QRP Kits

[ne3r]

If small wonder labs still sold the DSW-II, I'd probably build it. I'm interested in building a rig that I'll actually use more than once or twice to make sure it works. The Elecraft K1 looks good, but it is a little expensive.

What else is out there? I'm looking for things in the 5 watt range and vfo.

Thanks,
Joe
NE3R
73

[KC9ECI]

HF Radio $139.95 (http://www.ohr.com/ohr100a.htm)

20, 40, or 30 meter transmitter for $39. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=QRP-SERIES)

20, 40, or 30 meter amplifier for $49. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=QAMP)

20, 40, or 30 meter receiver for $39. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=HR-SERIES)

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/Pixie-2-QRP-Transceiver-7-040MHZ-40-Meters_W0QQitemZ220057001996QQihZ012QQcategoryZ467 4QQr



dZ1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">40M Transceiver $23 and shipping</a>

1-Der 40 1 tube 40M kit (http://www.glowbugkits.com/)

[WA7OET]

Quote[/b] (ne3r @ April 04 2007,19:04)]#I'm interested in building a rig that I'll actually use more than once or twice to make sure it works. #The Elecraft K1 looks good, but it is a little expensive.
If you dont buy something good (read: spend a little money) you WILL end up with something you use very little...

I just fininshed a K2 and its now my main rig. Best money I have spent in a long time.

The k1 is next.

[ne3r]

FB Tom, thanks for the links.

That Oak Hills Research OHR 100A - looks interesting to me. I like that the IF bandwidth is front-panel adjustable from 1200Hz down to 400Hz. $140 fits the budget too. Anyone built one and could offer some insight?

I can't stop looking at the K1 for some reason. I'm sure it is good, but it is $300 good? It seems so, since for $300 you get 2 bands and some modern rig features.

I thought about the K2, but that is way out of this year's ham radio budget!

I'll be giving this plenty of thought! The key is that it must be something I'd use often enough to justify the expense.

73
Joe
NE3R

[W4HAY]

Don't know your kit-building history, but if you haven't done any, getting one of those cheap kits will give you something to practice on. They ARE fun to play with, too!

I have a HB VXO one-watter that, teamed with a NE602/LM386 DC RX, provides a lot of entertainment (interspersed with some frustration!).

[KI4NNL]

Pixie II is super easy!
Finished most of one in just a few hours, now to see if it works (I have to install the diode, I couldn't remember at the time how to tell the polarity of the darn thing #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Just gotta get it in a housing now) #
2 kits and a set of crystals under $40 and there are lots of mods posted on web pages around, great cheap way to get your feet wet without the fear of messing up something (I would be sweating if I tried to build a K2 at this stage of my radio experience!)

[ne3r]

I figure I'll build a Pixie II for a warm up http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif.

I built an ATV transmitter kit and that was pretty easy.

[n0nwo]

do any of these kits explain how things work, or are they just simple cookbook instructions?

Minton

[N6KX]

What about the Elecraft KX-1? #Four bands (20,30,40,and 80m), built-in ATU, keyer, integrated paddle, self-contained battery pack, fits in your pocket... it's a little honey of a rig. #(Check my review on QRZ, and numerous others across the web.) #Good luck!

Howie N6KX #http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[ne3r]

Quote[/b] (N6KX @ April 05 2007,08:36)]What about the Elecraft KX-1? Four bands (20,30,40,and 80m), built-in ATU, keyer, integrated paddle, self-contained battery pack, fits in your pocket... it's a little honey of a rig. (Check my review on QRZ, and numerous others across the web.) Good luck!

Howie N6KX http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
A KX-1 with all of that will run you $522. The default comes with 20 & 40 meters, which is pretty nice, if I were really into QRP in the field, backpacking, etc, I'd probably go with it.

I think if I got a K1 I'd go with 40 & 15 meters. I've almost sold myself on the K1, but I'm not counting out the OHR just yet. I haven't heard from anyone who has built and used one yet, that could be a bad sign http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif. But K1 & K2 users seem to be everywhere, and swear by their rigs.

73
Joe
NE3R

[w8znx]

Quote[/b] (KC9ECI @ April 04 2007,19:11)]HF Radio $139.95 (http://www.ohr.com/ohr100a.htm)

20, 40, or 30 meter transmitter for $39. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=QRP-SERIES)
JUNK

20, 40, or 30 meter amplifier for $49. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=QAMP)
JUNK

20, 40, or 30 meter receiver for $39. (http://www.ramseyelectronics.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?preadd=action&key=HR-SERIES)
JUNK

40M Transceiver $23 and shipping (http://cgi.ebay.com/Pixie-2-QRP-Transceiver-7-040MHZ-40-Meters_W0QQitemZ220057001996QQihZ012QQcategoryZ467 4QQr JUNK


dZ1QQcmdZViewItem) Junk

1-Der 40 1 tube 40M kit JUNK (http://www.glowbugkits.com/)

hello Joe

im a kit building nut
have build 7 kits in the last 3 months alone
am about to start a Blue Cool Radio from Germany

before that not counting built from scratch

over last few years built
Red Hot Radio Nor Cal 20, Small Wonder Labs DSW I,
NJ FireBall, Nor Cal 38 special, NJ SOP receiver
ect ect ect

ok if you are going to start realy building kits
how good are your eyes

i can not build modern kits
with out a magnifying lamp
heck
i can't id many parts with out it
bought a cheap one
then 2 months later bought a expensive one
i spend lots of time looking through it

also will want a good pc board vice
or else you will be chasing
the board around the bench
see Hendricks QRP kits for the pc board vice
i use the most

finaly a good soldering station
see the solder station sugested by Elecraft

but what ever you do make sure its ESD safe


Elecraft rigs are nice but they are dam expensive

#DONT WORRY ABOUT WINDING TOROIDS
#if you can count with out loosing your place
#you will do fb


the Pixey II is not worth your time

stay away from Ramsey kits they are junk

the 1-Der 40 is a pile

want easy start

first see www.qrparci.org
go to links then go to kits,rigs, ect

good start for op wanting to get
their feet wet building kits

Nor Cal marker generator its cheap $7.50
easy to build
and a usefull tool

Nor Cal keyer kit

n0xas pico keyer kit
you can always use another keyer in the shack

Tuna Tin 2 transmitter is dirt simple and cheap
use your existing hf xceiver to receive

