Too many tuning knobs

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Too many tuning knobs

Bill Frantz
Like Don, N5LZ, I've been playing in the K1N 15M pileup.
However, I don't have a KRX3, so I'm using the REV button to
listen to the pileup. My user interface problem comes from
having the tuning knob for VFO B switch from the medium size
knob to the big knob when I press REV.

I have the little knob -- RIT/XIT -- set for fast tuning, so I
have 3 tuning knobs, not counting the QSY knob/button on the P3.

Since I'm running with VFO A locked, to avoid losing K1N by
brushing a tuning knob, there is really only one VFO that can be
tuned. However the cognitive load of switching tuning knobs when
I press REV is a bit more than my feeble brain can handle.

Does anyone have a work around, or should I ask Elecraft to
change the tuning implementation in some way. One way that might
work is to always have the big knob tune VFO A and the medium
tune VFO B, even if REV is being held. Another would be to have
the fact that VFO A is locked change all three knobs tune VFO B,
which would allow high-speed tuning.

I guess I have to up the priority of the KRX3, But I also need
the KAT3 and the KDVR3 and a bunch of other stuff that's better
to put in first. HIHI What's a poor ham to do?

YMMV 73 Bill AE6JV

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

k6dgw
I don't have the KRX3 either, I'm not really sure what I'd do with it.
I watch the pile on the P3.  Ordinarily, on something not as popular as
Navassa, when the DX answers, the pile dies quickly, and then one [OK,
maybe two] signals pop up.  I park VFO B next to him and call next.
Sometimes it's like fishing with dynamite.  It does help to know if the
DX op is right or left-handed to choose which side of the station to
park on. :-)

K1N is quite a bit different.  When they acknowledge a station, a lot
more than one or two signals pop up and it takes me awhile to identify
who the real QSO is.  I've found that the one that goes away exactly
when K1N sends "TU" seems to be the best indicator.  I've never had much
luck actually listening on my TX QRG, but I'm going to try it, I didn't
know that REV switched the knobs.

The other day, it appeared that the entire pile ... every station ...
was a W4 because when he sent "W4", the whole pile came back.  DX'ing is
frantic, but not as frantic as the NA Sprint.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
- www.cqp.org

On 2/8/2015 4:19 PM, Bill Frantz wrote:
> Like Don, N5LZ, I've been playing in the K1N 15M pileup. However, I
> don't have a KRX3, so I'm using the REV button to listen to the pileup.
> My user interface problem comes from having the tuning knob for VFO B
> switch from the medium size knob to the big knob when I press REV.
>
> I have the little knob -- RIT/XIT -- set for fast tuning, so I have 3
> tuning knobs, not counting the QSY knob/button on the P3.

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Don Wilhelm-4
In reply to this post by Bill Frantz
Bill,

I for one would not want to have your proposed 'solution'.

When you do REV, the VFOs exchange from VFO A to VFO B.  When in REV,
one would normally do tuning with the VFO A knob (because what was VFO B
is now VFO A).
Messing with the VFO B knob while in REV will change the frequency of
what was previously your VFO A frequency.

With a K3 not equipped with the KRX3 option, I would suggest the
following operation:
You want to end up with VFO B listening on the desired station, so
switch to VFO B using the A/B button and tune in the DX station of interest.

OK, he is operating split up 2 to 5 kHz up (assumption).

Now tap A/B to switch back to VFO A (you will transmit on the VFO A
frequency).  Find the spot in the pileup that you would like to transmit
on and that is all there is to it.

In other words, you would listen to your transmit frequency (VFO A)
unless you hold the REV button when you would be listening to the DX
station (K1N).

73,
Don W3FPR


On 2/8/2015 7:19 PM, Bill Frantz wrote:

> Like Don, N5LZ, I've been playing in the K1N 15M pileup. However, I
> don't have a KRX3, so I'm using the REV button to listen to the
> pileup. My user interface problem comes from having the tuning knob
> for VFO B switch from the medium size knob to the big knob when I
> press REV.
>
> I have the little knob -- RIT/XIT -- set for fast tuning, so I have 3
> tuning knobs, not counting the QSY knob/button on the P3.
>
> Since I'm running with VFO A locked, to avoid losing K1N by brushing a
> tuning knob, there is really only one VFO that can be tuned. However
> the cognitive load of switching tuning knobs when I press REV is a bit
> more than my feeble brain can handle.
>
> Does anyone have a work around, or should I ask Elecraft to change the
> tuning implementation in some way. One way that might work is to
> always have the big knob tune VFO A and the medium tune VFO B, even if
> REV is being held. Another would be to have the fact that VFO A is
> locked change all three knobs tune VFO B, which would allow high-speed
> tuning.
>
> I guess I have to up the priority of the KRX3, But I also need the
> KAT3 and the KDVR3 and a bunch of other stuff that's better to put in
> first. HIHI What's a poor ham to do?
>
> YMMV 73 Bill AE6JV
>

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Wes (N7WS)
You're kidding, right?  You're going to hold in a button to listen to the DX?  
If too many people are doing this then it's no wonder people are calling while
the DX is transmitting.

You want to listen to the DX, not the callers.  What do you learn from them?

Wes  N7WS

On 2/8/2015 5:53 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> [snip]
>
> In other words, you would listen to your transmit frequency (VFO A) unless you
> hold the REV button when you would be listening to the DX station (K1N).
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

N5CQ
In reply to this post by k6dgw
The most amazing thing to me about the 15M CW pileup is there were dozens of
stations calling when K1N was transmitting. Either they are not hearing him
(but then why call?) or they just keep hitting the function key and hope to
win the lottery!.  This is over and above the usual group that calls again
even when he comes back to someone who doesn't have a single common letter
in their call.

