Re: [Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1 Part 2!!
Don, Thanks for the quick response and I was hoping component leads were going to work. I had just cut a few to the appropriate length when your email came in. I will go ahead and use them. I will check out the PC trace ASAP. I did get the radio back together as a 20/40M rig with the shoulder washer in the right place and the lights came on. Is that a good sign? When the shoulder washer was misplaced and the power applied, it was for a very short time. Maybe a second? As soon as no lights came on, power was removed. I will take a good look at it under a magnifying glass. 73 de Keith KB3ILS >>> Kieth, I commonly use component leads that are lying around my workbench. Things are a bit easier if you use the longer ones clipped from capacitors, but most any will do the job. Yes, use solid wire rather than stranded so it will support the board. Since you powered the KX1 on with no shoulder washer under the PA transistor, check the wide PC trace that runs under resistors R16 and R17 - it often becomes overheated and will lift from the board when the 12 volts is shorted. If it has lifted, cut out the lifted portion and do an appropriate repair with wire - that trace runs next to a via hole and can short to that via if the copper has lifted. 73, Don W3FPR ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
Re: [Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1 Part 2!!
Kieth, I commonly use component leads that are lying around my workbench. Things are a bit easier if you use the longer ones clipped from capacitors, but most any will do the job. Yes, use solid wire rather than stranded so it will support the board. Since you powered the KX1 on with no shoulder washer under the PA transistor, check the wide PC trace that runs under resistors R16 and R17 - it often becomes overheated and will lift from the board when the 12 volts is shorted. If it has lifted, cut out the lifted portion and do an appropriate repair with wire - that trace runs next to a via hole and can short to that via if the copper has lifted. 73, Don W3FPR [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: snip... So...now to my question. Elecraft provides a short piece of solid, insulated hookup wire that is used to fashion the leads to connect the board to the radio. I only have enough left to make the two short insulated wires (D and 5 I believe) but not the other 5 non-insulated leads that are needed. What is acceptable to use? I have all kinds of other hookup wire but a lot of it is stranded not solid. I have some that is copper and solid. Any advice on what to use? I can tell they use this hookup wire for the leads as it need to be a bit flexible to reach from the board to the holes where it is soldered. ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
Re: [Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1 Part 2!!
I appreciate all the help on getting the pads to stick better on the KXB30 board. I took care of that and the saga continues. I need just a bit more help. I put the pads on the board and put the radio back together as instructed. Hooked up the DMM in series with the power and turned it on. No lights. Checked the in-line fuse and it was blown. I was not sure if I blew it as a part of this...or earlier. After not finding any more fuses lying around I ran off to Radio Shack before they closed. Came back and ran the test with a few fuse...still no lights. The install looked good but the manual indicates that this probably means a short. I decdided that maybe I did not get the board in the exact spot it was supposed to be in and that was causing the short or maybe I did something to them rest of the radio while installing. So...I clipped all the leads and took the board out and then de-soldered all the connections on the board and on the rest of the radio. (At least I now have a decent technique for using solder wick). I put the radio back together how it was before the adventure began and.no lights Uh oh. While looking at it I remembered that the shoulder washer that is installed with the power amplifier transitor had come out during all of this but I had put it back in. I was sure that it was to keep the transistor from touching the outer case. I decided to doublecheck the manual.and of course I was wrong. It goes between the standoff the the transitor. Ugh. Switch it around and put the radio back together...and I have lights!! But the 30M board is still sitting here and it might have worked if I had put that shoulder washer back in right the first time. So...now to my question. Elecraft provides a short piece of solid, insulated hookup wire that is used to fashion the leads to connect the board to the radio. I only have enough left to make the two short insulated wires (D and 5 I believe) but not the other 5 non-insulated leads that are needed. What is acceptable to use? I have all kinds of other hookup wire but a lot of it is stranded not solid. I have some that is copper and solid. Any advice on what to use? I can tell they use this hookup wire for the leads as it need to be a bit flexible to reach from the board to the holes where it is soldered. Thanks...and 73 de Keith KB3ILS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
Re: [Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1
