N5VWN wrote:
"I'm at my wit's end trying to figure out why there is
no words appearing on the K2 on the phase 1 test."
I've felt frustrated many times while building, too,
and I've been at it over 30 years. You are not alone.
But you've buit a Rockmite and a Pixie. The K2 is
WAAAY easier to make work than either of those rigs.
My comments, for what they are worth:
1. if I got a K2 for $12, in ANY condition, I'd be
dancing an Irish jig! you're starting out WAY ahead
of the game ...
2. ... on the other hand, one of the things I have
learned to probably not try again is building a kit
somebody else started! ;) probably including myself,
at an earlier age.
3. Stockton alone has 7 times the number of hams in
it that my ENTIRE rural NC county does, yet there are
FOUR other K2 rigs/owners here! In Stockton, I'd try
to find a local, experienced Elmer to come by and help
in person. There's NOTHING like learning from an
expert, and NO replacement for having a helper there,
IN PERSON. Surely, there MUST be at least ONE local,
capable, and willing Elmer, the odds are very much in
favor of it. Stockton also has at least one
well-known ham club, a great way to find the right
person.
4. Hardly anyone ever says this, but, it should be
said ... nobody should try to build or fix an
electronic *anything* without having an ammeter in
line. The current drawn (or, not drawn) by a
device-under-test is THE #1 most telling thing about
what's wrong with a recalcitrant circuit. If you
don't have a handy ammeter, run, do not walk, to go
get one, or make one by using a 1 ohm resistor in
series with your device and then measure the voltage
drop across it. 1/10th volt equals 100 mA and so
forth, that is why Ohm's Law is on the test! A good
digital voltmeter can be bought at Sears (readily
available) and while it probably has a milliammeter
in it, it's actually easier to put the shunt in series
and use the voltmeter to go back and forth from the
shunt to the circuit tests.
5. Another ageless truism is that there's no more
useful a piece of test gear than an oscilloscope. Of
course, one would need to be taught to use one, and
you'd also have to have one ... neither are hard at
all ... and this one piece of gear could make the
difference between an enjoyable hobby and a
frustrating discouragement. Consider making the time
investment (I would have said money too but these days
a good used 'scope is so cheap as to be laughable).
6. A current-limited bench supply, preferably with
variable voltage and adjustable current limiting, can
be your best friend. There are some mighty nice used
ones around I've seen at hamfests for $10 or $15, and
even a decent new one can cost as little at $45. I
just got three of some little Chinese knockoff mini
bench supply from Circuit Specialists, for work. They
are very inexpensive and reliable. No, they are no
threat to Lambda or HP, but, hey ...
7. The reason I've suggested these extra goodies is
that they make things go faster and smoother. Because
I have the experience, I can probably make do without
any of them; indeed, I *have* made do without ... that
is HOW I got the experience in the 1st place! You
don't absolutely need this stuff, but, based on your
QRZ! profile, it looks like you're a budding builder.
Take it from me, don't do things the hard way like I
did (soldering with hot nails, using strips of
aluminum foil for wire, etc., I've done it all), get
some decent shop equipment and never look back.
8. Please post some specific results of your tests so
far. For example, "I turned it on and it doesn't
work" is not nearly as useful as "I tested the voltage
at U3, pin 4 and found it to be x.y and during the
test the set is drawing about 475 mA" and so forth, to
help others help you out.
9. This electronic medium is not at all a good way to
troubleshoot electronic equipment, but it will do in a
pinch, and you can make it much easier by providing
specifics, in detail. Don't be afraid to write down
every detail because you are the eyes and fingers for
all the people who want to help, and there are a LOT
of us.
10. Lastly, there are almost 5 thousand K2 rigs now,
some six years old, and still going strong. They
work, and work well. Let's get YOURS on the air SOON!
gl 73 Steve KZ1X/4
K2 #0771
Go Tar Heels
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