(KX1) A Story for a Winter Day in NY

[stan levandowski]

Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1.  It was a
replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into the
Elecraft world.  I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.

Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup (plus
other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier KXPA100 for
the KX3....lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and we come to
today.  Elecraft has made a small fortune on me! 


We're having a blizzard in New York.  My picnic table out back has over
12 inches of snow on it.  As a prisoner of the house, I decided to do a
little operating;  However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30 meters.  It
wasn't so hot on 20 meters either.  I went down to the living room and
built a fire.  But gosh, I really wanted to operate...


So I brought my KX1 down to the living room.  I stretched a 40 foot
length of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace.  I have a 67
foot bent up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler and
that's where one end of the RG174 extension coax went.  The other end
connected the antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries.  With less than 13.9
VDC, the KX1 doesn't have the oomph required to kick the autocoupler
into tune mode.  No problem.  I just used my QRO setup to find the match
on 14.030. That would give me a few kHZ either side with a good SWR.


So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on batteries
putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the antenna, a
coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard outside, a bent up
antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof and conditions on 20
meters reportedly "Fair."


Well, guess what.  I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New
Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas.  After an
hour, I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked  V53DX, a
new QRP country for me.


Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the
Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued!  I don't
recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on this
reflector about it either.


I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change
is inevitable.  In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before the
KX1.


I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP rigs
I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW - I'm
happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!


During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I
explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious.  I spent a lot of
money too!  They were all well engineered.  They all worked. They all
had their own uniqueness.  BUT the KX1 distinguished itself because it
had everything one needs to operate right there onboard.  The LNR
Mountain Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack of
cigarettes. However, the operator had to have an outboard key, an
outboard power supply and an outboard antenna tuner.  That's more like a
full carton smokes. Same for the LD-5 and LD-11.


The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its
elegant design and robust menu.  I love my KX2 with its dual watch
function, autospot feature and filtering.  But now it's hooked up to the
amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go" operations.
 The KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one nice package.


Sorry to see it go west.


73, Stan WB2LQF
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[wayne burdick]

Stan,

Thanks for the inspiring tale!

I did an outing with the KX2 yesterday and had excellent results. I was using a 4-foot 20-meter whip with 13-foot ground wire, sitting on a bluff in the Antelope Valley, gazing at the San Gabriel mountains. Worked stations all over the country, including a W1 on RTTY (with the keyer paddle).

I, too, will miss the KX1. It was the first radio I used SMDs in. But the KX2 is about the same size and has so much more capability.

73,
Wayne
N6KR



On Feb 9, 2017, at 2:51 PM, stan levandowski <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1.  It was a replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into the Elecraft world.  I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.
>
> Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup (plus other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier KXPA100 for the KX3....lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and we come to today.  Elecraft has made a small fortune on me!
>
>
> We're having a blizzard in New York.  My picnic table out back has over 12 inches of snow on it.  As a prisoner of the house, I decided to do a little operating;  However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30 meters.  It wasn't so hot on 20 meters either.  I went down to the living room and built a fire.  But gosh, I really wanted to operate...
>
>
> So I brought my KX1 down to the living room.  I stretched a 40 foot length of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace.  I have a 67 foot bent up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler and that's where one end of the RG174 extension coax went.  The other end connected the antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries.  With less than 13.9 VDC, the KX1 doesn't have the oomph required to kick the autocoupler into tune mode.  No problem.  I just used my QRO setup to find the match on 14.030. That would give me a few kHZ either side with a good SWR.
>
>
> So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on batteries putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the antenna, a coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard outside, a bent up antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof and conditions on 20 meters reportedly "Fair."
>
>
> Well, guess what.  I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas.  After an hour, I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked  V53DX, a new QRP country for me.
>
>
> Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued!  I don't recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on this reflector about it either.
>
>
> I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change is inevitable.  In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before the KX1.
>
>
> I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP rigs I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW - I'm happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!
>
>
> During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious.  I spent a lot of money too!  They were all well engineered.  They all worked. They all had their own uniqueness.  BUT the KX1 distinguished itself because it had everything one needs to operate right there onboard.  The LNR Mountain Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack of cigarettes. However, the operator had to have an outboard key, an outboard power supply and an outboard antenna tuner.  That's more like a full carton smokes. Same for the LD-5 and LD-11.
>
>
> The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its elegant design and robust menu.  I love my KX2 with its dual watch function, autospot feature and filtering.  But now it's hooked up to the amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go" operations.  The KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one nice package.
>
>
> Sorry to see it go west.
>
>
> 73, Stan WB2LQF
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
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[k6dgw]

Yes, sad but probably inevitable.  I just sold my KX1, I built it in
late 2004.  Lots of contacts from lots of places.  I'm now 13 years
older, adventures in my 20's are "reminding" me of them orthopedically,
and field operations for me are rapidly becoming something in the past.  
I still have my K2, and do use it, but generally within sight of the truck.

