My K2 is S/N 5879 with RX ANT, KPA100, EXT ANT TUNER options. Have had damage from snow static discharge, to the diodes (5711) in the SWR bridge of the TUNER, the cap C114 on the K2, just inside the RX ANT option and on a MOSFET inside the home brewed TR switch. That was in 2007. Talked with Gary at Elecraft for recommendations. The K3 has gas disch. components for protection and i tried to order them then, but they didn't have stock. After some thoughts, i decided to prevent the static buildup which would occur with a simple gas discharge element; this would build to the ionization voltage and short the static, causing a pop if you're on the radio.
So i have wound several chokes and placed them on all points going to outside (antennas). It is a 60uh which costs pennies; use the plastic housing of a ball point pen (abt 7/16" dia) and cut it to 5/8" long.after you have wound 110 turns of 26ga enamel cu. wire on it. Just make sure that you do not finish the windings at the same end as the start of windings. Then put liquid tape on it and wind a few turns of black tape over the ass'y. Install inside the apparatus, where the antenna comes in. At 2mhz, it gives 1200 ohms. The choke will draw about 300 ma at 100watts out. If you dont like loosing 40mw for 50 ohms antenna Z, just put more turns on your ball point pen housing. This has been in use since Nov. 2007 and still works. And i do get strong snow buildup on the 1/2 wave 160m dipole up here. Also get yourself a few 1N5711; they're cheap, but very expensive (time wise) if you dont have 'em and they're blown up!! 73's va2gu k7hbg wrote: > > Hi all you K2 owners; > In the ongoing effort to preserve and protect our SWR and Power bridge > diodes, > would the installation of a gas discharge tube between the antenna > connector > and ground as in the K3 be of any help in this battle? > Regards, Bob K7HBG > ______________________________________________________________ > 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 > > -- View this message in context: http://n2.nabble.com/Adding-a-Gas-Discharge-Tube-a-Benefit-tp2602675p4002934.html Sent from the [K2] mailing list archive at Nabble.com. ______________________________________________________________ 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
