[Elecraft] K3S poor CW keying further investigation

Martin Sole hs0zed at gmail.com
Sat Apr 25 12:24:12 EDT 2020


DISP and rotate vfo B for desired measurement option.

Martin, HS0ZED



On 25/04/2020 23:19, N4ZR wrote:
> That's right - my focus was (perhaps too narrowly) on the behavior of 
> the power supply under load, not on losses in the system.  Now if 
> someone can just tell me how to read the voltage at the transceiver - 
> I know there's a menu setting somewhere but my radio is fairly early 
> and the manual doesn't say.
>
> 73, Pete N4ZR
> Check out the Reverse Beacon Network
> at <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
> spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
> For spots, please use your favorite
> "retail" DX cluster.
>
> On 4/25/2020 11:25 AM, hawley, charles j jr wrote:
>> I did notice that the post mentioned that his power supply dipped in 
>> voltage but as for preventing issues due to low voltage, it's not 
>> your voltmeter on the power supply that is the proper indicator. It 
>> is the voltage on the input to the K3 that you should be noting. It's 
>> available on the menu and displays in the VFO B area on the screen.
>>
>> Jack BMW Motorcycles
>> Chuck KE9UW
>> c-hawley at illinois.edu
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>>> On Apr 25, 2020, at 9:51 AM, N4ZR <n4zr at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>
>>> For whatever it may be worth, my K3 is run through a West Mountain 
>>> RigRunner 4005i, and the voltmeter on my SEC 1235M doesn't even 
>>> flicker when I go key-down at 100 watts.
>>>
>>> I'm wondering if a 25-amp-rated supply (perhaps a little optimistic) 
>>> might be to blame.  My K3 draws 20.2 amps at 100 watts key down.
>>>
>>> 73, Pete N4ZR
>>> Check out the Reverse Beacon Network
>>> at <http://reversebeacon.net>, now
>>> spotting RTTY activity worldwide.
>>> For spots, please use your favorite
>>> "retail" DX cluster.
>>>
>>>> On 4/25/2020 10:32 AM, Jim Rhodes wrote:
>>>> I had been using a power pole strip to power everything. After 
>>>> seeing some
>>>> discussion on this topic some time ago I found that in the string of 3
>>>> power pole connections in my setup at the time I was seeing around 
>>>> a 1 volt
>>>> drop in the voltage on the K3 metering between receive and 100 watts
>>>> keydown. That voltage drop was confirmed by my VOM so I wired the rig
>>>> directly to the supply and the voltage drop was less than 0.25 
>>>> volts. That
>>>> is the way my rigs and VHF/UHF amps will be connected from now on 
>>>> with only
>>>> a fuse inline. The low current stuff will stay on the power pole strip
>>>> where they do just fine lighting up lights and stuff.
>>>>
>>>>> On Sat, Apr 25, 2020, 09:16 Don Schroder <donanddeena at hotmail.com> 
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Bob,
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it safe to run my K2 using Anderson Power Pole connections, and/or
>>>>> RigRunner equipment?
>>>>>
>>>>> For my info, what is the reason for NOT using them?
>>>>>
>>>>> I’m rewiring, and I want to do it right!
>>>>>
>>>>> Gunny, KE0PVQ
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
>>>>> Windows 10
>>>>>
>>>>> From: Gmail<mailto:anyone1545 at gmail.com>
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2020 9:03 AM
>>>>> To: Bob McGraw K4TAX<mailto:rmcgraw at blomand.net>
>>>>> Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net<mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3S poor CW keying further investigation
>>>>>
>>>>> Nuts, just measure the drop between radio and power supply see if 
>>>>> it is
>>>>> reasonable. Mine is 0.25 volts when transmitting.  I run 14.0 out 
>>>>> of supply.
>>>>> Ray
>>>>> W8LYJ
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Apr 25, 2020, at 07:48, Bob McGraw K4TAX <rmcgraw at blomand.net> 
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As to the RigRunner power pole strip.........PUT IT IN THE TRASH 
>>>>>> where
>>>>> it belongs.    NEVER NEVER NEVER use a power distribution strip to 
>>>>> power a
>>>>> 100 watt radio.   ALWAYS connect the radio direct to the power supply
>>>>> terminals.   NO exceptions!
>>>>>> 73
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Bob, K4TAX
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 4/25/2020 7:13 AM, Chuck Chandler wrote:
>>>>>>> After more checking, I suspect the internal 100W amp is the common
>>>>> factor
>>>>>>> in the poor keying characteristics I'm seeing and hearing about 
>>>>>>> from my
>>>>>>> rig.  I am trying to determine if my power supply is doing it's 
>>>>>>> job.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm using a TenTec 963 switching supply rated at 25A 
>>>>>>> continuous.  At
>>>>> rest
>>>>>>> the K3S panel display shows 13.6V, with full power key down it 
>>>>>>> dips to
>>>>> 11.5
>>>>>>> or so.  This seems like a lot. I'm running the power cable thru a
>>>>>>> RigRunner Powerpole strip.  If I can dig out another power 
>>>>>>> supply from
>>>>> the
>>>>>>> packed boxes I can wire the K3S directly to the supply.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Is 11.5V at key down enough to cause the slow rise time being 
>>>>>>> reported?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> 73 de Chuck, WS1L
>>>>>>>
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