New QRP Transceiver

[N7OQ]

Well at the Monterey Hamfest today I bought a QRP transceiver Kit. It is a Elecraft KX1 Transceiver. This a nice compact unit perfect for back packing or portable use. It comes with 20 and 40 meters and you can add 30 and 80 meters. So now I will be forced to get my code speed up to speed and be ready by the time I get the kit finished. Hey Richard hope to be working you QRP soon.

[Richard Stouffer]

Super.

I've had MFJ Cub working for about a month, but I have only made a partial contact. My code ain't worth spit, so let me know when you're ready and we can sked a slow QRP on 40. I need to do it after dark CST.

[w7wv]

I did some assembly work on a couple of Elecraft kits out club bought a few years ago.
In many ways the manuals were better than the Heathkit.
The intent of the kits was to give newcomers experience in soldering. Many were so lazy they did not want to learn or even show up to watch.
All they wanted to do was operate them once built so many of us with bench experience put them together.
Pretty nice rados too.

[N7OQ]

Too bad, I think building it is better than half the fun. I have to say the Elecraft guys and gals are a very nice bunch they really know what customer is and make a great radio to boot. I'm thinking about buying one of their K2 or K3 radios in the near future. Now that I'm home I need to get the soldering iron wormed up.

[Radio]

Too bad, I think building it is better than half the fun.

Agreed. I really, really miss Heathkit. Somebody down in Sout Georgia won the $220,000,000 power ball game. If it had been me, one of my dreams would be to buy the rights to a bunch of old Heathkits and put them into production again. Wouldn't that be a cool hobby?

[N7OQ]

Super.

I've had MFJ Cub working for about a month, but I have only made a partial contact. My code ain't worth spit, so let me know when you're ready and we can sked a slow QRP on 40. I need to do it after dark CST.

Yeah slow is good until I can get it up to speed hi hi. Well I got a start on the Elecraft should have the board populated and working by this weekend as long as I can get time during the week to work on it. Do you like to do the code the Farnsworth style where you send each charter fast like 15 wpm but space the charters so you are sending at maybe 10 wpm? What is your QTH ? Wonder if we are close enough to work each other QRP 40 meters. Should be fun trying.

[Richard Stouffer]

FB. The QTH is Dallas County, Texas.

I usually set my keyer at 10 to 12 WPM. I've learned not to set it too high as I can't read more that about 13 without a pencil and piece of paper and it gets pretty busy when I have to do that. It seems like every time I send at 15 the response comes back at 20-25 WPM- elitism I suppose.

I spent most of yesterday afternoon putting together the NOGA SWR/Wattmeter kit for QRP radios. Got everything on the board, but I need to wire in the two gauges. I shoulds be able to get that done this evening. I CQ'd for about 45 minutes n the Cub and got one reponse, but I couldn't complete the contact. It takes a lot of patience to QRP, but it's a great feeling when you make contact.

Let me know when you're ready and we can set up a sked. My e-mail address on QRZ.net is valid. Send and e-mail when you're ready and we can coordinate via e-mail for the sked.

73's
Richard, WU5K

[Dizzy-Dick]

Radio,

I hope you win the lottery and put Heathkit back in business. I remember my first Heathkit kit. It was an HW-101. I received it on a Friday afternoon and had it on the air the following Monday. Didn't get much sleep that weekend. But, I was a lot younger back then.

HW-101 is still running but my HW-202 bit the dust. The micoder may still be working, though I don't know where I put it down last (grin).

73's
73's

[k3mp]

OK, when is this cw sked...I would llike to get involved if its ok...my luck. you guys are retired and will be on during the day...qth here is Catasauqua, Pa. 50 miles noth of Philadelphia..PA....20 cw to the west coast is good for me...40 locally and the east coast but not out your way

[Richard Stouffer]

I'm only partly retired- no more big check, still work like a dog.

I can't do much of anything during saylight since my antenna is stowed- deed restrictions you know.

I get pretty good results to your neck of the woods on 40 early in the morning, 0900Z through 1100Z and again around 0030Z through 0300Z.

If your existing antenna won't get you this far, throw an wire. A 706 can do some pretty amazing things on CW at 100 watts.

72's
WU5K

[w7wv]

The problem I see that Heathkit had was their warranty. There was no way that they could warranty the kit would work and many got frustrated and gave up.
At least the electronics shop that I bought from, which was run by hams when I was a kit, guaranteed that your kit would work good.
I am almost sure that was not Heathkit but the shop.
Anyway, however bad you were at soldering and your workmanship, or your failure to read directions properly they told you what to to to fix the problem.
I built depth finders, a color TV for my parents, a clock radio, a stereo~~~ so many projects. I started with a gift at age 11. It led to my career in electronics for the US Navy as a Civil Servant working on the nuclear subs.
I never built any ham gear as that was before the bug hit me.
As evidence that many would not tackle the kit, think about how many unbuilt kits come up for sale today on the internet. Many amps and transceiver kits are out there today and bring big bucks on these auctions.
I would not want to work the customer service desk today at a kit company as there are too many people that will not read the instructions on their equipment they own.

[Richard Stouffer]

From my very, very limited experience with kits, I think it's as much a problem with folks who can't write as it is with folks who can't read.

Some, but not by any means att, of the instructions with the kits I've assembled are pretty close to worthless and others are very confusing.

[N7OQ]

Well I have been getting a couple of hours a night to work on the Kit. You build it in sections first you build and test the microprocessor, display and encoder section which tested good then next the section is the receiver section which I finished tonight and I'm happy to announce works like a champ both 40 and 20 meters plus the side tone and electronic keyer work good. So now I have to finish the transmitter and install it all in the case. The receiver in this thing is outstanding very quite until you come to a signal then it jumps out at you great selectivity and very sensitive. The receiver covers the whole band and then some and it had a filter width adjustment. Great little radio, now for that code practice I'm suppose to be doing...

[Richard Stouffer]

BILL!!!. Do not practice! You'll get too good and I won't be able to copy you.

Maybe we could try a contact on our regular rigs over the weekend and progressively step down the output until we get to QRP levels, then switch over to the QRP rigs. If you want to do that this weekend, I'm sure I could fit that in. But be reminded, it's going to have to be 40 meters, I prefer something below 7.025, and when it's dark here. Best time will be on or after 0100 UTC.

73's
Richard, WU5K

[N7OQ]

Well this weekend would be a little hard to find time, Have to go out of town for my Sons Lacross games then it is my wifes birthday with friends and family so I don't know if I will have any time to Ham. But next weekend or during the week should be OK.

My biggest problem with copying code is the numbers, and letters Q, X, Y, Z so if a number or one of these letters come up I stop to think about it and then miss a string of letters. If I just would not stop just go on I would most likely figure out the word. But don't worry I will be going nice and slow.