I suspect the primary reason for discontinuing it is parts availability,
the design is creeping up on 20 years old.  Then of course, there's the
KX2 coupled with every ham's desire to have the latest and greatest.  
KX1 is still a great trail radio.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 2/9/2017 2:51 PM, stan levandowski wrote:

> Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1.  It was
> a replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into
> the Elecraft world.  I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.
>
> Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup
> (plus other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier
> KXPA100 for the KX3....lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and
> we come to today.  Elecraft has made a small fortune on me!
>
>
> We're having a blizzard in New York.  My picnic table out back has
> over 12 inches of snow on it.  As a prisoner of the house, I decided
> to do a little operating;  However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30
> meters.  It wasn't so hot on 20 meters either.  I went down to the
> living room and built a fire.  But gosh, I really wanted to operate...
>
>
> So I brought my KX1 down to the living room.  I stretched a 40 foot
> length of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace.  I have a
> 67 foot bent up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler
> and that's where one end of the RG174 extension coax went.  The other
> end connected the antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries.  With less than
> 13.9 VDC, the KX1 doesn't have the oomph required to kick the
> autocoupler into tune mode.  No problem.  I just used my QRO setup to
> find the match on 14.030. That would give me a few kHZ either side
> with a good SWR.
>
>
> So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on
> batteries putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the
> antenna, a coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard
> outside, a bent up antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof
> and conditions on 20 meters reportedly "Fair."
>
>
> Well, guess what.  I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New
> Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas.  After an
> hour, I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked  V53DX,
> a new QRP country for me.
>
>
> Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the
> Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued!  I don't
> recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on
> this reflector about it either.
>
>
> I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change
> is inevitable.  In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before
> the KX1.
>
>
> I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP
> rigs I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW
> - I'm happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!
>
>
> During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I
> explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious.  I spent a lot
> of money too!  They were all well engineered.  They all worked. They
> all had their own uniqueness.  BUT the KX1 distinguished itself
> because it had everything one needs to operate right there onboard.
>  The LNR Mountain Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack
> of cigarettes. However, the operator had to have an outboard key, an
> outboard power supply and an outboard antenna tuner.  That's more like
> a full carton smokes. Same for the LD-5 and LD-11.
>
>
> The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its
> elegant design and robust menu.  I love my KX2 with its dual watch
> function, autospot feature and filtering.  But now it's hooked up to
> the amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go"
> operations.  The KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one
> nice package.
>
>
> Sorry to see it go west.
>
>
> 73, Stan WB2LQF
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>
> --
> This message has been scanned by E.F.A. Project and is believed to be
> clean.
>
>

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[Buddy Brannan]

Definitely a sad time, when things change. I, too, had some great times with my KX1, which has gone to be with a friend in San Antonio, and I hope he gets as much enjoyment from it as I did. 'm sure he has, and is. Mine went to Ukraine with me when we went to adopt our daughter in 2004 (my excuse for buying it). It was a real life saver, or at least a sanity saver. Dropping a window out our 7th floor apartment and stringing another wire across the floor (far from ideal, kind of upside down!) still netted me contacts. True, not lots of contacts, but contacts nonetheless, and it truly helped me with the one thing about the adoption we didn't anticipate: being locked in the apartment (yes, quite literally, with a key and everything) between orphanage visits because the adoption people just didn't know what to do with a couple of blind/disabled people. And, yeah, no trips to the Internet cafe for me either. Nothing between me and the ether except a TeNe-Key. Yep, good times. Whil
 e I love my KX3, and my K2 (which has its own really neat story), I think it's pretty hard to replace the memories with that KX1. So, vy 73 to a legend, if only a legend to me. And, probably, you. :)

Vy 73,

--
Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA
Phone: [phone]
Mobile: [phone]
Email: [hidden email]

