Guys - I’m about to hit the magic “70” mark and have been using +250 readers for quite a while. I’ve also been a stamp collector since age eight. Bad eyes and stamp collectinig don’t go together very well! The readers are fine for reading (duhhhh) but when it comes to really small, close-up examination of stamps, I got out my checkbook several years ago and purchased a fairly inexpensive (~$350) stereo microscope. Couple years ago I took the plunge and built my first SMT-based QRP rig. In addition to some really small resistors and capacitors, it also had a couple of the 64 and 128 pin IC’s. Using that microscope made it a breeze. I’ve since built several SMT-based kits and find it quite easy with a microscope to see what one is doing. Now, unstable hands are quite another thing… :-(
So, if Elecraft ever starts offering SMT kits, one of this units is the only way to go. Jim / W6JHB Folsom, CA > On Aug 31, 2017, at 10:50 AM, Clay Autery <[email protected]> wrote: > > Jim has a point here, of course. I'm only 53, but my once > "aviator-quality" vision now requires quite a bit of augmentation to do > close work like SMT... > > But I plan to fight it EVERY step of the way.... More magnification, > more light, hell... I'll use robot hands if I need to. I like building! > > ______________________ > Clay Autery, KY5G > > On 8/30/2017 11:00 PM, Jim Brown wrote: >> On 8/30/2017 7:30 PM, N4OI - Ken wrote: >>> I do not understand the general fear of working with SMT components. >> >> As you get older, you will. Eyes, steadiness of hand, eye-hand >> coordination, all can make working with SMT a challenge. Mine will be >> 76 years old in a few months. Several years ago, I learned just enough >> to do relatively simple SMT work with fairly large SMT components in a >> band pass filter kit. I couldn't even SEE the smaller SMT components >> in that kit, and called in reinforcements. >> >> 73, Jim K9YC > ______________________________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm > Post: mailto:[email protected] > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html > Message delivered to [email protected] ______________________________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:[email protected] This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html Message delivered to [email protected]
