[Elecraft] THANKS ...Re: K2 Instability on Transmit

[JohnK1JD@aol.com]

   Thanks to all who responded. No, I don't have a K3 (wishful thinking on my 
part) but poor typing skills were definitely the limiting factor while using 
TR Log :-) 
What a great program!!

   Sounds like the instability issue is an old bug. To clarify, I was not 
operating in Split at all during the contest. From your responses it sounded 
like contesting-style operation was a common factor...maybe creating race 
conditions with internal CPU timing not normally encountered in more casual 
operation. Hopefully the problem can be resolved in future firmware. 

73,  
John,  K1JD
-----------------------------------------

JohnK1JD@aol.com wrote:
> 
> Hi to all
> 
>   K3 #139 performed **almost** perfectly during the FOC Marathon this
> weekend. The rig was interfaced to TR Log via the KIO2 and the combination
> was amazing. The power of TR Log (freeware version) surprised me.
> PC-controlled keying was also via the serial port using an isolating 
switch,
> and a paddle was connected in parallel with diodes according to the K2
> manual. #139 has every available option installed and drives a Hercules II
> amp.
> 
>   Now for the problem... Twice during the contest (which I operated about 
12
> hours) the frequency display on the K2 would begin to dither, in random
> fashion, while transmitting CW. The dithering was fortunately confined to 
the
> right of the frequency readout decimal point as I recall. Also, the sound 
of
> the sidetone became choppy when this happened and several stations 
commented
> on the drifting. In one case, simply disengaging RIT corrected the problem;
> in the other, powering on/off twice was necessary.  The K2 ran cool the 
whole
> time so I don't think heat is an issue. With contest style operation, T/R
> change-over cycles are short/rapid/frequent which might be challenging to
> internal timing.
>    I also notice that occasionally, when RIT is engaged, the transmit
> frequency does not always display when transmitting on this K2 (the display
> stays on the RIT freq). This has happened often since the rig was put into
> service July of 99, but I don't know if the transmit freq actually "jumps" 
or
> if it's just the display. No one has ever made note of it on the air.
>      Although this problem resulted in only seconds of inconvenience over
> hours of otherwise flawless contest operation, I am concerned that it might
> get worse and hopeful there is a known cause and solution.Your advice would
> be appreciated. Has anyone else reported such a problem?
> 
> Thanks & 73,  John



--- StripMime Report -- processed MIME parts ---
multipart/alternative
  text/plain (text body -- kept)
  text/html
---