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[K3] Speaker Plug

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Roy Morris-6

[K3] Speaker Plug

I am using two speakers with my K3. My plug fits loosely into the
STEREO/MONO jack, and I have to be careful when I touch it or I lose the
audio in one or both. I have looked through the owners manual and do not
find the size of this plug. I would appreciate this information. Thanks,
Roy W4WFB

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M0XDF

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

I believe it's 3.5 mm - not 1/8"
73 de M0XDF (K3 #174, P3 #108)
--
Write the bad things that are done to you in the sand, but write the
good things that happen to you on a piece of marble. -Arabian wisdom

On 2 Jan 2012, at 19:45, Roy Morris wrote:

> I am using two speakers with my K3. My plug fits loosely into the
> STEREO/MONO jack, and I have to be careful when I touch it or I lose the
> audio in one or both. I have looked through the owners manual and do not
> find the size of this plug. I would appreciate this information. Thanks,
> Roy W4WFB
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Jim Brown-10

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by Roy Morris-6

On 1/2/2012 11:45 AM, Roy Morris wrote:
> I am using two speakers with my K3.

It's a nominal 1/8-in plug. Both Switchcraft and Neutrik, two very well
respected mfrs, make very good 1/8-in plugs. See my tutorial on Ham
Interfacing, on my website, for part numbers and known good sources.

http://audiosystemsgroup.com/publish.htm

Nominally 1/8-in connectors attached to cables are widely available in
the computer and consumer stereo marketplace, but this stuff is
universally el cheapo junk -- crummy, unshielded or poorly shielded
cables, molded connectors with flaky tolerances and dissimilar metal
issues.

73, Jim Brown K9YC
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M0XDF

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
73 de M0XDF

On 2 Jan 2012, at 21:52, Jim Brown wrote:

> On 1/2/2012 11:45 AM, Roy Morris wrote:
>> I am using two speakers with my K3.
>
> It's a nominal 1/8-in plug. Both Switchcraft and Neutrik, two very well
> respected mfrs, make very good 1/8-in plugs. See my tutorial on Ham
> Interfacing, on my website, for part numbers and known good sources.
>
> http://audiosystemsgroup.com/publish.htm
>
> Nominally 1/8-in connectors attached to cables are widely available in
> the computer and consumer stereo marketplace, but this stuff is
> universally el cheapo junk -- crummy, unshielded or poorly shielded
> cables, molded connectors with flaky tolerances and dissimilar metal
> issues.
>
> 73, Jim Brown K9YC
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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N5GE

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP and
SP jacks both.

But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)

73,
Tom
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member

"Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
blanket."

-- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time

On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
<[hidden email]> wrote:

>Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>73 de M0XDF
>
>
[snip]

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Amateur Radio Operator N5GE

Don Wilhelm-4

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Tom and all,

You are ignoring one important word - "Nominal"
A nominal 1/8 inch is equal to a nominal 3.5mm.
As far as I know, they are both the same size.
But as Jim Brown points out, there are good and bad connectors. Buy the
good ones and stop suffering -- yes, that may mean that you have to
build your own cables if you want good performance.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2012 10:48 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

> Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP and
> SP jacks both.
>
> But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)
>
> 73,
> Tom
> Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
> ARRL Lifetime Member
> QCWA Lifetime Member
>
> "Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
> off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
> blanket."
>
> -- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time
>
> On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>> And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>> 73 de M0XDF
>>
>>
> [snip]
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
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Jim Wiley-2

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Hmmm -

3.5 mm = 0.1378 inches

1/8 inch = 0.125 inch

Or am I missing something?

- Jim, KL7CC

Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Tom and all,
>
> You are ignoring one important word - "Nominal"
> A nominal 1/8 inch is equal to a nominal 3.5mm.
> As far as I know, they are both the same size.
> But as Jim Brown points out, there are good and bad connectors. Buy the
> good ones and stop suffering -- yes, that may mean that you have to
> build your own cables if you want good performance.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> On 1/2/2012 10:48 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
>> Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP and
>> SP jacks both.
>>
>> But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)
>>
>> 73,
>> Tom
>> Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
>> ARRL Lifetime Member
>> QCWA Lifetime Member
>>
>> "Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
>> off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
>> blanket."
>>
>> -- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time
>>
>> On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
>> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>>> And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>>> 73 de M0XDF
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> [snip]
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
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>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>

Don Wilhelm-4

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Yes, I think you have missed the meaning of "nominal"
Let me put it this way - the "nominal 40 meter band" can refer to any
frequency between 7.000 and 7.200 MHz (we in the US will extend that to
7.300 MHz).

