K-3 Rotating Macros

With the Elecraft K-3 you have the ability to write macros and load them into the transceiver using the Download and Configuration Utility.  "Macro" is short for "macroinstruction."  It is a set of individual instructions grouped together into one large instruction that can tell a computer (or the K-3) to do several things.  Once you load the macro to the K-3 you can then define a front panel button to execute the macro.

For some time I have been using two macros that I have configured to use the "PF1" and "PF2" buttons on the K-3's front panel.  One of them would automatically set the "A" and "B" VFO's to the same frequency, turn on the SHIFT, and move the "B" VFO up 2 kHz.  That way, if someone says "UP2" you can just hit 1 button and it will all be done in a flash.  I programmed the "PF1" button to shift UP 1 and "PF2" to shift UP 2 kHz.  It worked great.

Recently I became aware of some "special" coding of these macros which allowed them to perform more than just the one single set of instructions.  The "special" coding, in essence, would on the first push of the button execute the first part of the macro.  Then, the remainder of the macro would re-program the button to perform another function on the second push. 

I found many examples of macros in the K3 Configuration Utility Help file (Tab Pages | Command Tester/K3 Macros | Macro Buttons) as well as on KE7X's "Macro Repository" page HERE.  In the above referenced Help item there is the following statement:

A command memory may include commands to assign macros to buttons. This results in one button executing different command macros on successive button presses.

Think of it like a button that on the first push turns ON a lamp and on the next push, turns it OFF.  The Help file then gives references to posts by KU4AF HERE and K1HTV HERE that give details on how to do this.

I took what I saw in the above references and adapted it to my use and for loading into the "PF1" and "PF2" buttons.  The result was two separate "sets" of macros for the "PF1" and "PF2" buttons.  I could also have programmed the M1-M4 memory buttons but I wanted to keep those for accessing the Voice and CW Memories.

What I decided to do was to set up one macro to put the radio into Split and after that was completed, re-program the same button to perform a "Cleanup" on the next button push.  This "Cleanup" takes the radio out of Split mode and puts all the settings back to normal.  The second button would be programmed to put the radio into SSB, CW, DATA A (PSK-31), and RTTY modes on each successive button push.  To do this I had to set up 6 macros in the K-3 Configuration Utility.  Two of the macros are programmed into the "PF1" button  and 4 of them into the "PF2" button.  Those 6 macros perform as follows - PF1 is now the Split ON/OFF button and PF2 is the Change Mode button.  You can jump to the headings of "PF1 - - -"and "PF2 - - -" below in this Post to see each of those.

PF1 - - -
      Once these macros have been loaded, the "PF1" button now performs like this,

Press PF1 - the K-3 goes into Split Mode
Press PF1 again - the K-3 goes back to normal

     I have also changed what the K-3 does when it goes into Split Mode.  Now when I press PF-1 the first time it turns on the SUB receiver, puts the VFO A information into VFO B, goes into Split Mode, moves VFO B up 3 kHz (so this button can be used for both CW and SSB splits - you just have to move the VFO B knob to where you need to be), turns off the RIT and XIT, and LOCKS the VFO A knob so you can't accidentally move it and lose the DX station.  Pressing PF1 again will put everything back to normal.  It is so COOL!  You can move into Split Mode and back out with just a single button push plus you get all the other settings done at the same time with just one button!  AWESOME! 

     The big changes here are that the PF1 button now automatically turns on the SUB Receiver and LOCKS the "A" VFO so you can't accidentally lose the DX station.  A minor changes is that VFO B is now 3 kHz UP instead of just 1 or 2.  That way, if it is a CW station saying UP1, you just have to tune VFO B down 2 kHz.  If it is an SSB station saying UP5, then you just move the "B" VFO up 2 kHz.  That way this Split button works for both CW and SSB.  Heck, it even works for RTTY stations going split.

     Below are the details of the changes to the PF1 button.  First is a description of what is being done and then the Macro Label and actual Macro Commands are shown.  Anyone can simply Copy and Paste these from this Post into their K-3 Configuration Utility so the setup of these features is FAST!

CW Split starting point (UP 3)
This is a split variation contributed by Dave, N1LQ. Dave chose a compromise between the +2 and +5 versions. A quick twist of VFO B puts Dave up or down depending on CW or SSB.
SB1; turns the sub receiver on
SWT13; taps A>B once to copy VFO A frequency to VFO B
SWT13; taps A>B again to copy all other settings to VFO B
FT1; enters Split mode.
UPB6; moves VFO B up 3 kHz
RT0; turns RIT off
XT0; turns XIT off
LK1; locks VFO A to prevent changes to the receiver listening to the DX station in the heat of the pileup
     The following steps re-program the PF1 button to Macro #2
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT12; taps the (2) button to choose Macro #2
SWH45; holds the PF1 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #1 - Split+3
SB1;SWT13;SWT13;FT1;UPB6;RT0;

XT0;LK1;MN110;SWT12;SWH45;SWT14;

Cleanup
This is a "cleanup" macro contributed by Dave, N1LQ
SB0; turns the sub receiver off
FT0; turns split mode off
RT0; turns RIT off
XT0; turns XIT off
LN0; unlinks the VFOs
SQ000; turns squelch off
SWT13; taps A>B to copy VFO A frequency to VFO B
SWT13; taps A>B again to copy all other settings from VFO A to B
LK0; unlocks VFO A
     The following steps re-program the PF1 button to Macro #1
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT11; taps the (1) button to choose Macro #1
SWH45; holds the PF1 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #2 - Cleanup
SB0;FT0;RT0;XT0;LN0;SQ000;SWT13;SWT13;LK0;MN110;SWT11;SWH45;SWT14;


PF2 - - - 

     Next is the change I made to the PF2 button.  Instead of just toggling ON and OFF like the PF1 button (turn ON Split Mode - turn OFF Split Mode), this PF2 button now switches the K-3 between USB, CW, Data-A (PSK-31), and RTTY modes in that order.

