[Elecraft] K1-4 4 band version gone? (Hand SMT---Never)

Mike Morrow kk5f at earthlink.net
Sun Jul 20 12:55:07 EDT 2014


> ... perhaps it is time for Elecraft to start offering some "big boy" kits
> that make full use of SMTs and other modern components.

Some would likely take exception to that strong implication that one is
not a "big boy" (whatever that means) if one rejects significant SMT hand application.  I've been a ham almost 50 years, commercial radiotelegraph licensed until standards dropped 20 years ago, and an electrical engineer
for 40 years...is that "big boy" enough?  Perhaps not...yet I'm not hesitant to state that hand-application of SMT components is a "half-vast" :-)  misapplication of technique to devices designed solely for machine placement.  It should never be required in any step of production of a commercial
product, even for hams.  So, to any enterprise proposing to *sell* something
that requires significant SMT hand-application, I would *not* give such a
product even a moment's consideration.  OTOH, supply the PCBs with SMTs
pre-fixed by machine as designed, and I'll likely be very interested.

> Any serious ham should have a good digital 'scope, and a hot air solder
> station with a syringe of solder paste (which can be bought new for less
> than $100).

Well...there you go again.  I suspect most of us will just *never* qualify
as a N4OI "serious ham", for lack of meeting these canonical and doubtless
universally-recognized requirements for the title. :-)

73,
Mike / KK5F



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