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question about using extenal ATU with KX3

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Julie Royster

question about using extenal ATU with KX3

Smart folks, we have been using our KX3 fine with an LDG auto-tuner. Today,
mysteriously, it fails to tune only the 20-meter band. We checked the
antenna with SWR meter and it seems the same as previously. The other bands
tune fine as before.

QUESTION: is there some setting on the KX3 we could inadvertently have
changed that could cause this to occur?
THANKS for any input or ideas I can investigate!
Julie KT4JR

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Grant Youngman

Re: question about using extenal ATU with KX3

Is there a problem with the tuner? Have you contacted LDG?

Grant NQ5T

Sent from my iPhone

> On Oct 6, 2013, at 4:01 PM, "Julie Royster" <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Smart folks, we have been using our KX3 fine with an LDG auto-tuner. Today,
> mysteriously, it fails to tune only the 20-meter band. We checked the
> antenna with SWR meter and it seems the same as previously. The other bands
> tune fine as before.
>
> QUESTION: is there some setting on the KX3 we could inadvertently have
> changed that could cause this to occur?
> THANKS for any input or ideas I can investigate!
> Julie KT4JR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: question about using extenal ATU with KX3

In reply to this post by Julie Royster

Julie,

I don't think there is anything with the KX3 that would cause that
difficulty.
However, I do suspect a problem with the LDG auto-tuner or in the
antenna system somewhere.

I would suggest that you attempt a TUNE on 20 meters and then use the
antenna analyzer to determine the SWR into the KX3 side of the tuner
(you could just look at the SWR reported by the KX3, but the antenna
analyzer will give you a sanity check on the KX3 indication). If the
tuner was not capable of tuning to a low SWR, you can conclude that
there is a problem with the tuner or the antenna/feedline.

OTOH, if the SWR is low and the KX3 cannot operate into that low SWR
load, that would indicate a KX3 problem - try the KX3 into a dummy load
and see if it operates properly.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 10/6/2013 5:01 PM, Julie Royster wrote:

> Smart folks, we have been using our KX3 fine with an LDG auto-tuner. Today,
> mysteriously, it fails to tune only the 20-meter band. We checked the
> antenna with SWR meter and it seems the same as previously. The other bands
> tune fine as before.
>
> QUESTION: is there some setting on the KX3 we could inadvertently have
> changed that could cause this to occur?
> THANKS for any input or ideas I can investigate!
> Julie KT4JR
>

Julie Royster

Re: question about using extenal ATU with KX3

In reply to this post by Grant Youngman

Thanks to Grant and Don and Dave for their kind replies about our tuning
failure.
Indeed, the tuner seems to be the trouble, since if we plug the antenna in
directly all is well.
The tuner has been in use only a few months, so we did not initially suspect
it. BOO on LDG!
73 to all!
Julie KT4JR

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Fred Smith-2

Re: question about using external ATU with KX3

With the KX3 the "ONLY" tuner to use is the internal tuner as in all
Elecraft gear. IMHO their tuners are some of the best ever made and built in
the small package of the KX3 8>).

73,
Fred/N0AZZ
K3 Ser # 6730--KX3 # 2573--K2/100 # 6470-KAT100
P3/SVGA--KPA500--KAT500--W2

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Julie Royster
Sent: Monday, October 07, 2013 9:07 AM
To: [hidden email]
Cc: Don Wilhelm
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] question about using extenal ATU with KX3

Thanks to Grant and Don and Dave for their kind replies about our tuning
failure.
Indeed, the tuner seems to be the trouble, since if we plug the antenna in
directly all is well.
The tuner has been in use only a few months, so we did not initially suspect
it. BOO on LDG!
73 to all!
Julie KT4JR

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