CW keyer

I have built a CW keyer. I can not copy CW very well but the main use for this one is for a beacon. I also added the 'paddles' to the circuit, but that is just for testing it out and not so practical to use. I searched around a bit to try to find a suitable software. I wanted it to be open source software and use an Atmel MCU. So I found http://lategahn.2log.de/index.php?yack-yet-another-cw-keyer . It is basically just a few components, Attiny45, voltage regulator and a piezo buzzer . Here is a video:

The user interface is via CW and I have not yet programmed it for beacon use. When I put it that service I can just move the chip over. We will see when that happens. So many interesting projects going on at the same time. This is a fun hobby!

Equipment Update

Just a small post about two recent purchases. First a 3 Ampere lab power supply and then an oscilloscope: Rigol DS1052E 50 MHz digital scope. And if you wonder, the black box between them are the QS1R SDR, 0-62 MHz receiver and spectrum analyzer. I starting to feel quite well equipped.. :-)

Building Ham Radio Subway style

I saw the above video by Tom AK2B where he shows what he calls subway style of building. I wanted to try it so I bought a drill bit that is supposed to be used for wood and modified it a bit so that when making the 'islands' the drill bit will not go through the PCB. Below is an image of the latest project, an audio amplifier where I tried this. The image is taken in the middle of the build  process so you can see some unused pads.

The result was very good and I will probably continue to use it. Here is a video with the audio amp is being tested:

BTW, the music is Motor City Drum Ensemble with Stuttgart Nights!

PCB holder kit

I just got this kit in the mail. It is a simple and quite handy PCB holder from Ken WA4MNT. Get more information and buy at http://qrpbuilder.com/ .

Unfinished and ongoing projects 2011

I haven´t posted in a while. I usually have posted when something is more or less done. So the conclusion of that would be that I got a few projects going now that I have not finished. So just to have something to post here on the blog I thought that I could describe a few of them. The main project right now seems to be the remote RX I have online and we are a group of people sharing it. That project deserves a separate post.

These are a few of the projects that I have started and not finished yet. I think I list them in priority order below.

A step attenuator
The first project is a step attenuator. I use 1206 resistors. I have measured the SWR through it (without any attenuation on) and see a rising SWR and at 30 MHz it is 1:13. Quite high? Any readers could give a comment on what could be wrong. Is it just the switches and the zigzag between them that changes the impedance?

I use a box that used to have Mackerel fillet in tomato sauce in it.. :-)

Step attenuator progress

HF Test set
This is a kit that I bought a while ago. It is from the 4 State QRP Group. It will become Frequency Counter, Crystal Oscillator, Wideband Noise Generator, Audio Oscillator, 50 Ohm Dummy Load, RF Probe and Time Domain Reflectometer. I started to build and finished about up to 50% of it and then got diverted into other projects. A got a nice enclosure and a back lit LCD here to be used for the project.

NB6M HF Test Set (not built by me)

Watt meter

AVR with LCD for the AD8307 Watt meter

This project is also finished to about half. The AVR is soldered to the board and LCD is tested as seen in the picture. I was happy that the first time ever I soldered a TQFP32 was success!

I have also done the input part and measured it with the VNA. Next step is the AD8307 IC. I am following the guide here:

http://lategahn.2log.de/index.php?A-minimalistic-500MHz-Wattmeter


10m CW beacon
I got the PCB for the Genesis Radio Q5 transmitter some year ago. What I did not have was the final transistor but I received one of those last month. My idea is to build a beacon for the 10m band. I have built and tested the oscillator. The PA stage is built as can seen on the image, but not tested yet. To be built is the LPF and the beacon keyer. I think I will use an attiny45 together with the code from YACK
I could probably run it on my balcony if I come up with an antenna. Might be a loop.

Genesis Radio Q5 CW transmitter

30m QRSS beacon

QRSS transmitter for 30m

This projects started earlier this year. I bought a few ATTINY13 IC:s and programmed to IC, I thought.   When testing the oscillator it was ok, but no keying from the attiny. I then thought I should get another programmer. I have it here, but I have not got back to the build. It will be later.... Together with this I also started  to build a DCTL antenna after reading about it a  http://draaggolf.blogspot.com/ . I also got some good advice from Joachim but have not finished it either......

MKARS80
I bought the kit quite a while ago and started the build. Then I thought it would be more fun to build simpler things and not necessarily kit. As the build instuctions did not include any testing along the way, everything just felt like a soldering practice. But I have to finish it. Might be good to have a goal set for summer 2012 so I can run it portable.