Press PF2 - the K-3 goes into USB Mode
Press PF2 again - the K-3 goes into CW Mode
Press PF2 again - the K-3 goes into DATA-A Mode (PSK-31 and other such modes)
Press PF2 again - the K-3 goes into RTTY Mode
Press PF2 again - the K-3 goes into USB Mode
. . . and so on

     This looks like a lot of work but it should make things VERY simple to switch from USB to CW to PSK-31 to RTTY and back.  But, remember - you do NOT need to use these buttons.  If you find that doing it the old way works better for you, then leave this alone. 

     Now that I have programmed my K-3 to do these functions, I'll be checking it out to see if I need to fine tune any of the parameters.  If anything needs to be changes, it's a simple thing to do.

Below is the detail for the four steps for the PF2 button:

Set SSB Parameters
MD2; selects USB mode
MN053; selects MIC SEL menu
DN; DN; moves the MIC SEL parameter down to Front Panel
UP; moves the MIC SEL up to Rear Panel (use this only if you are using the Rear MIC IN jack)
MG024; sets MIC Gain to "24" (insert appropriate numbers for your setup)
CP017; sets Speech Compression to "17" (insert appropriate numbers for your setup)
LK0; unlocks VFO A
BW0270; sets Bandwidth to 2.70 kHz.
     The following steps re-program the PF2 button to Macro #4
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT24; taps the (4) button to choose Macro #4
SWH47; holds the PF2 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #3 - USB-PF2
MD2;MN053;DN;DN;UP;MG024;CP017;LK0;BW0270;MN110;SWT24;SWH47;SWT14;


Set CW Parameters
MD3; selects CWmode
LK0; unlocks VFO A
BW0040; sets Bandwidth to 400 Hz.
KS022; sets Keyer Speed to 22 WPM
     The following steps re-program the PF2 button to Macro #5
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT27; taps the (5) button to choose Macro #5
SWH47; holds the PF2 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #4 - CW-PF2
MD3;LK0;BW0040;KS022;MN110;SWT27;SWH47;SWT14;


Set DATA-A Parameters
MD6; selects DATA mode
DT0; selects Data-A sub-mode
MN053; selects MIC SEL menu
UP;UP; moves the MIC SEL parameter to Line In
BW0400; sets the Bandwidth to 4.0 kHz.
LK1; locks VFO A
     The following steps re-program the PF2 button to Macro #6
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT29; taps the (6) button to choose Macro #6
SWH47; holds the PF2 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #5 - DTA-PF2
MD6;DT0;MN053;UP;UP;BW0400;LK1;MN110;SWT29;SWH47;SWT14;


Set RTTY ParametersMD6; selects DATA mode
DT2; selects FSK D sub-mode
BW0050; sets the Bandwidth to 500 Hz.
LK0; unlocks VFO A
     The following steps re-program the PF2 button to Macro #3
MN110; enters the CONFIG Menu
SWT13; taps the (3) button to choose Macro #3
SWH47; holds the PF2 button
SWT14; taps the Menu button

Macro Label #6 - RTT-PF2
MD6;DT2;BW0050;LK0;MN110;SWT13;SWH47;SWT14;

Below are the 6 Macros that need to be loaded into the K-3 Configuration Utility.  

This can be done by Copy & Paste from this Post.

The  text labeled "Macro Label" goes into that field in the utility and the line underneath that is the actual macro text which goes into that field.

Macro Label #1 - Split+3
SB1;SWT13;SWT13;FT1;UPB6;RT0;XT0;LK1;MN110;SWT12;SWH45;SWT14;

Macro Label #2 - Cleanup
SB0;FT0;RT0;XT0;LN0;SQ000;SWT13;SWT13;LK0;MN110;SWT11;SWH45;SWT14;

Macro Label #3 - USB-PF2
MD2;MN053;DN;DN;UP;MG024;CP017;LK0;BW0270;MN110;SWT24;SWH47;SWT14;

Macro Label #4 - CW-PF2
MD3;LK0;BW0040;KS022;MN110;SWT27;SWH47;SWT14;

Macro Label #5 - DTA-PF2
MD6;DT0;MN053;UP;UP;BW0400;LK1;MN110;SWT29;SWH47;SWT14;

Macro Label #6 - RTT-PF2
MD6;DT2;BW0050;LK0;MN110;SWT13;SWH47;SWT14;
 

After these Macros have been downloaded to the K-3, do the following on the K-3 itself:
On the K-3 go to CONFIG:MACRO
Press "1"
HOLD the PF1 key until "PF1 SET" appears
Tap the "Menu" key

Then go to CONFIG:MACRO
Press "3"
HOLD the PF2 key until "PF2 SET" appears
Tap the "Menu" key

These steps assign the "Split" Macros to "PF1" and the "Mode Change" Macros to "PF2."  If you want to assign these steps to other buttons, you need to change some of the settings (like the SWT or SWH commands that emulate button pushes) in the above coding.

If you have other things you want to put into macros or you want to put some of the above programming into other buttons, you can find a list of all the button commands in the "K-3 Programmers Reference" which is available on the Elecraft web site.  I did not come up with these ideas, I just took what others have done and modified it to fit my particular use.

Logger32 Window for Control Of Alpha 87a

After doing the repair work on the Alpha 87a and hooking up the computer to talk to the amplifier, I remembered that my logging program, Logger32, has the ability to communicate to the Alpha 87a.  So, I enabled that window and was immediately in control of the amp.  As you can see in the photo, the amp is ON, in OPERATE, and HI POWER.  The AlphaMax feature is OFF.  The Fwd bar graph is indicating 1478 watts (according to the LP-100 wattmeter) and no reflected power is shown.

Logger32 Alpha 87a Control Window

One great feature of this window is that you can enable the "Auto Track Frequency" function.  According to Logger32's Help File, this feature:

. . . when turned on causes Logger32 to automatically supply the active radio's active VFO frequency to the amplifier, which uses that information to change bands and select settings for its TUNE and LOAD capacitors from user- or factory-preset values stored in internal 87A memory for each of five band segments on each band covered by the amplifier. Although the 87A is capable of changing bands automatically on its own by sensing the frequency of RF drive power from the transceiver connected to it, quicker band- and segment-changes that put less stress on the internal PIN-diode QSK system of the 87A and eliminate the loss of the first dash or dots on cw (while the amplifier takes itself off-line and retunes in response to sensing the newly selected operating frequency from input RF) are made possible by having Logger32 supply the transceiver's new frequency across the serial interface.

