K1 transmitter alignement problem

[David Steines]

I'm having some strange experiences aligning the K1 transmitter. After following the procedure carefully, I put the radio in tune mode, and properly tuned the inductors for the 30m band. I got a reading of p3.1. I then started to tune the 20m band, which unfortunately showed p0.1. I fiddled around with the inductors, but got no power output on this band. I had a suspicion that the radio wasn't outputting any power, so I returned to the 30m band, put the radio in tune mode again, and it turned out that the power reading was now p0.1. I have attempted tuning and retuning the radio for the past several days on both bands, and sometimes I am successful. However, only minutes after a successful tuning session, power output drops to 0.

In addition to this problem, I am getting an occasional e42 error when I turn the radio on and even when I am in mid-use. To cure this problem, I simply jiggle capacitor c5 around. It gets rid of the e42 error but causes the frequency to drift slightly. I checked for shorts and bad solder joints in the VFO and throughout the board, but everything checks out fine. I have also checked and rechecked voltages and resistances across the whole board--everything is fine.

If anyone has experienced this problem before, I would greatly appreciate some help.  Thank you.

David Steines
[hidden email]


_______________________________________________
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

[Rich Lentz]

You must have the K1 receiver alignment in the "ball park" before you align
the transmitter. I found that I had to use quite a bit of signal to align
the receiver. In fact I used a turn of wire around a dummy load on another
transmitter set at 5 watts to find the peak and eventually got the
transmitter down to about 100mW when I was satisfied with the receiver
alignment on each band.  I then did the transmitter alignment.  As power is
measured after the bandpass filters you need to get them close, this also
means if off very far you will get very low power out.

If things change when you "tap" parts you should check ALL solder
connections again under a magnifying glass. That is a sign of a lose or
un-soldered component.

If you have an older K1, they had a problem with the trimming capacitors
needing "set" in that the electrical contact was not up to par - so turn
them around about ten to twenty times. The newer K1's do not have this
problem - but it won't hurt to turn them anyway. Some people could not align
them at all until they turned them 20 or so turns.

Rich,
KE0X

_______________________________________________
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

[Stuart Rohre]

Sometimes reheating what "look" like good joints will fix a problem.

Are you sure the enamel got well removed from toroid leads before soldering
those leads?
GL,
Stuart
K5KVH


_______________________________________________
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