Keith, While I expect it wouldn't harm anything, super glue *might* have some effect on anything that conducts, so I'd just apply it to the big areas where the feet rest on bare board. Also, I don't seem to remember having any problems with them. Hope you are able to resolve your issue... Regards, kurtt Kurt Pawlikowski, AKA WB9FMC The Pinrod Corporation [EMAIL PROTECTED] (773) 284-9500 http://pinrod.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I have a question about installing a KXB30 into my KX-1, but first...a little story about how much I like this radio. Compared to most of you I am a rookie at the building and operating in CWbut I do enjoy it. I have had the base 20/40 meter KX1 built for a while. Most of my contacts have been up and down the East Coast here and into Canada. I have made some nice contacts out west as a part of the 40M QRP Foxhunts. I am surprised how well the low power works. This Saturday I just managed to launch a wire up over a tree in the front near the house and then up to the peak of the roof. It looks sort of like an invereted L. I pulled the wires into the house and settled in. Decided to respond to a contest call on Saturday night in the OK/OM contest. I did not figure I had much of a chance in reaching the op in the Czech Republic..but it only took a few calls. My first DX with a KX-1. I plan to look for more. I finally decided to operate on the KX-1 tonight and install the KXB30. I have the board pretty well installed. It was an interesting job to line up all those leads in the right place...but I believe I got it. I am ready to put it back together and do the tests. The only issue is that the little rubber bumpers that are to be installed on the KXB30 to keep it from touching the case have very little stickiness to them. I don't want to be shorting things out. The bumpers just come off. They don't have a good surface to stick to since they have to cover some of the solder joints and stick to that and the board. Is it OK to just use a little super glue or another expoxy to get them to stay in place? Would I damage the PCB? Any and all advice appreciated. I cannot wait to get this radio on 30M. 73 de Keith KB3ILS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
Re: [Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1
Kieth, I use 'Goop' on those pads. The pads will stick nicely to a flat surface, but the solder leads on the KXB30 are just not flat enough. Super-Glue and other thin adhesives do not have the gap filling characteristics that are needed. An alternative to Goop is something like 'ShoeGoo'. 73, Don W3FPR [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: I finally decided to operate on the KX-1 tonight and install the KXB30. I have the board pretty well installed. It was an interesting job to line up all those leads in the right place...but I believe I got it. I am ready to put it back together and do the tests. The only issue is that the little rubber bumpers that are to be installed on the KXB30 to keep it from touching the case have very little stickiness to them. I don't want to be shorting things out. The bumpers just come off. They don't have a good surface to stick to since they have to cover some of the solder joints and stick to that and the board. Is it OK to just use a little super glue or another expoxy to get them to stay in place? Would I damage the PCB? ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
[Elecraft] Installation of a KXB30 in KX-1
I have a question about installing a KXB30 into my KX-1, but first...a little story about how much I like this radio. Compared to most of you I am a rookie at the building and operating in CWbut I do enjoy it. I have had the base 20/40 meter KX1 built for a while. Most of my contacts have been up and down the East Coast here and into Canada. I have made some nice contacts out west as a part of the 40M QRP Foxhunts. I am surprised how well the low power works. This Saturday I just managed to launch a wire up over a tree in the front near the house and then up to the peak of the roof. It looks sort of like an invereted L. I pulled the wires into the house and settled in. Decided to respond to a contest call on Saturday night in the OK/OM contest. I did not figure I had much of a chance in reaching the op in the Czech Republic..but it only took a few calls. My first DX with a KX-1. I plan to look for more. I finally decided to operate on the KX-1 tonight and install the KXB30. I have the board pretty well installed. It was an interesting job to line up all those leads in the right place...but I believe I got it. I am ready to put it back together and do the tests. The only issue is that the little rubber bumpers that are to be installed on the KXB30 to keep it from touching the case have very little stickiness to them. I don't want to be shorting things out. The bumpers just come off. They don't have a good surface to stick to since they have to cover some of the solder joints and stick to that and the board. Is it OK to just use a little super glue or another expoxy to get them to stay in place? Would I damage the PCB? Any and all advice appreciated. I cannot wait to get this radio on 30M. 73 de Keith KB3ILS ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net 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
