[Elecraft] KXPD3 again...

[Donald Butler]

I finally got around to reshaping the cupped ends of the KXPD3 contact
screws as others have suggested, and it seems to have solved all of my
KXPD3 issues.  I can now adjust the paddles very tightly and no longer
have runaway dits or dahs.  I no longer have dropped dits or dahs, and I
don't have the random delayed response problem which I had been
experiencing.

To accomplish the reshaping I disassembled the KXPD3, but left the screw
in each paddle (extended several turns to provide better access, and
secured with the set screw).  That provided a handle and allowed me to
keep it under control while using a fine white stone in my dental drill
to do the shaping (I'm a retired dentist and still have an old belt
driven handpiece on my workbench, but a Dremel mototool or something
similar will work just as well) and I just rounded off the cupped ends.
I didn't have to mess with the spring.  I have taken a few closeup
photos of the final result which I can post, but am not sure if the
reflector will allow jpeg attachments (what say Wayne?)

I also rotated the brass cylinders to move the wear marks (caused by the
sharp cupped screw ends) away from the contact area.

After several ragchew type qsos I'm confident that all of my previous
KXPD3 issues have been solved.

Don, N5LZ KX3 S/N 125 

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Pierre
Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2012 7:43 AM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] KXPD3 again...


Hi folks,

 Well, after more than 2 months of operations with the KXPD3 and more
than 350 QSOs, I still have trouble with that paddle. It occasionally
misses either a dit or a dah. On these occasions, when I push the
paddle, the contact don't produces anything.

 So far, the fixes that have read:

 - clean the black anodizing around the hole where the head of the thumb
screw sits. I was told that it was done at the factory starting at a S/N
earlier than mine, so I did not tried it. Maybe I should do it.
 - To 'file' the contacts screws.. Done this, but not much change...
 - Changing the spring: I did not do it, and wonder of it could be THE
fix..

 It is a bit strange that after all the complaints about the KXPD3,
Elecraft has not fixed that once and for all...?

 About the spring, I would suggest that Elecraft provides us with a set
of 3 to 4 new springs of different tensions so that we can test/choose
the one that works best for each user.

 73 de VE2PID KX3 S/N 190



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