QRP Classics - The Best QRP Projects From QST and The ARRL Handbook - Text PDF
QRP Classics - The Best QRP Projects From QST and The ARRL Handbook - Text PDF
QRP Classics - The Best QRP Projects From QST and The ARRL Handbook - Text PDF
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QRRm CLASSICS
The Best QRP Projects from QST
and the ARRL Handbook
QUO
QRP CLASSICS
The Best QRP Projects from QST
and the ARRL Handbook
Published by the
American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111
Printed in USA
First Edition
ISBN: 0-87259-316-9
Foreword
Welcome to the realm of QRP, a place where less RF power is more tun for the
operator! In general, ORP operators use equipment that weighs Isss. takes up less
space, costs less and is less dependent on ac power than the typical ham station of
50 Wor more. In return, QRP enthusiasts get freedom—freedom to carry a
complete station with accessories and antenna, in a briefcase. A typical QRP
station is small enough to take along on vacatior in a car full of 'amily, by air or
backpacking. Your QRP station can operate from batteries for long periods when
the power fails, or indefinitely from unusual power sources such as private
hydroelectric, wind or solar power systems.
Freedom is gratifying, but better still is the sense of accomplishment that comes
from operating equipment you built yourself. You may best love the feeling when
lhat first CQ from your home-built transmitter is answered— or the way a smile
steals unlu yuur face when that 1-kW station gives your i-W transmitter a 599
report.
These qualities place QRP operation near the heart of Amateur Radio, and as a
result QRP operation has always been a popular topic in League publications. In
ihis book, we have assembled a balanced collection of QRP articles from 15 years
of League publications for easy reference. While there are a few very simple
prnjents suilahlp fnr hpginners, yiu will also find challenging projects and pertinent
articles about circuit design, component selection and adaptation A QRP buffet is
before you—enjcy!
Newington. Connecticut
May 1990
CONTENTS:
Chapter 1: Introduction
1 Why QRP?
4 QRP: More Than a State of Mind
Chapter 3: Receivers
20 The Neophyte Receiver
25 A Eand-lmaging CW Receiver for 10 and 18 MHz
32 His Eminance—The Receiver
40 ChH-Verters
45 Buid Your Own MCM ICs
50 A Converter for the 24-MHz WARC Band
53 Another One-MOSFET Converter
55 A Four-Stage 75-Meter SSB Superhet
Chapter 4: Transmitters
59 A VXO-Controlled CW Transmitter for 3.5 to 21 MHz
63 18-MHz Component Values for the Handbook VXO CW Transmitter
64 Sirrple ORP Gear Versus Good Performance
69 Thrse Fine Mice— MOuSeFET CW
Transmitters
75 Transmitter Design —
Emphasis on Anatomy
89 Fotr Watts, QSK, for 24.9 MHz
93 Some QRP-Transmitter Design Tips
96 A ORP Transmitter for 30m
97 A Two-Transistor Transmitter for 30 Meters
98 A VMOS FET Transmitter for 10-Meter CW
102 A Beginner's Look at Basic Oscillators
108 The Fine Art of Improvisation
111 Turing-Diode Applications and a VVC-Tuned 40-m VFO
116 A VFO with Bandspread and Bandset
119 Meet the Remarkable but Little Known Vackar VFO!
122 Adjusting the Power Output of J FET VFOs
Chapter 5: Transceivers
123 PuLing the Boots to Your HW-8 QR? Transceiver
128 30-Meter Conversion for the HW-8
129 Improving the HW-9 Transceiver
133 HW-9 Tips
134 The MAVTI-40
140 Bet:er Ears for the MAVTI-40 Transceiver
148 A ORP SSB/CW Transceiver for 14 MHz
1 56 The ORP Three-Bander
1 62 QRP Transceiver fo* 50 MHz
170 Aucio-Filter Connec.ions for the Ten-Tec Argonaut Transceiver
170 Curing Mechanically Induced Frequency Jumps in the Ten-Tec Argosy 525
171 AGC and RF Gain Controls for the Ten-Tec Argosy
Chapter 6: Antennas
172 Somo Antenna Considerations
Practical
177 Anteinas Those Who Can'l Have Antennas
(or
Chapter 7: Accessories
1 91 Active Filters
1 96 A Simple, High-Perfo-mance CW Filter
198 A Passive Audio Filter for SSB
199 Designing and Building Simple Crystal Filters
205 Super SCAF and Son— A Pair of Switched Capacitor Audio Filters
212 The 3WR Twins-ORP and QRO
216 A New Face for a Recalibrated Meter
217 A Simple and Accurate QRP Directional Wattmeter
223 Build This QRP Omn Box
228 A Simple Resonant ATU
231 A Balanced ORP Traismatch
233 Variable-Notch Filter (or Receivers
234 Simplified Output Me.ering Protects ORP Transmitters
235 An Accurate, Inexpensive Frequency Marker
beyond their design range, and even the simplest circuits may not work with all samples
of the listed components. So a circuit doesn't work on the first try, con't let discourage
if it
you. One joy of QRP is the relatively small investment of funds and time in most projects.
You can try many circuit configurations and parts substitutions without breaking your
budget.
Don't be frightened at the thought of experimenting with circuits; there are many
resources to help. Some of the articles in this collection contain ideas that can be applied
to other projects.Doug DeMaw, WlFB's ORP Notebook provides a basic foundation
in QrtP techniquea with lists of standard component values and QRP organizations.
Look in the ARRL Handbook for information about basic radio theory and circuit
operation. Ask around, and you may find local hams with QRP construction experience.
Your ARRL Section Manager (listed on page 8 cf QST) can put you in touch with an
Assistant Technical Coordinator near you who can help with technical questions and
activities.
you have trouble locating parts for projects. "Stalking Those Fugitive Components."
If
inChapter 2, should be of some help. Look for local parts suppliers in the yellow pages
under "Electronic Equipment & Supplies - Deale-s." Start building a library of manu-
facturers' data books to help you determine equvalent parts.
Finally, the QRP purist knows that the mode is officially limited to operation with less
than 5 W (10 W PEP for SSB) of output power. ARRL extends the definition to include
transmitters with up to 10 W
of dc input power, regardless of transmiiter efficiency. Some
of the articles in this book significantly exceed either of these limits. Those construction
projects that are not strictly QRF are included for educational purposes and for those
cases where the operator decides to exceed the strict QRP limitations.
Why QRP?
Low-power operation is more popular than ever before. Why not
join in the fun?
transistors, and for HF work, the layout is the resonant frequency slightly to the lower
By Kenny A. Ciaffin, WBDE not particularly critical. Probably the toughest side >f the crystal frequen:y (This is, in effect,
2942 South Wabash Circle part is finding or building the coils and a simple VXO
circuit.) The crystal can be
Denvor, CO 80231 chokes. Even the coils are not a big deal once pulled from about 3 kHz on 80 meters to
you've wound a few. Schematic; and kits arc 1 kHz on 15 meters, depending on the crystal
Why than
would
5 W output?
anyone excepi
masochist warn lo operate with less
What possible
a readily available.
two,
They make n easy
started. After you've put together a kit or
it'll be a piece of cake to move on
to gel
to
type and other factors.
Antennas
attraction could there be? Perhaps it's for the "bigger and belter" projects. Once you have a working transmitter,
same reason anyone would operate an If you do start with a QRP transmitter, you you'll need a suitable ant?nna. Which brings
amateur station in this ase of global telephone can simplify the circuit even further by opting us tc the question: What rind of antennas do
systems and satellite TV. for crystal control. It may not be as restric- QRP stations use? You nay think that fol-
Maybe it's for tic challenge of doing some- tive as you
think. A
fair amount of QRP lowing the lead of low-power, simple trans-
thing a little different. Maybe it's for the operation takes place on dedicated QRP mitter and receivers, QRP antennas should
But I can tel you, there's nothing quite
thrill. frequencies— making it easy to pi;k the crystal be small and simple. This is definitely not the
likehaving a QSO with a Japanese, Russian, you need (sie Table 2). By adding a trimmer case A QRP antenna system should be as
or rate DX statioi while running less power capacitor a:ross the crystal you can "pull" efficient as possible. Many transmission lines
than a kid's nightlight!
Th-e QRP Q signal was created to mean
"Shall reduce power?" but has since been
I
QRP Classics 1
Books and Clubs
A couple of reference books you may vant
lo pickup are. The Joy of QRP by Adrian
W0RSP, and QRP Notebook by Doug
Weiss,
DcMaw, W1FB. The former is more opera-
tions oriented and almost cnLrcly
the latter is
easy-to-builc 2-W CW
rig. It can easily be Club International one of the biggest, and
s
S9n$lrgcted in an afternoon, and will pro- publishes QRP Quarterly. For informotion
vide plenty of QHP contacts on
80 or 40 about QRP ARC1 aid a sample copy of QRP
meters. Construction details can be found Quarterly, write to loe Sullivan. WAIWLU,
in The 1990 ARRL Handbook, p 30-41. MA
267 Sutton Street. North Andover,
01845. The Michigan QRP Club encourages
attentuate the signal consideraby before it The antenna itself is also important. For low-power operation with its newsletter, The
reaches the antenna. If you have 5 W of RF best results you need the best antenna you can Five Waiter. And if you're interested in
You should approach your QRP feed line as as thcugh you were chasing the farthest DX. sociated with homt-brewing QKP gear |
antenna as possible. Using a lossy feed line can do considering aesthetics, ordinances, and If you want to hone your operating skills,
al kW powei levels is tolerable; atQRP levels, neighborly relations. Even with my vertical QRP is for you. With only a Few watts of sig-
however, the loss of every milliwatt becomes I 've worked Japan and niany Soviet stations nal to work with, becomes mandator)* to
it
more critical. usine only 5 W output. perfect your operating technique if yot are
once. What's this? He's working mel Uh, let's see, first I
got my ticket in, uh, '64—net will do. By the time the
contest was over, I had worked 24 states with 250 milli-
watts. Those big-gun contesters sure have goDd earsl
Three years later, had them all. My hand was literally
I ARRL Ub Engineer Ed Hare, KA1CV, shows off his modified
shaking as waiting for the band to Improve enough to
I Heath HW-8 QRP transceiver. Ed's micro-power rig puts out
work a KL7 In the CO contest. WW slightly loss than 10 milliwatts on 00 thrcugh 1G motors.
347,200 points per watt! ed signal levels to those elusive western states. By all Indi-
The 1989 CW
SS gave me state number twenty-nine. A cations, WAS with 10 milliwatts can be done! If any
couple 3f OX contests later, eight DXCC countries were in operators west o1 iha Mississippi wani fo test their station's
rhn inn All rnnlacis were made via an 80-meter dipole ted weak-sional capabilities. would appreciate a skedl—Ed
I
QRP Classics 2
—
Michigan QRP Club Membership —$7 and a 515 for $200-S-300or more, depending
do Membership Chairperson Newsletter The Fire Waiter on the market. Most of these rigs are gener-
5346 W Frances Rd ally available, it's just a matter of whether
Clio. Ml 48420 you can afford, and find, 1 515 or an HW-8.
G-QRP Membership—$12 US
do George Dobbs, G3RJV Newsletter—Sprat A Few More Advantages
499 Mancheeter Read Thtrc arc a couple of olher advaniagcs of
Roachdale Lance, England OL11 3HE QRP operations that aren't so obvious. Be-
cause you arc operating with a minimal power
oulput, your iransrnilter will probably last
"forever." Your electric be less— bill will
especially if you stop usingyour 2-kW space
reducing the RF output control ot as compli- heater. The other nonobvious advantage is
Table 2 that you won'i overload the from end of your
cated as rcluning the transmitter for reduced
Internationally Recognized QRP output. neighbor's television. li*s a pretty rare occa-
Frequencies (kHz) Here's a neat experiment that wil introduce sion when operating with 5 W causes inter-
CW SS8 Novice you to the 'ealm of QRP operation in a ference.
50060 can't tell the difference. My Heath HW-5400 every five QRO QSOs.
puts out aboul 100 W
maximum, and now QRP operation is becoming quite popular
that I work QRP almost exclusively, I really for many major contcsls. The following con-
have to have a special reason to crank it up tests have QRP categories: November Sweep-
also covers the newer WARC HF bands and watt levels your antenna ard feed line become
How Do I Do It?
is the only QRP rig currently on ihe market. doubly critical. It seems strange lo see a
Okay, say you just want to operate
let's You'll have to find the others ac iwap meets I -inch-square, singl e-trarsistor transmitter
QRP without building any special equipment. or through tie classifieds. Expect to pay up connected to W-incb hardline! But it's great
Thai's easy, just turn the power down on your to S70 for an HW-7, $60-5100 fo- an HW-8, fun.
100-W transceiver. This requires a power and$100-$2X> for a used HW-S. So why not give QRP or milliwatt opera-
merer or mmc nthfr mrthnrl nf determining The rrrarr of the crop among QRP rigs is tion £ iry? You just might get hooked. Sec
,
your output power. This adjustment is depen- Ten-Tec's Argonaut series. The latest version you on 7040 kHz— a popular QRP hangout.
dent on your rig, and may be as simpe as (still long put of production) is the Argonaut
'
QRP Classics 3
from April 1984 GST, p 52:
most amateur organizations, is IQAV input, Do skimp on the coax. Use the best
not Finally, know when to quit. Everyone
or 5-W measjred output. Five watts may grade cf RG-8 you can afford. We arc not has days when ihe piopagation is wrong or
no' «nnnd libi* mnrh tn ihosp whr consider iniMiKteH in power capability, but in lady I iirk ic again" yon IWieve it or not.
200 Wlow power, but the difference is not achieving the lowest attenuation possible. the world will not end if you fail to work
as great as yau may think. Under actual The ham with an amplifier will not miss a the DX in thai pileup.
conditions, 5 Wwill have little effect on couple of watts heating his coax as much R, for Success
your ability to work DX. The difference as (he QRPcr running 5 W
will. For por-
With only 5 W, there is no way you re
between QRP and. say, 200 or 2000 is W table operation, RG-8X may be used where
£0ing to blast an opening into a crowded
only 3 or 5 S units. Also, QRP exemplifies weight and ease of handling offset
its light
band. You don't ha\ean "afterburner" to
the spirit of the Rules — specifically the increase in attenuation. Make all con-
kick in under heavy QRM
conriilinns. or
97.67(b), which states that amateur nections clean and weatherproof. Strive for
ihe power to make your own propagation.
stations shall use the minimum anount of the highest possible efficiency in both feed
So, you need a change in operating style.
transmitter power necessary to carry om line and the antenna.
The first habit you will break, and soon
the desired communications." Operating Tips forget, is calling "CQ." In fact, "CQ"and
Choosing an Antenna One may wonder how a DX station can "CQ DX" about disappear from
will just
A major failing of both experienced and hear a 5-W signal when megawatts are com- sour vocabulary' and keyer. With full legal
novice QRPers the antenna system. Un-
is ing at him. But hear it he does, and more power, a "CQ" in any direction will get
foi luu.ilcly, mum ham* think lu» puwo often c3ian nut the cxpci ienccd QRP >uu cou tacts. QRP will ucvci uiing die
equates with poor antennas. Many QRP operator will get through hose pileups to same results. For these unwilling to change
operators seen to delight in using th-eir rig snag tie rare DX station. To do this, this operating habit, the kiss of death is on
with a 50-foo: piece of wire thrown out the however, the operator requires some their QRP career.
nearest window. knowledge of tactics used by successful There are several ways to increase your
The basic rule of QRP antennas is that stations. chances of success. First, have a good beam
nothing beats a beam; and nothing beats First, and most important, listen before antenna. Second, sign your call with /qrp.
a beam on a tall tower. Put up the best using vaur key or mic. Is he working sta- This may cause staiions to call you out of
beam/tower combination you can afford. tions by call area or at random? Is he pick- curiosity. The idea isio let everyone know,
A good 3-eIcmcnt beam and 40-foot lower ing up tailendcrs? Is he listening high or ip front, why you're not 40 dB over S 9.
will put you on a more-than -equal footing low. ard how wide is the split? All of these However, most hams will not answer a
with those running 200 W
to a vertical. things can only be learned by listening. weak "CQ" unless your call begins with
A good full-size dipole is the next best Spend five, even 10 minutes on your something like S79. VK0 or T32.
choice. On 20, 15 and 10 meters, a high receiver before you begin to transmit. The single-m ost-eff'ective QRP operating
Second, invest in a memory keyer. technique search-and-pounce. Search-
is
Ynn're going ro wnri you- call a number nnd-ponnrp k (imply tuning rarefuly
of times, and it's much easier to do so by through each band until you find a station
•
1290 Pugst Dr E, Port Orchard, WA 98366 pushing a button instead of wearing out to work. Most of the stations you work will
QRP Classics 4
be calling "CQ,"or you will nail them as
they finish a QSO.
Work the statbn with a moderate-to-
loud signal. Since the sensitivity of most
QRP receivers outstrips the effective range
of their transmitter, a signal (hat is very
weak may be impossible to work. Propaga-
a reciprocal thing, and if [he station
tion is
on the other end is S I running a kilowatt,
imagine what 5 W
will sound like. Actually,
there will be no sound
at all you simply—
willnot be heard. This condition is more
prevalent on 80 and 40 meters, where
antennas and propagation lend to work
against the QRPer.
if you become involvedin a marginal
contact, prolong it. The other
don'i
operator did you a favor by coming back
and will not get much enjoyment out of the
QSO if you're only 3 J 9 at his end. The
place eo tell him
about your rig, anten-
all
na and ihe weather is on your Q&L card.
Jim Foftt, N6JF, of Cosla Mesa, California, wenl the low-power route, and he's glad he did,
A fact of QRP ife. and one of its more
Using the BP6 "Hamcatlon Rig" (April 1983 QST) as a gu de. Jim built his own QRP rig. which he
frustrating aspects, is that you are going to operates will- $roat success on 10 MHz.
get stomped on occasionally —
whether it's
deliberate bad manners, carelessness or Forty and 80 meters are less consistent progressively weaker stations. In addition,
simply that the station firing up on frequen- producers because of their mote-seasonal don't waste too much tiire calling any one
cy can't hear you. Sometimes, you can nature and higher levels of QRN
and QRM. station. If he hasn't come back to you by
operate through the QRM. hut generally Rnth lend io be winter bands, l>ji can pro- ihe fourth call, move or.. You can work
it's the end of the QSO. duce results any lime of year. The best DX when
hint later the pileup is reduced. An
For those of you who chase DX (and time is 30 minutes before and after local exccp:ion to this would be near the end of
who doesn't?), listening on the local DX sunrise or sunset. Also, the 30-meter band the contest when that DX station represents
repealer a good way to expand your
is is QRPers. Its propagation lies
excellent for a new multiplier.
scarch-and -pounce technique. If you do midway between 20 and 40 meters, and Instead of tuning up an i down the band,
spot a bit of DX, work him first, then an- only limited- power (250 W) operation is start at the high end and work stations as
nounce his frequency over the repeater. Do permitted. you go to the low end. When you hit the
ii the other way aiound and yuu may fitiU Most QRP CW operation
around is bottom edge, quickly tune up to the top
yourself hip-deep in "big gun" stations. 40-60 kHz ud from the bottom edge of any and start down again. This will maximize
Another prime requirement for being band. Most phone operation terds to be in your time on all portions of the band.
able to work DX (or anyone else) on a con- the Advanced and Extra Class subbands. Those proficient with a scarch-and-pounce
a working knowledge
sistent basis is at least Stay out of the Novice segments; beginners technique will have a QSO rate almost
of propagation. All of t he major amateur have enough problems without the added equal to most stations calling "CQ." Also,
publications have monthly propagation difficulty of having to copy less than S 9 new stations will appear and disappear with
charts. They use different formats, so dif- signals. Ereat rapidity, so don't wflrry a hour work-
ferent interpretive techniques arc applicable ing the band dry.
to each. All of these charts arc prepared The QRP Contester
Another rule for the QRPer is to work
several months in advance of publication; For many, contesting is jtiit one in- the MUF (maximum usable frequency).
you should be able to update their infor- teresting fa:et of Amateur Radio. For Work the highest frequency that is open in
mation to make albwance forcutrem con- others, contests are Amateur Radio. Non- the ar?a you want to cover, based on WWV
ditions. There arc two ways to do this. One contestcrs and contesters alike may view or other propagation information.
is to monitor the WWV
propagation operating a contest with a QRP rig as the Operating at or close to Ihe MUF
reduces
forecast at 18 minutes after each hour. ultimate insanity. Actually, llic ievw.se is pa [Ii kiss and niiiAhiiiies your 5-W signal.
These recordings provide real-time infor- true. Mosi of us don't have die mCgabucks In a DX contest, know the areas that are
mation to update your monthly charts. A required to put together a top-drawer, big- easiest to work, and concentrate on those
second method is to subscribe to one of the gun, killer-type contest station However,
. at the start of the contest. Work the more
DX bulletins. Printed on a weekly or most hams on afford a first-class QRP sta- difficult areas during the last 24 hours. For
biweekly basis, all are excellent indica:ors tion. Since QRP rigs are relatively inexpen- example: Generally, Japan, Oceania and
of relatively current propagation sive, you can afford to tnves: more in Europe can be worked from the West Coast
conditions. antennas — a deciding factor in contesting. on 20 meters in tite morning. For the
The three bands providing the bulk or* Many cortests have a separate single- QRPcr, however, it is more productive to
activity for QRP
ate 20, 5 and 10 meters.
1 operator, all- band QRP
category. Thus, work Japan and Oceania Saturday morn-
When ihe 10-metcr band is open, theie is you need only compete against other QRP ing and Europe Sunday morning. By the
little difference between 5 and 500 W. Ii operators. However, winning still requires last day, will iave worked out
Europeans
can exhibit rapid shifts in propagation, maximum doses of perseverance and a much of the Eastern seaboard and will re-
however, which can be disconcerting to large amount of skill. spond more quickly to a call from the West
even experienced hams. Twenty meters is Contesting effectively with QRP
requires Coast.
the molt consistent hanrl. providing nppn- the application of several important tech In sny contest, but mo-e particularly in
ings to some part of the world day and niques. At the beginning of the contest, aDX contest, establish some type of game
night. work the strongest stations. Then, work the plan. Spend some time consulting propaga-
QRP Classics 5
,
lion charts,and write up a timc-vcrsus- Nest to your log. the most important many different dupe sheets as there are con
frequency plan for your own use. Decide record to keep is the dupe sheet. tests, so use one that fits your needs.
which areas you will cover at what times Duplicating contacts means wasted effort Finally, keep the proper perspective and
and the best band for each combination. lost points and less-productive operating attitude before, during and after the con-
This plan shauld be used as a guide for each time. Since, as a QRP station, you will be test. Above all, don't worry about the big-
hour of operation. The most productive operating 99°?o of the time in a scarch-and- gun station down the block. You're not
directions will be based on your experience poun:e mode, your dupe sheet must be as competing against him, only against other
and an examination of previous contest current as your contest Log. There are as QRPers.
scores.
QRP Classics 6
From September 1981 QST, p 11:
\/\/hal's this? You've never built a exciting hours of operation, and it's easy experimenting is to adopt the breadboard-
piece of amateur equipment? You don'i and inexpensive to build. Therefore, QRP ing technique.' Thi> allows us to iacY a
know anything about circuits, sc you just is the theme of our article this month on test circuit together quickly and easily. In
operate? Well, if this description fits you. basic radio learning. the process we cut down on expense and
ai least half the thrill of being a ham has eliminate the chore of laying out and etch-
eluded you! For many of us the greatest
How lo Experiment ing a circuit board. The final product may
excitement in amateur work came from We need not have college degrees in not look like a wort of art, but it can be
building and using that first transmitter. engineering to conduct experiments in used on the air ju;t as effectively as a
There's a special feeling connected with nonprofessional electronics work. We can commercial-looking version of the same
telling the otber guy or gal. "Th; rig here assemble suggested circuits, test them, circuit,
is homemade." If you haven't been able learn their characteristics, and then make Bargain-bag assortments of 1/4- and
to make th;s statement over the air. changes and observe Ihc results. Familiari- 1/2-watt resistors ar: a vital part of the ex-
perhaps it's time you did! ty with fundamental circuits can lead to perimenter's Workshop. Likewise with
Most experimenters start out with circuit improvement* and innovations. assortments of disc ceramic capacitors,
relatively sirrple projects, and rightfully and perhaps later to .some original design trimmer capacitors, volume controls and
so. In the old days some of us tinkcrcrs work. Many of the early-day inventors of small electrolytic capacitors. Of coune.
enjoyed building one-tube transmitters. electrical and electronic devices and we need a small pencil type of soldering
Often, the name of the game wa» "power systems followed thisapproach, which iron (40 watts}, some solder and a few fect
output." ThEt is, we tried to cxtiact more supports the validity of the precept, of light-gauge, insulated hookup wire.
output power from a single oscillator than "Learn by doing." Bargain assortments arc often available
the tube was designed to deliver. A We Ematcurs have the advantage of try- from Radio Shack. Poly Paks and other
number of popular transmitters of this ing our Ideas at home rather than at work. prominent vendors. The best deals arc
type were described in QST by F. Sutter.' So. if the circuit is a flop, no need to con- Often available at Amateur Radio fca
But today it's prudent to use transistors tcmplaie the unemployment line! Further- markets, so we mus: be on the alert when
and to operate them within their safe more, if the equipment is t transmitter for browsing at hamfests and conventions.
maximum ratings. QRP
equipment one of the amateur bands, we arc licensed An important item in our workshop is a
(generally 5 watts or less of if output to put il on the air and to give it a true VOM (volt/ohm/milliampcre meter).
power) can provide many interesting and "environmental test," an advantage not Even a low-cost imported instrument will
enjoyed by many cngin:crs and tech- is an important considera-
suffice if cost
nicians. tion. For rf measurements it is wise to
'Footnotes appear ai end ot article. The simplest approach we can take to have a VOM that can be used with a
QRP Classics 7
;
Fig. 1 — Circuii ol a one-iransisior ORP transmitter. Flxed-watue capacitors are disc ceiamic. 50 the third cy an answer came from a W3 in
volts or greater Resistors are or 1/2-watt composition. 10% tolerance. Cl described in text.
t/4- Ohio. A signal report of RST
569 was
GZ is a 100-pF mica inmmer. LI Is aG-pl I winding ol 34 luins of no. 26 ensm. wtfa on an AmiODn received tor our X!-mW signal on 7360
or Palomar T60-2 toroid core. L2 is 6 turns of no. 26 enam. wire, wound over Ll winding (see text)
J1 is a phono jack, and J2 is a 2-circuit phone jack. Yi is a lundamontal surplus or new crystal (or
kHz. A second QSO with a W2 station in
ihe standard 40-meier QRP frequency (7060 kH:). New Jersey netted an RST 589 report!
YI of Fig. determines the operating
I
P = EVR
where P is in watts. E is in rms volts and R
is in ohms. Therefore, if we measured 1.53
QRP Classics 8
.
yield only approxirnaic power-output ut amplifier pcifuimaiice is. .u use a tran- few pans in the circuit; that wc van assem-
readings on the VOM. A 5 -ohm resistor 1 sistor tha has an fT at least five times bleit in short order.
could be used al Rl. but thai is a 5To higher than the chosen operating frequen- Ql is a tuned-collector crystal
tolerance (gold-band) value, and would cy. Thus, for 7-MHz operation the (j oscillator. Its output energy is fed to ihe
cost more than a silver-band (10% should be 35 MHz or higher. Most FETs base of Q2, which operates as a Class C
tolerance) resistor. So, wc can use a 47- or are rated for a maximum upper frequency amplifier. A
network (C3, L3 and C4)
pi
56-ohm resistor. Either value is close in terms of gain. Generally, ihcy are good serves as a harmonic filter (tow pass!
enough to 50 ohms for our purposes. Here from auciio frequencies up to that limit rather than as an impedance-trans-
again is an example of the joy of ex- for amateur experiments. formation network, a; is more often the
perimenting versus designing! The maximum safe current of a tran- cas? with tube and transistor output
We can also use field-effect irarsisEors sistor is important to us also. This is amplifiers.
as oscillators of the kind illustrated in Fig. specified as l c (collector current) for Q3 functions as an electronic switch.
I. The version seen in Fig. 3 con:ains a bipolar transistors, and as l,
t
(drain cur- When its base resistor is grounded by ihe
dual-gale MOS.-ET. Output power from rent) for FETs. At no time should we cw key it conducts and allows ihe dc io
this circuit will be somewhat lower than allow the transistor to draw more current reach the amplifier stage, Q2. This
lhai from iho bipolar transistor oscillator than the specified safe value. In fact, it's method helps to reduce the possibility of
of Fig. I, but plenty of QSOs can be had wise to operate the device somewhat shorting out the 12-vo't supply accidental-
with this simple transmitter. Oihe- dual- below (25 °io or more) that maximum ly, as could happen with the circuits of
gate MOSFETs could be used in place of value. This will help to prevent failures Fig.I and 3 where J is in the 12-volt line
1
the 3N2II, such as a 40673. from excessive heating of ihe transistor Fundamental crystals are used on 160
If we decided to use a VFO to control junction. 80,40 and 20 meters. For operation on 1*
(he operating frequency of the transmitter A good safety rule is io do alt initial cir- and 10 meters we wil need to use third-
in Fig. wc could make the modifica-
I. cuit testing at reduced operating voltage. overione crystals at VI. The oscillator ii
tions shown ir Tig. 4. vi and CI arc l-or a 12-voli circuit we nught want to permitted to run contiiuously, and keying
removed to prevail oscillation at ihe start our testing at 6 or 8 volts until wc is applied only to the amplifier, Q2. This
crystal frequency. A dc-biocking were certain that there were no wiring er- prevents chirp on 15 and 10 meters, which
capacitor (C3) s added as shown. The rf rors. If things seem to be working normal- would occur if the oscillator siage were
voltage (rms) developed from the base of ly, we can increase the supply voltage to keyed.
Ql ground (with the vfq connected
to 12. Feedback capacitor C5 is used only or
and operating) should be between and } I 160 and 80 meters. All of the componem
volts for hest results. This shows just An "Experimenter's Special" values are ihe same
and 15 meters fcr 10
another way we can experiment with sim- Thus far we've discussed two rather un- Oscillator trimmer CI has ample range to
ple circuits. profound transmitter circuits. Once we've provide resonance on both bands.
Additional experiments can be con- finished tinkering with them wc may want
ducted with the onc-iransistor transmit- to move ahead to something more spec- Construction Thoughts
ters by trying various types of transistors tacular in simple circuitry. Fig. 5 shows Experimentation cai continue after the
inthe basic circuits of Figs. I and 3, One the circuit of a two-stage, so.id-state QRP transmitter is built and tested we may —
important traniistor characteristic is the transmitter that was designed by W« want to try our skills a: cabinet making, or
maximum upcidliiig voltage (Vfc ), which HaywaiU, W7JJOI.' Seine modifications die unit can be enclosed in a small com-
should never be rated less than two times have beed made for this article, but Ihe mercial case, such as one finds at Radio
the supply voltage for cw work. Tiis will circuit is essentially as he designed it. This Shack stores. But we can use pieces of
allow for the voltage swing (peak to peak) experiment should give us hours, weeks or doable- or single-sided circuit board lo
during the rf sioc-wavc cycle at the collec- even months of fun in the workshop and fashion a homemade cabinet. can Wc
tor or drain. It the voltage is allowed to on the ait. It delivers slightly more than 1 flow a continuous bead of solder (darncC
rise beyond the specified safe valje, ihe watt of output to a 50-ohm antenna, and expensive stuff these days!) along (he in-
transistor can 'go away" instantly! Wc can be made to operate on any band from side seams (corners) of the box to join the
must be concerned also with the upper fre- IfiO io 10 meters by using ih: parts values side and bottom walh. The lid can be a
quency rating cf the semiconductor. This specified in Table I. Actually, this is a U-shaped piece of metal (furnace ducting
is usually specified as f?. A good rule of ihree-transisior circuit if we count the or aluminum). Spray paint or contac:
thumb for obtaining maximum oscillator keying transistor, Q3. But, there are so paper may he applied io the outer surface!
Table 1
cr C2 C3 C4 C5 Lf L2 L3 AT RFC1
IpF) <pf) (pf< ipF)
73 t No. 2S Bt 30 No. 261 18 11 30 No. 28
1
160 m 4CO 1B0O 1S0O isrx 360 T502 T50-2 FT 37-61 (50 MH.
43 No 2C
t $t 21 No. 22
1 3911 21 No. 28
1
Toroid coies are used in L1, L2 and L3. These are oowdered iron cores Mailable horn Amidon
Associates and Palomar Engineers (T50-2, etc.). RFCi is wound on a small ferlte coro (FT-37-67).
Fig. 4 — Mathou (or attaching a Vfo to Urn so on), available from same sup pliers. The letter 1" signifies the number of W1 re turns in r
circuits ol Fig. 1 and Fig. 3. 01 IS thus
changed Horn an oscillator to an amplllicr.
QRP Classics 9
1
CSC. AMP
. ua
Fig. 5 — Circiil of the W7Z0I "Universal ORP Transmlller." It can ptovide up 10 15 walls ol rf output when using a 12* to 14-volt dc supply. Fi*et-
value capacitcrs are disc ceramic unless otherwise indicated. Hcsilors are 1/4- or 1'2-watl composilian, 10*/* tolerance. Vakes not given are listed in
rattle 1, fJ6 is electrolytic or tantalum, ci is a m»ca trimmsr. 02 is a Motorola transistor, bul other brands and numbers with eauivaieni
characteristics can be used
section of this issue.' If point-to-point trolytic capacitors on a permanent leave Perhaps if we ran f>e- enough input on this
breadboard assembly is our choice we of absence than cross-po arizing the dc subject we can run a page of photos, calls
must be careful to Keep the input and out- voltage connections! Once you have the and DX records in an issue of QST. We
QRP Classics 10
hope you will soon be able to say, "I've
buik my first piece of amateur gear, and i:
works greait"
Nov*
'F. Sutler. " 'The Runt Sixty" and ehe 'QSl
S xty,' " QST, Sept. 1910, p. 50.
Th; expression "breadboard" lia\ confuted K>n:f
rtfwconwr* to Amateur Radio. It originated it) 1 lie
Mily ol tha amaiirur
il,iy. mkl
whim haim hull:
iheir transmitters an wooden foundations, such a*
i he ends from orange cruet. The Kitchen bread-
board became popular tor that purpose, and
thereafter any wooden ciassii base was called i
breadboard.
'Deaih for building a sinple diode rf probe can
h; luund in the incaturcncnu chapter of the pas:
several editions of The Radio Amateur's Hand-
book.
*D. DeMaw and R. Shriicr. "A Simple Uti
Ito-er Supply." QST, Nov. 1970. Pa.u kill <
ailc from supplier in note 7,
<W. Ilaywcrd and D. DcMaw. Solid Siaie Desig*
for the Radio Amateur. -Ncwingion, CT: Amcri-
cm Radio Relay League. Inc.. 1977), ch. 2. p
26. Thi* piibticalion is rtenrnmended (or eiperi-
nentert because it contains a wealth of batit
theory and many practtral example* of vimpli
transmitter!, rccciv-ert anc tcsl equipment.
'>. DcMaw, "Quick and Easy Circuit Boards for tht
Beginner," QST. Sept. ISW. p. JO.
Fig. 7— Photograph ol the assembled hit version (note 7l ol the W7Z0I ORP Iranemlttor, ae laid 'Etched and drilled cinui buaid> for the itaiu-
out and Dull! by WAflUZO. The panels are made Itom pieces ol double-sided pc board. The dimen- raiitcr arc available from Citcuil Boatd Special-
sions (HWDJ are */8 x 2-V4 x 3 Inches {22 x 57 x 76 mm),
Etching pattern tor the Universal QRP Transmitter Black reptesenls copper. The pattern is shown
actual size from ihe foil side ol the oof c
QRP Classics 11
From September 1970 QST, p 30:
COniract job! Let's examine some ways to suitabl: number of elccrically isolated employed. The copper plane enables us to
make our own non-etched boards. conduct ivc island* upon which ihe various make direct ground connections, thereby
components can be connected by means minimising the pigtail lengths of :hc
The Slandorf Technique of solder. At least lhat is the fundamental various resistors, capacitors and tran-
The basic foundation for any of the principle of etched boards. But. alter- Short lead lengths and a quality
sistors.
"quickie" boards wc shall discusi here is a native methods exist Tor developing ground conductor help prevent circuit in-
sheet of copper-clad circuit-board isolated pads or tie points. Regardless of stability (self-oscillations ot parasitics) It
material —
the kind wc find in prolifera- the approach taken io achieve this effect, is for this reason lhat many amateur proj-
tion at hamfest flea markets. Racio Shack the name of ilie game remains the same: ects call for doublc-sidcd pc board: One
stores and similar outlets. It need not be Assemble the component close to and side is etched and the opposite side is solid
clad on both sides, but "double-sided above a copper "ground plane." In this copper, except where the various
QRP Classics 12
resistance used at thai circuit point. For
example, a resistor is used as a tie point
if
Gluc-and-Pad Method
A simple but mtre time-consuming
technique for making circuit boards is il-
QRP Classics 13
llicpads to the main board. This lypc of We can use ordinary masking tape as
adhesive is available from hardware stores the etch-resist material. Cover all of the
in small packets. Ii comes in tubular stick copper surface wilh a layer of tape. Press
form. A thin slice of the hard glue is the tape firmly against the copper by run-
shaved from (he stick by means of a knife. ning a smooth object, such as the side of a
The glue slice is placed between the bot- lead pencil, back and forth across the
tom of the pad and the top surface of the raoa tape. Next, draw :hc pattern on the tape.
main board. A
soldering-iron tip is An X-acto knife can be utilized to renove
pressed agcinst the pad, held there until tape sections where the copper mutt be
[he glue mdis and spreads, thei removed. Fig. A —
Saw-blade seeing o' copper-ctad pc etched away. All that remains for hoard
board material proviocs isolated pads In this
The shortcoming of this approach is preparation is 15 to 30 minutes of etching
drawing.
that the glue softens each time a compo- in ferric-chloride solution. Do not cllow
nent is soldered to a pad. It requires more the etching solution to contact your eyes
than casual care when assembling the cir- Fig 5 — Suggested pattern for a universal or skin. If it does, wash it off immediately
oroadward can be elchad as shown, not
that with clear, cool water.
cuit components. Epoxy glue not melt will
Io scile. A *V
and a grour! bus are provided
To ensure reasonahle longevity of this
during the soldering process. Also, the ror easy access along itte icnyil* u< l'w owb'M.
completed module will retrain intact See Iho "Hints and Kinks'" section ol this type of breadboard, material with heavy-
much longer if epoxy cement is used. issue for a full-size oailern lemplale. gauge copper laminate should be used.
A
comparison between the practical Glass-epoxy insulation recom-
is also
and schematic circuits for a simple half- mended. If the copper
too ihin. is
wave hamonic filter is provided in Fig. 3. repeated soldering will loosen the copper,
The piclori.il version shows ho.v we might and stress on the pads will separate ihem
mount the parts when using the glue-and- from Ihe main board.
pad technique. I here are some unused
pads in the foreground.
Some Closing Comments
Needless to say, earlier comments about
Saw-Slol Boards brown stains, on our clothing were offered
For those who subscribe to the arm- in a purely jocular vein. Avoid allowing
l_ -J
sirong method discussed earlier, a hack the etching chemicals to splash on your
saw can be used to cut through the copper clothing: The stain will be permanent!
on a section of pi* board tn form fcnlatrif There arc probably a number of addi-
pads. This concept was popularized by the tional methods for fabricating circuit
author and WIICP in a QST beginner's boards quickly and simply. No credit is
scries which from April through
ran claimed for originality concerning the pro-
September 1974. An
example of this contemporary world of fashion, so maybe cedures described in this article. The pur-
technique is given in Fig. 4. The copper the etching technique isn't all that bad! pose of this presentation is to illustrate
must he cut completely away where each The pattern shown in rig. 5 is arbitrary. some of the more common approaches to
dark line is shown. This will prevent short It suit* the author's needs handily for cir- breadboard fabrication without chemi-
circuits between adjacent padi. A hobby cuit expti iiiicjiiiitiun. Ik Mn.tlk'i pads aic
1
cals. Dut ol" greater importance, ve've
Moto Tool can be employed io cut the suitable for mounting transistors, diodes tried to stimulate confidence among those
grid seen n Fig. 4. If this is done, a and richer discrete components. The long who were heretofore unwilling to ergage
straighi-edgc guide will be necessary if a condjciors along the edges and one side in home-projcci work through fear of
neat job is desired. of Lhs breadboard are laid out to function circuit-board layout and etching. Let's
as plus-voltage and ground buses. The compare brown stains later tf we should
If Etching Is Your "Thing" +V foil has branches thai extend through use ferric chloride. If not. perhaps wo can
A universal pc breadboard can be four croups of pads. The ground conduc- swap high-value resistors or sharpen saw
etched and used many times :f one does tor his similar branches that pass through blades together!
not mind dabbling with etchant chemi- alternate groups of pads. This helps to
cals. A few brown stains here and there on keep lead lengths on the various parts to a
one's garments could fit nicely into our minimum.'
QRP Classics 14
From October 1907 QST, p 24:
Those
Stalking Fugitive
Components
Specialty components appear
hard to find for those who
aren't experienced gleaners.
Let's learn where and how
to obtain some of these
bread-and-butter items.
By Doug DeMaw. W1FB
ARRL Contributing Edilor
PO Box 250
Luther, Ml 19656
rinky-dink projects. mend ham-radio flea markets as a source material can be painted any color you
What, then, might you do to solve the of parts for home use. Flea markets arc. prefer. The front panel can be made from
annoying parts- procurement problem? This indeed, wonderful places to look for cer- an aluminum cookie sheet, available at
subject has been addressed frequently in tain items. But, owing ro the infrequeney most variety stores. There is no need to
QST, buiunly in gcuCiaJ ttiius. That i*. the of flca-iuaikel t veins in any given region, amain a Trammatch in a shielded cabinet,
authors did not focus On Specialty items procuring parts by that means is a long- sir.ee it docs not generate TVL The signal
that many of us need from day to day. This range situation at best. 1 depend on flea going into (he Transmatch should already
article is aimed at those unique pErts that markets mainly to stock up on items for be clean!
we do not find at the corner parts store. future, unplanned projects. For example, I have mentioned many times the ease
All you need is some ambition and a few if I see asuper bargain on 2S2222s, poly- and low cost of making small boxes front
postage stampi to equip yourself with the styrene capacitors or 2200-M F filter sections of single- cr double-sided PC
means to gel the parts highlighted here. capacitors, buy them for later use. This
I board. The cost of any of these homemade
Some of the suppl iers I list in this article practice also enables me to help other hams enclosures is substantially less than that of
have many pans to- offer in addition to in the area should they have a sudden need
, a commercially made box, and the
those discussed here, and numerous other for something I have in my goodie cache. materials are available locally. These
suppliers exist. I concentrate in this article Parts and materials never appear methods permit almost instant construction
on those dealers from whom I purchase magically! We may daydream until dooms- of an equipment case.
most of my parts and materials. I consider day, but that won't yield results. We must
their prices fa r and generally below the also innovate as the demand dictates. Magnet Wire
figures set by new pans distributors that Many hams ask me where they can find
aren't in the surplus business. I have
Equipment Cases magnet wire. 1 must say that the market
experienced neither poor service nor rip- for has, for the most part, dried up with respect
ORP Classics 15
lo magnet wire; Radio Shack sells small quency. Check the tuned tiicuh with a dip variable capacitors. When the Card well
spools of enameled wire, bul oi ly in a few meter. If a good dip can be had with the Corp bought and stocs of
ihe tooling
popular gauges. Jug Wire Co in New York dipper coil a fair distance from the test co il E. F. Johnson and Hammarlund several
was my primary source for rragncl and (say, one inch), the Q is reasonably high. years ago, il seemed thai a variable capa-
bare bus wire, but a recem notice from Jug If, however, the dipper must be coupled citor monopoly was taking shape. The
indicated thai they were going out of lightly to the lest coil to obtain a dip James Millen Co was the only other rr.ajor
business. (usually shallow at best), the is probably manufacturer of these parts and, lo com-
Whai can you do lo solve tlm problem? too bw to consider fot your circuit. In plicate matters more, Millen wenl out of
First, check with your local electric-motor other words, ihe farther the dipper coil is business, too . It was a sad day for Amateur
repair shops. The operators are often from the tesi coil, consistent with a deep Radio! You may siill be able to obtain
willing to reel off a reasonable number of dip reading, ihe higher the Q of the coiJ. Millen capacitors "rom Radiokit. Our best
feet »f llie wire you need, and at a nominal Ilrmcmade fixed -inductance coils can be hope is to remove large variable capacitors
cost. Here, again, use your initiative. wourd on plastic tubing and rods at a low- from surplus radio gear, such as II WW
When I first became a ham, it was cost. Included are power-line RF chokes, command transmitters and BC-191/
common practice for my colleagues and me antenna traps and antenna-loading coils. BC-375E transmit ler limine units. Fair
10 acquire old power transformers jusl for First, cheek the scrap department of your Radio Sales in Lima. Ohio is worth
the purpose of removing the rragnet wire local plastics outlet for odd-lot bargains. cheeking for these units and other arge
from the windings. The same was true Tor Such materials as Teflon*, Delrin, poly- WW II electronic* equipment. Their cata-
old dynamic speakers from jun.<cd radios. styrene. Plexiglas", PVC. Tentte 5 and log will fill many of you older hams with
The speaker field coils contain hundreds of Lexan* are often available in small pieces nostalgia!
feet of small enameled copper wire! Still ai attractive prices. Yoi may also obtain
The Joys of Stripping
another sotrcc of magnet wire is ihe field a catalog from United S:atcs Plastic Corp
coils of large, low-resistance dc relays— 12- in Lima. Ohio, a mail-order house thai has Lest someone misunderstand, 1 refer to
and 23-V units in particular. Generally, the tubing, rod and sheeting of all types (sec radio parts! When Lew McCoy, WUCP,
larger the relay and the lower the field-coil listing at the end of thi; article). was the Beginner and Novice editor for
resistance, the larger the wire gauge. Look Feed-line spreaders cat be made inexpen- QST, years ago. Ik constantly strcssci the
for these relays ai flea markets. They can sively from such materials as hair curlers, value of stripping parts from old TV and
be available for 25 cents or less. of plastic coat
plastic clothespins, sect ions radio sets for use in ham projects. I'm sure
Another excellent source of magnet wire hangers and even ballpoint pen bodies. lhai many of you recall his "transm.tters
is picture-tube yokes from dis:arded TV Again, I stress the value of being from old TV sets." We at ARRL HQ often
receivers. The vertical- and horizontal innovative! wondered why he never made a TV set
deflection oils contain many test of usable from an old transmitter, but he refused the
sizes of wire.
Special Capacitors challenge when it was offered to him!
I've read many laments about how Nonetheless, his advice in those day: was
Litz Wire "impossible" it is for some QST readers sage. Even today we can glean countless
Lit?, (sho-t for litzemlraht, which means to lo:atc high-voltage dt;c-ccramic capaci- excellent small parts from old TV and
"stranded wire") wire is desirable for tors, polystyrene capacitors, NPO capaci- transislor-radio sets. 1 saw six table-model
winding small LF, MFand HFslug-tuned tors and even silver-mica capacitors. These TV sets for sale last the Hudsonville.
fall ai
coils. It provides a higher Q than plain items are widely available from the surplus- Michigan, ham flea maiket. Thcumio was
enameled wire. This is because many- parts vendors. must admil however, that
I . asking 25 cents apiece for the sets! Many
strands of enameled wire are uied to form large transmitting variable capacitors are PC-mount fixed and slug-tuned coils are
a cotton- or silk -covered conduct or. The scarce (and extremely expensive). Radiokii found in TV receivers, in addition to a host
additional surface area afforded by seems lo be the main outlet for large of resistors and capacitors. Also, you can
multiple conductors offsets skin effect—
the tendency for ac to flow at or near the
surface of a conductor, ri"s>iltinp. in orrnter
ac resistance with rising frequency. I have
never seen Liu wire offered in surplus
equipment catalogs. obtain my Litz wire
I
QRP Classics 16
1
salvage many poicnciomcters and switches, evenings in winter. Solder wick or solder Some Final Comments
as well as a variety of hardware to add to suckers are invaluable foT this job.
your slock of nuts and bolls. Although this month we haven't covered
pocket-size transistor radios an loaded theory, applications or a practical project,
with small resistors and capacitors. How Source Listing I feel that parts procurement is an
many of these little radios have you th rown important pari of :onstruction. 1 have
away when they became defective? Con- Table 1 lists a number of hard-to-find addressed those parts that readers seem to
sider the parts youcould have salvaged for components keyed to the suppliers that have the greatest difficulty locating.
lacer use. Discarded and FM -rrrivrr«; AM stock tieni The dealer identification is Perhaps this article will reduce the number
also contain small variable capacitors lhal given at the bottom of the table. have 1 of inquiries i receive!
can be used for homemade receivers and identified specific components that are Unfortunately Torus amateurs, some af
QRP transmitters. The IF transformers can offered by these suppliers, but they carry the suppliers Listed specify a minimum
be used as is, or can be rewound for other many additional items. Their catalogs arc order. In such instances, it is sometimes
frequencies. Not only can you increase the worth adding to your reference library. convenient to pool >our order with those
bulk of your parts larder by stripping TV Remember that quantitie; and specific of other hams in >our area. This may
sets and transistor radios, you will have a values may be limited, depending on the require some salesmanship on your pan,
nice pastime for those rainy or snowy supplier. but it can be done. Good Hick in stalking
those fugitive components!
QRP Classics 17
A.D.E. Electron lubes ind RF power
Kepro Circuit Systems. Inc. Motorola Semiconductor Products, transistors TtfOid Corporation 01 Ma-yana
630 Axministor Of. Inc R.F. Gain. Ltd. 6CQ0 Laurel-Bowle Rd.
Fenton. MO
63026-2992 PO Box 2091! 116 Souih Long Beach Rd. Bowie. MD 2071 5-4037
A,E.F.G.H,I.L.M.X.Y
503-472-9716 Q—Equipmoni Manuals
Modern =ladio Laboratories
•$4 R—Sfrvice 01 Collins Equipmenl
Components (Ferroxcube) S-Test Equipment
PO Box 14902-O Philips
M.N T—Amaleur TV Cameras and Components
Minneapolis. MN 55414 Mi Marion Rd
U-MWocomputer Peripheral Equipment
•S2 Saugerties. NY 12477 Surplus Traders
PO Bo* 3'6 V_T>*fws
A.L Alburg, VT 05440 W— Riadymade Printed Circuit Boards
X-Wre
Moeller hslrumenl Co. R&D Electronics •$1
Y— Crystals
Ivon/ton Industrial Part t224 Prospect Ave
Main Street H 44116 K.H Z—Clmbing and Safety Equpmenl
05442
Ivoryton, CT °64J2Mu52 Ten-Tec. Inc.
Highway 4ii. E. •Catalog Price
203-767^104 800-243-9310
••sio Sevierville. TN 37863 - Minimum Order
To the best ol oui knowledge the suppliers shown are willing to sell components to amateurs in small qualities oy mail. THIS iisung does noi necessarily muicalo
that theso firms have the approval of ARRL.
QRP Classics 18
—
BLENDING CIRCUIT-BOARD FABRI- resistapplied by hand with a brush or Two lypcs of merf/ujff-poim Sharpie pens
CATION TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS marking pen) for quite some time. 1 Most are available. That labeled permanent
In his August 1987 article on homemade problem, with hoards made by the marker is definitely betier for circuit-
circuit boards.* Doug DcMaw mentioned longhand method are caused by uneven board work than the no. 3000 "highly
the unsuitabiliiyof mechanically etched ink flow from the pen. Marcus referred water-resistant" model; the permanent
hoards for use with ICs or oihcr compo- lo this problem in a CQ article.* Tins marker has the further advantage of easy
nents with close pin spacings. (Generally, uneven-flow problem can be corrected by "openability." (The tip end of the perma*
mechanical etching isn't precise enough to opening ihe pen and adding a solvent that nem pen is pressed inlo the barrel assem-
make traces witable for the 0.1-inch is compatible with the ink. (Usually, the ink bly portion and held snug with several small
pin spacing standard with ICs.) I've been vehicle i* au alcohol-based solvent.) rings. If ihe two parti arc simultaneously
gen ing around :his limitation by making a The ink in most felt- or fiber-tip pens is bent slightly and pulled, the two pieces
gridded sub-board for the 1C and mounting stored in a fiber cylinder enclosed in a thin separate, allowing easy removal of the fiber
to the main (mechanically etched) circuit plastic sheath. Add 10 lo 15 drops of ink cylinder. Once you've disassembled one
board with ihe piggyback method described alcohol or a similar solvent (rubbing of these pens, shave the rings with a file or
inDoug's article (sec Fig 4). Jumper wires alcohol [7©°/o isopropylj, la:quer solvent kn.fe to make subsequent assembly/dis-
connect the IC 5ub-board pads to ire main [denatured ethyl alcohol) anc butyl acetate assembly cycles easier.) The second-choice
circuitboard; glue holds the IC sub- [thinner for model paints] are satisfactory) (no. 3000) pen is cemented shut; if you
assembly in place.—John Evans, K3SQO, to the cylinderend that contacts the pen lip. iiilsi use one of these, suggest sawing off
I
RRJ. Box 131. Kingsley, PA 18826 (Stop adding alcohol if it appears that the the top end of ihe pen :o add solvent to the
next drop will cause leakage from ihe ink cylinder. Reassemble the pen with lap*
bottom of the cylinder.) Replace the ink if you do this.
cylinder n the pen and allow a few minutes My ham radio Idler suggests use of a
SODDED
. j" - OOAHQ 'C for the rejuvenated ink to migraie into the commercial metal-marking lacquer
r^UE TO SOCKET pen lip. Now, the pen should produce (DVKEM®) as etch resist for the portion
opaque back wirhoui smearing. If the
lines of the circuit-board :opper intended to
lines appear to be almost too fluid, that's renain as a ground plane. If you have
ideal. (By the way, overapplication of trouble locating this product, I recommenc
alcohol to the ink cylinder cm
cause leak- thin lacquer, model
paint or fingemai.
age through the pen's lip veni hole. Watch polish as a substitute. Be sure ihe resist yoi
out for this so you don't generate profanity use flows easily so that it can be workee
when a vent drop hits ihe board and spoils quickly. Also, the resist should be easily
your work!) Using this method. I've suc- removable after eiching. (1 suggest usinj
cessfully rejuvenated W-yeor-ofd pens! acetone as resist -removal solvent.)
