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K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

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Rhulett

K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

My K2's speaker stopped working, headphones still work. This has happened
twice since building my K1 because the "switch" inside the K1 jack is sawed
in half by plugging and unplugging headphones.

Does this same failure mode apply to the K2 headphone jack?

73, Curt KB5JO

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

Curt,

Yes, the same thing applies. The little plastic lever inside the jack
breaks leaving the switch in a position where either the speaker is
active all the time, or more often that the speaker does not work
because it is not engaged.
Unfortunately, Elecraft has not been successful in encouraging the
manufacturer to beef up the design of that fragile lever, so we are left
with the task of replacing the jack when it fails.

If you do not want to replace the jack, I can give you instructions on
how to bypass it with a wire so the speaker is on all the time, and then
to silence it, you can plug a bare 3.5mm jack into the EXT speaker jack
on the back of the K2.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 3/19/2014 9:02 PM, Curt wrote:
> My K2's speaker stopped working, headphones still work. This has
> happened twice since building my K1 because the "switch" inside the K1
> jack is sawed in half by plugging and unplugging headphones.
>
> Does this same failure mode apply to the K2 headphone jack?

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drewko

Re: K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

In reply to this post by Rhulett

I don't know about the K1 but if you are going to replace the jack in
your K2 you might consider wiring a separate headphone/speaker switch
when you do so.

That's what I did with my K2. Now I can leave the headphones plugged
in all the time and just switch the speaker on and off as I like. That
is actually a lot more convenient than plugging and unplugging the
headphones, which is a clumsy operation with these lightweight rigs.
And of course it prevents further wear and tear on the delicate K2
jack.

I mounted the switch on the back leftside panel in one of the unused
transverter holes. If you want the details let me know and I'll try
to find them. Basically you need to wire the switch between one of the
jack terminals and its circuit board pad.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:02:46 -0500, you wrote:

>My K2's speaker stopped working, headphones still work. This has happened
>twice since building my K1 because the "switch" inside the K1 jack is sawed
>in half by plugging and unplugging headphones.
>
>Does this same failure mode apply to the K2 headphone jack?
>
>73, Curt KB5JO
>
>
>______________________________________________________________
>Elecraft mailing list
>Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
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>
>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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Warren Allred

Re: K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

What about just keeping a mini extension plugged in to save the jack from
future wear?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/408065-REG/Hosa_Technology_MHE_100_5_Stereo_Mini_Angled_Male.html

-- Warren

> On Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:02:46 -0500, you wrote:
>
> >My K2's speaker stopped working, headphones still work. This has happened
> >twice since building my K1 because the "switch" inside the K1 jack is
> sawed
> >in half by plugging and unplugging headphones.
> >
> >Does this same failure mode apply to the K2 headphone jack?
> >
> >73, Curt KB5JO
> >
> >
> >______________________________________________________________
> >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]
>

drewko

Re: K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

Yeah, that would definitely work. Except that the people who have the
most problems with jack failures are ones who, like myself, are
constantly plugging and unplugging the headphones, for whatever
reason... The extension dongle would be pretty annoying for anything
but occasional use.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On Fri, 21 Mar 2014 09:34:37 -0700, you wrote:

>What about just keeping a mini extension plugged in to save the jack from
>future wear?
>
>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/408065-REG/Hosa_Technology_MHE_100_5_Stereo_Mini_Angled_Male.html
>
>-- Warren
>
>
>
>> On Wed, 19 Mar 2014 20:02:46 -0500, you wrote:
>>
>> >My K2's speaker stopped working, headphones still work. This has happened
>> >twice since building my K1 because the "switch" inside the K1 jack is
>> sawed
>> >in half by plugging and unplugging headphones.
>> >
>> >Does this same failure mode apply to the K2 headphone jack?
>> >
>> >73, Curt KB5JO
>> >

drewko

Re: K2 Headphone jack switch failure?

Actually, that wouldn't work. as long as the extension is plugged into
the headphone jack the speaker will be silenced.

73,
Drew
AF2Z

On Fri, 21 Mar 2014 12:51:56 -0400, you wrote:

>Yeah, that would definitely work. Except that the people who have the
>most problems with jack failures are ones who, like myself, are
>constantly plugging and unplugging the headphones, for whatever
>reason... The extension dongle would be pretty annoying for anything
>but occasional use.
>
>73,
>Drew
>AF2Z
>
>
>On Fri, 21 Mar 2014 09:34:37 -0700, you wrote:
>
>>What about just keeping a mini extension plugged in to save the jack from
>>future wear?
>>
>>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/408065-REG/Hosa_Technology_MHE_100_5_Stereo_Mini_Angled_Male.html
>>
>>-- Warren
>>