[Elecraft] Wha'ts Wrong With Our Radios (WAS:NewProducts, Building Demo, ...

[N2EY at aol.com]

I know this is old, but I don't think I replied to it.

In a message dated 5/29/06 11:01:34 PM Eastern Daylight Time, aa4lr at arrl.net 
writes:

> On May 29, 2006, at 3:31 PM, N2EY at aol.com wrote:
> 
> > In a message dated 5/29/06 8:33:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
> > aa4lr at arrl.net writes:
> >
> >> Seems like the standard radios in my
> >> youth all had 1/2" diameter knobs, and they were spaced at least 1
> >> 3/4" inches apart or more. So, the ones on the K2 are probably too
> >> small, and too close together.
> >
> > I'd go even bigger, because I have big hands. Tuning knob should be  
> > in excess of 2". other knobs in excess of 1". Say 2-1/2" for the  
> > tuning and 1" for everything else. Yes, that's big!
> 
> 2 1/2" tuning knobs are moderately small. 3" is more like it.
> 

There should be lots of room around the knob, too. That means lots of panel 
space.

> But 1" knobs are pretty big, actually. Perhaps 3/4" ?
> 
> 

I find 1" to be small...    ;-)

>> What other knobs would you have on a K2-like radio?
> >
> > Some form of dedicated bandswitch
> 
> I disagree here. I don't rotary bandswitches are beneficial. (They  
> certainly are traditional) Pushbuttons work great, and if you don't  
> like the single band-up/band-down, we could always expand this to  
> have a dedicated button for each band.
> 

The thing is the idea that you can just glance at the knob and know what band 
you are on. Note that the knob/pushbutton is just the interface; the actual 
switching would be done by relays.


> > Some form of dedicated filter selector
> 
> Same issue here -- I actually prefer the buttons to the rotary  
> switch. It would be REALLY nice to have a series of buttons for this  
> though -- that way we could directly access the filter setting we want.
> 

Same issue.

> > Some form of dedicated AGC selector
> 
> Again, I'm not sold on the rotary switch. You just need more buttons.
> >

And again the same issue. Of course there may be button designs that tell you 
which option is selected.

The problem, of course, is that all this stuff uses up panel space like mad 
and you wind up with a much larger rig.

73 de Jim, N2EY