Elecraft_K-3S_assembly_manual_2015.pdf
ELECRAFT K3S HIGH-PERFORMANCE 160 6 METER TRANSCEIVER KIT ASSEMBLY MANUAL Revision B1, November 20, 2015 Copyright 2015, Elecraft, Inc. All Rights Reserved E740259 3 Contents Key to Symbols and Text Styles . 4 Introduction . 5 Customer Service and Support . 5 Technical Assistance . 5 Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage . 7 How ESD Damage Occurs . 7 Preventing ESD Damage . 7 Preparing for Assembly . 8 Overview of the Kit . 8 Tools and Test Equipment Required . 10 Unpacking and Inventory . 11 .Standoffs . 11 Lock Washers . 11 Screws . 12 Assembly . 13 Front Panel and DSP . 14 Front Panel and DSP Description. 14 Front Panel Assembly Procedure . 14 Mounting the Sub Receiver Auxiliary DSP Board . 23 Installing the KDVR3 Digital Voice Recorder Option . 25 Mounting the DSP Board Assembly on the Front Panel . 26 RF Board and Chassis . 28 RF Board Description . 28 RF Board and Chassis Assembly . 30 Installing Antenna Connectors on the Rear Panel. . 36 Mount Front Panel Assembly on the Chassis . 40 Installing the KIO3B Interface . 42 Installing Battery BT1 . 44 Installing the KANT3A input module or KAT3A antenna tuner . 49 Installing the Right Side Panel . 50 Resistance Checks . 53 Initial Power On Check . 54 KREF3 Reference Oscillator . 54 Installing the KSYN3A Synthesizer . 57 Loudspeaker, Top Cover and KPA3A Shield . 60 KPA3A Shield . 62 Installing the KNB3 Noise Blanker . 63 Installing the Chassis Stiffener . 64 Bottom Cover . 64 Bottom Cover Description . 64 Bottom Cover Hardware Installation Procedure . 64 KBPF3A General Coverage Receive Option . 67 KBPF3A Description . 67 KBPF3A Installation Procedure . 67 Power Amplifier Jumper Block . 67 Battery BT1 . 68 Battery BT1 Installation Procedure . 68 Finishing the Enclosure . 68 Fan Opening Cover . 68 AUX RF Cable . 69 Bottom Covers . 69 Top Cover . 72 Test and Calibration . 74 Initial Power Checks . 74 Synthesizer Check . 74 Filter Setup . 75 Reference Oscillator Calibration . 75 TX Gain Calibration . 75 Option Modules . 76 Enable Modules . 76 KPA3A 100-Watt Amplifier Installation . 76 KRX3A Sub Receiver Installation . 76 Other Calibration Procedures . 76 Wattmeter Calibration (Optional) . 76 S-Meter Calibration (Optional) . 76 Appendix A, Illustrated Parts List. A1 Elecraft manuals with color images may be downloaded from . 4 Key to Symbols and Text Styles Identifies important information. -100 Characters displayed on the LCD screen DISP Tap switch function (labeled above a switch) AVERAGE Hold switch function (labeled below a switch; hold for 1/2 sec. to activate) MENU:Font Typical menu entry 5 Introduction This manual will guide you through assembly of your Elecraft K3S transceiver. Were confident that youll find the K3S easy to build, even if youve had no prior kit-building experience. Every modern transceiver is complex, and the K3S is no exception. The kit includes nearly 300 individual components, including over a dozen PC boards and a multi-element modular chassis. But the unique design of the K3S eliminates some of the tedious aspects of construction, enabling you to complete assembly in far less time than previous high-performance transceiver kits. Also, virtually all of the alignment is handled in firmware using test capabilities built into the K3S. If you should you have difficulty, youll have our full support via phone and e-mail. In addition, we hope youll join our growing and enthusiastic community of owner/builders via the Elecraft reflector. Further information about the Elecraft K3S, including specifications, installation, and operation instructions, can be found in the Owners Manual. Elecraft manuals with color images may be downloaded from . Customer Service and Support Technical Assistance You can send e-mail to K and we will respond quickly - typically the same day Monday through Friday. Telephone assistance is available from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Pacific time (weekdays only) at 831-763-4211. Please use e-mail rather than calling when possible since this gives us a written record of the details of your problem and allows us to handle a larger number of requests each day. Repair / Alignment Service (We want to make sure everyone succeeds!) If necessary, you may return your Elecraft product to us for repair or alignment. (Note: We offer unlimited email and phone support to get your kit running, so please try that route first as we can usually help you find the problem quickly.) IMPORTANT: You must contact Elecraft before mailing your product to obtain authorization for the return, what address to ship it to and current information on repair fees and turn-around times. (Frequently we can determine the cause of your problem and save you the trouble of shipping it back to us.) Our repair location is different from our factory location in Aptos. We will give you the address to ship your kit to at the time of repair authorization. Packages shipped to Aptos without authorization will incur an additional shipping charge for reshipment from Aptos to our repair depot. 6 Elecrafts 1-Year Limited Warranty This warranty is effective as of the date of first consumer purchase (or if shipped from factory, date product is shipped to customer). It covers both our kits and fully assembled products. For kits, before requesting warranty service, you should fully complete the assembly, carefully following all instructions in the manual. Who is covered: This warranty covers the original owner of the Elecraft product as disclosed to Elecraft at the time of order. Elecraft products transferred by the purchaser to a third party, either by sale, gift or other method, who is not disclosed to Elecraft at the time of original order, are not covered by this warranty. If the Elecraft product is being bought indirectly for a third party, the third partys name and address must be provided to Elecraft at time of order to insure warranty coverage. What is covered: During the first year after date of purchase, Elecraft will replace defective or missing parts free of charge (post-paid). We will also correct any malfunction to kits or assembled units caused by defective parts and materials. Purchaser