Elecraft

Frustration with Elecraft

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Bill K9YEQ

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

I had an issue with my K3s. It required a bunch of communications and sending my equipment in and then to see it fail. Never, ever did I lose confidence that Elecraft wouldn't make it right... guess what? They did. Personal communications, listening to my expertise when diagnosing (a biggie, since my experience tells me that most tech support treats me like an idiot) and all is working just super. Oh, I do have lots of experience with this Co. I will sign with my very old outdated credentials.

72 & 73,
Bill
K9YEQ, FT'er for K2, KX1, KX3, KXPA100, KAT500, W2, etc.

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Edward R Cole
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 1:27 PM
To: Elecraft Reflector <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Frustration with Elecraft

I can relate to Andy's frustration and bad luck. I fortunately have had good luck with my Elecraft purchases and any difficulties were result of inadequate knowledge or lack of reading over the manual sufficiently.

I recently installed the KXAT100 in my KXPA100 prior to taking a month-long trip out of Alaska to pick up our recently purchased 5th-wheel travel trailer in Seattle. I tested it with the KX3 remote control on my bench but after install in the truck it would not work properly (Not power-on from the KX3 menu). I discovered that the power-pole connector had to be in the proper jack (not the auxiliary power-pole jack) for that to function.

I used it mainly on 6m with a base-loaded whip.

I have one of the beta-test 2M transverter modules and it partially failed in power output. Elecraft got that repaired for me. I ran 120w 2m-SSB on the trip driving a 2w/25w driver PA for the TE1410 final amp. It only required 0.8w drive to produce 10w drive into the final, but I worked a VE7 outside the Vancouver area into northern WA while mobile. KX3-2M receives quite well even in marginal mobile conditions.

I recently traded my DEMI 222-28 transverter for a new 30w FM mobile as there is no CW/SSB activity up here. The new Bridgecom BCM-220 looked like a nice substitute and I excitedly set it up upon arrival, but it would not transmit. After much head scratching I decided maybe a call was needed to their "tech dept". I actually got the CEO of the company and after a couple questions determined I was trying
to transmit out of the band. Well the VFO indicated in band so I
was confused. He then walked me thru checking if duplex offset was in play...and it was. I didn't program that? He explained they pre-program the radio with that and a couple repeater frequencies (apparently to aid the new operator in setting up repeater use). I had never experienced a new radio with any programing so didn't look for any. Radio worked fine once I reset offset to zero - which was a big "duh" moment for me! I can say I was impressed with Bridgecom's response (so maybe they learned from watching Elecraft?).

This is still unusual in my experience with OEM's. I spent 30 years working as two-way radio tech with a lot of the "other" kind of tech help.

I tried to emulate Elecraft in my small kit making business; I recently closed the doors and no longer build kits on contract. At
72 I am finally retired.

73, Ed - KL7UW
http://www.kl7uw.com
Dubus-NA Business mail:
[hidden email]

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Nr4c

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

In reply to this post by Bill K9YEQ

Hurry!

Be among the first to get in on the ground floor of a promising business venture!

Cemetery Urns, complete with SO-239 and network jack.

Sent from my iPhone
...nr4c. bill

> On Jun 13, 2017, at 9:22 PM, Bill Johnson <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Mine as well including all coax and power supplies. 500 watts or QRPp right from the crematorium. Will this stuff incinerate?
>
> 73,
> Bill
> K9YEQ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
> Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 12:20 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Frustration with Elecraft
>
> I'm taking mine with me when I go!!! <big wink>
>
> ______________________
> Clay Autery, KY5G
>
>> On 6/13/2017 12:08 PM, rich hurd WC3T wrote:
>> short of my QSYing to another plane of existence
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Clay Autery

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

I'll join a kickstarter... but I require an N-Connector and Shielded
CAT-7 jacks. :)

______________________
Clay Autery, KY5G

On 6/14/2017 4:58 PM, Nr4c wrote:

> Hurry!
>
> Be among the first to get in on the ground floor of a promising business venture!
>
> Cemetery Urns, complete with SO-239 and network jack.
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> ...nr4c. bill
>
>
>> On Jun 13, 2017, at 9:22 PM, Bill Johnson <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> Mine as well including all coax and power supplies. 500 watts or QRPp right from the crematorium. Will this stuff incinerate?
>>
>> 73,
>> Bill
>> K9YEQ
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
>> Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 12:20 PM
>> To: [hidden email]
>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Frustration with Elecraft
>>
>> I'm taking mine with me when I go!!! <big wink>
>>
>> ______________________
>> Clay Autery, KY5G
>>
>>> On 6/13/2017 12:08 PM, rich hurd WC3T wrote:
>>> short of my QSYing to another plane of existence

Elecraft mailing list

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

And heat shields, its gonna be hotter than the incinerator and bone grinder
for some..

