[Elecraft] K2 Alignment and Verification of Specifications

[Geoffrey Mackenzie-Kennedy]

Mike,

If you have the time to do it, I believe that it is well worthwhile arming 
yourself with test equipment to do the job yourself. Although this sounds 
like a tall order, most of the test and calibration equipment required to 
check the K2 can be in fact be homebrewed, which obviously takes time but 
saves $$ and which can be used when building other things. The ham 
literature contains some designs which could be useful including at least 
one for a spectrum analyzer and several low phase noise oscillators (QEX). 
If you do go down this route, a pair of honest step attenuators capable of 
60db or more attenuation over the required frequency range and into VHF are 
critical items, I 'rescued' my 90 db step attenuators from a German 
Standards Lab for peanuts. For the more 'difficult' measurements such as 
receiver Input Intercepts where two or more signals are involved (ARRL uses 
only two) various items are available from Mini-Circuits such as power 
splitters / combiners which can be used to set up a RF test bench without 
too much difficulty or cost, using double screened coax interconnections. 
BTW I do not work for them!

I believe that the saying 'practice makes perfect' is applicable here, and 
doing the tests oneself is interesting and helps to prevent future build 
mistakes.

73,
Geoff
GM4ESD


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <AC6JA at aol.com>
To: <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 30, 2006 12:56 AM
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Alignment and Verification of Specifications


> Does Elecraft offer an alignment and verification of specifications 
> service?
> I'm sure many people would like to have their K2's aligned to "factory"
> specifications and have those performance numbers documented, kind of like 
> having
> an oscilloscope calibrated and verified with a sticker.
> It would be nice to see what your own individual K2 performance numbers 
> are
> against an expensive spectrum analyzer that most of us don't have.
> I, for one, would be willing to pay for that service, within reason of
> course.
> Hopefully there are others that would too that would make this a service
> Elecraft could offer?
> Any input would be appreciated.
> Thanks!
>
> Mike  AC6JA
> K2 #028
>