Ham radio kits

[nocallsign]

hey, i was wondering if anyone knew where i could find a kit that would allow me to build a fairly powerfull ham radio (i hope to do this for my senior project).

[kl7aj]

Quote[/b] (nocallsign @ Sep. 01 2006,09:41)]hey, i was wondering if anyone knew where i could find a kit that would allow me to build a fairly powerfull ham radio (i hope to do this for my senior project).
Strap yourself in your Wayback machine and set it for 1957. You will be awash in great radio kits.

[dj1yfk]

Quote[/b] (nocallsign @ Sep. 01 2006,09:41)]hey, i was wondering if anyone knew where i could find a kit that would allow me to build a fairly powerfull ham radio (i hope to do this for my senior project).
A transmitter, receiver or transceiver? There are many projects ranging from very simple (yet usable), like the Pixie2 (http://www.qrpp-i.com/pixie2.htm) to sophisticated, like the Elecraft K2 (http://elecraft.com/). Most kits nowadays are designed for low power operation ("QRP"), usually up to 5 Watts.

[nocallsign]

um... i don't know.... i don't even have my tech yet, so i wouldn't be able to tell you. i think both.

[nocallsign]

what i am looking for is something with which i can send and recieve audio. my uncle recently got his tech and a small hand sized ham, i don't know the spec.s on it but...

[KB5FSV]

Elecraft is very expensive. Their HF radio costs in the hundreds of dollars. So unless you're real serious about getting a General Class or Extra Class license and talking on HF it would be a waste of money. Unless you built and sold it. They're nice radios.

I'd think a better solution would be to go with something from Ramsey. They have kits for just about everything electronic wise. Go to their website and click on Hobby Kits and choose Transmitter/Receivers. You're bound to find something in there suitable for your class. And in my opinion it won't be junk.

http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/

[ve6wtf]

please note that you have to have your advanced qualifications to build your own transmitting equipment!!!

[KB1LQD]

Well, there is no problem in you building a transmitter and reciever, and its a great way to learn and have an incentive as well to get the lisence. Theres no law that says you can't build one, you just can't "Radiate" RF power, so you will need a dummy load and only use that unless you are just RX'ing... so have fun!

BTW, Ten Tec makes and awsome Transciever for $100, its ther 13XX series, its can be a little complicated at times, but the instructions are very good and their costomer support is IMHO the best!

[KB5FSV]

Quote[/b] (ve6wtf @ Sep. 02 2006,20:35)]please note that you have to have your advanced qualifications to build your own transmitting equipment!!!
Do what!??!??

You don't have to have any license to buy a ramsey kit and build it. I don't know what Elecraft's policy is on selling to non-licensed people but they certainly wouldn't need to be "Advanced" they could hold a Novice Class and still buy a transmitter and operate it in the proper segments of the HF band. BTW everything I'm refering to is for US Amateur Radio Service only.

Ok yeah, I forgot about Ten-Tec. They make some nice kits too. http://www.tentec.com/ for their site.

[kc8upg]

Ramsey electronics makes excellent kits, that are cheap, easy to build, and work well. The only transmitting equipment they produce is QRP, although you could build the linear amp they offer, and make it to be somewhat powerful. The transmitters are also CW only, which is why I like them http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif.

[nocallsign]

:rock: ok, so i went and checked on elecraft's K2 and it seems like one i would want to buy, either that or the K1, but it won't show me the pricing for the K2!!!!

[W0LPQ]

FSV, did you happen to note where the VE6 was from?

Canadian laws are different from the USA.

Bill, W0LPQ

[KB5FSV]

nocallsign, a K2 is going to run you around $600 dollars. That is CW only. If you add SSB it'll be another couple of hundred dollars, it seems each addition you add is one to two or three hundred more. After buying all of the parts and putting them together you may end up spending close to 2000 dollars for something close to what another rig with everything already on it cost. Not trying to shoot down elecraft, but if you buy one of their kits don't do it as a "project" you want to buy it because you're going to actually use the rig. They cost a lot of money. Prices are on their website.

W0LPQ, I am fully aware of where the VE prefix is from. That's why I said in my post that I'm only refering to US Amateur Rules. Maybe the canadian should of said "well in canada you need an advanced license to build" but he didn't say that.

[ka5piu]

Hello.

As much as I hate to agree but.
To go out and buy a good quality transceiver that is used is usually better economy in the long run.
If you decide to sell this radio it will be easier, more people will have the very radio and can explain its quirks.
And, you can start with basic class to transmit.

[KA9VQF]

Quote[/b] (nocallsign @ Sep. 01 2006,13:08)]what i am looking for is something with which i can send and recieve audio. #my uncle recently got his tech and a small hand sized ham, i don't know the spec.s on it but...
It seems that no one read this bit. Your uncle has a handheld ham radio and holds a technician class license.

So, I’m betting he has a 2 meter rig. If you manage to pass the technician class test you too can have one and use it. You can buy it now and it may give you the incentive to actually learn enough to pass the test.

If your uncle lives close enough you may even be able to talk to him.

I don’t know of any kits for 2M hand held rigs these days. Several years ago when I passed my tech license test, around 1985 or so, I built a five channel five watt rig from a project I found in a 1965 ARRL handbook but it was definitely not hand held.

It was tough going to find the required parts but I had some Uncle Elmer’s who had pretty well stocked junk boxes so I was able to finish the job.

The thing worked but was very limited. There are a few repeaters around that still don’t require a sub audible tone in the area but they are getting to be few and far between.

I sold what I had built and bought a better factory made rig with warrantee.

