[Elecraft] Re: Elecraft Digest, Vol 52, Issue 6

[Detrick Merz]

> Date: Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:52:30 +0100
> From: Dave G4AON <elecraft at astromag.co.uk>
> Subject: [Elecraft] Re: K1: Advice on Options
> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> Dave
>
> 1. I find my K1 a bit coarse on tuning even when set to the 75 KHz
> tuning range.

I have mine doing ~160KHz, and I like it just fine.  I keep thinking
about trying to stretch it up towards 200.  Muscles might take a bit
of learning to get used to fine tuning, but it's not difficult for me
at least.  Here's a thought, put a 3 pin SIP header (with center pin
removed) in where the C2 goes, jack capacitors into the SIP header,
and try both.  Maybe pull a few other caps of other values out of the
junk box and try them to see if you like their spread best.  Maybe
you'll like 90KHZ, or 100, or 60, or 200!!  Who knows till you try.
It's your rig, you get to decide.

>
> 3. C: I personally don't think the battery holder option is worthwhile,
> using 8 NiMh cells (internal battery holder limit) would restrict the
> power output to about 3 Watts, although 1.5 Volt cells would be OK as
> they give 12 Volts. I've heard of issues with freshly charged warm/hot
> batteries causing the K1 to drift when first fitted, it may or may not
> be an issue. I use an external pack of 10 x NiMh cells in a small
> plastic project box, this is another box to carry but does allow for
> full output from the K1.

I would agree, but I have an alternative.  I should preface this by
saying I do not have my internal speaker installed as I always use
headphones.  This affords me some extra space inside the case.  When I
was going on a business trip a few years ago, I decided at the last
minute I wanted to take the K1 with.  I went by a Radio Shack
(amazingly enough) and picked up some AA battery holders... 1 8 cell
and one 2 cell.  The 8 cell didn't have wire leads coming off of it,
instead it had a 9V style connection.  Seeing that, I decided I'd pick
up a pack of 9V connectors while I was there.  This made it pretty
easy to patch the AA holders together, and I could decide if I wanted
to use 8 cells or 10.  As a bonus, since I didn't have the speaker
installed, I could fit the 8 cell holder and the 2 cell holder inside
the K1 while packed in my luggage.  Pack a small screwdriver, pop the
lid when you arrive, snap batteries together, and go!

-detrick
KI4STU

> 73 Dave, G4AON
> K1, K2 and K3/100 (no KX1...)