Category Transmitters and receivers

This category lists all posts related to homebrewing your own transmitters and receivers.

Transmitters and receivers

Neophyte receiver for 60 meter

The Neophyte receiver is an easy-to-build receiver, already built by lots of people. Many radio clubs used it as a project for starting builders. It was developed by John WA3RNC and first published in QST, February 1988. The circuit can…

Ernest
30 December 2015
2 Comments

Antennas, Transmitters and receivers

Receiving SAQ and other VLF stations

This article is about receiving radio stations operating in the VLF band (3-30 kHz). Due to the very low frequency, receiving such stations requires some special equipment, since most radios don’t support these low frequencies. One of the interesting stations…

Ernest
24 December 2015
5 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

Tiny Tornado for 80m

Many years ago I built a prototype of the famous “Pixie 2”, one of the simplest and smallest CW transceivers ever designed. The main issue is that the TX and RX frequency is the same, so the opposite station needs…

Ernest
11 April 2015
1 Comment

Transmitters and receivers

First experiences with my 30m QRP transceiver

This year I built a very nice 30m QRP transceiver, based on a design by Onno PA2OHH. Meanwhile I have used this rig a couple of times, and did some measurements too. This article tells some of my experiences with…

Ernest
25 November 2014

Transmitters and receivers

30m QRP transceiver – Part 5

Since the VFO, LF and receiver seem to work without any problems, it was getting time to build the final parts: the transmitter board, the transmit/receive-switch and the lowpass filter.

Ernest
19 August 2014

Transmitters and receivers

30m QRP transceiver – Part 4

Since I finished all modules for the receiver part (power, LF, VFO and RX-board), it was getting time to put everything together and place it in a nice case. Onno PA2OHH (designer of this radio) managed to put the complete…

Ernest
3 July 2014

Transmitters and receivers

Kenwood interface for visually impaired radio amateurs

This article describes an add-on for modern Kenwood transceivers to allow visually impaired operators to use these radios with a VS-3 or VGS-1 voice synthesizer. I built this interface for Adrian PA0RDA (using a TS-2000), but I’m almost sure that…

Ernest
30 May 2014
2 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

30m QRP transceiver – Part 3

Now all LF parts and the VFO were finished, it was time to build the RF-part of the receiver.

Ernest
7 April 2014

Transmitters and receivers

30m QRP transceiver – Part 2

Building a stable VFO is challenging. Oscillators tend to drift away due to (very small) temperature fluctuation, or due to small capacitive changes in the direct environment (e.g. the frequency changes when you move your hand towards the oscillator). The…

Ernest
19 March 2014
1 Comment

ATV, Transmitters and receivers

ATV transmitter for 23cm

Although I was already able to receive the local ATV repeater PI6ATV, it has been a wish for about 8 years to be able to uplink too. So I once bought a couple of modules from PE1ACB that would allow…

Ernest
12 March 2014
2 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

30m QRP transceiver – Part 1

This summer I want to go walking in the beautiful highlands of Scotland, together with my wife. The mobile phone coverage in this desolate area is none or poor, but hey… I’m a radio amateur! For a daily “sign of…

Ernest
3 March 2014
5 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

Spijkerradio

Introduction “Spijker” is a dutch word for nail, which you would normally use to hang something on the wall, or to construct wooden stuff. However, (brass) nails can also be used as as solder pad. PA0KLS used this idea to…

Ernest
4 December 2013
9 Comments

Antennas, Transmitters and receivers

Automatic antenna tuner using an Arduino

Introduction The Arduino board is a fantastic tool for rapid prototyping, and can help radio amateurs in lots of homebrew projects. I wanted to demonstrate that it is very easy to build an automatic antenna tuner with the Arduino. I…

Ernest
4 November 2011
17 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

CW keyer for foxes and beacons

Introduction Beacons and foxes have to identify themselves. Although I could sit along all day with my morse key, transmitting my call, I wanted to have some automatic keyer. Since I recently bought a PIC development kit (Velleman K8048), I…

Ernest
18 May 2008

Transmitters and receivers

Fox transmitter for 80m

Introduction Fox hunting is one of the many aspects of ham radio. It’s some kind of game, where the “fox” is a little transmitter, and competitors have to locate it using a directional antenna and receiver. I already built a…

Ernest
18 May 2008
5 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

Pixie2 QRP transceiver for 80m

Introduction The smallest QRP transceiver for 80 meters, called “Pixie 2”, is a very nice project to start building your own equipment. Minimum components, maximum fun. The spec’s are poor, but what else might you expect for just a few…

Ernest
30 October 2002
5 Comments

Transmitters and receivers

Your first transmitter

With just a few components, you can make your own morse code transmitter. The output is only a few miliwatts, but this is enough to receive on any radio in your home. In fact, it is only a simple Clapp…

Ernest
20 August 2002