any suggestions? cheap qrp xcvr kits

[DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL]

Hi all:

I am looking for an inexpensive qrp transceiver kit (monoband if fine)
and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I do not want to be
rock-bound.

I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub (93xxK series).
 Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as per ARRL
review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero rise/fall
time).

Any comments on these radios?  Any other suggestions?

Thanks!
de Doug KR2Q
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[JT Croteau]

On 8/27/07, DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <[hidden email]> wrote:
> I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub (93xxK series).
> Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as per ARRL
> review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero rise/fall
> time).

The Small Wonder Labs SW+ series of monoband rigs are much better
performers than these two.  They have a 35-40 kHz VFO.  Best bang for
the buck at $55 delivered.

http://www.smallwonderlabs.com/swl_swp.htm

Also check out the SST from Wilderness Radio:

http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wilderness/sst.htm

--
JT Croteau, N1ESE - Manchester, NH
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[Matthew D. Fuller-2]

On Mon, Aug 27, 2007 at 06:30:03AM -0400 I heard the voice of
DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL, and lo! it spake thus:
>
> I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub (93xxK
> series).  Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as
> per ARRL review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero
> rise/fall time).
>
> Any comments on these radios?  Any other suggestions?

I've built the MFJ Cub (17m).  Assembly was easy, though getting the
board in the case was a bit of an adventure.  Extra fun was added by
sub'ing a BNC for the RCA antenna jack, which lead to taking a hacksaw
to the PCB    ;)

As for the waveform, I built it with the keyshape/QSK mods at
<http://www.w1hue.us/Articles/CUB2.html>.  I had a friend listen to it
on the air and give it high marks for cleanliness, and the breakin is
VERY fast and clean.  Thumping is fairly significant with no antenna
connected, but low enough to be thoroughly ignorable in real usage.
It took some work to get the parts in place, but certainly seems worth
it.  (n.b.: I did that at build time, so I never saw how good/bad it
would be without those mods.  Alls I know is that it was good with
them.)

I DID do the sidetone level mod included in that bunch too, but it was
rather difficult to pull off, and I'm not at all sure it's worth it.
If I had it to do over again, I'm pretty sure I'd skip that part.

The power output is significantly less than I was expecting.  I'm not
quite sure why.  Casual checking didn't revealed anything, and I
haven't had time to do more rigorous tracing.  I also plan on doing
the tuning linearization mod (see around same W1HUE site) at some
point, both for the linearization and cutting down the tuning range a
bit.  Sadly, my radio time is near zilch of late   :|


Obligatory Elecraft tie-in to justify the list space: I warmed up for
the build with, and used in the build/testing, a DL-1   8-}


--
Matthew Fuller, N3TZJ
<[hidden email]>
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[Dan Romanchik KB6NU]

Check out qrpkits.com. The DC20A, DC30A, and DC40A are only $40,  
including shipping!

73!

Dan KB6NU
----------------------------------------------------------
CW Geek and MI Affiliated Club Coordinator
Read my ham radio blog at www.kb6nu.com
LET'S GET MORE KIDS INTO HAM RADIO!





On Aug 27, 2007, at 6:30 AM, DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL wrote:

> Hi all:
>
> I am looking for an inexpensive qrp transceiver kit (monoband if fine)
> and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I do not want to be
> rock-bound.
>
> I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub (93xxK series).
>  Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as per ARRL
> review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero rise/fall
> time).
>
> Any comments on these radios?  Any other suggestions?
>
> Thanks!
> de Doug KR2Q
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

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[Brett gazdzinski-2]

 
Look for a used emtech.
Very good rig for the money, my only beef with the
one I built was it has a bit of background hiss.
The variable filter worked well, a real VFO (stable), room
for a big battery inside, along with a charging circuit, 5 watts
out, very nice....

Not sure if they still make new kits, maybe only for 20 meters.

Almost elecraft like, without the computer control...

