Glowing Blue Numerals! A Frequency Counter for the BITX17 (VIDEO)

These little frequency counters from China have a lot of potential.  And they add a dash of digital color to an otherwise bland analog hamshack.  I got mine on e-bay. 

My BITX17 has now been "accessorized" with 
1) A rotatable Moxon antenna (big improvment!)
2) A 120 watt Communications Concepts Linear amplifier (another big improvement) and
3) This digital frequency readout.  

What next?  

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DuWayne's Scalar Network Analyzer -- In an Altoids Tin!

DuWayne (KV4QB) has done something very cool here.  He's taken an Arduino Nano, a cheap AD9850 DDS board, a small screen, and a couple of log detectors, and he has built IN AN ALTOIDS TIN a scalar network analyzer that lets you see the bandpass of a filter. (We posted an earlier version of this here: http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/01/duwaynes-ad9850-arduino-tft-swr-scanner.html ) Wow.  I've been doing this by hand, changing the input freq at 100Hz increments, measuring the output, putting the results into a spread sheet, converting to log (db), creating a graph...  DuWayne makes it a lot easier.  DuWayne is being encouraged to write up the results, possibly for QRP Quarterly.


Hi Guys
Started playing around with the SWR scanner that I had been working on.  Waned to see how hard it would be to make a very simple scalar network analyzer out of what I had.  Really wanted something small to use for checking bandpass other filters.   Hoped to get about 30 db. of range ,which should be enough for most filters. I have a couple of  8307 log detectors, but was afraid that it would be a pain getting it working and shielded in an Altoids tin along with the rest of the circuitry.  Went with something even easier than the resistive SWR bridge I already had.  Replaced the bridge with two basic diode RF probes, and changed the amplifiers so I could adjust the gain.  I use one to measure the direct output of the 9850 DDS module, and the other for the output of the device under test.  Kept the same control function as in the SWR scanner.  A short push on the encoder button starts a sweep of the selected band.  Holding it down for over a second cycles through the bands.  Once a scan is done you can use the encoder to scroll through the sweep.  I display the frequency and iDUT value in db relative to the output of the DDS module.  The USB connector is available and different start and stop frequencies can be entered if needed when working with IF stages.

Well it worked much better than I had expected.  After a simple adjustment of the amp gains with the output looped directly to the input, I was getting nearly 50 db with the loopback removed.  Just using some standard value resistors, in a pi attenuator I got a very nice looking sweep that was within a couple db of the 40 db i had built it for.  Since I only used standard value resistors, I though this was good enough.

Then I used  ELSIE to design a 14mhz lowpass filter, again used standard values for L and C that I had on hand .  Really happy with the results I got.

Finally I grabbed 3 crystals out of a bag without checking frequency or other parameters, I threw together a basic crystal filter.   Used the USB interface to  set the sweep range, I was really really really pleased with the results I was able to obtain.

 

The software still needs a little tweaking and a couple of additional functions I want to add, but I think this will be a very nice tool.  Plan on giving it a try when I build Pete's Lets Build Something transceiver.  Amazing what you can stick in Altoids tins, even if you have to stack two so you can include a battery pack .

Attaching some pictures of the progress so far.  As you can see that with what I used to build the test fixtures, I am amazed that they even worked at all.
73 DuWayne

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A De-Soldering Primer By Wayne Burdick

A De-Soldering Primer

By

Wayne Burdick, N6KR

Removing resistors and other parts from double-sided boards is easy and

 fun. After years of careful analysis of my own technique I have documented

 the process. I start with technique #1, below; if that doesn't work, I try

 #2, etc. Good luck!

1. Turn the board over. With one hand behind your back, a wry smile, and

 the confidence of a pet surgeon, simply heat the lead in question and

 listen for the pleasant sound of the component hitting the work bench.

2. Well, that *would* be too easy, wouldn't it. Staying with the solder

 side for now, locate a large solder sucker (the larger the better; it

 should frighten smaller pets when brandished). Heat each joint and deftly

 suck out the solder with a single satisfying Thwop! Listen for the part

 hitting the bench.

3. Didn't fall out, eh? No problem: rummage in that tool bin for a shiny

 new roll of solder wick. Crack open a beer, too, and take a generous swig.