[sam924]

Howdy.
Do any of you on this forum know how much a simple ham radio costs:rock:

[KB1LQC]

Depends... My first radio cost me nothing... I build the transmitter from parts lying around and borrowed a reciever. Are you licensed? Tech, General, Extra? New radios range anywhere from about $100 up to above $10,000. We need more info.

[KB1LQD]

yup, let us know some more info and we will steer you in the right direction, as always, If you want to take up the challenge and/or have an elmer (Older amateur radio op. that can help you). I am willing to mail you the needed parts to build a reciever or something... I have a pretty large junk box so just let me know!

[nocallsign]

ok guys, thanks for all the input, now i have yet another question, do these kits usually include a microphone/hex keye, or do i have to buy one separately???

[KB1LQC]

OK, well I would really like to suggest refraining from building a SSb or any voice radio at first. Unless you have done an extensive amount of building the task is daunting. For example, My Ten Tec 13XX series rigs (I own a 1320 and 1340... 20m and 40m) QRP at 3W on 20M and 4.5W on 40M. These are CW only Transcievers... Each one has about 250+ components on a small 4 x 5 PC board... On the first kit I built I blew up the finals and T/R circuitry 2 times due to shorts from metal shavings from when I put the leads through the pc board holes... they scraped off!

An SSB radio is a CW radio... THEN circuitry to modulate the voice onto the CW wave... Then a Sideband suppression circuitry... and not to mention filtering and preamps.. One rig like that could easily have 500+ components.

The first ten tec I built took about 35 hours to build... due to troubleshooting... which was spread over a few weeks... the second I didnt have too much time for so it took me a few months to get the time in.

Simple kits for CW such as the PIXIE or the michigan Mighty Might... or other simple kits are perfect to start on. I really dont want you to start off with any frustration of a daunting kit.

that said.... You have boundless oppourtunities to learn and explore here, take bite size chunks and in no time you will be designing the next rig in your shack!

[nocallsign]

ok, i ordered a tentec 1220 FM/DATA, what ever all that means, i want to know what i am going to have to learn to do. am i going to need to solder, learn to build chips or anythig?? i should have it buy monday, october 9th, so.... yeah.

[KB1LQC]

Quote[/b] (nocallsign @ Oct. 06 2006,11:25)]ok, i ordered a tentec 1220 FM/DATA, what ever all that means, i want to know what i am going to have to learn to do. am i going to need to solder, learn to build chips or anythig?? i should have it buy monday, october 9th, so.... yeah.
OK,

Well congrats on the b uy, that is a great radio. Well, in fact I just bought an Alinco DG-605T FM Dual band 2m/70cm radio at the Hosstraders hamfest up here. Well Alinco is another American company like Ten Tec, and man... you can tell. Big fans of Ten Tec and Alinco.


Well On the first order, please find an elmer, or someone who knows how to solder very well. ask them to teach you. Also, build some other small things BEFORE you even touch the ten tec kit. I know this can be a hard thing to do but it WILL pay off. There are a lot of parts and circuitry in the kit.

On the 13XX kits I built by biggest problem was metal shavings. I inadvertantly scraped the leads to the components when putting them throught he PC board holes and unknowingly creating shavings. They got stuck after they broke off in other parts of the curcuit... bles out my T/R transistor, LM386 Audio IC... a few resistors, and just by the design unless you were very carefull on the 13XX series radio when assembling the pots were easily broken (Easily replaced by ten tec as well but takes time).


Well, congrats! and I hope everything goes great... IF you have any questions or need anything please ask... even if you want us to send you a few components to practice building with, it will save you a lot in the future.

[KI4OYV]

I was wondering how you like the Ten-tec 1220 kit so far? I am planning on getting one to build and am looking for any and all input. I read & hear that it is a great kit and fairly easy to do, as long as you really read the instructions carefully and take the time to solder properly.

ki4oyv
Tampa, FL



http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KC2GOG]

Quote[/b] (KB1LQC @ Oct. 07 2006,09:20)]Quote[/b] (nocallsign @ Oct. 06 2006,11:25)]ok, i ordered a tentec 1220 FM/DATA, what ever all that means, i want to know what i am going to have to learn to do. #am i going to need to solder, learn to build chips or anythig?? #i should have it buy monday, october 9th, so.... yeah.
OK,

Well congrats on the b uy, that is a great radio. #Well, in fact I just bought an Alinco DG-605T FM Dual band 2m/70cm radio at the Hosstraders hamfest up here. #Well Alinco is another American company like Ten Tec, and man... you can tell. #Big fans of Ten Tec and Alinco.


Well On the first order, please find an elmer, or someone who knows how to solder very well. #ask them to teach you. #Also, build some other small things BEFORE you even touch the ten tec kit. #I know this can be a hard thing to do but it WILL pay off. #There are a lot of parts and circuitry in the kit. #

On the 13XX kits I built by biggest problem was metal shavings. #I inadvertantly scraped the leads to the components when putting them throught he PC board holes and unknowingly creating shavings. #They got stuck after they broke off in other parts of the curcuit... bles out my T/R transistor, LM386 Audio IC... a few resistors, and just by the design unless you were very carefull on the 13XX series radio when assembling the pots were easily broken (Easily replaced by ten tec as well but takes time). #


Well, #congrats! and I hope everything goes great... IF you have any questions or need anything please ask... even if you want us to send you a few components to practice building with, it will save you a lot in the future.
um........Alinco is Japanese. Always was and always has been. Just so you know.


That 605 is a nice radio. I had one and regretted selling it off. Its only drawback was that it only had 50 memories on each band. When band opened up, I had all sorts of distant repeaters in that rig back when I lived in FN30.

[EZ8CQ]

Hi !!!
I am EZ8CQ(AL) and EZ8CW(Vit).
Sorry! I am not good spik English!.............
We sitdaun in mi ham room
We drink bierr..............
73!