73 John N5CQ


-----Original Message-----
From: Elecraft [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Fred
Jensen
Sent: Sunday, February 8, 2015 6:45 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Too many tuning knobs

I don't have the KRX3 either, I'm not really sure what I'd do with it.
I watch the pile on the P3.  Ordinarily, on something not as popular as
Navassa, when the DX answers, the pile dies quickly, and then one [OK, maybe
two] signals pop up.  I park VFO B next to him and call next.
Sometimes it's like fishing with dynamite.  It does help to know if the DX
op is right or left-handed to choose which side of the station to park on.
:-)

K1N is quite a bit different.  When they acknowledge a station, a lot more
than one or two signals pop up and it takes me awhile to identify who the
real QSO is.  I've found that the one that goes away exactly when K1N sends
"TU" seems to be the best indicator.  I've never had much luck actually
listening on my TX QRG, but I'm going to try it, I didn't know that REV
switched the knobs.

The other day, it appeared that the entire pile ... every station ...
was a W4 because when he sent "W4", the whole pile came back.  DX'ing is
frantic, but not as frantic as the NA Sprint.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 50th Running of the Cal QSO Party 3-4 Oct 2015
- www.cqp.org

On 2/8/2015 4:19 PM, Bill Frantz wrote:
> Like Don, N5LZ, I've been playing in the K1N 15M pileup. However, I
> don't have a KRX3, so I'm using the REV button to listen to the pileup.
> My user interface problem comes from having the tuning knob for VFO B
> switch from the medium size knob to the big knob when I press REV.
>
> I have the little knob -- RIT/XIT -- set for fast tuning, so I have 3
> tuning knobs, not counting the QSY knob/button on the P3.

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Rose
In reply to this post by Wes (N7WS)
I lock the main tuning (VFO A) on the DX ... prevents uh-ohs.  I then rest
my left fingers on the top front edge of the K3 and hold the REV button
with my left index finger as needed while tuning the main VFO with my right
hand.

It's pretty easy to find the station the DX is working and releasing the
REV button puts my TX on caller's frequency to "tail end" with my call.

Usually works.  (;-)
On Feb 8, 2015 7:06 PM, "Wes (N7WS)" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> You're kidding, right?  You're going to hold in a button to listen to the
> DX?  If too many people are doing this then it's no wonder people are
> calling while the DX is transmitting.
>
> You want to listen to the DX, not the callers.  What do you learn from
> them?
>
> Wes  N7WS
>
> On 2/8/2015 5:53 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>
>> [snip]
>>
>> In other words, you would listen to your transmit frequency (VFO A)
>> unless you hold the REV button when you would be listening to the DX
>> station (K1N).
>>
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>>
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Ken G Kopp
"Rose" was (obviously) me making my post from her email account.  (;-)

73

Ken - K0PP
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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Bill Frantz
In reply to this post by N5CQ
I do think this DXpedition is suffering from a new (to me) low
in behavior. We have the usual problems with people tuning on
the DX fx, responding when they shouldn't, and not getting into
split -- I've had that problem and thank the people, here and
elsewhere, who helped me become a better op. But I have see what
I can only interpret as deliberate interference with K1N. I have
noticed him change frequencies by 500 Hz to get away from steady
carriers, the only such on my P3, and what was a strange, long
lasting signal that had a bandwidth of 50Hz or so and wiped him
out completely at my QTH. I usually use narrow CW bandwidths to
improve the S/N, but here it is to cut out the QRM signals that
aren't well matched to his.

I have noticed one strategy which seems perverse. Send the
signal report with your initial call, in hopes he will log the
call, even if you can't read his signal. It's simple, just
request a QSL later, or log him every 20 minutes into LotW and
see where the matches come. Come on guys, it's a hobby. It's not
real unless you earn it and can face yourself in the mirror afterwards.

But enough ranting.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 2/8/15 at 6:08 PM, [hidden email] (John Langdon) wrote:

>The most amazing thing to me about the 15M CW pileup is there were dozens of
>stations calling when K1N was transmitting. Either they are not hearing him
>(but then why call?) or they just keep hitting the function key and hope to
>win the lottery!.  This is over and above the usual group that calls again
>even when he comes back to someone who doesn't have a single common letter
>in their call.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Frantz        | QRP: So you can talk about   | Periwinkle
(408)356-8506      | the ones that got away.      | 16345
Englewood Ave
www.pwpconsult.com |                              | Los Gatos,
CA 95032

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Re: Too many tuning knobs

Vic Rosenthal
If you haven't heard it from over here, you can't imagine how bad the
deliberate QRM is.

On 9 Feb 2015 04:48, Bill Frantz wrote:

> I do think this DXpedition is suffering from a new (to me) low in
> behavior. We have the usual problems with people tuning on the DX fx,
> responding when they shouldn't, and not getting into split -- I've had
> that problem and thank the people, here and elsewhere, who helped me
> become a better op. But I have see what I can only interpret as
> deliberate interference with K1N. I have noticed him change frequencies
> by 500 Hz to get away from steady carriers, the only such on my P3, and
> what was a strange, long lasting signal that had a bandwidth of 50Hz or
> so and wiped him out completely at my QTH. I usually use narrow CW
> bandwidths to improve the S/N, but here it is to cut out the QRM signals
> that aren't well matched to his.
>
> I have noticed one strategy which seems perverse. Send the signal report
> with your initial call, in hopes he will log the call, even if you can't
> read his signal. It's simple, just request a QSL later, or log him every
> 20 minutes into LotW and see where the matches come. Come on guys, it's
> a hobby. It's not real unless you earn it and can face yourself in the
> mirror afterwards.
>
> But enough ranting.
>
> 73 Bill AE6JV

--
73,
Vic, 4X6GP/K2VCO
Rehovot, Israel
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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