[Elecraft] Elecraft CW Net Report for July 10th & 11th, 2011

Mon Jul 11 15:24:22 EDT 2011

I can report as a FT for the 'new' RF TX board (KTXRF3) that in a recent
contest we were told we were the only station that could be heard on the
bands. It appears to be working well and maybe a tweak or two to the FW is
all that is required prior to production.

Gary

On 12 July 2011 01:46, Merv Schweigert <k9fd at flex.com> wrote:

> Its been kept a secret for a few years now but is bound to come to light,
> its been found that during a weekend with high activity, such as a contest
> all the K3s that are on the air suck the RF from the bands,
> Everyone using the K3 is searching for every stray smidgen of RF out
> there and as we all know if a K3 is tuned to a signal it extracts a
> certain amount of energy from that signal,  thus when there are many
> K3s active and tuned to these weak signals there is almost no RF
> left to extract for others.
> Thats why you hear the comments "my K3 hears signals others do not"
> etc.  They can be called RF suckers in one sense, the more k3s active there
> are the worse the "propagation" or conditions will become.
> You may have noticed in the past few years since the introduction of the
> K3 that conditions have not improved and in fact seem to be getting
> worse,  perhaps in correlation to the number of K3s in use?
> Elecraft is working at fever pace to try and come up with some solution
> to this problem,  and firmware is in testing stages for the K3 to transmit
> a very low level signal back on the air to replace the RF that it has
> sucked out.  So standby when you hear conditions improving you know
> that the test have been successful and E will shine again with new and
> futuristic developments in the hobby.
> So far it does not appear there are any lawsuits over the removal of so
> much RF from the spectrum,  but it is suspect they may be forthcoming
> by other radio manufacturers who are undated by calls their radios are
> not receiving as well.
> The retransmit module will be a small daughter board that will fit in the
> K3 with no problem and will be minimal charge.  Those not installing the
> new update will be subject to being called signal hogs and signal suckers
> and if found participating in contests will be disqualified.
> 73 and good DXing Merv K9FD/KH6
>
> > I've noticed the same thing.  It's as if something is absorbing our
> signals.
> >   Things are happening!!!
> >
> > Gary, N7HTS
> >
> >
> > On Sun, 10 Jul 2011 20:11:07 -0700
> >    "Kevin Rock"<kevinr at coho.net>  wrote:
> >
> >> Good Evening,
> >>     What in the world has happened to propagation lately?  On twenty
> meters
> >> before the net I scanned the band and found a number of folks on the
> air.
> >> But when I called the net I heard nothing for the entire time.  First
> >> skunk for me in nine years.  I guess it had to happen sometime but why
> did
> >> it not occur during the depth of the solar cycle?  According to
> >> SpaceWeather.com there are many spots on the sun but they are not
> >> improving propagation.  During the last few months I keep checking to
> see
> >> if my antenna has fallen down.
> >>      Luckily forty meters was not as bad.  It is still limited to the
> West
> >> Coast but at least I could hear a few folks.  Only the first two on the
> >> following list however.  The next two were relayed to me by Dale.  I
> heard
> >> just a peep from Phil but nothing at all from Don.  Guess San Diego is
> out
> >> of my range!  I wonder where my twenty meter signal was landing?  It
> sure
> >> seems to have missed North America.
> >>
> >>     On to the lists =>
> >>
> >>    On 14050.5 kHz at 2200z:
> >> No stations heard.
> >>
> >>    On 7045.5 kHz at 0000z:
> >> K6PJV - Dale - CA - K3 - 1183
> >> NK6A - Don - CA - K3 - 4569
> >> NS7P - Phil - OR - K3 - 1826
> >> AE6II - Don - CA
> >>
> >>    I can only hope twenty meters improves over the week.  I know the
> >> weather is going back to wet and chilly again.  For the next week the
> >> highs will be in the 50s.  I am glad I still have wood left for the
> >> stove!  We had a few days of warm weather and sun.  That was nice.  74
> >> degrees one day felt hot.  I am glad the thimbleberries were in full
> bloom
> >> for the warm days.  The bees have been very active with them right
> outside
> >> my radio shack window.  Hopefully a lot of berries will be set since
> these
> >> are my favorites.  Year by year my patch of them grows larger.  It won't
> >> be long before I get to compete with the deer to eat them :)
> >>     Until next week stay well,
> >>        73,
> >>           Kevin.  KD5ONS  (Net Control Operator 5th Class)
> >>
> >> -
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