Vectronics VEC-1120K - Manual (Page 12)

VEC-1120K/1130K/1140K/1180K Instruction Manual
10
STEP-BY-STEP ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
Before assembling your kit, please take time to read and understand the VEC kit
warranty printed on the inside cover of this manual. Read through the assembly
instructions to make sure the kit does not exceed your skill level. Once
construction is started, the kit is non-returnable. Finally, if you haven’t already
done so, please verify that all parts listed in the inventory are included. If
anything is missing or broken, refer to the warranty instructions for replacing
missing or damaged parts.
First, a few notes and comments to help you along. Part designators for
components such as R1, C3, etc., appear on the silk-screened legend on the
component-mounting side of the printed circuit board. These correspond to the
drawing shown in the section "PARTS PLACEMENT DIAGRAM". The parts
are inserted on the silk-screen side of the board. All capacitors should be
installed with their bodies as close to the PC board as possible; this is very
important in RF circuits.
Important Note: A monolithic cap is similar to a surface-mount “chip” capacitor,
except that it has a lead spot-welded onto each end of the capacitor body.
Monolithics have superior radio-frequency operating characteristics, but the lead
welds may fail if the device is over-stressed during installation or removal. For
this reason, never use force to seat a monolithic cap into the PC board. If the
spacing isn’t right, pre-form the leads to the correct spacing before installation!
Incorrect
Ooops! Correct
If you have last-minute questions concerning what tools or materials are needed
to assembly this kit, please refer back to the section entitled "BEFORE YOU
BEGIN".
“Install” In these instructions, when you are directed to install a part, this means
to locate, identify, and insert the part into its mounting holes on the PC board.
This includes pre-bending or straightening leads as needed so force is not
required to seat the part. Once a component is mounted, bend each lead over to
hold it in place. Use sharp side-cutters to clip off excess lead length before
soldering. Make sure trimmed leads don’t touch other pads and tracks, or a short
circuit may result: