N6QW Homebrew Radio

Something Old Something New!2009 Homebrew SS Tri-Band HW-101


Follow the link above the you tube and click on 2009 Tri-Band XCVR There is a complete project description with schematics and detailed photos
Shown above/ below is a rig I built in 2009 but unfortunately when my XYL's health forced a move back to Southern California resulted in the rig being given away. At times you have to make tough choices and this was one of them.


Shown above is a triband (40, 20 and 15 M) solid state version of the Heathkit HW-100/101. Yes it uses a crystal filter and heterodyne crystals from the heathkit rigs. 
The first conversion is to 8.395 MHz with a 5 MHz PTO liberated from a Ten Tec Triton 4 as was the main tuning knob and control knobs. Yes the S Meter is from a heathkit transceiver The second IF is 3.395 MHz which was the stock heathkit crystal filter. thus 8.395 -5 = 3.395. The rig had selectable USB and LSB  To get the display to read properly I came up with an unusual scheme where I sampled the…

Building the W7ZOI, 20M SSB Transceiver4/10/28 ~ Comment: this rig is only one of three that I have built that is fully SSB and CW capable. with the other two being the KWM-4 and this rig's twin brother. Unless you provide capability for narrow signal filtering then operating CW using a wide SSB filter (700 Hz as compared to 2.1 KHz) does not make for a competition grade rig. OK for casual contacts; but not one for a true CW enthusiast. Today I would look at a diode steered two filter scheme and like in the KWM-4 and the W7ZOI rigs use a separate CW keyed crystal oscillator (or the third clock on the Si5351). 
Since I am not a CW enthusiast nor always QRP my main thrust is SSB and to have linear amps on the output. Hats off to those who like QRP + CW. There is room in the hobby for all.
73's Pete N6QW



In 1999, I decided to build the W7ZOI 20M QRP SSB Transceiver that appeared in a two part article 12/89- 1/90 in QST. [That was before contests and latest product reviews consumed so…

The KWM-4 ~ A True Homebrew Rig.
Pete N6QW
Who is Doing What to What?
(No this is not about the Emperor and the Porn Star!)

I raise this question because I think it is a good idea to always look beyond what one is doing in their shack and to see what is over the fence. I am on a quest to build a complete 20M homebrew SSB transceiver within the confines of an Altoids tin. The last time I built a really small SSB rig it was 16 cubic inches (2X2X4). So now how to make it even smaller.
To that end I am firm believer to doing research on what others are doing, which lead me to K.P.S.Kang, VU2KR. He has a blog called http://smallwonderqrp.blogspot.com 
In the May, June and July of 2016 blogs there are entries regarding a rig he designed called the PIXET. This is an amazing design and it has many possibilities "built as is" as well as looking at the topology and how that could be incorporated into my "super small shirt pocket transceiver". Keep in mind there are always better m…

Exploring Upgrades and Improvements!
"JABOM"3/30/2018
Hey guys (and gals) great news: The JABOM is cranking right along. Yesterday on a band that seemed virtually dead (and using the linear amp @ 600 watts out) I worked Portugal in mid-afternoon. The signal reports are excellent and I couldn't be more pleased. It is a testament to the design and circuit topology. The you tube  video documents the receive performance. The on air contacts demonstrate the transmit performance. 
While not having all the bells and whistles of commercial rigs the JABOM demonstrates that solid contacts, including DX contacts can be made using homebrew equipment. You only to get off the couch and now that March Madness is over --heat up that iron.
73's Pete N6QW


3/28/2018

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3/26/2018 ~ More work on the front Panel.
The Before C Change: The After C Change:



That is the advantage of having a CNC Mill -- you can make Escutche…

Meet Stormy!
Something from 1959 ~ Almost 60 year ago




In the photo above we see K3IXU's  Big Gun DX station circa 1959 from Western Pennsylvania (Connor Lamb Country) where the station line up includes a DX-100B, SX-99, Johnson Adventurer and a Heathkit QF-1. We see K3IXU diligently working on a Toob QRP transceiver. The antenna was a 40 Meter Dipole and the TR Switch was some concoction involving a couple of lightbulbs later changed over to a Dow Key Relay. Once the west coast was worked on 40M AM Phone from this station. The Johnson Adventurer had the Screen Grid Modulator accessory albeit still crystal controlled. 


In 1965 uncertain that K3IXU would return home alive from Chu Lai, South Vietnam, K3IXU's dad sold this whole station plus a huge junk box of parts and other rigs for $100 to a new ham. Wonder what that stuff is worth today?. Prior receivers included a National SW-54 (pure junk) and a Hallicrafters S-85 a close second to the SW-54. 
Yes Virginia --we are seeing the…

Learning Through the Recovery!


Daily I marvel at what happened when I lost my main computer. Thankfully the major radio/electronic files were protected but now with Windoz Ten I have to realign some of the ways I did things.It seems like no matter what you do you have to log into applications and provide passwords --yes more secure but a pain in you know where.
But on the bright side this has caused me to ask why did you do this or that? Now I am forced to look at better ways to do things. Just prior to the event I had switched over to a new way of showing data on the color TFT displays.Formerly when displaying USB or LSB. I fixed the "SB" part and depending on the mode would simply insert an "L" or a "U" in front of the "SB" part. Well we had the flicker problem and now every time through the loop --you would have the L or U seem to flicker. 
A ham in Europe said "Why don't you fix that --it is bothersome". Well that caused me to pla…