Never forget dear Ciprian, even when whe have the best reciever or transiever , they are nothing when whe forget a gooooooood earth and antenna , they do mostly te biggest part of the job......( smiles ) Big hugs...
Very true indeed. I did managed to fix most of the issues I had lately with tiny modifications thanks to the friends here on TH-cam. By the way... did you got to read the emails I sent you ? 73
I wish very much I had that chance as well. I really like his designs. It's ok... we'll all go same where he is at some point. 73 and thank you for the nice words.
Thank you so much my friend. Ohh yes I keep going ))) I have one more PCB board for a nice receiver from another friend / subscriber that I'm planning to build for the next video. I must check to see if I have all the parts I need for it. 73 buddy and good luck finishing your receiver as well.
I think the idea was to put a pair of crystals on a DB-9 connector to be used as a Super VXO. This W1FB version of the pixie has a simple audio filter. The pixie is VERY wide so this really helps. G7VFY
Ohhh yes yes yes... I forgot to mention in the video that I only had a crystal left for the 40m band so that's why I'm only using one in the video. The audio filter... ohh yes I understand it can only do that much. But I was so hoping is better as I has the filter schematic on the table for some time and I was hoping it's just a little better than it is hahaha. But I love it... as much as I love building all the stuff. Clearly I have to replace the low pass filter with the band pass filter. In my area the interferences from AM are really annoying. Now I can't wait to finish placing it in a nice enclosure... and finish doing the last adjustments and tanaaaa.... one more schematic cut from my to do wish list is done. It's been a long time since I wanted to build this one. Too bad here the propagation it's pretty low right now. Thank you for everything Stephen. 73
Thank you so much. I loved working on it.... the video didn't come as good )) I was so tired... I messed up all the camera settings hehe. Hopefully the next one will be better. 73
@@pd1jdw630 I miss the boat like crazy. I do love the water.... so much in fact i spent nearly half of my life so far floating on oceans instead of living on land hahaha. The voice over... ohh yes... Scotty did a great job.
Ohhh yes I used to do that too a few years ago. Now I find it easier and more organized for my self as I did this kit... as sometimes because I'm exiced about the project I tend to become very messy really quick )))
Ciprian, your audio issue lays with the 741, over a period it becomes saturated and turns off, to test for this, if it turns off, switch the radio off then on again. If the radio is working again the issue is definitely the 741, it is not the part it is inherent in the design. Play around with the biasing, I can't see the values. W1FB used the 741 quite a lot in this application and they all had the same issue.
I'm also suspecting the same. It is indeed from the 741. Every time the sound stops... I either have to transmit so the LM386 gets muted... and after that the sound comes back. Or I have to turn the transceiver off and on the the sound also comes back to normal. It only happens with the powered speaker though, not having the issue with the headphones. I think I have an old schematic somewhere for a CW audio filter using a 741. I'll have a look in that one and compare it to what W1FB did and see if I can fix the issue. I'll send you the regular weekly vocal report with the email radio show tomorrow morning when I wake up hahaha. I'll put both schematics in the email so you can have a look. P.S. I have an idea for a video I think you will love.... but it will have to wait a little so I can get my hands on all the parts ))
@@dxexplorer Ciprian, I just remembered, Doug did a design 40 odd years ago called the Neophite, if I remember correctly it was a DC receiver, it used the same 741 filter circuit. This radio had the same issue as yours. I know this because I built it 30 years ago and still have it. If you can find the article from one of his books he mentioned this problem in it along with steps to minimise it. My brain is telling me R4 or R5 in his circuit. Any how, was a great little radio but never cured it. Tried different chips, the bias etc. If I can find the book I will send you the notes.
Thanks so much Nigel. I spoke to Federico from QSO Labs and he didn't had any issues so far. I replaced the LM386 with an N type instead of M that I usually use... and it seems that the issue it's gone. We will see for how long )) I will email you the schematics in a little and leave the radio show for tomorrow because today I was on the run all day. At the moments it seems to work fine. Happy about that. Send me the notes anyway if you have the time and you find them. Just in case )) 73 and we chat soon on email.
