K3/0 mini observations

[Oliver Dröse]

Hi,

having used the K3/0 mini for a few weeks now here are some
observations, maybe they can be taken into account to make the product
even better.

Display
The mini is used in tilted postion like the KX3. So I would have
expected the same display like in the KX3 to be used, i.e. with a "6
o'clock" viewing angle. Sorrily it's not, it has the original K3 display
("12 o'clock") so you cannot see anything when the mini is on the table,
it's not readable! That's a big big minus! :-( You have to put it almost
vertical (difficult as it has it's center of gravity too high, so it
easily tilts over the front then) which is impossible with the bail
supplied/mounted, it's too short. :-(

Documentation
The manual gives a lot of hints concerning remote use itself but lacks
completely concerning the hardware of the mini itself. :-( There is a
3,5 mm jack on the back for PTT. Is it mono or stereo? Likewise for the
headset connection, no info. I suppose it's stereo for mic as well as
headset but would be good to have the info documented. Is there any bias
on the 3,5 mm mic input? I suppose yes as when I connect sound from the
computer to do digimodes it stops after 2 seconds, i.e. seems
conflicting with the bias so putting the circuit down. So it must be
isolated if used with hardware not expecting bias! Besides this it seems
the headset connection is hard-wired against the mic socket and speaker
meaning when-ever you plug in a mic into the 3,5 mm socket the 8pol
round socket for the hand mic is automatically disabled, no software
choice. Same for the headset socket, as soon as you plug in phones the
internal speaker is switched off. Even configuring it through the menu
(SPKR + PH = YES) just on the K3/0 mini itself (without a connection to
the remote K3) does not change the behaviour. That's a pity as it would
be good to still have "local" audio when a cable is plugged in,
otherwise a little difficult to tune in RTTY stations. ;-)

There is a wiring diagram for the connection from the K3/0 mini to the
RemoteRig boxes but no info on what signals are on which pins (yes, you
can reverse-engineer it from the RR boxes). Also no info that you do not
have to use an external power supply for the mini when used with the RR
boxes, they obviously *do* supply the voltage through the backside
connector to the mini (found out by "mistake", hi).

All the documentation issues are not that big a deal for somebody
knowing how electronics work and can be guessed (as I did) but I am sure
for other guys they might be a problem. And it's sure not what we are
used to from Elecraft.

The display on the other hand *is* a big problem/design error. How are
other guys using the mini? Cannot imagine nobody else has trouble with it?

That's it for the moment. Maybe additional findings in the future.
Besides the things noted I really love the mini + remote K3, cannot
imagine to go back to my old Icom remote station (with separated front
panel, too). ;-)

73, Olli - DH8BQA

--

Contest, DX & radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de


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[Augie "Gus" Hansen]

On 6/16/2014 3:51 PM, Oliver Dröse wrote:

> ...
> Display
> The mini is used in tilted postion like the KX3. So I would have
> expected the same display like in the KX3 to be used, i.e. with a "6
> o'clock" viewing angle. Sorrily it's not, it has the original K3
> display ("12 o'clock") so you cannot see anything when the mini is on
> the table, it's not readable! That's a big big minus! :-( You have to
> put it almost vertical (difficult as it has it's center of gravity too
> high, so it easily tilts over the front then) which is impossible with
> the bail supplied/mounted, it's too short. :-(

According to the Elecraft product description,

> Replacing the full-size K3/0
> <http://www.elecraft.com/K3-Remote/k3-remote-legacy.htm>, the
> K3/0-Mini consists of a K3 front panel, only, so it's highly portable.
> The K3/0-Mini is perfect for home and travel use due to its small
> size. It fully duplicates all K3 controls, displays and menus for a
> realistic remote K3 experience.

Given that it fully duplicates the menus, you should be able to go to
the main menu, choose LCD ADJ, and set the display viewing angle over a
wide range. For the K3 on a shelf, a value of 20 is good for eye-level
viewing (straight on). Higher numbered values (up to 100) make viewing
good with the rig tilted up, but I don't know if the range is wide
enough to handle the unit laying flat. Worth a try.

Gus Hansen
KB0YH

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[wayne burdick]

Hi Oliver,

> The mini is used in tilted postion like the KX3. So I would have expected the same display like in the KX3 to be used…

We switched to the KX3 display very early in production. Contact customer support for a replacement (or we can do it for you, no charge).


> The manual gives a lot of hints concerning remote use itself but lacks completely concerning the hardware of the mini itself.

