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Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

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Mike Morrow-3

Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

Doug wrote:

>One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.

So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.

Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!

My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
(controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
mode (just like Elecraft).

The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.

Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
when I just want a very small mono-band set.

Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!

I'd buy a couple, maybe more.

Mike / KK5F
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Doug Person-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

Dave is hard at work developing some new products which he won't comment
on. The DSW was a nice little rig. Wish I hadn't sold mine. But that
is certainly the general idea. A nice little single band at half the
cost or less and half the size of the K1.

Doug -- K0DXV

On 4/8/2011 9:59 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:

> Doug wrote:
>
>> One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>> their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>> band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
> So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.
>
> Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
> Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
> I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
> innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!
>
> My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
> allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
> However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
> (controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
> features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
> mode (just like Elecraft).
>
> The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
> the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
> discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
> I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.
>
> Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
> when I just want a very small mono-band set.
>
> Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
> in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
> a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
> characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
> The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
> control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
> a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
> surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
> the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
> Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
> opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
> tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
> high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
> AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!
>
> I'd buy a couple, maybe more.
>
> Mike / KK5F
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

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Ed - K9EW

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

There are several monoband choices available already, but what I
haven't found is one for 10m. With the sunspot cycle on the rise,
this would be a very desirable rig, and possibly the only source for
one on that band. And by all means, make it a 4-pole crystal filter.

ed - k9ew

On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 2:04 PM, Doug Person <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Dave is hard at work developing some new products which he won't comment
> on. The DSW was a nice little rig. Wish I hadn't sold mine. But that
> is certainly the general idea. A nice little single band at half the
> cost or less and half the size of the K1.
>
> Doug -- K0DXV
>
> On 4/8/2011 9:59 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:
>> Doug wrote:
>>
>>> One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>>> their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>>> band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
>> So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.
>>
>> Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
>> Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
>> I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
>> innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!
>>
>> My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
>> allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
>> However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
>> (controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
>> features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
>> mode (just like Elecraft).
>>
>> The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
>> the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
>> discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
>> I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.
>>
>> Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
>> when I just want a very small mono-band set.
>>
>> Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
>> in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
>> a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
>> characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
>> The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
>> control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
>> a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
>> surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
>> the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
>> Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
>> opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
>> tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
>> high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
>> AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!
>>
>> I'd buy a couple, maybe more.
>>
>> Mike / KK5F
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Doug Person-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

There are not many choices that are actually available. And some (most)
vendors provide no support. I just built a 40 meter qrp cw
transceiver. It was missing parts which took 4 weeks to get; the
instructions were poor and incorrect; the rx performance was marginal
and tx only put out half of its specified power So, pretty much how
things were before Elecraft. And, I agree. A 10 meter rig would be nice.

Doug -- K0DXV

On 4/8/2011 1:51 PM, Ed - K9EW wrote:

> There are several monoband choices available already, but what I
> haven't found is one for 10m. With the sunspot cycle on the rise,
> this would be a very desirable rig, and possibly the only source for
> one on that band. And by all means, make it a 4-pole crystal filter.
>
> ed - k9ew
>
> On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 2:04 PM, Doug Person<[hidden email]> wrote:
>> Dave is hard at work developing some new products which he won't comment
>> on. The DSW was a nice little rig. Wish I hadn't sold mine. But that
>> is certainly the general idea. A nice little single band at half the
>> cost or less and half the size of the K1.
>>
>> Doug -- K0DXV
>>
>> On 4/8/2011 9:59 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:
>>> Doug wrote:
>>>
>>>> One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>>>> their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>>>> band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
>>> So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.
>>>
>>> Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
>>> Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
>>> I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
>>> innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!
>>>
>>> My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
>>> allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
>>> However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
>>> (controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
>>> features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
>>> mode (just like Elecraft).
>>>
>>> The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
>>> the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
>>> discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
>>> I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.
>>>
>>> Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
>>> when I just want a very small mono-band set.
>>>
>>> Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
>>> in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
>>> a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
>>> characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
>>> The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
>>> control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
>>> a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
>>> surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
>>> the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
>>> Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
>>> opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
>>> tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
>>> high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
>>> AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!
>>>
>>> I'd buy a couple, maybe more.
>>>
>>> Mike / KK5F
>>> ______________________________________________________________
>>> 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
>>>
>> ______________________________________________________________
>> 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
>>

Vic K2VCO

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3

I don't see a lot of daylight between the KX1 and the K1.

