From: HilltopperKit@4SQRP.groups.io [mailto:HilltopperKit@4SQRP.groups.io] On Behalf Of Timothy Fidler
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2021 9:07 PM
To: HilltopperKit@4SQRP.groups.io
Subject: [HilltopperKit] Status of Hilltoppers and Price they were sold at last time.

Gents,  I notice from the main page that all Hilltoppers are currently sold out.  - Is there a  rekit and if so , which bands please ?
I seem to remember a price (indic. only) of  USD 105 and I am guessing that was freighted to Nz 

I was going to suggest this  kit to someone here as it is less problematic to get going than the QCX series and has most of the features.

regards,  Tim F

I saw Jim W3BNO's comment about the Hilltopper instructions on the main subgroup.
I have a few more items I found while building the 40 meter version.  I think the new manual has the same information.

1.
In the build list, R8 is listed twice.  Once on a line listing R8, R9 as 22KOhm resistors.
Immediately below it as just R8 as a 47K Ohm resistor.  This is the correct value.  However, here the colors are listed as Yellow-brown-orange.  It should be Yellow Violet Orange Gold

2.
In the build list, L3 and L4 – Should be Brown grey black gold, not brown grey gold gold
When you get to the group 6 instructions they are referred to as having brown-blue bands.  It should be brown-gray.

3
In Group 3 Assembly board image, SW2 is marked as if it is to be installed in that group.  It is installed in the final section.

Richard
K4KRW

Dear Sparks,

First, congratulations on your return to the hobby.?? Second, the one
set of "extra" pins is for serial port access and CAT/computer
control, and the other is for a digital display.?? Both require
re-flashing the chip to add the extra functions, and neither is
necessary.?? The radio works quite well "right out of the box."?? I
have built four of them and I have made the modifications, but I
honestly just use them with the original case and no additions when I
go out in the field with them.

72,

Chas - NK8O

On 9/5/20 3:03 PM, Jeff Logullo N0??MII wrote:

Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!

Re J5 and J6: they aren???t strictly needed, if you just want to get
on the air and have CW QSOs. One header gives access to the I2C bus,
and the other to the serial data lines (perhaps for in-circuit
reprogramming of the CPU?). I venture to say that 99.95% of the
Hilltoppers build don???t have those headers installed.

For now, keep soldering!

72,
Jeff N0??MII

On Sep 5, 2020, at 2:15 PM, NV1F <Giulietti@gmx.com> wrote:

Please advise: (1) Where do I obtain the J5 & J6 header strips not
provided in this kit.."

Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!

Re J5 and J6: they aren’t strictly needed, if you just want to get on the air and have CW QSOs. One header gives access to the I2C bus, and the other to the serial data lines (perhaps for in-circuit reprogramming of the CPU?). I venture to say that 99.95% of the Hilltoppers build don’t have those headers installed.

For now, keep soldering!

72,
Jeff N0̸MII

On Sep 5, 2020, at 2:15 PM, NV1F <Giulietti@gmx.com> wrote:

Please advise: (1) Where do I obtain the J5 & J6 header strips not
provided in this kit.."

Hi Sparks, and welcome back to the Amateur ranks!

Re J5 and J6: they aren???t strictly needed, if you just want to get on the air and have CW QSOs. One header gives access to the I2C bus, and the other to the serial data lines (perhaps for in-circuit reprogramming of the CPU?). I venture to say that 99.95% of the Hilltoppers build don???t have those headers installed.

For now, keep soldering!

72,
Jeff N0??MII

On Sep 5, 2020, at 2:15 PM, NV1F <Giulietti@gmx.com> wrote:

Please advise: (1) Where do I obtain the J5 & J6 header strips not
provided in this kit.."

On Sep 5, 2020, at 2:15 PM, NV1F <Giulietti@gmx.com> wrote:

Please advise: (1) Where do I obtain the J5 & J6 header strips not
provided in this kit.."