From now on, my first question I ask anyone wanting help, will be: "Did you buy a kit, or did you rip it off from some on-line site and/or make the board yourself" ?
And, once again, I must remind myself - dont expect people to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth - All the advice about checking for solder splashes and debris under the IC socket etc..... These pale into insignificance compared to the problems one can get when one etches your own board.. even if you dont put the bloody components on the wrong side.
But, Boerker was right about one thing on which I was completely wrong..
it was a BIG Theremax problem!
Fred.