[Elecraft] Unexpected use for a P3

[Amateur Radio Operator N5GE]

Yes!

I discovered a couple of weeks ago that the P3 can also be used to see the
approximate settings on my Palstar AT5K tuner by adjusting the inductance and
capacitance for maximum band noise on the P3.  

In fact when experimenting I found that if I tuned my 80m half sloper with the
K3 set to 1.825Mhz I could actually see the center point of the match moving
from side to side in the P3 display when the total P3 span was set to 200Khz.

I'm sure as time goes by we will find many other uses for the P3.  It is indeed
a very useful piece of equipment.

73,

Tom Childers
Radio Amateur N5GE
Licensed since 1976
QCWA Life Member 35102
ARRL Life Member
Retired Professional
C# Software developer
http://www.n5ge.net

On Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:44:59 -0600, Chuck Guenther <charles9415 at att.net>  wrote:

>I've been spending the winter on 160 meters with my Cushcraft MA160V
>top-loaded vertical antenna.  This antenna has been surprisingly effective
>for such a short (approx. 36 feet) vertical.  I have a decent, though by 
>no means
>exceptional, ground system.  The usable bandwidth is on the order of 20 KHz,
>and I carefully tuned it for a center frequency of 1820 KHz, positioning 
>me for
>CW DX fun on Top Band.
>
>Since I obtained the P3 last Fall, I've noticed that I can see the 
>rolloff characteristics
>of my antenna simply by looking at the display with band noise.
>
>We had considerable freezing rain and sleet, followed by snow here in 
>St. Louis
>in the past couple of days.  The top loading elements (coil and top-hat 
>capacitance)
>have a thick coating of ice on them.  The other night, I turned on my K3 
>and P3 and
>was prepared for listening for DX at sunset when I noticed the P3 was 
>indicating a
>frequency response rolloff far below what was normal.  In fact my 
>antenna had made
>a QSY right out of the band to a new center frequency of roughly 1770 
>KHz!  Even at
>the 1800 KHz band edge my SWR was about 5.5:1.
>
>Having used this and other top-loaded verticals, I had experienced 
>shifts of 15-20 KHz
>due to icy conditions previously.  But never a 50 KHz shift!
>
>I tried using my MFJ-259B Antenna Analyzer to check the resonant 
>frequency and
>bandwidth of my antenna, only to discover the lower limit of the 
>analyzer is 1800 KHz.
>
>Now, I'm waiting for some of the ice to melt or evaporate from my 
>antenna so I can use it
>again.  So I'm watching band noise on my P3, waiting for the resonant 
>frequency to
>come back up.  Already today, it has moved up about 10 KHz (even though 
>the temperature
>remains below freezing).
>
>I just thought I'd point out this aspect of the P3 (or other panadaptor 
>frequency displays) for
>indicating the frequency response characteristics of high-Q antennas.
>
>73,
>Chuck Guenther  NI0C
>
>
>
>
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