pays inbound shipping to Elecraft for warranty repair, Elecraft will pay shipping to return the repaired equipment to you by UPS ground service or equivalent to the continental USA and Canada. Alaska, Hawaii and outside U.S. and Canada actual return shipping cost paid by owner. What is not covered: This warranty does not cover correction of kit assembly errors. It also does not cover misalignment; repair of damage caused by misuse, negligence, or builder modifications; or any performance malfunctions involving non-Elecraft accessory equipment. The use of acid-core solder, water-soluble flux solder, or any corrosive or conductive flux or solvent will void this warranty in its entirety. Also not covered is reimbursement for loss of use, inconvenience, customer assembly or alignment time, or cost of unauthorized service. Limitation of incidental or consequential damages: This warranty does not extend to non-Elecraft equipment or components used in conjunction with our products. Any such repair or replacement is the responsibility of the customer. Elecraft will not be liable for any special, indirect, incidental or consequential damages, including but not limited to any loss of business or profits. 7 Preventing Electrostatic Discharge Damage There is no climate or work location where the components of your K3S are safe from Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) unless you take specific steps to prevent such damage. Many of the components in your K3S can be damaged by static discharges of only a few volts: far too little for you to notice. It is those low-voltage but destructive discharges that easily happen anywhere and under virtually any environmental conditions. ESD damage may not be apparent at first. The damaged components may not fail completely. Instead, the damage may result in below-normal performance for an extended period of time before you experience a total failure. How ESD Damage Occurs Whenever an object containing a static charge touches a circuit in your K3S, current will rush into the circuit until the components reach the same voltage as the source of the static charge. If the voltage or current that passes through a component in your K3S during that brief period exceeds its normal operating specifications, it may be damaged or destroyed. Preventing ESD Damage ESD damage cannot occur if there is no voltage difference between the components in your K3S and any object that touches them. That is how anti-static packaging works. Anti-static bags allow the static charge to flow over their surface, so that any part of the bag that touches the components inside are all at the same potential at all times. Anti-static foam keeps the leads of sensitive components at the same potential. At your work bench, avoiding a dangerous voltage is achieved most easily by tying everything together and connecting them to a common mains safety ground. This includes your K3S, individual boards or other sensitive components as well as everything they may touch at the work table. Inexpensive static dissipating work mats are readily-available that will steadily and safely drain off any charges built up on parts or circuit boards placed on them. They are supplied with a lead that connects the mat to the common workbench ground. Also, metal cabinets on test equipment used on the bench should be tied together and connected to the common ground. Most importantly, you must have a way of continuously draining off any static charges that occur on your body. Such charges are easy to create, even while sitting quietly at the work bench. Moving your feet on the floor, shifting position in your chair or even moving your arms so that clothing rubs against itself can all produce destructive static charges. You can discharge yourself by touching an unpainted metal ground, but that will last only until you move in a way that produces a new static charge. The safest technique is to wear a grounded wrist strap with a series 1-megohm resistor that continuously drains off any charges. Such wrist straps are readily- available and inexpensive. WARNING DO NOT attach a ground directly to yourself without a current-limiting resistor as this poses a serious shock hazard. A wrist strap must include a 1-megohm resistor to limit the current flow. If you choose to touch an unpainted, metal ground to discharge yourself, do it only when you are not touching any live circuits with your other hand or any part of your body. 8 We strongly recommend you take the following anti-static precautions (listed in order of importance) to avoid trouble: Leave ESD-sensitive parts in their anti-static packaging until you install them. The packaging may be a special plastic bag or the components leads may be inserted in conductive foam. Parts which are especially ESD-sensitive are identified in the parts list and in the assembly procedures. Wear a conductive wrist strap with a series 1-megohm resistor. If you do not have a wrist strap, touch a ground briefly before touching any sensitive parts to discharge your body. Do this frequently while you are working. You can collect a destructive static charge on your body just sitting at the work bench. DO NOT attach a ground directly to yourself as this poses a serious shock hazard. Use a grounded anti-static mat on your work bench. If you choose to use a soldering iron to work on your K3S for any reason, be sure the iron is ESD-safe with a grounded tip tied to the same common ground used by your mat or wrist strap. Preparing for Assembly Overview of the Kit The kit comprises two major assemblies: the main chassis and the front panel. Figure 1 shows an assembled K3S/10 with its top cover removed. The main chassis is literally built up around the RF circuit board, which fills the entire bottom of the unit of the chassis assembly. Panels are mounted around the RF board using Elecrafts 2D fasteners. These fasteners allow individual removal of any one panel, if needed, to gain access to the inside of the radio for servicing. Very few cables or wires are used in the kit. Most of the other boards and optional accessories plug directly into the RF board or one of the boards mounted on the RF board. The front panel assembly
