[Elecraft] K3 - Erratic FP switches

[Fred Jensen]

The switches on the FP of my K3 started to appear erratic.  I often 
leave the radio on and in TEST mode when I know I'm going to come back 
in a short while.  It seemed that, going into or out of TEST mode, I'd 
get audible feedback but nothing would happen.  Trying to turn on/off 
the APF was similar ... sometimes I get the feedback but nothing 
happened, sometimes I got an XFIL change instead, and sometimes it 
worked.  Then, I began to notice the same thing on the switches on my 
new P3.

I think I've figured it out.  Neither the K3 nor P3 are particularly 
heavy.  I recently installed a new, lower wood shelf for the radios and 
now they are sitting on that rather than the desk.  It's more slippery 
and they move.  Consequently, I've been using a lighter touch on the 
switches, and I don't think they like that.  I put a piece of that 
non-slip rubber lace-like cloth under the P3, it is much more solid on 
the shelf, and the switch problem has disappeared.  Four little squares 
under the K3 feet and it too seems to be cured.

Backing off on the switch action was unconscious and pretty much 
automatic for me and I really didn't realize I wasn't positively 
actuating the buttons.  There's been some chatter on similar problems 
here on the list, possibly that's one issue.

I also found out while trying out the switches that holding ALT and then 
forgetting that I did it will cause MODE up and down to skip one 
sideband or the other depending on the band. :-)

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2012 Cal QSO Party 6-7 Oct 2012
- www.cqp.org