[Elecraft] K1 #2994 ON THE AIR

[stan levandowski]

Just finished the first contact with UA1CE on 20M with the new K1 at 5 
watts into a 44' doublet.

I take back all my negative first impressions of the K1.  It's right up 
there in quality with all the other Elecraft products.

The initial "lousy and noisy receive" is an interesting case-in-point. 
Somehow, I managed to plug the 4 band filter into J7 and J6 but managed 
to miss J8!  The clearance between J8 and the BNC is marginal and, with 
the sides on, I managed to miss J8.  I'm amazed that it worked at all 
and I didn't get the error message advising that the filter board was 
not plugged in.  Now, my K1 receiver is hearing the same weak signals as 
my K2 and K3.  Wonder if I have earned the distinction of being the 
first one to pull this stunt?

The lack of RF output was transformer T4. During installation I managed 
to cross two leads underneath the core.  Since T4 is mounted flat and 
right on the board this error became invisible until I finished 
debugging everything else over two and a half days and was pretty much 
left with a defective T4 as the only likely cause.  I was simultaneously 
relieved and angry when I desoldered T4 and saw those crossed wires.

The "scratchy and rough" VFO pot is going to be replaced, by Richard in 
Parts, with a"smooth and creamy" one and for that I am very 
appreciative.

All-in-all, this looks like it's going to be a fun little rig to add to 
my Elecraft inventory.

Think I'll use it in the NAQCC Sprint tonight.


73, Stan WB2LQF
KX1 #2411    K1#2994    K2# 6980    K3#5244     K9 #1 (Cocoa the 
Chihuahua)
Everything is QRP, even the dog.