.UVPEH ivi>--;s B0AR) The best resist pens I've found for Be sure to lake proper safety precaution}
circuil-board work are produced in when working with any of the chemical;
Germany and sold in art «;tnr<*s unrlpr the I've discussed here: Don't breathe thoii
Fig 4— John Evans gets around ihe
name Staedtler Lumocolor. Medium (no. funes and keep ihem out of contact with
incompatibility ol mechanically etched
boards and ICs 317) and fine (no. 318) pointsare available. your skin. Further on the subject of
fay mounting his ICs on
gridded, single-sded sub-boards. (Here, (I recommend the no. 318 pen for most chemicals, I add this: As a retired chemisi,
the main board is also gridded lor clarity.) circuit-beard work.) These pens contain a 1 cheerfully object to the characterization
The sub-boards are mounted lo Ihe main high-quaBry waterproof ink and can be of home ctched-PC-board fabrication as
Doard using the piggyback technique opened by removing the top cap (pliers may
described by Doug
requiring "messy chemicals." Chemicals
DeMaw. See text.
be necessary in some cases). Most of these aren't messy, but the people who use them
pens can be used for circuit-board fabri- may be! Kooert J, Orabowski. WSTKP,
cation wi'hout ihe solvent-addition treat- Rtt 1. Box 388. OzarK, AH 72949
ETCH-RESIST PENS FOR HOME-
ment just described.
MADE CIRCUIT BOARDS For builders who do not have easy access
3 Because I've been fabricating :ircuit to an art supply store, I recommend ihe
boards at horn? for some time, Doug 0.4-mm, eMra-finc-point version of
DeMaw's circu.t-board article* was of Sanford's1 Sharpie* marker. This model
'
1
QRP Classics 19
From February 1988 QST, p 14:
docsn'i lake long for prospective nected in scries to form a 6-V battery-
Ithams discover thai there's much
to power the Neophyte. Current drain is about
more excitement in hearing ical signals 10 mA at low audio-output levels.
than listening to "canned" code from a Fig shows the schematic diagram of the
I
tape or computer program. After all, 600 Hz below3737.0 kHz, to receive ihe Neophyte. If you'd like to learn the func-
getting on the air and working with real same signal at a 600-Hz pitch.) and AM tion of each component in the schematic,
radio is the object of getting an Amateur SSB signals are received by tuning Ihe see the sidebar, "Signal Flow in ihe
Radio license! Here is a simple 80- or Neophyte's LO to zero beat zero fre- — Neophyte." You needn't wade through
40-meter receiver thai can bridge the gap quency difference— with the incoming signal flow, however, if you jusl want to
between a code-practice machine and your carrier (or suppressed carrier, in the case do what we're going to do next: build the
first by giving you on-thc-air
transceiver of SSB signals). The Neophyie converts the Neophyte.
Ustemrig experience. Dubbed the Neophyte, modulation on these signals to audio.
The Neophyte does its D-C job With just Ituilding The Neophyle
it'sbeen designed with the needs of the
neophyte (beginner) in mind, but will find two a:livc devices, both of which are ICs. Fig 2 shows a rear view of ihe Neophyte.
favor with long-lime hams as wll —
Thr rrrrivrr'i front end the RF-handling Most of the receiver's components are con-
The Neophvte uses two ICs to receive circuitry from the antenna to the mixer, tained on the circuit board. Fig 3 shows the
CW, SSB ard AM signals in (he 3.5-4.0 or —
inclusive consists of a Signetics NE602N etching pattern for the board; parts place-
7,0-7.3 MHz ham bands. It's battery- mixer/ oscillator 1C. Ths NE602's 8-pin ment is shown in Fig 4A. The Neophyte's
powered, and most of its circuitry fits on miniOIP ( win/at u re tfual rnhne package) "cabinet" consist; of a 4W- x S'^-inch
a circuit board just 1-7/8 x 2-5/8 inches contains bipolar-tranststrr LO and doubly piece of '4 -inch-thick pine (base) ard a
The Neophyte's frequency stability
in size. balanced mixer stages, and a voltage- 4- x 8 '/i -inch piece of '/a -inch-thick
allows copy of SSB and signals for CW regulator circuit. The miser circuitry' pro- particle board, plywood or similar material
Hours without rcLuning, and it's sensitive vides 20 dB at conversion gain. This means (from panel). Tlic Ud>c ca.il be Maiitcd Ol
enough to detect signals of less than 0.5 that the power of an incoming signal is painted as desired; alternatively, a metal or
microvolt a its antenna terminals. amplified 100 times as the signal is con- plastic cabinet can be used to house the
vened lo audio by the NE602's mixer Neophyte, if desired.
How ihe Receiver Hears and LO.
The other active device in the Neophyte Components
The Neophyte is a direct-eon version
<D-C) receiver. A D-C receiver converts is a National Semiconductor LM3S6N-i Ahhough no exotic electronic parlsare
jadio signals directly to audio by mixing the audio amplifier IC. also contained in an many of ihe Neophyte's pam are
required,
incoming signal with a local oscillator (LO) 8-pin rnini-DIP. This IC provides 46 dB not available at the corner Ralio
operating vary close frcqucicy to the
in {power gain, 40,000) of audio amplification Shack" store. Tl and T2 are 10.7-MHz IF
incoming signal. The mixing process has to drive headphones or dn a quiet room) transformers with a 7:1 turns ratio; hey
*his effect: Whenever the LO is tuned so W
a 2 -Inch speaker. Four "C" cells, con- have green-colored cores. Other trans-
1 hat the frequency difference between it formers (with different turns ratios) were
and an incoming radio signal is in the audio tried, bui receiver performance suffered.
—
range a fe* hundred to a few thousand Capacitors C7-CII should be NP0. poly-
hertz for asoblc CW, SSB nnd AM Table 1 siyreiif or silver rr.iea units for good fre-
reception— the frequency difference Neophyte Capacitor Values for quency stability. At this point, you should
appears at ihe mixer output as an audio 80 and 40 Meiers decide what band you'd tike your Neophyte
signal. Example: For an inconvng Novice to cover. The values of C7-CI 1 depend on
Band CI C7.C8 C9 C10 C11
CW signal operating at 3737.0 kHz. setting
BO m 330 1000 -470 270 120
the band you choose (see Table 1). For
the Ncophyic's LO to 3737.6 kHz. (a dif-
40 m not used 330 120 68 150
details on the differences between the 80-
ference of 0.6 kHz, or 600 Hz) will allow and 40-meter versions, study the sidebar,
All capacitances arein pF (1000 pF
you to hear that CW dots and
signal as 0.001 P F). Cl is disc ceiairric; C7-C11 ate
"Building the Neophyle for 40 Meters." In
dashes at a nOO-Hz pitch. (You could also NP0. polystyrene or silver mica uniis. the rest of his discussion. I'll concentrate
i
set the Neophyte's LO to 3736.4 kHz, on ihe construction, testing and adjusineni
QRP Classics 20
itlT
>
3ti&>
^^
35 on Tbil*
L -1- -
Fig l —SchemaJc of ihe Neophyle re c capacitors shown below, but not listed in Table 1 may be monolithic or disc units:
.
on the PC boarJ (see Fig 4). For 40-meler operation, Ihe oscillator circuit is modified slightly, as shown at 8. See te>t and the sidebar.
Building the Neophyle lor 40 Male s. Pans kits are available irom Pennies Electronics; see Note 2.
BT1-6 V battey (four "G" cells coinected C12—365-pF. air-dielectric variable (Mouser —
JE Closed-circuit phcne jack, 1/8-inch.
in series).
Ci— Ceramic. This capacitor is
524-AL227, Circuil Spocialioto A1-227 or —
LSI 3-D speaker, Qiam 2Vs inches
not used, equiv). See text. (Mouser 25SP024 or equiv).
or changed in value, for 40-meler
is CI4. C16, C17— 0.1-^F polyester film or Ri— 1-kfl audio-taper potentiometer with
operation-see "Building the NeoDhyte ceramic. SPST switch (Mouser 31VM301 or
far 40 Meters." C18— IOC-/iF aluminum electolyiic. equiv).
C2, C5, C13, C15-0.047-/.F polyester film 10-25 V. Si— SPST switch mounted on R1.
or ceramic. (C.01 pF also suitable for C2 Cl9 — <17C-«F aluminum electrslytic. T1. T2— 10.7-MHz IF transformer. 7:1 turns
and C5>. 10-25 v. ratio, green core (Mouser 42IF123 or
C3, C6. C20— ID-^F aluminum elecfolytic, D1—1-A. 50-PIV silicon diode (1N4001 equiv). See test.
10 in PR V
C4— Two-section
suitable). U* —Gignelics NEG02N mixer/oscillalur tC
polyelhy le ne-die lectrlc
, J1— Two-position terminal strip (Mouser I
Arrow Electronics 9778CA2).
variable: sections 59.2 and 141.6 dF 534-41E3, Radio Shack 274-663 or U2-National Semiconductor LM386N-1
(Mouser 24TR222 or equiv). See text. equiv). audio-amplifier IC.
C7-I1-See Table 1.
QRP Classics 21
About the NE602 Mlxer/Osclllator IC
The Signetics NE602 (SA602 for
operaticn over a wider temperature
range) is an IC ot interest to builders
and designers of low-power communi-
cations gear, particularly where low
power consumption (as during battery
operation) is important. Fig A shows
its equivalent circuit. The '302
1
eilher size.
RF PEAK capacitor C4 is a two-section,
plastic-dielectric variable. Similar capacitors
arc commonly used in small, portable
radios. The unit specified for G4 in th? parts
QRP Classics 22
I*- 1 INCH -*|
metric screw into C4 can destroy the capa- firms may have minimum nider require- a template by pushing a piece of
drilling
citor. (By the way, don't be tempted to use ments or small-order service charges. paper down
over the capacitor shaft. The
one of these inexpensive plastic capacitors shaft punches through (he paper, marking
for C12, the tuning capacitor. You would Conslruc/hn the position of ihe hole for the reduction-
be disappointed with ihe tuning drift (hat Building the cabinet and mounting drive bushing. Next, held the paper against
occurs as the capacitor's dielectric sheets controls and mechanical components is the the capacitor frame and use a pencil point
settle each time you tune the receiver.) greater pan of contructing the Neophyte, so to punch holes in the paper corresponding
In general, it's best not lo attempt parts do this jd> first! Mounting the tuning to the mouming-scicv. Iiulcs in die capaci-
substitutions. By using the specified parts, capacitor End reduction drive to the panel tor frame. Instant drilling template! The
you stand (he bes: chance of being rewarded is the most ti mc-consuming pan of construc- bushing hole shown in Fig 5, 7/8 inch in
with a receiver that works correctly tj-e first tion. The panel hole for the tecuci ion-drive -diameter! leaves just cnaugh panel material
time it's turned on. Etched and drilled PC bushing must be large enough o allow rota- to hold the countersunk holes for the three
boards, and complete parts kits, are tion of the bushing and its set screw, but no. 6-32 capacitor mounting screws. The
available from Penniek Electronics.2 The small enough to leave enough material to bes' technique is to enlarge the bushing hole
Appendix shows the addresses of parts dis- pass and hold the flat head screws used to last, widening it only enough to pass the
tributorsIf you'd rather order direct Trom mount the tuning capacitor (see i-ig >).
:hem. Note, however, that some of these The best way to mark these holes is to make
GRP Classics 23
—
W-inch jack here. tion.) Set the gain control no higher than
"Ihe antenna connectors (J I A and JIB In necessary fur suliil icccption; this reduces
Fig are part of a two-position terminal
I) the likelihood of detector overload. This
mounted tc the receiver base
strip; this is practice also lengthens battery life because
by rreans of standoffs and screws. Radio U2 draws more energy from the battery as
Shac< push-button speaker terminals would the receiver outpu increases. Battery life,
be a good substitute here. The battery holder longest when hcacphones are used in place
isa 4-*'C"-cell holder from Mouser or of the speaker, can exceed 300 hours when
Radio Shack. fresh alkaline Cells are used!
Solder the components to the circuit
Summary
boari, being careful to observe capacitor
polarity and 1C orientation. (1 recommend 1 welcome your comments and questions
that iou use IC sockets insiead of soldering on the Neophyie— please include an SASB
the ICs directly to the board.) After you've if you expect a reply. Several Neophytes
soldered the component* to the board, cut have been built us.ng different construction
off excess wire. Check carefully for solder techniques. All perform flawlessly. The
Fig 5— Detail ol Ihe mounting holes lor the
tumiwo caparitor, C12. The holes am bridges hpmwn rirrnii-biard traces, proper Neophvtc usually can hear any signal audi-
countersunk to keep the screw heads (lush electrolytic capacitor polarity, and correct ble on a typical ham transceiver, lis »e!ee-
with the panel surface, allowing the orientation of Dl. Ul and U2. If all looks tivity is adequate for band scans and casual
reduction drive to be mounted flat to the well, wire the board into the rest of the listening, and it's an excellent project for
panel. See 'ext.
schools, harn-rad.o classes, beginners and
receiver.As shown in Fig 2, use twisted-pair
wirirg for connections toC4, J], J2 and R I. old-timers. In short, the Neophyte is fun!
rcduclion-crive bushing and its set screw— The capacitor specified for C4 has three APPENDIX
after the capacitor mounting screw holes terminals. Fig 4B shows how to wire these
Paris for the Neophyte arc available from i com-
have lieen drilled. for connection to the circuit board.
bination of Ihcsc lources, and from Penntek
Mounting the Neophyte's tuning When you've completed all connections,
Electronics (sec Note 2):
capacitor to the front panel as just mount the board to the cabinet base by
Arrow Electronics Mousct Electronics
described provides good mechanical means of screws and spacers. Next, we'll
25HubDr 2401 HwyZSTN
stability. If you use a capacitor other than align and test the Neophyte.
Melville, NY 1 174? Mansfield. TX76063
the one shown in the pans list for C12, tel 800-932-7769 K 817-t83-4422
|
CI2, moun it to the panel rather than the (Note: You can use a regulated dc supply Mouser Electronic;
base, if possible. in place of the batteries if you wish, but do 1433 Woodside Ave
1
Tlte specified speaker requires a 2-inch not apply more than SYtO the receiver, Samcc, CA 92071
or you'll damage the ICs.) Install a milliam- tel 619-449-2222
hole (or a field of W-incJi holes 2 inches in
diameter). A small piece of wire screen or meter or digital multimeter (DMM) in Notes
grille cloth between panel and speaker can series with tlte batterici. and turn on the 'Mnnsnr Ftpetrnnidfi carries 1 W»- and 2-inch
be used to protect the speaker cone. {This receiver. If the meter indicates less than reduction drives as part nos. 45KN10O and
is especially important if you mount the 15 nA, all's well so far. 556-S50. respectively. Radiokit carries a
Adjust the tuning capacitor almost to 2-inch drive as pan no. S-50. See the
speaker behind a single large hole.) The
Appendix for ire addresses ol these firms.
speaker is attached to the pan;I with clips min.mum capacitance (plates just short of
'Circuit boards and parts kits lor the
designed for this purpose (Mouser Elec- fully unmeshed). Connect a signal
Neophyte receiver are available from
tronics 48SC004-); hot-melt glue or epoxy generator to the antenna terminals and Penntek Electronics, 14 Peace Dr,
cement can be used insiead. A 3.5-mm or inject a 500-pV, 4-MHz signal into the Lewistown, PA 17044, tel 717-24E-2507.
/8-inch headphone jack is u«*d to allow
I Neophyte.' Turn the Neophyte's gain Prices are as follows: (1| An etched and
drilled PC boatd. S4.50; (2) all PC-board-
connection of inexpensive transisior radio control to maximum fully clockwise if i.
Microphonics, Hum, LO counlerclockwise) is at nine o'clock and pans lor the Neophyte, but who have Iroubte
finding a small-quantily source iof the
Radiation: Low to Absent min mumcapacitance is at three o'clock. Set
Signetics NE602N IC, can purchase the
the US PEAK capacitor nearly to minimum
in the Neophyte Nts- rrom Henntek Electronics tor $3.25
capacitance (almost fttlly clockwise; near postpaid. Add S3. SO for shipping and
Although the Neophyte is simple, two o'clock) and adjust Tl for maximum handling loall orders lor options l. 2 and 3.
itdoes not exhibit the drawbacks signal strength. Verify that the receiver tunes Pennsylvania residents, add sales tax to all
sometimes associated with D-C 3.54.0 MHz with a slight overt ravel at both orders. When ordering options 2 and 3. bo
receivers. Microphonics— unwanted sure to specify 80- or 40-meter operation.
end* of the range. Also check that the rf
noises that occur with vibration The ARRL and GSfin no way warrant this
PEAK control tunes through resonance at oiler.
when electronic parts unexpectedly
both ends of ihe band. 3 lf you don'i have access lo a signal cenera-
act like microphones— simply do not
exist wilh this receiver, and have I
Disconnect the signal generator from the tor, you maybe able to gone rate a test
Neophyie and connect a good antenna, signal by feeding a 4-MHz transmitter signal
not heard any hum. even when
into a dummy toad. Connect a short length ol
using an external power stpply. LO such as a dipole, to the receiver. As you
wire to ihe Neophyte's antenna terminal (J1 A)
radiation— sometimes a problem in tune the Neophyte acrcss the band, adjust
and bring the wire near the dumm/ load.
simple receivers using LOs at any the RF PEAK contro! for best signal Vary the spacirg between the wire end the
frequency— isn't a problem wilh the strength. (Don't expect ouistanding per- —
load or reduce the transmitter output
Neophyie: The measured LO level at formance with a clip-lead antenna!) If you until the transmitter signal is just strong
the receiver antenna terminals is don'i have a dipole. use a long random- enough to use. Ed. —
only 80 microvolts. wilc amentia. (Use of a random-wire Pot upUulcO supplier aOO'esoes. see Afin_ Porta
antenna also requires a ground connec- Supplier List in Chapter 2.
QRP Classics 24
—
A Band-Imaging CW Receiver
for 10 and 18 MHz
QRP Classics 25
.
15 MHI
10 OR IB MHI
10 18 *
M Hi e&wn-PRss filter
II MHI RF AMP
J T
° tO OR 18-MHr
rri LOW-PASS FiL"ER
LI L2
Flo 2 - Schematic ot iho RF smptitiers lor the band-imaging receiver. separate amplifier is used (or each band. The low- and band
A (Hers
aligned wilh Ihe aid ol a crystal-corn rolled marker generator; see text. Capacitors
are dec coramic unless uiier W .« nuimi. « doac hoi a
may be
marked wilh polarity ate electrolytic. All resistors are V*-W. 10^fc units unless otherwise noted.
Cl. C2. C4. C7 —
Silver mica, polystyrene or L1-L4 — Wound on Amidon T-S0-6 powdered- Ti — Transformer wound with no. 28
ceramic capacitor; see Table 1 (or values. iron toroid core or eqjiv All Inductors use onameled wire on Amidon FT -37-43 (ernte
C3. C5. C6 —
Ceiamic or mica compression 22 enameled mrc with one exception:
rvo. core or equiv. Primary (168 yH). 20
toroid
turns; secondary (6.7 ?H), 4 turns.
trimmer. Mouset Electronics ceramic For L2 at 10 MHz, use no. 24 enameled
trimmer 24AA067 (12-100 pFJ used 'or wire. Sew Table i lor number o1 turns. Zi —
Ferriie bead on Gate 2 lead of Ol.
100 pF; Mouser 24AA064 (5-45 pF) used lor 01 - 40673 dual-gate* WOSFET. Amidon FB-43-IOi or equiv.
MHz CI U C2 L2 C3 C4, C7 L3, L4 C5. Cfi 24-29). Measured selectivity of the proto-
680 29 100 17 100 type filter was 405 Hz at - 6 dB and 850 1
10 300 13
180 990 22 45 22 10 Hz - 60 dB, resulting in a -60dB/-6
at
Values lisled for capaolors are capacitance in pF. Values llsied lor Inductors a*e numbei ol turns of dB shape factor of 4.57. Insertion loss was
wiro required 2 dB, and pasiband ripple was less than
0.4 dB. As is characteristic of simpl: ladder
upper passband slope is
crystal fillers, the
receiver, the variable coupling capaciior RFC! The supply enj of the -kil Q2 ba<e
.
1 steeper. Because of this, the BFO nust be
between the two bias resistor is now connected directly to set on the upper side of the filter for best
(CI5 in Ch. 30. Fig. 12)
sections of the output filter is replaced by the 12-V dc line at the cold end of RFC single-signal reception. With the BFO set
three 12-pt* capacitors In series. Gain of mis Tnis removes [lie RF feedback present m to provide a 550 He beai nolo for signals
tie original circuit. Sjrprisingly, this feed- at IF center, rejection of the audio image
circuit i> 12 to 15 dB. depending on align-
ment and the characteristics of QL Band backless configuration results in better lit the proioiype receiver was 73 dB.
accomplished by switching RF and two -tone 3rd-order
sensitivity IMp Ultimate attenuation was 90 dB.
changing is
input, RF output and dc connections dynamic range than the unmodified circuit No filter adjustment is necessary, but it
4-MHz The original circuit, is important lhai you use ihe specified
between the 10- and 18-MHz amplifier affords at a IF.
intended for use at an IF of 9 MHz, did crystals if you intend to duplicate the posl-
boards via SI. a 3PDT toggle. Input and
mixcr-amplifier/pad/filter arrangement
output (I/O) impedances of each RF ampli- nat provide a comparable performance
even when the inductance of its 4:1 col- shown in Fig. 3. Substitutions at Yl-Yd will
fier bOi.rd arc 50 ohms.
lector transformer was scaled for 4 MHi. require filter capacitors of other than
Mixer, IF Filler and IF Amplifiers The post-mixer anplificr feeds a four- 300 pF, resulting in I/O impedftices of
See The band-imaging receiver
Fig. 3. a 6-dB pad. The I/O
crystal ladder filler via other than 200 ohms. Hayward states that
Mini-Circuits SBL-1 doubly impedances of the crystal filler are 200 the series-resonant frequencies of ihe four
uses a
ohms. Because this is a good match for the filter crystals must fall within a spread of
balanced diode-ring mixer (1) 1 ) followed by
a strong bipolar-transistor IF amplifier collector impedance of Q2. the step-down no more than lOTo of the desired 3-dB filter
(Q2),' This is the circuit used in the transformer in the original po<t-TTliv"r banrtwirffh. We chose to evaltate Ihe
with several amplifier circuit is not required. The performance of the filler in the more
K5IRK/W7ZOI receiver,
modifications. In the band-imaging 50-ohm 6-dB attenuator of ihe original popular terms of -60 and band- -6 dB
circuit has been scal:d to 200 ohms. This widths; ii follows that lO^o spread is too
rcccivct, the bifilar 4:1 collector trans-
former in the original design has been pad should not be -eplaced with one of generous wher; a given -6dB filler band-
replaced with a toroidal monofilar choke. lower attenuation: It assures a nonreactive width is the target. Experiments with
videbanU termination for Q2 and the various new and surplus 4-MH; micro-
crystal filter. Less attenuation here results processor-clod; crystals in the ARRL lab
NY in reduced IMD dynamic range, as con- showed llial ti c new International Crysial
'Mini-Circuits. PO Boy 166. Brcoklyn. 1 1235.
provided :he best
tel. 2l?-934-S500. firmed by lab tests. Mfg. (ICM) crystals
QRP Classics 26
performance overall. Shape factors ( 60 and ir GAIN control Rl. Receive!
resiitor
dB/-6 dB) for [he clock-crystal fillers muting is accomplishec by means of 03:
were rarel> less than 5. and soraeiimes more Grounding the ml Te terminal (center con-
than 6. I/O impedances were between 300 ductor at J2) applies maximum gain-
and 400 ohms. Several times, four crystals redtction voltage to U2. The supply vol-
within a suitably narrow frequency spread tage (nominally 2) appears across J2 with
1
could be found only by grading 10 or more the receiver unmuied; carrent through the
clock cryitals. Custom-ground crystals groinded MUTE line is 5 mA. IF output
- c awe offer the added advantage of resonating (7. * 50 ohms) is available at the secondary
te MHi
—within lolcrance, of course—rOH the QfTZ
frequency you specify. Their unit price is
higher, bui ihey come closest la guarantee- Local Oscillator
ing that your filter will perform as The schematic of ihe band- imaging
predicted. receiver LO is shown An M PF102
in Fig. 4.
Post-filter IF amplification is provided J FET, Q4, operates as a Colpitis oscillator.
by U2. an MCI3S0P video amplifier iC The oscillator signal k amplified by Q5, a
The 200-ohm between pins 4 and
resistor 40673 dual-gate MOSFET. Bandsprcad is
6 of U2. in. conjunction witr the 0.1 achieved by tapping the liming capacitor.
bypass capacitor at pin 6, terminates the C9. down on LO tank inductor L5. Tuning
Manual ^ain control
crystal filter output. rang; of the circuit is approximately 14.060
isachieved by applying a variable positive to 14.153 MHz. Air-dielectric trimmer C10
voltage to pin 5 of U2 through a 27-kfi shifts this range for diel calibration.
Fig.3 —
Schematic of the mixer, crystal 'Iter and IF amplifier stages of Ihe band-imaging receiver. Capacitors are disc ceramic unless
otherwise
noted. Capacitors rrarked with polarity are electrolytic. All resistors are tt-W, 10% units unless olherwiso noted
CB — 350-pF compassion trimmer (Arco 428 wire on Anidon FT-37-43 lerrlie toroid core Ul — Mini-Circuits SBL-t doubly balanced
or equiv). T2 — Transformer wound on Amidon T-68-1 dioce-ring mixer.
J2 — Phono jack. powered-ion toroid core, or equiv. Primary U3 — MC1350P video amplider IC.
02 - 2N3866 or 2N5109. Use a small heat (12.9 (iH): 36 lurns no. 26 enamaled wire. Yl -Y4 — 4.000000-MHz custom-etched
sink on (his transistor. center-lapped; secondary (0.9 P H): 3 lurns crystal. 2G e C calibration temperature, grade
03 — 2N3906. no. 26 enameled wire over center of CS-l (O.OOlHh rnlAranra). F-700 holder,
H1 — I0-M1 iinoar potentiometer. primary. series resonant. Iniemaiionai Crystal Mfa
RFC1 — 95 ^H; 15 lurns no. 24 enameled Co type 433340. See text.
QRP Classics 27
1 —
OSClLLflTO" US
LM3I7L
o-i Mprio:
0*-'2 V
Fig a —
Schematic ol Hie banJ-imaglng receiver LO and buffer circuil. Capacitors arc disc ceramic unless otherwise noted. Capacitors marked
with polarity ate eleclrolytic All resistors are jfcWi Wto units unless olhG-wise noted. Al A. an LM317L atljuslable regulator is user! at U3. The
insol at E showc connections (or a« 78L07 regulator al U3. For best stability, use only NP0 (C03) capacitors in the crcuitry associated witn the
gate and source leads ol 04 Space L5 by al least its diameter Irom other components and the LO shield box. See lext and Fig. 9
C9 —
50-pF air variable (Jackson Dros Qi - MPF102 JFET. Primary (50 nHf, 1 1 turns no . 26 enameled
4667-50 or equiv). 05 — 40673 dual-gale MOSFET. wire. Secondar/ (3.8 (.HJ: 3 lums no. 26
C10 — 7 -pF air trimmer (Johnson 189-506-5
> HFC2 - 39 ,.H: Milter 70FM5AI. or 24 turns enameled wire.
or equiv) no. 26 enameled wire on Amidon FT-50-61 U3 - Voltage regulator, LM317LH, LM317LZ
L5 — 1.4 ^H: 1 1 turns no. 22 Mined wire. 24 ferrito torold core. or (with circuit changes shown at inset B)
lurns per >nch (Barker a Wlllainsori 3038 TS _
Transformer wound on Amidon 78L07.
Miniducto:) Tap al 2 or 3 turns liom F7-37-13 ferrite lorosd core or equiv. 22 —
Ferntc oeao on Gate 2 it-ad or C2.
ground end See text and Fins B and SB. Amirtnn FR-43-int nr nqiiiv
Despite The relatively high LO operating parts list for Fig. 6 specifies a 'Vind-it- and a rear-panel phono connector. J5. J4
frequency, stability is good. Measured drift yourself" toroidal choke for RFC3; pi- is wired to accept stereo headphones;
of the pcini-io-rwint-wircd prototype oscil- WoUnd Chokes tried here were prone to monaural phones may be used if inserted
lator was - 530 Hz in thc45-minuic period pickup of 60-Hz harnonicS. no farther than the first detent. The l-kft
after lum-on, -161) Hz of whi.li occurred in U6. an LM380N-*. serves as the AF resistor from the output lead to ground
the first ten minute*. Over :hc nevi three pewer amplifier. Its yjlpiit in connected to carves to charge Ufi's 470-/.F output
hours, this oscillator drifted approximately a front-panel stereo headphone jack, J4, coupling capacitor at powcr-up if j hcad-
-20 Hz. Stability was even better with the
circuit rebuilt on an etched circuit board:
Drift for the ten minutes after turn-on was BFO
only - 256 Hz. The key 10 litis stability is
the use of S'PO (COG) ceramic units fur all
fixed capacitors associated with the eate
and source of Q4. Although silver-mica or
polystyrene capacitors mny be hiind-pickcd
lor low only NI'O capacitors offer
drift,
BFO
minimum drift "off the shelf." Oscillator O TO PPODUCT
DCTECTOft
stability is further improved by the use of * lOdBm
a three-terminal regulator In slahili/e Q4*s -950(1
drain supply, and by enclosing LO and (TO FIDe,U4,FmBl
buffer in a shield box. to slow the effect of
changes In ambient air temperature.
0*)2 V
BH>, Detector and Audio Stages
The K5IRK/W7ZOI ayital-eonirolled
BFO is used in this receiver with one
modification: The secondary of T4 in HCLPI AU NnOAIID. MDMM
VAL'JES or Ca«*CII*IICC *H£
Fig. 5 carries only RF and 110 tic, Y5 is an it. vi-jnor miaul * ,r j ot mC'<<9
Allt ir. I'iCO*A(IA|)$ii>F}
iniwpen'ivc 4-MH*: microprocessor clock rirr-ir.tiH^RiftRr in ohms.
Crystal. Every .such crystal we tried worked
I - ItKO
QRP Classics 28
iF OWPllFFfl
O- '2 V
B*0 INPUT
I FH3M HOS, Ml
L>CLPi t;ivinc6f to. nti:iv*i
vaiuCS OFCAPAfPAfjCF .
l^vCHOf.ftAMI.F t OTt-
-HI trj "icoranao? i p« I.
SiDETONE IfjPuT PESVTMUBG "< awns.
X O.t V P-P >. ICOO
T : TAHTALUM
Fig. — Schematic ot the product detector and audio ampli'iers lor the band-imaging receiver. Capacitors are disc ceramic unless otherwise
6
marked wilh polarity are electrolytic. All resistors are 'A-W, tO^e units unless otherwise noted.
noted. Capacitors
J5 — Phono jack.
.'3. RFC3 — l-mH RF choke turns no. 30
-
3>i dode-nng mixer.
j4 — Stereo headphone jack. enameled) wire on Amidon FT-37-72 U5 — NE5534 low-noiso audio op amp.
torrite
R2, R3 — 10 kn audio-taper potentiometer IQroid care or equiv. U6 - LM380N-S audio pawer amp.
UA — Mim-Ctrcuit5 5BI.-I doubly balanced
QRP Classics 29
VrO ClPGUIt
77ZZZZZZ
RADiALLT AW iOlDEf
£2
T7
i.o sweio
HO*
BETMCi ip
M miE*
10 CIO
- 1 'UH'I
HP
(S« Tf«TI
BAHSO or « SHOWNI
QRP Classics 30
)
your receiver's tun- providing .0-kHz markers. Eqjip 1 lie coax- the shield-box bottom with Duco* (or
1
fixed capacitors in the LO tuned crcuit. test cable terminated with alligator clips. RF amplifiers. Install the 10-MHz RF
Don't spend time now on setting the 1 .0 Detector/audio amplifier ord BFO. The amplifier in the receiver, and solder a
tuning range; tliat comes later. audio amplifiers require no adjustment. 5 1-ohm resistor from th: center conductor
6c) Once LO performance has been Align the BFO as follows: Without con- of Jl to ground. Connect the crystal
verified, disconnect C9, CIO. 1.5 and the necting the BFO to the detec:or, connect calibrator, set for 10-kHz markers, to .11.
fixed] tuned -cirtu it capacitor from the a 51 -ohm resistor across the secondary of Set the band switch to io MHz. Tune in a
LO/buffer board. Install the board ir.io the T4. Set CM
(FREQ ADJ) and C12 (OUTPUT marker near the center of the tuning; range
LO shield box. TUNE) to nidrangc. Apply 1 2 V dc to the and adjust C3 for maximum signal. Tune
7) Install ClO Hat to the shield ho>: floor BFO. Set tie test receiver for CW reception in the lowest marker in the range; adjust
by soldering dovn its xotor tab. Be sure to at 4000 kHz and attach the shield clip of C5 for maximum signal. Tune in Uic highest
allow clearance for C9. Bend the ClOstator [ts testcab e to the BFO groun.l Toil. Leave marker in the range; adjust C6
for maxi-
tab tip to clear ihe box bottom. Connect the center- conductor clip unconnected. mum signal. Because the C5 and C6 adjust-
l III io the LO/buffer circuit board with rSe.M, tune in the BFO on tlicicst receiver. ments interlock somevhot, repeat them
tinned no. 18 solid wire. Solder L5 into the Adjust CI2 for maximum received signal several times for good measure. Now, install
circuit; it will be cemented to the bot floor as indicated by the test receiver S-mctcr. the 18-MHz RF amplifier board and repeat
:
8) Bolt the LO into the diecasi box. mately 4000.5 kHz. This completes align- center), C5 (at the lowest marker) and 66
Loosely mount C9 in the from side of the meni of the BFO for now. Remove the (at ihe highest marker). This completes
LO box. Slide the from LO box sice into 5 1 -ohm reiistor from the T4 secondary and alignment of the RF amplifier boards.
slace. and time, slide the C9
at ths same connect the BFO to the detector with Anti-backlash adjustment. Willi luck,
shaft into the reduction-drive coupler to RG-174 cable. the tuning control will turn freely and
about l/l6inchshort of full insertion. Do Mixer, filter and IF amplifier. The IF require the same input torque across the
not tape the LO box from into place as amplifier requires only one adjustment: tuning range. Backlash should be imper-
before. With 12 V applied to the mixer/filter/ IF ceptible throughout the range. If backlash
amplifier board and later stages, adjust C8, is present, try loosening the reduction -drive
9) Adjust the tcduccion drive to bring its
coupler worm screws to approxima ely 10 IF TUNE, for maximum noise in the speaker coupler screws and tightening them again.
and 2 o'clock. Set C9 to maximum or headphones. Backlash in the ARRL lab version of this
rapacimnce without disturbing the reduc- Local oscillator ratline range. Connect receiver was done away with by loosening
tion drive. Now, with C9 loose in its ihe LO output cable to the mixer, and and retightcning the hiring capacitor in its
mounting hole, lighten the worm screws in apply 12 V to the LO. Tune C9 to the low mounting hole, and by slipping the
the reduction-drive coupler. end of its range, and set the test receiver tuning capacitor several degrees to one
10) Tighten C9 to the front of the LO to 14.060 MHz. Connect tie test cable side in the drive coupling sleeve before
shield box. shield clip to the LO box, but leave the retightcning the coupler worm screws.
center-conductor clip unconnected. Adjust Dial calibration. Calibrate the tuning dial
L) Using the reduction drive, turn C9
I
back and forth through its range several CIO until you hear the in the test LO after ihe tuning range his been set and any
times to settle the LO box front into receiver, he aire that the unconnected i<"»t- baft lash has hncn ironed out. In the model
position. Depending on how tiglv.ly the cable lead is far enough from ihe LO tuned shown in Fig. 1, calibration of the 10- and
front is held in place by the LO bo> sides. circuit to rave no effect on the LO frequen- 18-MHz TUNING scales differs by the width
YOU may need to push be sides apart slight-
t
cy. Set the test receiver to 14.155 MHz. of £ dial marking. The left edge of each
ly to free the frcni piece. By eye, th; front
Tune the LO upward in frequ ency until you mark is used during 18-MHz tuning
of the LO box should appear parallel to the hear it in the test receiver. With luck, the (IS MHz L); the right edge is used during
front of the diecast box. If all looks well, TUNING capacitor will be nearly at mini- 10-MHz reception (10 MHz R>. Calibration
12) Solder ihe front side of the LO box mum capscitance. Depending on the exact of the full TUNING capacitor rotation
value;. Of the capacitors in the Q4 gate 180* for each band) would mufce this
£3<KJ*i
into position.
circuitry, "towever, your LO may not have unnecessary, but one band would tunc
Final luning-nnge and ami-backlash enough lining range, requiring thai you "backward" relative lo the other.
adjustments will be m ade during alignment search downward for it with the lest
cuit ry. of the tuning capacitor, so adjust it care- (20 kHz spacing), 90.0 dB; blocking
fully.With experimentation, you should be dynamic range, 131 dB; image rejection,
Alignment able to achieve a tuning range of between 82 dB. With a signal lulled in on the
Test equipment necessary for aligning the 90 and 150 kHz. Remember thai you'll 10-MHz band, droppirg the receiver three
band-imaging receiver is a 51 -ohm resistor, need to make your final band-edge adjust- inches to the operating table produced no
a receiver capable of CW
reception at ment after installation of the LO box cover; discernible shift in the pitch of the received
14.0-14.2 MHz and 4 MHz ± kHz with 1 be sure tc provide a hole in :hc cover for signal. Maximum audio output was 0.66 w
an S-meter and frequency display resolu- this purpose, but leave the cover off for into an 8.2-0. test load. Current drain at 12
tion of I kHz or greater, and a crysral- now. After you have set trie LO tuning V cc was 95.1 mA with no inpul signal,
cont rolled marker generator capable of range, cement the base of each L5 pillar lo 220 mA at maximum audio output.
3RP Classics 31
From June 1976 QST, p 27:
A.
unleashes
„ you
its
slave
fury like
to a receiver which
a many-headed
live QST
three-pole
article,
3
Cohn
where he employed a
filter with a *t-dB inser-
tion loss. In 'his example the high-Q
monster in the presence of strong sig-
got . . .
bu: are useful in making accurate mea-
dynamic range. At least jne amateur surement* (ft, I?. rai 18 dB) of signal difficult to obtain performance equal to
that ol a commercial mixer.
(W7ZOI) has emphasized the need for levsls during on-the-a.r experiments wjt|i
In discussing this circuit with Hay-
careful attention to these matters. Rea- other stations (antennas, amplifiers and
ward (W7Z01), he suggested that I
sonable immunity to front-end collapse such). Also, FL2, a fixed-tuned 1.8- to
include a diplexer at the mixer output
is not expensive or difficult to achieve. 2-MHz band pass filter, need not be
(LI 3 and the related .002-^F capaci-
The" results are measured easily in terms included ifthe operator is willing to
tors). The addition was worthwhile, as it
of operating convenience and clean re- re-peak the three-pjlc tracking Bjtei
provided an improvement in the noise
ception. (FLl) when tuning about in the band
floor and IMD characteristics of the
The fixed-tuned filter is my preference
Front-Er.d Features receiver. The d:plexer works in ccmbina-
when the down converters are in use.
The benefits obtained from a highly tion with matching network L14, a
Although the circuit trsated here is
selective tunable filter like FLl arc seen low-pass L-iype circuit. The diplexer is a
for a one-band receiver (1.8 to 2.0
when strong signals Ere elsewhere in (or high-pass network which permits the
MHz), the design procedures are appli-
near) the 160-meter band. The rejection 56-ohm tcrmir.ating resistor to be seen
characteristics can be seen in Fig- 2. by the mixer without degrading the
Insertion loss was set at 5 dB in order to 455-kHz i-f. The low-pass portion of the
diplcMJi helps reject ail Frequencies
narrow the (liter response. Part of the
circuit was inspired by Sabin's informa- above 455 kHz so that the post -mixer
'Footnoies appear at end o( article.
QRP Classics 32
1
C1A
ATTENUATORS
-6<tB -I2d8
HF
SM.-SILVER MICA
. 18 y 1"
o
TO 100 -»hr
CALIBRATOR
E»CCPT AS INDICATED. OEtlMAL (MT —
WUJES OF CAPACITANCE *BE 1 -A LT L9
IN MICROFARADS l„FI 0TH£R5
\
= ig. 1 - Schematic diagram ot the receiver Iron tend. Fixed -value are 1/2-W composition . All slug-tuned inductors are contained
i3Dacitor5 are diik ceramic unless otherwise not ed- Resistors in individual shield cans wiich are grounded.
CI — Trwee-section variable,
100 pF pe- L7. L9 - 13-pH slug-tuned Inductor IJ. w. U. W. Miller 90561.
secuon. MoGet used here obtained as Miller 90521. L15 - 1.3- to 3.0-mH, slug-tuned inductor
surplus. L8 - 38C-aiH slug-tuned inductor iJ. W (J. W. Miller 90591-
J1 — SO-239. Miller 90571. QI, Q2. Q3 -
Motorola JFET.
2 — Phono jack. L10 - 16 turns No. 30 enam. wire over L1 HFC1 -
2.7-mH miniature choke (J. W.
LI. L4-38 to S8*iH, Q„ of 175 ai 1.8 winding. Miller 70F273AI).
slug-tuned (J. W. Milter 43A685CBI
MHz, L11 -45 lurns No. 30 enam. wire on (1FC2 - 10-mH miniature choke (J. IfV.
in Miller S-74 shield canl. Amidon T-50-2 toroid, 8.5 |iH. Miller 70F102AI).
L2. L3 -95
to 187 jiH, Q„ ol 175 el 1-8 L12 - 43-*iH slug-iuned inductor. Q„ ot 50 SI —
Three-pole, two-position phenolic
W. 43A154CBI at 1 .8 MHi. IJ. W. Miller £054)- wafer switch.
MHz. slug tuned |J. Miller
m S-74 shiek canl. L13 - 8-7-tiH toroidal inductor. 12 turns S2, S3 - Two-pole, double-throw miniature
No. 2S enam. wire on Amidon FT-37-61
L.5. L6 - 1.45-yH toroid inductor, Ou of toggle.
d$0 ai 1.8 MH/. Inrnia core. U1 - Mini-CircuiM Lobs. CnA-l-1 doubly
IB lurns No. 26 enam. wire on Atnidon LI 4 - i;p- to 280-/JH, slug-iuned inductor Qucn,,n Rd"
T-50-2 toroic. For updated supplier address, sea ARHL Paris vaszaHssp*
Supplier List in Chapier 2.
amplifier receives only the desired infur- tcristic mpedance of 2000 ohms. The of the local oscillator
arc essential traits
maJion. The high-pass section of the terminations are built into the filters. in a The requirements
quality receiver.
diplexer starts rolling off ai 1 .2 A Gain distribution to the mixer is held are met by the circiit of Fig. 3. Within
reactance of 66 ohms was chosen to to near unity in the interest of good th* capabilities of the ARRL lab mea-
permit use of standard-value capacitors IMD peiformance. The preamplifier gain suring procedures, it was determined
in ihe \ow-Q network. is approximately 25 dli. The choice was tint VFO noise was it least 90 dB below
A pair of source -coupled JFKTs is made to compensate for the relatively fundamental output. Furthermore, sta-
used in the post-mixer i-f preamplifier. high insertion loss of the mechanical bility at 25 C ambient temperature was
The 10,000-ol.m gate resistor of Q2 sets filters - 10 dli. Without the high gain of su:h that no drift could be measured
the transfornntion ratio of the L net- Q2 and Q3 there would te a deteriora- from a cold stait to i period three hnurs
work 200:1 (50H to 10 ktt). An I later. Mechanical stability is excellent:
at tion in noise figure.
network is used to couple the preamp- Several sharp blows to die VFO sliield
Local Oscillator box caused no discernable shift in a cw
lifier to a dioce-switched pair of Collins
mechanical filters which have a charac- A low noise floor and good stability beat note while the 400-Hz i-f filter was
QRP Classics 33
.
Performance Notes
The remainder of the receiver circuit
wil. be discussed in Part 2 of this article.
know Considerable joocc 'cmoins boiOolh the chas-
However, the reader ;nay want to
sis (or ihe addition ol accessory circuit: Of a
just how Eminence performs,
well His
set ol down converters. At the upper left are
and how compare ic
the characteristics the adjustment screws lor the tunable filter,
Fig. 2 — Response curve ol the tunable
these of some modern commercial re- plus the bottom-oiupling toroids. At HW toft
front-end filter, centered on i$ MHz.
fit:ing that the high center is the fixed-tuned (rom-ond fitter. To
ceivers. It seems
(he right is Ihe rf-jmpliiier module. A 100-
points be covered in Part 1 kHz MFJ Enterprises calibrator is seen at the
The tuning range of the receiver ii far lower loft. Inrnediateiy to its right is the
actuated. VFO amplifier Q14 is designed 200 kHz. This means that for use with mixer/amplifier assembly. The large beard at
converters the builder will have to satis- the lower cenier contains the i-f fitters ino"
10 provide the recommended f-7-dBm post-filter amplifier. Most ol the amplifier
fy himself with either the cw or the ssl:
mixer injection. Furthermore, the out- componems have been tacked beneath the pc
band segment. The alternatives are Ic
board because of design changes which oc-
put pi lank of QI4 is of 50 ohms
increase the local oscillator tuning range curred during development.
characteristic impedance. Though not of
to 500 kHz, or use a multiplicity of
special significance in this application,
converters to cover the cw and ssb
the measured harmonic output across 50
portions of each hand. Because 160
ohms is -36 dB at the secor.d order, and DXin£ nVf away from ihe
meters is my primaiy band for was situated.>
ORP Classics 34
: i - Scnemancdiagram oMne filter and posi-tiiter amplifier. Gapaciiors are disk ceramic, aeslsiofs are I /2-W composition.
"-CR5, -High-speed
«ncl. silicon switch- RFC3-RFC'0, ind. - 10-rnH mniaiure rl S4 - Doublc-polc. double-throw toggle or
-g diode, 1N914A. Choke 0, W. Miller 70F102.01). wafer.
.3 - Collins mechanical filler F455FD-04 ft7 - Pc-bcard control, lO.OOO ohms, linear T1 - Miniature 455-kHz i-f Transformer
: _- - Co«tins mechanical filler F455FD-25. 0. W. Miller 2067, 3C.000 to 500 ohms*.
-10 dB
455 kHi
8W=40OH: EXCEPT AS INDICATED, GECIM1L VALUES OF
CAPlCITAMCC ARE IN MICP0F1BA05 I >F > ;
OTMtRS ARE IN PICOFARADS I pF M*i\ W
RESISTANCES APE IM OHMS,
lil'SQO. M-lOCO 000,
O '0 AMP
02
l-F
-H!V
mine-d point greater lhan 123 dB above RECEIVEP IMD BLOCKING NOISE
the noise floor. The latler measurement TWO-TONE ABOVE NOISE FLOOR
is inconclusive because blocking did not
DYNAMIC FLOOn (dB) (-dBrn)
become manifest within the output
RANGE (dB/
W7ZOI Rev. from
capability of the model-SO generators OST March 1 974 955 123 141
used in the ARRL lab. The resultant W1CER Rc/r. from
receiver noise figure al 1.8 MHz is 13 QST June 1976 95.0 123* 135
Import 1 (modi ted
dll, which 13 more than adequate for ihc
1
QRP Classics 35
Pmm July ^976 QST, p 14:
i
A \ receiver system should be capa-
i-f serious shortcomings in sonic designs are ble with MCI5O0G ICs: They are the
ble of providing a specific gain, have an poor age (dicky, pumping, or inade- choice of many builders. However, the
acceptable noise figure, and respond quate range) and insufficient i-f gain. CA302SAS. eunt'.gured as differential
satisfactorilyto the applied age. This Because of my fringe lassitude an J amplifiers, will provide approximately
almost bionidic judgment is nut as trite an unwillingness to question past suc- 70 dB of gain per pair when operated at
as it may seem, for some designers use a cesses, elected to use a pair of RCA
I
455 kHz. This givis an age characieristie
haphazard ipproach to this part of a CA302SA ICs iii the i-f strip. Somewhat from maximum gain to full cutoff
receiving system. Two of the more greater t-f gain and age range are possi- which is eulliely acceptable for nosl
amateur work.
Fig. 5 shows the i-f amplifiers, prod-
uct detector, anc Varicap-tuncd BFO.
Transformer coupling is used between
Top-chassis vcw of the receiver. The R-C active filter and audio preamplifier are built on ihe U2 and U3. and also between U3 and
pc board at itie left. To the light is the BFO moduli; in a shield bo*. Tie age circuit is
upper the product detector. The 6800-ohm
seen at the lower left, 3nd to its right is the i-f strip in a shield enclosure. The large shield box used across ihe primaries o"T2
resistors
at me upper center contains the Vf O. To Us right is the tunoDk* ironi-end Tilitfr. Tim Hiiec-
and T3 were chosen to force an Imped-
section variable cflp-acilor Is inside ihe rectangular shield box. The audio amplifier module is
seen at the lower right. The small board (mounted vertically} at the loft center contains the ance transformation which the tians-
product deietior. Homemade end brackets odd mechanical stability between the panel and formers can't by themselves provide
chassis and serve as- a support for the receiver lop cOver. Available Miller transformers with a
30 ,000 -ohm primary to 500-ohm
secondary characteristic are used. V2
and U3 have 10- and 22-ohm series
resistors in die signal lines. Those wer*
added to discourage vhf parasitic oscilla-
tions.
Age applicc to pin 7 of each IC.
is
Product Detector
A quad of IN914A diodes is used in
the product detector. Hot-carrier diodes
may be preferred by some, and :hey
may lead to slightly butler performance
than the silicon units 1 chose. A trifnar
broadband toroidal transformer, T4,
couples the i-f amplifier lo the detector
QRP Classics 36
K
t-F AMP
I
~ PROD DET
TO JSC AMP
-0(0-0. FIG «)
-55 KM.
POLY-POLfSTrBCt
OCEPT *S :
DCCIUIL
VJLLUCS D* CAPACITANCE B"C
in ui:"0'flBfl3*'i*t);crnEns
Fitj. 5 — Circuit ot the i-f amplifier. 8F0. and product detector. Capacitors are disk ceramic unless noted differently. Fixed-value resistors are
1/2'W composition. Oflstied lines show ihield enclosures. The BFO
and i-f circuits 3ro msiallod in separate shield boxes. The R-C active filter
and af prgamplifie' are tin o common circui t bOO'd. which is not shielded.
CH6-CR9, inci. - High-speed silicon, HI - 100,000-ohm linear-taper T2. T3 — 455-kH? i-( transformer. See
1M914A or Bqiilv. composiion control (panel mount!. text. (J. W.
Miller 2067
CR10 - Motorola MV-1 04 Varicap RFC11 - 2.5-mH miniature choice U. W. T4 - Trifilar broadband transformer. 15
tuning diode. Miller 70F253A1). trifitat turns of No. 26 enam. wire on
L16 — Nominal 640-«H slua-tuned RFC 12 - 0-mH miniature choke U. W. Amidon T-50-61 tornid core.
inductor (J. W Miller 90*571 Milter 70F1O2A1I. U2. U3 - RCA IC-
LIT — Nuniiiiul 00\uM iluijlgi'CiJ VR1 0.1 V. 1 W
Zcoef diode.
inductor (J. W Miller 90541. AHRL
For updaled supplier addr»ss. soo Paris
Supplier List in Chapter 2.
at a 50-ohm impedance level. BFO time three hours later. A Motorola difference amplifier. An FliT is used at
iiijCC liun is supplied at 0.7 V rms. MV-104 tuning diode paod at CRIO.
ir. QIO becauw it exhibits a high inpul
To vary the BFO frequency from impedance and will nol, therefore, load
BFO Circuit 453 to 457 kHz, the diode is subjected down the primary of T3 in Fir. 5. Ql is
In lowering the cost
llie inter.-st oi' to variou* amounts of hack. aias. applied direct coupled to R pnp transistor. Oil.
of Varicap (CR10 of Fig.
this project, a by means of Rl. Regulated voltage Assiming that Rs and R2 are treated as
5, is used to control ihe BFO fre- l.VRI) is applied tu the oscillator and u single resistance. Rs. the QIO/QII
quency. Had a conventional system tuning diude. gain determined as: Cain tdli) = 20
is
been utilized, lluee expensive crystals Q6 functions as a CUss A BFO log Rc * Rs. Control R2 has been
would have been needed to liandle arnplifler/buffcr. It contains a pl- included as part of Rs to permit adjust-
upper sideband, lower sideband and cw. neiwork output circuit and has a 50- ment of the age loop gain. Each oper-
The voltage -variable capacitoi inning ohm output characteristics The main ator may have a preference in this
method shown In Fig. 5 is satisfactory if purpose lit the amplifier stage is to regard. I have the age set so it is fully
the operator u willing to change the increase dve BFO injection power with- actuated at a signal-input level of 10 *iV.
operating frequency of the BFO wlien out loading down the oscillator. Age action commences at 0.2 uV (I dU
changing receive modes. Adjustment is otgain compression).
done by means of froni-panel control AGC Circuit Arc disabling is effected hy re-
Rl Maximum drift with this circuit was
. Fig. 6 Shows the age amplifier, recti- moving the operating voltage from QIO
measured as 5 Hz from a cnld start to a fier, dc iuurce follower, and op-amp and QI1 by means if S5. Manual i-f
ORP Classics 37
gain conltol is made possible by adjust- tanl feature ot a quality communica- in a similar manner, but performs the
ing R3 of Fig. 6. Age delay is approxi- tions receiver, I used a circuit containing signal "laundering" it audio rather than
mately 1 second. Longer or shorter discrete devices. The complimentary- at rf. The techniuue has one limitation
delay periods can be established by symmetry uutput transis.ors and the — monotony in listening to a fixed-
altering of the QI4 gate
the •'allies op-amp driver are configured in a man- frequency beat note, which is dictated
resistor and capacitor. Age amplifier ner similar to that used by Jung in his by the center frequency' uf the filter.
gain is variable from 6 to 40 dB by Op Amp Cookbook published by The R-C filter should be designed to
adjusting R2. The arrangement at 014 Howard Sams. Maximum output capa- have a peak frequen.-y which matches
and V4 was adapted from a design by bility is 3.5 W into an 8-ohm load. An the cw beat-note frequency preferred by
W7ZOI. Age action is smooth, and there 1..M-30IA driver was chosen because of the operator. That is. if the BFO is
is no evidence of clicks on the attack its low-noise protile. There has been no adjusted to provide an S00-Hz cw note,
during strong-signal periods. At no lime aural evidence of distortion at any signal llie center frequency of FL5 should also
has age "pumping" been observed. level while using the circuit of Fig. 7. be 800 Hz.
