Looking for volunteer to design a tiny CW transceiver for socially isolated kids/teens

[wayne burdick]

Hi all,

Someone recently told me that he'd benefitted throughout his life from learning Morse code as a teen. Ham radio helped him cope. He's gone on to promote Morse because it can help kids with certain cognitive or social issues. Such problems are exacerbated by social media, these days. We all know of teens who've ended up ostracized or worse.

He was wondering what the ham community may be able to do for them.

I proposed a simple ($5-$10), unlicensed CW transceiver (kit or assembled or both) that would put out maybe 1 milliwatt. It would serve as a code-practice oscillator for solo use. But with a short wire hanging from the PCB, kids could work "DX" -- like across a room, or better yet, outdoors.

This got his attention. I went on to describe a scenario that he found very plausible, based on his experience with Morse advocacy: You hand kids the little modules (just a PCB with a built-in 4x AAA battery pack, code key, antenna wire, and cheap earbuds), and ask them to try sending/receiving a few letters. The complete code would be silkscreened onto the PCB. After they try this, you say, "Now see how far apart you can get and still copy you friend's signal." This is where the magic happens, at least for those of us who have been leveraging action-at-a-distance ourselves for many years :)  It takes things a step beyond ordinary code practice. Connects kids to other kids. At best it could serve as a bridge to a world outside themselves.

I'm picturing the little rig as SA602 based, with one crystal for TX and one for RX, running so little power than licensing is a non-issue. Frequency? TBD. Something available in cheap fundamental crystals from Digikey. Each one would have its crystals offset slightly from the others, so the effect of having a number of them in one room might be a bit like being on a crowded CW band. Picking out the pitch of a signal of interest and copying it is a skill many of us have learned. I'm sure kids who are motivated would be able to do it as well.

It should not have debilitating clicks or thumps when keyed. The only control should be for volume. It should be full break-in, which at this power level is easily obtained.

This is a project I would gladly take on myself if not for my greater-than-full-time commitments to Elecraft products. I'm hoping there's a tinkerer out there with more free time who could start from a minimal description and design the little rig.  The gentleman I spoke to has been frustrated over the years in trying to get his message out, and in trying to find ways to take Morse code to a wider range of kids. He felt that this idea had a lot of merit.

If you're interested in this project, or know of something that matches this description that's already available, please contact me directly.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[Brian Hunt]

Back when Halted Specialties Company (HSC) was in business in the SF Bay
Area I bought a PIXIE2e kit from them for $14.95.  It is a crystal
controlled direct conversion transceiver using only a 2N2222 oscillator
and LM386 audio amp on a 1" x 2" PCB.  It came with crystals for 80m and
40m.  RF output 200-300 mW with a 9v battery. I never built it and dug
the kit out of my "archives."  I'd be glad to offer it up as a design or
evaluation candidate.

73,
Brian, K0DTJ

On 10/17/2019 11:05, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Someone recently told me that he'd benefitted throughout his life from learning Morse code as a teen. Ham radio helped him cope. He's gone on to promote Morse because it can help kids with certain cognitive or social issues. Such problems are exacerbated by social media, these days. We all know of teens who've ended up ostracized or worse.
>
> He was wondering what the ham community may be able to do for them.
>
> I proposed a simple ($5-$10), unlicensed CW transceiver (kit or assembled or both) that would put out maybe 1 milliwatt. It would serve as a code-practice oscillator for solo use. But with a short wire hanging from the PCB, kids could work "DX" -- like across a room, or better yet, outdoors.
>
> This got his attention. I went on to describe a scenario that he found very plausible, based on his experience with Morse advocacy: You hand kids the little modules (just a PCB with a built-in 4x AAA battery pack, code key, antenna wire, and cheap earbuds), and ask them to try sending/receiving a few letters. The complete code would be silkscreened onto the PCB. After they try this, you say, "Now see how far apart you can get and still copy you friend's signal." This is where the magic happens, at least for those of us who have been leveraging action-at-a-distance ourselves for many years :)  It takes things a step beyond ordinary code practice. Connects kids to other kids. At best it could serve as a bridge to a world outside themselves.
>
> I'm picturing the little rig as SA602 based, with one crystal for TX and one for RX, running so little power than licensing is a non-issue. Frequency? TBD. Something available in cheap fundamental crystals from Digikey. Each one would have its crystals offset slightly from the others, so the effect of having a number of them in one room might be a bit like being on a crowded CW band. Picking out the pitch of a signal of interest and copying it is a skill many of us have learned. I'm sure kids who are motivated would be able to do it as well.
>
> It should not have debilitating clicks or thumps when keyed. The only control should be for volume. It should be full break-in, which at this power level is easily obtained.
>
> This is a project I would gladly take on myself if not for my greater-than-full-time commitments to Elecraft products. I'm hoping there's a tinkerer out there with more free time who could start from a minimal description and design the little rig.  The gentleman I spoke to has been frustrated over the years in trying to get his message out, and in trying to find ways to take Morse code to a wider range of kids. He felt that this idea had a lot of merit.
>
> If you're interested in this project, or know of something that matches this description that's already available, please contact me directly.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
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>

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[Clay Autery-2]

Y'all wanna talk Super LP CW with a kit builder, contact Floyd Hoskins,
N5FH.  He's seen, fixed, built, et al. many different designs.

