What Kit to Build, Part One This is the first of several installments. Several guys have asked me to post this, having heard my talk at Hamcom about kits. There are a lot of newbies on the list, and that is great. Love to get new blood into the group. You are a breath of fresh air and we welcome your contributions. Some of you are interested in building kits and would like some advice on what to build. Ok, here it comes, but do remember that it is my opinion, not law or fact, just one man's opinion. If you have never built anything before, or it has been a long time, I suggest that you start with the VE3DNL marker generator kit from the Ft. Smith QRP Group. Jay Bromley, W5JAY is the contact person, and you can contact him by email at w5jay@alltel.net or you can order the kit by sending $12 ($10 for the kit, $2 S&H plus a self addressed mailing label) to: Jay Bromley 9505 Bryn Mawr Cir. Fort Smith, AR 72903 USA What does your $10 kit do? Well we like to call it a poor man's signal generator. It puts a signal out on every 5, 10, 20 and 40 kHz depending on the output that you select. You can use it to peak up receiver's, set band edges, calibrate dials, find out where you are on the band, etc. etc. etc. It is just a neat piece of test gear that you will use over and over again. The best part is that it is simple, and it works. There is nothing more frustrating than building a project and not being able to get it to work, conversely, there is no greater pleasure (well maybe one that I can think of) than building something and having it work. There are only about 8 parts in this kit, and it is a useful tool when you get done. Why do I like this kit for the first time builder? All the parts are there, you don't have to worry about finding some esoteric part, it is built on a circuit board (supplied), and the instructions are easy to follow (written by Chuck Adams, K7QO nee K5FO). It is a one evening project and is easy to troubleshoot. The cost is low, and you don't have to hock the house to buy it. All you need for tools are: 25 watt soldering iron, diagonal cutters, electrical solder, and patience. My advice for project number 1, build the Ft. Smith QRP Club VE3DNL Marker Generator. I just talked to Jay last night, and he is going to continue to supply this kit. The profits generated from it by the way, go towards putting on the Ft. Smith QRP Forum which is held in the Spring. Tomorrow, project #2 72, Doug, KI6DS ---------------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part Two This is installment #2 of KI6DS's opinion on which kit to build. The objectives here are twofold, one we want to learn as we build, two we want to build useful projects that give us the biggest bang for the buck. Again, this is my opinion, and my opinion only. My choice is the TiCK-4 Keyer Kit from Embedded Research. Here is their description from their web page: Summary of TiCK-4 Features Two 50 character, user programmable message memories NEW! Non-volatile parameter memory, means no more resetting speed, mode, and other settings after power cycling the TiCK! You can configure the TiCK-4 to you personal settings, and they will remain in effect until YOU change them! Pin-for-pin compatible with all other TiCKs (TiCK-1 / TiCK-2 / TiCK-2B / TiCK-3) Maintains the familiar and simple TiCK user interface Single Pushbutton Interface (SBI) to all functions Upgrade your TiCK keyer by simply plugging in the TiCK-4... It's that easy! Complete TiCK-4 Feature List Two 50 Character user programmable message memories Non-volatile parameter memory Speed Adjust (via paddles) Tune Function Paddle Select Sidetone (ON/OFF) Iambic Modes A & B Straight Key Mode Beacon Mode Low Current Consumption (1 uA in sleep mode) Requires 3-5V DC Uses the very latest in RISC-based microcontroller technology Currently available in 8 pin DIP package and 8 pin SOIC. We are offering the TiCK-4 as follows: TiCK-4 Chip + Datasheet, $15.00, (S/H for CONUS $2.50, DX $5.00) TiCK-4 Basic Kit* - includes TiCK-4 chip, parts, PCB board and manual, $25.00 (S/H for CONUS $2.50, DX $5.00) TiCK-4 Deluxe Kit** - includes TiCK-4 chip, parts, deluxe board and manual, $35.00 (S/H for US $2.50, DX $5.00) Click here for the order form *The Basic DIP parts kit includes: TiCK-4 Keyer chip, TiCK circuit board (1x1.2"), and construction manual. Board mounted parts: 5v regulator, 5 capacitors, 3 resistors, 1 PN2222, 1 8 pin DIP socket. Off-board parts include 1 piezo audio device, 1/8" mono jack, 1/8" stereo jack, & 1 N.O. momentary switch. **The Deluxe DIP parts kit includes: TiCK-4 Keyer chip, enhanced TiCK circuit board, construction manual, 8 pin socket, 4 resistors, 6 capacitors, 1 diode, 1 piezo audio transducer, 2 board mounted jacks (keyline & paddles), board mounted lithium cell holder, 3v lithium cell (for memory backup), board mounted normally open momentary switch, 9V battery clip, and 5v low dropout/low quiescent current regulator. There is also an optional case enclosure kit: The TiCK-EMB Enclosure Kit includes: High Quality Hammond enclosure (black) Pre-drilled to accomodate TiCK-EMB circuit board and panel controls Front Panel Label Four Rubber feet Hardware needed for circuit board mounting Price: $15 plus shipping How to order? TiCK 4 Regular Kit $25 TiCK 4 Deluxe Kit $35 TiCK 4 Enclosure Kit $15 Shipping and handling $2.50 Note: please allow 5-10 business days, after we have received your order, for your shipment to leave our facilities in Rochester NY. Payment Information We do not at this time accept credit cards - send checks and money orders only! For DX orders, an international money order is best. All payments must be made in U.S. dollars Send orders to: Embedded Research PO Box 92492 Rochester, NY 14692 The above information is from the Embedded Research Web Site: http://www.frontiernet.net/~embres/tick.htm Ok, now for my input as to why this kit? The cost is unbelievable. A keyer with two 50 character memories for $25?? ($35 for the deluxe kit) What a bargain. And, you will need a keyer to go with the rigs that you are going to be using in your QRP career. This one is fun to build, and it is almost fool proof. We had 29 out of 30 kits that were built at Ft. Tuthill work the first time (and they were surface mount!!). Both types of kits are available, but I would suggest that beginners stick with the through hole variety. Excellent manual, first class service and parts, and it is fun to build. Again, another one evening project, with very minimal tools needed. Remember that soldering iron, diagonal cutters and solder that you used in the VE3DNL kit, well, you need them again. The nice thing about this kit is that everything is there, and Embedded Research even offers a case option too!! I put my TiCK keyers in Altoids tins until I saw the neat case that Gary and Brad came up with this summer. When you finish your kit, you have a keyer that you can use with any qrp rig, and believe me, you will want to use