Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 10

Hours 1:54:00    Total Build Time:   22:39:00    Nov 10, 2011


The missing part P1 for the RF board finally arrived today.  I was pleased with how quick Elecraft responded to my email about the missing part.  I sent the email first thing Monday morning, and the part was on its way First Class USPS that afternoon.

P1 RF board "Missing Part"

I finally received the part Thursday, 10 November, 2011 after ordering it on Monday.  Additionally I received a tracking number so I could follow the package.  Since I live in Hinckley, Utah, it was painful watching the part first arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah, then spend another day in Provo, Utah before finally arriving in Hinckley.

All required parts installed for initial power up test

Today I finished installing the rest of the components on the RF board that are required for the Initial power up test of the K2.  The components were "P1" and 4 ground jumper wires that are used for test points.

Case sides attached to RF board

Next the sides of the chassis were connected to the RF board.  After that the Face to the radio was plugged into the RF board and secured.

Sides, bottom, and face attached to RF board

RF board from rear of transceiver 

 The "Tilt Stand" was a pain to install.  What made it hard was installing the tilt bail while trying to install the screws for the second foot.  I didn't think that the tilt bail could be installed if the second foot was already secured to the bottom panel.

K2 assembled and ready for Initial Power up test

Finally the Control Board was plugged into the RF board, and then secured to the Front Panel board with 2 screws.

Control board installed

Well thats all for today.  Tomorrow is the "Alignment and Test, Part 1" starting on page 43 of the manual.  It is the initial power up (smoke test) of the K2 Transceiver.  Most of the circuits on the Control board and Front panel will be tested.

Hopefully the initial power up test will go ok.  All of the Inspections and Resistance checks on each circuit board looked ok.

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 9

Hours 3:18:00    Total Build Time:   20:45:00    Nov 6, 2011


Continued working on the RF board.  I was able to get a lot of the parts installed leading up to the installation of P1.  looked all over the place and could not find this part.  P1 is used to connect the front panel board to the RF board.  


At this point I wondered if I could continue on.  Once P1 is installed, the next step is to install some ground jumpers, and U1 (PIC16F872 or 16F872A) which is the I/O controller.  After the I/O controller is inserted into its socket, several resistance checks can be performed.


I think that I will continue past the installation of P1, and add the ground jumpers,  Install U1, and also do the resistance checks.  I can then proceed with pages 39 up to page 42 where power is first applied to the unit.  After the resistance checks are made, the next couple of pages deals with the assembly of the case, etc.


When I receive P1, I can solder it onto the RF board and then perform the resistance checks again making sure that I didn't create any solder bridges.

RF board with all parts installed up to the step where P1 is soldered in

Audio headphone jack

RF Board

Power switch on the RF board

BNC connector for Antenna

CW key jack

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 8 - Cont

Hours 1:28:00    Total Build Time:   17:27:00    Nov 5, 2011

Later in the afternoon I spent some more time working on the K2 Elecraft Receiver.  This afternoon I started out working on the RF board.  This is the main board of the Elecraft K2 transceiver.  The first steps in the manual was adding standoffs and 3 d attachment points for mounting the circuit board to the chassis.

RF board and parts

Below is a photo of the switching relays added to the board.  The switching relays were added to the board and 2 pins were soldered on each relay.  Each relay was then checked to see if it was inserted in the socket correctly and that it was sitting flush on the circuit board.

RF board with Band switching relays

Here is a closeup of the band switching relays.  There won't be to many more steps before the radio has enough circuitry installed that initial power on tests can be conducted.

Close up of band switching relays

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 8

Hours 1:08:00    Total Build Time:   15:59:00    Nov 5, 2011

Its a cold Saturday outside so its time to have fun inside working on the K2 Transceiver.

Shaft Encoder used for main tuning

 Assembly started today with soldering the 4 wires to connect the main tuning shaft encoder up to the Front Panel circuit board.  I am glad that I have a lighted magnifying glass to work under.

