What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few
moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and ground and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with the K3?? -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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James,
Remove the key from the equation. Insert a stereo plug with the ring soldered to the sleeve. Does the K3 make dashes? If so, then you can blame your paddles and their plug. If not, then there is something wrong with your K3. 73, Don W3FPR On 11/13/2010 6:53 PM, James Sarte wrote: > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and ground > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with the > K3?? > ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Hi Don,
I just did that. I can short tip to ground and get dits, but shorting ring to ground produces nothing. Looks like there's something wrong with the K3. What should I look for at this point? Tnx, James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]> wrote: > James, > > Remove the key from the equation. Insert a stereo plug with the ring > soldered to the sleeve. Does the K3 make dashes? If so, then you can blame > your paddles and their plug. If not, then there is something wrong with > your K3. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > On 11/13/2010 6:53 PM, James Sarte wrote: > >> What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few >> moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right >> paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and ground >> and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with >> the >> K3?? >> >> -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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In reply to this post by K2QI
James,
Did you plug in to the "Paddle" plug or the "Key" plug? Rick K6LE On 11/13/2010, at 3:53 , James Sarte wrote: > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and ground > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with the > K3?? > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Hi Rick,
It was plugged into the "Paddle" jack. I just replied to Don; did a test where I removed the plastic plug cover and inserted the plug into the paddle jack. I shorted tip to ground and got dits. Shorted ring to ground produces nothing. I even checked the continuity on the plug itself; all contacts are good. Looks to me like there might be something wrong with the K3's jack or perhaps something more... not sure yet. Tnx, James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 8:09 PM, Rick Prather <[hidden email]> wrote: > James, > > Did you plug in to the "Paddle" plug or the "Key" plug? > > Rick > K6LE > > On 11/13/2010, at 3:53 , James Sarte wrote: > > > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few > > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right > > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and > ground > > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with > the > > K3?? > > > > -- > > 73 de James K2QI > > President UNARC/4U1UN > > -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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Here's what I did now to rule out the actual K3 jack:
I took the rear bottom panel off. I checked continuity with a plug connected to the socket. I touched ground on the plug and G on the RF main board and that passed. Did the same with ring R, and tip T, and all passed. So there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with the contacts inside the jack itself. Strange... -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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In reply to this post by K2QI
I wonder if the solder joint for the K3's key jack is cracked. I've had that
happen on other rigs. Shine a bright light on the solder joint and use a magnifying glass to examine. N4LQ Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Sarte" <[hidden email]> To: "Rick Prather" <[hidden email]> Cc: "Elecraft" <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 8:13 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working? > Hi Rick, > > It was plugged into the "Paddle" jack. I just replied to Don; did a test > where I removed the plastic plug cover and inserted the plug into the > paddle > jack. I shorted tip to ground and got dits. Shorted ring to ground > produces nothing. > > I even checked the continuity on the plug itself; all contacts are good. > Looks to me like there might be something wrong with the K3's jack or > perhaps something more... not sure yet. > > Tnx, > James K2QI > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 8:09 PM, Rick Prather <[hidden email]> > wrote: > >> James, >> >> Did you plug in to the "Paddle" plug or the "Key" plug? >> >> Rick >> K6LE >> >> On 11/13/2010, at 3:53 , James Sarte wrote: >> >> > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the K3 a few >> > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of dots. Right >> > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, ring, and >> ground >> > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing right with >> the >> > K3?? >> > >> > -- >> > 73 de James K2QI >> > President UNARC/4U1UN >> >> > > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 |
Hi Steve,