a keyer and paddles. The nice thing about the TiCK is that it has memory. If you are operating a contest, simply put the exchange in memory and when it comes time to send it, you use the keyer to send it. Another use is that you can put your name qth, etc. all the stuff that you send in a qso in the other memory, and when you make a contact, you use the keyer to send it while you log. Neat!! Note that there are more parts with this kit, and it will take a little longer to build than the VE3DNL, but you have more when you finish. If you are a beginner and are learning how to use paddles, now you have a way to practice your sending!! Let's review the skills that you will have used and improved in building the first two kits. You have learned how to identify parts, how to read a schematic, how to follow directions and use a parts placement diagram, how to solder, (and probably how to desolder, grin), and how to put a board into a case. Lots of skills, and it has only cost you $35 at the minimum, $60 if you go first class and get all the options. Next we will look at my recommendation for your first QRP Transceiver kit. Hey we're ready for it, because we have a VE3DNL Marker/Signal Generator and a TiCK keyer, and we want to be able to use them (believe me you will). But more importantly, you have the confidence that you too can build electronic projects. You have done it before!! Part 3 tomorrow. 72, Doug --------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part Three I have recommended that the first two kits to be built by a beginner be the VE3DNL marker generator and the Embedded Research TiCK 4 keyer kit. Now that you have built these and got them working, it is time to take the next step up in complexity. It is a huge step, but you are more than ready for it. My recommendation for the next kit is the Small Wonder Labs SW+ 40 designed by Dave Benson, NN1G. This kit is available as a parts and board kit from Small Wonder Labs for $55. It is a 40 Meter CW Transceiver that puts out about 2-3 Watts, and has a real VFO plus a superhet receiver. There are similar kits on the market in about the same price range, but none of them comes close to the SW40+ in value or bang for the buck. Why? Because of the Elmer 101 edition of QRPp, which was the fall issue produced by NorCal QRP Club and I am the editor, which I will say up front. This issue was the result of a 3 month series of articles that appeared here on qrp-l where several experts took the SW40+ kit and explained how to build it in step by step format, and more importantly why it was designed the way it was. What you are getting is a radio design course. Not only do you get to build a radio, but you will learn how and why it works. It is an excellent book and there is nothing else out there that comes close for the price. The Elmer 101 issue of QRPp is available for $12 (which includes shipping and handling) from Paul Harden at Quicksilver Press, P.O. Box 757, Socorro, NM 87801. Or, you can order it as part of the 98 QRPp back issues from me for $24 (which includes shipping). The 98 QRPp back issues contain all 4 of the 98 issues of QRPp, including the 2N2/40 issue. Why do I recommend the SW+? Well there are 2 basic entries in this price class, the SST and the SW+. The SST sells for $85 and includes connectors and case. The SW+ is $55, a $30 savings. But you say, it doesn't include the connectors and case. Well, tell you what, you can buy the connectors and controls for $5 easily at any hamfest, you'll probably have them in your junk box or a friend will. And, the Elmer 101 book has a great article on building a case from plastic sheet by Bill Jones. It looks and works fantastic, and is very, very easy to do. But if you want, you can put it in a stock Radio Shack case, or one of those computer switch boxes, lots of possibilities here. The Bill Jones case will only cost about $1 to build. So you should be able to build the SW+ in a case for $60 or so, which is a $25 savings over the SST. But there are a couple of other reasons that I like the SW+ over the SST. First there is the tuning. The SST uses a varactor tuning scheme, and you only get about 10 -12 khz and it is restricted to where ever it falls on the band (they have picked out crystals to give you the QRP hot spots). But the SW+ uses a true VFO, and it can be set to any 40 - 50 kHz segment of the 40 meter band that you want. Think about this. If you build it for the Novice band, and you upgrade, all that you have to do is unsolder the toroid and take off a turn (or is it add?? I can never remember) to put it on the general portion of the band, but it is adjustable as to where it is on the band, where the SST is not. Then later on your interest turns to working DX down on the bottom of the band, you can move the VFO coverage down there just as easily. But you can't do that with the SST!! The second point is the availability of the Elmer 101 book to go along with the building of the radio. It is not available for the SST. Remember, we want to learn the how and why of the design as well as build the radios. How do the two designs compare? Well, about the same as far as receiver sensitivity goes and selectivity as far as I can tell. They both use NE602 front ends and are very similar radios. The difference though is in the price, the VFO vs. the Varactor Tuned VXO, and the availability of the Elmer 101 series. When you build this kit, there are literally hundreds of people on the list who have built this kit before you, and help is just a posting away. Plus, Dave Benson is one of the best at customer service, if not the best. Alignment is very easy, and you will get to use your VE3DNL to peak the receiver, mark the dial for tuning, and let you know where you are on the band. No special test equipment is needed. The manual is fantastic, the parts and board are top of the line, and it is about a 5 to 10 hour project. And when you finish, you have a QRP transceiver that is capable of providing all the contacts that you want to make. Oh, and the TiCK keyer that you built in Project 2, it works great with the SWL40+ transceiver. Don't be afraid to take this next step. You built the VE3DNL and got it working. You built the TiCK keyer and it works too!! You have the skills and ability to build a real, honest to goodness CW Transceiver with Superhet Receiver, and it won't break the bank to do it. In fact, you probably have spent about $100 to get where you are after you finish the first 3 projects, and you have learned a ton, and it has been fun. Tomorrow, Kit #4 and we take a step sideways in complexity, but you build a very, very useful station accessory which is almost a necessity for easy portable operation. 72, Doug, KI6DS ------------------------------ What Kit to Build, Part Four This series is being written to encourage new QRPers to build their own gear. It is made up of recommendations from me that are my opinion. I get around a lot of QRPers, and I listen to what they have to say. Most of my recommendations are based on my personal experience, but I also take into account what others have told me. The goal here is to give a guideline so that someone who has never built anything before will be able to learn how to build QRP kits. I don't thing you want to start your building career with a NC20 or a K2, those are not beginner's kits. But what you can do is start simple, and as you build you will gain confidence and experience, which will soon enable you to successfully build advanced kits. But you have to learn to walk before you can run. My recommendations also take into account what I think is the best bang for the buck. The kits that offer the best value for your money. One thing constant about QRP kits is that they are constantly changing. Just a few years ago, DC receivers were the norm, and superhet receivers were few and far between in QRP kits. Now, we have transceivers that have dds vfo's, built in keyers, frequency counters built in (audio and visual), etc. etc. That is called progress. QRPers are very conscious of value. They expect and deserve quality. These recommendations are my opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. I have been asked many times by beginners to suggest a kit or kits to build. Guys come up to me, introduce themselves, and say, "I want to build radios, but I don't know where to start. Can you suggest a kit?" This series is my answer to that question. My first three recommendations have been the VE3DNL Marker Generator from Jay Bromley and the Ft. Smith QRP Group, the TiCK 4 Keyer from Embedded Research, and the SWL+ from Dave Benson at Small Wonder Labs. The next project that I recommend that you build is the ZM-2 Tuner from Emtech. Why do you need to build a tuner? Well, it is one of the things that you need to match the antenna that we are going to build later to your QRP rig. By building your tuner, you will get an understanding of what goes into a tuner, and how it works. The Emtech ZM-2 is the tuner of choice by hundreds of QRPers. Why? Because it is easy to use, the cost is only $50, it is so physically small that it is a natural to take along backpacking or camping, and best of all, it is a kit. Every time you build a kit, you get personal satisfaction. You built it, and if it breaks, you can fix it. Emtech was started several years ago by the late Roy Gregson. It is now being run by his son, Scott. The company is located in Washington, and it gives first class service with all of its kits. This tuner is amazing. It is a Z-Match configuration, and it will match anything. It even has a neat little SWR indicator that is so easy and simple to use that you won't believe it. The LED SWR indicator was designed by Dan Tayloe and it uses an LED to indicate when you reach the null. The LED goes out!! Simple huh? Building the tuner. You will use point to point wiring here, and you will hang the components off the controls and switches. It gives you a new experience in building, but don't worry, the instructions are very good, and if you have trouble, again, there are literally hundreds of guys on the list who have built this thing. I think it is the tuner de jour for the Arizona Scorpions, in fact it may be required to have one to belong to that group, grin. Let me caution you about one thing. The capacitors have to be isolated from ground, and you need to be careful that you drill the mounting holes accurately in the front panel. Emtech gives you a drilling template, and it isn't hard, but you do need to be careful. By the way, the tuner uses two polyvaricon variable caps, like those used in transistor radios, and you will look at them and say, "There is no way those will work." But you will soon find out that they do work, and work well. I was surprised myself at how well they do work. I have had my tuner for 2 years, and it is still going strong. When I go out in the field, I use this tuner exclusively, because of its light weight, small size and ability to handle any type of antenna feed line, coax or balanced line. I also use it a lot in the shack. It just is easier to use. Plus it doesn't take up very much space. Here is the information that you need to order a ZM-2 Tuner from Emtech. First of all the url of their web page: http://emtech.steadynet.com/ ** VISUAL SWR INDICATOR ** TUNES WIRE ANTENNAS SUCH AS --RANDOM, LONG, SHORT, that's all the wire I had! ** TUNES BALANCE FED ANTENNAS SUCH AS, LOOPS, DELTAS, DIPOLES, VERTICALS, V's. ** TUNES (from field reports) GUTTERS, WINDOW FRAMES, SWING SETS, AND --BED SPRINGS? ** TUNES OUT COAX FED ANTENNA MISMATCHES TO MAKE THE RADIO HAPPY! ** DOES ALL THE ABOVE AT 80 THRU 10 METERS, AND USUALLY MUCH FASTER THAN OTHER ATU's! ** DID I SAY 15 WATTS MAX! ** THE ZM-2 IS A NATURAL TO GO TO THE FIELD, AND AT HOME IN THE SHACK! An evening project for many, maybe two evenings for others. Very easy construction, via pictorial drawings. All parts furnished, including a stick-on panel layout. Big knobs for vernier tuning because the ZM-2 tunes so sharp. One large toroid to wind using a unique method that is fast and extremely easy. One small toriod to wind. Wire is furnished. Kit is complete, no other parts to try to find. Size is 5-1/16" x 2-5/8" x 1-5/8". Price is $50.00 shipping included. To ORDER: Send a check or money order for $50 in US funds to: EMTECH 1127 POINDEXTER AVE W BREMERTON, WA 98312 Price includes shipping. Washington residents please add 8.2% sales tax. The above information is from the Emtech web page. Hope it helps. Tomorrow, #5 in the "Which Kit to Build Series", and with apologies to L.B. Cebik, I am going to recommend the best beginner antenna that I know of. (You will put together your own kit on this one.) 72, Doug, KI6DS ----------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part 5 By now we have a VE3DNL marker generator, a TiCK keyer, a SWL+ CW transceiver and an Emtech ZM-2 tuner. What we need next is an antenna or as the Arizona ScQRPions say, an antler. Antennas are like opinions, everyone has one. This recommendation will cover two antennas, one for the home station and for taking into the field. First the home station. We want something here that will give us all band coverage, cheap, and easy to put up. We also want the lowest loss we can have in the feedline. My choice here is the ladder line fed dipole that is 135 feet long and tuned with a tuner (now you know why we build the ZM-2). The ZM-2 will allow you to have a low SWR on all bands. This antenna is built using #18 or bigger copper wire. Take a 135' piece of wire and cut it in half. Then, you need a center insulator. My recommendation is that you buy the "Ladder Grabber" for $7.95 from Emtech. This neat little center insulator is made to hold ladder line. You attach the two wires to the center insulator, then the ladder line, and everything is supported by the center insulator. You then pull it up and get it