QRP Bound

[Richard Stouffer]

OK- ARRL finally shipped my MFJ QRP kit and it arrived yesterday. It's going to be my primary distraction while we vacation over the holidays.

This will be my third attempt at building a QRP kit and the only positive results so far have been a lot of slightly used spare parts. Hopefully the third time will be a charm.

If I get this on to work I'm going to expect one of you guys for a CQ response on 7.040. That would be a great Christmas present.

73's

[jagco]

Good luck with the project. Sorry, I won't have any HF equipment (still) til after the first of the year, so I won't be your Christmas contact :)

[wa8yxm]

Give me a date and time And I can crank the Kenwood down to 5-10 watts:hello:

[Richard Stouffer]

Tnxs, but be patient. I just opened the box and look at the PCB on the Cub kit. The part count is pretty high and it's pretty tight on some of the components.

By the way, I saw a note on www.qrparci.org that the frequency for QRP on 40 is now 7.030, although 7.040 will still be used.

[N7OQ]

Good deal Richard, hope the kit goes together OK for you and you are on the air soon. My code copy is so rusty I can't help you with the QSO but I'm working on getting it back up to speed so hope to get back on CW soon. I'm also kicking around the QRP idea and have been looking for a transceiver to build too.

If you need any help with the construction feel free to ask I have been a electronic technician for 35 years now and build most of my projects from scratch and have even designed a few circuits. I also design my own PC boards using a CAD program and photosensitized boards, makes really nice boards.

Who knows maybe I'll get the code speed back up by the time you get done and make a contact with you.

good luck

[Richard Stouffer]

Bill, you are over estimating my CW. When I'm doing really well I can barely copy 15WPM. The bigger problem is that I can't key to save my life. Here at the base station I use my SDR radio's CWX and type the QSO. QRP is going to expose my fraud.
I guess I'll have to buckle down and practice on the paddles.

So between now and the time I'm ready for that QSO we can both practice.

[N7OQ]

Bill, you are over estimating my CW. When I'm doing really well I can barely copy 15WPM. The bigger problem is that I can't key to save my life. Here at the base station I use my SDR radio's CWX and type the QSO. QRP is going to expose my fraud.
I guess I'll have to buckle down and practice on the paddles.

So between now and the time I'm ready for that QSO we can both practice.

OK Richard sounds like a plan I will practice my cw get busy on a QRP rig and we can hack up the airways:p I always use a straight key have never got use to using paddles, My 706 has a keyer built in so I should try to get use to that too. I had a hard time with 13 wpm and I use to copy 20 wpm with ease. It will come back I'm sure. Keep me posted on how the build is going.

[Richard Stouffer]

QRL es CUL

[Richard Stouffer]

Well, true to form I've hit a snag with the QRP kit. I'll have to order a part from good old MFJ and you know how long that can take. Maybe I'll just order the assembled unit and forget about embarrassing myself again.

Of course, I can always turn the signal down to 5 watts on the ICOM and pretend I'm using a kit built unit that I carry around in my backpack that’s powered with 9 volt battery. Who’s to know?

[N7OQ]

Well, true to form I've hit a snag with the QRP kit. I'll have to order a part from good old MFJ and you know how long that can take. Maybe I'll just order the assembled unit and forget about embarrassing myself again.

Of course, I can always turn the signal down to 5 watts on the ICOM and pretend I'm using a kit built unit that I carry around in my backpack that’s powered with 9 volt battery. Who’s to know?

Richard what is the part? I can't imagine they use any special hard to get parts. I might have the part in my parts draw. I would send it out to you much faster and not charge you anything.

[N7OQ]

Richard I found a good web site to help you with the construction of the MFJ Cub. it is http://homepage.mac.com/bsandersen/MFJCub/index.html

If you can just keep building and install the new part when you get it. Good luck

[Richard Stouffer]

It's a bit more complicated than that. I managed to insert one of the parts in the wrong location. When I was pulling the part I not only damaged it, I screwed up the board.

It's going to be later this week before I'll have the time to figure out a work-around, so even if I had the part it's not gong anywhere till I get to Florida next weekend.

Thanks for the offer to help and I will check out that web site.

[N7OQ]

It's a bit more complicated than that. I managed to insert one of the parts in the wrong location. When I was pulling the part I not only damaged it, I screwed up the board.

It's going to be later this week before I'll have the time to figure out a work-around, so even if I had the part it's not gong anywhere till I get to Florida next weekend.

Thanks for the offer to help and I will check out that web site.

