[Elecraft] K1 Discontinued

[James Bennett]

Guys - I’m about to hit the magic “70” mark and have been using +250 readers for quite a while. I’ve also been a stamp collector since age eight. Bad eyes and stamp collectinig don’t go together very well! The readers are fine for reading (duhhhh) but when it comes to really small, close-up examination of stamps, I got out my checkbook several years ago and purchased a fairly inexpensive (~$350) stereo microscope. Couple years ago I took the plunge and built my first SMT-based QRP rig. In addition to some really small resistors and capacitors, it also had a couple of the 64 and 128 pin IC’s. Using that microscope made it a breeze. I’ve since built several SMT-based kits and find it quite easy with a microscope to see what one is doing. Now, unstable hands are quite another thing… :-(

So, if Elecraft ever starts offering SMT kits, one of this units is the only way to go.

Jim / W6JHB
Folsom, CA






> On Aug 31, 2017, at 10:50 AM, Clay Autery <KY5G at montac.com> wrote:
> 
> Jim has a point here, of course.  I'm only 53, but my once
> "aviator-quality" vision now requires quite a bit of augmentation to do
> close work like SMT...
> 
> But I plan to fight it EVERY step of the way....  More magnification,
> more light, hell...  I'll use robot hands if I need to.  I like building!
> 
> ______________________
> Clay Autery, KY5G
> 
> On 8/30/2017 11:00 PM, Jim Brown wrote:
>> On 8/30/2017 7:30 PM, N4OI - Ken wrote:
>>> I do not understand the general fear of working with SMT components.
>> 
>> As you get older, you will. Eyes, steadiness of hand, eye-hand
>> coordination, all can make working with SMT a challenge. Mine will be
>> 76 years old in a few months. Several years ago, I learned just enough
>> to do relatively simple SMT work with fairly large SMT components in a
>> band pass filter kit. I couldn't even SEE the smaller SMT components
>> in that kit, and called in reinforcements.
>> 
>> 73, Jim K9YC
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