[Elecraft] p3 has solid spike on not all bands

[Fred Jensen]

On 3/24/2013 3:25 PM, ED wrote:
> Gang I am using my P3 mainly for 6 meters but when I switch to another Band
> I get a solid spike in the middle of the screen an no movement. Please
> advise
> Also the two arrows green and purple are to the extreme right bottom on the
> screen..

Details:

1.  Are you using your P3 with a K3?  May sound like a stupid question 
but you'd be surprised at the variability of answers you can get to that 
question [or similar ones about the KPA500 or KAT500].

2.  Are you in Fixed-Tune mode [span edges stay constant, VFO A cursor 
moves as you tune] or Tracking mode [signal you're hearing is always in 
the center, edges of the span move as you tune]?  If in Fixed-Tune, have 
you tried adjusting the CENTER function until the VFO A cursor appears?

3.  Define "solid spike."

4.  What is the amplitude of the "solid spike" in dBm [you can set the 
vertical scale to dBm or S-units in the menu]?  Adjust the REF LVL so 
the noise floor ["grass" at the bottom of the display] is at the bottom 
of the display.  I'm assuming you see the noise floor?

5.  What is the level of the noise floor in dBm?

6.  Sub-rx installed?

7.  What do the span edge frequencies read when the green arrow is to 
the right or left.

The purple arrow is the "VFO B cursor is thataway off-scale" arrow.  It 
will appear in both modes if VFO B is not within the span you have set. 
  Ordinarily, the green arrow "VFO A cursor is thataway off-scale" won't 
appear since it is where you're listening.  There does seem to be a tiny 
glitch in the current FW in which, when in Fixed-tune mode, the VFO A 
[green] cursor will move off the end of the span, the span won't reset, 
and you'll see the arrow.  It is fairly rare, I've seen it but not 
often.  Using the CENTER function will correct the problem.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2013 Cal QSO Party 5-6 Oct 2013
- www.cqp.org