[Elecraft] K2 Alignment and Testing Part 1 Troubles

[Don Wilhelm]

Curt,

This list is for *Elecraft* owners, and those interested in any Elecraft 
gear.  That includes the KX1, K1, K2, transverters, KRC2, the 
mini-modules and yes, the K3.  Discussion about the K3 has filled the 
reflector contents of late, but there are others asking about the other 
products.

Have you considered that you might have a bad pushbutton?  Since you say 
all the other buttons work, that just might be the case.  I would 
specifically ask if the XIT button works.  How about the BAND+ and BAND- 
buttons?  The MENU and XIT buttons share the same line to Front Panel U2 
(pin 6) and RP1 pin 3 must be well soldered.

In addition, consider that the MENU pushbutton may have a bad solder 
connection - the legs do not stick very far through the board.  Try 
soldering the pushbutton from the top of the board.

The fact that you can sometimes get it to work points to a bad solder 
connection rather than a firmware chip problem.  Check the soldering at 
the points I mentioned above.

73,
Don W3FPR


Curt wrote:
> I know this list is mainly for K3 owners.  Still notice few postings 
> for K2, so am hoping for some help.
>
> I am having a rather vexing time with Alignment & Testing Phase 1.  My 
> problem is that all of the front-panel controls and display work as 
> they should EXCEPT for the Menu/Edit button.  The button press is 
> making it to U2, can see the voltage change on pin 6. All the chip 
> voltage checks seem normal.  I have performed the master reset 
> operation, it proceeds as expected but doesn't fix the problem.  One 
> additional behavior noted is that if the K2 rests overnight without 
> power connected, then the Menu button is pushed immediately after 
> power-up and initialization is completed ( 7.100 c on display ), the 
> st L 40 appears.  Usually this will only work once or twice,  
> thereafter it stops working.  Elecraft is sending a new MCU, but 
> somehow I suspect this isn't the problem because everything else seems 
> to be working so well.
>
> Has anyone else experienced this problem, or does anyone have advice 
> about how to determine the root cause of the problem ?
>