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Audio volume problems

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Jan Ditzian

Audio volume problems

I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
K3, MCU 4.51.

I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.

There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.

Thank you,

Jan, KX2A

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Audio volume problems

Jan,

It sounds like it may be just a broken AF Gain control. Contact support
- if you have the capability to repair the board yourself, then a part
can be sent to you, but if not, the whole board will have to go in for
repair.

73,
Don W3FPR
On 7/8/2012 8:45 AM, Jan Ditzian wrote:

> I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
> K3, MCU 4.51.
>
> I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
> suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
> would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
> the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
> audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
> without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
> stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
> indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
> now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.
>
> There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
> strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
> rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jan, KX2A
>

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N5GE-2

Re: Audio volume problems

The 360 degree rotation of the knob could be a cracked knob or loose set screw
in the knob.

Loosen the set screw in the knob and pull it off. Then inspect it for cracks.
If you find no cracks then reinstall it and tighten the set screw GENTLY.

After doing the above, if it still rotates 360 degrees, follow Don's suggestion.

73,
Tom
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member

On Sun, 08 Jul 2012 09:12:41 -0400, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote:

>Jan,
>
>It sounds like it may be just a broken AF Gain control. Contact support
>- if you have the capability to repair the board yourself, then a part
>can be sent to you, but if not, the whole board will have to go in for
>repair.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR
>On 7/8/2012 8:45 AM, Jan Ditzian wrote:
>> I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
>> K3, MCU 4.51.
>>
>> I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
>> suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
>> would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
>> the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
>> audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
>> without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
>> stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
>> indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
>> now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.
>>
>> There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
>> strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
>> rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Jan, KX2A
>>
>
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member

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Matt Zilmer

Re: Audio volume problems

In reply to this post by Jan Ditzian

Many K3 users have seen this same rotation problem with the AF/SUB and
RF/SUB controls. Try adjusting the set screw(s). If that doesn't
work, you may need to contact support for new ones. With early K3s,
there were some problems with these controls.

Not sure about your audio/volume problem though. I'd contact support
on this too.

73,
matt W6NIA

On Sun, 08 Jul 2012 08:45:35 -0400, you wrote:

>I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
>K3, MCU 4.51.
>
>I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
>suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
>would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
>the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
>audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
>without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
>stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
>indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
>now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.
>
>There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
>strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
>rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.
>
>Thank you,
>
>Jan, KX2A
>
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Guy, K2AV

Re: Audio volume problems

Those knobs are actual potentiometers, not encoders, acting as voltage
dividers off a fixed voltage, which are followed an an A/D chip which
converts the wipe voltage to a three digit number which is multiplexed
and sent to the MPU. The audio does NOT flow through the pot. The
setting of the pot is turned into numerical advice to the MPU.

If the voltage on the pot wipe goes out of range or the wipe loses
contact, the number sent to the MPU will be weird. It won't be
scratchy like an analog volume pot gone bad, just go to unpredictable
and undesired volume settings. The pots are not killer to change out,
but you need moderate to good soldering skills to do it. I bunged one
and had to change it out. Done this on both my K2 and K3 now.

73, Guy.

On Sun, Jul 8, 2012 at 10:40 AM, Matt Zilmer <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Many K3 users have seen this same rotation problem with the AF/SUB and
> RF/SUB controls. Try adjusting the set screw(s). If that doesn't
> work, you may need to contact support for new ones. With early K3s,
> there were some problems with these controls.
>
> Not sure about your audio/volume problem though. I'd contact support
> on this too.
>
> 73,
> matt W6NIA
>
> On Sun, 08 Jul 2012 08:45:35 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
>>K3, MCU 4.51.
>>
>>I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
>>suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
>>would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
>>the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
>>audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
>>without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
>>stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
>>indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
>>now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.
>>
>>There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
>>strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
>>rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.
>>
>>Thank you,
>>
>>Jan, KX2A
>>
>>______________________________________________________________
>>Elecraft mailing list
>>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>>This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

ke9uw

Re: Audio volume problems

Speaking of changing out pots or encoders on the front panel, my four encoder knobs to the right of the column knobs were really stiff to push on. I mean so stiff, I don't think they could ever be removed without some sort of tool(s). Has anyone else had this issue and gotten the knobs removed? I bought extra knobs and thought if I had to remove them, I would maybe slice them along their length carefully with a dremel to release the tension and just replace them.

Sent from my iPad

On Jul 8, 2012, at 10:02 AM, "Guy Olinger K2AV" <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Those knobs are actual potentiometers, not encoders, acting as voltage
> dividers off a fixed voltage, which are followed an an A/D chip which
> converts the wipe voltage to a three digit number which is multiplexed
> and sent to the MPU. The audio does NOT flow through the pot. The
> setting of the pot is turned into numerical advice to the MPU.
>
> If the voltage on the pot wipe goes out of range or the wipe loses
> contact, the number sent to the MPU will be weird. It won't be
> scratchy like an analog volume pot gone bad, just go to unpredictable
> and undesired volume settings. The pots are not killer to change out,
> but you need moderate to good soldering skills to do it. I bunged one
> and had to change it out. Done this on both my K2 and K3 now.
>
> 73, Guy.
>
> On Sun, Jul 8, 2012 at 10:40 AM, Matt Zilmer <[hidden email]> wrote:
>> Many K3 users have seen this same rotation problem with the AF/SUB and
>> RF/SUB controls. Try adjusting the set screw(s). If that doesn't
>> work, you may need to contact support for new ones. With early K3s,
>> there were some problems with these controls.
>>
>> Not sure about your audio/volume problem though. I'd contact support
>> on this too.
>>
>> 73,
>> matt W6NIA
>>
>> On Sun, 08 Jul 2012 08:45:35 -0400, you wrote:
>>
>>> I suddenly came up with several problems related to audio volume on my
>>> K3, MCU 4.51.
>>>
>>> I was listening on USB with slow AGC and I noticed that the volume would
>>> suddenly drop and remain low until I hit the T/R button, whereupon it
>>> would come back again, and then disappear. I switched to fast AGC and
>>> the problem diminished but did not disappear. So I reached for the
>>> audio volume control and discovered that it now turns 360 degrees
>>> without a stop, although there is a slight detent at the regular
>>> stopping point. I tried to turn AGC off, and although the display
>>> indicates that it is off, there appears to be no increase in volume. I
>>> now feel that the volume is lower than it was when I first built the unit.
>>>
>>> There may be some troubleshooting to do here. I notice this less with
>>> strong signals. I guess I would like to know what to do about the
>>> rotation first, and then pursue the overall volume problem.
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>>
>>> Jan, KX2A
>>>
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> Elecraft mailing list
>>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>>
>>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Chuck, KE9UW

MontyS

Re: Audio volume problems

Another vote here for a cracked knob. My RF Gain control smaller knob cracked recently. Gorilla glue put it back together .
Monty K2DLJ

>> Many K3 users have seen this same rotation problem with the AF/SUB and
>>> RF/SUB controls. Try adjusting the set screw(s). If that doesn't
>>> work, you may need to contact support for new ones. With early K3s,
>>> there were some problems with these controls.

______________________________________________________________
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: Audio volume problems

Monty,

The Gorilla glue may be OK right now, but if the knob material broke
before, it is quite likely to break at another place later. Elecraft
will send a new set of (improved) knobs at no cost - contact
[hidden email].

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/8/2012 2:07 PM, Monty Shultes wrote:
> Another vote here for a cracked knob. My RF Gain control smaller knob cracked recently. Gorilla glue put it back together .
> Monty K2DLJ
>
>

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