[Elecraft] [K3] Speaker output amp kaput

[Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO]

I have (and have always had) mine set to 20 also. Didn't help, in this 
instance.

I often turn the AGC off when running JT65A on 20m using the JT65-HF 
software, so that a strong signal somewhere in the 2 kHz passband doesn't 
trigger the AGC and wipe out a weak -25 dB signal I'm trying to decode.

Bill W5WVO

--------------------------------------------------
From: "JAMES ROGERS" <w4atk at bellsouth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 22:01
To: "Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO" <w5wvo at cybermesa.net>
Cc: "[Elecraft]" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] [K3] Speaker output amp kaput

> Bill,
> Look at your K3 manual page 53. and note the menu item AF LIM. After 
> seeing the posts on the amp failure, I immediate set this to limit the  AF 
> output to safe levels as I frequently operate without the AGC being  ON 
> (digital modes).  I have mine set to 20, just arbitrary, half way  between 
> 17 and 23. I also try to remember to reduce the RF gain to the  S meter 
> indicating S9 before turning off the AGC. It is not a cure for  the 
> "fragile" nature of the AF amp device but hopefully it will save  me from 
> a similar fate. I am glad to know that if I do blow mine up,  the 
> headphones will still work.
>
> 73s  Jim, W4ATK
> On Oct 6, 2010, at 1:19 PM, Bill VanAlstyne W5WVO wrote:
>
>> I recently fried (I believe) the speaker amplifier in my K3,  apparently 
>> by
>> just turning off the radio and turning it back on too quickly.  Perhaps 
>> the
>> fact that the AGC was disabled at the time might have had something  to 
>> do
>> with this, though that is just a guess. I accidentally turned off  the K3 
>> by
>> pushing the POWER button by mistake, and, cursing my klutziness, 
>> immediately
>> pushed the button again to turn it back on, as I was in the middle  of a 
>> QSO.
>> The radio came back on -- but sans speaker. It has been dead ever  since.
>> Configuration settings have been double-checked. It's not a  catastrophe 
>> for
>> me, because I normally use headphones anyway, but I'd like to get it 
>> fixed.
>>
>> Since I'm not reading every post on the list these days, I have  probably
>> missed something about this, because I dimly recall seeing some  subject
>> headings about the speaker amplifier. I didn't read these. Is this a
>> user-replaceable part? If so, what is involved?
>>
>> And if this part is blowing up regularly, why is it so fragile? Is  there
>> something that can be done to better protect it?
>>
>> My K3 was recently (couple months ago) updated at the factory with all
>> applicable mods.
>>
>> Bill W5WVO
>> New Mexico
>>
>>
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