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I found 74LS-series pretty robust. I found the original 4000-series feeble... just my impressions... mixing them was messy. See for example my effort when I was 13 years old?

?

As for the IC sockets in the QCX... there is no such thing as my strong recommendation on the topic and no such thing as deviating from the provider's instruction... I stated my reasons in the manual. And here. Just my personal opinion is that IC sockets are more trouble than they are worth. But anyone who wants to add their own IC sockets is welcome and I don't expect any performance impact.

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73 Hans G0UPL?

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?

?

Al

I suspect that many of us built our own frequency counters back in the Bad-Old-Days of TTL

and ECL chips.? Chip failure rates were much higher back then and thus required that we

use sockets, especially for the sensitive front-end parts.?

There is nothing keeping you, or others, from socketing your ICs.? It is a personal preference

and not worth arguing about.? Only real issue is strong advise to others that deviating from the

provider's instruction is a good thing.?

Arv
_._

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On Wed, Sep 5, 2018 at 10:45 AM Allen Poland <atpoland@...> wrote:

Arv,

?

I built a 10 digit frequency counter back in the days of TTL logic.? Sockets were very expensive and so along with making my own 24 chip double sided PCB, winding my own transformer I HAD to use IC connectors that came in a strip or roll….they had to be separated in strips of 8, 14 or 16 pins, inserted in the PCB and the retaining tab broke off the tops before the chip(s) were inserted.? Can’t remember the name of these primitive connectors so the description.

?

The counter was so stable and accurate (thanks to an extremely well planned out time-base circuit) I was able to legally use it to monitor the frequency of our local radio station when I worked there.

?

I extended the frequency capability to 2m without degradation using the same method.? Not a problem.? I have no doubt that machined pin sockets will operate to ?6m and 2m.? I might be wrong…..but wouldn’t be afraid to put it to the test.? I think Hans was thinking of costs (1) and inexperienced builders (2) along with the necessary extra attention double-sided boards require..

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Al

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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Arv Evans
Sent: Wednesday, September 5, 2018 12:26 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [QRPLabs] QCX 40m IC2 soldered directly to board

?

Alan

I suspect that Hans is looking to push the envelope up to 6 and 2 meters.? That would be

a reason to avoid using sockets.? If your interest is 30 MHz and lower then sockets may be

worthwhile.? The type of sockets may have some small effect even at 10 meters.

Arv K7HKL
_._

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On Tue, Sep 4, 2018 at 8:23 PM Allen Poland <atpoland@...> wrote:

Hans recommends NOT using sockets for the chips!? The hell with that!?

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From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Bennett via Groups.Io
Sent: Tuesday, September 4, 2018 12:58 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [QRPLabs] QCX 40m IC2 soldered directly to board

?

? Been there. Done that :-)

?

One of my QRP club members advised me to check the continuity of the traces. De soldering the chips probably resulted in burning of some of the traces.?

NZ2Z

Bob Bennett

from my iPhone

--
Bob/NZ2Z

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Virus-free.