Don wrote:
"... the K2 manual tells you when to install the 'hooks' for these options".
Fully populating the K2 with options following the K2 assembly manual,
results in the need to remove 13 parts (seven jumper wires, three caps, and
three resistors). In six cases other parts (three SIP connectors, one
resistor, one cap, and one jumper wire) must be installed in place of the
original parts which were removed.
Given that soldering is the most common cause of problems, especially
intermittent ones, we feel that the elimination of PCB rework is highly
desirable. PCB rework is no big deal if you have the proper tools (solder
wick should be avoided) and you are competent with them. Unfortunately,
without both there is the all to likely possibility of lifting traces and/or
blowing out plated through holes. (Please see our Builder Resources page
for it's link to an excellent resource on PCB rework.)
For the options you do not initially purchase with you K2, the
alternative to our Duplicate K2 PCB Upgrade Parts kits is to disassemble the
K2, in many cases fairly extensively, in order to add, remove, or rework the
necessary K2 parts before installing the option.
--- - - - ---
For those of you who are brand new to soldering (or rusty after several
decades), you won't find a less expensive place to start out than our header
kit. Actually ... we still have some of our original rev. D boards. While
supplies last, if you email Ken when you order our header kit and request
one, he will gladly include (at no charge), one of our original rev. D
boards along with the three resistors required to populate the UN-KNB2.
--- - - - ---
A few notes of caution for those of you considering making your own un-
module devices from jumper wires ...
1) The silkscreen for W1 (adjacent to RF-J14) makes it appear that W1 goes
between pins J14-1 and J14-6 but it doesn't! Installing it there by mistake
would ground the antenna! Besides not being able to receive anything,
grounding the antenna could result in blown PA transistors were you to
attempt to transmit.
2) For those who don't initially purchase the Noise Blanker, or for those
of you taking your time to build and install it, the use of a jumper wire
(rather than the original 150 ohm 5 dB attenuator) to bypass it, is probably
not a good long-term solution.
73, Happy Holidays, & Happy Kit Building,
Gary, KI4GGX, K2 #4067
http://www.unpcbs.com/
Rework Eliminator, Rework Eliminators, and unpcbs
are trademarks of Ken Kaplan and Gary Hvizdak
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