[Elecraft] K1 1562 Completed; KB3JCY on the air

[Mark Fickett]

Hello!

I think I can, at long last, call my K1 finished.

I would have said it was done a while back, except that at the very end I had a resistance check problem (J8-5 was extremely low - around 1.5k instead of around 100k) which refused to go away. After checking a number of other things (resister placement, D15, everything else) and emailing Elecraft support (and of course the reflector), however, I decided to go with the suggestion to finish the kit and just watch the RF detector and S-meter carefully, and know where to look if there were problems; happily, I haven't had any problems (anywhere).

In general, the kit was wonderful all the way through. I had a couple questions for inventory - it being my first kit, I didn't know how exactly the parts had to match the list, or which ratings were critical (the 10-turn resistor wasn't exactly as pictured; three electrolytic capacitors' voltages were overrated) - which all turned out to be easily satisfied, an adventure with soldering iron tips (which wouldn't conduct heat, or died extremely quickly, or I couldn't find replacements for), and a coupld resistance checks which were slightly off; aside from the final resistance check, however, everything was very smooth. All in all, excepting time spent on emailing the reflector and elecraft support (both immensely helpful and prompt) and getting distracted during reciever alignment, it took around 38 hours. The kit itself, too, was excellent: the manual was wonderfully clear, the parts (from resistors to casing) were beautiful, and the final product is extremely pleasing (though
 I can't claim to be able to judge a rig yet - it's not only my first kit, but my first rig).

At the moment, I have Bencher paddles, a J-37 straight key, an Astron 2.5A power supply, and a 40-m inverted-V dipole which is roughly 33ft (half wavelength) up. (I also have a Yaesu Memorizer which I was given, but which I have (somewhat guiltily) neglected to this point for my K1.) I've made my first two contacts, both with a friend just down the street. He's made a number of other contacts in the US using the K1 when he came over to try it out and see my setup; he was very pleased with it.

For now, that's all my news. 73,

Mark Fickett, KB3JCY


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