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zeroing K3 internal tuner

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Steve Zabarnick

zeroing K3 internal tuner

My K3 SWR meter no longer reads 1:1 into a 50 ohm dummy load or
matched load. The lowest it will read is 1.2:1. Is there a calibration
or zeroing I should redo?

Steve N9SZ
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Dick Dievendorff-4

Re: zeroing K3 internal tuner

I replaced a coax jumper when I noticed this on 10 meters with my K3. It was
fine on other bands. I had purchased some physically attractive but
inexpensive coax jumpers at a hamfest. I've since invested in better, as I'm
testing antenna tuner firmware.

73 de Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of zabarnick .
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 11:11 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] zeroing K3 internal tuner

My K3 SWR meter no longer reads 1:1 into a 50 ohm dummy load or matched
load. The lowest it will read is 1.2:1. Is there a calibration or zeroing I
should redo?

Steve N9SZ
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Steve Zabarnick

Re: zeroing K3 internal tuner

In reply to this post by Steve Zabarnick

The 1.2:1 SWR appears using either ANT1 or ANT2 to two separate dummy
loads -- these also use different cables.

____________________________________________________
I replaced a coax jumper when I noticed this on 10 meters with my K3. It was
fine on other bands. I had purchased some physically attractive but
inexpensive coax jumpers at a hamfest. I've since invested in better, as I'm
testing antenna tuner firmware.

73 de Dick, K6KR

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of zabarnick .
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 11:11 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] zeroing K3 internal tuner

My K3 SWR meter no longer reads 1:1 into a 50 ohm dummy load or matched
load. The lowest it will read is 1.2:1. Is there a calibration or zeroing I
should redo?

Steve N9SZ
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Steve Zabarnick

Re: zeroing K3 internal tuner

In reply to this post by Steve Zabarnick

Since I exclusively use balanced ladder line fed antennas, I have been
using an external Palstar balanced tuner rather than my K3 internal
KAT3 tuner. Recently, I've decided to give the internal tuner another
try.

I find that on some bands, even though the KAT3 brings the SWR match
below 2:1, the transmitter output power is reduced from 100 watts to
the 60-70 watt range. I don't see this issue with the external tuner,
but I can almost always find a 1:1 match. Is this because my muti-band
non-resonant doublet is providing impedances that are too difficult
for the KAT3 to match? Or is something more sinister afoot?

Steve N9SZ

On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 2:11 PM, zabarnick . <[hidden email]> wrote:
> My K3 SWR meter no longer reads 1:1 into a 50 ohm dummy load or
> matched load. The lowest it will read is 1.2:1. Is there a calibration
> or zeroing I should redo?
>
> Steve N9SZ
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James Bennett

Re: zeroing K3 internal tuner

Steve, you didn't say how long your antenna is, but I feed an 88-foot long doublet with about 110 feet of 450 ohm ladder line. Sometimes I use the KAT3 tuner, sometimes my KAT500. Both of them have no problem getting close to 1:1 on 40-6 meters and about 1.6:1 on 80. In no instance does the K3 fold back power for me. I assume you have some sort of balun between the K3 and the ladder line... Mine is a Balun Designs 5KW 4:1 model. Any chance you are getting RF back into the K3 causing it to act goofy?

Jim / W6JHB

> On Oct 23, 2014, at 1:33 PM, zabarnick . <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Since I exclusively use balanced ladder line fed antennas, I have been
> using an external Palstar balanced tuner rather than my K3 internal
> KAT3 tuner. Recently, I've decided to give the internal tuner another
> try.
>
> I find that on some bands, even though the KAT3 brings the SWR match
> below 2:1, the transmitter output power is reduced from 100 watts to
> the 60-70 watt range. I don't see this issue with the external tuner,
> but I can almost always find a 1:1 match. Is this because my muti-band
> non-resonant doublet is providing impedances that are too difficult
> for the KAT3 to match? Or is something more sinister afoot?
>
> Steve N9SZ
>
>> On Tue, Feb 25, 2014 at 2:11 PM, zabarnick . <[hidden email]> wrote:
>> My K3 SWR meter no longer reads 1:1 into a 50 ohm dummy load or
>> matched load. The lowest it will read is 1.2:1. Is there a calibration
>> or zeroing I should redo?
>>
>> Steve N9SZ
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: zeroing K3 internal tuner

In reply to this post by Steve Zabarnick

Steve,

My suspicion is that the impedance at the shack end of your feedline is
quite low on those bands where you are having trouble. Try adding 1/8
to 1/4 wavelength of feedline and give it another try. Many autotuners
do not like low impedances.
Otherwise the K3 internal tuner can match an SWR of 10:1 or less.

73,
W3FPR

On 10/23/2014 4:33 PM, zabarnick . wrote:

> Since I exclusively use balanced ladder line fed antennas, I have been
> using an external Palstar balanced tuner rather than my K3 internal
> KAT3 tuner. Recently, I've decided to give the internal tuner another
> try.
>
> I find that on some bands, even though the KAT3 brings the SWR match
> below 2:1, the transmitter output power is reduced from 100 watts to
> the 60-70 watt range. I don't see this issue with the external tuner,
> but I can almost always find a 1:1 match. Is this because my muti-band
> non-resonant doublet is providing impedances that are too difficult
> for the KAT3 to match? Or is something more sinister afoot?
>
>