______________________
Clay Autery, KY5G
[phone]

On 17-Oct-19 15:32, Brian Hunt wrote:

> Back when Halted Specialties Company (HSC) was in business in the SF
> Bay Area I bought a PIXIE2e kit from them for $14.95.  It is a crystal
> controlled direct conversion transceiver using only a 2N2222
> oscillator and LM386 audio amp on a 1" x 2" PCB.  It came with
> crystals for 80m and 40m.  RF output 200-300 mW with a 9v battery. I
> never built it and dug the kit out of my "archives." I'd be glad to
> offer it up as a design or evaluation candidate.
>
> 73,
> Brian, K0DTJ
>
> On 10/17/2019 11:05, Wayne Burdick wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Someone recently told me that he'd benefitted throughout his life
>> from learning Morse code as a teen. Ham radio helped him cope. He's
>> gone on to promote Morse because it can help kids with certain
>> cognitive or social issues. Such problems are exacerbated by social
>> media, these days. We all know of teens who've ended up ostracized or
>> worse.
>>
>> He was wondering what the ham community may be able to do for them.
>>
>> I proposed a simple ($5-$10), unlicensed CW transceiver (kit or
>> assembled or both) that would put out maybe 1 milliwatt. It would
>> serve as a code-practice oscillator for solo use. But with a short
>> wire hanging from the PCB, kids could work "DX" -- like across a
>> room, or better yet, outdoors.
>>
>> This got his attention. I went on to describe a scenario that he
>> found very plausible, based on his experience with Morse advocacy:
>> You hand kids the little modules (just a PCB with a built-in 4x AAA
>> battery pack, code key, antenna wire, and cheap earbuds), and ask
>> them to try sending/receiving a few letters. The complete code would
>> be silkscreened onto the PCB. After they try this, you say, "Now see
>> how far apart you can get and still copy you friend's signal." This
>> is where the magic happens, at least for those of us who have been
>> leveraging action-at-a-distance ourselves for many years :)  It takes
>> things a step beyond ordinary code practice. Connects kids to other
>> kids. At best it could serve as a bridge to a world outside themselves.
>>
>> I'm picturing the little rig as SA602 based, with one crystal for TX
>> and one for RX, running so little power than licensing is a
>> non-issue. Frequency? TBD. Something available in cheap fundamental
>> crystals from Digikey. Each one would have its crystals offset
>> slightly from the others, so the effect of having a number of them in
>> one room might be a bit like being on a crowded CW band. Picking out
>> the pitch of a signal of interest and copying it is a skill many of
>> us have learned. I'm sure kids who are motivated would be able to do
>> it as well.
>>
>> It should not have debilitating clicks or thumps when keyed. The only
>> control should be for volume. It should be full break-in, which at
>> this power level is easily obtained.
>>
>> This is a project I would gladly take on myself if not for my
>> greater-than-full-time commitments to Elecraft products. I'm hoping
>> there's a tinkerer out there with more free time who could start from
>> a minimal description and design the little rig.  The gentleman I
>> spoke to has been frustrated over the years in trying to get his
>> message out, and in trying to find ways to take Morse code to a wider
>> range of kids. He felt that this idea had a lot of merit.
>>
>> If you're interested in this project, or know of something that
>> matches this description that's already available, please contact me
>> directly.
>>
>> 73,
>> Wayne
>> N6KR
>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> Elecraft mailing list
>> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
>> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>>
>> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

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[Dave AD6A]

You could use most of the circuitry of the SMK-1 40m QRP rig to do exactly what you describe Wayne (leave off the PA!).  The SMK-1 has Full break-in, no clicks or chirps, and a half-decent receiver in it. Feel free to use the design as you see fit.

Dave Fifield
AD6A

Sent from my  iPhone XS (Max)

> On Oct 17, 2019, at 11:06 AM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>

Hi all,

Someone recently told me that he'd benefitted throughout his life from learning Morse code as a teen. Ham radio helped him cope. He's gone on to promote Morse because it can help kids with certain cognitive or social issues. Such problems are exacerbated by social media, these days. We all know of teens who've ended up ostracized or worse.

He was wondering what the ham community may be able to do for them.

