[Elecraft] Component Body Colours

[Kevin Luxford]

The discussion on the RF Choke Question prompts me to observe that not 
only are component body colours apparently at the whim of the 
manufacturer, but that some of the body colours chosen seem to make it 
very hard to read the bands.  Is this band yellow or is it orange?  Or 
is it brown?  Blue bodied 1% resistors I find especially difficult.

I have reached the point where before soldering I check all passive 
components: resistors with a DMM, inductors and capacitors with AADE's 
wonderful L/C Meter IIB Inductance/Capacitance Meter.

There was also some discussion about bending component leads.  The 
little red plastic gizmo available from Milestone Technologies Morse 
Express http://www.mtechnologies.com/tools/#bender is very easy to use 
and ensures the component will slip into the holes for it on the PC 
board with very little bother and stress on the component.

Usual disclaimers.

73
Kevin
VK3DAP / ZL2DAP