[Elecraft] P3 help requested...

[Dave (NK7Z)]

Many thanks to Mike Flowers, and PE1HCG, both sent me a note, to check 
the cables inside the P3 as they sometimes come loose in shipping.  That 
was indeed the issue!

The coax between the signal conditioner at the BNC connector, and the 
main PCB had come loose in shipping.  It is not very tight, so I am sure 
that is what happened.  All is working now, and thanks to both Mike and 
PE3HCG!

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

On 5/14/22 06:50, Dave (NK7Z) wrote:
> Morning,
> 
> I had a P3 failure back in December, and sent in P3, (serial number 
> 3155), to Elecraft for repair.
> 
> While 3155 was in for repair, I purchased locally a second P3 to use in 
> P3, 3155's place, and have been using it with no issues.
> 
> P3, 3155 arrived back to my home about a month ago, and I am now getting 
> around to testing it out.
> 
> I just took P3, (3155), (the one Elecraft had just repaired), out of the 
> shipping box for the first time, and inserted it in place of the working 
> P3, serial 2037.
> 
> I get a waterfall, just a noise floor, and I get a trace.  Again, just 
> noise floor.  It appears working in all other aspects.
> 
> I have recovered from a back up of 3155, (taken before it failed 
> completely), and that brought back the settings etc., but I still have 
> no signal on the trace of the just repaired P3.
> 
> I then swapped back in the P3 I purchased to use while 3155 was in 
> service, and it works fine...
> 
> This tells me that the P3 wiring between the K3 and the P3, are 
> connected correctly, and that the K3 settings are correct to drive a P3.
> 
> I swapped back in the just repaired P3, (3155), and again, no signals, 
> just a noise floor.
> 
> So it is either a problem in my setup of the just repaired P3, 
> (probably), or a failed repair by Elecraft.  I am trying to triage this 
> prior to contacting Elecraft, in the hopes it is my issue.    My guess 
> is some sort of setup problem, as Elecraft repair has always been good...
> 
> Can someone suggest what setting(s) I might further check?  I looked at 
> the radio definition, and all setting there are the same as the working 
> P3...  I suspected IF frequency might be set wrong on the just repaired 
> P3, but it appears to match the working P3.
> 
> I also checked most of the obvious settings that might cause an issue, 
> but can find nothing...  It just looks like I have no IF input to the 
> just repaired P3.
> 
> Any ideas where else I might check on the failed P3?  I am being very 
> careful to make ZERO changes to the K3, as it drives P3 number 2037 fine.
>