[Elecraft] New Rev B K2

[George, W5YR]

Earl, as a fellow "old timer" - polite term for "old fart" - I don't
understand why it is that your original construction work on the K2
seemingly is better in some respects than your modification work on the K2. 

Is the soldering quality not the same? Are the added parts not placed and
aligned with the same eye to neatness? What changes the "appearance" of the
rig when parts are replaced and perhaps a few parts are added? Especially
when they are concealed underneath the boards such that they do not show
when the covers are removed for "viewing" - i.e., showing off the innards
to visiting firemen.

I don't know about you, but I manage to make mods that appear to be of the
same construction quality as the original work. Takes a little extra time
and effort, but worth it to me. 

If you look inside almost any production equipment, be it amateur radio,
consumer electronics, test equipment, etc. you will almost always find
"production adjustments" in the form of "blue wires" to make connections
not in the original PCB design, almost always some added bypass and
de-coupling caps, etc. 

If modifying the K2 amounted to just tossing in a collection of junky
point-to-point wiring of components, then I could understand the problem.
But, everything I have seen and done so far jas been in total keeping with
the "look and feel" of the original K2 and the quality of its construction.

What am I missing about this?

73/72, George    
Amateur Radio W5YR -  the Yellow Rose of Texas
In the 57th year and it just keeps getting better!
Fairview, TX 30 mi NE of Dallas in Collin county EM13qe
K2 #489      Icom IC-765 #2349     Icom IC-756 PRO  #2121


k6se@juno.com wrote:

> I'm happy with the increase in performance of my K2 after the mods, but
> I'm not happy with the degraded appearance of my handiwork the mods
> created.  Most agree and some disagree with my opinion.  As I said
> before, "To each his own."