+++++++++++++++++++ See also K2 Matched Filter Crystals +++++++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 16:31:43 -0800 From: Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft Organization: Elecraft To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Rev A to B Upgrade kit now on Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form The K2 Rev A to B Upgrade is now on the Elecraft Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form. See: http://www.elecraft.com/order_form_parts.htm#K2AtoB You can also download the Rev A to B Upgrade instructions from: http://www.elecraft.com/manual/k2a2binstr.pdf These upgrades only apply to Revision A and XC (Field Test) K2s, below serial number 3000. S/N 3000 and above have shipped with Revision B boards. 73, Eric WA6HHQ +++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 19:44:17 -0800 From: Larry Mollica Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Rev A to B Upgrade kit now on Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net >We will be releasing a different upgrade kit which includes the >complete set of Rev B PC boards and a different parts kit by January >2nd. I'm one of the folks who has not started construction. I would appreciate it if the Elecrafters could give us a hint as to how much the rev B board(s) will go for. I for one, am holding back on construction until I can make a decision about using the new board, which will pretty much depend upon the price. A ballpark guess would be helpful. Thanks, Larry +++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 20:31:51 -0800 From: Wayne Burdick Organization: Elecraft To: Bruce Rattray Cc: k6iii at juno.com, elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Everything you wanted to know about K2 revisions (XA, XB, XC, A, B) Bruce Rattray wrote: > Hi folks...I just had a look at the revision A to revision B information > on the Elecraft web page...initially is says. "The mod kits listed below > are required to upgrade an existing, BUILT, Revision A (or XC) K2 to > Revision B." Hi Bruce, In the beginning there were three prototype revisions of the K2: Rev XA, XB, and XC. We built 2 at rev XA, 2 at XB, and 100 or so at rev XC (Field Test, 1999). Then we went to the first production K2 (revision A), accounting for serial numbers through #2999. Above that, K2s are revision B (the new, updated K2). The revision letter can be found on each of the three main boards. The upgrade kit takes a rev A or XC K2 up to rev B. One of my own K2s is a surviving revision XB unit, s/n 00001. Thanks to a lot of parts tacked on the bottom, it's up to rev. B, and works just as well. It *is* a bit dusty, though ;) 73, Wayne N6KR +++++++++++++ From: To: "Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft" , Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Rev A to B Upgrade kit now on Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 21:45:39 -0700 Hi all - I was a bit surprised - I thought the matched crystal sets were going to be considered a necessary upgrade as well. Oh well, I'm going to see if the new crystals make a difference anyway :-) 73/Tim NZ7C. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft" To: Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 5:31 PM Subject: [Elecraft] K2 Rev A to B Upgrade kit now on Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form > The K2 Rev A to B Upgrade is now on the Elecraft Parts and Mod Kits Web > order Form. -- snip -- ++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 09 Dec 2002 21:18:32 -0800 From: Wayne Burdick Organization: Elecraft To: tlogan7 at cox.net Cc: Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft , elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Re: K2 Rev A to B Upgrade kit now on Parts and Mod Kits Web order Form tlogan7 at cox.net wrote: > Hi all - > I was a bit surprised - I thought the matched crystal sets were going to be > considered a necessary upgrade as well.... Tim, Only a small number of K2 kits were shipped with crystals that exhibited inordinately narrow bandwidth (actually, higher than average motional inductance). It takes quite a bit of effort to replace the crystals, so we don't recommend doing it unless you're certain that your K2 is affected. You can check this by testing in RX mode, TX mode, or both. Since the number of affected K2s is small, it didn't make sense to require new filter crystals as part of the upgrade. 73, Wayne N6KR ++++++++++++++++ Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 22:08:50 -0800 From: "Andreas Hofmann" To: Subject: [Elecraft] Do I need to buy the firmware upgrade or is it included those option/mod kits I tried to find out whether I need to buy the upgrade or not, but it is not really stated anywhere. The K2ATOBKIT manual only mentions the need of upgrade if older than 2.00. Anyway, I have "2.01h 1.02" now. I am in the process or ordering/installing: K2ATOBKIT, BFOMODKIT, K2KSB2XTLS, K160RX, KPA100 (well, Santa will be so kind...). Do I need to buy the $44 firmware upgrade? Any help is appreciated. Andreas, KU7T +++++++++++++++++ From: "Lyle Johnson" To: "Andreas Hofmann" , Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Do I need to buy the firmware upgrade or is it included those option/mod kits Date: Mon, 9 Dec 2002 22:23:45 -0800 > Anyway, I have "2.01h 1.02" now. I am in the process or > ordering/installing: > K2ATOBKIT, BFOMODKIT, K2KSB2XTLS, K160RX, KPA100 (well, Santa will be so > kind...). > > Do I need