> On Feb 9, 2017, at 6:36 PM, Fred Jensen <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> Yes, sad but probably inevitable.  I just sold my KX1, I built it in late 2004.  Lots of contacts from lots of places.  I'm now 13 years older, adventures in my 20's are "reminding" me of them orthopedically, and field operations for me are rapidly becoming something in the past.  I still have my K2, and do use it, but generally within sight of the truck.
>
> I suspect the primary reason for discontinuing it is parts availability, the design is creeping up on 20 years old.  Then of course, there's the KX2 coupled with every ham's desire to have the latest and greatest.  KX1 is still a great trail radio.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
> Sparks NV DM09dn
> Washoe County
>
> On 2/9/2017 2:51 PM, stan levandowski wrote:
>> Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1.  It was a replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into the Elecraft world.  I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.
>>
>> Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup (plus other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier KXPA100 for the KX3....lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and we come to today.  Elecraft has made a small fortune on me!
>>
>>
>> We're having a blizzard in New York.  My picnic table out back has over 12 inches of snow on it.  As a prisoner of the house, I decided to do a little operating;  However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30 meters.  It wasn't so hot on 20 meters either.  I went down to the living room and built a fire.  But gosh, I really wanted to operate...
>>
>>
>> So I brought my KX1 down to the living room.  I stretched a 40 foot length of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace.  I have a 67 foot bent up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler and that's where one end of the RG174 extension coax went.  The other end connected the antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries.  With less than 13.9 VDC, the KX1 doesn't have the oomph required to kick the autocoupler into tune mode.  No problem.  I just used my QRO setup to find the match on 14.030. That would give me a few kHZ either side with a good SWR.
>>
>>
>> So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on batteries putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the antenna, a coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard outside, a bent up antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof and conditions on 20 meters reportedly "Fair."
>>
>>
>> Well, guess what.  I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas.  After an hour, I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked  V53DX, a new QRP country for me.
>>
>>
>> Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued!  I don't recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on this reflector about it either.
>>
>>
>> I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change is inevitable.  In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before the KX1.
>>
>>
>> I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP rigs I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW - I'm happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!
>>
>>
>> During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious.  I spent a lot of money too!  They were all well engineered.  They all worked. They all had their own uniqueness.  BUT the KX1 distinguished itself because it had everything one needs to operate right there onboard.  The LNR Mountain Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack of cigarettes. However, the operator had to have an outboard key, an outboard power supply and an outboard antenna tuner.  That's more like a full carton smokes. Same for the LD-5 and LD-11.
>>
>>
>> The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its elegant design and robust menu.  I love my KX2 with its dual watch function, autospot feature and filtering.  But now it's hooked up to the amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go" operations.  The KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one nice package.
>>
>>
>> Sorry to see it go west.
>>
>>
>> 73, Stan WB2LQF
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]
>>
>> --
>> This message has been scanned by E.F.A. Project and is believed to be clean.
>>
>>
>
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[Don Wilhelm]

Skip,

My discussions with those 'in the know' at Elecraft in early December
revealed that the problem for the KX1 is the enclosure, and not the
parts inside.

So if you have a KX1, it should be able to be maintained and supported
for some time to come, but if your enclosure "wears out", there are no
replacements - therefore, no new kits.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 2/9/2017 6:36 PM, Fred Jensen wrote:

> I suspect the primary reason for discontinuing it is parts availability,
> the design is creeping up on 20 years old.
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[Glen Torr-2]

Hi Stan and All,

No snow here, 106 fahrenheit here. Just been down to the PO to pick up my
new heat sink and optical encoder for the KX3, beside me on the desk is the
KX3 line, KX2 (Sweetest rig ever) and KX1 which I love.

Thanks for your nice email and thanks Elecraft for the KX1 (RIP).

Cheers,

Glen, VK1FB

On Fri, Feb 10, 2017 at 9:51 AM, stan levandowski <[hidden email]>
wrote:

