[Elecraft] Re: CW tuning indicator for Elecraft K2
Hi Charlie: At 06:45 PM 4/6/05, W0YG, Charlie Summers wrote: Being a newbie and just getting SN 4853 going, I don't know what this tuning indicator you have referred to is. I would like to know a bit more about it. Is there some place I can read up on this modification. SN 4853 is on the air! I am now building up the KPA100 module. When completed, I am going back through the alignment/tuning procedure once more then wrapping this project up. It has been a hoot! Congratulations on having completed s/n 4853!!! You'll love the rig. And, tanks for asking about the SMD LED CW (Zero Beat) Tuning Indicator... sometimes I tend to forget that no everyone was around when this subject first came up, or when it reappeared most recently... About 5-6 years ago, Jerry Henshaw, KR5L, designed a PLL circuit which took a little signal from the K2's AF output and drove a PLL which would blink a LED when the radio was tuned closely (generally +/- 50Hz, if I recall) to a signal which matched the K2's sidetone... thus indicating that the K2 was close to being zero beat with the received signal. It was meant as a tuning aid for some operators who had difficulty achieving a good zero beat by ear (by matching the K2's sidetone against that of the receive signal. I designed a small PC board for Jerry, using thru-hole components, and I believe he sold a dozen or so (maybe) of the boards over the next year. After that time, the circuit kinda lost interest and little was said about it for another year or two. Then, I somehow found (or was directed to, I forget) a similar circuit which was offered by Bob Wolbert, K6XX, on his web site, but which seemed a bit nicer than the original design. I made up a few (thru-hole) boards, and offered them to builders. Sold a few. but the PC board was still a bit larger than might have been desired. So, for the first time in my short life, I decided to try designing the same circuit using surface-mount devices (SMDs), in an effort to get the board size down a bit (slightly larger than a large postage stamp), AND to add a small degree of challenge to the building of the kit. With the help of several Elecraft builders, we devised installation instructions for the kit into all of the Elecraft transceivers (K2, K1, and KX1), and the K1 installation docs also can be used as a general set of installation instructions for just about any other radio as well. THIS time, when I offered the PC board for sale, a number of folks groused about having to first find and then order the components... so I caved in and started kitting the project at a complete kit. I was amazed that the project took off... I sent out over 360 kits in the space of 3-4 months...!!! And to date, I know of no complete failures... though they may not have been reported to me... G A couple builders had problems with solder shorts between components, and one PC board (which I supplied) which had a broken land, and another one which had two shorted lands, but otherwise I know of no problems... so far. Once I got the 360+ kits made up and sent out, I'd had about as much 'fun' as I could muster (and a LOT HIGHER REGARD FOR THE FOLKS WHO MAKE AND SELL KITS FOR A LIVING!), and I now only offer the bare PC boards for sale. The documentation which appears on my web site www.n0ss.net included a complete parts list and the Mouser part numbers so builders can order the components from one location with as little pain and suffering as possible. The docs also offer complete assembly and alignment instructions. Though assembly does require a steady hand, and either good eyes or a decent magnifier, assembly of the kit is not difficult, and alignment is fast easy as well. And only four (4) wires are required to attach the kit to your radio. KX1 owners will require two (2) user-supplied 1/4W resistors to go with their installation, to drop the AF output lever before it gets to the indicator. Oh, I almost forgot, K1 owners will have to supply an LED of their choosing as well. In the K2, the tuning indicator is usually installed such that it will blink the 10th LED of the S-meter LED to indicate when you're tuned to the other guy's signal. Don Wilhelm, W3FPR, tells me he prefers to use a separate LED for this purpose, and he mounts a mini-LED inside the K2s [LOCK] button. Of course you, the builder, can choose how you wish to implement the LED indicator. In the K1, the user-supplied LED can be mounted in a hole you'd have to drill in the case, or you can use the suggested implementation which mounts the LED AGAINST the existing RIT LED and illuminates the RIT LED by radiated light. Seems to work nicely. In the KX1, the existing MAP LIGHT is utilized as the indicator, allowing for installation without having to drill holes or having to add a user-supplied LED. So, that's it. Hope this has given you enough info. If not, please feel free to ask. Complete docs are
