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Re: Factory service still available?
John Canfield <bucket@...>
You can make Win10 more user friendly by installing Classic Shell (free) which replaces the standard menu, which I intensely hate. Classic Shell brings the familiar W7 menu back.
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Re: Factory service still available?
Ray Maxfield
I hate Win 10………… wa6vab
From: Mel Marcus
Sent: Monday, May 4, 2020 6:01 PM To: Elecraft-K3@groups.io Subject: Re: [Elecraft-K3] Factory service still available?
the problem I had with the soundcard after a w10 upgrade was that it changed it from stereo to surround sound. I could hear it slightly but since it was looking for a center speaker, it was muffled. see if that is the case and change it back to stereo
Mel NE9A
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Re: Factory service still available?
Mel Marcus
the problem I had with the soundcard after a w10 upgrade was that it changed it from stereo to surround sound. I could hear it slightly but since it was looking for a center speaker, it was muffled. see if that is the case and change it back to stereo Mel NE9A
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Re: Factory service still available?
John Canfield <bucket@...>
Think I have narrowed the problem down to W10 doing something with the sound card. I looked at the device properties and then all seems normal now. At this point I'm ruling out RFI or at least that's on the back burner for now.
Thanks again everyone for the ideas, I appreciate the advice. John wb5tht
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Re: Factory service still available?
On more than one occasion, and not limited to all bands, but perhaps only one or two bands, I have found RF is getting into the computer via the USB cable between the radio and computer. Using one of the snap-on ferrite cores used for RG-8 where I can get 2 or 3 turns of the cable through the snap-on core resolved the issue. The core is best located at the computer end of the cable.
Also, one might do well to nvestigate instances of Common Mode Current on feed lines coming into the operating position. 73 Bob, K4TAX
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Re: Factory service still available?
John Canfield <bucket@...>
I'll check those settings, thanks for the tip Bob.
John WB5THT K3S, P3, SP3, KPA1500
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Re: Factory service still available? [WSJT-X bug?]
John Canfield <bucket@...>
The weird thing is my K3S, PC and WSJT-X were all happy (aside from some operational issues with the app) and playing together nicely since about mid-December. The fly in the ointment could be a Win10 update hosed something up, I think I've had maybe two or three of those this year.
I wonder if Dr. Taylor is tracking bugs, I know there's a developer email list.
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Re: Factory service still available?
I had that intermittent TX problem with my K3. I had to power cycle the K3 to reset it to again TX. After a few email exchanges with Elecraft I think these recommended settings fixed it:
TX INH setting - Suggest set to OFF. PTT setting - suggest OFF_OFF. 73 Bob KD8CGH
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Re: Factory service still available? [WSJT-X bug?]
I think it is the computer operating system which likes to go back to its factory set default. The Flex Radio SmartSDR has the same problem and the developers seemed, at least in Windows, to concede to Win10 and tell users not to use the Flex audio settings as the default Windows sound settings.
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Re: Factory service still available?
John Canfield <bucket@...>
Thank you Bob for the ideas. I just put the K3s into Tune and sure enough I was seeing the usual 20 watts (what I usually use with the amplifier) out on my station monitor so there's not an RF problem with the radio. Yesterday I rebooted the adjunct PC with no change. I haven't checked all bands - I usually operate on 20 and 40m so I need to do a thorough evaluation.
I'll have to look in the parts box for some toroids.
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
Jeffrey griffin
I honestly don’t think I ran the K3 at more than 7 watts, to drive the AMP there is much info on this in the archives about the 12 watt usage, I just don’t remember. Unless 7 watts data usage is a problem? Or the failure must have been brought on by the occasional 100 watts data usage? Most of the time, about 99%, I would just use the KPA500 with the K3 at around 20 watts drive on the data modes. The KAT500 in all operating modes was always on line. I’m using a fan dipole that is pretty close to resonant on the banks in question. So maybe the KAT500 has an issue? Anyway I’m going to call Elecraft and see if I can order a replacement L23. I’m going to replace it and do some testing. Hopefully I just did do something dumb, and this fixes the problem…
73 Jeff kb2m
From: Elecraft-K3@groups.io <Elecraft-K3@groups.io> On Behalf Of robert hammond via groups.io
Jeff,
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
Jeff,
The “Achilles heel “ in the K3 power stages is the 12 watt amplifier which is only conduction cooled. In normal use on SSB/ CW modes it seem to be fine all day at 12 watts out ( 8 watts out on 50MHz) Running data modes with 100% duty cycle at fully rated power 12 watts you can feel the back of the K3 chassis is uncomfortably hot after 30 minutes “running” . Running a K3 at 100 watts out, the 12 watt amp is probably running 10 watts plus to drive the PA? The fan will cool the PA but don’t know how effective that is at cooling the 12 watt amp stage. Having said that ....have run my K3 at 100 watts in CQ WW RTTY for long periods without problems .... Maybe the clever guys at Elecraft could introduce a mod to set the max power out of the 12 watt amp to only say 6 watts when running data modes? , and thus engaging the final PA stage sooner than is currently the case? I have a choice here on data modes running either 75 watts out of the KPA500 using a conservative 6-7 watts out of the K3 , or to set 14 watts out of the K3 to run around 175 watts out of the KPA500. This avoids the 12 watt PA being run greater than half power on 100% duty modes. 73 Bob G4DBW
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Re: Factory service still available?
John,
This could very likely be an RFI problem, with RF getting into the PTT circuit. I had a similar problem. Try reducing the rf output to A very low value say 1 watt, and see if everything runs reliably as it should. Does it occur on all bands ? Had problems here on top band , and only after messing around fitting ferrite toroidal did wsjt-x work reliably. So much depends on how much rf is floating around in your shack. Good luck Bob G4DBW
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K3s CODEC access
Jim Denneny
I have lost Audio CODEC audio option in WSJT-X. It was working but no longer in WSJT?Setting/ audio dropdown. How do I restore CODEC for WSJT-X?
