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Reviews For: N8BX - Weighted VFO Knob For Elecraft

Category: QRP Accessories

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Review Summary For : N8BX - Weighted VFO Knob For Elecraft
Reviews: 53MSRP: $89
Description:
The original K2 knob weighs in around 2 ounces. These premium USA made knobs weigh 6-1/2 ounces and they tune just wonderful. This knob is made of heavy alloy Steel and coated with a durable baked-on Black enamel or buffed bronze. The black goes great with the radio and feels nice in the hand. No sharp corners to irritate your hands.
Installation is easy and all hardware is Stainless Steel. Everything is CNC Machined from billet stock right here in the USA. The set screw that holds the knob in place is a flat tip style (no marring of your VFO shaft). Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed 30 days or you may return it for a full refund.
Knob Specs:

Weight 6.5 Ounces, accepts 6mm diameter shaft, #6-32 set screw (use 1/16" Hex Key wrench also available for $2.00 additional).
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dtsohio.com/73cnc/elecraft.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00535
K6JEY Rating: 2011-10-31
N8BX Metal Knob Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having enjoyed an N8BX metal knob for my Drake R4C, I decided to get the pair of knobs for the K3. I was somewhat concerned that as the weather turned colder the knobs would be cold to the touch. The knobs have a heavy coat of paint on them that does not seem to transfer the cold much at all. As a result, I am very happy with the knobs.
In general, the knobs make a tremendous difference in the feel of the radio. Pushed just right against the felt washer behind them, they have a super feel.The originals aren't bad, but the N8BX versions are super.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by K6JEY on 2011-10-07

It started with the Drake knob for my R4 C. A stunning difference. It makes a real radio out of it.
Then I got a K3. Elecraft does a better job than most on a good knob and I was worried that the N8BX knob wouldn't be that much better. But at 3oz vs 14oz I suspected I had nothing to worry about.
Got both the VFO A and VFO B knob yesterday. Wow. What a difference. Once I pushed it into the felt washer just right it is the best knob I have every used. Great feel, great sensitivity and looks cool. Worth every penny. As others have said, machined and done to the best standards.
VA2FSQ Rating: 2011-09-07
Great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The workmanship is superb and the whole transaction to Canada was well executed with no hastles.
WO4K Rating: 2011-08-07
Pricey, but worth it! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
These weighted VFO knobs make a great transceiver even better. The knobs provide a smoother, more classic feel to the tuning process. I have a Hammarlund 129 and a Collins S-line rig, and love the feel of those VFO knobs in tuning. While these knobs are not inexpensive, I think this is one of those times that you get what you pay for: a precisely made, weighted knob that just plain feels great and adds to the enjoyment of this amazing transceiver.
WB0TUA Rating: 2011-06-04
Excellent Product, Outstanding Service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A friend of mine bought the N8BX knob for his 75A4 and it is simply a work of art. At the Dayton Hamvention this year, I stopped by the booth and saw that there were knobs available for the K3. While the K3 is a wonderful radio, the stock knobs make it feel that the quality of the radio is less than it is. I was delighted to see that there was a replacement available for it. I tried the knobs on the display K3 and boy what a difference that made. I bought both the VFO A and smaller VFO B knob for my K3. When I got home, the VFO B knob went on perfectly but the VFO A knob would not. A quick check with another 1/4" shaft (a random variable capacitor laying around the shack) and the N8BX knob slipped on perfectly. As a second test, the VFO-A knob fit perfectly on the VFO-B shaft but the VFO-B knob would also not fit on the VFO-A shaft. Clearly, I had a problem with the VFO-A shaft on the K3. I e-mailed Fred Freeman and he responded right away. He pointed out that set screw on the original knob is frequently tightened down so much that a dimple is created on the shaft. When I took a closer look, I saw that Fred was right. Fred recommended smoothing out the dimple with an emery board so I swiped one from my wife's dresser and headed down to the shack. After dressing the shaft a bit, I tried again with no luck. I e-mailed Fred again and asked for further instructions. This was a Saturday and I did not expect any follow up until Monday. Fred called me within the hour (on a Saturday!) but I was not at home. He gave me his cell number and told me to call him back as soon as I got home. When I called Fred, he walked me through the process of finding where the VFO-A shaft was distorted. We tried a number of different things and Fred stayed on the phone with me for an hour. Finally, he recommended taking a Sharpie and coloring the shaft with it and then putting the knob on to see if the high spot would reveal itself when I rocked the knob back and forth. Voila! There it was, an almost imperceptable ridge on the knob that I couldn't even feel with my finger. I dressed it a little more with the emery board and the knob popped right on! I am amazed at how much time Fred spent with me when the problem was not with his product and was clearly a nicked up shaft on my K3. I wish every company cared about their customers as much as Fred does! Oh yeah...the knob works as well as it looks. Very smooth tuning and gives the K3 the quality feel that is reflective of the radio. I can't recommend this product highly enough!
M0XYZ Rating: 2011-04-11
only in america Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
An absolute beautiful peice of bronze,what a diffrence to both my k2 and k3,these are excellent for whizzing up and down the band chasing dx,if you like the elecraft then treat yourself to this vfo it s amazing on both looks and handling, the look of this nicely machine peice of kit nearly matches my wifes legs but dont tell her guys. fred is the king c u all on the bands. ady. lincoln.
K5END Rating: 2011-01-30
K2 Knob in Bronze Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Shipping was super fast, and the knob is terrific. It is a nice feel, and it's great to be able to spin the knob on the K2.

