[Elecraft] Need help operating K3 with Yaesu Quadra amplifier
Ken Roberson
kwroberson at yahoo.com
Mon Sep 14 14:10:15 EDT 2009
Jim,
This will key the K3 and it will put out whatever power you
have it set for, I set mine for 55 watts.
73 Ken K5DNL
-----------------------------------------------
--- On Mon, 9/14/09, Ken Roberson <kwroberson at yahoo.com> wrote:
> From: Ken Roberson <kwroberson at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Need help operating K3 with Yaesu Quadra amplifier
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net, jpk5lad at cox.net
> Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 1:07 PM
> Jim,
> Set the K3 to operate CW in SSB mode first.
> Hope this helps
> 73 Ken K5DNL
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
> --- On Mon, 9/14/09, jpk5lad at cox.net
> <jpk5lad at cox.net>
> wrote:
>
> > From: jpk5lad at cox.net
> <jpk5lad at cox.net>
> > Subject: [Elecraft] Need help operating K3 with Yaesu
> Quadra amplifier
> > To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > Date: Monday, September 14, 2009, 11:26 AM
> > I'm trying to find the correct
> > sequence of steps to make
> > sure my new Quadra amplifier is correctly adjusted to
> my
> > K3. I have it hooked through the Band-Data1 8-pin
> cable
> > and the Quadra does change bands correctly as it
> tracks
> > the K3. The Quadra also switches to the correctly
> > programmed input and/or output spigots. All that is
> > fine.
> >
> > Taken from the Quadra Operating Manual, "Drive power
> > must be at least 50 watts for accurate SWR detection,
>
> > and 70 to 80 watts for optimum tuner performance."
> >
> > The problem is primarily in keying the K3 properly to
> allow
> >
> > the Quadra's antenna tuner to adjust properly. The
> > Quadra requires 70-80 watts to tune correctly so I
> need to
> >
> > key the K3 with the TUNE button which puts out 5 watts
>
> > as it's set up. (I realize that I could reset the
> TUNE
> > output
> > to start at a higher rate but surely that's not the
> best
> > way)
> > Otherwise, I must press TUNE, crank the PWR knob from
>
> > the 5 watts up to 70-80 watts, then press the TUNE
> button
> > on the Quadra but the amplifier keys for about
> a second
> > as the tuner starts to tune, then drops out,
> displaying
> > the
> > message "ERROR" on the display. Now I'm back to 5
> > watts on the K3 again so after pressing the K3's TUNE
>
> > button again I must crank on the PWR knob again (which
>
> > is about 4 full revolutions). For as many times as I
> try
> >
> > this, the K3 will not stay keyed up long enough for
> the
> > Quadra to tune the antenna. BTW - I don't see any
> error
> > messages from the K3 during this time.
> >
> > Using the same amplifier but with my IC-756PRO as a
> > driver [in RTTY mode at about 70 watts -- with no
> physical
> >
> > connections for band changing] it reads the
> > frequency/band and automatically changes bands and I
> > can press the Quadra's TUNE button and it tunes up
> > perfectly. Quickly, painlessly and correctly -- one
> easy
> > operation which takes, at most, about 5 seconds.
> >
> > Realizing that all is normal with the Quadra, tuner
> and
> > antenna I switch the input of the Quadra back to the
> K3
> > (which changes the PTT, ALC and RF input lines), then
> I
> > try the K3 TUNE again. I crank up the PWR knob from
> 5
> > watts to 70-80 watts, press the Quadra's TUNE button
> but
> > I see the same thing: it trys to tune for about a
> second,
> >
> > then drops back with the "ERROR" message. The K3
> just
> > doesn't seem to want to stay in TUNE mode (which is
> > displaying CW) until the amplifier tuner can complete
> its
> > job. [It's not because it got tuned up properly with
> the
> > PRO as the Quadra will always reinitiate a tune when
> so
> > instructed with the TUNE button]
> >
> > I've read everything I can find on hooking up the
> Quadra,
> > both to the K3 and to other transceivers. There's
> LOTS of
> >
> > excellent documentation out there and I appreciate all
> the
> >
> > work from those folks. I'm relatively sure that my
> > hookup
> > between the two is fine.
> >
> > I guess what I'm asking is -- What are the steps used
> by
> > other K3/Quadra users to change a band and make sure
> > the Quadra's tuner is properly tuned. What am I
> missing
> >
> > to keep the K3 transmitting until the Quadra can
> complete
> > its tune operation? It's just so easy with the PRO
> and so
> >
> > hard with the K3, but perhaps it's something I'm
> > overlooking or doing incorrectly (<-- major
> > possibility)
> >
> > BTW - The Quadra will memorize the tuning positions
> for
> > various frequencies for different antennas so I guess
> I
> > could let the IC-756PRO to do all the set up but I'm
> trying
> >
> > to wean myself away from the 756PRO and do everything
>
> > on my K3. The K3 shines in SO MANY places, it just
> > should be able to be easy here too.
> >
> > Also, last week on the
> > YAESUQUADRA at yahoogroups.com,
> > a fellow presented
> > a wonderful document listing, for someone else, on the
>
> > steps to tune up the Quadra to a couple of different
> > transceivers. It looked so neat and I thought it was
>
> > exactly what I needed. Unfortunately, it did not
> work for
> >
> > my K3/Quadra combination............. rats!
> >
> > Sorry for the long note but is there any hope for
> me?
> > .......
> > let me re-phrase that ---- is there any HELP for me?
> >
> > Thanks and 73,
> > Jim - K5LAD
> >
> >
> >
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Growing old is like being increasingly
> > penalized for a crime you haven't committed.
> > -- Anthony Powell
> >
> -----------------------------------------------------------
> > Visit my web page at:
> > www.hayseed.net/~jpk5lad/
> > =============================
> >
> >
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