And, it works like a champ. Even with the 87a in STANDBY, when I change the frequency on the K-3, the Alpha tracks that change (courtesy of the "Auto Track Frequency" feature of Logger32) and the amp is immediately ready to transmit at full power. Awesome! It looks like I can click on a spot and hit transmit at full power without even the 1-1/2 second delay for the Alpha to tune to the new operating frequency or without the need to put any RF on the band to initiate tuning. But, the best thing is that it helps reduce the stress on the PIN diode QSK system in the amp.

One other big advantage of this window is that I can now see the status of the amplifier without turning around.  At my station the amp is pretty much behind me and it can "Fault" and go offline so quietly that I do not know when I'm no longer transmitting at full power.  Now I can see the power output and control the Standby/Operate switch right from the computer.  Plus, I can shut the amp OFF and even turn it ON from the Logger32 Control Window.  That's Just Sooo Cool!

Repairing the Alpha 87a - Round Two

I was floating along on a cloud after the successful repair of the Fault 1 problem (see Post below) but 12 days later, when attempting to power on the Alpha 87a, I got a "soft fault" designated as a No. 20 Fault Code.  The manual describes this as "Filament current greater than 3.5 amp. Possible shorted filament."  Bummer!  Did that mean I was going to have to replace one or both of the 3CX800A7's in the amp?  Eimac versions of those are now selling for $1,050 EACH but Alpha has just introduced their own line of tubes and I could get those for $400 each.  Still, that's a BIG expense.

Underneath View of Alpha 87a Tube Compartment

But, to look into the situation further, I did a Google Search for "Alpha 87a Fault 20" and found THIS page on Alpha's "Ask the Ham" web site which gave me hope.  Comments there from Alpha indicated that Fault 20 had not (in over 10 years) meant a bad tube.  It was related to connectors that needed to be cleaned.  Full instructions for doing this were included on the "Ask the Ham" site and included use of a product from Caig Laboratories called "Deoxit" which was available from Radio Shack.  Of course, my local "Shack" did not have the product so a brief 30-mile round trip was required to obtain the product.  This product is a 2-step operation.  One spray can contains a "Contact Cleaner and Rejuvenator" and the second can is a conditioner which enhances contact and seals the surfaces.

Now that I was ready to begin this new repair of the 87a I downloaded the PDF version of the manual from the Alpha web site to make it easier to read (on the computer instead of on paper.)  I then pulled the 75 pound amp off the shelf after disconnecting the cables including the AC.  Once again I needed to remove the "30" screws holding the cover to the chassis as well as four more screws that hold an access cover below the tube compartment.  But, I've been down this road many times before so it's getting to be old hat.

The high voltage crowbar activates when the cover is removed and should eliminate any residual high voltage within the amplifier but I also short the high voltage to ground in the area of the tube plates or the plate RF choke with an insulated screwdriver as an extra precaution as described in the manual.

Large Red Connectors on Control Board Need to be Reseated

This Fault 20 repair required me to remove 7 connectors underneath the tube compartment (see photo at upper left) as well as one on the low voltage power supply board, clean them with the Deoxit product and replace them.  I also needed to "re-seat" two connectors on the top edge of the control board (large red connectors in photo at right.)  In addition to "re-seating" those connectors, I cleaned the male pins with anhydrous alcohol and a Q-Tip.

Taking the photo at the upper left proved very useful to me.  When I cleaned and attempted to re-install one of the 7 connectors in the tube compartment, I was having difficulty getting it to fit on the male pins.  Then I noticed there were TWO male connectors on the board and I did not know which one was the correct one to accept the female connector.  Looking at the photo clearly showed me there was an extra (unconnected) male connector.  Also, and the reason I was having trouble plugging in the connector in the first place, the second connector is installed upside down (in relation to the correct one) and has more pins.  The correct one has the two center pin holes plugged so it cannot be plugged into the wrong connector.  Nice design by Alpha!

As an extra precaution, I put paper towels behind each connector while spraying it to make sure no "overspray" landed on any other components.  Alpha did not mention this but I decided to take this step purely as a precaution.

Once all the connectors were re-installed, it was time to put the "34" screws back into the covers and reconnect all cables (after hoisting the 75-pound amp back onto the shelf.)  I also took this opportunity to connect the Palstar AT-Auto tuner back into the station.  That is another complex piece of equipment that required me to review the manual and make a few changes to the default settings for my particular station.  One of those was to run the Keying Relay Input line for the Alpha 87a through the QRO Keyline circuit of the Palstar tuner.  This will inhibit the keying of the Alpha 87a while the Palstar is tuning.  Just one more piece of protection to keep me from hurting myself (or the Alpha) when (not IF) I make a mistake!

N8LP LP-100 Wattmenter Showing 1496 watts Output

As you can see in the final photograph, the Alpha 87a is again "back in service" and putting out the RF.  The amp has been ON for over 3 hours now and has been tested with full RF output a half dozen times and I have received ZERO Faults.  Yippee!

This entire operation took about 3 hours with about 2 of those spent on the actual dis-assembly/repair/reassembly of the Alpha 87a.  I am REALLY thankful I did not have to purchase new tubes and the repair only cost $15 for the Deoxit plus a trip to Cross Lanes.  I'd say that was more than reasonable!

One final thing I did was to connect the computer to the Alpha 87a and check the actual filament current.  Alpha suggests you check it several times so I made 15 checks of the filament current over a 5-minute period and saw values ranging from 2.70 amps to 3.01 amps.  Since the Fault Limit is 4.0 amps, I think the actual filament current is A-OK and the Fault 20 errors I received were erroneous and due completely to corrosion on one or more of the connectors in the amplifier.  Case closed!