I checked the solder joints too when I was testing continuity on the jack itself. All looks OK. Not sure what else can be wrong at this point. Plug is OK, jack is OK, paddle is good, and the jack itself looks to be soldered well onto the main board. I'm at a loss... 73 de James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 8:40 PM, Steve Ellington <[hidden email]>wrote: > I wonder if the solder joint for the K3's key jack is cracked. I've had > that happen on other rigs. Shine a bright light on the solder joint and use > a magnifying glass to examine. > N4LQ > Steve > > ______________________________________________________________ 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
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In reply to this post by K2QI
James,
Based on your other posts to the reflector where you checked continuity inside the K3, I would suggest a new download of the firmware, save your configuration, then do an EE INIT. Install the firmware via K3 Utility, restore your configuration and see if anything changes. If that fails to correct it, an email to [hidden email] is in order. Why do these things always happen on the weekend?? 73, Don W3FPR On 11/13/2010 8:09 PM, James Sarte wrote: > Hi Don, > I just did that. I can short tip to ground and get dits, but shorting > ring to ground produces nothing. > Looks like there's something wrong with the K3. What should I look > for at this point? > Tnx, > James K2QI > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email] > <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote: > > James, > > Remove the key from the equation. Insert a stereo plug with the > ring soldered to the sleeve. Does the K3 make dashes? If so, > then you can blame your paddles and their plug. If not, then > there is something wrong with your K3. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > On 11/13/2010 6:53 PM, James Sarte wrote: > > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the > K3 a few > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of > dots. Right > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, > ring, and ground > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing > right with the > K3?? > > > > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN > 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 |
I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months
ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and the board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and you will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each end while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. Gene K6TTM -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 5:58 PM To: James Sarte Cc: Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working? James, Based on your other posts to the reflector where you checked continuity inside the K3, I would suggest a new download of the firmware, save your configuration, then do an EE INIT. Install the firmware via K3 Utility, restore your configuration and see if anything changes. If that fails to correct it, an email to [hidden email] is in order. Why do these things always happen on the weekend?? 73, Don W3FPR On 11/13/2010 8:09 PM, James Sarte wrote: > Hi Don, > I just did that. I can short tip to ground and get dits, but shorting > ring to ground produces nothing. > Looks like there's something wrong with the K3. What should I look > for at this point? > Tnx, > James K2QI > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email] > <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote: > > James, > > Remove the key from the equation. Insert a stereo plug with the > ring soldered to the sleeve. Does the K3 make dashes? If so, > then you can blame your paddles and their plug. If not, then > there is something wrong with your K3. > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > > On 11/13/2010 6:53 PM, James Sarte wrote: > > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the > K3 a few > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of > dots. Right > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, > ring, and ground > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing > right with the > K3?? > > > > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN > 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 |
Hi Gene,
After following Don's advice to do an EE Init and reload, I still had the same problem. I then removed the bottom plate and checked RFC3 and RFC4. Continuity check shows that RFC3 is ok, but RFC4 has no continuity. How did Gary suggest you fix RFC4? Did you resolder the choke? If so, how did you do it - from the bottom of the board where the choke is mounted, or did you have to solder from the other side? If it's from the other side, wow.. I'm not looking forward to tearing the K3 apart. That's a lot of work. Pse advise. Mni tnx es vy 73 de James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff <[hidden email]>wrote: > I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months > ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the > surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and the > board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and you > will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each end > while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. > > Gene K6TTM > > -----Original Message----- > From: [hidden email] > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm > Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 5:58 PM > To: James Sarte > Cc: Elecraft > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working? > > James, > > Based on your other posts to the reflector where you checked continuity > inside the K3, I would suggest a new download of the firmware, save your > configuration, then do an EE INIT. Install the firmware via K3 Utility, > restore your configuration and see if anything