[Elecraft] K2 drif problems? Well said Ron!!!

Wed Dec 18 00:30:08 2002

Ron -
Very well said and likely reflects the sentiments of many happy K2 owners.
Thank you!!    ........now I just can't help but wonder...have you had any
luck at quieting down the fan?  I had an hour long QSO tonite and realized
that the fan does make a bit of noise. Like you said....NOT a
complaint....just a desire to tinker and improve. This reflector and Wayne
and Eric and Gary is a dynamite resource....and I love that K2/100! 73/Tim
NZ7C
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ron D'Eau Claire" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>;
<[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2002 10:16 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2 drif problems?


> Since I am the one who has to take the responsibility for  starting this
> thread again last weekend, I'd like to answer this comment for anyone
> interested.
>
> The K2 is a good rig. Not a perfect rig. Not magic. It operates in
> strict accordance with the known laws of physics. And that means that it
> is FULL of compromises. That's the reason I didn't have to pony up
> $1,000,000 to by a K2, so I am NOT complaining about the compromises.
>
> One of the greatest features of the K2 is the company behind it. Wayne
> and Eric are actively working to make it better. And it is very obvious
> that they take a lot of clues about how to make it better right off of
> this reflector. Even when the improvement doesn't have the broad appeal
> they feel it should, they are happy to donate some of their time
> counseling and helping ops who want to tweak this or that in their K2's.
>
>
> How many rigs come with a very talented engineering "Elmer" attached
> included in the purchase price? The K2 has two highly visible ones. And
> in recognizing them, I don't want to belittle the wonderful work done by
> dozens of talented and knowledgeable owners who give of their time to
> make the rig a little better and who contribute to this reflector their
> ideas and advice almost daily.
>
> Now that I have added the KPA100 to my K2 I have two troublesome issues:
> 1) On some bands the rig drifts more than I'd like a signal from AC7AC
> to be drifting around the bands and 2) The fan makes too more noise than
> I want to hear in the shack. I am pursuing remedies to both issues. I am
> using the resources of the Elmers 'attached' to my K2 and the help of
> many others on this reflector to devise solutions. One of the great
> things about the internet - compared to the work I did decades ago in
> tinkering with my old rigs - is that we have a virtual "club meeting" of
> owners and interested ops every day to discuss the issues and think
> about solutions. Oh, man! What a difference from the weeks and months of
> solitary tinkering that went into some rigs in the 1960s and 70's. Time
> that was only broken by the monthly club meetings.
>
> For ANYONE to think for an instant that these messages come from someone
> who "regrets" buying a K2 makes me think the writer fails to understand
> what Ham radio is all about to me and to a lot of us. We can't see a rig
> without wanting to make it a little better. We don't have hardly a
> single thing we bought or built ten years ago because we have "evolved"
> it into something completely different out of curiosity and an
> insatiable desire to try something different.
>
> It's the process of tinkering, figuring out bad results, and the joy of
> seeing good results that is a large part of what makes it worthwhile to
> have a Ham license.
>
> I know that there are many ops who built a "stock" K2 and who would
> never think about changing one tiny part of what Elecraft delivered. I
> have no quarrel with you and if I ever show a lack of respect for how
> you enjoy the hobby, it will be completely unintentional. Ham radio is
> about having fun while respecting the other person's rights and
> interests.
>
> After 2+ years on this reflector, I have learned to see it as a place to
> question how things could be made better and to exchange ideas about how
> to accomplish that. I remember complaining about my K2 suddenly QSYing
> across the band while keying. A few others noticed it too. Elecraft
> discovered the problem and issued a "fix". I remember scratchy audio
> controls and I had one too. Elecraft discovered the problem and issued a
> fix. I remember truly abysmal received audio quality on SSB upper side
> band and found that others here were hearing it too. Elecraft published
> a fix. Some of the fixes came from the hard work by Wayne and Eric. Some
> came from the hard work of members of the reflector, which were then
> carefully tested and verified by Wayne and Eric. And so it goes. To me,
> that is a LARGE part of why I spend time on this reflector. It is
> certainly a LARGE part of what I enjoy about owning my K2.
>
> I truly apologize to anyone who finds messages questioning shortcomings
> of the K2 troublesome. Please understand that if they are coming from
> me, they do NOT mean that I regret having purchased a K2. What they
> mean, instead, is that I am so very happy to have purchased a K2 and I
> am enjoying it more every day. You don't have to understand why I enjoy
> tinkering with it. I hardly do myself. But please understand that it is
> great fun for me.
>
> 73,
>
> Ron AC7AC
> K2 # 1289
>
>
> In a message dated 12/15/2002 1:09:58 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> [email protected] writes:
>
> > I suppose there are those who regret getting a K2, but I doubt there
> > are
> > many.
>
> Perhaps such persons could offer their K-2 for sale on Ebay. I have
> observed
> K-2's for sale, and they bring stiff prices. I suspect there would be
> fewer
> for sale if Elecraft had not come out with a new version incorporating
> all
> mods. I suspect many of these listings are by happy K-2 owners who want
> to
> raise money to buy and build the new version of the K-2.
>
> Jimmy Walker
> WA4ILO
> Macon, GA
>
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