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K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

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w0sz

K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

Has anyone done the K3 Synthesizer Plate Mod on older K3? What kind of
problem did it cure. Would appreciate any feed back on this. Thanks and
73, Steve W0SZ

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ke7vwi

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

I installed the synthesizer plates in my K3 (sn02828) on both synthesizers.
One improvement is less birdies. They aren't all gone but much better. The
birdies show up also on the P3 (sn0155) display.
Jim H
KE7VWI

In a message dated 9/6/2010 11:31:05 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,
[hidden email] writes:

Has anyone done the K3 Synthesizer Plate Mod on older K3?

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David Gilbert

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

The birdies aren't microphonic, so why would the stiffener plates make
any difference?

73,
Dave AB7E

On 9/6/2010 4:45 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> I installed the synthesizer plates in my K3 (sn02828) on both synthesizers.
> One improvement is less birdies. They aren't all gone but much better. The
> birdies show up also on the P3 (sn0155) display.
> Jim H
> KE7VWI
>
>
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Jim AB3CV

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

I installed a SubRX last January and of course that included an additional
Synth. Would that have had the plate on it? What does it look like? I'll
open the unit and take a look.

73

jim ab3cv

On Mon, Sep 6, 2010 at 9:28 PM, David Gilbert <[hidden email]>wrote:

>
> The birdies aren't microphonic, so why would the stiffener plates make
> any difference?
>
> 73,
> Dave AB7E
>
>
> On 9/6/2010 4:45 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> > I installed the synthesizer plates in my K3 (sn02828) on both
> synthesizers.
> > One improvement is less birdies. They aren't all gone but much better.
> The
> > birdies show up also on the P3 (sn0155) display.
> > Jim H
> > KE7VWI
> >
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
>

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AC7AC

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

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Vic K2VCO

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by ke7vwi

On 9/6/2010 4:45 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
> I installed the synthesizer plates in my K3 (sn02828) on both synthesizers.
> One improvement is less birdies. They aren't all gone but much better. The
> birdies show up also on the P3 (sn0155) display.

There is no point to installing it on the synthesizer that's used for the subreceiver.
This synth is never used for transmitting. The purpose of the plate is to keep vibrations
from the internal speaker from causing a change in tx frequency.

It is known that sometimes changing the routing of the cables that go to the synths will
affect the strength of birdies, so that may be why you noticed an improvement!
--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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Jim AB3CV

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

I found the installation docs on the stiffener plate. It calls for
stiffeners on both synths.

73

jim ab3cv
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Vic K2VCO

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

On 9/6/2010 7:39 PM, Jim Miller wrote:
> I found the installation docs on the stiffener plate. It calls for stiffeners on both synths.

Maybe someone from Elecraft will comment on this.

What I said in my previous post was what I was told by one of the Elecraft staff. The
person said "the plate is not intended for shielding, it is only to prevent vibration",
but who knows, maybe they discovered that it was useful in some other way.

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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AC7AC

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by Jim AB3CV

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Guy, K2AV

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

I think there may be a bit of extra shielding with the plate on the
front of the board. This puts grounded metal on both sides of the
board.

73, Guy.

On Mon, Sep 6, 2010 at 11:01 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire <[hidden email]> wrote:

> That was recommended by Wayne. One obvious reason is that it'll cause no
> harm if you ever need to swap synthesizers (or do it by accident). I don't
> know if there are other reasons.
>
> Ron AC7AC
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I found the installation docs on the stiffener plate. It calls for
> stiffeners on both synths.
>
> 73
>
> jim ab3cv
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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wayne burdick

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

Administrator

Exactly.

73
Wayne
N6KR

On Sep 6, 2010, at 8:28 PM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:

> I think there may be a bit of extra shielding with the plate on the
> front of the board. This puts grounded metal on both sides of the
> board.

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Dave-3

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by w0sz

There must be some point, as putting it on the sub vco is still mentioned in
multiple places on the elecraft web site...

from http://www.elecraft.com/order_form_parts.htm#K3 Parts:-

"K3STFNR K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Kit Included on all new K3s
(***one ea. per synthesizer board***)"

and

http://www.elecraft.com/manual/ELECRAFT%20KSYN3%20Stiffener%20Mod%20Rev%20D.
pdf

"If your K3 is equipped with the KRX3 subreceiver it will have two KSYN3
synthesizers. Both boards should bemodified if the user chooses to make this
modification".

As you say you only transmit on the "main VCO" so putting the shield on the
main vco would deal with speaker rumble issue so putting it on the subvco
maybe to improve shielding?

