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P3 parts falling off

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David Olean

P3 parts falling off

I went up to my remote ham shack to take out the ham gear for the
winter, and turn off the heat. I had a K3 with P3 panadaptor there for
my ten meter station, and when I started disconnecting things, I heard
something rattling around inside the P3. (?) When I got home and opened
it up I found an RJ-11 receptacle rolling around inside the box. The
whole assembly had fallen off the front panel PC board. I am not sure
how this would happen. The thing is surface mount soldered to the
board. I think this connector is only used for testing. I am not sure
what to do at this point. My hands are a bit shaky to try to fix it
myself. Or maybe I just leave it alone?

Dave K1WHS

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Don Wilhelm

Re: P3 parts falling off

David,

That jack is used only for factory testing. Your P3 should work
normally without it.
Hang onto the jack and if you ever send the P3 to Elecraft for repair,
include it and the P3 will come back with it installed.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 1/2/2019 4:06 PM, David Olean wrote:

> I went up to my remote ham shack to take out the ham gear for the
> winter, and turn off the heat. I had a K3 with P3 panadaptor there for
> my ten meter station, and when I started disconnecting things, I heard
> something rattling around inside the P3. (?) When I got home and opened
> it up I found an RJ-11 receptacle rolling around inside the box. The
> whole assembly had fallen off the front panel PC board. I am not sure
> how this would happen. The thing is surface mount soldered to the
> board. I think this connector is only used for testing. I am not sure
> what to do at this point. My hands are a bit shaky to try to fix it
> myself. Or maybe I just leave it alone?
>

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Elecraft mailing list

Re: P3 parts falling off

In reply to this post by David Olean

David:

I experienced the same thing when I bought an otherwise good condition P3 used. Elecraft can provide you with the replacement part no.

I’ve never gotten around to fixing mine (otherwise works great).

Bob Brown, N1CVX

Sent from my iPad
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NK7Z

Re: P3 parts falling off

We now know "what" is falling off, the next question is why is a part
dropping off?

I must have missed that, can someone refresh my memory please?

73s and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
Award Manager, 30MDG Grid Contest
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL OOC for Oregon

On 1/2/19 3:56 PM, Robert Brown via Elecraft wrote:

> David:
>
> I experienced the same thing when I bought an otherwise good condition P3 used. Elecraft can provide you with the replacement part no.
>
> I’ve never gotten around to fixing mine (otherwise works great).
>
> Bob Brown, N1CVX
>
> Sent from my iPad
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]
>

David Olean

Re: P3 parts falling off

Hello Dave,

"Why?" is the big question. I have no idea why it fell off. There is
nothing that sticks out to invite damage. That RJ-11 receptacle is
hidden underneath the P3. There are six surface mount solder connections
to the board, and there are two small metal inserts in the plastic
housing that help attach it to the PC board as well. I do transport the
P3 up to the shack at some point, but I always wrap it in bubble wrap or
a blanket. When I disconnected the P3 from all the cables to remove
it, I was surprised to hear something rolling around inside. It was the
RJ-11 jack. All six solder tabs look perfectly straight. It is as it
just fell off! I would think that if something poked the connector from
the outside hard enough to break it, then those small pins would all be
bent. My theory on what transpired must therefore involve aliens from
another galaxy near M-86 in Virgo.

Dave K1WHS

On 1/3/2019 12:25 AM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) wrote:

> We now know "what" is falling off, the next question is why is a part
> dropping off?
>
> I must have missed that, can someone refresh my memory please?
>
> 73s and thanks,
> Dave (NK7Z)
> https://www.nk7z.net
> Award Manager, 30MDG Grid Contest
> ARRL Technical Specialist
> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
> ARRL OOC for Oregon
>
> On 1/2/19 3:56 PM, Robert Brown via Elecraft wrote:
>> David:
>>
>> I experienced the same thing when I bought an otherwise good
>> condition P3 used. Elecraft can provide you with the replacement
>> part no.
>>
>> I’ve never gotten around to fixing mine (otherwise works great).
>>
>> Bob Brown, N1CVX
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]
>>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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]

NK7Z

Re: P3 parts falling off

I was wondering as I think there have been two of these now... Thanks
for the update!

73s and thanks,
Dave (NK7Z)
https://www.nk7z.net
Award Manager, 30MDG Grid Contest
ARRL Technical Specialist
ARRL Volunteer Examiner
ARRL OOC for Oregon

On 1/3/19 8:33 AM, David Olean wrote:

>
> Hello Dave,
>
> "Why?" is the big question. I have no idea why it fell off. There is
> nothing that sticks out to invite damage. That RJ-11 receptacle is
> hidden underneath the P3. There are six surface mount solder connections
> to the board, and there are two small metal inserts in the plastic
> housing that help attach it to the PC board as well. I do transport the
> P3 up to the shack at some point, but I always wrap it in bubble wrap or
> a blanket. When I disconnected the P3 from all the cables to remove
> it, I was surprised to hear something rolling around inside. It was the
> RJ-11 jack. All six solder tabs look perfectly straight. It is as it
> just fell off! I would think that if something poked the connector from
> the outside hard enough to break it, then those small pins would all be
> bent. My theory on what transpired must therefore involve aliens from
> another galaxy near M-86 in Virgo.
>
> Dave K1WHS
>
> On 1/3/2019 12:25 AM, Dave Cole (NK7Z) wrote:
>> We now know "what" is falling off, the next question is why is a part
>> dropping off?
>>
>> I must have missed that, can someone refresh my memory please?
>>
>> 73s and thanks,
>> Dave (NK7Z)
>> https://www.nk7z.net
>> Award Manager, 30MDG Grid Contest
>> ARRL Technical Specialist
>> ARRL Volunteer Examiner
>> ARRL OOC for Oregon
>>
>> On 1/2/19 3:56 PM, Robert Brown via Elecraft wrote:
>>> David:
>>>
>>> I experienced the same thing when I bought an otherwise good
>>> condition P3 used. Elecraft can provide you with the replacement
>>> part no.
>>>
>>> I’ve never gotten around to fixing mine (otherwise works great).
>>>
>>> Bob Brown, N1CVX
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPad
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> 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]
>>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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]

Elecraft mailing list

Re: P3 parts falling off

In reply to this post by David Olean

Re: "It is as it just fell off!"

It probably did. It is likely the surface mount joints were solder starved during original board processing. They can sometimes make surprisingly good electrical contact, at least in low current applications. Without a careful close examination with a good light and magnifying glass, it is all just guessing.

Mark
KE6BB

null
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