I proposed a simple ($5-$10), unlicensed CW transceiver (kit or assembled or both) that would put out maybe 1 milliwatt. It would serve as a code-practice oscillator for solo use. But with a short wire hanging from the PCB, kids could work "DX" -- like across a room, or better yet, outdoors.

This got his attention. I went on to describe a scenario that he found very plausible, based on his experience with Morse advocacy: You hand kids the little modules (just a PCB with a built-in 4x AAA battery pack, code key, antenna wire, and cheap earbuds), and ask them to try sending/receiving a few letters. The complete code would be silkscreened onto the PCB. After they try this, you say, "Now see how far apart you can get and still copy you friend's signal." This is where the magic happens, at least for those of us who have been leveraging action-at-a-distance ourselves for many years :)  It takes things a step beyond ordinary code practice. Connects kids to other kids. At best it could serve as a bridge to a world outside themselves.

I'm picturing the little rig as SA602 based, with one crystal for TX and one for RX, running so little power than licensing is a non-issue. Frequency? TBD. Something available in cheap fundamental crystals from Digikey. Each one would have its crystals offset slightly from the others, so the effect of having a number of them in one room might be a bit like being on a crowded CW band. Picking out the pitch of a signal of interest and copying it is a skill many of us have learned. I'm sure kids who are motivated would be able to do it as well.

It should not have debilitating clicks or thumps when keyed. The only control should be for volume. It should be full break-in, which at this power level is easily obtained.

This is a project I would gladly take on myself if not for my greater-than-full-time commitments to Elecraft products. I'm hoping there's a tinkerer out there with more free time who could start from a minimal description and design the little rig.  The gentleman I spoke to has been frustrated over the years in trying to get his message out, and in trying to find ways to take Morse code to a wider range of kids. He felt that this idea had a lot of merit.

If you're interested in this project, or know of something that matches this description that's already available, please contact me directly.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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[wayne burdick]

Thanks, Dave.

I've had many responses to this request. Excellent response from a community that not only wants to help kids, they also want more CW ops on the air :)

73,
Wayne
N6KR

> On Oct 17, 2019, at 7:21 PM, Dave AD6A <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> You could use most of the circuitry of the SMK-1 40m QRP rig to do exactly what you describe Wayne (leave off the PA!).  The SMK-1 has Full break-in, no clicks or chirps, and a half-decent receiver in it. Feel free to use the design as you see fit.
>
> Dave Fifield
> AD6A
>
> Sent from my  iPhone XS (Max)
>
>> On Oct 17, 2019, at 11:06 AM, Wayne Burdick <[hidden email]> wrote:
>>
>
> Hi all,
>
> Someone recently told me that he'd benefitted throughout his life from learning Morse code as a teen. Ham radio helped him cope. He's gone on to promote Morse because it can help kids with certain cognitive or social issues. Such problems are exacerbated by social media, these days. We all know of teens who've ended up ostracized or worse.
>
> He was wondering what the ham community may be able to do for them.
>
> I proposed a simple ($5-$10), unlicensed CW transceiver (kit or assembled or both) that would put out maybe 1 milliwatt. It would serve as a code-practice oscillator for solo use. But with a short wire hanging from the PCB, kids could work "DX" -- like across a room, or better yet, outdoors.
>
> This got his attention. I went on to describe a scenario that he found very plausible, based on his experience with Morse advocacy: You hand kids the little modules (just a PCB with a built-in 4x AAA battery pack, code key, antenna wire, and cheap earbuds), and ask them to try sending/receiving a few letters. The complete code would be silkscreened onto the PCB. After they try this, you say, "Now see how far apart you can get and still copy you friend's signal." This is where the magic happens, at least for those of us who have been leveraging action-at-a-distance ourselves for many years :)  It takes things a step beyond ordinary code practice. Connects kids to other kids. At best it could serve as a bridge to a world outside themselves.
>
> I'm picturing the little rig as SA602 based, with one crystal for TX and one for RX, running so little power than licensing is a non-issue. Frequency? TBD. Something available in cheap fundamental crystals from Digikey. Each one would have its crystals offset slightly from the others, so the effect of having a number of them in one room might be a bit like being on a crowded CW band. Picking out the pitch of a signal of interest and copying it is a skill many of us have learned. I'm sure kids who are motivated would be able to do it as well.
>
> It should not have debilitating clicks or thumps when keyed. The only control should be for volume. It should be full break-in, which at this power level is easily obtained.
>
> This is a project I would gladly take on myself if not for my greater-than-full-time commitments to Elecraft products. I'm hoping there's a tinkerer out there with more free time who could start from a minimal description and design the little rig.  The gentleman I spoke to has been frustrated over the years in trying to get his message out, and in trying to find ways to take Morse code to a wider range of kids. He felt that this idea had a lot of merit.
>
> If you're interested in this project, or know of something that matches this description that's already available, please contact me directly.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>
>

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