[Elecraft] KX1 Issue

[Brian Murrey]

Don,

Thanks for the tip. I'll take a look at those. I was operating mobile with the
KX1 and drove through a pretty strong thunderstorm, I was using a Anttron
Hamwhip for 20m on the trunk mount.

I did not build this KX1 or the KXAT1, I bought it from another ham and it was
working great until the mobile operations on Monday.  I think I have some
5711's in the junkbox.  I'll try that tonight.

I did a system reset on the KX1 also, but it didn't help. I did work Indy to
San Diego last night on 2w and my attic dipole, so the main rig seems to be in
good shape.

73



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Don Wilhelm" <w3fpr at earthlink.net>
To: "Brian Murrey" <kb9bvn at earthlink.net>; <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 7:37 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] KX1 Issue


> Brian,
>
> If you have relays clicking and it attempts to tune, then the firmware chip
> is likely just fine.
> You said it failed after a storm, which gives me cause to believe that the
> two diodes in the wattmeter should be replaced.  Put new 1N5711s in the D1
> and D2 positions and I would believe the problem will go away.
>
> Note that these diodes are sitting in the wattmeter section which hangs
> directly off the antenna jack, making them most vulnerable to
> static/lightning damage.  Disconnect your rig from the antenna during a
> storm.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> >
> > Any experts on KXAT1 debugging?
> >
> > Yesterday I had the KX1 in the car with the 20m hamstick and for
> > about half
> > the
> > day I was about to work Florida, Mass, Texas...with 2w and the KX1.  I was
> > using the KXAT1 to tune my hamstick, even though I have the
> > hamstick adjusted
> > to 1.2 : 1 without the tuner.
> >
> > BIG storm comes along, I'm not running CW now, I'm driving and
> > listening to CW
> > and lots of static.  So I shut off the rig and keep tooling on
> > down the road.
> >
> > About 20 mins later I pull into Riley Park in Greenfield IN and
> > and park so I
> > can play radio...except the KXAT1 is saying I am only putting out
> > .05 watts,
> > then sometimes maybe .09 watts...SWR is like 8:1 now.  So I move
> > the car...I
> > am in the clear...nothing metal near me...same thing.  huh.
> >
> > When I get home I take the rig in to the radio room and attach it
> > to the attic
> > dipole, that never fails.
> >
> > I put it in auto tune mode...on 40m...SWR reads 9:1 on the KX1
> > but 1.2:1 on my
> > external meter. I take it out of auto tune...do a manual
> > tune...KXAT! says SWR
> > is 9.9:1 and power out is less than half a watt...on a 14.0v power supply.
> >
> > So I go through the ATU setting, no error code (showing E00).  I yank the
> > KXAT1, jumper pins 1 and 3 on J7...which now makes it a KX1 without an
> > internal ATU.
> >
>