[Elecraft] K2 alignment & test, part II, peaking the coils

[Tom, W6WW]

Tom & all,

Thanks to all for the really quick responses to my inquiry.  One problem was
that 40m was dead, but it picked up and I was able to get the coils into
reasonable peak.

Thanks especially to you, Tom, for your "Cheap & Dirty Signal Tracing" paper
on the Elecraft web site.  In following it through, I found a diode with an
occasional solder connection and found the pre-amp wasn't working.  Some
sleuthing turned up a T-6 lead not well enough stripped.

The help on this reflector and on the web among the supporters is truly
amazing!
On to more building.

73,
Tom, W6WW
K2 #3453


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tom Hammond" <n0ss@earthlink.net>
To: "Tom, W6WW" <tom@cwx.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 08, 2003 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 alignment & test, part II, peaking the coils


> Tom:
>
> >I have been able to tune an occasional weak signal on 40 m at this stage,
> >but:
> >
> >  - The peaking of L34 is extremely broad, almost undetectable.
Adjusting L1
> >& L2 seems to have no effect.
>
> It is in fact! The best S/N ratio should be found around 1-1/2 turns down
> from the top of the can. You'll best peak this once you have the BPF
> peaked, so you can really HEAR signals, and background noise.
>
> For my K2, I found that I could peak L34 for max background NOISE and then
> turn the core a bit further INWARD to reduce the background noise, but NOT
> significantly reduce the strength of the signal itself.
>
> >Also, there are lots of signals that sound like birdies, some are loud,
some
> >weak, some very narrow, some broader.
>
> Most, though not all, will be so far down in the noise, once you get
things
> peaked, as to be unnoticeable.
>
> >Does this sound right? Should the peaking of the coils be so broad  Is
40m
> >dead mid-day?  Any tips would be appreciated.
>
> The peaking of L34 ONLY should be broad. The rest of the BPF coils should
> exhibit pretty well-defined peaks.
>
> Hard to say about 40M right now. With all the disruption to the ionosphere
> recently, just about ANY band could be pretty dead.
>
> Your suggestion of using your MFJ Ant Analyzer as a signal source should
> help, as long as it's not too heavily coupled to the input of the K2.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Tom  N0SS
>
>