[Elecraft] K2 S/N 4787 Build In Progress

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Jim, AB0UK, wrote:

I'm inventorying each board as it is begun.  ... At this point capacitors
for the RF board are a wild blur.  I'm sure I have not correctly identified
at least a third of them.  Many numbers on the caps are simply not in the
parts list.  If anyone has a good way to ID them I would be pleased to hear
from you.  Measuring them so far has proved somewhat futile with a simple
DVM with a capacitance measuring function.  Several resistor packs have not
had the right part numbers.  So far I've been able to ID them by measureing
them.

My impression so far is that there are components of
some of the accessories to be installed on the three
main boards but when and sometimes how is not always
clear.

----------------------

Wow, Jim! I'm surprised you are finding so many irregularities in the parts
numbering! 

I've written the assembly instructions on some of the more recent Elecraft
kits like the XV transverters, the KX1 and the new T1 tuner. From what I've
seen the parts are very much the same as when I built my K2 five years ago. 

On the caps there ARE a lot of other marks in addition to the numbers shown
in parenthesis, but the right parts in the kit are the ONLY ones with the
numbers shown somewhere on them. The value (like 103 for a .01 ufd cap) is
often followed by the letter "j", but otherwise is usually on a line of its
own on the cap. As the section on parts i.d. explains, the numbering is very
similar to resistors only done in digits: 103 = 10000 pf or 0.01 ufd. Many
of the smaller caps have the actual value like (10) for a 10 pF cap since
there's no need for a multiplier. If the numbers in paren. in the text are
on the part somewhere, it should be the right cap. 

The resistor pack situation you found is a real surprise. Those things are a
real monster if you put the wrong in the wrong place (I did once, and
managed to remove it in one piece without a high-powered vacuum desolderer,
but it's the sort of thing one doesn't want to do twice in a lifetime!) I
don't blame you for being concerned about that.  

Many of the I.C.s have a couple of different possible numbers because there
are a couple of interchangeable types used, but I thought they were called
out in the errata. 

Drop support at elecraft.com a note if you have a question. Gary will not only
confirm your part i.d., but if there is an issue that hasn't been
documented, he'll get the ball rolling to include the info in future kits. 

I recommend building the basic K2 first. There's very little rework required
to add the accessories, and doing the basic unit as described in the K2
assembly manual means that you can check it out according to the manual and
be sure all is well before adding the other modules. I'd ignore the other
modules until the K2 is up and  running. That's how I built ol S/N 1289! 

As for fitting everything in that box, every time Wayne designs a new rig, I
have to buy a stronger magnifier!

Today I lost entire whole circuit board assembly for my T1 tuner prototype.
Hunted all over for it for an hour. I had dropped a QSL card on my desk.
Yep, it was hidden under the card. 

Ron AC7AC