The NanoVNA

Jenny List has a good article on Hack-A-Day about the NanoVNA.  

The ability to measure impedance would be very useful. 

https://hackaday.com/2020/04/23/so-you-bought-a-vna-now-what/

WA7SKT's Al Fresco DSB Rigs

Loren WA7SKT wrote: 

Got the balanced modulator and first RF power amp board mounted today for my 20 meter DSB transmitter (above). Still have to build carrier oscillator and final RF power amp boards yet. Coax with BNC connector is carrier osc input to bal mod. As is puts out 8.5mw into 50 ohm load.

Audio in through 2N3904 emitter follower to SBL-1 balanced modulator. Rf out to a 2N4401 Class A RF amp. Will have a final RF power amp stage and to the lowpass filter. Targetting 250mw output max for WSPR. Will add the 2N3904 Colpitts oscillator with tuned collector for carrier oscillator. Power supply will be 9 volts and 12 volts.

This is part of my fun in eventually building a 20 meter SSB transceiver. I am not interested in anything multi-band. This is my second DSB transmitter. First is larger and uses Si5351 for carrier oscillator.

I also plan on building a WSPR transmitter using an Arduino and Si5351 synthesizer so I dont need my PC.  There is a frequency shift program for Arduino to control Si5351. I use Si5351 now for VFO’s. My first WSPR transmitter uses one just for carrier oscillator.

Loren's First DSB Rig

I like Loren's self description on Twitter: 

Jonathan-san (Our Man in Japan) Now Melting Solder in Seattle

Got a nice note from Jonathan W0XO.  He and the family  have relocated to the Seattle area.  Here we see Jonathan at work in his new shed/shack.  It looks great. 

Long-time SolderSmoke fans will remember Jonathan from his previous life in Asia. See: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2016/04/from-vietnam-to-washington-dc-jonathan.html

Please Listen: Something Wrong with Spanish National Radio Signal?

I've been getting back into shortwave listening. One of my favorite stations is Radio Nacional de Espana (Spanish National Radio) from Madrid.  It is very strong here on 9690 kHz starting around 1645 Eastern Time, 2145 UTC.  

If you can, please listen to this station and let me know if you hear any technical problems with the signal.  Please let me know what you hear.  Does the signal sound OK.  Any problems? 

  

Dean KK4DAS Builds SSB rig, Makes First Contact.

You can almost see the excitement in the notes (al fresco!)  of Dean KK4DAS.   He made his first QSO with a homebrew transceiver this week.   Not long ago Dean was taking his first tentative homebrew steps with a Michigan Mighty Mite.  Wow, he has made great progress.   

Read all about it on Dean's blog:  https://kk4das.blogspot.com/2020/04/furlough-40-first-contact.html

Congratulations Dean! 

DX WaveScan

I heard this program this morning on my Q-31 receiver.  It was on WRMI 9955 kHz at around 1330 UTC.   

It reminded me a lot of the DX listening program of HCJB.   Good stuff. 

You can listen to the programs on-line at:  https://awr.org/program/engmi_wav/

Q-31 Quarantine Receiver -- All Boxed Up, Almost Done

Almost done.  A few odds and ends remain, but now I have all the circuitry in their boxes. 

As I was taking my walk the other day I was thinking of how I didn't have to build a BFO for this superhet. That's because the signals coming in on this rig bring with them their own BFO signal (the carrier).