What I get out of a weighted knob is related to a car accelerator or throttle body that sticks with first pressure on the accelerator -- you always get a jerky start. The knob weight makes the "smooth" part possible -- with enough inertia in the knob, it is possible to tune slowly with the results of a "light touch" even though my fingers no longer reliably impart a light touch. This is getting more obvious as I get older.
73, Guy. On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM, W4ATK <[email protected]> wrote: > Phillip and others, > > The original K3 knob is adequate in my opinion. As a matter of fact > I have an extra. I acquired a K2 where someone had put a K3 knob on it > (Which I did replace with the newer K2 weighted knob from Elecraft). I am > sitting here with the spare K3 knob in my hands and cannot for the life of > me see any advantage to an even heavier knob. Proper adjustment against the > felt washer works for me….But to each his own….. > > 73s Jim, W4ATK > On May 30, 2012, at 8:44 AM, Phil LaMarche wrote: > > > I questioned the problems possible caused by heavy knobs. N8BX's > > response.... > > > > Philip LaMarche > > > > > > > > K3 # 1605 > > KPA500 # 029 > > P3 #1480 > > > > W9DVM > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Fred Freeman [mailto:[email protected]] > > Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 8:41 PM > > To: Phil LaMarche > > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS?? > > > > > > Hi Phil, with regard to premature wear caused to the K3 encoders by > weighted > > knobs, I do not feel there is anything to be concerned about. Elecraft > uses > > the best encoders I have experienced in over 20 years in ham radio. They > > are on par with encoders I have seen in industrial applications where > they > > receive much more use and abuse than anything likely to be seen in an > > amateur radio application. I have had a weighted knob on my K3 for 3 > years > > and it gets used frequently. It is also my demo radio at shows and it > gets > > a lot of use there. To date, I can not tell it from a brand new radio. > The > > reason it stays nice is partly due to the quality of the encoder and > partly > > because of the nature in which bearing material works. Obviously a ball > > bearing is preferred but it is an expensive luxury for hams. We a lucky > to > > have a USA manufacture (Elecraft) that chooses to use premium components. > > Many Japanese made radios now use a quality made encoder with a full > metal > > shell and a bronze bushing for the bearing. Icom uses the same exact > > encoders the Icom 746 thru the 7800 radios, and Yaesu does the same on > the > > FT-950 thru FTdx9000, etc. There were radios made in the 80's and 90's > that > > had plastic encoder housings and less robust bearing materials, yet these > > encoders continue to hold up over time. Once in a while you will find an > > old Icom 735, Kenwood 440, or a Yaesu 757GX with a worn, loose and sloppy > > feeling encoder. Often these radios have equal wear on the face, buttons > > and the rest of the enclosure. They literally got the heck ran out of > them > > for 20 years and all without any maintenance (lubrication, etc). There > are > > a great many radios on the used market from the 80's-90's that have nice > > smooth and wear free encoders and the best feeling are often from radios > > with heavier knobs (Icom 781, 765, 751A, Kenwood 930, 940, 950, Yaesu > > FT-990, FT-1000D, FT-1000MP, etc). As an experienced tool maker, I will > not > > design a product that I feel will compromise the life of a customers > radio. > > > > One measure that I do recommend is removing the weighted knob from your > > radio if ever you ship it. Shipping companies today are known for > dropping > > boxes from great heights. When I bought my Icom 7700 and 7800 radios, > they > > both came with the Icom weighted knob not installed on the radio. You > have > > to put the knob on after you remove it from the box. So it is a > worthwhile > > consideration to remove the knob if shipping your radio via UPS, Fed-Ex > or > > US Mail. > > > > If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to email me. > > Thanks & 73, N8BX > > Fred > > > > > >> > >> ------Original Message------ > >> From: Phil LaMarche > >> To: [email protected] > >> Subject: FW: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS?? > >> Sent: May 27, 2012 2:58 PM > >> > >> Thoughts? > >> > >> Philip LaMarche > >> > >> > >> 727-944-3226 > >> 727-510-5038 Cell > >> www.w9dvm.com > >> WWW.FLAMGROUP.COM > >> > >> K3 # 1605 > >> KPA500 # 029 > >> P3 #1480 > >> > >> CCA 98-00827 > >> CRA 1701 > >> W9DVM > >> > >> > >> > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: [email protected] > >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau > >> Claire > >> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 2:56 PM > >> To: [email protected] > >> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS?? > >> > >> I wonder if anyone has studied the long-term effects on the encoder > >> bushings and shafts that must support those knobs? AFAIK, it's just a > >> simple bushing > >> - no ball or roller bearing races - so all of the wear is on the lower > >> side of the bushing. > >> > >> Ron AC7AC > >> > >> ______________________________________________________________ > >> Elecraft mailing list > >> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > >> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > >> Post: mailto:[email protected] > >> > >> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email > >> list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > >> > >> > >> > >> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry® > > > > > > ______________________________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