A significant update of the manual is pending. We were all a bit rushed getting the product into field test. We'll send you a copy of the latest when it comes out.

Thanks for the feedback!

Wayne
N6KR

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[W2RMS]

Now i ask you: where else would you get an even remotely similar level of service and commitment to customer?

__________________
Slava (Sal) B, W2RMS
[hidden email]

On Jun 16, 2014, at 10:27 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi Oliver,
>
>> The mini is used in tilted postion like the KX3. So I would have expected the same display like in the KX3 to be used…
>
> We switched to the KX3 display very early in production. Contact customer support for a replacement (or we can do it for you, no charge).
>
>
>> The manual gives a lot of hints concerning remote use itself but lacks completely concerning the hardware of the mini itself.
>
> A significant update of the manual is pending. We were all a bit rushed getting the product into field test. We'll send you a copy of the latest when it comes out.
>
> Thanks for the feedback!
>
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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> 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]

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[Oliver Dröse]

To be honest I already waited for the first such comment to appear.
Sorry Slava, this is not against you personally. I simply cannot hear
all the praise anymore for cases which were wrong right from the
beginning (and from people not even owning the product in question).
Amazingly I already got a number of private emails from other customers
comfirming the problem and ranting themselves. They just do not want to
do it publicly (for what-ever reasons) but are all disappointed as well.
Even a few who did contact customer service and did not even get an
answer. What's the service level then?

Yes, I like Elecraft, too. I even like them, their attitude and their
products very much! Meanwhile I own 2 x K3's (with ATU, sub-RX & 2 m
option), a KPA500, a KAT500, a KX3 with all options and now a K3/0 mini.
I'm even a fieldtester for their KX3-2M. So I probably am what one would
call a loyal and valued customer. Nevertheless I'm not a Koolaid drinker
and tell Elecraft if things are wrong (and they certainly appreciate
it). This is what everybody should do.

This specific problem has nothing to do with good customer service but
with quality control. Good customer service would have been if they did
not even ship with the wrong displays as they knew about the problem! If
they did not know about it (which I doubt) they did not even test it
themselves during development (which I doubt, too). Every 4 years old
child would have recognized you can't read the display if you put it on
the table as designed. That's the reason why the KX3 is delivered with a
6 o'clock display instead of a 12 o'clock display like the K3. Same
design. And we are talking about production units here! Would have had
full understanding if it was a test unit and problem discovered during
FT or the like. This is what FT's are for. And we are talking about an
obvious problem! I understand there are things that will only be
discovered after a product is on the market already and maybe a thousand
units in use. This is were Elcraft shines in and finds solutions. Hats
off! But not for such an obvious problem.

Imagine buying a car (that has been on the market already and was
test-driven before) and recognizing the car lights will only shine for 5
m instead of 200 m. What would be your reaction? Shure it's nice if your
dealer tells you "Oh yes, I will take care of the problem." but that is
only good customer service in the second instance. Sure you would still
be angry. First instance would have been not to deliver these cars to
customers at all or change the lights before delivery already as they
knew the lights were not the right ones, wouldn't it?

I'm now waiting how customer support will solve it. Hopefully in a
manner that will not put me offline with the remote as sending it back
to CA, let them change it and ship it back to Germany would at least
take 4 weeks if not longer (ordered all my stuff directly from them so I
know how long it takes). That would certainly not be good customer service.

And yes, there are quite a number of other (very) good suppliers with
great customer service, too.

Rant off. And flame-suite on. ;-)

73, Olli

--

Contest, DX & radio projects: http://www.dh8bqa.de


Am 17.06.2014 13:02, schrieb Slava Baytalskiy:

> Now i ask you: where else would you get an even remotely similar level of service and commitment to customer?
>
> __________________
> Slava (Sal) B, W2RMS
> [hidden email]
>
> On Jun 16, 2014, at 10:27 PM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Hi Oliver,
>>
>>> The mini is used in tilted postion like the KX3. So I would have expected the same display like in the KX3 to be used…
>> We switched to the KX3 display very early in production. Contact customer support for a replacement (or we can do it for you, no charge).
>>
>>
>>> The manual gives a lot of hints concerning remote use itself but lacks completely concerning the hardware of the mini itself.
>> A significant update of the manual is pending. We were all a bit rushed getting the product into field test. We'll send you a copy of the latest when it comes out.
>>
>> Thanks for the feedback!
>>
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]
>

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