[Elecraft] Very Dissatisfied With Elecraft Support

Thu May 15 19:25:34 EDT 2008

Don, a question.  I built the K2/100 and I remember building the RF probe
from the parts included and using the instructions in the builder's manual.
I wonder if it might be best to purchase the RF probe Kit and then download
the K2 manual if (A) it includes the probe assembly instructions and (B) the
probe kit is essentially the same as the RF probe built during K2 assembly.
As I remember it was not at all hard to build.  I think John is unduly
worried.  I'm sure a solution can be found for his problem.

Bruce - W8FU

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2008 9:55 AM
To: Jon Perelstein
Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Very Dissatisfied With Elecraft Support

John,

Sorry to hear about your problems. Yes, the 20 meter Pre-Mixer Bandpass 
Filter in the K1 can be a bit difficult to align at times, but the 
situation is not as hopeless as you describe.
The K2 does come with parts to build up an RF Probe, and a replacement 
kit is available from Elecraft for $10 - the kit designation is RFPROBE 
and can be found in the K2 spare parts section of the website. Caution: 
This is a kit of parts only (no instructions), but is not difficult at all.

If you feel you cannot build it without instructions, contact me 
off-reflector - perhaps we can resolve this for you. An RF Probe is a 
good tool to have in your shack.

73,
Don W3FPR

Jon Perelstein wrote:
> I ordered a K1 based that "They all . have built-in test equipment to
simplify alignment and
> testing" (from the Elecraft web site).  Now -- according to Elecraft
support -- I have to source
> obsolete parts from China, buy drill equipment and copper bathroom pipe,
and rip apart my
> television (or my computer) to cannibalize printed circuit boards.
>
> Either that or buy an oscilloscope that would cost me more than the K1.
>
> I'm building a 2 band K1 -- 40 meters (band 1) and 20 meters (band 2).
During receiver alignment,
> Band 1 (40 meters) seems to be working fine.  Band 2 (20 meters) however,
does nothing.  
>
> The support guys are telling me that I have to build an RF probe for
further testing, and they've
> pointed me to a schematic in the K1 user manual and told me to go build
the probe from scratch. 
> That's about as useful to me as pointing me to the schematic of the K1 and
telling me to go build
> the K1 from scratch. 
>
> I'm a new ham (March, 2008).  I'm not a home electronic hobbyist.  I don't
have test equipment.  I
> have no experience at homebrew, nor do I have the knowledge to do so. I
bought the K1 as a starter
> to get my feet wet in working electronics.
>   
> After a number of emails with support about how to build an RF probe (a
question that was
> repeatedly ignored), I was finally referred to a couple of different web
sites:
>
> -  The first site starts out with ". using an old piece of double-sided
printed circuit board that
> you have in your junk bin .".
>
> Where exactly do I have double-sided printed circuit board sitting around?
Do I hacksaw off a
> hunk from my television or from my computer?  Radio Shack doesn't sell it,
nor does Mouser.
>
> -  The next site also wants me to use double-sided printed circuit board,
plus they want me to
> insert it into a copper pipe and drill holes through the pipe.
>
> Riiiight . so in other words I have to go out and buy a drill that's
capable of drilling through
> copper.  And I have to buy the copper pipe and end caps.  Will I have to
get the pipe threaded in
> order to mount the end caps?
>
> -  Then there's the site that built the RF probe inside a ball-point pen.
The author of that site
> admitted that it took him a number of tries before he was able to build it
without breaking the
> diode, and that this is a project for the more advanced hobbyist.
>
> It also turns out that nobody carries the diode specified by the schematic
(1N34A).  According to
> Mouser, it's obsolete and out of stock, but if I want to pay a couple of
hundred bucks, they'll
> gladly source it from China.  Mouser will sell me something that they
claim is a replacement for
> the 1N34A, but all of the web sites I've been referred to tell me not to
use that specific
> replacement.
>
> I bought a kit because it comes with all the parts, has a pre-built
chassis, has pre-drilled
> holes, and includes complete and well-thought out instructions on how to
mount everything  -- as
> well as a commitment to provide support during the construction process.
>
> Maybe in two or three years I'll have the experience to build my own RF
probe, but in the meantime
> I'm stuck with a K1 that I can't finish without an RF probe, and there's
no way that I can build
> an RF probe without a trip to China.  
>
> Anybody want a mostly complete K1?  Make me an offer -- I'll even throw in
shipping.
>
> Jon 
> KB1QBZ
>   
>
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