Good thoughts here Mike.  I agree.



Thank You!

BRETT K WINCHESTER  PM  KD7JN
mailto:[log in to unmask] 
http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/brochure/RADIO.HTM 

READING SERVICES MANAGER
ICBVI - IDAHO COMMISSION f/t BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
P O BOX 83720
BOISE IDAHO  83720-0012
208-334-3220 ext 104 or 103 +7 = voice mail non-business hours
fax  208-334-2963

>>> Mike Freeman <[log in to unmask]> 09/27/01 09:25AM >>>
Some may call me "chicken" but I am *very* leery of soldering on the
current generation of manufactured gear.  Much of it uses such
space-saving wrinkles as surface-mount technology and therefore things are
crammed in so tightly that I can almost guarantee you that I'd ruin
something in the process of fixing something else or adding some new
gizmo.  Also when working with etched PC-board, it's not always easy to
figure out where things go by touch -- those photo templates just don't do
much for me.

I am more comfortable building things from scratch or from kits.

It's not that I am not adventurous or unwilling to carry on the ham
tradition of modifying gear etc.  It's just that I believe we're living in
somewhat of a different age with different building conditions and some of
this gear is sufficiently expensive that I am unwilling to make it the
subject of my crispy-critter experimentation.

Mike Freeman <[log in to unmask]>
Amateur Radio: < K 7 U I J >

On Thu, 27 Sep 2001, JEFFREY MICHAEL KENYON wrote:

> okay, sorry about that, I had an idea come to mind for people who are
> beginning out soldering, and that could be to try experimenting with those
> toy walkie talkies, or room monitors or an older cordlers phone or
> something like that.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, 26 Sep 2001, Brett Winchester wrote:
>
> > No, he is not blind.
> >
> > Thank You!
> >
> > BRETT K WINCHESTER  PM  KD7JN
> > mailto:[log in to unmask] 
> > http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/brochure/RADIO.HTM=20 
> >
> > READING SERVICES MANAGER
> > ICBVI - IDAHO COMMISSION f/t BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
> > P O BOX 83720
> > BOISE IDAHO  83720-0012
> > 208-334-3220 ext 104 or 103 +7 =3D voice mail non-business hours
> > fax  208-334-2963
> >
> > >>> JEFFREY MICHAEL KENYON <[log in to unmask]> 09/26/01 10:25AM >>>
> > Is this engineer also blind then?  If so how doew he work on transmitters?
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, 26 Sep 2001, Brett Winchester wrote:
> >
> > > My broadcast engineer has a cool little pencil he got from Fair radio or =
> > =3D
> > > something that is about $4.00.  his rationale is that it is cheep enough =
> > =3D
> > > that if it gets lost or thrown away it is no great loss.  He keeps  =
> > these =3D
> > > for  field work naturally, keeping the variable heat one for bench work.
> > >
> > > Thank You!
> > >
> > > BRETT K WINCHESTER  PM  KD7JN
> > > mailto:[log in to unmask] 
> > > http://www.icbvi.state.id.us/brochure/RADIO.HTM=3D20=20 
> > >
> > > READING SERVICES MANAGER
> > > ICBVI - IDAHO COMMISSION f/t BLIND & VISUALLY IMPAIRED
> > > P O BOX 83720
> > > BOISE IDAHO  83720-0012
> > > 208-334-3220 ext 104 or 103 +7 =3D3D voice mail non-business hours
> > > fax  208-334-2963
> > >
> > > >>> Butch Bussen <[log in to unmask]> 09/26/01 09:38AM >>>
> > > What I use is a weller 8200.  It is a dual heat gun.  Fast heat up and
> > > cool down.  I cna't believe what those things cost these days..  Last =
> > one
> > > I bought was almost $50.00
> > >
> > > 73s
> > > Butch      WA0VJR
> > >
> >
>