[Elecraft] KBPF3A and KBPF3B

[Phil Wheeler]

The manual for the mod suggests it's not all that 
hard to do, Ed; I plan to and I don't work with 
SMT without due consideration.

In any case, you can send only the boards needing 
the mod to Elecraft, not the entire K3, according 
to an earlier post by Wayne

73, Phil W7OX



On 6/25/15 4:28 PM, Edward R Cole wrote:
> I believe Wayne stated the caps on the main 
> board that require replacement are 0403 sized sm 
> "chips".
>
> If you have never done any sm work you will find 
> them very difficult to handle.  I have built 
> some boards that use that size and had to use a 
> magnifier to be able to see well enough to place 
> them.  You need a very fine chisel-point solder 
> iron and small jeweler's tweezers to handle 
> them.  Also very small diameter solder.
>
> I would recommend you find a nearby ham that 
> does this kind of work or maybe a local two-way 
> radio shop that does component level repair 
> (though those are becoming rare).  In the end it 
> may be better to send the radio into Elecraft 
> and have all the work done by them.  Ham's in 
> the lower-48 of the US this it not that bad. For 
> oversea's hams shipping and customs becomes a 
> real hassle/expense.
>
> I will make my own mods but I regularly build sm 
> equipment and have the necessary equipment.  
> Saying that, 0403 are still very difficult for 
> hand replacement.
>
> 73, Ed - KL7UW
> the kits I build use 0805 & 1206 chips.