The game played in this si'ualion is one lixperience with FL5 in this receiver
Audio System of having considerably more audio has proved in many instances that weak
A uiujui failing uf muiiy icuivci,. b pvwci available lluin h e«l needed - a DX fciguub on. loo meters tuuid be
poor-quality £udio. For the most part rationale used in hi-fi work. elevated above the noise to a Q5 copy
litis malady s manifest as cross-over level, while without the filter solid cop/
distortion in the af-output amplifier.
R-C Active CW Filter was impossible. It should be stressed
Moreover, some receivers have marginal A worthwhile improvement in that high-£7 capacitors be used from C4
audio-power capability for normal room signal-to-noise ratio can be realized to C7, inclusive, to assure a sharp peak
volume when a loudspeaker is used. during weak-signal reception by employ- reiponse. Polystyrene capacitors satisfy
Some transformerless single-chip audio ing an R-C active bandpass filter. A the requirement. To ensure a well-
ICs (0.25- to 2-W class) exhibit a pro- two-pole version (FL5) is ihuwn in Fig. defined (minimum ripple) center frc-
hibitive distortion characteristic,
and 7. A peak frequency of 830 Hz results qtency, the capacitors should be match-
this is especially low signal
prominent at from the ft and C values given. ed closely in value (5 percent or less!.
levels. The unpleasant effect is one uf benefits of FL5 are similar to
The Resistors of 5-percent tolerance should
"fuzzincss" when listening tu low-level thosedsscribed by Hayward in his be employed in the circuit, where in-
signals. Unfortunately, external access "Compe tilion-Grade CW
Receiver" dicated in Fig. 7.
to the biasing circuit of such IC; is nut which was referenced earlier. He
article,
typical, owing to the unitized construc- used a second i-f filter (at the i-f strip Summary Comment.'
tion of the chips. output! to reduce wide-baud noise in A suitable frequency scheme fcr
Since "sanitary" audio is an impnr- the system. The R-C active filter serves some hf-band down converters, plus a
circuit fur digital frequency display, are
given in the receiving chapter ol the
1976 Handbook. In that example the
tunable i-f receiver covers 500 kHz, 1,3
to 2. 3 MHz.
ng, b - SCriemaTIC diagram ot tne age system, capacitors a*e Disk ceramic exceot when The photograph in this article illus-
polarity is indicated, which signifies electrolytic. Fixed-value resistors are 1 /2-W composition.
trates a modular cunstruction technique.
This modulo is not enclosed in a ihiefc cotipanmem.
All rf-circuit assemblies are isolatel
CR12.CR13- High-speed i'ticon, tN9ldA mourned.
from one another, and from outside
Of Cquiv. RFC15 - 2.5-mH miniature cioke U W. energy influences, by means of shieli
QIO, Ql 014 - Motorola transistor
1 , Miller 70F253A1).
R2. R4. R5 - Linear-taper composition pc- S5 - Sinole-nole. single-throw toggle. compartments. Signal points are joined
board mount control. U4 — Dual -in-line B pin 741 r>E amp. (module to module) with RG-174/U
R3 - 10.000-ohnl.near-iaper control, panel Ml - 0- to 1mA meter. sunminiature cuaxial cable, the shield
bnids being grounded to the chassis at
each end. Fecdth rough-type .00 1 -f*F
capacitors are used at the 12-V entry
points uf the modules. The foregoing
measures help to prevent birdies and
unwanted stray rf pickup.
The intent of thi; paper has been to
illustrate some ordinary design princ;*
pies which can be adopted by those
wishing to construct a receiver with
wide dynamic range Some of the ideas
offered may inspire modifications to
commercial receivers. Because this pre-
sentation was not meant as a construc-
tion exercise, circuit-board templates
are not offered. Most of the pc boards
in this prototype have been altered
severely during the development pro-
QRP Classics 38
3.5-W
DKIVER 470 AF OUTPLT
-M2V
AF
PREAMP
TO "Su
OBOO ?,+
dei o-t—}r
(FIG 5)
POLf • POL-tSTYfiENF.
FL5
FILTER
Fiq. 7 - Diagran of the audio amptilier and R-C active filrer. Capacitors ace disk
ceramic unless otherwise noted. Polarized capacitors are
is not contained m a shield box. Heat sinks are used with
electrolytic or t.ntalum. Fixed-value resistors are W2-W composition. This circu.t
08 and Q9.
Cflll - High-speed silicon. 1N914A 0' J3- Phone jack. UA - National Semicorductor LM-301A IC
equiv. R6 - 10.DaO-ohm audio-taper composition U5 - Signetics N5558 dual op-amp IC-
and numerous cumponenis have During several months of daily use, ness to WI AW and neighboring contest-
cess,
been lacked on here and there. For this there has never been a case of desensiti- en and DXcrs. His Eminence is, indeed,
reason, artwork has not been developed. zation cr IMD noted, despite my near- urcrunchablc!
QRP Classics 39
From June 1976 GST, p 31:
CER-verters
A family of high-oerformarce hf-band converters for the W1FB
(ex-W1CER) 160-meter "His Eminence" receiver.
at your collapsing receiver front end, that which relates the noise factor >f
some design changes arc probably two cascaded stage;. Tliis relationship,
needed. Here are some guidelines for which would apply to a cryslal-con-
amateur and professional designers who trolled converter ahead of a receiver, as
are interested in improving receiver w-H as a preamplifier preceding a re-
dynamic range - a sore point wi'.h ceiver, is given in Eq. 3:
respect to the performance of many
modern-day commercial receivers. <Eq.3)
7
In this equation, I }
and are noise
Thii
ilus issue of QST
contains an article factors which are algebraic ratios. Noise
describing some recent receiver efforts figure is just the decibel equivalent af
at WICER. That receiver was huilt to this factor- (7, is the gain of the fiist
serve two purposes. First, it provided stage, again as an algebraic ratio. Fncl is
high quality performance on 160 the noise factor of the combination bfa
meters. Secor.dly, and of more signifi- called the equivalent noise floor of the given receiver will, a preamplifier or
cance, it was part of a continuing receiver, was -135 dBm -vith a 400-Hz converter with noise factor /",. and
campaign by WICER and this writer to bandwidth. Further, the two-tone dy- gtin.O'i- -
develop receivers which meet th; classic namic range of the receiver was 95 dB. From Eqs. I anc 2, it may be shown
performance joals of sensitivity, selec- Information of this type can be that the WICER had a noise
receiver
tivity and stability, while still naintain- related to other more fundamental figure of 13 dB and an input intercftpt
ing a suitable dynamic range
7 '3
As specifications with a fairly simple set of of +7.5 dBm. Eq. 3 nay be used to infer
DeMaw poured out in his two-part equations. The noisu figure of a receiver the overall noise figure when various
article, the zmateur can do a much is related to the MDS by Eq. 1: converter noise figures and gains are
better job than the manufacturer in this considered. The inpul intercept of a
MDS(dBrn) = -174 dBm * NF(in dB) +
regard. combinalion will merely be the inpul
10 log, iJ„ (E q i)
As exciting as the lfiO-meter hand .
intercept of the basic receiver less the
can be, predominant interest is in the hf where B„ is the noise bandwidth of the gain of the converter. This assumes tint
spectrum. A: a result, a grsup of receiver.The noise bandwidth is well- the converter is strong enough that
crvstal-controJed converters was needed approximated by llie 3-dB bandwidth minimal IMD occurs whhin the eon-
for the WICER receiver with an i-f when scccp-skirled filters arc used, verier when compared with the follow-
output in tlis 1,8- to 2-MHz region. which .vas the case for the WICER ing receiver. This implies explicitly tint
receiver the output intercept of the converter
Such a family is described here. The
prhmary criterion for their design was to Similarly, the two-tsnc dynamic should be much larger than the input
maintain a large dynamic range in a range of the receiver is related lo the intercept of the following receiver.
dtidl-coitvershn system, while sliJ reali*. inpui intercept, P; and the MDS by Eq.
Converter Designs
ing a noise figure that was low enough
to be acceptable on the var.ous hf DR(indB) - (2/3Xft - MPS) After a bit of number "crunching"
(Eq. 2)
bands. w.lh the foregoing equations, it was
The information provided to the where both and MDS are given in concluded that the converters shou.d
writer by WICER was that the mini- dBm. This equation is easily derived h£ve a net gain of about 10 dB and En
mum discernible signal (MDS), also from the definition of the intercept output intercepl of approximately +17
concept and the observation that third- dBm or higher. For work on the bands
'Footnotes appear at and of article.
order IML1 products are pioportional to up through 14 MHz. a noise figure of 13
•7T00 S.W. Dinielle Ave.. Beavcrlon. OR the cub: of the strength of the input to 16 dB was deemed acceptable. On the
97005 higher bands some compromise n
QRP Classics
tf inputs. The difference frequency is
used to drive Ihe W1CER receiver. How-
ever, a termination must also be pro-
vided for the sum frequency.
In order to simplify the band switch-
ing, +12 vol Is dc is supplied through the
local oscillator purt of the mLxer. This is
realized with an rf choke and suitable
capacitors.
The output of the ampimer was
designed for broadband performance. In
order lo obiain laree bandwidth, the
= 5 ' - Block dlagiam o* ihe CER-werters. output transformer (Tl ) was wound on
a high-permeability fertile torpid. A
powdered-iron core should not be used
for this transformer. Indeed, K was
found that a ferrite core with a perme-
dynamic range would be tolerable in oscillator and the preselector network ability of 125 was not suitable in this
order to achieve lower noise figures. In for Ihe band of interest. position. Much better bandwidth and
studying the available circuit combina- impedance matching was obtained with
Mixer and Post-Amplifier Board
flons it was derided lo base Ihc front the core specified wliich has a perme-
end of Ihc converters on a diod;-riug The circuit for the mixer and the ability of 2000. The 2200-ohm resistor
mixer. The mixer would be preceded by dual-gate MOSFLTamplifier is shown in in the drain circuit ensures thai the
3 band-pass preselector tiller and fol- Fig. 2. There are a few depiriures from output impedance presented by the
lowed with a diplexer and a dual-gale the standard in this design. First, a amplifier close to 50 ohms. This is
is
mixers arc inherently broadband and do the mixer to see SO ohms in ihe FT-0601 ot RCA 40673 dual-
Fairchild
not requite luned circuits. Further, the 1.9-MHz frequency range. The other gate MOSFET can be used at Ql
cost-mixer amplifier would be identical part of the diplexer (C2.C3 and L2) is a
for all of the bands. Only the frurt-end high-pass filter designed cutoff
for a Front- End Sections
preselector networks and local oscilla- frequency uf 5 MHz. This filter provides Shown in Fig. 3 is ihe circuit used as
tors need be cianged between tancls. a constant i-f tci initiation foi the diode the front end for each of the lower-
The final configuration chosen was lo ring at virtually all frequencies. This input bands (3.5-3.7, 7.0-7.2 and
use a master board which contained the is importai if Ihe Ml) properties of the
1 I 14.0-14.2 MHz). Component values are
diode-ring mixer and a post -mixer ;mpli- diode-ring mixer are to be preserved. given in Tables 1 and 2.
fier. A family cf boards was thet: con- Such a mixer will create sum-and- The local oscillator for each of the
structed, each containing a suitable local diffetence frequencies from Ihe LO and converters uses a bipolar transistor and
is designed lo provide an output from
HO to +13 dRm. This level uf LO
injection was found lobe near optimum
for ihe diode-ring mixer that was used.
Fig. 2 — Schematic diagram of
tliC rnoiier mixer and amplifier circuit. Fixed-valu« capacitors The preselector filters are fairly
ji« diskceramic urless noted otherwise Resistors ate 1/2-W icmposilion. See Tables and 2 1
However,
elaborate. the results are well
for componenj values not marked. U1 is a Mini-Circuits Lab ML- 1 doubiv balanced diode
worth the extra expense and effort.
mixer.
Pretistortcd filter-synthesis methods
were used to write a computer program
for design of the band-pass filters. The
coils were wound prior to filler design.
Their unloaded Q
values wcje measured
with a laboratory Q meter, and the
results were then inserted into the pro-
gram in order to arriv; at the capacitor
values. All band-pass filters were de-
signed for a three-pole Buiterwoith re-
sponse.
One problem with multisection fil-
QRP Classics 41
3 I
meter filter. Al about 70 MHz the Fig. 5 along with the equations for SO-mcter band. This was done for two
attenuation degraded to roughly 95 dB, picking ihe proper values. As an retsons. First, difficulty was encoun-
but returned to the better va.ues at example, consider the 14-MH/. filter, tered in making thi oscillator shown
frequencies up through 200 MHz. where 3.3-pF coupling capacitors are operate properly with Ihe 1. 7-MHz
One of th? reasons a Butterworth used. This single capacitor could he crystal lhat was tried. Of greater signif-
response was chosen was that th.s filter replaced with three 10-pF capacitors. icance was ihe fact that the mixer
shape is aligned easily with simple lest Those building the converter for 80 balance was not especially good at this
equipment. Alignment is pcrforned hy meters nay wish to coiex also the frequency. As a result a strong 3 .7-MI h
.
driving the filler with a 50-ohrr signal 75-meter phone band. While the filter signal would have appeared at the input
generator and terminating the output in shown could probably be realigned for a to ihe post-mixer amplifier. This could
a sensitive 50-ohni detector. The genera- range about 100 kHz higher, the shape have resulted in IMD products. Further-
tor is set at ih; center frequency of the of die filter would no doubt deteriorate more, for the 75 meler band the crystal
filter and the variable capacitors are if il were moved further. A better wculd have been at 2.0 MHz if low-sid:
adjusted for a maximum response. approach would be to change the value injiction were used This would hav;
QRP Classics 42
TBble2
BAND at
fMHzt
C4. C6 C5,
C13(pFt (P F1
C20 C7
(pF>
C8
tpF>
C9, C12
CISipFI
C10
<pFI IpFJ
C13
<P FI
era
(pFI
CJ6
(pF)
C17,
(pF)
C31 C1B, C32
fpF) m
C21
placed a strong signal within the tuning to cover (he lolal band. This was done Great care should be taken when the
range of the main receiver. If it is in order to keep the insertion losses at a front-end sections arc band switched.
desirable thai all hf bands tune in the reasonable level. A slightly wider filter Shielding heiwncn switch wafers slioulrl
same direction, the builder should pick would be required for Ihe total 40-meter have over 100 dB jf isolation. Diode
high-side crystals foi all of the bands. band. switching is nut recommended unlets
The approach used for the 15-meter The converters are built on rather die builder has equipment to cvaluat:
converter in order to obtain low-noise large circuit boards. This was done in the effects on IMD.
performance could also be applied lo order to ensure a reasonable level of
Evaluation and Performance
the 10- and 6-meter bands. The image stopband rejection in the filters, and to
rejection inigi.t be a liule poor with ease corstruction. Those interested in a This project was in some ways quite
such a low i-f in the 6-niciei case., snore curnpaut fuiuuil should tonsidei frustrating, for the WiCER receiver was
Another revision that many builders the inclusion of shields between the 3000 miles away. This is the first piece
may consider would be the construction sections af the input band-pass filter and of receiving gear that the writer lias built
of a high-performance SO-meler receiver between the filter circuitry and the which could not initially be evaluated
with converters for the higher bands. corresponding oscillators. It is fun to "by ear." However, a suitable substitute
The converters described would be build miniature equipment when there is was available for laboratory evaluation.
suitable for this situation. The crystal a good need for small size. lowever, for
I
This was a Tektronix 7L5 Spectrum
frequencies wjuld change accordingly. hum-performance homc-s;ation equip- Analyzer. This instrument was extreme-
The diplexer set ween the diodt mixer ment, where considerable experimenta- ly convenient to use for litis purpose,
and the "post amp" should be redesign- tion may be required, a larger format is sirce it is synthesiied with a 250-Hi
ed. This could be done easily by halving often desirable. accuracy, and has resolution down to ID
the inductanc; and capacitance values Because ihe pc boards shown in Ihe Hz. The dynamic range is excellent.
used in the diplexer circuit. The broad- photograph are quite large, the builder The only converter evaluated fcr
band output circuit in the drair of 01 will probably elect lo lay the circuits IMD was ihe 14-MHz unit. Two-tone
should work equally well at 3.5 MHz, out for a more compact format. For this liMD measurements were performed and
The 15- and 20-meter band-pas? fillers reason there arc no pc-bnard templates it was found that the output intercept
were designed with enough bandwidth and layouts available. of the convener wa> +22 dBm. This ;s
Fifl. 4 - Diagrnrr r>fihe 15-meter from end circuit. Numbtr-sd tixed-value capacitors arc silver micas, fiosistors are 1 /2-W composition. See
Tables 1 and 2 lor other parti values.
RF AMP
QRP Classics 43
fccdthrougli for the lour converters.
Cj* It is interesting to note thai the
dynamic range of Ihc svstcm has de-
creased from 9$ dB oil 160 meters to 87
dP on the hf bands. This decrease is ta
be expected in any mulliconversion
system. Note also thai the dynamic
range is constant on the three lower
bands. I his results because the only
Choose C >2 C,,. men C variation between bands is in the inser-
ticn loss of the preselector filters. This
difference is the same as would be
obtained by adding attenuation to the
Fig. 5 - Meihod for obi3ining filler coupl ing capaciior<> of computed values. front end of the receiver. An attenuates
will change both the MDS and the input
intercept by the same amount, leaving
the two-tone dynamic tange as a con-
more than sufficient for the application, However, the low-pass part of the di- stant of the systeri. While front-end
since it greatlv exceeds the input inter- plexer became much simper in fre- attenuators are useful accessories for the
cept of the W';CER receiver, +7.5 dBrn. quency response. This would make a receiver, they will not improve the
The gain and MDS were measured front panel trimmer control necessary. dynamic range as is sometimes implied.
for all four converters. To remove (he The 5-nieler converter performed
1
A more careful application of atten-
effect of the high noise figure of the The net gain of this unit was
differently. uation can. hr>wever, result in an im-
7L5 (19 dB;, a low-noise MDSFET 32.5 dB and the noise ligtre was about proved dynamic range. Consider the
preamp was built at 1 .9 MHz. This unit 3 dB. This is actually too much sensitiv- effect of switching in the 6-dB input
had a noise figure under 2 dB, allowing ity to be usable at tin's frequency. It is attenuator of the W1CE.R receiver, after
meaningful measurement of converter highly recommended that the builder the converters. The input intercept of
MDS. The signal generator used was an move the drain tap on the band-pass the 160-meter tunable i-f will now ir-
HP-8640B. On the three lower bands, as outlined.
filter crcase to +13.5 dBni and the noise
the resultant noise figure of the con- On the basis of the measured results figure will become 19 dB. If the net
verters was 12 dB, plus the loss of the and the published data fo- the WlfFR result is evaluated us.ng the earlier equa-
input fillers. Similarly, the gain of the receiver, the system rcsrlts may be tions, the 20-meter MDS will degrade by
converter was 12.5 dB. minus the loss of calculated. Shown in Table 3 are the only 0,7dB, but the system input
the inputfilters. It was found that the predicted system noise figure. MDS for a intercept will move up to +5 dliir,
gain and noise figures could both be 400-Hz bandwidth, input intercept and leaving a net dynamic range of 90.6 dfi.
improved by removing the 2200-ohm two-tone dynamic range for the convert- This is a dramatic demonstration of th;
resistor at the gate of Ql There was
. a ers operating into the DeMaw receiver. eftect of gain distribution upon dynami;
slight reduction in the output intercept, Also shewn are the measurements that range, especially in multieon version re-
but not enough to cause problems. were obtained Tot linage i ejection and I-f cclveis,
References
'
DcMaw, "His Eminem.- lh«? Receiver." QST,
Table 3 June anil luly. 1916
'Hay ward, "A Cumpeliiifin-Ciadc CW Hx-
BAND NFIG. MDS OR IMA7E REJ. i-F FEEDTHROUGH • ceiver," QST, March and April. 1074.
(METERS! IdE) IdBml IdBml IdB) IdB/ idBf * Hay ward, "Denning and Measuring Recchcr
Dynamic Ranee. QST, July |97S.
80 14.3 -133.2 -2.5 87.1 -90 -110 'Roberta "Low-Noise 29 MH/ Preamplifier
40 16.3 -131.7 -1.0 S7.1 -110 -94 f\H Satellite Reception." Hi'i lladio, Oet-i
20 16.3 -131 .7 -1.0 87.1 -95 -112
15 3.1 -145 -250 80.0 -100 not measured 'Hayward, "Randpass Fillers Tor Receiver
heselectofs." Ham Radio. Feb.. 1975
QRP Classics 44
From June J987 QST, p 30:
Build Your
Own MCM ICs
MCMs (mini circuit modules)
are fun to lay out and build.
With a few IC headers and
some patience, you can
develop miniature
subassemblies that may be :
Have
own
you considered building your
The idea is not as
ICs?
16-pin
ability
DIP
header.' This amplifier has the
providing 40 cB of gain,
of
from a given brand ard type number are
liihly wellmatched.
ridiculous as it may seem! We depending on the electrical characteristics Z2 of Fig 2A may be used as a mixer,
must accept the lad that none of us are of the transistors used. Such an amplifier balanced modulator o: product detector.
equipped io construe! classic monolithic is suitable for driving a pair of headphones, No internal changes are needed, but the
ICs. wherein ihe circuit elements are serving as a mic amplifier or for use ahead exterior circuitry will differ somewhat,
developed on a common piece of silicon of an audio power IC, such as an LM386, depending upon the application. TI and T2
(substrate). Bui, ii is noi mandatory ihnt Fig IB shows how ihc pans arc assembled •ne iiiiniuiuic broadband transformers. I
circuits to be integrated arc formed in that on the header. The heavy outline around used iwo small fcrritc balun cores for Tl
manner. With a reasonable amount of the circuit of Fig 1A indicates which and T2, bui tiny S50 }l| toroid cores allow
imagination and lime, it is possible to place components are on the hcaJcr. CJ, for construction of .1 more compact MCM.
your favorite small circuit on a liny blank example, is external to the MCM. !i is essential 10 connect the Tl and T2
DIP header. For lack of a better acronym, windings as shown. The black dots indicate
let's call these assemblies MCMs (for "mini
Doubly Balanced Mixer MCM Ihe polarity of the windings. Local-
circuit modules"). Diode-iing DBMs are available as oscillator injection for this type of miser
You may wonder whai the purpose of commercial units tn DIP IC packages. is approximately f 7 tIBm for best IMD
such an exercise might be. First, we are Mini-Circuits has some nice urits that come performance. Conversion gain (actually a
forced lo develop a compact circuit layout, in sealedmetal packages for direct insertion loss) is on the order of - 8 dB for a DBM.
owing to the restricted number of into IC sockets. These modules are expen- At frequencies greater than 40 meters, if
IC-header pins available, plus the small sive when Durchased in single-lot quantities. the DBM used as a receiver mixer or
is
rectangular area of the header. I find that If one buys 10 or more units, the price direct-conversion (D-C) receiver product
the circuits I have placed on IC hsaders becomes more equitable, bet few of us dettctor, ii is wise to u>e an RF amplifier
would typically occupy three linws the want a drawer filled with DBMs that mav between ihe antenna and the DBM. If not.
space on an ordinary PC board. In other never be used! So, the MCM
approach the receiver noise figure will be too high for
words, when there is room to spare. I seem becomes worth considering for most of our weak-signal reception. In fact, an RF
to use it! Miniaturization is beneficial when amateur reeds. amplifier would be an asset even at 7 MHz,
we wish to build compact gear for portable Fig 2A Shows the circuit ofa DBM. The An ideal DBM
would be enclosed in a
use. especially for QRP applications. diodes should be matched rs closely as rttelal case to minimize stray signal pickup.
Another advantage realized from MCMs possible to ensure proper circuit balance. However, ihcre should be no problems with
is that they car be used many times in Diode matching may be done by means of unnamed pickup of RF energy when using
numerous projects. The same circuits, if a VOM. Sort ihroueh your IN914 nr the MCM of Fig 2. provided ordinary PC-
built on PC boards, would require similar small-signal silicon switching diodes boa-d layout is employed. In other words,
complete stripping of the components in and select "our that have the same forward- don't place the DBM
Clcse to an unshielded
order to transplant them on a new PC resistance -eading (typically between 7 and oscillator or amentia lead.
board. The MCMs can simply be removed 12 ohms). Hot-carrier diod:s are even
from IC sockets and plugged into a socket better for use in a DBM, and nost of them Crystal-Oscillator MCM
on some other PC board. This technique 'IC hsaders (sometimes called DIP adaptor plugs) A simple crystal oscillator is presented
should appeal especially to the are available from many surplus electronics in Fig 3A. You may prefer to exclude the
rx peri men or nr rhr Frugal amateUl.
I
pans dealers, including Mouser Electronics, crystal, Yl, from the MCM. This will moke
11433 Wcodside Ave, Santee, CA 92071, and
ALL Etec:rontcs Corp, 905 S /ermonl Ave. the module more universal in applieaiion.
Some Common Circuits as MCMs Box 20405. Los Angeles. CA 93006. 1 included the crystal lor ihe purpose of
Fig I shows a compound, direct -coupled For updatec Supplier addresses, see demonstrating the practicality of having Yl
ARRL Pans
audio amplifier that iias been built on a Suppliers List in Chapter ?. mounted on the IC header. An HC-18/U
QRP Classics 45
Fig 1— Schematic diagram ol a 'wo-slage audio amplilier lhat can provide up lo 40 dB of gain. The drawing al B shows the component
layout (or ihe audio MCM.
Fig 2— Circuit for a doubly balanced mixer, balancefl modulator or prodict detector. Matched diodes are necessary for best DBM
balance. Hct-carrier diodes are recommended (or this circuit, but matched 1N914& are suitable. T1 and T2 in my MCM consist of four
trifilar turns ot no. 30 enameled wire through an Amclon balun core no. BN-43-2402. An FT-23-43 territe loroid core may be substituted
(smaller) by winding 7 trifilar tuns ot no. 30 enameled wire on each coro.
crystal holder is necessary (SfflEll) in Order inductance (25 pU for 8 MHz) in series with
-
oscillator pulling. VXOs, on the other
to find room for ii on the hecder. If ihc a 75- or 100-pF variable capacitor from pin hand, may be prone lo pulling effects from
crystal will be used outboarc from the 1 to ground. Connect the capacitor rotor load changes, and a buffer is useful in that
MCM, you may connect it to pins 1 and to gtewnd. This arrangement will provide case. VFOs are affected significantly by
16 (Fig 3B). approximately 6-10 kHz of frequency load changes. Therefore, it is wise to
The oscillator of Fig 3A is easy to work change. include a buffer cr buffer /amplifier after
with. External capacitor C2 is used to C3 and LI arc outboard from the MCM. a VFO.
control the feedback. It functions in con- I his tuned circuit is resonant at the crystal Output coupling from the oscillator
nection with the transistor internal frequency. L2 is a small link for coupling should he as light as possible to minimize
capacitance (CO to form a feedback the circuit to low-impedance loads. For pulling. Light coupling (C-* of Fig 5A)
network. C2 snould have a capacitive most applications, C3 may be a small causes reduced power output front the
reactance cf roughly 200 ohms for most trimmer. VFO. As a result of this condition, it is
QRP Classics 46
Z'.
6 HE IN OHMS. BOIIOt
» 3 1000. Ms 1003 030 V(EW
Fig 3 — Example (A) or a crystal oscillalor thai can be bull on an IC header. The heavy black line indicates ihe MCM boundary. All olher
pans are externil to (He MCM. Li is a 5.5-mH inductor (33 turns of no. 28 enameled wire on an Amidon T50-2 core). L2 consists ol 6
turns ol no. 28 wire. The MCM
layoil is given at B.
typically. This is par for a source follower. bandwidn of Ihe pi network. This mav be RFC1. Ihe addition of R5 will also aid
It helps to isolate the VFO from Q2 and helpful wiien the VFO coversa fairly wide stability in stubborn cases.
[he circuits that follow Q2. Amplifier Q2 frequcne) range.
builds up the VFO energy to a level that RFC2 of Fig 4A is ehostn to yield a ColpitisVFO MCM
is suitable for nost circuits with which a broad frequency-response peak at the VFO The VFO of Fig SA uses electronic
VFO used.
is operating frequency. You may assume luning. VVC (voltage variable capacitor)
External to Z4 of Fig 4A is a pi network approximately 10 pF of stray parallel circuit diodes arc specified for Dl and D2. This
thai serves as a matc hing circuit between capacitance for RFC2. Thus, for 40-meter eliminates the need to locate expensive and
of Q2 and a 50-ohm loaJ. Tim
ihe collector operation we will requirr a inductor scaic* miniature variable capacitors for
network also serves as a harmonic filler. for RFC2. Should Q2 become unstable, liming VFOs. It is proper to state that long-
R5 may be added to increase the loaded place a 1-kilohm resistor in parallel with lern VFO drift may be increased through
ORP Classics 47
ike use of tuning diodes, as opposed 10 air
variable capacitors. This is because two
addiiional semiconductor junctions have A*7.0-7!MHi
been introduced to the oscillator circuit:
Junction capacisancc changes with KCG
temperature. Normally, the small degrada-
tion in frequency stability is acceptable for
amateur work. Tuning is. done ty means
of a panel-mounted poiefltiome'.cr (R3).
Smooth tuning wilt result if a Id-turn
0 bp our to
9 VFO BUFFfH
Hclipot'" and dial are used, or if a standard IT MHcl
potentiometer is used with a vcrncr drive.
The values for R2 and R4 are chosen for
the frequency coverage desired, and this
will depend upon the type of VVC diodes
used rur Dl and D2; VVC diodes come In
many capacitance ranges. I have suggested
for this circu:t a pair of diodes that will
provide a fairly linear capacitance swing of
10 to 30 pF.
Outboard components C5, Cf and 1.1
are chosen for the VFO opera:ing fre-
quency. NPO capacitors are recommended
for best overal frequency stability CI, C2
and C3, internal to the MCM, are also NPO E.CffI AS iiOICAt ED. DECIMAL A=IO-30pF
ceramic capacitors: the smaller 50-V types VALUES OF CAP*CITANCF APC
in r/icroFAfttDS < „F |; OTHERS
arc preferred in the interest of fitting them ACE 'II FirOFAnADS I |)F I.
RESIST.UCF.S ARE itJ GHMS;
on the IC header. ' - l»J M-IOWC0O.
Ql of Fig ?A may be any high-trans-
comduclance JFET. such as a 2M4U6. A
dual-gate MOSFET may be substituted by
tying gates I and 2 together and treating Fig 5 — Schematic diagram o! a Colpitis
the device like a JFET. VFO lor MCM. Di and D2 ate
use as an
Place a shield compartment around the tuning (Motorola MVJ09 or
dodos
VFO MCM site on the main PC board of equivalent). Li has 26 turns ol no. 24
a receiver or transmitter. This will help enam wfe on an Amidon TSM5 (yellow)
from becoming bent or broken. I use an IC telephone cable is exceDent for this from entering the circuits. use
rroisture I
socket that hai its pins mashed flat against purpose. Bare wire may be ised, provided epoxy cement for this purpo>e
qiick-setting
the bottom of the socket. This allows the there arc no crossover jumpers on the when want to seal and anchor the
I
socket to lie tlat on the bench during header. components on some of my IC headers.
assembly. A "third hand" typeof soldering The general assembly procedure calls for It is to your advantage to look for
fixture is useful for keeping the header and installing the components of the MCM in immature component in the surplus cata-
IC socket in a fixed position while you layers. Some stacking will be necessary, logs and at flea markets. Large, old-style
work on it. A small bench or drill-press vise depending upon the complexity of the parts do not lend themselves well to MCV1
may be used as a holding fixtur: if you circuit. After the jumper Wiles are in place, construction. Fortunately, the present elec-
don't have a third-hand device. mount the resistors. If you can find some tronics technology provides a substantial
A maptfying glass almost mandatory
is 1/8-W resistors, use them. This will fallout of surplus mini components, ard
when building MCMs. It will allow you to minimize crowding on the header. used I these are ideal for building MCMs.
check frequently for unwanted solder W-W resistors for the examples shown
bridges, poor joints and shorting leads on photographically in this article, as I have A Marriage of MCMs
the header. Tc this end. a pencil soldering no 1/8-W units in slock. Four of the MCMs in this article may be
iron with a Fin: tip and low wattage rating Next in the assembly comes the used in concert to provide a simple D-C
(25-30 W) will help to minimize mdting the capacitors, followed by the transistors and, receiver. Fig 6 contains a block diagram of
IC-header plastic and the formation of finally, the largest components. add the I such an arrangement. The example suggests
unwanted solder bridges between the RF chokes, toroidal coils ard crystals last. a circuit for 40-metet use. In this; case. 22
header terminals. You may protect the tested, completed serves as a doubly balanced produ:t
The first stcn in construction is to place MCMs by developing a muld and encap- detector. The output is at audio frequency
QRP Classics 48
AUDIO AMP NSERT AUC10
FILTER HERE
Zl
'
(IF USED)
ANTQ
l&OJl)
<1 +WV
MAIN
runne
Fig 6—Suggesisd hookup for using tour of ihe MCMs in this anicle In a 40-meter 0-C receiver. See text for detailed Informalion.
QRP Classics 49
From Apri\ 1985 QST, p 42:
A Converter for
the 24-MHz
WARC Band
Here's your chance to listen to
a new band and enjoy an
interesting construction project.
you've wondered what is inherent noise of the receiver with which it frequency limit versus gain) of a transistor
Perhaps mean that the con- must be correct, also. If not, the stage will
happening on the 24-MHz band is uied. This docs not
vener must have an RF amplifier for all the not provide ample gain. like to use a
but you can't listen to the frequency
I
because ycur rig doesn't include WARC- amateur bands, but for 20 meters and higher device that has an fr of at least 10 limes
assemble and get operating, and it's for 40, 80 and 160 meters need only a mixer 1 wanted to build a convener for 14 MHz,
inexpensiv?. at the input stage, sine: atmospheric and the RF amplifier transistor ft would be
Few RF circuits are laid out casually. man-made noise on those bands is usually 140 MHz or greater. Also, the noise figure
Knowing row to approach the general de- greater than is the rcce.ver noise. isdetermined by tne input -matching circuit
signand assembly will be helpful in the years Selectivity means thai a tuned circuit or and the specific biasing of the amplifier.
ahead when you build other RF projects. circuits with good Q (quality factor) should So. you must tale many things into ac-
be used between the antenna and ihe first count when designing an RF amplifier.
General Design Objectives converter stage. This helps io discriminate The dynamic range figure indicates the
"What do 1 want this convener against strong out-of-band signals. Some ability of the RF amplifier and mixer to
First, ask
todo?" Obviously, it needs io cover the poo: designs contain no timed rirmit ahead handle large signals without nenerating
band of interest —
a foregone conclusion. of the mixer, and that's an invitation to IMD (inlcrrnodulation distortion), or zoing
But what of the other, sometimes subtle, trouble! into gain compression (lowered gain). The
To minimize spurious responses, you system immunity to [his is determined by
considerations? Let's draft thecriteria. The
converter should: should ensure that no siage in a converter, the type of device used in the "RF amplifier
1) exhibit an overall gain of unity, or other Ihan the local oscillator (LO), is and mixer stages. Operating conditions
slightly belter. It should not create signal oscillating. The culprit in some home- based on dc voltages also play an inpor-
loss. constructed converters and receivers is the lant role in dynamic range. The approach
At this point, you may be asking, "What than the desired frequency — especially if soon be wading in a sea of confusion if we
does all of this really mean?" Well, let's loomuch feedback uied. Other spurious
is discussed this subject in depth. The bottom
responses can result from excessive har- line is to use a strong mixer; one that won't
examine the list, item by item.
possible to design a converter that ex- monic output from the convener LO. collapse when strong signals enter it. Diode-
It is
can degrade the
signal toss. This The transistor selected must be capable ring mixers {four diodes in a quad anange-
hibits a
(S/N) of the overall of providing an acceptable noise figure for mcnt) are among ihe better choices, but they
signal -to-roise ratio
receiving jystem. A poor S/N ratio places our chosen operating frequency. This can require more LO output power than is
the weak signals in the internal noise of the be determined by looking at the manufac- needed for a transistor or an IC mixer. Abu,
receiving system. This is similar, in effect, turer's data sheets for small-signal tran- diodes operate as passive devicci (no
to having a normal signal beccme buried in sistors that are earmarked for RF amplifier operating voltage is required), which results
atmospheric or man-made noise (QRN). service. Let's be thankful that ihe NF re- in a signal loss in the mixer. This is known
Therefore, the convener musi have ample quirements for 160 thraugh 10 meters are as conversion /ois. With a diode-ring mixer,
gain and a low-enough NF to override the not as stringent as they are at VHF and the loss can be as great as 8 dB. The RF
UHF! You can manage quite nicely wilh amplifier ahead cf this mixer needs to have
a maximum NF of, say, 5 dB in the HF a gain of at least 10 dB to ensure a lo» noise
spectrum. There arc many transistors that figure. ICs such as the MC1596G and
•ARAL Corlrlbuting Editor, P.O. Box 250.
Luther. W meet ihis criterion. The fT (upper- CA3028A offer good performan.-e as
QRP Classics 50
In an performance for
effort to trade Itljh
simplicity, have choser a design that uses
I
Fig. I
You Can Build
shows an assembled version of the z = m
AIL of you won't grasp these fundamen- circuit in Fig. 2. As shown, ie is set up for
tals instantly. But you should have operation in the 24-MHz band. PC boards
knowledge of the pertinent terms and a and complete parts kits lor this converter
rough notion of what the terms relate to. arc available.' •Notes appear at end ot article.
I4.V40 *"i
-ig. 2 — Schematic diagram ot the 24-MHz re* ing converter Fixed-value capacitors are disc- nic. unless olhorwiso noted. Resistors arc
--or Vi-W carbon-compositlon.
G1G7. Incl. — Silver-mica, polystyrene or NPO Ql - Motorola MPF102 JFET or equiv. VHF no. 26 snam. wire on an Amidon Assoc,
ceramic capacitois. lype. LS7-6 transformer bobbin Secondary Has
CB — Optional 60-pF trimmer (see text). Q2 — RCA «673 dual-gale mosfet or n three turns of no. 26 enam. wlro. Sea inset
Jl. J2 — Phono iac«. single-hole mount. 3N211. drawing lor pin locations lor Li, L2, 13, Tl
LI — 5-*iH mom.) COH. Uso 26 turns ot no. 30 Q3 —
2N2222 or 2N2222A NPN transistor or and T2.
enam. wire on an Amidon Assoc. L43-6 equiv. Yi —
Fundamental crystal m
HC-6/U holder.
transformer bobbn. T1 —
0.75-nH (nom.| secondary winding. Use 20-pF load capacitance, hternatlonal Crystal
L2 — 0.75 pM (nom.l coil. Use 10 turns of nine turns of no. 26 enarri. wire an an MIc. Co. type GP or oqui/.
no. 26 enam. wire on an L43-6 translorner Amidon Assoc. L57-6 transformer bobbin. AmitJon Associates, 12033 Otsego St., North
bobbin. Tap
at two turns above the ground end. Hollywood. CA 91607. lei 213-760-4423.
L3 — 11 pH (nnmjroil Use 1? turns ot Primary Ix n onr.-r.im winding o«er the International Crystal Wtn Co Inn in Nnrth . .
no. 26 enam. wire on an L43>6 translorner secondary. Lea Oklahoma City. OK T3102. tel.
bobbin. T2 —
5-H H (nom.) primary. Use 22 urns Ot 405-236-3741.
ORP Classics 51
where g m & the liauscuiiduciaiivC hi
Siemens (formerly called mhcs) of the
transistor u;ed.
Our mixer is a dual-gale MOSFET. This
transistor simple to use ;iiid offers
is
raise the Yl frequency. ones. Component leads should be kept as a good idea to enclose any converter
It is
The RF injection voltage on the mixer short as possible. in a shielded box. This prevents stray
(gate 2) should not exceed 6-V P-P (2. 12-V pickup of unwanted signals by the circuit
RMS). A SCupC or an RT probe and Tune-up and Operation board and various components, This is
voltmeter an be used to check the Q2 in- The convener is capable of approximate- especially important in order to keep
jection voltage. If it is too low, increase the ly20 ill of gain when each tuned circuit 40-meter signals oil of the main station
value of C7 Similarly, decrease the value is pezked for a single frequency on 40 receiver during 24-MHz reception. Also,
metcn. However, it is better to stagger-time try to find a 40-meter signal that is leaking
of C7 if the injection voltage it too high.
A value of 4- to 6-V P-P is best for a dual- Tl, 12 and T2 for 7.010. 7.050 and through the converter somewhere r.ear
gate MOSFET
mixer. Injection voltages 7.075 MHz, respectively.Peak each circuii 7050 kHz. Then adjust the trap, LI /CI, for
greater than 6 can destroy the mixer at thes-pecified frequency. This will lower minimum strength of the unwanted
iransistor. the effective converter gain somewhat while •40-mctcr signal.
providing a more level gain response across Good luck, and iec you sometime soon
Construction Notes the ICO-kHz tuning ranged L3 is tuned for on 24.890 MHz!
A pam-p acorn em' layoui, seen from the maximum output at 17.890 MHz. To en-
component side of the board, is given in sure rapid starting of Q3, it may be Notes
Fig. 3. A scale etching tempiai; is shown ncccs.-ary to tune L3 slightly off resonance Circuit Board Speclalim. P.O. Hox 969, Pueblo, CO
R1002. id. 30J.542-j0.33.
in Fig. 4. to the high side of 17.&S0 MHz. 'Excessive convener s&n can degrade ihc dynamic
If you decide to make your cwn circuit The 24-MHz amateur band extends from tjticc of ihe receiver i
as (he liable IP.
.'.
m
Fcr updated supplier addresses, soo AflRL Parts
Supplier List in Chap er 2.
( 25.4 mm )
Rg, 4 — Circuit-board
etching pattern tor the
2*MHz convener. Tho
pattern is shown lull-size
from the toll side of tho
beard- Slack areas repre-
sent unetched copper
lo I. Double-sided PC
beard Is recommended
(see text*.
QRP Classics 52
1
in riroFan*rr. ( i-r
i
QRP Classics 53
was -I — wall within the ratings of the 40673.
I did not measure the gale voltage in the
1
1974, pp 26-27.
QRP Classics
From May 1989 GST. p 25:
A Four-Stage 75-Meter
SSB Superhet
Getting "the most for the least*'
is a typical ham radio objective
M ust
be for
everything
CW
operation?"
have been asked this question
many times. Perhaps my preference for
CW work influenced my thinking when
you design
I
I
L5 in order to cover 3.5 to 3.7 MHz.
Although Ql could be made to work as
changing the BFO frequency (Y2>. This
two-band scheme with a 5-MHz VhO is an
•at down to design a new piece of gear. The both a mixer and oscillator, 1 chose to old one!
circuit in this article is my "apology" for isolate the oscillator from (he mixer. In effect, the circuit in Fig 1 is a fixed-
overlooking the vcice operators who like Harmonic currents also inject the mixer tuned direct-conversion receiver (02 and
10 build homemade warn lo
receivers. I when both circuits share a common U I ) with a tunable converter (Q and Q3 ) I
ORP Classics 55
Prod Dcl/BFO
Mixer Q2
3N211
FL1
1.7 '0 4.3 MHZ
—
Fig 1 Schematic diaoram ol Hip simple RSfl roreivir Fixfid-vnliifi cap s are disc ceramic unless otherwise roted. Polarized caoaci*
lors are lanialum or electrolyllc. Fixed-value resisiorsare va -W carbon corr
C1, C4. C9— Small plaslic or ceramic U— Four lurns 0* no. 25 cnam wire over 01 02-Any dual-gate VHF MOSFET.
,
The measured rejection of the unwanted capadtors are quite temperature stable- 50 (iH of inductance at RFC2.
also want to consider a four -crystal ladder C2I need to be close to pin 5 and C17 source junction. Ground the tip of your
fiiter.
:
should be near pin 3. The gain of Ul can solder pencil before soldering the FETs io
Q3 operates as a Colpitis oscillator. C22 be increased by decreasing the value of R7. the circuit board, and use minimum sus-
permits coverage from appro*;. mately 3.7 hut instability lurks nearby When the chip tained heat.
to 4.0 MHz. NPO capacitors help to ensure gain boosted!
is
CurislruClton Comments
acceptable long-term stability. NPO units The value for RFC2 is critical. Too large
con be used at C26 and C27 to further an inductance value Causes unwanted sell - A PC-buard etching pattern i« provided
improve ilu stability, although polystyrene oscillation below 4 MH/. Use no more than in Fig 2. Boards for this project arc avail-
ORP Classics 56
ARRL Lab Test Results
Tests of Ihe model bjilt by Ihe
aulhor showed these results:
Minimum discernible signal (MDS):
-99.0 dBm (decibsls relative to a
milliwatt) at 3800 kHz
Blocking dynamic range at 3600/
3850 kHz: 76.0 dB
Two-tone, third-order dynamic range
at 3600/3850 kHz: 59.0 dB
Receiver Alignment
Concluding Remarks
This receiver can sor*c as a foundation
for further experimenting. For example,
QRP Classics 57
.
Notes
"Deleted.
*W, Hayward, "Desgmng and Building Smple
Cryslal Fillets," OST, July 1987. p 24.
?S6 (Including shipping lo US addresses) horn
FAB Circuits. 1SN64D Field Ct, Dundee. IL
60118. tel 312-425-2431. ovonings.
'Mouser Electronics, 2401 Hwy 287 N, Mansfield.
TX 76083, tel 817-483-4422. Catalog avaiablc.
''Fair Radio Sales Co, 101 6 E Eureka St, PO Bo*
1105, Lima, OH 45802. tel 419-223-2196.
Catalog available
•^International Crystal Manufacturing Co. Inc, PO
Box 26330, 701 V/ Sheridan. Oklahoma City,
OK 73I26-O330. tel 405-236-3741.
INCH
Fig Circuit-board etching pattern tor the receiver, shown full-size from the etched side
2—
of the board Black areas represent unetched copp?r foil.
Pig 3 - ParU-placomont guldo lor eh? rproiver Paris at* piHCftd nn Ihe nonloil Side of Ihe
board; Ihe shaded area represents an X-ray vjew of the copper pattern. Component out-
lines are rot necessarily representative of the shapes of the actual pads used-
the IF filter can be improved, as discussed feeds Q2. This will decouple the audio cir-
earlier. An RC active audio filter can also cuiis and prevent motorboating.
be added lo improve the overall receiver An S meter can be added by sampling ihe
selectivity. audio signal at th* rirrin nf Q2. Amplify
Although this receiver will drive an ihe sampled audio witha 741 op amp. then
8-ohm speaker rather well for loud signals, rectify it wilh a IN914 diode and filter it.
it falls short of ihe mark on w:aktr signals. A microanuneter can be driven with the
This can be corrected by inserting a one- rectified audio lo prodjee meter readings.
QRP Classics 58
Prom 199f) ARRL Handbook Ch 30, p 43:
The 6-w CW transmitter shown in Figs. componenis form a Colpitis variable-fre- The driver stage uses a broadband
47 io 50 can be built in a few evenings and quency crystal oscillator. CI is used to amplifier that operates class A. This stage
provide houri of on-thc-air enjoyment. adjust the frequency of the oscillator, and is keyed by grounding Ik base and emitter
I
(VXO) 'o genirnlp a highly stable, If no limit is provided, the oscillator can wavrform Although the keying ii rather
idjustable-frequmcy signal. With I he operate "on its own" and no longer be hard, there is no evidence of clicks.
circuit shown here, frequency spans of under the control of the crystal. This is Two MRF476 transi.tors are used in
5 kHz or more can be realized. See Table undesirable. On
the 30-, 40- and 80-meter para lei for the power amplifier. These
! .
Only a few crystals are necessary for bands, C2 not necessary and is omitted
is transistors were designed for the Citizens
coverage of the popular CW
frequencies. from the circuit. Supply voltage is fed to Band service and work nicely at HF
This single-band transmitter may be built the oscillator only during transmit and spot frequencies. Each transistor is rated for
for any one hand from 80 through 15 periods. This prevents the oscilalor from 3 W output. The original transmitter design
meters. Since most crystals for frequencies interfering with received stations operating used MRF472 output transistors, but
above 25 MHz arc overtone types, and this on the sarrc frequency. Motorola no longer manufactures these
transmitter requires fundamenial-type Output energy from the oscillator is devices. They are still available from many
crystals, there is no provision for lO-ncter routed to Q2, a grounded-bas; amplifier. surplus outlets, however. L2 is used as a
.-peraiion. This stage provides some gain, but more dc ground for the bsses, making the
important, it offers a high deg-ee of isola- transistors operate class C.
Circuit Description tion between the oscillator and the driver The low output impedance at the col-
The schematic diagram of the transmit- stage. Oscillator pulling and chirp are lectors of the output transistors is stepped
:er is shown in F:g. 48. Ql and associated virtually nonexistent. up to 50 ohms by broadband transformer
T3. A five-clement Chcbyshev low-pass
filter is used to assure a c can output signal.
Component Values tor the VXO-Controlled, 6-Watt Transmitter waveform to protect the output transistors
if the transmitter is operated into an open
C3. C17 L3. VXO
CI (pF) C2 (pF) C4 (pF) C6 (pF C1B (pF) LI circuit or high-SWR antenna system. The
LS L4 Range
transmitter is designed to operate into a
:0 M 365 220 100 620 47 Turns 25 Turns 32 Turns 3- 5 kHz
T50-2 T50-2 T50-2 load ihm is close to 50 ohms resistive. SI
365 100 100 470 36 Turns 1 7 Turns 21 Turns 5- 8 kHz is us<d as the transmit /receive switch. One
T50-2 T50-2 T50-2 section transfers the antenna to an ac-
30 M 150 68 50 330 27 Turns 1 4 Turns 16 Tutns 8-10 kHz
companying receiver or to the output of the
T50-2 T50-2 T50-2
23M 50 10 50 50 240 30 Turns i 4 Turns 17 Turns 10-12 kHz transmitter. Another section is used to
T50-6 T50-6 T50-G activate the VXO during transmit and the
*=M 50 10 33 33 150 23 Turns 1 1 Turns 14 Turns 12-14 kHz third section is provided for receiver muting
T50-6 T50-6 T50-6
purposes.
'.:t used D3 and the associated componenis form
an RK output driver for Ml. This circuitry
Fig 48 -
Schematic diagram o( the VXO-
controlled transmitter. All resistors are '/4-waii
carbon types unless noted olharwise. All
capacitors are mylar or disc ceramic unless
otherwise noted. Polarized capacitors are
electrolyte or tantalum
CI. C2. C3, Ce. C6. CI7 and = 18 - See
Table I.
Di —
Zener diode. 9 V, i t W
D2 —
Zcner diooe. 36 v, i w
Jl. J2 —
Binding post
J3 — Key |ack.
L1, L3. L4. L5 — See Table I Wind with no.
2d or 26 enamel wire.
L2 —
8 turns no 26 enamelec wire on
FB73-60I ferine UudU,
M1 —
0-1 rtiA motor. Caleclro DI-91Z or
equhr.
01. 02 — NPN transistor. 2N2222A or OQuiv.
03 — NPN transistor, 2N386G or equiv
Q4. Q5 — Transistor, MRF476 or equiv. (see
text).
P.14-R17. tncl — Fixed resistor. 1.8 ohms.
Vi W.
Hlfl —
Meter shunt. 13'.i inches no. 26
enamel wire wound on a high-value t-watt
resislcr.
51 — Tcgglo switcft. 3PDT.
52 — Push-bu1lon switch. SPST normally
open.
53 — DPDT.
Tcggle switcfl,
Tl. T2 — Broadband iranslotner. tt> lutns
no 2-1 enameled wire, bihiai wound on an
FT37-43 core. 7TV 7X
1 3 — Broadband transformer, 10 Dlfiiar turns
no. 24 enameled wire on an FT 50-43 core. CONTROL
Y1 —
Fundamental crystal tor frequency
EXCEPT AS INC. CATEO, DECiMiL VALUES OF
range desired.
tUJtlST CAPWITANCE Ate IK UlCHO'tOOOS jtF < I
;
0THDI5 ARE IN BICOFARH.0S (DF 0" j>llFt\
RESISTANCES ARE IN OHMS
k- COO, M.iOOO 000.
I *HE~rSlNK
is optional as there arc no power-output the antenna and mure jacks, key jack and adjust mem can be done with the aid of a
liming adjustments Ml is alio used to binding pusis, iCCCivct Willi d fundamental utyaial in the
.
monitor iransmitlcr current lonsumplion. A homemade cabinet measuring 3 x £ circuit, adjust C2 for a maximuTi fre-
x 8 '/j inches was used in the eonsirucEion quency spread lhai approximates the value
Construction of this transmitter. The builder may elect shown in Table L If too much frequency
The majority of the circui: components to Duild a cabinet from sheet aluminum 01 spread is available, increase the amount of
are mounted on a double-sided PC board. circuit-board material. The layout is not capacitance. Make a final check with the
One side of the board is etched with the except ihat ihe lead from ihe circuit
critical receiverby listening to the keyed signal
circuit pattern, and the oih:r side is left board to CI should he kept as sliori a.' from the transmitter. It should be steady
uneiched as a ground plane. A small possible —
an inch or two is line. and chirp free.
amount of copper is removed from around A bent aluminum heat sink was attached To provide wider frequency coverage,
each hole on the ground-plane side of ihe to the output transistors. Commercial several crystals may be used. A crystal
board to pre veni leads from shorting 10 it. TO- 220 heal sinks could also be used. If socket may be mounted on ihe from panel,
A test transmitter was built in the ARRL MRF472 transistors are available, they can or several sockets can be mourned on a
lab using single-sided board and the trans- be mounted flat on the circuit board and separate circuit aoard and a simple rotary
mitter seemed ro function normally with no screws passed througi the center of ihe switch used to connect the desired crystal
instability.Mo long term testing was transistors to hold then down. The ground into the circuit. This option is shown in
performed, however. A pam-layoni guide plane will act as a heat sink sufficient foi Fig. 48. Any number of crystals may be
and phuio of the finished boaid appear in short key-down periods. used, depending on the number of pcsilions
Fig. SO. The only adjustment needed is thai ol on the rotary switch. With crystals spaced
Affixed to the front panel are the trans- sct;ing the VXO timil capacitor (C2), and 10-kHz apart, the circuit can provide
mit/receive switch, spot switch and the even adjustment is not needed for the
this continuous coverage of 50-60 kHz of the
luning capacitor. The rear apron supports SO-, 40- and 30-mcict ttansraiMcrc. Thb 20-meter band.
