At 28.2125 MHZ here's "the Little Beacon that could!" This little homebrew 500 Milliwatt QRPp beacon has been heard around the world. The beacon is located in grid square EN36vw at Fish Lake, in Fredenberg Township, Minnesota, USA. The location is 20 kilometers NW of Duluth, Minnesota, in Saint Louis County.
Crammed into it's 4" X 5" chassis, the beacon's transmitter includes; a rig with crystal controlled stability, regulated 5 and 13 volt power supplies, a 2N3553 final output transistor, and a built in TIC 3 surface mount keyer operating in beacon mode. The 9 volt battery seen on top provides memory backup for the keyer during power outages. The beacon is built around the Universal QRP Transmitter featured in the K0KP Homebrew Web Pages.
The transmitting antenna for the beacon, seen to the left, is a half-wave vertical with ground plane radials at 35 feet. The antenna is fed with RG213 coaxial cable.
Why not take a listen for this little fella? You just might be surprised to discover how far a little QRPp signal can be heard! Reception reports are always welcome!