as high as you can. L.B. Cebik, W4RNL who is a QRP Hall of Famer, has one of the best antenna web sites that I know of. He discusses this very antenna and has lots of antenna charts that show the patterns of the antenna on various bands. Here is the url for that article http://www.cebik.com/gup5.html I strongly urge you to visit L.B's site. When you build this antenna, you have a good general purpose antenna that will work on all bands, is easy to build, and won't cost an arm an a leg. What do you need? 135' of #18 or bigger wire. Radio Shack used to sell some copper stranded wire that was #16 that is perfect for this application. But any wire will do, and it doesn't matter if it is bare, coated, or enameled. Lengths of rope, string, wire, something to tie off the ends. End insulators. Anything works here. Egg insulators, PVC pipe that has been drilled, 1" PVC couplings (schedule 40) etc. Or, if you use rope, make a loop in the antenna wire and don't use an insulator. Emtech "Ladder Grabber" Length of ladder line to reach your tuner. You must use a balanced line tuner here, and the Emtech ZM-2 has a balanced line input. I buy my ladder line from the Wireman. He advertises in QSTand has a website. Here is the url for the ladderline. http://www.thewireman.com/balancep.html#553 I recommend that you buy the 553 at $.16 a foot or the 562 at $.18 per foot. They are lighter in weight and easier to handle. Be sure to buy plenty as you don't want to splice it. Another alternative is to buy some 300 ohm tv twin lead. It works fine, but is not nearly as durable as the ladderline. The antenna will cost you about $30 depending on your location (how high, etc, length of feedline). Now for the second alternative. What if you have a small lot? Can't put up a 135' wire? Joe Everhart, N2CX is the guy on the white horse galloping to the rescue. He sells the best antenna kit out there for an antenna if you don't want to build the above antenna. I'm talking bang for the buck here guys. This is value. I'll let Joe describe the kit. The kit comes with high quality parts, and the manual is excellent, especially if you have never put up an antenna before. Are you reading this new guys on the block? Get this kit if you are unsure of how to build a good dipole. And yes, your ZM-2 will tune this thing too! My advice is to build both of these, the 135' Ladderline Dipole for home, and the Gusher for the field or portable use. I use mine a lot, especially when I go camping. The nice thing about the gusher kit is that Joe provides everything you need, and the price is right. Info below provided by Joe Everhart, N2CX Gusher-2L Multi-band Portable QRP Antenna 1 pound dipole ideal for portable use as an inverted vee Can be configured for multiband use Complete with all parts - you cut to length 14 page configuration/application manual Gusher Classic 1 pound dipole ideal for portable use as an inverted vee You cut it for any single band from 40-10 meters Complete with all parts - you cut to length 10 page configuration/application manual Gusher 20-20 Economy 20 meter QRP Dipole 1 pound (-) dipole ideal for portable use as an inverted vee Similar to the Classic precut for 20 meters 5 page info pamphlet All antennas are supplied with complete cutting and application info. Prices: Gusher 20-20 $19.00 -special price- postpaid (US) 2 for only $35.00 postpaid Gusher-2L $25.00 plus $3.00 postage Gusher-Classic $22.00 plus $3.00 postage Postage is for US addresses. Contact me for foreign postage Antennas are usually in stock and will be mailed promptly to US addresses. Contact me for foreign postage info. For additional info contact: n2cx@voicenet.com or write to Joe Everhart, N2CX 214 New Jersey Rd Brooklawn, NJ 08030 The Gusher antennas are simple dipoles with small diameter hookup wire for the elements, a sealed center insulator and an RG-174 feedline. They are intended for use as portable inverted vees. A similar antenna was first used by K6MDJ and called the BIC Flamethrower since its center insulator and end insulators were made from a sawed-apart disposable lighter. The PVC Gushers use plastic pipe parts - a slip cap for the center insulator (sealed for weather- proofing)and short sections of PVC pipe for end insulators. 35 foot coaxial feedlines are permanently attached for strength and are terminated at the far end by a BNC connector. Total weight for either antenna is approximately one pound and they can be carried in a plastic zipper bag for portable use. There are three Gusher models, the Gusher Classic, Gusher 2L and the Gusher 20-20. The Classic model has wire elements permanently attached and can be cut for a single HF band between 40 and 10 meters. The Gusher-2L is more sophisticated with protruding studs and wing nuts on the center insulator on to which removable wire elements can be attached. Multiband operation can be achieved by replacing wire elements or by constructing either a "leapfrog" or "fan" dipole. All components are included with the Gusher 2L for several multiband configurations. The Gusher 20-20 is an economy version of the Classic pre-cut for 20 meter (only) use in recognition of the recent availability of a very popular 20 meter QRP rig. Detailed illustrated manuals are included with all three antennas with complete construction information. Single band configurations of either antenna can be constructed and on the air in less than 15 minutes. As mentioned above the 20-20 is supplied "ready to roll" all you need to do is hoist it up in the the air, hook up your rig and start operating! *************************************************************************** **************************** Gusher 2-L The 2-L is the premium Gusher antenna. As can be seen in the accompanying photograph (gush.jpg), it includes the following: - a sealed center insulator with attached feedline and attachment screweye - a coaxial feedline terminated in a crimp-type BNC connector - two 50 foot dipole elements - a quantity of insulators, ring lugs and alligator clips for constructing several different antenna configurations - a 13 page detailed instruction manual The 2-L is intended for use as either a single or multi- band dipole antenna for use between 40 and 10 meters. The wire elements are not permanently connected. It uses ring lugs that connect to the center insulator via threaded hardware and wing nuts. Extra wire and hardware are supplied along with directions in the manual to make both single-and multiband configurations. Since the wires are removable, separate elements can be cut for several bands and either swapped out for band changing or paralleled and fanned out for no-switch multibanding. Alternatively a segmented multi- band configuration can be made and bandswitching done using the alligator clips to select which segments are used. The 13-page instruction manual gives complete information on constructing single and multi-band setups and gives advice on how to get optimum