8
Basic Operation
CAUTION
When connecting the XG3 to the output of a transceiver or transmitter, be sure to prevent
accidentally keying the transmitter even for brief periods. The XG3 has protection against
low-level signals applied to the
RF OUT
connector, but transmitting into the XG3 even for
a brief period will destroy internal components. Such damage is not covered under the
Elecraft warranty (see
Reverse Power
on pg 14).
The XG3 may be operated as an independent, stand-alone RF signal generator using the four red switches
on the front. Tap (press briefly) the
On/Off
switch to turn the unit on. One of the
Band
LEDs and one of the
Level
LEDs will light. To turn the XG3 off, hold (press for more than 1 second) the
On/Off
switch. To
conserve the battery, the XG3 will turn itself off after 10 minutes without any user input.
i
Note:
If you hold the
On/Off
switch down more than 10 seconds, the XG3 will go
into “boot loader” mode shown by a blinking
0 dBm
LED. To restore normal operation,
disconnect external power (if used), then remove and reinstall the battery.
Select the band desired using the
Band +
and
switches. The XG3 is pre-programmed with a test frequency
in each band as shown below. You can change these frequencies using a computer as described below
under
Computer Controlled Operation
.
BAND
FREQ (MHz)
BAND
FREQ (MHz)
BAND
FREQ (MHz)
160
1.820000
30
10.120000
12
24.900000
80
3.520000
20
14.020000
10
28.020000
60
5.330500
17
18.120000
6
50.120000
40
7.020000
15
21.020000
2
144.220000
The output signal level is shown by the LEDs next to the
Level
switch. Tap the switch to cycle through the
three lower output levels. The highest signal level,
0 dBm
(1 milliwatt), is selected by holding the
Level
switch for at least 1 second. An external power supply (pg 7) is recommended if you need to operate the
XG3 at the
0 dBm
output level for an extended period of time.
Computer Controlled Operation
A personal computer will allow you to change the test frequencies and customize other parameters. The
XG3 may be operated from the computer interface or you may program your XG3 and then use it as a
stand-alone RF signal generator with the parameters you chose.
A serial cable is provided with your XG3. You will need:
A computer with an RS232 port or a
USB port, depending upon whether you chose the RS232 or
USB interface cable when ordering your XG3. Optionally, you can use the RS232 interface cable
with an RS232 to USB adapter.
