[Elecraft] K3 VFO A tension AND Felt Hiss - Resolved

[Gary Smith]

Hi Mike, 
 
> As the knob did not wobble on either VFO but tracked poorly, I 
> surmised the shaft does not innately follow the straight path when 
> tightened. So I loosened both nuts and this time applied a small 
> amount. of pressure on the nut driver away from the low side. That 
> resolved the problem. I then did the same with VFO B's shaft though 
> it wasn't presenting an issue. I do try to keep symmetry in all 
> things... 

> By looseing both "nuts", do you mean set screws, and allen 
> wrench rather than "nut driver"? 

No, I meant the 1/2" nuts that screw on to the encoder shaft which 
firm it up against the face plate (with the clear beveled plastic 
panel around them. I loosened both nuts with the nut driver and left 
one loose on the shaft and then I applied pressure which in my case 
needed to be down & to the right when visualized as the radio 
normally rests. With the slight pressure on the shaft I twisted the 
nut driver which tensioned that first nut and then I placed the 2nd 
nut on & tightened it down as instructed (on Page 32 of the October 
28, 08 assembly manual) 

> Now as to the hiss. Some really interesting ideas, especially getting 
> SWMBO to give up her softer felt in exchange for a nice dinner cooked 
> by HWMS. But that doesn't apply here so the idea of the Fender washer 
> was a worthy possibility & I was prepared to get two Nylon washers to 
> see if some combination f the 2 felt washers & 2 nylon ones would 
> work well but then I thought about it while tossin' & turning last 
> night & it dawned on me: Wrap the felt washer with teflon piping tape 
> like it was a toroid transformer. So I ran the tape through the felt 
> washer and did so all the way around till the washer had no felt 
> showing but the hole was still there. I put that in place and the 
> give was still there because of the felt doing its job and it was 
> silent because of the teflon 
> . 
> Ah, very clever. I have some teflon sheet and a washer cutter that should accomplish the same thing. Good idea! You should see my A knob with its red DOT reflective tape cover that really looks sharpin contrast to flat black. Also, I have flourescent orange pin stripping tape going around the outside top and sides of frontpanel that really details the K3. So I may have a custom "one of akind" detailed K3. 73, Mike, AC5p 

How fun! It'simportant to add our own personality to these marvelous 
radios. If software & hardware option-wise we can customize the 
inside then it's fun to work the same personalization on the outside 
too. 

73, 
Gary 
KA1J