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K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

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Clifford Hynds

K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

Well,

Yet another fault in my shack the K3 decided to stop putting out power over
12W this last night and came up with the Error "12V ERR" so off to the
internet to see if it was an easy fix, well yes and no.

Turns out i is a common problem in older K3 mine is 891 not ancient but
older and as the previous owner was a contester probably worked hard. The
fault was the discoloured pins on P67B on main board from high current, The
older units did not have gold plated pins.

The entire rear end had to be disassembled but pretty easy. PA removed and
the PAIO board ,
anyway this is probably not new to the group but I must say the modular
design simplifies the repair. After replacing the six blackened pins from
parts left over from my K2 build all good. Not to mention the step by step
repair here

http://www.elecraft.com/manual/KPA3%20Power%20Connector%20Replacement.pdf

So now the K3 after reassembly back up and running.

Now back to fixing my K2 which hasn't even been on air yet.

73
Cliff
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N0AZZ

Re: K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

Cliff and Group

What is it about the Elecraft line that once you own one piece of their gear
it seems that it becomes for lack of a better word a "Disease". One that
spreads to more and more of the Elecraft name on your desk like the "Chicken
Pox" there are so thick 8>).

There is some good news here though it is subsiding some as I have at least
one piece of all their gear from K2 forward, until several more options come
out for the KX3 expected soon.

The bad news on the other hand is that Eric seems to have a constant stream
of new products in devolvement or to introduce, ones that people want and
cause a backlog to get one of whatever.

73,
Fred/N0AZZ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clifford Hynds
Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2013 11:00 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

Well,

Yet another fault in my shack the K3 decided to stop putting out power over
12W this last night and came up with the Error "12V ERR" so off to the
internet to see if it was an easy fix, well yes and no.

Turns out i is a common problem in older K3 mine is 891 not ancient but
older and as the previous owner was a contester probably worked hard. The
fault was the discoloured pins on P67B on main board from high current, The
older units did not have gold plated pins.

The entire rear end had to be disassembled but pretty easy. PA removed and
the PAIO board , anyway this is probably not new to the group but I must say
the modular design simplifies the repair. After replacing the six blackened
pins from parts left over from my K2 build all good. Not to mention the step
by step repair here

http://www.elecraft.com/manual/KPA3%20Power%20Connector%20Replacement.pdf

So now the K3 after reassembly back up and running.

Now back to fixing my K2 which hasn't even been on air yet.

73
Cliff
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Clifford Hynds

Re: K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

Hi Fred and group,

Well yes I suppose it could be called a disease Hi!

I actually started not long ago when an unbuilt K2 with SSB kit was up for
sale and i felt I wanted to build something for a change, It is complete
but have some kind of transmit problem where the power drops off 15W at 80M
and progressively drops off to 10M. Strange !

Receiver side seems fine.

Have Gone over the adjustments to no avail suspect the Transmit Mixer
output may be low.

Anyway later on I bought the following also second hand

K3,P3 and KPA500 came up second hand on our VK classified site.

I've owned a lot of tranceivers over the years but the Elecraft gear id
different somehow, no small p[art to the support and enthusiasm of the
owners and company. Also like the idea of standard type connectors not
proprietory . Good old DB9's etc.

73
Cliff

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 8:39 PM, Fred Smith <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Cliff and Group
>
> What is it about the Elecraft line that once you own one piece of their
> gear
> it seems that it becomes for lack of a better word a "Disease". One that
> spreads to more and more of the Elecraft name on your desk like the
> "Chicken
> Pox" there are so thick 8>).
>
> There is some good news here though it is subsiding some as I have at least
> one piece of all their gear from K2 forward, until several more options
> come
> out for the KX3 expected soon.
>
> The bad news on the other hand is that Eric seems to have a constant stream
> of new products in devolvement or to introduce, ones that people want and
> cause a backlog to get one of whatever.
>
> 73,
> Fred/N0AZZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clifford Hynds
> Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2013 11:00 PM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now
> Fixed
>
> Well,
>
> Yet another fault in my shack the K3 decided to stop putting out power over
> 12W this last night and came up with the Error "12V ERR" so off to the
> internet to see if it was an easy fix, well yes and no.
>
> Turns out i is a common problem in older K3 mine is 891 not ancient but
> older and as the previous owner was a contester probably worked hard. The
> fault was the discoloured pins on P67B on main board from high current, The
> older units did not have gold plated pins.
>
> The entire rear end had to be disassembled but pretty easy. PA removed and
> the PAIO board , anyway this is probably not new to the group but I must
> say
> the modular design simplifies the repair. After replacing the six blackened
> pins from parts left over from my K2 build all good. Not to mention the
> step
> by step repair here
>
> http://www.elecraft.com/manual/KPA3%20Power%20Connector%20Replacement.pdf
>
> So now the K3 after reassembly back up and running.
>
> Now back to fixing my K2 which hasn't even been on air yet.
>
> 73
> Cliff
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>
>

