[Elecraft] K3 or K3S - HIGH LEVEL simple "how to" for Field Day

Mon May 19 16:00:49 EDT 2025

Different club, different place, and different radio but otherwise also 
my experience almost down to the punctuation as yours, Bob.  I'm too old 
for FD now, but that was the last time I volunteered any of my gear.

The days when a ham with a couple of years of experience pretty much 
knew what was going on with the electronic "magic" in front of him are 
gone now.  They're distant specks in our rear view mirrors and it is 
foolish to think we can have that era back [all those who have 
constructed their own current equipment from piece-parts please raise 
your hands.] 😉 Everything is unpacked from a shipping box these days.  
Diagnosing why your new Winkeyer won't key your radio is a big deal for 
many today ... watch Steve's [K1EL] Winkey email list for a few days if 
you don't believe me.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs.  One of mine is 
that the ITU's abandonment of Morse code proficiency for any amateur 
license with HF privileges was timely, smart, and may have turned the 
declining new ham licensing rate around. Another of my beliefs is that 
the FCC's abandonment of the two-year period of on-the-air service for 
an Extra license was ill-conceived and basically dumb.  Much earlier in 
my life I held a 2T.  I'd passed the 1T and all I needed was the 
required service period under a 1T at sea which made incredible sense at 
the time and still does.  College took precedence over RO-afloat.

Exercise for OT's:  Count the number of front-panel switch/knob 
functions on your current radio ... then note all those that appeared on 
your equipment in the 50's/early 60's.

Extra credit:  Do the above for all the MENU functions as well ... oh 
wait, menus had yet to be invented so everyone gets zero.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW - CWops #142
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

> Bob McGraw <mailto:rmcgraw at benlomand.net>
> Sunday, May 18, 2025 1:05 PM
> Sounds like a good plan.
>
> My Field Day story.  I set up my Tentec Eagle, a manual ATU with 
> written pre determined values for each band, a power supply, a Bird 43 
> power meter, a laptop computer and a multi-wire all band antenna.   
> The intent for that station was to work digital modes, AFSK, Packet, 
> FT-8, etc. Now mind you, there was an 8.5" x 11" page on the table in 
> a plastic protector sheet with all of the tuner settings for the 
> digital segments of the bands, 160M - 10M. All was working nicely, 
> contacts were rolling in.  About midnight I retreated to my travel 
> trailer for a nap.  About 2AM I was awaken by a knock on the door.  
> The fellow said there was something wrong and they couldn't make any 
> contacts.  I went to the station location.  There I found 2 EXTRA 
> Class hams pushing buttons and turning knobs.  Sure enough there was 
> no output indicated on the Bird meter when in the TX mode.  Then I 
> noticed the radio was on 20M and the values for the antenna tuner were 
> clearly those for 80M.  When I pointed that out, one of the fellows 
> state "well my tuner changes when I change my radio". That only cost 
> me a set of final PA devices and about an hour of my time.
>
> For that reason and others, I detest the VE program where a person 
> walks into an exam session with no license and walks out with an EXTRA 
> Class license.  Yes, I know the Field Day and club activities are to 
> teach and get less experienced hams accustomed to the ham radio 
> environment.  But it just isn't happening. Never has, never will.   
> The folks on the air today only know what they think they know, few 
> will ever read a manual, and most will always believe "old ham lore" 
> most of which is incomplete or incorrect.    In the same light, I was 
> asked to teach a segment of a class for new ham prospects.  When I 
> asked what I would be teaching, the answer came back "the test".  No 
> thank you, I want no part of that exercise.
>
> As long as you have operators clearly familiar with Elecraft radios, 
> the methods, the terminology and such, you'll be OK. But with the 
> first comment "that doesn't work like my bla bla bla radio" you're in 
> trouble.  I know as I worked with (not for) Tentec and did both 
> hardware and firmware beta testing for 3 of their last models.  When I 
> decided to go with an Elecraft radio, it was indeed a learning 
> experience.  For sure, the Elecraft did not operate like any Tentec 
> I'd ever had on the desk.
>
> 73
>
> Bob, K4TAX
>
>
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> bemeier at bellsouth.net <mailto:bemeier at bellsouth.net>
> Sunday, May 18, 2025 9:39 AM
> Bob and everyone that has responded!
>
>
>
> I couldn’t agree more. I really appreciate all the comments and 
> suggestions that have come my way, but even with the best data sheet, 
> as you say – there are always going to be the “I know how to do 
> “EVERYTHING on ANY RADIO” folks.
>
>
>
> So, I am currently going to take a picture of the front of my K3S and 
> circle / number ONLY the controls that should be touched…. Assuming 
> one has to touch anything. The areas that I will explain are the 
> following:
>
>
>
> Topics:
>
>
>
> 1. General overview: Push / push hold (yellow markings) differences
> 2. ON / OFF
> 3. Band change
> 4. Filter adjustments (shift / width)
> 5. Notch Filter
> 6. AF / RF gain
> 7. Mode
> 8. RIT
> 9. VOX / PTT
> 10. Antenna selection
> 11. ATU
> 12. Lock VFO
>
>
>
> The first instruction to all users will be “DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING 
> UNLESS IT IS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING CONTROLS”
>
>
>
> Fortunately, my K3S will be used ONLY for CW and all CW ops have a K3, 
> K3s or a K4 😊
>
>
>
> 73,
>
> Bruce N1LN
>
>
>
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