K3 feeling of knobs and switches

[Per Brix, OZ5ABO]

Hi,

I have just received new my K3/100-F last Thursday (ser 2334). Impressions so far are good in comparison with my IC-7700.

I do, however, have to observations of which I (as a K3 newbie) would like to have some comments on.

Mode Switch:
It takes only a very light push to activate the "up" function. Now, activating the "down"/ALT is a very different story as I have to push/press *very* hard to activate this side of the switch. It then sometimes take me to the next mode and sometimes to the reverse function (i.e. CW => CW REV). Actually I mainly succeed with my intentions if I fix the radio to the table with one hand and push/press the button hard with the other.

Width Knob:
Adjusting the BW up or down is rather "unstable". If I turn the knob slowly (say, I want to adjust the BW from 0,60 to 0,50 during a QSO) I sometimes turn the knob for up to ½ round before anything happens. To ensure action I then have to turn the knob faster but that disables me to do fine tuning of the BW as it then jumps quickly down.

On the other hand, if I operate at for instance 2,0 in BW and wants to adjust to 1,0 then I turn quickly on the knob. But its not unsual that the BW stops adjusting while I am still turning the knob. I have the SUB display set to read out the AMPs and while turning the Width Knob the SUB display returns to AMP's and shows an increase form the usual 0,89 amp to 2,6 amps. Then I stop turning the knob, the reading returns to 0,89 amps and I can once again activate the Width knob and continue reducing the BW.

All other switches and knobs on my K3 behaves very steady in action.

Does this equals your own observations on your K3?

Vy 73s de OZ5ABO, Per

[AB3EN]

What you describe would indicate a problem. The switches should all operate with very little pressure and the knobs are all responsive and smooth acting. I would check your front panel install and make sure that the left side is installed correctly. In particular the mic and phone and encoder install as well as the pins. Everything should line up and fully seat without undue force.

de AB3EN

Per Brix, OZ5ABO wrote

Hi,

I have just received new my K3/100-F last Thursday (ser 2334). Impressions so far are good in comparison with my IC-7700.

I do, however, have to observations of which I (as a K3 newbie) would like to have some comments on.

Mode Switch:
It takes only a very light push to activate the "up" function. Now, activating the "down"/ALT is a very different story as I have to push/press *very* hard to activate this side of the switch. It then sometimes take me to the next mode and sometimes to the reverse function (i.e. CW => CW REV). Actually I mainly succeed with my intentions if I fix the radio to the table with one hand and push/press the button hard with the other.

Width Knob:
Adjusting the BW up or down is rather "unstable". If I turn the knob slowly (say, I want to adjust the BW from 0,60 to 0,50 during a QSO) I sometimes turn the knob for up to ½ round before anything happens. To ensure action I then have to turn the knob faster but that disables me to do fine tuning of the BW as it then jumps quickly down.

On the other hand, if I operate at for instance 2,0 in BW and wants to adjust to 1,0 then I turn quickly on the knob. But its not unsual that the BW stops adjusting while I am still turning the knob. I have the SUB display set to read out the AMPs and while turning the Width Knob the SUB display returns to AMP's and shows an increase form the usual 0,89 amp to 2,6 amps. Then I stop turning the knob, the reading returns to 0,89 amps and I can once again activate the Width knob and continue reducing the BW.

All other switches and knobs on my K3 behaves very steady in action.

Does this equals your own observations on your K3?

Vy 73s de OZ5ABO, Per

[Per Brix, OZ5ABO]

Thanks for your input.  I actually ordered my K3 factory buildt as I did not want to risk sitting here in Denmark with a defect part or something like that - guess I was unlucky.

Well, all switches and knobs besides the two mentioned are working very smooth. The Width knob does feel a lot easier to turn that the others.

I actually emailed Elecraft last Friday regarding this. While I wait for their comments I think I will look into the front panel install.

Vy 73's de OZ5ABO, Per

AB3EN wrote

What you describe would indicate a problem. The switches should all operate with very little pressure and the knobs are all responsive and smooth acting. I would check your front panel install and make sure that the left side is installed correctly. In particular the mic and phone and encoder install as well as the pins. Everything should line up and fully seat without undue force.

de AB3EN

Per Brix, OZ5ABO wrote

Hi,

I have just received new my K3/100-F last Thursday (ser 2334). Impressions so far are good in comparison with my IC-7700.

