A tale of two kits

Progress continues on my new transciever kit. The front panel circuit board is almost complete, but there's a brief detour: because the training program included the SSB transmit option, I have to install some extra parts from that package before I can finish this assembly. It should just take a few minutes, and then I can move on to the main RF board. At the rate this is moving along, I will likely have a completed radio that I cannot test: I don't have an amateur license yet, and the next examinations are August 3rd.

I've been taking sample tests on line, passing the technician class element (2) easily and passing the general class element (3) about half of the time. The technical stuff isn't a big deal: that hasn't changed since I took the FCC commercial radiotelephone operator test nearly 25 years ago. What trips me up is the culture of amateur radio, and acronyms like RACES. It would be really nice to walk in and get all of the testing accomplished for a general class license in one trip, but that would mean learning Morse code in two weeks, which is a stretch. I do, after all, have a life — even without the motorcycle. So I'll probably just do what's necessary right now for the technician class and go back later for the general... or maybe the extra class.

A co-worker just stuck his head in my office: he is also building one of these kits. Yesterday I had asked him how he was coming along, and he said that he was about halfway done with the main RF board. That's pretty fast, I remarked: that board is the last one to be built. Oh, no, he said: he decided to start with that one. Not a good idea, I pointed out: they have you assemble things in a certain order because some parts block access to others; besides, the first two boards include the test circuitry that's needed to build the last. "I guess I'll have to look at the instructions," he said.

His comment today: "you were right. But I don't think I need to undo too much."

Doing things in the right order can be important. He's about to leave with the live truck for an 5pm news story... sure hope he decides to open the garage door first.