@@dxexplorer Hi Chip. That's interesting. I now suspect the LM386, or at least the power circuit to the LM386. If this circuit uses the 1k resistor in series with the power supply to power the LM386 then there will be at least a 4 volt drop at the VCC pin - assuming a quiescent current of 4ma. The LM386 only has to draw a few more milliamps with audio running and the voltage at the VCC pin will drop below its operating threshold. That threshold is different for the different types of LM386. Type 1, 2 3 etc. You could try putting another 1k resistor in parallel with the existing 1k resistor and see what happens. That will increase the current when transmitting (actually not by much) but at least that will indicate if that's the issue. Another thing to do is have a look at the output of the 741 when the problem occurs and see if the signal is still there. :)
Thanks Ian. Very smart idea about checking the output of the 741 haha. That I skipped thinking about. So... I'm suspecting you are right. The reason for that is that today I left the Pixie work on battery. As soon as the voltage of the battery went low... and is no issue on that with the other version of the Pixie ( Chinese one )... the problem started again. So I wi try to do the resistor adjustment and see what's happening. I don't think it should affect TX in any way... as the 1K resistor is strictly on the power line for the LM386. Also there is another 1K resistor on the power line that goes to the 741 if I remember well. So it's great they are all separated by each other because this way it should not affect the other stages. I'll test and see what happens. Thanks so much one more time. 73
Thank you for another nice video Chip. Propagation on 40 seems ok for local signals in VK but 20 is amazing atm. Had a nice QSO with a station in Florida and Italy seems open most of the time. I subscribed to NotBecca and realised she is the daughter of TO KM9G - not surprising - good on her for getting into ham radio. I recently built a DC receiver (on github at /ianm8/MBDC) and used the same filter circuit but with different values. Not sure what the problem is. Maybe the 741. Did you try a capacitor at pin 3 to stabilise the DC voltage? Hope all is well at your QTH especially with everything going on in Europe! 73, VK7IAN
Mornin' from Transylvania Ian ) I'll answer from the bottom to the top ) Not sure what's going on around me... as I'm not watching the news. That's because I honestly don't believe much. I have the feeling that things are not exactly as presented on TV. Someone usually tries to cover something with another thing... that sould explain many things ) About the receiver... I will have a look in a little bit. I must build a DC receiver as well... it's on the list. Becca... found her while looking for a fox hunt transmitter trying to get my nephew into amateur radio and told him is treasure finding game but a little different hahaha. She reminds me of my self when I was a kid. About the audio filter and the 741... Ohh yes for sure is from the 741. Nigel was writing yesterday that W1FB made many circuits with 741 and most had the same similar issue. I'll have a look to another schematic of the audio filter and see if they have anything extra maybe that helps things to "calm down" and be stable ) I'll look into pin 3 as well. Now that I built it as it in the schematic and found little issues... it's time to play around and make it a little better... that's what I love the most in this hobby hehehe. There is always something you can improve. Thanks so much for watching. 73 and have an amazing week. Ohh I forgot... propagation is the same here... mostly local. But not much activity on CW. They just chit chat on SSB all morning and afternoon after work ))
The electronic parts are truly a treasure. I recently made a fm receiver with vco which can cover 14mhz in the fm band with one varicap diode. Are you thinking of making another receiver with FET or something like that?congratulations on the website by the way, ,it is finally up again. One more question, will you include in the website photos of other subscribers attempts of your constructions?
Yes Nikos... a treasure indeed. Ohh good thing you reminded me about the diode tuning. I must change something in the first version of the Sputnik haha. Yes I will sure have the photo gallery with stuff build by the subscribers. I'm going trough the emails now saving all the photos and preparing them to be posted on the website. Glad you like it. I'm also happy is back. Not having much free time now, but I'm slowly posting articles one by one when time allows me to. 73 my friend.
The plugs are no issue... they are stereo... and having the mono signal going to both left and right. Same as it is in most simple designs like this. Yes one of the issues could be the impedance difderence... but it has to work with both if well designed. But I found the issues as it seems a lot of people had this problems. Anyway... I fixed the problem and in the newer versions of the circuit, Federico who designed the PCB also made improvements so those work ok. There is always something that can be improved in simple circuits and that is the fun of it cause we get to learn thanks to little problems like this 😅😅. 73, YO6DXE.
Hello I like your Video and the style you do show the TX from Kit beginning to built it to then showing the functions when ready built. One thing i would like, if you do a CW QSO with the little TX and show it up in the Video as Highlight. I will only note this because i have 2 Video at TH-cam, show there my TRX and homebrew Antenna, but have no QSO showing up. I was constructively pointed when a OM will say the most meaningful is the QSO within a Video when built an Antenna or a Transmitter, Transceiver. So my next Video should have a QSO or even few cuts of an QSO if i have good ability and i think your Video will even more nicer with this. So only a little constrctively point but bescause i will not meaning any bad. I hope you know how i mean. I have a little question to you, i would like to have a CW QSO with you, i do CW since 2 Weeks ago at the Bands and my speed for Copy CW is only 7-11WPM, depending on the form I am in, it is every day is a little different. If its not a Problem because of Slow Speed Telegrafie, hi, i would be proud if an CW QSO we can make. Best Greets Fabian 73 DD1FK
Fabian thank you so much for the nice words... and also for the idea. No don't worry its great what you are saying. I would love to do that in my videos and that was my intention to do such things since I started the channel. Sadly I have no amateur radio license yet. Well... that may change, as today I went to my exam finally. I'm actually on the train on my way home now )) Fingers crossed I passed, as I didn't had much free time to study. If not one more exam at the end of the month. But that means that soon I will finally have a call sign and I will be able to do the videos in that format you are talking about. Indeed that would be perfect thing to do. I can barely understand Morse Code now. It was for safety mosyly... to make sure my fingers are not itchy to transmit if I knew the code... and had no call sign hahaha. So as soon as I'm all set... I start practicing and for sure we will have a QSO in the future. The world is a small place... especially on the radio waves. 73 my friend.
@@dxexplorer It's really a coincidence that I'm writing to you on the day your exam is, oh I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and say you made it. Yes, I only got back to it 4 years ago and did the Ham License exam, although I was already interested in it in the late 90's. Back then, at the age of 11, I had a phase with radio handicrafts and radios, there were still possibilities even here to build a small radio with just a germanium diode and a wound coil, the Detector Radio. Yes, there were also many modifications to improve it and it was fun doing these small projects... So I was annoyed that I didn't do Ham Radio right away, and then for almost 20 years that was a forgotten hobby.. also on the one hand because of the short wave as far as radio tinkering is concerned, because nowadays there are hardly any short wave, medium wave and long wave transmitters here and in Germany unfortunately not at all anymore. Building small projects with tubes I did again last year, but today I don't hear it that much in the near field anymore. But Radio Tube Projects can be much fun with built little TX and RX. But what is still fun are the projects you show, 2 of which I have also recreated. The Pixie and the Mighty Mite TX. Unfortunately, the pixie is difficult to manage without a CW filter on the Radio Band. Which CW filter would you use? I am looking for the Hipermite CW Filter Project with the TLC274 or LM324 and i will use this in my UBitx Trx, do you know UBitX ? Ok, back to your exam, I hope and wish you all the best and I think that you will be on the Bands in the next few days! I would be very happy if we then talk in SSB and do CW, although I've only been gaining experience with CW for 2 weeks on the band and, as I've noticed, it's best if you make mistakes, too to try on the Band and often someone who adjusts the speed is on QRS and that's a lot of fun when you've written your first full CW QSO and that without a decoder. From home I'm only QRV with my 2.5m mini vertical/load coil antenna and I think it could work on the Band between us on 20m or 40m. Ok I hope see you soon on the Bands! LG Fabian 73 DD1FK
