[Elecraft] Static

[Fred (FL)]

Jim -

There are a lot of static-sensitive devices in your
K2 kit.  There are mosfets, IC's, transistors, gates
of transistors.  Some LSI chips, etc.  Sensitive
diodes.  And a few pre-programmed VLSI processors.

I built K2 #5422 2 months ago.  I bought a basic
anti-static desk pad/mat, with a clip on wrist-strap.
As I built the kit, I always made sure I was
"grounded" to the pad, and whatever K2 part or device,
or circuit board - I was working on - had its "ground"
also touching or touched the pad too.  In that way ME
and whatever I was working on - were at the same
potential.  As another precaution - when I
could, I touched the metal (grounded to house AC)
portion of my soldering station.

You really cannot rely on your house's AC wiring, to
be grounded at either wall plugs, or even very well at
the breaker panel.  In fact - building and house
wiring, can have "grounds" that are several volts
above ground or 0 DC volts.  Then there's AC, vs
DC, vs RF ground.

I worked in several microelectronics fab and design
groups  -  and we always had SEM Labs to analyze bad
or blown devices.  So these static things (discharge),
etc. - do happen.  Gates of devices get blown, paths
in an IC can get blown "open", aging and "metal
migration" things happen .....

Another potential concern - is how much humidity does
your geographic area, and your home or workshop -
have?  A lot of humidity - will naturally deplete a
lot of static charges, that tend to build up here and
there.  If you are building your K2 kit in Maine in
the winter, vs in Phoenix, in mid summer - makes a big
difference in static potential in your location.

In electronics fabrication groups - workshops also
have anti-static pads on the floor - that workers
stand on, under and around their benches.

I just figured - on my 4-week K2 build, spending $20
or $30 for an anti-static mat and wrist strap, was
well worth the insurance it gave me.

The worst thing I did when I built K2 #5422 - was 
mis-solder a device or two.  And I dropped the main
LCD display device onto a hard ceramic tile floor.
I also soldered a long L-connector with many pins,
on the wrong side of the K2's RF Board.  But luckily,
I also bought a $9.95 solder-sucker, which saved the
day for these build problems.

Go for it, the K2 is a great kit - I had a lot
of fun and excitement, building it over spring
2006.  I'm now tweaking the IF and filters alignment.

Enjoy,
Fred N3CSY



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