[Elecraft] FW: HEAVY KNOBS??

Wed May 30 12:58:39 EDT 2012

I tried both kinds of knobs for an extended period. I used the standard knob with very 
light drag from the felt pad so that I could spin it easily. It was easy to spin and stop 
precisely.

The heavy knob spins for much longer, but at first I found it was harder to stop it where 
I wanted it.

I have kept the heavy knob because I like the feel of it when turning more slowly. Both it 
and the standard knob are well-balanced so you can use them with very little drag.

On 5/30/2012 9:24 AM, Guy Olinger K2AV wrote:
> What I get out of a weighted knob is related to a car accelerator or
> throttle body that sticks with first pressure on the accelerator -- you
> always get a jerky start.  The knob weight makes the "smooth" part possible
> -- with enough inertia in the knob, it is possible to tune slowly with the
> results of a "light touch" even though my fingers no longer reliably impart
> a light touch.  This is getting more obvious as I get older.
>
> 73, Guy.
>
> On Wed, May 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM, W4ATK<w4atk at bellsouth.net>  wrote:
>
>> Phillip and others,
>>
>>         The original K3 knob is adequate in my opinion. As a matter of fact
>> I have an extra. I acquired a K2 where someone had put a K3 knob on it
>> (Which I did replace with the newer K2 weighted knob from Elecraft). I am
>> sitting here with the spare K3 knob  in my hands and cannot for the life of
>> me see any advantage to an even heavier knob. Proper adjustment against the
>> felt washer works for me….But to each his own…..
>>
>> 73s Jim, W4ATK
>> On May 30, 2012, at 8:44 AM, Phil LaMarche wrote:
>>
>>> I questioned the problems possible caused by heavy knobs. N8BX's
>>> response....
>>>
>>> Philip LaMarche
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> K3 # 1605
>>> KPA500 # 029
>>> P3 #1480
>>>
>>> W9DVM
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Fred Freeman [mailto:n8bx at redbird.net]
>>> Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 8:41 PM
>>> To: Phil LaMarche
>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS??
>>>
>>>
>>> Hi Phil, with regard to premature wear caused to the K3 encoders by
>> weighted
>>> knobs, I do not feel there is anything to be concerned about.  Elecraft
>> uses
>>> the best encoders I have experienced in over 20 years in ham radio.  They
>>> are on par with encoders I have seen in industrial applications where
>> they
>>> receive much more use and abuse than anything likely to be seen in an
>>> amateur radio application.  I have had a weighted knob on my K3 for 3
>> years
>>> and it gets used frequently.  It is also my demo radio at shows and it
>> gets
>>> a lot of use there.  To date, I can not tell it from a brand new radio.
>>   The
>>> reason it stays nice is partly due to the quality of the encoder and
>> partly
>>> because of the nature in which bearing material works.  Obviously a ball
>>> bearing is preferred but it is an expensive luxury for hams.  We a lucky
>> to
>>> have a USA manufacture (Elecraft) that chooses to use premium components.
>>> Many Japanese made radios now use a quality made encoder with a full
>> metal
>>> shell and a bronze bushing for the bearing.  Icom uses the same exact
>>> encoders the Icom 746 thru the 7800 radios, and Yaesu does the same on
>> the
>>> FT-950 thru FTdx9000, etc.  There were radios made in the 80's and 90's
>> that
>>> had plastic encoder housings and less robust bearing materials, yet these
>>> encoders continue to hold up over time.  Once in a while you will find an
>>> old Icom 735, Kenwood 440, or a Yaesu 757GX with a worn, loose and sloppy
>>> feeling encoder.  Often these radios have equal wear on the face, buttons
>>> and the rest of the enclosure.  They literally got the heck ran out of
>> them
>>> for 20 years and all without any maintenance (lubrication, etc).  There
>> are
>>> a great many radios on the used market from the 80's-90's that have nice
>>> smooth and wear free encoders and the best feeling are often from radios
>>> with heavier knobs (Icom 781, 765, 751A, Kenwood 930, 940, 950, Yaesu
>>> FT-990, FT-1000D, FT-1000MP, etc).  As an experienced tool maker, I will
>> not
>>> design a product that I feel will compromise the life of a customers
>> radio.
>>>
>>> One measure that I do recommend is removing the weighted knob from your
>>> radio if ever you ship it.  Shipping companies today are known for
>> dropping
>>> boxes from great heights.  When I bought my Icom 7700 and 7800 radios,
>> they
>>> both came with the Icom weighted knob not installed on the radio.  You
>> have
>>> to put the knob on after you remove it from the box.  So it is a
>> worthwhile
>>> consideration to remove the knob if shipping your radio via UPS, Fed-Ex
>> or
>>> US Mail.
>>>
>>> If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to email me.
>>> Thanks&  73, N8BX
>>> Fred
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------Original Message------
>>>> From: Phil LaMarche
>>>> To: n8bx at 73cnc.com
>>>> Subject: FW: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS??
>>>> Sent: May 27, 2012 2:58 PM
>>>>
>>>> Thoughts?
>>>>
>>>> Philip LaMarche
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> 727-944-3226
>>>> 727-510-5038 Cell
>>>> www.w9dvm.com
>>>> WWW.FLAMGROUP.COM
>>>>
>>>> K3 # 1605
>>>> KPA500 # 029
>>>> P3 #1480
>>>>
>>>> CCA 98-00827
>>>> CRA 1701
>>>> W9DVM
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
>>>> [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Ron D'Eau
>>>> Claire
>>>> Sent: Sunday, May 27, 2012 2:56 PM
>>>> To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>>>> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] HEAVY KNOBS??
>>>>
>>>> I wonder if anyone has studied the long-term effects on the encoder
>>>> bushings and shafts that must support those knobs? AFAIK, it's just a
>>>> simple bushing
>>>> - no ball or roller bearing races - so all of the wear is on the lower
>>>> side of the bushing.
>>>>
>>>> Ron AC7AC
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®
>>>
>>>
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-- 
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/