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Kits and Homebrewbuilding your own amateur radio equipment
Alan , VA3STL
Outline
● Why build?● Tools● Kits
● Transceivers● Receivers● Accessories● Building● Suppliers
● Homebrew● Simple starting points
● Design case study● System case study● SMT & Microcontrollers● Resources
● Books● Internet based material
Why build your own equipment?
● Can be cheaper● Can build what you
need● Develop electronics
skills● If it breaks, very likely
you can fix it● Satisfaction of
building
Tools
Why Kits?
● Design done● Parts usually provided● Circuit board● Enclosure● Instructions● Easier to find support● Quicker to a finished
project
High performance transcievers
● Elecraft ● K3● K2● K1● KX1
● Dzkit Sienna● Norcal Sierra● PFR 3 ● ATS-3B (KD1JV)
Monoband Transceivers
● Ten Tec T kits● Small Wonder Labs
● Rockmites● PSK series & warbler● SW+ series
● BitX 20 & 17● DC series
Receivers
● TenTec● 4 band SWL regen● Direct conversion● 9 band regen● Digital display
superhet
● Dzkit Sienna● Scout Regen
Accessories
● TNC-X
● Tinytrak
● Elecraft● Transverters ● 6m Low noise preamp● Mini-kits (balun, wattmeter,
attenuator, test oscillator, noise generator, dummy load)
● Dzkit SWR/power meter
● Emtech ZM-2 tuner
● ESS Freakin' Beacon
General points for kit building
● Choose the right kit for you● Search out the online 'user group'● Do an inventory and take your time● Toroids should not be hated!● Align carefully (WWV, CHU, noise can be helpful)● Use it!● For advanced work look at
● See Rftoolkits at www.kitsandparts.com● Down East Microwave www.downeastmicrowave.com
Parts control
Kit suppliers
● Elecraft www.elecraft.com● TenTec www.tentec.com● Hendricks QRP kits www.qrpkits.com● Small Wonder Labs www.smallwonderlabs.com● QRPme www.qrpme.com● Coastal Chipworks www.tnc-x.com● Wilderness Radio http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wild.html● Emtech http://emtech.steadynet.com/index.shtml● Byonics http://www.byonics.com/
Homebrew
● Use a proven circuit● Start with a circuit
diagram● Build what you will use● Collect parts● Start simple● Read and ask● Fault finding is part of
the course
Microphone switch
● For use with music/PA microphone with 1/4” jack
● Need robust switch● Use a computer
mouse● Can reuse the cable
too.● The Source #3303018
Inside mic switch
Simple receiver
● Two transistors ● One toroid (T50-2 2:28 turns)● Three capacitors (one variable) ● One resistor
Antenna Tuner Unit
● Z-match design● Dual coil● Fwd. and rev. power
measurement● Tunes 88ft doublet
– 80m to 12m
Design Case study: Simple Direct Conversion Receiver● Consider 80m around 3.580MHz
● PAL colour burst crystal 3.582MHz● DC receiver ± 3kHz (no tuning!)
PSK31
MFSKOliviaRTTYOther
W1AW
3.5815
CW
3.5833.580 Frequency/MHz
Receiver Design
✔ Fixed frequency (3.582 MHz PAL colour burst crystal) ✔ Simple✔ Local oscillator isolation✔ Reasonable sensitivity✔ Signal range?✔ Small✔ Useable with a computer➢ SA612 (NE612) (Mixer & oscillator) + LM386➢ 'Neophyte', 'Sudden', 'MRX-80', 'Warbler'
Rough-out the circuit
Circuit
Construction
Performance
Kit & Homebrew System
Freakin' Beacon
Z-matchATU
with powermeter
QRSS Tx.160mWFSCW
Elecraft Balun
90' doublet
Beacon controller
Beacon (early version)
Reception of 160mW signal
KK7CC,Nevada
ON5SLBelgium
VE1VDMNova Scotia
Surface Mount Technology
● Parts extremely small● Can use a soldering
iron● Plan out the design
carefully● Wide range of ICs● The future
Arduino Boards
● Open source microcontroller board
● Tiny computer – Atmel processor
● Analogue & digital i/o ● Designed for artists,
experimenters and students
● Free software for development environment
Hints and tips
● Have safe workshop practice
● Know how to solder
● Salvage parts
● Careful with static
● Start with a simple proven circuit
● Build what you will use
● Learn a little electronics
● A part can spark an idea
● Identify and study 'blocks' of a circuits
● Check out datasheets of parts
● Keep a notebook
Parts Suppliers
● Kits and Parts dot com (aka 'Toroid king') http://www.kitsandparts.com/
● Digikey www.digikey.com ● Nightfire electronics kits http://vakits.com/ ● Hamfests● Modern Device ('bare bones' Arduino)
http://moderndevice.com ● ebay● Active Electronics (Merivale Rd)● The Source
Resources: Books
Books to startBooks to start● ARRL Handbook● More QRP Power, ARRL● QRP Basics, G. Dobbs,
RSGB● Hints & Kinks for the radio
amateur, ARRL● W1FB's QRP Notebook,
D. DeMaw, ARRL
More AdvancedMore Advanced● Experimental Methods in
RF Design, Hayward, Campbell & Larkin, ARRL
● Low Power Scrapbook, G-QRP Club, RSGB
● The Electronics of Radio, D. Rutledge, CUP
FUNFUN● iWoz, Steve Wozniak,
Norton, (2006)
Other Resources● QRP Quarterly: Journal of QRP ARCI● VE7BPO www.qrp.pops.net● G3XBM ham radio blog
http://g3xbm-qrp.blogspot.com/ ● AA1TJ's web pages
http://mjrainey.googlepages.com/radio ● Make magazine www.makezine.com● N2CQR
● soldersmoke.com soldersmoke podcasts ● soldersmoke.blogspot.com● Soldersmoke: a global adventure in radio electronics
Conclusions
● Building your own equiment is rewarding
● Kits are a great starting point
● Go slowly
● Pick up parts for the 'junk box'
● Keep a notebook
● Read and study
● Sometimes things don't work
● Consider using SMT and microcontrollers
● Enjoy the build and the use (two lots of fun)
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