results with the Gusher 2-L. Tomorrow we continue with #6, the KI6DS recommendation for a full blown, single band QRP CW transceiver. Hint, I have a major and a minor recommendation, depending on how you are going to use the rig. Thanks also for all the kind words and encouragement on this series. Please remember that it is just my opinion and I am not implying that my opinion is any better than anyone else's, but I do have one!! Grin. 72, Doug, KI6DS -------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part Six This one is a tough one because there are so many good kits out there, in fact all of the kits that I mention in this article are good kits, the bad ones have already gone out of business! I am also sure that you can find a "champion" that will sing the praises of every one of the kits, and I understand because different people like different things. But I am going to recommend what I feel is the best kit to build, both in performance and in bang for the buck. Kits have changed a lot in the last 5 years, and we are seeing more and more sophisticated kits as we go. Guys are integrating features that weren't even developed 5 years ago. I have received some criticism that I am not comparing apples to apples, so I am going to go through the various rigs and compare them by cost first, but the comparison will be done with all of them having the same equipment. I will give the base price of the kit, and then I am going to add a frequency readout (either audio or visual), precision tuning (10 turn pot or optical encoder) and a keyer option. If the company has these options available, they will be used, if not, I will add a TiCK keyer kit at $25 + $2.50 shipping and a Freq-mite Audio Frequency Announcer for $20 (s&h included) from Small Wonder Labs, as they are the lowest priced kits that add these features that I know of. The precision 10 Turn pot is $11 from Mouser. Ok, now on to the comparison. Emtech NW40 Base Price $130 Keyer $27.50 Frequency Readout $20 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot NA Total = $177.50 Kanga US Hands GQ40 Base Price $185 Keyer $27.50 Frequency Readout $20 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot NA Total = $232.50 Morse Express OHR 100A Base Price $119.95 Keyer $17.95 Frequency Readout $74.95 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot $11 Total = $223.85 Red Hot Radio NC20A Base Price $135 Keyer Included Frequency Readout Included 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot Included Total = $135 S&S Engineering TAC1 Base Price $199.95 Keyer $29.95 Frequency Readout Included 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot NA Total = $229.90 S&S Engineering ARK 40 Base Price $269.95 Keyer $29.95 Frequency Readout Included 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot NA Total = $299.90 Small Wonder Labs DSW Base Price $90 + $35 for case, connectors and controls Keyer Included Frequency Readout Included 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot NA Total = $125* * Case option included to make it a complete kit to compare with others in survey. TenTec TT1340 Base Price $95 Keyer $27.50 Frequency Readout $20 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot $11 Total = $153.50 Wilderness Radio NC40A Base Price $129 Keyer $48 (KC-1) Frequency Readout (KC-1) 10 Turn Precision Tuning Pot $11 Total = $188 Now you may ask why do I include the keyer, frequency readout and precision tuning on all kits? Because it is state of the art, we expect kits to have them today. Note, if you are a designer, I would strongly advise you to design in these features to your kit, because it is much cheaper to do so and it is the standard today. If you look at the above kits, you see that the two winners are Small Wonder Labs DSW and the Red Hot Radio NC20 at $125 and $135 respectively. The prices go all the way up to $299.90. Price is not the only consideration though, so we still have to look at the radios themselves. My recommendation for the best all around value for a single band cw transceiver is the Red Hot Radio NC20 and the soon, (very soon, like 2 weeks) to be announced Red Hot 40 transceiver. Why do I like this kit? Because it gives the most bang for the buck. Every thing is there, keyer, rit, agc, frequency readout, precision tuning, beautiful anodized case (no painting or finishing this one, guys, it is anodized!!) The receiver is hot! Mds of -137+, and it has an improved agc over the NorCal version. The front end is a Tuf 1 mixer, not an NE602 design. This one hears, has great selectivity, is sensitive, and the opposite sideband rejection is excellent. You can be right next to a strong station and never hear it. The transmitte puts out a full 5 watts, in fact, most people will get 6 or 7 and have to turn it down. But you can set it anywhere from milliwatts to the full 5W QRP limit. The built in TiCK keyer is a joy to use, and there are NO thumps or whoops with the commercial version NONE. I love the AFA, and I know right where I am on the band down to the nearest kHz. There is a statement or saying that there is no free lunch, and that is true in this case. This radio is not a beginners kit. There are 12 toroids to wind, over 350 parts in the kit. The manual is excellent, and if you follow the instructions and build it right, you will have a radio that is a dream to operate. Mike Gipe, Gary Surrency, and Jay Bromley all have NC20's that have been built right. They have set it up right, followed instructions, and all of them will tell you that this is a radio!! Jay tells me that he thinks the NC20 is the best single band CW transceiver ever offered. He didn't feel that way when he first built his, but now that he has it adjusted and has it tuned and tweaked, he does. The important thing here guys is that you have to build this one right. It is not hard to do, but you have to follow instructions. If you have built the VE3DNL, the TiCK keyer, the ZM-2 and the SWL+, then there is no doubt in my mind that you too can successfully build the Red Hot Radio. Now for the exciting news. I talked to Dave Fifield who designed the NC20 and now sells the commercial version through Red Hot Radio. He will finish the board layout this weekend and should have boards for the Red Hot 40 in two weeks!!! The Red Hot 40 is gonna be a fox killer for sure. Full 5 Watts, great receiver, RIT, built in keyer, etc. etc. The price is going to be the same as the Red Hot 20 too!! The one thing that you do have to realize about the Red Hot Radios is that they were not designed to be low current rigs. They draw about 100 mA on receive, considerably more than a NE602 design that use 14 - 30 mA. That means you need more battery to take it in the field. But a 4 amp gel cell will easily run it a full weekend. It was designed to be a home station, or car camping rig. Yesterday I said that I would have a major and minor recommendation. My minor recommendation is the SWL DSW