Amazing $49 Rig from QRP Labs

Hans Summers' QRP Labs has an amazing new rig -- The QCX --  that is chock-full of features and FB technology. Hans has long been one of the most innovative guys in ham radio, and this latest rig is one of his most amazing creations.  Like Farhan's BITX40 Module, this new rig is priced in the 50 dollar range. Hams who are paying many thousands of dollars for their "radios" should be asking themselves a question:  Could I be having much more fun for far less money?  This rig is in big demand and there is already a waiting list, so place your order now if you want to work on this during the winter.  Here is the link: 
http://qrp-labs.com/qcx.html

  

QCX Features:

• Easy to build, single-board design, 10 x 8cm, all controls are board-mounted
• Professional quality double-sided, through-hole plated, silk-screen printed PCB
• Choice of single band, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20 or 17m
• Approximately 3-5W CW output (depending on supply voltage)
• 7-16V recommended supply voltage
• Class E power amplifier, transistors run cool… even with no heatsinks
• 7-element Low Pass Filter ensures regulatory compliance
• CW envelope shaping to remove key clicks
• High performance receiver with at least 50dB of unwanted sideband cancellation
• 200Hz CW filter with no ringing
• Si5351A Synthesized VFO with rotary encoder tuning
• 16 x 2 blue backlight LCD screen
• Iambic keyer or straight key option included in the firmware
• Simple Digital Signal Processing assisted CW decoder, displayed real-time on-screen
• On-screen S-meter
• Full or semi QSK operation using fast solid-state transmit/receive switching
• Frequency presets, VFO A/B Split operation, RIT, configurable CW Offset
• Configurable sidetone frequency and volume
• Connectors: Power, 3.5mm keyer jack, 3.5mm stereo earphone jack, BNC RF output
• Onboard microswitch can be used as a simple straight Morse key
• Built-in test signal generator and alignment tools to complete simple set-up adjustments
• Built-in test equipment: voltmeter, RF power meter, frequency counter, signal generator
• Beacon mode, supporting automatic CW or WSPR operation
• GPS interface for reference frequency calibration and time-keeping (for WSPR beacon)

Today: 40th Anniversary of the Launch of Voyager 1

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/          (Thanks Joh!) 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/05/opinion/pondering-voyagers-interstellar-journeys-and-our-own.html?emc=edit_th_20170905&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=54115026

Nuclear Powered QRPp? Tritium Nuclear Batteries and Plutonium Pacemakers

OK QRPers, it is time to explore another power source.  Enough of the nails in lemons and all that mess.  It is time to go NUCLEAR! Check out the motor in the video above, then look at the video below for more info on how the nuclear battery was made.  Who will be the first to QSO with homebrew nuclear power?  Or has it happened already? 

Mike Rainey -- this seems like the perfect project for you OM.


Oh and by the way, in the course of reading up on this, I learned that we once used PLUTONIUM to power pacemakers.  Check it out:

https://www.mdtmag.com/blog/2016/01/medtech-memoirs-plutonium-powered-pacemaker

And no, today is not April 1. 

SolderSmoke Podcast 199 Eclipse, Regen, BITX, DC RX, 3D OLEDS, Iphone Boxes, Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #199 is available. 

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke199.mp3

2 September 2017

The Eclipse.  The Floods. 

Sawdust Regen gets John Henry off to a good start. 
Voltage regulators as audio amplifiers

The return of the Simple-ceiver (Direct Conversion)

Ceramic Resonators

3D OLEDS

iPhone Boxes as rig enclosures

Electric Radio on Frank Jones

17 Meter Contacts 

MAILBAG

VE1LEB's Ergonomic BITX Enclosure (in Juliano Blue)

Wow, Michael's amazingly cool BITX enclosure looks like you could use it to ask Scottie to beam you up. 
Put an end to those freakish contortions -- 3D print yourself an Ergonomic BITX box! Very FB Michael. Thanks. 

Hi Bill and Pete:

I thought you’d be interested to see my ergonomic enclosure for the BITX40. While operating homebrewed regen radios, I noticed that my hands/arms/shoulders were becoming uncomfortable after a while. After thinking about this for a few days, I realized that the dials on the front of these small radios were forcing my hands into freakish contortions—and having both hands on the dials at all times while tuning made matters worster faster! So I did some homework and determined that our arms and hands most naturally hold things toward each other, as though they are holding a small cylinder by the ends. But the conventional “dials-and-speaker-facing-front” radio case forces us to twist our hands up and outwards from our bodies to twist things. See my blog post http://blog.generaleccentric.net/?p=2009 for illustrations of this problem.

My enclosure design for the BITX40 re-orients the volume and tuning knobs toward the sides of the radio, making their operation much more natural—and pleasant. Although it’s not retro, it does have an unconventional appearance and should fit in quite naturally with all the other homebrewed solutions featured on SolderSmoke. 

You can visit my post at http://blog.generaleccentric.net/?p=2082; the box is available for download and printing at Thingiverse: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2508147

By the way, I also have a 3D printable mic for the BITX40: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2500483

73, Michael VE1LEB

Something else "Completely Different": Meteor Pings

Very cool.  I want to try this.  I have the RTL-SDR and the software, so all I need is the antenna.  I may try to resurrect the 5 element 2 Meter Quad from my 90's adventures in the Dominican Republic (I still have the copper tube elements!).  I know the Graves radar is out of range, but there must be a suitable North American signal for this kind of thing.  Any ideas? 

For more info:
http://hackaday.com/2017/08/27/sorry-us-europeans-listen-to-space-with-graves/#more-270298

https://dk8ok.org/2017/08/23/graves-reflections-out-of-the-blue/

Knack Victim Makes Good! Alan Yates in Seattle

Jean Shepherd used to say that in life, many of us come to a fork in the road:  down one path lies success.  Down the other, ham radio flea markets.  Alan Yates is proving Shep to be WRONG. 

I have fond memories of Billy and I building many versions of Alan's trivial electric motor.   We look forward to his virtual reality.