Vectronics VEC-830K User Manual

IMPORTANT WARRANTY INFORMATION! PLEASE READ

Return Policy on Kits When Not Purchased Directly From Vectronics: Before continuing any further with your VEC kit check with your Dealer about their return policy. If your Dealer allows returns, your kit must be returned

Return Policy on Kits When Purchased Directly From Vectronics: Your VEC kit may be returned to the factory

once you begin installing and sold ering parts, you es sentia lly take over the role of th e device's manufacturer. From this p oint on, neith er Vect ronics nor its d ealers can reas onab ly be h eld accountable for the quality or the outcome of your work. Because of this, Vectronics cannot accept return of any kit-in-progress or completed work as a warranty item for any reason whatsoever. If you are a new or inexperienced kit builder, we urge you to read the manual carefully and determine whether or not you're ready to take on the job. If you wish to change your mind and return your kit, you may--but you must do it construction, and within ten (10) working days of the time it arrives.

Vectronics Warrants: You r kit c ontains each it em sp ecifi ed in th e parts list. Missing Parts: If you determine, during your pre-construction inventory, that any part is

missing, please contact Vectronics and we'll send the missing item to you free of charge. However, the marking on one of the other items provided with the kit. Also, make certain an alternative

part hasn't been substituted for the i tem you're missin g. If a sp ecific part is n o longer available, or if Engineering has d etermined that an alternative component is more suitable, Vectroni cs reserves the right to make substitutions at any time. In most cases, these changes will be clearly noted in an addendum to th e manual.

Defective Parts: Today's electronic part s are physically and electrica lly resilient, and def ective components are rare. However, if you discover an it em during your pre-c onstruction in ventory that's obviously broken or unserviceable, we'll rep lace it. Just return th e part to Vectronics at the address below accompanied with an explanation. Upon rec eipt, we'll test it. If it's defectiv e and appears unused, we'll ship you a new one right away at no charge.

before you

in its pre-assembled condition only.

contact Vectronics,

before you

please look ca refu lly

begin construction.

The reason for this st ipulation i s,

before you

to confirm you haven't misread

begin

Missing or Defective Parts After You Begin Assembly: Parts and materials lost or damaged

after construction begins

supplied with VEC kits are relatively inexpensive and Vectronics can replace them for a reasonable charge. Simp ly c ontact t he factory with a complet e d esc ription. We'll p roces s you r order quickly and get you back on track.

Factory Repair After You Begin Assembly:

specifically excluded from coverage by the Vectronics warranty.

service to customers, t echnic ian s a re a vailab le t o eva luate and r epai r malfunct ionin g kits f or a minimum service fee of 518.00 (1/2 hour rate) plus 57.00 shipping and handling (prices subject to change). To qualify for repair service, your kit must be fully completed, unmodified, and the printed circuit board assembled using rosin-core solder. 1n the event your repair will require more than an hour to fix (or 536.00, subj ect to chan ge), ou r t echnicians will c ontact you in advance by telephone before performing the work. Defective units should be shipped prepaid

Vectronics

1007 HWY 25 South Starkville, MS 39759

When shipping, pack your kit well and include the minimum payment plus shipping and handling charges (525.00 tota l). No work can b e perfo rmed with out p re-p ayment. Also, p r ovide a valid UPS return address and a day time phone number where you may be reached.

are not covered und er the t er ms of thi s war rant y. Ho wever, most pa rts

Kits-in progress and completed kits are

However, as a

Single Side-Band Filter Kit

INTRODUCTION

Thank you for purchasing the VEC-830K Single Side-Band Filter kit. The VEC-830K is a four stage, switch selectable filter, that will make "cleaning up" Single Side-Band signals effortless and easy. With the VEC-830K you bring up any hard to he ar signa l o ut o f a " band p ile up ," fo r ea sy liste ni ng, o r get rid of unwanted , anno ying signals. The VEC-830 K a lso fe atur e s a headphone output that will allow the use of standard mono headphones. Although small in size, the VEC-830K is high on performance and reliability. Powered from a 9volt transistor batten', the VEC-830K will provide you with many hours of use.

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

Construction Area: Kit construction requires a clean, smooth, and welllighted 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. Welldiffused 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 high-temperature stand for your soldering iron, and keep the work area free of combustible clutter.

Universal Kit-buil di ng T o o ls: Altho ugh your pa rt icul ar kit ma y req uir e additional items to complete, virtually all construction projects require a work area outfitted with the followin

tools and supplies:

VEC-830K Instruction Manual Single Side-Band Filter Kit

BEFORE YOU START BUILDING

Experience shows there are jour 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 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).

common mistakes

almost

the same, but they may act very

builders make. Avoid these,

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

Soldering Tips:

Cleanliness

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. Also, clean the oxidation and excess solder from the soldering iron tip to ensure maximum heat transfer. Allow the tip of your iron to contact both the lead and pad for about one second (count "one-thousand-one") before feeding solder to the connection. Surfaces must become hot enough for solder to flow

smoothly.

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.

and good

Feed solder to the opposite side of the lead from your iron tip--solder

heat distribution

are the two secrets of professional

VEC-830K Instruction Afanual Single Side-Band Filter

Desoldering Tips: If you make a mistake and need to remove a part, follow these instructions

carefully! First, grasp the component with a pair of hemostats or needle-nose pliers. 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 t he pad agai n 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 springloaded solder sucker may be used. Parts damaged or severely overheated during extraction should be replaced rather than reinstalled.

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 projects a re 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:

When you look at a resistor, check its multiplier code first. Any resi stor with a black multiplier band falls between 10 and 99 ohms in value. Bro wn 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 9.9 K. An orange multiplier band designates 10K to 99K, etc. To sort and inventory resistors, first separate them into groups by multiplier band (make a pile of 10s, 100s, Ks,

VEC-83 OK Instruction Manual Single Side-Band Filter

I0Ks, 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 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

Instead

the value, or a 3-number code, is printed on the body.

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.

C-830K Instruction Manual Sin

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 nositionine of the colling tab.

le Side-Band Filter Kit

Inte

rated 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-clockwise around the device, as shown:

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