kpa500 aux cable problem
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kpa500 aux cable problem
 
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After using the kpa500 for a couple weeks everyday on cw, the amp performed like a charm. About 4 days ago when I was on 40 meters cw the tx light on the K3 started turning on and off (flickering).
Turned off the K line and back on. Now I got an error message on the k3 " ERROR PTT'. the K3 was in transmit mode (tx light on). Checked all the cabling to see if they were tight. All checked out fine. Tried again same problem. Started taking off cables that where connected to the rig. Didn't clear up until I got to the Aux cable between the KPA and the K3. Reinstalled all the software on the whole K line. Turned on the rig and it seemed fine. Used it for a ragchew on 40 meters cw and it was great for about 20 min. Then the tx light started flicker again. Disconnected the Aux cable and the problem was gone. The amp works fine without the aux cable. Has anyone run into this problem? Don....w2xb |
Re: kpa500 aux cable problem
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Just a guess: RF in the shack.
When running an amplifier, things like this that never appeared when running low power happen all the time. As your signal increases with amplification to faraway places, it increases inside your shack also - and perhaps to a greater degree. Check all ground connections, shields on coax, etc. 73, Bob W5OV -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of W2XB Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 5:36 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] kpa500 aux cable problem After using the kpa500 for a couple weeks everyday on cw, the amp performed like a charm. About 4 days ago when I was on 40 meters cw the tx light on the K3 started turning on and off (flickering). Turned off the K line and back on. Now I got an error message on the k3 " ERROR PTT'. the K3 was in transmit mode (tx light on). Checked all the cabling to see if they were tight. All checked out fine. Tried again same problem. Started taking off cables that where connected to the rig. Didn't clear up until I got to the Aux cable between the KPA and the K3. Reinstalled all the software on the whole K line. Turned on the rig and it seemed fine. Used it for a ragchew on 40 meters cw and it was great for about 20 min. Then the tx light started flicker again. Disconnected the Aux cable and the problem was gone. The amp works fine without the aux cable. Has anyone run into this problem? Don....w2xb -- View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/kpa500-aux-cable-problem-tp6441865p6441 865.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 ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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ERR PTT means that the PTT line was being held low as the K3 is starting up.
This sounds more like a poorly done connector (short), or a bit of that tiny wire used in a shield shoved back in a male connector. Betting odds are on the side of a physical problem with cords/connectors. [see http://www.elecraft.com/manual/K3%20Owner's%20man%20D9sm.pdf page 69] It could also be a problem with the output transistor in the KPA500. This would NOT indicate RFI because the K3 will no longer key up while booting itself. BTW, a local copy of manual PDF is a great time-saver, as Adobe Reader will search text and diagrams in Elecraft manuals, including all the error messages. Becoming familiar with the schematics is a great help as well. 73, Guy. On Sun, Jun 5, 2011 at 6:43 AM, Bob Naumann <[hidden email]> wrote: > Just a guess: RF in the shack. > > When running an amplifier, things like this that never appeared when > running > low power happen all the time. > > As your signal increases with amplification to faraway places, it increases > inside your shack also - and perhaps to a greater degree. > > Check all ground connections, shields on coax, etc. > > 73, > > Bob W5OV > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of W2XB > Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 5:36 AM > To: [hidden email] > Subject: [Elecraft] kpa500 aux cable problem > > After using the kpa500 for a couple weeks everyday on cw, the amp performed > like a charm. About 4 days ago when I was on 40 meters cw the tx light on > the K3 started turning on and off (flickering). > Turned off the K line and back on. Now I got an error message on the k3 " > ERROR PTT'. the K3 was in transmit mode (tx light on). Checked all the > cabling to see if they were tight. All checked out fine. Tried again same > problem. Started taking off cables that where connected to the rig. Didn't > clear up until I got to the Aux cable between the KPA and the K3. > Reinstalled all the software on the whole K line. Turned on the rig and it > seemed fine. Used it for a ragchew on 40 meters cw and it was great for > about 20 min. Then the tx light started flicker again. Disconnected the Aux > cable and the problem was gone. The amp works fine without the aux cable. > Has anyone run into this problem? > > Don....w2xb > > > -- > View this message in context: > > http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/kpa500-aux-cable-problem-tp6441865p6441 > 865.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 > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > 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 |
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In reply to this post by haircutter@verizon.net
On 6/5/2011 3:36 AM, W2XB wrote:
> Disconnected the Aux cable and the problem was gone. The amp works fine without the aux cable. There's no real need for the AUX cable. All it really needs is PTT. It samples RF at the input and switches to the frequency that it sees. I'm running with nothing but the RF cable and the PTT cable and it works fine. 73, Jim K9YC ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Re: kpa500 aux cable problem
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> There's no real need for the AUX cable. That's true if you want to give up automatic power control (setting the correct drive level when the KPA-500 is in use), give up band switching the K3 from the KPA-500 and don't mind shortening of the first element because of RF sensing. 73, ... Joe, W4TV On 6/5/2011 12:18 PM, Jim Brown wrote: > On 6/5/2011 3:36 AM, W2XB wrote: >> Disconnected the Aux cable and the problem was gone. The amp works fine without the aux cable. > > There's no real need for the AUX cable. All it really needs is PTT. It > samples RF at the input and switches to the frequency that it sees. I'm > running with nothing but the RF cable and the PTT cable and it works fine. > > 73, Jim K9YC > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > 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 |
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