the new guy in town

[k6rb]

Well, I finally did it - bought a K3/100 kit. I have a K2/100 that I
bought from Trey (N5KO) some years ago, and which I take on trips
sometimes, but I have really, really wanted to get a K3 for a long time.
My problem has been that I use a pair of FT-1000s (one D and one non-D) in
SO2R and those two radios just keep on going like the energizer bunny. So,
having just gotten a well-deserved bonus, I earmarked a portion of it for
the K3.

I was going to just leave the boxes unopened in my shack until I got back
from Barcelona in mid-February. But, on Sunday morning I decided to open
them up. Then, I did a quick inventory. Next thing I knew I was sitting
there with an anti-static wristband dumping out the hardware in a white
plastic dish.

To cut the chase, last night (Monday) I came home from work and finished
the kit. And, it worked first time. I think the kit is well conceived.
There were only a couple of times I was cussing because I needed to put a
4-40 1/4" screw with lock washer in a place too small to fit my fingers. I
felt like a brain surgeon trying to insert the screws with a long-nose
pliers and dropping the screw or washer or both numerous times. But,
persistence paid off, and it sure is a neat little radio.

I have one question (suggestion?) though. After following the directions
where you first button it all up without the KPA3, do the LP config and
calibration, then pull off the top and bottom covers and install the KPA3,
why not just finish the installation of the KPA3, first, then doing the LP
and HP stuff, after. Since the KPA3 is not configured by default, you
should be able to do the same config and calibration setups with it in
place. Then, afterward, configure the KPA3 on and "nor" and do the HP
power calibration. It would safe the hassle of first buttoning it all up,
then having to remove the top and lower bottom covers, and then having to
reinstall them all again, afterward. Not a big thing - maybe an extra 10
or 15 minutes? Over all, though, a very well engineered product and kit.
Kudos to Eric and Wayne.

Rob K6RB

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[Don Wilhelm-4]

Rob,

You apparently have a good deal of confidence in your building and
assembly skills - that is great, but not all have the same confidence
level, and the checks at the Low power level are important to those who
do not also have that confidence level.  The manual speaks to the
"lowest common denominator" so those who need verification that the low
power stages work properly will have that validation.  The result is an
orderly process - the basic K3 works, and if the KPA3 causes problems,
one should look to the KPA3 or the steps that were done during the
installation of the KPA3.

For those who have great confidence levels (and good troubleshooting
skills), you are free to do it any way that works for you.  For the
average K3 builder, the situation is not the same.  Consider the K2
situation - I have confidence that I can find any problem in a complete
K2, so if I build one for a client, I skip the intermediate test and
alignment parts, and wait until the assembly is complete before
beginning alignment and test.  That approach usually saves me time, but
at times it causes me to dig into the K2 to find what is the problem
source.  Yes, my experience level allows me to do that efficiently, but
new builders do not have that experience level - hence the instructions
are geared to test the configuration that has been assembled before
moving to the next step.

73,
Don W3FPR

[hidden email] wrote:

> Well, I finally did it - bought a K3/100 kit. I have a K2/100 that I
> bought from Trey (N5KO) some years ago, and which I take on trips
> sometimes, but I have really, really wanted to get a K3 for a long time.
> My problem has been that I use a pair of FT-1000s (one D and one non-D) in
> SO2R and those two radios just keep on going like the energizer bunny. So,
> having just gotten a well-deserved bonus, I earmarked a portion of it for
> the K3.
>
> I was going to just leave the boxes unopened in my shack until I got back
> from Barcelona in mid-February. But, on Sunday morning I decided to open
> them up. Then, I did a quick inventory. Next thing I knew I was sitting
> there with an anti-static wristband dumping out the hardware in a white
> plastic dish.
>
> To cut the chase, last night (Monday) I came home from work and finished
> the kit. And, it worked first time. I think the kit is well conceived.
> There were only a couple of times I was cussing because I needed to put a
> 4-40 1/4" screw with lock washer in a place too small to fit my fingers. I
> felt like a brain surgeon trying to insert the screws with a long-nose
> pliers and dropping the screw or washer or both numerous times. But,
> persistence paid off, and it sure is a neat little radio.
>
> I have one question (suggestion?) though. After following the directions
> where you first button it all up without the KPA3, do the LP config and
> calibration, then pull off the top and bottom covers and install the KPA3,
> why not just finish the installation of the KPA3, first, then doing the LP
> and HP stuff, after. Since the KPA3 is not configured by default, you
> should be able to do the same config and calibration setups with it in
> place. Then, afterward, configure the KPA3 on and "nor" and do the HP
> power calibration. It would safe the hassle of first buttoning it all up,
> then having to remove the top and lower bottom covers, and then having to
> reinstall them all again, afterward. Not a big thing - maybe an extra 10
> or 15 minutes? Over all, though, a very well engineered product and kit.
> Kudos to Eric and Wayne.
>
> Rob K6RB
>  
>

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