Good day Fabian. We seem to have a similar story... I too started to be interested in the hobby around 7 or 8 years old. But I had no one to guide me back then.. so I also forgot about it until I was 15 and started building little circuits. Around 17 or 18 I think it was the last one i built. Again two more years of time away... then during the military service I was bored in the evenings.. so I started to study a little more. But I did nothing after that as I started working on cruise ships and I had no way there to build or use anything. In vacations I used to make antennas and do DX in SSB on the CB band... but that's it. I think back in 2015 after moving aboard my sailboat while in Miami... I was using a Baofeng to listen to the 2m repeaters around Miami and it was fun. So I wrote a local club if I can pass my exam there. But I never had the chance as things in my life got complicated hahaha. So three years ago when I returned to Romania I decided to get back to the hobby more seriously. Sadly we had the stupid "pandemic" and it was complicated to go to an exam. So I waited... and yesterday I had my chance finally. Hopefully I passed hahaha. It was hard to find any material to study to be honest. If you don't know exactly what to look for and where... you can't find any proper information. So on the exam basically I had not much knoledge... I just answered the question using the things I already know... or using my logic and hopefully that logic was good thinking and I got the right answers hahaha. Now after speaking to them I do know what's needed and where to search... so I case I didn't pass... on the 26'th this month I would go to another exam... but this time I would be very well prepared as I have access to all the info. I do not know any amateur radio operators here in Romania... at least none close to me to talk to them more often and teach me things... so I learn on my own as I go. Same as I learned about sailing hahaha. I started learning navigation while I was already sailing to Cuba. It was a fantastic adventure and the best way to learn. Seems to be the same in amateur radio. We talk soon my friend. 73 and have an amazing rest of the week. About equipment... pfff we would talk for ages hahaha.
I never checked on this one. But in my recent Pixie video I did tested it on a regular kit that has the same capacitor and crystal. I can't remember how much it was hahaha. I think it was either 3 or 5kHz.
@@dxexplorer Thanks for answer. I added am Si47xx signal generator with arduino and made it go from 3 .5 mhz to 14mhz but i had som sound quality issues
I believe that if you change the frequency that much.. since is such a simple circuit... you basically move it from the 80m to 40m and 20m band. The low pass filter on the output is for the 40m in the standard kit. So you may have drops both in power output and also on RX on the other bands. I think there is one more capacitor also that you have to replace depending on the band you are using it for. The crystal switch in combination with a variable capacitor is indeed a good choice. I didn't bother because it was more like a test in mine ))). But let's say you want to build it for the 40m band. If you get a 3 positions switch you can find crystals on 7020, 7030 and 7040MHz. You could cover pretty much in there. The digital VFO that you have is what I don't usually like hahaha.. but if you stick to only the 40m band it should be fine. You could cover the entire 40m band and that is nice. What I want is to make a small and simple analog VFO and use it in a scratch build version. I will make a video on that one as well. 73
Never forget dear Ciprian, even when whe have the best reciever or transiever , they are nothing when whe forget a gooooooood earth and antenna , they do mostly te biggest part of the job......( smiles ) Big hugs...
Very true indeed. I did managed to fix most of the issues I had lately with tiny modifications thanks to the friends here on TH-cam. By the way... did you got to read the emails I sent you ? 73
I knew Doug W1FB, and I think he would very much approve of your channel
I wish very much I had that chance as well. I really like his designs. It's ok... we'll all go same where he is at some point. 73 and thank you for the nice words.
Beautiful, another construction! Just keep going my friend! 73!
