Fw: [Elecraft] Need help to cope with the K2-KPA100 Info 080 message

[Pauli Nunez EA3BLQ]

Hi there friends,

Help is still urgently needed.

Wish to thank Phil (WD8QWR), Don (KD5NDB), Mike (VP8NO) and Don (N4HH) for
their advice and good luck wishes and also wish to sympathize with Frank
(DL4KQ) whose K2s (three to my knowledge) after upgrading F/Ws when they
returned from T33C have been and are still suffering the same "info 080
illness" with exactly the same symptoms as mine.

Friends, haven't had any luck at all. As Don, KD5NDB, pointed out, I have
changed the resistors R6 at the control board and R64 at the RF board from
their previous value to that of 100 Ohms as well as the capacitor C12 at the
control board to 0.0027 uF (272). When I found Don was right and I had to
change those parts, I thought: "This is it ..." but when I made the changes
and keeping my fingers crossed, I switched the K2 on to keep seeing the
damned message, I shouted a word I prefer not to reproduce and, believe me,
I am not a foul-spoken man. Not at all.

Have also changed KPA100 miniature RF chock RFC9 for a larger one same value
(15uH) (had no small toroid handy) but to no avail. "Info 080" message is
very persistent.

This is a very strange problem I have been fighting for over three months
before I have decided to address my question to the K2rs community as a last
resource for help. The integrated K2/100 worked fine before doing the
upgrading and now as soon as I introduce the KPA100, be it directly on the
basic K2 (where there are no cables, but the flat cable, to check) or split,
the damned "info 080" appears and stays.

WITHOUT the KPA100, the basic K2 and the KAT100 seem to work fine, although
now my K2 needs a through calibration after so many "Info 080" and
initialization sessions.

Have made all the proposed tests and to no avail. Am quite lost within a
complicated and dense maze which looks like not having a way out. HELP!!!

Hope to be luckier than Frank, DL4KQ. Three K2 with the same problem at
once! My ...!

Although Eric in his role of list moderator is for sure aware of my problem,
I'm sending one copy to Gary at the support service to humbly ask for his
help.

Any new ideas will be more than welcome. Best wishes for good luck to you
all.

73 Pauli, EA3BLQ
K2/100 # 1044
ea3blq at menta.net
ea3blq at qsl.net
URL: www.qsl.net/ea3blq



> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Pauli Nunez EA3BLQ" <ea3blq at menta.net>
> > To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> > Sent: Sunday, July 18, 2004 7:29 PM
> > Subject: [Elecraft] Need help to cope with the K2-KPA100 Info 080
message
> >
> >
> > > Greetings from Barcelona to all.
> > >
> > > Friends, need help to cope with the dreaded and hatred "Info 080"
> message.
> > >
> > > Here's my story:
> > >
> > > Have been working with the integrated K2/100 and the KAT100-1 for
rather
> a
> > > long time with no problem at all whatsoever.
> > >
> > > One day, some three months ago, I decided to upgrade my KPA100
> introducing
> > > the changes to raise the SWR threshold, updating the U1 firmware to
> > version
> > > 1.09 and installing the new shielding with the ground clips. Now I
have
> > > learned that I am once again behind with the KPA100 F/W. Will have to
> > > upgrade to version 1.10 to be up to date.
> > >
> > > I also upgraded the following firmwares:
> > > K2MCU to version 2.04P,
> > > K2IOC to version 1.09
> > > KSB2 to version 1.08b and
> > > KDSP2 to version 3.1
> > >
> > > And so as to be able to use my K2DI-PCI Digital-Computer Interface,
> > decided
> > > to split my K2/100 and install the upgraded KPA100 with the KAT100-2
in
> > one
> > > EC-2.
> > >
> > > After having made, checked and rechecked all the split connections, I
> > > switched the K2 on and ... guess what ...? You are right, I got the
> damned
> > > "Info 080" message. First time I saw it. Tried installing the KPA100
> > > directly on the K2 as I had it formerly. The same result.
> > >
> > > To make a long story short: If I do not introduce the KPA100 in the
> > circuit
> > > I do not get that message. The K2 talks with the computer obeying all
> the
> > > CAT orders it receives and the KAT100 does work ok, switching bands
and
> > > tuning the antenna. This circumstance makes me believe that the
problem
> > > resides in the KPA100. When reading the KPA100 troubleshooting notes
for
> > the
> > > "Info 080" message it refers me to the K2 Manual troubleshooting
notes,
> > > which I have read, checked and counterchecked.
> > >
> > > Have readjusted C22 at the control board with the help of a calibrated
> > > external counter.
> > > The resistance between U1 pin 28 on the RF board and U6 pin 40 at the
> > > control board is 923 Ohms (well within the required 900-1000 ohms)
> > > Neither R6 on the control board or R64 on the RF board are shorted to
> > > ground.
> > > The voltage on pin 28 of U1 with the K2 power on is 5.63 v which
reading
> > is
> > > ok as for the established canons. (Power supply voltage at the very K2
> > inlet
> > > is 13.8 v)
> > >
> > > I have inspected the KPA100 board and have checked it once and again,
> > mainly
> > > the area object of the last mod, looking for any cold solder and/or
> > bridges
> > > but all seems to be correct.
> > >
> > > Any ideas or suggestions will be much welcome. Thank you in advance.
> > >
> > > Best 73
> > >
> > > Pauli, EA3BLQ
> > > K2/100 # 1044
> > > ea3blq at menta.net
> > > ea3blq at qsl.net
> > > URL: www.qsl.net/ea3blq