 Wedge that wick in between the lead and pad, heat until you see the solder

 flow nicely onto the wick, and pull it out of the way just in time to see a

 beatiful, black annular ring around your component lead. Nudge each lead

 with your iron and keep your fingers crossed.

4. OK, so you've got a tough customer: small lead, hole just barely

 larger, and a bit of off-color solder that can't be bothered with any of

 the usual techniques. Have another sip of that brew. Vigorously flip the

 board back to the component side. Now grip the lead professionally with

 your most elegant long-nose pliers and hold on tight. Give it a playful

 yank, then pray. Should pop right out.

5. Damn. Finish the beer and get out your brutal, 8" electrician's

 long-nose. Grab the component with gusto this time, buster, then tip the

 board up at a 45. Turn up your soldering station to max and heat that baby

 up on the backside. Pull down hard with the pliers.

6. No go? Hmmmm -- let's get serious. Put the board up directly on its

 edge and hold it in place vertically with your chin. Since your iron is

 suspect by this time, test it for several seconds on the nearest exposed

 skin. (Doing it by accident is just as effective.) Heat the joint with

 *feeling* this time. Lunge and parry. Don't worry about the pad, traces,

 or other parts--this is war! With maximal chin pressure exerted to hold

 the offending board in place, pull the lead out, out, Out!

7. OK, so you "...couldn't get hold of it...," blah blah blah. Fool!

 You must risk everthing at this stage. Insert a small screwdriver under

 the part, and white-knuckle that soldering iron on the obverse. Pry and

 heat until it pops. (Note: It is important to keep in mind the concept of

 "kick-back" should you succeed at this. PC boards are likely to

 wobble, flop, slip, then fling out of your grasp once the offending little

 monster finally lets go, taking test leads and soldering station with it.)

8. So, what kind of inept dweeb are you, anyway? Give up! Clip the part.

 Leave some lead to grab onto and repeat #6 and 7. If your face has turned

 red it is best to shield the work from veiw with your body, then steal a

 quick look behind you to be sure noone is suppressing a giggle as they

 watch this humiliating display.

9A. The lead came out but you STILL have some solder left in the hole?

 Gads. Find another part that you can sacrifice. Press its helpless

 lead into the depressingly small pit you made in the center of the pad.

 Heat the base of the lead until you achieve Punch-Through. Yank and Heat,

 Yank and Heat. Evetually the solder will give up in disgust and the

 sacrificial component lead will slide smoothly, signalling victory.

9B. To your left is a hand drill; to your right is a #60 bit. You know

 what you must do.

10. Now—you brute!— now that you've overheated the pad, broken the trace,

 cracked the component, gouged the board, pitted the tip, blistered the

 skin, wasted a beer, and irrefutably proven once and for all that you

 should have taken up gardening instead, NOW maybe you'll learn the color

 code!

  

;)

 N6KR

Thanks Wayne!  Been there!  Done ALL that!  This brought to mind the time I soldered in a 16 pin logic chip on a double sided board... UPSIDE DOWN.   TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE MY FRIENDS. 

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K8GZ's Towering Tea Tin Ohio Mighty Mite

Here is a very innovative approach to the Mighty Mite.  The compression cap atop the coil form gives it a towering appearance.  Pete and both liked the button key.  The Te Tin is very nice and marks another example of the long ham radio tradition of bringing kitchen items (breadboards!) into radio projects.  E-mails from K8GZ appear below.  

Podcast 171 is fantastic, loaded with
Information and inspiration. Your
podcasts continue to lead me down
the road of home few. I'm trying to
get the demons out of a regen that
will companion my MMM.
I have attached photos of my MMM,
complete with on board key. A ceramic
trim capacitor fills in for the air cap.
A reverse polarity diode helps to keep
electronic smoke in precious components.
Thanks for the crystal and inspiration.
The MMM emits a stable signal whether
it is powered by 1.5 or 12 volts.
73
K8GZ
Kaye Hartman

Thank you for the crystal that arrived on 

Sat. the 13th. I was hoping for a 

"Plug-N-Play" since the MI Mighty Mite

was assembled, waiting for a crystal. 

However, Noodleing was required. 

