K6ARK micro match

 I can't get enough of this video on YT from K6ARK Adam.

Since weight is always an issue when you bring a HF station with you. It should be like this. Light, versatile and fast deployable.

I already have the (tr)uSDX which did very well in Sweden last year. I will bring it with me on our next vacation to Denmark. So I was trying to find a similair matching unit Adam is using. Small, without a coax cable. Just simply connect it to the transceiver and be active. However you can't buy a ready to use K6ARK micro match anywhere, Adam is the only one selling these as far as I can find. And they are kits, you have to solder them yourself. So, I ordered the QRP 1:49 micro match a few weeks ago and it arrived quite fast. I finally had the time to look at it yesterday evening. Build instructions can be found on Adam's website here. I followed the instructions and was unaware there was a video about it which, after all troubles, would make it easier. So this is my building experience. 

Unpacking the package I already noticed the parts are small, very small. I already did read the building instructions and my biggest concern was the SMD capacitor. There once was a time I could actually see these things without glasses. But now, even with glasses, it is difficult to see such small components.

Of course I didn't read well and accidentically put solder on both solder islands on the small board. So I had difficulties to solder the capacitor horizontally. But in the end I managed to get it almost right, not my best ever soldering ;-). Should have read the instructions better. Wish I knew there was a video made by Adam about this. But you know how it goes, limited time and the need to finish it before dinner.

Winding the toroid went smootly and soldering it to the board was relatively easy. The instructions are very clear on that. 

I noticed of the 4 "legs" on the BNC connector broke at transport. Not something important as Adams noticed soldering only 2 legs is sufficient. However the "legs" and the center pin are too short. I've found that, when looking at the video today, Adam has one that has much longer "legs". With the small isolator between the board and the BNC connector the pins are barely reaching the holes because the antenne wire is in the way. I finally soldered everything but the board is not level to the BNC connector now. Not really important because the heat shrink covers everything :-).

To verify everything is working you can use the 2 supplied resistors in series which should form a 2453 ohm resistor. You can connect it between antennawire and ground and check with SWR meter or analyzer. It should read below 1:3 and on most bands 1:1. Mine showed 1:1,5 from 1,8-21 MHz and above it goes to max 1:2,4 on 30 MHz. I measured the resistors and the 2 Kohm was almost 2,2 Kohm. Total combined it was almost 2,7 Kohm, I guess this made the difference in read out. 2453/49 = 50. 2700/49 = 55. I know this is just an indicator and the micro match should be tested with a half wave wire. 

I never heard about Poly Stealth wire, which you should be using for antenna wire. It is very strong and very light. And of course difficult to get in Europe. Have to work that out. For now I will use normal electrical wire and hope it doesn't break too fast. I hope to report about the actual antenna in one of my next posts.

If you ever want to build this. Better look the video before and not after you build it like me ;-)