[Elecraft] Drifting Away...Does it matter?

[Don Wilhelm]

Lee,

I think you have stated a proper attitude about the drift thing.  If it is
adequately stable for the operating that you do, it is adequaetly stable.  I
don't know of any ham transceiver on the market today that claims to be a
frequency standard!!!  Fortunatly for ham radio, the modern rigs do not
drift as much as they used to.  We are supposed to see that our signal
stability (among other things) represents 'good engineering practice'
(whatever that REALLY means, I'm not certain especially when noone has told
us to take those old rigs off the air).

This thread started with a question about drift of 80Hz - and that is still
inside the K2 spec of 100 Hz typical total drift (from a cold start).  Most
stock K2s are better than that - but then a spec is a spec and we should be
aware of the potential limitations of our equipment before we buy (read the
specs - not necessarily the manual - RTFS?? <G>).  I think it is really
great that the Elecraft folks have responded to the 'problem' of drift as
they have - I know many other companies would simply state that it is within
the specs and therefore 'no problem'.  But then, if I knew that my K2
drifted 80 Hz within an hour after warmup, I would be looking to find what
was wrong.  I would personally expect 40 Hz or less drift after warmup
unless the temp inside the case changed drastically.

Yes, I do want my K2 to be as stable as necessary - and I do run digital
modes where a drift can be a problem.  I will be putting the PLL stability
mod on my K2 very soon now - thank you Elecraft.

73,
Don W3FPR

----- Original Message -----

> I've been following the facinating discussion of Frequency Drift in the
K2.  A lot of work but some very bright fellows have gone into making the K2
a drift reduced rig.  I cannot say drift free, but as I understand it ... it
is close.
>
> Now, I've never worried about the drift.  I am never on one frequency long
enough to make it matter.  I am a contester and do a lot of search and
pounce, hunt and peck, whatever.  There are times when I sit on a frequency
and run the dickens out the rig, but I am using the RIT and am constantly
changing the RIT to suit the signal to my old ears.  So, I've never had to
really work about drift.
>
> I guess when you are on the digital modes or on SSTV (do people run SSTV
with a K2?) I would thing that drift would be a factor.  But, I am always
fiddling with the rig or the software to see what it can do.
>
> So, I what is all the fuss about the drift issue?  It would be nice to
have a stable rig, but the "normal" K2 is pretty good in my humble
estimation.  For some, maybe we just need to warm up the rig and let it
drift until it stops.
>
> Now, if you want to talk about drift...Heathkit's VF-1 VFO.  I remember
when I was 16 years old working with that old thing trying to get the drift
out and the chirping stopped.  That is when I learned about OA2 tubes and
NPO caps.  Well, I've digressed from my point....
>
> Heck, what was my point?  Oh yea...I guess for some of us the drift is not
a big thing.
>