date:20060104

Charles,

The parts for the sidetone waveshape mod are included with the KATOBKT from
Elecraft.  The values differ slightly from those in the original sidetone
waveshape mod, but both work - still not a pure sinewave, but much closer
than before.

You should consider doing the complete A to B upgrade including all the
optional parts along with making a change to the new crystal set - you will
not be sorry after you hear the difference.  Download the A to B instruction
manual and look at the changes listed on the first page.  And if you are
considering the addition of a KPA100, I highly recommend that you also add
the keying waveshape change.  The Extremely Strong Signal Handling change
came after the A to B kit too, but no kit for it - just takes 2 1N4148
diodes to add it.  For about $70US you can end up with a K2 that is equal to
the current production K2s - there IS a difference.

73,
Don W3FPR


 -Original Message-

 I built K2 Nr 413 and made lots of CW contacts, the built in Mojo
 was great.
 I stopped using it because the crystal oscillator in the side tone was
 not a pure sine wave and it became offensive to my ear. I only use CW.

 I have been informed by a K2 op that the more recent versions have a
 better side tone. If this is so then I may consider building the K2/100.
 Could some one please help me with this decision?

 Charles


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[Elecraft] Positive ground

2006-01-04 Thread Jeremiah McCarthy

Prior to and including 1955 all Chrysler built cars had a 6 volt positive 
ground system...

Jerry, wa2dkg
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Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone

2006-01-04 Thread Don Nesbitt

Seems my ISP is blocked from the list - trying again 73 --Don N4HH
- Original Message - 
From: Don Nesbitt [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Charles [EMAIL PROTECTED]; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 7:24 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone

Check out the info on Sverre's page: 
http://www.qslnet.de/member/la3za/K2/mod.html  lots of good stuff here.

Look under item #2 for a Sidetone mod of just go to : 
http://www.elecraft.com/Apps/sinewave_sidetone_mod.htm

73 es hv fun -- Don N4HH

- Original Message - 
From: Charles [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 5:15 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Side Tone

I built K2 Nr 413 and made lots of CW contacts, the built in Mojo was 
great.
I stopped using it because the crystal oscillator in the side tone was 
not a pure sine wave and it became offensive to my ear. I only use CW.

I have been informed by a K2 op that the more recent versions have a 
better side tone. If this is so then I may consider building the K2/100.

Could some one please help me with this decision?

Charles
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--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.11/219 - Release Date: 1/2/2006

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[Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Dave Sublette

If this is a duplicate, I appologize, but I posted it 18 hours ago and 
it hasn't appeared. Is there some delay built into this relector??




Good afternoon,

Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
noticed the self tuning feature.

Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft Archives.

Sowhat say ye about this?

Dave, K4TO

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Re: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread vze3v8dt

Hi Dave,

Check out the K2 manual, page 32, right hand column.  Sounds like you need to 
loosen the set screws on the knob and push it in a bit tighter against the felt 
washer and then retighten the set screws.  The felt washer acts as a friction 
brake and the amount of braking force depends on how much pressure is applied 
between the knob and the felt pad.

I've found that a mobile rig that I have which may have a similar construction 
the knob spins much more freely during hot summertime temperatures while in the 
winter it seems quite a bit more stiff.

73,

Mark, NK8Q
K2 #4786

From: Dave Sublette [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Wed Jan 04 08:39:25 CST 2006
To: Elecraft elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

If this is a duplicate, I appologize, but I posted it 18 hours ago and 
it hasn't appeared. Is there some delay built into this relector??



Good afternoon,

Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
noticed the self tuning feature.

Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft Archives.

Sowhat say ye about this?

Dave, K4TO

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RE: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

Dave,

Easy fix - just loosen the screws on the VFO knob and move it back a bit to
create more drag on the knob.  Be certain the felt washer is in place, that
is the only thing that creates the drag - adjust the knob position on the
shaft until the drag is right for your taste.  If you initially adjusted the
drag for a 'light touch', the felt washer may have compressed a bit and your
current drag is not sufficient to hold the knob in position.

As a note for those with older K2s, I have found that the felt washer does
compress and wear out after a long while, so for those with a similar
problem, you may want to consider replacing it if the range of drag
adjustment is not to your liking.

73,
Don W3FPR

 -Original Message-


 Good afternoon,

 Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
 haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

 As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
 I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
 hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
 readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
 sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
 which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
 may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
 direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

 I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
 weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
 IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
 noticed the self tuning feature.

 Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
 cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft
 Archives.

 Sowhat say ye about this?

 Dave, K4TO



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Re: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Dave Sublette

Thanks to all who responded.  The haunting is now over.  I adjusted 
the VFO knob to put a bit more pressure on the felt washer and now it 
stays put when I turn loose of the knob.


Dave

Dave Sublette wrote:

If this is a duplicate, I appologize, but I posted it 18 hours ago and 
it hasn't appeared. Is there some delay built into this relector??




Good afternoon,

Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
noticed the self tuning feature.

Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft 
Archives.


Sowhat say ye about this?

Dave, K4TO

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Re: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Dave Sublette

Thanks to all who responded.  The haunting is now over.  I adjusted 
the VFO knob to put a bit more pressure on the felt washer and now it 
stays put when I turn loose of the knob.


Dave

Dave Sublette wrote:

If this is a duplicate, I appologize, but I posted it 18 hours ago and 
it hasn't appeared. Is there some delay built into this relector??




Good afternoon,

Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
noticed the self tuning feature.

Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft 
Archives.


Sowhat say ye about this?

Dave, K4TO

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Re: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Tom Hammond


Hi Dave:

This is probably doe to the fact that the brass counterweight inside 
the back of the VFO tuning knob is just a slight bit eccentric with 
regard to weight... just about all K2 VFO knobs will demonstrate this 
'quality' of there's insufficient rotational resistance applied to 
the back side of the knob.


Add a small bit more 'resistance' to the knob tension via the felt 
pad which SHOULD reside between the knob and the front panel.


I've found the easiest way to mete-out tiny amounts of rotational 
resistance is to completely loosen one of the two VFO knob setscrews, 
and then to loosen the 2nd one and to re-tighten it JUST to the point 
that it will keep the knob from pulling off the encoder shaft. THEN, 
with the butt end of a small screwdriver, I'll 'tap' on the center of 
the VFO knob, pushing the knob in toward the front panel and checking 
rotational resistance following each 'tap'. Once I get the resistance 
where I want it, I'll first tighten the 'snugged' setscrew and then 
the loose one.


Done.


At 08:39 AM 1/4/2006, you wrote:
If this is a duplicate, I appologize, but I posted it 18 hours ago 
and it hasn't appeared. Is there some delay built into this relector??




Good afternoon,

Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.

As I tune the knob up and down the bands and come to the frequency that
I want to listen or transmit on, I stop turning the knob and I take my
hand off.  The knob is fully stopped when I do this.  As I watch the
readout after taking my hand off, the frequency starts to change slowly,
sometimes adding (or subtracting) as much as 80 hz to the frequency at
which I stopped the knob.  The knob is actually turning by itself.  It
may go either direction and seems not to be correlated to whichever
direction of rotation I was using when I stopped turning.

I have been using the K2 regularly on the HF bands only for the past few
weeks. Since building the unit last spring, I have used it mainly as an
IF rig on the microwave bands.  Until the last day or two, I haven't
noticed the self tuning feature.

Perhaps this phenominom has been previously noted and a fix found.  I
cheerfully admit that I haven't done any research in the Elecraft Archives.

Sowhat say ye about this?

