[Elecraft] RE: B.I.T.E. suggestion

[Wallace, Andy]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: rlewis@staffnet.com [mailto:rlewis@staffnet.com]
>=20
> > But my point was, I'd like a visual way
> > to verify that the 8V or 5V regulator lines are dead
> > or not.=20
>=20
> How about a multi-meter? There good for all sorts of=20
> troubleshooting that you can't accomplish with a couple of LEDs :-)

Yes. If I had brains I would have packed a small one when I went /P.
=20
> Another issue, current draw. If you have two LEDs drawing=20
> 10mA each=20

Well first of all you can see an LED perfectly fine at 5mA or
possibly less. The backlights in my K1 are set to 5mA and that's
plenty bright enough to light the LCD. And my thought was to
put a three-position jumper inside the K2. Jumper 1-2 to 8V and it
lights (if good) the LED. Jumper 2-3  to 5V and it lights the same
LED. Put the jumper sideways (no connect) and no current is
wasted. The LED would be inside the rig (maybe that wasn't
clear).=20

It really is a small, silly "wish" but my idea was just for
a way to make a quick check when the front panel is suddenly
dead, like mine was while portable, and you didn't come armed
with a meter. I doubt it will be implemented - why add an LED
and a jumper when it only helps when the rig isn't working?
The idea of the grounded test point storage jack is a better
one, though. ;-)

In my case, the rig came back to life when I unpacked it at
home, so there is an intermittent component (unlikely) or
connection (likely) there. What's interesting is I did a lot
of tapping and poking and nothing brought it back while I was
away, so I set it aside and moped for a couple of days.=20

My rig was one of those in a string of too-long-P1-front-panel=20
connectors, so I had replaced that connector. That's the first place=20
I'll check. I am pretty sure I resoldered all the pins when I installed
the new connector, but there's always the chance I missed one.=20
Or there's a connection which opened up in the replacement=20
process. (Even though I was gentle and removed the pins one at a time.)

Andy