[Elecraft] failed K3

[rikoski]

I have other things to do.

> On Feb 26, 2022, at 8:37 AM, Geert Jan de Groot <pe1hzg at ymbk.nl> wrote:
> 
> On 24/02/2022 20:58, elecraft-request at mailman.qth.net wrote:
>> In January in the middle of a QSO, the Elecraft transceiver stopped working. I got return authorization and returned the transceiver to Elecraft for service. They say that because of the number of units returned to them, it will be another 2 months before they can get around to mine. So I'm off the air for 3 months..
>> So what to do? 
> 
> So, what failed? We're licensed radio amateurs and have done exams on radio electronics; hence should know a thing or two about the inner workings.
> 
> Given that common faults are known and probably have been discussed on-list, there are people here who know the radio well and there are even the odd comments from techs on this list, I would have not send the radio without self-investigating the fault.
> 
> I've done repairs on most of my Elecraft kit and in many cases it is something simple: connector issue, erratic encoders. Several issues are published by Elecraft and you can easily do the re-work tourself. What I didn't know I asked and the lists have been good. The one exception is that getting Elecraft to fix firmware bugs for older products (K3, P3, KX2, KX3) has been difficult; since the software is closed-source this is a problem.
> 
> If anything, my future interest would be something with the hardware of elecraft but using an arrangement where once software development from the manufacturer has ended, maintenance can be done using open source.
> 
> Geert Jan