Ok, folks - this is off topic, but since y'all have been a font of knowledge
about kit building, I thought I would try this question...
How hard is SMT soldering, really? I've been lusting after the TAPR Software
Defined Radio kit,(http://www.tapr.org/tapr/html/Fdsp10.html) but it's majority
Do we know that Elecraft wants to be in this business? I have assumed this
was a service they provided as an accommodation to their customers. And,
they certainly provide superb service in every regard.
My thought has been that I would prefer to source parts elsewhere before I
bother Elecraft
Steve wrote:
While I agree that Mouser is a super parts source,
nothing beats buying Elecraft parts from ... Elecraft!
I wonder about a couple of things:
(1) Is the supply of parts at least a financial break-even enterprise
for Elecraft? Or is it a service provided at a net loss?
(2)
I really can't speak for the folks at Elecraft, but ...
I take the fact that Elecraft has provided an Elecraft part number in the
manuals as 'living proof' that they DO understand they have a need to be in
the REPLACEMENT parts business. That assures continuing quality and
uniformity of the
Richard,
SMT work requires some parts handling techniques and a few pieces of extra
equipment if one is to be successful. If you are going to be building
electronic equipment, it is something you may want to persue.
The first thing needed is to develop a gentle hand with the tweezers to
Hi, Bob-
The K2 set that you have, with L25, L26 each consisting of 16 turns, is for
K2 kits that have serial numbers below 3000. Did you buy this set from me? I
ask because I keep these older toroid variations in a separate area and only
get them out when it is requested of me by a builder with
SMT work requires ... a few pieces of extra
equipment if one is to be successful
One useful piece of 'extra equipment' is a vacuum
cleaner with a piece of nylon stocking stretched over
the nozzle.
Then instead of spending 30 minutes on your hands and
knees looking for the SMD component that
Hi Guys:
I had my K2 (S/N 2528) opened up to replace the thermal pads on Q7 and Q8.
This was in the aftermath of installing the KPA100 option. Everything
worked fine for a few weeks after installing the KPA100, but I needed to
change out the pads as the old ones had gotten threadbare. I am
No it is not connected. Thanks for the quick response --- it reached me
before my own post reached me! Brian
-Original Message-
From: W9DHI [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:41 AM
To: 'Brian Wruble'; 'Elecraft Discussion List'
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] K2
Brian do you have the freq. counter lead still plugged into test point
2...it's been mentioned before, especially with the KPA100 installed that
you could create problems. However I've been under the impression that the
problems would be on the cleanliness of the transmitted signal...just a
With all due respect to those of us who have to squint ever harder to see
what used to stand out
clearly: I, for one, would be delighted to have a kit based primarily on
SMT devices to try my hand at. I have a fine-tip iron and an Optovisor at
hand, and I love to build kits, so if SMT is the
I would *never* buy any kit that requires more than an item or two of SMT
work. SMT construction is specifically designed *only* for machine
assembly. IMO, any SMT kit must come with almost all the SMT components
pre-assembled to the PC boards to be acceptable.
I'm not against SMT. In fact, I
Mike,
- Original Message -
From: Mike Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 9:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?
I would *never* buy any kit that requires more than an item or two of
SMT
work. SMT construction is specifically
Lesee... The design of clocks, especially mechanical watches, has always
fascinated me. I built a 24-inch long model of the USS Constitution once
with about half a jillion tiny knots in the rigging, all done by hand using
tweezers.
With that background, I simply found the advent of SMC's
G'day,
I would *never* buy any kit that requires more than an item or two of
SMT
work. SMT construction is specifically designed *only* for machine
assembly. IMO, any SMT kit must come with almost all the SMT components
pre-assembled to the PC boards to be acceptable.
Well I guess through
I have just read Mychael's comments about L25 L26.
I appear to have missed the change in the Low-Pass Filter components
when I upgraded my Revision A PCB to Revision B. I see from the latest
circuit diagram that the filter is labelled 40/60m.
What is the reason for the change in the filter
G'day,
Thinking on this, how about:
Remote antenna switch.
1. Activated by a dc signal applied via the main co-ax.
2. Drops to an internal load.
3. Sniffs the rf in a tune cycle to determine the frequency.
4. Selects via latching relay the designated output port (co-ax socket)
5.
- Original Message -
From: Mike Morrow [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:34 am
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?
SMT construction is specifically designed *only* for machine
assembly. IMO, any SMT kit must come with almost all the SMT
componentspre-assembled
Actually, I find surface mount components much easier to replace in most
cases than through hole parts. Especially when you are prototyping and you
have to change components often. No holes to clean out, no plate throughs to
damage, no leads to clip. Once you get used to the size of the parts and
Thank you, Don. I do indeed use the K60XV but have missed any reference
to the need to change the LPF. Could you tell me please, where this
information was published?
