[Elecraft] So here is one that has me stumped...

Wed Nov 6 18:40:11 EST 2013

SOLVED!! It was a bad LDG tuner….3 years old…AT 600 Pro…Thank you all, Especially Dale, Don and ken for their efforts to walk me thru the troubleshooting process…

My very best,

George
On Nov 6, 2013, at 11:42 AM, Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com> wrote:

> and it is the same if it tunes into an open port?
> 
> Have a great day, 
>  
>  
> --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy
>  
>  
> 
> 
> From: pontiakos at monovasia.com
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] So here is one that has me stumped...
> Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 11:34:49 -0700
> To: daleputnam at hotmail.com
> 
> Yes Identical on both ports and with both dipoles….low power…35 watts max….same conditions….annoying
> On Nov 6, 2013, at 10:09 AM, Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> One more thing, and it's just being "Murphy proofed"... is the tuner selected to the correct antenna port?
> 
> Have a great day, 
>  
>  
> --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy
>  
>  
> 
> 
> > From: pontiakos at monovasia.com
> > Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 10:00:03 -0700
> > To: daleputnam at hotmail.com
> > CC: elecraft at mailman.qth.net; don at w3fpr.com
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] So here is one that has me stumped...
> > 
> > Well that is a good question….when keyed…the tuner obviously sees the rf because it starts the calibration process and shows the wattage I am pushing….during the entire process the SWR led's show all red, the box makes the normal cal noises and the stops showing all red high swr…
> > 
> > So I believe it sees the ant and I believe it sees the rf…
> > 
> > It also worked fine initially start-up ran and calibrated to 1.2/1 with the k3 alone and with the amp engaged…
> > 
> > Something changed….I do not think I put a mis configuration value in the set up when I was learning the config menus (but if there is a setting that could cause this condition, then perhaps I did), short of that…I am coming slowly to the conclusion that the tuner developed a problem….
> > 
> > 
> > On Nov 6, 2013, at 9:53 AM, Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > > Just so I understand, the tuner still acts like it doesn't "see" the antenna? or it acts like it doesn't "see" any rf?
> > > 
> > > Have a great day, 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] So here is one that has me stumped...
> > > From: pontiakos at monovasia.com
> > > Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 09:49:09 -0700
> > > CC: don at w3fpr.com; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > > To: daleputnam at hotmail.com
> > > 
> > > Thanks Dale….I did change the coax out of the K3 to the amp…then thru the other troubleshooting configurations…The tuner just grinds away pinned and then stays that way...
> > > On Nov 6, 2013, at 9:45 AM, Dale Putnam <daleputnam at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > > 
> > > The one piece left unchecked, (in my mind and I may have missed something here) is the coax between the KX3 and the tuner.
> > > It sure wouldn't be the first time I got caught with a short piece of coax that failed at the exact "right" time... can you spell MURPHY???
> > > ;-)
> > > 
> > > Have a great day, 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --... ...-- Dale - WC7S in Wy
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > > From: pontiakos at monovasia.com
> > > > Date: Wed, 6 Nov 2013 09:40:44 -0700
> > > > To: don at w3fpr.com
> > > > CC: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> > > > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] So here is one that has me stumped...
> > > > 
> > > > Thank you for the responses and suggestions:
> > > > 
> > > > 1.) Ran the ant coax thru the balun directly to the K3- SWR 4.2/1
> > > > 2.) Ran the ant coax thru the LDG 600 Pro bypassing the amp- high SWR
> > > > 3.) When I hit the "tune" function on the LDG, I am getting from the tuner a message "ERR_NO_RF_" blink once warning
> > > > 
> > > > The only thing I can think of the LDG has an internal issue, everything else seems correct…I had the exact same set up on my prior rig, same coax etc….worked like a charm…I am beginning to think it is the tuner…
> > > > 
> > > > Any other thoughts….I cannot believe I set a config by accident internal within the K3 to cause this issue…
> > > > 
> > > > My very best to all,
> > > > 
> > > > George
> > > > 
> > > > On Nov 6, 2013, at 5:46 AM, Don Wilhelm <w3fpr at embarqmail.com> wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > George,
> > > > > 
> > > > > What happens when you transmit into a dummy load?
> > > > > What happens if you connect the K3 directly to the tuner (remove the amp from the path of coax)?
> > > > > 
> > > > > If my understanding of your setup is correct, the K3 will indicate the SWR it sees into the input of the amp.
> > > > > OTOH, the amp sees the SWR at the input to the tuner.
> > > > > 
> > > > > It sounds like you may have a problem with the tuner or the amp or the coax between the amp and tuner.
> > > > > You could also have an RF feedback problem that is causing your SWR readings to be crazy.
> > > > > Some work with an antenna analyzer may be helpful.
> > > > > 
> > > > > 73,
> > > > > Don W3FPR
> > > > > 
> > > > > On 11/6/2013 12:17 AM, George Pontiakos wrote:
> > > > >> Out of the box, fired 7729 up…set the configuration to the quick start (which means all I did was select the external spkr set to 1). running thru a LDG AT600 pro auto tuner…and an AL-811…
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> All ran fine, great report across the bands…called Dave at Elecraft for some help on setting the Sql to the RF collar…great accessibility and customer service….
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> Came back from dinner….high SWR (ant is a Cobra Senior)
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> Nothing else changed…but I get untransmittable SWR off of both dipoles….really high….I tried the following:
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> 1.) Checked against both antenna's…both way high
> > > > >> 2.) Switched Baluns….same result
> > > > >> 3.) Switched Ant on the LDG…no joy
> > > > >> 4.) Tried all Bands with the Tune press against both Ant…no joy
> > > > >> 5.) When I flip on the Amp…running 35 watts…the SWR's on the LDG show pinned…on the K3 display show @ 1.2…
> > > > >> 6.) Receive works great
> > > > >> 7.) Replaced the coax from the K3 to the Amp…
> > > > >> 8.) Cut and restripped the ladder line
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> Receive is fine….cannot transmit since the simple allocation of the RF collar to the SQL function…
> > > > >> 
> > > > >> 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > 
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