[Elecraft] Re: Question for K1 builders/owners (VFO Span)

[Morrow, Michael A.]

Lawrence Makoski wrote:

> ... did you opt for 80 Khz or 150 Khz?

You'll actually get something close to a 170 kHz
span with the "150 kHz" option.

ITU region 1 and 3 hams probably shouldn't bother
with the 170 kHz option (smaller 40m band).

But, there are three reasons for a ITU region 2 ham
to choose the 170 kHz VFO span on the K1:

(1) Complete coverage of the 40m CW band.  There's
    A fair amount of activity from 7.1 to 7.15 MHz.
    Plus, you'll get the first 20 kHz of the phone
    band.  Since the K1 receives in LSB mode, and 
    voice is quite intelligible with the wide filter,
    cross-mode QSOs are possible in an emergency.
(2) Almost complete coverage of the 15m CW band.
(3) Ability to copy 10 MHz WWV on the 30m band.

The 170 kHz option *was* touchy on early K1s.  In
low parts of the band, tuning rates as high as 25
kHz/turn resulted.  But the addition of R19 across
the VFO pot wiper-to-high side made the tuning rate
pretty linear throughout at about 17 kHz/turn.

Install a felt washer between the K1 panel and the
back of the VFO knob to keep the knob from moving
as you left go of it, and 170 kHz span will work
great (washer helps even with the 80 kHz option).

73,
Mike / KK5F
K1 #175 / KFL1-4 / KAT1 / KNB1