73 de David G4DMP
In a recent message, Don Brown [EMAIL PROTECTED] said
The change was made to allow for 60 meters. If
One reason I don't care with SMD stuff, is the cost of proper soldering
gear for
them! The Optivisor and magnafier florescent lamps I have, who can spend many
times more than a kit would cost for an SMD soldering station?
(Not to mention looking for missing parts on my unclean room workshop!!)
Regarding SMT (surface-mount technology):
We will obviously have to use many more SMDs (surface-mount devices) in
future kits. But they will all be pre-installed, with rare exceptions.
While it is possible to install and remove SMDs by hand, it can require
a lot of practice, patience, steady
Now that Wayne Burdick has a great idea. An introductory kit to SMT
devices. That is why I like Elecraft. Thinking folks.
As the cordinator for a build day for our local radio club, I embarked
upon a small inexpensive kit search that would give our novice builders the
biggest
wayne burdick wrote:
Regarding SMT (surface-mount technology):
We will obviously have to use many more SMDs (surface-mount devices)
in future kits. But they will all be pre-installed, with rare exceptions.
While it is possible to install and remove SMDs by hand, it can
require a lot of
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Sandy W5TVW
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 7:18 PM
To: Frank C Van Cleef; elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: SMT kits?
One reason I don't care with SMD stuff, is the cost of
Who needs an expensive soldering station for SMT? I've built a couple of
SMT projects with a standard soldering station (using a fine tip)with no
problem. If one looks for excuses, one can find them, and never do or learn
anything new! There are many cheap and easy tricks for SMT work, if one
Wayne wrote:
...it can require
a lot of practice, patience, steady nerves, unimpaired vision, and
specialized tools.
---
Good points, especially when it comes to identifying parts. My experience
has been mostly in fixing something. I replace one or two SMDs and I'm done.
But reading the
Richard, I already sent you my comments directly
as you requested, but feel I should respond to some of the
comments posted here.
By way of background, the only SMT parts I had used
previously were mounting 5 SMT caps on an Inrad roofing filter
kit for my Orion. That went well
A trick that I learned was to take a long piece of solid bell wire
or hookup wire (copper) about 6- 8 inches long. Remove the insulation
and wrap a coil around your soldering iron tip. Bring the last bit of
wire out, parallel to the axix of the soldering iron. Plug the iron, in,
let the wire
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron
D'Eau Claire
Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 11:34 PM
To: 'Elecraft Mail list'
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] SMT kits and Elecraft
Wayne wrote:
...it can require
a lot of practice, patience, steady
Ouch! The stuff that I've see so far has numbers - but really, really,
REALLY small in many cases.
Ron AC7AC
-Original Message-
Ron
You usually do not get identification marks on chip capacitors, melf/SOD80
diodes or SOT23 parts (transistors etc)
This is what I see as the biggest
-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Ron
D'Eau Claire
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 1:25 AM
To: 'Elecraft Mail list'
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] SMT kits and Elecraft
Ouch! The stuff that I've see so far has numbers - but
really,
G'day,
This might be of interest:
snip
| Space Weather News for August 10, 2004
| http://spaceweather.com
| BIG SUNSPOT: Sunspot 649, which unleashed several powerful solar flares
| in July, is back and it's growing again. The large spot has a complex
| magnetic field that harbors energy
Hi gang,
I bought and built the K2 with the idea that I'd not only have a pretty
decent rig, but that I'd also learn something along the way.
With that goal in mind, and realizing that I certainly have a lot to
learn, I'll respectfully ask the members of this list, what probably is a
pretty
I have an old Ungar Princess that might work? Someday I mat try SMD
out, but I suspect I'll sooner or later drop some parts and probably never find
them!
73,
Sandy W5TVW
- Original Message -
From: John Payne [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: Sandy W5TVW [EMAIL PROTECTED]; Frank C Van Cleef [EMAIL
On Aug 10, 2004, at 6:04 PM, Tom Mc wrote:
I've also built the XG1 signal generator and would like to trace the
signal through my K2.
Hi Tom,
The signal put out by the XG1 is so low in amplitude that the only
point in the circuit you can trace with it is the audio amplifier, and
perhaps
Tom wrote:
The XG1 is not variable in its output, so would the voltages be more or
less in the same proportion to those in the manuals which started with a
signal of 0.14 Vrms? (I'll be honest I didn't check the XG1 to see what the
Vrms output is on it.)
Tom in a lot of cases, the
I have 3 EC-2 enclosures complete with ETS15 1.5 tilt stands for sale. All
are NEW with all hardware packs and instructions. 55.00 USD each plus $5.00
USD shipping anywhere in North America. I accept PayPal. Please contact me
off the reflector if interested (with the word Elecraft in the
On Tue, Aug 10, 2004 at 07:15:01PM -0700, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
Nope. Those are smaller than anything I've used!
Yeah, I'm aware that many (most?) of the numbers I've seen have nothing to
do with any parts I.D. conventions that I know!
As a technical writer I work in metric all the
39 matches
Mail list logo