Repairing the Alpha 87a Amplifier

Recently I mentioned on the WVDXA Reflector that I was running barefoot because my Alpha 87a was on the sick list.  I was blown away by the many generous offers of help from WVDXA members.  People offered to lend me amplifiers from all corners of the state.  Those kind offers of help told me in no uncertain terms that the WVDXA as a whole sincerely wanted me to get out of the QRP category - and quickly!  That motivated me to move the repair of my Alpha 87a to the top of my list.

Click on any photo to see it larger.

Screws to Be Removed

I am embarrassed to say that my amp went out more than 20 MONTHS ago!  The issue was that as soon as the PTT line was keyed, the amp faulted and indicated the PIN back bias voltage was not at the minimum required level.  This is known as a Fault 1 problem.

When it got sick, Charlie, N8RR, took the amp in for repair.  He was able to reproduce the fault every time he keyed the amp.  As soon as he started measuring the R Bias voltage, he noticed a loose connection which he tightened up.  Once that was done, the Fault 1 problem never reappeared.  He tried the amp out at his QTH and it made full power with no trouble.  We both were relieved and thought Charlie had made a simple fix that solved the problem.

However, once the amp was back at my QTH, Mr. Murphy saw to it that the Fault 1 problem came back.  I took apart the R Bias connection that Charlie had found to be loose, thoroughly cleaned it and "firmly" tightened it back up - but the Fault 1 issue was still there.

T/R Module under Screening

At that time, RF Concepts (Alpha Amplifiers) said that if I shipped it to them for repair, it would sit in line for a minimum of 90 days before they could even begin the repair.  I figured I could probably fix it sooner than that so I just ordered all the parts that were listed in Alpha's "Troubleshooting Guide" for the Fault 1 problem as being possible failure points.  That was 4 PIN diodes, 1 power diode and 1 resistor.  Those six parts in their individual packing bags, failed to weigh even one ounce.  Still, it cost $65 to purchase them!

Once the parts had been received, I looked carefully at the procedure to replace everything and was dismayed.  5 of the 6 parts went on the T/R Module PC board which is a real bear to remove.  I have been in that compartment twice before over the 22+ years I have owned this amp and did not relish the job.  30 screws have to be removed just to get the cover off the amp.  Then another 15 or 20 screws, nuts, flat washers, and lock washers need to be removed.  Then, wires need to be unsoldered just to get at the PC board where the parts are to be replaced.   Finally, two smaller boards have to be removed along with the T/R Module.  I knew that I needed at least a couple of days where I would be doing NOTHING but working on this amp in order to have any chance of succeeding.  If I started this project and then let it sit while I tackled something else, I would end up with a box of parts and pieces that I could never get back together.  Plus, most of my free time in 2012 was taken up with the NH8S Swains Island DX'pedition.

I was not without an amp for the full 20 months as Charlie, N8RR, graciously lent me an AL-82 for about 6 months.  He would have let me use it longer but I knew that I had to return it or I would not get off my duff and repair the 87a!  Thanks Charlie!

T/R Module in Sub-Chassis

But, once I was spurred into putting this project on the front burner by the well wishes of the WVDXA, I decided to set aside this weekend to fix the Alpha.  I started bright and early on Friday and worked on the project until about 9 p.m.  I did not work constantly but took several breaks so that I did not get over-stressed.  Trying to get that T/R Module out of the metal sub-chassis it lives in nearly gave me hives!  At one point I sat and stared at the box for nearly an hour trying to figure out the best way to tackle that situation.  In the photo at the left you can see how the two smaller boards and the T/R Module are all shoe-horned into the metal sub-chassis.  I had instructions from Alpha on getting the sub-chassis out of the Alpha but no instructions on how to get the PC board out of the metal box.  You can also see the RF Input cable coming in from the bottom and the pin where it is soldered on the bottom left of the PC board.  You can also see the black "mistake mark" on the white wire above it.  Getting a small soldering iron into that space to unsolder that wire from that large pin was a challenge.

I was finally successful in getting the board out of the sub-chassis without breaking anything and with only one small burn to a wire (made by a slip of the soldering iron.)  Once it was free I took off a couple of hours to decompress!

When I came back to the project, it was not hard to remove the PIN diodes.  However, I found that two of them had resistors soldered directly (and tightly) across them.  I had not ordered replacement resistors so I needed to carefully unsolder those and salvage them for the new diodes.  That was tedious but again I was successful.  I was aided in removing the parts from the PC board by the fact that I had acquired (as a Christmas present several years ago) a neat desoldering tool.  This is basically a soldering iron which is hollow and has a vacuum pump attached to it.  Heat the joint with the iron and when the solder flows, hit the switch and suck the solder right out of the hole!  Amazing!

Diode/Resistor String I Built

I went to bed on Friday night after replacing the four PIN diodes (two with salvaged resistors across them - see photo at right) and one replacement resistor.  This left only one power diode replacement on the HV PC Board and putting everything back together.  Saturday morning I put the T/R Module back in the sub-chassis and it went in smooth as butter!  I was able to re-solder the wires without burning anything else and managed to put all the screws, nuts, bolts, flat washers and lock washers back with nothing left over.

Now I had to figure out how to remove the HV board.  Luckily I found several photos on the Internet (HERE) posted by a guy who had done that so my worries over how to remove that board were moot.  I pulled the HV board out in under 5 minutes (record time compared to the stress-filled adventure of taking out the T/R Module.)  Replacing the diode was done in about 10 minutes and the HV board went back without a hitch.

I took the opportunity during the repair to remove what dust I could from inside the amp.  In working on the T/R Module sub-chassis, I removed the 3CX800A7 tubes and gave them a thorough cleaning as well.  I used compressed air liberally to blow out what dust I could and used anhydrous alcohol to clean most things.  Once the repairs were completed, I spent about 15 minutes looking over everything to make sure I had not screwed up anything.  During that check I did find one cable I had forgotten to re-attach!  Whew!  Dodged a bullet there.

