XV50 question

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XV50 question

Jim KO5V
First, Happy Holidays to everyone, and thanks for all of the helpful advice over the past few months.

I purchased a badly-built and fried XV144 several years ago (I got it really cheap). The builder had shorted leads 1 & 2 of T1 above the PC board, and during initial testing, I think that caused a burned a trace on the board. The adjustable cores of L15, L16 and L17 were driven to the bottom of the inductors, and were broken from contacting the board.

I removed all of the XV144-specific parts including the SMT stuff, and replaced them with the correct XV50 parts. I repaired the trace and re-wound T1, and checked that each component was correct and properly installed. I also tested all of the active devices. I then re-soldered every joint. It looks pretty good now, but I hope the processor isn't also ruined from the smoke test.

Here's my question: in the XV144 and XV222 sections of the assembly manual, Q1 is installed with long leads, standing above the board. The XV50 instructions do not mention this. Should I re-install it in the usual way (close to the board), or leave it. Also, can anyone tell me the reason for elevating it in the other XVs? That seems like a good way to pick up noise to me, but a lot of you have forgotten more than I know about this stuff...

Thanks in advance. 73

Jim KO5V
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Re: XV50 question

Don Wilhelm
Jim,

I would have to ask the XV series designer, but he specified that those
transistors be mounted above the board.  Likely for LO stability, and
better separation from the ground plane on the board.

I believe it should work mounted the same way in the XV50.  If you find
LO instability, then mount it down on the board.

If you scraped the paint from all panels where they contact the 2D
connectors and the output jack, there should be little noise conducted
to the inside of the transverter.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 12/23/2018 1:30 PM, Jim KO5V wrote:
> First, Happy Holidays to everyone, and thanks for all of the helpful advice over the past few months.
>
>
> Here's my question: in the XV144 and XV222 sections of the assembly manual, Q1 is installed with long leads, standing above the board. The XV50 instructions do not mention this. Should I re-install it in the usual way (close to the board), or leave it. Also, can anyone tell me the reason for elevating it in the other XVs? That seems like a good way to pick up noise to me, but a lot of you have forgotten more than I know about this stuff...
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Re: XV50 question

Jim KO5V
In reply to this post by Jim KO5V
Thanks Don,

I'll test it as-is. The 2d connectors are all contacting clean metal, so it should be OK - at least in terms of noise.

73, Jim KO5V


-----Original Message-----

>From: Don Wilhelm <[hidden email]>
>Sent: Dec 23, 2018 12:09 PM
>To: Jim KO5V <[hidden email]>, Elecraft List <[hidden email]>
>Subject: Re: [Elecraft] XV50 question
>
>Jim,
>
>I would have to ask the XV series designer, but he specified that those
>transistors be mounted above the board.  Likely for LO stability, and
>better separation from the ground plane on the board.
>
>I believe it should work mounted the same way in the XV50.  If you find
>LO instability, then mount it down on the board.
>
>If you scraped the paint from all panels where they contact the 2D
>connectors and the output jack, there should be little noise conducted
>to the inside of the transverter.
>
>73,
>Don W3FPR
>
>On 12/23/2018 1:30 PM, Jim KO5V wrote:
>> First, Happy Holidays to everyone, and thanks for all of the helpful advice over the past few months.
>>
>>
>> Here's my question: in the XV144 and XV222 sections of the assembly manual, Q1 is installed with long leads, standing above the board. The XV50 instructions do not mention this. Should I re-install it in the usual way (close to the board), or leave it. Also, can anyone tell me the reason for elevating it in the other XVs? That seems like a good way to pick up noise to me, but a lot of you have forgotten more than I know about this stuff...
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Re: XV50 question

Jim KO5V
In reply to this post by Jim KO5V
I'm happy to say that my XV50 (formerly fried XV144) came to life and has passed all of its tests. I need to get a trustworthy frequency counter to really get it tweaked up, but it seems to make full power, and hear well. As usual, the only real problems I had were in properly configuring the K2. It's a lot smarter than I am, and didn't allow me to make any non-recoverable errors.

Now, if 6M would just open up...

Happy Holidays to everyone!

73, Jim KO5V
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