All
An update on where I am with the next batch of U2 kits, which I had hoped to have ready near the start of June, but clearly that was over-optimistic.?
Firstly the PCB manufacturer claims a 1 week manufacture time but the reality seems more like 5-6 weeks overall and I am still waiting :-( ?I'm sure you'll agree, the boards are excellent quality and the cost is reasonable. But what they are NOT, is fast.
My DDS module supplier changed the 125MHz canned crystal oscillator to a surface mount device, and told me AFTER I'd paid, then wouldn't refund. Insisted on testing one sample module to make sure they were still suitable for QRSS. They are. So no problems, other than the delay.
Reliability-wise, of the original batch of 200 DDS modules, I tested every single one to make sure that every kit builder gets a working DDS module. 29 were found to be faulty or insufficiently stable for QRSS use (a 15% failure ratio). The new batch of 200 have about 10% failures in testing.?
Anyway the end result is that once the new batch of 200 DDS modules had finally arrived and been tested, I found that I had enough of everything to put together 25 more U2 kits. These will ship from the distributor tomorrow (Monday). So the first 25 on the waiting list should be sorted.?
For everyone else, I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do but wait :-( ? All this sending stuff all over the world takes time. As soon as the PCB's get here then I should be able to get everything moving.?
73 Hans G0UPL