Several salvaged transistors were tried 

with the winner being an unmarked one 

with a low hfe of 21. It draws 120 ma. at 

12 volts and 4 ma. at 1.5 volts. I added a 

cap across the key to soften the key 

clicks (per Pete).  Also I added a reverse-

protection diode (to protect myself from 

additional moments of stupidity). 

I live in an environment that is not 

antenna friendly, so no air time yet. 

I must try some portable operation 

to get the MMM on the air. 

Thanks for the crystal. It really makes the 

project extra special. 

Pictures will follow as soon as I figure out 

how to send them. Time to have a tech-talk 

with my grandchildren. 

73,

Kaye Hartman, K8GZ

Lancaster, OH

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Mama Mia! N2HTT's Regen Receiver (Video)

I am fairly certain that Pete Juliano will take pride in N2HTT's success on this project, and will attempt to attribute it, in part, to the Italian ancestry that they share.  The Tarantella background music will definitely encourage that kind of thinking.  

In presenting this nice video, we continue with our "rigs not yet in a box" theme.  There is something especially nice about the sound of receivers that are not yet boxed up. 

Mike has some great information on the construction of this receiver (and other projects) on his blog:

http://n2htt.net/  

Bravo Michele! 

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Video of Colin's First Contact with his Homebrew Scratch-built BITX20

I love this video.  Colin finished his BITX a week or so ago and has been waiting for an opportunity to test it.  Over the weekend he braved the winter of Northern England and, with his son,  set up his new rig out in his snow-covered garden.   Appropriately for a first contact with scratch-built rig, the circuitry was unencumbered by any kind of case or box.  That's the way it should be done!  Well done Colin!  You are well and truly a member of the International Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards, and the diagnosis of "The Knack" has been confirmed (a severe case, it appears). 

Hi Pete and Bill,

It's been a lovely fine day here in West Yorkshire, so I took a table out into the garden and set up my BITX circuit on it. I set up my SOTA dipole on a 9m fishing pole.

I heard a strong German station calling CQ, so I gave him a call and hoped for the best!

How amazing to contact someone in another country using a rig and mic you've made yourself! Do I qualify as a REAL radio ham now? Do I have a confirmed case of the knack? :-)

Although I may appear underwhelmed in the video, (besides the air punches!), I did really get a kick out of the QSO.

73 and huge thanks to both of you for the encouragement and support.

Colin, M1BUU

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Brian's Mighty Mite

Bill,
All the parts finally arrived from China so the MMM lives :)
Good to finally join the CBLA!!

It made for a very enjoyable Saturday afternoon while the snow fell!
I left some room between the antenna connector and the coil for the low pass filter I'm going to build if the caps ever arrive.

Thanks for the crystal and the inspiration to get busy and build something; it brought back a few childhood memories of building things for the homebrew contest at the local hamfest.

73,
Brian
KA0PHJ

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SolderSmoke #171 DC RX in QQ, Power Supplies, Small Screens, 12 Buck Counters, HW8 Error?, KX3 RX

SolderSmoke Podcast #171 is available: 

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke171.mp3

Bench Report: 
Pete's Small Screens (in Color!) 
Si5351s
Bill's Graph Paper Frequency Readout
Bill's Broadened Barebones Barbados RX.  DIGITIZED! 
Another AD9850 DDS using M0XPD Kanga UK Shield
New 13 dollar Color Display (Prettier than Graph paper!) 

Pete and Ben's Article in QRP Quarterly Available free here: 
http://www.qrparci.org/qqsample/qqsample.pdf

The DEEP SPIRITUAL REWARDS of DC Receivers 
The Importance of Good Power Supplies
SPRAT Article on HW8 Design Error
Latest Edition of Hot Iron
Elecraft KX3 -- Has one of the best receivers in the world  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

15% Off on SolderSmoke and other books at Lulu This Weekend

All three of my books are here:  

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke

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More Glowing Numerals! BIG! BLUE! $13!

