airports and planes
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thanks, I thought it best to ask first, I miss the America as it was when I grew up. but things change. I am about to try my first kit built . I read about the first suggestion in the solder manual and that being the importance of a temperature controlled soldering iron. when I saw that I got worried right away. Just how sensitive are the components anyway. This one I have is a radio shack 35 watt and never doing anything like this before I am checking every possible building problem and every possible question before I start the kit and travel with it.
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Re: was airports and planes -- soldeting stations
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Hi
The reason for using a soldering station is not because of sensitive components. The soldering station has a closed loop temperature regulator that will keep the tip at an exact temperature whether setting in the holder or soldering a fairly heavy connection. The heating element is designed to provide much more heat when required than a non controlled iron. If the temperature is constant it is easier to make consistently good solder joints. You can build your kit with a non regulated 25-35 watt soldering iron, as many have. The soldering station just makes the process go better. Most non regulated irons get too hot for PC board work so it is best to use a variac or lamp dimmer to lower the voltage a little to drop the temperature. You will need to experiment to find the best setting. You will need a small 1/16 inch flat screwdriver type tip. The plated tips last longer. If you are using non plated tips then you will need to file and re-tin them from time to time to keep them in shape. Never file or scrape a plated tip. If you remove the plating the tip will quickly pit and be destroyed. If you are planning to make building Elecraft radios a regular activity then I would recommend purchasing a soldering station. The most popular units are the Weller WES-50 or 51, the WTCP or several made by Hakko. I like the PTA7 700 degree tip for the WTCP or the ETA tip for the WES-50/51 I set the temperature on the WES 50/51 to 750 degrees. There are several other brands that are good also, I just do not have any experience with them. Whatever you use, the tip size above is what you want and set the temperature control for 700-750 degrees f. Don Brown ----- Original Message ----- From: MC Carpenter<mailto:[hidden email]> To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Sunday, July 11, 2004 6:36 PM Subject: [Elecraft] airports and planes thanks, I thought it best to ask first, I miss the America as it was when I grew up. but things change. I am about to try my first kit built I read about the first suggestion in the solder manual and that being the importance of a temperature controlled soldering iron. when I saw that I got worried right away. Just how sensitive are the components anyway. This one I have is a radio shack 35 watt and never doing anything like this before I am checking every possible building problem and every possible question before I start the kit and travel with it. _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm<http://mailman.qth.net/subscribershtm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com<http://www.elecraft.com/> _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] 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: was airports and planes -- soldeting stations
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I used the soldering station from Circuit Specialists, recommended in
the "Summary of available soldering stations" article by Tom, N0SS. It appears on the page that you get to by clicking the "How to build and test your kit" link, which is on the "Builder resources" page, a link for which is on the Elecraft website front page--2 levels down makes it a little harder to find ; ) The station was $39.95 as reported--came with a tip about 1.5 mm dia, which worked fine--they also sell a few mm chisel tip, which is good for the antenna jack. I had previously built a Rock Mite with an unregulated Shack iron. It worked, but was much more stressful--pretty easy to melt the PC board. I figured no big deal for a $25 bag of parts. But a $40 investment to avoid reducing a nice $279 bag of parts to junk seemed like cheap insurance. They also throw in a free DMM on $50+ orders. And they have a BNC-to-dual binding post adapter for a few bucks. No interest in Circuit Specialists, except as a 1 time customer. 73, Eric N0HHS KX1 #760 _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] 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: Re: was airports and planes -- soldeting stations
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I have one of these too...works as good as the $$$ Weller I bought with
my boss's money! :) The free DMM is ok too. -- 72, Ron - W5RCM w5rcm at volente dot us Austin TX Eric Ward wrote: > I used the soldering station from Circuit Specialists, recommended in > the "Summary of available soldering stations" article by Tom, N0SS. It > appears on the page that you get to by clicking the "How to build and > test your kit" link, which is on the "Builder resources" page, a link > for which is on the Elecraft website front page--2 levels down makes it > a little harder to find ; ) The station was $39.95 as reported--came > with a tip about 1.5 mm dia, which worked fine--they also sell a few mm > chisel tip, which is good for the antenna jack. I had previously built > a Rock Mite with an unregulated Shack iron. It worked, but was much > more stressful--pretty easy to melt the PC board. I figured no big deal > for a $25 bag of parts. But a $40 investment to avoid reducing a nice > $279 bag of parts to junk seemed like cheap insurance. They also throw > in a free DMM on $50+ orders. And they have a BNC-to-dual binding post > adapter for a few bucks. No interest in Circuit Specialists, except as > a 1 time customer. > 73, > Eric > N0HHS > KX1 #760 > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > 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 mailing list Post to: [hidden email] 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 |
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I got one of these soldering stations from Circuit Specialists when I
started on my K2 and it works great. The DMM is very good too. I don't notice any difference between it and a $200+ Fluke. 73/ Bob - W5BIG ----- Original Message ----- From: "W5RCM - Ron" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 3:24 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Re: was airports and planes -- soldeting stations > I have one of these too...works as good as the $$$ Weller I bought with > my boss's money! :) The free DMM is ok too. > -- > 72, Ron - W5RCM > w5rcm at volente dot us > Austin TX > > > Eric Ward wrote: > > I used the soldering station from Circuit Specialists, recommended in > > the "Summary of available soldering stations" article by Tom, N0SS. It > > appears on the page that you get to by clicking the "How to build and > > test your kit" link, which is on the "Builder resources" page, a link > > for which is on the Elecraft website front page--2 levels down makes it > > a little harder to find ; ) The station was $39.95 as reported--came > > with a tip about 1.5 mm dia, which worked fine--they also sell a few mm > > chisel tip, which is good for the antenna jack. I had previously built > > a Rock Mite with an unregulated Shack iron. It worked, but was much > > more stressful--pretty easy to melt the PC board. I figured no big deal > > for a $25 bag of parts. But a $40 investment to avoid reducing a nice > > $279 bag of parts to junk seemed like cheap insurance. They also throw > > in a free DMM on $50+ orders. And they have a BNC-to-dual binding post > > adapter for a few bucks. No interest in Circuit Specialists, except as > > a 1 time customer. > > 73, > > Eric > > N0HHS > > KX1 #760 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Elecraft mailing list > > Post to: [hidden email] > > 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 mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] 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: Re: soldering stations
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The biggest differences that I've seen between the expensive and cheap DMM's
are: 1 - Speed. Cheap DMM chips take a second or two to produce a reading. Expensive ones are almost instantaneous. That's only a small nuisance unless you are trying to find a 'peak' or 'null' in the reading while making an adjustment. A cheap DMM requires a lot of patience when doing that and you're required to wait a couple of seconds for the display to 'update'. Personally, I prefer my 'scope or an old fashioned "VOM" with a d'Arsonval meter movement when doing adjustments that require finding a peak or null in a voltage level. 2 - Accuracy. The accuracy of cheap DMM's is really quite good, but the cheaper ones usually display fewer digits. Still, we almost never need to know that a voltage is say 9.2215 volts - 9.1 or 9.2 is FB 99.9% of the time. 3 - Ruggedness. My fluke has bounced off of a steel deck of several ships from a height of several feet without a scratch, much less a problem. I'd be surprised if some of the cheap ones could withstand such treatment. Still, what DMM *deserves* to be treated that way? (Careless me...) Ron AC7AC -----Original Message----- I got one of these soldering stations from Circuit Specialists when I started on my K2 and it works great. The DMM is very good too. I don't notice any difference between it and a $200+ Fluke. 73/ Bob - W5BIG _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] 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 |
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