Vectronics VEC-1016K User Manual

(1 Front Cover)

(2 Warranty)

(3 Introduction)

VEC-1016K 49-MHz Wireless-Band Monitor Receiver:

The 49-MHz consumer-wireless band is teaming with signals from baby monitors,
cordless phones, walkie-talkies, remote control boxes, wireless intercoms, and much
more. If you ever wanted to explore this especially-active portion of the radio spectrum,
this kit's for you. The VEC-1016K makes a great add-on baby monitor or test receiver,
and with the addition of an outdoor antenna, it pulls in weak wireless signals for miles
around--just like the best commercial scanner and monitor receivers! Building the VEC­1016K provides excellent hands-on electronics experience. Detailed step-by-step
assembly instructions guide you through each stage of construction, and clearly-presented
alignment procedures ensure top performance without need for expensive test equipment.
Convenient electronic tuning covers just the 49-MHz band, with no need to enter long
strings of microprocessor commands to get the coverage you want. Once tuned to an
active channel, your radio's "tail-free" squelch mutes background noise between
transmissions. The VEC-1016K consumes minimal energy runs for many hours from its
self-contained 9-volt flat-pack alkaline battery. Plug in a 8-ohm speaker or use
headphones for loud-and-clear reception. All circuitry is self-contained on a rugged 3" x

3.2" pc board.

(4) Tools and Supplies:

Construction Area: Kit construction requires a clean, smooth, and well-lighted area

where you can easily organize and handle small parts without losing them. An
inexpensive sheet of white poster board makes an excellent construction surface, while
providing protection for the underlying table or desk. Well-diffused overhead lighting is
a plus, and a supplemental high-intensity desk lamp will prove especially helpful for
close-up work. Safety is an important consideration. Be sure to use a suitable high­temperature stand for your soldering iron, and keep the work area free of combustible
clutter.

Universal Kit-building Tools: Although your particular kit may require additional items
to complete, virtually all construction projects require a work area outfitted with the
following tools and supplies:

[ ] Soldering Iron (grounded-tip and temperature-controlled preferred)
[ ] 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:

[ ] Insulated hex-head tuning wand
[ ] Small flat-blade screwdriver or tuning wand
[ ] Voltmeter, digital or analog
[ ] "Low-band" VHF antenna

(5) Before You Start Building:

Experience shows there are four common mistakes builders commonly make. Avoid
these, and your kit will probably work on the first try! Here's what they are:

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 typically act very differently in an electronic
circuit! Same for capacitors--a device marked 102 (or .001 uF) may have very different
operating characteristics from on marked 103 (or .01uF).

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!

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 solder tips below).

Omitting or Misreading a Part: This is easier to do than you might think! Always
double-check to make sure you completed each step in an assembly sequence.

Soldering Tips: Cleanliness and good heat distribution are the two secrets of
professional soldering. Before you install and solder each part, inspect leads or pins for
oxidation. If the metal surface is dull, sand with fine emery paper until shiny. Allow the
tip of your iron to contact both the lead and pad for about one second (count "one­thousand-one") before feeding solder to the connection. Surfaces must become hot
enough for solder to flow smoothly. Feed solder to the opposite side of the lead from your
iron tip--solder will wick around the lead toward the tip, wetting all exposed surfaces.
Apply solder sparingly, and do not touch solder directly to the hot iron tip to promote
rapid melting.

Desoldering Tips: If you make a mistake and need to remove a part, follow these
instructions carefully! First, grasp the component with hemostats, needle-nose pliers, or
your fingers. Heat the pad beneath the lead you intend to extract, and pull gently. The
lead should come out. Repeat for the other lead. Solder may fill in behind the lead as
you extract it--especially if you are working on a double-sided board with plate-through
holes. Should this happen, try heating the pad again and inserting a common pin into the
hole. Solder won't stick to the pin's chromium plating. When the pad cools, remove the
pin and insert the correct component. For ICs or multi-pin parts, use desoldering braid to
remove excess solder before attempting to extract the part. Alternatively, a low-cost
vacuum-bulb or spring-loaded solder sucker may be used. Parts damaged or severely
overheated during extraction should be replaced rather than re-installed.