So, when will similar knobs be available for the other 5 on the K2 panel?
K8RA Rating: 2011-01-15
Great knobs Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I purchased knobs for my K3 ( both VFOs ) and my K2. They are a great addition to the radio and enhance the smooth tuning of both radios. The machining is superb. They are worth every cent I spent. Trust me, you will love these knobs. Elecraft engineering even liked them. I sent the radio back for an audio failure ( my fault ... Long story ) and a note was written on the bill saying "really nice knobs".

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Earlier 5-star review posted by K8RA on 2010-06-18

I purchased a set of knobs for my K3 and my K2. They are precision made and the feel is great. Weight in a knob does make a difference. Have no hesitation to purchase N8BX knobs. They are great !!!!
NU4I Rating: 2011-01-15
A nice addition to your K2 or K3 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
When I first heard of these 'after-market' knobs I thought they sounded pricey, but they did look to be very nicely designed in the photos on Fred's website. I decided to try one out on my K2, and if it added to my enjoyment of that rig, maybe I would get them for the K3 as well. Before I could order however, it was out of stock. Also, I had replaced my original K3 VFO-B knob with my old K2 knob as it was availabe due to a Yaesu knob switch that I made some time ago to that rig. I had found this to be a very nice size that fit the space on the K3 front panel just fine and was much nicer to use when chasing the split-operating DX than the smaller K3 knob. So I asked Fred about the possibility of using his K2 knob on the K3 VFO-B...it would have to have a larger hole to fit the K3's shaft. Fred seemed to like this idea and agreed to design a new knob for the K3 VFO-B rather than just drilling a larger hole in the K2 knob, but I would have to wait for it. I decided to do so, and at about the same time that the K2 knobs were available again he had the new design ready. I am very pleased with the results. The appearance on both units is very good, the feel is easy on the fingers, and the extra weight/flywheel effect makes manually tuning a smooth, positive experience. There were some minor finish problems with a couple of the knobs due to handling issues in shipping, but Fred handled this well and to my satisfaction. These will definitely not improve the blocking dynamic range or lower the noise floor of either of these great rigs, but you will really like the new feel when you tune manually.
VK7JB Rating: 2010-12-08
Perfect! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This beautifully crafted replacement for the stock, cheap plastic K2 knob has vastly improved the appearance of my much loved K2. And it feels like a different transceiver when I spin up and down the band using the N8BX knob. Perfectly weighted, stylish black, smooth...
Worth every cent. And best of all, Fred's service is excellent - helpful, speedy, communicative.
Do yourself and your K2 a big favour - buy one.
You know your K2 deserves it!!
John
VK7JB
HB9LFU Rating: 2010-11-10
Throw the standard knobs out of the window! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Fred's weighted VFO knobs for K2 and K3 are very well made. I didn't like the standard knobs for the main VFO and VFO-B. Fred's knobs are both an eye-catcher and a great plus for operation.