[Elecraft] A few thoughts on the K3 as an AM SWBC receiver

[drewko]

An "unlocked" K3 can auto tune the ATU on any frequency. The problem
with that is you would be transmitting out of band if you tried it in
the SWBC bands.

But you can tune the ATU manually as follows: 

Select the CONFIG KAT3 menu item. Choose LCSet instead of AUTO. Exit
the config menu and tap ATU TUNE. This will display your current L/C
elements without transmitting. Then adjust the L and C settings with
the VFO knobs. Tap ANT to place the capacitor on either the antenna
side (CA) or the tuner side (Ct). 

When you return to the ham bands you will want to remember to switch
the KAT3 back to AUTO because the AUTO/LCSet setting applies across an
entire band. (In this case "band" is a K3 Band consisting of a ham
band and adjoining general coverage portions. For instance, the 19m
SWBC band is part of the 20m ham band; 31m is part of 30m, etc.).
Unfortunately, when you return to AUTO the K3 will wipe out your
manual setting so you will have to manually retune again when you
return to the SWBC portion.

It would be nice if the K3 could remember the ATU mode (auto or
manual) per each tuning segment instead of just having it apply to the
entire swath of band. Then the SWBC segments would remember their
manual settings while the ham portions could remain in auto tune. 

73,
Drew
AF2Z




On Sun, 02 May 2010 10:45:58 -0600, Bill W5WVO wrote:

>Chuck,
>
>The antenna I'm using is the Alpha-Delta DX-SWL sloper. It is 60 ft long and 
>has two strategically placed resonators (coils) which cause it to be 
>resonant in or near the SWBC bands down to 90 meters. Because our ham bands 
>tend to be right next door to SWBC bands (40/41 meters, 30/31 meters, 20/19 
>meters 15/16 meters, etc.), it's also easy to load it up using the K3's KAT3 
>unit, and I use it to work 30 meters CW mostly. Also loads up on all other 
>HF ham bands except for 160. The KAT3 is a recent addition to my K3, and 
>it's a wonderful little autotuner. The DX-SWL isn't a real efficient ham 
>transmitting antenna for these bands, but it does load. My primary ham 
>interest is 6 meters and I have stacked yagis on that band, so this little 
>wire antenna is mostly for SW listening -- but it does work as a TX antenna, 
>and seems to work best on 30/40 meters.
>
>When using it for SWBC listening, I either put the KAT3 in BYPASS mode, or 
>just leave it tuned up on the closest ham band. I see no difference in 
>signal strength either way. There is, to the best of my knowledge, no way to 
>"tune" the KAT3 outside the ham bands. If there is a way, maybe somebody 
>would like to share that. :-)
>
>Bill W5WVO
>
>