Ron, in those two instances where I had to take some extra steps to make the K3 work normally again, I did correspond with Gary at Elecraft, but no conclusion about cause was arrived at. It was only our conversation today that made me think of the remote possibility of a connection between those incidents and my power shutdown habits. And because you suggested it, I now think that I should write Elecraft again about it. Thanks.
Erik K7TV ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[email protected]> To: "'Erik N Basilier'" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 11:57 AM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K3 power loss: Last settings forgotten > Interesting Eric. > > That's one you might post to [email protected]. I've not seen it here > and I suspect Wayne would be surprised to see it. (He monitors that list > carefully.) > > Even though I frequently hit the POWER button switching off the main > supply, > when working on the K3 on the bench testing assembly procedures, etc., I > often just "pull the plug" with the K3 live with no ill effects. > > Indeed, the one problem with shutting down the K3 that I've seen was that > if > the power supply wasn't turned off, a few K3s wouldn't turn on again > later! > That was traced to small current leakage through the KPA3 that managed to > keep the CPU partially "alive" so it never did a complete shutdown. But > that's just the opposite. Turning off the main supply "fixed" the problem > (it's also fixed by the addition of a 1N4148 diode as described in > http://www.elecraft.com/K3/mods/KPA3_12V_Sense_Modification_Rev_A.pdf) > > Ron AC7AC > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Erik N Basilier [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 10:44 AM > To: Ron D'Eau Claire; [email protected] > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 power loss: Last settings forgotten > > Ron, I have been shutting down the external power rather than using the > K3's > power switch hundreds of times, a habit I established with earlier radios. > I am comforted to know that you have also shut down your K3 in a similar > way with no ill effects. But one thing now comes to mind that I didn't > think > about previously. Twice in several months of having the K3 I had a problem > where the radio seemed disconnected from the antenna and showed a high > swr on transmit. I jiggled the connector pins at the automatic tuner board > etc. to no effect. At the first instance, the radio just started working > normally > after I used its power switch to power down and back on again. The second > time (months later) I had to reload the firmware to get back to normal. > Of course, there is nothing to say that either incident had anything to do > with > how the radio was shut down, just something that came to mind. If there > were a chance of corrupting the firmware by unexpected power loss, then > it would have implications for portable operation where alligator clips > happily jump off of battery terminal posts etc. > > 73, > Erik K7TV > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 11:04 AM > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 power loss: Last settings forgotten > > >> And the K3 is pretty resistant to the sort of craziness some CPU's >> experience with unexpected shutdowns. >> >> I'm not aware of anyone who has had a "crash" of the system due to the >> power >> being pulled unexpectedly. I've done it hundreds of times working with my >> k3 >> without any ill effects other than, as you noted, some front panel >> control >> settings may not be stored. >> >> FWIW that's true of the K2 as well. >> >> 73, >> >> 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