73, Jim K7EG
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
K9MA
L23 is in the 20/30m low pass filter.
The only thing I can imagine could cause it to fail is a very
badly mismatched load with just the wrong impedance. It's also
possible, of course, that L23 was just defective.
It would not have affected operation on
any other bands.
73,
Scott K9MA
On 5/3/2020 18:37, Jeffrey griffin
wrote:
-- Scott K9MA k9ma@...
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
According to the schematic I have, L23 is part of the 20/30 meter output LPF. If it's been overheated I suspect a mismatched load was encountered at some time. Does your problem occur only 30 and/or 20 meters? If so, I think you have your answer. Wes N7WS
On Sunday, May 3, 2020, 4:37:40 PM MST, Jeffrey griffin <kb2mjeff@...> wrote:
Well I was asking anyone if they had a clue about L23, I guess not :-)
I will call Elecraft tomorrow…
73 Jeff kb2m
From: Elecraft-K3@groups.io <Elecraft-K3@groups.io> On Behalf Of Wes Stewart via groups.io
And the IMD will be awful.
Wes N7WS
On Sunday, May 3, 2020, 2:59:43 PM MST, john ni0k <jasimmons@...> wrote:
Running 12 watts on data modes is bad. The low power PA won't withstand that.
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
Jeffrey griffin
Well I was asking anyone if they had a clue about L23, I guess not :-)
I will call Elecraft tomorrow…
73 Jeff kb2m
From: Elecraft-K3@groups.io <Elecraft-K3@groups.io> On Behalf Of Wes Stewart via groups.io
Sent: Sunday, May 03, 2020 18:34 To: elecraft-k3@groups.io; Elecraft-K3@groups.io Subject: Re: [Elecraft-K3] 100 watt PA issue
And the IMD will be awful.
Wes N7WS
On Sunday, May 3, 2020, 2:59:43 PM MST, john ni0k <jasimmons@...> wrote:
Running 12 watts on data modes is bad. The low power PA won't withstand that.
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Re: Factory service still available? [WSJT-X bug?]
Rick <rick.22202@...>
Precisely. Same issue here. The fact that the TX audio "comes back" when WSJT-X is restarted seems to strongly suggest the issue is with WSJT-X. I have the same issue with no transmit audio. This occurs after my screen power setting turns off my display. Upon turning the display back on, no transmit audio is sent. Once this happens, I can restart WSJT to fix it. Or change the TX sound card to a wrong value and then change it back to the correct value. Interesting once I fix it this way, further screen power being turned off does not cause the problem. This has to be a WSJT bug.
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Re: 100 watt PA issue
And the IMD will be awful. Wes N7WS
On Sunday, May 3, 2020, 2:59:43 PM MST, john ni0k <jasimmons@...> wrote:
Running 12 watts on data modes is bad. The
low power PA won't withstand that. -de John NI0K Jeffrey griffin wrote on 5/3/2020 12:35 PM: Last summer I was running more data modes (FT8) when I started having an issue with the 100 watt PA failing with a ERR 12V message. I then did the KP3A power connector replacement. This worked fine for a few months. It was working fine till I once again noticed a strong burnt electronics smell coming from the K3's PA. I at that time just used it at 12 watts to Drive the KPA500 for a while as this worked fine. Today I decided to take it apart and try to determine what the issue is. After removing the KP3A module I noticed that L23 on the main board is severely heat damaged. I wasn't expecting this, I was looking to inspect the power connector that I had fixed with the gold pins 6 months ago. Anyone have any thoughts on why L23 would fail? Before I send it to Elecraft. Thanks... 73 Jeff kb2m
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Re: Elecraft K3 for sale ...
Clay Autery
They are just communicating the general
disdain for folks trying to run an auction on and Elecraft
group. Set an asking price, and be done with it. This ain't e-Bay! ______________________ Clay Autery, KY5G (318) 518-1389 On 05/03/20 14:14, Jerry wrote:
I see a trend here and it gonna get ugly! -----Original Message----- From: Elecraft-K3@groups.io <Elecraft-K3@groups.io> On Behalf Of Ware Master Sent: Sunday, May 3, 2020 14:12 PM To: Elecraft-K3@groups.io Subject: Re: [Elecraft-K3] Elecraft K3 for sale ... My bid 52$On May 3, 2020, at 1:16 PM, Martin Kratoska <martin@...> wrote: my bid: $51 :-)))))) 73, Martin, OK1RR Dne 03. 05. 20 v 17:05 dean laclair napsal(a):I'll start the Bidiing out at $50On Sun, May 3, 2020, 08:22 Olli <droese@...> wrote: For sale in Germany (preferably) or Europe: K3/100-F #8232 Factory Assembled, including: KRX3 Sub RX module KFL3A-2.7k 2.7 kHz Roofing Filter in Main RX KFL3A-2.7k 2.7 kHz Roofing Filter in Sub RX (matched to main RX) KFL3A-500 500 Hz Roofing Filter in Main RX KFL3A-500 500 Hz Roofing Filter in Sub RX (matched to main RX) KFL3B-FM 15 kHz AM/FM b/w Roofing Filter in Main RX KXV3A RX Ant / IF Out / Transverter Interface Board K144XV 144-148 MHz 10 W Internal Transverter Modul Transverter K144RFLK Reflock-Board for Internal 2 m Transverter Package & postage within Germany to be paid by me. To be negotiated for sale in Europe. Highest bid wins. ;-) 73, Olli - DH8BQA -- Contest, DX & radio projects: https://www.dh8bqa.de/
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