My in-progress K1 is ALIVE!!!

[Paul Roche]

Nobody at my house cares about radio stuff, so I have to share this with
somebody!!

I am putting together my K1 and have gotten to the point where I install L1
to perform the "VFO Range Test". Of course I just HAD to plug in an antenna
to see if this thing can hear, so I push the ON/OFF button and ... ... ...

IT'S ALIVE!!!!  How exciting, I just listened to 40 CW all night, did VFO
range tests, and went to bed. I peaked all the trimmers "by ear" by
transmitting 2 watts from my big rig (into a dummy load); there must be a
more scientific way to do this. But so far so good. At 5 watts I think what
will keep me back is NOT that last dB I lose from bad tweeking of the caps!

My only snags:

1. I did not have a DMM and assumed my analog Radio Shack meter would do.
The RatShack meter gave me crazy readings, went to Amazon and got an Equus
3320 Autorange DMM for $21 and BINGO, all readings were right on.

2. I could not get VFO frequency up to 3.090 by simple spreading of turns in
L1, I had to remove L1 and remove a turn. BUT I had already flush-cut the
leads when I put it in. It was a BITCH to get L1 installed again and that
one short lead in the hole deep enough for soldering. Since removing L1 is a
distinct possibility for future builders, maybe a note to NOT flush-cut the
leads until you are SURE L1 is right.

Otherwise, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY.

Paul K3STX


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[David Pratt]

Congrats, Paul, on getting your K1 working. The K1 is a great little rig
and you are sure to have lots of enjoyment with it.

I made mine many years ago (SN No. 01117) and can't remember whether or
not I had any problem with L1. The only decision I recall was which
capacitor to use for the tuning range. I opted for the one to provide
the widest band coverage. I did change the encoder to a better one as
the one provided with early K1s was a bit noisy mechanically. Also I
carried out the mod to provide a back lit display which was not standard
at the time.

Have fun!

David G4DMP

In a recent message, Paul Roche <[hidden email]> writes
>IT'S ALIVE!!!!  How exciting, I just listened to 40 CW all night, did VFO
>range tests, and went to bed. I peaked all the trimmers "by ear" by
>transmitting 2 watts from my big rig (into a dummy load); there must be a
>more scientific way to do this. But so far so good. At 5 watts I think what
>will keep me back is NOT that last dB I lose from bad tweeking of the caps!

--
 + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +
 | David M Pratt, Kippax, Leeds.   |
 | Website: http://www.g4dmp.co.uk |
 + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +

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[Mike Morrow-3]

> I opted for the one to provide the widest band coverage.

That provides about 180 kHz BFO band span.  That's what I've used for 12 years
in my K1.

> I did change the encoder to a better one as the one provided with early
> K1s was a bit noisy mechanically.

The K1 uses no encoders.  The VFO tuning control is simply a ten-turn
100 kOhm potentiometer.

> I carried out the mod to provide a back lit display which was not standard
> at the time.

Nor is it standard even now!

This is an **extremely** valuable option that is a real pain to back fit
into a K1 whose front panel PCB has been completed with the old unlit display.

Elecraft does a disservice to K1 purchasers by not making the backlit LCD
standard, even at a price escalation for the K1.  Yes...it's that important.

Mike / KK5F
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[Mike Morrow-3]

> ...I peaked all the trimmers "by ear" by transmitting 2 watts from my big
> rig (into a dummy load); there must be a more scientific way to do this.

Maybe, but the approach you used is as easy and serviceable as any other method.

> But so far so good. At 5 watts I think what will keep me back is NOT that
> last dB I lose from bad tweeking of the caps!

That tells me you are using the four-band filter board.  Good choice...its
filtering is considerably sharper than that of the two-band filter board.

Any settings that you have established for receive only get these capacitors
into the ballpark for final adjustment for transmit.  **All** of them will
be adjusted again during the transmitter adjustments.  In fact, it is unlikely
you will see much or any power output just using the settings you now have
in place.  The adjustments for establishing output power on each band are
far far more critical than those when adjusting these same capacitors for
receive.  Do not be tempted to make any further filter board adjustments to
peak the receiver after you have established the proper settings for transmit.

> I could not get VFO frequency up to 3.090 by simple spreading of turns in
> L1, I had to remove L1 and remove a turn.

I have *never* heard of this ever being a problem on a K1 unless L1 was wound
with one extra turn (a common problem with toroids, since just sticking wire
through the hole completes the first turn) or the turns were loosely wound
on the toroid core..

> Since removing L1 is a distinct possibility for future builders, maybe a
> note to NOT flush-cut the leads until you are SURE L1 is right.

It is most unlikely that a properly assembled L1 will require subsequent
de-soldering for turns adjustment.

