WB3GBL

G4FON and CW_Player are very similar. The only difference that I appreciate with CW_Player is that in CW_Player you can pause a file from playing and then pick up where you left off. I am pretty sure that with G4FON when you stop a file from playing there is not a "pause" function - you must start the file all over again. And some of the other "online" code practice programs use canned files of their own making, cannot be edited and include call sign practice with call signs from all over the world (good for DX practice but not so much for things like Field Day). 73 wb3gbl rick

Yes this is the program that I first described above CW_PLAYER. The nice thing about this practice program is that YOU can create text files of whatever you need to practice. If you are uncertain about callsigns - you can create a list of random callsigns (I have a list if you want it), you can take any list of RST reports, Q signals, sentences, 100 - 1000 most common words, etc. If you have a list of things you want to use but they are not in the correct format, you can load it all into EXCEL and make a text file out of them and/or you can use NoteBook++ to delete unwanted characters in a text file. You'll soon find that you are able to read individual characters at a whopping speed of 30 / 35 wpm IF you pad the characters / words with enough spaces between them. Your task from that point is to minimize the spaces between characters / words over a few months time. Good luck cu agn !! wb3gbl rick

Mike, K8CN / Gil K4JST - It looks like POWERHOLDON would need to go LOW in order to make /PWRON go HIGH to shut down Q2 on the RF board resulting in complete power down. The POWERHOLDON is generated internal to U1 (somehow unexplained) out of PIN74 from the microprocessor U1 on the front panel Unless there is another write up somewhere explaining how U1 on the front panel circuit handles this chore this may remain a stumbling block in trying to apply logic to this problem. However, I see there is one power related input to the microprocessor U1 - VPWR_SW. To me it appears that if VPWR_SW goes HIGH two times, the microprocessor U1 switches POWERHOLDON to a reversed state = LOW and forcing a complete shut off. Absent using a scope triggered on by the on/off button signal, I would at least try to jot down the states of: PWRON, 12V_UNSW, POWERHOLDON and VPWR_SW while powering up and trying to shut down. I assume that the power button does turn the rig on initially. If POWERHOLDON never changes state then either the microprocessor is not doing its job or the signal VPWR_SW state change is not occurring. Finding these signals mentioned should be easy to find on the Elecraft schematic sheet below: References - Schematic sheet Elecraft K3: Front Panel - Power and RTC Document Number 2004070601 A0 B 6 7 Sunday, June 24, 2007 I'd look real close at the path of the VPWR_UN signal to see what's around it and how that may effect the other symptoms going on. It is kinda' difficult to get my logic working tonight because my printer is dead and I'm flipping back and forth from this page, to my notes and the Elecraft schematic. HI HI Let me know if you believe that any of my signals here are crossed (inverted)! Have a great evening wb3gbl rick

KN3U hi Al: Yeah I've since noticed that C102 would pertain only to the contrast settings on the display, but C102 did pop up a few times on my google searches. As far as sources go, most of what I find are the "usual suspects" - elecraft. groups. ico, elecraft ftp, and of course here at hamcommunity. However I try to tailor my google searches in a pretty tight manner, specifying the exact description of what I need to know - in years of experience of searches for solutions for Netware and Microsoft Network problems (and lately Ten Tec vintage topics) - I've developed almost a "sixth sense" for what might be valuable and what results are just advertisement distractions and circular meaningless responses. So most of the time I get back the most popular sites as results - but it's those obscure archives here and there that bring the good stuff. Kind of disappointed that the d28 diode was not the great circuit saver that it was touted to be but have had thoughts that maybe it was not the first device to see the transient abnormality that ravished the K3s. It's not always the voltage to ground that gets ya', it's sometimes its the lower to high voltages that can also generate the same effect as a current looking to find a route to discharge - like the purpose of blocking diodes in solar panels. Hence a thought that the D28 might have been the last component to react to the culprit instead of the first. Oh well, so many routes to lead to "red herrings" and of course like you've said the computer microprocessor has its own mind made up to follow a course that my be corrupt... wb3gbl rick

Hi Gil: Ah, disappointing. But I believe we're all looking at this thing as a TTL logic problem and not some out of tolerance component. You'll probably go ahead and dig into the front panel circuit. Since you'll already be disassembling the front panel to get at the Q2, Q3 possibilities - the most cited component that brings on these type of faults is C102 (10uf, 10V electrolytic cap). TTL levels here could be +5 or +3.3 volts, without these voltages available for the PWR signals the radio won't respond properly - this is where a shorted C102 can ground out the TTL voltages and screw things up for needed logic. Thanks for continuing into the Elecraft K3S problem as the comments here can help K3S owners years from now. Good luck and hope KN3U can respond with more insight after your findings. 73 wb3gbl rick

CW_Player is a free download and probably has the most options of any learning software. You can create your own text files to learn things of your choice - QSOs, call signs, numbers, listen to short stories, etc. It also has the best selection of space between characters and space between words. I've been through a number of CW learning software packages and always come back to CW Player.

Hi Gil: I know you guys are knee deep into troubleshooting the RF board and the front panel circuits, but I keep thinking back to field day and some of the odd things that occurred around the time the K3S went bad. The laptop went out and that was connected by way of N1MM and those signals travel thru the KIO3B board. Some people have reported large currents / voltages causing damage thru the communications ports as well as symptoms exactly like yours with KIO3B problems. Just wondering if its possible to run the rig without the KIO3B and the daughter boards? I know you have established communications thru these ports to your rig / computer - so maybe I'm just barking up the wrong antenna tower hi hi. But anyway just letting you know I'm rooting for you guys! 73 wb3gbl rick

Hey Ham Community, this is an automated post on behalf of our new member: wb3gbl, On behalf of Ham Community, let's give wb3gbl a warm welcome. wb3gbl, we encourage you to browse around and get to know the Community's many sections. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask, as with all things HAM, we all love to give advice 😎 For everyone's information, wb3gbl joined on the 08/13/2022; this is their profile: View Member.