Even though my pencil and graph paper frequency readout for the BITX rigs has its own undeniable charm, this little device could get me to go digital.  I heard about it from Chuck Adams and the folks on the qrp-tech mailing list.  13 dollars.  It covers .1 MHz to 2.4 GHz.  You just hook up a 9 volt source and the RF input.   It also does IF offset.  The construction looks great and it would be very easy to put into (or aside) any rig.   Here is where I got mine: 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/400732593471?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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Beagle 2 Found On Mars

I was one of the millions of people who woke up that Christmas morning in 2003  thinking not of Santa Claus but of Colin Pillinger's Mars Lander, the Beagle 2.  We were in London by then, and later on I got to meet Colin Pillinger.  I still have the books about Beagle 2 that he gave to me.   Wow, it looks like they came very close.  Too bad Colin did not live to see these pictures. 

The Planetary Society has a very good article on all this:  

http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2015/01160800-beagle-2-found.html

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Back Into the Digital Morass

Using a very nice M0XPD AD9860 shield from Kanga-UK and software by Richard AD7C I put together another little DDS VFO.  This one went together without a lot of hair pulling.  I put the LCD, brightness control and rotary controller on one piece of vero board -- this will also serve as the front panel.  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

The Battery That's Been Working for 175 Years

In case you missed this.  Makes you think, doesn't it?  I'm thinking of a QRPp QRSS transmitter that would just keep on going.  Battery designed by Giuseppe Zamboni.  

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/this-battery-has-lasted-175-years-and-no-one-knows-how

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New Analog Frequency Readout for BITX17 VXO

I've been getting tired of being in the dark about the frequency on which my BITX17 was operating.  So I pulled out some graph paper, my frequency counter, and a pencil.  You will see two frequencies at each point -- that's because  I use two crystals, switched by the black knob on the left.  I realize this paper and pencil approach is hopelessly out of date, but I see it as "appropriate technology" for a discrete component all-analog transceiver.  

Pete set me straight on how to come up with the numbers: VXO frequency minus  ACTUAL carrier oscillator/BFO freq.  After doing this I took great delight in going on the air and asking guys with fancy "glowing numerals" rigs to compare their freq readout with my pencil and graph paper readouts: they were painfully close.    

But I am not slipping completely into stubborn Luddite-ism; this weekend I worked on a DDS-based AD9850/Arduino VFO with I-Q output based on Paul M0XPD's Kanga-UK Arduino Shield.   STAY TUNED! 

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Jailed for The Knack: Gerry Wells, Homebrew Hero

Thanks to Thomas of the "SWLing Post" for alerting us to the story of UK radio legend Gerry Wells. As Thomas said in his post, you really need to drop what you are doing and listen to this great BBC program about Gerry: 

http://swling.com/blog/2011/02/radio-documentary-the-wireless-world-of-gerry-wells/

The poor fellow was actually JAILED for his "radio obsession."  Wow.  That was kind of harsh.  But Gerry overcame adversity and had a very happy life in radio.  

Thomas has more on Gerry here: 

http://swling.com/blog/2014/12/jonathans-interviews-with-gerry-wells/

Thanks Thomas!  And thanks to the BBC. 

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VE3MKC's Teensy Si5351 SDR Receiver with a Tiny Color Screen (video)

From: Rich 

To: "soldersmoke@yahoo.com"  
Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2015 9:22 AM
Subject: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project

Bill

First, thanks for Soldersmoke and all you do for us QRP hackers around the world. I'm a big fan!

I've detected you are getting sucked into the world of microcontrollers of late. I know you are not really that excited about SDR but this is a radio that combines Arduino, the currently popular SI5351 and a Softrock to make a very functional SDR. I started this project last year which uses the fabulous Teensy 3.1 and companion audio shield. I recently packaged it all up and it looks like a QRP radio now. Still doesn't transmit but as I like to say thats "just a small matter of software".

There are several posts about it on my blog. The most recent:

http://rheslip.blogspot.ca/2015/01/teesy-sdr-project-update.html

There's a link to a video and a link to the code in that post.

Rock on Bill!

73, Rich Heslip

VE3MKC

From: solder smoke

Sent: Friday, January 23, 2015 4:09 AM

To: 

Subject: Re: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project

Wow Rich that is really beautiful.  Amazing!   I am also sending this to Pete Juliano, but I was at first hesitant about this because I feared that your combination of Si5351 and TFT display might be TOO exciting for him. Deep breaths Pete...  