Congratulations on your K1.  The K1 has been my favorite QRP rig since I
built it in November 2000.  I hope you bought the LCD backlight option.

73,
Mike / KK5F
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[Scotty Long]

Very cool Paul congratulations on your success!!! I hope to start my K1 very soon it's in the mail...
 
Scotty NU0S Nebraska
 

> Date: Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:22:49 -0500
> From: [hidden email]
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] My in-progress K1 is ALIVE!!!
>
> Nobody at my house cares about radio stuff, so I have to share this with
> somebody!!
>
> I am putting together my K1 and have gotten to the point where I install L1
> to perform the "VFO Range Test". Of course I just HAD to plug in an antenna
> to see if this thing can hear, so I push the ON/OFF button and ... ... ...
>
> IT'S ALIVE!!!! How exciting, I just listened to 40 CW all night, did VFO
> range tests, and went to bed. I peaked all the trimmers "by ear" by
> transmitting 2 watts from my big rig (into a dummy load); there must be a
> more scientific way to do this. But so far so good. At 5 watts I think what
> will keep me back is NOT that last dB I lose from bad tweeking of the caps!
>
> My only snags:
>
> 1. I did not have a DMM and assumed my analog Radio Shack meter would do.
> The RatShack meter gave me crazy readings, went to Amazon and got an Equus
> 3320 Autorange DMM for $21 and BINGO, all readings were right on.
>
> 2. I could not get VFO frequency up to 3.090 by simple spreading of turns in
> L1, I had to remove L1 and remove a turn. BUT I had already flush-cut the
> leads when I put it in. It was a BITCH to get L1 installed again and that
> one short lead in the hole deep enough for soldering. Since removing L1 is a
> distinct possibility for future builders, maybe a note to NOT flush-cut the
> leads until you are SURE L1 is right.
>
> Otherwise, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY.
>
> Paul K3STX
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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

     
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[Stan AE7UT]

Nice job!  I had such a good time building my K1..... mistakes and all.
I have a K2, KX3 and a K3 but I'm most fond of my K1.
73
Stan AE7UT

[Mike Morrow-3]

>> I opted for the one to provide the widest band coverage.

I wrote:

> That provides about 180 kHz BFO band span.  That's what I've used for 12 years
> in my K1.

That should have been "VFO band span".

I like the 180 kHz span option because:
(1) There is still a fair amount of Morse activity in North America on
    40m that would be above the 7085 kHz upper limitation of the narrow
    VFO span option.
(2) It allows overlap into the LSB-phone portion of the band.  The K1
    receives in LSB mode, so there is potential for cross-mode contacts.
(3) It allows coverage on 30m to extend below 10000 kHz for WWV.

Mike / KK5F
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["Hjalmar Duklæt"]

Hi Paul.
Congratulations!! This reminds me of when I put mine together some two years ago. I also trimmed the caps by ear. Plugged in my dipole and found a German station on 20m. Called him and he replied with a report of 579. Just after that I worked Senegal, Africa. I was totally hooked and my K1 has been my main radio since then until I got my KX3 last June.
Good luck, Paul. You will have a lot of fun in the time to come.
73 de Hal
LA4XX

On 13-01-30, Paul Roche  <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Nobody at my house cares about radio stuff, so I have to share this with
> somebody!!
>
> I am putting together my K1 and have gotten to the point where I install L1
> to perform the "VFO Range Test". Of course I just HAD to plug in an antenna
> to see if this thing can hear, so I push the ON/OFF button and ... ... ...
>
> IT'S ALIVE!!!! How exciting, I just listened to 40 CW all night, did VFO
> range tests, and went to bed. I peaked all the trimmers "by ear" by
> transmitting 2 watts from my big rig (into a dummy load); there must be a
> more scientific way to do this. But so far so good. At 5 watts I think what
> will keep me back is NOT that last dB I lose from bad tweeking of the caps!
>
> My only snags:
>
> 1. I did not have a DMM and assumed my analog Radio Shack meter would do.
> The RatShack meter gave me crazy readings, went to Amazon and got an Equus
> 3320 Autorange DMM for $21 and BINGO, all readings were right on.
>
> 2. I could not get VFO frequency up to 3.090 by simple spreading of turns in
> L1, I had to remove L1 and remove a turn. BUT I had already flush-cut the
> leads when I put it in. It was a BITCH to get L1 installed again and that
> one short lead in the hole deep enough for soldering. Since removing L1 is a
> distinct possibility for future builders, maybe a note to NOT flush-cut the
> leads until you are SURE L1 is right.
>
> Otherwise, HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY.
>
> Paul K3STX
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email] <[hidden email]>
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>

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