MRG VCO (2nd gen) Assembly Guide

Theory of operation:

  1. If you bought the PCB+Panel+IC only, acquire needed components (See Bill of Materials . All components used in this guide are already included in the full DIY kit.
  2. Build the Main PCB.
  3. Build the Front PCB.
  4. Install the front panel.
  5. Tuning.

Main PCB build

Step A1. Solder the 10-pin header.

Step A2. Solder the trim pots.

Step A3. Solder the 8pin and 16-pin DIP sockets.

Step A4. Solder the film capacitor.

Step A5. Solder the voltage regulator.

Step A6. Solder the two electrolytic capacitors.

Everything apart from the two 14-pin headers are soldered on the board now. It is time to solder the front PCB.

Front PCB

Step C1. Check the alignment of the PCB (label U1 is the top row), arrange the jack sockets and the potentiometers.

Step C2. Solder the components. Tip: in order to be sure to align the components to the front panel, install the front panel as in photo below and solder the components on the back.

Step C3. Solder the socket headers. Tip: In order to align the Main PCB’s pin headers to the Front PCB’s socket headers, assemble the two PCBs together, as in picture, and solder them in place.

All soldering is now done! The next step is installing the front panel.

Final Module Assembly

Install the front panel, using nuts and washers to keep it attached, and add the knobs to the potentiometers.

Conclusion.

Congratulations! You have concluded a fairly complex build!

The next step is tuning the oscillator.

You can find the tuning guide here

Feedback? Suggestions? Contact me! .