[1000mp] Advice on MP Mods

[Bob Main]

Ah chicken, get a 200 watt gun, won't take as long to solder anything then. 
<grin>

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Staples" <w5asp at earthlink.net>
To: "Ian White G3SEK" <g3sek at ifwtech.co.uk>; "All about Yaesu 1000mp" 
<1000mp at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [1000mp] Advice on MP Mods


> Ian,
>
> Thanks for the advice.  I was aware of the need for small dia. solder ... 
> I have some 0.020" dia Kester that was recommended.
>
> As for the soldering  iron tips, I can see the need for a "fine" tip to 
> get into the tight spots ... and I guess that's the basis of the 20/40 
> watt suggestions.  But I did see Weller specs. setting out the 
> "temperature" of their various tips and figured it might be a clue.
>
> I"ll track down the PTH-8 as you suggested.
>
> Tnx es 73,
>
> Joe, W5ASP
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ian White G3SEK" <G3SEK at ifwtech.co.uk>
> To: <1000mp at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 02, 2005 1:59 AM
> Subject: Re: [1000mp] Advice on MP Mods
>
>
>> Joe Staples wrote:
>>>In many of the exchanges regarding the various mods for the Yaesu 
>>>FT-1000MP I've seen repeated cautions about using a low wattage (20-40 
>>>watts) soldering iron when adding components to the MP's circuit boards. 
>>>I wonder if anyone can put this suggestion in terms of the optimum 
>>>temperature of the soldering iron tip ?
>>>
>>>In several instances I've seen the manufacturer's spec on their soldering 
>>>irons indicate that there is a choice of tip temperature depending  upon 
>>>the task at hand.
>>
>> Tip temperature and iron wattage are not practical problems.  The real 
>> problem is tip SIZE - your old tube-age soldering iron is too darn big 
>> for these tiny components, and can do a lot of "collateral damage" to 
>> components close by. Also your tube-aged 16ga solder will make big blobs 
>> on the joints.
>>
>> Simply buy a modern small iron with a cone-shaped tip like a sharpened 
>> pencil. The pointed end lets you apply the heat exactly where it's 
>> needed. Don't worry about wattage and tip temperature - with the right 
>> kind of iron, they will automatically be about right.
>>
>> (Don't use those long, skinny tips - they chill down too easily if you're 
>> soldering a ground connection to a large area of foil on the PC board. 
>> For occasional SMD work, a short, sharp-pointed cone is the best shape. 
>> For Weller TCP users, the magic word is PTH-8.)
>>
>> While you're in the store, buy some very thin solder. Also buy a small 
>> reel of de-soldering braid, in case you use too much solder and need to 
>> remove some.
>>
>> Then you're all set.
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> 73 from Ian G3SEK         'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
>> http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek
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>
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