changes. If that fails to > correct it, an email to [hidden email] is in order. > > Why do these things always happen on the weekend?? > > 73, > Don W3FPR > > On 11/13/2010 8:09 PM, James Sarte wrote: > > Hi Don, > > I just did that. I can short tip to ground and get dits, but shorting > > ring to ground produces nothing. > > Looks like there's something wrong with the K3. What should I look > > for at this point? > > Tnx, > > James K2QI > > > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 7:52 PM, Don Wilhelm <[hidden email] > > <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote: > > > > James, > > > > Remove the key from the equation. Insert a stereo plug with the > > ring soldered to the sleeve. Does the K3 make dashes? If so, > > then you can blame your paddles and their plug. If not, then > > there is something wrong with your K3. > > > > 73, > > Don W3FPR > > > > > > On 11/13/2010 6:53 PM, James Sarte wrote: > > > > What am I doing wrong? I hooked up an old iambic paddle to the > > K3 a few > > moments ago. Left paddle works fine; gives me a string of > > dots. Right > > paddle doesn't do anything. I checked continuity on tip, > > ring, and ground > > and everything tests fine. Is there something I'm not doing > > right with the > > K3?? > > > > > > > > > > -- > > 73 de James K2QI > > President UNARC/4U1UN > > > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > > -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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Darnit. I took half the K3 apart. Nevermind, guess I cant see the solder
pins from the top as they're actually covered by the jack housings. OK... on to step two. James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:31 PM, James Sarte <[hidden email]> wrote: > Hi Gene, > > After following Don's advice to do an EE Init and reload, I still had the > same problem. I then removed the bottom plate and checked RFC3 and RFC4. > Continuity check shows that RFC3 is ok, but RFC4 has no continuity. > > How did Gary suggest you fix RFC4? Did you resolder the choke? If so, how > did you do it - from the bottom of the board where the choke is mounted, or > did you have to solder from the other side? > > If it's from the other side, wow.. I'm not looking forward to tearing the > K3 apart. That's a lot of work. > > Pse advise. > > Mni tnx es vy 73 de James > K2QI > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff <[hidden email]>wrote: > >> I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months >> ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the >> surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and the >> board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and you >> will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each end >> while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. >> >> Gene K6TTM >> >> >> > 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
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Gene et all,
I reheated the contacts on RFC4 to the point that I think I even slightly warped the casing of the choke on one side. No good. No continuity at all from any of the trace points or direct contact with the chokes leads. Looks like RFC4 is dead and K3 #2730 will have to go back to Aptos for repair. 73 de James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 10:02 PM, James Sarte <[hidden email]> wrote: > > >> On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff <[hidden email]>wrote: >> >>> I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months >>> ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the >>> surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and >>> the >>> board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and >>> you >>> will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each >>> end >>> while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. >>> >>> Gene K6TTM >>> >>> >>> >> -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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Just bypass it with a piece of wire. It probably won't matter.
It might take months to get your K3 back! N4LQ Steve ----- Original Message ----- From: "James Sarte" <[hidden email]> To: "Gene Langendorff" <[hidden email]> Cc: "Elecraft" <[hidden email]>; <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 10:56 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working? > Gene et all, > > I reheated the contacts on RFC4 to the point that I think I even slightly > warped the casing of the choke on one side. No good. No continuity at > all > from any of the trace points or direct contact with the chokes leads. > > Looks like RFC4 is dead and K3 #2730 will have to go back to Aptos for > repair. > > 73 de James K2QI > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 10:02 PM, James Sarte <[hidden email]> wrote: > >> >> >>> On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff >>> <[hidden email]>wrote: >>> >>>> I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few >>>> months >>>> ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of >>>> the >>>> surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and >>>> the >>>> board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and >>>> you >>>> will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each >>>> end >>>> while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should >>>> work. >>>> >>>> Gene K6TTM >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> > > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 |
In reply to this post by K2QI
If you could get to it to reheat the terminals, you can replace it.