My 'little' rig is a K2, but I've been very tempted to get a K1, too.

On 4/8/2011 8:59 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:

> Doug wrote:
>
>> One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>> their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>> band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
>
> So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.
>
> Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
> Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
> I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
> innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!
>
> My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
> allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
> However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
> (controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
> features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
> mode (just like Elecraft).
>
> The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
> the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
> discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
> I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.
>
> Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
> when I just want a very small mono-band set.
>
> Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
> in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
> a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
> characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
> The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
> control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
> a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
> surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
> the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
> Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
> opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
> tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
> high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
> AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!
>
> I'd buy a couple, maybe more.
>
> Mike / KK5F

--
Vic, K2VCO
Fresno CA
http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
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Phil Hystad-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

On Apr 8, 2011, at 1:24 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> I don't see a lot of daylight between the KX1 and the K1.

Actually, if you move them apart a little bit and place them on a window sill during the day you should be able to look at them and see daylight between them.

I have been reviewing the differences as much as I can between the KX1 and the K1 --- obviously they are different but I agree not so much that someone would make a mistake by buying the wrong one. Having said that, I am so afraid of making mistakes that I am buying both. I already have and completed the KX1 kit with the 80/30 option. I am going to order the K1 as soon as I get a window of opportunity to put it together. After I get the K1 finished and get it on the air, I will be able to sleep better at night. Well, sleep a little better until the hankering for the K2 gets up to serious levels. I already have the K3, the P3 and sometime this year the KPA500 (got to buy my wife a new camera first and that will cost as much as the KPA500).

73, phil, K7PEH
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Guy, K2AV

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3

Hmmmmm and double Hmmmmmmmmm...

>>One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>>their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>>band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.

What is there not super compact about a KX1? A double pack of
Twinkies is bigger than a KX1. It's the same size as four Milky Way
candy bars. For some reason all the things I can think of to compare
size with are small and taste good.....

It's almost small enough to strap to your wrist. (Anybody here old
enough besides me to remember Dick Tracy?)

73, Guy.
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Bob Nielsen-2

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Vic K2VCO

Some of Wayne's early kit designs are available from Wilderness Radio:
http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wild.html

Hendricks QRP Kits also has a number of small kits, a few of which are single-band:
http://www.qrpkits.com

Bob N7XY

On Apr 8, 2011, at 1:24 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:

> I don't see a lot of daylight between the KX1 and the K1.
>
> My 'little' rig is a K2, but I've been very tempted to get a K1, too.
>
> On 4/8/2011 8:59 AM, Mike Morrow wrote:
>> Doug wrote:
>>
>>> One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>>> their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>>> band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
>>
>> So...maybe a K0-15 for 15 meters. I like that concept.
>>
>> Before the K1 became available in 2000, I had built three of Dave Benson's
>> Small Wonder Labs DSW series of mono-band PIC- and DDS-technology QRP rigs.
>> I still have the DSW-20, -30, and -40 and they remain great and very
>> innovative QRP transceivers. Wonderful rigs!
>>
>> My only issue with those $130 (in 1999) units was that the operating system
>> allowed ONLY iambic mode B keying, which I consider an abomination. :-)
>> However, Jackson Harbor Press produced a direct plug-in replacement PIC
>> (controller) for $7 (!!) called the DSWK that offered many additional
>> features over the original SWL PIC, including selectable iambic keying
>> mode (just like Elecraft).
>>
>> The DSW (and later DSW-II) with the DSWK PIC created what is IMHO still
>> the neatest small mono-band QRP rig of all time. Unfortunately, Dave
>> discontinued the DSW series several years ago, leaving that market empty.
>> I regret not having purchased a DSW-II-80 when it was available.
>>
>> Today I almost always use the K1, but sometimes I will take one of the DSWs
>> when I just want a very small mono-band set.
>>
>> Elecraft advanced the PIC/DDS concept to the multi-band feature-rich KX1 all
>> in a small package, yet I also believe there's still something appealing about
>> a smaller, simpler, mono-band rig. A new Elecraft rig that combined some
>> characteristics of the SWL DSW-II and the (don't laugh) MFJ Cub would be great.
>> The DSW characteristic would mean a rig that needed NO LED or LCD display. All
>> control response output would be Morse. The MFJ Cub characteristic would mean
>> a rig with all the "boring drudgery" components being machine pre-assembled
>> surface-mounted to the PCB. Only a few major components that mostly determine
>> the operating frequency would be required to be hand assembled by the builder.
>> Such a rig could be put together in an evening while encountering much less
>> opportunity for construction error. (There'd be much less demand on Elecraft
>> tech support for troubleshooting.) Choose a DDS chip that can be clocked
>> high enough to allow a 15m model, use a four-pole IF filter, and provide an
>> AGC circuit. Mono-band CW perfection!
>>
>> I'd buy a couple, maybe more.
>>
>> Mike / KK5F
>
> --
> Vic, K2VCO
> Fresno CA
> http://www.qsl.net/k2vco/
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
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> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

