Login  Register

K2 Freq. Stability

Posted by Douglas Furton on Jan 20, 2010; 5:26am
URL: http://elecraft.85.s1.nabble.com/K2-Freq-Stability-tp4425453.html

Hello, all

I've been bothered with the CW tone/filter setting
on my K2 for some time now.  I seem to need to run
CAL FIL daily, at least to have the BFO freq. read
into memory.  I observe that the CW tone starts low
and drifts upwards as the rig warms up when I tune a
signal to the center of the filters (maxing the
S-meter).

Here is some data characterizing the freq. drift
in my K2 (#6761).  I measured the PLL and BFO freqs
with a nice frequency counter.  I measured these
shifts with the K2 locked at 7050 kHz, and computed
the total shift = dPLL - dBFO (all referred back to
the initial (T=18.5C) measurements.  I measured the
temp. with a thermocouple in contact with the PLL
thermistor board. I also measured the  PLL and BFO
control voltages at various times and found them
to be constant.


        Cumulative freq. Shifts
T PLL BFO Total
(C) (Hz) (Hz) (Hz)
18.5 0 0 0
19.3 9 -17 26
19.6 13 -34 47
20.2 17 -57 74
20.8 19 -70 89
21.3 24 -79 103
21.6 26 -87 113
22.0 28 -92 120
23.3 37 -124 161
24.0 40 -136 176
24.5 46 -164 210
25.0 53 -205 258
25.5 62 -256 318
25.5 70 -310 380

(I hope the table above remains tabulated
properly.  Best viewed with a monospace
font.)

It seems the thermistor board compensates the PLL
fairly well (although maybe I could tweak RA upwards
a bit), but the BFO drifts considerably, and
since the PLL and BFO drift in opposite directions,
the total drift is exaggerated.

I may measure the drift on a second band, but these
data are just from 40 m.  

I would really like to improve the temp. stability
of my K2.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks,

Doug Furton
K8EXB

____________________________________________________________
GET FREE 5GB EMAIL - Check out spam free email with many cool features!
Visit http://www.inbox.com/email to find out more!
______________________________________________________________
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