[Elecraft] K3 - RX Problem after latest firmware update

Tue Mar 11 08:47:44 EST 2008

OK Stewart.  I did not think that would really be the problem but I wanted to rule it out anyway.

I'm passing this on to Wayne as he is going to have to find what in the firmware that may be causing this to happen.  I tried last night and could not 
reproduct it, but I have seen very few reports of similar situations.

Tnx for your patience while this is sorted out.

-------------------------
73,
Greg - AB7R
Whidbey Island WA
NA-065
K3#0009 and 0319

On Tue Mar 11  9:12 ,     Stewart Baker  sent:

>No TCX0-3 fitted. Serial number is 307.
>
>73
>Stewart G3RXQ
>On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:16:11 -0400, Greg - AB7R wrote:
>> This was true with some early optional TCXO-3 units that had 
>exposed SMDs on the bottom
>> of the can.  There was a capacitor that
>>
>> could potential short to the metal socket where the missing pin 
>would have been.  Hence
>> the addition of the insulation.  This is
>>
>> not a problem with the standard reference oscillator as there 
>are no exposed parts on
>> the bottom.
>>
>>
>> Stewart, Do you have the optional TCXO-3 and what is the radio's 
>serial number?
>>
>>
>> -------------------------
>>
>> 73,
>>
>> Greg - AB7R
>>
>> Whidbey Island WA
>>
>> NA-065
>>
>> K3#0009 and 0319
>>
>>
>> On Mon Mar 10 13:16 , "Bruce Bowman"  sent:
>>
>>
>>> Hi Stewart-
>>>
>>>
>>> Like you, I had a problem with my K3 going dead. Unlike you, I 
>bought a
>>>
>>> factory-built unit. I did that because I wanted to know it was 
>working
>>>
>>> properly from the start. That turned out to be one of those 
>things that
>>>
>>> sounds like a good idea but doesn't withstand close scrutiny.
>>>
>>>
>>> What I saw initially was an occasional error message (ERR PL1) 
>when
>>>
>>> switching to another band, then the audio would decay to 
>nothing over a
>>>
>>> 2 second period. Sometimes I could get it to recover by 
>chnaging bands,
>>>
>>> sometimes not.
>>>
>>>
>>> Since it was factory built, they had me return my K3. They 
>found the
>>>
>>> TCXO3-1 oscillator was grounding occasionally. The oscillator 
>would
>>>
>>> continue to operate, but grounding it (the case? some 
>component? dunno)
>>>
>>> caused the frequency to be pulled about 20 KHz and the receiver 
>would
>>>
>>> die. They replaced the oscillator (probably unnecessary), added 
>an
>>>
>>> insulator and re-ran VCO calibration. It's been rock-solid ever 
>since.
>>>
>>>
>>> Bruce, NM5B
>>>
>>> Santa Fe, NM
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>
>>> From: "Stewart Baker" stewart at baker.nildram.co.uk>
>>>
>>> To: "AB7R" ab7r at cablespeed.com> "Elecraft Reflector"
>>>
>>> elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>>>
>>> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2008 5:33 AM
>>>
>>> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 - RX Problem after latest firmware 
>update
>>>
>>>
>>> Greg,
>>>
>>> Have re-installed V1.75 & V1.57 again, no change.
>>>
>>>
>>> Here is a sequence which you might like to try:-
>>>
>>>
>>> POWER
>>>
>>> 80m LSB 3780
>>>
>>> NORM
>>>
>>> LO CUT=0.15
>>>
>>> SAV ALT1
>>>
>>> NORM
>>>
>>> TX ON/OFF
>>>
>>> ALT1
>>>
>>> TX ON/OFF
>>>
>>> Receive may be dead at this point
>>>
>>>
>>> If not continue with
>>>
>>> Select USB
>>>
>>> ALT1
>>>
>>> TX ON/OFF
>>>
>>> Receive dead
>>>
>>>
>>> Switching bands, modes or NORM always restores receiver.
>>>
>>>
>>> I do (from my point of view) hope that I am not the only one 
>with
>>>
>>> this funny..
>>>
>>>
>>> 73
>>>
>>> Stewart G3RXQ
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, 9 Mar 2008 12:30:15 -0700, AB7R wrote:
>>>
>>>> Stewart,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Try installing the new firmware again.  I just tried to 
>recreate
>>>>
>>> your report
>>>
>>>> and the radio performs as expected...no problem with RX after 
>a
>>>>
>>> transmit
>>>
>>>> with ALT1 set to 0.15 on the LO side.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 73
>>>>
>>>> Greg
>>>>
>>>> AB7R
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>
>>>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>>>>
>>>> 
>[elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net','','','')">elecraft-bounces at mai
>lman.qth.net]On
>>>> Behalf Of Stewart
>>>>
>>> Baker
>>>
>>>> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 11:32 AM
>>>>
>>>> To: Elecraft Reflector
>>>>
>>>> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 - RX Problem after latest firmware 
>update
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> I am not sure if there is an obscure problem after the latest
>>>>
>>> MCU
>>>
>>>> and DSP update. Maybe others could check and see if it happens
>>>>
>>> to
>>>
>>>> them ?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Any band on SSB if I have the DSP set to ALT1 with the Low Cut
>>>>
>>> set
>>>
>>>> at 0.15 Hz , then after going onto transmit the receiver 
>appears
>>>>
>>>> to be dead. If I set the DSP to NORM by pressing the knob the
>>>>
>>>> receiver suddenly bursts into life...
>>>>
>>>> This happens whether there is any transmit audio or RF out.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 73
>>>>
>>>> Stewart G3RXQ
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
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