Transceiver from Dave Benson. If you are going to go backpacking, this is the kit to build. It has a DDS VFO, and you are able to have an RIT with unlimited range. The main advantage of the DSW is the stability and range. The DSW covers the whole 40 meter band!! This kit also has the built in keyer and audio frequency counter, but the reciever is a 602 design, and is not as sensitive as the Red Hot. My DSW was tested in the ARRL lab by Mike Tracy and had a Mds of -127 dB. Ed Hare was there also and witnessed it. The DSW does not put out the full 5 watts, but does do 2-3 watts very easily. It only has about 100 parts, and is much simpler and easier to build than the Red Hot, but when you get done, you don't have the radio that the Red Hot is, but you do have a good radio. The DSW is easier to build and align than the Red Hot, but that is mainly because it has fewer parts. In fact, one way to do it would be to build the DSW first, then the Red Hot, the DSW will give you more experience and confidence to complete the Red Hot Successfully. Also, all of the manufacturers give excellent service or they wouldn't be in business. But I know for a fact that if you contact Dave Fifield or Dave Benson with problems with their rigs you will get help. Here are the addresses for ordering the Red Hot Radio and the DWS radios. www.redhotradio.com www.smallwonderlabs.com Red Hot Radio 1717 Andover Lane San Jose, CA 95124-4744 Small Wonder Labs Dave Benson 80 East Robbins Ave. Newington, CT 06111 In summary, my choice for the best full featured single band CW transceiver is the Red Hot Radio. Please note that Dave will have the Red Hot 40 out in 2 weeks!! The Red Hot 20 is available now. My choice is based on features, all around performance, and value for dollar spent. Tomorrow, Part 7 in the 8 part series, The Super Kits, multi band transceiver kits. 72, Doug, KI6DS ---------------------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part Seven Wow, this one is really interesting, yet I find it easy to make my choice. Now, you have built the range of kits, you have confidence, tools, skill and you want to build that "ALL EVERYTHING KIT" of your dreams. You know, the one that does it all in one box. My choice here is the K2 from Elecraft Radio, and I don't think it is a surprise to anyone. The K2 from the team of Eric Swartz and Wayne Burdick is selling like hot cakes. They have shipped over 500 kits, and that is quite a feat when you consider that it costs $549 for the kit!! Yet hams all over the world are ordering this kit so fast that they can't keep up. There have been some serious delays in providing kits, but they are getting that worked out, (they are a new company you know). Eric told me last week that they are shipping fairly quickly now. What does the K2 do? Here is the kit description from the Elecraft Web site. EleCraft K2 160-10M CW/SSB Transceiver Product Description(4/23/99) Easy to Build: 'No-wires' construction: most controls and connectors mount directly to PC boards. Comprehensive user manual with step by step instructions and theory of operations. Incremental assembly and test. Modular, upgradeable. No surface mount devices. No specialized test equipment beyond a standard digital multi-meter is required for test and alignment. (Built in test.) The K2 even includes a built in general purpose frequency counter, volt meter and radio current drain meter. Largest possible PC board pads and traces to simplify rework and repair. Full documentation provided for user modifications. K2 High Performance CW Base Unit, General Features: Small, portable size. 2.9h x 7.8w x 8.2d inches. Efficient 10-15 volt operation for home or field use. Less than 110ma typical receive current (backlight off, low Ip mode, pre-amp off, headphones). @200 ma typical receive current (high performance Ip mode) Adjustable 0-10W PEP (via front panel menu). Rugged, attractive custom enclosure. Back-lit LCD display (backlight can be disabled). 160-10 meter ham band coverage, with some out of band overlap. (160 meters with 160m/RX Antenna option.) PLL synthesized for low noise (no DDS spurs). CW-only and SSB/CW (with SSB option). Microprocessor controlled. 2 VFOs with split operation plus 10 memories. Direct keypad entry of frequencies, memory channels and key parameters. RIT and XIT. Built-in speaker. Headphone jack handles mono and stereo plugs 10 memories store Mode, VFO A/B, Split, RX filter, RX sideband (CW), etc. Simple menu system for advanced settings. (Up to 2 menu functions can be assigned to the programmable front panel function keys.) BNC antenna connector -- A QRP standard. (SO-239 on High Power option.) Room for additional connectors on the rear panel for user modifications. All options may be added at any time. Receiver: Double-balanced diode mixer for excellent front end dynamic range and IP3. Ham Band bandpass RX/TX filtering, relay switched (for excellent IP2 on RX). Preliminary K2 Performance Measurements (14MHz Typical Values) MDS(dbm) IMDDR3(db) Ip3(dbm) Ip2(dbm) BDR(db) -136/-131 96/97 +5/+10.7 +77/+78 125/133 XX/YY = preamp-on/preamp-off results; See K2 Performance Comparisons for more details. RX pre-amp and attenuator. (Both switchable on/off.) Single conversion RX to 4.915 Mhz IF. Room for additional switchable IF crystal filters. Smooth, Fast attack, IF-derived AGC (no 'popping' on strong signals) with fast/slow decay. (AGC can also be turned off). IF gain adjust. Sharp IF crystal filtering helps prevents receiver overload from signals outside the RX passband. (Much better adjacent signal rejection (without AGC pumping) than the switched capacitor audio only filtering of other rigs.) 1 Khz per knob revolution for fine tuning; also 10 and 100 Khz per revolution. 10 Hz display resolution (7 digit). Bar-graph S/RF OUT/ALC meter. CW Features: Full break-in CW. Built in keyer with 10 programmable memories and both popular iambic modes A and B. Sharp, variable bandwidth CW crystal filter (250 - 1750 Hz). Options for a fixed-bandwidth narrow crystal filter or a wide-bandwidth crystal filter for tuning the band. Adjustable RX CW pitch with tracking TX side tone. Selectable opposite sideband RX for QRM reduction. Normal / Reverse paddle setting for Dot / Dash; Manual Key setting. Efficient transmitter operation. Whew!! That is a lot of radio!! 