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XG3 Arrived

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Edward R Cole

XG3 Arrived

My XG3 came in the mail, today. Haven't played with it very much but
did connect it to +13v and set it on 14.020 at 0dBm into a 2m rubber
duckie (nice match - I know) and there is enough signal to hear
it. Note is not that of a sine wave but the "buzz-hum" of a square
wave. Certainly fine for testing. I will have to pick up some 9v
batteries for it. Cute little guy! Very handy to take anywhere.

I have on order 7-pole Low Pass filters from CoilCraft which I am
hoping will filter out harmonics producing a sine wave. The filters
and boards are expected after Friday (also by mail).

73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
======================================
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wayne burdick

Re: XG3 Arrived

Administrator

Ed,

You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.

Wayne
N6KR

On Apr 20, 2011, at 5:20 PM, Edward R. Cole wrote:

> My XG3 came in the mail, today. Haven't played with it very much but
> did connect it to +13v and set it on 14.020 at 0dBm into a 2m rubber
> duckie (nice match - I know) and there is enough signal to hear
> it. Note is not that of a sine wave but the "buzz-hum" of a square
> wave. Certainly fine for testing. I will have to pick up some 9v
> batteries for it. Cute little guy! Very handy to take anywhere.
>
> I have on order 7-pole Low Pass filters from CoilCraft which I am
> hoping will filter out harmonics producing a sine wave. The filters
> and boards are expected after Friday (also by mail).
>
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
> ======================================
> BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
> EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
> DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
> ======================================
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

k.igor

Re: XG3 Arrived

Wayne,
Wouldn't you hear it on a radio in CW mode? The tone is added in receiver,
so hearing tone means hearing "pure carrier". Last I knew CW is the "pure
carrier".
73,
Igor, N1YX

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:31 PM
To: Edward R. Cole
Cc: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XG3 Arrived

Ed,

You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.

Wayne
N6KR

On Apr 20, 2011, at 5:20 PM, Edward R. Cole wrote:

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Edward R Cole

XG3 Arrived

In reply to this post by Edward R Cole

Wayne,

I connected the XG3 directly to my sub-Rx via the aux ant and the
signal is a clean CW note. I did a quick calibration check at 14.020
with -73 dBm and s-meter reads S-8 so pretty good (uncalibrated since
I got the radio a year ago). I did another test transmitting 0dBm
thru the air and can see that it is 60-Hz hum from something (I hear
the CW note in there). I checked for ripple on my bench PS and see
nothing at .005 with the scope. It ran for about half an hour with
no detectable drift in the tone frequency. That is impressive
considering the K3 has the K3EXREF.

I wanted to report back so that my earlier report was not seen as a
negative about the XG3. BTW be careful switching to -33 dBm into the
K3 it really clears out the dust in the speaker. Running -107 dBm
shows S-2 (36 dB less than S8). That really shows off the linearity
and accuracy of the K3 s-meter. I set up all the recommended
settings for receiver sensitivity measurement.

Later I will connect my Sinader meter to do a S+N/N measurement on
28-MHz (my freq of interest as IF for 2m and 1296 transverters). Be
interesting to compare with the internal audio meter in the K3. I
will also compare the XG3 with my 1296 signal source.

XG3: very nice!

Ed - KL7UW

------------------------------

Message: 44
Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:30:30 -0700
From: Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XG3 Arrived
To: "Edward R. Cole" <[hidden email]>
Cc: [hidden email]
Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

Ed,

You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.

Wayne
N6KR

73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
======================================
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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AC7AC

Re: XG3 Arrived

In reply to this post by k.igor

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

Eric Swartz - WA6HHQ

Re: XG3 Arrived

Administrator

In reply to this post by Edward R Cole

The XG3 is not generating the 60 Hz hum you are hearing if it is running
off its battery. On its fundamental freq and harmonics, the radio will
hear it as an unmodulated carrier.

It is common to hear 60 Hz hum when listening to another transmitter in
the same room, typically due to RF coupling to the mains power lines.

Also if you are powering the XG3 off of an external supply, you may have
a 60 Hz ground loop between it and the radio.

73, Eric WA6HHQ

On 4/21/2011 12:03 AM, Edward R. Cole wrote:

> Wayne,
>
> I connected the XG3 directly to my sub-Rx via the aux ant and the
> signal is a clean CW note. I did a quick calibration check at 14.020
> with -73 dBm and s-meter reads S-8 so pretty good (uncalibrated since
> I got the radio a year ago). I did another test transmitting 0dBm
> thru the air and can see that it is 60-Hz hum from something (I hear
> the CW note in there). I checked for ripple on my bench PS and see
> nothing at .005 with the scope. It ran for about half an hour with
> no detectable drift in the tone frequency. That is impressive
> considering the K3 has the K3EXREF.
>
> I wanted to report back so that my earlier report was not seen as a
> negative about the XG3. BTW be careful switching to -33 dBm into the
> K3 it really clears out the dust in the speaker. Running -107 dBm
> shows S-2 (36 dB less than S8). That really shows off the linearity
> and accuracy of the K3 s-meter. I set up all the recommended
> settings for receiver sensitivity measurement.
>
> Later I will connect my Sinader meter to do a S+N/N measurement on
> 28-MHz (my freq of interest as IF for 2m and 1296 transverters). Be
> interesting to compare with the internal audio meter in the K3. I
> will also compare the XG3 with my 1296 signal source.
>
> XG3: very nice!
>
> Ed - KL7UW
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 44
> Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:30:30 -0700
> From: Wayne Burdick<[hidden email]>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XG3 Arrived
> To: "Edward R. Cole"<[hidden email]>
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Message-ID:<[hidden email]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Ed,
>
> You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
> receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
> audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
> 60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
> ======================================
> BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
> EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
> DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
> ======================================
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

Guy, K2AV

Re: XG3 Arrived

In reply to this post by AC7AC

Most power supplies lose a lot of their filtering under very light
loads. If he's hearing a buzz, it's likely from amplitude modulation
of the signal from what for an extremely light load would be a noisy
power supply.