Doug Person-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Phil Hystad-3

That's it Phil. The obvious solution to the problem is to build them
with all the options. Having built them all multiple times, I have an
affinity for really small, simple rigs. The smaller, the more fun the
contact is. 2-3 watts, built-in keyer, a simple digital display, and
able to run comfortably for the afternoon on a set of AA's.
73, Doug -- K0DXV

On 4/8/2011 2:34 PM, Phil Hystad wrote:

> On Apr 8, 2011, at 1:24 PM, Vic K2VCO wrote:
>
>> I don't see a lot of daylight between the KX1 and the K1.
>
> Actually, if you move them apart a little bit and place them on a window sill during the day you should be able to look at them and see daylight between them.
>
> I have been reviewing the differences as much as I can between the KX1 and the K1 --- obviously they are different but I agree not so much that someone would make a mistake by buying the wrong one. Having said that, I am so afraid of making mistakes that I am buying both. I already have and completed the KX1 kit with the 80/30 option. I am going to order the K1 as soon as I get a window of opportunity to put it together. After I get the K1 finished and get it on the air, I will be able to sleep better at night. Well, sleep a little better until the hankering for the K2 gets up to serious levels. I already have the K3, the P3 and sometime this year the KPA500 (got to buy my wife a new camera first and that will cost as much as the KPA500).
>
> 73, phil, K7PEH
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Mike Morrow-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3

Guy quoted an excerpt from Doug:

>>>One other thing: I really wish Wayne and Eric would peal off one of
>>>their talented junior engineers and design a K0. (K zero). A single
>>>band superhet with 2-3 watts out and super compact.
>
>What is there not super compact about a KX1?

You have asked me about someone else's (Doug's) statement. You'll
need to ask Doug.

But I agree. For what it'll do, the KX1 is indeed very small at
1.2 x 5.3 x 3.0 cubic inches. A mono-band DDS rig could be smaller.
SWL's DSW was 1.5 x 4 x 4 cubic inches, but its optional case had
a lot of extra space that could have been eliminated. If the DSW
PCB had used more pre-assembled surface mount (like the MFJ Cub),
the package size could have been reduced much more.

But more important than the volume figure is the simplicity, compared
to the non-simple four-band KX1, that a mono-band rig allows, particularly
if the PCB is supplied with most of the common components already
pre-assembled using surface mount components. The alignment of a mono-band
QRP rig using PIC/DDS technology is also extremely simple. The DSW, for
example, requires peaking only one receiver input coil for maximum noise,
and adjusting one trimmer cap to set the frequency of the BFO/product detector.
All other frequencies are generated by the DDS chip controlled by the PIC's
programming (just like the KX1).

I could be very content with a KX0-15, in my pipe dream! (No, I don't
actually expect that there will ever be such a thing.)

73,
Mike / KK5F
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Mike Morrow-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Mike Morrow-3

I just wrote:

>I could be very content with a KX0-15, in my pipe dream!

