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

[Dan Allen]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne Burdick" <n6kr@elecraft.com>
To: "Bill Steffey" <ny9h@arrl.net>
Cc: <elecraft@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 08, 2003 12:22 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Re: Surface Mount tech; Orion; and K2/100

> 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).

This is a great idea, and the best way.

I built an MFJ QRP Cub several years ago, and it uses exactly this approach.
The board comes with quite a few SMDs already on it.  They are placed there
by machine at the manufacturer.  The builder adds only the "through-hole"
devices.  As luck would have it, one of my "through-hole" devices was
faulty.  I was able to successfully trouble-shoot the problem, remove the
component, go to a friend's house and get an exact replacement from his
spare parts bin, and get my kit on the air.

I have built kits that require mounting SMDs with the tweezer method, and
they were nightmares for me.  Flying parts, hours on my my knees searching,
and reordering when the parts could not be found!  I consider myself an
experienced kit builder, but 55 year-old eyes, bifocals, and arthritic
fingers make SMDs a real turn-off for me!

Dan Allen
KB4ZVM
K2 S/N 1757

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