[Elecraft] Questions from a Liberal Arts Major

[Paul Christensen]

> "I believe that if the PowerPole on the K3 was installed on a short length 
> of
flexible wire we would not be reading about this problem as it would not
exist."

That would make a connector change-out very easy should the PowerPole 
contacts become damaged..

A while back, I had shifted the K3 cabinet while listening to a QSO and the 
PowerPole disconnected from the lateral movement.  It's mostly the lateral 
tension that creates the propensity for accidental disconnects.  If I had 
moved the cabinet while transmitting at 100W, I suspect that I would need to 
have gone in and replaced the fused/welded pins.  Arguably, K3 owners 
shouldn't be moving the rig while operating!

I have a love-hate relationship with the PowerPole: I love the convenience 
(e.g., Rigrunner DC manifold); but I hate that the connector does not "lock 
'n mate" as compared to those power connectors manufactured by MOLEX and 
AMP.  Locking the PowerPole requires some external means like a tie-wrap, or 
the special plastic bridge clip being sold by Anderson.

Ensuring a correct crimp is part of the solution, but not the whole 
solution.  I have a shop drawer full of professional ratcheting crimpers and 
prior to the recent purchase of the West Mountain crimper, I thought I was 
doing a good job.  But what was occurring with my existing crimper is that 
the contact tip was bending slightly out of alignment during the crimp 
process.  The West Mountain crimper locks the contact tip while crimping, 
thereby ensuring the pin remains straight with the barrel after crimping. 
Moreover, the West Mountain crimper ensures a completely concentric crimp. 
Had I not tried it myself, I would not have believe there could be that much 
of a difference between it and my other ratcheting crimpers.

Paul, W9AC