Kit Building 101

Posted on behalf of PRA member Brad (AB4BA)...

First and foremost, you need some basic equipment on your workbench to kit build. This is a starter list of equipment needed to enjoy and be successful in kit building. Most of the items can be obtained at amazon.com but there are a few exceptions. This list is by no means inclusive and there are many other items and brands which can be added as your interest and experience grows.

X-tronic Model 30200, a 60 watt soldering iron with variable temperature control and a 10 minute sleep timer. There are multiple X-tronic models available at amazon.com

Hakko FX888-D Soldering Station is another good choice. More expensive, Amazon of course.

Solderfun 10x 900m-T by Tecke, fine solder tips for more exacting work, available at Amazon

Hakko 599B solder tip cleaner at Amazon, very useful to keep solder tip clean.

Solder wick, various brands, for those mistakes we all make. “Sorry honey about the mess, I’ll clean it up with solder wick”

Magnifying lens, preferably self supported. Brightech LightView Pro Flex Magnifying Lamp at Amazon is one option. Multiple other options are available and it depends on your personal preference. This is a must to avoid soldering mistakes which leads to evil smoke genies. Other options are surgical/dental loupes the but cost may be significant.

Good lighting is an obvious must. The parts are small and the labels on them are smaller.

Quadhands deluxe workbench. This is a heavy metal platform with magnetic clamps to hold your project while soldering difficult areas. I don’t use the clamps much, but when you need them they are priceless. Available at amazon

Microcutter at amazon. To trim your excesses.

Kester 24-6337-8800 rosin core/no clean solder, 0.031” diameter. 63/37 solder is BETTER than standard 60/40 solder, it flows into the joint smoother and reduced cold solder issues. Lead free solder is an option, but not easy to use. Amazon.

Ifixit Pro Tech toolkit. Wow, what a wonderful set of tools. A little pricey, but good quality tools last a lifetime. Available at ifixit.com

AstroAl Digital multimeter TRMS 6000. A multimeter is a must for kit making. It allows measuring dc/ac voltages, continuity testing, etc. You WILL need one. Fluke makes the best DMM but prices tend to be higher. The AstroAl is a good combination of features and price, available at Amazon.

Banggood Multi function tester TC-1. A very inexpensive device to test your capacitors/resistors, etc. to confirm their values. Not essential but very useful. Available at banggood.com

Greekcreit DIY Frequency counter at banggood.com. You can buy it built or as a kit. It allows frequency output measurements. Definitely not essential but it was useful to calibrate my
Phaser kits.

Oscilliscope, many options available. This allows multiple measurements for calibrating your
kits. This is for the mature HAM who knows how to use it. I consider an oscilloscope optional in kit building. It is nice to have and for those that understand what “determine AC current by measuring voltage drop across a shunt resistor” means, this is for you. I personally to not own one…..yet.

OK that’s it for the basic equipment. If you skip the ifixit toolkit and the oscilloscope, the cost of entry is around $250. You could drop the Quadhands to be under $200.

Now, what to build. Just about everything in ham radio can be built…or modified. Mods on existing equipment can add significant functionality. Kits include receivers, transceivers, dummy loads, antennas,CW keyers, RF filters, test equipment and the list goes on and on. Most kits are in the QRP or less than 10 watt range. They are generally easier to build and costs are less. Many kits are in the $20-$60 range.

There are several websites selling quality kits. My advice is to start simple with say an EASY Series Kit from Pacific Antenna. Learn the basics of soldering and what the various components look like before tackling an Elecraft transceiver. Be prepared to see evil smoke genies, it’s part of the fun.

Here is a short list of quality kit makers.

QRP Guys-cool QRP antennas are a good first project. Learn to wind a torrid.

Pacific Antennas-Easy Series kits might be a good starting point

4 state QRP Group-multiple kits, Cricket 40 might be a good first kit

Midnight Design Solutions-home of the Phaser. More complex kit, but all the parts well labeled and instructions are excellent. I learned a lot from building the Phaser, including all the four letter names for smoke genies.

QRP labs-good kits, but definitely for the more experienced builder

Elecraft-expensive, excellent quality, much more complex. The W1 power meter was a fun kit.

mouser.com Not for kits, but for smoke genie repairs

http://qrparci.org/links/qrp-kits-bits-and-supplies This has several links for kit makers.

Stay away from the cheap Ebay kits. The instructions are poor and the components are marginal. Frustration awaits the unwary.

Finally, the internet and youtube are your friends. Learn basic soldering skills or how to wind a torrid. It also has cat videos.

Good luck,

Brad, AB4BA

PSA Wash your hands after kit building. Consuming lead will turn you into a politician.