KX1 frequency display issue

[Paul Huff-4]

My 3-band (40, 30, 20) KX-1 with built-in antenna tuner has given me faithful service for portable operations for the past 11 years but yesterday an issue developed.  

I had just completed a QSO on 40-meters (about 7.038) and started to turn the tuning knob up the band.  After a couple of turns the digital frequency display went blank.  When I reversed direction and tuned down the band the display returned but again, after several turns it went blank.  I turned the radio off and back on and got the same results - after a few turns of the tuning knob in either direction the frequency display would blank out.  So I shut my operation down and headed home.  I should add that I had inadvertently done some transmitting for two or three minutes on 20-meters with a rather high SWR before my QSO on 40.  The antenna match on 30 and 40 meters was very good.

Later that evening with the KX-1 hooked up to a dummy load I tested it for a few minutes and could not duplicate the situation.  The frequency display followed the knob turns without any problem and everything else seemed to be working fine as well.  I did hear a very small and short raspy birdie type of tone (just a little more than a “click”) every turn or so of the knob but I don’t know if that is significant.

Does anyone have any ideas on what might have caused this problem and/or what I can do to diagnose it and fix it?

Thanks and 73,

Paul - N8XMS
NAQCC President
NAQCC #0675
http://www.naqcc.info/ <http://www.naqcc.info/>


______________________________________________________________
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]

[Don Wilhelm]

Paul,

At first glance, I would attribute that behavior to RF Feedback, but
since I assume the KX1 was in receive when that happened, RF Feedback is
out of the picture.

I would be suspicious of the encoder itself and would be inclined to
replace it.

However, the fact that it works fine into a dummy load negates that thought.

You might want to try a Reset To Factory Defaults, but first record ALL
the menu settings in your KX1, especially the BFO and DDS and SIG menu
settings.  Restore those settings after the reset.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 6/9/2017 10:39 AM, Paul Huff wrote:
> My 3-band (40, 30, 20) KX-1 with built-in antenna tuner has given me faithful service for portable operations for the past 11 years but yesterday an issue developed.
>
> I had just completed a QSO on 40-meters (about 7.038) and started to turn the tuning knob up the band.  After a couple of turns the digital frequency display went blank.  When I reversed direction and tuned down the band the display returned but again, after several turns it went blank.  I turned the radio off and back on and got the same results - after a few turns of the tuning knob in either direction the frequency display would blank out.  So I shut my operation down and headed home.  I should add that I had inadvertently done some transmitting for two or three minutes on 20-meters with a rather high SWR before my QSO on 40.  The antenna match on 30 and 40 meters was very good.
______________________________________________________________
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]