> I'll join a kickstarter... but I require an N-Connector and Shielded
> CAT-7 jacks. :)
>
> ______________________
> Clay Autery, KY5G
>
> On 6/14/2017 4:58 PM, Nr4c wrote:
>> Hurry!
>>
>> Be among the first to get in on the ground floor of a promising business venture!
>>
>> Cemetery Urns, complete with SO-239 and network jack.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> ...nr4c. bill
>>
>>
>>> On Jun 13, 2017, at 9:22 PM, Bill Johnson <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>>
>>> Mine as well including all coax and power supplies. 500 watts or QRPp right from the crematorium. Will this stuff incinerate?
>>>
>>> 73,
>>> Bill
>>> K9YEQ
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clay Autery
>>> Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2017 12:20 PM
>>> To: [hidden email]
>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Frustration with Elecraft
>>>
>>> I'm taking mine with me when I go!!! <big wink>
>>>
>>> ______________________
>>> Clay Autery, KY5G
>>>
>>>> On 6/13/2017 12:08 PM, rich hurd WC3T wrote:
>>>> short of my QSYing to another plane of existence
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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>

WILLIE BABER

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

In reply to this post by NB8F

Maybe there are two levels of frustration....regular frustration, especially if you have ONE radio that isn't working, and you know that you will be off the air until the radio is fixed....and you will miss an operating event! This is normal.

The second level of frustration is getting the radio fixed in a timely fashion. Elecraft will allow us to fix our own radios if we have the skill to do it with technical assistance. I have done this several times with my K3 x 2 (so2r), with detailed instructions that almost anyone can follow, from an Elecraft technician. This saves lots of time in getting the radio working properly again.

However, when I could not repair the PA in my nearly purchased K3 via instructions from a technician, I sent in the PA module only. The technician couldn't fix it in a timely fashion either so I was sent another PA that solved the problem. However, this was a two or three week long experience until I finally got another PA. No problem for me because I had other radios, so I wasn't at all frustrated by the time factor. Of course I had no doubt that Elecraft would fix the PA.

I experienced the same kind of support in completing Elecraft k2 100 that I purchased years ago but I didn't complete building until some years later. There were lots of mods to do as I purchased a field-test unit. I got every one of the mods in place, including the much needed keying modification. And, for the most part, I didn't have to bother Elecraft technicians to finish K2. Every issue I had with K2 was resolved by searching archived Elecraft emails!

I like Elecraft because we (or yours truly) can be part of the repair-solution compared to the black-box approach that forces you to "send it in" for repair, no matter what is the problem. And then wait.

Now, if you are new to ham radio and don't have much knowledge about radios, then this silver-lining to Elecraft service may not be as obvious.

73, Will, wj9b
K2, and K3/P3 x 2

CWops #1085
CWA Advisor levels II and III
http://cwops.org/

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 6/13/17, Gary Smith <[hidden email]> wrote:

Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Frustration with Elecraft
To: [hidden email]
Date: Tuesday, June 13, 2017, 11:25 AM

Andy,

Just to be another to chime in on the
bandwagon, This is the kind of response
that Elecraft has been doing since I first
bought my K3 kit in 98 I think it was.

I now have a fully loaded K3s,
a backup
K3, fully loaded P3 and a K-Pod.
My
amplifier is an Alpha 77SX but I am
seriously considering going for the
upcoming Elecraft SS 1500W amp. The only
thing that could pry the 77SX out of my
fingers would be a full limit Elecraft
amp. I have come to equate Elecraft with
integrity and quality.

You will enjoy your radios and you will
have fun discovering all the hidden
nuggets your radios have waiting for you
to uncover.

73,

Gary
KA1J

> Wayne,
>
> Thanks for the quick response and
action!
>
> I look
forward to having a great field day.
>

>
>
> -----
> NB8F - Andy
> Elecraft K3S / KX2
>
User since June 2017
> Ham since March
2015
> --
> View this
message in context:
> http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/Frustration-with-Elecraft-tp76316
> 98p7631707.html Sent from the Elecraft
mailing list archive at
> Nabble.com.
>
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Don Wilhelm

Re: Frustration with Elecraft

Elecraft offers support for the K2, K1, KX1, K3, K3S, KX3, KX2 and XV
series transverters, even if they were Field Test models.

The Field Test K2s differ from the Rev A models with slight differences.
If anyone is upgrading a Field Test K2, I would be happy to help with
a few hints. I have upgraded several Field Test K2s.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/14/2017 9:44 PM, Walter Underwood wrote:
>> On Jun 14, 2017, at 6:33 PM, WILLIE BABER <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>> There were lots of mods to do as I purchased a field-test unit.
>
> I know the thread is closed, but I’ve been an engineer for more than three decades and I’ve never heard of a manufacturer offering support for a field test unit. Dang.
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