And, as the previous poster indicated, it's just an RF filter for the paddle. Chances are you can short it out and you won't have a problem. You can get back on the air until Elecraft sends you a replacement part. You don't need to send your radio to the factory to fix this! On 11/13/2010 7:56 PM, James Sarte wrote: > Gene et all, > > I reheated the contacts on RFC4 to the point that I think I even slightly > warped the casing of the choke on one side. No good. No continuity at all > from any of the trace points or direct contact with the chokes leads. > > Looks like RFC4 is dead and K3 #2730 will have to go back to Aptos for > repair. > > 73 de James K2QI > > On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 10:02 PM, James Sarte<[hidden email]> wrote: > >> >> >>> On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff<[hidden email]>wrote: >>> >>>> I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months >>>> ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the >>>> surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and >>>> the >>>> board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and >>>> you >>>> will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each >>>> end >>>> while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. >>>> >>>> Gene K6TTM >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> > > -- Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
I suppose you're right Vic. I've just never been too confident in my
soldering skills when it comes to small surface-mount parts like this choke. Like I said earlier, my iron slipped and I even managed to slightly warp the plastic casing on the choke. Ugh. When it comes to larger, thru-hole stuff then it isn't a problem. If I bypass the choke, what's the worst that could happen? Anyway, I'm still thinking about sending it back... Aptos agreed to swap out the filter and mic encoders for the newer, less-viscous feeling versions after my original encoders went kaput and they sent me an FP board with these stiff ones. So either way, I'd be out of a K3 for a few days. I could kill two birds with one stone and also have them do a complete check to make sure everything else is working before sending it back. I wouldn't be completely dead in the water anyway. I have an Icom 756 Pro III that I could use in the meantime. Tnx, James K2QI On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 12:29 AM, Vic K2VCO <[hidden email]> wrote: > If you could get to it to reheat the terminals, you can replace it. > > And, as the previous poster indicated, it's just an RF filter for the > paddle. Chances are you can short it out and you won't have a problem. You > can get back on the air until Elecraft sends you a replacement part. > > You don't need to send your radio to the factory to fix this! > > > > -- > Vic, K2VCO > Fresno CA > http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ > -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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In reply to this post by K2QI
James,
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner but I was out of the house to a birthday dinner (mine). I'm pleased that you were able to find the source of your problem. But I'm REALLY SORRY that your attempted repair apparently destroyed the RFC. In my case, the SOLDER CONNECTION between the RFC and the solder pad was open, and by reflowing the joint with fresh solder - and a little pressure to make a firm connection - the problem was resolved. In re-reading your response, I think you thought the choke itself was open. I'm sorry if I misled you. Perhaps I should have been more careful in my phrasing. At any rate, Steve's suggestion of using a piece of wire to short out the choke, should get you going for now. Then when a new part comes from Elecraft, you can install the new one. Mind you, it's tedious work working with those REALLY tiny surface mount parts. But if you're careful, it can be done. Be sure to use a very small tip and a temperature controlled solder station. We don't want to damage anything else. Start by cleaning all of the old solder from the pads. Use a solder sucker, solder wick and fresh solder on your iron to do that. Once cleaned in that manner, you'll have a nicely cleaned pad with easily flowed fresh solder. Now prepare the new part by tinning its connecting surfaces. You will then have fresh solder on the part which will quickly and easily flow with the fresh solder on the pad. DO NOT use a lot of solder. Just a thin film is sufficient. You don't want to have one end of the part attached to the pad and the other end tilted up on a mound of solder. To solder the part to the pads, place the part in its place and hold it down with a toothpick or something similar. (That requires the use of one hand.) Don't let it move while soldering. Then, using the other hand, wet the tip of the iron with solder and apply the tip to the JUNCTION of one end of the part and its associated pad, heating both the part and the pad simultaneously. When properly heated, the solder will flow into the joint and when the iron is removed will cool to a nice firm connection. Don't let anything move while it's cooling! To do so will result in a cold solder joint and you will have to start over. Now that you have one end of the part secured, the rest is easy because the first end of the part is being held in place by solder. Merely wet the tip of your iron with solder again and applying pressure on the second end of the part with your toothpick, solder the second end as you did the first. Remember to apply the tip of the iron to the JOINT, so that you heat both the end of the part and the solder pad at the same time. The solder will flow into the joint when properly heated. Congratulations, YOU'RE DONE! If it would make you feel better, you can apply a small amount of additional solder to the joint but it's really not necessary. Hope this helps. 