QRP Classics 60
Fig. 49 — Spectral display ol the VXO-
conifOliod transmitter. Here Ihe irarismillot is
operated In the 20-meter band. The second
Harmonic is down 56 dB relative to the
fundamental oulpui. Similar assentations
were ostained on each ot Ih; other bands.
This transmitter complies wiih ihe current
FCC sped lie at ions regarding spectral purity.
TO CRYSTAL PA05
ON PC aoalx
OPTIONAL CRYSTAL SWrtCH
Fig. 50 — Tne
component-placement diagram tor me 6-w iransmitter PC Mara is snown at a.
The componcm side ol the board is shown, with an x-ray view of the circuii foil. A lull-size
etching pattern appears at the baci of this booh At Q is a photo of the transmitter circuit board
built using MRF476 transistors. The devices are mounted upright on the board with a heat sink
attached to the metal tabs on the transistors
QRP Classics 61
QRP Classics 62
From November 1389 OST, p 37:
pu'vdcicd-iiuii cuic (incdauicd inductance.
18-MHz COMPONENT VALUES FOR 2.5 uH). Space the turns on this coil, and
THE HANDBOOK VXO CW those on L3-L5, to allow a 30° gap between
TRANSMITTER the beginning and end of the each winding.
3 Yes, the 1989 ARRL Handbook's L3, L5— Output filter inductor. 16 turns
6-watt, VXO -controlled CW transmitter of no. 24 enaneled wire on a T-37-6 core
works well at 18 MHc. Here arc component (measured incuctance, 0.85 /iH).
values necessary' for using ihe rig on this —
L4 Outpu: filter inductor; 20 turns of
rand; the componeni designators listed arc no. 24 enameled wire on a T-37-6 core
ihose shown in Fig 48 of the Handbook (measured incuctance. 1,28 jiH),
write-up: Yl— Parallel-resonant fundamental crys-
CI—VXO tuning capacitor; 50 pF. tal, 20- or 32-pF load capacitance. An
C2— Limits ihe VXO tuning range to en- 18.07-MHz crystal borrowed from Zack
sure that the crystal, and not LI and CI, tau*S QRP Three-Bander (sec pp 25-30 of Fig 4— Spectral display ol We ARRL Hand-
:ontrols the oscillator frequency. I omitied October 1989 QS7) provided a VXO swing book 6-W VXO transmitter operating al
this capaxitor in the version 1 tested; if you of 10.8 kHz uiih 39 pF at C3 and C4. 18.09 MHz, Each Horizontal division
try this and vour crystal loses control, use Powered with a 12.0- V dc supply, my ver- represents 10 MHz; each vertical division
represents 10 dB. The spike at far left (the
id p f. sion of the VX3 transmitter draws 1 .26 A dc
spectrum analyzer's (i/st-tocal-osctllator
C3. C4— VXO fe.-dback capacitors; 39 while producing 6.2 \V output at IS 09 MHz.
signal) serves as a convenient "0 MHz"
?F. silver mica or NPO
ceramic. Fig 4 shows the t ransmitter's output spectrum reference. This specirograrr was taken with
C6— Interstage coipling capacitor; 39 pF, under these conditions.— David Newkirtt, the VXO transmitter producing 6.2 W of RF
Slrer- mica or NPO ceramic. AK7M, ARRL Staff energy. All harmonics and spurious emis-
CP, Cl8-Outpul niter capacitors; 1» sions aie al least 57 dB below peak funda-
rF. silver m'tcti (1(1 pFin parallel with HO mental output. Modified lor 18 MHz as
described in Ihe lexl. ihe 6-W VXO trans-
;F>.
mitter complies with current FCC specifica-
Ll— VXO inductor; 28 turns of no. 26
tions for spectral purity.
snamclcd wire on a T-37-6 toroidal,
QRP Classics 63
From January 1 985 QST. p 22:
'm sure you've heard a number of chirpy This positive feedback is provided by CI
I or buzzy signals from homemade QRP and C2. The capacitance ratio is adjistcd
» uie«oruwasi» '(.erHl«i
1
I transmitters. In fact, you may have un- to ensure fast starting of the oscillator when
willingly timed loose a "super blooper" nc*si«C!S writ. c—sn-se it is turned on or kryed. Remember that an
on the airways yourself! I'd be shading the oscillator is actually an amplifier. Part of
irulh if 1 did not confess lo being guilty of the power output :s routed back lo the in-
a .similar misdemeanor once or twice in my put circuit lo cause oscillation. hcrclorc, I
amateur career. It seems that -he simpler CI and C2 are chosen to ensure just enough
the transmitter ihe more prone it is to chirp feedback energy tc provide reliable oscilla-
and related ills. Once we understand the tion. Typically, a ratio of 4:1 in the feed-
causes of inferior performance, preventive back capacitors h a good starling value
steps can be taken in the design period to during initial design. In other words, we
avoid generating "lid" style signals.' should attempt to use one fourth the out-
Although we are addrcss.ne simple put power as feedback energy.
transmitters in this discussion, the general We need to remember, also, that this
approach design can be applied to most
to feedback power is taken from the output
oscillators and VFOs that are part of a ICOCC 01CU L«OK power available for delivery to the load. It
(A)
larger circuit, such as a multistage high- is for this reason :hat an oscillator is not
power transmitter. Since the oscllator is the as efficient (dc input power versus RFout-
heart of z transmitter or receiver, il put power) as a straight RF amplifier. In
deserves special care in the design and con- the interest of best efficiency', we should use
struction stages. no more feedback power than is required
for reliable circui: oscillation. There are
Profile of an Oscillator
other reasons why too much feedback is
There have been many discussions of undesirable. can cause a chirpy output
It
what oscillators are and how they function. signal and oscillation at frequencies ether
Certainly, QSTand the ARRL Handbook than the desired one, and may harm the
have carried a wealth of data cn
this sub- crystal from the effects of excessive curent.
jectover past decades. But for ihe purpose The high current can cause the crystal 10
of quick review, let's look ai Hg. I. he I heat up or even fracture. This dang:r is
circuit example at A
shows a Pierce more pronounced as the operating fre-
oscillator that has an untuned output cir- quency is increased (raised) because the
cuit. Feedback to make the circuit oscillate
HtWTS oscniaien
higher the crystal frequency ihe ihinne- ihe
IB1
is between the base and collector of 01. quartz element in a crystal. An overheated
crystal will drift in r'requency, just as a VFO
Fig. 1 —
Example of a Pierce solid-state
will with changes In component tempera-
'Noles appcer at end ol article. oscillator |A) C1 and C2 conrol Ihe feedback
•AORL Contributing Editor. P.O. Dox 250. in me circuits 01 A end D. A Col pi Ma oscillator ture. Some amateurs attempt to generate
Luther, Ml is fomd al B ot Ihls drawing. substantial power by using a power
QRP Classics 64
»
RFC! of Fig. 1A is selected 10 be s:lf- Fig. 2 A cry3lat oeclllator may be ucod as a IroquOficy multiplier, as shown horn Tho
resonant well bclov the desired oscillator collector citcuil Is tuned to the deal'ed harmonic of the crystal.
back capacitors were changed. will depend cn the transistor type wc select lector of Ql is RF, but
no longer cold at
The amount of feedback energy needed for Ql, has 14 2-MHz RF current present. Output
is dependent mainly upon how active the We can conclude from the previous from be lower than that
this circuit will
particular crystal i«. plus th*» hem nf the discussion thai there are many variables from of Fin. IB. This is
.he oscillator
:ransistor we happen to connect to our :ir- that dictate how we select component because the efficiency of any multiplier is
;uit. The beta (gair.) of a transistor varies values for a riven crystal oscillator circuit. lower than that for a straight-through
considerably between one transistor and Experimentation has long been the motto amplifier. Most oscillator/ do ublers exhibit
another from the sane manufacturer's pro- of amateurs, so this requirement should be an efficiency of app-roxinately 33% after
duction run. This is why the data sheets list a matter of course for most cf us who being optimized. Were A'c lo triple or
;hc beta with a "typical" value. In reality, manipulate a soldering iron in the small quadruple in the collector circuit (which is
i: can be above or below that value by a hours of the morning! The variables that entirely acceptable), the efficiency would
"oil margin. Because of unknown crystal apply to crystal oscillators do, of course, be correspondingly lower. The technique is
characteristics and the so-called "beta relate to VFO (variable- f-equency useful when we are willing to amplify the
spread," we need io adjust the feedback oscillator) circuits as well. Became of these oscillator/multiplier output by means of
:or each circuit wc tuild —
if optimum per- variations in transistors and crystals, it is straight-through amplifiers. Generally, the
•ormancc is desired. not unusual to find that a circuit we CW note will be less prone to chirp if wc
duplicate from an amateur journal does not multiply in the oscillator or in the stage im-
perform as specified —
or perhaps not at mediaiely after the oscillator. For the most
Thus far we have considered only the all! The author may have chosen the proper pan, cur cost will be minimal when we add
pierce oscillator. There are countless other component values for hts or her crystal and an amplifier after a frequency-multiplier
ypes of crystal-oscillator circuits, and each transistor, but they may be incorrect for stage: Transistors and resistors are quite in-
"cold" in terms of RF energy by means of could use it to drive a straigtit-through diode regulator is Ihe answer. The circuit
•.he 0.1 -fiF bypass capacitor. The base and amplifier in a low-power transmitter. The of Fig. 3 illustrates the simplicity of Zcner
emitter terminals ol Ql arc hot with regard reason we should avoid oscillator/ diode deregulation. Dl isa 9.1-V, 400-mW
:o RF energy. Cl and C2 comprise the feed- multipliers directly into an antenna is regulator. It will hold the oscillator base
oack divider. They can be adjusted in value because they are quite inefficient, and they and collector voltage constant during key-
:o provide Ihe rcquied amount of feedback would cause subharmonic energy to he down conditions. Rl is (he dropping
power. radiated. The exception in the case of resistor for the diode. Without this resistor,
RF output is taken from the oscillaor subharmonic radiation would b; when we the diede would draw excessive current and
emitter circuit. The output voltage is quite use well-designed filters in the transmitter bum jp. If the resistor has too much
iow compared to that of the Pierce circuit output. The Filters would have to reject the resistance, the diode will not rcgulaie at
1 V. Information on selecting the correct
of Fig. A because of the low impedance
I
oscillator frequency as well as larmonics 9.
of the Colpitts osci lator output tap point. of the desired output frequency. This value of resistance is presented in the
Both oscillators require the smallest piac- would call lor a quality band-pass filter ARRL Handbook. Wc
nsed to recognize
iicalvalue of output coupling capacitor rather than the customary low-pass filter. that the Zcner diode must draw a certain
|C3) to minimize leading of the oscilla:or, In other words, we would need to reject amount ol current if it is to provide regula-
which can cause chirp (when keyed) oi no frequencies above and below the tion. This current can range from 10 to
QRP Classics 65
IS mA in this type of circuit, depending on
the value of Rl. Fcr portable operation
from a battery power supply, therefore,
this added current must be taken into ac-
count when considering the discharge rate
of the battery.
You will notice alio thai we have add:d
R2 in the circuit of Fie. 3. This 22-ohm
resistor is located close to the collector of
Ql to prevent unwanted parasitic oscilla-
tions that may occur al VHF. It is not
unusual for a high-frequency transistor to
Klf-oscillate in ihe VHF range when the cir-
cuit board is laid out with long copper
dements. R2 serves as an inexpensive
|iicvcilti v c device. Parasitic oscillation can
impair the efficiency of the oscillator, «i-
courage spurious radiation, and cause the
Fig. 3 — An example of how a Zener diode (D1) can bo used to ensure stable oceraltno. voltage
CW note to be unclean. R2 may not be
(see text).
necessary in circuits thai are laid cut
carefully.
Our circuit in Fig. 3 is a Pierce oscillator.
Values of L and C lor the One-Slage QRP Transmitter (Fig. 4) series provide the remaining pan of the
Band CJ(pF, C, (pF) C2 (oF> C3 IpF, C4 (pF, u t*m feedback divider. The effective value of C2
IS MHz 1000 330 100 1200 100 4.2, 29 turns no. 26 wire and C3 in scries ii 107 pF. These two
on T50-2 toioldcore capacitors function as an impedance-
7.0 MHZ 5W 180 100 600 47 2.12. 20 lurns nc. 26 wire
transformation circuit as well. The im-
on T50-2 totold core
4T pedance al the top :nd of RFCl is quite
10.1 MHz 100 100 430 33 1.48, 19 turns nc. 26 wire
on T50-6 toroid core high compared to that of the base of Q2.
14.0 Ml IE 4*0 68 .00 300 jn 1.0. 13 lurne no. 36 <""'« The Ql collector impedance is stepped
on T50-6 toroid core
down by virtue of the ratio of C2 and C3.
C' The ARRL Electronics Data Book coma ns
Note: C2 Is a
^^ £ 4
Mo*«' n 2
m£ a
a9
a "too teJSnlc"^'
'
"' ^"no', 15" ,W> pF 03 Bnd
*
810,1,0 De
the equations and examples for using
capacilive dividers 10 transform one in-
pedance to another.
load capacitance. Other fundamental crystals will be suitable (see text!. ARRL Handbook contains detailed d&ta
QRP Classics 66
—
to soften the trailing edge of the CW spread the coil turns around 2/3 of the
*avcform. The purpose of R7 is to provide toroid core. Bunching them Coo close
2 light load at the output of C5 under all together will increase the inductance, and
conditions, observed that the transmitter
I spreading them over all of the core will
:cndcd to be unstable beforeR7 was added, decrease (he inductance.
^lrticularly when SWR
was higher than
the You may wish to add a single pi-section
2:1. The instability was observed while I harmonic to the transmitter output in
filter
vdS adjusting the Transmatch for an all- the interest of spectral purity, I have used
?md antenna. Stability was fine when a this circuit witi and without the filter, and
lew SWR was present while using a dipo:e have found the output (without the filler)
:cd with 52-ohm cotxial cable. to be clean enough to prevent TVl or har-
monic radiation that could be detected on
VXO Operation the air. Table 2 contains a circuit that can
The pair of terminals marked with an X be added. The photograph of the transmit-
Fig. 4 identify the location of a jumper
..-
QRP Classics 67
STATIC* BiCEIVE you don't receive an answer on the first few
AKT Af.T
That can happen even when runring
calls.
12 V
NO!£; MOUM T>7
mmss ant jack n - «*? QRO (high power}] Eventually you will
receive a response to your CQ, and the fun
will commence. When answering someone
on or near your cr>stal frequencies, try to
respond to loud signals. This will mean that
your signal will probably be fairly loud in
the other station's receiver, assuming the
operator is 001 running high power.
In Summary
[f you haven't had the courage to work
with transistors, this article may be the
stimulant you've needed. On the other
Fl fl . 7 Componcnl side view ol ih; PC boo'd ohowing rloc-oment ol ihe component. hand, ifyuu've beta building limplfl QKP
rigs and have had poor results, the dcrign
lips we've discussed may get you heaJed
down the right path.
There are many QRP operators in ihe
world, so why not join them and face the
addition of ihe simple filter are shown in is given in (he Hints and Kinks column. exciting challenge of low-power operation.
Fig. 6. If you want to use ihis linle transmitter in
The completed assembly can be mounted Adjustment and Use ihe field, lake along a 12-V motorcycle bat-
in a cabinet or box of your choice. A Attach a 56-ohm resistor at the transmit- tery, a lanlerri battery or 10 size-D cells
nice homemade box can be fashioned from teroutput to serve as a dummy load. Apply connected in series. Of course, you will
pieces of double-sided PC board that operating voltage and plug in your key. need a battery-operated receiver to use with
are soldered together where the sections Hold the key down and tunc your receiver your transmitter for field work. Numerous
join. The need not be completely
circuit to the transmitter frequency. Send some circuits for QRP receivers are described in
enclosed. Rather, you may prefer to CW and monitor the note. If it is chirpy, the ARRL book. Solid Stale Design for the
mount the board on short standoff posts adjust C2 until the CW note sounds proper. Radio Amateur.
on an L-shaped piece of aluminum stock. You can observe the S meter on your
The vertical part of the L can then serve receiver while tuning C2 for maximum
as a panel for the jacks and VXO tuning power output, consistent with a good-
capacitor. Adhesive-backed plastic feet can sounding CWnote. Notes
he affixed to the bottom of the L chassis. With an antenna connected (it should A b i ptior opcraloi, or one with a taid-
<oundinp lignal The icrm come* from ihe early tays
Your 12-V power supply can be packaged have an impedance of 50 ohms), look for
of Amateur Radio aid is rumored co have teen
in the same box that contains the a clear frequency and call CQ. It is wise to implied by a tud CW
-i,.. ihftl Mi undid hie (lu-
transmitter.
1
A parts placemen: guide is have two or three crystals available it you ll d on a keille ot boiliie water.
provided in Fig. 7. A scale etching template do not use VXO control. Don't despair if Deleted.
Circuit-board etching pattern lor the QR P transmitter. The patlern is shown full size Irom the toil side ol Ihe board. Black areas represent unelched
copper (oil.
QRP Classics 68
From December 1086 QST, p 10;
of low-cosi power 10 W output rrom a switching MOSFET with capacitive drain loading. Apart from
TheMOSFETS availability
(they're noi real y operating from a 12-V supply. the final amplifier, the remainder of (he
MOuScFETs!) creates new possibiii- transmitter uses a proven transistor lineup
:a for "homebrew'' transmitter design. from a previous design.
:r several years, I have used various RF
;
-s£TTi«i lofwi' pninlp« (In rhi* pnr'rpthnnt) the common-drain transmitters use the same PC boards.) The
!
.
!0 determine Ihe MOSFET's potential VFO board contains 01, an FET VFO.
_- dhow to tame it for use at RF. Since I d configuration were tried. buffer Q2 and the balanced doubler
a few RF bipclar transistors while composed of Q3 and Q4. D4 provides
i^ming how to use them, I knew certainly power-supply regulation for Ql. The
-2t a few MOSFETS would be "cooked" 80-meter transmitter uses a Hartley VFO;
store I found the right circuit. 1 selected So, I did a lot of computer rrodeling, it's a simple circuit and keeps the
:
meters as the test band and eventually
: , experimentation and article revt:w. Dif- inductance of LI at a reasonable value. A
ferent circuits employing heavy gale scrics-tuncd Clapp oscillator with the
.
aill transmitters for 30 and 40 meter*.
swamping, RF feedback, drain loading and inductor wound on an air-core ceramic
Technical Approach even the common-drain configuration were form (for stability) is- used in the 30- and
From articles 1 reviewed, it was apparent tried. Some of these circuitslooked 40-meter transmitters. Balanced doubler
of MOSFET transmitter
the majority promising— for a while. But, jjst as a Q3-Q4 gets its drive from the bifilar
-;uits a 24-V, or greater, drain
use circuit seemed to provide sufficient gain, winding on Tl. The transistor collectors arc
:, :ential and mosi use RF-characterized the device would be destroyed by gate lapped down on T2 for optimal output. T2
:r.icc types. Because RF power MOSFETs breakdown, rot excessive dissipation or is tunec to the operating frequency, twice
_-; priced too high for this learning thermal runaway. I discovered that some the VFO frequency.
"fort, my objective was to obtain at least form of gate protection is required, along The VFO runs continuously. When
QRP Classics 69
Wv
A,
C5
Fig 1— Schsmatic diagram of Urn MOiiSbFFT Inw.pnwor transmiHer TIn» RD-mote* VFO Is Rofor to the paie
list and Tables 1 and 2 lor pans values nol shown on iho diagram. All 0.1-pF capacitors a typos. All resistors
are '/*- or '6-w. 10%
tolerance
C11—*7-„F, 16-V electrolytic or I FB-21 no. 28 enameled wire on FB-43-101 Q5— 2N3053 (see text).
C 12- Delete! fe rite bead. O6-80M. IRF 523: 40 m and 30 m.
D1-D3. incl-lNdl-18. J1—Amphenol 126-01 jack (or equlv).
1 IRF510.
D4—8.2-V, 400-mW Zensr diode (1N959 or j 2— pliono jack. Q7— 2N3906 or 2N2907A.
equiv). P1—Amphenol 125-010 plug (or equiv) (or R1— 500-f). 1-turn trimmer potontiomotar.
D5— 13-V. 40O-mW Zonor diode (1N964 or pcwer cable. RFCi— 100-fiH RF choke on phenolic torm
equlv).
Q1. Q2-MPF103 (see text). (Millor 46*2 or equiv).
03. Q4-2N3904 (see text).
spotting, the buffer and doubkr stages are the power-amplifier ciain. Q5 delivers the power dissipated in D5.
keyed. Thcdriver and final amplifier stages about I W
through an L network to Q6's L4, C8, L5 and C9 form an L-pi output
are on only during transmit when + 12 V gate circuit. network (a pi-L in reverse). The L section
is applied at JI-E through an external TR A power MOSFET's fate circuit is quite matches the 5-ohm drain impedance of Q6
switch. CI2 provides some keyed wave- different from a bipolarpower amplifier's to a 100-ohm image impedance with a Q
t
shaping, and Rl is an adjmtment for base circuit. D5 provides two functions: of 4.35. A pi ret work with a QL of
doublcr ba.ance. CIO ensures stability at It protects Q6 from excessive gale approximately 2 hen takes the 100-ohm
this stage, but it may not always be voltages and acts with C15 to provide a image impedance down to 50 ohms. This
necessary. Measured VFO-board output is "grid-leak" action. During the negative type of network is less critical to tune than
in the orde- of 60 mW. Improved keyed- half-cycle, D5 conducts and charges C!5; a T network for a given amount of
wave shaping using a time-delay circuit wan during: the positive half-cycle. CIS'.* charz? harmonic suppression. At a nominal power
devised by Zachary Lau, KH6CP, of the is added to the RF drive to supply a output of 16 W, the second harmonic is
ARRL Lab. That circuit employs a general- maximum of 15 V gate potential. Power 45 dB down; other harmonics are at least
purpose PNP transistor, Q7, to moderate MOSFETS have a higli input resistance, 60 dB down. (This performance was
the otherwise fast rise time of the keyed but do require drive during switching. verified in the ARRL Lab.) The power level
wave. This addition also allows one side of This is because of gate-source and gate- you obtain may be somewhat greater on
the key to grounded. drain (Miller) capacitances. Gate-loading 80 meters and les* on 30 meters.
Q5. a 2N3053 operating classC, and Q6, resistor R3, and drain-loading capacitor
an International Rectifier IRF type C7, augment stability as vciifitd on u Component Notet
MOSFET also operating class C, comprise computer-aided design program. R4 limits Most components used in this project arc
QRP Classics 70
PA BOARD
< JI-D.12V
< Jl -A K EY
delude the 2N2102 or D42C4; good results Frequency Dependent Capacitor and Resistor Values
-ere obtained with the D42C4 80 meien.
at Capacitor BO M 40 M 30 M
purchased the MOSFET (Q6) from Number
"rank, K2AW. at a hamfest table.- C1 25 pF air var 35-pF air var 35-pF air var
Motorola, RCA, CE. G1 and other C2 450 pF (9 x 50 pF N) 1000 pF P 940 pF (2 x 470 pF P>
Tjnufacturers make IR equivalents. C3 50 pF N 470 pF P 60D pF (6 x 100 pF N/P)
200 pF 100 pF 100 pF NP
The toroidal inductors arc available from
\midon or Radiokit. J J All coils are
-
C4
C5 200 pF
pF P
(2
(2
x 100 pF N/P)
x 100 pF N/P) 100 pF
470 pF
N/P
N/P 50 pH
330 pF P
W
•ound with no. 28 enameled wire. Afttr C6 1000 P
C7 3300 pF P 1000 pF P 400 pF (4 x 100 pF N/P)
the VFO is built and tested (sec tunc-up ani
C8 2700 pF P 1410 pF 1000 pF
operation), hold the LI windings in place
(3 x 470 pF P) {10 x 100 dF N/P)
mlh a thin layer of elue. L4 and L5 arc 1100 pFP 700 pF 400 pF
C9
ADund with two paralleled wires to (7 x 100 pF N/P) {4 x 100 pF N/P)
iffectively increase the wire size and reduce
C10 50pFN/P 50 pF N/P
v.pper losses. (These arc not bi filar C13 Not uaod 250 pF (S » Rtt pF N) PSD pF (5 x 50 pF N)
w ndings! You may optionally use a larger CM Not used 60-pF trimmer 60-pF trimmer
-vre size instead.* Except where notec.
:3pacilors are X7R o: 25U ceramic types. N = NPO coraTiIc; P *> polystyrens; N/P = NPO ceramic or polystyrene. Silver-mica
used bypassing and capacitors can be substituted tor the polystyrene types.
Ticse are for
decoupling functions, but not in tuned
Resistor 80 M 40 M 30 M
-i-cuits. C2 and C3 are specified as NPO
Number
reramic units for excellent temperature R2 47 68 68
R3 22 33 33
R4 10 10 10
Notes appear at end o( article.
QRP Classics 71
sturdy, shfctdcd cnclosuie. Ail S x 5 x
5-inch (LWD) cabinet provide* more than Table 2
enough room; even a 7 x 5 x 3-inch box, Frequency Dependent Inductance Values
such as the LMB 7fi2,
is of ample size. The
PA board, bui no ill effects were found L3 191 on T50-2 12t cn T50-G 9t on T50-6
without the shield. If you elect lo s hield (1.8 „H) (0.5 .H) (0.33 ,.H|
the
VFO, CI should be installed in the VFO L4' 151 on T50-6 101 cn T50-6 61 on T50-6
box. and the larger transmitter cabinet used. (0.9 P HJ (0.43 ^H) (0.3 „H)
Short, stiff leads from CI lo the VFO board L5" 221 on T50-2 151 cn T50-2 13t on T50-6
arc important for mechanical stability. Fias (2.8 ,.H) (1.2 ,H) (0.9 ,.H)
2 through 5, inclusive, show the exterior and LB 111 on FT-37-61 101 cn FT-97-G1 9t on FT-37-61
interior viewsof two of the three prototype L7 111 on FT-37-61 91 cn FT-37-61 61 on FT-37-61
transmitters. The 80-m transmitter (Figs 2
and 4) was the first unit built. Fi.gs 3 and T1 pri: 181 on FT-50-61 pri: 16t on FT-50-61 pri: 121 on FT-50-61
5 are views of the 40-m unit. sec: 9 bililar turns sec: 8 biti!ar turns sec: 10 bililar turns
The power amplifier PC boatd
is double-
sided, with one side
uncichcd. Copper
left
T2 pri: 401. tap at 20t* pJi: £61.lap at 111' pri: 221. tap at 10t=
11
foil nr hrairl is used lo provide low. sec: 7t on T50-2 sec: 5t on T50-2 sec: 4t on T50-2
inductance wraparounds to ground. Solder
All inductors wound with no. 28 enameled wire unless otherwise notes.
the foil t3 both sides of the board. '14 and L5 are wound with two parallel lengths ol no. 28 enameled wire this is done to mcreaie the
Alternately, placed-ihrough holes can be effective wire size. Theso are oof bifilar windings.
used in place of wraparounds. Solder all 'Tap measured from 07 side of primary.
other components to this board prior to Powcered iron toroids (T5C-6 and T50-2) and ferite toroids (FT-37-61 and FT-50-61) are available
installing 06. Cut the leads sf Q6 to a
Iron ASA Engineering, Amidon Associates cr fladiokil (see notes 1, 3, 4) Ferroxcubfl 3/fi-in
4C4 and 1/2-in 4C4 feme toroids may be substituted.
length of 0.3 inch, and mount ihe transistor
at the board edge. Insulating hardware for
Q6 consist* of a kapton or mica insulator,
nylon washer and spaghetti sleeving for the
metal bolt. Heat-sink grease is thinly
applied to both sides of the insulator. (Too
much grease impairs heat transfer.)- The PA no other variable capacitors
used!, there are L4 and L5, and remove turns as required
board and Q6 arc bolted to the front panel, in the transmitters. Al tune-up is done during tune-up.
which acts as a heat sink. The leads of Q6 by adding or removing terns on the toroidal First, adjust the VFO tuning range by
must nut be sucked, so blitni die PA board inductors, and by compressing or ex- listening to its output with a calibrated
wilh metal washers if necessary. small, A pancing the windings. This may take some receiver or coupling a frequency coun:er to
clip-on heat sink will help Q5 dissipate heat. time and patience, but compact
it results in the VFO output. (!f your frequency counter
con si ruction without the need for large is not sensitive enough, you'l] have to use
Tune-Up and Check-Out trimmer capacitors. Start with one or two a receiver initially.) Scl Rl at midrange and
With (he exceptions of Cl and C14 (if extra turns on LI, the primary of T2, L3, apply + 12 V lo Jl-D, with a key across
QRP Classics 72
setting ofRl where the fundamental nulls
out.Then, disconnect the power meter and
connect the VFO output to Ihe PA input
using a short length of coaxial cable.
Next, connect an RF power meter to J2
andapp.y H 12 V to J -D and Jl-E. Keying
I
to 20 W
of RF output
On Ihe Air
Operation is simple. Use a Transmatch
and a resonant antenna. recommend that
1
Jl-A and Jl-B. Adjjst L] for the desirid through a maximum output point within
band coverage, as you vary Cl. Next, «ct itsrange, adjust the primary of T2 until it
Cl to mid-band and adjust the primary of docs. Using a wave or dip meter, sense mitting, monitor your off-thc-air signal
12 (80 meters) or CI4 (30 and 40 meters) around T2, and set Rl for minimum instead of using a siderotic. No hint of
for maximum output as indicated on a fundamental feedthrough (lliat is, .8 MHz
1 thermal runaway has; been noted, and the
sensitive power meter connected to VFO on 80 meters, 3.5 MHz on 40 meters and transmitter sustained no damage with high
output. I f C 14 does not allow you to tunc 5 MHz at 30 meters). You should notice a SWR loads. With the valtes of Cl given,
QRP Classics 73
frequency coverage Is aboui 100 kHz on Englcmann, W2VIB, and Mike Kucks.
80 m, 60 <Hz on 40 m, and all of 30 m. KA2ZAM, of KDI Electronics for use of
lab facilities; the use of he KDI Electronics
facilities was invaluable to the design
The on-ihe-air performance of these little effcrt. My thanks also to my wife, Dawn,
rigs is quite satisfactory. Using a folded for ncr encouragement during this project.
dipolcon30 meters, TK5, 1V3. G, F. FG
Notes
and North America have been worked.
Results on 80 m
(using a random-length
'AAA engineering, 252n W LaPalma Ave. Unit
K Anaheim. CA 92801, tel 714-952-2114.
wire antenna) arc good from Southeast to ;K2AWs Silicon Alley" 175 Friends La,
Midwest states and Canada. have been too
I Westoury, NY 11590.
3Amidon Associates. 12033 Otsego St, North
busy (and having fun) building these rigs to
geton 40 n. so it is up to you to find out
Hollywood. CA 91607, el 213-780-4429.
-Rajiokit, PO Box 411. Greenville. NH 030d8.
how one of these MOuScFET transmitters tel 603-878-1033.
will perform on that band! Though they're
small, they pack quite a bite!
Acknowledgments
my thanks
Ffl( uptjalQdfii
_ r addre!SBS< SBB
Supplier List in Chapter 2.
ARRL Pahs
I offer sincere to Herb
QRP Classics 74
from May 1975 QGT, p 16:
Transmitter Design —
Emphasis on Anatomy
Part 1: Which is oest duplication of a published circuit or —
an understanding of how the circuit works? ihis builders
course provides some "hows" and "whys''' for a 10- io
15-watt, 40- and 20-meter cw transmitter.
Out Transistors," greeted me as I walked transmitter. Let's run through it and see
into a friend's workshop recently Fred
Understanding Our Circuit what each section docs. Starling at the left
stood there with a deeply furrowed brow The circuit for our workshop project we :1nd a 7-MHz VFO. It operates straight
and pointed to a wi ctthcd-looking, pc- was based on numerous requests for a through on 40 meters. The arrows show
board assembly which had been worked transmitter that would serve as a mate for that SI A/SIB routes the rf energy directly
and reworked until it looked like no hope "The Mini-Miser's Drean, Receiver" to tie broadband amplifier module during
remained for It. Fred one of those
is which appeared in QST fot September, 7-MHz operation, For use on 20 meters,
fellows who loves to build amateur gear, 1976. A power output in the 10- to 1 5-watt the VFO output is switched to a push-
but never took the time to change his bracket seemed suitable for most of the push doubler by means of SI. Output at
thinking from vacuum tubes to semicon- QRP applications one might encounter, 14 MHz is applied :o the broadband
ductors. He could duplicate the circuits in and ampl; power would be available for amplifier when the switch is set for
amateur magazines, but couldn't make
them "play" when something went amiss.
After some casual conversation and a hot
cup of coffee. Fred calmed down and we
began troubleshooting his problem child.
The major faults were instability in the
PA stage and low output from ihe driver.
An hour later we had his rransmitifr per-
colating nicely, and Fred poked his
thumbs proudl> into his chesl and pro-
claimed. "Ain't it a beaut?"
It occurred lo me as I sensed my
friend's anguish that a better understand-
ing of how a sclid-state circuit furctions
would have saved him countless hours and
a cut liidci able amount of giacc in the eyes
of The Almighty The foul language and
extra money spent for transistor replace-
ments could have been avoided. My
easily
adventures with Fred helped to inspire i his
course in transnitter anatomy. Knowing
why a particular circuit was chosen by the
Two versiois ol the 7- ami u-MHz cw iransmltier are shown here. Ai ihe led is ihe WlFB coto-
lype. On the n'ghl is a model bui by WACUZO. Bolh units ate small and lightweight
I
QRP Classics 75
5
?fl-meri*r npcr-irion Yon will notice that output and requires only 10 mW
of rf At (he far upper right of the block
an offset line vro. When S2A
goes to the energy from the VFO or doubler lo diagram are two filters —
one for each
is the OPERATE position and the key
in develop its rated output power. Actually, band. They are selected by means of
(Jl) is opei. relay contacts ai KID place the broadband amplifier is useful from 1 .8 S1D/SIE. Since :he PA is also a broad-
+ 12 V
on the VFO-offset line. This to 30 MHz, even ihough this transmitter band amplifier there will be a substantial
voltage turns on a switching ciodc in the covers only two bauds. The amplifier is amount of harmonic current in the out-
VFO. The diode switches some additional biased for Class A
(linear) operation so put. To keep the unwanted energy sup-
capacitance into the VFO tuned circuit that can be driven easily by the VFO.
it pressed by 40 dB or greater it is necessary
and moves tile updating frequency uui- The linearity is not a necessary feature for lo use FLI and FL2. The niters are low-
side (he amateur band. This prevents an cw uie, however, but would be ideal if this pass types (T networks). They are pre-
unwanted beat note in the receiver tuning were an 5sb exciter. tuncd, so no- external peaking controls are
range during the receive priod. When
the Tc the right of the broadband amplifier needed.
transmitter is keyed the offsc: voltage is is a PA stage. It is driven to a power out- Output from the filters is routed
disconnected by means of K1B, and the put of 10 to 15 watts b>> the I -watt signal through an SWR-scnsor circuit (lower
VFO provides output on the desired from the previous module. A Motorola right of drawingi. A panel meter. Ml.
operating "requency. It is necessary 10 MRF449A transistor is used in the PA. It serves as a visual indicator for trimning
disable the offset circuit for spotting (zero iscapable of 30 watts of output, and has a an antenna or adjusting a Transmatcli for
beating), so S2A is placed in the SPOT rated gain (typical) of 13 dB at 30 MHz. a lowSWR. The latter is essential if prop-
position for that function. Operating Our purpose in restricting (he output to 1 er operation of the PA stage is to be real-
voltage must be applied to the push-push watts is to minimize tre overall current ized. Relay contacts atK1C transfe- the
doubler duiing 20-mctcr spoting, and S2B drain of the transmitter to 3 amperes or antenna from transmitter to the
the
is used for lhai purpose. Activating the less. This will assure longer battery life receiver during standby periods.
doubter assures a loud beat note when during portableoperation, and will At the lower left of Fig. I we have a
MM healing another 20-nvti*r sietinl Simplify requirements of an ac-
the break-in delay module It has a varablc
As the signal moves to the right in Fig.
1 operated dc supply (regulated). The actual lime constant which controls the drop-out
it reaches the broadband amplifier. This amount of rf output power will depend time of the changeover relay, KlA. The
wa$ chosen because it requires no
circuit upon t he characteristics of the last stage n i amount of delay time can be determined
tuned circuits; Elimination of tuned, [he broadband amplifier and the PA tran- by adjustment of a potentiometer on the
narrow-band circuits ai the output of each sistor. This results from the slight nonuni- circuit board. Closure of the key charges
of the thr;e amplifiers in he module form^ in transistor manufacture: Some Ihe timing capacitor, which in turn ac-
makes possible to avoid complicated
it have more gain than others. It is for this tuates a bipolar-transistor dc switch. The
band-switclling uirvujte, The biuaduund reason that an output figure of 10 lo 15 swhch closes KlA and applies operating
amplifier delivers approximately I watt of watts is given. voltage to the broadband amplifier. S3
QRP Classics 76
.
BUFFER AMPLIFIER
OOOI
TMH: 4-I2V
2
=ig. —
Schematic diagram ol the VFO. Fiied-value capacitors ae disk or chip cerami: unless otherwise incicaied Rosistors can De 1M- or 1f2-vV
"mpoSHion. (Sco Juno. 1976, ham radio (orthe author's detailed j«plana|ion of Ihls VFO circuit.}
31 — 100 pF, miniature, air variable IN5293 or equlv. Miller 27A014-6 form).
12 — 50 pF. polystyrene. L1 — Stug'tuiwd inductor with e-^H nominal 01. 02 - Vhf JFET, MPF102. 2N54B6. 2N4416
23 — 10 pF, silver mica. inductance (Miller 42A6B6CBI in VMFB unit, 01 HEP602.
Zi — 27 pF, polystyrene. Miller 23A473FPC in WAOUZO model) 03 —
2N2222A or HEP-S3001.
31, D2 — High speed silicon diode. 1N9Uot L2 — Slug-tuned, pc-boardmount inductor. 3.2* RFC1-4 —
Miniaturo rf choke iMillen J301 or
:q_..\ hH nominal Inductance (Miller 23A4T0RPC or equiv,).
~
3 _ 9.1 -V. 400-mW or greater Zener diode; 25 turns no- 32 enam. wire close *ound on
locks the break-in delay circuit into the C5 and CG arc feedback capacitors ihat ing standby. R< is used to prevent damage
key-down mode tune-up purposes. An
for take part of the oscillator output (source to che diode; it limits the current through
LED indicator illuminates during transmit terminal) and route it back to the input the dicde junction when the offset voltage
periods, and a second LED indicates when (gate). This feedback is what causes the is applied through ir and RFC1
:he circuit the standby (receive)
is in FET to oscillate. RFC2 used lo keep the
is The O.OI-jiF capacitor and 100-ohm
-node. At that time the transfer relay feedback energy at the source of Ql while resistor at the drain of Ql are used to
-outes 12 volts lo the receiver via J3. This providing a d« return to ground for the place the drain at ac ground (bypass) and
:ontrol voltage can be used for muting FET. Statec simply, it's an isolating to isolate Ql from the other transistors in
and unmuiing the receiver. choke for the rf. the VFO module. This is called a decou-
Another purpose is served by C5 and pling network, and it helps prevent un-
Understanding the VFO C6: They add a considerable amount of wanted self-osctllation ir the remaining
The VFO
of Fig. 2 has a familiar face, shunt capttcLauee fium lire FET base to VFO-diaiu sLagcS. Q2 has a slmilai
as it has been used in a number of my cir- ground. This helps to disguise the small decoupling network in the drain circuit.
cuits.' It has beer such a faithful &nd changes in F5T junction capacitance dur- A buffer stage (Q2) is shown in Fig. 2.
predictable performer that it was chosen ing operatic! —
a significant contribution It functions as an isolation circuit between
again. The circuit at Ql is a Colpitis to oscillator *i ability. D2 gets into this act. the oscillator and Q3. It is used as a source
oscillator, but some of you may prefer to also. It conducts on the positive swing of Follower —
the output being taken from
.-all it a scrics-iun:d Clapp if you date the oscillator rf voltage, and that limits the sojree element of the FET. Because
back to the lube era when that type of cir- the change h FET junction capacitance. the gate of an FET has a very high im-
cuit emerged as one of the more stable (Maximum capacitance change occurs pedance (megohms), the transistor does
varieties of VFO. near the peak of the positive half of the not lead the output of Ql. The gate
Three capacitors (C2, C3 and C4) art- sine wave.) In addition to helping stabilize coupling capacitor is small in value (39
used in series with LI to ground. This the oscillaio-, D2 reduces the harmonic pF). and that also reduces the loading ef-
method permits a larger amount of induc- output of Ql This is because nonlinear
. fects cn Ql. The lighter the loading, the
tance to be used ai LI than would be changes in junction capacitance en- less chance there will be for oscillator
possible in a more commmon, parallel- courage the generation of harmonic cur- "pulling" (chirps) when the transmitter is
tuned. VFO
tank. The higher inductance rents. It is riKf«?aiy to 05* n high.spcftd. keyed Rwflnw Q7 is n sniirre follower it
is subject to changes in value frjm
less rf type of dicde for this purpose, such as a will not provide a voltage gain. Actually, a
heating than would be the case if high C IN9M switching kind. slight loss will occur at Q2. Typically, a
and low L were used. Three capacitors are C7, Dl aid RFC1 are used in the VFO- voltage gain of 0.9 -will be realized when
used below the coil rather than one so nat offset circuit. When the +12 volts arc ap- using this type of buffer stage. This means
:he circulating rf current will be divided plied to 01. as discussed earlier, C7 is that we lose 10 percent cf the rf voltage
among them, This lowers live heating in placed in parallel with the main tuning that is applied to the gate of Q2.
my one capacitor and improves stability. capacitor, CI. This moves the VFO RFC3 is used as a broadly resonant
operating frequency lower mj thai tliv (low-Q) uncd circuit dial peaks
i 7 MHz m
Notes appear al end ot article. signal won't be heard in the receiver dur- with the approximate 5 pF of stray circuit
QRP Classics 77
capacitance. Zener diode D3 is ob
use-d 10 energy. A 3300 ohm resistor is used in
tain a 9. l-voli regulaied supply for Ql and parallel with L2 to broaden the response.
Q2. This prevents changes ir. oscillator This will assure relatively constant VFO
frequency when ihe 12-volt power supply output to provide an even drive across all
output changes. Regulated voltage is sup- of the 40- and 20-mctcr cw bands.
plied to Q2 so that it maintains relatively The output capacitan:e for the pi net-
constant operating characteristics: Volt- work is obtained by utilizing the
age shifts at Q2 could cause slight changes capacitance of the feedthrough terminal
in internal capacitance and resistance, and (C3) and the 470-pF shunt capacitor. The
[hose variations could cause seme pulling collector tank designed to transform the
is
Footaeta
'DeMaw, "QRP Shakedown, Caymanian Si»le!"
QST, March. 1975.
'Negatives, pc board* <x complete pam kits fo- ihis
A look into tho VFO compartment ot the WAfluZO model. Coil Li is mounted on a side wall ol the
VFO box. Feedthrough capacitors are used as terminalsSor leads entering and leaving trie VFO For updated supplier addresses
compartment Suppliais List in Chapter 2.
Transmitter Design-
Emphasis on Anatomy
Part 2: A VFO by
doesn't offer much wien it comes to
itself
transmitting, so let's proceed with the physical structure of
our two-band transmitter. Here is some useful information on
the frequency doubler and cw break-in delay circuits.
P
I ccchance you're wondering wh> our by means of broadband transformer Tl, doubler with a ball-park efficiency of 70
VFO described earlier couldn't be made to the collectors arc tied in parallel. In this percent. There is no reason why a pair of
operate on 14 MHz as well as on 7 MHz. manner the stage differs from a push-pull JFETs couldn't be used at Q4 and Q5 of
Well, (here's no reason why the L and C amplifier, es the latter would have the col- Fig. 4. If they were, however, the doubler
components couldn't be modified to pro- lectors as well as the bases in push-pull. A output for this transmitter would be
vide two-band coverage. In such an exam- push-push amplifier favors even har- somewhat lower (inadequate) than with
ple a band switch would be included in the monics, whereas a push-pull amplifier die 2N2222AS we have employed.
VFO module for the purpose of sclenting does its best job with odd harmonics. Fur-
Circuit Description
;he 7- or 14-MHz coils and capacitors. thermore, a push-push doubler is prac-
The disadvantages of that scheme arc at rirally as efficient as a straight-through The VFO In Fig 7 (Part I, May QSTt
least twofold. Mechanical instability is amplifier. A single-ended doubler would has £ single-ended output terminal, so if
likely to result from the switch contacts exhibit a typical maximum efficiency of we are to supply drive to the doubler of
and related lead;. Also, the effects of only 50 percent as opposed to a push-push Fig. 4 it will be necessary to use a balun-
oscillator pulling are more pronounced as
the operating frequency is increased. Con-
Wierlor views or the W1FB (left) a nd WA0UZO (rightl versions of tic transmitter. The push-push
cerning the latter, it would be a difficult doubierJbreaHn delay module is a' Wo far right in this oriotog'aon The VFO and SWR-sensor
•ask to prevent chirp during 20-meter cw modules are at the center of iho V.ACUZO unit, and trio broadband amplifier may bo seen at the
work ir (he VFO weic operated a 14 loft of nis VFO. me PA stage is mounted on ine rear wall (lower right) oi eacn rig. Tne nomumade
MHz. heat sinks are visible on the back aprons of the enclosures.
QF?P Classics 79
type transformer no. nw energy multiplier tl isnecessary lo establish Class tFaits ot the two devices, A 47-ohm
teaching Uie bases of Q4 and Q5 must be C operating conditions. The forward bias resistor used on each side of the control
is
broadband irarsformcr (three wires drives the doubler into (he Cl£ss C mode. ouipul waveform (14 MHz) is as pure as
wound on the cote ai the same time) The Bias is applied only to make :hc doublcr possible. If Rl is set incorrectly there will
black dots on ih* schematic diagram, at easier to drive. he* a suhsfanlinl nmminl of thr 7-MH/
the cop of Tl, identify the phase relation- In the interest of optimum coubler per- driving energy present si the collectors of
ship of the windings.
It can be seen that formance il is necessary lo establish Q4 and Q5. The worse ihe imbalance, the
one transistor ba-e
fed 180 degrees out
is dynamic balance. Most discrete tran- greaier the level or ihe 7-MH/ energy.
of phase with the other, thereby satisfying sistors of a given type numbercxhibit dif- Atuned circuit (C8 and L3) is used at
our need for push-pull drive. Forward ferent electrical characteristics. In our ap- the doubler output to increase the
bias is supplied to the doubler stage plication we are concerned nainly with available rf ouipul .'oltage. A pure
through the junction (C and F) of lb: two any difference in transistor gain which waveform would be attainable if only the
right-hand windings. A 0,01-uT bypay> might ctfsl, ideally, Q4 anil Q? should 1000-ohm shunting resistor was used, bui
capacitor brines that point in the circuit to perform in an A balanc-
identical manner. Ihe doubler output wculd be quite low
rf ground. ing control, Rl in
has been in-
Fig. 4, because of the dc voltage drop across the
For proper operation of a frequency cluded lo enable us to match the operating resis:or. 1.3 permits (he full supply voltage
(less the drop across ihe 3 3 -ohm de-
coupling resistor) to reach ihe collectors
of Q4 and Q5. Also. Ihe lOOO-ohm
resis:or broadens tic tuned-circuit
Fig. A —
Schematic diagram o( the push push doubler. Fixed-va ue capacitors ate disk ceramic response to provide a nearly constant oui-
Resistors ate 1/2-W romposition, except tor Rl (see below).
CB — HO-pF mica compression trimmer (El- —
17 Iriliat turns Ol no. 26 en am. wire pul level across the VFO tuning range.
Tl
menco 406 suilabe). on an F7-S0-61 'cttllc toroirt nora. Twist Fig. 5 provides the pc-board pallcrn and
L3 —Toroidal inductor; 17 turns no. 26 enam wires approximately eignl twists per inch parts placemeni guide for the doublcr and
wire on a T50-2 ncwdered-iron toroid coie. belore winding on core. brea<-in delay circuits.
Rl — Pc-board-momi carbon control.
QRP Classics 80
vide the forward bins necessary to turn on
Q7. current flows through ihe field wind-
ing of KI. causing the relay contacts lo
close. As the voltage across C9 decays
(key open), a point will be reached at
which Q7 has insuTieent forward bias lo
provide Ihe collector current needed lo
keep KI energized. At (hat lime the relay
will open. D7 is placed across ihfl r«Iay
field coil to clip vcltage spikes caused by
^ig. 6-- Schematic diagram of the break-in delay circuit. Disk ceramic capacitors a»o usod ok I he diodes in ih; emllicr return ol 1
:ept for C9; it s electrolytic Fixed-value? resistors are I/2-IV composition 04*07 inclusive, .3re are used to establish approximately 1 .4
;N9U silicon dicdes. Ki is a dpdf 12-volt dc relay. A Potter & Qrumfield 24-Vdcreley (surplus) Volts of fixed-value, bias for Q7, Depend-
.-.as used in the WlFBversion al ihe transmitter The spring was stretched lr> lessen the tension, ing on the transistor used as the relay
enabling ine rflay to close saiislactoriiy at voltages as low as n
The relay number isKHP17D12
i. 12-voll vt'Sron is available. 06 Is a 2N 3906 or HEP715. 07 is a 2N1711 or HEPr36. B2 is a pc-
driver, the resting current of Q7 may be
loartl-mounl carbon control high enough lo keep KI closed even
though C9 has beer nearly discharged. D5
and Dfi prevent such an cvem from hap-
makes ii worth including. Manual switch- biased into conduction. At that time 12 pening. The LED indicator used in
ing could boused in place oT the delay cir- volts appear at the 06 collector lo place a parallel with the key was added hy
cuit to control the changeover relay. KI. charge in C9. R2 is Set for ihe desired WAOUZO in liis model of the transmitter,
Similarly, keying could tic doochy break- discharge time of C9. The greater ihe but it is not essental to the operation of
ing the 12-volt supply to the keyed stages resisianee. ihe longer the period before C> the circuit. It illuminates when the key is
af the transmitter. The main advantage in bleeds ro ground. 04 is UKd in the collec- closed, ihus functioning as a transmit in-
utilizing a break-in delay system is thai the tor leatlof Qfi to serve as a one-way path dicator (a frill).
operator has one less switch tci manipulate Tur ihe dc voltage —
a gate of sorts. This The bicdk-iii delay module can be
between the transmit and receive modes. component was added afler two tran- tested by merely applying
operating
In some Instances this permits raster mode sistors were destroyed at Q6 by a voltage voltage and shorting from the key ter-
changing iran would he possible if peak which oiiginated laftcr Q6I as Ihe minal to ground. If all is as it should be,
mechanical switching was used. key was closed. D4 permits the +12 volts KI will close. R2 can be Net for the delay
Fig. 6 shows the break-in delay circuit. to flow into the charging network, but time desired. If wiring errors have been
A straight key. bug or electronic kcycr is preverts positive-voltage transients from avoided, and no defective components
if
connected tcihe inpui of Qf>. When the flowing back toward Qft. were used, "Freddie syndrome"
(he
circuit is completed, Q6 is effectively When C9 is charged sufficiently to pro- should have remained dormant so far
QRP Classics 81
From July 1973 QST. p 23:
Transmitter Design —
Emphasis on Anatomy
Part 3: Broadband power amplifiers eliminate the need for
complicated band-switching circuits. Some amateurs believe
that they are mysterious and hard to build. Tain't so!
It's unlikely that Freddie would have lower end of the amplifier operating lower will be the siage gain. This kind of
been able to design the broadband range. The inclusion o; feedback net- frequency-responsi shaping can be fur-
amplifier we arc describing heic, but he works is the most comir.on approach to ther enhanced by selecting specific vaucs
certainly should have enjoyed success in (his tlr«ign rrilerinn Thp mathpmatiral of coupling capacitance between amplifier
duplicating and making ii perform cor-
it solutions to feedback design problems are stages. That is, a low value of capacitance
rectly.However, liad something malfunc- beyond the scope of this article, but in- will be less effective as a coupling device at
tioned in his assembled module tiis depth data on the subject are given in the the low-frequency end of the range than it
chances of ocating the anomaly would ARRL book. Solid Sia/e Design for the will at the high-frequency end of the
have been enhanced greatly by an under- Radio Amateur. range.
standing of how a broadband amplifier The required feedback for a broadband The feedback nsislors and capacitors
functions. Let's consider the tubjeel of amplifier is usually introduced by means used between the collector and base of a
liOW one of these crillcrs docs its par- of R. and C components between the col- broadband a<ji|ilifi.i die chosen with the
ticular "thing." lector and base of the transistor (negative same design philosophy in mind. In this
A broadband amplifier is intended to feedback), and through the inclusion of case the lower the operating fre-quencythc
do job il.s name implies
precisely ilic — degenerative feedback in the emitter cir- greater the feedback voltage througi a
amplify signal energy over a broid slice of cuit. Concerning the latter, the emitter given value of bajc-io-collector resis.or:
the frequency spectrum. In rmcting this bias resistor is bypassed for rf at the The greater the feedback, the lower the
requirement (he amplifier should provide higher end of the amplifier frequency stage gain. In cases where the feedback
reasonably mifor ni output powet across range (low-value capaciior). but is by- resistor is so low in value that excessive
the band of frequencies it is designed to passed less effectively as the operating fre- foward bias would reach the transistor
accommodate. Thus, if the circuit was quency is lowered. At ire lowest end of base, a blocking capacitor is added in
designed to cover from, say. 3.5 to M the amplifier range the emitter may func- series with the resisior and forward bias is
MHz. and deliver 5 wans of output, there tion as if no bypass capacitor was there at obtained by means of a separate rcsis:ive
should be 5 .vans of output available (no all. In ordinary languag.' we are saying divider.
more and no less) at any discrete frequen- that the less effective the bypassing the Broadband transformers are also used
cy within that range. In praciic; it is dif-
ficult to obtan that kind of precision, but
a variation in power no greater than ± 10
percent can be realized in a carefully
Closeup view ol the broadbard linear amplifier
designed amateur circuit.