9 bands for $549!! Here is the pricing information. K2 and Options Pricing K2 HF Transceiver (CW) $549.00 SSB Option $ 79.00 160M / 2nd RX Ant. $ 29.00 Noise Blanker $ 29.00 Internal Auto Tuner $125.00 Internal 2.9AH Battery with Bracket Kit (The K2 uses a PS-1229 Sealed Gel-Cell) $ 79.00 Battery Bracket Kit Only $ 39.00 Replacement 2.9 AH Battery $ 40.00 K2 Manual (Note: .pdf version free via web download) $ 29.00 Let's look at the other entries in this class, the Sierra, The OHR500 and the Hands GQ2000. First the Hands GQ2000 - Information from web page: GQ2000 CW Transceiver 5w Starter kit 80/20 Discrete commercial 6 pole xtal IF filter Option to cover all HF bands PLL and DDS LO options for high stability 5 or 20 watt PA options Full QSK 98 db dynamic rx range The GQ2000 is a high performance multiband cw transceiver based on the very successful GQ mono-banders. Designed as a project for the GQRP club magazine Sprat, the tcvr allows a one or two band starter configuration through to a full ten band rig. The base kit comprises of the IF2000, RF2000, AMP2 and the RTX-VF055 or the optional DDS2. This gives a 5w 80/20 mtrs qsk tcvr with qsk changeover. Alternatively, adding the RTX-AMP and DC10 gives a qsk 20 watt tcvr. The transceiver can be put on any of the other HF bands by adding the RTX PLL system and populating the required band filters on the RF2000. The Intermediate frequency is at 9mhz and features a dedicated cw xtal filter by Network Sciences Inc. This discreet 50 Ohm 6 pole filter has 500hz bandwidth with an excellent shape factor and is a perfect match for the 50 Ohm RF2000 front end. A single MC1350p is used as an IF amplifier followed by a NE602 or 612 as a product detector. Audio from the detector is pre-amplified by a LM351 op-amp - this makes up the insertion loss of the following ele passive audio filter. This has a top cut of 1khz and removes all traces of audio hiss. The audio pa is a TDA2003, although a 20watt device, it is considerably under-run in this application and gives genuine hi-fi quality. The module also contains the QSK timing circuit and a keyed CIO for the tx section. The CIO is followed by 5 element LPF to remove any harmonic content. What does this kit cost? I could not figure it out from the Kanga US web page. As near as I can tell, the 2 band 20/80 meter starter kit, without the DDS VFO is $450. If you are interested in the full 10 band kit, then you need to contack Bill Kelsey at Kanga for prices. Since I am not sure of the pricing, I did not consider this kit in the super kit category, but I did want to mention that it is available to be complete. I do imagine that it will cost more than the $549 of the K2, and on that alone, I would pick the K2. The next entry is the OHR 500 from Morse Express. Here is the description from their web page. The OHR 500 CW Transceiver Kit Optional Iambic Keyer: $39.95 The Oak Hills Research OHR500 is a five band CW transceiver that covers 150 KHz of 80, 40, 30, 20 and 15M bands. Some of the features include a new quieter single signal superhet receiver, diode ring mixer, new ultra stable pre-mix VFO providing high side L.O. injection. The VFO is tuned with a new high quality double bearing air variable cap. Additional features include RIT, four pole crystal filter, four pole audio filter switchable from front panel, TX power out control on front panel. The receiver includes a high performance AGC circuit which can be turned off at front panel, RF gain control, true sinewave sidetone with separate frequency and level controls, room filling audio at rear panel speaker jack. A scope is NOT required for alignment. We have included on-board RF probes so you can use your DMM and frequency counter for alignment. The L.O. signal is available at a rear panel jack for use with the DD-1 digital display. Chassis is pre-punched for optional keyer kit. The transmitter provides 4-5 watts out on all bands except 15M which is 3-3.5 watts. The transmitter also has a silky smooth QSK circuit. The transceiver operates on 12 - 13.6VDC. The current drain on RX is 270mA and 1A on transmit. The completed transceiver measures (HWD) 4" x 8 1/4" x 8 1/4" and weighs 3.8 pounds. The kit is complete with cabinet, three high quality silkscreened PCB's, all components and instructions. The cost of this kit is $349.95, but it does not come with a keyer or frequency display. The keyer is $39.95 and the frequency display is $74.95, and I consider those a necessity, so the kit is now $464.85. With that you get 5 bands, with the K2 you get 9, plus many, many more features for the extra $85. My vote is for the K2. Now the Wilderness Sierra. Here is the description from their web page. The Sierra The Sierra is the only compact, low-current, multiband transceiver kit available. Designed by N6KR and extensively field-tested by the NorCal QRP Club, the Sierra has been completely upgraded for Wilderness Radio--including a painted and silk-screened enclosure and improved performance on both transmit and receive. We've also added ABX -- an adjustable bandpass crystal filter. The Sierra uses plug-in band modules for 80, 40, 30, 20, 17 and 15 meters. (You can build modules for the other bands by purchasing additional band module PC boards.) Since there is no band switch, and because all controls and connectors are mounted on the main board, there's virtually no chassis wiring. For the portable operator, the Sierra offers very low receive-mode current drain: only 35mA. The superhet receiver has excellent AGC range and sensitivity, RIT, and a 400Hz crystal filter. Using ABX, you can vary the crystal filter's 6dB passband from about 150 to 1500Hz to adapt to operating conditions. Transmit power is about two watts. QSK is fast and clean. In addition, there's built-in flexibility: extra panel and interior space that invites customization. You can even store up to four band modules inside the cabinet. Quick-release latches on either side of the cabinet provide easy access to internal controls and for changing band modules. Sierra shown with KC2 (option) installed For more details on the original NorCal version of the Sierra, refer to the article by N6KR in the 1996 ARRL Handbook. Sierra Specifications Note: Power output will vary somewhat on different bands and with different settings of the drive control. Unless otherwise noted, measurements were made with a 13.8V supply and 50 load at the antenna jack. General Size: Cabinet: 2.6"(H)x6.3"(W)x5.3"(D) Overall: 2.8"(H)x6.6"(W)x7.0"(D) Band Module: 1.25"(H)x4.0"(W) Weight: Approx. 2 lbs Power Requirements: 10 to 15VDC Receive: 35mA; 35-70mA when using speaker Transmit: 275-350mA at 2 watts (typical) Frequency Ranges: 3.5-3.65,7.