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Old December 31st 05, 06:22 PM
de Mac de Mac is offline
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First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Oct 2005
Location: near detroit
Posts: 24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jawod
I am re-entering ham radio after a very long hiatus. Any comments on
Elecraft K-2, either kit building experience or operating experience?

John
Hello John
The K-2 is a very good radio, don't know how much experience
you have with kit building, but would not try the K-2 as first bite
it has taken some op's months to finish their K-2
If you have lots of solid state kit experience
go for it, if not try geting a few smaller projects under your belt

started playing around building qrp kits about 5 years ago
had not built a kit since the 60's
found out first thing
new solid state radio parts, are not big and beefy like the old days

that with out a good magnifying light
( not a cheep magnifying light, found out the hard way, had to go out
and buy a good light, after I had wasted cash on the cheep one )
I could not even id the parts #'s,
also
had to also buy a good soldering station few other tools
but then, I was on my way

built a 2 fer transmitter and then a dc style receiver,

then the Red Hot Radio Nor Cal 20
when I opened up the parts bag
thought oh no,
I have truly biten off more than I can chew

did not try to act like I was
big time radio op, ex signal corps microwave radio repair
and think I could short cut or 2nd guess building steps

took my time followed instructions to the letter

8 hours latter was finished and it worked,
since then have built about a dozen other new age qrp style kits
have had lots of fun, wonders of wonders all of them worked first try

this is from a hard core lover of tube gear
you can see some of my simple tube transmitters in oct 05 CQ mag

what to first build depends on your experience, skills, and
how brave you are, yes some ops with out any kit building
experience have built the K-2

Small Wonder Labs makes lots of very nice easy to build kits
Love my 40 meter DSW, lots of fun in a very small box,

might want to try a easy simple, cheap kit
before you melt solder, on a radio kit that set you back over $1,000

but man oh man, yet to talk to anybody that owns a K-2
that does not love the radio

yours truly Mac dit dit