[Elecraft] K3(s) main oscillator calibration

[Dave Cole]

Thanks for the info, I think the other ham that asked Wayne, was me... 
:)  I don't need absolute accuracy, I just wanted no steps is all...  I 
will go pick up an older Icom, or something along that line.  I had a 
Pro III and it worked for my application, watching short term changes in 
the Ionosphere.  Even had I know the K3 was not capable of doing this, I 
would have still purchased it.  As you intimated, the right tool for the 
right job.

73, and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources

On 6/6/20 6:48 PM, Wes wrote:
> All synthesized radios tune in steps. The difference between them is 
> some are smaller steps than others.  Eleven years ago I offered a fourth 
> method for calibrating the reference frequency in a K3. (I suspect, but 
> do not know that the K3S is different.)  See: 
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Ref-Osc-Cal-Method-4-td2595451.html
> 
> After reading about my observations another ham queried Wayne and he 
> responded with an explanation of the frequency generation in the K3.  
> Once again, I don't whether this applies to the K3S.  Perhaps Wayne will 
> let us know. Nevertheless, the tuning step sizes are different for 
> different bands with the higher bands having greater step sizes, i.e. 
> less accuracy.  I-F BW/Shift requires changing oscillator frequencies at 
> I-F ("BFO") with commensurate changes in the LO. Since the LO has 
> different step sizes on different bands, changes in the beat note (that 
> I observed) do occur.
> 
> The K3(S) is a great transceiver, it isn't a great frequency meter.
> 
> Wes  N7WS
> 
> On 6/6/2020 2:42 PM, Dave Cole wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> As the other station siad, you will have Doppler issues.  Also the K3 
>> tunes in steps, which make sustained .1 hz accuracy a dream, not 
>> attainable.  It looks to tune in .25 Hz., or larger steps.  I am going 
>> from memory here, so it may be something different.
>>
>> I wanted to use my K3 to watch Ionospheric shifting, via Doppler 
>> shifts, from WWV.  I am unable to as a result of the method Elecraft 
>> chose for tuning.
>>
>> I have the TXCO, and that just provides a reference for the radio, it 
>> does not make the steps go away...
>>
>> I was quite disappointed when I discovered this, but, the good stuff 
>> in the rest of the radio makes up for that small loss.  I'll buy some 
>> stable rig that uses analog tuning.
>>
>> 73, and thanks,
>> Dave (NK7Z)
>> https://www.nk7z.net
>> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
>> ARRL Technical Specialist
>> ARRL Asst. Director, NW Division, Technical Resources
> 
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