[Elecraft] My fix for Low S-meter sensitivity

[Kenneth A. Christiansen]

>K2 #2548 - Low S-meter sensitivity
Bill Coleman <aa4lr@arrl.net>

>K2 has low S-meter sensitivity. Loud signals on other rigs that are S9+40
>only read about S4-5 on the K2 S-meter. S-meter has no indication unless
>strong signal is present.

I had the same problem with my K2 SN 1031 and used it for 9 months before I
got around to fixing it. The receiver had good noise figure and worked well
but I had to add a lot of audio gain and the S-meter was stingy. I just felt
it was not working the way it should. I built up the RF detector for my
digital volt meter and used my IC737 to a dummy load as a signal generator.
Everything was just like the book said till I got to the output of T7. I had
loss of voltage instead of a gain from the primary to the secondary. I
discovered I had turned T7 180 degrees when I installed it so it acted as a
step down transformer instead of a step up transformer. This made a big
difference in the receive performance of my K2 as far as AGC, S-meter and AF
gain. I do have to say though I don't think I ever lost a QSO when the
transformer was wrong as the noise figure and weak signal performance were
still good with the AF gain wide open.

Hope this helps.
73
Ken    W0CZ