Elecraft

Unplugging the radio to protect it

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drewko

Re: Unplugging the radio to protect it

During active periods of lightning I sometimes disconnect everything
from my K3, including headphones and key. I turn off my computer and
disconnect everything from it also (ethernet cables seem especially
prone to nearby lightning strikes).

When in use they are powered through heavy series-mode surge protectors
(i.e. big inductors), vs sacrificial MOV shunts.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On 10/08/15 09:46, Peter Pauly wrote:

> I had an experience a couple weeks ago where the USB audio chip in my
> Kenwood stopped working. Kenwood service refused to fix the problem under
> warranty and blamed me for not unplugging every single cable to the radio
> when not in use. I had only disconnected the antenna. Not the power, USB,
> key, etc. No other equipment was affected and the USB CAT still worked, so
> only one chip stopped working. The Kenwood service center even said they
> have had tons of people with the same problem. That experience prompted me
> to order a K3S and it's currently in a UPS truck somewhere between CA and
> IN.
>
> My questions for you guys and gals are:
> Do you disconnect every cable when the radio is not in use? What are
> Elecraft's expectations or recommendations to us? What chip does the K3S
> use for USB audio? How would Elecraft, the company, have handled this
> situation?
>
> Peter
> W0VLL
> ______________________________________________________________

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W0WFH Bill

Re: Unplugging the radio to protect it

In reply to this post by Eric Ross-3

Eric:I am a big believer in UPS's that will run on an external battery. Or I modifythe old UPS's to run on a battery. Stoplots of spikes and other nasty things on power lines. My K line run all on UPS'sand with external batteries.

AN ALWAYS DISCONNECT ANTENNAS. I use polyphasers too but I had several of them burn out caused by lighting an surewouldn't have wanted to have had anything hooked up to them when the blew.
Very good advice Eric.Bill Hudson, W0WFHex. cellular and two way field tech.Linn, Mo. 65051

From: Eric Ross <[hidden email]>
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Thursday, October 8, 2015 2:35 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Unplugging the radio to protect it

On my computer equipment, including routers/switches, I have become a
very strong advocate of putting a full UPS between the wall and the
device. When I say full UPS I mean one that is always sourcing the
device from the battery and not directly being fed from the primary
source. The drawback of this is that they use a step-wise approximation
of AC on the output. I haven't tried it directly with my K3 to see
what noise gets through, but my computer, which is right next to it is
not emitting anything worth noting. This way both power and network are
relatively protected coming into my computers. I don't have any phone
lines connected to the computers either. All my voice via the computer
is through the network. The only route into the K3 is then the primary
power supply and the antenna. I have also plan to put a battery between
the power supply and the radio just for backup power needs as well which
will then narrow it down to the antenna as the primary energy source.

Eric
kb7td

On Thu, Oct 8, 2015, at 12:34 PM, Eric Ross wrote:

> On my computer equipment, including routers/switches, I have become a
> very strong advocate of putting a full UPS between the wall and the
> device.
> When I say full UPS I mean one that is always sourcing the device from
> the battery and not directly being fed from the primary source. The
> drawback
> of this is that they use a step-wise approximation of AC on the output.
> I haven't tried it directly with my K3 to see what noise gets
> through, but my computer, which is right next to it is not emitting
> anything worth noting. This way both power and network are relatively
> protected coming into my computers. I don't have any phone lines
> connected to the computers either. All my voice via the computer is
> through the network. The only route into the K3 is then the primary
> power supply
> and the antenna. I have also plan to put a battery between the power
> supply and
> the radio just for backup power needs as well which will then narrow it
> down to the antenna as the primary energy source.
>
> Eric
> kb7td
>
> On Thu, Oct 8, 2015, at 12:02 PM, Pierfrancesco Caci wrote:
> > >>>>> "Elecraft" == Elecraft K3 <[hidden email]> writes:
> >
> >
> > Elecraft> Hmm, this thread has got me wondering if a fiber optics
> > Elecraft> telecom/tv/internet link provides some degree of
> > Elecraft> protection against distant lightning strikes.
> > Elecraft> Seems like it should.
> >
> > Yes, but the problem is your internal wiring. Even if you invest in a
> > switch with optical ports (they come cheap on the used market), and you
> > put an optical port in your main desktop PC, there are a lot of devices
> > that only have copper. What killed my access point was a ligthning strike
> > at
> > some distance coupling to a ~4 m long ethernet cable connecting the AP
> > to the switch.
> >
> > Incidentally, fiber would help get rid of those nice carriers polluting
> > 12 and 10 m.
> >
> > Pf
> >
> > --
> > Pierfrancesco Caci, ik5pvx
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
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> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>
> --
> Eric Ross

--
Eric
kb7td
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Deni F5VJC

Re: Unplugging the radio to protect it

In reply to this post by drewko

Lighning ! There but for the grace of 'Good Luck' go I...

73, Deni - F5VJC

On 8 October 2015 at 22:50, drewko <[hidden email]> wrote:

> During active periods of lightning I sometimes disconnect everything from
> my K3, including headphones and key. I turn off my computer and disconnect
> everything from it also (ethernet cables seem especially prone to nearby
> lightning strikes).
>
> When in use they are powered through heavy series-mode surge protectors
> (i.e. big inductors), vs sacrificial MOV shunts.
>
> 73,
> Drew
> AF2Z
>
>
>
>
> On 10/08/15 09:46, Peter Pauly wrote:
>
>> I had an experience a couple weeks ago where the USB audio chip in my
>> Kenwood stopped working. Kenwood service refused to fix the problem under
>> warranty and blamed me for not unplugging every single cable to the radio
>> when not in use. I had only disconnected the antenna. Not the power, USB,
>> key, etc. No other equipment was affected and the USB CAT still worked, so
>> only one chip stopped working. The Kenwood service center even said they
>> have had tons of people with the same problem. That experience prompted me
>> to order a K3S and it's currently in a UPS truck somewhere between CA and
>> IN.
>>
>> My questions for you guys and gals are:
>> Do you disconnect every cable when the radio is not in use? What are
>> Elecraft's expectations or recommendations to us? What chip does the K3S
>> use for USB audio? How would Elecraft, the company, have handled this
>> situation?
>>
>> Peter
>> W0VLL
>> ______________________________________________________________
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>