-7.15, 10.0-10.15, 14.0-14.15,18.0-18.15,21.0-21.15 VFO operating range: 2.935 to 3.085 MHz, w/8:1 vernier Calibration: 5KHz increments, readable to 1kHz Drift: < 100Hz/hour after 30 min. warm-up (RIT off, 25 C, top cover on) Transmitter Power Output: 1.5 to 3 watts, depending on band Spurious products: -40dB or better (typical) Final Amp efficiency: 60-75% (typical) Transmit offset: 400-1000 Hz, adjustable Transmit-receive delay: 0.3 seconds nominal; adjustable Receiver Sensitivity: Better than 0.5uV for 10dB S+N/N Selectivity: 150Hz wide to 1500Hz wide at -6dB using built-in ABX control; w/ ABX control at 50%: -6dB @400Hz, -32dB @ 1KHz AGC range: 60 to 80 dB (typical) I.F.: 4.915MHz; 4-pole Cohn Xtal filter plus single-crystal filter after I.F. amp R.I.T. Range: +/- 2KHz nominal (can be increased) Audio output: 0.3 watts max into 8 to 32 load Now for the pricing: The basic Sierra kit is $215, plus shipping ($7 U.S., $12 Canada/Mexico, $20 DX). Package prices are as follows: $245 with 1 band module $269 with 2 band modules $295 with 3 band modules $369 with all 6 band modules Call for the 9 band price $7 shipping US, $12 CANADA AND MEXICO and $20 DX. Band Module Kits are available at $31.00 + $3 shipping US/CAN/MEX and $5 DX. Band module PC boards also available separately at $9.50 + $3 shipping US/CAN/MEX and $5 DX. Again we have to do some figuring to get the 9 band price. Here is what I come up with. The price difference between the 6 band module and the 3 band module kit is $74, so I assume that the same would apply to the 6 and 9 band module kit. I may be wrong on this but I bet it is pretty close. The 6 band kit is $369 and if we add $74 to the price for the extra 3 bands on the 9 band kit, we get $443. But we are not done yet. That does not include the KC-2 keyer/frequency counter/wattmeter/SWR meter option. That adds $75 to the kit plus another $15 for the drilled and labeled front panel that fits the KC-2. So now we are at $533 for the 9 Band Sierra with KC-2 options. No contest here, the winner is the K2 at $549. But what if we compare the 6 band rig instead of the 9 band? You drop the price $74, and you are still at $459, but you don't get 3 bands, again, the K2 wins. Personally I like the K2, I think it is the ultimate kit on the market today. There are a couple of things that I don't like. One is the industrial looking case. I wish that they had used counter sunk screws like Doug Hauff does in his DSW and Red Hot Radio cases. They give a much more finished look to the rig. Just my opinion, but everytime I see the rig those screw heads sticking out bother me. The second thing is the keyer. To use the keyer memory you have to push 2 buttons. Wish it was like the keyer from Idiom Press that you just push a button on. Other than that, I love the rig. I have not built one, but I did operate Jay Bromley's for several hours when I was in Arkansas this summer. I am going to treat myself to a kit soon. (JoAnne's phone number is 209-392-3522 in case you want to call and have her add it to my Christmas list, grin). There it is, my choice for the All Band Super Kit, the K2. But let me add a word of warning here. Please build a kit or two before you build the K2, in fact, I would suggest that you build several before you tackle this one. It is the crown jewel of kits today, but it does deserve an experienced builder. But if you have built most of the kits in this series, there is no reason that you shouldn't build the K2 with ease and enjoy the process immensely. The next installment will be the final one, when I suggest a project for all of those who have built the K2 and want the next challenge. It is out there, and you will be challenged. That comes tomorrow in What Kit to Build #8, the Next Step. Hope you enjoy this series. Again, this is my opinion and attempt to pull together accurate information for the builder as to what I think is the best value for the dollar in kits today and provide an enjoyable learning experience at the same time. I believe that all 4 of the rigs I mentioned today are good kits, but I do have a favorite and I said what that was and why. 72, Doug, KI6DS ------------------------------------------------------- What Kit to Build, Part Eight You have followed the series and you have built all of the kits, the VE3DNL Marker Generator from Jay Bromley and the Ft. Smith Qrp Group, the TiCK Keyer from Embedded Research, the SWL+ from Dave Benson at Small Wonder Labs, the ZM-2 Tuner from Scott Gregson at Emtech, either or both the 135 ft. dipole fed with ladderline or the Gusher 2L from Joe Everhart, The Red Hot Radio NorCal 20 or Red Hot 40 from Dave Fifield, and finally the K2 from Eric Swartz and Wayne Burdick at Elecraft. You are a master builder now right? Wrong, there is the next step in building, and I have a suggestion as to what you should build next. Also, what is there left for the guys who have built the K2?? You have built the ultimate pcboard through hole parts kit, now it is time to expand your horizons. Learn a new skill, and build a transceiver that is an outstanding performer. The 2N2/40 designed by Jim Kortge has an unbelievable receiver in it, and the rig is a lot of fun to build. This is the next step for you K2'ers. Keep on melting solder. The 2N2/40 that was featured in the winter issue of QRPp and designed by Jim Kortge, K8IQY. This rig is built using a piece of 5" x 7" circuit board with pads glued on as anchor points for the components. All of the plans are in the Winter issue of QRPP and the Spring issue of QRPp has a couple of pages of corrections. If you do not subscribe to QRPp, you can buy the single issue from Paul Harden at QuickSilver Printing, P.O. Box 757, Socorro, NM 87801. The cost is $12 and he will even include the additional corrections that were in the spring issue. The price includes shipping. This book will take you through building the 2N2/40 using the pads. Everything you need is there. Paul Harden did the illustrations, and they make building the rig a piece of cake. Several have successfully reproduced the rig, and all who build it say that they have learned a new building style that is really neat. The advantage of this type of building is that that you can modifiy the circuit just by adding pads and components. An experimenters dream. And, there is another plus to this project. The Arizona ScQRPions have a board kit that consists of a screen printed layout of the pads on a board. All you have to do is cut up the pads from the stips of circuit board provided and glue them to the board, tin them, and then start building. To get the board kit, contact Bob Hightower, KI7MN, at ki7mn@extremezone.com for current pricing and ordering information. The board kit is a good deal and will save you a lot of time. This concludes the What Kit to Build series and I hope that you have enjoyed it. If you were at Hamcom, this was my presentation there at the QRP Forum. Many of you have sent private email with questions and words of encouragement. I thank each and everyone of you for your interest and kind words, they are appreciated. George Heron has asked for, and I have granted first publication rights to this series. Several have asked to put it on their web pages, and I ask that you not do that until George has published it in his new NJ QRP Club Journal, "The QRP Homebrewer" which will make its debut this fall. And finally, this series is my opinion, not fact, nor the final word on the subject. I have built most of the kits in this series and have operated those that I have not built. I looked at features of the radios, how well they worked, and bang for the dollar. Every kit that I mentioned has champions, and I don't disagree with their right to their opinion, I just have mine. Grin. Have a good day, and as our friend in New Hampshire says, "Melt Solder". 72, Doug, KI6DS