Thank you so much my friend. Ohh yes I keep going ))) I have one more PCB board for a nice receiver from another friend / subscriber that I'm planning to build for the next video. I must check to see if I have all the parts I need for it. 73 buddy and good luck finishing your receiver as well.
Smart idea 💡 with the antenna connector
Ohh yes. I hate the big white annoying one hahaha.
I think the idea was to put a pair of crystals on a DB-9 connector to be used as a Super VXO. This W1FB version of the pixie has a simple audio filter. The pixie is VERY wide so this really helps. G7VFY
Ohhh yes yes yes... I forgot to mention in the video that I only had a crystal left for the 40m band so that's why I'm only using one in the video. The audio filter... ohh yes I understand it can only do that much. But I was so hoping is better as I has the filter schematic on the table for some time and I was hoping it's just a little better than it is hahaha. But I love it... as much as I love building all the stuff. Clearly I have to replace the low pass filter with the band pass filter. In my area the interferences from AM are really annoying. Now I can't wait to finish placing it in a nice enclosure... and finish doing the last adjustments and tanaaaa.... one more schematic cut from my to do wish list is done. It's been a long time since I wanted to build this one. Too bad here the propagation it's pretty low right now. Thank you for everything Stephen. 73
Another good build. And a well made video. 👌🏻
Thank you so much. I loved working on it.... the video didn't come as good )) I was so tired... I messed up all the camera settings hehe. Hopefully the next one will be better. 73
@@dxexplorer Ha! If it is this good when you’re tired. I can’t imagine when you’re at your best. 👌🏻
@@pd1jdw630 Hahahaha.... that would be something like this.... but the very long version ))) th-cam.com/video/02bX1xfvUCY/w-d-xo.html
@@dxexplorer ooh! I love sailing! I hate water though. 😁 that’s well made. Nice voice over as well. 👌🏻
@@pd1jdw630 I miss the boat like crazy. I do love the water.... so much in fact i spent nearly half of my life so far floating on oceans instead of living on land hahaha. The voice over... ohh yes... Scotty did a great job.
If & when I build a kit, I place & solder the parts for the centre of the board ,and work my way to the edges, that works for me.
Ohhh yes I used to do that too a few years ago. Now I find it easier and more organized for my self as I did this kit... as sometimes because I'm exiced about the project I tend to become very messy really quick )))
Ciprian, your audio issue lays with the 741, over a period it becomes saturated and turns off, to test for this, if it turns off, switch the radio off then on again. If the radio is working again the issue is definitely the 741, it is not the part it is inherent in the design. Play around with the biasing, I can't see the values. W1FB used the 741 quite a lot in this application and they all had the same issue.
I'm also suspecting the same. It is indeed from the 741. Every time the sound stops... I either have to transmit so the LM386 gets muted... and after that the sound comes back. Or I have to turn the transceiver off and on the the sound also comes back to normal. It only happens with the powered speaker though, not having the issue with the headphones. I think I have an old schematic somewhere for a CW audio filter using a 741. I'll have a look in that one and compare it to what W1FB did and see if I can fix the issue. I'll send you the regular weekly vocal report with the email radio show tomorrow morning when I wake up hahaha. I'll put both schematics in the email so you can have a look. P.S. I have an idea for a video I think you will love.... but it will have to wait a little so I can get my hands on all the parts ))
@@dxexplorer Ciprian, I just remembered, Doug did a design 40 odd years ago called the Neophite, if I remember correctly it was a DC receiver, it used the same 741 filter circuit. This radio had the same issue as yours. I know this because I built it 30 years ago and still have it. If you can find the article from one of his books he mentioned this problem in it along with steps to minimise it. My brain is telling me R4 or R5 in his circuit. Any how, was a great little radio but never cured it. Tried different chips, the bias etc. If I can find the book I will send you the notes.
