SOLDERING TINKER WORKSHOP

Soldering is an elementary skill that all hams should have. Soldering and antenna is quite different from soldering electronic components in that the solder and the procedures are different. For example, the former must be hard, stiff, non-breakable, while the latter must be easy to melt at a lower temperature, conduct electricity well, and corrode little with time. The former can be done with acid (to clean the surface), while the other cannot.

Soldering small-outline components requires a magnifying glass, and a very steady hand, in addition to specialized tools, while soldering of an antenna can be done with a torch.

Since there is much more to soldering than one might think at first, tinkering is critical to produce a good joint. A single workshop cannot be sufficient to develop that skill. Nevertheless, a workshop can provide a good start. VE4WK developed a workshop like that, and presented it in 2005 to around 40 students. The workshop was then used to teach how to assemble a robot to 50 high school students from the Peguis First Nation in November of that year.

INSTRUCTOR

Dr. W. Kinsner, VE4WK, has been giving courses, workshops, demonstrations, guidance on ham-related practical matters, and ham exams to UMARS' studens for many years. He is an Accredited Examiner for Industry Canada.