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Chip Stratton

Re: K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now Fixed

It is a bit of an addiction. I started Ham radio with an IC-7000. Next was
a KX1, then a K2, then a KX3. I still have the IC-7000 but really only to
use on the blue water boat, where the Icom is easy to interface to a Pactor
modem and where I would prefer not to put the Elecraft rigs at risk! I
would love to have a K3, but hard to make the case for it with all the
aforementioned E rigs in the armory right now!

Chip
AE5KA

On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 4:38 AM, Clifford Hynds <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi Fred and group,
>
> Well yes I suppose it could be called a disease Hi!
>
> I actually started not long ago when an unbuilt K2 with SSB kit was up for
> sale and i felt I wanted to build something for a change, It is complete
> but have some kind of transmit problem where the power drops off 15W at 80M
> and progressively drops off to 10M. Strange !
>
> Receiver side seems fine.
>
> Have Gone over the adjustments to no avail suspect the Transmit Mixer
> output may be low.
>
> Anyway later on I bought the following also second hand
>
> K3,P3 and KPA500 came up second hand on our VK classified site.
>
> I've owned a lot of tranceivers over the years but the Elecraft gear id
> different somehow, no small p[art to the support and enthusiasm of the
> owners and company. Also like the idea of standard type connectors not
> proprietory . Good old DB9's etc.
>
> 73
> Cliff
>
> On Sun, Jan 13, 2013 at 8:39 PM, Fred Smith <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > Cliff and Group
> >
> > What is it about the Elecraft line that once you own one piece of their
> > gear
> > it seems that it becomes for lack of a better word a "Disease". One that
> > spreads to more and more of the Elecraft name on your desk like the
> > "Chicken
> > Pox" there are so thick 8>).
> >
> > There is some good news here though it is subsiding some as I have at
> least
> > one piece of all their gear from K2 forward, until several more options
> > come
> > out for the KX3 expected soon.
> >
> > The bad news on the other hand is that Eric seems to have a constant
> stream
> > of new products in devolvement or to introduce, ones that people want and
> > cause a backlog to get one of whatever.
> >
> > 73,
> > Fred/N0AZZ
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [hidden email]
> > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Clifford Hynds
> > Sent: Saturday, January 12, 2013 11:00 PM
> > To: [hidden email]
> > Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Repairs on hold while i fix my K3 12V ERR - now
> > Fixed
> >
> > Well,
> >
> > Yet another fault in my shack the K3 decided to stop putting out power
> over
> > 12W this last night and came up with the Error "12V ERR" so off to the
> > internet to see if it was an easy fix, well yes and no.
> >
> > Turns out i is a common problem in older K3 mine is 891 not ancient but
> > older and as the previous owner was a contester probably worked hard. The
> > fault was the discoloured pins on P67B on main board from high current,
> The
> > older units did not have gold plated pins.
> >
> > The entire rear end had to be disassembled but pretty easy. PA removed
> and
> > the PAIO board , anyway this is probably not new to the group but I must
> > say
> > the modular design simplifies the repair. After replacing the six
> blackened
> > pins from parts left over from my K2 build all good. Not to mention the
> > step
> > by step repair here
> >
> >
> http://www.elecraft.com/manual/KPA3%20Power%20Connector%20Replacement.pdf
> >
> > So now the K3 after reassembly back up and running.
> >
> > Now back to fixing my K2 which hasn't even been on air yet.
> >
> > 73
> > Cliff
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > 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
> >
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>