Thanks so much Nigel. I spoke to Federico from QSO Labs and he didn't had any issues so far. I replaced the LM386 with an N type instead of M that I usually use... and it seems that the issue it's gone. We will see for how long )) I will email you the schematics in a little and leave the radio show for tomorrow because today I was on the run all day. At the moments it seems to work fine. Happy about that. Send me the notes anyway if you have the time and you find them. Just in case )) 73 and we chat soon on email.
@@dxexplorer Hi Chip. That's interesting. I now suspect the LM386, or at least the power circuit to the LM386. If this circuit uses the 1k resistor in series with the power supply to power the LM386 then there will be at least a 4 volt drop at the VCC pin - assuming a quiescent current of 4ma. The LM386 only has to draw a few more milliamps with audio running and the voltage at the VCC pin will drop below its operating threshold. That threshold is different for the different types of LM386. Type 1, 2 3 etc. You could try putting another 1k resistor in parallel with the existing 1k resistor and see what happens. That will increase the current when transmitting (actually not by much) but at least that will indicate if that's the issue. Another thing to do is have a look at the output of the 741 when the problem occurs and see if the signal is still there. :)
Thanks Ian. Very smart idea about checking the output of the 741 haha. That I skipped thinking about. So... I'm suspecting you are right. The reason for that is that today I left the Pixie work on battery. As soon as the voltage of the battery went low... and is no issue on that with the other version of the Pixie ( Chinese one )... the problem started again. So I wi try to do the resistor adjustment and see what's happening. I don't think it should affect TX in any way... as the 1K resistor is strictly on the power line for the LM386. Also there is another 1K resistor on the power line that goes to the 741 if I remember well. So it's great they are all separated by each other because this way it should not affect the other stages. I'll test and see what happens. Thanks so much one more time. 73
Thank you for another nice video Chip. Propagation on 40 seems ok for local signals in VK but 20 is amazing atm. Had a nice QSO with a station in Florida and Italy seems open most of the time. I subscribed to NotBecca and realised she is the daughter of TO KM9G - not surprising - good on her for getting into ham radio. I recently built a DC receiver (on github at /ianm8/MBDC) and used the same filter circuit but with different values. Not sure what the problem is. Maybe the 741. Did you try a capacitor at pin 3 to stabilise the DC voltage? Hope all is well at your QTH especially with everything going on in Europe! 73, VK7IAN
Mornin' from Transylvania Ian ) I'll answer from the bottom to the top ) Not sure what's going on around me... as I'm not watching the news. That's because I honestly don't believe much. I have the feeling that things are not exactly as presented on TV. Someone usually tries to cover something with another thing... that sould explain many things ) About the receiver... I will have a look in a little bit. I must build a DC receiver as well... it's on the list. Becca... found her while looking for a fox hunt transmitter trying to get my nephew into amateur radio and told him is treasure finding game but a little different hahaha. She reminds me of my self when I was a kid. About the audio filter and the 741... Ohh yes for sure is from the 741. Nigel was writing yesterday that W1FB made many circuits with 741 and most had the same similar issue. I'll have a look to another schematic of the audio filter and see if they have anything extra maybe that helps things to "calm down" and be stable ) I'll look into pin 3 as well. Now that I built it as it in the schematic and found little issues... it's time to play around and make it a little better... that's what I love the most in this hobby hehehe. There is always something you can improve. Thanks so much for watching. 73 and have an amazing week. Ohh I forgot... propagation is the same here... mostly local. But not much activity on CW. They just chit chat on SSB all morning and afternoon after work ))
Nice
Thank you... glad you like it. 73
The electronic parts are truly a treasure. I recently made a fm receiver with vco which can cover 14mhz in the fm band with one varicap diode. Are you thinking of making another receiver with FET or something like that?congratulations on the website by the way, ,it is finally up again. One more question, will you include in the website photos of other subscribers attempts of your constructions?
