[Elecraft] FW: K1 : Problems : Any Ideas ???

[Morrow, Michael A.]

Peter Rosney EI2IF wrote:

> I am building a K1 with the 4 band option ( no. 1227 )=20
> and I have tonight set up the radio to align the receiver.
> However when I connect an antenna to the adjacent Ham
> Transceiver and key down all I am getting is a key click on=20
> 10mhz.=20

Were you able to align the two highest bands OK?  If you haven't tried =
that yet, try to align the 15m (or 17m) band first (caps C1, C2, CA, =
CB), followed by the 20m band (caps C3, C4, CC, CD).  If you are able to =
get a good alignment of those two bands, that would narrow down the =
problem area significantly.  The manual has you start with the 30m band =
first, but actually the only order that you MUST observe is:

a.  Always align the 15m/17m band before you align the 20m band,
        and
b.  Always align the 30m band before you align the 40m band.

Any time you realign the 15m/17m band you must follow that with a =
realignment of the 20m band.  Any time you realign the 30m band you must =
follow that with a realignment of the 40m band.

> I adjusted c5 & c6 but still not a sausage. I am not=20
> getting any morse audio on receive. I also adjusted ce and cf
> and all to no avail. I am getting hissing noise on rx which
> is ok but no morse on the headphones.

The first time you try to align the filter board, you may need a pretty =
strong signal on the frequency to which the K1 is tuned.  Since you have =
not yet performed the K1 frequency display calibration procedure, the =
frequency now being displayed on your K1 may be as much as 10 kHz off.  =
(Don't forget to assign the proper lower band edge frequency of 10.1, =
rather than 10.0, MHz to band B2.)  You'll have to have a strong enough =
signal to get through the unaligned filter board stages to be heard =
weakly in the K1 receiver.  Have you tried *slowly* sweeping the VFO of =
the transmitter that you are using as a signal generator through a 15 =
kHz range on either side of the frequency displayed on the K1 in order =
to find that signal?  Once you find the signal, then it will be easy to =
peak the appropriate caps.

If you are able to align the two highest bands, but not the 30m band, =
then set the 30m caps C5, C6, CE, and CF in mid-position (screw slot =
perpendicular to the flat side of the cap, I think).  Then see if you =
can get the 40m band to align.  If successful, you'll at least know the =
problem has narrowed down only to 30m band components. =20

> I went for the 10.1 mhz crystal option and all components seem to be=20
> correctly installed.

Another useful thing to check is that your filter board crystals are =
oscillating when the appropriate band is selected.  The 30m crystal X3 =
should easily be heard in an external receiver, even before you align =
the board, within a few kHz of 18.100 MHz.  Just run a short wire near =
the filter board to the antenna of a receiver that can tune that =
frequency.

Best of luck.

73,
Mike / KK5F