Subject: K2 Closure.
From: Ed Loranger (we6w@qsl.net)
Date: Wed Sep 22 1999 - 13:22:10 EDT
Gang, I finished the K2 yesterday. I was on the air earlier
than expected.
I've made 6 QSO's on 40 meters with outstanding reports.
Albuquerque, NM last night gave me a detailed report.
"So stable, like a XTAL rig... Nice tone, clean and crisp".
Summary details:
Total Time to build, including alignment: 26 Hours.
Unique information:I built the rig while I was standing
at the 3'-4" work bench, "I don't take
building a K2 sitting down!"
Impression:Not difficult to build. Easier than expected.
Works perfect as advertised. Hardest part is
finding a decent stable signal source, zerobeat,
and set the IF filters up. The 7000 KHz internal
signal did the job.
Got-cha's:The 150 pF capacitor marked 151 on one side
and 821 on the other. The manual tells you abt it.
I recommend new builders sort parts before building.
Tools:
The Swedish diagonal cutters with clipping retainer is perfect.
Gets in tight and keeps leads from flying around the room
or into one's safety glasses.
Silver solder and regular 63/37 plus some larger diameter 63/37
for tinning the iron periodically and always before turning
iron off.
To expedite building I used a plastic lead-former for the
resistors. It is a useful tool. I've also used small
flat files to form lead on smaller outline parts. Also
nice to use wooden dowels to form test loops in ground wire.
A lead former is just a plastic, vee shaped device, more like
a perspective drawing of radio tracks into the sunset.
That's my summary and closure on the K2 project. I gather
some are tired of the stories so I kept it short :)
K2 S/N# 000268, Born 9/21/1999.
K2 beanie babies? Imagine mini beanbag replicas, rigs,
keys, etc! Ant. beams? Wow. Let the XMAS rush begin!
72/Ed we6w
--
-Ed AR Millennium Q's=>1200/2000 QRP-L#1068 Old NC#2227
72, Ed WE6W, A-1 OP; http://www.qsl.net/we6w Santa Rosa, CA
QRP-Z#106 AR#112 HI-QRP#64 ARCI#9397 ARS#275