet. Maybe I'll bring it next year.

On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 3:46 PM, Jon Perelstein <[hidden email]> wrote:

> All the big radios laughed at my K1 when I set it up at the club Field Day site.
>
> But they stopped laughing when it churned out QSO after QSO on 40 and 20 meters -- mainly because it has a better receiver for CW than ICOM 746 and 756 base stations.
>
> And they especially stopped laughing when one of the generators died, knocking one of the big rigs off the air. The K1 stepped in and ran for 12+ hours on batteries (overnight) and a solar cell (daylight).
>
> Plus, just think of those multiplier points for QRP and for solar power.
>
> KB1QBZ
> K1 #2552
>
>
>
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Deni F5VJC

Re: They Laughed At My K1

In reply to this post by jperelst

Great story Jon!

Jon Perelstein wrote:

AC7AC

RE: They Laughed At My K1

In reply to this post by jperelst

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Brett Howard

RE: They Laughed At My K1

They laughed at my K1 too and said that life was too short for QRP.
Then as they were putting up the antenna I proceeded to make a contact
from the Oregon coast to southern California at 7 watts with the antenna
still laying on the ground.

Then I got to have a LOT of fun making about 250+ contacts on the K3
before it died and would no longer produce RF output. We had a K2 and
put that into its place afterward and kept the action alive but it just
wasn't the same with my baby dead. I've only had it a week. Most of
the guys were amazed at how well I knew the radio for someone that had
only owned it a week. My pat answer to that was when you have to wait 5
months to get a rig after the order process you get a chance to review
the manual a few times in there! :)

I think I sold 3 K3's this field day. The guys were also quite
surprised at how happy I remained even after it broke. They were saying
boy I'd be worried that things were going to be taken care of ok and
what not if my YaeComWood went down like that. One thing about owning
an Elecraft is that you KNOW the manufacturer is going to stand behind
you!

Elecraft was well represented at our FD. We had everything there but a
KX1. Even had a few guys with Elecraft test gear. Had a noise gen, a
S-Meter calibrator, and a WM1 there. :) The "heavy operators" tent
looked like a Elecraft booth at a hamfest. :)

On Sun, 2008-06-29 at 14:07 -0700, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Grrrreat Jon!
>
> That "power issue" has gone on since I made my first QSO back in '52. There
> are so many ops convinced that there's a huge difference between 5 or 10
> watts and 100 watts or so they can't believe that it's almost impossible to
> spot the difference on the air under many circumstances. Back then I knew
> ops who laughed at my rig running 50 watts out saying they "obviously" had a
> much bigger signal running about 70 watts output. Ha!
>
> There are even some today who think there's a useful difference between 80
> and 120 watts.
>
> Sure, in a contest there's a lot more QRM. But, as you noted, that's better
> handled by a superior receiver than superior power, especially when it takes
> a huge increase in power to be noticeable at the other end. Besides, in a
> contest, one doesn't have complex "QSO's" - just a simple little exchange of
> a few numbers snuck between the QRN and QRM and it's time to go on to the
> next station.
>
> And the multipliers you gain by not giving into the high power fantasy are a
> real bonus.
>
> Perhaps we shouldn't make the minimal advantage of high power widely known
> or the QRP/Battery/Solar multipliers might go away ;-)
>
> Naw, educating others with solid examples is more important. Keep setting
> the great example - and having great fun!
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> All the big radios laughed at my K1 when I set it up at the club Field Day
> site.
>
> But they stopped laughing when it churned out QSO after QSO on 40 and 20
> meters -- mainly because it has a better receiver for CW than ICOM 746 and
> 756 base stations.
>
> And they especially stopped laughing when one of the generators died,
> knocking one of the big rigs off the air. The K1 stepped in and ran for 12+
> hours on batteries (overnight) and a solar cell (daylight).
>
> Plus, just think of those multiplier points for QRP and for solar power.
>
> KB1QBZ
> K1 #2552
>
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N2EY

Re: They Laughed At My K1

In reply to this post by jperelst

In a message dated 6/29/08 3:47:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:

> Plus, just think of those multiplier points for QRP and for solar power.

Unfortunately, there probably weren't any.

The way the Field Day rules are written, the power of the most-powerful rig
in an FD setup is the power of all the rigs. All QSOs get the same power
multiplier. IOW you don't get the QRP-battery multiplier unless every FD QSO is made
running QRP-battery.

There's a 100 point natural power bonus (not a multiplier) for making at
least 5 QSOs with a rig powered by an alternative energy source (usually a solar
panel). At K3TU we earned this bonus with a K2 and solar panel.

IMHO it would be a great thing if a multi-rig FD setup could have different
power levels on different band/modes.

73 de Jim, N2EY

**************
Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos
for fuel-efficient used cars.

(http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007)
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k6dgw

Re: RE: They Laughed At My K1

In reply to this post by AC7AC

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> That "power issue" has gone on since I made my first QSO back in '52. There
> are so many ops convinced that there's a huge difference between 5 or 10
> watts and 100 watts or so they can't believe that it's almost impossible to
> spot the difference on the air under many circumstances. Back then I knew
> ops who laughed at my rig running 50 watts out saying they "obviously" had a
> much bigger signal running about 70 watts output. Ha!