Dave, K4TO

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[Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music)

With so many musicians on here, including the K1/K2 designer, maybe someone
would comment on why sidetones are the frequency they are. Actually, I have
been thinking more about how people choose the OFFSET they prefer more than
the sidetone, but it's the same idea.

It's interesting that you should say the sidetone was offensive because it
was not a pure sine wave. It is my understanding (not being a musician
myself), that humans prefer tones with harmonic content. Pure sine waves
sound simple and harsh to the ear. Maybe we would find that even with a
sidetone, there is some preferred harmonic content that makes it richer and
more pleasing to listen to. The same goes for the offset frequency. I, and
others, have commented on how much better the K1 sounds to us compared to
even the K2. I don't know what quality the K1 has that makes us think that
way, but there is something going on there that makes me choose the K1 for
ragchewing. Something makes it less fatiguing or otherwise more pleasant for
me, and it is independent of the speaker as I have traded external speakers
back and forth bewteen the K1 and the K2. 

While thinking about it, and again, not being a musician, I began wondering
why piano keys are tuned to the very specific, but seemingly odd frequencies
they are. The lowest note on a piano is 28.5 Hz. Who decided something like
that? Esp. way back 200+ years ago. All of the white keys are harmonically
related to that bizarre 28 and 1/2 hz, now I know the reason for that, but
why did they choose that particular frequency? I don't know the answer to
that, but maybe it evolved over decades or even centuries of humans
responding well to certain notes and not to others. (I should have done some
basic research first, I guess). I doubt they were chosen at random and
probably really do seem to be frequencies humans prefer.

If that is so, why don't we pick offsets that correspond to musical notes?
Why do most of us pick some arbitrary offset rounded to the nearest 50 or
100. When we talk about offsets here, we are nearly always talking about 500
or 600 or 700 or the screeching 1000 hz or higher offset that comes fixed in
a lot of earlier rigs. Maybe the offset on the K1/K2 menus should be
calibrated in musical notes instead of arbitrary decade increments.

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com





-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Charles
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 2:16 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Side Tone

I built K2 Nr 413 and made lots of CW contacts, the built in Mojo was great.
I stopped using it because the crystal oscillator in the side tone was not a
pure sine wave and it became offensive to my ear. I only use CW.

I have been informed by a K2 op that the more recent versions have a better
side tone. If this is so then I may consider building the K2/100.
Could some one please help me with this decision?

Charles
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Re: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Vic K2VCO


Dave Sublette wrote:


Now that I have your attention, I don't really think that my K2 is
haunted, but it does seem to want to tune itself.


Since you implied that the knob is actually turning, I think you have a 
simple problem solved by tightening the pressure on the felt washer, as 
others have mentioned.


However, if the knob is *not* turning, and your K2 is older than serial 
no. 2696 you may have this problem:


http://www.elecraft.com/Apps/Alert16.html

This is very easy to fix.  I had this happen to me once and believe it 
or not, the K2 tuned itself to the frequency of SV2ASP, Monk Apollo on 
Mt. Athos, one of the rarest DX stations in the world, on one of his 
even rarer forays onto CW (yes, it really was him)!  And I worked him!


So maybe you don't want to fix it.
--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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RE: [Elecraft] Haunted K2

2006-01-04 Thread Ron D'Eau Claire

It sounds as if you fixed the problem by tightening the knob, but that isn't
the only reason for hands off frequency changes. 

There was an encoder issue in older K2's that can cause that sort of thing
to happen intermittently too. The frequency would increment on its own
because the firmware was mistakenly reading changes in the encoder output
during transmit as actual knob movement. The result was a steadily changing
frequency with both hands off! 

That was solved with a simple wiring change documented here several years
ago and subsequently fixed in firmware. If you have 2.02E firmware or later
you have the fix. 

Ron AC7AC

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[Elecraft] Silver Eagle microphone

2006-01-04 Thread JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD


Hi,

A long time friend of mine who have cancer asked me to sell all his  
amateur equipment. I have now an excellent good looking Silver Eagle  
microphone, probably will become a piece of collection, who knows.


I just wondering if anybody try with success to use this microphone  
with their K2 ???


73

=
JEAN-FRANÇOIS MÉNARD / VA2VYZ

ELECRAFT KX1 #999, K2 #4130
FISTS #11896

Pour visitez mon site Internet / To visit my website :

http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard
=



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RE: [Elecraft] Silver Eagle microphone

2006-01-04 Thread Ron D'Eau Claire

A long time friend of mine who have cancer asked me to sell all his  
amateur equipment. I have now an excellent good looking Silver Eagle  
microphone, probably will become a piece of collection, who knows.

I just wondering if anybody try with success to use this microphone  
with their K2 ???

73

JEAN-FRANÇOIS MÉNARD / VA2VYZ

=

I assume that's an Astatic D-104 Silver Eagle, Jean-Francois, sometimes
called a lolly-pop microphone because of its distinctive shape. If so, it
should have an amplifier built into the base (turn it over and there'll be a
place for a battery and a screwdriver adjustment for the gain). That mic
with the amplifier will drive a K2 beautifully. Avoid over-driving the K2
though. That amplifier has plenty of gain. If you set it up so you get a
little ALC action (shown on the bar graph in ALC mode) on the band that
needs the most audio (usually 10 meters) at full RF power out, it should be
fine. If the adjustment seems touchy because it's near the low end, don't
forget you can switch in an attenuator in the K2 using the Menu. Set SSBA to
1 for about 10 dB audio attenuation. 

The D-104 is not a good mic to use with the K2 if it lacks the amplifier.
The D-104 uses a crystal element designed for a load impedance of about
50,000 ohms. That was very common for tube-type audio inputs half a century
ago, but modern gear, like the K2, expects an impedance in the range of
1,000 ohms. That's why Astatic started incorporating the amplifier in the
base of their later microphones.

If you don't have the amplifier and try to use the mic, you will find that
the audio frequency response is very different than what you'd expect due to
the impedance mismatch and the audio level will probably be quite low. In
that case you could try a matching transformer, if the mic has enough output
to drive the K2 without the preamp. 

Ron AC7AC

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Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music)

2006-01-04 Thread Vic K2VCO


EricJ wrote:


It's interesting that you should say the sidetone was offensive because it
was not a pure sine wave. It is my understanding (not being a musician
myself), that humans prefer tones with harmonic content. Pure sine waves
sound simple and harsh to the ear. 


Not harsh, but boring.  But anyway, the reason a pure sine wave is 
desirable is that it makes matching pitch with a received signal easier.


Back in the day I always used neon-bulb sawtooth shaped sidetones. 
Digitally generated square waves are ugly.

--
73,
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco
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Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music) Mostly OT

2006-01-04 Thread Jason Artz

Hi Eric,

Interesting thoughts.  I am a professional musician
and owner of a K1.  I could write pages (and have,
back in school) on how and why pianos are tuned the
way they are -- they are giant mess, pitch-wise, for
many many reasons, but through lots of compramises you
end up with something that sounds good.  I will say
that when I originally built and set up my K1, I chose
a sidetone/offset frequency of 440Hz because that is
the tuning note (A) at standard US concert pitch. 
The K1 wasn't dead on, though, and adjustments are by
10 whole Hz, so it bothered me a bit and I chose 600Hz
because it sounded good on my headphones and seemed a
popular choice. :)

I can't comment on the difference in received CW tone
on a K1 versus K2 because I've never heard a K2.  I
find the sidetone on the K1 to be pretty rich,
harmonically, but not bad.  I'd prefer it a little
less so, though, or with a different distribution of
harmonics present at different levels (sounds like a
good new add-on - essentially a synthesizer/eq for
your K1's sidetone - how about it, guys?! ;) ).  What
makes one instrument sound different from another is
partially the harmonic content and the amplitudes of
each harmonic relative to the others.  Another aspect
is the start and stop of the tone (waveform shaping?).
 I am sure someone could design a sidetone that would
sound like an instrument or some other more pleasing
tone.  Then they could patent it like Harley Davidson
did with their sound. 

