I inherited a KX1 about three weeks ago, and until this afternoon it had been performing flawlessly on a random-wire antenna and counterpoise. Today, I was trying to call CQ on 20m, and after running a tuning cycle and seeing a 1.2:1 match, I started calling CQ as usual. In the middle of sending a character, the unit "clicked" and the background noise fell off enough to darken the S-meter bar display. I ran another tune cycle and saw a 9.9:1 match, but the background noise came back. Yet another tune cycle and the radio returned to the 1.2:1 match. The displayed output power didn't vary, showing 1.4 watts.
I got curious and opened the case. Looking at the tuner board, I saw one relay (K7) that looked like a corner had been trimmed away. I can't tell if it was intentionally done by the original builder to afford clearance with a main-board toroid, or if it was heat damage. I looked through the documentation I was given along with the radio, and I don't see anything in the KXAT1 manual that calls for trimming anything for clearance, so my first instinct is a heat issue. I'll be emailing Parts to obtain a replacement relay in the morning. I've only been able to repeat the problem once, and it only seems to happen when I'm running off my desktop 12V power supply. It doesn't seem to happen at all when running on batteries. My question is...has anyone else come across this? Is it a random component failure, or is there a potential for a repeat failure after I replace the relay? -- 73 de N5ILN Alan [email protected] NAQCC # 6139 ______________________________________________________________ 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