One thing I should emphasize is that any viable design that would
interest me *must* utilize PIC/DDS technology, just like the KX1
and the SWL DSW. I'm not interested in going back to *any* of
the old crystal and L-C oscillator designs for a mono-band rig
that were once so popular. I've built a bunch of them, but the
1999 DSW rigs spoiled me for the beauty, apparent simplicity, and
operational advantages of the PIC/DDS approach for this type of
rig.

Mike / KK5F
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Doug Person-3

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

Here! Here! I'm totally with you on that one. Size is an issue for me.
While KX1 is small, I want smaller.

While on this subject of mono-band qrp transceivers - having built
almost everything in the Elecraft catalog multiple times (3 x K2, 2 x
K1, 3 x KX1), I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on a beginner's
complete homebrew transceiver. My knowledge of radio electronics is
strictly hobby level. But, I'm really anxious to try building something
from scratch. Anyone recall a good article on say a 40 meter 2-3 watt
transceiver for which parts are readily available? I've looked through
the books I have and haven't found anything suitable so far.

tnx & 73, Doug -- K0DXV

On 4/8/2011 10:24 PM, Mike Morrow wrote:

> I just wrote:
>
>> I could be very content with a KX0-15, in my pipe dream!
> One thing I should emphasize is that any viable design that would
> interest me *must* utilize PIC/DDS technology, just like the KX1
> and the SWL DSW. I'm not interested in going back to *any* of
> the old crystal and L-C oscillator designs for a mono-band rig
> that were once so popular. I've built a bunch of them, but the
> 1999 DSW rigs spoiled me for the beauty, apparent simplicity, and
> operational advantages of the PIC/DDS approach for this type of
> rig.
>
> Mike / KK5F
> ______________________________________________________________
> 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
>

Don Wilhelm-5

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

Doug,

I would suggest you adopt the "Ugly Construction" or "Manhatten
Construction" methods to put it together.
I would also suggest you look at the design of the SWL-40, it is one of
the better mono-band ones IMHO, because it uses a superhet receiver
rather than the more common DC receiver.

A long while back, I participated in the MH-101 construction project,
which was a 30 meter transceiver teaching project under the guidance of
Chuck Adams K7QO. It was based on the SWL series (with Dave Benson's
blessings). If you can locate the archives of that project, it might
fit your desires.

OTOH, Jim Kortege K8IQY is the "King of Manhatten Construction", who
designed a good 40 meter transceiver using only 2N2222s. You can see
this on his webpage at
http://www.k8iqy.com/qrprigs/2n240/2n240page.html. Jim has several
other QRP rig designs (some based on that original 2N2222 design) at
http://www.k8iqy.com/qrprigs/QRPRigs.htm.

Enjoy.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 4/9/2011 2:20 PM, Doug Person wrote:

> Here! Here! I'm totally with you on that one. Size is an issue for me.
> While KX1 is small, I want smaller.
>
> While on this subject of mono-band qrp transceivers - having built
> almost everything in the Elecraft catalog multiple times (3 x K2, 2 x
> K1, 3 x KX1), I was wondering if anyone had some ideas on a beginner's
> complete homebrew transceiver. My knowledge of radio electronics is
> strictly hobby level. But, I'm really anxious to try building something
> from scratch. Anyone recall a good article on say a 40 meter 2-3 watt
> transceiver for which parts are readily available? I've looked through
> the books I have and haven't found anything suitable so far.
>
> tnx& 73, Doug -- K0DXV
>

Craig Smith

Re: Proposal for Mono-band Elecraft

In reply to this post by Doug Person-3

For a homebrew rig, I would recommend looking at the recent QST articles by
W7JI describing his 40 meter receiver and transmitter. I believe they were
in the Feb and April 2011 issues.

Just finished building the receiver, and it works quite well. Fairly easy
build with all parts inexpensive and readily available. I built mine
Manhattan style using a RF proto board. Easy alignment and fairly good
performance. As a RX, I'd rate it slightly inferior to a K1, mainly due to
lack of an AGC loop. But it does have an audio limiter that partially
addresses this.

If you do go that route, make sure to check the ARRL website and feedback
for the latest corrections. There were a few errors in the original
article.

73 Craig AC0DS

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