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K2 front panel disassembly

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Vic Rosenthal

K2 front panel disassembly

I haven't had my K2 apart in years, but I need to replace two pots on the front panel board.

Is it easier to remove the control board and front panel from the RF board and then take
that assembly apart, or can I just remove the knobs and the front panel sheet metal and do
it from there?

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K2 front panel disassembly

Vic,

You will have to remove the top cover and then remove the two screws
holding the front panel and Control Board together, If you have either
the KDSP2 or KAF2, you will haave to remove that first to get to the
standoff that holds those options in.

Once th eFront panel is free from the control board, remove the 4 screws
at the corners and pull the front panel forward.

You can then remove the knobs and the metalwork to get at the board and
remove the pots.

If you are replacing the audio pot and your serial number is below 3000,
give strong consideration to installing the Alternate AF Gain Wiring
Mod. It only involves wire, and is a worthwhile addition.

73,
Don W3FPR
On 7/20/2012 1:45 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
> I haven't had my K2 apart in years, but I need to replace two pots on the front panel board.
>
> Is it easier to remove the control board and front panel from the RF board and then take
> that assembly apart, or can I just remove the knobs and the front panel sheet metal and do
> it from there?
>

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Vic Rosenthal

Re: K2 front panel disassembly

Thanks, Don!

I made the AF Gain mod a long time ago. But that pot and the IF gain pot are now flaky.
It's been more than 12 years (and plenty of hard use) so I'm not complaining.

On 7/20/2012 12:31 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Vic,
>
> You will have to remove the top cover and then remove the two screws holding the front
> panel and Control Board together, If you have either the KDSP2 or KAF2, you will haave to
> remove that first to get to the standoff that holds those options in.
>
> Once th eFront panel is free from the control board, remove the 4 screws at the corners
> and pull the front panel forward.
>
> You can then remove the knobs and the metalwork to get at the board and remove the pots.
>
> If you are replacing the audio pot and your serial number is below 3000, give strong
> consideration to installing the Alternate AF Gain Wiring Mod. It only involves wire, and
> is a worthwhile addition.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
> On 7/20/2012 1:45 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>> I haven't had my K2 apart in years, but I need to replace two pots on the front panel
>> board.
>>
>> Is it easier to remove the control board and front panel from the RF board and then take
>> that assembly apart, or can I just remove the knobs and the front panel sheet metal and do
>> it from there?
>>
>

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K2 front panel disassembly

Vic.

Great -- 12 years on those pots which are used frequently is certainly a
testament to their durability.
I have had pots of larger size develop problems after a period of use -
I recall the ole Potter and Brumfield pots that were highly respected,
but would become noisy after a period of use. Even the best are not
perfect, and seldom have a "lifetime" consideration.

I hate to think of the problems I might find when I power on my NC-100
receiver. It was working well the last time it was powered on, but that
was 14 years ago. It is sitting in my attic just begging for
attention. One day soon, it will get that attention and become a
working fixture in the W3FPR/W8ELL old time receiver "museum". Bob and
I have vowed to never sell it to anyone else. We have a deal - when we
swap it, we exchange what it cost us to purchase it - the price is fixed
at $35.00. It worked when I bought it from Bob back in 1995, and it had
not been powered on since. BTW, it comes with a 15 meter converter built
by W8BKP (tube type with plug-in coils).

Thanks for reading my bit of ham radio nostalgia.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/20/2012 6:40 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> Thanks, Don!
>
> I made the AF Gain mod a long time ago. But that pot and the IF gain
> pot are now flaky. It's been more than 12 years (and plenty of hard
> use) so I'm not complaining.
>
> On 7/20/2012 12:31 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>> Vic,
>>
>> You will have to remove the top cover and then remove the two screws
>> holding the front
>> panel and Control Board together, If you have either the KDSP2 or
>> KAF2, you will haave to
>> remove that first to get to the standoff that holds those options in.
>>
>> Once th eFront panel is free from the control board, remove the 4
>> screws at the corners
>> and pull the front panel forward.
>>
>> You can then remove the knobs and the metalwork to get at the board
>> and remove the pots.
>>
>> If you are replacing the audio pot and your serial number is below
>> 3000, give strong
>> consideration to installing the Alternate AF Gain Wiring Mod. It only
>> involves wire, and
>> is a worthwhile addition.
>>
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>> On 7/20/2012 1:45 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>>> I haven't had my K2 apart in years, but I need to replace two pots
>>> on the front panel
>>> board.
>>>
>>> Is it easier to remove the control board and front panel from the RF
>>> board and then take
>>> that assembly apart, or can I just remove the knobs and the front
>>> panel sheet metal and do
>>> it from there?
>>>
>>
>

Bill K9YEQ

Re: K2 front panel disassembly

The, attic, ah yes, the killer of pots. Then a good damp basement not so
hot either. Like sitting anywhere and not used. I used to have the pot
spray, might still be able to get it to help the contact corrosion. I had
to use it on much of my early equipment in the 60's and 70's as stuff
started aging. Nice to have encoders.

73,
Bill
K9YEQ

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 6:12 PM
To: Vic K2VCO
Cc: Elecraft Reflector
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 front panel disassembly

Vic.

Great -- 12 years on those pots which are used frequently is certainly a
testament to their durability.
I have had pots of larger size develop problems after a period of use - I
recall the ole Potter and Brumfield pots that were highly respected, but
would become noisy after a period of use. Even the best are not perfect,
and seldom have a "lifetime" consideration.

I hate to think of the problems I might find when I power on my NC-100
receiver. It was working well the last time it was powered on, but that was
14 years ago. It is sitting in my attic just begging for attention. One
day soon, it will get that attention and become a working fixture in the
W3FPR/W8ELL old time receiver "museum". Bob and I have vowed to never sell
it to anyone else. We have a deal - when we swap it, we exchange what it
cost us to purchase it - the price is fixed at $35.00. It worked when I
bought it from Bob back in 1995, and it had not been powered on since. BTW,
it comes with a 15 meter converter built by W8BKP (tube type with plug-in
coils).

Thanks for reading my bit of ham radio nostalgia.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 7/20/2012 6:40 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> Thanks, Don!
>
> I made the AF Gain mod a long time ago. But that pot and the IF gain
> pot are now flaky. It's been more than 12 years (and plenty of hard
> use) so I'm not complaining.
>
> On 7/20/2012 12:31 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:
>> Vic,
>>
>> You will have to remove the top cover and then remove the two screws
>> holding the front panel and Control Board together, If you have
>> either the KDSP2 or KAF2, you will haave to remove that first to get
>> to the standoff that holds those options in.
>>
>> Once th eFront panel is free from the control board, remove the 4
>> screws at the corners and pull the front panel forward.
>>
>> You can then remove the knobs and the metalwork to get at the board
>> and remove the pots.
>>
>> If you are replacing the audio pot and your serial number is below
>> 3000, give strong consideration to installing the Alternate AF Gain
>> Wiring Mod. It only involves wire, and is a worthwhile addition.
>>
>> 73,
>> Don W3FPR
>> On 7/20/2012 1:45 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>>> I haven't had my K2 apart in years, but I need to replace two pots
>>> on the front panel board.
>>>
>>> Is it easier to remove the control board and front panel from the RF
>>> board and then take that assembly apart, or can I just remove the
>>> knobs and the front panel sheet metal and do it from there?
>>>
>>
>

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Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

______________________________________________________________
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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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