Beta tester reports

[George-122]

It sure would be nice to hear from more beta testers.  Good and bad stuff, too ( if there is any bad)

George, N4YM
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[N6TR]

On Wed, Sep 19, 2007 at 05:08:56PM -0400, George wrote:

> It sure would be nice to hear from more beta testers.  Good and
> bad stuff, too ( if there is any bad).

Bad stuff?  Hmmmmm - let me think.

1. One of the first things I reported was some light leaking from the
right side of the display onto the sides of a couple of the buttons
just to the right of it.  This is an easy fix and none of you will
see this problem with yours.

2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push the band change button,
it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some stickier rubber feet
and this has helped.  I am trying to convince them to develop an
accessory called KBA3 - which are covers made out of lead and will
increase the weight of the radio from 8 pounds to a more studly 24
pounds.  (BA stands for Boat Anchor).  Maybe the upcoming KPAKW3
option will add enough weight and make this unnecessary.

3. After some feedback from beta testers and rethinking of some of
the button functions - my front panel is now obsolete.  I understand
Elecraft will be sending me a new one - someday (probably after you
guys start getting your first shipments).  And yes - beta testers are
paying customers too.

4. I heard 3B7C this morning on 160 and they couldn't hear me.  This
is obviously because they aren't using a K3.  This is very frustrating.

5. Getting a second one will take me some time.  I probably won't be
able to order it until January.  :-(

6. The second RX option isn't available yet...  I am really excited
about playing with that.  

Sorry - not much else I can think of.  

Really - the fact that I have only made about 2 changes to the radio
since I got it some 2.5 months ago is a good indication of the
robustness of the design.  The firmware continues to evolve, and will
even continue to do that after your radios are shipped - so it will
like be getting a new radio every time Wayne and Lyle release a new
package.

73 Tree N6TR
[hidden email]
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[Darwin, Keith]

Uh, that would be the KPb3 option.  You did say lead (Pb), right?
 
 :-)
 
- Keith N1AS -
- K2 5411.ssb.100 -

________________________________

From: [hidden email] on behalf of Tree


 I am trying to convince them to develop an
accessory called KBA3 - which are covers made out of lead and will
increase the weight of the radio from 8 pounds to a more studly 24
pounds.  (BA stands for Boat Anchor).  Maybe the upcoming KPAKW3
option will add enough weight and make this unnecessary.


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[Don Ehrlich]

This won't be news to many but perhaps some of us did not know how useful
the non-skid mats are that you can buy in any grocery store.  These mats are
made of a rubbery substance that, when placed under something like a light
weight radio or a bug or paddle, keep it from moving.  It is very handy
stuff and very cheap as well.

Don K7FJ




> 2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push the band change button,
> it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some stickier rubber feet
> and this has helped.  I am trying to convince them to develop an
> accessory called KBA3 - which are covers made out of lead and will
> increase the weight of the radio from 8 pounds to a more studly 24
> pounds.  (BA stands for Boat Anchor).  Maybe the upcoming KPAKW3
> option will add enough weight and make this unnecessary.

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[Julian, G4ILO]

That's with the 100W PA, presumably? I wonder what the 10W version
will be like? Having to stand a brick on top of it will kind of spoil
the appearance.

The main benefit of the KBT2 option for me has turned out to be to
make the K2 heavier. People have said there is a lot of space in the
K3. I suppose one could always mount the brick inside it. :)

--
Julian, G4ILO K2 s/n: 392  K3 s/n: ???
G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
Ham-Directory: www.ham-directory.com


On 9/19/07, Tree <[hidden email]> wrote:

> 2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push the band change button,
> it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some stickier rubber feet
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[Craig-89]

I am hoping that theres enough room in there to put in
a  50 volt  or higher Fet Amplifier.  I wont  know
till i get mine and  make some measurements.

Craig
VK3HE
--- Julian G4ILO <[hidden email]> wrote:

> That's with the 100W PA, presumably? I wonder what
> the 10W version
> will be like? Having to stand a brick on top of it
> will kind of spoil
> the appearance.
>
> The main benefit of the KBT2 option for me has
> turned out to be to
> make the K2 heavier. People have said there is a lot
> of space in the
> K3. I suppose one could always mount the brick
> inside it. :)
>
> --
> Julian, G4ILO K2 s/n: 392  K3 s/n: ???
> G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
> Ham-Directory: www.ham-directory.com
>
>
> On 9/19/07, Tree <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > 2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push
> the band change button,
> > it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some
> stickier rubber feet
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
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>
>
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> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

       
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[George-122]

Tnx for tip on non skid material, Don.  And tnx to you, Tree for the
response you sent earlier.  I have really enjoyed your earlier posts.