Ten Tec any band DC receiver
lots of room easy to build
runs rings around the Ramsey DC receiver kit

but if you live close to a strong BCB am station
or stations
you will want to build a high pass filter for it
see W1FB QRP Note Book for easy filter

best kits made here in us
not in any order

Elecraft, #
Small Wonder Labs,
Hendricks QRP kits,
Ten Tec Kits,
Kanga US,
stay away from kanga till you are good at building
kanga does not hold your hand
with step one, step two, step three, instructions

Oak Hills Research,
there are othersalso see amqrp club for listing of club kits
from them NorCal, and other QRP clubs

spend some time looking around QRP web sites

also see yahoo user bb for more info
example Small Wonder SW 40 ect has a yahoo user group
same for Small Wonder Rock Mite
Elecraft kits user groups,
even Blue Cool Radio has a yahoo user group

yours truly
Mac

[w8znx]

Quote[/b] (n0nwo @ April 05 2007,08:18)]do any of these kits explain how things work, or are they just simple cookbook instructions?

Minton
kits is kits

most are step one, step two ect ect
stuff the board, solder
check circurt to see if it works
move on to next circurt
do same

i find it relaxing

want to realy learn
get out the books
see W1FB QRP note book
for the 100th time
get a few old handbooks
west coast and east coast

remember the more things change
the more they stay the same
ohms law is ohms law
LC works the same be it
in a 1929 self control transmitter
or in a modern rice box

want to jump in with both feet

see Kanga universal transmitter kit

also see back isues of CQ Dave Ingram articles
for simple glow bug projects

mind even scratch building something
can sometimes be mearly cook book
project
thats how i did it when
i made my first hb transmitter
just did what the article in qst told me what to do

it was not till
i had made more than one rig
that i started mixing things up and not doing exactly
what the article told me what to do

Mac

[al7n]

The Ten-Tec 1300 series CW transceiver kits are good solid basic radios.....Easy to build, rugged and simple to operate. Small and Highly portable.

13 Volt DC powered, around One amp at full power, key down. hardly any during receive...50-60 Ma. maybe.
Easy on any kind of suitable battery.

Hot HOT receiver, and My 1340 gives me a good solid four watts output.

Dirt simple to operate. YOU have to be the radio OPERATOR though, there are NO whistles an bells on these radios...not even a dial light (which you definitely need to work one in the dark).

There is only Audio gain, VFO and RIT controls....No transmitter tuning at all. You just have to have a way to match the antenna to it (50 0hm impedance on the antenna connector) for maximum efficiency and RF power transfer to the antenna.

I use open wire feedline with mine to get all it can give.
With a simple link coupled antenna tuner, the thing does a wonderful job, even with "temporary" antennas strung up from low supports.

Beautiful QSK.

These have been backordered for a while by TenTec, but they should be again available by sometime early May.

For $99.00, a Heck of a deal as far as I am concerned.
I like my 1340 (40 meters) model and am waiting on TenTec to ship me another one for 80 meters.

[w8znx]

yes the TenTec QRP xceivers are a deal

have yet to build one

but have built 3 other TenTec kits
and not one bit of probs with them
if you can solder
and folow instructions
your Ten Tec kit will work when you are finished

the Small Wonder SW is nice
but you need to buy pots and connectors
and then either buy or build a enclosure

but have been thinking after the Blue Cool Radio
is finished

building KK7B R2 receiver from Kanga US

oh also if you want to try your hand
at ugly construction see the Kanga
version of W7ZOI Universal QRP Transmitter
from apr 2006 QST its only 25 bucks

Kanga is puting out some very intresting kits

to all who wondered where i have been keeping
my self
I HAVE BECOME KIT CRAZY

and yes if i ever have the money
i do want to build a K2

Mac

[KI4NNL]

I dream of building a K2 kit!
Can't get the wife to let me pry open the vault door for that yet though. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[KE7LAR]

After looking at the MFJ 9400 series radios, it's a bummer that those aren't kits. They look simple enough to be kit-able.

Bill
KE7LAR

[ka5piu]

Quote[/b] (KE7LAR @ April 05 2007,12:14)]After looking at the MFJ 9400 series radios, it's a bummer that those aren't kits. They look simple enough to be kit-able.

Bill
KE7LAR
Hello.

Most MFJ stuff is a kit that is just about finished.
Ask anyone who has owned one. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[KE7LAR]

I've heard there is quite a bit of adjusting to do when you buy one.

[K3STX]

I have built and use a Small Wonder Labs SW40+. I love it, it is about 2 watts out, has a VFO covering about 30 kc, full break in, it is great. Not the same as a K1, but what do you expect for $50.

paul

[ne3r]

Thank you all for the input -- I just placed the order for the K1 (40 & 15 meters) with a pixie II on order also for some practice and fun. The best news is, a local ham has built several elecraft K2s and a few K1s and is willing to help me out if needed. Most imporantly, I figure I'll actaully use the thing!

73
Joe
NE3R