K1 Backlight Kit

[We5f]

Thanks, Tom (N0SS) & Wayne (N6KR) for the backlight upgrade for my K1.  Now,
the rig is complete!

While the kit and instructions are first rate, this upgrade is not for the
faint of heart.  Although I was careful not to use any more heat than necessary
in removing the cut pins from the old LCD, I did have one PCB trace lift up.  
To restore the path, I fabricated a jumper from a piece of the thin enamelled
wire left over from the K1 kit.

I'd suggest forgetting about desoldering braid and solder suckers to clear
solder from the PC board.  With the help of the XYL, we were easily able to
clear the holes using a toothpick (just push and twist).  I think the toothpick
helps to carry away some of heat, too, protecting the PC board traces.

Well done, Tom & Wayne.  73, Jim KM5M
---------------------
Nunquam Secundum
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[Mike Morrow-3]

Jim wrote:

> While the kit and instructions are first rate, this upgrade is not for
> the faint of heart.  Although I was careful not to use any more heat
> than necessary in removing the cut pins from the old LCD, I did have
> one PCB trace lift up.  

It would appear to be somewhat taxing, just looking at the effort required to remove the old LCD.  I'd like to review the instructions for this mod, but I can't find the instruction sheet for this upgrade on the Elecraft site.

Since I use my K1 as a battery-powered portable rig 95 percent of the time, my major concern would be the increase in steady-state receiver current consumption of 10 to 20 percent for display illumination that can't be turned off without using some ersatz technique.  

Maybe it's time for a K1A, with menu controllable LCD illumination AND a display that shows the whole frequency at once and not just the last three digits.  I realize that, due to exhausted I/O capability in the current K1 MPU system, these suggested features would *not* be trivial to implement, and that they would require complete replacement of the re-designed front panel board to backfit to older K1s.  I'd be willing to pay for one of those.

Realistically, I don't expect to see any further development of the K1 product line.  I suspect that KX1 kit production costs are significantly below those of a K1 kit.

Mike / KK5F
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