I have repaired more PC boards that I can remember I assume you pulled up a trace, I insert the part and solder any legs where the not damaged and I use wire wrap wire to go from the leg that has the damaged trace to then next connection on the trace in all directions that has damage. Just take your time if you get a solder bridge just put some solder flux paste on it and run the solder iron across it and the solder will flow to the correct pads and the bridge will disappear.

I'm looking at several QRP rigs, this one, one from Ten Tec, Elecraft and Small Wonders lab. I think you said yours is 40 meters so I will buy a 40 also, I like 40 for CW.

[Richard Stouffer]

Thanks Bill.

We are leaving in a couple of hours for the Christmas trip so I'm not going to get back to working on the kit until we return. I'll hang onto your instructions above. I should have the part from MFJ, it was a choke and they said it would be mailed yesterday.

By the way, I hadn't heard of the trick with the flux and that will come in very handy. Thanks "ELMER".

Have a Merry Christmas.

[wa8yxm]

Another bad trace trick I use sometimes, if the part has long leads like a resistor, is to simply route the lead along the trace till I got to a good solder spot, Works better at lower frequencies of course

[N7OQ]

Thanks Bill.

We are leaving in a couple of hours for the Christmas trip so I'm not going to get back to working on the kit until we return. I'll hang onto your instructions above. I should have the part from MFJ, it was a choke and they said it would be mailed yesterday.

By the way, I hadn't heard of the trick with the flux and that will come in very handy. Thanks "ELMER".

Have a Merry Christmas.

Thanks and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas too, and a safe one, see you when you get back.

[w6pea]

Has anyone of you read Lower Power Communcation The art and science of qrp by Richard Arland K7SZ ?

I have it and have read it from cover to cover. I have the 2nd.edition I am thinking about getting the 3rd edition.:think:

[N7OQ]

Has anyone of you read Lower Power Communcation The art and science of qrp by Richard Arland K7SZ ?

I have it and have read it from cover to cover. I have the 2nd.edition I am thinking about getting the 3rd edition.:think:

Thanks for the tip, I have not read it but will check it out. I see from your signature that you are or was a Marine, I thank you for your service my good fellow American:)

[w6pea]

Thanks for the tip, I have not read it but will check it out. I see from your signature that you are or was a Marine, I thank you for your service my good fellow American:)

Once a Marine Always a Marine.

And thank you too.

[Ret8008]

Darn, and I was so looking forward to working the new rig.

[Richard Stouffer]

OK, I've the replacement part and I've read through the helpful tips above. As soon I get settled down and all the bugs in the motor home fixed I'll continue the kit build. I've go a bunch of things that need fixing on the MH so it's going to be a while before I get back to the kit.

Thanks all for the advice and see you on 40 QRP in the near future.

[N7OQ]

OK, I've the replacement part and I've read through the helpful tips above. As soon I get settled down and all the bugs in the motor home fixed I'll continue the kit build. I've go a bunch of things that need fixing on the MH so it's going to be a while before I get back to the kit.

Thanks all for the advice and see you on 40 QRP in the near future.

Glad you got the parts and got home OK, good luck with the rest of the kit when ever you get back to it.

[Richard Stouffer]

Thanks. I may get some time tomorrow since I'm not one to stay up all night to "ring in the New Year". As such, New Years mornings offers few distractions for us dull people. Who knows, I might get it all together by dark when the vertical in the backyard goes up.

Have a Happy New Year- is there a Q signal for that???

[Richard Stouffer]

FINALLY!!!

The MFJ Cub is now in one piece and receives very nicely on 40 meters from about 7.003 to 7.050. It puts our a signal, but the tone is awful; almost a buzz. I need to hook it up to a keyer and see what is sounds like with the paddles- a straight key is out of the question for me. Once I get the keyer options figured out I'll let you all know and maybe we can set up a skeg- real slow CW only.

[N7OQ]

FINALLY!!!

The MFJ Cub is now in one piece and receives very nicely on 40 meters from about 7.003 to 7.050. It puts our a signal, but the tone is awful; almost a buzz. I need to hook it up to a keyer and see what is sounds like with the paddles- a straight key is out of the question for me. Once I get the keyer options figured out I'll let you all know and maybe we can set up a skeg- real slow CW only.

Good deal, man I guess I will have to get busy and start getting my CW speed back up to par. I also need to get a working HF antenna set up here at home. We had a really bad storm with 70 mph winds and it whipped my old vertical until it was unusable. Plus I lost 160 feet of fence so will be busy installing new fence.