Vectronics VEC-1220K - Manual (Page 4)

VEC-1220K/1230K/1240K/1280K Owner's Manual
2
! High-temperature Iron Holder with Cleaning Sponge
! Rosin-core Solder (thin wire-size preferred)
! Needle Nose Pliers or Surgical Hemostats
! Diagonal Cutters or "Nippy Cutters"
! Solder Sucker, Vacuum Pump, or Desoldering Braid
! Bright Desk Lamp
! Magnifying Glass
Special Tools for This Kit:
! RF power meter or VSWR bridge
! 50-ohm dummy load or 1-watt 47 ohm carbon-film resistor
! Telegraph key with a 3.5 mm "mini" phone plug.
! LED (any color)
BEFORE YOU START BUILDING
Experience shows there are four common mistakes builders make. Avoid these,
and your kit will probably work on the first try! Here's what they are:
1. Installing the Wrong Part: It always pays to double-check each step. A 1K
and a 10K resistor may look almost the same, but they may act very
differently in an electronic circuit! Same for capacitors--a device marked
102 (or .001 uF) may have very different operating characteristics from one
marked 103 (or .01uF).
2. Installing Parts Backwards: Always check the polarity of electrolytic
capacitors to make sure the positive (+) lead goes in the (+) hole on the
circuit board. Transistors have a flat side or emitter tab to help you identify
the correct mounting position. ICs have a notch or dot at one end indicating
the correct direction of insertion. Diodes have a banded end indicating
correct polarity. Always double-check--especially before applying power to
the circuit!
3. Faulty Solder Connections: Inspect for cold-solder joints and solder
bridges. Cold solder joints happen when you don't fully heat the connection--
or when metallic corrosion and oxide contaminate a component lead or pad.
Solder bridges form when a trail of excess solder shorts pads or tracks
together (see Soldering Tips below).