Looking for SSB Transceiver project

[KD5HQN]

I'm looking for an SSB transceiver project, preferably for 10 meters. I currently hold a Tech class license and would like to get into HF. I am planning on upgrading soon, but will not be able to afford commercially produced radios for quite some time. I do have considerable electronics assembly and troubleshooting experiance, so build something is not a problem, I just have limited resources for components and equipment other than my soldering iron and multimeter. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks 73's
KD5HQN
Jeremy

[KD5HQN]

Building a code transmitter would do me no good without a receiver, and I haven't learned code yet anyway. I am working on it, but I still have a long way to go. Hopefully I will be upgrading my license this next month. I would like to stay away from kits, and build from scratch, I don't mind ugly construction as pcb's cost money, even to etch them myself. Any info on good schematics would be greatly appreciated, the more ledgable the better... i have found several websites that have schematics for what appear to be good projects, but alot of the schematics are un-readable.

[AB8RO]

Building a code transmitter would do me no good without a receiver, and I haven't learned code yet anyway. I am working on it, but I still have a long way to go. Hopefully I will be upgrading my license this next month. I would like to stay away from kits, and build from scratch, I don't mind ugly construction as pcb's cost money, even to etch them myself. Any info on good schematics would be greatly appreciated, the more ledgable the better... i have found several websites that have schematics for what appear to be good projects, but alot of the schematics are un-readable.

This guy has great simple projects.

http://www.intio.or.jp/jf10zl/

I will say this, however, it's unlikely that you will save any money by building an SSB transceiver. More likely is that without any experience anything that you can build cheaply and with minimal equipment, i.e. a DSB transmitter/receiver at the QRP level, will frustrate your attempts to make contacts.

I'm not trying to discourage you from building, far from it, but I do think that the advice to try your hand at simpler transmitters or perhaps a simple superhet reciever is spot on. I also think that focusing on tech HF privaleges without learning code is something of a waste of time. You will need FAR more skill to build a working SSB radio than you will need to pass the general, not to mention time. The point is that you're better off focusing on building an HF radio for something other than 10 meters. This is especially true if you are building to make contacts as opposed to just building for building's sake.

[KD5HQN]

More likely is that without any experience anything that you can build cheaply and with minimal equipment, i.e. a DSB transmitter/receiver at the QRP level, will frustrate your attempts to make contacts.

Well, since you don't know my building or electronics experience, you can't very well include that as a reason not to try to build what I want to build. And if you would have read the post you quoted I stated that I am upgrading my license this next month, which the only issue I have is the testing fee.

And I don't recall ever asking for opinions on what I should build, I asked for projects, not opinions. If you want to offer opinions find someone asking for them.

As for simple transmitters and superhet receivers, I know how to build those, and have build several before, but they are not what I want, or asked for. I want something that I can use, not something that will be built and then sit on a shelf until I learn morse code. The reason I asked for 10 meters is because, I already have priviledges there, and because it is one band that I have not found much for on my own searching. I am not new to the internet, ham radio, or using search engines, I can find plenty of 40 and 80 meter projects of all kinds.

[W0BTU]

I'm looking for an SSB transceiver project, preferably for 10 meters. I currently hold a Tech class license and would like to get into HF. I am planning on upgrading soon, but will not be able to afford commercially produced radios for quite some time. I do have considerable electronics assembly and troubleshooting experiance, so build something is not a problem, I just have limited resources for components and equipment other than my soldering iron and multimeter. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks 73's
KD5HQN
Jeremy

Hello Jeremy,

Have you ever considered an inexpensive SDR (Software Defined Radio)?

SDR is something I would like to play with some day, but I don't have the time or energy at present. You sound like a guy who could get on the air with little effort using SDR equipment.

Although there is a commercial SDR rig for about $400 available, I've seen transceiver kits in the $50 price range, and single-band receiver kits for $15.

Below are some links I bookmarked a few months ago. I'm sure there are other sites. I would also suggest you do a search on qrz.com and eham.net, as I've seen some very informative and interesting threads.

http://www.softrockradio.org
http://www.hamsdr.com
http://www.kb9yig.com
http://www.ewjt.com/kd5tfd/sdr1k-not...r40/index.html

[ZL3GSL]

Have a look at the MKARS project. People who have built it rate it highly.

[G4ILO]

That's a development of the BITX20, another project no-one seems to have mentioned. The BITX20 is, unsurprisingly, for 20m but I believe it has been modified for 17 or 15m, so I guess it could be modified for 10m as well by someone with sufficient experience.

[AB9LZ]

Building a code transmitter would do me no good without a receiver, and I haven't learned code yet anyway. I am working on it, but I still have a long way to go. Hopefully I will be upgrading my license this next month. I would like to stay away from kits, and build from scratch, I don't mind ugly construction as pcb's cost money, even to etch them myself. Any info on good schematics would be greatly appreciated, the more ledgable the better... i have found several websites that have schematics for what appear to be good projects, but alot of the schematics are un-readable.

I f you don't have a signal generator and an o-scope, you won't get very far in an attempt to scratchbuild a rig, much less a phone rig. A CW qrp rig will be much easier, and faster to build and will net you more contacts than an equivalent powered phone rig. The phone rig with be several times harder to get aligned and up and running.

If you are thinking of greater power, the cost and complexity will go up considerably.

That said, a fast and cheap way to build is to draw traces with a fine engraving burr in a moto tool using a straightedge. Nigthfire electronics sells surface mount "parts" kits, for $8 the rf transistor design kit nets you most of the stuff needed to build a transceiver. Digikey sells the sa612 in a sot package for a few bucks a pop (used in many designs). You'll need a pile of ferrite and iron cores for the necessary bandpass and impedance matching portions of whatever circuit that you use, get at least a half a dozen t-50-2's and ft-37-43's to start (you can extrapolate most needed inductances to fit these two core types).

good luck

73 m/4

[AB9LZ]

oh, you'll need a frequency counter too, to setup up the vfo - bfo's and to assist in grading the big pile of crystals you'll need for the filter(s).

73 m/4

[KA9MOT]

Well, since you don't know my building or electronics experience, you can't very well include that as a reason not to try to build what I want to build. And if you would have read the post you quoted I stated that I am upgrading my license this next month, which the only issue I have is the testing fee.

And I don't recall ever asking for opinions on what I should build, I asked for projects, not opinions. If you want to offer opinions find someone asking for them.

As for simple transmitters and superhet receivers, I know how to build those, and have build several before, but they are not what I want, or asked for. I want something that I can use, not something that will be built and then sit on a shelf until I learn morse code. The reason I asked for 10 meters is because, I already have priviledges there, and because it is one band that I have not found much for on my own searching. I am not new to the internet, ham radio, or using search engines, I can find plenty of 40 and 80 meter projects of all kinds.

AB8RO was being nice to you and answering your question. He was trying to be helpful.
I think that if you can't afford to pay the $14 testing fee, you can't afford to build or buy any type of rig.
Your attitude suggests you are very young.
I just gave a rig to a young ham, he went and got his General and uses it everyday.