As far as why we have the frequencies we have on the
piano (or any other western instrument), it's
generally based on the A above middle C being 440Hz. 
The rest of the notes are based on that,
mathematically.  It isn't always 440Hz, though - it's
a bit higher in most of Europe (442-444Hz) and has
historically been all over the place - as low as maybe
380 and as high as 490.  There are lots of theories as
to how 440Hz became popular - could go on about that
but I won't. :)  Suffice it to say that instruments
made of certain materials, at certain sizes, will
resonate (and sound) better at certain frequencies. 
I think that, over time, the evolution of instruments
and pitches settled in a range that works best with
the material and acoustic limitations that we face. 
(It's still not static, though)

Why the particular tones within the octave?  It's a
western thing - they've got way more notes in
traditional Indian music and fewer in China.

73,
Jason 
ak7v

--- EricJ [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 With so many musicians on here, including the K1/K2
 designer, maybe someone
 would comment on why sidetones are the frequency
 they are. Actually, I have
 been thinking more about how people choose the
 OFFSET they prefer more than
 the sidetone, but it's the same idea.
 
 It's interesting that you should say the sidetone
 was offensive because it
 was not a pure sine wave. It is my understanding
 (not being a musician
 myself), that humans prefer tones with harmonic
 content. Pure sine waves
 sound simple and harsh to the ear. Maybe we would
 find that even with a
 sidetone, there is some preferred harmonic content
 that makes it richer and
 more pleasing to listen to. The same goes for the
 offset frequency. I, and
 others, have commented on how much better the K1
 sounds to us compared to
 even the K2. I don't know what quality the K1 has
 that makes us think that
 way, but there is something going on there that
 makes me choose the K1 for
 ragchewing. Something makes it less fatiguing or
 otherwise more pleasant for
 me, and it is independent of the speaker as I have
 traded external speakers
 back and forth bewteen the K1 and the K2. 
 
 While thinking about it, and again, not being a
 musician, I began wondering
 why piano keys are tuned to the very specific, but
 seemingly odd frequencies
 they are. The lowest note on a piano is 28.5 Hz. Who
 decided something like
 that? Esp. way back 200+ years ago. All of the white
 keys are harmonically
 related to that bizarre 28 and 1/2 hz, now I know
 the reason for that, but
 why did they choose that particular frequency? I
 don't know the answer to
 that, but maybe it evolved over decades or even
 centuries of humans
 responding well to certain notes and not to others.
 (I should have done some
 basic research first, I guess). I doubt they were
 chosen at random and
 probably really do seem to be frequencies humans
 prefer.
 
 If that is so, why don't we pick offsets that
 correspond to musical notes?
 Why do most of us pick some arbitrary offset rounded
 to the nearest 50 or
 100. When we talk about offsets here, we are nearly
 always talking about 500
 or 600 or 700 or the screeching 1000 hz or higher
 offset that comes fixed in
 a lot of earlier rigs. Maybe the offset on the K1/K2
 menus should be
 calibrated in musical notes instead of arbitrary
 decade increments.
 
 Eric
 KE6US
 www.ke6us.com
 
 
 
 
 
 -Original Message-
 From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf
 Of Charles
 Sent:

RE: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music) Mostly OT

So maybe Chinese or Indian export models should include more sidetone
options. Hi.

My offset is also around 600 hz. In a blind test, it sort of settled there,
but I remember being undecided because the steps were too far apart. Like
some other tone close by would actually have been better for me.

Anyway, it is something that I have been kicking around with no background
to make sense of it. Your note helps give me some direction for further
research. A friend of mine has a PhD in Dance specializing in Balinese dance
and she has mentioned the expanded scale of Eastern music as well.

There is always a way to make a BFD out of the simplest thing...even a
sidetone.

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com 

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Jason Artz
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 10:29 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music) Mostly OT

Hi Eric,

Interesting thoughts.  I am a professional musician and owner of a K1.  I
could write pages (and have, back in school) on how and why pianos are tuned
the way they are -- they are giant mess, pitch-wise, for many many reasons,
but through lots of compramises you end up with something that sounds good.
I will say that when I originally built and set up my K1, I chose a
sidetone/offset frequency of 440Hz because that is the tuning note (A) at
standard US concert pitch. 
The K1 wasn't dead on, though, and adjustments are by 10 whole Hz, so it
bothered me a bit and I chose 600Hz because it sounded good on my headphones
and seemed a popular choice. :)

I can't comment on the difference in received CW tone on a K1 versus K2
because I've never heard a K2.  I find the sidetone on the K1 to be pretty
rich, harmonically, but not bad.  I'd prefer it a little less so, though, or
with a different distribution of harmonics present at different levels
(sounds like a good new add-on - essentially a synthesizer/eq for your K1's
sidetone - how about it, guys?! ;) ).  What makes one instrument sound
different from another is partially the harmonic content and the amplitudes
of each harmonic relative to the others.  Another aspect is the start and
stop of the tone (waveform shaping?).
 I am sure someone could design a sidetone that would sound like an
instrument or some other more pleasing
tone.  Then they could patent it like Harley Davidson did with their sound. 

As far as why we have the frequencies we have on the piano (or any other
western instrument), it's generally based on the A above middle C being
440Hz. 
The rest of the notes are based on that, mathematically.  It isn't always
440Hz, though - it's a bit higher in most of Europe (442-444Hz) and has
historically been all over the place - as low as maybe 380 and as high as
490.  There are lots of theories as to how 440Hz became popular - could go
on about that but I won't. :)  Suffice it to say that instruments made of
certain materials, at certain sizes, will resonate (and sound) better at
certain frequencies. 
I think that, over time, the evolution of instruments and pitches settled in
a range that works best with the material and acoustic limitations that we
face. 
(It's still not static, though)

Why the particular tones within the octave?  It's a western thing - they've
got way more notes in traditional Indian music and fewer in China.

73,
Jason
ak7v

--- EricJ [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 With so many musicians on here, including the K1/K2 designer, maybe 
 someone would comment on why sidetones are the frequency they are. 
 Actually, I have been thinking more about how people choose the OFFSET 
 they prefer more than the sidetone, but it's the same idea.
 
 It's interesting that you should say the sidetone was offensive 
 because it was not a pure sine wave. It is my understanding (not being 
 a musician myself), that humans prefer tones with harmonic content. 
 Pure sine waves sound simple and harsh to the ear. Maybe we would find 
 that even with a sidetone, there is some preferred harmonic content 
 that makes it richer and more pleasing to listen to. The same goes for 
 the offset frequency. I, and others, have commented on how much better 
 the K1 sounds to us compared to even the K2. I don't know what quality 
 the K1 has that makes us think that way, but there is something going 
 on there that makes me choose the K1 for ragchewing. Something makes 
 it less fatiguing or otherwise more pleasant for me, and it is 
 independent of the speaker as I have traded external speakers back and 
 forth bewteen the K1 and the K2.
 
 While thinking about it, and again, not being a musician, I began 
 wondering why piano keys are tuned to the very specific, but seemingly 
 odd frequencies they are. The lowest note on a piano is 28.5 Hz. Who 
 decided something like that? Esp. way back 200+ years ago. All of the 
 white keys are harmonically related to that bizarre 28 and 1/2 hz, now 
 I know the reason for that, but why did they

[Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

2006-01-04 Thread Steve Kavanagh

OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of
stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's
ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several
checks to make sure it was done right !).

Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without
serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If
so what technique did you use ?

73,
Steve VE3SMA






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Re: [Elecraft] Silver Eagle microphone

2006-01-04 Thread Larry Phipps

I am using one with mine. I assume you are talking about the Silver 
Eagle version of the venerable Astatic D-104. Mine has a preamp in the 
base, and works just fine with the K2.


Larry N8LP



JEAN-FRANCOIS MENARD wrote:


Hi,

A long time friend of mine who have cancer asked me to sell all his  
amateur equipment. I have now an excellent good looking Silver Eagle  
microphone, probably will become a piece of collection, who knows.


I just wondering if anybody try with success to use this microphone  
with their K2 ???


73

=
JEAN-FRANÇOIS MÉNARD / VA2VYZ

ELECRAFT KX1 #999, K2 #4130
FISTS #11896

Pour visitez mon site Internet / To visit my website :

http://homepage.mac.com/jfmenard
=



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[Elecraft] K2 #5290 Underway

2006-01-04 Thread Bill Coleman N2BC

#5290 arrived today.  I've enjoyed reading the reflector for the past 
few weeks, hope to 'contribute' in the future.  In an effort to 
eliminate any possibility of a haunted K2, I will hang some garlic over 
the workbench before I heat up the soldering iron.


Happy New Year to all

73, Bill  N2BC 
K2 #5290 as soon as I stir all these parts together!


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Re: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

2006-01-04 Thread Allan Bacon

If you can get a desoldering tool with heated pencil and desolder vacuum 
built-in 
go for it. I got a Hako 808 and removed many remove components from 
boards without damaging components or boards on any PCB's. Double-sided, 
singles and multi-layer. 
73,
KI4HRN

- Original Message 
From: Steve Kavanagh [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 2:17:27 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?


OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of
stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's
ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several
checks to make sure it was done right !).

Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without
serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If
so what technique did you use ?

73,
Steve VE3SMA



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[Elecraft] T1 kit

2006-01-04 Thread M1MGD1

Hello
My T1 kit has arrived in the uk today total 8 days with bank holiday  weekend 
in the middle very impressed (better get a smaller soldering iron  hi)
well done Elecraft yet again.  

Mick M1MGD  K2#4785 K1#1532
G-QRP 11355 ARCI  12343

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RE: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

I mounted an entire row in my K1 ATU backwards after checking it at least
once.

It was easier and safer to just crush them with sidecutters, remove the pins
with desoldering braid and replace the relays with knew ones. I found them
locally, but you can get them from Elecraft, Mouser or Digikey as well. They
aren't very special and they are inexpensive.

Unless you have one of those fancy desolderers they talk about here (I
don't), it is risky and very tedious trying to do it with desoldering braid.
I figured if I couldn't handle soldering them in correctly in the first
place, what would make me think I could desolder them correctly after the
fact. 

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com 

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Kavanagh
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 11:17 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of stupidity...I just found I
installed two of Elecraft's ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after
several checks to make sure it was done right !).

Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without serious damage to either
the relay or the board ? If so what technique did you use ?

73,
Steve VE3SMA






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RE: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

Steve,

If you have a Hakko 808 or similar quality desoldering tool, you might try
removing them, but if not, I strongly suggest that you order new relays and
cut the cases on the existing ones so you can remove the pins one at a time
and clean up with solder wick. The board with the other mounted components
is more valuable than the relays - remember that when you are working, we
hams have a tendency to salvage everything possible, but resist that
temptation.

73,
Don W3FPR


 -Original Message-

 OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of
 stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's
 ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several
 checks to make sure it was done right !).

 Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without
 serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If
 so what technique did you use ?

 73,
 Steve VE3SMA


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Re: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?

2006-01-04 Thread Ian Stirling

On Wednesday 04 January 2006 20:05, Allan Bacon wrote:
 If you can get a desoldering tool with heated pencil and desolder vacuum 
 built-in 
 go for it. I got a Hako 808 and removed many remove components from 
 boards without damaging components or boards on any PCB's. Double-sided, 
 singles and multi-layer. 

  I have used the spring loaded sucking plunger
type that's used with a soldering iron to
remove ICs and components.  I have one from
RS Components (when I lived in England) and one
from Radio Shack.
  The method is to remove the solder and then
'crack' the leads from the board, to free them
from the residual solder, with a small
screwdriver or such tool.  Even 40 pin ICs
succumb undamaged to this.

Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962
--
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[Elecraft] T1 Antenna Considerations

2006-01-04 Thread M1MGD1

Hello
I have just received my T1 kit and i notice that under the above heading in  
the owners manual under random-wire antennas it states(avoid lengths close to 
a  multiple of 1/2 wavelength on any band) please can someone explain why this 
is  important,also i wish to use this tuner on the following bands 20/15/10m 
so a  suggested wire length would be appreciated I only have 40ft of space to 
play  with.
 
Thank you.  

Mick M1MGD  K2#4785 K1#1532
G-QRP 11355 ARCI  12343

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Re: [Elecraft] T1 Antenna Considerations

2006-01-04 Thread Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF

A half wavelength wire is very high impedance and outside the range of 
most auto tuners.
If you're going to use half wave wires, feed them through a 9:1 current 
balun. (OK, it's not a balun, it's an impedance transformer)


[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:


Hello
I have just received my T1 kit and i notice that under the above heading in  
the owners manual under random-wire antennas it states(avoid lengths close to 
a  multiple of 1/2 wavelength on any band) please can someone explain why this 
is  important,also i wish to use this tuner on the following bands 20/15/10m 
so a  suggested wire length would be appreciated I only have 40ft of space to 
play  with.


Thank you.  


Mick M1MGD  K2#4785 K1#1532
G-QRP 11355 ARCI  12343

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[Elecraft] K2 building problem

2006-01-04 Thread Ed Findley

Trying to put together K2 #5278 I am at the point for alignment and test
Part 1. Powers up fine and shows 7100.00 c and display shows correct voltage
and amperage. But when I test the optical encoder by turning the vfo knob it
moves from 7100.00 c to 7100.01 c and then upon further turning moves back
to 7100.00 c. Does the same thing no matter which way the knob is turned.
Rechecked components and solder joint without finding anything.  I may just
be too old for this solid state stuff.  I think the last thing I built was a
HW 101.  I did not try to go on to the calibration part as it may not be
worthwhile with the encoder not working correctly.

Appreciate any suggestions.

K2 #5278

Ed Findley  WB2KUI

 

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RE: [Elecraft] K2 building problem

Ed,

You are going to find an unsoldered connection somewhere.  Examine the
boards carefully.  One of the most likely is that you missed soldering a pin
on one of the connectors, but examine everything.

It is not your age - stuff like that happens to all of us at one time or
another.

73,
Don W3FPR

 -Original Message-

 Trying to put together K2 #5278 I am at the point for alignment and test
 Part 1. Powers up fine and shows 7100.00 c and display shows
 correct voltage
 and amperage. But when I test the optical encoder by turning the
 vfo knob it
 moves from 7100.00 c to 7100.01 c and then upon further turning moves back
 to 7100.00 c. Does the same thing no matter which way the knob is turned.
 Rechecked components and solder joint without finding anything.
 I may just
 be too old for this solid state stuff.  I think the last thing I
 built was a
 HW 101.  I did not try to go on to the calibration part as it may not be
 worthwhile with the encoder not working correctly.

 Appreciate any suggestions.