to buy the $44 firmware upgrade? No, it will come with the KPA100. If you add a KAT100, any required firmware upgrade will come with it... 73, Lyle KK7P ++++++++++++++++ From: "Rod N0RC" To: Date: Wed, 25 Dec 2002 17:40:44 -0700 Subject: [Elecraft] SN 2006/Rev B WOW! What difference. Most notable features: o sidetone, very smooth sweet tone o The low voltage-drop reverse protection diode. o Frequency stability improvements of the BFO/PLL But _the_ best, and my favorite, the filter symmetry. In addition to the Rev B. mods, I added the matched crystal set. I aligned the filters with Spectrogram, the CW plots are nearly mirror image, and flat, about the center frequency. There is no frequency shift of a zero beat tone as I cycle through the various bandwidths, and CW/CW-R After careful tweaking, the Upper and Lower SSB settings sound nearly identical. (Tested by zero beating an AM signal (WWV) and switching between Upper to Lower sideband) This mod kit is a must have for anybody with a K2 SN below 3000. Like I said, WOW! *** Happy Holidays *** 73, Rod N0RC ++++++++++++++++++ Date: Tue, 14 Jan 2003 21:31:37 -0800 From: Wayne Burdick Organization: Elecraft To: Larry Mollica Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Re: K2 Rev B Component kit for unbuilt Rev A K2s Larry, you can certainly build the K2 as rev A, then do the rev B upgrade if you feel that the changes are worthwhile. You can download the rev B upgrade document to see what the hardware mods are. As for firmware, the most important change in rev 2.03 is support for the KAT100 ATU. If you don't think you'll be building a KAT100, you can stick with 2.02H. Other minor changes: - Power is now reduced to 2 or 20 watts when TUNE is pressed (20 W if a KPA100 is installed and enabled). - Support provided for a builder-installed front-panel LED that will turn on whenever SPLIT, RIT, or XIT is in effect. (This is the subject of an application note to be posted soon.) Hope this helps you decide. 73, Wayne, N6KR Larry Mollica wrote: > > Questions... > > I'd like to know if there are any feature improvements between the > required MCU 2.03D / IOC 1.07 firmware, and the 2.02h/102 lurking in > my bags of K2 parts. (Excluding A to B hardware improvements.) > > And while we're at it, may I ask how seriously required is this > firmware anyway? Modified A-to-B boards are not really the same > circuits as factory B boards? What's the deal? > > Not to gripe, it's just the beefy total of the two kits is giving me > pause to consider more closely whether or not to make do with the old > boards. More data would be helpful. > > Thanks, > Larry ++++++++++++++++ From: "Rick" To: Date: Thu, 16 Jan 2003 13:28:06 -0600 Subject: [Elecraft] Upgrading older K2's Performing modifications to the K2 is really no more difficult than building it. Well, aside from having to remove parts from the boards, that is, but the same care and dexterity is required. It is not necessary to spend a lot of money on fancy desoldering tools, though they are nice to have. Skill is a more than adequate substitute. Removing old parts can be difficult if you try to save them. I usually cut the component off the board and then heat up each remaining lead and pull it out with tweezers or small needle nose pliers. This works especially well on chips with many leads. The use of almost any solder removal device or method will work to clean the hole afterwards. Adding fresh solder before cleaning the hole often works better since heat conduction is uniform and the rosin makes eveything shiny. Doing this limits any possible damage to the board. Removing xtals would seem difficult but you can do it by "rocking" the xtal out by alternately heating the solder at each lead, as described so many times before. Again, adding a little solder often helps a lot. I have made all the possible mods to my K2 (1360) and have never encountered a problem doing them. I use an ancient "Sold-a-pult", a spring-loaded blue tube-shaped thing that makes a mess of the process because it leave tiny globs of cold solder around on the board afterwards. Still, it's all I use and it works fine. Running the solder tip around on the board will pick up (and melt together) any loose solder particles. You should attempt to limit the time and the amount of heat you apply during component removal as too much or either will destroy the "glue" that secures the copper trace to the board material. The Elecraft boards are of good quality and I have yet to delaminate a trace, but it can happen if you get careless. Just don't dwell on the connection very long. The bottom line is this: you can safely make mods to your rig using average soldering skills. There's nothing to fear. Also, it takes very little experience to get "good" at it. So jump in! The solder's fine! Rick KC0OV +++++++++++++++ Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 23:12:53 -0700 From: Eric Swartz WA6HHQ - Elecraft Organization: Elecraft To: "Stephen H. Sorrell" Cc: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K2 Rev A to B I'll upload it on Monday. 73, Eric Stephen H. Sorrell wrote: > I downloaded the "Upgrading The Elecraft K2 to Revision B" document from > the web site. It is dated Dec. 2002, Rev C. My friend just recieved his > update package and included with it were the same document but with a Jan > 4, 2003 date, Rev D. > My request is: Can we get the download site the latest version of this > document? > Thanks, > de Steve W8SFF +++++++++++++++