I've been thinking about balanced modulators, and I wanted to see how some of my early circuits performed. So I pulled this OLD Double Sideband rig off the shelf and fired it up. The balanced modulator -- and everything else! - worked fine, and I soon made contact on 17 meter SSB with Gene, AB9GK.
This was the first DSB transceiver that I ever built. I made this out in the Azores, probably in 2000 or 2001. Years later I had replaced the RF power amplifier with a "JBOT" (Just a Bunch of Transistors) designed by Farhan.
Over on my YouTube channel a comment came in from my friend Jack:
"Looking inside and seeing the o-scope probe in place while the radio was on the air reminded me of neurosurgery where the patient is awake and talking while the surgeon probes different brain regions soliciting feedback. Sure, ham radio isn't neurosurgery, but it's not too far at times. Also, you already have rocket science covered."
Here is an article about my build of that first rig:
I think the article captures well the trials and tribulations faced by new homebrewers, perhaps with the twist that comes from being out in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.
Mike WU2D is having similar fun with his homebrew 10 meter DSB transceiver:
I was struck by how similar Mike's early QSO experiences were with mine. We both put our DSB transmitters on the air before they made their way into real cabinets or boxes.
Here's mine from 2001 in the Azores:
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