Trying to Get T/R Module OUT

I decided not to try and test anything but I just went ahead and completely re-assembled the amplifier including the 30 cabinet screws.  Once it was all back together, I lifted the monster up to my shelf and hooked up the RF Input and Output coaxes and the PTT Relay line.  I was ready to plug it in to the 220 VAC jack but now I had doubts.  I took a break and struggled with whether I had done all I could do and I wondered if being off for 20 months would have any negative effects on the amp.  But, I decided to give it a go anyway and I was within 2 minutes of plugging in the AC cable when the storm knocked out our power!  Was this an omen?  A sign?  A warning?  Who knew?

So, Evelyn and I left to run some errands and ended up at Pizza Hut in Milton (since Teays Valley, Scott Depot and Hurricane were all without power.)  We got home about 9:30 p.m. to find the power was back and after eating a bite I plugged in the amp and said a small prayer before pushing the switch. 

Lo and behold the amp fired up, went through its boot up sequence and I marveled at how nice those LED's looked after the amp was dark for close to 2 years.  When the time delay completed, and the amp switched to READY, there was a loud noise and the amp went dark.  RATS!  Murphy struck again. 

T/R Module Removed

It turned out that this Fault was a Fault 24 (System Voltage Fault) and I presumed that was due to the amp being off for so long and the capacitors had lost all their charge.  I bit my lip and powered it on again and this time it stayed on.  Hurray!

Now to see if I had managed to fix the Fault 1 issue.  I put the amp in operate and closed the PTT line with no drive applied.  20 months ago this would result in the amp Faulting with a Fault 1 code.  But, this time, NO FAULT!  Yippee!

Now to try the RF power test.  I had been planning to test on 30-M but moved the rig to 17-M instead.  That's where I made my first mistake.  I had turned down the power level of the K-3 to 5 watts but that was on 30-M.  On 17-M, the power level was still set to 109-watts!  As soon as I hit the PTT, the amp faulted with a Fault 14 code (Excessive load reflected power or RF voltage.)  Should have known that would happen.  65-watts of drive should give 1,500-watts out so 109-watts of drive was just a bit too much.

Technician At Work!

Finally, after correcting all my "cockpit errors", I managed to successfully operate the amp at over 400-watts output with 40-watts of drive.  The SWR was 3.22:1 on my 17-M dipole and the reflected power was about 130-watts so this was as high as I dared go until the antenna can be repaired.  I then moved to 30-M and with 8-watts drive achieved 196.5-watts output.

This testing was a bit limited, I was not able to test power output much over 400-watts, but I'm cautiously optimistic that once I correct the SWR problem on the 17-M antenna, I will be back in business.

In the photo of me working on the amp, note that I have added an LED headlamp just above my Optivisor.  That helps really put the light right on the spot where I need it!  And, I have made no mention of the screws I took out that did not need to be removed, nor the 8 or 9 items that I dropped and had to search for on the floor.  That's all forgotten now!

The next step is to hook up the Palstar AT-Auto tuner and get the 160-M Inverted-L back up.  That should let me operate at or near full power on most bands like I have done before.  This is, of course, a temporary situation.  My efforts now need to be directed to fixing the SteppIR so I can again have a "real" antenna on every band.

So, I give a great big "THANK YOU" to the WVDXA members for spurring me to finish this project.  The job was not as big as I had envisioned and I did not "kill" the amp while trying to repair it.   But, don't ask me to dig back into that T/R Module sub-chassis anytime in the next DECADE!

K8RRT Hits the Challenge!

Woooo, Hoooo!!!

K8RRT checked his LoTW account today and there it was, the 1,000th confirmation in his DXCC Award Account.  Tim now qualifies for the ARRL Challenge Award and can get that fancy plaque for his wall.

Nice going, Tim.  Now you can start working on the next 500 so you can get your first Medallion for your shiny new plaque.

Kid's Day - 2013

For the last week, my grandsons, Owen and Grant, have been studying the Morse Code.  I thought it would be good to let them join in on the ARRL Kid's Day activities to go along with their studies so they could get a feel of what Ham Radio is all about.

Grant Calling "CQ Kid's Day"

Since my station is not fully operational, Tim, K8RRT, lent me his station for the day.  The boys and I arrived about 1:45 p.m. and began booting up the equipment and computers.  Tim has a very extensive computer interface to his station and the boys were interested in all aspects of that.  (Click on any photo to make it larger.)

Once the station was operational, we went over how they would talk on the radio.  Tim uses a footswitch to key the transmitter so they had to learn to step on that switch when they wanted to talk.  We also went over the basics of what they needed to say in the QSO's and I created a short "cheat sheet" for them to follow.  You can see the "Cheat Sheets" lying on the keyboard.  They only looked at that sheet for the first few QSO's because they had memorized everything they needed to say.

Owen Listening for a Call

We set up the amp and ran about 1,200 watts so the boys would be heard well even if they didn't talk very loud.  After a few QSO's they asked if they could not wear the headset because we were listening to the speakers.  When doing that, they sometimes talked into the back of the microphone and did not produce a very strong signal.  I showed them the Power Out meter on the amp and explained how it had to move strongly up scale for them to be heard and that did it - they spoke louder and more into the mic after that!

Since the same day was also the West Virginia QSO Party, we had a couple of stations ask the boys what County they were in so they could count the QSO in the WVQP.  Owen then decided to simply say, "I'm located in Hurricane, West Virginia, and that's in Putnam County" with each of his QSO's!

During the video below, you can hear that Owen actually had a pileup coming back to him plus a WA6 station even called in during his QSO.  The recorded audio is a bit low so you might need to "Crank It Up" to hear everything.

Near the end of our operating time we even managed a QSO with the Dorothy Grant Elementary School in Fontana, CA.  That school has their own Ham Radio Club and uses the callsign, K6DGE.  HERE is their web site.  Back in April I was privileged to attend one of their Field Day events where the kids learned electronics, built an antenna and operated the radio.

We had to leave the air by 4 p.m. because the boys had other engagements.  They had paid close attention to our startup of all Tim's equipment and they helped me shut everything down.  In fact, Grant spotted that I had left the rotor turned on and brought that to my attention before we left.