 K2 #5278

 Ed Findley  WB2KUI



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[Elecraft] RE: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT

2006-01-04 Thread Cortland Richmond


Ron AC7AC wrote
 It's mostly ignorance, though, not stupidity, and some of it pays off.
Like
 the engineer who was developing magnetron power oscillators for radar
 systems in the 1940's and discovered that the chocolate bar in his nice
 white shirt pocket had melted and made a mess. Curious, he investigated
why.
 The first Microwave Oven was the result - sold as the Radar Range. At
 least he got his revenge for the ruined shirt. I haven't gotten that sort
of
 revenge yet. Still looking (where's my lead pencil?)

I heard my late uncle (Marvin Bock) had his name on one of the Radar Range
patents.

Dumb things?  When I knew better?  Sure!

Checking SWR standing on a ladder while the tail rotor whirred around not
three feet from my face? Dumb.

1100V from a plate cap (still have a mark on that hand).  Stupid.  

Marrying a woman who was half Mexican, half Apache, and half Italian spy.
Priceless. 


Cortland
KA5S

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When I was in high school, I worked summers in a machine shop. Simon
Novick, the head of the shop was an old world master machinist from
Poland, and a very fine and patient teacher. He routinely, almost
caually, machined items to within .0001 (but only when that accuracy
was needed). His mantra was as accurate as necessary, but no closer;
you have to make production.

For all his skill as a machinist, he knew nothing about electricity. He
always had an electrician do any wiring in the shop. But a day came when
he needed to test an air compressor he had rebuilt. No electrician was
available, so Simon himself wired a switch *across* the motor leads and
kept wondering why the compressor ran with the switch off and fuses blew
each time he turned it on.

I set that problem straight in about 5 minutes, and became the backup
electrician for the rest of the summer.

73,
Lenny W2BVH

Gregg mulder wrote:

Seeing all of these Stupid posts reminded me of one of mine. Another story of experimenting with our good
friend AC wall outlets. 1965, I was in the 6th grade. In science class we learned abt the making of Mr.
Edison's electric light. upon returning home I decieded to make my own ! I borrowed an old mason jar from my mom and
removed an old lamp cord from a dead lamp got a hammer es some nails and started to build ! You were supposed
to put the nails into a rubber stopper, wrap some nichrome wire between the nails, put the stopper in the top of
the jar, attach the power leads to the nails, and make light ! Well as luck would have it I didn't have a rubber
stopper, so i just used the metal top of the mason jar. I pounded the nails halfway into the lid shorting
them and carefully wrapped some wire around the nails. I lit a peice of paper on fire and put it in the jar es
secured the the lid to burn off the oxygen in the jar. then attached the 2 ends of the lamp cord t
o the
nails protruding from the top of the jar. I set the LAMP on the bed and went to plug it
in to the nearest wall outlet fully expecting to see light. when I plugeged it in I saw light
alright. Arcs en sparks from everywhere ! I blew all the fuses in the house, but not before
watching my lightbulb blow up, es the lamp cord melt onto my bed spread catching it on fire ! I
must have jumped 10 feet in the air ! I beat the fire out just in time to hear my mom yelling
what's going on in there ? I was still shaking when my mom entered the smoke filled
room. And although i was lucky to have not been electricuted, that episode did end my Edison
experiments. I was also pleasantly supprised that I didn't get a wippin when my dad got home from
work. Guess they figured i'd learned my lesson. And then there was radio
Hope u enjoyed one of my stupid moments. 73 Gregg WB8LZG
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[Elecraft] Interfacing the XV222 transverter to an Icom 746Pro

2006-01-04 Thread k6vcr

Has anyone interfaced an XV222 to an Icom 746Pro?
I would love some feedback/advice from anyone with experience with this 
combination.

Thanks very much.
Tom Sneden, K6VCR

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Re: [Elecraft] One of my stupid mistakes

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 My technical expertise said, just move the HV lead 
 away from the chassis where it is arcing. So, that is what I started 
 to do, with the set on, so I could monitor my efforts. Naturally, the 
 screwdriver conducted the 15+ thousand volts to ME. The next thing I 
 remember...

Yikes! You're one lucky chap. I believe the Electric Chair is only 3kV.

-- 
Nosey Nick Waterman, G7RZQ, k2 #5209.
#include stddisclaimer[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Others will look to you for stability, so hide when you bite your nails.
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Re: [Elecraft] T1 Antenna Considerations

2006-01-04 Thread Martin Gillen

Hi, Mick.

 please can someone explain why this is important

As previously stated a halfwave end fed wire
represents a very
high impedance which is outside of the matching range
of the
T1.

But thats with no counterpoise or fed against a ground
stake.

I have found that a halfwave long wire works as long
as it is fed
against a raised counterpoise, ie. a wire lying over
some nearby
bushes.  In this case it works because the two wires
are really an
off center fed dipole with the radio in the middle.

The end fed halfwave wire does have some interesting
characteristics and people do use them, for example
they are
quick to erect DX antennas because they gave a very
low angle
of radiation.  You just have to make another matching
circuit to bring the imedance into the matching range
of the T1.

Check these web pages for details:

http://www.aa5tb.com/efha.html
http://www.njqrp.org/n2cxantennas/halfer/index.html
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/qrp/efhwt.html
http://hometown.aol.com/n0lx/triband_tuner.html
http://www.arsqrp.com/ars/pages/back_issues/2000_text/1100_text/phased.html

For excellent antenna information in general try:

http://www.cebik.com/radio.html

 i wish to use this tuner on the following bands
20/15/10m 
 so a  suggested wire length would be appreciated I
only have 
 40ft of space to play  with.

Is that 40ft by 40ft or is it 40ft by 10ft :) ... Are
there any
trees or other antennas in that space?  What kind of
contacts
are you interested in making?  QRP?  QRO?  Local?  DX?

One antenna for all bands or separate antennas?

For example if you are interested in DX, you can
probably fit
a full wave loop for 10m into your lot, or even a
cubical quad
which would give excellent performance.

For local contacts you could consiter a doublet fed
with twinlead
or even a fan dipole fed with twinlead.

If it's just a single wire length, are you planning on
feeding
it at the end?  Or in the centre?  Against a
counterpoise or
against ground?  For a quick throw-wire I'd use 42
feet with
a 14ft counterpoise.  Bend the extra 2 or 3 feet at 90
degrees
if you have to make it fit into your 40 feet.  You
could also
use linear loading by using twinlead to put up a
folded dipole,
or many other ideas.

Martin.
VA3SIE.



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Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music)

Vic K2VCO wrote:
 Not harsh, but boring.  But anyway, the reason a pure sine wave is
 desirable is that it makes matching pitch with a received signal easier.

Well, and bandwidth. A pure sine wave uses, errr, almost zero
bandwidth*, whereas one with harmonics needs somewhere to put those. A
500Hz sine wave at 7100kHz is really a sine at 7100.5, whereas a 500Hz
sine wave with harmonics at 1000 and 1500 kHz is now using 7100.5, 7101,
7101.5...

... or am I preaching to the choir here?

* Yeah, yeah, ok, not quite true as soon as you start modulating it with
keying envelopes.

-- 
Nosey Nick Waterman, G7RZQ, k2 #5209.
#include stddisclaimer[EMAIL PROTECTED]
It is ten o'clock; do you know where your processes are?
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Re: [Elecraft] Low power draw, low power out?

Don Wilhelm wrote:
 With both low power out and low current drawn, there is clearly not enough
 energy being developed by one of the transmit stages.

OK, this is kinda annoying, and kinda good news.

[...]
 Once you have localized the problem to one stage, we can help you localize
 the component at fault.

