Like any pursuit, to do the job right, you need to have the proper tools. Amateur radio is no exception. To do certain things, you’ll need tools that you may not currently have. Without them, you’ll seriously handcuff yourself when it comes to enjoying amateur radio.
You may already have a set of hand tools. Most homeowners, for example, have a hammer, a set of screwdrivers, a set of wrenches, and some pliers to make common home repairs. All of these tools will be useful for amateur radio work, but you’ll also need some tools specifically designed for working with electronics, including:
- Needle-nose pliers. Needle nose pliers are possibly the most used tool on the electronics workbench. They allow you to do things that your big, fat fingers just can’t.
- Diagonal, or flush, cutters. You use diagonal cutters to cut wire and trim soldered leads.
- Wire strippers. A good pair of wire strippers is essential when making cables or when you have to solder wires to circuit boards.
- Terminal crimper. You use the crimper to properly attach terminals to wires. Make sure to also purchase a selection of crimp-on terminals.
- Precision (jeweler’s) screwdrivers. Many of the screws you’ll find in electronics equipment are just too small to use normal-sized screwdrivers. A set of jeweler’s screwdrivers will have a couple of Phillips-head screwdrivers as well as several conventional screwdrivers.
- Hobbyist knife. This is the type of knife that modellers use. It’s just as handy in electronics work as it is in building models.
- Digital multimeter. With a digital multimeter (DMM), you can make voltage, current, and resistance measurements. It’s the most basic piece of test equipment you can own, and every ham should have one.
- Soldering iron or soldering station. Even if you’re not going to be doing a lot of building, you need a soldering iron to make simple repairs and build simple cables. Being able to solder is an essential skill for a radio amateur.
- De-soldering tool. If you do any soldering, there will undoubtedly be times that you have to de-solder a connection. Buy a spring-loaded “solder sucker” and not a hand-operated desoldering bulb. The spring-loaded units work a lot better.
Other tools that you’ll find useful if you intend to do a lot of building include:
- Anti-static mat and/or wrist strap. Many electronic components can be damaged by an electrostatic discharge. That’s why you want to use an anti-static mat and/or wrist strap. These drain off static electricity so that you don’t zap your electronics. Amazon, not surprisingly has a wide selection. You can also get them at Radio Shack.
- Tweezers. You need tweezers if you’re working with very small components, such as surface-mount devices.
- Table vise. You need a table vise to hold a circuit board while your building or repairing it, or to hold a connector that you’re soldering wires onto.
- Lighted magnifier or magnifying visor. If you’re north of 40 years old, then you need good lighting and probably some magnification. Some of the parts used today are very small, making the markings hard to read and making them difficult to handle. A magnifying light or magnifying visor makes working on circuits a lot easier.
If you’re really starting from scratch, you might want to consider buying a complete tool kit. Sears (yes, Sears!) sells many different electronics tool kits. Some of the tool kits include a digital multimeter and soldering iron. The nice thing about buying a tool kit is that some kits include a carrying case. Other sources for toolkits include Jameco, Sparkfun, and the Electronic Tool Box.
My own tool set has evolved over the years. I still have some needle-nosed pliers and some diagonal cutters that I acquired over 30 years ago when an electronics manufacturing company that I worked for took them out of service. I got a set of tweezers at some hamfest. The table vise I use is an el cheapo from Harbor Freight. You could do the same, acquiring the tools as you find them, but the problem with that is that they may not be on hand when you need them.
However you get your tools, make sure that you do get them or have access to them. If you can’t make a cable or perform a simple repair because you don’t have the tool to do it, it will be frustrating at the very least, and it could be expensive if you have to pay for a new cable or pay someone to make a repair for you.
Resources
Benjamin KC9UNS says
I find I use most of those tools but there are some other tools every ham should have this his or her tool box. Electrical tape, pipe cutter, file, tape measure, wire tie, and a tooth brush
Dave, N8SBE says
I’d add one or both (for large and small diameter coax) of those handy cable strippers you see at some of the hamfest vendors these days (Debco Electronics sells them, for one). After years of trying to use ‘sharp’ pocket knives, etc. to strip cables to prepare them for connectors, I found that using these strippers are the hoot. Just clamp them on the the end of the cable, like a pipe cutter, and flip them around the cable a few times, and voila! Instant properly stripped cable. It’s a miracle in my book. Also, if you are going to be doing a lot of coax connectors (like putting together a six-band quad with a remote antenna switch), there’s nothing I’ve found better than the crimp/solder style connectors that Debco Electronics sells. If you buy their really nice crimp tools from them, you get a lifetime discount on the connectors. You still need to solder the center pin, but that’s easy compared to trying to solder the shield to the coax body, which often results in melted foam core, and possible electrical shorts. For a really finished touch, they recommend putting some heat-shrink on the cable at the back of the connector. For that, you should get a heat gun (available at EAE).
And while we are talking about crimp tools, you should get one of those ratcheting Anderson Powerpole crimp tools from West Mountain Radio, and of course, a supply of red/black powerpole connector bodies and pins. Use them for all your 12VDC wiring, up to 30 amps (with the right-size pin); the bodies are interchangeable between the 15A and 30A style pins. I even use them in an 8-bin block with a rectangular shell for my 8-wire rotor cable connections (all color-coded in a rainbow). I can plug/unplug the rotor and/or the controller from either end of the cable. I plan to add a ‘split’ at the bottom of the tower, so I can take the controller outside, and plug it in so I can watch the rotor movement without having another observer or running back and forth from the shack to the tower.