Brett
N2DTS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL
> Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 6:30 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: [Elecraft] any suggestions? cheap qrp xcvr kits
>
> Hi all:
>
> I am looking for an inexpensive qrp transceiver kit (monoband if fine)
> and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I do not want to be
> rock-bound.
>
> I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub (93xxK series).
>  Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as per ARRL
> review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero rise/fall
> time).
>
> Any comments on these radios?  Any other suggestions?
>
> Thanks!
> de Doug KR2Q
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

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[Brett gazdzinski-2]

 
Unlike most of the other kits, the emtech has
a wide range VFO that covers almost the entire
band you pick, not just 25 Khz or so.
I never noticed any real drift with it.
It has a nice reduction drive also...

Brett
N2DTS

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [hidden email]
> [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Brett
> gazdzinski
> Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 8:30 AM
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] any suggestions? cheap qrp xcvr kits
>
>  
> Look for a used emtech.
> Very good rig for the money, my only beef with the
> one I built was it has a bit of background hiss.
> The variable filter worked well, a real VFO (stable), room
> for a big battery inside, along with a charging circuit, 5 watts
> out, very nice....
>
> Not sure if they still make new kits, maybe only for 20 meters.
>
> Almost elecraft like, without the computer control...
>
> Brett
> N2DTS
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [hidden email]
> > [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of
> DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL
> > Sent: Monday, August 27, 2007 6:30 AM
> > To: [hidden email]
> > Subject: [Elecraft] any suggestions? cheap qrp xcvr kits
> >
> > Hi all:
> >
> > I am looking for an inexpensive qrp transceiver kit
> (monoband if fine)
> > and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I do not want to be
> > rock-bound.
> >
> > I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ Cub
> (93xxK series).
> >  Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the MFJ (as per ARRL
> > review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be zero rise/fall
> > time).
> >
> > Any comments on these radios?  Any other suggestions?
> >
> > Thanks!
> > de Doug KR2Q
> > _______________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Post to: [hidden email]
> > You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> >  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
> >
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
> >
>
> _______________________________________________
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>

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[Curt Milton]

Doug

part of the choice may be whether you want to build
the unit yourself vs. buying something someone else
already built to operate with.  

if you truly want to experience building the rig, it
will limit your choices.  

TT1300-series.  looks great on paper, good value over
all.  i have a 1340 - here are the limitations:

(1) the xtals in the kit are not well matched, so your
filter may be a bit wider than some other rigs.  

(2) the parts placement of the transmitter output
matching circuitry is not ideal.  check N5ESE's
website for how to address this.  i found there is one
ferrite transformer involved, and its positioning &
orientation relative to the other inductors is the
most critical (in my experience).  

(3) the PA bias network is not ideal, but it can be
fixed

(4) the single FET mixer in the receiver is cute but
not the highest performance.  it does work though.  

(5) the final assembly design of the rig is a pain if
you have to dissemble it for mods or debugging.  

the bottom line is the TenTec won't work well as
readily as a more refined kit, but with patience it
can be a decent rig.  

note some choices suggested are direct conversion -
great for a building experience but not as fun to use
on congested bands.  

if you really expect to do some portable operating,
rethink your expenditure into a simple rig vs. a K1 or
KX1.  

73, curt

--- DOUGLAS ZWIEBEL <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Hi all:
>
> I am looking for an inexpensive qrp transceiver kit
> (monoband if fine)
> and I would appreciate some suggestions.  I do not
> want to be
> rock-bound.
>
> I'm looking at the Ten Tec 13xx series adn the MFJ
> Cub (93xxK series).
>  Both are under $100.  The keying waveform on the
> MFJ (as per ARRL
> review) looks like key click city to me (looks to be
> zero rise/fall
> time).
>
> Any comments on these radios?  Any other
> suggestions?
>
> Thanks!
> de Doug KR2Q
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   
>
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>

       
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