[Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working?

[The Smiths]

I'm sure that if you weren't confident about your soldering the SMD parts they would send you another board to swap out, especially if you were under warranty. I don't think that they 'expect' anyone to solder smd parts on an under warranty piece of equipment.  That's the kind of service and support that we've all seen time after time with Elecraft.  Another one of the big reasons that I not only bought a K3, but repair them for others when they have problems too.  
I know that Dale at Elecraft is FAST and efficent at sending both boards and SMD or other parts to me when requested.  This was offered as a Kit radio (if ordered that way) and for that reason alone I would think there shouldn't be any issues with Elecraft swapping out whole boards for isolated problems.
 
Of course if time is an issue, and it doesn't seem to be in this case as we've seen you trouble shoot, then soldering to repair, and once again jumping the choke to "test" with. Than in that case a person should send their rig in for repair.  
 
I think that I was more concerned about the person announcing on the reflector that it could take "MONTHS" to get back.  Especially when they probably haven't done any research to find out what the current turn around time is at Aptos.  As you know, with the seasons the demand for repairs etc. tends to go up and down.  Still, I don't know of a case where the word "months" would be appropriate.  Perhaps a few weeks, even a Month and a half... but "months" tends to indicate MANY months time.
 
 
 
 
 


Date: Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:21:09 -0500
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Right paddle key not working?
From: k2qi.nyc at gmail.com
To: notforchat at hotmail.com
CC: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net


Hi there ??? (apologies, but I don't recall ever seeing your name or call in emails)...
 
Not sure if Aptos would be willing to send a whole RF board out just for a small choke.  I could ask them, but even then, that's a whole lot of work.  I'm not sure if it'd be worth it for me to go that route as I have very little spare time.  I think I'd rather take my chances with replacing the choke myself.  I've already done the IF OUTPUT BUFFER mod, and the VFO noise mod, so some of the fear of working on the K3 is already gone.  Still - dealing with little SMD components isn't my bag baby! hi hi.
 
Anyway, Dale already told me he'd send a replacement choke out.  I still have an open RMA though to have my stiff encoders swapped out with the newer, less-viscous versions, so I may just send it back to kill two birds with one stone.
 
The jumper that I soldered to the board will not stay.  It was just a way for me to fully verify that RFC4 was indeed faulty - which it is.  I will probably leave it in until I get the new choke, or until I send the unit back to California.  I just wanted to practice my code anyway by using the CW decoder... I don't intend to TX yet as I've got a sloppy fist.
 
73 de James K2QI

On Sun, Nov 14, 2010 at 3:07 PM, The Smiths <notforchat at hotmail.com> wrote:


Second, How about you just order a new board under warranty and do an advanced replacement returning the bad board when you exchange it out. You've obviously proven that you're capable of digging into the K3 on your own and getting things done.  Swapping a board is nothing.

Furthermore, telling someone to short out a choke that was put there for a reason is an even worse idea, whether it would work or not isn't the question. You're just asking for problems later when something else goes wrong. Doing that to TEST something is fine, but to repair it, no thank you.. I'm glad I didn't bring my rig to your shop...
 
 
> From: n4lq at carolina.rr.com
> To: k2qi.nyc at gmail.com; k6ttm at sbcglobal.net
> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2010 23:16:07 -0500
> CC: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net; don at w3fpr.com