[Elecraft] K1 Discontinued

[Wes Stewart]

Coffee.

In the early 1980's I was working on a new PA design for Phoenix Missile.  The 
original design used relatively narrow band klystons, and we needed more BW for, 
well, never mind.  So the new design used a three-stage IMPATT diode amplifier 
(injection-locked oscillator in reality). A single diode driving a three-diode 
combiner driving a 16-diode combiner.  The IMPATTs needed to be pretty well 
matched, a real problem with the state of the art at the time.

So before we characterized each one in a test fixture, we serialized them.  Mind 
you these were microwave packages with a ceramic pill mounted on a 1/8" diameter 
gold-plated copper flange with a 3-48 stud on the bottom.  We just used a very 
fine probe to scratch the 10 digit serial number on the flange.  I could do 
about 30 diodes first thing in the morning.  After that and a cup or two of 
coffee I was done for the day.

Wes  N7WS


  On 8/31/2017 11:21 AM, Fred Jensen wrote:
> There is one infirmity that has not yet been mentioned that degrades one's 
> ability to work with SMT devices ... allergies.  One sneeze and your project 
> is over.
>
> 73,
>
> Fred ["Skip"] K6DGW
> Sparks NV DM09dn
> Washoe County