[Elecraft] KXB3080 Done

[Leigh L. Klotz, Jr.]

I finished my 80m board for the KX1 today.  I did it over 3 or 4 days a 
bit at a time.

The first signal I heard on 80m was noted KX1 owner Bill K6ACJ, but I 
don't think he was on his KX1.  He signed before I had a chance to call him.
WA7OSQ Art in Pasco, WA (about 630 miles) was my first QSO, on 3719 with 
my 400' low-loop, and Art gave me a 569 QSB to my ~1.5W out.
The loop has a resonance around there, so it didn't really give the 
KXAT1 a workout at all, and the ATU reported L=C=0.

On the 40m CW band though, all I get is SSB tonight, hi hi...

All in all, I'm impressed that such a thing was possible and pleased I 
got it.  Time will tell if I can use the 80m with portable antennas, but 
it certainly works with a big resonant one.

A few minor observations on building and installing follow.
73,
Leigh / WA5ZNU
--------------------------------------------
- The 30m alignment seems pickier about hand coupling than on the KXB30 
but maybe it's my imagination.  I had to use a plastic tuning tool.  
When I used a metal one with electrical tape, the 30A peak was way off 
and 30B of course had no peak.  Signals came way up when I touched the 
metal tool to the trimmers, a sign that I needed to use a plastic one. 

- On the LPF board, I found the text about running the green wire on 
"top" of the relay confusing.  The pictures confirmed that "top" didn't 
mean the part of the relay with lettering, but instead one of the sides.

- Consulting the online PDF manual with color photos helped a lot with 
this and other confusions I had.

- I shortened KB3080 PCB wire B, and later wire F, but the others were 
OK in length.

- I didn't trim the relay pins, because I missed the instructions, and 
the Elecraft manuals almost always warn you not to, but it soon became 
obvious it was required, and I saw the instructions then.

- Somehow I wound up with too much insulation burned off the magnet wire 
on L2 where it needs to run past the ATU jack, and was afraid it would 
contact the vias on the LPF board, so I ran it around clear.  This seems 
to be the most important one to get the insulation right on.  I suspect 
the instructions are correct, though.

- I missed the instructions to solder C1 on the component side of the 
LPF1 board and had to redo it.

- My current drain was always about 41ma, a little above what the book 
said.  I took the opportunity to look for any solder bridges or cold 
joints, and touched up a few.
Now it's 44ma and 64ma.

- The advice to test the LPF1 board positioning with the KXAT1 is good.  
I can see that installing the KXB3080 would be problematic if don't have 
the KXAT1 but plan to get one, as it's hard to get it positioned exactly 
right without testing, though I suppose you could re-install the LPF1 if 
you purchase a KXAT1 later.

- If Elecraft ever fixes the KXB3080 board to have the correct labeling 
for + and -, please consider not just swapping the symbols but using P 
and N, to reduce confusion when reading future manuals.

- My cut trace is not as pretty as the one in the manual; the model one 
looks like it was done with a laser cutter!