Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance too tight.
I too was concerned when the tuning knob of my K2 #5551 was stiff, even without a felt washer or two. The encoder shaft was very carefully scrutinised and no errant fibres were visible. It was with reluctace I requested a replacement encoder, because I believe it's an expensive component, but Elecraft speedily provided one without hesitation. Wow! What a difference that made! At the time I offered to return the stiff encoder to Elecraft for examination, but they declined. I still have the stiff encoder and the offer of its return to Elecraft still stands. Great radio and outstanding backup. 73 DaveL G3TJP K2/100 #5551 K3/100 #1122 __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Sam, loosen the screws in the knob, pull it away from the face a bit and re-tighten. The resistance is set by the felt washer behind it. If that doesn't fix your problem, you have something else going on that I don't know about. Good Luck 73 Tom W0EA On Fri, Aug 7, 2009 at 7:42 AM, Sam Morganka5...@gmail.com wrote: I have been mainly using HRD and PowerSDR/IF to tune my K2 the last few months. This morning I reached over to tweak a signal and found the resistance on the main tuning know was really tight. I use to be able to use the edge of my finger and almost spin the dial it was so free, but now it's so tight that is no even possible. Is there an adjustment for this, a reason it may have happened? I fear something is in the process of breaking? -- GB 73 KA5OAI Sam Morgan __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Sam, That happens when some of the fuzz 'strings' from the felt washer gets caught up in the slot on the encoder shaft. Try to get it out with the tip of a knife or a needle, and believe me, it is not an easy task. Worst case, if you can't get it out, you may have to replace the encoder. Use a new felt washer in any case. 73, Don W3FPR Sam Morgan wrote: I have been mainly using HRD and PowerSDR/IF to tune my K2 the last few months. This morning I reached over to tweak a signal and found the resistance on the main tuning know was really tight. I use to be able to use the edge of my finger and almost spin the dial it was so free, but now it's so tight that is no even possible. Is there an adjustment for this, a reason it may have happened? I fear something is in the process of breaking? __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Don Wilhelm wrote: Sam, That happens when some of the fuzz 'strings' from the felt washer gets caught up in the slot on the encoder shaft. Try to get it out with the tip of a knife or a needle, and believe me, it is not an easy task. Worst case, if you can't get it out, you may have to replace the encoder. Use a new felt washer in any case. Thanks Don, I had been looking at the archives for a while, and about the time you sent your reply, I had finally figured out the correct search term to use and found that very thing about the felt washer. Good news is I got a few of the fuzz strings out and the tension has freed up 'some'. Bad news is it's not back to where it use to be. But hey it's a lot better, guess some of the fiber strings were inside where I couldn't get them out. Maybe they will work themselves out in the future, I hope. Thanks again for the K2 reply, now I can unsubscribe again. Can't cope with the, 'All K3 All the Time' aspect of the list. Shrug, yea you're right, I'm just jealous cause I can't afford one, oh well, maybe they will break up the lists some day and I can come back to stay. -- GB 73 KA5OAI Sam Morgan __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
I had that problem with my K2 9 years ago, and solved it by carefully tweezing the hairs out. Not cutting them, but finding the end of one and then turning the encoder shaft so it unwound and came out. Quite a job but it restored the original free-wheeling encoder action. Then I soaked the inside edge of that felt washer with superglue so it wouldn't shed any more hairs into the mechanism. That made a hard 'fuzz-less' ring on the inside edge of the washer where it touches the encoder shaft and bearing. No trouble since. Back then others reported great success replacing the felt washer with a leather washer cut from an old belt or other scrap leather piece. No fuzz and they said it provided great friction control. Ron AC7AC -Original Message- From: elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-boun...@mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Don Wilhelm Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 6:29 AM To: Sam Morgan Cc: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight Sam, That happens when some of the fuzz 'strings' from the felt washer gets caught up in the slot on the encoder shaft. Try to get it out with the tip of a knife or a needle, and believe me, it is not an easy task. Worst case, if you can't get it out, you may have to replace the encoder. Use a new felt washer in any case. 73, Don W3FPR Sam Morgan wrote: I have been mainly using HRD and PowerSDR/IF to tune my K2 the last few months. This morning I reached over to tweak a signal and found the resistance on the main tuning know was really tight. I use to be able to use the edge of my finger and almost spin the dial it was so free, but now it's so tight that is no even possible. Is there an adjustment for this, a reason it may have happened? I fear something is in the process of breaking? __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Back then others reported great success replacing the felt washer with a leather washer cut from an old belt or other scrap leather piece. No fuzz and they said it provided great friction control. Since the K3 uses similar felt washers for both VFOs, is it worth us making this change now, even before we get the fuzzies, Ron? 73 Gary ZL2iFB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Good question, Gary. Back in 2000 when my K2's encoder froze up I thought Uh, oh! This is going to be a big issue! but apparently very few K2 owners had any trouble at all. I was one of the few to report the issue. This report by Sam is the first comment I can recall seeing in years. I'm sure that's why it's never become an action item for Elecraft. I have the stock felt washers in my K3 and have had no problems so far. Since I help with the documentation, I try to keep my K3 absolutely Elecraft stock so I'm experiencing exactly what everyone else with an out of the box K3 experiences. I have not doctored the K3's felt washers in any way. In off-line correspondence with Sam, I pointed out that that I did not cut the threads I found stuck in the bearing, but reasoned that if they were pulled in by turning the knob, they would come out the same way. I gripped the end of each thread with tweezers and turned the knob while pulling gently. Each one slowly came out when I turned the shaft in the proper direction. It was a bit tedious, but I ended up with a free-wheeling encoder again. I'd recommend the same if anyone has the same problem. If your encoder is jammed and you can't get the threads out, drop a line to k3supp...@elecraft.com. After all, you have a world-class year-long warranty! Ron AC7AC -Original Message- Since the K3 uses similar felt washers for both VFOs, is it worth us making this change now, even before we get the fuzzies, Ron? 73 Gary ZL2iFB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Re: [Elecraft] K2 Tuning knob resistance to tight
Gary, I have had the knob off many K2s, and only a few have a problem with the felt washer. It seems if the felt washer is positioned around the nut on the shaft, it stays there, but if it falls down when the knob is placed on the shaft, then it may become a problem, or if the knob is positioned quite loose, it will be a problem. The best technique to use when putting on the felt washer and the knob is to position the radio on its rear panel, position the felt washer and drop the knob onto the shaft and tighten the setscrews. It seems that the weight of the knob itself provides enough tension on the felt washer to produce a very nice feel with the proper amount of drag for my tastes. 73, Don W3FPR Gary Hinson wrote: Back then others reported great success replacing the felt washer with a leather washer cut from an old belt or other scrap leather piece. No fuzz and they said it provided great friction control. Since the K3 uses similar felt washers for both VFOs, is it worth us making this change now, even before we get the fuzzies, Ron? 73 Gary ZL2iFB __ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:Elecraft@mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