Work Habits: Kit construction requires the ability to follow detailed instructions and, in
many cases, to perform new and unfamiliar tasks. To avoid making needless mistakes,
work for short periods when you're fresh and alert. Recreational construction project are
more informative and more fun when you take your time. Enjoy!

Sorting and Reading Resistors: The electrical value of resistors is indicated by a color
code (shown below). You don't have to memorize this code to work with resistors, but
you do need to understand how it works:

Resistor Color Code

1st Digit
2nd Digit
Multiplier

Tolerence

(gold or silver)

Black = 0 (tens)
Brown = 1 (hundreds)
Red = 2 (K)
Orange = 3 (10K)
Yellow = 4 (100K)
Green = 5 (1Meg)

Blue = 6
Violet = 7
Gray = 8
White = 9
Silver = 10%
Gold = 5%

When you look at a resistor, check its multiplier code first. Any resistor with a black
multiplier band falls between 10 and 99 ohms in value. Brown designates a value
between 100 and 999 ohms. Red indicates a value from 1000 to 9999 ohms, which is
also expressed as 1.0K to 9.9K. An orange multiplier band designates 10K to 99K, etc.
To inventory resistors, first separate them into groups by multiplier band (make a pile of
10s, 100s, Ks, 10Ks, etc). Next, sort each group by specific value (1K, 2.2K, 4.7K, etc.).
This procedure makes the inventory easier, and also makes locating specific parts more
convenient later on during construction. Some builders find it especially helpful to
arrange resistors in ascending order of value along a strip of double-sided tape.

Some VEC kits may contain molded chokes which appear, at first glance, similar to
resistors in both shape and band marking. However, a closer look will enable you to
differentiate between the two. Chokes are generally larger in diameter and fatter at the
ends than resistors. When doing your inventory, separate out any chokes and consult the
parts list for specific color-code information.

Reading Capacitors: Unlike resistors, capacitors no longer use a color code for value
identification. Instead, the value, or a 3-number code, is printed on the body.

Value Code

10 pF = 100
100 pF = 101
1000 pF = 102

.001 uF = 102*

.01 uF = 103
.1 uF = 104

Multilayer

(270 pF)

271

Ceramic Discs

(.001 uF) (.1 uF)

102

104

Electrolytic

1uF

|
|

+

-

As with resistors, it's helpful to sort capacitors by type, and then to arrange them in
ascending order of value. Small-value capacitors are characterized in pF (or pico-Farads),
while larger values are labeled in uF (or micro-Farads). The transition from pF to uF
occurs at 1000 pF (or .001 uF)*. Today, most monolithic and disc-ceramic capacitors are
marked with a three-number code. The first two digits indicate a numerical value, while
the last digit indicates a multiplier (same as resistors).

Electrolytic capacitors are always marked in uF. Electrolytics are polarized devices and
must be oriented correctly during installation. If you become confused by markings on
the case, remember the uncut negative lead is slightly shorter than the positive lead.

Diodes: Diodes are also polarized devices that must be installed correctly. Always look
for the banded--or cathode--end when installing, and follow instructions carefully.

Cathode

Flat Side

(shorter Lead)

Diode

LED

Transistors: If transistors are installed incorrectly, damage may result when power is

applied. Transistors in metal cases have a small tab near the emitter lead to identify
correct positioning. Semiconductors housed in small plastic cases (TO-92) have an
easily-identified flat side to identify mounting orientation. Many specialized diodes and
low-current voltage regulators also use this type packaging. Larger plastic transistors and
voltage regulators use a case backed with a prominent metal tab to dissipate heat (T-220).
Here, orientation is indicated by the positioning of the cooling tab.