Later, at the Dairy Queen, where we were enjoying a celebratory Blizzard after our Kid's Day operation, Grant looked up at me and said, "Grandpa, I had a really good time!"  Yep, that's what it's all about, folks!  Ham Radio is about having a Good Time!

QSL Duties

One of the things that never crossed my mind in preparing for the NH8S DX'pedition to Swains Island was that I might have to make up and send some QSL's of my own.  I knew the team had procedures in place for the NH8S QSL's but it never occurred to me that I would need to make some of my own.  That's because I never thought I would be operating under my own call.

However, when I got home from the trip, I found in my mail a QSL card (and SASE!) from a fellow I had worked while operating Maritime Mobile from the MV Lady Naomi during the passage from American Samoa to Swains Island.  That meant, I needed to make up a QSL card for him.  But FIRST, I needed to get a copy of the log that we used during that operation.  It took a few days for me to get the log from David, N6HD, but not long to extract those few QSO's I made and the ones Hal, W8HC, had made.  Once that was done, I was ready to send out QSL's - as soon as I MADE the QSL! 

I found a photo Hal had taken of me while operating W8TN/mm and that was easily turned into a photo that I printed at Wal-Mart.  Once I trimmed the 4x6 photo to QSL card size, I was able to run it through the printer and print the QSO info on the back.  That QSL was mailed out today and I'm now totally ready to respond in case any of the other 22 people I worked while "MM" need (or want) a QSL for that historic contact!  I'm just sorry I did not work any WVDXA Members from the MV Lady Naomi.

The Music of Swains Island

David Jennings

As I mentioned in my last Post, there were many things on the Swains Island, NH8S, DX'pedition that were unexpected.  However, one of the really mind-blowing, over-the-top, never to be repeated things that I experienced, was the "Music of Swains Island."  Anyone who has been to a beach anywhere is aware of the sound of the surf.  But, that's not the "music" I'm speaking about.

Dalen & David Jennings

On the right you can see a photo of David Jennings, one of the owners of Swains Island.  David was our key "go-to" guy for just about anything (he was not able to get us any ice cream sandwiches but that's understandable!)  With a couple of decades of service in the Navy, there was just about nothing he could not do.  His abilities were raised to new heights for me when after dinner one night, about the middle of the DX'pedition, he pulled out a guitar and began to play and sing for those of us who were at the common area and not on the air at that time.  He was joined by his son, Dalen, on the ukelele, and together they "knocked our socks off!"  You can see a photo of the two of them on the left.

During their impromptu concert, Dalen suggested they play "Take Me Back to the Shores of Olosenga." Below is a recording of that song.  You can listen to it by clicking on the "Play" icon which is a small triangle on the left below.  This is a recording made on Swains Island during our DX'pedition, but this particular recording was actually made a few days later when we were treated to a "full" concert.

The above song is an original composition of David Jennings and copyrighted by him.  It tells of his feelings for Swains Island which is also known as Olosenga.  I can tell you that as I was sitting there on that uninhabited island in the South Pacific listening to David and Dalen play and sing this song, my emotions ran very high.  To hear in his voice and in his words the attachment he has for this land was something truly powerful to me.  Once I was home and found this song in all the recordings Mark, NA6M, had made on Swains Island, I have not been able to get the melody out of my mind.  I find myself driving or working and humming this to myself.  And, when I think about where I was and why I was there and then to just have this awesome thing laid out before me is something I know I will never forget!

On the night before we were to leave Swains Island, all of the support crew (with the exception of the three ladies who managed our food) gathered after dinner and serenaded us with two guitars, two ukeleles, one fellow on "spoons", one on the water bottle half full of small stones and one on a piece of metal that rang in various tones when he struck it.  Obviously not a full set of professional instruments - but that simply did not matter.  For THREE hours they played and sang while the radio operators just drank it all in.  It was well past dark and the scene was only lit by a single bulb in the common area under the tarp so there was not much light to film by.  However, I was able to get a bit of a recording using the "Night Shot" feature of my camera and that video can be seen below:

As has been said by others, this DX'pedition was a "Once in a Lifetime" experience.  With my Posts to this Blog I'm trying in some small way to convey the amazing things we experienced, all the while knowing that I will never be able to put it all across.  But, if you close your eyes, mentally put yourself on this South Pacific beach, think about the people who were there, and listen to the song again, maybe you will get a little taste of what those of us who were there experienced.  It was unbelievable!

Swains Island Surprise!

Most of the operators on the 2012 NH8S DX'pedition to Swains Island have been on other DX trips.  Some have been on many trips to some of the most desired DX locations in the world.  You need only look at the Team Roster to see those who have operated from places like: Kermadec Islands, Pitcairn Island, Pratas Island, Scarborough Reef, Midway, Lakshadweep Islands, Kingman Reef, St. Brandon Island, Clipperton Island, South Orkney Islands, Bhutan, Comoros Islands, Desecheo, Spratly Islands and Malpelo.  Do those locations make your mouth water?  You can only imagine how difficult and dangerous some of those operations were.  These operators had to endure numerous untold hardships in order to make that all important QSO so you, the person searching for that rare DX station, could add one more QSL to your collection. 

But, we do it because it is fun for us as well.  We get a kick out of overcoming the hurdles and being that rare DX at the other side of the world.  It gives us pleasure to know that we helped you achieve that basic DXCC or your 5BDXCC or to reach the Honor Roll or even the Top of the Honor Roll and know we had some part in that.  One of those great memories for me at NH8S was when ZS6EZ told me I was his "Last One" on SSB.  That QSO put him on the Top of the Honor Roll on Phone for the first time - only the 3rd ZS station to achieve that goal!  Fantastic achievement, Chris!

However, on the trip to Swains Island, I'll venture to say that NONE of us had any idea of what waited for us upon our return to American Samoa.  Once we struck down our camp, packed all our gear, left the island and traveled across the sea for a day on the Lady Naomi,  we were treated to a totally unexpected reward.  First, one of the co-owners of Swains Island, Alex Jennings, showed up at our hotel in American Samoa with a tour bus and gave us a personally guided tour of American Samoa for a day!  Then, he took us to his home where the three gorgeous ladies who had prepared our food on Swains Island, Uti, Rowena and Sula, had prepared a fantastic farewell dinner for us! 

Before the dinner, Alex Jennings presented each of the Swains Island team with a T-shirt.  These shirts had the NH8S web site banner on the back and our name and call signs on the front along with a logo they created for our trip.  You can see the front of the shirt being worn by Hal in my Blog Post below.  We were then each presented with personalized coffee mugs and a Certificate of Achievement!  You can see photos of my mug below and the Certificate above.  Click on any image to see it larger.  Note that both the certificate and the mug contain photos from our own operation!  The T-shirts, Certificates and mugs were the creation of Dale Gandy, the son of the late Larry Gandy, AH8LG, and Uti Gandy who accompanied us on our trip and headed up our kitchen staff.  Dale - you did GREAT!

 

I think I can safely say that not a single one of us expected such a thing!  It was a marvelous gesture on the part of the owners of Swains Island and their team who had worked so hard to help us achieve our goals and was the capstone of a truly amazing adventure!  I doubt that any of us will ever forget the contributions of Alex Jennings, David Jennings, his son, Dalen, Uti Gandy, Rowena Jennings, Ursula, Tim, Junior, Cecil (Chase), Palapi, Joseph (who became a grandfather for the first time while he was on Swains Island with us), Capt. Wally and the rest of the Swains Island crew made to the success of our operation.  Yes, without them we would have made many QSO's - just not as many, we would have eaten enough to survive - but not anything nearly as tasty, we would have traveled there and back - but never seen the real American Samoa, and we CERTAINLY would never have the fabulous memories these people have given us.

Before I left on this trip I was asked by several, what will you do if your equipment fails to arrive, or if it rains every day, or if propagation sucks, or . . . whatever.  I always responded that if I were able to do 100% of my wildest imaginings on this trip I would have a wonderful time - but, if I only got to do 1%, I would still have a wonderful time.  That was my mindset going into this.  However, not in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to get to do 120% of my wildest imaginings!  That extra was due to the amazing efforts of the Jennings family, friends and crew.  The last line of the Certificate above says "Fa'afetai Tele" which in Samoan is "Thank you very much."  I would like to say "Fa'afetai Tele" to all those on American Samoa and Swains Island who made this trip an unforgettable and unbelievable journey which FAR exceeded my wildest expectations. 

In my next Post I'll give some more details about some of those memories that are very special to all of us who were there.  You really will not believe it!

The Ice Cream Sandwich Theme

Traveling to Swains Island the team's first stop was in Hawaii.  Several of the operators decided to take a day trip to Pearl Harbor.   See my Post below about Touring Pearl Harbor.  While there, just after I purchased my USS West Virginia hat, I bought an ice cream sandwich for refreshment.  Several of the group noticed this and had some fun ribbing me about it.

Later, after the group had toured the USS Missouri, we took the bus to the aircraft museum where there was a restaurant for lunch.   After lunch, we took a short visit to the gift shop where Hal, W8HC, saw some freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches similar to what astronauts used.  I looked at them but an Australian lady near me said she had tried them and the taste was not that great, so I passed.

Once the team reached the Tradewinds Hotel in Pago Pago, American Samoa, I found that the gift shop in the hotel also had ice cream sandwiches.  Obviously, I purchased one then and there.

The team only spent one night in American Samoa so once we got up, packed and had breakfast, we had to wait awhile for the transportation to show up to take us to the port.  While we were waiting, Hal, W8HC, visited the hotel gift shop and purchased a novel ice cream sandwich with the brand name of "Magnum."  This was a very interesting ice cream sandwich.  It was one-half traditional sandwich and the other half had been dipped in chocolate with some nut pieces.  You can see a photo of it on the right and a photo of me enjoying it on the upper left.  Obviously, I was trying to drop the internal temperature of my body before the ordeal of Swains Island.  I knew we would have nothing cold during our visit there so I tried to plan ahead.

Once we completed the NH8S operation, we left Swains Island and returned to Pago Pago, American Samoa.  Upon arrival, we left the ship and I was standing in the assembly area waiting on transportation to the hotel.  Suddenly Lou, N2TU, came rushing up to me and handed me a Neapolitan ice cream sandwich.  He had gone across the street to a store and secured one for each of us.  You can see how much I enjoyed that ice cream sandwich in the photo at the left.

Yes, sir, I certainly did enjoy my ice cream sandwiches on this trip - whenever I could find one!  However, I was not the only one.  Craig, K9CT, co-team leader of the NH8S operation, saw what Lou had done and he went across the street to the store and bought an entire box of ice cream sandwiches for the whole team!

Now that you have that information, you can better understand the "special" medicine I delivered to Hal, W8HC, in the Post below.  BTW, Hal is now home from the hospital, still taking antibiotics for the spider bite/infection and is off work the rest of this week to help his recovery.  Get well, buddy.  There are many more ice cream sandwiches out there!

W8HC Getting "Special" Medicine in CAMC

Today I visited Hal, W8HC, at CAMC Memorial.  He has been a patient there since Saturday when he returned from the NH8S, Swains Island, DX'pedition.  Hal was my tent mate on Swains and it seems he protected me from some invading spiders.  However, that meant that Hal "took one in the leg" - a spider bite that is.

On the serious side, this has NOT been a walk in the park.  Hal has been limping for several days and the leg swelled up quite a bit and was obviously infected.  Upon his return from Swains Island Hal immediately sought medical attention at the CAMC Emergency Room.  After about 10 hours they decided to admit him.  They drained his leg and put him on IV antibiotics.  One of the procedures performed on him was when a doctor stuck a 6-inch needle into his leg at four different places to measure some sort of internal "pressure."  Hal said that even though they had numbed his leg, that needle hurt like the dickens.

The pathology report came in with the finding that his infection was MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.)  That is very serious!  Hal assured me that his doctor was confident that they had his infection under control.  He will finish his course if IV antibiotics and should be released tomorrow.  He will go home on some oral antibiotics.  It may take a few more days to get back to being able to go back to work but he is cheerful and has a bright outlook for the future.

