> The pin jumpers are available from places like All Electronics for 50 > cents for a 40 pin header. Cut the header into appropriate lengths > and solder jumper wires and caps/resistors across the correct pins. > Put the jumpers for the each mod in a small envelope appropriately > marked and ready for use if necessary.
> I can't see spending big bucks when $2 will do for something you will > rarely use!! It really is that easy. I just opened my K2 up for the first time in a year or so to install the 160m option. It took almost no time to build the 160m board (about ten parts) but it took quite a while to remove the top and bottom covers (being careful not to lose the mounting hardware for the finals, which I didn't realize until little screws and washers started falling out all over the place), remove a jumper, check the value of two caps (didn't have to change those), install three more caps, install the header, install the receive antenna connector, install the board, and solder the jumpers to the receive antenna. Then I had to replace the bottom cover, being careful to get the heat sink mounting hardware correct again (non-trivial and required digging out the K2 construction manual and reviewing the instructions for mounting the finals, which is spread over two or three sections of the text) and replace the top cover. I own the Rework Eliminators but by the time they came out I was down to just a couple options left to install so I've never bothered to install the RE boards. However, I can definitely see the value of doing the RE installation while building a new K2. Even if you install all the options shortly after building the K2, there is a lot of detailed disassembly required. The longer you wait the more you forget about how things go together, making it more difficult to efficiently disassemble the radio. For many of us, removing components is a real PITA. I was fortunate to stumble onto a good price for a desoldering station and it has been worth every penny even for just the dozen or so times I've had to use it while building a K2 and KX1. Your argument is sound, but it doesn't cover all the bases. First, you're right that the DIY price may be only a few dollars. But you assume that all of us have a deep junk drawer with all the random caps and resistors that are required. You also assume that we're all clever enough (or have enough time) to figure out what to jumper and where to add a cap to create our own replacement modules. Your argument that the RE modules are "big bucks" misses the fact that less than $40 to buy a complete set of RE headers and parts is pretty miniscule compared to $1800 for a fully-loaded K2/100. (And $1800 for a fully loaded K2/100 is pretty miniscule compared to the competition.) My point isn't so much that you're wrong, but rather that this isn't as cut-and-dried as you seem to indicate. I agree that upgrading the K2 isn't a huge problem, but there are many complicating factors that can make it difficult enough that spending $40 up front isn't a bad idea. It's neither expensive nor complicated. Craig NZ0R K2/100 #4941 K1 #1966 KX1 #1499 _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
