"GI0RQK Amateur Radio Kits"

Here are details and photographs of some of the radio kits I have built.

Elecraft KX1 ( serial number # 50 - "a handy number to send in morse")

Elecraft  have just recently introduced the KX1. This little radio is described by Elecraft as an "Ultra-Portable CW Transceiver Kit".

It is "an ultra-light, multiband CW station with internal battery and automatic antenna tuner" all within a package not much larger than a large box of matches.

The KX1 kit was ordered from Elecraft and arrived just over a week later (Express Delivery).  It arrived on Wednesday 29th October. I spent Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday morning (01 November 2003) soldering the kit together.

Construction times for me were as follows (including many tea breaks):

                basic radio (KX1)                            12.0  hours

                30 meter module (KXB30)                1.5 hours

                 automatic antenna tuner (KXAT1)    2.5 hours

a total of around 16 hours.

George (GI4SRQ) and I ordered our KX1 kits at the same time. George called to collect his kit shortly after I had finished building. The photograph is of George doing some on air testing just after the KX1 was built. Note the miniature G4ZPY paddle key - my absolute favourite bit of radio equipment  :-) . George proceeded to build his own KX1 in the next few days.

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The following Saturday (08 November)  I was operating portable (GI0RQK/P) from Rathlin Island (West Lighthouse) on 40metres. I managed a two-way QRP contact with George (GI4SRQ). KX1 to KX1. The photographs below were taken on the trip. Equipment used was the KX1 with an inverted "V" dipole on a fibre glass fishing pole, supported on a handy tourist information sign. Power output was set for 1 watt. The Morse key is an MFJ-561 Mini Paddle Key, it fits inside the "Altoids" mint box in one of the pictures.

KX1 with Palm Mini Paddle in PELICAN MICRO CASE

Elecraft K2 (serial number # 2912)

The basic Elecraft K2 is an 80m-10m  low power CW radio with a power output up to around 15 watts. It took around 40 hours to build the basic radio.

MFJ Cub

This version of the MFJ Cub covers the 40m CW section with around 2 watts. This one was built in an evening.

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