> Just a couple of months ago, on December 7, I purchased a KX1.  It was a
> replacement to the KX1 I had built several years ago: my entry into the
> Elecraft world.  I thought I had "outgrown" it so I sold it.
>
> Fast forward through my K1, K2, K3, KX3, and now KX2/KXPA100 setup (plus
> other stuff like the K2 amp, the KAT100, the PX3, an earlier KXPA100 for
> the KX3....lots of other stuff plus the mini-modules) and we come to
> today.  Elecraft has made a small fortune on me!
>
>
> We're having a blizzard in New York.  My picnic table out back has over 12
> inches of snow on it.  As a prisoner of the house, I decided to do a little
> operating;  However, 40 meters was dead and so was 30 meters.  It wasn't so
> hot on 20 meters either.  I went down to the living room and built a fire.
> But gosh, I really wanted to operate...
>
>
> So I brought my KX1 down to the living room.  I stretched a 40 foot length
> of {high loss} RG174 from my shack to the fireplace.  I have a 67 foot bent
> up doublet in my attic managed by an SGC231 autocoupler and that's where
> one end of the RG174 extension coax went.  The other end connected the
> antenna to my KX1 on AA batteries.  With less than 13.9 VDC, the KX1
> doesn't have the oomph required to kick the autocoupler into tune mode.  No
> problem.  I just used my QRO setup to find the match on 14.030. That would
> give me a few kHZ either side with a good SWR.
>
>
> So there I am, sitting in front of the fireplace with a rig on batteries
> putting out maybe a watt +/-, a high loss connection to the antenna, a
> coupler with some degree of loss, a freakin' blizzard outside, a bent up
> antenna in my attic and a foot of snow on the roof and conditions on 20
> meters reportedly "Fair."
>
>
> Well, guess what.  I worked a whole pile of stations - Minnesota, New
> Mexico, Florida, Hungary, Ireland, Germany and the Bahamas.  After an hour,
> I brought the rig back to the shack and promptly worked  V53DX, a new QRP
> country for me.
>
>
> Thus, it was with more than a little sadness that I logged onto the
> Elecraft website and saw that the KX1 has been discontinued!  I don't
> recall seeing any email announcements about this or any chatter on this
> reflector about it either.
>
>
> I certainly understand that business decisions must be made and change is
> inevitable.  In fact, I'm surprised that the K1 didn't go before the KX1.
>
>
> I just thought I'd take the time to salute one of the greatest QRP rigs
> I've ever had the pleasure to build and operate - twice - and WOW - I'm
> happy that I gave this new KX1 to myself for Chistmas!
>
>
> During the period of time between my first KX1 and this new one, I
> explored lots of other QRP rigs because I was curious.  I spent a lot of
> money too!  They were all well engineered.  They all worked. They all had
> their own uniqueness.  BUT the KX1 distinguished itself because it had
> everything one needs to operate right there onboard.  The LNR Mountain
> Toppers, for example, were about the size of a pack of cigarettes. However,
> the operator had to have an outboard key, an outboard power supply and an
> outboard antenna tuner.  That's more like a full carton smokes. Same for
> the LD-5 and LD-11.
>
>
> The thing about the KX1 was its apparent simplicity which masked its
> elegant design and robust menu.  I love my KX2 with its dual watch
> function, autospot feature and filtering.  But now it's hooked up to the
> amplifier and it's no longer a candidate for "grab and go" operations.  The
> KX1 was (and IS for me) just plain FUN and all in one nice package.
>
>
> Sorry to see it go west.
>
>
> 73, Stan WB2LQF
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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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[Mike Morrow-3]

Wayne wrote:

> ...the KX2 is about the same size and has so much more capability.

BUT...unlike the KX1, the KX2 has no schematics available to the customer.  That is a very significant defect in a HF amateur radio product.

Mike / KK5F
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[k6dgw]

Wow!  Who'd have thunk?  That enclosure is very tight when the ATU is
installed, I found it to be a marvel of mechanical engineering. Drake
doesn't make 2B's anymore either.  Times move on.

73,

Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
Sparks NV DM09dn
Washoe County

On 2/9/2017 3:59 PM, Don Wilhelm wrote:

> Skip,
>
> My discussions with those 'in the know' at Elecraft in early December
> revealed that the problem for the KX1 is the enclosure, and not the
> parts inside.
>
> So if you have a KX1, it should be able to be maintained and supported
> for some time to come, but if your enclosure "wears out", there are no
> replacements - therefore, no new kits.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR

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[stan levandowski]

On Thu, Feb 09, 2017 at 10:45 PM, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:

> Beautiful obit for the KX1 Stan. Ops like you will remember it like us
> O.T.s remember our 6L6 crystal controlled oscillators built on a
> breadboard. Newer rigs do as well (sometimes better) but are never the
> same.

Whoa there, Ron!  Next week is my 68th birthday.  I ain't no kid!  My
FIRST rig was a crystal controlled 50L6 fed doubled DC by a 50Y6 using
one half of the line cord and a cold water ground.  It was called "The
22 Watt Monster" and it came out of a 1963 CQ Magazine.  Clearly, pre
OSHA...


THAT is THE rig that earned me a QSL card from WA1BVN (clearly a SK by
now) up near Boston who wrote on it, "Solid 579, Stan, you must have had
your foot in a water bucket."


Oh, lest I forget - the antenna was my bedspring.  Remember when bed
springs were real metal springs?  I lived in an apartment and couldn't
have an antenna.  I'd heard about "loading a bed spring and, as a kid, I
totally fell for it. Thank God for Pi Networks.  I ran that bed spring
for several weeks until I discovered magnet wire.


Now THAT"S A MEMORY, Ron, right up there with my little KX1 and your 6L6
MOPA




73, Stan, WB2LQF
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[Michael Babineau-2]

One of my fondest KX1 operating memories was working F5VHY on 20m CW while operating pedestrian mobile with my KX1.
I was using a 4 foot loaded telescopic whip and a 13 foot drag wire and standing out in the middle of a field at Lobstercon.


