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I have a bunch of chores and chauffeuring to do today.  I probably won’t get around to continuing the build until this evening.  To paraphrase John Lennon’s quote: “Real life is what happens while you’re busy making Ham Radio plans”.

However, here are a couple of thoughts about the progress so far, for those of you who might be inclined to get one of these but are undecided.  This isn’t meant to sway anyone either way – just some observations.

The assembly manual is superb.  No ambiguities at all.  Each step is very clearly outlined.  If you have any questions, they are always readily answered on either the regular Elecraft reflector or the KX3 reflector.  It’s a big community.  Even though the number of kits shipped so far has been less than the number of factory built units shipped, the Elecraft folks and the Field Testers are quick to supply answers.

Elecraft was super quick to answer my query about missing screws and supplied me with a tracking number the next day.

In the opening pages of the manual, the words appear “Even easy for first time kit builders”.  This is true – don’t think that just because you’ve never built a kit before that you can’t undertake this.  I know that the price point can make the effort seem foreboding, but it’s really not. 

Do make sure to do the parts inventory, though.  I am sure the missing screws incident is due to the haste to get product out the door.  As the opening rush subsides, I am sure missing parts will become rare.  I ordered my K1 and my K2 way after the initial release and neither of those kits were missing anything. Indeed, I had excess screws which are proving to be a real life saver now.  But in the meantime, if you have ordered a kit and will be getting it soon – DO THE INVENTORY.

Hopefully, I’ll be posting more photos later tonight.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

The build continues.  So far I have put about 2 hours into this.  While I’m not quite done, I can see this being done in the 2 hours that Wayne mentioned on the KX3 reflector.  But being uber careful, I am going slow and really taking my time (and also taking time to take photos).  At this point I am “basically“ finished.  I still need to install the battery holders, the auto tuner and the roofing filters.  That won’t take long.  While I am done for the night, I should have this completed and will hopefully make my first QSO (God willing and the creek don’t rise) tomorrow.

This is what the top half looks like from the back. You can click on any of these photos to get a larger image.  The speaker and VFO encoder are towards the top right.

Here’s a close up of the speaker hooked up to the CP board.  Directly below that is the VFO encoder (and shield).

Here’s the finished top half.  If you look at the bottom right hand corner of the plastic bezel you will see where I have a temporary “make do” silver screw holding the bezel down.  This is where I was shorted one screw. I will put a black one in whenever it arrives from Elecraft.

This is the RF board in the bottom housing.  That big black square to the upper left is a magnetic shield.  Things are really crammed onto these circuit boards, I can only imagine the effort it would take to build these boards as a “conventional” kit.

This is the BNC connector. It was a bit tricky to get this in, as with the RF Board in place and screwed down you have to finagle the connector part way into the hole, then get the lock washer and nut in place and started.  Then you have to push the BNC to its final resting place against the chassis wall while simultaneously tightening the lock nut.  There’s just not a lot of space!

Here’s the two final transistors tightened down to the chassis/heat sink area.  This is another area where you have to be careful as Elecraft makes sure to mention (with a big caution) not to disturb that electrolytic capacitor.

So far this has been real easy as kit builds go.  The assembly manual is superbly done. The hardest part so far was installing some nylon screws for the rubber feet.  You want to make sure you get the screws started at exactly the right angle so you don’t end up cross threading or otherwise mucking up the screw threads.

And except for that one silver screw at the bezel, I have been able to make do and keep the build going using those extra screws I had left over from my K1 and K2.  Kudos to Elecraft for basically staying with the same hardware so that my “junk box” screws blend right in.  The hardware that I have coming from Aptos will go to replenish my “extras”.

The bad side of all this ????  This is really making me want a K3 now!  Maybe if I sell off some of my baseball memorabilia collection …………….

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

I did a complete inventory of my KX3 hardware and am sad to report that I am missing some screws and lock washers.

I sent off an e-mail to Elecraft letting them know what was missing. Normally, I wouldn’t even bother, I’d just go off to Home Depot or Lowes to pick up equivalents, but these screws are black. That means they are going to show from the outside, and I don’t think either store will have black hardware.

I might have to stop off at Greenbrook Electronics on the way home from work tomorrow, in the off chance they might carry black hardware.

I know what you might be thinking, but no …….. I made sure to do the inventory in a box top, so that nothing could roll off the table and on to the floor – or worse.

