[Elecraft] K2DSP 20-pin (2 X 10 pin) socket problem

Mon Jul 21 15:09:00 2003

Thanks Tom -
My kit is still waiting to be built (not this weekend - because of Fort Tuthill Hamfest :-) - but I think you just made my building experience easier! Thanks to you and all others who have reported the problem/solutions and made it easier for those of us who did not build our kits yet. Hope your health is doing OK, the food's stayin' down, and the weight is going on!
73/Tim NZ7C
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From: Tom Hammond <[email protected]>
Date: 2003/07/21 Mon PM 02:47:52 EDT
To: [email protected],  Lyle Johnson <[email protected]>
Subject: [Elecraft] K2DSP 20-pin (2 X 10 pin) socket problem

Hi Folks:

Well, it's certainly good to have seen several mentions of recent builders 
having had problems mating the two boards of their K2DSP kits together. 
Well, it's NOT good to have the problem, but it'IS good that it was reported!

I just received my K2DSP kit about 30 minutes ago and retired to the shack 
in order to make rosin fumes...

My first step was to separate out all the parts and part of that effort was 
to confirm that MY 2 X 10-pin socket didn't have the same problem as that 
noted by several others. Unfortunately, it did!!!

In order to test for the problem PRIOR to assembly, I used the 5-pin header 
plug to verify that I could readily insert it into all 20 of the sockets in 
the 20-pin socket. The first row of 10 sockets I tried, the 5-pin plug 
inserted quite easily. However, the second 10-socket row would not allow a 
single pin to be inserted into any one of the 10 sockets. Blah!!!

Using a pair of needle-nosed pliers, I removed one set of socket fingers 
from BOTH rows of the 20-pin socket, in order to compare the two sets of 
fingers. They were identical!!!

THE PROBLEM:

Then, I took a better look at the black plastic cover of the socket and the 
physical 'attitude' (positioning) of the socket fingers within the holes in 
the black cover. The fingers in the row which DID allow easy insertion of 
the 5-pin plug were perfectly horizontal INSIDE each of their holes, while 
those fingers in the row which did NOT permit the plug to be inserted 
appeared to have a slight 'tilt' toward the outside edge of the cover. I 
could only see observe this be looking INTO the hole of the socket and by 
noting the positioning of the fingers themselves.

Each of the holes in the black plastic cover contains a 'key way' for the 
fingers to slide into. This key way is mid-line of each hole and forces the 
fingers to be properly positioned within the individual socket itself. If 
the finger is not inserted horizontally (e.g. with a slight outward tilt), 
it can still be forced into the socket, but it will not ride in the key 
way, AND the tip ends of the finger will be forced together to the point 
that they cannot be spread apart sufficiently to allow a pin from the 
mating plug to pass. Hence the problem noted by others.

THE SOLUTION:

The solution to the problem is pretty simple AS LONG AS IT'S PERFORMED 
BEFORE THE SOCKET IS SOLDERED IN.

Use a pair of needle-nosed pliers to remove each of the finger pieces from 
the uncooperative row of sockets. Reinsert that finger piece into its hole, 
BUT angle the finger piece just a small bit toward the centerline of the 
plastic cover (e.g. slightly toward the adjacent pin in the other row). 
This should allow the finger piece to slip into the key way with no 
problem. Use a very small-bladed screwdriver to press the back edge of the 
finger piece into the socket if you cannot completely insert it with the 
pliers.

I pulled and reinserted all 10 of the finger pieces in the uncooperative 
row of my 20-pin connector and the 5-pin header plug now can be inserted 
with ease into any/all of the socket holes.

IF YOU HAVE ALREADY INSTALLED THE 20-PIN SOCKET

NOTE which of the two socket rows is the one which will not allow the plug 
to be inserted.

You should be able to (carefully) pry the plastic cover up and off to 
reveal the individual socket pins.

CAREFULLY and SLIGHTLY bend the finger pieces of the offending row toward 
the other row of pins. This requires only a VERY SMALL amount of bending... 
BE CAREFUL. Then reinstall the plastic cover. Re-try plugging the PC board.

I hope this helps someone. But the MOST IMPORTANT item is to TEST the 
connector BEFORE you install it!

73,

Tom  N0SS

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