[Elecraft] KX3/PX3/KXPA100 - PX3 taking 5 minutes to come on??? KXPA100 loses mind...

[Jack Spitznagel]

Hi Brian,

Well it is usually about 65F(~18C) in the shack this time of year unless 
I turn on the space heater. Not really "cold" per se. The PX3 will 
misbehave on start up or after having been turned off for about 5 min. 
even in warmer times. I guess what I mean by cold is different from 
Canadian cold... :)

Thanks for pointing that behavior out though... temperature may be an issue.

Jack - KD4IZ


On 2/12/2017 16:19, Brian Waterworth wrote:
>
>     >>When the PX3 is powered on "cold", it takes about 5 minutes for the
>     display to light up.
>
>
> Hi Jack,
>
> I recently experienced something similar to your PX3 situation.  When 
> you said "cold", I immediately perked up.
>
> During winter field day, I decided to take my PX3 with me.  Our club 
> worked outdoors in about -2C degree weather. The trailer I was in had 
> a couple of portable space heaters.  It felt like they were pumping 
> out one BTU each :-).  By the time I had the station setup, the temp 
> increased to about 9C, maybe.  It was still cold and I had to wear a 
> coat.  Anyway, I digress.
>
> When I powered on the PX3, the display was dark.  Picked it up to hear 
> the click of the power on.  I heard a click. Hmmmm.  I tried a couple 
> of times.  I disconnected all the inter-connect cables and still no 
> display.  I was a bit cold and had just finished exerting a lot of 
> energy with the setup (antenna as well), that I just left it 
> disconnected and put it away.  I was a bit dejected, but I had to 
> focus on the task at hand, because WFD was going to start in moments.  
> I should have left it turned on for a little while to see if the 
> display came back on after the internal circuitry warmed up a bit.  
> But that never occurred to me because every other display in my 
> station came to life immediately.
>
> After the PX3 had a chance to settle at home in the warmer climes of 
> my shack, I connected everything back up and lo and behold, the PX3 
> display lit up.  I was quite relieved.  I wrote off the experience to 
> the fact that the PX3 didn't like the cold weather.  I don't either :-)
>
> Anyway Jack, I am happy to be another voice when you go to Elecraft 
> support regarding the PX3 display not turning on when the unit is 
> cold.  I don't know the actual temperature that the PX3 doesn't like.  
> But I never had this issue before.  I can turn on the PX3, when in the 
> house, and it comes on immediately after having sat for days in my 
> basement shack.
>
> Regards,
> Brian
> VE3IBW
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