Finally, for my elecraft gear, a #0 Sears Craftsman phillips screwdriver turned out to be my most-used tool. It fits all the #4 tiny screws all over the gear perfectly, and I haven’t stripped out one head or screw thread, yet. Highly recommended.
Doug KE8HSF says
Using this list bought most of it at Harbor Freight for approx $112 (this price included some extra items such as Heatshrink Tubing, Coaxial Wire Stripper {the Solderless Terminal Kit they offer for $9.99 comes with a wire stripper/terminal crimper tool], tool box to hold everything, extra batteries for the DMM, Lighted Maginfying Visor and Lighted Magnifying Handy {3rd hand} Helper Tool).
Heres a complete list of what I have (some such as the Desolder Pump and SO-239 Connectors will be picked up this coming week as the Electronic parts Supply Store I go to is closed on weekends):
*NOTE*- All prices listed current as of Febuary 4, 2018
Needle Nose Pliers – $1.99
Wire Stripper – $4.99-$9.99 (mine was included in a 305 pc Solderless Terminal Kit)
Diagonal Cutters – $1.99-$2.29
Flush Cutters – $3.99 (already had 2 sets that I use/used for when assembling miniatures for Wargaming)
Terminal Crimper – $4.99 (same tool as the $4.99 Wire Stripper) also part of the $9.99 305 pc Solderless Terminal Kit
Precision Screwdriver Set – $3.99- $7.99 (the one I bought was a 34pc set w/a pair of tweezers for $6.99
Hobby Knife – $3.99-$15.99 (ranging from 1 knife to a 56 pc set) (Already had multiples from building wargaming scenery and other projects)
Soldering Iron – $3.99-$8.99 (Already had a adjustable temp Soldering/Woodburning Iron set, Walnut Hollow Versa-Tool set that is 120v/25W and heats up to 950 degrees, that was received as a gift a couple years ago)
Desoldering Pump – Not sold at Harbor Freight mine will be purchased from a local Electronic Parts store
Tweezers – $5.99 (The tweezers I have came in the $6.99 34pc Precision Screwdriver set)
Handi Helper (3rd Hand) tool w/ lighted magnifier – $8.99 (The magnifier has LED bulbs and runs on 3 AAA batteries, and included 3 heavy duty AAA’s, also has a coil for holding a soldering iron and a well you could place a sponge in for cleaning your soldering iron tip)
Lighted Magnifying Visor – $4.99 (uses 4 AAA batteries, not included)
Digital Multimeter – $5.99 and up depending on the # of functions, routinely Harbor Freight has coupons for a free 7 function DMM (the $5.99 one) w/ purchase out (I bought the $23.99 11 function DMM that iperates on 1 9V battery and used a 20% off coupon on it along with redeeming the coupon for the free 7 function DMM to get a second DMM)
Anti-Static Mat/Wrist Strap- Not sold at Harbor Frieght will be ordering one online
Solder – $3.49 (though this can be bought almost everywhere such as at hobby shops to Walmart to electric parts stores to hardware stores)
Calipers – $9.99-$29.99 (Digital) (mine are a set of 6in digital calipers that can display metric, inches or inches in fraction format that I bought last year to replace an older set I had that was starting to give me poor performance even with new batteriels and a good cleaning, cost me $9,99 on sale current price is $17,99)
Coaxial Cable Stripper – $7.99
Heat Gun for use with Heatshrink Tubing – $14.99-$37.99 (I already had mine from previous projects)
Heatshrink Tubing – $1.49-$4.99 (the $1.49 is a 9pc set of differing diameters where the $4.99 is a 127pc set of differing diameters)
Plastic Zip Ties- $1.99 for 100 8-in zip ties in black or white
Electrical Tape – $0.89 (This item is also plentiful and can be bought almost everywhere)
Tape Measure – $0.99 and up (Harbor Freight routinely puts out coupons for a free tape measure with a purchase, this is how I have gotten the 1/2 dozen or so tape measure I own)
Spare Batteries – Price depends on the size and quantity you purchase (I paid $7.99 for a 24pk of AAA alkaline batteries and $7.99 for a 4pk of 9V alkaline batteries, I also bought some spare LR44 button cells at the local Dollar Store for the Digital Calipers I have, Batteries are a plentiful item that can be bought almost everywhere)
Solder Wick/Braid – Not sold at Harbor Freight
S0-239 (Socket) Connectors – Not sold at Harbor freight
PL-259 (Plug) Connectors – Not sold at Harbor Freight
Anderson Power Poles – Not sold at Harbor Freight
Assortment of Resisters, Diodes, Capacitors, etc… – Not sold at Harbor Freight
Spare Sponges for cleaning the Soldering Iron tip – Not sold at Harbor Freight (I bought a 2pk of Cellulose Sponges for $1 at the Dollar Store and cut them to size to fit the well on Handy Helper tool, this gave me 4 sponges that fit in the well)
I am sure I will be adding to the tool kit list as I got along, but between what I already had from previous projects, given as gifts (the Walnut Hollow Versa-Tool, aka woodburner/solder iron set) and what I just bought it wasn’t that expensive, you can put together a decent Tool Kit by going to Harbor Freight for most the items on your list for probably under $100, if I wouldn’t have bought the extra batteries, tool box or other stuff that Dan hadn’t listed above it would have been even cheaper.
Dan KB6NU says
Very cool, Doug. Now you’re set to have some fun!