[K2] #7040 is alive!

[John]

Incredible! Just had my first contact on my K2. Just built the basic cw rig first, as suggested. Thank you Graham, G3XTZ for the 80m contact (not next door, 200 miles!) Now for the options!

Only real problem was recording the VCO voltages, when I couldn’t understand why the readings were the same, as I wound the synthesiser up to 28mHz, then realised you must use the band buttons, didn’t realise until it failed to do a CAL PLL telling me it was the wrong band. Getting the bands in order again was a challenge! The only other challenge was trying to compress the tilt bail while you put the screws in! (build up your muscles first!)

Final comments - take your time, check everything as you do it, and as others have said, when you feel tired, stop! Result: each stage worked first time!

Thanks Elecraft for a great project, thanks also to this reflector which I had been watching for a while and was very helpful learning from others’ experiences.

73, John, G3WWT

[KW4H]

Congratulations!

On the tilt bail, I've found that it helps greatly to keep the bolts loose
on one leg while fastening the other.  If you fully tighten the bolts on one
side, getting the other side in is a real bear!

And you've discovered the secret to a no-problems build -- take it easy, one
component at a time, and carefully check those component values and the
soldering as you go along.  The build is something to savor and enjoy!

73,

Steve, KW4H

On Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 12:15 PM, John <[hidden email]> wrote:

>
> Incredible! Just had my first contact on my K2. Just built the basic cw rig
> first, as suggested. Thank you Graham, G3XTZ for the 80m contact (not next
> door, 200 miles!) Now for the options!
>
> Only real problem was recording the VCO voltages, when I couldn’t
> understand
> why the readings were the same, as I wound the synthesiser up to 28mHz,
> then
> realised you must use the band buttons, didn’t realise until it failed to
> do
> a CAL PLL telling me it was the wrong band. Getting the bands in order
> again
> was a challenge! The only other challenge was trying to compress the tilt
> bail while you put the screws in! (build up your muscles first!)
>
> Final comments - take your time, check everything as you do it, and as
> others have said, when you feel tired, stop! Result: each stage worked
> first
> time!
>
> Thanks Elecraft for a great project, thanks also to this reflector which I
> had been watching for a while and was very helpful learning from others’
> experiences.
>
> 73, John, G3WWT
>
> --
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> Sent from the [K2] mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
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[Michael Babineau-2]

John :

Congratulations on K2 S/N 7040 coming to life !  

I finished my K2 (#5995) about a week and a half ago and operated Single Operator, Single Band (20m) QRP
with it in the CQ WW contest this past weekend, from my cottage in VE2.

I managed to make 235 QSOs, working 61 countries and 20 Zones using 5 watts with wire antennas !

CQ WW on 20m at QRP power levels was certainly "trial by fire" for this rig but its performance  exceeded my expectations.
I was amazed at both how sensitive and selective the receiver is.

For the price and the size/weight nothing can touch the K2.  

Best of luck with your K2 John and I wish you many happy hours of DX !

Michael VE3WMB / VA2NB
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