Elecraft

Unusual P3 behavior ?

Classic

List

Threaded

6 messages Options

Phil Hystad-3

Unusual P3 behavior ?

I have a K3/P3, actually, have KPA500 and KAT500 too but this question is about my P3.

If I switch to 10-meters (and, there is activity on the band), the P3 shows the signals and the waterfall for about two seconds. After about two seconds, there is a change. The waterfall signal disappears and the signals almost disappear except for the stronger ones if any. Essentially, at times I have nothing but that horizontal line dividing the top from the bottom waterfall region. If the signal is strong, it does show a waterfall display. When I say no waterfall display, I mean no blue fuzzy noise color at all.

So, it looks like there is a huge dB drop in signal strength, maybe 20 dB I am guessing. And, Preamp is on during this too. Antenna is a Traffie Hex Beam. Note: although I do not have a P3 for my Icom 756 Pro III it does have a spectrum display and it does not have this behavior of an apparent huge drop in signal so I don't think it is huge loss on my antenna at 10 meters or transmission cable.

What puzzles me is that this change occurs two or two-and-a-half seconds after the switch and after the P3 repaints to show the 10-meter band (usually around 28.020 to 28.050 is where I operate, CW).

Is this normal behavior? Can someone explain what is happening?

Thanks.

73, phil, K7PEH

______________________________________________________________
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

Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Unusual P3 behavior ?

Phil,

That is not normal behavior. Check (by replacement) the BNC cable
between the K3 IF output and the P3. In the past there were a few bad
ones found.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/10/2013 4:14 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:

> I have a K3/P3, actually, have KPA500 and KAT500 too but this question is about my P3.
>
> If I switch to 10-meters (and, there is activity on the band), the P3 shows the signals and the waterfall for about two seconds. After about two seconds, there is a change. The waterfall signal disappears and the signals almost disappear except for the stronger ones if any. Essentially, at times I have nothing but that horizontal line dividing the top from the bottom waterfall region. If the signal is strong, it does show a waterfall display. When I say no waterfall display, I mean no blue fuzzy noise color at all.
>
> So, it looks like there is a huge dB drop in signal strength, maybe 20 dB I am guessing. And, Preamp is on during this too. Antenna is a Traffie Hex Beam. Note: although I do not have a P3 for my Icom 756 Pro III it does have a spectrum display and it does not have this behavior of an apparent huge drop in signal so I don't think it is huge loss on my antenna at 10 meters or transmission cable.
>
> What puzzles me is that this change occurs two or two-and-a-half seconds after the switch and after the P3 repaints to show the 10-meter band (usually around 28.020 to 28.050 is where I operate, CW).
>
> Is this normal behavior? Can someone explain what is happening?
>

______________________________________________________________
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

Nate Bargmann

Re: Unusual P3 behavior ?

* On 2013 10 Feb 15:51 -0600, Don Wilhelm wrote:
> Phil,
>
> That is not normal behavior. Check (by replacement) the BNC cable
> between the K3 IF output and the P3. In the past there were a few
> bad ones found.

My IF cable cable between the K3 and P3 can be flaky at times as well.
I've found that gently twisting one end or the other will eliminate
seeming spurs and other anomolies on the display. Perhaps I'll find a
better cable at a hamfest next month.

73, de Nate, N0NB >>

--

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all
possible worlds. The pessimist fears this is true."

Ham radio, Linux, bikes, and more: http://www.n0nb.us
______________________________________________________________
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

K7MDL

Re: Unusual P3 behavior ?

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Bill Hammond

Re: Unusual P3 behavior ?

I see (hear) the same thing, high noise then a a second or so click and my adjusted reference level. I just assumed that is the design, always works just a little delay.

73,
Bill
AK5X

On Feb 10, 2013, at 6:47 PM, K7MDL wrote:

> I have noticed when changing to certain bands there is a delay in setting the
> new reference level. Several seconds in I hear a relay click in the P3 and
> the grass drops down. Does not always do this, or always on the same band,
> but often enough that I am accustomed to it and not worried, it is only the
> first 1-3 seconds to settle out when it does happen.
>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Unusual-P3-behavior-tp7569796p7569811.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

Phil Hystad-3

Re: Unusual P3 behavior ?

In reply to this post by Phil Hystad-3

Fred and Bill,

Thanks for your answer -- I think that is probably the issue. I totally forgot about the ref lvl setting. Of course, that delayed behavior would have still confused me a bit.

Thanks.

73, phil, K7PEH

On Feb 10, 2013, at 5:54 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:

> I think this is normal, mine does "things like this" on all bands. I believe it is the REF LVL resetting to where it was last time I was on the band. If I was on 20m during the day with the REF LVL set at the baseline, and then go back to 20m at night [when the band noise is a lot lower], I'll see the spectrum trace and WF for a second or two, and then it goes away and the WF is black.** Conversely, if I set the REF LVL on 80m during the day [when the band noise is low], and then come back to 80m at night, the trace is elevated above the baseline and the WF is fuzzy white. Just leave REF LVL up on the screen and adjust it.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> - Northern California Contest Club
> - CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013
> - www.cqp.org
>
> **I don't have any color vision, and I can't see weaker signals against the color WF background. Alan kindly added a monochrome WF option ... apparently for one [1] customer ... which works great. See if you can find that kind of service anywhere else. :-)
>
> On 2/10/2013 1:14 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>
>> If I switch to 10-meters (and, there is activity on the band), the P3
>> shows the signals and the waterfall for about two seconds. After
>> about two seconds, there is a change. The waterfall signal
>> disappears and the signals almost disappear except for the stronger
>> ones if any.
>