I tried to help with his recovery by taking him some special NH8S "medicine" (see photo.)  Also, I took my tablet computer and played for him the David Jennings song, "Take Me  Back to the Shores of Olosenga" performed by David Jennings and the Swains Island Support Crew.  This recording was made by Mark, NA6M, on our last night on Swains Island.  Hopefully the music and the special "medicine" will help Hal recover as quickly as possible.  As you can see in the photo, Hal was wearing the T-Shirt given to the NH8S operators by Alex Jennings on behalf of the Jennings family and friends who helped support the NH8S DX'pedition.

Hal has maintained his sense of humor about all this by posting on the WVDXA Reflector the following:

"On the upside, since the Swains Island spider bite, I have developed this incredible super strength and am able to sling spider web material from my wrists.  The medical staff here is amused by my ability to climb walls and swing from my web strands. I think I'll use this extraordinary power to fight crime.  Or, see if it will make good antenna guying material."

Hopefully Hal's new "Spidy Sense" will enable him to avoid such encounters in the future.  Wishing you a very speedy recovery, mate!

Breakfast at the Tradewinds

I got to bed at 11:15 pm and was awake at 5:15 am.  We were downstairs at 7:00 a, (2:00 pm Eastern time) for breakfast in the Equator restaurant.  You can see most of my breakfast on the right.  I had hot Chocolate, Rice Krispies, thick toast with Smuckers grape jelly, and lots of very nice fruit.  I also tried something that looked a little like biscuits and gravy but was sweet.  It is called Suafai and the liquid is made from bananna, coconut and tapioca.

Make VERY you ask Hal about his encounter in the Equator Bar last night.  I believe "it's" name was Veronica!  But whatever happens in Pago Pago stays I Pago Pago!

Right now it is 7:50 am local time and we will be leaving the hotel at 8:30 for the port.  I had Arnie put my transderm scop patch behind my ear after my shower this morning.  So I should be protected in case of sea sickness.

This will be my last Blog post until I return.  Look for Hal and me as NH8S.  This is going to be SOOO much fun!!!

Hat Number THREE !!!

OK, here we go again!  On the right you see Hat #3 for W8TN on the Swains Island trip.  I was able to purchase this one in the hotel gift shop after breakfast for only 30% more than I paid yesterday.  It is exactly the same style as the one I bought yesterday at Walmart.  Let's hope I have better luck holding on to this one.

All but one of the NH8S team was at breakfast.  Craig, K9CT, has extended our checkout time until 1 pm so we will all meet in the lobby at that time and have a team meeting before taking the shuttle to the airport.

We are scheduled to arrive in American Samoa at 9:25 pm local time tonight after a 5-1/2 hour flight on a Boeing 767.  This will be 4:25 am Eastern time tomorrow.  We will go straight to the hotel and will be up at 7 am local time for breakfast and then off to the boat.  All the team is in high spirits and we hope to be able to get on the air very quickly from Swains Island.

At breakfast Craig, K9CT, announced that an instant LoTW upload (after the completion of the DX'pedition) would be made for all those who made a donation to our operation.  I will send him a list of all the WVDXA members who donated as soon as I return in 3 weeks.  DX IS !

Touring Pearl Harbor

 I went to bed at 9:15 pm local time last night.  I had been up continuously for 24-1/2 hours.  Had some foot cramps that kept me awake for almost 2 hours but finally did get to sleep OK.  Got up at 6 am, showered and met 7 other team members, including Hal, W8HC, at a little after 7 am in the lobby.  We took a city bus to Pearl Harbor to tour the Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri.

On the Arizona Memorial, I leaned over the railing to take a photo of the oil that is still leaking out of the USS Arizona and a gust of wind blew my high-tech Outdoor Research hat into the water!  As the specs for the hat said it would do, it floated serenely on the ocean.  In the photo at the left-above you may be able to enlarge it by clicking on it and see, over the point of my shoulder, the hat floating toward the white mooring station for the USS Vestal.  Last seen, the hat was headed in the direction of the mooring station for the USS West Virginia!

Once we had returned from the Arizona Memorial, I went to the gift shop and purchased the hat you see at the right.  Not a wide-brimmed model like the one I lost but a fitting replacement.

We then toured the USS Missouri for quite some time, ate lunch at the aircraft museum, and made our way back to the hotel by 2 pm.  Contrary to what Jim, K4JWA, posted on the WVDXA reflector, I did not forget my underwear!  I am however about to head out to some shops to look for a few souvenirs because the duty free shops on Swains Island closed quite some time ago and I will need to make those purchases here in Hawaii.

The remainder of the NH8S team have now all made it to Hawaii (except for the two that are on American Samoa) and we will be leaving tomorrow for American Samoa.  Keep the bands hot until we get on the air!

UPDATE:  Tonight I took "The Bus" for a 45 minute ride to Waikiki to visit a Walmart.  I was looking for some souvenirs and some more mosquito repellent.  Plus, I wanted to get a replacement for the hat I lost.  Short story, I bought the hat - but by the time I got back to the hotel, I had lost it ! ! !  It looks like I'm snakebit on the hat issue on this trip!

W8TN is in Hawaii

The photo at the right shows W8TN outside the baggage claim area at Honolulu International airport.  You should be able to verify that by looking at the traffic sign above my head.  We landed at 9:34 pm EDT.  Of course, that is 6 hours earlier here in Hawaii (3:34 pm local time.). I'm squinting a bit as I'm looking right into the sun.  Temperature here was 86-degrees when we landed and there was a 15 to 25 mph breeze.

As I write this, I am relaxing at my hotel before joining the rest of the group and several KH6 hams for dinner in an hour.  Hal, W8HC, is still in the air on his way here but I hope to see him at dinner.

None of my luggage had any problems with TSA, nor did I.  Arnie, N6HC, and I flew together from LA and are sharing a room.  Arnie is the team doctor and his medical kit made it here in fine shape.

After resting up for a couple of days here in Hawaii, I'll be refreshed and ready to continue the travel to Swains.  Looking forward to working ALL the WVDXA members so warm up the ionosphere for us!