[Elecraft] K3 - Still an Excellent Contest Rig

[.k8dd.]

John N1JM wrote:
>> 
>> 
>> As long as you don't have to touch the buttons on the front 
>> panel and let the logging software change your bands and modes 
>> 
>> 
>> 73    Hank    K8DD
>> 
> 
> 
> What did you mean by that?
> 
> John N1JM

At first I thought it was me, but I've heard from a couple other K3 
owners.

There are several buttons/switches on the front panel that I can press 
(tap or hold - it doesn't make a difference) and sometimes nothing happens.

Then there are times that I want to switch sidebands (ALT) and I hold 
the button and sometimes it switches 1, 2, or 3 modes and then reverses 
the sideband.  Same thing has happened with the BAND buttons.  And I no 
longer have a light touch on the buttons.

And, yes, I have turned on the button beeps and confirmed that when 
nothing happens, there are no beeps and when there are multiple actions 
the beeps are strange.  This is the 4th or 5th front panel board that 
has been in the radio, and this one is better.

One ham said that I just know when to press them when they aren't being 
scanned!  But happens on mine and I've done it on both K3s at the booth 
in Hamcom.

My K3 did make a trip back to Elecraft and they checked out the front 
panel (among other things) and said the buttons/switches are fine.
My logging programs (Logger32, Writelog, N1MM and Win-Test) keep me from 
using a lot of the buttons/switches - and that's fine.

It's still the best receiver I've ever used in spite of the 
buttons/switches and knobs!
73    Hank    K8DD