Likewise, nominal 3.5mm can range from 0.125 to 0.140 inches, and a
"nominal 1/8 inch" can refer to the same range.
We do not live in an "exact" world, every physical thing has tolerances.
Ask a machinist to build you something without tolerance specifications,
and he will tell you that it cannot be done. How tight the tolerances
can be held to is a sign of the quality of the product. Those parts
with tighter tolerances cost more. That is why 1% resistors cost more
than 5% resistors.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2012 11:36 PM, Jim Wiley wrote:

> Hmmm -
>
> 3.5 mm = 0.1378 inches
>
> 1/8 inch = 0.125 inch
>
> Or am I missing something?
>
>
> - Jim, KL7CC
>
>
>
> Don Wilhelm wrote:
>> Tom and all,
>>
>> You are ignoring one important word - "Nominal"
>> A nominal 1/8 inch is equal to a nominal 3.5mm.
>> As far as I know, they are both the same size.
>> But as Jim Brown points out, there are good and bad connectors. Buy the
>> good ones and stop suffering -- yes, that may mean that you have to
>> build your own cables if you want good performance.
>>
>>

N5GE

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by N5GE

Having worked in manufacturing of the F111 FB when they did that I can imagine
that to convert over would have cost BILLIONS.

The United States manufacturers just decided not to spend the money to convert.

Yes, the Metric system makes more sense, but a wholesale conversion would have
been very expensive.

Now would be a good time to do it since we don't manufacture anything in the USA
any more, and when the Chinese collect our debt to them from us they will make
it happen anyway.

73,
Tom
Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
ARRL Lifetime Member
QCWA Lifetime Member

"Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
blanket."

-- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time

On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 20:17:39 -0800, "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[hidden email]> wrote:

>Part of the problem is that in the USA many suppliers consider 3.5 mm and
>1/8" the same. For example I have a packet of Radio Shack plugs that is
>marked 1/8" (3.5 mm).
>
>I grabbed one and checked it, and it's 0.135" in diameter - 3.5 mm. No
>wonder it works FB in my K3.
>
>I'm inclined to go on another rant about how Americans refuse to accept
>metric measurements even though metric has been the "standard" system of
>weights and measurements in the USA since the 1960's, but I won't.
>
>Oh... I just did.
>
>Ron AC7AC
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: [hidden email]
>[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of [hidden email]
>Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:49 PM
>To: David Ferrington, M0XDF
>Cc: [hidden email]
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Speaker Plug
>
>
>Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP
>and
>SP jacks both.
>
>But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)
>
>73,
>Tom
>Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
>ARRL Lifetime Member
>QCWA Lifetime Member
>
>"Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
>off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
>blanket."
>
>-- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time
>
>On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
><[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>>Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for
>the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>>And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>>73 de M0XDF
>>
>>
>[snip]
>
>______________________________________________________________
>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

Amateur Radio Operator N5GE

M0XDF

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by N5GE

Hmmm - interesting comments. I use a microHam DigiKeyer and the gold plugs on that fit very well - again a product from an European country using metric only. And I use a Heil Proset-K2 (purchased with the K3) which also fits well and never had any problems.

Having said that, I've never had any problems with the fit of jack plugs in all my time associated with electronics (that’s 46 years btw). I guess I've just been lucky.
73 de M0XDF (K3 #174, P3 #108)
--
There are three truths: my truth, your truth, and the truth.
-Chinese proverb

On 3 Jan 2012, at 04:17, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Part of the problem is that in the USA many suppliers consider 3.5 mm and
> 1/8" the same. For example I have a packet of Radio Shack plugs that is
> marked 1/8" (3.5 mm).
>
> I grabbed one and checked it, and it's 0.135" in diameter - 3.5 mm. No
> wonder it works FB in my K3.
>
> I'm inclined to go on another rant about how Americans refuse to accept
> metric measurements even though metric has been the "standard" system of
> weights and measurements in the USA since the 1960's, but I won't.
>
> Oh... I just did.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of [hidden email]
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:49 PM
> To: David Ferrington, M0XDF
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Speaker Plug
>
>
> Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP
> and
> SP jacks both.
>
> But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)
>
> 73,
> Tom
> Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
> ARRL Lifetime Member
> QCWA Lifetime Member
>
> "Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
> off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
> blanket."
>
> -- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time
>
> On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for
> the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>> And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>> 73 de M0XDF
>>
>>
> [snip]

Mike Reublin

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by N5GE

According to Google converter, 3.5mm = 0.137795276** inch. Rounding would make it
0.138 ". RS's meterstick is uncalibrated. ....:-)