Cheers

Michael VE3WMB
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[K9MA]

It's understandable, though:  At least two radios I know of are clearly
copies of the KX1.

73,

Scott  K9MA


On 2/9/2017 20:20, Mike Morrow wrote:

> Wayne wrote:
>
>> ...the KX2 is about the same size and has so much more capability.
> BUT...unlike the KX1, the KX2 has no schematics available to the customer.  That is a very significant defect in a HF amateur radio product.
>
> Mike / KK5F
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--
Scott  K9MA

[hidden email]

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[Brian Broggie-2]

Mike, I find this a very curious belief. Do you want a schematic to know
how the thing works, or how to repair it.

If you only want to know how the radio works, would a block diagram and
a fairly detailed explanation from Wayne be enough (given they want to
protect their design as much as possible)?

If you want to repair it, are you really skilled enough in soldering
SMD's to do this? If so, my hat's off to you, sir! I've spent a lifetime
working in the electronics industry and even in retirement I still enjoy
restoring vintage electronics. But if I was faced with servicing a PCB
full of SMD's, I'd say "Today my jurisdiction ends here"* and send it
off to Elecraft for repair.

Just my $0.02, but you seem to be missing out on a wonderful rig by a
questionable requirement. Put another way, do you also have a schematic
for your microwave oven and cellphone?

Brian, W6FVI

*spoken by John Cleeses' character in Silverado (love that quote)


On 2/9/2017 6:20 PM, Mike Morrow wrote:

> Wayne wrote:
>
>> ...the KX2 is about the same size and has so much more capability.
> BUT...unlike the KX1, the KX2 has no schematics available to the customer.  That is a very significant defect in a HF amateur radio product.
>
> Mike / KK5F
> ______________________________________________________________
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>
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>

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[Bill Frantz]

Let me answer for myself. I want a schematic for both fixing it
and learning how it works. I don't really think I will learn
much about how it works from the schematic because most of how
it works is in the firmware and not the hardware.

As for fixing things, I have made repairs to both my K3 and KX3.
With Garry Surrency's help (Thanks!) and the schematics, I was
able to trace a problem in my K3 that boiled down to a poorly
connected TMP cable. No SMD involved. I do feel comptent to do
some SMD work. When I did the power mod for the KPOD, I actually
removed the old SMD resistor and replaced it. It felt more
professional to do it that way than the other approaches offered
in the mod kit directions.

On the KX3, I had a problem with the BNC antenna connector after
it fell on the floor. The schematic showed me the details I had
to work with to fix the problem.

As to the microwave, I replaced a fried component on the board
without a schematic. It's been running the fix for over 10
years. I don't remember how I found out what the replacement
value was, but it was obvious from looking at the board.

No, I haven't cracked the case on my cell phone. It just works,
although I saw a tool kit for opening it in the latest Jameco
catalog. Maybe on my next order. :-)

I noticed in my N8XJK Boost Regulator that they had scraped the
ID numbers off all the ICs. Now that's cheesy, and will make it
harder to fix when both they and it are belly up.

73 Bill AE6JV

On 2/10/17 at 10:12 AM, [hidden email] (Brian & Cyndi) wrote:

>Mike, I find this a very curious belief. Do you want a
>schematic to know how the thing works, or how to repair it.
>
>If you only want to know how the radio works, would a block
>diagram and a fairly detailed explanation from Wayne be enough
>(given they want to protect their design as much as possible)?
>
>If you want to repair it, are you really skilled enough in
>soldering SMD's to do this? If so, my hat's off to you, sir!
>I've spent a lifetime working in the electronics industry and
>even in retirement I still enjoy restoring vintage electronics.
>But if I was faced with servicing a PCB full of SMD's, I'd say
>"Today my jurisdiction ends here"* and send it off to Elecraft
>for repair.
>
>Just my $0.02, but you seem to be missing out on a wonderful
>rig by a questionable requirement. Put another way, do you also
>have a schematic for your microwave oven and cellphone?

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[K9MA]

On 2/10/2017 18:27, Bill Frantz wrote:
> I noticed in my N8XJK Boost Regulator that they had scraped the ID
> numbers off all the ICs. Now that's cheesy, and will make it harder to
> fix when both they and it are belly up.

I've never understood that:  Anyone with the knowledge and determination
to trace out the circuit can certainly figure out what those parts are,
functionally if not the precise part numbers.  Certainly, any competitor
could do that, or they wouldn't be much competition.

73,

Scott  K9MA

--
Scott  K9MA

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