Re: [Elecraft] Some K2 notes after completion
Anthony... I wouldn't say it's a "basic" radio but rather that it is just about a state-of-the-art radio without bells and whistles. What the K2 does it does just about as well as any of the "modern" radios. You'll enjoy it more and more as you use it. ...robert On 08/12/2017 14:00, Anthony Clare wrote: Hello all. I just wanted to pass along a few tidbits after the completion of my K2 (2 months ago). First, I want to thank Don for his patience during my low BFO level issue. In the end, none of the normal fixes alone seemed to work. However, that problem was solved by changing a capacitor value in combination with the usual fixes. I did learn how critical the installation of the BFO toroid was for proper level and frequency range. Unfortunately, in my case, it was not quite enough in itself. All good now, though. I thought I did a good enough job installing C70. I did not. Sure enough, during some field day testing, I had the horrible distortion on signals around 7185 kHz. I shortened up the one lead on C70 just a little more. Problem solved! Do not leave ANY extra length on those leads! I am curious how others have dealt with the new tuning knob. It is a nice knob, but will not reach the felt pad on the front panel. I suppose you could stack a few pads, but you would need to fill at least a 3/16" gap. On my knob, I attached a thick brass disc that fits within the indentation on the back of the knob and is drilled out in the center the clear the shaft nut on the encoder. This fills the space behind the knob. Since the disc is smaller in diameter, it does not interfere with the display bezel. I was going the drill and tap the back of the knob and use countersunk screws on the disc to hold it. However, I super glued the disc to the knob to perform a temporary test and it did not want to come back off for drilling. I guess I do not need the screws after all. Overall, I have been enjoying this rig and have been very pleased with the performance and the amount of functions built into the programming. I was a little worried about spending a lot of money for such a basic radio, but it bothers me less every time I use it. Have a good day, Anthony n3kcb __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to rc...@verizon.net -- Robert G Strickland, PhD ABPH - KE2WY rc...@verizon.net.usa Syracuse, New York, USA __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Some K2 notes after completion
Anthony - I have been working through a K2 (with literally every option available) project since January and am down to only one remaining option. Apart from the incorrectly supplied 12m bandpass trimmer caps issue mentioned a while back, I also had the 7185 waof issue you did. I ended up removing RFC15 and C88. Of course in both cases, Don immediately had an answer. Don and his generosity with his expertise is literally one of the best reasons to build/own a K2! When my KX3 main oscillator (Y1) failed, and I was forced to send it to Elecraft. I came to the realization that the K2 is really the only modern radio I am interested in (for what I do). I BUILT IT AND I CAN FIX IT and to me that is everything... Bob / W9KKB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
[Elecraft] Some K2 notes after completion
Hello all. I just wanted to pass along a few tidbits after the completion of my K2 (2 months ago). First, I want to thank Don for his patience during my low BFO level issue. In the end, none of the normal fixes alone seemed to work. However, that problem was solved by changing a capacitor value in combination with the usual fixes. I did learn how critical the installation of the BFO toroid was for proper level and frequency range. Unfortunately, in my case, it was not quite enough in itself. All good now, though. I thought I did a good enough job installing C70. I did not. Sure enough, during some field day testing, I had the horrible distortion on signals around 7185 kHz. I shortened up the one lead on C70 just a little more. Problem solved! Do not leave ANY extra length on those leads! I am curious how others have dealt with the new tuning knob. It is a nice knob, but will not reach the felt pad on the front panel. I suppose you could stack a few pads, but you would need to fill at least a 3/16" gap. On my knob, I attached a thick brass disc that fits within the indentation on the back of the knob and is drilled out in the center the clear the shaft nut on the encoder. This fills the space behind the knob. Since the disc is smaller in diameter, it does not interfere with the display bezel. I was going the drill and tap the back of the knob and use countersunk screws on the disc to hold it. However, I super glued the disc to the knob to perform a temporary test and it did not want to come back off for drilling. I guess I do not need the screws after all. Overall, I have been enjoying this rig and have been very pleased with the performance and the amount of functions built into the programming. I was a little worried about spending a lot of money for such a basic radio, but it bothers me less every time I use it. Have a good day, Anthony n3kcb __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to arch...@mail-archive.com