73, Mike NF4L

On 1/2/2012 11:17 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Part of the problem is that in the USA many suppliers consider 3.5 mm and
> 1/8" the same. For example I have a packet of Radio Shack plugs that is
> marked 1/8" (3.5 mm).
>
> I grabbed one and checked it, and it's 0.135" in diameter - 3.5 mm. No
> wonder it works FB in my K3.
>
> I'm inclined to go on another rant about how Americans refuse to accept
> metric measurements even though metric has been the "standard" system of
> weights and measurements in the USA since the 1960's, but I won't.
>
> Oh... I just did.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of [hidden email]
> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 7:49 PM
> To: David Ferrington, M0XDF
> Cc: [hidden email]
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Speaker Plug
>
>
> Page 8 in the D9 version of the K3 Owners's Manual say's 1/8 inch stereo HP
> and
> SP jacks both.
>
> But... That doesn't mean they are ;o)
>
> 73,
> Tom
> Amateur Radio Operator N5GE
> ARRL Lifetime Member
> QCWA Lifetime Member
>
> "Only a white man would believe he could cut the top
> off of a blanket, sew it to the bottom and have a longer
> blanket."
>
> -- Old Indian comment about Daylight Saving Time
>
> On Mon, 2 Jan 2012 21:59:07 +0000, "David Ferrington, M0XDF"
> <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
>> Are you sure it's 1/8"? that would make it 3.175mm, which would account for
> the loose connection if the socket is actually 3.5mm.
>> And my 3.5mm plugs in the UK fit very well.
>> 73 de M0XDF
>>
>>

Jim Brown-10

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by N5GE

On 1/2/2012 8:17 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> I grabbed one and checked it, and it's 0.135" in diameter - 3.5 mm. No
> wonder it works FB in my K3.

The REAL manufacturers of audio products are members of international
Standards bodies, like the Audio Engineering Society, and carefully
adhere to those international standards. When you buy from companies
like Amphenol, Switchcraft and Neutrik, you know what you are getting,
whether it's called a 3.5mm plug or a 1/8-in plug. I serve on the AES
Standards Committee with representatives from those companies, and many
others.

73, Jim Brown K9YC

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Carl W Clawson

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by Mike Reublin

I could infer from this discussion that 3.5 mm and 1/8 inch are two
different types of connector but I find no evidence of that.

The terms are used interchangeably by manufacturers. Switchcraft, for
instance, titles their products as 3.5 mm but goes on to say "all products
are 1/8 inch." On their drawing you'll see the plug diameter given as 0.14
inch +/- 0.01. That's 3.56 mm +/- 0.25. They're also not cheap, but I
recently bought some to try as I too have found this type of connector to be
generally unreliable. The one that I went to the trouble of measuring showed
poor sleeve contact. Maybe it's a corrosion problem. Lightly polishing the
sleeve has helped with some of mine. Others remain incorrigible.

I have not been able to find any industry standard for these connectors.

73, Carl WS7L
K3 #486

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wayne burdick

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

Administrator

Generally, connectors described as 3.5 mm and 1/8" are fully
compatible. Most manufacturers use the metric notation. 1/8" is more
of a historical reference at this point, though we sometimes use
either term in existing manuals. New manuals will all use 3.5 mm.

If in doubt, use connectors described as 3.5 mm.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

On Jan 3, 2012, at 10:07 AM, Carl Clawson wrote:

> I could infer from this discussion that 3.5 mm and 1/8 inch are two
> different types of connector but I find no evidence of that.
>
> The terms are used interchangeably by manufacturers. Switchcraft, for
> instance, titles their products as 3.5 mm but goes on to say "all
> products
> are 1/8 inch." On their drawing you'll see the plug diameter given
> as 0.14
> inch +/- 0.01. That's 3.56 mm +/- 0.25. They're also not cheap, but I
> recently bought some to try as I too have found this type of
> connector to be
> generally unreliable. The one that I went to the trouble of
> measuring showed
> poor sleeve contact. Maybe it's a corrosion problem. Lightly
> polishing the
> sleeve has helped with some of mine. Others remain incorrigible.
>
> I have not been able to find any industry standard for these
> connectors.
>
> 73, Carl WS7L
> K3 #486
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
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Tony Estep

Re: [K3] Speaker Plug

In reply to this post by Carl W Clawson

On Tue, Jan 3, 2012 at 4:33 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:
>...After all, they are only about 0.01" different....
=========
That's 10 mils, right?

KT0NY

--
http://www.isb.edu/faculty/facultydir.aspx?ddlFaculty=352
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