Right, I've sussed it. the component at fault was the one between the
K2 and the DL1. I was using a stupidly long bit of antique co-ax. Seemed
like a good idea at the time - it was all I had, no other connectors, no
other patch leads, and I didn't fancy my chances of successfully
removing the connector from one end and making a 2m patch lead out of my
25m lead.   :-/

I've now obtained a newer, nicer, cleaner, 2m lead, and I get the
expected 5W or 10W at the other end (slightly more actually, but not
enough to worry about).

Doesn't quite qualify for the stupid mistakes thread, but another
stupid question that's not stupid unless you fail to answer it...
Please educate me...

I can understand why the power at the DL1 end was low, but why was the
current drawn on the supply at the K2 end so low? If the dodgy old co-ax
had any sort of resistive loss, I'd imagine the K2 would still be trying
just as hard to pump out 5W or 10W, drawing just as much supply juice?

Is my dodgy cable more shorted, or more open than it should be, or is
this some other effect?

Thanks in advance, and hopefully you get a chance to scoff at me after I
scoffed at you for pointing out ohm's law as applied to human bodies and
different mains voltages   ;-)

-- 
Nosey Nick Waterman, G7RZQ, k2 #5209.
#include stddisclaimer[EMAIL PROTECTED]
It is ten o'clock; do you know where your processes are?
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RE: [Elecraft] Low power draw, low power out?

Nick,

In your original probelm description, you did not state how much power the
K2 display was indicating - and I would tend to believe it indicated that
the power was near the requested power value.

Of course, the actual power was not that high, but since the base K2 uses an
RF probe type detector to determine the power output level, it only responds
to the RF Voltage present, not the actual power.  If the effective impedance
at the K2 end of the cable was high, the RF voltage would also be high
there, resulting in a lower actual power output than the K2 micropressor
thinks is present.

Bottom line, the RF probe detector can only report the power output properly
when the load resistance is known (and athe K2 assumes that is 50 ohms)- in
your case, because of the bad coax, the actual load resistance was unknown,
and the K2s calculation of output power would be invalid.

Hopefully that helps with your understanding of what was happening. I would
believe that your cable could have had high resistance connections (likely
corroded), but almost anything could have been possible since the electrical
characteristics of transmission lines is not straightforward at RF because
it depends on the frequency and the electrical length - recall that a
shorted transmission line will look like an open circuit at the end opposite
the short when it is a quarter wavelength (or multiple) long (and look like
a short at the near end at a frequency where it is a half wavelength long),
and in between it will appear electrically as an inductor or a capacitor.

73,
Don W3FPR

 -Original Message-

 Doesn't quite qualify for the stupid mistakes thread, but another
 stupid question that's not stupid unless you fail to answer it...
 Please educate me...

 I can understand why the power at the DL1 end was low, but why was the
 current drawn on the supply at the K2 end so low? If the dodgy old co-ax
 had any sort of resistive loss, I'd imagine the K2 would still be trying
 just as hard to pump out 5W or 10W, drawing just as much supply juice?

 Is my dodgy cable more shorted, or more open than it should be, or is
 this some other effect?

 Thanks in advance, and hopefully you get a chance to scoff at me after I
 scoffed at you for pointing out ohm's law as applied to human bodies and
 different mains voltages   ;-)

 --
 Nosey Nick Waterman, G7RZQ, k2 #5209.
 #include stddisclaimer[EMAIL PROTECTED]
 It is ten o'clock; do you know where your processes are?



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RE: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music)

Well, sidetone and the tone generated from offset is not
transmitted...except into your head via the ear canal which has excess audio
bandwidth when listening to CW.

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com

-Original Message-
From: Nick Waterman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 3:10 PM
To: Vic K2VCO
Cc: EricJ; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Side Tone (Choosing the right music)

Vic K2VCO wrote:
 Not harsh, but boring.  But anyway, the reason a pure sine wave is 
 desirable is that it makes matching pitch with a received signal easier.

Well, and bandwidth. A pure sine wave uses, errr, almost zero bandwidth*,
whereas one with harmonics needs somewhere to put those. A 500Hz sine wave
at 7100kHz is really a sine at 7100.5, whereas a 500Hz sine wave with
harmonics at 1000 and 1500 kHz is now using 7100.5, 7101, 7101.5...

.. or am I preaching to the choir here?

* Yeah, yeah, ok, not quite true as soon as you start modulating it with
keying envelopes.

--
Nosey Nick Waterman, G7RZQ, k2 #5209.
#include stddisclaimer[EMAIL PROTECTED]
It is ten o'clock; do you know where your processes are?
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[Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT

2006-01-04 Thread Jim F.



One dangerous (electrical) mistake was at 9 years old.

Sent away to Johnson Smith  Co.  for plans and parts
to make a 
radio the ad said, used no batteries or electrical
power.

It turned out to be a crystal set complete with
cat-whisker, crystal, terminals, coil form, and wire. 
I followed the directions faithfully and bought an old
junk store 50 cent headphone set (five weeks
allowance..)

I had no idea what an antenna or ground was, and
neither did anyone else in my family. So I put on the
headphones and inserted the bare antenna and ground
leads into the house power socket. There was a flash
and the house went dark.  My mom excitedly replaced
the fuses. I inspected the circuit, reversed the two
wires and did it again.  Same problem, but with a
stern warning never to do that again..

Another stupid mistake was committed a month ago as I
plugged in a new antique Heathkit Condenser checker
without checking the AC wiring.  The person who wired
it long ago connected the hot side of the AC line to
the black ground probe and as soon as the probe
touched a chassis that I was working on, there was an
amazing blast of light and a bang just before the room
went black...I sat there for a very long moment
contemplating life,
and wondering if I was still here on earth.  Could
feel my
pulse pounding in my temples, and that was a very good
sign.

Could have been easily killed either time. Guess there
must
be some other purpose for staying here on earth...
and I'm dying to find out what.

Jim - W1FMR



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[Elecraft] repost for K6DGW

2006-01-04 Thread Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft

 Original Message 
Subject:Could you post?
Date:   Wed, 04 Jan 2006 16:47:51 -0800
From:   Fred Jensen [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-To:   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Eric Swartz [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

Like the engineer who was developing magnetron power oscillators
for radar systems in the 1940's and discovered that the chocolate
bar in his nice white shirt pocket had melted and made a mess.
Curious, he investigated why. The first Microwave Oven was the
result - sold as the Radar Range.

Aww ... I thought I invented the microwave oven around 1960 while a 
student at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo.  I was employed as a relief 
engineer at KSBY-TV, then the only channel available to the area 
(Station motto: If you don't like what we broadcast, you're SOL since 
we're all you got).  A buddy and I discovered that if we poked a hot 
dog into the waveguide of our CBS/NBC network link, it would get hot. 
It caused a little snow in the pix (OK ... a lot of snow, but then, 
remember the station motto) and unfortunately, the grease ran down the 
waveguide and slowly coated the mica window at the bottom, ultimately 
requiring a degreasing job and the end of nuked hot dogs.

They paid me $50 to change the tower clearance lights every 6 months -- 
FAA rule, change them even if they're still lit.  Visual power was 20KW 
into the 3 1/2 hardline, aural power was half that (I think that's 
right ... we boasted in our ID's that we were full power television for 
the California Central Coast, 100,000 watts from San Luis Obispo and I 
seem to recall the antenna had 7 dB gain or something like that).  I 
could climb inside the tower, but being on a ridge near the top of 
Cuesta Grade, there was a lot of wind, and it got pretty cold even in 
the summer, until I got to the top set of lamps just below the turnstile 
antenna.  There, I got quite warm if I dallied around changing the 
bulbs.  My wife maintains that it affected my brain, but then, she will 
certify that I'm crazy to anyone.  Tossing the light bulbs off the tower 
in the wind was cool, however, lots of stupid things are cool when 
you're 20 years old and immortal.

