EMRFD Message Archive 10340

Message Date From Subject
10340 2014-10-05 10:49:53 Don AE5K Looking for ham doing SMT as service
Quite some time ago, on one of the lists I receive, there was a
gentleman who said he was doing surface mount work and, for a fee, would
do work for hams. I believe he had a "4" in his call, but not sure. I
filed away his info, but have not found it again.

I had a PCB manufactured which needs a small IC mounted. It is in one
of those packages with leadless connections and about 6x6 mm footprint
and with a heatsink/ground pad on bottom. I believe it is beyond my
capability, even with my reflow oven.

Rather than trying to troubleshoot a new circuit design which has the
possibility of my not mounting this part correctly, I'd like to pay
someone to do the mounting for me.

If you are this person, or know of him, please let me know. I tried and
tried searching lists, web, and my notes, but apparently I haven't hit
on the correct search terms yet.

73,
Don AE5K
10341 2014-10-05 12:12:43 bobtbobbo Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
Try Mike Huffstetler, wa6ouw@aol.com. I have used Mike many times. He does excellent work and is very reasonable.

Work 408-842-8264
Fax    408-842-8269
Cell    831-578-5206

Bob, K1AO
10342 2014-10-05 18:17:12 Don AE5K Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
10345 2014-10-06 05:23:58 Bob Thompson Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
OK Don. Mike's little company is Kit Builders. He can handle all levels if SMT/density. I usually send him an SMT kit along with a check for $25.00 and he usually sends the completed kit back within a week or less. He would be a good backup as you indicated. Good luck with your project!

Bob, K1AO

On 10/5/14, 9:17 PM, Don AE5K donj@ae5k.us [emrfd] wrote:
 

10346 2014-10-06 08:50:38 peter_dl8ov Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
Don, you are missing so much asking somebody else to do your surface mount work:

1) The 9 diopter spectacles that make everything else in the world out of focus.

2) The careless sneeze that sends the last chip on the board to parts unknown just before you solder it.

3) Cats who think that a dish of 0603 capacitors are cat treats.

4) The vet bills after cats have eaten your parts.

5) Cats who think that AD9912 chips are much more fun than the cat toy you bought them last weekend.

6) Solder bridges underneath parts which are impossible to spot unless you have an X-Ray machine.

7) Solder balls that hide between the pins of a device and the case.

8) SMT parts without full part numbers, so six months later you need to find out what a XY9 is on Google.

9) Capacitors without the value or the working voltage marked on them.

10) Connectors that tear off the board because the only thing holding them on is a thin trace of glue between the copper trace and the substrate.

11) Dry joints on the connections to Ball Grid Array (BGA) devices.

and finally..................................

12) The moment of despair when you realize the hundred lead device you have just soldered on (including the thermal pad) should be rotated 90 degrees for correct operation.

Now I know why Wes likes ugly construction.

Peter DL8OV
10347 2014-10-06 10:22:39 blumu Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
Peter, erhabene Einsicht !

Michael

----- Original Message ----- From: peter_dl8ov

Don, you are missing so much asking somebody else to do your surface mount work:

1) The 9 diopter spectacles that make everything else in the world out of focus.

2) The careless sneeze that sends the last chip on the board to parts unknown just before you solder
it.

3) Cats who think that a dish of 0603 capacitors are cat treats.

4) The vet bills after cats have eaten your parts.

5) Cats who think that AD9912 chips are much more fun than the cat toy you bought them last weekend.

6) Solder bridges underneath parts which are impossible to spot unless you have an X-Ray machine.

7) Solder balls that hide between the pins of a device and the case.

8) SMT parts without full part numbers, so six months later you need to find out what a XY9 is on
Google.

9) Capacitors without the value or the working voltage marked on them.

10) Connectors that tear off the board because the only thing holding them on is a thin trace of glu
e between the copper trace and the substrate.

11) Dry joints on the connections to Ball Grid Array (BGA) devices.

and finally..................................

12) The moment of despair when you realize the hundred lead device you have just soldered on
(including the thermal pad) should be rotated 90 degrees for correct operation.

Now I know why Wes likes ugly construction.

Peter DL8OV
10348 2014-10-06 13:53:41 Don AE5K Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
Hi Peter,

I think you hit the high points of the surface mount adventure, and it
was good for a laugh as I've been there on most points except for the cats.

In defense of my asking for help, I have done probably more surface
mount work than at least 98% of hams. For reference, the part I need to
have help with is the Si5356A-A-GM and ever since I had the unpopulated
PCB made, it scares me every time I look at it -- such a small 24 lead
package, with 4 by 4 mm outer dimensions, with a solder pad on bottom
for ground and heatsink, and with ALL 24 leads tucked under the 4x4mm
package. Anyone reading this that does not realize what size this is,
draw it out on a piece of paper. I have hot air tool and reflow oven
but just not that much experience with that size and type of package.

Thanks to a response on another list, it was KD4PBJ that I was thinking
of and I have sent him an email. There were several other
recommendations or offers.

An interesting point about hams and surface mount: about 5 years ago I
conducted an on-line survey about various aspects of ham radio kits, and
some of the questions were aimed at determining what percent of
respondents were receptive to a kit with surface mounted parts. This
survey was offered to the 4SQRP group, many of whom are builders. I
don't have the exact figures here right now, but as I recall I had about
100 respond to the survey, and surprisingly over 80% indicated they
would buy a kit with surface mount parts, even if they had not tried to
do surface mounting yet. As a result, it pains me every time I see an
individual, group, or company release a kit and advertise it as "through
hole" only, like it was something wonderful. I would much rather put
together a surface mount kit than one with through hole components and I
believe I have heard the same statement from a lot of others who have
tried SMT.

Off my soapbox, thanks everyone.

73,
Don AE5K - age 78

10349 2014-10-06 14:06:16 Lee Hiers Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
On Mon, Oct 6, 2014 at 4:53 PM, D
10350 2014-10-06 14:32:40 blumu Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
. . . I would much rather put together a surface mount kit than one
with through hole components and I believe I have heard the same
statement from a lot of others who have tried SMT.

Off my soapbox, thanks everyone.

73,
Don AE5K - age 78

----------------------

Don, Many of us, a bit behind you in years, will have various magnifying glasses,
but no longer a steady hand and some could not afford a suitable solder station.

So SMT is great for some, whilst Manhatten, through-hole, and tagstrips even,
are the only option for others.

Michael
10352 2014-10-06 14:47:43 n7gtb Re: Looking for ham doing SMT as service
I do not fear SMT, I simply avoid it entirely.  Not because of failing eyesight either.  A genetic disorder in my later years, makes it virtually impossible for me to hold a set of tweezers or a soldering tool seady enough to work with such small devices.  It pains me to see others discount the availability of through hole kits and components, for without those items, hams like myself would have to pay someone else to build circuits.  In my mind, that pretty well takes a bunch of the fun out of the hobby.

73,
-Vern


Sent via the Samsung Galaxy S® III mini, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone


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