[Elecraft] KX3: thermal frequency drift
Edward R Cole
kl7uw at acsalaska.net
Fri Apr 11 16:39:12 EDT 2014
It was suggested I do the Temp Compensation Procedure. Unfortunately
I do not have a stable 50-MHz signal source. However I did run the
Reference Frequency Calibration using my XG3. Call this "Part Two":
I sampled the RF output of the XG3 with my counter and also input
that to the KX3 for the Calib. This required running at 0 dBm to
inject strong enough signal for the counter (approx -3 dBm). I
turned on the ATT for the KX3 to keep input from overdriving. Got
about S9 signal level.
I got it adjusted to within about 2-Hz. The XG3 drifts approx +/- 2
Hz so difficult to set the Ref*Frequency using it. But that
eliminated most of the 38 Hz offset I saw last night. Running the Tx
at 5w afterward drift was in the range of 0 to +7 Hz for a 50-second
key down run. The drift is not steady in one direction so average
error is probably in the neighborhood of +5 Hz with 5-Hz uncertainty
in the measurement. Crude but gives a ballpark idea what to expect.
Today's measurements were all with new heat sink installed. Temp
Comp. probably would lower these numbers a bit.
I might try running my K3 as signal source for Temp Comp. if it holds
more stable then the XG3 at 50-MHz. I am using the EXREF so it may be better?
73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
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