Fred K6DGW
Auburn CA CM98lw

--

_..._

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Re: [Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT

2006-01-04 Thread n3drk

I am surprised the moderators have not stepped in to end these stupid, 
stupid and more stupid
posts. Geez, and I thought the SKN was bad. What happened to Elecraft 
questions?

73s
john


- Original Message - 
From: Jim F. [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 8:03 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT





One dangerous (electrical) mistake was at 9 years old.

Sent away to Johnson Smith  Co.  for plans and parts
to make a
radio the ad said, used no batteries or electrical
power.

It turned out to be a crystal set complete with
cat-whisker, crystal, terminals, coil form, and wire.
I followed the directions faithfully and bought an old
junk store 50 cent headphone set (five weeks
allowance..)

I had no idea what an antenna or ground was, and
neither did anyone else in my family. So I put on the
headphones and inserted the bare antenna and ground
leads into the house power socket. There was a flash
and the house went dark.  My mom excitedly replaced
the fuses. I inspected the circuit, reversed the two
wires and did it again.  Same problem, but with a
stern warning never to do that again..

Another stupid mistake was committed a month ago as I
plugged in a new antique Heathkit Condenser checker
without checking the AC wiring.  The person who wired
it long ago connected the hot side of the AC line to
the black ground probe and as soon as the probe
touched a chassis that I was working on, there was an
amazing blast of light and a bang just before the room
went black...I sat there for a very long moment
contemplating life,
and wondering if I was still here on earth.  Could
feel my
pulse pounding in my temples, and that was a very good
sign.

Could have been easily killed either time. Guess there
must
be some other purpose for staying here on earth...
and I'm dying to find out what.

Jim - W1FMR



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Re: [Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT

2006-01-04 Thread Thom R LaCosta


On Wed, 4 Jan 2006, n3drk wrote:

I am surprised the moderators have not stepped in to end these stupid, stupid 
and more stupid
posts. Geez, and I thought the SKN was bad. What happened to Elecraft 
questions?


Ain't it sumpin' ... the moderators having a sense of humor and allowing us to 
express our own mistakes.


Shame on 'em.

73,Thom-k3hrn
www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page,Drake Web Ring,
Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel, Drake IRC Channel,
Elecraft Owners Database
www.tlchost.net/hosting/  ***  Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
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Re: [Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT

2006-01-04 Thread Tom Althoff

Not sure but I think at least one or two of the moderators got sucked into
this and posted their own.

They never mentioned the K-9 prototype.  It was a 136Khz crystal radio.   It
had a cat whisker detector but was a real dog to get working.  Wayne didn't
like it because there was no software in it...just a rock.

Mine stupid mistakes are S stupidI won't even mention them.  Like
deliberately putting my High School locker key in the hot side of the AC
outlet...holding hands with 3 or 4 labmates in chemistry and grabbing an
unsuspecting passerby by each hand as the last person in the chain grabbed
onto the grounded water faucet.

Tom K2TA
(who will post the last stupid post?)

- Original Message - 
From: Thom R LaCosta [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: n3drk [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net; Jim F. [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 8:30 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Re: Stupid, stupid, stupid - OT


 On Wed, 4 Jan 2006, n3drk wrote:

  I am surprised the moderators have not stepped in to end these stupid,
stupid
  and more stupid
  posts. Geez, and I thought the SKN was bad. What happened to Elecraft
  questions?

 Ain't it sumpin' ... the moderators having a sense of humor and allowing
us to
 express our own mistakes.

 Shame on 'em.

 73,Thom-k3hrn
 www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page,Drake Web Ring,
 Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel, Drake IRC Channel,
 Elecraft Owners Database
 www.tlchost.net/hosting/  ***  Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
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[Elecraft] OT: Need advice

2006-01-04 Thread V Cortina

Can anyone give me some clue as to whether there is some sort of forum 
somewhere where I can get information on the disassembly of an old Kenwood dual 
band rig?  I know what the problem is electronically, but I can't get the 
bleepy blank circuit board out of the unit.

Much obliged.

Vin Cortina  KR2F
K1 s/n: 1977
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[Elecraft] test - please ignore

2006-01-04 Thread Dan Allen


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RE: [Elecraft] OT: Need advice

There's a really good Kenwood reflector on qth.net:

 Kenwood mailing list
 Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/kenwood
 Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.html
 Post: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Some very helpful guys over there and some of the same ones are here too!

My TS-950SD unfolded like some kind of electronic lotus flower. I think the
packaging engineer also made kid's transformer robots.

Eric
KE6US
www.ke6us.com 

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of V Cortina
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 5:43 PM
To: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] OT: Need advice

Can anyone give me some clue as to whether there is some sort of forum
somewhere where I can get information on the disassembly of an old Kenwood
dual band rig?  I know what the problem is electronically, but I can't get
the bleepy blank circuit board out of the unit.

Much obliged.

Vin Cortina  KR2F
K1 s/n: 1977
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[Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Dan Allen

When I was about 12 years old (1958/1959), printed circuit boards were exotic 
technology that was unavailable in kits.

I wanted badly to handle one, and learn how they are made.

  A magazine (I believe it was Popular Electronics) ran an article on a 40 
meter, transistorized QRP transmitter.  I took the schematic, and (to the best 
of my abilities at that time) drew out a printed circuit board mask by hand.

As there was no electronic supply stores in the area (South Carolina) at that 
time, I saved up my pennies and ordered a blank printed circuit board and an 
etching kit.  I realized that this was going to be a one-shot deal.  When the 
kit arrived, I carefully masked off the board with the included black tape, and 
little black dots.  I then carried the board and etching kit into the kitchen, 
showed my mother what I was doing, and asked her if she had a shallow container 
that I could put the board in and then pour in the etching solution.  She said 
that she had just the thing, and produced an *aluminum* pie pan that she had 
saved from a Morton, frozen, cherry pie.  Yes, you see where this is going.  I 
put the circuit board in the pie pan, poured in my bottle of etching solution, 
and was amazed to see the pie pan erupt into a foaming, black mass.  I grabbed 
the edges of the pie pan, and ran for the (stainless) kitchen sink.  Just (and 
I do mean just) as I got to the sink, the bottom came out of the pie pan, and 
all of my etching solution went quickly down the drain!

It's funny now, and it was probably funny at the time, but I don't believe I 
thought so then!

The board sat around the ham shack for years, and I would look at it (with all 
the acid resist tape still on it) from time to time.  It was kind of like 
hitting yourself over the head, but without the pain.

The rest of the story?  I etched my *second* printed circuit board just a few 
years ago, and (believe me) I used a glass container.  That worked better!

Dan Allen
KB4ZVM
K-2 S/N 1757
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RE: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Kevin Shaw

Ha! I did the exact same thing. Only I molded a dish out of aluminum foil
and started etching my board in my bedroom. As my etching container started
to self destruct, I quickly opened my bedroom window and threw it outside. A
half second more and the whole thing would have melted and landed on the
carpet.

Kevin
N8IQ/4

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Allen
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 9:30 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

When I was about 12 years old (1958/1959), printed circuit boards were
exotic technology that was unavailable in kits.

I wanted badly to handle one, and learn how they are made.

  A magazine (I believe it was Popular Electronics) ran an article on a 40
meter, transistorized QRP transmitter.  I took the schematic, and (to the
best of my abilities at that time) drew out a printed circuit board mask by
hand.