To their credit, Elecraft sends a small bag of “spare” hardware. Unfortunately, nothing that I need is in there.  I will try to start the build tomorrow night, but I think right from the get go, I am going to need some of these missing screws.

Heavy sigh.

Hmmmmm ….. the good news is that I may only be one screw short.  In a burst of inspiration, I went down to the basement to the parts drawer where I kept screws that were left over from my K1 and K2 builds.  I think I can make do until the missing parts arrive.  Moral of the story? Don’t throw stuff like that out!  But don’t become a hoarder, either – yes, I know it’s a fine line!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least.

and probably other countries, too. It’s for when things don’t work out quite up to your expectations. The phrase that is used is “Guess I’m a day late and a dollar short”.

I have to make an alternative.  “Guess I’m a day early and a dollar up!”  Because, when I came home from work today; and looked down while I was unlocking the door – this is what I saw:

‘Twas sitting right there, on the front stoop – waiting me to pick it up and bring it inside. And it arrived a day early!  According to the e-mail that I had received from the folks in Aptos, I was not expecting this until tomorrow.

Upon opening the box, I saw now nice and neatly everything was packaged:

The errata sheet, followed by the manuals (building and owner’s) and finally the boxes containing the goodies underneath.

As long as this has taken, I am in no glorified, all Hell bent, gotta-get-it-done-now rush.  I am going to spend tonight clearing off my worktable in the shack, and will take some time to re-read the construction manual – again.  Right now, if nothing comes up out of left field, I am anticipating construction being completed over the next two evenings.

Pictures and details to follow.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

if you’re a seller!

Just for the heck of it, I’ve been keeping a watch on the auction for an ATS-3B that ended tonight.  I was watching a bidding war right before my very eyes.

The final winning bid was $317.00 – not bad for a kit that originally sold for $160.00.  Admittedly, it is assembled and comes with a carrying case.  But that is almost double the original price.

I mentioned before that I think that eBay is a very good thing for sellers.  You have to wonder how many items end up garnering a bigger selling price than they ever would in a classified ad situation.  The “macho” of not allowing yourself to be outbid? A feeding frenzy – like sharks drawn to prey? Or is it just consumer ignorance?

An ATS-3B for over $300, that NorCal Doublet the other week for $60. Admittedly, I’m not in the market for either item, so maybe if I was, those prices would not seem so inflated.

It will be interesting to see what that Palm Mini Paddle and Code Cube end up going for.  Right now, they’re at $90.00 with about 40 minutes to go.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

Happy Memorial Day!

Although officially, Memorial Day will fall later this week, it will be observed this Monday.  So in the US, this weekend is always called “The Unofficial Start to Summer”.

There will be parades, B-B-Qs, parties, shore getaways, lake getaways, family gatherings, picnics, notable radio contests, etc, etc, etc.

No matter how you are spending your weekend, please be safe and have a very good time.  But somewhere during that good time, please take a moment to remember and pray for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our Nation, during all the conflicts that we have faced.  That is what this holiday is all about.

Freedom is not free and we honor those who have paid the debt for us.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!

The paddles are done.  The assembly was in the class of “Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy” territory. And assembly time was all of about a 1/2 hour or so.

The instructions provided by Doug Hauff were superb and easy to follow.  The hardest part, installing the compression spring was no big deal at all.  Slipped one end of the spring over one of the spring retainer screws and used a tweezer to finagle the other end over the other screw.  No launching into orbit or getting lost. Viola!

What I like most about these are:

1) Materials – nice grade of aluminum.
2) Weight – minscule.
3) Size – Super small; but yet not to the point where these are difficult to use. And I can be ham fisted, at times.
4) Ease of adjustment – Here’s the best part.  I like my paddles to have MINIMUM arm movement. There  should be no “clacking” and the closer I can get the feel to compare to a touch keyer the better.  I succeeded here with the DCP.  The adjustment screws have a fine enough thread pitch where this was easy to attain.

The only thing that I have to say that is negative, is that when you have the paddles attached to your radio (and it is on), you have to be careful about how you pick these up if you want to move them.  Your first inclination will be to reach down (or over) and just grab the key with your hand. If you do it that way, you will most likely start inadvertently sending dits and dahs. Like I did – several times. Oops!

That minor inconvenience being noted, I would give these paddles a 5 out of 5 star rating.  For their intended use, these paddles will more than fit the bill.  Now all I have to do is figure out some kind of leg mounting scheme.

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP – When you care to send the very least!