There is another source of non skid matl other than the grocery store stuff
and it might even be better.  I find it at WalMart in the RVcamping section,
in the form of a roll.  It is very sticky, and more "rubbery" than the shelf
liner material I have seen in grocery stores.  The RV kind is specifically
designed to prevent things from slipping while travelling.   I have seen it
in blue and tan colors. The RV type is what I use under paddles. Another
possibility is tool box liner material, sold by Sears in the automobile/tool
dept, but it is not as sticky as the RV.

Tnx again and 73
Second batch George,  N4YM
K2 # 4758


----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Ehrlich" <[hidden email]>
To: "Tree" <[hidden email]>; "George" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2007 10:45 PM
Subject: Non-skid Radios

> This won't be news to many but perhaps some of us did not know how useful
> the non-skid mats are that you can buy in any grocery store.  These mats
> are made of a rubbery substance that, when placed under something like a
> light weight radio or a bug or paddle, keep it from moving.  It is very
> handy stuff and very cheap as well.
>
> Don K7FJ
>
>
>
>
>> 2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push the band change button,
>> it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some stickier rubber feet
>> and this has helped.  I am trying to convince them to develop an
>> accessory called KBA3 - which are covers made out of lead and will
>> increase the weight of the radio from 8 pounds to a more studly 24
>> pounds.  (BA stands for Boat Anchor).  Maybe the upcoming KPAKW3
>> option will add enough weight and make this unnecessary.
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.487 / Virus Database:
> 269.13.22/1015 - Release Date: 9/18/2007 11:53 AM
>
>

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[Tom Hammond-2]

Folks:

Tree and I differ a bit on whether the K3 is too light or not.

I've used my K3 for about 2-1/2 months now (I think) and have had NO
problems with it being too light for my normal button-pressing operations.

The KPA3 (PA) doesn't really add THAT much added weight to the K3, but I
have had few (if any) problems with it moving during normal button-pressing
activities here.

Additionally, Wayne (and Elecraft) have obtained back feet for the K3 which
are more 'tactile' and which should add a significant amount of 'grip' for
those of us who are a bit more 'enthusiastic' in our button pressing... <G>

73,

Tom   N0SS

At 03:30 09/20/2007, Julian G4ILO wrote:

>That's with the 100W PA, presumably? I wonder what the 10W version
>will be like? Having to stand a brick on top of it will kind of spoil
>the appearance.
>
>The main benefit of the KBT2 option for me has turned out to be to
>make the K2 heavier. People have said there is a lot of space in the
>K3. I suppose one could always mount the brick inside it. :)
>
>--
>Julian, G4ILO K2 s/n: 392  K3 s/n: ???
>G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
>Ham-Directory: www.ham-directory.com
>
>
>On 9/19/07, Tree <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > 2. This radio is TOO LIGHT.  When I try to push the band change button,
> > it tries to move on the table.  Wayne sent me some stickier rubber feet
>_______________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Post to: [hidden email]
>You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
>Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
>Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

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[N6TR]

On Thu, Sep 20, 2007 at 09:30:23AM +0100, Julian G4ILO wrote:

> That's with the 100W PA, presumably? I wonder what the 10W version
> will be like? Having to stand a brick on top of it will kind of spoil
> the appearance.

As it turns out - the 100W PA is hardly a significant difference in the
weight of the radio.  Unlike the K2 where the heatsink is pretty heavy.

This heatsink is much lighter and contained inside the radio.  Having
two fans blowing air on it make up the difference (and I never hear
them).

Tree
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[N6TR]

On Thu, Sep 20, 2007 at 07:21:19AM -0500, Tom Hammond wrote:

> Additionally, Wayne (and Elecraft) have obtained back feet for the K3 which
> are more 'tactile' and which should add a significant amount of 'grip' for
> those of us who are a bit more 'enthusiastic' in our button pressing... <G>

This probably explains the difference in our CW Sprint scores.  :-)  One of
my other problems is that the front of the radio sits on top of my keyboard,
so really only two feet have contact with something.  Getting some of that
sticky stuff used in mobile homes and putting it on my keyboard will really
help.

Tree
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