[Elecraft] KXB3080 Done

Sun Mar 26 23:49:19 EST 2006

Thanks Ron...I had my suspicions about that trace.
The instructions are clear about the enamel lengths; it's just that one 
of them really matters if you get it too long; the others don't seem to 
(but I may be wrong).
I think calling out that L2-1 insulation is important would do the trick. 

Another thing I noticed is that I used to get 3.5W out on 30m and 3W on 
40 and 2.5 on 20 and now I get 2.5W out on 30 and 1.82W on the other 
bands, measured with the DL1.
Either my LPF wasn't up to snuff in the past, or I have some other 
problem. 
Leigh/WA5ZNU
> Thanks Leigh!!  Your comments will result in some clarifications in future
> editions of the manual. 
>
> Confession time: That "cut trace" in the manual photo was done by editing
> the photograph digitally. Mine looks like yours, I'll bet, because I did it
> exactly like the manual says. It wasn't clear on the photo so it justified a
> little digital "help" to make sure it showed up well.
>
> Your comments are all very helpful. I might be easier for builders to strip
> lead L2-1 after the toroid is mounted on the LPF1 board, so it is easy to
> see where to stop. I'm always dubious about calling for using soldering
> irons close to relays though <G>. Still, we might change the procedure to
> call for that. 
>
> Congratulations on a successful build! I know that Wayne "sweated bullets"
> making the extra inductors required for 80 meters fit in the space
> available. It's clear from the success stories that he did a great job of
> it! 
>
> A four-band rig 80-20 meter CW rig with self-contained power, a superhet
> receiver and variable crystal filter, wide range receive for listening to
> everything from the "top end" of the standard broadcast band up through 20
> meters and most of he SWL frequencies in between, super stable digital
> tuning, nice CW break in operation, the comfy little plug-in paddles and it
> all fits in my jacket pocket! It was just a few years ago I had an HP hand
> held calculator that as big as my whole KX1 station. 
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces+rondec=easystreet.com at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:elecraft-bounces+rondec=easystreet.com at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> Leigh L. Klotz, Jr.
> Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2006 12:04 AM
> To: Elecraft Discussion List
> Subject: [Elecraft] KXB3080 Done
>
>
> I finished my 80m board for the KX1 today.  I did it over 3 or 4 days a 
> bit at a time.
>
> The first signal I heard on 80m was noted KX1 owner Bill K6ACJ, but I 
> don't think he was on his KX1.  He signed before I had a chance to call him.
> WA7OSQ Art in Pasco, WA (about 630 miles) was my first QSO, on 3719 with 
> my 400' low-loop, and Art gave me a 569 QSB to my ~1.5W out. The loop has a
> resonance around there, so it didn't really give the 
> KXAT1 a workout at all, and the ATU reported L=C=0.
>
> On the 40m CW band though, all I get is SSB tonight, hi hi...
>
> All in all, I'm impressed that such a thing was possible and pleased I 
> got it.  Time will tell if I can use the 80m with portable antennas, but 
> it certainly works with a big resonant one.
>
> A few minor observations on building and installing follow.
> 73,
> Leigh / WA5ZNU
> --------------------------------------------
> - The 30m alignment seems pickier about hand coupling than on the KXB30 
> but maybe it's my imagination.  I had to use a plastic tuning tool.  
> When I used a metal one with electrical tape, the 30A peak was way off 
> and 30B of course had no peak.  Signals came way up when I touched the 
> metal tool to the trimmers, a sign that I needed to use a plastic one. 
>
> - On the LPF board, I found the text about running the green wire on 
> "top" of the relay confusing.  The pictures confirmed that "top" didn't 
> mean the part of the relay with lettering, but instead one of the sides.
>
> - Consulting the online PDF manual with color photos helped a lot with 
> this and other confusions I had.
>
> - I shortened KB3080 PCB wire B, and later wire F, but the others were 
> OK in length.
>
> - I didn't trim the relay pins, because I missed the instructions, and 
> the Elecraft manuals almost always warn you not to, but it soon became 
> obvious it was required, and I saw the instructions then.
>
> - Somehow I wound up with too much insulation burned off the magnet wire 
> on L2 where it needs to run past the ATU jack, and was afraid it would 
> contact the vias on the LPF board, so I ran it around clear.  This seems 
> to be the most important one to get the insulation right on.  I suspect 
> the instructions are correct, though.
>
> - I missed the instructions to solder C1 on the component side of the 
> LPF1 board and had to redo it.
>
> - My current drain was always about 41ma, a little above what the book 
> said.  I took the opportunity to look for any solder bridges or cold 
> joints, and touched up a few.
> Now it's 44ma and 64ma.
>
> - The advice to test the LPF1 board positioning with the KXAT1 is good.  
> I can see that installing the KXB3080 would be problematic if don't have 
> the KXAT1 but plan to get one, as it's hard to get it positioned exactly 
> right without testing, though I suppose you could re-install the LPF1 if 
> you purchase a KXAT1 later.
>
> - If Elecraft ever fixes the KXB3080 board to have the correct labeling 
> for + and -, please consider not just swapping the symbols but using P 
> and N, to reduce confusion when reading future manuals.
>
> - My cut trace is not as pretty as the one in the manual; the model one 
> looks like it was done with a laser cutter!
>
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