ELECRAFT K3 HIGH-PERFORMANCE 160 – 6 METER TRANSCEIVER K144XV REFERENCE OSCILLATOR PHASE LOCK OPTION INSTALLATION Revision A1, April 13, 2011 Copyright © 2011, Elecraft, Inc.
Contents Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 3 Customer Service and Support ............................................................................................................................ 3 Installing the K144XV Phase Lock Board............................................................................................ 4 Anti Static Protection Required..........................
Introduction This option phase locks the local oscillators in the K144XV to the KREF3 master reference oscillator in the K3. The circuitry is contained on the K144XV Phase Lock Board that mounts onto the K144XV pc board inside the K144XV 2-Meter module enclosure. No soldering is required to install this option. Customer Service and Support Technical Assistance You can send e-mail to k3support@elecraft.com and we will respond quickly - typically the same day Monday through Friday.
Installing the K144XV Phase Lock Board Anti Static Protection Required We strongly recommend you take the following anti-static precautions (listed in order of importance) to avoid ESD (Electro Static Discharge) damage: Leave ESD-sensitive parts in their anti-static packaging until you install them. The packaging may be a special plastic bag or the component’s leads may be inserted in conductive foam.
Parts Included The following parts should be included in your kit. Check to ensure you have them all. If any parts are damaged or missing, contact Elecraft for replacements (see Customer Service and Support, page 3). QTY. ELECRAFT PART NO. 1 E850443 TMP Cable, 8.5-Inch (21.6 cm) 1 E850444 Screw, Pan Head, Zn, 4-40 1/4” (6.
Installation Procedure Removing the K3Top Cover and Chassis Stiffener Disconnect power and all cables from your K3. Remove the nine screws to free the top cover as shown in Figure 1. After the cover is open, lift it gently to reach the speaker wire connector. Unplug the speaker then set the top cover aside in a safe place. Whenever you remove screws from a panel, if one screw seems too tight to loosen without damaging it, first loosen the other screws then try again.
Installing the Phase Lock Board The K144XV module is mounted on the left side panel of the K3. Remove the five screws shown in Figure 2 and lift the top cover off of the module. Note: Some units may have a sixth screw in the hole near the Elecraft name on the top cover that must be removed. Figure 2. Removing the K144XV Top Cover Install the Phase Lock board in the K144XV module as shown in Figure 3. The board plugs into P5 on the K144XV board at the end nearest the K3 front panel. Figure 3.
Connect the TMP cables as shown in Figure 4. The TMP cables are simple friction-fit connectors but must be properly aligned when inserted (see Figure 5). Disconnect the TMP cable from J2 on the KREF3 board and plug it into the REF OUT TMP connector on the Phase Lock board. Handle the cable carefully to avoid unplugging it from J83 KSYN3 board below the K144XV module. It’s a good idea to put on finger on the cable at J83 to keep it in place while moving the cable.
Figure 5. TMP Cable Connectors. Figure 6. Freeing the K144XV Module (Optional). If you removed the three 6-32 black flat head screws to free the K144XV module, replace them and verify that all the TMP cables are still fully seated in their connectors. Installing the Firmware and Testing the Board Plug the Serial Cable connector into the RS232 connector on the K144XV module. Connect the other end to your computer and run the K144XV Utility program.
When the download is complete, turn the K3 off, wait at least 10 seconds, and then turn it on again while watching the STATUS LED. Verify that the STATUS LED flashes once or twice and then turns off, indicating normal operation. At the Utility Command Tester screen, type B followed by enter. The K144XV should respond with B001; indicating that the Phase Lock Board is responding. If the Phase Lock Board is not working the K144XV will respond with B000; If that occurs, carefully check the cable connections.
Recalibrating the XV144 When the K144XV Reference Oscillator Phase Lock option is installed, the frequency calibration offset (OFS) values stored in the K3 must be changed since the K144XV’s two conversion oscillator frequencies are now locked to the K3 master reference oscillator. Two simple formulae can be used to calculate the new offset values: For 144-146 MHz: XVn OFS value = (116,000,000 – (REFCAL * 2.3491292)) For 146-148 MHz: XVn OFS value = (118,000,000 – (REFCAL * 2.3896314)) Example: 1.