Ahh, but as a 13 year-old Novice, it felt soooo good when I got 75W
input to the 807 rig I had painfully constructed. Way better than the
6L6. My buddies said I was weaker, but that's just what boys do to each
other, I KNEW I was louder than they were ... after all 807's were
taller than 6L6's. NOTE TO NEW FOLKS: Never ever pull a metal 6L6 out
of the TX with bare hands if you've just been transmitting.
>
> There are even some today who think there's a useful difference between 80
> and 120 watts.

There is. He answers someone else at 80W, I turn it to 120W and he
answers me. Clearly a difference :-)
>
> And the multipliers you gain by not giving into the high power fantasy are a
> real bonus.

Yep, the electric bill is a bit less.

I'm fairly stunned right now by the performance of my K3. Did 1D in FD
for maybe 10-11 hours on and off ... too much smoke in N. Cal. to go
outside. I keep learning things. Maybe the most amazing thing for an
OF like me who can remember when dirt was young is that installing
"invisible" firmware [I can't see a thing going through that shielded
cable] changes the radio so much.

Wish I knew what the parameter values for NB and NR meant ... then
again, maybe I don't need to. I just find the one that does the best
job. I guess I'm pretty happy with my new radio.

Oh, one thing I figured out ... tune around in the contest with NR on.
You'll copy signals you won't hear with it off. And, notwithstanding
all the hype to the contrary, any operating event where you keep score
IS a contest.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2008 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 08
- www.cqp.org
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KK7P

Re: They Laughed At My K1

> Wish I knew what the parameter values for NB and NR meant ... then
> again, maybe I don't need to. I just find the one that does the best
> job...

Exactly, Fred!

The values could be A, B C, D, ...

Adjust until things are the best you can make them at the moment. You
have found the correct setting for those conditions (noise, signal,
propagation, your ears,... ). Might be very different next time.

73,

Lyle KK7P

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Don Ehrlich

K3 #195 FW:Beta 2.10 Output Pwr Out Of Control

In reply to this post by Brett Howard

Starting with my first qso after loading Beta 2.10 last week my K3 shut down
(turned off) unexpectedly in the middle of an SSB qso while I was
transmitting at about 60 watts PEP out. Later I was able, after several
failed attempts, to turn it on again and now, a few days later, it is
happening again. Now, though, it looks like a hard failure. Any attempt to
transmit at over about 30 watts out results in shutdown. This occurs on
both 160 and 80 meters. I have not tried other bands.

The symptoms are that indicated peak output power is is about three times
the specified amount. At around 40 watts commanded actual power is up to
over 120 watts and that is about the level where shutdown occurs. As I
write this the K3 is in CW mode on 80 meters connected to a 50 ohm dummy
load. The output power is set to 30 watts and when I press the TUNE button
actual output power indicated by an external meter (average, not peak mode)
shows a power of 30 watts varying 1 or 2 watts plus and minus. When switched
to peak mode the external wattmeter indicates 70 watts. The input current
is varying from 6 to 13 amps as indicated on the K3 digital display, and the
SWR indication on the display is flashing 1.0 - 1 on and off at an uneven
rate and the RF output indication on the K3 display is 70 watts but also
flashing and jittering.

This started with FW beta 2.10 and I hope that is the problem but I'm
worried that it might be something more serious.

I have made no changes to settings recently.

HELP!

Don K7FJ

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Alan Bloom

Re: RE: They Laughed At My K1

In reply to this post by k6dgw

In 1976 I operated Field Day with the Connecticut Wireless Association,
W1TX. That year we decided to go 2A battery class, running QRP, CW
only. Our score of 8865 won not only 2A-battery but would easily have
won the regular 2A class as well!

Using mostly wire antennas we were able to maintain good rates, even
running pileups at times.

That was the one and only time I have participated in a "serious" FD
effort, where the score was all-important. Every other group I have
gone with has concentrated more on the food and camaraderie. Both
approaches are fun, just in different ways.

Al N1AL

On Sun, 2008-06-29 at 16:50, Fred Jensen wrote:

> Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
>
> > That "power issue" has gone on since I made my first QSO back in '52. There
> > are so many ops convinced that there's a huge difference between 5 or 10
> > watts and 100 watts or so they can't believe that it's almost impossible to
> > spot the difference on the air under many circumstances. Back then I knew
> > ops who laughed at my rig running 50 watts out saying they "obviously" had a
> > much bigger signal running about 70 watts output. Ha!
>
> Ahh, but as a 13 year-old Novice, it felt soooo good when I got 75W
> input to the 807 rig I had painfully constructed. Way better than the
> 6L6. My buddies said I was weaker, but that's just what boys do to each
> other, I KNEW I was louder than they were ... after all 807's were
> taller than 6L6's. NOTE TO NEW FOLKS: Never ever pull a metal 6L6 out
> of the TX with bare hands if you've just been transmitting.
> >
> > There are even some today who think there's a useful difference between 80
> > and 120 watts.
>
> There is. He answers someone else at 80W, I turn it to 120W and he
> answers me. Clearly a difference :-)
> >
> > And the multipliers you gain by not giving into the high power fantasy are a
> > real bonus.
>
> Yep, the electric bill is a bit less.
>
> I'm fairly stunned right now by the performance of my K3. Did 1D in FD
> for maybe 10-11 hours on and off ... too much smoke in N. Cal. to go
> outside. I keep learning things. Maybe the most amazing thing for an
> OF like me who can remember when dirt was young is that installing
> "invisible" firmware [I can't see a thing going through that shielded
> cable] changes the radio so much.
>
> Wish I knew what the parameter values for NB and NR meant ... then
> again, maybe I don't need to. I just find the one that does the best
> job. I guess I'm pretty happy with my new radio.
>
> Oh, one thing I figured out ... tune around in the contest with NR on.
> You'll copy signals you won't hear with it off. And, notwithstanding
> all the hype to the contrary, any operating event where you keep score
> IS a contest.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2008 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 08
> - www.cqp.org
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

Brett Howard

Re: K3 #195 FW:Beta 2.10 Output Pwr Out Of Control

In reply to this post by Don Ehrlich

Have you tried re-doing the tune at 5 watts and 50 watts to try and
recalibrate the tx gain settings?

On Sun, 2008-06-29 at 20:30 -0700, Don Ehrlich wrote:

> Starting with my first qso after loading Beta 2.10 last week my K3 shut down
> (turned off) unexpectedly in the middle of an SSB qso while I was
> transmitting at about 60 watts PEP out. Later I was able, after several
> failed attempts, to turn it on again and now, a few days later, it is
> happening again. Now, though, it looks like a hard failure. Any attempt to
> transmit at over about 30 watts out results in shutdown. This occurs on
> both 160 and 80 meters. I have not tried other bands.
>
> The symptoms are that indicated peak output power is is about three times
> the specified amount. At around 40 watts commanded actual power is up to
> over 120 watts and that is about the level where shutdown occurs. As I
> write this the K3 is in CW mode on 80 meters connected to a 50 ohm dummy
> load. The output power is set to 30 watts and when I press the TUNE button
> actual output power indicated by an external meter (average, not peak mode)
> shows a power of 30 watts varying 1 or 2 watts plus and minus. When switched
> to peak mode the external wattmeter indicates 70 watts. The input current
> is varying from 6 to 13 amps as indicated on the K3 digital display, and the
> SWR indication on the display is flashing 1.0 - 1 on and off at an uneven
> rate and the RF output indication on the K3 display is 70 watts but also
> flashing and jittering.
>
> This started with FW beta 2.10 and I hope that is the problem but I'm
> worried that it might be something more serious.
>
> I have made no changes to settings recently.
>
> HELP!
>
> Don K7FJ
>
> _______________________________________________
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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Brett Howard

How to 100% Factory Reset a K3

In reply to this post by jperelst

Ok so I've done the hold shift/low while turning on and I've been able
to reset all the radio parameters but I find that the CW memories and
also the frequency memories are retained. Is there a way to erase ALL
the settings and get things back into the shape the radio was when I
first finished putting it together?

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Don Ehrlich

PROBLEM SOLVED K3 #195 FW:Beta 2.10 Output Pwr Out Of Control

In reply to this post by Don Ehrlich

I yelled for help too soon. When checking around with a scope I found that
my Astron linear power supply has failed. The K3 is healthy.

Don K7FJ

> Starting with my first qso after loading Beta 2.10 last week my K3 shut
> down (turned off) unexpectedly in the middle of an SSB qso while I was
> transmitting at about 60 watts PEP out. Later I was able, after several
> failed attempts, to turn it on again and now, a few days later, it is
> happening again. Now, though, it looks like a hard failure. Any attempt
> to transmit at over about 30 watts out results in shutdown. This occurs
> on both 160 and 80 meters. I have not tried other bands.
>
> The symptoms are that indicated peak output power is is about three times
> the specified amount. At around 40 watts commanded actual power is up to
> over 120 watts and that is about the level where shutdown occurs. As I
> write this the K3 is in CW mode on 80 meters connected to a 50 ohm dummy
> load. The output power is set to 30 watts and when I press the TUNE
> button actual output power indicated by an external meter (average, not
> peak mode) shows a power of 30 watts varying 1 or 2 watts plus and minus.
> When switched to peak mode the external wattmeter indicates 70 watts.
> The input current is varying from 6 to 13 amps as indicated on the K3
> digital display, and the SWR indication on the display is flashing 1.0 - 1
> on and off at an uneven rate and the RF output indication on the K3
> display is 70 watts but also flashing and jittering.
>
> This started with FW beta 2.10 and I hope that is the problem but I'm
> worried that it might be something more serious.
>
> I have made no changes to settings recently.
>
> HELP!
>
> Don K7FJ