TheRadioBoard

I will be taking a test soon. Any one got any recomdations for a transmitter? I have been thinking of building a small one and also a reciever. I may be able get one from a guy at a local club, but wanted some input. I would really prefer to build them myself. Any place I can get schematics or info?

Gus

Gus,

How about the QRP and SWL HomeBuilder site?

http://www.qrp.pops.net/default.htm

73's and good luck on your test!

or if you prefer tubes

http://www.qsl.net/wd4nka/TEXTS/50c5f.HTM

Hint: lay your hands on some suitable crystals before starting to build a xmtr. At least one.

You'll need one to check out the xmtr and learn how to tune it.

GL,
Bill

or parhaps a "vintage" QRP rig?
Making a paraset replica is an interesting project.

http://www.qsl.net/ik0moz/paraset_eng.htm
http://www.qsl.net/ik0moz/LA5MT_Paraset.htm
http://www.knightlites.org/paraset/index.htm

I have made most of one, yeah I meant most. have not completed the TX section (I have no license...), it needs just to get the filament of the tube powered and has no wires to the Xtal.

nice radio but it REALLY needs bandspreading (3-8.5Mhz on 180*).

I do NOT suggest a beginner start out on QRP! If you have experience, then fine. But without experience, it can be extremely frustrating to call other stations and never getting any replies. Successful QRP operation requires considerable operating knowledge, just like working DX. Knowing when to call, what frequency, how fast, and such. I have seen too many beginners turned off by trying QRP at the start. And don't forget you need a GOOD antenna for QRP operating.
Curt

_________________
Curt, N7AH
CW forever
Connoisseur of the cold 807

Curt,

I know what you are saying. I had a lic 30 years ago and I did have problems starting out then. I also know I will have some problems again, but knowing that, I won't be as frustrated as I was back then. I plan on getting everything set up before I start. I thank you for the input tho. I am going to try to contact some one here on the board that will help when I do start and that way maybe I won't get lost in the fog!

Gus

OK. I was unaware of you being a ham in the past. All I can relate to is with my miserable 40 watts crystal controlled when I started off back in 1965. Now that you can use VFO's, it should be a lot easier. My first rig was a 6C5 pierce crystal oscillator driving an 807. Originally the plans were by Alice Rolf, KN5SEL and it was built in a 30 caliber ammo tin. It was in the Fall 1960 edition of Radio/TV Experimenter magazine.
Curt

_________________
Curt, N7AH
CW forever
Connoisseur of the cold 807

drifting OT for a moment...OErjan, there is a published bandspread modification for 80/40 for the Paraset that works well. After I got over the novelty of doing it the original way I BS'ed mine and its actually worth using now

-BM

Gus- what was your call sign back then? I have held this call since May of 1976 and before that, I was WA7CKG and for my 3 1/2 months as a novice in 1965, I was WN7CKG.

If you pass the test, you will be issued a new call sign, but if you want your old one back, and if it is not already in use by somebody, you could apply for it after getting a license issued to you, under the vanity call sign program. I know a couple hams who have done that, including our local club call sign, K7JEP. It is a call sign of one of the founding members of the club and he became a silent key a couple years ago.

The club didn't have anything else to do, so I suggested they obtain a club call so we could operate under a club call for special events and field day, as I was getting tired of them using my call, especially when some of the newer operators I caught out of the band! No people, we U.S. hams do NOT talk to Canadian hams on 3550kc using SSB!

So they applied for a call and got one, and as soon as receiving it, I told them to apply for the K7JEP call, as it belonged to a long time and founding member, which they did. I think the whole process took less than six weeks.
Curt

_________________
Curt, N7AH
CW forever
Connoisseur of the cold 807

Curt,

It was KA8APS. It isn't being used as I checked. I was told I could apply for that again as a vanity. I am going to give it a go.

At the time I got mine, my aunt was taking the test to try to get her deceased hubbys call, but she didn't pass the test or the 5wpm code.

I've got a lot of studying yet, but am confidant I can pass the tech exam.

Gus

_________________
Old age is 'when you still have
something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.'

Gus- maybe I should not say this, but the exams nowadays are really watered down from what they used to be. I know I was a volunteer examiner for many years and helped administer exams to several hundred examinees. Our VE group was short of extra class hams to administer the extra tests, so I was called on quite frequently to be a part of the crew, even after I had pretty much given up on it back around 2000.

Our very first testing session had 187 examinees to test! We thought we would be out of there by 3PM, but ended up being their until 8PM. The majority of the people tested passed at all these testing sessions. I even administered a couple extra class tests by reading the questions to the examinee, who was legally blind. Now that is HARD! You read the question and the possible answers and when reading the answers, it was hard for me to keep from cracking up at the funny answers, and that would be a dead giveaway to avoid that answer. I needed a break quite often while doing that.

But I have seen all the exams and they were nothing like what I had to pass back when I was upgrading over a third of a century ago. They change the question pools occasionally, so just make sure you study the questions that come from the latest question pool. Being that you once were licensed, I am very confident that if you can remember anything, you should not have any problems. Just do not go to the testing session feeling cocky and overconfident, and you will do fine. Code is no longer a requirement, and that was the stumbling block for most people. Also now you don't have to be licensed for a minimum time (two years, I think it used to be) before going for the extra class license. I know two people that walked in the door with absolutely nothing, and that afternoon, they went home as extra class hams, just having to wait for the FCC to process their license. And that was with 20 wpm code also.

Have no fears!
Curt

_________________
Curt, N7AH
CW forever
Connoisseur of the cold 807

Curt,

You are right on how easy the tests are, or I have gotten smarter Me thinks the tests are easier I do plan on using CW only as it has always been what I like about ham radio. I think I am up to about 7-8 wpm now, plus homebrewing CW is easier. Is that a cop out

Gus

_________________
Old age is 'when you still have
something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.'

No way! In fact, building a good CW transmitter is harder than a lot of people think. On any of the voice modes you don't have to worry about chirps, clicks and small amounts of drift, unless you are on slopbucket. On CW these things come to the forefront. And if you want full break-in, it is even more complex.
Curt

_________________
Curt, N7AH
CW forever
Connoisseur of the cold 807

Curt,

Would you suggest I try to find something already built? The problem is with my budget, they tend to be pricy, but I know they would be much better than I can build. I think it will be a while before I get going with all of this. I am going to do this tho.

Gus

_________________
Old age is 'when you still have
something on the ball, but you are just too tired to bounce it.'