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July 13, 2024. Are you really a POTA or SOTA operator?

Afterall, the IARU says the purpose of ham radio is simply contests and operating -- so you must engage in either or both of those activities as an operator or participant.


Sixty-five years ago, if you answered that question in the affirmative, then this might be the type of rig you used. From the February 1959 RCA Ham Tips comes this jewel. [N4TRB host the RCA Ham Tips back issues.]



6AQ5 Regen Receiver.





VFO Driven CW Transmitter

Not shown is the AC power supply deck which already makes it a negative choice for POTA or SOTA ops for field use. Cute but awkward are two appropriate words.

I am smiling when I think of the W7ZOI Ugly Weekender project and can't help to think that Wes' project might have had roots in this rig.

That is the point of this posting and that is to take the 65-year-old design and update it with something comparable or better using modern components and importantly field friendly and fully usable. Or you could take the plunge and simply replicate this jewel -- probably not a good idea.

The receiver is a regenerative type and not a good choice today. Since the W2QEX (a well-known CQ author) design is modular the receiver is the first for the $0.10 makeover. A Direct Conversion Receiver would drop right in for that module and there you have it poppet (Thank You Mrs. Doubtfire). 

Simple to build. spare on the use of parts and superb performance the DCR is hard to beat. You could even cap it off with a Glue Stick PTO for added stability (low drift). I would uptown it with an Arduino and Si5351 which using a bit of code magic provides a 3rd output for the Transmitter module.

For the transmitter you could build the module with three or four transistors ending up with an IRF510 and the 3rd Si5351 clock providing an offset frequency. Or if just a small delta on the Transmitter tuning range is not a crisis maximus, then a multi-crystal Super VXO would keep things simple. A spent SPAM can would be a great housing. Then you would have a good kind of SPAM. 

We can often get seed ideas from the rigs of old that with more current technology, shrink the size, reduce the build cost and have increased capabilities. BTW I would make the operating frequency 20M not 40M.

TYGNYB.

73's
Pete N6QW

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