Metal Can Device Plastic Device Tab-cooled Device

Emitter

Flat Side

Metal Tab

Integrated Circuits: Proper IC positioning is indicated by a dot or square marking

located on one end of the device. A corresponding mark will be silk-screened on the PC
board and printed on the kit's parts-placement diagram. To identify specific IC pin
numbers for testing purposes, see the diagram below. Pin numbers always start at the
keyed end of the case and progress counter-clock around the device, as shown:

8 7 6 5

Installation

Key

1 2 3 4

Pin Numbers

Installation

Key

(6) Parts List:

Your kit should contain all of the parts listed below. Please identify and inventory each
item on the checklist before you start building. If any parts are missing or damaged, refer
to the manual's warranty section for replacement instructions. If you can't positively
identify an unfamiliar item on the basis of the information given, set it aside until all
other items are checked off. You may then be able to identify it by process of
elimination. Finally, your kit will go together more smoothly if parts are organized by

type and arranged by value ahead of time. Use this inventory as an opportunity to sort
and arrange parts so you can identify and find them quickly.

[ X] Quantity Description of Item Part Designation

Resistors:

[ ] 1 22 ohm (red, red, black) R3
[ ] 1 270 ohm (red, violet, brown) R4
[ ] 1 470 ohm (yellow, violet, brown) R2
[ ] 2 2.2K (red, red, red) R11, R14
[ ] 1 2.7K (red, violet ,red) R7
[ ] 1 4.7K (yellow, violet, red) R17
[ ] 1 6.8K (blue, gray, red) R5
[ ] 1 10K (brown, black, orange) R18
[ ] 2 39K (orange, white, orange) R12, R15
[ ] 1 47K (yellow, violet, orange) R8
[ ] 4 100K (brown, black, yellow) R1, R9, R13, R19
[ ] 2 10K potentiometer R6, R16
[ ] 1 100K potentiometer R10

Capacitors:

[ ] 1 3 pF disc ceramic (3 or 309) C3
[ ] 2 .001 uF disc ceramic (102) C14,C32
[ ] 3 .01 uF disc ceramic (103) C6,C13,C25
[ ] 1 .05 uF disc ceramic (503) C27
[ ] 8 .1 uF disc ceramic (104) C10,C11,C12,C21,C22,C24,
C26,C29

[ ] 1 10 pF multilayer (10 or 101) C1
[ ] 1 15 pF multilayer (15 or 150) C5
[ ] 1 18 pF multilayer (18 or 180) C19
[ ] 2 22 pF multilayer (22 or 220) C17, C18
[ ] 2 47 pF multilayer (47 or 470) C2,C4
[ ] 1 56 pF multilayer (56 or 560) C20
[ ] 1 220 pF multilayer (221) C7
[ ] 2 1000 pF multilayer (102) C15,C16

[ ] 2 1 uF electrolytic C23,C28
[ ] 2 10 uF electrolytic C30,C31
[ ] 2 100 uF electrolytic C8,C9

Semiconductors:

[ ] 1 5.1 volt zener diode, 1N751A D1
[ ] 1 2SC2498 transistor Q1

[ ] 1 MC13135 IC (24 pin) U1
[ ] 1 MC34119 IC (8 pin) U2

Inductors/Filters/Crystals

[ ] 1 24" length, #22 coil wire L1,L2
[ ] 1 .6 uH slug-tuned, shielded (yellow) L4
[ ] 1 660 uH adjustable, shielded (black) L5
[ ] 1 10.245 crystal Y1
[ ] 1 10.7 MHz ceramic filter (SFE10.7J) FL1
[ ] 1 455 kHz ceramic filter (55D or 55F) FL2

Switches/Jacks/Misc

[ ] 1 DPDT push-button power switch SW1
[ ] 1 RCA phono jack, pc-mounted J1
[ ] 1 3.5mm stereo jack (mini-jack) J2
[ ] 1 9-volt battery snap clip
[ ] 1 plastic cable tie
[ ] 1 PC board
[ ] 1 VEC-1016 Manual

(7 Parts Placement Diagram)

(8 Step-By-Step Construction)

In these instructions, when you see the term install, 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:

Good

Not Good

The term solder means to solder the part's leads in place, and to inspect both (or all)
solder connections for flaws or solder bridges. Nip off excess protruding leads with a
sharp pair of side cutters. Generally, it's easier to install small close-to-the-board parts
first, and then mount larger stand-up parts second. Delicate parts, such as air-wound,
coils go on the PC board last.