[Elecraft] K1: Future KBT1 Suggestion - RF board Connector

[Morrow, Michael A.]

I've had a KBT1 internal battery option in my K1 for about a year and a
half, yet I've often found myself wanting to be able to easily remove the
KBT1 assembly and revert to the original cover/speaker.  I think the normal
K1 speaker is significantly better than the much smaller KBT1 speaker.  I
normally prefer to use external DC even when portable, plus I hate removing
the 2000 mA-Hr NiMH cells from the KBT1 when I don't need them.

I'm looking for a suitable two-conductor connector to place in the power
leads from the KBT1 to the K1 RF board.  I've not found one yet, for it must
be both small and have no exposed contacts that can short to anything in the
K1 case when the connector going to the RF board is hanging loose.  Also, it
would be nice if the pins from the KBT1 assembly weren't exposed when
disconnected, in order to reduce the possibility of shorting out the KBT1
cells after the KBT1 assembly is removed.

I'm thinking that a future revision of the K1 RF board to have a small
two-pin male connector, similar to that used for the speaker, mounted near
the rear of the K1 RF board would be ideal for a removable KBT1
installation.  Since it would be fixed at the PCB, there'd be no worries
about that end shorting to anything, plus it would allow the KBT1 connector
to be a female connector that would be hard to inadvertently short out.  If
PCB space permitted, it would even be better to mount the KBT1 diode 95SQ015
on the RF board adjacent to this connector.  The connector and diode would
not need to be supplied with the basic K1.  They could be installed after
the KBT1 is purchased.

With such a connector, the KBT1 could be disconnected/reconnected in less
than a minute.  The only other thing one might have to adjust is VFO L1 turn
spacing slightly, to account for the removal of the nearby KBT1 bracket.

In a non-related area, I was considering replacing the polarity protection
diode D16 on the K1 RF board with a 95SQ015, but the SB530 that is already
there has a forward voltage drop at 100 mA of only about 0.25 v, and at 2000
mA of 0.4 v, according to the spec sheet for a junction temperature of 25 C.
So that plan doesn't seem worth *any* effort.

Mike / KK5F