‰ NOW 30 WPM ‰ TEXT IS FROM APRIL 2018 QST PAGE 49‰ MORE THAN 1 1/2 POUNDS. I WASNT EXPECTING THE WEIGHT AND NEARLY DROPPED THE BOX WHEN I FIRST PICKED IT UP. THIS IS THANKS TO THE POWDER COATED STEEL BASE UPON WHICH THE KEYING CIRCUITRY AND THE PADDLES REST. WHEN YOU OPERATE THIS KEYER, YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT IT WONT BE SLIDING ACROSS YOUR TABLE. ONCE YOUVE DOWNLOADED THE ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE K1EL SYSTEMS WEBSITE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. THE FIRST STEP IS TO BUILD THE TOUCH PADDLES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED CIRCUITRY. THE PADDLES ARE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD STRIPS THAT ARE USED TO SENSE THE CAPACITIVE EFFECT WHEN YOUR FINGERS MAKE CONTACT. YOU ESSENTIALLY MAKE A SANDWICH OF THE TWO BOARDS USING A POWERFUL ADHESIVE STRIP, AND THEN MOUNT A HANDFUL OF PARTS, NONE OF WHICH ARE SURFACE MOUNT COMPONENTS. THE NEXT STEP IS TO ATTACH THE PADDLE BOARD TO THE MAIN BOARD. IN ADDITION TO A MULTIPIN HEADER, YOU MUST APPLY COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF SOLDER TO THE JUNCTIONS OF SEVERAL PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD PADS TO HOLD THE BOARD IN PLACE ALL WHILE ENSURING THAT THE PADDLE BOARD IS AS VERTICAL AS POSSIBLE. THIS MAY SOUND TRICKY, BUT THE MULTIPIN HEADER CONNECTION KEEPS THE BOARD STABLE AND VERTICAL DURING THIS PART OF ‰ END OF 30 WPM TEXT ‰ QST DE W1AW ƒ