[Elecraft] K2 build - Control board Resistor SIPs not marked right.

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

Keith KD1E asked:

I've been installing one component at a time and soldering it in. The
assembly instructions call for installing many and then soldering them
later.  I assume this is because you're likely to find you have a wrong
component in when you get to further down the list and discover you can't
find the one you need and have one that isn't called for. With that
assumption I've been carefully verifying the markings on the component and
on the board before I install & solder.
 
Am I doing OK?

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

You'll find many of the later Elecraft manuals call for installing and
soldering one part at a time. Either way is okay. I prefer the one part at a
time method for a couple of reasons. One is that I hate dealing with a nest
of leads all sticking out on the other side of the board. Second is that
it's very easy while  soldering to move a lead slightly so the part on the
other side is no longer sitting against the board, and it's not noticed
until it's been soldered. 

Of course you can reheat while pressing down on the part, but that's just
extra work as far as I'm concerned. 

Like you, I hate to rework and go to great lengths to avoid it. So I use
this approach:

1) Read the step. 

2) Find the part and confirm its value by looking at it or measuring it if
I'm not sure. 

3) Find the location on the board and confirm that's the correct location by
looking back at the step (It's amazing how often C9 becomes C19 in my head!)


4) Place the part on the board. 

5) Check the step and confirm both the position and value  of the part (It's
always a good idea to orient parts  so they can be read after installation
to aid troubleshooting at some future date, if necessary, unless the part
only goes one way due to polarity, etc.) 

6) Solder the part in place and clip the leads as instructed.

7) Check off the step in the manual. 

That process becomes automatic and I've only had to remove/reposition one
part to date. And that one was because I was too busy thinking about
photographing the step for the manual. When I was sitting at the computer
editing the photo to illustrate the step I was reading the numbers of the
part (multi-pin RP5 in the KX1 of all things) and looking at the procedure
and suddenly I realized the numbers didn't match. A quick check confirmed
that I had worded the step correctly but put the wrong on the board and then
photographed it for Figure 4! 

Aaaargh!!! (And yes, I did take it off, but it's not something I'd recommend
doing on purpose...). 

Ron AC7AC