Solid-state amplifiers tend to supply in-
creasing amounts of output power as the
operating frequency is decreased. Thai is,
a given transistor will exhibit more gain at
1.8 MHz than it will oi 7 or 14 MHz.
Therefore, in order to obtain a relatively
flat frequency response from a solid-state,
broadband amplifier it is necessary to use
certain compensating elements to "taper"
the overall gain downward toward the
AMPLIFIER DRIVER
2700
[539
\ oot
(lOmW) I
MOUNT Of ETCHED
FOIL 51 DE
HM HEAT SIN<
**# SELECT FOR
DC SIRED GAIN
•RMS
O' 0C r
EXCEPT AS INOICAI ED, DEC! UAL VALUCS Or
CAPACITANCE ARE IX MICROFARADS I pt 1 ;
OTHERS ARE 111 PICOFARADS I cF OR »pfY, _~~ .
rig. 7— Schematic diafjram of the aroodband linear ampllior. Capacitors aro dak ceramic «»cept thsae wllh polarity merl-ed, which ara eleettotyllc
or lamaium Resistors aro 1/2-w conposihon unless othoiwiso noted.
CIO — SCO 10<t. RFC5-RFC7, Incl. — 18 turns ot no. 2B enam. wire looped through a BLN-43-302 ferrite
D8, 09 - 1-A. 50-PRV silicon (1N4003 suit- wire on FT -37-13 lerrlte toraid core. core. Secondary ha* lour (utns ol no. 28
able). T2 —
Pr imary has 30 turns of no. 28 enam. enam. wite looped through the same core
OS— 2N2222A or equivalent. wire on a FT-50-43 fertile Oroid core. Primary leads come out of end ol coro
Q9— 2N3866or HEPS3008. Secondary has 4 turns of no. 28 enam. wtte opposite the secondary leads.
OlO-2N2270orHEPS300l. wound ovet cold ond of primary winding.
Q11 - 2N403' Of HEP S3012. T3 —
Primary has 16 turns of no. 28 enamel
QRP Classics 83
.
1
Decoupling networks are used in the
2 -volt line b-'tween stages. This aids in
preventing feedback (positive) From one
second rate. This resulted in a repetitive
cyclingofthc relay, Kl. Insertion of D9 at
Qll cured the problem by providing a
onc-wo; gate in the feedback path. A
t r x
harmonic filter
stage to another. An excessive amount of crown type of heat sink is needed at QIO
Fin, 9 — Diagram ot tne halt-wave harmonic
feedback will cause self-oscillation of one to prevent damage to the transistor. inter discussed In the texi. For 7-MHz use, L a
or more of the stages. At Q8 a 47 -ohm is 1.1 *iH (15 turns no. 25 cnam. wire on a T502
Amplifier Testing loioid coia). C is 470 pF and C is 910 pF. For
resistor and O.OI-jF capacitor comprise a &
20-meter operallon L, is 0:55 wH (10 turns no.
the decoupling circuit. RFC5, RFC6 and Following completion of the assembly
26 enam wire on a T50-2 loroid core). C a is 2*0
the two 0.1-fiF bypass capacitors are used procedtres given in Fig 8. amplifier OF and Cpis 470 pF.
for this purpose at Q9. RFC7 and the testing can be done. Tests can be per-
related bypass capacitors are employed at formed first by connecting the VFO
QIOlo decouple the stage from the 12-volt directly to the input of Q3 of Fig. 7 (40
line. High, medium and low values of meters). A 5-ohm, 2-wat: load resistor
capacitance a*c used at Q9 and Q10 to should be attached across the secondary
assure adequate decoupling at If, hf and of T3. Apply operating voltage and short
vh f. (The stages could self-oseilla:e at any the keying line to ground. A VTVM and tween the VFO and broadband amplifier.
of those frequencies.) Who needs or wants an rf p-obc can be used (o compare the This much of the transmitter can be put
to Hp haiinirri by thr "Freddie syn- circuit votian.es with these of Fig. 7. on the air if the builder likes true QPP
drome?" Approximately 2.6 volts ruts will appear work, but it should nor be connected to an
A pnp bipolar switch (QI I ( is shown in across tie S-ohm load resistor if the circuit antenna unless a hamionic filter is placed
Fig. 7. It opeiates in the same manner as is work ng correctly. If the overall ampli- ir the output line from T3. Furthermore,
Q6 of Fig. 6. When the key is closed, QI I
fier gain is too low, increase the value of the turns ratio for T3 will need to be
conducts and permits +12 volts to reach CIO experimentally. Although 100 pF was changed to provide a match to a 50-ohm
Q9 and the hiss network for QIO. A one- right for the circuits built by W1FB and filter and antenna. The secondary winding
second oscillation occurred in the bread- WAOUZO, variations in transistor gain of T3 will require 15 turns rather than
board version of trie transmitter, caused may require thai less feedback be used at four turns if this is done. I'ig. y gives the
by the decoupling capacitors at Q9 and Q8. These tests can now bt repeated ai 20 details for half-wave filters which can be
QIO. This fomied a liming circuit which meters, using the push-push doubler be- used at 7 and 14 MH:. respectively.
QRP Classics 84
1
Transmitter Design —
Emphasis on Anatomy
Part 4: The final touches are applied to our transmitter by
adding a 15-watt amplifier and an SWR indicator. If all goes
well, we will become immune to the "Freddie syndrome"!
1 is unlikely that ihc 1.5 wait; of outpul otuah a colleelor load of 4.8 ohms. T4 is purpose. Eachis a T type of low-pass net-
from our broadband amplifier (Fig. 7) a broadband iransformer which is made work. Energy above the operating fre-
ivould lead lo the acquisition of five-band from six toroid cores (sec inscl drawing of quency is attenuated by the filters, but
DXCC. Bui a few more decibels might Fig. .0). must transform the collector
It energy below the filter cutoff frequency
make such an endeavor a reasonable, impedance to 50 ohms :o that a suitable passes without impairment. A spe:iral
assignment: The amplifier described in match and power transfer lo the analysis of this transmitter indicated thai
(his section will help, as the cw signal T-netwbrJc filters can be obtained. A 3: all spurious output energy was at lean 40
should be increased some IU dli m turns ratio will suffice despite the slight dB below peak power at the fundamental
strength! mismatch (9:1 impedan*:; ratio). frequency. Additional attenuation could
The fina -amplifier stage is shown in In Order lo prevent excessive harmonic be realized by cascading two such filters ai
Fig. 10. A 220-ohm feedback resistor is energy from reaching the antenna it is the pa output. The characteristic im-
used bciwcrn ihe bait and collector of necessary to include a filer ai the ouipui pedance of the lilters in Fig. 10 ii 50
QI2. An ISOO-pF blocking capacitor has of QI2. FLI and FL2 are used for this ohms.
been included to prevent the collector dc
voltage from being shorted to zround via
T3 of Fig. *
This amplifier has an input impedance Fig 10 — Circuit tor the 10- to 15-watl Class C
power amplifier. Capacitors are disk or Chip
coramc unless otherwise noted. Capacitors with polarity marked are ekclroiylic or tantalum.
of approximately 5 ohms at 7 and 14
LA — 9 turns no. ifl enam. v>ire on a ree-fl RFC8. RFC9 —
8 turns no. 18 enam wire cn
MHz, The iO-ohm base resistor is used as toroid core. an FT-50-43 ferrite toroid core.
a preventive measure against instability, L5 — 10 turns no. IB enam . wire on a T68-6 T4 —
Two rows ol Ihiee each FT-50-43 torod
but only needed. To remove some vhf
if lor Did core. cores. Join with ocoxy cement as shown in
harmonics which appeared at ti e collector L6 — 12 turns no. 1B enam. wire on a T6S-2 Iho Insot drawing. Primary has one turn
toroid core. ol no. IB wire (U shaped). Secondary uses
of QI-. ii "*as necessary lo include ihc
u— l J turns no. 1H enam . wire on a 166 2 3 turns ol no. IB enam. or insulated hoolup
.l.'O-pF bypass capacitor. At 7 and 14 toroid core wire. Primary leads exit from coro at one
MHz Ihc capacitor has negligible effect nn G12 - Motorola MRF449A stud-mount transis- opposite to seconoaiy leads.
tor.
circuit performance.
As was (he case with ihc sieges in our
broadband amplifier, decouplug of the
12-voli bus is necessary at Q12. This is ac-
complished by means of RFC9 and the AMPLIFIER
related bypass capacitors. Once again, QOOIB
bypassing is done for If, hf and vhf. 220
Since the amplifier is to operate in the
Class C mode, no forward bias is used at
the base ol Q12. For all practical pur- INPUT
QRP Classics 85
PROM SID {20 Ni]
FROM 5:D(40 M) »iput
TO S1F
TO SID
SM.StLVEB wica
Fig. 12 —
Circuit lor the SWR
sensor (See
Fixed-value capacitors are dish ceramic.
text).
Fixed-value resistors are 1/2-vV composition.
Clt. C12 - 5-pF air variible. pc-ooaid mount.
Old. Cm - 1N270 or 1«HA riiode.
Ml — Small microampere meter. A 50-. 100.
or 200-uA type will be satisfactory.
R3 — 10-kl), linear-taper, carbon control, panel
mount.
RFCiO — Miniature 1-mH rt choke.
Fig. 1 1 — Pans placement guido lot the PA pc board. Paris are mounted on the pattern side ol Ihe T5 — 50 turns no. 26 enam. wire on T50-2
boafd; the shadei area in this view represents Ihe copper pattern on the component side, and Ihe loroid coio. Primary has 2 turns of no. 26
other side of the board is unetched copper groundplane. Decimal-value numbers alone represent enam. wire over center ol secondary
Raparftanr.rt in rrflfimlaradfi Whnlo-nunhor value* with nn units represent resistance in ohms. wincing
There arc no special precautions ic follow eluded Ihe SWR bridge shQWrl in Fig.. 12.
when assembling the amplifier, other than It not orly enables the operator to adjust I UT |*
keeping the component leads as short as the antennas for a low SWR when using a
Transmatch, but serves as a relative-
S>
possible. Double-sided pc board should be
used to minimize the chance for ground powcr-oulpui indicator when switched to AIT
the forward mode. A blow-by-blow cir-
loops (feedback): They could cause
amplifier instability.
The strip leads of QI2 should not be
cuit description will not be given here, as
this design was treated earlier in QSTC'A
® PIT
stressed when (hey are soldered in place. QRP Man's RF Power Meter." June.
• IIT
Allow a slight amount of slack for expan- I973i.
sion when the transistor is hculed during
— P ilMTTT
'
Assembly Notes
operation. Also, use care when tightening
Compusite Transmitter Rear view ot the WIFB vsrslon ol the Iransmtt
the transistor mounting nut. It should be
ter The heat sink is at the tar right. The phanc
drawn up just a "smidge" beyond the Doubb-sidcd pc-board material is used
lacks anfl key jacx are rjiouped at the left.
finger-tight point. A coating of iilicone for the cabinet of the WA0UZO version
grease (heat-siik compound) should be of the transmitter. Aluminum sheeting
placed on the transistor stud and metal was bent into a U shape to form the
fact near the base of the stud. This will WIFB prototype. The latter (HWD) is
aluminum; top cover is placed on the VFO SWR sensor, K = Ihe cathode una ol a
SWR Indicator diode. Fractional markings such as "1/8"
assembly to prevent unwanted rf energy, signify mourning holes lo be drilled tuith
As a convenience gadget We have in- moisture and dirt from entering. The that size bit.
QRP Classics 86
cover is press-fUted over the* box walls. In The fronl and rear panels of the WIFB should deliver 2 tc 13 volts dc (regulated)
1
the author's unit the SWR-acnsor module unit were sprayed d ditik gieeu color. at 3 amperes. Needless to say, a 12-volt
is bolted to ;hc VFO top cover. Green Dymo tape labels were used to car battery is suitable. A dry-baitery pack
By ibis time you should have a pretty identify the controls: A
reasonably pro- is not recommended: The life span would
pood "handle" on how the collection of fessional appearance results front using be extremely short.
subassemblies are connected together. labels which arc the same color as the Motorola has included internal pro:ec-
The block diagram of Fig. prDvidcs the1 panel. Finally, four adhesive- backed tton for their MRF449A transistor (QI2>,
essential information. Alt of she signal plastic feet were affixed to the bottom of so damage should lot occur during short
leads should be made of shielded cable if the cabinet. periods of operation when a mismatch
they are more than two inches (51 mm) in greater than, say. 2:1 exists. This circuit
length. RG-I74/U sub miniature Closing Remarks
coaxial has been tested inlo a dead short and a
cable is excellent for the purpose. Thetoroid cores used in this project are full-open load condition (key down) for
The maio-tuning dial is 3 vernier available from Amidon Associates, G. R. periods of 30 secords, and no damage to
mechanism (Calcclro or Philnorc). A Whitcnousc and Palomar Engineers the PA stage resulted.
large knob can be used as a substitute for (check QSTads). it is suggested that the This two-band transmitter should pro-
the one which comes with the dial, as the builder ask these suppliers for their vide many years of reliable operation. It is
original k a bit who have
small for those catalogs, as some of the ci her components hoped Ilia some useful information •vas
I
large lingcn. A
Kurz-Kasch aluminum for the transmitter may be found in their passed along to those who aren't heavily
knob was used on Ihe prototype model product lines. It would also be prudent to immersed in solid-naic design theory If
after its depth was reduced on a lathe scan the flea markets for parts. nothing more, let's hope we have negated
(courtesy ofWlSL). The power supply for this transmitter :hc "Freddie syndrome" effectively.
Ofcull-board etching patterns tor iho 7- and ew ttanfimilief (OeMaw, "Transmitter Deeign- -Emphaeie on Anatomy," in tour parte). B)ac<
-epresents copper. AH patterns are rhown at actual size liom the foil side ol Ihi circuit board. Sae trie drawings referenced below (or parts-laycul
^formation. At A, the VFO circuit beard (Fig 3, Part 1). Ai B. ihe doubier/break-in delay board (Fig 5. Part 2). At C. the broadband amptilier board
Pig a. Part 3). Ai D. the SWH sensor (Fig 13. Part 4),
QRP Classics 87
Circuit-board etching patterns for tie 7- and 14-MHz cv* transmitter (continues). Shown here is
the power-amplifier circuit board, which appoats in Fig 11. Part 4 ol the series. This citcuii
board is double sided, the component-side (oil being used only as a groundpane. Thai pattern
is not shown as it contains only claarance holes (or ihc component leads.
10 WAIT
POWE
Pi
QRP Classics 88
From February 1986 QST, p 23:
What wc
24.9-MHz band?
might expect from the
Well, it
new
has
operated as a third-overt one oscillator. Tl
and T2 arc shielded transformers with
;W7Z01) to provide QSK operation: He
jsed two rcvcrsc-ccnnected 1N914 diodes
similar propagation characteristics tuned primary windings. They are arranged as the shorting element during transmit.
lo the 10-metcr band. It also exhibits some to provide an impedance transformation The measured RMS RF voltage on the
of the cf ihc 15-mctcr band. Unfor-
traits between the collectors ard bases of the rcccive-antenna line (key down) is approxi-
tunately, it is affected by sun-spot activity related iransisiors. This helps to ensure mately 0.4 with a Mi-ohm termination. II
:n a like mai.ncr to the other two bands maximum RF-power tramfer. The tuned diodes are used instead of Q6, the RMS
above and below 24 MHz. Therefore, we transformers reject most of the unwanted voltage will be on the order of 0.7, key
are in a period of propagation ebb, owing harmonic energy before it reaches the down.
:o diminishec sunspots. driver and PA You may substitute
stages. Cl4and L4 havea reactance of roughly
Low power and reasonable antennas will toroidal transformers and trimmer 400 ohms. They scn'e as a series-tuned cir-
do the job on 24.9 MHz as effectively as capacitors at Tl and T2 r you so desire. cuit to minimize loss of signal to the
:n 2$ MHz. That is, it is not difficult to Q3 serves as a broadband, class- A linear receiver during the receive period. FL1
;njoy worldwide communications with less amplifier. It is the driver for the MRF475 \erves as a filler ahead of the receiver, shce
than 10 watts. With this thought in mind, power amplifier, Q4, which operates class ihe station antenna is attached to the
plus an affinity toward being miserly when C for maximum efficiency. A 7-section nutput of FL1. Some insertion loss is
-jilding a new rig, I designed the transmit- low-pass filter (FLl)is used as the output present, but attenuation of the received
ter described here. You may build a network to attenuate harmonic energy. The signals is not significant.
duplicate model from scratch, or you have constants for FL1 were taken from The 51 can be added to allow zero beathg.
-he option of purchasing a complete kit ARRL Handbook (sec filter tables in the it removes operating voltage from Q3.
from 3 vendor.' transmitting chapter). The power output which helps lessen receiver overloading
from this transmiiier is 4 walls into a when you want lo spot your iransmiitcr
Circuit Details
5U-ohni load wilh an operating voltage of signal. D2 is used as a dc gate to prevent
The transmitter of Fig features full-
1 12, and key-down current of 800 mA. the * 12 V from reaching Q5, Q6 and the
reak-in operation (QSK). Operation re- accessory terminal (I). The diode allcws
quires only a key or keyer, antenna, a 12- TR Switching
current to flow from Q5 to Ql ard Q2 (key
:o 14-V, 800-mA (or greater) regulated Q5 and Q6 of Fig I provide dc switching down), but blocks the flow of current when
rower supply (or car battery") and you, the that enables the circuit to be classified as SI is set for the spot function.
uucrator. There h a tci initial to which the QSK. Q5 i* a PNP keying switch thai 52 can be added for tune-up or Trans-
receiver antenna line connects (tcrmi nal C operates Ql and Q2 for CW use. When the match adjustments. If your key or keyer
;ȣ Fig 1). key is closed, Q5 triggers NPN transistor has a hold function, you may eliminate
Although crystal control is specified, a Q6 intc the ON state, thereby shorting the S2.
VFO can be substituted for YI. Ql is receiver- antenna line (C) to ground during Key-down dc voltages have been noted
(he transmit period. This prevents damage at various points
in the circuit of Fig I.
to the f-ont end of the receiver or converter These havebeen added to aid in
used with the transmioer. A similar troubleshooting. The measurements were
sotes appear at end ot article. technique was used by Wes Hayward made with a Simpson 260 VOM. A 1-raH
QRP Classics 89
Fig l—Schomali; diagram ol the 24.9UH3 transmitter. Capacitors are disc ceramic unless otherwise noiad. Polarized eapacLors arc tantalum or
electrolytic type-'. Resistors are V*- or Vi-W carbon composition units. Numbers inside circles indicate <ey-down dc voltages. Numbered
components not appearing below are den titled numerically for PC-board layout purposes only.
D1-S V, aOO-mV. Zener diode. = 900). ;two) FT-50-43 fetrite loroid cores. Use
D2— 50 PRV. A 1 T1, T2— Frimary inductance is 0.3B fiH. Use 10 turns of same wire forsecondary.
LI. L3—0.265-pH inductor. Use B lurnsol 6 turns of no 26 enam wire en bobbin ol Y1— Overtone crystal, 30-pF load capacltanco
no 24 enam wire Dn an Amidon Assoc T50-6 Amldor Assoc L57-6 shielded transformer HC-6/U holder. International Crystal Mfg Co
loroid core. unit. Secondary has 4 turns of same wire. lype GP. and plastic PC-board mount holder.
L2 — 05-i'H inductor. Use 13 turns of T3— BroaJband transformer. Primary contains Cnoose frequency for favored portion ol
no 24 enam wire on a T50-6 toroid core. 10 turn3 ot no 24 enam wire on an FT-50-43 Ihe band. Do not attempt 12-m operation
L4— Ld and C14 lava reactances of 403 ohms. ferrite loroid. Use 2 turns ol same wire tor with a 12.450-MHz furdamental crystal.
L4 Is a 2.27.„H Inductor. Use 24 turns secondary. Spread secondary over all of Substantial tundamental energy will appear
o f 26 etiaii xiie un T50-G lurukJ cure.
i
primary in the ironamlHer output it Q1 la used
HFCl— Use 6 turns ol no 22 enam wire on an T4— Broa3band transformer. Primary has as an oscillator/doubter.
Amidon Assoc FT-37-43 ferrite toroio 7 turns of no 24 enam wire cn stacked
RF choke was used between the positive causing false readings. These voltages may ground across 50 ohms was 14. This in-
lead of the VQM
and the leE point vary slightly in accordance with the beta of dicates aboui 4 W
of output power:
measured. This prevents unwan;cd RF the tranustors used in your circuit. The Operating voltage was 12. My RMS
energy from reaching the instrument and RMS output voltage measursd from (A) to measurements were made with a Hewletl-
QRP Classics 90
Packard VTVM and RF probe (hat is rated ter and listen to the note in your receiver:
DRIVER to 900 MHz. However, an ordinary VTVM The keying should be chirpless. If chirp is
and homemade RF probe (sec TheARRL heard, adjusi Tl for minimum chirp.
Handbook) will work equally well. Should this not resolve the problem, experi-
Regulated voltage is ensured for Ql by ment with the value of feedback, capacitor
the addition of Zcncr diocte Dl; it sets the CI until a clean CW note is heard. I tried
voltage level at +8. The lower oscillator- three available crystals at Yl, and in all in-
operating voltage helps to cisurc frequency stances a good CW
note resulted,
stability of Yl by limiling the crystal I purposely made the CW shaping a t>ii
effect en circuit operation at 24.9 MHz. Will round off the trailing edge o f the wave
form. Increasing the capacitance of C24
Chcckuul uud Opcruliun will also affect the ;haping.
Our first assignment after completing the
assembly is to give the PC board (non- Summary Remarks
component side) a thorough visual inspec- The Motorola MRF475 may be difficult
tion to make certain we have no unsoldered t3 locate. Other transistors of the same
joints or unwanted circuit bridges between general specifications may be used at Q4.
unrelated PC-board foils, A magnifying A 2SC2092 works well as a direct subsiiiuic
glass is ideal for this step in the checkout. and is available by mail.'
Make certain (hat all transistors are A scale template for the doublc-sidcd PC
mounted correctly on the circuit board. board is provided in Fig 3; parts placement
Fig 2 indicates the placement of the tran- is indicated in Fig 2.
sistor case tabs when the transistors are There is no reason why this general cir-
Fit tr
M =26MHll viewed from their tops.
LI L2 L3 cuit can't be modified for other amateur
Connect your power supply to the rig. bands in the HF spectrum. All that needs
i~rrr\rrrr\_-rrrr^_ Attach a 50-ohm load to <A). Place SI in to be changed are CI, the collector tun:d
Am the spot position and switch S2 to off. circuits ot'QI and Q2, the constants of FLI
CIS 180 15° son
CI6.
5M Tune your receiver to the transmitter fre- dee The ARRL Handbook), C14 and L4.
quency. If a signal is heard, adjust Tl and Of course. Yl must be chosen for tie
f, 7 T2 for maximum S-meter deflection. The desired operating frequency.
transformer tuning will be broad, so don't VFO design data are contained in The
be alamed if the change ir meter reading ARRL Handbook and the ARRL book.
is small Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur
Place SI in the opr position and close (out of print). I suggest that the VFO ie
S2 (TUNE). Measure the power output by operated at half freqiency (12.45 MHz) to
^™ cir
IMS?
01 ICJ
means of an RF power meter, VTVM and
RF probe, or oscilloscope wilh a 30-MHz
or greater bandwidth.
reduce the potential of chirp
transmitter is keyed.
(preferably a push-pish doubler) should be
A
when
doublcr stage
the
If all systems are "go," key the transmit- used to raise the VFO output frequency io
-IS2— Pans-piaoemen i guide ror me 24-Mm transmitter ku Doard. as viawed iron ihe component side ol the Ooard. R23 Is mounted Delow tne
:-ard on the appropriate solder pads.
QRP Classics 91
ihc 24-MHz band. VFO output should be while using an experimental license on the new band.
approximately 2- to 3-V RMS across a (KM2XQV) granted bv the FCC. Manv
Nates
500-ohm load. more QSOs were made under my amateur
Even during mediocre propagat.on con- call after the 12-m band became available
•Chuck Hood. Circuit Board Specialists. PO Box
969. Pueblo. CO 81002. tel 303-542-5083. PC
ditions I have found 24 MHz to fcc an in- to us on June 21, 1985. Certainly, under boards or complete hits available.
teresting band. During 1984, I made skip conditions you should have a lot of fun ^Deleted.
numerous tests on (he band with oihers with tfaii Httle^watterllhcpetoraettyciu For updated supplier addresses, see ARRL Parts
Supplier List in Chapter 2.
QRP Classics 92
.
You {QSK:
rruy discover that full break-in
is an advantage for your
QRP operating. It provides an
opportunity to listen to your operating fre-
quency during key-up periods. This lets you frequency of 705O kHz. The load
know if QRM is present, or if :he other capacitance of Yl is 30 pF. C2 of Fig I
station is transmitting because the opera- permits the crystal frequency to be moved
tor thought you stood by. (Thcr: may be from 7C45 to 7052 kHz. Greater inductance
times when yaur signals fade to such low ai RFCI will allow a wider frequency shift, eIIows plenty of leeway for the collector
levels that the person with whom you are but at the cost of frequency stability. The voltage lo swing beyond 12 volts in RF or
.-omm unseating thinks you're standing by.) 7-kHz swing yields crystal controlled audio service. Typically, the RF collector
QSK can save wasied words in litis silua- liability,even during wide excursions of voltage (sine wave) will rise io twice the
tion. Full break-in is also beneficial during ambicn: temperature, this is important power supply value,' or 24 volts for a 12-V
Q RP Field Day operation. It saves time and when operating QRP during Field Day or cc supply during CW operation.
;an lead to a higher score. on camping trips; vasr remjrrnNin'rhangr.* The cost for MPS-UOls is quite low—
This article is directed at those of you may occur from day to night. The negative another advantage. I bought lOof them as
who like to build simple rigs. There is no feature of the Fig VXO is that C2 must
I surplus for 39 cents each. They arc listed
practical project included, but the circuit be insulated from ground. !n other words, as new devices <88 ceils each) in the Circiit
In Fig! is a practical one. I built and tented both the rotor and stator must be above Specialists catalog.' Numerous other high
the iransmi:ter for the purpose of ground The tuning capacitor can be fj audio/switching transistors are suitable
optimizing the performance, and to ensure mounted on a plastic bracket to achieve for RF power amplifier use as well. Pick
thai each stage operates as stated in this isolation. a device that has an fj of five or mere
presentation R5 and R13 of Fig 1 art used io lower limes the operating frequency. This will
C ircuit Features
theQ of RFCI and RFC2. Too great a Q ensure ample gain at the desired frequency.
causes crud to appear at the leading edge 1 used simple eapaeiiivc coupling
I will discuis the highlights of the Fig I of the keyed waveform (spurs). The resis- tetween Ql and Q2. C4 is selected to pro-
jiicuil so you can understand how they tors cure this problem. CI is a feedback vide 1.5 watts of output from Q2. In my
-ork. This should help you des gn QRP capacitor. The value is chosen to provide circuit I needed 33 pF of capacitance.
.ransmitters en your own. Understanding chirpless keying and high oitput from Q I Larger values will increase the transmitter
functions is also use'ul
:h.e circuit when You mty need to experiment with the Cl power, but at the rist of exceeding the ssfe
:roubleshooihg is necessary. value. The crystal nciiviiy and the gain of rulings of Q2. The Hjht coupling provided
Refer to Fig 1 . A VXO (variable crystal your particular Ql transistor will dictate ihe ty C4 minimizes oscillator loading. Too
oscillator) is used at Ql to generate the optimum value for CI. great a value atC4 can kill the oscillation
iignal. Unlike most VXOs, this one takes cf Ql. Ichose the 1.5-W output power to
:he form of the familiar Pierce oscillator. KF Power Amplifier cause the Q2 collector impedance to be 48 0.
I find this circuit more suitable for my I like to experiment with transistors that This is determined from Z = V„2/2P ,
-ccds than is the more common Colpitis arc not intended to be used for RF appli- where V cc the collector io emitter a*c
is
VXO. The advantages are that no tuned cations. The Motorola fv'PS-U02 is an voltage, and P c ,
is the power output. This
?utpul circuit is required to develop example, a device that was designed foi enabled me to use a 50-11 filter (FL1)
adequate exci:atton for the subsequent RF audio and switching use. It is frequently without a broadband matching transformer
<:agc. Also, C2 (frequency control) will used as one half of a complementary between Q2 and FL1. A heal sink is re-
r*ing the crystal frequency above and symmetry audio amplifier (paired with an quired on the tab of Q2 io minimize the
T'Clow the marked value. Most Colpitis MPS-U52). The fj (upper frequency limit) transistor junction t-mperaiure. A l-in:h
VXOs do allow the crystal to be
not is ISO MHz, and it can handle up to 'Circuit Specialists, PO Box 3047, Scottsdaie,
AZ 85257. Phone 1-800-528-1417 when
"rubbered" above the marked frequency. 800 mA of continuous collector current. ordering. Catalog available.
My tests were made with an AT-cji plated The specifications strongly suggest RF
rrysial in an HC-6 holder (International power isc! The maximum V CP0 (collector F3t updated supplier addresses, see APtRL Pais
Crystal Mfg Co no. 433U3) with a marked to emitt;r voltage, base open) is +40. This Suppliers List rn Chapter 2.
ORP Classics 93
VXD
t mh:
fCW AS INKATED, MCt«**i
VALUES OF CAPACITAVCE APE
IN MICTOMHA05 1 .F |; OTHERS
AOE ifl P MFARMJS ( pF li
-O TO RX
ANT JACK
! 200 mfi)
Pig 1 —Schematic diagram ol the lest Iranemitler. Fixed-^alue capacitors are disc ceramic unloes otherwise- noiod. Polarized capacitors
are tantalum or eleclrolytic. Resistors are '^-W carbon composition.
C2— 100-pF miniature- air variable oi 10- LI, L2— 1.3-fiH inductor. Usa 18 turns ot RFCl. RFC2, RFC3— Miniature ferrito core
lOO pF compression irimmer with shall. no. 26 enam wire on an Arridon Assoc RF choke.
C10, C11, CI 2— Polyslyrene or silver mica. T-37-2 toroid. —
RFC4 12 turns of no. 26 onam wire on ar
Dl— Rectifier dixie, 50 PRV. 1 A. L3— 10-uH induclor. Use 45 lurns of no. 28 Amidon Assoc FT-37-43 ferrite toroid
—
D2, D3 Small-signal switching dioda, enam wire on an Amidon Assoc T-50-2 {850 ft
1N914 or equiv. lo raid. S1— DPDT toggle or slide switch.
Y1 Fundamental crys:al (see text).—
square piece of no. 6 gauge aluminum or
1 capacitances is 80 pF. This value must be technique was popularized by Wes
copper was suitable for my test circuit. A deducted from 300 pF (no-mal CIO and Hayward, W7Z01. in some of his QRP
iO-minute key-down period at 1.5 out- W CI2 value) if the filter is to perform transmitters that featured lull QSK. I us;
put caused the transistor and heat sink to properly. A 220-pF capacitor is, therefore, the diodes as backup protection, should Q*
be moderately warm to the touch. appropriate for CIO. Additional harmonic fa.l to operate for some reason.
reduction results from operating Q2 in the TRcircuit sampling capacitor C7 should
Harmonic Fitter dais- A linp.ir modp T)\ provides approxi- have a reactance no less than 400 t.V Smaller
The FCC of emissions require-
purity mately 0.7 V of forward bias for Q2. The reactance values will rob transmitter out-
ment is more power output under
liberal at ciass-A mode reduces the excitation re- put power when the key is closed. Some
5 W. A five-section low-pass filter (FL I of quirement for Q2, which is also a benefit. pewer is sacrificed with the value shown for
Fig 1) is ample to comply with regulations. A similar RF amplifier. Operated in class C7 , but it is minimal. The trade-off
A sevcn-clcmcDt filter would offer greater C, would require significantly more RF associated with this type of TR circuit is a
attenuation of :he 2nd and 3rd harmonics, and
drive, the harmonic output would be slight signal loss during receive, owing to
should that be your desire. My fil.er con- somewhat higher in amplitude. ih: small value for C7. Both Hayward and
stants were obtained from the normalized Lcwallen (W7EL) redjeed this problem by
filter tables in :he transmitting chapter of
TR Circuit adding L3 in the receive antenna line. L3
The ARRL Handbook. chose an fM I You will note in Fig I that a TR has the same reactanc; as C7. This permits
(cutoff frequency) of 8 MHz. The ripple (transmtt-receive) circuit is included. Q3 is C7 and L3 to form a series-resonant circuit
Taclor is 0.01 for FL 1 The ripple
. indicates a PNP ic switch that applies operating at the operating frequency, which in (urn
the relative flan , (lack of amplitude dips voltage to Ql when the key is closed. Key reduces the loss in the receive signal that
and peaks) of tie peak portion of trie filter closure shorts the base of Q3 to ground, is fed to the receiver. A slug-tuned col
response curve, and this causes it to conduct. During con- (variable inductor) at L3 would help D
I f FL 1 were icrminated at each end :»ith duction, 4 12 Vis connected ioQI through make the series circuit exactly resonant.
a 50-ft nonreactive (purely resistive) load. the junction of Q3. The keyed + 12 V is I measured the RF voltage from the
ClO and C12 would have the same value. routed also to NPN switch Q4. This re:eive antenna line to ground with a
However, we must recognize (he transistor transistor also conducts when the key is Tektronix 453A scope during key down. It
output capacitance (20 pF for an MPS- closed. Al full saturation the Q4 collector- is 200 mV P-P
(70.7 mV
RMS) across
U02), stray circuit capacitance (roughly emitter junction closes and this shorts the 50 li. This potential will not harm any
10 pF) and the value of the TR sampling d receiver, solid state or tube type.
receive line to ground through
antenna Q .
capacitor, C7. During kev-down periods. D2 and 03 also accomplish this function, Additional TR control is possible if voj
C7 Is switched in parallel with ClOvia D2, but leuvj a icmJuuI RF vu.tuge uf 0.7 V connect an outboard NPN switch lo ihc
D3 and Q4. The approximate total of these RMS on the receive line. The shunt-diode keyed + 12 V (between 03 and Q4>. The
QRP Classics 94
.
latter regard myself. One tends io justify The shaping-net work values in Fig I ensure
CLICKS on CLICKSON hard keying as being somewhat more a keyed waveform that is clicklcss, but hard
HAKE BREAK effective at the QRP level, and in a sense enough to give "presence" to the CW nole.
this is true. However, under no circum- The frequency-control values for the VXO
stances should the keyed wave cause clicks. in Fig 1 prevent the signal from sounding
The dividing line between acceptable hard chirpy when the VXO is keyed by Q3.
LlOOING
EOfiE
(A)
\ »TFAILING
EDGE
keying and dicky keying ii rather thin! It
Final Comments
is better io stay on the safe .'ide and attempt
HUUHUtU RO'mOEti to obtan a keyed wave thai has a 5 ms rise I addedSI to facilitate frequency
CORNER
'
CCHNER and fali time, which is considered entirely spotting without placing the transmitter on
acceptable. This represents a clickless wave tie air. S1A closes the key line to turn on
that has a fast enough recovery time to Q3. SIB removes operating voltage frcm
fllSE TIME DECAV TIME permit very high speed keying. Too long Q2 at the same *ime. This reduces ihe signal
( KEV DOWN ) IKE* UP I a decay lime (key up) will limit the useful sirength of the beat note heard in ray
keying speed we can apply. Fig 2 shows a receiver. In other words, it is not so strong
hard, clicky wave at A. The drawing at B lhat it overwhelms my receiver. SIB also
illustrates a wave with rounded corners that prevents the transmitter signal from
docs not cause clicks. Fig 2C shows a soft reaching the antenna during zero beating
IC)
EXCESSIVE wave with a long tail. This waveform is or spotting.
OEC*T TIME unsuitable for fast keying. You may feel that a VXO is not nearly
The waveform from your transmitter can as desirable as a VFO. I confess that 7 kHz
Fig 2— Exampes ot keyed HF wavslorms. be examined by sampling the transmitter of frequency swing :s a small amount, but
The illuslralior at A
shows hard keying RF output energy across a 50-Q load. Rapid the VXO is stable under most conditions,
wiih square waveform corners. This keying o f ihe transmitter will cause the RF and this appeals to me during operation
waveform causes clicks on Iho mako and envelope io he displayed on the scope tuhe. afield. It is noi a severe handicap to carry
break ot the key. An acceptable waveform Waveform shaping is accomplished in two or three crystal; when camping. This
is shown at 8. The corners are taindod to
Fig I by means of C 16, CI?, Rll andR12. provides sufficient frequency coverage of
remove clicks and the decay time s
lengthened sonewhal over that shown at Bypass capacitors in the keyed circuit (such the 40-meter band. In fact, you may wish
A. Soft keying is shown at C. The decay as C5 End C15) also affect the shaping. to include a low-capacitance crystal selector
time has been increased over that at A and The decay lime (trailing edge of the switch if you build a VXO rig of this type.
3. This waveform is not suitable (or high waveform) is affected by C16, CI7. Rll But remember the more stray
thai
speed keying. See the text for addlional and the bypass capacitors mentioned capacitance you introduce in the crystal cir-
ata. above. R 2 affects the attack time (leading
1 cuit, the smaller will be
edge of ihe waveform). In fact, you may of a given crystal.
add additional resistance between R 12 and My purpose in wiring this article is to
outboard transistor switch can then be used the key jack io shape the leading edge of pass along some design hints that you may
for receiver muting, or for actuating a small the waveform, Values up to 10 kfi are not have considered. The points I luve
I2-V relay, which may, in turn, serve as a suitable. The larger the resistance of R 1 1 covered are among the most frequently
receiver muting control. the slower the waveform decay time. The asked questions I receive concerning QRP
Rl value shown allows the base of Q3 to
I transmitters. The main point I want to
The Keyed Waveform return quickly to + 12 V, (hereby cutting make is thai you car build your own gear,
Many homemade QRP transmitters arc off ihe Q3 conduction (key up) quickly. and it takes lit! le additional time or mor.ey
deficient in harmonic suppression and This face was brought to my attention b* to develop a circuit that operates cleanly
.eyed wave shaping. I have been lax in the Ed Hare, KAICV. of the ARRL lab staff End reliably.
QRP Classics 95
From November 1986 QST, p 43:
* Heat sink
KEY
Fig 1— Aschomailc diagram ol lh& QRP transmitter lor 30-meter operation Fixed-value capacitors are disc ceramic. Inductor cores are available
Vnidon Associates or Patomar Engineers. 2 The enclosure is from Radio ShacK* (RS-270-251). and the circuit board is from Circuit Board
1-
Y1— Fundamental-mode crysial tor the L —30 turns, AWG no. 24 enameled wire J2— Phone jack or phono
30-me'er band. on a T-50-2 core. jack.
01— 2N2222A or oquiv. L2 3 turns, AWG no. 34 cnnmclcd wtrc
02— 2N3553 or equiv. over L1.
03— 2N*036 or equiv. L3— 13 turns, AWG no. 22 enameled wire Amidon Associates. 12033 Otsego St. North
Cl— 150-pF mica trimmer. ARCO no. 424. on a T-50-2 core. Hollywood. CA 31607. let 213-760-1429.
C2— 470- H F. 25-V electrolytic or tantalum RFC1-30 turns, AWG no. 28 enameled •Patomar Engineers. PO Boa 455. Escondido. CA
capacitor. wire on an FT-37-S2 core 92025. tel 619-747-3343.
C3. C4— 330-pF silver-mica or polystyrene J1-SO-239. 'Circuil Board Specialists. PO Bo* 969. Pueblo. CO
capacitor. 81002. tel 303-642-5083.
For updated supplier addresses, see AFHL Parts
Suppliers List n Chapter 2.
_ Fig 1 ihows an inexpensive transmitter for nent values shown in the schematic, h
the 30-raeter band. The combination of addition, the antenna output jack was
excellent propagation characteristics and a changed to an SO-239 (to suit my personal
relativelylow QRM
level on this band make preference), and a ground stud was added i?
solid communication routine at QRP levels. the enclosure (see Fig I). My circuit is built
The circuit shown was adapted from a on a printed circuit board as in the original
W7Z01 design shown in "Experimenting for article. The transistors ihown differ from th:
the Beginner" by Doug DeMaw, W1FB. in orginal design only because they wer*
the September 1981 issue of QST. The available in my junk box.
transmitter can be pui on 30 meters with The transmitter performance is excellent,
relative case. and the keying is clean. Output power is
The only major changes required were to exactly wan when using a 12.8-v dc supply
|
Fig 2—
An intenbr view of the QRP :rans-
resonaie ihc oscillator output circuit, and (rrcaMired with a v t vm and a Mi-U resistor.'. mitter as conve-led (or 30 meters. The heat
sink is on 02.
filter the amplifier output on the new Excellent signal repors have been received
frequency. This was done by changing the from stations in New Brunswick, Florida anJ
number of turns in LI and selecting an from as far wcsl as Kansas-— Frank Piirnar.
appropriitc range for Cl A new output filter
. WD4DDS, 12 E Lakeshare Dr. Rome, GA
<C3, C4, L3> was designed using the compo- 301 61
QRP Classics 96
.
- 10-80
O.BpH
^ tal. With a reasonably stoctcd junk box the total
.2 — 30 (urns no. 28 enameled wire on an amateur band. h opc others have as much un with this little rig
FT37-63 loroid core, 15 >iH. as have.—Paul Hoffman, KB4PY. 4502 Indian
I
box" project.
Alwr lesiing a variety of other circuits, 1 finally
QRP Classics 97
From May, ',079 QST, p 27:
/
A Vllhough QRP cw operation has been dicatians ate that the system should be kHz. With the components shown',
(lie major passion at W7Z01 for many eminently reproducible. i 25-kll/ range obtained
is at 14 MHz.
years. 10 Riders is a band thai has been ;Somc experimentation may l>e required
Circuii Details with (he number ot turns on L to obtain
bypassed. The reason is not clear, for it's I
hard to find a better frequency during The hean of the transmitter, the rf the desired range.! As shown, the circuit
periods of high sunspot activity. The rig chain, is shown in lig. I. Ql serves as a tunes (rum 14,025 down id about 1 4.001
described here is a long-overdue remedy crystal Colpitis oscillator with ihe crystal kH-. If theinductor LI is shorted, ihecir-
ftjl this ncgkct. operating on the inductive side or ntil will tunc from lite marked crystal fre-
1 1 was decided to try one of the new ver- resonance. The crystal normally used in aueney upward about 1(1 kll/.
tical semiconductor ficld-
mcial-oxide this circuii has a marked frequency of Not all crystals will function well in his
effect transistors' power amplifier,
as a
rniher than lo use a conventional ap-
proach lo transmitter design. Experiments
with earlier VMOS 1-liTs were encourag-
Side view o) VUOS
trie IO meter FET Iransmiltor. No atlempl was made to miniaturize the unit
Tne linal amplifier. 05. is visible ai the lower leli Tne cryslal is immediately lo ihe left ol the
ing. However, the devices were cither ex- variable capar.llcr. Tne connector at Ihe upper right is lor ihe receiver
pensive or completely unavailable. Today,
plastic medium power devieva Ore readily
available for less than S2.
Thi* iratisfsiOf chosen ivas the Siliconix
VN88AF. With SO-voll drain-io-gatc and
diain-to-snuice breakdown voltages anil a
peak current capability id* } ainvrc-.. the
QRP Classics 98
: igI. —
Rl chain lor ihe VMOS FET transmitter. All resistors aro Vs-wail composition and capacitors are disk ceramic unless otherwise specilieG.
Tolerances are t '0 percent. The + 12 T indicates 12 V during transmit periods only (see Fig 2). The Superlex VN5-A is an equivalonl part for
•ne VN88AF (Siliconix) VMOS transistor. Siliconlx parts ara almost impossible to purchase In small quantities, but HarnittornAvnel outlets seem tc
-ave a limited number ol the Ifansisltts for single-lot purchases.
;i — aco-pF air variable, Anted 695-4200 or LI —7.2 jiH, 40 turns no. 24 wire on L8 - 0.3 U H. 10 tu rns no 24 wire on Amidon
"•37-6 Core.
cQui». AmiflonT-80-6 core.
II C3 - 65-cF trimmer. Allied 7B204W or L2 — 067 t<K 17 turns no 26 w re on LG — Rl chohe, appro*. 1.3 M H. 17 turns no.
eguiv. Amiflon T 37-6 core. Z& wire on Amidon t-44* core.
C5 - 400oP trimmer, two Allied 762-3765S L3A, L4 - 0.43 jiH. 1 2 turns no. 24 wire on Tl — 7 turns no. 26 wire on FT-37-43
t'l'ilar
D1 — 6.2-V, dKkiW Zoner diode. 1N753A or L3B. L3C — 2-turn links over L3ft. T2. T3 — 7 uililar turns ro. 28 wire on
eQu'V. L5, 17 - U 24 pH. 9 turns no 24 wire on FT-37-43 larrite core.
•float," the frequency will change when a hence reduce the suppression of 14-MHa stEgc. keyed amplifier. Negative feedback
-3ml m«ve< near the melt, making a energy in the nuipui. h u<ed in hnrlt stfigofi m ensure broadband
front-panel mounted crystal socket im- Frequency multiplication is obtained stability and to establish the gain levels
-raciical. Tuning is very nonlinear, but with a pair of silicon diodes, D2 and D3. desired. The
resistor values used were
-15 presents no problem in this applica- One miglu question the use of a passive chosen from a progtam written for the
n. The 50-kH/ tuning range (after frequency doublet, but careful ex- writer's programmable calculator. Addi-
doubling) has been more than sufficient. periments using laboratory instrumenta- tional information on feedback amplifiers
A hile a 400-pF variable capacitor is used, tion have confirmed the wisdom of this is presented in chapter R of So/id Slate
3 smaller unit will suffice with only a choice. Details of this work arc presented Design. The saiuraicd output of QJ is
--iii reduction in mning ran^e* The in cliapici 3 of So/id Stuic Design for i/ie uvjily /— vvjil, iiicic (lian enough to
1
rower available from the useilatcir is Radio Amateur.' The method is used in drive the VMOS final amplifier. Both
QRP Classics 99
Fig. 2 — Control circuil Inr the VMOS FET Iransmillei
Kl - 24 V dc spdt relay. Magnecran Di -9 V. iOO mW Zener dio3e, 1N757A or
W65HPCX3orequiv. equiv
driver stage- were keyed, a requirement sistors arc enhancemenl-mode devices. about 1.2 volts.
resulting Went sienal fccdlhrough in I'cd- That with no positive voltage on the
s. With no drive applied, 0? sits on the
baek amplifiers when they a*c "off." gate with respect to the source, there is no verge of conduction. When drive is ap-
leading to an objectionable back wave. drain zurrcnl. Only when a threshold gale plied, the series 280.pl- capaeiuu will
A uned circuit was placed be-
.smelt voltage reached doc. drain current
is charge, establishing a small positive de
tween f.H nml Q4 This improved ho sup- l begin to flow. This ic typically + .2 volts 1 voliauv on thejj;iK\ As such, the amplifier
pression of U-MH/ energy which was for the VN8SAF. Current flow increase* operates Clasb A. The key-down drain ef-
delected in [||C OUlpUl Of Q4 WlKn using a dramatically as (he gal*: potential is in- ficient)'h poor, only ahoul 30 percent.
50-ohm teimiuaiion and a 15-MH?- creased further. For ihis reason, a husky heal sink is man-
band width iiscHtoseope. (Addition of the Many VMOS FETs have an
available datory for 05. (During testing, we
timed cireul removed all traces of internal Zenei diode connected between VN88AF was destroyed from excessive
20- meter energy from the oscilloscope ihe gate and the source. This diode pro- dissipation because of an inadequate I eat
presentation.) II the resonator is tects [Ik FET from damage by static elec- sink.) Overall efficiency is reasonable
eliminated, die jmpliliet eliair (Q3 and tricity Only one Zener diode Is used, in during typical ew operation, since forward
0-1) has a '.'crV wide bandwidth and is contrast to dual-gate MOSFETs. which bias disappears once drive is removed.
suitable Tor general-purpose application employ back-io-back Zcners. The Measurements have not been pcrforned
throughout ihe hf spectrum. small heal A VN88A F includes a protection diode. If on this circuit when operated in a linear
sink is recommended for Q4. there were no internal protection diode, ir mode. However, the method might bold
The final amplifier is generally straight- would be possible to atiaeh the gate promise for ssb applications.
forward, with only a few subtleties. A directly to the 47-ohm resistor with no ad- The output of th; amplifier uses a dou-
low-pass filter is contained at the input, li ditional circuitry, liut as it is.the negailve- ble pi network. Following ihe work or
serves the role of absorbing the input coing portion of the rf voltage would Roy Lewallen.* such a network was used
capacitance of ih-e transistor, in this case quickly destroy the piotection diode, in anticipation of obtaining Zcner-less
about 50 pF, and hence aids broadband taking ihe transistor with it! Hence, exter- dev ices that can be operated Class C" oi D.
performance. The input of the amplifier s j nal protection circuitry is required to save For the Class A Operation employed in
terminated in a 47-olim resistor. While the amplifier from the ill effects of the in- ihis design, a series-tuned output network
this decreases power gain, it dues provide terna) protection diode. The resistor net- would probably present no problems.
a low imped;ince at the gate, a definite aid work and IN9I4 diode shown with QS The output power is +36 dBm, or
to stability. •tftvc thisru nction, clomping ihu gate about 4 watt*. Slightly- over « watts of out-
All presently available VMOS tran- voltage and never allowing it to go below* put was obtained when a second VN8SAF
was paralleled tvith Q5. No circuit changes votingc tor Q3 and Q4. A 1-fiF non polar lessexotie home station tOitt equipment)
were required oihci than rciuuin? of ihe capacitor from base to collector forces Q7 was encouraging. The 14-MHz compo-
ouipul network. Operation was attempted to act as an integrator duriig transitions. nent is 57 dB below the 28-MHz eatrici.
ai a drain supply potential of 1 2 volts, but This shapes the keying nicely. Tilesecond harmonic is 64 dB down whit
powci ouipul Did gain suffered severely; transistors Q8, Q9 and QIO form a th; fourth and sixth harmonics arc just
Sonic experiments that might be of in- scmibreak-in circuit. When the key is barely delectable. The hack wave is over
terest were done on 80 meters. An pressed, the antenna relay s activated, h 75 dB down. The ouipul amplifier has
amplifier much like thai used ai Q5 was will remain on for a fraction of a second performed flawlessly wiili no sig.ii of the
built with a similar bias scheme. This after th. key is released. The tiansmit
-
usual instabilities liwnd with bipolar
amplifier used four paralleled VN88AF5 switch, S2. overrides the semi break -tit cir- power amplifiers, The VMOS FET power
bolted to a large heal sink. Power outputs cuit formore casual contacts. If desired. transistor certainly here to stay!
is
up to 25 waits were easily Obtained but the Q8, (39 and QIO may be omitted. They On-thc-air reports are equally en-
efficiency was st r II poor. A similar were installed in this transmittci a few couraging. Keying aid general "cleanli-
3.5-MHz amplifier was then built using a days before the annual November ness" arc comparable to any of t he better
Siliconix VN84GA. This transistor is a Sweepstakes contest, The antenna relay signals around. While using an in verted-
roal hrmo with no internal protection used was a surplus itOltl Iroin tin junk -
rtipfitt' only I'ight meters hiph, ihe writer
Zcner diode. It had an output of over 25 box. Th. rc
-
is nothing critical here. worked 41 slates and a considerable
watts with an efficiency of73 percent. The The simplicity Of the eontiol circuitry anount of f)X in Ihe fiisi two months of
amplifier was (hen moved to 14 MHz hy presents one potential problem: The Operation. The DX
(in all continents) in-
resonating the 1000-pF gate capacitance. transmitter is on (and generating rf) al the cludes many slightly tare prefixes, ranging
Similar results were obtained there. Un- insiani the antenna relay changes to the from LU and CX to IKO and EA8. Let sI
fortunately, iNs transistor is both expen- transmit position. However, the low just hope that the sunspots hold for
sive ami diffietlll I0> obtain. Perhaps thai power and the inherent siability of the several more years!
situation will improve with lime.' Class A final amplifier allow "hot
The control circuitry for the transmitter Switching" with no probems. Control
ii shown in Fig. 2. A 7812 ihrec-icrminal systems for correcting this situation are
Nut*
voltage regulator powers the bw-tevel described in chapter 7 of Solid Slate
stages as well as a crystal-controlled Design for ihe Radio A mmeur. Rjjh. "MOSHET PiWVI Auiplifier." tfam Kadiv.
