[Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. And how many have experienced a DOA KSYN3 (synthesizer) board in your kit? In addition, how many of you have experienced missing hardware in your kit making it difficult to complete? I sure would hate to be living overseas, missing US nuts and screws, and waiting for the next boat to arrive with needed parts. Moral: Next time I will buy a radio that is fully assembled. -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Knob-shaft-and-pot-issues-tp17066356p17066356.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
Bob K9PAG wrote: My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. And how many have experienced a DOA KSYN3 (synthesizer) board in your kit? In addition, how many of you have experienced missing hardware in your kit making it difficult to complete? I sure would hate to be living overseas, missing US nuts and screws, and waiting for the next boat to arrive with needed parts. Moral: Next time I will buy a radio that is fully assembled. My four dual function knobs move from side to side a bit and I suppose they could be described as gritty when turned. I hadn't considered it a problem. They do the job. I did have a faulty internal shield and a faceplate for the KIO module that was stencilled on the wrong side. Elecraft sent replacements which arrived in about a week. Fortunately neither of these were show stoppers. I agree it's frustrating, but mistakes happen. I still would rather have had the experience of assembling the K3 than avoid these minor issues by having it ready built. - Julian, G4ILO K3 s/n: 222 K2 s/n: 392 G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com Zerobeat Ham Forums: www.zerobeat.net/smf -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Knob-shaft-and-pot-issues-tp17066356p17066646.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
My #764 wasn't missing anything. I'm left with an extra pile of spare hardware, so I could have dropped a tiny screw and been OK. My dual-pots have only slight play. They turn smoothly. I think they switched vendor and should watch for this! My rig worked fine at first power-up. Windy KM5Q Bob K9PAG wrote: Mon, 05 May 2008 10:10:27 -0700 My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. And how many have experienced a DOA KSYN3 (synthesizer) board in your kit? In addition, how many of you have experienced missing hardware in your kit making it difficult to complete? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
K3 #584 must have had the old audio pots which are fantastic -- they have a solid feel to them and coupled with the knobs (which sorta add to the old-timey flavor) it reminds me of knobs on my Drake 2B or an old Hallicrafters radio! Joe, W2RBA KM5Q wrote: My #764 wasn't missing anything. I'm left with an extra pile of spare hardware, so I could have dropped a tiny screw and been OK. My dual-pots have only slight play. They turn smoothly. I think they switched vendor and should watch for this! My rig worked fine at first power-up. Windy KM5Q Bob K9PAG wrote: Mon, 05 May 2008 10:10:27 -0700 My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. And how many have experienced a DOA KSYN3 (synthesizer) board in your kit? In addition, how many of you have experienced missing hardware in your kit making it difficult to complete? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
My two concentric pots have a very good feel to them (serno #82). The four dual function controls are not pots but shaft encoders. They have a little wobble in them, but I don't find it objectonable. The gritty feel I am sure is intentional; these are indents indicating each new encoder position. I have no objections to the general quality and feel of the front panel hardware. I don't agree that it feels or look cheap. Knut - AB2TC jmalloy wrote: K3 #584 must have had the old audio pots which are fantastic -- they have a solid feel to them and coupled with the knobs (which sorta add to the old-timey flavor) it reminds me of knobs on my Drake 2B or an old Hallicrafters radio! Joe, W2RBA KM5Q wrote: My #764 wasn't missing anything. I'm left with an extra pile of spare hardware, so I could have dropped a tiny screw and been OK. My dual-pots have only slight play. They turn smoothly. I think they switched vendor and should watch for this! My rig worked fine at first power-up. Windy KM5Q Bob K9PAG wrote: Mon, 05 May 2008 10:10:27 -0700 My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. (snip) -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Knob-shaft-and-pot-issues-tp17066356p17070343.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
Knut, I agree. I like the gritty feel, as it is consistent with these functions being changed in discrete steps, not continually. 73, andy, ae6y - Original Message - From: ab2tc [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 1:37 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues My two concentric pots have a very good feel to them (serno #82). The four dual function controls are not pots but shaft encoders. They have a little wobble in them, but I don't find it objectonable. The gritty feel I am sure is intentional; these are indents indicating each new encoder position. I have no objections to the general quality and feel of the front panel hardware. I don't agree that it feels or look cheap. Knut - AB2TC jmalloy wrote: K3 #584 must have had the old audio pots which are fantastic -- they have a solid feel to them and coupled with the knobs (which sorta add to the old-timey flavor) it reminds me of knobs on my Drake 2B or an old Hallicrafters radio! Joe, W2RBA KM5Q wrote: My #764 wasn't missing anything. I'm left with an extra pile of spare hardware, so I could have dropped a tiny screw and been OK. My dual-pots have only slight play. They turn smoothly. I think they switched vendor and should watch for this! My rig worked fine at first power-up. Windy KM5Q Bob K9PAG wrote: Mon, 05 May 2008 10:10:27 -0700 My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. (snip) -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Knob-shaft-and-pot-issues-tp17066356p17070343.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
The gritty-ness is not a problem...you are actually feeling the detents in the encoder. These are encoders and not pots. I had never noticed the slight side to side movement of the shafts. Stan Rife W5EWA Houston, TX K2 SN 4216 K3 SN 0690 G4ILO wrote: Bob K9PAG wrote: My kit K3 #818 came with the shafts on the four small dual function knobs lose and the associated pots feeling like they were gritty when turned. Sure not as smooth and nice as my ICOM 746! Wonder how many #800 units experienced this problem or is it just me? The lose shafts and gritty feeling when turned reminds me of cheap volume controls on a Chinese radio. And how many have experienced a DOA KSYN3 (synthesizer) board in your kit? In addition, how many of you have experienced missing hardware in your kit making it difficult to complete? I sure would hate to be living overseas, missing US nuts and screws, and waiting for the next boat to arrive with needed parts. Moral: Next time I will buy a radio that is fully assembled. My four dual function knobs move from side to side a bit and I suppose they could be described as gritty when turned. I hadn't considered it a problem. They do the job. I did have a faulty internal shield and a faceplate for the KIO module that was stencilled on the wrong side. Elecraft sent replacements which arrived in about a week. Fortunately neither of these were show stoppers. I agree it's frustrating, but mistakes happen. I still would rather have had the experience of assembling the K3 than avoid these minor issues by having it ready built. - Julian, G4ILO K3 s/n: 222 K2 s/n: 392 G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com Zerobeat Ham Forums: www.zerobeat.net/smf ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Knob shaft and pot issues
The four small controls are digital encoders - not pots. they have some play because they are also pushbutton type switches. The encoders have the click built in to allow the operator to fine tune the digital steps. The $20,000 Agilent test equipment we use at work have the same pots. My unit had a broken L18 coil lead on the KBPF3 board which I re-soldered. The Mic ckt board (front panel)needed a mod. I have plenty of hardware left over, probably because each extra option I ordered came with extras. I like this radio better than any I have owned so far (licensed in 1960). I hope you can get the things resolved that are bugging you - it seems that the company is working hard to please. This is my first Elecraft product purchase. -- View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/Knob-shaft-and-pot-issues-tp17066356p17071522.html Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
