Wyn, Congratulations on your accomplishments and thanks for the description of your efforts. Enjoy your K2 whether /P as originally intended, or for your home station QSOs as well.
73, Don W3FPR > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Wyn Hughes > Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 1:18 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [Elecraft] #5390 Completed - Novice's Reflections on Building a > K2 > > > For any novices like myself: > > Completed K2 #5390 today. Basic 10 - 80 m cw model. No options > (yet). Everything tested basically ok. Log records; > > Early February 2006: bought in preference to a Tentec Argo V > (high current draw on the Argo, not suitable for light /P, > clinched it for the K2) > > Feb - April 2006: slow, rather nervous and self questioning lead > up to the actual build. Read the manual and did basic inventory > of parts. Built the Ngen for soldering practice. Bought a decent > temp controlled soldering station and desoldering gun (China > made). Bought Kester 44 solder from Mouser. Lots of research on > internet and ARRL handbook re soldering, and components last iron > I used was a 100 watt for PL259 plugs and amp building. Practice > soldering and desoldering for small solid state parts. . Sorted > components into large number of plastic boxes with compartments > for like types. This made the job seem less daunting from a > psychological viewpoint. > > April 30, 2006 - started on the Control Board build then Front > Board. Took 5 days solid work, over a couple of weeks, time > permitting. All tested ok. > (Soldering the ICs not as hard as it sounded. However, required a > high magnification illuminated desk lamp, plus a new pair of > reading spectacles. Only had to use the desoldering gun a couple > of times, but it was worth the money). Experienced quite a lot of > backacke, prefer to solder 'up close and personal' with the > magnifier, easier to detect/avoid solder errors. > > However much care you think you take, errors will occur. Good > organization and method helps and for a novice like me, was > essential. Finished the RF Board 40 meter rx about a week ago. > Surprised that it worked first time. (I could not hear the > 'birdie' on 7000 khz until the BFO had been set as per the > manual. Don't automatically assume there is an error immediately. > Check and double check. If tired, put the kit away until next time). > > July 9, 2006: Completed. Tested basically ok. Very responsive on > receive. I even listened to the BBC on 21660 relay from Singapore > with a 5 ft wire antenna on the floor. Saved me turning on the IC-781. > > Total number of days worked on: 20 days (including the 5 days to > finish the Control/Front boards). Some days were short (an hour), > many like yesterday were long and arduous. > > Time taken to build? Not sure, would guess minimum 60 hours, > probably closer to 80 hours. > > Issues? Power output on 28 mhz was a little low on the internal > K2 meter yesterday, about 8-9 watts. The internal meter was > reading up to 15 watts out on all other bands. Expert K2 buildern > locally suggested rewiding T2 - too tired to do that now. > 'Prodded' T2 a few times (tried to tidy it up/elevate it a bit > more off the board). Hooked up the Bird 43 today with a 50 watt > slug. Noted that power readinggs on all bands today were a little > lower, according to the K2 internal meter. However, on the Bird > 43, there is 9 watts out indicated on 28 mhz and up to12 - 13 > watts out on other bands, depending on the band. Probably not too > much wrong, but may rewind T2 and maybe T3 for experiment in due course. > > Also managed to scuff off the paint very slightly about 1.5mm x > 1.5mm on the front panel cover at the curve on the top, despite > thinking I was lsietening to the advive in the manual to watch > out for that. Will get some touch up paint from Elecraft. > > Was it worth it? Time will tell. I don't think anyone would want > to build the K2 as a commercial venture, only for the pleasure of > doing so. I will try some /P, which is what I kot the K2 for, in > the next couple of weeks. Quite an experience building the K2, > still have some backache. Overall, a positive experience. I > suspect the K2 project may also serve a slightly different > purpose from that which it was acquired for. Instead of just > using it as a utilitarian /P radio, it will serve as a > self-educational radio. I always wondered what transistors and > ICs actually did, now I have a slightly better idea. > > Cheers and 73 from Hong Kong, > > Wyn, VR2AX (ex VS6UK), GW3YGH > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [email protected] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.10/383 - Release Date: 7/7/2006 > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