Nowinhei IM7H. Also swi rtfletenee* illed in ihil
receiving converter included within the paivi, trivially Ovivi.
same box. Transiscoi Q6 operates as a
Results
.Ww AuHOrur.
ilti^tf
A Beginner's
Look at Basic
Oscillators
A frequency generator
the is
U-/on l iry lo dazzle mc with exotic high-power transmitter. But, oscillators arc radio-frequency range (as high as 300 GHz,
circuits! I warn to learn the theory of sim- used also in receivers, frequency standards, or 300 billion cycles per second).
ple circuits first." Those statement* are signal generators (r«i equipment) and To make an oscillator, we must havetwn
voiced frequently by radio amateurs. Are many other pieces of apparatus for amateur things.One is a frequency-determining ele-
you one of those frustrated persons? use. ment. This element is an energy-storage
Perhaps the blind spot that exists with Perhaps you're saying to yourself, "Why device with a special ability to build up
some writers (and I'm one myself) results hasn't he mentioned frequency syn- energy in one direction, discharge it, build
from the belief that in order for a ham to thesizers?" Well, that's not a topic that can it up in the opposite direction, and
nave passec the license exam, he or she be handled properly in a beginner's discus- discharge thai. A pendulum is an example
fullyunderstood the answers to the theory sion. The synthesizer is a very exotic item of amechanical oscillator that does just
is not a fact, because (un-
•questions. This that involves a host of lubjccls that <ue that. Another example of a mechanical
fortunately) many amateurs memorize the beyond the intent of this scries. There's no oscillator is the tuning fork used as a s:an-
suggested answers to the FCC examina- doubt ihat synthesizers Ere becoming the dard by musicians. Both of irese
tions. This makes it difficult to com- way of life with most manufacturers of mechanical devices store energy and
prehend even the most basic of discussions commercial amateur equipment. But, foe oscillate at a certain frequency. In an elec-
about elcctionics. the sa<e of experimenting with useful, sim- trical oscillator we generally use a quartz
Something else is awry for those who ple circuits, we will focus on crystal and LC crystal or a tuned circuit consisting of a coil
don't understand the fundamentals of our and capacitor) oscillators. They are by
(coil and a capacitor as the energy-storage and
radio pastime: They can't experience the no means obsolete! frequency-determining device.
joys of builung and using homemade gear! What an oscillator? In electronics, an
is The second ingredient of an oscillator is
The purpose of this Beginner's Bench scries oscillator is a device that generates an alter- the ability to suppl/ carefully timed pulses
is to encourage those of you who -arc less nating current (ac). Oscillation is a varia- to keep it oscillating. Recall that a tuning
technically inclined to climb the ladder to tion in the magnitude of electrical current fork oscillates for only a short while after
a level that will enable you to enjoy the with time. Typically, the output of an it is banged agains: something. Similarly,
technical section of QST more fully, and oscillator alternates between positive and a pendulum eventually winds down as the
to do some dabbling in your home negative current values centered on zero effects of gravity and friction win out.
workshops. current Neither the mechanical nor electrical
Perhaps the most common circuit in RF Everyone has alternating current oscillators are perpetual-motion machines.
{radio frequency) projects is the oscillator. available from an electrical wall outlet. The mechanical devices can be kept going
A single osrillator can serve by itself as a Why i» an oscillator needed to produce ac? by giving them a kick every now and then
transmitter :'or CW. It may also be used as The ae from the wall outlet is alternating in exact timing neeced to replace the power
a frequency generator to be followed by at 60 Hz (cycles per second). In radio we lost to gravity and friction. The same idea
one or more amplifier stages tc provide a need oscillators that will produce a wide applies to electrical oscillators —
there must
•ARRL Contribution Editor, P.O. Box 250, variety of other frequencies from the audio be a pulse of electrical powci supplied lu
Lulner.
range (20 to 20.000 Hz) throughout the the frequency -determining element exact-
element in our crystal holder will vibrate Fig. l Simplo example of a Piute crysial
oocillatof. may install a fixed-v^lue capacitor. A
at a specified rate (depending on its
1 00-pF capacitor is suitable for C2 for ham-
thickness and the stray capacitances present
band use from 1.8 to 21 MHz. CI can be
in our circuit). The crystal is ground to the an oscillator must also be supplied feed-
in a 60-pF trimmer. An MPFI02 or
proper thickness at the time of manufac- back energy to cause oscillation. The coil 2N4416-family FET will be suitable at Ql.
ture, and the resultant frequency is rrarked and capac.tor do not vibrate is is the case RFC1 is an RFchoke that is resonant with
on ihe crystal case. Therefore, if our crystal with a crystal element. Instead, Ihe com- Ihe stray circuit capacitance (roughly 10 pF
was marked "3.700 MHz," it would bination siorcs and discharges energy at a in nosi cases) well below the crystal
vibrate 3.7 million times a second 10 pro- specific roe tu establish the frequency of frequency.
vide the desired oscillator frequency. The
oscillation. The LCoscillatOTis seldom as For example, using He ARRL Type A
thinner the quartz crystal, the higher the frequency-stable as a crystal oscillator. L/C/F slide-rule calculator, we would find
operating frequency. This limits the prac- Changes in temperature and mechanical thata I50-/iH RFchoke with lOpFof stray
tical upper frequency of a fundamental vibrations (unwanted) tend to change the capacitance would be resonant at the high
crystal, for if it were too thin the element
inductance and capacitance elements of the end of the 75-meter band (4 MHz). If our
would become impossible to fabricate or LC oscillator ina more dramatic manner oscillator were for use in that part of the
would shatter easily during oscillation. than when a crystal is used. This causes an specirum we would wan; to avoid this con-
Gcncially, 20 MH/. i* the upper lin.it for instant (mechanical) or gradual {electrical) dition. It would be belter to use a 5O0-/<H
quartz crystals nat operate on their fun- change in the operating frequency. The choke, which would provide resonance at
damental modes. gradual change is referred to as "drift." approximately 2.2 MHz. We could remove
Although a crysial may be marked for all doubt by using a 1-mH (millihenry) RF
a specific opcratiog frequency, this does not The Pierce Oscillator
choke, which is 1000 pH.
mean it will produce that exact frequency One of ihe simplest types we hams can Output from the oscillator of Fig. 1 is
when we plug into an oscillator. The
ii
use the Pierce oscillator {named after a
is taken from the drain of Ql. In order to
crystal must be ground or etched in accor- person, as are most oscillator circuits), Vpry help prwont the circuit that follows our
dance with the circuit capacitances that ex- few pans are required, as shown in Fig. I. oscillator from impairing oscillations
ist in our oscillator. This is specified by the
It makes ro difference whether we use a floating ihe oscillator too heavily), a small
manufacturer as the "load capacitance," vacuum une (triode), bipolar jansistor or value of capacitance is used at C3. It should
die existing circui-. capacitance that "loads" an FET (field-effect transistor) in the cir- be the smallest value that is practical for
:hc crysial. Normally, the load capac.tance cuit. The Operating conditions remain the delivering the required power to the next
of a standard oscillator circuit is somewhere same except dc voltages applied to
for the stage of the overall circui:. Usually, this will
between 10 and 40 pF, with 20 or 30 pF be-
the circuit: The tube would require filament be between 10 and 100 pF in the 1.8 to 30
ing the most typical vnhip Some circuits voltage and a higher dc voltage. \1H* range. Too much uscillator loading
arc very difficult to analyze with regard to Yl, the quartz crystal, Is located in ihe can prevenl oscillation.
:hc effective load capacitance. Fo* this feedback path (between the drain and gate
reason amateurs who need to have the of Ql) to ensure oscillation. We must be Colpitts Oscillator
crystal work at a precise frequency mui tell careful to make cenain we have neither too A popular oscillator i> shown in Fig. 2.
*.hc crystal suppler the model number of little nor too much feedback. Insufficient This is the Colpitis circuit. Although a
the equipment in which the crystal will be feedback will prevent oscillation, or slug- bipolar transistor is shown at Ql, a tube
homemade,
used. If the circuit is or if the gish starting of the oscillator when or FET could he used with equal success.
model number is not known, the supplier operating power is applied. Too much feed- In F;g. I we found the source of Ql at
should be provided with a copy of the back can cause unwanted "frigglies" ground potential, respective to dcand RF.
oscillator circuit, with all pans values (oscillations at oiher than the crystal fre- In Fig. 2, ihe collector of Ql is at RF
marked plainly on the diagram. W; can quency) ot, as some call the condition, ground by virtue of the collector bypass
:ake advantage of the effects of load "squegging." capacitor, C4. Hence, the feedback, path
capacitance by introducing changes in To have control over Ihe amount of feed- for the Colpitts circuit we have illustrated
capacitance intentionally. This cnabxs us back in Fig. 1 we have added CI and C2. between the emitlcr and base. Other
is
:o shift the operating frequency of a crystal. Cl is variable (a trimmer capacitor) to per- fnrm<; nf the CnlpirK oicillaior are com-
More on this subject Later. mit adjustment of the feedback energy. mon; this is but one variation.
LC (coil/capadior) frequency elements Once the correct value of capacitance is Orce again we have used two capacitors
which fundamental crystals are limited? Yl will oscillate and provide RF output the two types.
Well, we adopt what is called the "over- from Ql at only the overtone frequency. Acceptable frequency stability is ob-
lone oscillator." As is true of funcamental Too much feedback will permit the crystal tained through careful selection of the cir-
types of oscillators, there arc countless over- to oscillate at iis fundamental frequency. cuitcomponents, the amount of feedback
lutie-uscillaior jriiiiu. Wc will deal with but This will cause the oscillator output to con- u.ed, regulation of tic operating voltages
two of them, mainly to illustrate the prin- tain two frequencies —tte fundamental aid providing as nearly a constant
ciple of operation. A
simple mode svenone plus the overtone. Output can be taken at temperature environment as possible.
oscillator is shown in Fig. 3A. Yl :s manu- high impedance by means of C2, or a link Special lernpcraturc-compensatir.g
factured as a crystal that operates at an odd can be wound on LI to provide low- capacitors are often jsed lo minimize fre-
multiple of its fundamental frequency. This impedance output via L2. The choice will quency changes. The coil and capacitor
means that we may use a third- ar ilfth- depend on what we couple our oscillator to. must be mechanically and electrically well
ovcrtone crystal in our circuit to obtain out- Another kind of overtone oscillator is il- b Jilt to enhance stahility. Similarly,
put at some frequency above, say, 20 MHz. lustrated at Fig. 3B. At first glance we nothing in the immediate vicinity of Ihe LC
Let's imagine that we wanted z crystal might conclude that it is a Pierce oscillator. oscillator must be allowed to move po;i-
oscillator for use at 28 MHz. We should But, it is an overtone type of oscillator, tisn, for this can change the operating fre-
order a third-cvcrtone crystal for the exact with the crystal inserted between the drain quency. Changes in oscillator loading,
10-meter frequency of interest. The and gate of the FET. Cl, ised to control caused by operating-condition variations in
manufacturer would again need to know the the feedback, will have a slight effect on succeeding circuit stages, will also shift the
load capacitance presented by our circuit in the operating frequency as it is adjusted. frequency. LC types of oscillators arc more
order In grind nr pwh the quartz cwre-clly. C2 and LI again form a resonant circuit prone to ihi3 malady lhan are crystal
The ground for roughly cne third
crystal is at the overtone frequency. oscillators.
the operating frequency. That is, a 28-MHz Three types of LC oscillators a re shown
crystal would be ground for approximately LC Oscillators
in Fig. 4. The first example (A)
probably is
9.333 MHz. An overtone crystal does not Most LC oscillators are used as VFOs the most common of the three in ham
oscillate at exactly three times the frequen- (variable-frequency oscillators). But, we equipment. Since C2 and Ll arc in parallel,
cy of the quanz element, however, so the may elect to use them on occasion as single- this is called a parallel-tuned oscillator. C3
manufacturer must know the exact overtone frequency devices, just as we would with and C4
provide the path for our feedback
frequency wc desire. Likewise with fifth- a crystal oscillator. How useful an LC energy. In LC oscillators the value of C3
overtone crystals, and so on. oscillator may be will depend entirely on aod C4 are approximately ihe same. A
850
LG.H) - -2^- = 19.3
2tt f 6.28 x 7 (Eq. 1)
:ance for LI in a parallel- tuned circuit, these additional stages help to isolate the from 144 to approximately 144.250 MHz
especially at high operating frequencies: oscillator from the circuits that succeed the — about right for the and SSB pen CW
The series-tuned arrangement requires a frequency-generating chain* Some buffer of the band.
much amount of inductance and a
larger stages ran also provide signal amplifica- Those of you who like to experiment
entailer value of capacitance at CI for a tion, whereas others might reduce the ef- nay want to build this circuit. Ic can have
ziven tuning range. The series-tuned for- fective output level of our oscillator. FETs many uses, depending on the frequency to
mat can often lead to improved frequency work well as buffer stages, owing to their which it is tailored. For example, we might
-Lability for reasons that wc cannot address very high input impedance (usually a cse a VXO for the local oscillator in a
here. megohm or greater). The te resistor in homemade receiver It could be the hem
Fig. determines ihe input impedance of
fi cf a little signal generator for workshop
Shifting (he Crystal Frequency We might multiply the output mere
Q2, since it is lower in ohmic value than use.
Wc discussed earlier the possibility of the natural gate impedance of Q2. Since wc nan eight times for the purpose of using
making small changes in the operating fre- show Q2 as a source- follower stage, the tie VXO as a frequ:ncy source at 220 or
quency of crystal oscillators. This can be output of the FET will be slightly less than 432 MHz, or as a signal generator for VHF
J one by adopting the methods depicted in the output of Ql —
approximately lOTo and UHF testing. By lowering the VXO fre-
Fig- 5. The smallest frequency change will lower. quency to 20, 30 or 40 meters, it can serve
b* cApeiieticcd when using only a variable Most VrO circuits have at least two buf- nicely as the frcqucn:y-comrolling element
.-apacitor as shown at A in Fig. 5. The fer stages, and sometimes three. One or for a homc-built CW transmitter.
nigher the cr>stal frequency the greater the more of the buffers can be designed as Best operation (maximum frequency
frequency shift as Cl is adjusted. The trim- amplifiers if we wish. This enables us to ex- swing) will be had if wc use AT-cul crystals.
mer can also :>e placed in parallel with C 1 tract greater output power than would be Preferably, they will be the type that are
One method raises the frequency while the possible if wc took the output directly from suspended by tiny wires inside the crystal
other lowers i:. An inductance can be added ihc oscfllaior. Cl and C2 of Fig. 6 arc small holder <H06/U). and they will be cut for
En series with a crystal, as shown in Fig. 5B, in capacitance value. This helps limit fundamental-mode use. I use International
-.a shift the f*equency of oscillation. Too loading effects after the oscillator. If you Crystal Mfg. Co. general-purpose types of
much inductance at Ll will convert the have built a VFO-controlled CW transmit- crystals with a 30-pF load capacitance.
EICEfiT *S INIICAIED.OEOUtLVAulCS C
CiSlCi-iHCE ME II WIC flCFAISCS I jiF 1 ;
(T-ebs *=e n seorawos i »f ce »f >;
OUTKOT
>ISO/lJ *
E . RMS VOLTAGE
• DO VOLTAOC
• > PHfiitNG
01, 01
BOfTOM
Fig. 7 —
Schematic diagram of a universal VXO. Fixed-value capacitors except those in Table 1 are disc ceramic. The- polar zed capacitor Is tan-
talum or eleelnlytie. Resistors other than R3 are it- or carbon composition. R3 WW Is a tt-W unit.
C1 — Panel mounted miniature air variable, 50 1N91* <3iodes in series. Table 1).
or 100 pF (not critical). D2 6 V, 400 mW
Zcncr diode. V1 — AT-cul fundamental crystal In HC-O/U
C2C6. incl. - See Teblo V R2 -Value may bo adjusted lor purest output holder, 20- or 30-pF oad capacitance
LI, L2 and L3 - See Table 1. waveform from Ql. Suitable (International Crystal Mf(j. Co.
D1 - 1.5 V roqulator. Use an LED or two T1 -
Broadband toroidal 4:1 ranaformer isee type GP).
Table 1
6.000 to 9.000 68 100 390 820 17 ,>H max. 55 IS. t *H. 18 is. no. 15 blllfar ts.
<fo- 40 meter use) ot no. 26 wire on 28 wire on a of no. 26 on
aT6&-2 toroio cor-o T37-6 torold core. an FT-37-43
(40- meter use) torold co re.
9.000 to 15.000 39 68 2S7 560 12pH max. 49 ts. of 0.72 P K 15 ts. no. 15 blllfar ts-.
(to- 30-mete' use) no. 38 wire on a 26 wire on a of no. 26 on
T50-2 lotoid core T37-6 torold core. an FT-37-61
(30-meter use) toroid core.
9.000 to 15.000 39 68 212 424 12 H max. Same aa 0.53 ,.h. 13 is. no. Same as above
(fo- 20-meler use) above. 2i wire on a T37-6 on FT-37-61
toroi3 core. toroid core.
(20-meler use)
15.000 to 20.00) 27 56 168 330 7 »H max. 42 ts. ot 0.42 ph. 12 ts. no. Same as above
no. 26 wiro on a TJQ-G 26 wlio un n T37-0 on rr-37-61
torold core. lorob core, loroid core.
(for ; 8-MHz use)
The capacitors a>« slive'-mica or roiyatyiene types. Ail :c*ca colls should Be doped with iwccoata ol I cement or General Cement O-Dope' titer they are wound.
Toroio cores are evatlabie 0y mail from Aml3on Associates, 12033 Otseso St. N. Hollywood. CA 91607 SO Check OSI ads tor Pn'omat gname*(8 and RadloKfl. Value* t-
C5 6' L2 ar") U
whe."
^L?
1 Flfl
? " 10 *
usaa ,0f ''Woncioo other man those lisiel, can be obtained from tie niter laOles In 7ne Ratio Amaievr's Hanaoook
. '
imp ch- 8D-er. iNonstandard
'..S ,
capacitc. val 00B can be closely aso.oimated by uain E or parallel combination o! atfl(,da,d value. Th. nearest standard Wa
They are the least expensive and seem to necessary to swamp ihe coil with a resistor regulator on the feed for the base bias. Dl,
be very -rubbery" in VXO circuits. Ir- (R 1
lower the Q. Values from 10 kfi to
) to a standard LED (light-emitting diode),
respective of -he brand of crystal used, no 27 kfl seem to do the job. . he need for Rl makes a fine 1.5-V regulator when used a*
two identical crystals will yield ihc same will be evident if while we are tuning CI shown. Alternaiive.y, we can use twe
amount of frequency swing in a VXO. 1 through its range the VXO will break into IN914 diodes in series at Dl.
have never understood exactly why this oscillation at some other frequency (mode Q2 functions as a buffer/amplifier. It is
happens, but 1 hare observed countless jr.
changing) and be erratic in operation. abroadband, linear Class A stage. Outf-j:
limes. As an aid to the overall frequency stabili- from Q2 is filtered by means of FL1 a half- .
If u tuil wiili very high Q (quality fac- ty of Ql, I decided to regulate not only the wave harmonic filter. It is designed foi t
tor) is used at Ll of Fig. 7. it may be collector voltage, but put a separate fO-ohm input/ou:put characteristic.
a dial-calibration chart.
Frequency drift from a cold start to an cuit boi'd. A scale pattern for the PC that arc presented in this article. Experi-
hour later (at 7C° F) was 30 Hz. At 2 meters board can be found in the Hints and Kinks ment with them to study the cause and ef-
this would multiply to 240 Hz —
an accept- section of this issue of QST. fect of value changes, and so on. There is
able value. The VXO or any IX VFO no substitute for "learning by doing."
>hmrlrl he huilt in a sppnrat^ shielced box Closing Thoughts
There is no rcaaon you can't tackle the
for best results.This will help to maintain We have barely scratched the veneer in VXO project of Fig. 7. It can be useful in
a more constant temperature and Wll pre- this discussionof oscillators But, I hope many applications ir your ham shack.
vent unwanted RF energy from entering the you have acquired a better understanding Good luck!
rircuit and causing frequency changes that of how they work and whal can be done •Circuit Board Specialists, P.O. Box 969. Pueolc,
aren't wanted. Tabic I lists some typical to improve their performance. I suggest CO 81002 Cat3log of kits available on request.
values for other operating frequencies. you take soldering iron in hand and tack For updated supplier addresses, seo ARRL Parts
Fig. 8 shows the parts placement for the cir- together some of the one-stage oscillators Supplier List in Chapter 2.
ga yc up on building ham gear Each of us has (he potential to build radio value capacitor and a variable inductor, or
C i I
I because pans are hard to f.nd and equipment, to find shortcuts to design by employing a VVC (volt age- variable-
I they coy mo
milch ." F.vpr hear that objectives and to enjoy using something we capacitor) diode. A quality double bcarinf
comment? Perhaps you've saic it to built ourselves. Let's consicer
some prac- tuning capacitor that rotates smoothly U
yourself in silent despair. Actually, parts ways to use parts in applications for
tical net only hard to find these days, it can be
are not hard lofind, and most of them need which they were not designed. Perhaps bulky and very expensive. Much of our
not be purchased at top price. But. there some of these concepts will solve a design miniature homcrnadecquipment would be
aresome items ihat are very expensive and problem for you. more practical if a tuning capacitor could
hard to locate when we attempt 10 buy be avoided for changing the oscillator
them new. It is conceivable (hat \ve naight Experimental Tuning Methods
frequency.
have 10 spend S15 for a tuning cepacitoi Tiaiibiniiiers and receiver! require some How might we contrive a simpler, lesi
and a vernier crive, when the circuit with type of signal source, and generally this expensive method for tuning a VFO? I
which ii will be used contains only S3 worth local oscillator (LO> is tumble. The con- developed an interesting circuit for use in
of small pans. Prices of items such as vemional techniques lor changing a VFO a very compact receiver (Fig. I) tha
tun ing capacitors, drive mechanisms, cabi- frequency are by means of a fixed-value in- qualifies as a simple, inexpensive tuning
nets, slug-tuned coils and meters (pur- ductor and variable capacitor or a fixed- technique. 1 had some reservations about
chased new al nonsurplus prices) can
discourage even rhose builders who have a
large Amaieur Radio budget. The cost, plus
the present-day agonies of being socked VFO
with back orders and "out of stock"
01
notifications from mail-order dealers, does
airli
lend to make as think pans arc hard to
obtain.
What alternatives do we have? The in-
genuity of a true experimenter must he
summoned from within if speedy solutions
100/rt P o
to these common problems are to be found.
In decades past, it was a regularly practiced It oZ
art among harr.s to solve design and pro-
curement problems by using materials on E«t£l" Ai IhBtCMtO, DtCIUBL
:hc idea. Rl. Which is a high-quality Allen capaeito* tuning while using the same oscil- obtained with ihis method is substantially
Bradley (A/B) potentiometer, is located lator module. There is, however, a point less than with the circuit of Fig. 1 , at least
dose to C2 and LI in order to keep the in the tuning range of R I where the loaded with the circuit values given. A 10-kHzshi'i
leads from Rl as short and direct as Qof the VFO tuned circuit will take a dip. was observed.
?o«iblc. When this happens, the VFO output will Incremental band-segment selection can
Why docs system work? Well, as Rl
this drop slightly and the output waveform be had with cither circuit (Figs. 1 and 2)
s adjusted, the presence of the capacitance linearity will change. In most practical b> adopting the method shown in Fig. 3.
oi"C2 (a trimmer) is more prominent in the applications, you will not be able lo detect SI used to add capacitors to the VFO
is
runed circuit. The series combinalicn oT C2 (his effect. tuned circuit,and Rl or L2 can be used in
and Rl form a capacitivc reactance and As an alternative to the use of a vernier the manner described previously. Perhaps
Tcsismnrc th.it ran^i* n frequency shift as drive attached lo Rl. we ninhl consider a miniature DIP switch can be added to
Rl is adjusted. The smaller the \alue of using a bargain-priced 10-lurn. carbon- operate as SI when compact equipment .s
resistance at Rl, the lower the operating composition control with a suitable 10-iurn bane, built. The values of capacitors C3,
'retjuency, because the capaciiance of C2 counter dial. Wire-wound controls must be C4 and C5 will determine the coarse tuning
«ill be more effective. avoided because they are inductive. range. Trimmers may be substituted for
What are the bad features? No innova- these fixed-value capacitors, which wfll
tor is necessarily perfect, and thisapplies Another Tuning Trick enable you to have the tuning ranges
•o (he technique illustrated in Fig. I. The I tried another idea thai I had in mind overlap.
.uniiig h That is, the frequency
iionlincai , for a number of years. The circuit for this
one is given in Fig. 2. L2, a modified Simple, Homemade Tuning Capacitor
is spread out at the maximum-resistance
:ad of the Rl range, and il is somewhat carbon control, is fashioned by removing Large frequency changes arc possible if
compressed at the minimum-resistance end. the metal cover from a standard-size poten- we use a low-capacitance variable capacitor
Also, if a poo>quality control is used at tiometer, then removing icarefully) the that is connected to the high end of a VFO
Rl , you may h:ar a slight scratching noise semicircular carbon element from inside the tuned circuit (junction of CI and LI of
y the control is adjusted, while listening
•
(SClSEOI
|6| 3
homemade variable capacitor. There are
many other unique ways to eons:ruct
home-built tuning capacitors, but we shall
Fig. a— Mechanical details for a homemade disc tuning capacilor. A lonsion jpring ensutos
not go inlo a lengthy discussion about
mechanical stability of the rotor portion of (he variable capacitor. Side brackets also help to
keep the uni; mechanically rigid. The oelail at B shows ho* the stator disc i: etched on PC them.
board material
Generating Innovative Ideas
In Ctmclusiun
When you are working with the circuits
Fig. 1). A simple mechanism is illustrated commended in the interest of high dielec- of Figs. I and 2, it is important lha: the
in Fig. 4. It is developed during
one that I tric quality and physical strength. A piece Q of LI be as high us you can moke t. If
my search for simple VFO luning methods. of thin Teflon'1 sheet is glued to the surface the Q is quite low, ihe addition of Rl or
The drawing at A of Fig, 4 shows a side of thf stator disc to prevent short circuiting L2 could cause [he VFO to cease oscillating
view of the assembly I constructed. A piece of the stator and rotor discs. Polyethylene at some point in tie tuning range. There-
of '/*-in x 20 iron bolt is used as the tuning sheeting is suitable if you have no Teflon fore, suggest tha: you use a T68-6 tcroid
I
shaft. The from plate of the tunsr is a piece on lurid. The capacitance range I obtained core for frequendes above 4 MHz. The
of copper-clad PC board. The hex nut is with this unit was to 18pF with the 1-inch wire size should be as large as can be wound
soldered to the inner surface of this end diameter disc plates. The closer the plates easily on the toroid core. This will reduce
plate, as shown. A disc of copper or brass are to one another, the greater the capaci- ihe coil resistance and enhance the tj. I he
serves as the capacitor rotor. It is soldered tance and the faster the luning rate. The same rule applies if you use a slug-tuned
to the end of the boll that is opposite the rotor disc grounded by means of the boh-
is inductor: The core should be
for use in the
knob. I used a I-inch-diameler disc, and to-nul connection and by iirtue of the front- upper part of HF
spectrum. High-
ihe
made certain ii was at an exact riglii angle end elate being grounded. Those skilled in quality capacitors mould be u«d also. The
to the bolt when I soldered the two pieces machine work should be able to improve o n NPO units specified are entirely suitable,
together. A spring is used between the disc this design. The disc-tuning method is by no and will ensure mirimum VFO drift. Silver-
plate and ihc fronl-platc bearing nul (o means a new concept. VHF cavities and mica capacitors can be used, bin will cause
prevent wobbling and undue backlash. PC- amplifiers were tuned by this technique for considerably more drift than will the NPO
board braces are soldered (four each) to the man> years. But. I don't recall seeing it ap- ceramic units.
front bracket and stator-plaic bracket to plied to HF circuits in tiiis manner. Should you develop some noteworthy
ensure physical stability. circuit innovations, please consider sharing
Drawing B of Fig. 4 shows how 1 made Another Capacitor Idea them with others through the pages of
the stator plate. It is a piece ol PC board A cylindrical tuning capacitor can be QST. Detailed descriptions can be sub-
with an outer border and disc thai were pro- fashioned as shown in Fig. 5. The rotor is mitted as articles. Short explanatory nar-
vided by etching with ferric-chloride solu- slipped inr.ide the stator tubing. When the ratives may be junl right for ihe Hinlsond
tion. Glass-epoxy circuit board is re- metal half-rod of the rotor is immediately Kinks column.
variables lined (lie shelves of electronics the capacitance varies with the voltage. The and R„ both of which affect the and ilie Q
surplus stores. Gone, too, arc the attrac- diode is placed in parallel with the com- upper- frequency limit or cutoff frequency
tive price tags of SI or less. New capaci- ponents of a tuned circuit, and tuning is ac- of the diode, F co Tic diode cutoff fre-
.
tors are presently in the SI0-S15 class, if complished by varying the voltage, and quency is also affected by
you can them. The once-popular
find thus the capacitance, by means of a
Hammarlund and E. F. Johnson capacitor potentiometer,
Tjpcs of VVC EHadts
lines are produced by another firm, and Fig 1 shows the equivalent electrical There are three styles of tuning diodci.
single-lot purchases arc a thing of tie past. a VVC diode. Note that there are
circuit of See Fig 2. The diode a: A is the basic single-
Tlw? surplus mnrtrt has literally rtrirrl up components of capacitance, resistance and junction type, with a cathode and an
for small air-variable capacitors with tuning inductance present. Cc is die stray case anode. Fig 2Q shows a unit that is designed
shafts. however, a bright spot in
There is, capacitance. C. is the juncl ion capacitance to tune three circuits in an broadcast AM
this seemingly grim situation, (voltage variable). L s is the diode series in- receiver. Three separate VVC diodes ate
We can look toward voltage-variable ductance, and R, is Ihe junction resistance contained in a single case. The liming diode
capacitance (VVC) diodes as a solution lo of Fig 2C features a hack-to-back pair of
the mechanical -capacitor shortages, at least junctions. SingleVVC diodes can be con-
for use with lov-power oscillators and low- nected together as in Fig 2C, if desired
level mitd RFeiteuita. Tuning diodes arc
i
Performance Trade-offs
Tuning diode; are not perfect! They have 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.5 I a 3
some shortcomings that we must take into
KtVtKSt TULIAttt l+VI
account as we design circuits using them.
They can worsen the frequency drift of a Fig 3— Abbreviated capacitance/reverse voltage cirve (or an MV2109 luning diode. Note
VFO when they are used in place of an air- Ihe flat potion of the curve to the left (see text for precautions about reverse voltages
variable capacitor. This is because all semi- from 0.1 10 15).
conductor junctions change capacitance
with changes in junction temperature.
Transistor junctions undergo the same accommodate the high minimum to I V. If we use of the curve,
this partion
change:) with icipcti lu ictiipctainte. The uapaciiiurce 'he diode. In some cases, we will find (IlAt
uui tuning luiiUuI Ufa
addition of a VVC diode adds to ihtshort- this calls for a high C. low L tuned circuit. minor effect until w; reach the I.5-V
and long-term drift problems. The change in diode capacitance is quite region. The range from 2 to 8 V provides
Another annoyance with VVC diodes is nonlinear as the reverse voltag; is decreased a more linear capacitance change, and this
the fairly high minimum capacitance value. below approximately 2 V. This means thai is the desired part of the curve. f we allow I
An air-variable capacitor with a range of we should design for operation in a the voltage to drop below 1 .5, a large part
50 pF might have a minimum capacitance reasonably linear portion of the curve. of the tuning dial ranee will be wasted on
whereas a VVC with a 50-pF
of. say. 8 pF. Fir 3 shows a typical VVC diode voltage/ a I- or 2-kHz frequeicv change at. for
range can have a minimum capacitance of capacitance curve. You can see that there example, 7 MHz, while the overall fre-
25 pF. We must design the tuned circuit to is very little capacitance change from 0.1 quency change may be 100 kHz in the 2-
VFO VFO
IOC MFHOZ
CI C2 ^ C3 (I Cl C2 £ C3 100
100 k
I DO 7 so
30 ? 25
CAL
VFO
ICO -—«. MPF102
—
I
j
1 f— I r i
/
Q^) —
Two
Cl C2
Ho T
C3 103
,OQ
*f
<
^
100*
Ct-PcTBONtf TUN1HC
ELECTRONIC TUNING
Fig 4— Simplified examples of elect rcnicnlly tuned oscillators. The circuit at A is tuned by a
circuit at B uses a VVC
diode, ino example at
single snows how to c use a Dipolar transislor tags**
is preferred, with respect to obtaining a linear oscillator waveform.
Qi
bG'UJU V'L*
llCCPr as INCHOATED. DffpJAl
VALUrS DF CAPACITANCE ARE
VlCRDFARAOS ,F OTnm3
I ;,
A'f HI PieGtAHSOK pF I I,
p;3i3T*r.*C£;> a«S l'i DHUS.
it- woo
Irt - HO COSIECTOII
(BECEiVEl P -POIY5TYHEHE
K'O- TCao temp COWP
-ig 5— Schematic diagram ol a practical VVC-luned VFO tor 40 meters. Unless noted otherwise, fixed-value capacitors are disc ceramic
or mylar. Fixed-value resistors aro '/* or V2-W carbon composition. 10W lolerince. Numbered conpononls not listed below are identified
•or PC-board layout purposes.
C2—30-pF trimmar or ceramic NPO trimmer Li— Slug-tuned inductor, 2.6 ^H. Use 16 o- no. 2B enam wire on an Amidon
(preferred). turns of no. 26 enam wire an the bobbin T-50-2 core.
31— Motorola MV2109 WC diode (see oi an Amiaon Assoc L-57-6 ransrormer R6-Linear laper 1 0-turn carbon composition
notes i and 3}. assembly. potentiometer (see ted).
32— 9.1 V. 400 mW Zener diode. L2—Toroidal inductor, 7.3 ,,H. Use 38 turns RFCl-Miniature 500-,,H RF choke.
J1, J2-Single hole mount phono jack.
to 8-V reverse-voltage range as wc adjust prevent the diode voltage from dropping Change For the circuit ;>f Fig 5, because I
poses. The higher the reverse voltage, the particular transistor used. Some experimen- ambient temperature cianges. so docs the
lower the capacitance; but most amateur tation may be useful. resistance of ihe Q2 diode junction. The
equipment is designed for 12-V operation. Fig 4D shows a circuit usinj a Motorola small resultanl resistance change causes the
Therefore, wc aw interested primarily with MVlOl VVC diode. Notice thai the MVI04 reverse voltage ut Dl to change slightly,
ihe portion of the diode curve from 1.0 to features \wo back-to-back diodes in one thin compensating for changes in the diode
10 V. Rcgulaiec reverse voltage is neces- case. This arraogcmcnl is preferred for junction capacitance that are caused by
sary when VVC devices arc used for the fre- belter oscillator-waveform Linearity. Two lica:.
quency control of oscillators; this aids separate VVCs may be connected together, R5 and R7 arc included to provide the
frequency stability. baek-to-bick. when we desire to use ihe required 1.6 to 7.5 V
reverse potential for
method s;en Fig 4D. Similarly, two
at Dl across R6. You msy require different
Some Cireuil Examples bipolar transistors {Fig 4C) may be con- values if the regulated voltage for your
Fig 4 ShOWS four VFO tuning nected back-io-back to permit the arrange- oscillator ts greater or less than the 9.1 V
approaches. Fig 4A Illustrates, in ment of Fjg 4D. indicated in Fig 5.
abbreviated font, a tuned circuit for a LI is an adjustable inductor that is
VFO. C3 is an air-variable capacitor used A Practical VVC-Timed VFO wovnd on the bobbin oi an Amidon L-57-6
for frequency adjustment. C2isa trmmer I chose the circuit of Fig * as the local shielded transformer assembly.2 The no. (>
capacitor used for oscillator calibration. oscillator for a direct -conversion (D-C) (yellow! iron-core material offers good
The same circuit is seen at Fig 4B. but Dl receiver I am want the unit
developing. I stability in the presence of changing
and its related circuitry replaces C3 of Fig to be small, so I opied for a VVC tuninc tcmpcralurcs. No. 2 material ued) lm
4A. The values of CI and LI ma? need scheme instead of using a large, expensive greater permeability (fewer lurns ncedcdl,
Might alteration to provide the same fre- air-variable capacitor. I had on hand some but it is less stable than is (he no. 6 material.
quency coverage that is obtained from ihe surplus Motorola MV2I09 Epicap diodes The coil turns are ginsd in place on the
oscillator of Fip 4A. This is because ihe that 1 purchased from BCD Electro. A 1
bobbin with a high-quality coil cement,
minimum capacitance of DI is greattr than capacitance swing of approx imately 20 pF such as General Center t Q-Dopc." After
that of C3 of Fig4A. Rl is a panel-mounted is possible in the linear portion of the diode LI is tested and adjusted for the desired fre-
coniiol used to vary the reverse voltage curve. This provides sufficicn: capacitance quency range, the coil slug should be locked
applied to Dl. \ resistor may be added in ploee by mcliinp a small piece of beeswax
between the low end of Rl and ground to 'Notes appear at end ot article. or canning wax onto the end of the coil
B
temperature (72 F) with the cover in place
on the VFO cabinet. The initial drift tool;
temperature changes. Also, 1 did not have ble for interfacing with a class-A bipolar Various 10-turn controls and dials arc cur-
a pairof 680-pF NPO unit*; on ham! when RF amplifier or the 500-ohin input terminal rently manufactured, but the cos! may b;
I VFO. Silver-mica capacitors can
built this of amixer 1C, such as a CA302SA. prohibitive. Check the surplus electronics
be used at CI, C3, C4, C5 and C7 if neces- Peak-to-peak output from the circuit of dealers' catalogs for these mechanism*.
sary. You may find I hat silver-mica units Fig 5 is 3 V across a 470-ohrr resistor. This You may also use au imported reduction
exhibit positive or negative drift charac- equates lo 1.06 V RMS aid an output gear drive to control the VVC diode tuning
teristics, however. Best VFO stability will power ol 2.4 m\V. Greater output power control (R6(. If you arc adept at making
may be obtained by changing Kl I to KH) plastic or metal pulley wheels, try coupling
result if you experiment with these capaci-
tors, by trying various units of the same ohms. This provides 5 V F-P or 1.76 V the R6 tuning shaft to the dial-drive shaft
value at each critical circuit point. Thai is. RMS foi an output power of 6.6 rnW, If with a rubber O
ring and two pulleys. A
like-value capacitors of the same brand will greater output power is needed, you may small wheel driving a large pulley wheel wi I
often exhibit different drift characteristics add an RF power amplifier after Q3. A provide a slow tuning rate for the VFO.
with respect to internal healing. For this 2N2222A is a good transistor for this pur- Same of the small gear drives with readout
reason, most homemade highly stable pose. Suitable RF amplifier circuits arc dials from WW II surplus transmitters,
VFOs are practically tailor-made with presented in Solid Sialc Lesisn for (he receivers or tuning unitscan he adaptei
respect to the final choice of fixed-value Radio Amateur. easily for useas reduction drives, for R6.
capacitors in the oscillator circuit A good-quality potentiometer is recom-
VFO Offset Circuit mended for use at R5. Select a unit thai
D2of Fig 5 regulates the oscillator
operating voltage, and ensures a regulated Because or the heating o( Ihc Dl junc- tu-ns smoothly. Industrial-grade controls
voltage for the D\ tuning circuit. The regu- tion when operating voltage is first applied, of the Allen hradlej type (linear tapet)
lated voltage also stabilizes the forward bias you will notice a shon-term frequency operate smoothly, and they will last a long
for amplifier Q3, and helps prevent load change of approximately 50C Hz. The VFO tine.
changes ai ihc oscillator out pui thai would settles down and communed itr. long lerm Fig 6 shows ihe assembled VFO with it*
otherwise be reflected by Q3 if the forward drift after about 30 seconds. Because of cover removed. The unused space in ihe
Fig 8— Parts-
placement guide
for theVVC-iuned
CD- 40-m VFO. Parts
are placed on the
1-57-6 nonfail side of the
ASSY
T "1 board; the shaded
area represents an
X-ray view ol the
copper pattern.
oa V
cabinei will contain the product detector, Fig 7 shows a full-size etching template your equipment will be much smaller than
active filter and audio amplifier for my for the VFO. Fig 8 is a parts-placement when using mechanical tuning capacitors.
40-mctcr D-C receiver project. I used a guide.
Ten-Tec TP-I9 cabinet. It treasures Notes
<HWD)2 x 4W x 4 inches. As supplied, In Sum nary 'Date ted.
?Amidon Assoc, Inc. 12033 Otsego St. N
It is a plain-finish aluminum box. I painted have addressed the subject of VVC
I
Hollywood. CA 91607 Catalog available.
:he front and rear panels with gray tuning diodes in simple terms. The nature s NPO capacitors, silvor-mica capacitors and
automotive primer. The cover was also ol thesedlodes is considerably more com- viviiius vvc modes (also other WC diodes)
painted with p-imcr, followed by z coat of ire available Irom Circuit Specialists, PO Bex
plex than this article indicates. However,
3047. ScottsdalB, PZ 85257. lei 602-966*076*.
marine blue gloss enamel. Adhesive -backed you should now have sufficient knowledge Catalog available.
plastic feel arc affixed to the bottom. to permit plenty oT experimentation and *W. Hayward and D. DeMaw, Solid State Design
Motorola, Ire. manufactures a variety of practical satisfaction. Application notes tor the Radio Amateur, 2nd printing (Newington:
VVC tuning diodes. 5 Check with them from the companies that manufacture VVC AHRL, 1986).
sMrtorola Semiconductor Products. Inc. Technical
regarding ihe availability of data sheets for tuning diodes will give you greater insight formation Cenler. PO Box 20924. Phoanii,
these diodes. My information cane from into the performance characteristics of
;he Motorola Semiconductor Library. Vol these devices. If nothing nore, you can
Fo- updated supplier addresses, see ARRL Parte
3, scries A, 1974 edition. save mency by using tunicg diodes, and Suppliers List in Chapter 2.
an os:illator circuit, the creater the oppor- theQl source and LI. This link has V» the
Circuit Features
tunity for frequency drift — particularly number of turns used on L2, which is pretty
Please refer to Fig I, which shows the short -term drift (first five minutes of warm- standard for .1 feccbatk winding. Tliclwu
circuit for my experimental VFO. You will lip). This is because the transistor and diode coils are wound on an Amidon L-57-6
COARH
IM JOO PftNGE
NI'O t*?0 ADJ
*OJ CI!
, O.OOI
m
ooi-L
R2
10.
110 ml.}
15. baud
SET
Fig 1— SrhRfTwtic diagram nl Iho WO-liinod VFO Fixed-value capacitors aro dice ceramic, 50- or 100-V rating. Fixod vatuo rcci0tor3 oro
"*-W carbon composition. NPO notations are lor temper alu re-stable disc capacitors (zero temperalure coefficient).
C3. C5— 25-pF NPO miniature ceramic D4— 9.1-v. 400-mWZcnor diode. 13 — 24 turns of no. 30 enam or Litz wire
trimmer or E. F. Johnson I-9-5 mirialuro L1 — 4 turns of no. 30 enarr or Litz wire on the form of an Amidon Assoc L-43-2
air-variable trimmers. over grounded end of L2 Use Amidon shielded assembly Turns must be
15— See texi. A5So;. Inc L-57-6 shielded assembly. scramble-wound fc fil on form.
D1 —Silicon switching diode, type IN914 or —
L2 1 6 1 urns of no. 30 enam or LHz wire R2. R7— 10-Kfl linear-taper carbon-
equiv. on L-5-7-6 bobbin. Use QDope to secure composition conlrcl (see text).
D2, D3— Motorola MV2109 tuning diode windings (see text). R15— See fext.
oi cquiv. 3O70 pF typical range
Available from All-Electronics Ccrp,
Van Nuys, CA 91408.
transformer assembly. The no. £ (yellow) from Q2. The smaller ths C9 value, the range of the handset control. Experiment
powdered-iron core material is best, for greater the overall VFO stability. In a like with the CIS value id obtain the range you
VFO service. It is more temperature stable manner, the lower ihcC5 value, the better need.
than the other core materials. the stability. C5 needs to be of a large
NPO temperature-stable capacitors (CI enough value to allow Ql to oscillate. The Construction in General
C2. C5 and C9) are used to aid testability. Q of tic oscillator tank and the specific Use a singlc-sidcd PC
board for this
Dl, from theQI gale to ground, stabilizes transconductance of Ql are determining project. Double-sided board material in-
the bias on Ql and limits the device trans- factors when selecting the C5 value in a creases the VFO drift, owing to the forma-
vonducianee on sine wave peaks. Thia helps VFO of this general type. C5 values as low tion of unwanted low-stability capacitance
to keep the junction capacitance fairly as 5 pF arc usable, especially when L2 has between Ihe PC foil and the ground-ptene
constant— an aid io> stability. A furth er en- a high value of Q (100 oi greater). iideof the board. Try to use high quality
hancement to stability is provided by Zener glass-epoxy board material. Phenolic PC
diode D4. It regulates the operating voltage Circuit Variations
boards are not suitable for VFOs.
for D2, D3, QI and the base of Q2. If you desire greater frequency stability I enclosed my VFO in a homemade box,
Buffer-amplifier Q2 is used to boost the than I mentioned earlier, replace D2 and as shown in the title photo. The box is
RF output of ihc oscillator chain to 5 V D3 wifh small air-variable rapacttors. You made from pieces of PC board ihat hfive
P-P. The output is designed to look into may us; a 100-pF unit in place of D2. The been soldered together. The cover, removed
a 100-kH load, which may be gate no. 2 of bandspread tuning can then be done with for the photograph, is a U-shaped pieceof
a dual-gate N'OSFET mixer. RI5 mav be a 15- o: 20-pF variable. Tiis calls for the Eluminum. The cover is affixed to the box
added (3.3 kfi to 10 kO) across L3 (dashed deletion of the WC
diode components, Rl by means of two no. 4-40 screws. 1 soldered
lines in Fig 1) to broaden the response of through R8. plus C6 and C'T, and of course, two 4-40 x W -inch nuts on the inside of
L2. This will reduce (he RF output D2 and D3. the box to accommodate the two screws,
somewhat. C15 sf Fig is shown in dashed lines.
1 I used two surplus Teflon push-in feed-
You may use a lower value of cupnei- Vou may add a capacitor at this circuit through terminals to route the -r 12 V iu
tancc at C9 if you require lower output point if you wish to increase the tuning the circuit, and to bring the RF output from
VFO-flO M RECEIVER
A scale etching pattern for the VFO PC just C3 and L2 so R2 provides the desired The main thought here is that you can
board is provided in Fig 2. A parls- range. Next, adjust C4 to yield 10 kHz of capitalize on the old technique of using a
placcmcni guide is shown in Fig 3- 1
tuning range for R7. This will cause some handset and bandspread setup in order to
The dial-calibration plate for my VFO interaction with the settings of C3 and L2. avoid the high cost of vernier mechanisms.
is homemade, visible on edge in [he title- Repeal those adjustments to obtain the Tuning diodes are discussed in the interest
page photograph. I drew the circles with desired tuning range for R2. Df equipment miniaturization and reduced
a ballpoint p:n and compass. I ose knobs Next, terminate CO With a lUU-kU resis- cost.
with large skirts (2 inches OD), bought at tor.Connect a scope or RF probe from the This VFO is not recommended for use
a ilea market. If you can't locate a pair of output side of C12 to ground. Adjust the with transmitters unless one or more ac'di-
large knobs with skirts, you may use slug in L3 for maximum RF output voltage. :ional stages of buffering are used. A fin-
standard-size knobs and metal sr plastic LI and L2 should be :oated with GC ale buffer-amplifier does not provide the
dial skirts with them. The skins nay be at- polystyrene Q-Dope aflcr they arc wound load isolation that is necessary between the
tached [o the knobs by means of epoxy ce- on L-57-6 bobbin. Allow ai least 48
the VFO and a transmitter. It is adequate,
ment or small screws hours for the coil to dry before you check however, for connection to a mixer that
After made the dial plate photocopied
I I the stability of your VFO Q-Dopc is avail-
. presents a relatively constant load
it. The copy was used for dial calibration able by mail from Small Parts Center. 2 Do mpedance.
with a pencil. I measured the VIO output not attempt drift lests if you have recently You should have no difficulty in tailor-
with a frequency counter. My VFO is set soldered connections or the VFO PC ing this circuit to other frequencies. All that
for SO kHz or tuning range with the band- board. Allow an hour after all soldering is s necessary is to change the inductance of
set control. The bandsprcad covers only completed before you commence your drift L2 and L3, along with appropriate modifi-
10 kHz. Midrange on the bandspread con- run. Keep Ihe module away from desk or calions for the values of CI, C2, C5, C9
trol is marked zero. To the left of zero I bench lamps and enclose the VFO PC andCll. I'm sure you will have fun experi-
calibrated this dial with minus kHz marks. board in its box to prevent air currents menting with Ihis ciicuit, and you can learn
Plus-kHz merks are to the righi of zero. from reaching the critical components. ny doing!
After plotting the calibration scales I made Terminate the VFO output with a 100-klJ
marks between the two rings of each dial resistor and attach a frequency counter to For updated supplier addosses. see ARRL Paris
face, then typed the frequencies alongside the VFO output through a 27- or 33-pF Suppliers List in Chapter 2.
Far Circuits (N9ATW). 18N640 Field Court.
the marks. Rubber cement is used to affix capacitor. Apply the VFO operating
Dundee, IL 601 18; let 312-426-2431 evenirgs.
the dial plate in the front panH voltag? and log the initial frequency. 'Smotl Porto Center, fifl 8 Mrjooo Drive, Lnno ng,
1
Try to obtain commercial-grad? controls Monitor the frequency change until the Ml 4891 1; tel S17-882-6447. Catalog availaale.
BAM)-PASS
keyed, no harmonic of the oscillator will FILTER
-each the receiver. Fig. I shows the block
diagram of the heterodyne process, with
frequency values applicable to this VFO-
2029 Crist Dr. Los Altos, CA 94022
I ov
EXCCPr «S INDICATED. OfCIM*.
VALUE! Of CAPACITANCE ARE
IK UIC?OFARAOStjiFI ; OTHERS
APE PICOFARADS <pF OR j^jTj;
lh
RESISTANCES ARE IN O'tUS*.
* -1000.11.1000 000
rrf 3ooo«hi
Jl
KEY V"
OPCR |_l Q SP
X
:ka* vfo
A000-*IOO kHt
5 M • SILVER MICA
Fig. 2 —Schematic diagram of the heiarodyne-osciliaior VFO using tho Vackat circuit. All resistors afe Wwalt, live-percsnt tolorance. Ul Is a
proprietary product manufactured by Silicon General. Inc. , 73B2 Bolsa Ave.. Westmlnsloi. CA 92663. The toroid core lor L2. Ferroxcube no.
1041T060/4C4. is produced by the Ferroxcube Corp., Ml. Marlon Hd.. Saugarles. NY t2477 (For tie convenience of builders who are unable to
locate small toroids the author has available a limited supply.) For updated supplier addresses, sec ARRL Parts Suppliers List in ChaptBr 2.
A normal mixer or unbalanced mndil- 1040. This circuit formed thr basis for fur- perimentation, the prototype w» built in
laioi ouipui contains lour prominent fre- ther research by Clapp, resulting in his separate modular form equipped with
quency component** —
the two input fre- classic article published in 1954. ;
The connectors. Only a few precautions must
quencies, their sum. and (heir difference. Vackar circuit closely resembles the Clapp he kept in mind when designing a layout.
Either the sum or the difference may be circuit except for the method of feedback First, as with any VFO. mechanical
used as an output by selecting ihe desired The Vackar is series tuned like the Clapp. stability is essentia!. An aluminum extru-
frequency n a band-pass filter. The bm the tank circuit as well as the tran- sion was used as a base for the oscillator.
balanced mixer is a more sophisticated sistorarc shunted by unusually low reac- The tank components were bolted to this
refinement of the basic mixer circuit, tance- which reduce lb; effects of the extrusion and the remainder of the circuit
because the two input frequencies are transittor reactances. Further refinements is contained on a glass-e poxy-board
eliminated in the mixing process so thai of the Vackar circuit were described in bolted to one hp of the extrusion. Heavy
die output contains only the sun and dif- 1968 by Jordan. who provides design
' solid wire is used to interconnect ihe :ank
ference frequencies. Consequently, subse- criteria for use at any frequency. circuitcomponents to prevent changes in
quent filtering is made easier. stray circuit capa:itance from shock or
The VFO circuit used in the heterodyne Construction vibration. The integrated circuits have
VFO was first described by Vackar in 1
The photographs suggest one possible much higher bandwidths than required,
'Notes appear at end ol article. layou:. For case of modification and ex- and are capable of oscillations at vhf.
Therefore the bypass capacitors should be turns one at a time until the circuit just C14 for the best starting charac-
mounted close to the IC with short leads. resonates. This circuit removes harmonics teristics. Finally, Cl is adjusted to cover
Ths planetary ball reduction gear couples from the crystal oscillator and help"; to the spread of 4.0 to 4.1 MHz. Adjustment
ihe inning capacitor to ihc tuning knob. reduce spurious inputs to ihc balanced is made with C3 and b> bending ihe plates
This is not an ideal setup Tor it s not modulator. of Cl for the desired delta C for full rota-
possible to calibrate ihe dial because ihe With the VFO operating and keyed, the tion.
ball drive slips ai the end of travel. output of Ul should be monitored while If a spectrum analyzer is available, the
However, accurate calibration of a VFO is adjusting R2l, the carrier-balance poten- optimum tuning may be quickly reached
not a grcflt advantage, inasmuch as crystal tiometer, for a null at both 3 Mil/ and 4 for maximum rejection of unwanted fre-
band -edge mark:rs are required if ;me is MHz. The null should occur simul- quency components. The prototype cir-
String Lu upeidtv witllMl striking distance taneously. Nest, monitor th* output of J2 cuit had all unwanted components down
of a pink slip. through a length of coaxial cable ter- by ^t least 40 dB. With key up. the VFO
minated in the transmitter. The cable is feedthrough at 4 MHz was down 30 dB.
Test and Adjustment necessary becat'se the cable capacitance is This level is not detectable with the station
The only tuned which is not ad-
circuit reflectedback into the circuit for L4 and receiver and tuned circuits in the driven
justable is the 3-MHz band-pass filter C38 and forms part of iltc iota) tuning transmitter will reject these components.
consisting of L2and CI9. This should be capaciiancc. Adjust L3 and !_4 for maxi- With S2 in Ihc SI'O'I position, power is
resonated with a grid-dip meter after first mum drive to the transmitter. While remaved from the output buffer amplifier
overwinding the toroid core and removing rapidly keying the crystal oicillator, ad- and the crystal oscillator is keyed. This
Iho mam board. U2 and 06 are at far left- As is typical with developmental ciicuiis. the board operation very close to the band edges in
sh-ows evidence of modifications. the Extra Class portion is possible without
constant nervous strain from wnndpring
generates a weak signal which can he diagram of
ticular keyer, the schematic just where the tramnritted frequency vill
monitored in the station receive! for fre- the keyer should be examined, or the end up after a long QSO.
quency spotting. In [he OPERATE posi- manufacturer should be consulted. Of Reference*
tion, control is transferred to the kcycr. course, a relay output will also work with 'Viiclar. "LC Chcillaion and Their Frequency Sia-
biliiy." Ttsla Technical Reports (Oi-cho'lovoLii)
Any commercial kcycr with an open- the VFO Dec.. 194V.
collector, curent-sinking output will The normal output of the heterodyne Clapp, "Frcqueacy Stable LC Oscillators," P-oc.
work with [his VFO. If there is doubl in VFO is about 20 mW into a load of 75 IRE.. Au?.. I95-*. pp. 1295-1300.