73 and Thanks,  Bill 

From: jessystems@verizon.net
To: soldersmoke@yahoo.com; 
Subject: Re: Cheap, open source Arduino SDR project
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:03:40 -0800

Hi Rich & Bill,

Wow –really exciting project Rich! Congratulations and Bravo!

This is so exciting, for all hams, as this just shows the power of the available low cost technology that is now on the market. Your project is really tempting as I have a V6.2 15M softrock sitting in a box (somewhere). I was somewhat put off with the Power SDR as the opposite sideband rejection is not too good –it is clear you have cracked that nut.

Thanks for sharing Rich and yes Bill I am taking very deep breaths.

73’s

Pete N6QW

  

• Jan 23 at 9:27 AM

• Pete Juliano
• me

Thanks guys! When I saw the Teensy 3.1 with the companion audio codec board the first thing that came to mind was a portable SDR. Since its Arduino compatible I am able to leverage the SI5351 library, encoder library etc so its mostly just putting software blocks together. The digital filter design is a bit tricky but Loftur VE2LJX did quite a bit of work on that and now it works really well.

I hope to add CW decoding and PSK31 at some point. I've used less than half the flash on the Teensy so lots of room for new features. I'm hoping if the word gets out I won't have to do this all myself!

Pete - too bad you missed the Black Friday sale - Teensy 3.1 and the audio shield for $18. Deep breaths... 

: )

73, Rich

VE3MKC

---

---

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DuWayne's AD9850 Arduino TFT SWR Scanner

This is really nice.   DuWayne KQ4VB, has been talking to Pete about his use of digital chips, Arduinos and TFT displays in homebrew SWR analyzers.   Obviously these techniques could be used to measure the passband of crystal filters.  (Far superior to my pencil and paper procedures.)  Nice work DuWayne!

Pete
Looks good, I did some playing with the TFT board I have.  Did a board for the antenna analyzer using the TFT and a 9850 DDS module insted of the NOKIA and si5351.  Wanted to see if there was much difference between a sine wave out and the square wave from the 5351.  Appears to be very nearly the same from a couple of quick tests I have done.  Want to try some different diodes and change some values for amplifier gain.
Will keep you informed. DuWayne

Earlier... (4 November 2014)

Pete
Really enjoy listening to you on Solder-Smoke.  Saw the link to your
xcvr with the Adafruit si5351 board.  I got a couple of them and have
been playing with code for them.  Have been spending most of my time
working on an antenna analyzer based on the one by K6BEZ. Pleased to see
your article in the latest QQ.  I have used basically the same circuit,
except am using  the little NOKIA LCD display. The resolution is not the
greatest  but works well for this application.  I am using some of the
original code from K6BEZ to talk with his existing PC program.  For
stand alone I have 2 modes, a straight tune mode where I can select the
frequency and read the SWR.  Also implementing a sweep mode that scans
the whole band and after it is finished you can tune across and see the
frequency and SWR.  I am attaching a couple of pictures of what I have
so far. Waiting on the correct op amp to arrive and making some changes
to the amp gain to get better results on the higher band where the
output of the DDS drops off.
Thanks for all the inspiration you give to us home builders and tinkerers
out here.
73 DuWayne   KV4QB

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Interesting Propagation Web Site

CONUS HF BAND CONDX

1/22/15 --- 10:45:00 GMT --- REPORT # 1289

160 80 40 30 20 15 10

I think this is a really interesting and useful way to gather and present information on propagation conditions.   Check it out.   The "instructions" page gives some background info on the technique used. 

http://www.bandconditions.com/ 

The author, Biz, K5BIZ seems like a very FB ham: http://www.qrz.com/db/K5BIZ

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Star City Antique Radio's Beautiful Workshop

Dale Cook of Star City Antique Radios and Test Gear has a really nice site with great pictures of his workbenches and test gear.  Inspirational stuff.  Take a look: 

http://plymouthcolony.net/starcity/radios/pages/compact.html

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

All of the Shortwave Spectrum LIVE on Web Waterfall Display

It's been a while since I checked in with this site.  They have made a lot of improvements.  It is very impressive.  I had trouble with it using Internet Explorer, but it worked right away using the Google Chrome browser.   Play with it a bit.  Zoom in on 40 meters.  Listen to the LSB contacts.  Very nice. 

http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/


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