Advertisement
2000, Red Hot Radio – Unauthorized Copying or Publication Prohibited
Don't Open The Parts Bags Yet – MUST
READ!
The parts bags have been loaded with components in
the exact order that you should solder them onto the
SMK-1 PCB. Since the components are tiny and many of
them have no markings on them at all, you must only
open one component compartment at a time! Solder all
the parts from that compartment onto the PCB before
opening the next compartment. It is imperative that you
do it this way, so you only have one value open at a
time. If you get the parts mixed up, tough bananas! You
have been warned!!
In a few of the kits shipped, one of the small orange
trimmer capacitors was put into the wrong compartment
– it was placed in with the 4.7uH inductor. If your kit is
one of these, when you get to the stage where you fit the
4.7uH inductor, save the orange trimcap on one side
until you get to the one at the bottom of the bag and
solder them in together then.
The through-hole parts
transformer are fitted last. Save the crystals, pots and
trimcaps till the end before you solder them in – it will
make life much easier.
Missing/Defective Parts
Due to the care and methodology put into the kitting
process, it is virtually impossible that any parts will be
missing from your SMK-1 Kit. However, due to the nature
of the small surface mount components in the kit, it is
very easy for you to lose parts and we anticipate that
there will be some loss! NorCal will only be able to
replace parts for $2. Send your lost parts requirements
with a check or money order for $2 made payable to
Doug Hendricks to:
Doug Hendricks, KI6DS
862 Frank Avenue
Dos Palos
CA 93620
USA
Please include an SASE for the parts.
Technical Support
For simple questions please use email to obtain
technical support from your fellow QRP'ers on the QRP-
L email reflector. To subscribe, send an email to
with the words "subscribe qrp-l <your
listserv@lehigh.edu
and
the
transmit output
name> <your callsign>" on the first line of the email
body.
For more complex problems or issues or if you don't
obtain satisfaction from the QRP-L email list, please
email me at
ad6a@arrl.net
Surface Mount Soldering Technique
Use a fine soldering iron tip (1/16
700°F if possible. Use fine solder (0.020"), silver solder if
you can get it.
First, tin one PCB pad of the component you are going
to solder down. Don't overdo the amount of solder – just
a slight bump of solder is enough – maybe a ¼" of solder
from your reel.
Next, pick up the component you are going to solder
down using your tweezers – carefully, lengthwise –
make sure you have it firmly, but not so firmly that it
goes "ping" and flies across the room! With your
soldering iron in one hand and the tweezers with the part
in the other, carefully place the part down onto the pads
in position – take care to line it up straight. Quickly dab
the wetted soldering iron onto the lead/pad that you
tinned previously to get it to stick nicely and sit flat.
Re-run the solder on this pad if you need to adjust the
position of the component. You must get it straight
and/or symmetrical across the pads at this time – once
you solder another pin, you will have no chance to re-
position it at all.
Once you are happy with its alignment on the pads (try
to get it right first time to minimize the possible heat
damage to the component), solder the other lead/s down
carefully. Go back and touch up the first lead if
necessary. That's it – simple!
If you need to remove a part for any reason, the best
method is to use two soldering irons at once, one on
each end. If you only have one iron, add solder to both
sides of the part and heat them alternately until the part
comes away on the tip of the soldering iron. You will
need to use some solder wick to clean the PCB pads
before soldering down a new component. Surface mount
components that have been removed by this method are
usually good candidates for the trash can – try not to
reuse them unless you really have to.
3
th
inch or less) at about
Advertisement