'Jordan. "The Vackar VFO: A
DeViun To Try." Elec-
one's mind about this feature of a par- ohms. The driven transmiuei operate* tronic Engineer, Feb.. 1968.
current—the JFET's drain curreri with dc has an 1 DSS range of 5 to 15 mA, making frade your JFETs for VFO power output
bias applied end ac feedback removed. In the '44:6 generally better chart the MPF102 merely by measuring their channel
many VFO designs, this is equivalent to if you want more power output. The best resistance (source tc drain) with a DMM.
Ipjg—the zen-gaic-voltagc drain current. commonly available JFET for lots of VFO (Caution: The measuring instrument you
Generally, the relationship betv>een lp$s output is the 2N5486, wh.ch has an 1 DSS use must not apply a destructively large
and oscillator output is simple; Tie higher range of 8 to 20 mA. current to the device under test.) Generally,
the device l DSS the greater the VFO
, It's important to keep another rule of the lower the channel resistance of a given
output. thumb in mind: Oscillator frequency device, the more power output it will
According :o the Motorola Small-Signal stability generally decreases as power out- furnish as a VFO.—lack lau, KH6CP.
Transistor Data book, I cc for the
D put increases. If you're willing to sacrifice ARRL Laboratory Engineer
popular MPFI02 can fall anywhere within VFO oucput for greater frequency stability,
the wide range of 2 to 20 mA. This wide
DSS of 1 o 5 mA) and
the 2N5484 (I
I
D„ specification explains why some VFO 2N5485 (Ijjss of '4 to 10 mA) are good
bunders have good luck with theMPF102 choices.
and others build MPFI02 VFOs that By the way, the resistance of the JFET
A
I \n article describing
amplifier for the HW-7 series
a sinslc-cndcd levels well below —40 dD. They
HW-8
ire prod- gicai as 15 watts, safely, ecu ihough the
-!ug-in ucts generated within the and do 40977s arc rated at a nomioal output of 6
QRP transceiver lef: much to be desired not originate in the amplifier ccscribcd watts each at 18 MHz. With the feedback
1
I 1 ,
?5W
01
r
H3V
1.7*
f/U
FL J
B£JiSr»MCES ARE H OHWS Inside the amplilier, with the 'ill er board at
• IMO.M-1000 000. fifjhl. amnllfier hoard ai lali Tno two nn«/<»
FL4
transistors aie mojnted against the rear pans
which serves as a heat sink.
Fig. I —
Schematic diagram of me solid-stale lout-band amplifier Resistors are l.'2-walt composi-
tion lyoos Capacitors are disk 01 chip ceramic exceul Uie one with po'aniy narKed, which is
electrolytic ot Untalum. S.M. is silver mica. Component wilh numbers which Co not appear in
the parts are so iflemilied lor text discussion only.
list
reduce stray capacitance. The later could
J1. J2 — Panel-mount coaxial conn&cior or T2 — Bililai-wound broadband phase-reversing degrade the filters by virtue of de;unimr.
phono |ac'«. tra nstormer with 8 bin lar turns ol no. 22 effects.
Ll| L2 Mimalurc fori to boaa (050 mu| ouo> eiam. wire on Iwo 31od>CiI FT-SO-O cores Double-sided !)oard material is u«cd for
lead ot Q0l-|iF capacitor. Same type ol (550 mui Wires have 8 Mrf&ls oer inch.
beads ured on pigtails ol 10-ohm base re- — the amplifier circuit
to help eliminate
T3 Broadband combiner iransloimer wiirs 3
SIS tors n l liar turns ot no 22 enan wire. 3 IwiSlS ground loops and subsequently improve
Qt. Q2 —
RCA transistor (see te:t|. p»r inch, on slacked FT-50-S3 toroid cores Stability, The ground returns for Ihe inpui
St —TwO'pole, lour-positton ceramic or RFCl — Toroidal rt choke, 7 turns no. 22
components which relate to the transistor
pnenoiic water switch (see lex:). ei am. wire on FT-50 A3 loioiil core-
Tl —Broajband 3:1 transformer isee texlj. bases are connected to floating peds on
the etched side of the board Small pieces
.
ends.
The amplifier board is mounted against amplifier board to join the ground foils The 40977 transistors are "SWR
;cz C3* C4
* SEE CAPTION
TablO 1
Coil and capacitor information lor the hall-wave harmonic filters shown in Fig 1, Ail capacitors are silver-mica unils. Parallel or series combination!
can oe used a> neecrod lo provide the approximate values listed above. An accuracy ol =10 percent n recommended. "A mca compression trimmer
can be used a C3 to provide final adjustment ol the tillers
protected," 10 us* (he RCA vernacular. put power when the SWR high. A
is output from the amplifier levels off.
This means lhai anything from a dead Transmatch and SWR indicator are Now that you've "put the boots lo your
shon to a full open circuit can be tolerated recommended for use win any solid-stale HW-8." have fun and go after that DX
at the amplifier output for short periods amplifier, including this one, particularly you were reluctan 10 call with only 1
of lime without causing device damage. A when l he antenna docs not present a watts!
maximum mismatch period of 20 seconds 50-ohn load.
is recommended. This amplifier wit! reach its saturated
The harmonic fillers arc designed for a output-power level at slightly under watt 1 Foolnotw
50-ohm termination. Therefore the anten- of drive at the bases of Ql and Q2. DcMaw, " Slippers for the HW-7," QST. Dec.
na should not present an SWR of greater Observe the increase in forward power to P. 45.
Artigo and Johnson, "-undantcnial* ol Solid.Sian
lhan 1.5:1, or filler performance -will be the antenna, then add ro further drive Power-Amplifier Dciisn," Q$T, Sept. and Nm.
impaired. Also, there will be a loss in out- once (he point is reachtd where power I97J, and QST. April 1973 lin three parts).
PS,
Clfcuil-boerd etching patterns. The front sides of the boards ate shown hem at actual size, with
black representing unetchad copper Tho nppm pall am Ia for ihft amplifier section (Fig 21: it Is
copper clad on both sides, with uneiched copper on he "back" side lhal torms a ground plane.
The lower pattern is for the filte- board (see Fig 3).
are willing io sacrifice one of the existing hand?;. HW£ 30- Motor Modifications'
I chose to give up have
ihe 80-meter band, since 1 Part tlo. New Value Description
found ii lo bf ihc most demanding one. in terms Yl 18.895 MHz Fundamental type,
of antenna size, for QKP npcraiioti. Thirty 15-pF load. HC-6fU
meters seems tt> be an excellent band for QRP holder, international
operation, ard it orfers the side benefit of WWV Crystal M(g. Co., P.O.
reception, which use to calibrate my VFO dial.
I Bo> 26330. Oklahoma
Comolcte details of the modification arc sum- CUT. OK 73126.
far; no. floinz.
marized in Table I. The only expensive com-
L1 I B jiH Seccndary —
25 turns
ponent is the crystal, which costs around S10.
no. 24 enameled wire
The other components can be found in your junk on T37-6 core (Amidon
box or purchased from a variety ot QSradver- Associates. 12033
liscrs. Five of the original capacitors arc reused Otsego St., N. Holly-
in other locations. wood. CA 91607).
Remove tlie control knobs and front panel; Prinary — 2 turns no.
then, disconscet the loading capadlof from the
24 wire over C2 enrj ol
front of the chassis. This will make It easier to
Bocandary (uso original
cell lorm,.
gel at ihc components to be changed in the
crowded area around SWl (the 80-mctcr hand 15 1.8>H 25 U rns no. 24 wire on
a T37-6 core.
switch). Rcmavc the indicated components using
L13 4.0 jiH Rcrnave 16 turns Irom
a vacuum desoldering tool, solder wck or a piece orlelnal L13.
of flattened braid from coaxial cable. L22 2.7 pH 23 Inns no. 22 wire on
After ihc new components have bxn installed, a T50-2 core.
the rig can b: aligned according io the instruc- L26. 127 3.2 pH 25 lirns no. 22 wire on
Improving the
HW-9 Transceiver
If you own an HW-9 or other
ORP transceiver, you'll find
:hese ideas will add to your
operating enjoyment. So, heat
up that soldering iron!
ACE INPCOFAflAOSfpF ||
changing bands.
REaiSTAftCCS ARE IM OHU$. Ul
1044 For 80-mctcr operation, use an end-fed
I
* - IMG. I* - 1«0 MO 1
wire from the circuit board to the key jack. The SPEED control,
R8, is added to the front panel, and a jack for the paddle is added
:o the rear panel.
For portable operation, wanted
to package the station for
1
cushions the HW-9. The rest of the station, except the solar panel.
>oes into the case with the HW-9: the two gel batteries, cipole
with feedline, 80-in end-fed antenna, nylon cord, clip leads, keyer
paddle, lightweight headphones and an ARRL
Minilog.
Conclusion
My portable QRP station is not made for backpacking. It docs,
however, fill my need for something that goes easily to Field Day
or on vacation. The entire station, except for the solar panel, fits
:nto a briefcase. What could be more convenient?— Chuck, K8CH
Tx O
TO RED
METER WIRE
Ql
METER
00! Wi *F
—
SWR OUTPUT 02
FROM FIG A 9S1T0
S*B OUTPUT
TO R6,nc»
CS
.0 005
Pig 4 — Schematic diagram of ihe SWR meter.
01. 02— ShotUy diode HP 2800-2635 (1N34A can be
substituted).
Tl . T2 —
Broadband transformer. Primary has 14 turns of
no.26 enatr wire on an Amidon FT-23-43 loroid core. Fig 5—
Schernalic diagram of the meter switch circuit. Q-403 Is
Secondary is i turn of no. 22 hookup wire. HealhKlt pan designator.
exactly that! A 12-dB reduction in audio thump suppressor. Q303 is part ol the
transceiver— sec text.
thump can be obtained by usinp a JFET
switch to break the audio line while trans-
mitting. See the schematic in Fig 6. When
the gate of the JFET Q3 follows tie source,
Fig 7—Circuit-board etching pattern (A) and
parts-placemenl guide <B) (or the SWR
the JFET act; as a resistor with a value of stantial increase in noise results. The new meter. pattern is shown lutl-size Iron*
The
roughly 100 to 300 ohms. When the gate values shown in Table I arc chosen for a the side ol the beard. Black areas
foil
is grounded, the JFET effectively breaks 250-Hz Bessel response centered at 700 Hz. raprosonl unetched copper toil. Paris are
the audio line. A dc bias of roughly V^f/i A Bess?I response is chosen to eliminate placed on the nonfoil side ot the board: the
JFET shaded area represents an X-ray view of
is needed at the source of the for the ringing. Measurement.) in the AltRL lab
the copper pattern.
circuit towork. This is supplied by the out- indicate that the filter shape lends to
put of U304. C2 is used to reduce the high- change at very low signal levels if the
frequency response of the switch to help capacitor values are too small. In some
remove the high-frequency audio clicks. R2 cases, the band-pass response actually
is optional. A properly selected value for becomes a notch response, although the r:g next to the antenna jack, while keeping
R2 will provide a degree of audio limiting notch is usually above th; desired pass- the thump removal circuitry next to the
and further tnump reduction beyond the band. audio section.
measured 12 dB. It is possible to eliminate It is essential the: C346" and C34/ be
Construction
the thump entirely by adding additional replaced with wire jimpcrs for the thurnp
low-pass or band-pass filtering after the The modifications to the HW-9 involve removal circuit to work, as they would
JFET switch. The remaining thump exists stuffingiwo PC boards and changing parts block the needed debias voltage. One of
only in the wide filter position, as the on the TR circuit board. The board shown these capacitors can be used as CI on the
narrow filter removes it. in Fig ' contains the directional coupler, modification board, but take care to get the
The final modification increases the and the board shown in Fig 8 contains the polarity right.
dynamic range of Ihe HW-9 by a few audto-thump suppressing circuit and the Thanks to Heath's excellent design, it is
decibels. If ihe capacitor values in an meter-switching circuit. This allows the not necessary to unsolder all the wires to
active filter circuit arc too small, a SUb- coupler to be mounted in :he back of the get to the solder side cf theTR board. First,
Notes
'Golled-el eclrol yte 9-Ah batteries are available
from American Dectionics, 173 E Broadway,
Greenwood, IN 46142. tel 317-868-7265.
Fig 8— Circuit-boardetching paiterr. Reforonce Dick Smith pari no. S-3321;
(A r and parts-placemen! guide (B) for price, S34.95. American Electronics afeo
thu audio mump suppressor and selts a charger Ihat operates from 120 V ac.
meter switch circuit. The pattorn is Reference Dick Smith part no. M-9523;
shown full-size from the foil side of price, $9.95. For shipping and liandlhg
the board. Black areas represent add SI. 50 plus S°b ot order. Amoncin
unetched copp3r foil. Pans are Electronics has a S20 minimum order.
placed on the nonfoil side of the *A solar panel rated for 1 A at 9 V or 500 mA
at 18 V is also available from American
board; Ihe shaded area represents
Electronics. Reference Dick Smith pan ro.
an X-ray view of the copper pattern.
Z-4845; price, S149. See note I.
aWairen Dion. N1BBH. "A New Chip Fnr
Charging Gelled-Eieclrolyte Batteries."
OST, Jun 1987, pp 26-29.
set the band switch to 20 meters and *John Grobonkernper, <A3BLO, "The Tandtm
Table Match—An Accuralo Olroctional Wattmeter,"
remove the BAND-switch shaft. Then, 1
QST. Jan 1987. pp 13-26.
unsolder the blue keying wire and remove Component Changes
ihe six screws holding the back panel to the Parr No. o/d Nev
chassis. After removing the five nuts Vatue Value
securing the TR board, the circut hoard R352 680 it •e k
can be flipped up, exposing the foil side. R353 33 k .6 k
While you have the foil side of the TR cir- R354 t.5 M 39 k
cuit board exposed, install the marrow R357 680 k 6.8 k
audio filter components listed in Table I. R358 33 k 680
I used metal Him capacitors, but polyester
R359 1.5 M 16k
C339. C341 1000 pF 0.027 ,,F
or polystyrene capacitors can also be used,
C344. C345 1000 pF 0.082 „F
although the latter may be physically a little
HW-9 Tips
_ I read ihe article. "Improving ihe HW-9 phone connector in its place (see Fig 2(. This modification to anyone using an external
Transceiver, "* with great interest. I built provides connections for both a paddle and keyer as well.
an HW-9 about two years ago. and the first straight key without adding another jack. I'm already planning my next project:
:nir.g l addedwas a Curtis kcycr chip;
to it I also added a small push-bution switch to Add theSWR meter, thump suppressor and
the second thing was a 100-kHz crystal the rear panel aril connected it to ire key- filter modifications described in the April
.-alteration oscillator. The keyer and calibra- ing line for use as a tune switch. With these additions, I lis great little
article.
tor oscillator circuits are contained on a I found the HW-9's keying 10 be a bit on even more of a joy to operate
rig will be
im-ill pcrf board that's secured to lite left the heavy side. Although the weighting —
Now if I could just find a way to reduce
rear corner of the rig by means of small could have been altered by using a weighting the warm-up drift of the VFO. ..—Larry
m^tal nnglp brackets Thp calihrniftr has conlrol connected 10 the funic rhip. I V. Fast. W1HUE/7. FOB 11445. Idaho
rroved extremely usclul in light of the decided it was better to correct the problem Falls, ID 83405-1445
HW-9 reduction drive's tendency to slip. at its source: This is the HW-9's keying line,
he hole and mourned a four-pin micro- perfect weighting. I recommend this simple Transceiver." QST. Apr 1988. Dp 26>29.
, MARKED •*
16V
-j- —
O-t-sv
JTTLTL
100 »H(
U1
22
TO PIN 1 C=
SECOND MIXER
(11*011
ua
REG
+ I2VO
J_
5PEE0* J, 16 V
.500* HOC TAPLH>
PADDL E
KEY
COMMON
-Er Ltr.e
AHE iU PiCCFARADSice J.
RCStSTANCi; AfE IN OHVS;
Fig 2— Larry East (Wi HUE) added a crystal I - !IXK> M-iOOOOOO
BY D. K. SIEHER* KOJYD
I
We bate hod many requests for a simple innsceivcr thai is *~<iibh> the building \
j
capabilities of most beginners. The MA VTI-4V described bete is the ideal answer to I
I these requests. As the author points out. this it not a one of a kind ui.it. as several have
j
rpHf- 7*MH* transceiver described in this The luned-eiitult eompincnt values were MOSFET, 03. In a Mraiglitforwatd dircct-
J- article 1* lh« result of a desire (o have a small, chosen so that Ihe tuning capacitor, C4, will just •jonvcrsion seheme 3' described in numcroui
portable stalior fui pcisunal use. Also, since many cover the 150-kltzcw poitim of the 40-ftlf.tGr technical articles as well as the ARRl Handbook.
oi ihc undent* ncrc ai the ManK.ito Area hand wlrh 3 few KHz to spuic. is j trimmer O The unusual conipuneiil h the lemnanl af Uan»-
Vk a I ional-Tc clinical Itiuilutc ate irtcrcrstcd in capacitcr to adjust the oscillator frequency lo ."ormer consisting of L5. U6. L7, and CI6.
hum ratlin and are usually shotl of c.lra cash, il 7000 kHz with C4 fully meshed. The 5 to 25-pl* Windings L5 and 16 make up a 125:1 step-
seemed like a good idea lo make an inexpensive value oven in Ihe parts tiit would be mote 3own impedance match:d transformer between the
station jvjibltlr to Diet" on ait "installment" basis. salisfaciory than the 3 to 12-pF value shown in ham of 03 and ihc base circuit of af amplifier.
They can build ihr receiver section fuM for code Fift. S. C3 is mounted directly on the solder lugs of 04. L' and nisuctaifd cnpacliot CI6, 3 2.2 uF.
il*.
practice; then •hey cm hiild ihc fran'miricr later C4. J-volt disk cetamii' in Ihis case, provide* a tranv
when thcvgel their tickets. The MFC4060A volt age- regulator chip offer* r'oimcr tesonancc to a c:nter frequency of approxi-
The pmjeci make* t»e of new componcnl* superior performance when compared to a Zcner lutely 800 Hz with bandwidth of 200 Hz. This
a
tu titer than :jiplu'. nnf- lo make parlr. procure itinttr. l ine Trgiifrifion is lypkally (IV.v pel volL irantfonnur if wound on a eup-cara a*ianb!y
men easier and to avoid the pilfals and dis-
l
(iood oscillator supply voltage regulation was an consisting of two cup-shaped piece* of fenite
appointment Often associated wilh thf latter. The importanl consideration when designing Ihe unit. iiatcrial that surround : nylon bobbin.
components ttnugh new, arc not expensive, and The VFO circuit board wai laid ou| so that a While the cup-cot* transfonnei is not very
Ihc whole unit tun he hulll for $40 a >ii - key, Miuoau 2-inch vernier dial could be bolted rommnn amalenr w^rk. It U n-idely applied m
in
cabinet, and earphone* included. Several of these direcily to it. The two hex nil s ate on So. 4-10 x ndusiry where high Q, compact, sclf-shielJinf
station* are new in operation and ha*c pioduced I -i neti ii-ounting screws that liuld ihe dial lo the- ii due ion ate icquircd. The parts needed for this
nuny satisfied-operator reports. from panel. Two S/ft-ineh Ion* Standoffs hold the assembly may he obtained from Elnn Fctitc
Because ecmnmy aoii hywoid, tl» tiansccivei hoard ivray from the front panel the proper Laboratories, whose is given in this ar ictc
adilress
was liuill with i inliitmimi numbei ul .omponcnti distance for connecting the capacitor shaft lo thf see Fig, I ). Be s-utc lo order two of 1he cup cores
e-on*i*tcnl with pood <Ie«gn and *atisfa:tory opera- vernier dtai. A small "l/4-mcn long busnmg, l,'4- ind one hohhin as :hey arc not sold as an
tion. None of the units built hav: exhibited Inch OR and 3/16-inch II) I* used between the lssembly.
unusual ninbUnu in cunsuuciton g; operajjon capacilgi iHafl and Ihc vcmi:t drive shift. The
The haiidwidi h ul ire irantfoimer can be varied
making ihc slalion a Rood candidate for a first bushing was made hy diillin; a 3/ 1 3-inch hole
by changing the reactance uf L? and selectmg
homemade prowl. through a 1,'4-inch tiraw shall and cut it tip it la
length. It was then viol ted along one side lo allow
mother value of C16. 1i the lint unit built. was U
The VFO 70 turn* of No. 30 AWfj and Clo was ".68 uF.
ihc burning lo comprcf* agahM the shaft of C*
ITies' values provided a bandwidth til about 400
The V|'0 iia variation or one used in a nwnlier when lop dial drive seiscrcw •w-i» tightened against
Hi centered on »00 II:. Clo should be a low-loss
of projects her*. 01, Fie- I. perform* a Colpitis « it. To insure mechanical liability, LI was glued la
type wilh ceramic, myhr, or polystyrene dieleelric
rifa-illnor inil *J> »s » snutce-fnllnwi- buffer. To Ihe pc Soard hy mean, of *ili«.ne nihbet adhesive.
keep parts lo a minliiium and still have good For individuals Interested in experimenting
with the cup-core transformer, the 3B ''LOO-JO
mechanical stability wilh high output voltage, a The Receiver material used hete ha* an incicmcnlal Induetince
toroid core was used with LI instead of the usual
slug-luned cennric one. CS I* a cimpenming The lecch-ci section (Fig. H maXcs U5e of a value of -l
L of ?580 mll.'lUOO turns. Difftrcnt
capacitor to rciuec oscillator drift.
When checked in an environmental chamber,
the output frequency shifted less than 2 kHz with
ii temperature •anatjon between $(f'F and IO0*F. This shows the intide of the transceiver S'il^t!:d .
Hclfiw 50°F IlK frcnucney shifted cjuiic rnnidly leads am uied (or all interconnection! and tc ihe
however, typically 100 HtTf which would be of arious wmtnals on ihe tear ol the en.dosute.
concern if lo* tempera lure operation t* antici-
1
-
Fio. 1 - Ciicuit diagram ol me MAVTI 40mctcr L3 - 4 turn* tin. 74 enam. wound ovnr L4. L14. Ll7 - 20 iums No. 74 eium. wound on
Dort.ihle. RtaimnoH are ir» ohms, all rrrsittein BH L4 - 34 lutes No. 26 onam. wouid on T50-2 T37-2 toroid com.
ruioid cox. L1S.L16 - 65 turns No. 32 en3m. wound on
1/2 wall.
- 5- 10 75pF
ceramic. LS — 300 32 enaiM. viound on cud cnru.
lui"» tin, TC7-2 toroid co.e.
C3 Ul -MFC406DA.
see note b'lciw.
C4 - 2.7- to 19.6-pF variable IE.F. Johnson
L6 - 162 turrs No. 32 enam. wound ovur L5.
160-llOSl oi equv.l. (Note L5 is wound on n Feiroicube 3019P3B.
L7 — BO turn; No. 3? enam. wound over L5 and
C5 - 47 pF, N?50ceamic. unmapped cup core, S*!a texl lot minding details.
L6.
C13. C27 — 10-10 130-pF mica compression type This device is available Irom Elna Ferrile Labora-
LB — 34 turns No. 26 enam. would on T507
IARC04&3). tories Inc.. P.O. Box 395. V/oodilock. NY 17498.
toroid core.
C74, C29. C30. C32 C33 - 75- to 480pF mica The "50-2 and T37-2 toroid caret are available
compression type (ARCO 4661 L9 - 3 turns flo. 24 roam, wound ovrr L8.
from Amidon tone.. 17033 Otsego St.. North
L.10 - 7 lurns No. 24 enom. wound over Ll 1
Jl,J2 — Opwitlrcutl jack. Hollywood. CA 91607.1
Lll — 22 turn* No. 22 enam. wound on T50 7
J3 — Phonoiack.
Ll — IB iu'"( N". '4 h»m
wniirtil <ii Amirfrwt oroid core.
"17 ? loiold core. L12 - 4 turns No. 26 enam. wound oner Ll 1
- For updated supplier addresses, see ARRL Parts
L13 14 turns No. 20 cnoni. woind on T50-2
L? - 56-«H molded rf choko. Suppliers List in Chapter 2.
loro.d cori.
following equation/
Cl 7
Li = Rta*raAx -
Marl II
/ be Dnrrr Stage
IS PAHT I nl (he irtlcle. Wfi deiiribcd ihe
I- teeciver
and VhO section* of the -O-nietcr
BatlKcH'W. With i'ic information provide*! In tlm
Wflfohi ihc Imildei can CQflipttK ihc MJiirai.
Tilt dei*cr hmirJ it a siujII irjn<nihicr llut i* m 1
individual prel'crcn<s'. CM and K17 dcicuimc (he requires a heat (Utile. 1 1 is diimi Willi Ihe 'ink Wtvn the pininiviie W3% beloe buili. it ua»
I11-1
ndeiotk frequency which 1* typically 1 kll/- With removed m S ig f tuf '.hrily. Ihelieat -ink in Ihc lnu:;d U11I tjvin(! to kci urtetJ <lapes cuu^Kl
C32 and CM
pelted ji iradlund. 7075 IH/. the HUduiA unilsiv 1 1 hernial 1 1 1> lip.- I HI 1 A nilli Ivvn (.hipinp. particular!) vvhrn Ihe citneni thri<ui:i
output amplitude li *on-iani tton "1* "1 of die I-IhcIi«r)iHN piece* of alnminun' bulled to ii II lhe.11 evieeded 2011 111A Cnly by keyinj: the driver
.
bit luud Isi lilt: ul!m. can he Observed in pnniopraphx. Ihe sink o was problem etimtffiiled'.
Mil;
Ilie number of Hints foi the inductor on the einivjivaiiv^y ured and ihe key irutt be depte'ved there is no danger c-l llivrmsl runaway with
JCPvT IttUi] h iWWWta' crlliul and dimld be foi J prOdWlth) vA*m Ihe JV-unl'v lv. i»p)e% veiy lltli aiiJiicetiieni IWUUK bzx
of <,>ii is ncd !>
!>
counted cutfully. To make cnunlm? and hookup warm Almovi ntv of the linmil iliprofl vJnk* ihecrniller Ibrobgh L15. Msn. the leakage current
.u>ict, different vfej *iic v\as used lor I'jiii nf the ate teadll' ivallable should worh well. consumed by <>K wl icn il is not in use is utelieibk.
Jir: :'- Ihe *ire itte i* noi critical. HnwWi, n
1
he pfrVCl .iinpllfier 1* leyi-d by ipplv int tl It i' in the order nl .1 lew micrujmpcres
I
u hct If the turns are *oa«Hl equjlly ahrng ihc
^ir::umlVrenee ol Ihe corn-. Be Hire Hut 19 is
KuuWl over ihe middle of I H anil not in Hie pap
i.^n»v.'n It* .•mli TH< ••an he i r IntfV r<~
,.11 1 put.
l>cpendi7i|T <.>ri 1 ie pimilon of S3, the
1' on Ipul
CpMs'/rwcrion
The en it er,
i driver, and power imp-lifter huarUs
all measure 3-1/2 X and Ihe VFO
2-1/8 inches
board b IhctW* suaie. Layoat of the boards
!> not critical and most any convenient packaging
Alignment
ol Ihe VKO ls_a:coniplishcd by
AliBniinnl
monilorine its output frequency with a frequency
counter or t'ahhruted receiver. Tuning Ihe output
frequency to 7.0 MHz by adjusting t'J with C4
while they are fully meshed Is alsn dune. The
Fig. 5 - Parrs placement Icr ihe VFO hoard.
receiver is iligned by tuning in a Mition near 7.075
Mil? and ndiiitiirig ('13 for maximum headphone
volume. Fa ttanuniUing BHpimen, a .lummy load
with an rf icloetor a* shown In Fg. S ihould be
used.
•
T
:ale DRIVER HOARD
IILfsiDE COMPONENT LATOU
Fig. 6 - Full-sue template and pan. placeman) tor the drhftr hoard.
C20
C30
C30
L14
^
LI J.
C31
C34.
I °
I C3I1
C 32 IC33
POWER. AMPLIFIER
COMPONENT LAVOUT
Fig. 7 - Full-size template and parts placement lor Ihc powcr-amplilier board.
Turn the adjusting kmws of C?2. CM, C29, Alter lineup, a bftjtc-iy curitnt-dtjiii check
Cifc C32, and C3: 10 maximum clock wi<« p"*i- iboald vtcid ihc following miurt *tfth Vce at 13.6
tionv With Ihc loid connected In Ihc inirnna Vdc:
irnniriiik S3 ki to ow power; and Vcc wi m 1) V 1
'.moolh and (vpilai. NuM ««i V« buck lo 10 V* dc, Tin- jutliui adthcl io trunk ih: >UlT, foculty,
S3 (o high power, and adliiM C4». CM), C32 arid .mJ Mudcniv ai ihe Mania 10 Area Vocational-
> for maximum output They interact mj yuu Tcrhnual h^iuiutc who provided uslstanec on
hiII find it lifCHtUji In .-ii back uvei then .1 few
llm project,
lime* unlil no IiiiiIici incicjvc in output can. be
obiained. n- i
1 Vkc (<i 12 V Jt and repeal Hie
1
r Firj. 8 - Dummy load and rl detector.
procedure: the capacitors should rctpiici- very little
re tuning "id ihuuld eauw Ihc output vary
imooihly with no bidden variation*
Although t,lis article concentrctes primarily on the redesign of the MAITI 40 receiver ssctinn. (here's enough information hereto
permit you io build u compfetn 40-meter QRP (low-power) transceiver. PC boards and parts kits are available to make your job
even easier.
Direction version (D-C) receivers arc for improving the stability and wave perience working with hardware. search A
easier and cosily to build
less shaping of the original MAVTI-40 of back issues of Amateur Radio magazines
than :heir superheterodyne cousins, transmitter arc provided, as is a TR switch. turned up one transceiver design that
and assembling a D-C receiver i; an educa- seemed to offer many advantages over
tional and rewarding project. Although A Club Transceiver Project
other designs. This transceiver, the
D-C receivers have some performance In my, the Hewlett-Packard Amateur MAVTI-40. had originally been designed
shortcomings, the receiver described here Radio Club in Andovet, Massachusetts, and constructed as a radio club project, and
eliminates some of them. This receiver will began a Novice class with five prospective several had been built.' This suggested that
reject AM 'sroadcasl interference to the radio amateurs. Since nsne of them had the 5-W-output. 40-meter transceiver
levelof inaudibility. It also provides a any equipment, we decided that a simple
narrow-bandwidth filler for CW reception transceiver construction project might solve
and a tunable notch filter. Modifications this problem as well a; offer some ex- 'Notes appear at end ol article.
INPUT R1 OUTPUT
O- vw- O
1.38 M
0.002^0
0.OO2
-ir-
es
R2 R3 20 k R4 Fig.1—Schematic
diagram ot the
2k bridged differen-
tiator notch filler
-50
*7C
-GO
205S
AM -broadcast interference. transceiver designs that addressed the actual 40-mcter operating conditions.
Five MAVTI-40 transceivers were built A.M-deiectior problem." 1'hese articles The detected AM
signal Is the actual audio
using a variety of construction techniques. offered the inspiration needed to attempt modulation (baseband). The result is ex-
Although the transceivers performed a redesign of the original receiver, pressed as a decibel ratio between this audio
reasonably well, they all exhibited occa- signal end the mixer output when the LO
is tuned to receive chc AM signal. The
sional instability in the transmitter and
Mixing Schemes
receiver sections. One of t he units has been Measurements made at my location MAVTI-40 mixer was able to reject this
in use ai my station for five years, and lias revealed broadband signals of IO0-mV AM signal by only 35 dU. The harmonic
•erved as a tost bed for many experiments P-P at the fivHpninr of a rlipnlr antenna. detector (with the LO operating at half the
and subsequent improvements to ihe These signals would need to be removed RF input frequency) rejected the unwanted
original design. Eventually, the instability before they reached the mixer. AM broad- AM signal by 60 dB. A doubly balanced
problems were solv:d and the transceiver cast stations ai 7.2 MHz produced 8-mV diode mixer was Ihe best performer,
fOTCH WICTri
*4PU" m
wo « m
00038 0068
rr.ro £0.
-40
c Z 03 04 Qj 06 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 2.0
FREQ (kHl)
yV
0.)
Rl J
S3 •T4 J
OUT
2N4392 7BMI2CG
2N3906
BASE DIAGRAMS BOTTOM VIEW
+ 12 V
TB 5.8 MH*-7.5MH:
TR/iIsMfrTe* FILTER
MPS65I!
OUTPUT 2N339A NOTE CONNECTION
-
onivEn , cv
rze PIG 9
VFO BUFFER
Fig.6— Schematic diagram ol ths D-C receiver including the TR switch Note: Equivalent parts may be substituted. Unless oiherwtsa specified,
enameled wire is used for winding Inductors.
D1-D4, lncl-HP28O0 hot carrier diode or pan L1— 113 turns no. 26 on Amidon pot core Q2, Q3, Q7-Q9, Incl.— 2N3904.
ol U3 (see text). PC 2213-77. Ofl, 06, Q10— 2N3906.
D5-DI0, incl.— 1N9M or 1N4148. L2— 237 turns no. 30 on Amidon poi core Q5— 2NS485 FET.
Oil —
1N753, 6-V, 0.4-W Zener dioce. PC 2213-77. 011-2N4392.
K1-12-V, OPDT {Radio Shach 275-2V3,. Q1-2N3391A, MPS8515. T1, T2— Primary. 4 tuma no. 30 on Amtdon
boasling * 73-dB rcjcclion ratio. their nonlinear transfer curves as they do in noise-figure receiver is required, an attempt
Compared to the harmonic detector, the the h armonic mixer. Adisadvantage of ihe was made to keep the receiver noise to a
doubly balanced mixer has the additional doubly balanced diode mixer is the amount reasonable level. Since the noise figure will
advantage of being insensitive to the LO of LO power required, typically 7 dBm. never be lower than the mixer conversion
waveshape. In faci, this muter is most loss (6 to 8 dB), the remaining amplifiers
efficient when driven by a square wave. The
Noise Figure
serve only to mate the noise figure worse.
mixer diodes arc used as switches and, as Although the atmospheric noise in the Atmospheric noise in a quiet location con-
such, do .lot provide mixing by virtue of 40-meter band is not so low that a low- tained in a 200-Hz bandwidth on 40 meters
Fig.7— Input
response.
/4 —
. -
>9 IE « Ol ™ M
rut
«!1 HKI. »»•>
itii
just equal to the at mo spheric noise. quency. This characteristic has the effcel sounds from the offending siaiion.
of doublinn the number of stations falling The best solution to the problems ex-
Single-Signal Kecepiion in the receiver audio passband, compared perienced the VIAVTI-dO receiver
by
One of the major shortcomings of D-C to what a superheterodyne receiver would seemed to be to design a completely new
T22 TO tI2 v
_ lour T17DM TR
SWITCH
* C2
IOV
at
UCflO? IWHUOR T?6
ft* >22» Oirpui o-
TO Tie.
CIO 02 fij 6
22
— I(
15
>
.21.3304
CG 270 -J RD >27 •
i %
47 ISO
C9
170 356jlt R6 <
S n-3Di 3-20 H750 J RFC
T3! VFO
iic
li
:
vs
190
RI9-? 6S
'43
«ooei
LW'10tl2
DRIVER CM
2N3904 WFI02 2M4871 7SLCSCP
t I O OO |C OUT^OOy IN
Fig. Echomullc diagram ©I iho \TO and modified MAVTI-40 traiiamtUei Cuii ipuMtfiila «ie Humoured lo agree WIW those 01 ine Original
.
MAVTI-40 VFO and transmitter. Therefore, designators 03 and Q4 are missing. Nolo: Equivalent parts may be substituted. Unless otherwise
sp-ociliod. enameled wire is used lor Inductor windings.
C3-— 5-25 pF trimmer. L2-56 molded RF choko. L'6— 65 turns no- 32 or, Amidon T37-2 core.
C4—3-20 pF air variable (Johnson 16CH0 51J. L8— 34 Ijrns no. 26 on Amidoi T60-2 core. Ql. Q5— MPF102, 2N441G or 2N54S6 FET.
C5— 47 pF N750 temp, compensating L9— 3 turns no. 24 on LB. Q2-2N3904.
capacitor. L10—7 tjrns no. 24 on L11. Q6— 40061 MRF H003 RF* power Iransislor.
or
C22— 10-100 pF compression trimmer L1 1—22 turns no. 22 on Amidon T50-2 core. O 1 —2N4871
unijunction transistor.
(ARCO 4631. L12— 4 ljrns no. 26 on LI I. 08-40082 or MRF
800^ RF power transistor.
C24. C29. C30. C32. C33— 75480 dF I 13—14 lurnn nn ?n nn Amidon T60.2 CO-o. U1-79L09CP. a-V. 100-mA. 3t«rmlnal
compression trimmer |ARCO 466>. L14. L17-20 turns no. 24 on Amidon regulator.
LI— 1.4 ,iH; 1B turns no. 24 enam. win; on T37-2 core. U2-LM340T12. 12-V. 1-A regulator.
Amidon T37-2core.
receiver incorporating ihese improvements. performance figures are given in Tabic 1. A Mini-Circuits Labs SBL-] doubly
A doubly balanced diode mixer solves the balanced diode mixer is used in ray
AM-detectioti problem and provides good Receiver Circuit Description
receiver.' Any doubly balanced diode miwr
immunily to 'bird-order intc (modulation The receiver schematic diagram is shown may be used including a "homebrewed"
distortion. Th; active audio fillerhg offers in Fig, 6. Signals arriving from the amen- version/ The LO drive is supplied by a
a 200-Mz bandwidth for CW
reception. A tia entct the receiver through the TR relay buffer amplifier consisting of Q2-Q5. The
tunable notch filler helps reduce in- contacts K C and the
1 inpuc band-pass filter mixer output term nated for RF signals
is
terference from adjacent signals and the (Tl, T2, CI, C2, C24). Ihe filter has a by C3 and Rl_ Audio output from the
nndesired audio image frequency common passband ripple of about 3 dB from 6.8 lo mixer is filtered and i; impedance matched
to D-C receivers. A
block diagram of the 7.5 MHz; its frequency response curve is tc the input of Ql by the low-pass filter
new receiver is shown in Fig. 5, and its presented in Fig. 7. consisting of L I and C4. Because of its ira-
_ C34 _[+ CM from the plot. observed. Note that this solution :o
270
The output of the band-pass filter is transmitter instability worked well on ray
"1?GV - -jT
1
buffered by Q9 and QIO, which provide transmitter, and son;e variation from one
sufficicrl power gain to drive a pair of low- transmitter to another may require minor
impedar.ee headphones, such as those used changes
Wi(h a personal stereo iddio, Bcvatisc of the The keyed iiiuisiiiittei output uf the
large amount of gain (90 tB) at 750 Hz. original MAVTI-40has a square-wave
it is not possible to use this amplifier to envelope since no allempl was made to
drive a speaker and still maintain stable shape this waveform. I've added a 10-^F
operaticn ai full gain, capacitor in parallel with C21 and a 22-j.F
Fig. 6 also shows a TR switch, Q6-Q8. capacitor in parallel with C23 to provide
Keyed power for the original MAV'TI-40 output waveform rise and fall times of ap-
•T7
driver PC board is derived from the proximately 5 ms. have received many
I
collector of 06. A turn-of" delay for the compliments concerning the clean sounding
AMPLIFIER TR relay. Kl, is produced by C15 and R23. QRP signal from this transceiver.
The delay is adjustable from 0.5 to
5 seconds by adjustment ofR2.J. One pair Construction
EXCEPT 55 INDICATED. DEC IM&l of Kl ecntacts(KlC) switches the anienna The receiver, VFO and transmitter sec-
VAluE 5 OF CftPiCITil.CE ARE W between ihe receiver and transmitter. tions of the transceiver are constructed on
MiCROFftMOSljiFI; OTHERS ARE Another contact set (KIB) turns off the three PC boards, which are mounted inside
IN PICOraRftDS<oF OR« H Fi: receiver mute switch (Ql 1. R29) during an LMB CO-3 cabintt. The PC boards a-e
RESISTANCES ABE IN OHMS; receive periods. These contacts also provide double sided with the top side of each
1 = 1000. M' CDC COC
I
a convenient way to shifi the VFO fre- board serving as a ground plane; lite hoards
quency down by 750 Hz diring transmis- have plated-through holes.'
sion. This is accomplished by grounding a I use an external, unregulated supply
gtmmic'< capacitor (Cln) connected (Fig. 10) to power ihe transceiver. It's
between normally open relay contact (K B) 1 probably best not to include the power
and ihe VFO luning capacitor. (The supply inside the transceiver cabinet since
gimmick capacitor is a small-value hum pick up could become a problem.'
capacitor made by twisting together two Voltage regulation is provided for on the
Table 1
pieces o: insulated wire. J The capacitor is receiver board hy a three-terminal
Receiver Performance Specifications trimmed to the correct value
by cutting regulator. The 6-V supply is derived fron
Sensitivity {10 d3 S + N/N| C.J bV
away small portions of Lie wire while the regulated 1 2- V line by using a 470-ohii
{-IIS rJBml measuring the frequency shift with a fre- resistor in series with a 6.2-V Zener diode
Bandwidth laudb IF ol 750 Hz) 20C Hz quency counter or another receiver. (DID.
Gain 9C dB I fashioned a tuning dial by attaching a
Noise figure 2C dB Transntltier Improvements clear plastic disc lo tie mounting plale of
Third-order Intercept 4 i5dBm
Dynamic range 8€ dB While I was adjusting ihe mica compres- a Jackson Brothers 30:1 reduction drive.
am dolection -7CdB sion irinmers in the original transmitter Calibration marks a-e made by applying
Notch depth 4CdB
Nolch (requencj aOC Hz lo
2 kHz
thetoroid. All other hductors have their first. You may operate the VFO directly
windings connected 1o the board on the from the unregulated 15-V supply during
Fig. 11— Spectraldisplay of the 'tansmitlof same side of the inductor. The mica com- these tests. See that U is supplying 3-V dc
1
The VFO offset during transmit is set by signals can be just above the 40-metcr-band MAVT1 Updates.
'[Edl or's Note: See D. DeMaw, "Plug-In Wall
:nmming (he length of the gimmick noise during the daylight hours. Get out Transformers— A Super Bargain," OST, June
capacitor. C16. Trim C16 to provide a your soldering iron and try your hand at 1935. On page 37. Doug relates one ol his
receive and transmit modes. 1 wanted to entire band, while the other (C2) is a the BFO waveform; clipped carrier-
avoid the cDmpromises and complexities bandspread control with a total range of oscillator drive fcr the balanced mcdu-
of filter switching, so I decided to use only 25 kHz. This scheme seems to be lator is undesirable.)
separate for each function. The
filters practical for a simple transceiver. The audio amplifier (Q6-Q8 and U4)
transmit and receive modules can then be The receiver begins with a doubly is standard. However, the audio-derived
tuned preselector and a diode-ring mixer AGC system departs from the usual.
(Ul a Mini-Circuits SBL-1). This is fol-
. U5A (one section of an LM324) ampli-
'Notes appea at ond ol article. lowed by a bipolar transistor (Q3, an fies the audio ic a level suitable for
Fig 2—
Schematic of the transceiver front end and VFO. Resistors are V* W. carbon film; unless otherwise indicated, capacilors are
monolithic or disc ceramic. The VFO
circuitry is built into a die-cast aluminum box.
CI. C2— Panel-mountable, air-dielectric a feedback lap 5 turns from the grounded T2— Narrow- band transformer: Tuned wind-
variable with Va-inch-diam shaft. end of the winding. ing, 11 turns of ro. 24 onam wiro on a
—
C3, C4 100-pF ceramic- or mica-dielectric L2—1 1 turns of no. 24 enam wire on a T-44-6 toroidal, powdered-iron core; hpul
trimmer. T-14-6 toroidal, powdered-iron core. 2 lurns of no. 24 enam wire ove' the
link,
Jl— Coaxiol jnck. (The prototype trans- L3, L4 25 turns of no. 24 onam wlro on a tunod winding's grounded ond.
ceiver uses a panel-mount SMB jack T-37-6 toroidal, powdered-iron core. T3— Broadband transformer; 10 bililar :urns
here, but a BNC or phono jack is Tl— Broadband transformer: Primary, 16 of no. 28 enam wire on an FT-37-43
suitable.) tutns of no. 26 enam wire on an FT-37-43 toroidal, territe core. Observe phasing.
L1— 23 tuns of no. 22 enam wire on a toroidal, ferrite core; secondary, 4 turns
T-68-6 to-oidal. powdered-iror core, with of io. 26 enam wire wound over the
priTsary.
MCI496 balanced modulator (U7). One- moculation products geicrated by the clip-
microfarad capacitors (C6-C8) ate used at the ping are rejected by an additional crysial filter Acknowledgments
output of lie audio amplifier and at several (FL3). The signal is then amplified back to The author gratefully acknowledges the
positions in the balanced modulator. (Origi- the original - 10 dBm by Q27 and Q28.
level photographic assistance of Dec L.nch.
nally, 10- or 22-uF units were used, but these This circuit generates abcut 10 dB of clipping. KA7NPN, and technical discussions with Jeff
caused the system to respond slowly during Reports and measurements made on the Damm. WA7MLH.
TR transitions.) clipped signal indicate gcod quality, a poten-
The modulator output is applied; to Oil. tial problem area with many speech process- Fig 4—
The transceiver SSB generator
a 2N3904 IF amplifier. This stage terminates ing systems. Resistors are V4 V/. carbon film: unless
otherwise Indicated, capacitors are
the transmitter crystal filter and provides a 6B shows a I0-wat:-oulput FET power
Fig
monolithic or disc ceramic.
convenient place for CW carrier injection. The FET that I used (an MM-
amplifier.
Another IF amplifier (QI2-QLTi follows the
C9— 60-pF. ceramic-dielectric trimmer
CO\i DV2880T) is no longer available, but C10. Cti— 35-pF. ceramic-dielectric
crystal filter. The txgain control, R5. is set is similar to the Motorola MRFI 38. Alterna- trimmer.
for an output of - 10 dBm from QI3. This one could obtain several watts of out-
tively , FL2— 9-MHz transmit tiller. 2.5 kH2 wife at
level is applied to the transmit miser, or to put from another IftFSU,8 The TR - 6 dB (KVG XF9A).
ihp spprrb prorp^nr dr«rrihtvl latpr. swishing in the transceiver is set up for an T7— Broadband transformer: Primary. 10
shews more of the tranimilter. SSB bifilar turns ot no. 28 enam wire on
Fig 5 outboard PA.
FT-37-43 toroida. ferrite core; secondary.
energy at - 10 dBm drives the transmit mixer,
Surrmary 3 turns ol no. 2H enam wire over ihe
US, another diode ring mixer. The 5-MHz primary. Observe phasing.
VFO signal is amplified to + lOdBm for the Tiis was a very enjoyable project, and one Y2-8998.SkHz cvstal (KVG XF-901
mixer by Q17 and Ql8. A 3-dB pad termi- that I would recommend for other experimen- suitable*.
nates the mixer, with (he signal continuing to ters. The 20-rnclcr phone band, however, can
a three-polf, LC. band-pass filter. The first be QRPenthusiast.
alittlc intimidating for the
Fig 5—The transmit mtxer. driver, final
amplifier and associated circuits. Unless
stage in the output-amplifier chain is Q2I. a A can probably be built and
rig like this
otnorwiso indicates, resistors are y* VY, -
2N5179 feedback amplifier with an oulptii of adjusted by those with only modest test equ ip- carbon film, and capacitors are monolithic
+ 2 dBm. This signal is looped through a ment. A 15-MHz oscilloscope served as my or disc ceramic.
jumper on the transceiver rear
coaxial-cable test-equipment workhone during construc- Cl2-CI4-60-pF mica- or ceramic-dielectric
panel for use with VHF transverters. tion of this project. A home-brew spectrum trimmer.
The drivtr. Q22, a 2N5859. is capable of analyzer also served as a .'cry useful tool, but D13— l-A. 6O0-PIV diode.
about +20dBm output. Transceiver output is shows the transceiver's
not required. Fig 7 K1— 12-V dc relay.
obtained from Q23. an IRF51 HEXFET*
is 1 CW output spectrum. The 270-O resistor a ltd —
L7-L9 20 turns o no. 24 enam wire en a
T-44-6 toroidal, powdered-iron core.
PA operating at the watt output level. This
I O.S6jjF capacitor associated with ihc base of
Lio— 15-j.H choke.
power level is a little low for use on the air Q20, Fig 6, provide CU rise and fall times L1I-L13— 14 turns of no. 24 enam wire on
with dipolei, but is too high for many trans- of and 1.5 ms, respectively. Careful meas-
I
a T-50-6 toroidal powdered-Iron core.
verter applications. urement of signal levels iuring construction T8— Broadband transformer: Primary, 15
helps to keep the system spectrally clean. turns ot no. 28 enam wire on an FT-37-43
I .ou tier-Signal Options ferrite. toroidal core; secondary, 4 lu-ns
of no. 28 enam wire over Ihe primary.
Two additional circuits, shown in Fig 6,
T9. Tl0-Broadband transformer: 10 bifilar
round out Ihe SSB system. The first, at Fig
«W. H ayward and J. Dam n. -Stable HEX FET'
6A, Is an If speech processor. The processor ferrile. toroidal care. Observe phasing
tii
—
Li5. L16 19 turns of no. 20 enam wire on
a T-50-6 toroidal, powdered-iron core.
—
Broadband transformer: Primary. J
-70
-80
aL |
10 15 20
4
25 30 35 4C « 50
turns of no. 28 enam wire over secondary;
secondary. 16 turrs of no. 28 enam wire Frequency (MHi)
on an FT-37-43 tcroidal, ferrite core.
TI2—Broadband transformer: 7 bifilar turns Fig 7— The transceiver's output spectrum contains a second-harmonic conponent
of no. 22 enam wire on an FT-50-43 63 dB below ts 1-W Cwoutput, "he major nonharmonic spurious response is a 2:1 spur
toroidal, ferrrte core. Observe phasing. near 1.5 MHz ((2 x VFO] -
IF); this component is -70 dBc. The spike at far left is the
713— Broadband transformer: 11 bifilar spectrum analyzer's •zero-spur." An external 20-dB pad in the coaxial line provided extra
turns of no. 18 eram wire on an protection forthe analyzer, a Tektronix 2756P. The spect rum-analyzer measurements
FT-02-oi. ioroidai, rerriie core. Ooserve were uiuvldBd oy Stan Grirmns, vr/Ni. Tne transceiver complies with current FCC specifi-
phasing. cations for spectral purity.
The QRP
From October f 989 QST. p 25:
Three-Bander
This low-power, direct-
conversion transceiver CW
covers 18, 21 and 24 MHz,
and includes sidetone, spotting
and relay-less full break-in
all on one circuit boa'd!
as a switch, breaks the connection between propriate biasing could handle more pewcr.
U2B and U3A keep keying
in transmit 10 but PIN diodes arc more difficult to find
clicks and thumps out of the headphones. than ordinary switching diodes.)
Wi'h rearing
(his
its
solar cycle's
peak, the time for
activity
The QRP Three-Bander uses audio The Three-Bander's transmitter section
high-band QRP operation is now. amplitude limiting instead of automatic gain uses differential keying— a method of lime-
This low-power CW
transceiver is capable control (AGO: Diodes in the filter and sequencing the keying of multiple trans-
of exploitiog these conditions. It's easy to tin al-audlo-am puller stages (DI-D2, and uiittci stages to achieve a dcsiicd effec. A»
use, sensitive enough ro receive weak QRP D3-D4. respectively), and R1S (between (he implemented in this circuit, differential
stations, axel includes audio limiting to pro- final audio amplifier and J2), provide ear keying helps elimhatc chirp by turning on
tectyour ;ars from loud local stations. and headphone protection by clipping the the transmit oscillator (Q3) before the
Moving from band to band With this rig is transceiver's audio output on strong signals. buffer amplifier (Q5-Q6) comes on. This
easy: Just change crystals and rc-pcak its Transmitter RF is generated by Q3. an sequence is reversed at key up: The buffer
receiver input. Key down, the QRP Three- MPS9IB (or 2N5179) BIT operating as a amplifier turns off before the oscilator
Bander produces its own sidctor.c and RF, — VXO. Q3's output signal drives a buffer stops. Turning the oscillator on befor; the
buffer gives the o;clllator time to stabilize
too: 1 .25 if 4 waits, depending on ihe band, of two BJTs: Q5, a
amplifier consisiing
the dc supply voltage and th* particular 2N2222, and Q6. a 21^5109 (or selected before the transmitter puts out RF; keeping
transistors used in the transmit (:r. And you 2N2222A). The buffer circuit is based on a the oscillator on after Ihe buffer turn, off
can build the QRP Three-Bander your way: design by I.ewnllon: 1 this version is re- assures that frequency changes by the
A complete kit o f parts is available, or you biased for higher power output to make it turning-off oscilletor won't be present in
can assemble your version using ground- more suitable for transmitters. The trans- the transmitted signal.
plane construction. mitter power amplifier. Q8. is an MRF257 To avoid key clicks — which would make
BJT Tinning class C. A seven-element low- the Three- Bander's signal wider than
Circuit Description pass :1 Iter (L I through L3, and C37 through necessary lor effective CW
communication
Fig shows the transceiver circuit. Ul,
1 C40) reduces the harmo:iic content of llie — Ihe waveform cf the transmitted signal
an NE602N doubly balanced mixer IC, transmitted signal. Because this filter's is shaped in the buffer amplifier. Even
operates as a direct-conversion (D-C) cutoff frequency is high enough lo pass the though the transmitter power amplifier is
product detector, convening the incoming transreiver's 24-MHz output with little loss nonlinear and tends lo shorien ihe rise and
signal directly to audio by mixing it with and ye l low enough to reduce harmonies
is fall times of its driving signal, the Three-
energy from Q2, a bipolar-junction- of th: rig's18-MHz signal to a legal level, Bander's transceiver's RF-output wave-
transistor BUT) variable crystal oscillator it requires no adjustment for band changes. form is well-shaped, as shown in Fig 3. The
(VXO). Although ihe NE602 achieves its Fig I shows the output spectrum of the open-circuit voltigc at the KEY jack is
conversion gain and low noise figure at the Three-Bander's transmit:er. positive, and abcut 0.5 V less than the
expense of dynamic range, it 'ejects AM- Full -break-in, relay-leis TR switching is transceiver's dc supply voltage; 1.3 mA
broadcast-bandi signals well when a one of the QRP
Three-Bander's finer flows in the keying circuit line wher. the
capacitor is present across its differential points. The TR switch is a wide-bandwidth key jack is shorted.
output (pios 4 and 5). version of the switch used by Lewallen in
4 Getting the Parts
To help prevent hum pickup, the NC602's his Optimized QRP Transceiver. IT you
audio cittrnit i< amplified hy a differential mnrlel thi* "jwifrh nr measure ill charac- The lough part of building has nothing
amplifier (U2A. half of an NE5532 low- teristics, you'll notice ots of passband to do with soldering or making holes in
noise, audio-op-amp IC). which feeds a ripple: The filter (C36, C41, C42, L4. L5 metal: It's finding the parts! Fortunately,
moderate-gain filter stage (U2H). The final and L<) has sleep skim and three peaks all the parts used in this project arc sold
audio-amplifier stage |U3A, half of another corresponding to the hards covered by the by a number of suppliers— or you can buy
NE5532) drives low-impcdancc stereo head- transceiver. Although the calculated a complete kit of parts from KADIOKIT.
phones at acomfortable level. Ql, a 2N5486 safe maximum-power-handling capability as detailed at Note 1.
j unci ion-field -effect-transistor iJFET) used of this switch is just I A W at 24.9 MHz, Parts availability is one thing; pans cost
it seems to handle the transceiver output Aside from the crystals, varablc
is mioiliLT.