73, Gene K6TTM From: James Sarte [mailto:[hidden email]] Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2010 7:56 PM To: Gene Langendorff Cc: [hidden email]; Elecraft Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working? Gene et all, I reheated the contacts on RFC4 to the point that I think I even slightly warped the casing of the choke on one side. No good. No continuity at all from any of the trace points or direct contact with the chokes leads. Looks like RFC4 is dead and K3 #2730 will have to go back to Aptos for repair. 73 de James K2QI On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 10:02 PM, James Sarte <[hidden email]> wrote: On Sat, Nov 13, 2010 at 9:04 PM, Gene Langendorff <[hidden email]> wrote: I had the same symptom on my year old newly completed K3 kit a few months ago (S/N 3172). With Gary's guidance found the trouble to be one of the surface mount chokes (RFC3 or RFC4) between the paddles jack (J12) and the board needed resoldering. Check for continuity with your ohmmeter and you will probably find one of them not connected. Carefully resolder each end while applying downward pressure, one end at a time, and it should work. Gene K6TTM -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
Hi Gene,
Don't be sorry. I suspect the RFC was dead before I even touched it. I don't think I destroyed it. Only one side has a slight concave surface from where the iron got too close. You have to really look at it an angle to see the indentation on the RFC's body. Otherwise, I did as you suggested and let the solder reflow into the joints but that still didn't help. I can put a probe at one end of the RFC and the other at a pad on the opposite end of the trace and verify continuity. I do the same on the opposite side of the RFC and the other pad and all is OK. On the other hand, putting both meter probes on each end of the RFC directly shows that it's open. This was the case before I resoldered it and afterwards. James K2QI On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 2:24 AM, Gene Langendorff <[hidden email]>wrote: > > I’m pleased that you were able to find the source of your problem. But I’m > REALLY SORRY that your attempted repair apparently destroyed the RFC. In my > case, the SOLDER CONNECTION between the RFC and the solder pad was open, and > by reflowing the joint with fresh solder – and a little pressure to make a > firm connection – the problem was resolved. > > > > > 73, > > Gene K6TTM > > > > > > * > * > 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
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Good morning Elecrafters,
I decided to try and bypass RFC4 by using a small wire jumper soldered to vias connected to RFC4. Please see link below for image. So far, everything seems to work just fine now, which confirms my suspicion that RFC4 was dead even before I did anything. I should have tried the jumper first! Probably could have saved me a lot of time tearing the K3 apart. Anyway, here's the picture of the jumper: http://jamespaulsarte.com/temp/k2qi/k3_rfc4_jumper.jpg Now that the choke has been bypassed, what could possibly happen? RF entering the rig through the paddle cable? -- 73 de James K2QI President UNARC/4U1UN ______________________________________________________________ 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
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In reply to this post by K2QI
The worst that could happen if you bypass it is that if you have a long lead to the paddle
and if it happens to pick up RF, it might upset the keying. So just try it on all bands with your various antennas to make sure it's OK. If it isn't, you should hear it right away. On 11/13/2010 11:04 PM, James Sarte wrote: > I suppose you're right Vic. I've just never been too confident in my soldering skills > when it comes to small surface-mount parts like this choke. Like I said earlier, my iron > slipped and I even managed to slightly warp the plastic casing on the choke. Ugh. When > it comes to larger, thru-hole stuff then it isn't a problem. > > If I bypass the choke, what's the worst that could happen? > > Anyway, I'm still thinking about sending it back... Aptos agreed to swap out the filter > and mic encoders for the newer, less-viscous feeling versions after my original encoders > went kaput and they sent me an FP board with these stiff ones. So either way, I'd be out > of a K3 for a few days. I could kill two birds with one stone and also have them do a > complete check to make sure everything else is working before sending it back. > > I wouldn't be completely dead in the water anyway. I have an Icom 756 Pro III that I > could use in the meantime. > > Tnx, > James K2QI > > On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 12:29 AM, Vic K2VCO <[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote: > > If you could get to it to reheat the terminals, you can replace it. > > And, as the previous poster indicated, it's just an RF filter for the paddle. Chances > are you can short it out and you won't have a problem. You can get back on the air > until Elecraft sends you a replacement part. > > You don't need to send your radio to the factory to fix this! > > > > -- > Vic, K2VCO > Fresno CA > http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ > > > > > -- > 73 de James K2QI > President UNARC/4U1UN > -- Vic, K2VCO Fresno CA http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/ ______________________________________________________________ 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 |
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