FW: Re: K1 Transmit Problem

[Richard Klingensmith]

Thanks for you input on this problem. I've noticed some of the same symptoms
of receive working better after sending a few characters. I did find my
problem and would like to share my experience with the group in case someone
else may benefit.

I talked with Richard at Elecraft Wednesday evening and we concluded that
the problem was most likely in the band pass filter of the filter board. The
thing I really didn't do is follow the quick and dirty signal tracing
instructions. Let me stress again follow the quick and dirty signal tracing
first. This time it would have saved me some work. I removed, retinned and
reinstalled the torroids for the 30 and 40 meter section of the lowpass
filter and the transmit on those bands still would not work.

Last night I resolved to follow the quick and dirty signal tracing. When I
did I found that I had receive on all bands and all the checks came out
positive. Well, I called Elecraft again and talked to Scott this time. We
concluded that the crystals in the pre-mix filter were a potential problem
as well as relays K1 and K2. I had already checked those with a DVM to make
sure they were in the correct position. I wicked away the solder from the
crystals and resoldered and hit those two relays with the soldering iron
again. Still no transmit. Out of frustration I began bumping and wiggling
components. Finally I wiggled C13 and things came to life for a second.
Hitting C13 and C14 with the soldering iron again brought everything back to
life.

I'm learning a lot about troubleshooting that I need to know! It's been
frustrating but looking back on it a learning experience. After retuning all
the filter board caps on the bands I turned to trying to find a contact. I
finally got WA1GJG in New Hampshire on 30 meters and had a nice chat. Now
for working on the CW skills. I'm headed for vacation next week and we'll
see if I have any other bad solder joints when we take the K1 on a little
ride.

Thanks for all of your help and I hope this helps someone down the line.

Rick
WA3TUU

>From: [hidden email]
>To: [hidden email]
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K1 Transmit Problem
>Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2004 11:31:26 EDT
>
>Hello Rick.
>Sorry about the problem you're in.
>Intermittendly I've made a similar experience with my 4-band K1.
>
>It's also just 30/40m.
>It started with the 30m band. Always afer power-on.
>Then the RX on 30 then was deaf and the output went to the point you
>described...
>
>What I did? I smoothly knocked with a screwdriver on the relays that were
>involved
>in the 30/40m bandswitching. I found one suspected candidate and marked it
>with
>a red dot - for next knocking activities ...   - The problem returned a few
>more times
>and I could solve it with my 'knocking' - in some cases I just worked on
>other bands
>and the next time I switched on my K1 on - the rig was working properly...
>
>While I suspect one of my switching relays is not working properly, it
>sometimes
>happens on 40m that the RX seems to be deaf. I then just connect the key
>and
>give it a few dots or dashes and then the sound suddenly pops up again.
>While here the relays are not to be switched, I suspect another reason.
>
>
>I built my K1 two years ago and the above does happen every abt. 60 to 80
>times of
>power-on. Till now it did not really matter me (as I alwas have 2 other
>bands)...
>
>In case you would find the source of the malfunction in your K1 - please
>drop
>me a note.
>It might help my K1 as well.
>
>73 de Egbert, DF2SJ  ([hidden email])

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