RE: [Elecraft] k2 control board r18, r19
I too built my K-2 and all accessories with the RS soldering iron. However, after reading all the interesting stuff on this reflector, including the Hakko desoldering iron, I finally bought a soldering station from Hakko and I can testify that soldering life will never be the same. Incredible difference to have a professional level iron in one's hand. Now it is time to build again and I look forward to using it. Bill K9YEQ ... Confession: I've built everything I've ever built, including a K1, two KX1s, two Rock-Mites, an ATS-3 and various test equipment, and now part of my K2...with the same Radio Shack 30W pencil. I do, however, swap out the tip once in a while! For solder, I use the RS 2% silver-bearing, thin solder...because it's so nice and shiny! Using desoldering braid, also from RS, has never been a problem. Placing the braid flat on a filled, plated through-hole, I hold the iron vertically and stick the tip into the spot where the hole is, under the braid, and I watch for the flow of solder into the braid. The result is a slick, clean hole. Never a problem. [WRJ] ... ___ 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] k2 control board r18, r19
Jon, VE8JJ, wrote: >I just want to confirm the assembly instructions: >R18 and R19 are basically resistors with value of 0 >(zero) ohms. So you >solder in a piece of wire for each of them. Then if >and when you are ready >to install KAF2, you desolder and remove the two wires >at R18 and .R19. Confession: I've built everything I've ever built, including a K1, two KX1s, two Rock-Mites, an ATS-3 and various test equipment, and now part of my K2...with the same Radio Shack 30W pencil. I do, however, swap out the tip once in a while! For solder, I use the RS 2% silver-bearing, thin solder...because it's so nice and shiny! Using desoldering braid, also from RS, has never been a problem. Placing the braid flat on a filled, plated through-hole, I hold the iron vertically and stick the tip into the spot where the hole is, under the braid, and I watch for the flow of solder into the braid. The result is a slick, clean hole. Never a problem. mojo! LL/K3ESE __ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/ ___ 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] k2 control board r18, r19
If you knew the value of the 'resistors' that were going to live there, and you had them in your stash, you could install them in the proper place and put a jumper across them on the other side of the board. Then when it came time to install the other board, just clip the jumpers (or unsolder if you are a neat freak), which would be easier with a regular soldering iron. This won't work in all cases since sometimes you might be installing a jumper header instead of a cap or resistor. If this isn't your cup-o-tea, then don't lay the original jumper that close to the board and make it easy to clip in half. Then all you have to do is heat the connection and LIGHTLY pull on the jumper with a pair of small forceps or needle nose pliers and then clean the hole with the Hakko. It's easier to clean out a hole with nothing in it than to try to force a lead out of a hole with insufficent heat. NRE/COLE Test Center OH-3 pcartergcfn.org or wd8qwrarrl.net Philip L. Carter, WD8QWR [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ 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] k2 control board r18, r19
Jon: If you are sure you intend to buy the audio filter, you can buy the kit now and install the proper connectors right away. You can then use a couple of scrap resistor leads as jumpers to make the required connections - the same as if you had the audio filter installed and wanted to remove it for some reason. The filter instructions tell you how. Or perhaps you could buy and install just the headers now. You can get the part number from the audio filter instructions on line. That would allow you to choose between the filter and the DSP unit later on and you'd only be out the cost of the header. BTW, I'm not a great fan of desoldering, but I was able to remove the jumpers on my K2 with no problem. 73's and good luck, John AA0VE jon howe wrote: Any thoughts on a "solderless" solution to R18 and R19? 73, ve8jj ___ 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] k2 control board r18, r19
Jon, VE8JJ, wrote: I just want to confirm the assembly instructions: R18 and R19 are basically resistors with value of 0 (zero) ohms. So you solder in a piece of wire for each of them. Then if and when you are ready to install KAF2, you desolder and remove the two wires at R18 and R19. With my trusty Hakko 936 at the ready, soldering is a joy. Desoldering, on the other hand, is something I can't seem to do even if my life depended on it. I know what conventional wisdom has to say about silver solder, but that's what I am using because it just seems so much easier to solder with. Plus, like writing a math test with a pen, it's a terrific incentive to get things right the first time. The downside is, with my skills, or lack of, if any desoldering has to be done, the patient will surely die. Any thoughts on a "solderless" solution to R18 and R19? Hello Jon: Because R18 and R19 are jumpers, they are easy to remove: just cut them. If you want to clear those pads, you can simply heat the pads while holding the cut jumper and pull *gently*. When the solder melts, it'll slip right out. There's nothing inherently "better" about using silver solder in the K2. It is needed in certain very critical RF applications where very high RF currents are flowing at very high frequencies. For example, in some 900 MHz repeater equipment that I've serviced the manufacturer required that silver solder be used in its power amplifier circuits. Elecraft backed off of suggesting silver solder because it offers no technical or performance advantage and is slightly harder to remove. Still, you shouldn't have any trouble if you use a good quality solder-sucker like Elecraft recommends. Solder wick will work FB too, when done properly. What most ops miss is that you *must* raise the temperature of your iron when using wick. That wick soaks up a lot of heat. I crank up my soldering iron temperature to 800 to 850 degrees F and then use narrow wick and work at the *end* of the wick (keep cutting away the used segments) to minimize the amount copper there to absorb heat from the iron. Done that way, sometimes the wick is faster and easier for me than pulling out the solder-sucker. Board traces get lifted when too much total heat energy is put onto them, not by temperature alone. An iron or wick that is just barely hot enough to work so it must be left in place a l-o-n-g time will do far, far more damage than a hotter iron or wick left on there a short time. By the way, I *never* took a math test using a fountain pen! I was the guy sitting there in a cloud of eraser dust with a pocket full of pencils. You have courage Jon, and I'm sure that your pride in the work and the performance of your K2 will reward you in the end! Ron AC7AC ___ 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] k2 control board r18, r19
Hi folks: The quest to transform K2 S/N 3460 into something greater than the sum of its parts has finally begun in earnest. I am working on the Control Board right now. I just want to confirm the assembly instructions: R18 and R19 are basically resistors with value of 0 (zero) ohms. So you solder in a piece of wire for each of them. Then if and when you are ready to install KAF2, you desolder and remove the two wires at R18 and R19. With my trusty Hakko 936 at the ready, soldering is a joy. Desoldering, on the other hand, is something I can't seem to do even if my life depended on it. I know what conventional wisdom has to say about silver solder, but that's what I am using because it just seems so much easier to solder with. Plus, like writing a math test with a pen, it's a terrific incentive to get things right the first time. The downside is, with my skills, or lack of, if any desoldering has to be done, the patient will surely die. Any thoughts on a "solderless" solution to R18 and R19? 73, ve8jj ___ 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
