[Elecraft] Re: Surface Mount tech; Orion; and K2/100

[Wayne Burdick]

Hi Bill,

> the real problem will come as the chip factories make the new cool chips
> in surface mount ONLY.... zowie

So far we haven't had to use any ICs that are available only in suface mount.
But if we do, either because  a through-hole part becomes obsolete or because we
want to add a new feature that requires a surface-mount part, we'll have them
pre-mounted on the PC boards. So you'll get the best of both: a kit that uses
state-of-the-art components, while still being almost all through-hole (making
assembly, alignment, and repair possible by real humans, with diminishing
eyesight, who do not own microscopic tools).


> when, not if, the market for thru the hole parts continues to diminish...
> the chip guys will not have a market , and the SMTs will happen sooner.

Note that Digikey--one of the largest electronic component suppliers--had
dropped almost *no* through-hole parts from their catalog. They have added a lot
of surface-mount devices (discretes, ICs, and connectors), and that explains why
the catalog is twice as thick now as it was 10 years ago. The market for both is strong.

The reason through-hole parts persist is that they exist at what I like to call
the "unit of creativity": you can hold them in your hand, read their lables, and
touch them with test probes that you can actually see. Just imagine how
difficult it would be to use nuts and bolts the size of SMDs. They are below the
size at which it's easy to manipulate them, so it only makes sense to use them
if you have to for economic or technical reasons. Of course Elecraft might offer
a small kit that uses suface-mount parts (the largest sizes only) someday just
to give those who want it such a building experience. There is no other
requirement to do so at this time.

I believe that SMTs will continue to be used where miniature equipment size
and/or mass production are necessary. But for many other niche markets where
units are produced in the 1000's rather than tens or hundreds of thousands per
year (hobby, medical, custom instrumentation), through-hole parts will still
frequently be used.

Wayne
N6KR