[Elecraft] Ouch

[Robert Friess]

Hi Mike,

Probably just smoked T4, the voltage sampling transformer in the SWR
bridge.  That's probably a simple repair.

73,
Bob, N6CM


On Sun, Jun 29, 2014 at 8:23 PM, Mike Lewis <mlewis53 at gmail.com> wrote:

> So about 20 minutes prior to starting another successful Field Day with my
> trusty K3 I powered it up for the first time after connecting everything
> had
> just started some tests when my buddy starting yelling that I was letting
> some of the magic smoke out of the radio. Sure enough, there was smoke
> coming out of the back of the radio. I dived over and pulled the power. To
> make a long story short, I was running an S9 31' vertical antenna base
> tuned
> with an SG-231 autotuner, with the auto tuner powered over the coax using
> DC
> blocks. The exact same config as I ran with last year with wonderful
> results. Unfortunately this year in my excitement I carelessly installed
> the
> DC block at the radio end BACKWARDS, sending the 13.8v from my 30 switched
> supply right into the antenna jack. After the incident I powered back up
> with my finger on the off switch to try to assess the level of damage. The
> radio puts out some power, but the SWR is infinite even into a dummy load.
> I
> am not sure of the status of the receiver input chain as I didn't want to
> put it back onto a real antenna.
>
>
>
> So I am just wondering before I open it up what kind of damage I might find
> and what kind of options I might have for repair. Has anyone heard of this
> sort of a bonehead mistake? Any ideas on what I might have fried? Given
> this
> is a mechanical assembly only kit is there any chance any of the parts are
> going to be user serviceable? I love the radio and I'm hoping it is at
> least
> salvageable.
>
>
>
> Thanks for any insights,
>
> Mike/KE0MF
>
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