I do, however, have to observations of which I (as a K3 newbie) would like to have some comments on.

Mode Switch:
It takes only a very light push to activate the "up" function. Now, activating the "down"/ALT is a very different story as I have to push/press *very* hard to activate this side of the switch. It then sometimes take me to the next mode and sometimes to the reverse function (i.e. CW => CW REV). Actually I mainly succeed with my intentions if I fix the radio to the table with one hand and push/press the button hard with the other.

Width Knob:
Adjusting the BW up or down is rather "unstable". If I turn the knob slowly (say, I want to adjust the BW from 0,60 to 0,50 during a QSO) I sometimes turn the knob for up to ½ round before anything happens. To ensure action I then have to turn the knob faster but that disables me to do fine tuning of the BW as it then jumps quickly down.

On the other hand, if I operate at for instance 2,0 in BW and wants to adjust to 1,0 then I turn quickly on the knob. But its not unsual that the BW stops adjusting while I am still turning the knob. I have the SUB display set to read out the AMPs and while turning the Width Knob the SUB display returns to AMP's and shows an increase form the usual 0,89 amp to 2,6 amps. Then I stop turning the knob, the reading returns to 0,89 amps and I can once again activate the Width knob and continue reducing the BW.

All other switches and knobs on my K3 behaves very steady in action.

Does this equals your own observations on your K3?

Vy 73s de OZ5ABO, Per

[wayne burdick]

Per, OZ5ABO wrote:

>> Mode Switch:
>> It takes only a very light push to activate the "up" function. Now,
>> activating the "down"/ALT is a very different story as I have to
>> push/press *very* hard to activate this side of the switch.

This is definitely abnormal. Please contact k3support; they'll help you
determine the problem and send either a replacement switch array or a
new front panel immediately.

A useful tool in this regard is the CONFIG:SW TEST menu entry.
(Requires that TECH MD = ON.) When you're in this menu entry, you can
tap any switch to check its scan code. Support can help you determine
if incorrect codes are being returned for some reason.

Your other observations may be related to this (e.g., the WIDTH knob).
Definitely not the expected behavior.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[Per Brix, OZ5ABO]

Hi Wayne,

Thanks - I have been contacted by Gary now.

Great company & service!

Vy 73's de OZ5ABO, Per

wayne burdick wrote

Per, OZ5ABO wrote:

>> Mode Switch:
>> It takes only a very light push to activate the "up" function. Now,
>> activating the "down"/ALT is a very different story as I have to
>> push/press *very* hard to activate this side of the switch.

This is definitely abnormal. Please contact k3support; they'll help you
determine the problem and send either a replacement switch array or a
new front panel immediately.

A useful tool in this regard is the CONFIG:SW TEST menu entry.
(Requires that TECH MD = ON.) When you're in this menu entry, you can
tap any switch to check its scan code. Support can help you determine
if incorrect codes are being returned for some reason.

Your other observations may be related to this (e.g., the WIDTH knob).
Definitely not the expected behavior.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[.hank.]

wayne burdick wrote

A useful tool in this regard is the CONFIG:SW TEST menu entry.
(Requires that TECH MD = ON.) When you're in this menu entry, you can
tap any switch to check its scan code. Support can help you determine
if incorrect codes are being returned for some reason.

Maybe it's not me and the way I press the switches!
Most of mine flash between two numbers when I hold the switch ..... I
take it that this is not normal, and probably why it does strange things
sometimes when I either tap or hold some of the switches ..... Like when
Band Down (or Up) goes down (or up) two bands and maybe turns on (or
off) the VOX sometimes - Not real steady.

Thanks for the hint!

73    Hank    K8DD

[.hank.]