Yes Nikos... a treasure indeed. Ohh good thing you reminded me about the diode tuning. I must change something in the first version of the Sputnik haha. Yes I will sure have the photo gallery with stuff build by the subscribers. I'm going trough the emails now saving all the photos and preparing them to be posted on the website. Glad you like it. I'm also happy is back. Not having much free time now, but I'm slowly posting articles one by one when time allows me to. 73 my friend.
@@dxexplorer can I send you some more photos of the sputnik?
@@sv2tcb Yes of course you can. I really appreciate that.
@@dxexplorer I have sent you an email. 73
I got it. Thanks so much buddy.
Headphone is high impedance and loudspeaker is low impedance. Jack socket is sztereó and the plugs you are using are Mono...
The plugs are no issue... they are stereo... and having the mono signal going to both left and right. Same as it is in most simple designs like this. Yes one of the issues could be the impedance difderence... but it has to work with both if well designed. But I found the issues as it seems a lot of people had this problems. Anyway... I fixed the problem and in the newer versions of the circuit, Federico who designed the PCB also made improvements so those work ok. There is always something that can be improved in simple circuits and that is the fun of it cause we get to learn thanks to little problems like this 😅😅. 73, YO6DXE.
Hello I like your Video and the style you do show the TX from Kit beginning to built it to then showing the functions when ready built.
One thing i would like, if you do a CW QSO with the little TX and show it up in the Video as Highlight. I will only note this because i have 2 Video at TH-cam, show there my TRX and homebrew Antenna, but have no QSO showing up. I was constructively pointed when a OM will say the most meaningful is the QSO within a Video when built an Antenna or a Transmitter, Transceiver. So my next Video should have a QSO or even few cuts of an QSO if i have good ability and i think your Video will even more nicer with this.
So only a little constrctively point but bescause i will not meaning any bad. I hope you know how i mean.
I have a little question to you, i would like to have a CW QSO with you, i do CW since 2 Weeks ago at the Bands and my speed for Copy CW is only 7-11WPM, depending on the form I am in, it is every day is a little different. If its not a Problem because of Slow Speed Telegrafie, hi, i would be proud if an CW QSO we can make.
Best Greets Fabian 73 DD1FK
Fabian thank you so much for the nice words... and also for the idea. No don't worry its great what you are saying. I would love to do that in my videos and that was my intention to do such things since I started the channel. Sadly I have no amateur radio license yet. Well... that may change, as today I went to my exam finally. I'm actually on the train on my way home now )) Fingers crossed I passed, as I didn't had much free time to study. If not one more exam at the end of the month. But that means that soon I will finally have a call sign and I will be able to do the videos in that format you are talking about. Indeed that would be perfect thing to do. I can barely understand Morse Code now. It was for safety mosyly... to make sure my fingers are not itchy to transmit if I knew the code... and had no call sign hahaha. So as soon as I'm all set... I start practicing and for sure we will have a QSO in the future. The world is a small place... especially on the radio waves. 73 my friend.
@@dxexplorer It's really a coincidence that I'm writing to you on the day your exam is, oh I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and say you made it.
Yes, I only got back to it 4 years ago and did the Ham License exam, although I was already interested in it in the late 90's. Back then, at the age of 11, I had a phase with radio handicrafts and radios, there were still possibilities even here to build a small radio with just a germanium diode and a wound coil, the Detector Radio. Yes, there were also many modifications to improve it and it was fun doing these small projects...
So I was annoyed that I didn't do Ham Radio right away, and then for almost 20 years that was a forgotten hobby.. also on the one hand because of the short wave as far as radio tinkering is concerned, because nowadays there are hardly any short wave, medium wave and long wave transmitters here and in Germany unfortunately not at all anymore.
Building small projects with tubes I did again last year, but today I don't hear it that much in the near field anymore. But Radio Tube Projects can be much fun with built little TX and RX.
But what is still fun are the projects you show, 2 of which I have also recreated. The Pixie and the Mighty Mite TX. Unfortunately, the pixie is difficult to manage without a CW filter on the Radio Band. Which CW filter would you use? I am looking for the Hipermite CW Filter Project with the TLC274 or LM324 and i will use this in my UBitx Trx, do you know UBitX ?
