[Elecraft] K2 upgrade mods tactical planning [was:Re: Return of the prodigal daughter]

[Margaret Leber]

I hope Don doesn't mind me bringing part of this private correspondance 
back onto the reflector; I'm interested in hearing some discussion on my 
own somewhat unique situation.

W3FPR - Don Wilhelm wrote:

> ...they pay me for NOT working - it is called
> retirement, and I'm busier than I ever was when I was working.

I'd be pleased to call this retirement, and I'm quite sufficiently busy, 
between keeping up with tech stuff, job hunting, running our household, 
and keeping up with ham activities (I edit the Phil-Mont Mobile Radio 
Club monthly newsletter, "The Blurb", see http://www.phil-mont.org )

I just don't have that "getting paid for it" thing worked out, and I've 
still got one more daughter to put through college.

> You may want to consider a few of the no cost (or low cost) upgrades while
> you are working on that K2 - a couple that come to mind are the AF Gain mod...

Hmmm. That one sure is a no-brainer. When I first got my kit back in 
2000, that issue was just surfacing on the reflector; some people were 
trying all kinds of component cleaners, etc.

> and the 2nd crystal filter flattening mod - the AF Gain mod takes only wire
> and the 2nd crystal mod takes only a transistor, a cap and a resistor.  I
> know there are others, but I just don't recall them at the moment.  Take a
> look at the K2 A to B upgrade instructions and see what you can do with the
> parts you may have on hand.  

Poop. I thought I knew exactly what I was gonna do, now I've got to make 
*decisions* again. ;-)  Let's see...

XFILMDKT (the flattening mod) is only $10; I'm not *that* poor.

> If you can spare $15, I would recommend you buy
> a new set of crystals (a set of 14 for both the base K2 and the KSB2) rather
> than using the ones in your kit - the crystal specs were improved and result
> in a much better filter.  

That would be K2KSB2XTLS? I think I can squeeze that much out too.

So now I should consider the Temperature Compensated PLL Reference 
($20)...which requires BFOMDKT ($10), and calls for FWK2MCIO for full 
benefit.

So far we're up to $50 total...($51 when I add the speaker cloth. :-) )

I guess the real cost item among all the upgrades is FWK2MCIO. 
Ironically, one of the first things I want to do when the kit is done 
(and I have a job again) is to add a KIO2...especially since I have a 
rig-control software project of my own. (see:

http://jhamtune.netfirms.com/ and http://jhamtune.dev.java.net/

And if I read the Elecraft site correctly, a KIO2 includes the firmware 
upgrade when ordered for an earlyish S/N K2 like mine.

(Naturally, once I'm working enough to pay for the KIO2, I probably 
won't have as much time to build it, or write a K2 jHamTune driver. :-) )

So I think I'm going to rationalize deferring the firmware upgrade for 
now...even though it gripes me to be nickle-and-dimeing a project this 
way.

But since the cost is nearly equal, I wonder if it would make sense to 
simply order the K2BCOMPKT instead of XFILMDKT, K2KSB2XTLS and BFOMDKT? 
I would have done that already except K2BCOMPKT says it *requires* 
FWK2MCIO...which nearly doubles the cost.

Furthermore, I'll probably finish the Rev A control board today....I 
wonder if a Rev A control board plays nice with Rev B RF and/or Front Panel?

  73 all de Maggie K3XS

-- 
-----/___.   _)Margaret Stephanie Leber CCP, SCJP/"The art of progress /
----/(, /|  /| http://voicenet.com/~maggie SCWCD/ is to preserve order/
---/   / | / |  _   _   _    `  _  AOPA 925383/ amid change and to  /
--/ ) /  |/  |_(_(_(_/_(_/__(__(/_      K3XS / preserve change amid/
-/ (_/   '        .-/ .-/        ARRL 39280 /order."-A.N.Whitehead/
/________________(_/_(_/_______AMSAT 32844_/<maggie at voicenet.com>/