Dave

ww2r

Message: 36
Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:31:52 -0700
From: Vic K2VCO <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod
To: [hidden email]
Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

On 9/6/2010 4:45 PM, [hidden email] wrote:

There is no point to installing it on the synthesizer that's used for the
subreceiver.
This synth is never used for transmitting. The purpose of the plate is to
keep
vibrations
from the internal speaker from causing a change in tx frequency.

It is known that sometimes changing the routing of the cables that go to the
synths will
affect the strength of birdies, so that may be why you noticed an
improvement!
--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/

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Guy, K2AV

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

Wayne acknowledges the improvement in shielding, and all new synth
boards go out with the stiffener.

AND if you had your TX synth go down and had the KRX3, I think most
people would but the other in it's place, reinstating the problems if
you did not modify both. Modifying only one is a dead-end tactic and
booby-trapping a new owner if you ever sell it.

73, Guy.

On Tue, Sep 7, 2010 at 11:11 AM, <[hidden email]> wrote:

> There must be some point, as putting it on the sub vco is still mentioned in
> multiple places on the elecraft web site...
>
> from http://www.elecraft.com/order_form_parts.htm#K3 Parts:-
>
> "K3STFNR K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Kit Included on all new K3s
> (***one ea. per synthesizer board***)"
>
> and
>
> http://www.elecraft.com/manual/ELECRAFT%20KSYN3%20Stiffener%20Mod%20Rev%20D.
> pdf
>
> "If your K3 is equipped with the KRX3 subreceiver it will have two KSYN3
> synthesizers. Both boards should bemodified if the user chooses to make this
> modification".
>
> As you say you only transmit on the "main VCO" so putting the shield on the
> main vco would deal with speaker rumble issue so putting it on the subvco
> maybe to improve shielding?
>
> Dave
>
> ww2r
>
>
> Message: 36
> Date: Mon, 06 Sep 2010 19:31:52 -0700
> From: Vic K2VCO <[hidden email]>
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod
> To: [hidden email]
> Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> On 9/6/2010 4:45 PM, [hidden email] wrote:
>
> There is no point to installing it on the synthesizer that's used for the
> subreceiver.
> This synth is never used for transmitting. The purpose of the plate is to
> keep
> vibrations
> from the internal speaker from causing a change in tx frequency.
>
> It is known that sometimes changing the routing of the cables that go to the
> synths will
> affect the strength of birdies, so that may be why you noticed an
> improvement!
> --
> 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
>

Guy, K2AV

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by Dave-3

KK7P

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by Dave-3

Loud internal speaker audio can cause small VCO sidebands. If
present, it causes them on receive as well as transmit.

73,

Lyle KK7P
> As you say you only transmit on the "main VCO" so putting the shield on the
> main vco would deal with speaker rumble issue so putting it on the subvco
> maybe to improve shielding?

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Lu Romero - W4LT

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

In reply to this post by w0sz

All:

A local friend just received his K3 Kit and took some photos
of the assembly. I noticed the stiffeners right away and
contacted Gary at Elecraft Support regarding aquiring two
for my rig. I seem to have some annoying birdies and
figured this shielding would help in at least reducing them.

Gary mentions in his email that they would do nothing for
the birdies. He sent along a pictorial of a Italian gent
who has rerouted his TMP cables in such a way to
substantially reduce receiver birdies. This is on my "to
do" list for the radio next time I take it offline. But,
frankly, its much more fun to USE it than to WORK on it!
(as an ex Triumph Spitfire owner, I've been there and have
several hundred T-Shirts!)

I had stopped considering the shields... But Wayne inferred
here that they *DO* add shielding... And with the size of
the birdies, some shielding is better than no shielding!
(PS, I *HATE* the software birdie removal... It punches
holes in the bands! I would rather put up with the birdies
than mask them!)

So, Elecrafters, do we need these "stiffener plates" for
sheilding or for the removal of microphonics, or do they
contribute to both? (BTW, I dont expect them for free, but
I dont expect to pay $50 plus shipping for them, either!)

I never use the rig with the internal speaker, as I have
external speakers and 99% of the time I use a headset...
But I might take it portable someday.

Yes or no on this "modification"? Will it or will it not
help the annoying birdies?

I work hard to keep my rig at the latest "factory standard".
Is this an "elective" or a "requirement"?

-lu-W4LT-
K3 #3192

*****

Message: 13
Date: Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:53:20 -0700
From: Lyle Johnson <[hidden email]>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod
To: [hidden email]
Message-ID: <[hidden email]>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Loud internal speaker audio can cause small VCO sidebands.
If
present, it causes them on receive as well as transmit.

73,

Lyle KK7P
> As you say you only transmit on the "main VCO" so putting
the shield on
the
> main vco would deal with speaker rumble issue so putting
it on the subvco
> maybe to improve shielding?

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AC7AC

Re: K3 Synthesizer Stiffener Plate Mod

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