Ok, back to your exam, I hope and wish you all the best and I think that you will be on the Bands in the next few days!
I would be very happy if we then talk in SSB and do CW, although I've only been gaining experience with CW for 2 weeks on the band and, as I've noticed, it's best if you make mistakes, too to try on the Band and often someone who adjusts the speed is on QRS and that's a lot of fun when you've written your first full CW QSO and that without a decoder.
From home I'm only QRV with my 2.5m mini vertical/load coil antenna and I think it could work on the Band between us on 20m or 40m.
Ok I hope see you soon on the Bands!
LG Fabian 73 DD1FK
Good day Fabian. We seem to have a similar story... I too started to be interested in the hobby around 7 or 8 years old. But I had no one to guide me back then.. so I also forgot about it until I was 15 and started building little circuits. Around 17 or 18 I think it was the last one i built. Again two more years of time away... then during the military service I was bored in the evenings.. so I started to study a little more. But I did nothing after that as I started working on cruise ships and I had no way there to build or use anything. In vacations I used to make antennas and do DX in SSB on the CB band... but that's it.
I think back in 2015 after moving aboard my sailboat while in Miami... I was using a Baofeng to listen to the 2m repeaters around Miami and it was fun. So I wrote a local club if I can pass my exam there. But I never had the chance as things in my life got complicated hahaha. So three years ago when I returned to Romania I decided to get back to the hobby more seriously. Sadly we had the stupid "pandemic" and it was complicated to go to an exam. So I waited... and yesterday I had my chance finally. Hopefully I passed hahaha. It was hard to find any material to study to be honest. If you don't know exactly what to look for and where... you can't find any proper information. So on the exam basically I had not much knoledge... I just answered the question using the things I already know... or using my logic and hopefully that logic was good thinking and I got the right answers hahaha. Now after speaking to them I do know what's needed and where to search... so I case I didn't pass... on the 26'th this month I would go to another exam... but this time I would be very well prepared as I have access to all the info. I do not know any amateur radio operators here in Romania... at least none close to me to talk to them more often and teach me things... so I learn on my own as I go. Same as I learned about sailing hahaha. I started learning navigation while I was already sailing to Cuba. It was a fantastic adventure and the best way to learn. Seems to be the same in amateur radio. We talk soon my friend. 73 and have an amazing rest of the week. About equipment... pfff we would talk for ages hahaha.
What is the frequenzy range?
I never checked on this one. But in my recent Pixie video I did tested it on a regular kit that has the same capacitor and crystal. I can't remember how much it was hahaha. I think it was either 3 or 5kHz.
Ok I wrote in the blog post ))) It was from 70305 MHz to 70352 MHz.
@@dxexplorer Thanks for answer. I added am Si47xx signal generator with arduino and made it go from 3
.5 mhz to 14mhz but i had som sound quality issues
@@dxexplorer So i was thinkimg maybe there is a simpler way. I have seen ppl use many crystals with a selector :)
I believe that if you change the frequency that much.. since is such a simple circuit... you basically move it from the 80m to 40m and 20m band. The low pass filter on the output is for the 40m in the standard kit. So you may have drops both in power output and also on RX on the other bands. I think there is one more capacitor also that you have to replace depending on the band you are using it for. The crystal switch in combination with a variable capacitor is indeed a good choice. I didn't bother because it was more like a test in mine ))). But let's say you want to build it for the 40m band. If you get a 3 positions switch you can find crystals on 7020, 7030 and 7040MHz. You could cover pretty much in there. The digital VFO that you have is what I don't usually like hahaha.. but if you stick to only the 40m band it should be fine. You could cover the entire 40m band and that is nice. What I want is to make a small and simple analog VFO and use it in a scratch build version. I will make a video on that one as well. 73