[Elecraft] K2 Alignment, etc. What don't I get?

[Siu Johnny]

Hi Group,

Happy New Year!

Although I cannot consider myself as an Elecraft expert, I have already 
built 10 K2 plus numerious modules.  The merit of K2 is that it does not 
require laboratory type of equipment to calibrate and align.  I think this 
has been repeatedly mentioned by other Elecraft experts here.

All you need is to closely follow the manual in calibration.  With the 
advancement of technology, good quality frequency counter can be obtained 
at a very cheap price say US$100.  You would need it for frequency 
calibration.

Other than the frequency counter, you will need a Power meter to peak the 
filters.  Any power meters will do a fine job because you need a relative 
reading only.  I have recently bought an advanced LP100 meter from Larry 
Philip.  Upon recalibraton of my K2, I do not see any major difference from 
the past.

For alignment of BFO, the spectrogram is a very handy tool and easy to 
operate.  Again, you do not need expensive equipment. Even you do not use 
the spectrogram and just follow the suggested settings in the manual, the 
result is not bad at all.

To conclude, I do NOT feel there is a need for factory alignment service.  
In fact, the design criteria is to avoid calibration using laboratory type 
equipment.


73

Johnny Siu VR2XMC


From: "Fred (FL)" <ncsailors at yahoo.com>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Alignment, etc. What don't I get?
Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:55:27 -0800 (PST)

When I built K2 # 54xx last May 2006, I had high
hope of eventually sending the completed K2 back into
"Elecraft's Service Dept" and having it aligned and
checked over by the experts.  I would have been
willing to spend that extra $$$.

But - Elecraft Inc. said NO.  At which point I came to
believe that Elecraft Inc. has no service dept.

Sounds like a good opportunity, for us 5800+
K2's alone - to offer this professional factory
service.  I've often felt - should the 4 or 5
experts on the email list - ever drop out or
go away, we'd be left fully on our own!  Possibly
the K2 email list archives - would helm us through
these troubled waters.  Or other experts would
surface.

Luckily, my K2 build came thru with flying colors,
and with the help of Spectrogram - even the filter
setup, went seemingly well.

But the notion, that "many K2's are out there in
poor alignment and in poor performance shape" - is
a little scarey.

Do you remember the Heathkit Color TV Kits?  It was
a handfull to build, and it too even had its own
test and alignment circuits inside.  I don't recall
what Heathkit's position was on Service Department?
(Benton Harbor, MI)

Happy New Year,
Fred, FL

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