=  NOW 35 WPM  =  TEXT IS FROM FEBRUARY 2023 QST  PAGE 45 =

OTHERWISE, THE KIT WAS AN EASY BUILD.  A FEW TIPS TO REMEMBER THE
ORIENTATION OF THE RESISTORS ON THE PCB DOESNT MATTER.  THE PLACEMENT OF
THE RESISTORS, HOWEVER, DOES.  THERE ARE FIVE RESISTORS IN THIS KIT, AND
THE PARTS LIST CLEARLY LABELS WHERE EACH RESISTOR SHOULD BE PLACED AND
PROVIDES THE BAND COLOR CODES FOR EACH.  IF YOU DO NOT PLACE THE RESISTORS
IN THE CORRECT SPOT, YOU WILL HAVE ISSUES LATER.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE DIODES,
LIKE THE LEDS PROVIDED WITH THE KIT, HAVE POLARITY, AND THEIR ORIENTATION
MATTERS.  MAKE SURE YOU READ THE INSTRUCTIONS TO DETERMINE THE POLARITY.
THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE NOT INCLUDED WITH THE KIT BUT CAN EASILY BE FOUND ON
THE CW HOTLINE WEBSITE.  I FAILED TO ENSURE THE SPACING OF SPECIFIC
ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FROM THE PCB.  ENSURING PROPER DISTANCE BEFORE
SOLDERING THESE COMPONENTS IS IMPORTANT WITHOUT THE APPROPRIATE SPACING,
YOUR BUILT KIT MAY NOT FIT APPROPRIATELY INTO YOUR FRESHLY DRILLED KIT BOX.
DURING MY BUILD, I USED A FLUX PEN WHILE SOLDERING THE ELECTRICAL
COMPONENTS TO THE PCB.  I HAVE FOUND FLUX TO BE CRITICAL IN PROPERLY
SOLDERING COMPONENTS.  EVEN WITH THE SOLDER CONTAINING CHANGE, I ADDED SOME
VIA MY FLUX PEN.  FINALLY, IT COULD BE DIFFICULT TO SOLDER COMPONENTS ON A
PCB WITHOUT HOLDING THE PCB IN PLACE.  I USED AN INEXPENSIVE SOLDERING
STAND WITH ALLIGATOR CLIPS AND A MAGNIFYING GLASS SEE FIGURE 5.  THIS
=  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  =  QST DE W1AW  <