[Elecraft] K3 question

[Don Wilhelm]

Rob,

Too many variables to give a good answer.
Consider that the K3 plus Alpha 87A might be giving you RF Feedback 
which will create"strange happenings".  The real question is -- "Does 
the same thing happen when driving a dummy load?"   If the answer is 
"NO", then look for the solution in your antenna system.

Note that I normally respond to conditions where the transmitter is 
driving a dummy load.  Other situations do exist, but may or may not be 
the problem - it all depends, and the input impedance of the antenna is 
a variable that can create erroneous information to be injected into the 
equation.  KISS - "Keep It Simple Stupid" is always a good goal, it 
reduces the number of variables.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/13/2012 7:33 PM, k6rb at baymoon.com wrote:
> I noticed the other night that when I was using one of my two K3s on 80 m
> CW, in full QSK, there would be occasional snap-like audio sounds and I
> would lose sidetone during a computer-keyed interval. The radio was still
> putting out a signal but the sidetone and between-character RX signals
> were muted too, until the sequence completed. I'm not sure it's related,
> but occasionally that same K3 - on 80 m CW - causes repeated soft faulting
> of the Alpha 87A it drives. I thought maybe something was screwy with the
> antenna or feeds, but I switched to the other K3 driving a KPA-500, and
> had nothing like that snapping sound and audio muting. Anyone have a clue?
>
> Rob K6RB
>