As there was no electronic supply stores in the area (South Carolina) at
that time, I saved up my pennies and ordered a blank printed circuit board
and an etching kit.  I realized that this was going to be a one-shot deal.
When the kit arrived, I carefully masked off the board with the included
black tape, and little black dots.  I then carried the board and etching kit
into the kitchen, showed my mother what I was doing, and asked her if she
had a shallow container that I could put the board in and then pour in the
etching solution.  She said that she had just the thing, and produced an
*aluminum* pie pan that she had saved from a Morton, frozen, cherry pie.
Yes, you see where this is going.  I put the circuit board in the pie pan,
poured in my bottle of etching solution, and was amazed to see the pie pan
erupt into a foaming, black mass.  I grabbed the edges of the pie pan, and
ran for the (stainless) kitchen sink.  Just (and I do mean just) as I got to
the sink, the bottom came out of the pie pan, and all of my etching solution
went quickly down the drain!

It's funny now, and it was probably funny at the time, but I don't believe I
thought so then!

The board sat around the ham shack for years, and I would look at it (with
all the acid resist tape still on it) from time to time.  It was kind of
like hitting yourself over the head, but without the pain.

The rest of the story?  I etched my *second* printed circuit board just a
few years ago, and (believe me) I used a glass container.  That worked
better!

Dan Allen
KB4ZVM
K-2 S/N 1757
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Re: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Scott Richardson

 an *aluminum* pie pan

I used a *plastic* container for my first etching project. Nice fumes,
fascinating meltdown. Managed to scrub off enough goo to finish the Tuna Tin
transmitter (RIP).

Scott N1AIA


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Re: [Elecraft] Stupid? Top this!

2006-01-04 Thread Bill Coleman



On Jan 4, 2006, at 10:17 PM, Scott Richardson wrote:


I used a *plastic* container for my first etching project. Nice fumes,
fascinating meltdown.


Ferric Cloride (the active ingredient in the etchant) shouldn't  
attack plastics. In fact, it is shipped in plastic bottles!


Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASELMail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Quote: Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!
-- Wilbur Wright, 1901

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[Elecraft] relayremoval

2006-01-04 Thread Indy

Yes, I removed seven of them.  I dunno if I can explain how I did it, but I 
will try if you still want me too!  I still have the tool I used, and if you 
are pateint enough and would return it, I could mail it to you, but with no 
gaurantees you can pull off what I did!!!

73,

Fred - kt5x
K2 # 700
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[Elecraft] relay removal...

2006-01-04 Thread Indy

OK, HOW I DID IT !!!

First, I made a tool, a heat shield.  I made this out of a piece of tin from an 
Altoids box.  I used a set of relay holes on the circuit board to mark on this 
piece of tin the precise location of all ten holes with a needle.  Then I put 
the piece of tin on a piece of wood, I wanted a soft backing, and I punched the 
holes with a nail.  I made the holes big enough for the soldered relay pins to 
poke through the holes.  Further more, because I punched the holes with a nail 
into wood, the wood side of the tin was pushed out around each hole.

I used tin snips to cut out the rectangle larger than the relay area, forty 
five cuts in the corners of the shield, folded the sides up perhaps 20 degrees. 
 What I have made here is a heat shield.  The poked through metal from punching 
holes holds the heat shield up off the PC board.  But the soldered pins all 
show on the top side of the heat shield.  The heat shield spread out more than 
a quarter of an inch beyond the pins.

Now, I placed the PC board across two piles of books so that the offending 
relay is below.  I gently gripped the relay with a vice-grips with a piece of 
leather between the vice-grips and the relay.  the pile of books was tall 
enough that the vice-grips hung down between them, putting weight pulling on 
the relay out of the board.

Now.  I took a hand held mini-butane torch, cost fifteen dollars at the local 
hardware store, and flamed ALL the pins at once.  In seconds, the vice-grips 
pulled the relay out of the holes.

Relays all fine.  PC board fine.   Piece of cake.

E-mail me if you want a picture of the heat shield.

Good luck,

Fred - KT5X
K2 # 700

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[Elecraft] Nickel Plateing

2006-01-04 Thread Andy GM0NWI


Guy's..

Just wanted to ask,...

Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?

The item is, a 1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior morse key, bought by
myself on that site that can't be mentioned..

I've spent the best part of a year of my life, restoring this key, back to
just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations (I
dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
with my results for a first time tryin'
my hand at a resoration project.

There are some who would say, leave it as is, and others who say yep,
that'll be nice when shineing againbelieve me, I have been tossing with
both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
I wondered in the beginning if the key COULD
indeed be restored, but with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of time,
it is once again nearly fully functional as it was intended 
for back in 1924, all parts that were stuck fast are now free, and working
as they should be, ...the only thing is cosmetics really,..

I feel that parts of the key could do, with some restoration on the
nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will stay
in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.

I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen, as
to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
seen as small lot..

SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
that might be interested in a small lot job, or indeed someone who has in
the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a ham out there
willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to where
upon the subsequent ham could get the job done, and then send the key back
to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a ham who can
help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me know.

Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..

72's
Andy
GM0NWI  [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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Re: [Elecraft] Nickel Plateing

2006-01-04 Thread stephen Farthing


Andy,
   There is a company in the UK which sells DIY Nickel Plating 
kits. They target people in the vintage
motorcycle restoration hobby. Its not that difficult to do. I have an 
address somewhere which I will post when i find it. you could also look in 
the yellow pages of find a copu of Classic Bike which Smiths sells there 
will be ads in there. There is a company called Farham Electroplating in 
Hampshire run by a very nice lady called Patsy Boullin who might 
helpdont have the phone number with me...


Steve


- Original Message - 
From: Andy GM0NWI [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Elecraft Reflector elecraft@mailman.qth.net; QRP-L Reflector 
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2006 6:12 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] Nickel Plateing




Guy's..

Just wanted to ask,...

Does anyone on the list, know of a company in the the US, where I could
enquire about having an item here in the shack (UK), re-nickel plated..?

The item is, a 1924 Vibroplex Code Martin Junior morse key, bought by
myself on that site that can't be mentioned..

I've spent the best part of a year of my life, restoring this key, back 
to
just about fully working order, although not a patch on the restorations 
(I

dont think so anyway) of our very own Chuck Adams K7QO, I'm very pleased
with my results for a first time tryin'
my hand at a resoration project.

There are some who would say, leave it as is, and others who say yep,
that'll be nice when shineing againbelieve me, I have been tossing 
with

both ideas for about a year now...after all you guys saying such things..!
I wondered in the beginning if the key COULD
indeed be restored, but with a little bit of patience, and a LOT of 
time,

it is once again nearly fully functional as it was intended
for back in 1924, all parts that were stuck fast are now free, and 
working

as they should be, ...the only thing is cosmetics really,..

I feel that parts of the key could do, with some restoration on the
nickel-plating side, as it wont be going anywhere in a hurry, and will 
stay

in my possession, so I think its worth spending the money to have it done.

I have looked over the net, but don't have any idea from the names seen, 
as

to who might be interested in the job, mainly as the job will probably be
seen as small lot..

SO..! if there is anyone out there on the list who knows of such a company
that might be interested in a small lot job, or indeed someone who has 
in

the past gotten this done to one of their own keys, say a ham out there
willing to help me (i.e an address to send the key and some payment to 
where
upon the subsequent ham could get the job done, and then send the key 
back

to me in the post (paid by myself of course) , or indeed a ham who can
help themselves with the key through experience, please can you let me 
know.


Answers On A Postcard To The E-Mail Address Below..

72's
Andy
GM0NWI  [EMAIL PROTECTED]

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Re: [Elecraft] Low power draw, low power out?