Installing control knobs

 Installed the control knobs on all of the potentiometers working left to right and top to bottom.

Installing main tuning control knob

 Next the Main Tuning control knob was installed, and that completes the assembly of the radio for this section.

The next section of the manual starts with the assembly of the RF board.

All knobs installed on front panel

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 7

Hours 2:00:00    Total Build Time:   14:51:00    Nov 4, 2011

Day 7 of building the Elecraft K2 transceiver.  The build today started on page 27 of the manual with the positioning and installation of the backlight assembly.   The first problem that I ran into is that I could not remember which polarity the Cathode and Anode were.  Sure I had electronics 30 years ago, but I have been working with computers (not with the hardware) for the last 20 years.  The manual did not mention the polarity of D2 and D3, and the PC board just had a + by one of the holes on each side.  Well its off to the internet to figure this one out.....

LCD Display backlight

Ok time to use the spacers to position the LCD backlight assembly.  The manual said to use some spacers.  Where were they?  I looked all over the place to find them.  I looked through all of the bags trying to find them.  I finally figured out that the LED backlight spacers were part of the Switch spacing tool.  On the third step on page 23 it talked about breaking the material away only at the four indicated points.  I missed that step.  Mystery was solved.

Spacers used to position LCD Display backlight

Front Panel board with LCD Display installed

 I ordered the SSB voice option with the radio.  At this point in the assembly of the Font Panel circuit board, the instructions called for adding the additional parts for the SSB option.  These parts consisted of 5 capacitors, a resistor, a resistor pack, transistor, and a plug which are all visible below in-between the 4 potentiometers.

SSB Option parts installed

LCD Display

 Dang it!  I melted part of one of the pushbuttons while soldering in one of the corners of the LCD display.  I soldered the for corners of the display and then went back and re-heated each of the corners pressing down on the LCD display.  This was done to make sure that the display laid flat against the backlight.

Melted corner of button cap with soldering iron

Top view of LCD display pins

Next was a visual inspection of the parts (polarity) and IC orientation to make sure they were installed correctly.  The solder joints on the bottom side of the board were checked for cold solder joints and bridges.  Everything looks good at this point. 

Well we are finally looking like we are getting somewhere.  Below is a shot of the front panel with the green filter for the S meter and the clear LCD bezel.

Elecraft K2 Front panel

Again at this point in the assembly process, there were 60 different resistance checks to perform.  The checks passed with no shorts or un-usual readings.   Good! 

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 6

Hours 1:30:00    Total Build Time:   12:51:00

Today I continued building the "Front Panel" board of the K2 radio.  As you can see from the photos a lot of the components have been soldered in.

Top side of "Front Panel" board

Potentiometers and Microphone Jack

"Font Panel" bottom side with U1 socket

U1 is the LCD driver chip

LED Bar Graph for signal strength

Ran into a little trouble soldering in J1 on the bottom of the "Front Panel" circuit board.  It was not all the way flush.  I checked it but it was off when I finished soldering it onto the board.  I spent 20 - 30 minutes with the solder wick unsoldering J1.  I was able to get it straightened out and re-soldered.   Got to be more careful checking the alignment of the Jacks and plugs before soldering them all the way on to the board.

Elecraft K2 - Serial Number 007239 Build. Day 5

Hours 1:20:00    Total Build Time:   11:21:00


Today work continued on the Front Panel.  The fixed resistors were installed, along with 2 resistors on the back side of the circuit board. 


Next 2 resistor networks were installed.  Once again, there was one of the resistor networks who's part number did not match the part number under that step in the manual.  A quick measurement with the ohm meter verified that it was the 100 k 10 pin resistor pack labeled RP1 on the circuit board.


4 fixed capacitors were installed along wit a 5th one on the bottom of the board.


Also installd 2 transistors.  The manual mentioned that they need to be as close as possible to the circuit board so they won't hit into the front panel of the radio.


The last step of the evening was installing the 40 pin IC socket on the bottom of the board.

Front Panel (Top)

Font Panel (bottom)