.k8dd. wrote

Maybe it's not me and the way I press the switches!
Most of mine flash between two numbers when I hold the switch ..... I
take it that this is not normal, and probably why it does strange things
sometimes when I either tap or hold some of the switches ..... Like when
Band Down (or Up) goes down (or up) two bands and maybe turns on (or
off) the VOX sometimes - Not real steady.
Thanks for the hint!
73    Hank    K8DD

While most of my switches flash between two or more numbers on
CONFIG:SW TEST, I guess that's normal.  
It really must be the way I press the BAND and MODE switches to make
them do strange things.  

73    Hank    K8DD

[ab2tc]

For the record, my readings are perfectly stable on one number even if I do my best to "tease" the button press.

.k8dd. wrote

<snip>

While most of my switches flash between two or more numbers on
CONFIG:SW TEST, I guess that's normal.  
It really must be the way I press the BAND and MODE switches to make
them do strange things.  

73    Hank    K8DD

[.hank.]

Hmmm ..... Strange
Support tells me it's normal for the readings to flicker/change numbers and probably not
the cause of double band changes, etc.

ab2tc wrote

For the record, my readings are perfectly stable on one number even if I do my best to "tease" the button press.

.k8dd. wrote

<snip>

While most of my switches flash between two or more numbers on
CONFIG:SW TEST, I guess that's normal.  
It really must be the way I press the BAND and MODE switches to make
them do strange things.  

73    Hank    K8DD

[wayne burdick]

Hank (K8DD) wrote:

> Hmmm ..... Strange
> Support tells me it's normal for the readings to flicker/change
> numbers...

This normal for the "SCN ADC" menu entry. I didn't try to do averaging
or hysteresis on this reading because it would be overkill (it's
strictly for test purposes). Each switch's reading has to fit into a
"bin" that's about +/- 3 counts, and your readings were well within
range.


> and probably not the cause of double band changes, etc.

That sounds like switch bounce. I do debounce the switches in firmware,
but it's possible you have the 1 in a million switch with a slight
deformation in its carbon contact or polydome. Customer support can
arrange to get you a new switch matrix for your front panel, if
necessary.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[wayne burdick]

ab2tc wrote:

> For the record, my readings are perfectly stable on one number even if
> I do
> my best to "tease" the button press.

Not relevant to Hank's problem, though. The A-to-D converter has an
inherent +/- 0.5 count ambiguity, and you just got lucky  :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[W6ODJ]

Is this thread maybe related to the following problem?  The tap of the  
SPOT key is very goosey on my K3.  If I just tap it very briefly, the  
SPOT tone fails to come on.  I have to press it for just a fraction  
longer, but not long enough to register as a HOLD (which triggers the  
PITCH function).  Takes a delicate touch.

As a test, I turned on the audible switch-press feedback (CONFIG:SW  
TONE).  I find that even a very brief tap of the SPOT switch always  
makes the small feedback beep sound.  But only some of the time does  
it turn on the SPOT sidetone correctly.

Anyone else?

Oliver Johns
W6ODJ


On 18 Dec 2008, at 9:30 PM, wayne burdick wrote:

> ab2tc wrote:
>
>> For the record, my readings are perfectly stable on one number even  
>> if I do
>> my best to "tease" the button press.
>
> Not relevant to Hank's problem, though. The A-to-D converter has an  
> inherent +/- 0.5 count ambiguity, and you just got lucky  :)
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
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[drewko]

I posted the problem you are describing about a month ago, but it only
happened when I had activated SW TONE. With SW TONE disabled SPOT
worked fine.

But now it seems to work fine with or without SW TONE. I am using FW
2.67.

73,
Drew
AF2Z


On Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:07:04 -0800, W6ODJ wrote:

>Is this thread maybe related to the following problem?  The tap of the  
>SPOT key is very goosey on my K3.  If I just tap it very briefly, the  
>SPOT tone fails to come on.  I have to press it for just a fraction  
>longer, but not long enough to register as a HOLD (which triggers the  
>PITCH function).  Takes a delicate touch.
>
>As a test, I turned on the audible switch-press feedback (CONFIG:SW  
>TONE).  I find that even a very brief tap of the SPOT switch always  
>makes the small feedback beep sound.  But only some of the time does  
>it turn on the SPOT sidetone correctly.
>
>Anyone else?
>
>Oliver Johns
>W6ODJ
>
>

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