[Elecraft] KAT2

[W3FPR - Don Wilhelm]

Fred,

Great that you had success with just the replacement of the voltage
regulator.  FB on the perormance of the KAT2 - yes it will load just about
any hunk of wire - its only weakness is in attempting to load very high
imedances such as an end fed half wave antenna.  Keep that flag flapping.

BTW, I am not hard to find - try a Google search on 'W3FPR' and you will
find plenty of references.  Fortunately a search on my name will reveal very
little - good for the current state of affairs with the spam generating
folks - I get more than I want as it is.

On teh missed solder joints - take comfort in knowing that you are not
alone - unsoldered or poorly soldered connections are the majority of the
problems that builders encounter.  Even I miss a few at times, but when I
do, I usually do it big time - like failing to solder an entire IC - yes, I
solder in groups - big groups - I try to insert all the components on one
manual page before I solder things.  Soldering through the 'forest of wires'
is a nuisance, but is easier for me in the long run.  I hold to the rule
that I never clip an unsoldered connection - and that is my only salvation -
but then I have been doing this Elecraft stuff for over 5 years now - if you
are just starting 'don't try this at home'!

73,
Don W3FPR

> -----Original Message-----
>
> This is primarily for Don, whose address I don't have, but read on.
>
> DON: the 78L05 regulator arrived today.  Once installed, the KAT2 loaded
> my flag pole (I use it as a rx antenna sometimes) just fine -- relays
> chattered for maybe 4 sec, made one QSO on 30m, flag flapping and all.
> Apparently 11.7V on the rest of the devices didn't kill them.
>
> ALL:  In the process of installation, I found two unsoldered connections
> in my K2 which was the first Elecraft thingy I built.  It's been working
> fine, but, after the new V-reg was installed in the KAT2, the tuner was
> still dead.  I am a turtle, and I count and check off every pin to be
> soldered, and then check it off again when I have soldered it.  Both of
> these were obvious if you were looking at them.  So much for the "Turtle
> Technique."
>
> 73,
>
> Fred K6DGW
> Auburn CA CM98lw
>