That has to be the one thing that as a ham, I feel ashamed to admit I don't 
know how to do is solder.

I got my license back in 1996 through studying a "Now You're Talking" book 
that I purchased through radio shack and someone reading it to me over and 
over again.  I have never taken the time to learn how to solder, and to be 
quite honest, I'm a little afraid of burning my fingers in trying.  How did 
people on this list learn to do this?  Were there just sighted Elmers that 
were patient enough to bear with the mistakes?

73,
Chris, w8cjs
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Colin McDonald" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 9:07 PM
Subject: function box project update


> hey all:
> well, so far, I am making good progress.
> I found out that the 22K and 100K resisters from pin 3 and pin 4 to ground
> on the mike jack, do indeed control all four PF buttons, on the ts2000 and
> tm455 anyway.
> And of course, the same without a resister controls the up/down functions.
> So, we have that question out of the way.  Now, I wonder if its universal.
> I suspect that if it works on the ts-2000, its probably going to work on 
> any
> of the other kenwood radios that utilize the mc45DM or utilize pf keys.
> I mean, the instructions i got were for a TM455, which i believe is an 
> older
> radio?
>
> So, now it is just a matter of putting everything together.  That is,
> soldering up all the connections with resisters, and mounting the switches
> and connecter in the project box...and then the most fun, soldering an 8
> wire cat5 cable to the 8 pin microphone connecter....yay.
> I am willing to bet that the electronics place i went to the other day 
> will
> make up custom cables for a not too exorbadant cost.
> Perhaps i'll get them to solder those tiny little things instead of me
> fighting with it.
> 73
> Colin, V A6BKX
>