[Elecraft] K3 Kit #4076 Arrived Safely

[Brett Howard]

You get to solder something when you install the K144XV...  You shimmy a
single pin connector into a tight spot and then go zip tack ok thats
in....  Guess I get to pack up and put the soldering iron away
again.... :)

I wasn't about to bring the soldering iron out of its storage bin for
one solder joint so I took this opportunity to finish a project I've
been wanting to do...  I made a headphone switch.  Bought a rotary
switch, a few stereo female headphone jacks and a project box from radio
shack.  Now I can switch my paddles between my K1,K3,and K1EL keyer with
the turn of a knob.  I can also switch it to 3 yet unused ports...  The
only knob they had was a double pole 6 throw switch.  So I had to take
advantage of all the throws when I built the box.  

Funny thing was once I was done with that project I came up with another
idea.  I figured I should have a way to switch more fun things with my
K3.  I want to be able to switch my LP-Pan, LP-100A and my P3 (once its
shipping) all with the power switch on the K3.  So anyway I made up
another project box with a single RCA input from the K3 that then
switches a relay to turn on 4 more RCA ports on the top.  I even put a
1.25uH inductor to 1000uF of cap on the input side and then put 1.5uH to
a .1uF cap LC filter to each of the 4 ports.  Cause any project worth
doing is worth over doing! ;)  I figured that if there was any switching
noise or anything in any of the devices I turned on and off with the
radio that the additional RF filtering on the power would keep my LP-Pan
and P3 displays as noise free as possible. 

I think I may end up slapping together a quick opto-coupler into a cable
as I bought a DB-15HD connector and a DB9 so I could make an FSK cable.
I've never done RTTY that way and I think it could be a fun one.  

After that is all done I'll probably have melted a sufficient amount of
solder to have justified bringing the iron out of its bin.  ;)

~Brett

On Fri, 2010-03-19 at 15:10 -0400, w5ov at w5ov.com wrote:
> Don,
> 
> If you start on it tonight, you'll be on the air with it tomorrow afternoon.
> 
> I did about 3 hours on a Friday night with mine and I got up early on
> Saturday and had it completed in time for a late lunch.
> 
> Being a long-time Heathkit guy myself, I think you may find your self
> wondering "when do I get to solder something".
> 
> 73,
> 
> Bob W5OV
> 
> 
> 
> > My new K3, #4076, arrived this morning and is inventoried.  I was
> > pleasantly
> > surprised, it has the new firmware just announced already installed!!!!!!!
> > Everything looks to be of exceptionally high quality, and I am overjoyed
> > at
> > the prospect of a kit build after all these years.  My last large endeavor
> > was a Heathkit SB303/401 pair with accessories in 1972, so that's a long
> > dry
> > spell, hi.  Wish me luck and hope to have it on the air in a few
> > days!!!!!!!
> > 73,
> > Don, WB5HAK
> >
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