K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro
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I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well...
I love this K-Pod, BUT I’ve sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to eliminate rf noise, etc. And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. Great company! Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but maybe I’m missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, double triggering. No switch bounce protection? I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? Elecraft...? Chuck Hawley [hidden email] Amateur Radio, KE9UW aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email]
Chuck, KE9UW
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Re: K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro
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Send a note to Elecraft support and ask for the manufacturer part number. I’ve always received a reply and often with the Mouser or DigiKey part number included.
Ken K6MR From: hawley, charles j jr<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Friday, November 6, 2020 07:55 To: Elecraft Refl<mailto:[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well... I love this K-Pod, BUT I’ve sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to eliminate rf noise, etc. And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. Great company! Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but maybe I’m missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, double triggering. No switch bounce protection? I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? Elecraft...? Chuck Hawley [hidden email] Amateur Radio, KE9UW aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
Re: K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro
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In reply to this post by ke9uw
Let me know your solution as my KPOD has the same problem.
The buttons on the K3 always work as expected, but the KPOD buttons don't. A real pain in cw pileups. Steve, K6UM On Fri, Nov 6, 2020 at 3:55 PM hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> wrote: > I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well... > > I love this K-Pod, BUT I’ve sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is > that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another > address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to > eliminate rf noise, etc. > And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When > it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and > especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. > Great company! > Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to > different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly > again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but > maybe I’m missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, > double triggering. No switch bounce protection? > I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for > about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and > less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. > Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? > Elecraft...? > > Chuck Hawley > [hidden email] > > Amateur Radio, KE9UW > aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] > 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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In reply to this post by ke9uw
Please put me on the list for info about a solution to these K-POD switches.
I have several with the same intermittent behavior. Thanks, Jim - WS6X -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] On Behalf Of hawley, charles j jr Sent: Friday, November 06, 2020 10:55 AM Subject: [Elecraft] K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well... I love this K-Pod, BUT I've sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to eliminate rf noise, etc. And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. Great company! Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but maybe I'm missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, double triggering. No switch bounce protection? I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? Elecraft...? Chuck Hawley [hidden email] Amateur Radio, KE9UW aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
Re: K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro
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In reply to this post by Steve Lund
I have had this problem for years also and wonder if there is any way to clean the switches? It is a real spoiler when it pulls this stunt, seemingly always when chasing some great dx. Would love to know what really is going on with this along with a good “fix”.
Ken, NU4I Sent from my iPod > On Nov 6, 2020, at 14:20, Steve Lund <[hidden email]> wrote: > > Let me know your solution as my KPOD has the same problem. > > The buttons on the K3 always work as expected, but the KPOD buttons don't. > A real pain in cw pileups. > > Steve, K6UM > > On Fri, Nov 6, 2020 at 3:55 PM hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> > wrote: > >> I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well... >> >> I love this K-Pod, BUT I’ve sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is >> that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another >> address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to >> eliminate rf noise, etc. >> And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When >> it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and >> especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. >> Great company! >> Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to >> different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly >> again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but >> maybe I’m missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, >> double triggering. No switch bounce protection? >> I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for >> about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and >> less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. >> Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? >> Elecraft...? >> >> Chuck Hawley >> [hidden email] >> >> Amateur Radio, KE9UW >> aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> Message delivered to [hidden email] >> > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > Message delivered to [hidden email] ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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The switches are surface mount and quite sealed. The surface mount on them is not a problem the way they are soldered in. But ultimately, it seems like Elecraft needs to replace them as to brand, model, in their production if they haven’t already done so.
When I called for replacing pod number 2, I was told that this was extremely rare and even not likely for someone to have two of them go this way. But with a little persistence they sent me my third one. I think they are getting old in the tooth now, so we should see more “rare” failures ahead. As of right now, replacing the pc board for $120 is probably the way to go, with the hope that the switches are a more reliable sort. I, so far, went the way of just switching my most used macros to relatively unused switches. Good for another almost year I hope. Chuck KE9UW [hidden email] Sent from my iPad > On Nov 6, 2020, at 4:32 PM, Ken <[hidden email]> wrote: > > I have had this problem for years also and wonder if there is any way to clean the switches? It is a real spoiler when it pulls this stunt, seemingly always when chasing some great dx. Would love to know what really is going on with this along with a good “fix”. > > Ken, NU4I > > Sent from my iPod > >> On Nov 6, 2020, at 14:20, Steve Lund <[hidden email]> wrote: >> >> Let me know your solution as my KPOD has the same problem. >> >> The buttons on the K3 always work as expected, but the KPOD buttons don't. >> A real pain in cw pileups. >> >> Steve, K6UM >> >>> On Fri, Nov 6, 2020 at 3:55 PM hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> >>> wrote: >>> >>> I posted this on Elecraft .io but will try here as well... >>> >>> I love this K-Pod, BUT I’ve sort of worn out 3 of them. The symptom is >>> that the most used buttons get noisy and trigger another macro from another >>> address. When I had the first one do that, I did extensive testing to >>> eliminate rf noise, etc. >>> And a new unit however proved to work perfectly...for about 4 months. When >>> it started doing the same thing Elecraft said it was highly unlikely and >>> especially twice to the same guy, but they sent me another one anyway. >>> Great company! >>> Now that one after a year is doing it again. I rearranged the macros to >>> different buttons of the two macros I mostly use, and it works flawlessly >>> again for me. I doubt that Elecraft will keep sending me these things, but >>> maybe I’m missing something. But all I can come up with is noisy switches, >>> double triggering. No switch bounce protection? >>> I notice now on the Elecraft site that there are PC boards available for >>> about $120. Almost doable if the switches are not available separately, and >>> less expensive than the $290 for a new unit. >>> Has anyone come up with a part # for the original switches? >>> Elecraft...? >>> >>> Chuck Hawley >>> [hidden email] >>> >>> Amateur Radio, KE9UW >>> aka Jack, BMW Motorcycles >>> ______________________________________________________________ >>> 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 >>> Message delivered to [hidden email] >>> >> ______________________________________________________________ >> 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 >> Message delivered to [hidden email] > 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 Message delivered to [hidden email]
Chuck, KE9UW
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Re: K-POD Button Switches Intermittently triggering the wrong macro
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In my experience almost all tact switches are crap. Find the equivalent part from Alps and get them from the usual places (Mouser, Digikey). After changing to Alps my reliability problems disappeared. I’ve used maybe 100K.
73, Josh W6XU Sent from my iPad > On Nov 6, 2020, at 2:46 PM, hawley, charles j jr <[hidden email]> wrote: > > The switches are surface mount and quite sealed. The surface mount on them is not a problem the way they are soldered in. But ultimately, it seems like Elecraft needs to replace them as to brand, model, in their production if they haven’t already done so. > When I called for replacing pod number 2, I was told that this was extremely rare and even not likely for someone to have two of them go this way. But with a little persistence they sent me my third one. I think they are getting old in the tooth now, so we should see more “rare” failures ahead. As of right now, replacing the pc board for $120 is probably the way to go, with the hope that the switches are a more reliable sort. > I, so far, went the way of just switching my most used macros to relatively unused switches. Good for another almost year I hope. ______________________________________________________________ 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 Message delivered to [hidden email] |
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