The way to tell is to see if it goes away running it from a 9 volt battery.

73, Guy

On Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 11:15 AM, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:

> As soon as you filter out the harmonics - which the receiver does very well
> - you have a sine wave.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Wayne,
> Wouldn't you hear it on a radio in CW mode? The tone is added in receiver,
> so hearing tone means hearing "pure carrier". Last I knew CW is the "pure
> carrier".
> 73,
> Igor, N1YX
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Wayne Burdick
> Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2011 8:31 PM
> To: Edward R. Cole
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XG3 Arrived
>
> Ed,
>
> You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
> receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
> audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
> 60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
> On Apr 20, 2011, at 5:20 PM, Edward R. Cole wrote:
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Guy, K2AV

Re: XG3 Arrived

In reply to this post by Edward R Cole

Do you have the buzz running off a 9 V battery?

Given the mechanics of AM modulation, your power supply would need to
have ripple in the microvolt range for the XG3 to be rid of hum at the
higher outputs. The space constraints would make stiff inside-the-XG3
power supply filtering very difficult.

My other question would be whether the buzz does anything at all to accuracy.

73, Guy.

On Thu, Apr 21, 2011 at 3:03 AM, Edward R. Cole <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Wayne,
>
> I connected the XG3 directly to my sub-Rx via the aux ant and the
> signal is a clean CW note. I did a quick calibration check at 14.020
> with -73 dBm and s-meter reads S-8 so pretty good (uncalibrated since
> I got the radio a year ago). I did another test transmitting 0dBm
> thru the air and can see that it is 60-Hz hum from something (I hear
> the CW note in there). I checked for ripple on my bench PS and see
> nothing at .005 with the scope. It ran for about half an hour with
> no detectable drift in the tone frequency. That is impressive
> considering the K3 has the K3EXREF.
>
> I wanted to report back so that my earlier report was not seen as a
> negative about the XG3. BTW be careful switching to -33 dBm into the
> K3 it really clears out the dust in the speaker. Running -107 dBm
> shows S-2 (36 dB less than S8). That really shows off the linearity
> and accuracy of the K3 s-meter. I set up all the recommended
> settings for receiver sensitivity measurement.
>
> Later I will connect my Sinader meter to do a S+N/N measurement on
> 28-MHz (my freq of interest as IF for 2m and 1296 transverters). Be
> interesting to compare with the internal audio meter in the K3. I
> will also compare the XG3 with my 1296 signal source.
>
> XG3: very nice!
>
> Ed - KL7UW
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 44
> Date: Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:30:30 -0700
> From: Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XG3 Arrived
> To: "Edward R. Cole" <[hidden email]>
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes
>
> Ed,
>
> You should not hear a hum or buzz when listening to the XG3 on a
> receiver. The fact that's it's not a sinewave doesn't mean that it has
> audio-frequency modulation; it is a pure carrier. You might be hearing
> 60-Hz pickup due to the lack of a common ground, etc.
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
>
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
> ======================================
> BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
> EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
> DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
> ======================================
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Edward R Cole

Re: XG3 Arrived

In reply to this post by Edward R Cole

I bought a 9volt battery for the XG3, today. Running at 0 dBm on
14.020 it puts out a nice clear CW note reading about S7-8 with the
XG3 sitting about a foot from the K3. I have a 2m rubber duckie as
antenna on the XG3 and the triband beam 50-feet above the shack on
the K3. I lowered output to -33 dBm and still have a CW note though
now about S1 and hearing a little ac noise coming thru the K3.

I switched to 28.020 and clean signal at either 0 dBm or -33 dBm;
switched to 144.220 and good signal there, also. So I guess I hear
some ac on 20m. It has nothing to do with the XG3 - End of subject!

BTW the signal is just as stable and on frequency at 2m as on 20m. I
have had other xtal signal sources that drifted many KHz constantly
for the first 30-min to an hour of use. I hear NO
drift! wow! There was a little freq. offset at 28.020 but I can
always do the calibration if I really care.

Frequency accuracy is fine as it is. Note this is with the K3
equipped with the K3EXREF so it is within 2-Hz accuracy. Out of
interest I connected the XG3 to my EIP-538 freq. counter and it shows
1.819.997 MHz +/- 2 Hz; 20.020.014 +/- 5 Hz; 144.220.250 +/- 20
Hz. This counter has an internal TCXO that shows no error with my
Rubidium standard.

I bought it for receiver sensitivity measurements and filter tuning,
and the stability is more than adequate for that.

I haven't played with the XG3 utility but now that my CoilCraft
7-pole LP filters and filter boards from Clifton Labs have arrived I
will try making some response curves, scanning with the XG3. I am
making up four LP filters for use on the workbench (and with the XG3
when I want to eliminate harmonics). The filters were free
engineering samples.

I will show the results on my website.

73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45
======================================
BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com
EME: 144-1.4kw, 432-100w, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter?
DUBUS Magazine USA Rep [hidden email]
======================================
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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