how much harder to build: K2 vs K1?

[CX7TT]

Hello LS,
I was in the same stage as you back in 2002 when I ordered the K2 kit
with options. I had not built anything since a SB200 back in early 70s
and do not work in electronics so my technical expertise was (still is)
pretty low.
I was so far behind the 'power curve' that I had to look up the pictures
of the components in the back of the manual to double check that the
component that needed to be installed was actually the one in my hand. I
frequently would put the component on a VOM just to confirm the value. I
took my time and double checked everything. Whenever I hit a mental
snag, the reflector always had a response within a couple of hours...I
think some of the boys never sleep,HI.
As I completed the final stages, I ran out of time and shipped the K2
off to W3FPR for final alignment and he discovered a couple of bad
solder jobs, a few components that were in wrong place, etc. My biggest
worry when  I started was that I was wasting money building something
that would never work due to my imcompetence; rest assured that your K2
WILL work; there are waaay too many guys/gals on this reflector who will
assist/guide/mentor you through the process.
I can not tell you how thrilling it was to work a 4X on 80m cw with an
inverted L and to use the K2/100 in contests making many, many QSOs. and
Yes, I did learn a lot.
Best of Luck LS,
73
Tom
CX7TT aka K6CT
P.S. My vote is 'get the K2'.
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[jperelst]

I built both the K1 and the K2.  I had kit building experience 45 years ago when I built my first novice rig but hadn't really picked up a soldering iron in the intervening years.

It's true that each kit is one component at a time.  However, my sense is that there are critical places on the K2 where the physical tolerances are much tighter (e.g., trying to get a soldering iron tip into a very very tight place without damaging components that you've already installed) or where you're trying to perform magic (e.g., soldering a jumper wire between the stubs of two components because no holes have been provided on the circuit board).  Also, if you're a sloppy solderer or one who puts too much solder, there are more places on the K2 than on the K1 where you will cause yourself significant harm.  Figuring out which component is which gets ugly in some of the sub-modules of the K2.  And then there are the toroids that have to be wound ...

Despite my experience from 45 years ago, I doubt that I would have been successful with the K2 if I had not first done the K1.  Even then, it took a lot of handholding from people like Don Wilhelm (who, by the way, is the single greatest handholder in the world, bar none!!!!) plus a couple of places where I had to remove parts I had ruined and then install replacement parts. 

Someone else suggested that you first try some of the other kits and I think that's a great idea.  There are a number of the mini-module kits and many of them are things that you will find useful to have with either a K1 or a K2 -- such as the W1 wattmeter/SWR bridge, the 2T-gen 2-Tone Test Oscillator, N-gen Wideband Noise generator,  and XG2 Three Band Receiver Test Oscillator/S-Meter Calibrator.  If you expect to take the K2 to 100 watts, you might want to build the W2 instead of the W1.

Whatever you do, I recommend that you buy the toroids from The Toroid Guy ([hidden email]) and not try to wind them yourself.  Winding the toroids on the K1 almost killed me, and I doubt that I could have successfully done the K2 toroids.

The other thing I recommend is to ask around your circle of friends, ham radio clubs, Elmers, etc. and see if you can find someone who has done some significant soldering over the past few years and see if you can get that person to either give you a soldering lesson or two (it really is amazing how little solder you need per joint) and/or review some of your early work. 

Jon, KB1QBZ

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[Johnny Siu]

Hello Jon,

Just add a bit to your comments.

In the building of quite a number of K2 in the past, I feel winding the toriod is in fact quite fun.  Why not try it first, if not ok, then go to toriod guy.  No harm to have a try.  Elecraft gives you enough spare enamel wire to play with.

XG2 is very useful and it is a must tool for casual alignment.

W2 is NOT quite a kit and no soldering is required.  Compared with K3, one of the beauty of K2 is that the rig is actually serviceable by ourselves in the component level.

K2 has already covered all the ability of K1.  Just do it step-by-step, the construction is manageable.  I am not  a radio man by profession and can still build over 10 K2(s) in the past.  My first K2 is #1146 and latest one is #65XX.

73

Johnny Siu VR2XMC



----- 郵件原件 ----
寄件人﹕ Jon Perelstein <[hidden email]>
收件人﹕ [hidden email]
傳送日期﹕ 2009/12/31 (四) 9:20:57 PM
主題： Re: [Elecraft] [K2] how much harder to build: K2 vs K1?

I built both the K1 and the K2.  I had kit building experience 45 years ago when I built my first novice rig but hadn't really picked up a soldering iron in the intervening years.

It's true that each kit is one component at a time.  However, my sense is that there are critical places on the K2 where the physical tolerances are much tighter (e.g., trying to get a soldering iron tip into a very very tight place without damaging components that you've already installed) or where you're trying to perform magic (e.g., soldering a jumper wire between the stubs of two components because no holes have been provided on the circuit board).  Also, if you're a sloppy solderer or one who puts too much solder, there are more places on the K2 than on the K1 where you will cause yourself significant harm.  Figuring out which component is which gets ugly in some of the sub-modules of the K2.  And then there are the toroids that have to be wound ...

Despite my experience from 45 years ago, I doubt that I would have been successful with the K2 if I had not first done the K1.  Even then, it took a lot of handholding from people like Don Wilhelm (who, by the way, is the single greatest handholder in the world, bar none!!!!) plus a couple of places where I had to remove parts I had ruined and then install replacement parts. 

Someone else suggested that you first try some of the other kits and I think that's a great idea.  There are a number of the mini-module kits and many of them are things that you will find useful to have with either a K1 or a K2 -- such as the W1 wattmeter/SWR bridge, the 2T-gen 2-Tone Test Oscillator, N-gen Wideband Noise generator,  and XG2 Three Band Receiver Test Oscillator/S-Meter Calibrator.  If you expect to take the K2 to 100 watts, you might want to build the W2 instead of the W1.

Whatever you do, I recommend that you buy the toroids from The Toroid Guy ([hidden email]) and not try to wind them yourself.  Winding the toroids on the K1 almost killed me, and I doubt that I could have successfully done the K2 toroids.

The other thing I recommend is to ask around your circle of friends, ham radio clubs, Elmers, etc. and see if you can find someone who has done some significant soldering over the past few years and see if you can get that person to either give you a soldering lesson or two (it really is amazing how little solder you need per joint) and/or review some of your early work. 

Jon, KB1QBZ

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