++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 13:52:24 -0700 From: Vic Rosenthal Organization: Transparent Software To: K2 Subject: Re: [Elecraft] A repeat of my suggestion. John McClain wrote: > > On the K2 I am constantly > stepping through the tuning rates just see what frequency I am really > on. If we can't set these digits to zero when they are not displayed, > maybe we could continue displaying them even though they won't > change. In my opinion either way would be better than what we have > now. The problem seems to be that the 10 Hz tuning rate is too slow for comfort, but increasing it by increasing the step size decreases the resolution -- both the number of digits displayed and the number of possible settings. There may be a way to have your cake and eat it. A K2 owner I know (I don't want to mention his call w/o permission) has installed an encoder with a greater number of counts per revolution. The K2's encoder appears to have 25 counts per rev, which produces a tuning rate of about 1 KHz per rev with the 10 Hz step size. Similar encoders are available with 50, 100, 128, and 200 cpr. So at the 10 Hz step size you would (theoretically) get standard encoder 1 KHz/rev 50 cpr encoder 2 KHz/rev 100 " " 4 KHz/rev 128 " " 5.12 KHz/rev 200 " " 8 KHz/rev I normally use the 20 Hz step size. Any larger is too coarse for my taste. If I replaced my encoder with the 50 cpr version, I could have the same tuning rate with a 10 Hz step size and two digits on the display. I probably would go for the 100 -- that would give me a 4 KHz/rev tuning rate at the 10 Hz step size. I think this would be comfortable for fine tuning while allowing reasonably quick QSY. The fellow I mentioned who has done it went all the way to 200 cpr! Anybody see a downside (other than the fact that these encoders are NOT cheap)? Vic K2VCO ++++++++++++++++++++ Date: Thu, 23 May 2002 17:38:46 -0700 From: Tree N6TR To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net, k6se at juno.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] FT-100 Tuning Knob > Can anyone direct me to a source for the FT-100 tuning knob for use on my > K2? I understand that K2 users have depleted Yaesu's stock of them. I guess I will come out of the closet. I have a thoery on why so many people aren't happy with the stock knob on the K2. This ties into Vic's recent post more than Earl's, but Earl's message was handy. The "old" K2 firmware had a very significant limitation on how fast you could turn your VFO knob. If you turned it fast enough, the radio actually would not move frequency hardly at all. You can try this experiment: 1. Slowly turn the knob one revolution - taking about 2 seconds. Notice how far you QSYed. It should have been 1 kHz if you are in the 10 Hz step mode. 2. Now, turn the know the same revolution as fast as you can... how far did you QSY? 3. Try turing the knob as fast as you can for a few seconds.. Note how far you actually moved. This means that it takes a LOT of finger grease to QSY up the band if you are turning the knob at any significant speed. I believe this is the main reason people are wanting a better knob - to reduce the pain associated with all of this effort. I identified this to Wayne as a significant issue for contest use of the radio - and he responded by greatly improving the firmware in the recent release that has come with the KPA100. The difference is very significant. I no longer feel like I am pushing an elephant up and down the band. Along with this firmware change, it would be possible to use a different encoder to replace the 100 step/revolution one. Digikey sells ones that are 200, 400 and 800 steps/revolution. I have an 800/rev one and am still evaluating it. As long as I don't turn it too fast, I can QSY around pretty quickly with minimum hand movement. I can still turn it so fast that the radio doesn't move very far, but as long as I traing myself not to do this, I think it will be okay. I would strongly suggest that anyone thinking they need a new knob check out the improved firmware before making their final decision. If you are interested in the other encoders, check out the upper left corner of this DigiKey page: http://info.digikey.com/T022/V2/0742.pdf and look at 102-1009-ND. It is listed as 200 counts / rev, but in the K2, it gives 800 steps. I would probably suggest the 100 counts / rev as a better choice than the 200 for most people. It is also cheaper. Tree N6TR tree at kkn.net +++++++++++++++++++++