Any Suggestions on VOX Problem?

[Curt-17]

I have a K2/100 S/N 5417 pretty much loaded. I didn't build this radio and don’t want extremely technical suggestions or answers, in other words and if possible I would love to have it kept to a very elementary level. I also refuse to unsolder one component after paying to have it built. I am almost all CW and although this radio has the SSB option I never even tried it till until just last night.

The problem is: The VOX doesn't act anything like the manual says it should or any normal VOX acts. I am using a Heil headset mic and can get it to operate using the PTT but not VOX.  When trying to use VOX the receiver mutes, the S meter pegs and I hear a low level hashing sound at which point I need to turn off the radio completely and power it back up because every function switch is unless acting like dummy switches doing nothing. Upon power up and if I then use PTT it works like it's supposed to. This does this on all bands and even into a dummy load so RF doesn't seem to be the problem although it sure acts like an RF problem. I do have the radio grounded, but maybe I should try it without a ground, maybe a RF loop?

 Any suggestions would be appreciated.  I’m just no longer into going down to the board level to fix things, been there done that, and especially since I am currently on disability because of a vision problem.


This is my first time on this reflector, thanks much and thanks for being here.

Curt/k3ey

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[Don Wilhelm-3]

Curt,

I have no guesses that make sense, except for some kind of pickup (hum or
RF) on the mic audio.
Do you have a very loud audio noise source in the shack?
Are you using the same mic for PTT operation?
When you use PTT (using the same microphone), is the transmitted audio OK?
If the audio is OK when using PTT, then it is NOT likely to be hum or RF
pickup on the mic cable, and you will have to dig into the KSB2 board to
determine the source of the problem (or have someone else do it for you -
you may want to contact your builder to see if he might correct the problem
for you).

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> I have a K2/100 S/N 5417 pretty much loaded. I didn't build this
> radio and don’t want extremely technical suggestions or answers,
> in other words and if possible I would love to have it kept to a
> very elementary level. I also refuse to unsolder one component
> after paying to have it built. I am almost all CW and although
> this radio has the SSB option I never even tried it till until
> just last night.
>
> The problem is: The VOX doesn't act anything like the manual says
> it should or any normal VOX acts. I am using a Heil headset mic
> and can get it to operate using the PTT but not VOX.  When trying
> to use VOX the receiver mutes, the S meter pegs and I hear a low
> level hashing sound at which point I need to turn off the radio
> completely and power it back up because every function switch is
> unless acting like dummy switches doing nothing. Upon power up
> and if I then use PTT it works like it's supposed to. This does
> this on all bands and even into a dummy load so RF doesn't seem
> to be the problem although it sure acts like an RF problem. I do
> have the radio grounded, but maybe I should try it without a
> ground, maybe a RF loop?
>
>  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  I’m just no longer into
> going down to the board level to fix things, been there done
> that, and especially since I am currently on disability because
> of a vision problem.
>
>
> This is my first time on this reflector, thanks much and thanks
> for being here.
>
> Curt/k3ey
>
>

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Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com