[Elecraft] K3 No Receive, No Transmit - SOLVED

[Ian White]

Another point worth making is that connectors and users "train" each
other, so it all becomes easier with practice.

First-time assembly of multi-pole or TMP connectors may be a little
difficult because of production tolerances. But once the pins have been
successfully aligned with each other, they will connect much more easily
in future. 

At the same time, the connector is training you - showing you how to
line up the pins correctly, and how to recognize by look and feel when
the connector has been correctly mated.

And finally, don't forget "Rule 1 of Elecraft Assembly": Everything fits
together *exactly*. If that doesn't seem to be the case, try
repositioning the user.


73 from Ian GM3SEK



>-----Original Message-----
>From: Elecraft [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
>Guy Olinger K2AV
>Sent: 20 October 2015 19:20
>To: Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO
>Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3 No Receive, No Transmit - SOLVED
>
>Vic has it correct. Thinking carefully about what I did, without ever
>hurting my fingers:
>
>I gradually insert the TMP lightly with a back and forth twisting
motion
>and ALWAYS wiggle the connector a little until I feel the opening for
the
>center conductor.  Then a slight bit more push after I'm sure the pin
is in
>the center. IMPORTANT and counter-intuitive:
>
>
>===>>> Pushing hard on the TMP will frequently (always?) **NOT** force
>the
>pin into the center hole if the tip is even just a little misaligned.
<<<===
>
>
>I think trying to force a misaligned center pin causes a lot of the
finger
>trauma and busted connector stuff. After correctly aligning the center
pin
>as above, seating the TMP is easy with the side of needle nose pliers
held
>flat across the flanges.
>
>A little tool would be nice. **But if the tip is misaligned,** the
>increased pressure possible from the tool would just break more things.
>
>TMP connectors are a decent cost reduction if the folks using them are
>educated to the technique.
>
>SMA connectors? A lot of things could be better if the K3(S) was
>manufactured to MIL-Spec. But what would it cost? Currently Elecraft is
>the
>least expensive product still riding the bleeding edge of improvements
in
>our microscopic niche in the electronics world. We are capable of
figuring
>out and dealing with things like TMP connectors.
>
>Eight years later and Yakencom is just now catching up. They certainly
did
>not want to, but were thrashed so badly in technical head to head
>comparisons they HAD to. Elecraft technology is singularly responsible
for
>forcing the greatest improvement in both analog SDR hybrid and pure SDR
>ham
>equipment across manufacturers. When JA1MP died, and the FT1000MP's
>were
>out, Yakencom just went to sitting on their collective b*tts, and
>concentrated on fluff to sell more units. Nature abhors a vacuum, and
>Elecraft appeared.
>
>These days one can't brag unless your rig is as good as a K3(S) in the
tech
>listings. And the legion of comparison-mongers out there will hit you
on
>every nit of difference on anything, CW keying shape, effectiveness of
NB,
>transmitting bandwidth, QSK, degree of overload in ridiculous
>circumstances, yada, yada, you'll hear it about everything. Anyone
sitting
>on their laurels will be left in the dust. That "anyone" could
potentially
>include Elecraft. But thankfully Big E is still about doing things like
a
>vastly improved synthesizer and forever working on their firmware.
>
>Good luck everyone, and 73,
>Guy K2AV.
>
>On Tuesday, October 20, 2015, Vic Rosenthal 4X6GP/K2VCO
><k2vco.vic at gmail.com>
>wrote:
>
>> The TMP connectors are not that hard to insert, but the danger is
that it
>> is easy to apply too much force when they are not aligned properly,
and
>> damage the socket-board connection. You can lift the trace from the
>board
>> if you are not careful (yes, I learned this the hard way).
>>
>> The trick is to start them by hand and make absolutely sure the
center pin
>> is in its socket, and then push them all the way in with a tool like
very
>> small needle-nose pliers or forceps.
>>
>>
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