RE: [Elecraft] Re: CW tuning indicator for Elecraft K2
-Original Message- In the K2, the tuning indicator is usually installed such that it will blink the 10th LED of the S-meter LED to indicate when you're tuned to the other guy's signal. Don Wilhelm, W3FPR, tells me he prefers to use a separate LED for this purpose, and he mounts a mini-LED inside the K2s [LOCK] button. Of course you, the builder, can choose how you wish to implement the LED indicator. Folks, Not quite true - I put the tiny LED in the SPOT button, I figure its function is more intuitive in that position. If you want to know how to put the LED in the button keycap, get Jerry Henshaw's original info from Tom's website http://www.n0ss.net/kr5l_led_cw_tuning_ind.pdf, which will tell you how to mount it in the LOCK/RATE button - it fits in the SPOT button in a similar manner, and could also be used for the buttons of the K1 and KX1 if you don't want to drill a hole in the case. Restoring to original appearance is a simple matter of replacing the keycap. 73, Don W3FPR ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: CW tuning indicator for Elecraft K2
Don Wilhelm wrote: If you want to know how to put the LED in the button keycap, get Jerry Henshaw's original info from Tom's website http://www.n0ss.net/kr5l_led_cw_tuning_ind.pdf, which will tell you how to mount it in the LOCK/RATE button - it fits in the SPOT button in a similar manner Do you think this would work for the RIT led mod, as well? How about in any of the keys you might want to choose? Just wondering for any future projects/mods, too. 73, Mark Baugh W5EZY Grenada MS __ Yahoo! Messenger Show us what our next emoticon should look like. Join the fun. http://www.advision.webevents.yahoo.com/emoticontest ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Re: CW tuning indicator for Elecraft K2 - LEDs that fit into the keycaps
Hi folks, Ater receiving a couple requests for the specifics of the LEDs I use in the K2 (K1, KX1) keycaps, I thought I should share this with the entire Elecraft world: The ones I found that work were in the Digi-Key catalog and are manufactured by Aligent Technologies. Green - DigiKey 516-1405-ND - Mfg. # HLMP-6500 Red - DigiKey 516-1398-ND - Mfg. # HLMP-6300 To install, drill a small hole into the center of the keycap (ream it to size with a knife blade if necesary), and cut the inside plastic of the keycap to the bottom to accomodate the leads as described in Jerry Henshaw's description. Cut the LED leads to a reasonable length and solder wires to the these leads then put the keycap back in place over the switch - be certain the drilled (and reamed) hole is just large enough to insert the LED so it barely projects out the front of the keycap, and at the same time, small enough to grip the LED body a bit so it is a snug fit. These LEDs do take a bit more current to bring up a reasonable brightness than I would like to have, but not so much as to be a problem. With the N0SS tuning indicator, I successfully used a 1.5k series resistor (power is taken from the 5 volt supply and the open collector driver provides the path to ground), and the brightness was dim but adequate. I haven't measured the actual current with the tuning indicator, but I guess it is in the neighborhood of 2 ma. The forward voltage I measured on one LED is 1.74 volts, and the manufacturer's data sheet says they are good up to 30 ma., so greater brightness could easily be achieved with a lower value resistor - chose your resistor and take your pick. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- In the K2, the tuning indicator is usually installed such that it will blink the 10th LED of the S-meter LED to indicate when you're tuned to the other guy's signal. Don Wilhelm, W3FPR, tells me he prefers to use a separate LED for this purpose, and he mounts a mini-LED inside the K2s [LOCK] button. Of course you, the builder, can choose how you wish to implement the LED indicator. Folks, Not quite true - I put the tiny LED in the SPOT button, I figure its function is more intuitive in that position. If you want to know how to put the LED in the button keycap, get Jerry Henshaw's original info from Tom's website http://www.n0ss.net/kr5l_led_cw_tuning_ind.pdf, which will tell you how to mount it in the LOCK/RATE button - it fits in the SPOT button in a similar manner, and could also be used for the buttons of the K1 and KX1 if you don't want to drill a hole in the case. Restoring to original appearance is a simple matter of replacing the keycap. 73, Don W3FPR ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
