[Elecraft] KX3 and PX3 with 2m Transverter comments

[Jim Brown]

On Wed,5/27/2015 10:26 AM, David Anderson wrote:
> Unfortunately it looks like this is not going to work out for me, as the level of radiated noise at VHF from both the PX3 severely masks weak signals, there is also a huge radiated birdie from the KX3 near 144.4MHz.

Questions and observations. Questions first. Did you build these units 
or were they factory assembled?  If you built them, dig you carefully 
scrape all the tape from the interior parts of the chassis where they 
screw together? Not doing so could be part of the problem. To fix this, 
you'll have to take it apart and scrape them.

Observation. The KX3 has Pin One Problems at most of the connectors 
mounted on the left side -- note that only the Mic and Phones jacks are 
screwed to the chassis. My PX3 is out on loan, and I don't remember 
whether our not it has the same problem. Any cable connected to a Pin 
One Problem becomes an antenna to RX and TX any trash.

Common mode chokes are the band-aid for Pin One Problems. For 2M, the 
weapon of choice is one or more Fair-Rite #43 clamp-ons added to the 
offending cables. Also, the KX3 chassis should be bonded (short, fat 
copper) to the PX3 chassis.

No guarantee that these measures will fix your issue, but I would try 
them before giving up. Also, contact Elecraft support and get them 
engaged. They talk do lots of people, and chances are they've seen this 
before and may know of a fix.

See my website for the tutorials about "The Pin One Problem."

73, Jim K9YC