[Elecraft] K3 abruptly shuts off during CW transmission

[Guy Olinger K2AV]

The going back to the "last saved" frequency is a dead giveaway that
the power has been EXTERNALLY removed or glitched without the benefit
of manual power off (which allows K3 to go through all its "save
stuff" shutdown routines).  This will bring you up on the previous
frequency. If the previous operation was a different mode, it will go
to that mode as well.

Don't let the lack of an obvious connection to RIT off get you onto a
tangent.  Fix the problem with the power wiring or power supply and
see what is left afterwards.  You may never be able to explain why it
happened with RIT.  I could guess that turning on RIT causes a spike
of K3 CPU power consumption to do all the processing crap needed to
turn on RIT, and is the straw that broke the camel's back.  But I
don't know that, and it doesn't matter.

The power problem could be those power pins (that are now gold
anodized) going bad.  You can read about that problem on the Elecraft
site.

73, Guy.

On Sun, Aug 14, 2011 at 9:39 PM, Lou Kolb <loukolb at gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm having a similar problem with k3 4290.  I have qrq mode turned on but
> when I engage the RIT which turns QRQ mode off and then transmit, the rig
> shuts down.  It also comes back on a different frequency when I power it
> back up.  If I leave the RIT off, it doesn't happen.  I thought it might be
> firmware related and had been meaning to reinstall version 436.  Then, 439
> was released so I just upgraded to it figuring that might solve the problem
> but no joy.  I'm at a loss to explain this so any thoughts would be welcome.
> Thanks.  lou  WA3MIX
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "K4SC" <k4swisscheese at yahoo.com>
> To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 8:45 PM
> Subject: [Elecraft] K3 abruptly shuts off during CW transmission
>
>
>> After nearly two years of trouble free operation, I have developed a
>> repeatable problem.  While transmitting on 40 meter CW on my usual antenna
>> the K3 suddenly shuts down.  When I repower it, it comes back up fine, but
>> has shifted frequency by about 1.5 kHz.  This is occuring during
>> relatively
>> short transmissions.  Power was at 100 watts and swr was about 1.5:1.  I
>> tried turning power down to 75 watts and it repeated.  I then switched to
>> a
>> dummy load and it happens again; as I said it is definitely repeatable.  I
>> even updated the firmware, no joy!  Any thoughts.  I operated cw mostly so
>> I
>> can't say if this is also occuring on SSB.
>>
>> Thanks,  Chuck K4SC  South Carolina
>>
>> --
>> View this message in context:
>> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/K3-abruptly-shuts-off-during-CW-transmission-tp6685970p6685970.html
>> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>