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K2 new builder

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George

K2 new builder

I will be starting to build a K2 soon. It is ordered and shipped. Anything
I should look out for or any tips? George/W2BPI

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Gary Hvizdak

Re: K2 new builder

Fri Mar 12 2010 at 16:53:21 EST George Gates (W2BPI) wrote ...

I will be starting to build a K2 soon. ... Anything I should look out for or
any tips?

Hi George,

If you've not yet visited http://www.unpcbs.com/, then that would be my
first suggestion.

73,
Gary KI4GGX (unpcbs.com webmaster)
K2 #2724

P.S. Congratulations!

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Gary Hvizdak

Re: K2 new builder

In reply to this post by George

Resending (sorry for the B/W). The URL is wrong in the archives due to the
trailing comma.

--

Hi George,

If you've not yet visited http://www.unpcbs.com/ then that would be my
first suggestion.

73,
Gary KI4GGX (unpcbs.com webmaster)
K2 #2724

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Bill - K6WLM

Re: K2 New Builder

In reply to this post by George

George,

I'm sure others will have additional ideas but for me the most important thing was to be careful and go slowly. Before you do anything else take a careful parts inventory.

You may want to consider the purchase of "Re-Work Eliminators" while they are still available. You can read all about them at:

http://www.unpcbs.com/

Also, see Don's - W3FPR website for many helpful hints.

http://www.w3fpr.com/index.htm

Good luck and have fun!

73,
Bill - K6WLM
KX1, K2, K3-100

<I will be starting to build a K2 soon. It is ordered and shipped. Anything
<I should look out for or any tips? George/W2BPI

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L. D. Ingram

Re: K2 new builder

In reply to this post by Gary Hvizdak

Fri Mar 12 2010 at 16:53:21 EST George Gates (W2BPI) wrote ...

I will be starting to build a K2 soon. ... Anything I should look out for or
any tips?

Hi George,

If you've not yet visited http://www.unpcbs.com/, then that would be my
first suggestion.

73,
Gary KI4GGX (unpcbs.com webmaster)
K2 #2724

George,

I agree with Gary. The last K2 I built I installed all of the rework
eliminators and just recently I added several modules - it was
essentially plug and play rather than having to unsolder and solder
to add the modules.

73,

Larry Ingram AG4NN

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lstavenhagen

Re: K2 new builder

In reply to this post by George

Hi George,

I just finished my K2 a few weeks ago, it was actually my first kit and came out working with no problems. The main tips I'd give in retrospect on my experience mostly from the perspective of a first-time builder:
- start reading the manual now. I.e. download it from the manuals section on elecraft's site, it's in PDF format. Also for any of the options you ordered too. Go through it in detail until the kit arrives. Read ahead in it even after you start building, during breaks or after building sessions, etc.
- don't skip the parts inventory. The concern isn't missing parts (my kit wasn't missing anything) but going through and identifying the parts. Some of them like the tiny caps will take a lot of time to figure out what they are, which is which etc. If you do this during the parts inventory, you've already seen the part when you're doing the build and it'll go all that much faster (i.e. some of the teeny capacitors in the band-pass filters, etc).
In my case, I've never built a kit radio before ever. Or actually a kit anything ever. Also, prior to my K2 the last time I really tried to build anything electronic was in the mid 70's when I was a kid trying to homebrew a tube rig. And it did nothing but catch on fire. Kind of ended my building career until just a couple months ago hi hi. So I had a lot of refreshing of memory to do when it came to ID'ing parts, etc.
- try to avoid "marathon" building sessions. I.e. don't work for more than an hour or so at a time and take breaks if you do. When you get into a hurry is when you make mistakes and it takes some of the fun out of it too.
- if something is confusing don't guess. Stop and double check with the manual and then if all else fails post a question on here. Don and all the folks on here are a bottomless pit of information about what to do if something isn't clear.

As for tools, I'd say you can't build the kit without (i.e. these were my most used and crucial tools and are _required_):
- good temp-controlled soldering station with 1/32" 700F screwdriver profile tips (i.e. the Weller WTCPT, etc)
- flush cutting (NOT bevel cutting) SMALL electronic wire cutters (i.e. Xcelite from Mouser, etc)
- .020 diameter solder (Kester 44 from Mouser, go ahead and buy a lb of it).
- a magnifying glass (RadioShack has a good lighted one that I'm still using) and strong pair of reading glasses (depending on whether you're near or farsighted, I'm farsighted).
- computer with Internet access.

I'd very strongly suggest:
- a high quality and large anti-static mat with a wrist strap, this will end all worries about ESD. this can also double as your table top mat for the rig when it's finished too.
- small solder wick.
- a VOM.

Finally, again if you're a first time builder like me, just be prepared for the rig to kind of take over your life for a few weeks hi hi. It took me about 3 weeks and a little more to get mine completely finished, just doing an hour or two in the evenings after work. It was slow for me because I had no kit-building experience and so some things took a long time (like some of the toroids).

But in the end you'll be rewarded with a really exceptional radio. The RX performance is simply outstanding, you won't believe it was a rig you built yourself with discrete components!

Gud luck es 73,
LS
W5QD

Don Wilhelm-4

Re: K2 new builder

In reply to this post by George

George,

The best advice I can offer is to 1) follow the instructions in the
manual carefully, 2) Do good soldering, and 3) do not work when you are
tired.

As far as soldering is concerned, you should have a temperature
controlled soldering iron, and do not apply excess solder - I like .015
diameter solder so you can control the amount applied. Just enough to
fill the thru-plated hole is enough, but I like to see a small fillet
too. Be certain you apply enough heat and be certain to watch the
solder flow out. Many builders fail to heat the solder pads adequately
or use too cold an iron. 700 to 750 degrees F should allow the solder to
flow out in about 3 seconds. The solder should flow to an almost
invisible edge on both the solder pad and the component lead. There is
a soldering tutorial complete with diagrams of good/bad on the Builder's
Resource page of the Elecraft website if you have any questions.

[hidden email] wrote:

> I will be starting to build a K2 soon. It is ordered and shipped. Anything
> I should look out for or any tips? George/W2BPI
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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Tom McCulloch

Re: K2 new builder

In reply to this post by George

Hi George,
My only advice is to savor every moment and enjoy building the rig, it's a
great experience.

(One thing I did, which I found helpful was to photocopy all of the printed
circuit boards in the event I had to look at the traces and the hole
locations...this was helpful, but I think Tom, N0SS has them on his web
site --I could be wrong)

Good Luck es have fun,
Tom
WB2QDG
K2 #1103

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Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 4:53 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] K2 new builder