'Notes appear at and of article. just fine. (A PIN-diodte switch wilh ap- capacitors CI (rx peak). C22 (hx FftEQ)
EMMCIV
R39—470 fl.
R40— 15 Ml
hTGi— toroidal RF chose, use o lurns ot
ne. 26 enam wire on an FT-37-43 lorrile
laoid (10 ,iH).
51— Normally open, momentary push-
button.
52- SPDT. center-oft tcggle (optional). Use
only if CI is replaced with C44, C45 and
pin 1
freq (C22) and tx freo 'C28). Acrylic
C44
24-HHi blocks machined to take set screws and
RX f€AK Ihe trimmers' 3/16-inch-diameter shafts
/TSv serve as tuning Knobs. The board is 4 x
eerier oft = 24 MHz 5-3J8 inches in si2-e.
76L05
CASE ?l MM: IS MHz
2NS'79 C45
C46 K
21-MHi ' ? lfi-MMr
RX PEAK RX PEAK
rt-r
ing of the transceiver circuitry also helps tion.)That's what did in my Three-
I
minimize hum and microphonics in the Bander. One small solder joint dots the
NEe"02 detector, especially when the trans- job; you needn': solder the entire case
eWe' is used with a poor RF ground. perimeter.
Wind your inductors and transformers I used thrcc-hole-mount phono jacks
before you start wiring t!ic circuit. Amateur (two holes for mounting screws and one for
radio-equipment builders commonly count the jack barrel) because they don't loosen
coil turns wrong; this usually results in coils with use as easily as single-hole mount types
wound with one turn too many. (Hini: do. Pot ihe same reason, 1 took the lime
With toroids, just passing the wire through to drill the extra roles necessary to seat the
turn.)6
7
the :ore counts as one '
anti-rotation tab; on the gain and side-
Because this is an RF project, keep com- tone level controls because seating Ihe
ponent leads short, as shown in the photo- —
tabs instead ol breaking them off
Fig 3— Ths QRP Three-Bandei's CW- graphs. Long leads can induce excessive results in controls that almost never work
keying wn-'nlorm nt 1B.07 MHr. The upper noise and hum imo the- circuit* (If you're loose from the panel *
trace Is tho HF envelope; Ihe bwer irace really unlucky, over long leads may cause
depicts ths actual key closure. Each Testing
the circuit to oscillate when it should be
horizontal division represents 5 ms.
amplifying.) Transformers Tl through 73 None of the Three -Bander's circuit! need
aren't critical with regard to mounting— be trimmed or altgned beyond the adjust-
they can either lie flat or stand upright. ments possible with its panel controls, so
(Some builders like to glue toroids down; you need only verify that it works. sug- I
I skip Ihe glue so Ihe coils can be removed gest powering ihe transceiver with a small
phono jacks with batteries—phono plugs easily it necessary.) used screws, lock
I —
supply during tesiing a 1 2- 10 S-V regu- I
can shor.-circuit all too easily. I use washers and W-inch-long metal spacers to lated power supply capable of producing
Molex* connectors and fuses with my mount my transceiver boards in their no more than 0.5 to I A is fine. (A sipply
The presence of
battery packs for safety.) boxes. capable of sourcng 7 or 10 A
invites the
identical keying and power-supply 08, the transmitter power amplifier, possibility of scricus smoke and component
connectors isn't a problem with this rig: must be heal-sinkcd. Because the destruction if you make a wiring mistake.
Nothing blows up if the key and power- MRF237's case is connected to the Don't use batteries, cither: Shorl-cirCiited,
supply cables are interchanged. irnnsistnr emitter (insipid of the collect nr. they can source enoufih current to melt
as is usually the case with metal-cased wires!)
Construction Details BJTs), you can heat-sink Q8 merely by The first lest is to determine whether or
Decide early on whether you'll build the soldering its case to the circuit-board not the Three-Bander can hear its own
transceiver over a ground plare or on a PC ground foil (or to the ground plane, if transmit oscillator. Set the CAIN control to
board. If you decide to build a PC-board you rc undertaking grnind-plane construc- the middle of its rotation. Plug in crystals
board. (This Is especially important if W9MNU at 18 MHz, and KF50L and G3FGT at 21 MHz—Dine contacts, four
you're new to building; you may need to countries, four states and three continents. The antenna? Fifty or so feet of wire
fix wiring goofs. 1 I've made the copper
tossed in a tree and worked against a baseboard-heater "ground."
pads for the wires between the board and
The QRP Three- Bander's receiver ts more than satisfactory, Considering i(s
simplicity. There's audio to spare; I didn't have to run the gain control wide
off-board components extra large, just in
open all the lime. receiver is a bil microphonic, taut not annoyingly so.
The I
case you nave to do a lot of resoldering. heard a bit of hum at some settings of the rx peak control— probably becausa I
(Small pads tend to lift off the board if sub- used an ac-operated power supply in conjunction with my crummy RF ground.
jected to too much soldering heal.) This is Sometimes, had to use hx peak to minimize
I AM
"breakthrough" from strong
a trade-eff in Ihe case of the VXO- 17- and 21 -MHz broadcasters. All this means is that I'll build my version of ire
capacitorwires^ though: The narrower the QRP Three-Bander with a front-panel-peakable front end. il didn't hear one iota
rtf hroakthrnngh fron lor.nl medium-wave broadcasters, by the way.)
pads for C22 und C28 wires, the wider the
Full break-in Is fun with the QRP Three-Bander. Zack Lau has solved several
VXO tuning range per crystal.
Whether you build your transceiver on problems at once by incorporating audio limiting into this transceiver: "De-
thumping" Ihe rig's TR switching, protecting Ihe operator's ears and head-
a PC board or with ground-plane construc-
phones from overdrwe, and ridding the rig's sidetone of monotony. (In transmit,
tion, I recommend that the transceiver cir- you hear the sidetone [assuming that you've set its sidetone level control to al-
cuitry be completely shielded when in use. low this, of course], a tone corresponding to the frequency difference between
It's important that there be grounded me- the receive and transmit VXOs, and the products of Intermodulatlon between
tal between the VXO capacitors and your these signals as they mix In the Three Bander's audio-limiting circuitry. Result:
fingers. Otherwise, you may experience the The ity's "sidwiuiin" raioly sounds Ihe same two QSOs in a row!)
magic-wand effect thai long-time hams call The ORP Three-Bander's differential keying is a class act. Listened lo with my
hand capacitance. {The VXO-capacitor sta- NRD-525 receiver, the Three-Bander's CW sounds absoluiely A1 (pun intended)
at 18. 21 and 24 MHz. (No "Sure the keying's too hard-but heck, it's ORP"
iors (immovable plates] arc at a high im-
excuses are necessary for this low-power rig.) If you must key an oscillator icr
pedance above ground, and nearby CW, this is how to do il.
objects— including you—can be "seen" by Working all continents will be easy with this rig. Who'll be first to work all
those points unless a grounded shield
circuit srares with a Three-3ander? It probably won't be me— at laast. not unless build I
is interposed. You shouldn't be able to tunc mine soon: Other HQ staffers are llninc up lor their stints with KHSCP's ORP
your receiver just by bringing your hand Three-Bander!— David Newkirk, AK7M
close to the tuning knob!) Complete shield-
ofthe main text). If you use a rota7 switch for the TR circuit, receiver front end no way warrant this otter.
and transmitter output filter, getting the QRP Three-Bander lo cover five or six A PD-board template and saris overlay lor the
ORP Twee-Bander are available lor a business-
bands shouldn'l be too difficult. .—KH6CP .
ciio SASE I'om tho Technical Depnrtmoni
Secielaiy. ARRL. 225 Main Si. Newington, CT
061 1 1
-This technique, also known by the unfortunate
pejorative lerm ugly construction, emails
1 supf>arting clrcuii components—connected
21 Yl and Y2. both on the same frequency, your signal in the other station's receiver.'
directly to each other by shon leads—above a
ind sci ihe rx peak, rx freq and tx =req Another approach is to adjust RX freo for ihincopper sheel (ground jlane (. Despite their
;apacitors so thai (heir plaies are half zero beat with the incoming signal, press appearance, circuits built h Ihis way generally
spot, and adjust txfheq io /em heat your wort belter lhan their PC-board-built counter-
meshed. Press Ihe SPOT button and adjust vails because air is a betto' dielectric Ihon fiber-
ax freq to find the transmitter signal. If transmitter to your receiver ana the incom- glass or phenolic. Builcers well-versed in
you're lucky, yot now have an expensive ing signal. Once you've done his, adjust groind-plane construction can generally build
code -practice ose llator! If yon can't hear RX FREO to receive the incoming signal at he ground-plane version of a givon circuit 'aster
thar iis circuit-board equivalent
anything at all. e\en after trying the entire the pitch you want. This latter approach JP1. Lewallen, •'An Optimizec QRP Transceiver,"
range Of the GAIN control, there's a fault works well on a busy band: After you've Feedback. OST, Nov 1980. p 53.
in the receiver aidio chain. spotted your transmitter, readjust rxfreq
4R. Lewallen, "An Optimizec ORP Transceiver,"
OST. Aug 1980, pp 14-19.1 highly recommend
If you can mcer your power supply's lo receive tr.e less-interfered -with "side" of
Ihis article to anyone who wants to build a
output current, you can confirm that the iho received signal. {Incidentally, you can *>o*iiioioi Ohp iianscelvei.
transmitter works by attaching a 50-1? zero-beat your transmitter lo flirty strong 4 Moslof the frequency variation provided by C22
dummy load to (a 2-W carbon or mclal- incoming stations by pulling ou: the receive and C28 occurs ai ihe low-capacitance end ot
iheir capacitance spans. Thus, achieving (he
oxide resistor) and briefly shorting the key crystal [Yl] and adjusting the spotting sig-
smtflesi possible mi nimum capacitance at C22
jack. If Ihc transmitter is working, the trans- nal to zero beat. In this case, the spotting and C28 is especially important to buifde rs who
ceiver current drain should increase \o 200
"s signal acts as the receiver local oscillator. dupicate this project witr ground-plan* con-
struction because o1 ihe generally lower stray
or 300 mA
with (eying. You can also use The spoiling and incoming signals will have capacitances Ihis consiruclion method atlords.
an oscilloscope, RF wattmeter or RF volt- exactly the same pitch when you plug the Loss siray capaciiance in the VXO circuit max-
meter to measure the iransmiuer output. receive crystal back In.) imizes tne VXO tuning capacitor's cuntrl bullun
Adjust RX peak for maximun received- 10 capacitance change in Ihe circuit.
•Fig 7J on page 2-37 of the 19B9 AfVtL Hanaoook
Using the Radio on the Air signal strength. Ifno man-made signals are shews several aspects of lotoid construction,
The ultimate test of a home-brew rig is audible, adjust RX PEAK for maximum including how to count loioid turns accurately,
making contacts. Although D-C receivers background noise. You can also use this and how to wind a toroidal translormor (like T1
T2 and T3 m Ihis p<o|eci).-c"tf
arc notorious fot fooling their operalors control as an attenuator by mistiming it— The Inductances listed lor Li through L6 are
inio transmittingon the wrong frequency, useful feature when strong signals overload measured values. II you atiempt to verity these
the QRP Three-Bander's independent the rig's mixer. Usually, dctun ng RX PEAK Inductances by using well-known loroid-
indictance tormuias to work backward trom me
transmitter and receiver oscillators can help just enougi to reduce the culprit signal
core and turns values giver, you'll come up with
you avoid this problem. Perhaps the easiest below the overload point preserves suffi- different induciance values. This is so because
way is lo lei other stations tune you in cient desired-signal sensitivity for you lo simple tormuias lor calculating the inductance
properly by calling CQ on a clear keep operating. of tcroids tend to over oslinato the inductance.
(Such formulas are easy to spot*. They fail to take
frequency! The second way to be sure Adjust the gain control for a comfort- wire thickness into accoun:. returning the same
you've spotted your iransmitter on the able listening level; this conml does not inductance whether you use wire so thick you
olher station's frequency is to adjust TX affeel the sidetone level. For finding can barely wind II. or halrlhe wire that's nearly
FREQ so iliat your spoiling signal (1) has adjust GAIN so con jusl hear Invftiblai)
stations, 1 I
°These are important considerations in portable
the same pitch as the incoming signal and thebackground noise. ORP operation because you've usually led ihe
(2) "tunes the same way" as the incoming The sidetone level control adjusts nocossary reiighteniing toils at home!
signal. In olher words, if, once you've what iis name implies. Although a sidetone "Because the days when rado amateurs routinely
luned for replies over a significant portion of a
spotted your transmitter, adjusting rx is unnecessary with a straight key, it's quite band are long gone, accurately spoiling your
freq causes your spotting signal to rise in handy— if not essential— with electronic transmitter is important. Spotted on "the wrong
pitch as the incoming station fails in pitcli keycrs. side o< zero beat." Qui at the same pilch as the
inctming signal, your trarsmilter is twice lhai
or vice versa, you've set your transmitter The SPCT button turns an the QRP Ditch away Irom Ihe incoming signal—for exam-
to the wrong frequency and must readjust Three -Bander's transmit oscillator, allow- ple, lAkHi away born an iivcoming signal luned
il to "the other side of zero beat" to put ing you to adjust your transmit frequency lo produce a 700-Hz pitch — Ed.
The "World A hove 50 Me" hat lured an increasing number of .imateitrs, over more
| than four decades. One of its major attraction! has been ibe effectiveness of loVfpower
•
|
gear, especially the portahle variet y. Bui U'iiir the advent of single- sideband, some of
| |
. the fascination with vbf tpcrating has tended to fade, esfiecialfy oa the 50-MHz scene, ,
I where 200-watt transceivers and the inevitable 2-kW linears tend to make this band I
| seem Utele different fron. tower amateur frequencies. After all, bov many stations can
|
. operate on 50. 1 10, all at mice, and not have a rat-race reminiscent of l)\ pilcitps on
I 20? Fottttttately there is ii difference - there is plenty of room for everyone in the •
|
5thMUz hand, and if we fait move up a little ii frequency, low potter works extremely
{
m
well Here 's an attracthe my to get into the QRP game on 6.
1 1 1 I a* a ii if it il -tit It
AFTER GOING the high- power route fur icveial f]i*ven separate prinlcd-ciicuit subassemblies trouble working frnni Ihc individual schcmaiir
yew*, tiil author decided Dial QRO was not aic used, each a basic component of the transceiver diagrams anil test.
his cup of liu, .mil b-mclcr aeiiviiy fell into a stale eircuilry. This allowed individual experimentation As will be seen ftom the block diagram. Hg, I,
of dcsuciud: until fairly recently. AKcr reading and trouble-shooting, and leaves the way open
il the principles iiivol'ed are not unlike those of
numerous WilTH and ulhcrcsponenls crystal-filler ssh trmJttfattf) fur lower frequencies,
wby
articles lor changes or additions without complete rc-
of the OKI 1
could sec no i'a«>n why litis
cult, builifcng. Hoard template* and layouts are not but applying these principles is simplified in a
philosophy mould be applied to the hf bands only, jvaiLble. Construction of sych a rig is beyond ihc ooe-baud design. Tint "pood things CORK is small
especially when the wide-open spices in Ihc vnf capabilities of the novice builder. \perionced 1 packages" is amply proven by ihc simphf cation
malm are ton a J? red. I he 50 Mil; band should be 'ooilruclori inle rested in duplication, in uit of rc.uliinc from im of integrated circuit package*
ideal for OF.P work, on ew ui ssb. Ii uffcis more some of Hie iicms ck-sedk-d. should have hi He wherever possible. I hey make a marked reduction
opportunities for f)X, and a pe.ivi variety of
propaitalhin media ttun higher lunik and lln-te is
more general ul ssh. a mode s-clbadapled 1o
QRP techniques, now thai solid-slile gear is "Ihc
way to go."
Ill 141
We set o woik. .in- Ihc lesih is a small
:
r-p i l J frJ
package ideally suited lo Field-Day type c\cunions IILL AY «CB. BET.
and tneal iiohilinjv H is also a veiy practical
primary or back-up rip fur the 50-MHr. home
Ul
|~"
1
P
station. Its robust J-wult P£P signal ii hardly
f" (II If* -
*3C 4SD
distinguishable from Ihat or stations lunninp 11)0 uena aw.
walls or mor:, when a good antenna system a used
- jnd "neighbor trouble," ihc hare of so many
urban o-meti'r operators, i* virtually nonexistent.
CJl. 09C vro 1.09 j-jr*ir
As can Ik seen from the first phoiugraph. the
transceiver is self-contained except Cor the power
supply. Thh could have been hilIMn, but a
sepauic i'm'li «nrU i* advantageous. Ii allows
use of an ac -upply at home, direct connection of a * **0
sin st*.
ear battery for mobile work, or operation from any 9 *KI
Fig. |
—
Slock diagram ol rde K1ZJH DO-MHz WfKlit/. Each •lem ihosvn n a seoarale
boaid assembly. Nurnbnr^ in pa'nnihesi>s ji> ih» miim nl iIibii ilMrtifiunn in iKn
ci.'Coil'
(ext. Trontmiriina and receiving (unctions arc giveo ndjacgnr to >he signal-parh lioes. hems
XII Pau.il Koari, Somen, CT I)ti07 l through 6 are Described in P«i I.
ui iiuiiilti 1
1 "i icquiic*!. In - key HUfc A
csjII crystal filler U Ihc> hearl nf the .yMem.
mjinly responsible "or the excellent performance.
reennfit.
not important in a JQ-Mllt
\\r H i
s.i lypesof rf
'!.- ri-.' in systems inroducc
i .
:
non linearities In the receiver front end. increasing
•uuep libit it y to overloading and cross-tats. This
proMcm is avoided with the use of a miniature
SOO-ohni control. R|, the receiver input, noH
which serve* as a simple yet elfeclivc rf gain
control. Though the mixer transistors. <J1 :nd(J2.
arc dual-gate MOSFETj vvllh buill-in trinrfent-
oppression diodes, additional protection is pro-
cati vnoiccrtc
lelt corner, so it is not clearly* distinnuishablit at
«ueh. The VFO (7! is in .in aluminum enclosure NOTE: Eranelefl wire may be used wherever
dkectly under the calibration oscillator, except for No. 26 Toflon wire is specified ir this projecl. so
Ms tuning and Kind -lent rig tapaciiuo. wliivb •>'» long as the builder is careful 10 avoid abrasion
visible ot ihe tower lift.
damage during construction.
Fig. 2 — Schemallc diagram anc parts infor- LI - 1 turn No. 26 anamelsd wire on 37-inch
mation for ttie 50-MHz transceiver front end toioidcore (Amidon T-37. yellow,.
and 9-MHz ("Iter. Parts not doscrbed below L2 — 13 turns tike LI, on sirne core. Sea text (or
are numbered for text reference. 25-kHz coupling method.
CI, C3, C5 — Subminiature air trimmer 1-14 pF. L3, U- 12 turns or» core like LI, L2.
C2. C4 — Gimmick capacitor, 2 twbts No. 26 L5 - 36 lums No. 32 Tefloi on 0.5-tnch toroid
enameled wire, l/2-inch long; aparox. 0.5 pF. cere (Amidon T-50. red).
C6. C7 —Ceramic trimmer, 5-25 p= .
L6 - 55 lums like LS.
Cfl. C9 -Ceramic trimmer, 7JS p= L7 « 1 1 turns at low-Z end of L6.
FLl - 9-MHz crystal filler (Spectrum Inler- Ql, 02- Gale prolocted HOSFET (RCA 40673)
nailonai, Box 67. Topsneid. MA 0I9Q3, Type
XF9B). For updated supplier addresses, see ARRL Pans
Stppliers List In Chapter 2.
CIO. CtO — Cero-nic Irimmer, 9-50 pr. LlO— 24 turns, like LI. U2 — Product Detectoi IC (Motorola MO14880 o-
L8. L9 —
17 and 24 turns, resp.. No. 26 R2 — 10,000-ohm mlntaiuto control. 1596G).
enameled wire on 0.5-Inch loroid core lAmidon U1 — II anpiHIer IC (RCA CA30i8A). U3 - Audio amplifier IC (Motorola MFC6010 or
T-50-2). HEPC6004,.
considered lo be optimum for convi'Hon i-fft- Reuhcr I-l- and Product Detector iBjwtionat 9\\\\? k gcncracd by n 2N30M crystal
efcmey and mixer Uneviiy. Output trom the oscllator, 09 in Pail 11. in the ssb gcnciatot
MCt>nd miver is linV-emiplcd. through Lfi-L7, ro deceive mode ihc nutput of ihe KVG
In thi! aatmbty. An bjectkm level of 3fKi mV
pfc-pk it
„ S 6 v IC>
AliC V"*t-. 10
Milt," Chapters.
INSOFAR as pnctical, description of lire K' IZJH use ol bolh modes is in this range. More coverage lightlycoupled tuned ciituits ate used to reduce
-i- 50-MHz transceiver vv-as divided to put receiving can bo had by using a larger capacitor Imorc plates) harmonic content in thi output. The gimmick
assemblies in Pari I .ind transmitting units in Pjtl for CIS. Note that Ihc ceramic piddcr. CI I, has a capcitot C23 is adjusted to provide Ihe minimum
II, Several board assemblies serve both fund ions, negative temperature coefficient. Its "N" value can coupling needed to develop 1.5 volts pk-pk for tie
including Ihe 9-MHz filler in Pari L "his con- bo selected experimentally, if Iht N315 specified mixers. The second lunci circuit, 1.1 3--C24. wis
cluding portion covers oiher dual-purpose units of docs not correct oscillator drift .dcquately. Or. a added after the 36-MHz o'cllUlor board was rnadi.
(He transceiver, as well as those used (or trans- smaller cajucjt^r of (lie more coirmon N750 type, It is seen in die upper-central pottion of ihr
mitting only. As n Part I. order of appearance is used in pirallel with an NPO, can be tried, lo top-view photograph, abeve Ihc oscillaiot assen*
indicated by unit oumbc.s in the bluvk diagram, correct Urn In environments different from that In bly.
Fig. I. which the ju that's rig operates.
Sideband Generation
The s-MHz VFO The VIO dial is an old National Type MCN,
The VrU and the 36-MHl crystal oscillator. with a Jackson Hrothers ball-bearing vernier drive The sideband generate?, Fig. 7, Is the Urges!
Fig. 6, determine killi the transmittinf and re- in place of Ihc original planetary- mechanUm. This and most complex subassembly in the Iransccivci.
ceiving frequencies. The VFO design wa* adapted gave the snooth free feel (hat is to important in a It i; seen in (he middle pottion of Ihc bulluni-vicv
from one used iy Wl KLK in a 20-rie(ei ssb dial that i* to be used for receiver tuning, as well u photograph. Included arc a crystal oscillator. 0\
Iran emitter.* Tlie Colpit it. oscillator uses an RCA for VFO control, No
peaking or tacking controls I we speech stages, 010 aid Oil, and a balance!
40841 MOSFET, Q5, with gates tied toectlKrr. A are nccdctl, as the limited tuning range of the modulator, U7. The ihre: cryslals. V3, Y4. anl
IK9-H stabilize* ihc flale voltage, leilu.iiig Iioj- ;i|uipnicn< eliminate* tracking problem*. VS. are avtiil^iblv tor i»M viih ih>> KVC tiller, ani
monk generation by limiting device uans- Except for the main tuning capacitor. C 8, and 1
Iheir frequencies arc sclcc ed to provide upper anJ
conducLince on positive voltage peats. Two lower sidebands and cw, while maintaining the di;l
it* paddci, C17, both of which arc visible in the
medium-gain 3N2J22A transistors, Qti ard Q7. in lop view, lower left corner, the VIO assembly
calibration for all modes.
an emitter-follower circuit match the VFO oulput cannol be seen in Ihc photographs. The circuit balanced
The modi la tor is n Motuioli
to SO ohinv The 5-.MII& energy passes through a board and VFO components are in a Minihox-lypc MC1596C IC. using information supplied b,-
diode from the r«c[UatOf drain to pound. This capacitor ;s*embly. IT necessary, the ftont panel (he carrier balance contrcl, R3. for accurate and
diodle and the 220ohm resistor already in (he *lraiu and chassh can be reinforced with additional Since there is no rf energy at
stable currier nulling.
lead should not Iw in physical provmily to thickness of aluminum, in these arras. thi' only a dc level, the conttnl can b:
point,
frequency -de termi ling ciicuils of the VFO. as heat loci ted away from (he Mia need-modulator cu-
36-MHz Heterodyne Oscillator
dissipation bv the resistor and diode niijht cause cui ry at any convenient paint, with no deleterious
This oicillalor. shown schematically in (he
oscillator drill. A
diode-switched capacitance {CI effects.
and C20 in series) off- sets (he VFO during Isb lower portion of Fig. 6, also serves bolh Irans-
In the cw mode the carrier suppression b
operation, (o preserve dial calibration. milting anil receiving functions. A 2N3904 transis-
purposely unbalanced, lo generate H Canter ai th*
The VFO is set to cover 5.08 to 5.19 MHz.
tor, QS, isused with u 36 MHx crvilnl, V2, in o MU496CJ outpul, and alto a crystal within Ihe
reliable overtone oscillaiot circuit, (o furnish in-
givinghind coverage of 50.08 to 50.19 Wlz. This fillet passhand used. Operation with a-m is
is
tt.M-r B»OT€C-EB
-f>MG.6
. : . l C1 :".:*(:[ in-
IS -K-CMMJC! 1 .<>, ;i-tm
1*1 <! •nC'lt'OJI-' O* .,'1
"!W"«t» »»( IS D""S*.
• >ICa3. If I 3E3CQO
NOTE: Enaneied wire may be used wherever No. 26 Teflon wire is spec iliac in this
project, so long as Ihe builder is caretul lo avoid abrason damage during construction.
Fig. 6 - Schemaiic J m -
ol ihe VFO ind C?0 - 1-pF Wltfcr-mica. Lll - 26 lurm No. 2fi Tellort wire on 1.'2- inch
36-MHz oscitlBioi used in the K12JH SO-MHz C71 - 100 pF duk ceramic, nen. temp. coel. Seleci roroideore Amnion T-50-2.red>
I
iranicBiver. Pans nor. dewiWd we numbeied foi *N value im minimum oicillator drill. N330 LI2. LM
- 12 lums like Lll. except Amidon
kki reference. uicd. T-50-6, yellow.
C 7. C24 - Ceramic trimmer, 7 lo 40 pF.
1 C22 - Ceramic Rimmer, 5-25 pF. LM. LIS - 1 turn each, bililn-wound ui low-Z
CI B — ShafMvoe miniature variable. 35 pF. C23 - Gimmick capacitoi; Iwo 1-inch engtht No end ol LI 3.
CI 9 — Ceimtiit. lljiiHiiei 1.5—7 yF. 24 Teflon mo, iwiiied in uivvdtmud iiiixei- VRI - 91-vuli l-wuli Zenei UiuUe.
injociion Ipvol. 1.5 Vpk-pk.
OSC.
,
—
Fig. 7 - Schom.itc diagram lor ihe sideband L17. LIB - ? tu-ns each, bililar-wjund at U7 - BjUnced modulator IC (Motorola
genet*! ur in the 53-MH/ transceiver. Pan; no' low-Zend o' LIC MC149GG).
descrbedate numbered Icr ie"i reference. Ll9 - 70 turnsl.he L1G. VB2 - 0.1 /Oil 1 -wait Zenpr diode
C25-C28. incl. - Ceramic trimmer. 5 - 75 pF L20 - 9 turn? Ho. 73, on coie ol L19. Y3, Y4I, YS - . i .i i Irciiucnciei as indi-
C29 — Ceramic ninme'. 7 - 45 pF fl3 — 50.000 ohm control. cated, ordered with FLl (Spectrum Inier-
LI 6 - 32 turns Ho. 26 Teflon w«e on >'7ineh I (14 - 1 -Megohm audio control. nailon.it XFH02. XF90I. and XF903. re-
toro.ifeoro lArridon r» 2. red*. 53 — Single-pot; 3-posinon water iwiici, tpec lively).
ViHEB MIXES
'3 rata
Fig. 8 Schematic diagram ol ihn innuniUcr ji — Otoiod'^liMiii j<n>. I.2S LZD - 30 tumS. IlKC Wl.
m'nef assembly fo< ihe 50-MH2 transceiver. L2l - 10 turns No. 26 Teflon, o\ 1/2-inch toroirj L26, L27 - 8 funis, like LZ1.
C30. C3I. C33, C35. C36. C38 - Ceramk ulmmer, core lAmidon T-50-2, red). L2S — 2 turns on urne core as L?7.
5-25 pF. L?2 - 30 turns like L21 on same corn,
, 012, Q13 - G.iic-prnt acted MOSFET (RCI
C32, C34, C37 - Gimmick capacitor; ivso 1-Inch L23-27 turns like L21. 40841 1.
lengths No. 24 follon wirs. twisted thr» times; RFC1 -4 fertile bend* lAmidon 43-101 1.
appro 1 pF.
lower sideband. Th-r irimmct C"27. foi chcew UpQ conversion to lhai of the receivln-r. section. Botli J4-MH2 i-f with energy from the 36-MHf hetcro-
ctyskil, h limply wrt ul ihc point islierc no further mixers. QIS and U1J. arc 40841 MOb'l-'ETs. The dynt oscillator, to produce the debited SO-MHz
increase jn carrjci oiipul Is obtained. up-cowem Ihe 9-MHz filler output t« a
first *i|tn:l Twn lightly ritnpl-il ^HAIMi I I.' tlauvt
The uulput of Die balanced mndublor |!ues to 14-MH/. lurdpass i-f. by heterodyning il with lh« fullow Ihc second mixer. These reduce ?G-MHz and
ihe KVG whtre the unwanted sidebind and
filler, 5-MHz VFC oulput. Three hfchiry coupled tuned rimrronir fccd-ttuuuidi, m well a* any iindctircd
any irate of carrier aic removed. Kcsislivc loading stages follow this mixer, forming ; 14-MHz band- mixer products present. A* with Ihe 40n73
ol the KVG ports n the transmit mode desisior* pass fillet. This is very inipoilant. reducing MOSFETs, 1.5 voliv pk-pl is Ihe recommended
across L20 and L!ll was done for impedance spurious riming products thai would otherwise he dale
injection level ai 2 ol be 4084 1
Results
JZ - Cnoxinl jock. 50 739. VFM - 15-voll l-rtall Ztm
diode.
K1A. K1B. K1C HMiiWII :-pale. 2-pusilion VR5. VR6 - 18-voli l-wan Zeoer diode.
A brief iurnmiry of on-ilic-air experience villi
the iransceivci may he of interest. During a wcenl
VIII- i'..:". II AkltL Stielioot were u'trieil frum in me mh'i'so iliinn|> auroras,wliuh should help lo As isbkely to be ihe case wilh enn struct inn
ihe author's home in N'orlh-Ocntia] Corncclicut. dispel concern ahoul power :md aurnial
low projccis. ihis one has p:nrraicd ,ic3i tot improve-
These included all New toeland excerpt Rhode cominunicaiinii. When the bund opens for ments and accessories. '\ rccenl addition is a
Island, and Eailern Pennsylvania. Northern New spoiadie-T ir. it is only a matter of findinrj a 1 1 volt solid-stale amplifier, capable of dcHvXfrg
IcTOcy. Eastern N:w Yoik. NYOLong Imnd, Jnd vI-.ji >pact lo |ump Into ani Ihete's usually up (o 30 w;i(|s \ maidiine high-currcnl puwrr
Delaware. Not bad for three v.atls! t'ndir normal plcn(>' of ii iom alvovc about 50-125 ui so. Almi^l supply has also been addid, A 2-meler uansverlit
t-ondilions ssb nntaCli are made tcguiuly with anyone heard well can be storked, wilh a liltlc has Iven cumplcied. and is now In use al KIZJH.
New Yurk. New laropshirc, and the Bo-Ion area, pcrscverarve. skill, and old-fashioned luck. Locals *D5l0Wd
at diilanecs out to LOO miles or more, with Utile arc often ikcplkal of the clalmeu lu*-power level, i T>ieRadio Amateur's Handbook, Two-Tono Tosi
difficulty or fanfare, anil oul to 200 mlcs or so but nimiiiy ihis way has been a peat boon to scope patterns and -generator, pages 401 ard
when the conditions .ire gooiL We ve even nail neistihfithonil 1 v reception. W, 19/3 ana 1974
l have a Ten-Tec Argo.iaui 509 between* (he IF-board schematic ami the block iswithin the Argonaut ACC loop. I have had
transceiver. After I purchased ar outboard diagran in my instruction manual: Pin 4 no problems with this arrangement. Michael
audio filter, there were some unexpected in- should he connected to the filter output, with Marriii, KD4ZF, 227 Neville Cir NE. Palm
terface problems. When a sharply luncd filter pin 5 connected 10 the fili;r input, Bay, FL 32907
is placed in tie audio sideline can
line, the My outboard filter has a fixed gain of
be filtered out.' Also, my filter supplies only about , which is ideal for uic in the Argonaut •(The sideione frequency of the Argonaut 509
about I W
ofaudio. which is plenty for head-
:
IF stagr. If your filter has seme gain, the filter is adjustable, and therefore does tot
phones, but not lor a noisy room. amplifier (usually an LM38D) can be thought necessarily correspond to the recave
Some investigation reveals thai the 509 offset— Ea.J
of as ai output amplifier thai also capable
is
audio is generated and prcamplificd on the of higher output power. probably work
will
If you* filter has a gam contiof,
It 5(Editor's Note:
I_F board. As a matter of fact, the optional just as well with lower drive levels. Therefore, sot it unity gain. The chiol hazard here
tor
Ten-Tec filler is connected within thai stage when placed between pins - and 5, most any is that the filter wil overdrive the 509 audio
via pins 4 ami 5 (FILI Er our and fii tt.r in, audio filter should work.' stages. II there is such a problem, simsly
respectively) cf the rear-apron accessory jack. build an attenuator to follow the filter. Part
This set up leaves the iidctone and the
values for both T- and pi-network attenuators
(These pins ar: shoried when no filter is used.) audio output power much the same as before are given in Chapter 25 of Ihe 1985 and 1SB6
There k a mis up in the nomenclature ilic filter wiu connected. In dddiliuu, Ihe Illiei abri Handbooks.]
agree the rig is a fine performer, most wish tiometer for an optimum audio level.
it had an RF-gain control. Since the Argosy Noel, turn your attention to the two con-
operates QSK and uses only AGC to set the nectors that are wired to the original audio-
RF gain, the noise between dots and dashes gain potentiometer and huok them up as
s
can be quite raucous, as Ihc receiver gan is • \
follow.: The adjustable arm of the poten-
W
wide open until the AGC takes control. My tiometer goes through a 1N4148 diode to the
outboard RF-gain control requires absolute- X common junction of D9 and D10. Connect
ly no surgery to the rig and is within the ability X IN AMA one era terminal of the potentiometer to
of nearly anyone; (he only disassembly ground and the other to + 12-V dc.
required is removal of the top cover. Set die RF-gain potentiometer to imdscale
The circuit in Fig applies an adjustable
1
and pracccd with the "smoke test." I found
voltage to pin 5 of Ul (MCI350). which is the the adjustment critical because the full range
AGC input. It conuols RF gain in the sane 2.2 » i is only a couple of dial markings. (If the RF-
fashion as the AGC and has no effect on gain ccntrol works backwards, reverse its bat-
'1Z-V0C Ik
tery and ground conncctiors.) In spite of the
normal AGC operation. S-metcr reading!
RF GAIN
decrease along with the RF gain. Place the RF-gain conlrol, a Strong signal still generates
outboard control on any breadboard, box or unwelcome audio pops, so I added an aw
what have you. Connect the control to the
Fig 1— Schematic diagram of NOCWW's on/off switch. [An AGC-timing modifica-
RF-gain control citcuil tor ihe Ton-Tec tion for the Argosy scrici appears in the
transceiver by passing wires through the
Argosy 525. November 1983 Hints and Kinks column.
centers of the rivets that secure the phono-
jack panel to the transceiver rear panel. The -Ed.]
ground wire of the new control is connected The agc on/off switch was created by
to the ground wire of the jacks, just iniide breaking the connection beiwceo D9 and Q5
the '525 rear panel. Obtain + 12-V dc in the and wiring in a switch. Disconnect the ac leads
Mine manner from the il-v aux jack iniide from itie switch associated with Ihc new RF-
concenlric, dual-IO-kfl polcnliorrclcr be in- gain control and use lhat switch as the acc
the rear panel.
stalled in the AF-gain position. Su:h a "pot"
m
To akc the control lead, slip a fertile bead on/OF= conlrol. [This leaves the radio
I have not, so 1 added an outboard RF-gain withoLt a power switch. When used with a
over ihc diode lead (cathode), and form the
control and found it to be a big help. switched supply, such as the Ten-Tec 225, the
shortest hook with which you can work.
Then, insp.ratjoii struck; Why not reverse aC'iwiich leads may be connected, in which
Solder Ihe hook to he lead of R29 (10 l:fi).
the Ten-Tec design and have a fixed audio case pawer to the '525 is controlled by (he
which is centered on the end of Ul.
gain with variable RF gain? My scheme switch in the power supply. When a battery
My control work; nearly as well whlout worked well, and you can have th; final ver-
the diode and ferritc bead, but seemed to
1
or uns*itchcd supply is used, place a power
sion without drilling any holes. Furthermore, switch (15 v. y A) in the dc line to the radio,
get a bil of filler blcwby without them. This
you can return to the original layou very' easi-
RF-gain control definitely improves CW oper- or add a new switch to the '525 in a location
ating convenience, especially on a naisy
ly by pluggng the connectors from the
of your own choosing. Ed.)—
band.—Ned ft Smith, N0CWW, RR 1, Box
original aucio potentiometer back into
Full QSK CW opcr alien is a most satisfac-
terminal 43. tory experience using a manual RF-gain
163, Ryan, IA 52310
To perfom the modification, proceed as control and no AGC. SSB works well with
Ten-Tec issued a TN2-525,
bulletin. follows:Remove the two connectors from ter- the AGC on.— Jack L. West, W6VD,
describing how to install an RF-gain cortrol minal 43 of the IF/AF board and nove them Sacramento, CA 95821
3670 Montclairc Si,
in the Argosv 525. It requires that a small. aside for future use. Wire a miniature 10-kfl
Some
Practical
Antenna
Considerations
City lot or "rancho grande," DX or stateside communication, we
need certain types of antennas to match available space and
operating preferences.
remember ihe mess 1 made of things things back lo their original slate, and sure can round up quickly and inexpensively."
back when 1 erected my first ham antenna. enough — the transmitter wouldn't load Of course, the strength of the wire should
Nobody told me it wasn't just a matter of up! be sufficient to provide longevity and
erecting a wire of a specific length (130 feet I learned later on that the extra feet of safety.
was the magic number I'd picked up for SO wire (plus the switch) 1 placed in (he
through 10 meters back then). Somehow, antenna line had changed ihe feed-point Tlu Mallirr of IhnuIuihjii
I had failed to learn that the end-fed wire impedance of the wire, making it just right I'll always remember the amateurs who
back to receive (actually, it was a knife types of an tennas below VH F, 1 f I were to chat can be obtained at many parts stores.
switch and some added wire in the shack). offer a rule of thumb for these questions, This is acceptable wire, but it will turn
Could this have helped me? I changed I'd say something like, "Use whatever you black or green rather quickly in polluted
air, such as we find in industrial areas. It
% —
HUH
«l«
rBEQ
-UIMllH-ICtli
*.'pr;unr
[Bl
-
sneer "LasTic
<Sfj
10" SUPPORT
SHEET PLASTIC
Fig. t 1he skin otfect of a
lllustrallon ot
conductor lor various Irequcncy ranges. The (CJ
election Horn is rrore eHoctiva (greaior
penetration) as the frequency becomes lower.
Frequent invEHTEJ- V
"tilcrablc sail and/ or acids.
JfNTPfl IN5UUTCO
replacement can be cosily!
If insulated wire other than the enameled
type is used to prevent corrosion, sc sure
to seal the open ends with cpoxy cement to -
Fig. 2 Various end Insulators and center Blocks msde from plastic material. Fabricato your
prevent migration of pollutants and own antenna hardware to save money.
moisture into the space between the wire
and the jacketing material. A marvelous
new antenna wire with plastic insulation be as cooperative as a sna.te waiting to burning up the conductor. Small-diameter
and rugged conductors was recently made strike!) wire also works nicely in radial systems
If you are
1
available to amateurs. thinking
All hoi gh iron and steel ars not as effec- (buried or above-ground systems of wires
of a new antenna for many years uf use,
tivea cor duct or at radio frequencies as are that serve as a ground screen for antennas).
this product m.iy be of interest to you.
aluminum or copper, it isn't so poor that Aluminum wire, su:h as clothesline or
There may be an exception to the state- we should ignore it. have erected a
1 electric fencing, is afeo satisfactory foi
merit that insulation does not affect
number of fine antennas with steel guy wire antennas. The two problems we may en-
antenna performance. was told by two ex
I
as the radiator elements. have also used
1 counter arc (1) difficulty making a good
perienced amateurs that they had difficulty of the
the inexpensive electric-fence wire that can electrical joint and (2) crystaltzatton
when fashioning cubical-quad elements
be purchased from Sears. A quarter-mile wite with stress and time, which cause;
from vinyl-insulated house wire. The length
roll costs less iltan S15! Similar wire, at breakage. The use of aluminum wire
formulas for the loop elements were of no
slightly higher cost, is available in generally requires the .nating of copper tc
use when using that style of wire. 1 haven't
aluminum. aluminum somewhere along the way, and
investigated the phenomenon yet, but the
The reason wc may prefer good conduc- thi; invites the rapid oxidation that is sc
cause of the difficulty may be related to a tors to less effective ones is to reduce losses common when dissimilar metals arc joined
change in the propagation factor of the in the system. The greater ihS resistivity of Some hams have been fooled by fate
wire, caused by the insulation, with the
the conductor, the greater ttie power loss when they erected artennas made from
oue-wavelengtl* dimensions. At VHF and
in heating (PR losses). Conductivity is also soft-drawn copper. Magnet wire, such a*
higher, there is a definite difference
based in part on the operating frequency. wc wind coils front, is a form of soft-drawn
between the propagation factor (wave We have a condition thai is known as "skin copper. Although it is easy to work with
velocity) of bare wire and a conductor with
effect" —
the ability of the RF current to since il is not prone lo kinking easily, ii
thick insulation when dealing wiih con-
penetrate the conductor. The effective con- does stretch under stress.
ductors thai are long in terms of ducting area of a solid conductor is gov- The longer the antenna, the more pro-
wavelength.' have never observed velocity
nojnccd the effect. If the low SWR point
I
erned by frequency and skin effect (see Fig.
problems when using insulated wire in or-
I). Therefore, the larger ilie conductor, in your system has changed mysteriously,
dinary antennas for frequencies lower than
generally speaking, the better the conduc- chances are your dipole or other wire anten-
30 MHz. tivity as ihe operating frequency is raised. na has become longer as a result of wire
Also, the smaller the wire diameter for a str:tch. If this happens, you will have to
Conductor Material given frequency, the more restricted the readjust the system by trimming off the ex-
Can we use neel wire in our antennas? antenna aandwidth, owing to increased Q cess wire. Soft-drawn copper wire with
What about aluminum? Isn't copper best? (quality factor) of the system. In other viryl jacketing is le.«s likely to change
Here we have to ask ourselves Whal is Q of any resonant cir-
words, tie higher the dimension from weight, wind and icing
meant by the word best? That word can cuit, thenarrower its bandwidth will be. stress.
apply to such natters as strength, weight, This applies to tuned circuits, filters and
Insulators
conductivity and cost. If 1 were tc ignore the like.
cost and handling convenience, and had to 1 have been asked such questions as, If you've priced commercial antenna in-
give but one answer, would specify I "Whal is the smallest wire diameter can I sulators recently, you may have concluded
Copperweld^ wire. This is a steel-center use wiih my kilowatt rig?" If we don't con- (as I have) that (he dies from which ihcr
wire with an cuter layer of copper. The sider the fragility of very small wire, wc are cast must be made of gold or platinum!
combination provides good conductivity might say (hat even no. 28 wire can be used. I object to paying S2 or S3 for an item tha:
and strength. Most amateurs choose no. 16 I've used no. 24 and no. 26 enameled wire is mass- produced from 25 cents worth o:*
gauge as a suitable "happy medium" size. a number of times in so-called "invisible material. So, 1 make my own insulators
But, no. 18 wire is also quite strong, and antennas" that were configured as end-fed wren possible. Generally, we should strive
it is a [rifle easier to work with. (Anyone random -length wires. 1 have yet to burn up to use insulators that arc of high dielectric
who has struggled with a coil of spring-like a small-diameter wire used in that manner. quality, such as ceramic, steatite, Teflon,
Coppenvcld will understand what I mean The CW
or SSB duty cycle, plus the air polyethylene and Plcxiglas. Other good
by "easier to work with"! A loose coil can cooling of the wire, prevent} current from materials are fiberglass, glass-epoxy circuit-
But. what do we desire in terms of signal is much better than a full-size horizontal who don't have a lower, a metal mast can
coverage? A good antenna must be antenna that is less than a half wavelength be used in place of the tower. If only a tree
designed for Ihe d istancc we want to cover above ground." I tend to agree with that is available for a support, you might try the
reliably from day lo day. Some DX anten- philosophy, having had the good fortune invertedL antenna of Fig. 3B. It should
nas arc of Utile value for close-in work, and of confirming 72 countries over a three- provide similar results to those of the
many antennas for local work arc poor DX year span on 160-meter CW. The antenna antenna at Fig. 3A.
performers. Increased antenna height will was a 50-foot, shunt-fed tower with a A ground -mounted 40-meter vertical is
enhance out DX capability, whereas the mediocre ground-radial system. A triband ;asy to erect and is fairly "low key" with
lower antennas are much belter for working Yagi sat atop the tower. With the same regard to being seen by neighbors. n*d We
out to a few hundred miles in the lower por- setup land 100 W of dc input power to the not use tubing if a tree support is available.
tion of Ihe fcf (high frequency) speclrum. last stEgc of my transmitter), I obtained my \ vertical wire can serve as the driven ele-
Then there's the matter of limited space for Worker! All States Award on 160 meters. nent of ihe antenna. Even a wire thai is
the city dweller. Many urban hams can't Earliei, 1 tried inverted Vs md low horizon- sloped less than 45 degrees will have
HIFECTI OlSA
S
(A)
LINE T(/sTailOri Fig. 5 — The antenna at A Is designed tor
high-aigle (short-range) corrmunications on
'
— U TItHl
g
75, 60 or 40 meters. The ground below it acts
as a reflector; the better the ground conduc-
tivity, !he belter the perforrrance. A coaxial
transformer matches Che 50-ohm feed (Ine lo
WIRE the antenna. The tree-space feed impedance is
on the order of 115 onms. it will bo somewhat
lowot Ahon so close to ground. The actual Inv
TO STATION potianoo will depend on the quality ol Ihu
grouno below and near the loop. A counter-
poise oop made 5 percent longer than the
WOUND nifiE driven element can be placed 0.15 wavelength
below the quad loop if there is doubt about
GUY the ground conductivity in tne area. A similar
LZ -
160 meters (259 feel) or 80 mcters(l 33 feet loud signals that some stations propagate makes a narrow slit, and the wires need be
at 3.7 MHz). Wc hams tend to think of with inferior ground screws. 1 remember only a couple of inches below the surface
antenna heigh terms of physical dimen-
in vividly the whopping signal from Id be out of the way. The slits can be closed
sions rather ttian electrical ones. That's a W7DOL/6 when I worked 160 meters from by stepping on them. The grass will soon
mistake, for even though 70 or 80 feet Connecticut. He was usually the loudest e*ow over the incisions and no one will ever
seems high, it's very low in terms of station the West Coast, and he told me
on know that an "operation" took place.
wavelength at the lower frequencies. To he ubiug an 80-fuut vertical willi no
«,i>
have an 80*mcter dipole 50 feet above ground radials! I dread to :hink about he i
What Have We Learned?
ground about as poor as mount [ng a
is kind of signal he would have sent my way In essence, the intent of this article was
10-mcter beam i feet above ground. None if he had had 120 quarter- wavelength to kindle your courage toward building and
of us would want to do thatf It i; for this radials deployed! experimenting with antennas. Numerous
reason that a ihort vertical antenna usually Those fatalists who won't even experi- cost-saving shortcuts have been presented
outperforms a low horizontal antenna for ment may be affected by a lase of lethargy. with the hope that you will have some new
DXiiig. I think experimenting is the better part of tricks in your bag when you tackle that next
Wo must rc:ognizc in this discussion that Amateur Radio. Try a vertical antenna, antenna job. If you're wealthy and wait
an clcctrtcall* short antenna, vertical or even if you can lay down only one or two to be top dog in the DX pileups, buy your
horizontal, is not as efficient as a full-size radials. You could be rewaidcd with better antenna system. The antennas described
antenna. There is always a trade-off to results ihan theory dictates. I have always here will make no one a "big frog in a little
accept. Also, vertically polarized antennas made an effort to tie as many ground wires pjnd," but they'll :nablc you to enjoy
are noisier during receive than arc horizon- as possible to my antenna systems. If there good communications most of the lime.
tal antennas. This is because most man- isa chain-link Fence on your property, lie
made noise is vertically polarized. itinto i!ie ground system. Do likewise with
Il would be impractical to atiempi to the cold-water lines in your home, rods
describe the many wire antennas suitable driven into the soil near li e base of your
forDX and local operation from a city lot. vertical and utility-eompaiy grounds on
The ARRL Antenna Book, recently revised your property.
considerably, ;oniains a wealth of practical Radiat wires need not b? buried in the
information lor those who want to build ground They can be laid on the lawn and Nates
antennas. If you don't have a copy, you staked down with homemade large staples VtRHL members may take advantage ol the tree
should invest in one. TIG (Technico! Informntion Gervico) al llq. ay
to permit mowing the grass without hard-
writing to tie Technical Department. Limit the
ship. If they can't be laid out linearly from number of questions villi each request, and be
Ground Systems in Brief
the base of the antenna, wrap them around sure to include a bushess-size s.a.s.e. tor Iho
Countless amateurs have said, "I can't the home, garage and trees The main idea reply to your inquiry.
*Deloted.
pin tip a ground-mounted vertical because is io get them in or on the ground -
'J. Hall. ed.. The ARRL Antenna Book (Newing-
1 don't have room for buried radials." place. ton: ARRL 1982).
"Balderdash," 1 am prone to reply. An im- For ihose of you who arc afraid of J n = ft x 0.304B: mm = in x 25.4.
| he unfortunate fact of the matter is least a moderately effective sigxal. In this the fine and retrieve the laundry from a
mat some radio amateurs dwell where context, a poor antenna is certainly better back porch. Laundry lints of this variety
antenna', arc prohibited. In other silua- than no antenna at all! A number of arc accepted parts or the neighborhood
tions the operator may not want to erect techniques enable us to use indoor anten- "scenery," and can be used handiEy as
outdoor antenras for fear of nas or "invisible" antennas out of doors. amateur antennas by simply insulating the
neighborhood opinions that he or she is Many of these systems will yield good io pulley; from their support points. This
destroying the beauty of the residential excellent results for local and DX con- calls Tor the use of a conducting type of
area. We amateurs don't regard our tacts, depending on band conditions at clothesline, such as heavy.gauge stranded
aniennas as cyewtcs; in fact, we almost any given tine. Don't erect any antenna clectriral wire wiih Teflon or vinyl insula-
always regard them as works of art! Dui thai can prewni a hazard (physical or elec- tion. A high-quality, flexible steel cable
there arc occasions when having an out- trical) to humans, animals or buildings. (stranded) is suitable as a substitute if one
door or visible antenna can present Safety first! docsn t mind cleaning it each time
problems, especially for those who live in clothing is hung on it.
take advantage ot a number of options to pulleys (K0, ti.su that the user can load trical connection euitts -'^--n the wire
toward getting on the air and radiating at clothesline and the pulley, a permanent
A great nurmer of amateurs have taken used on 6 meters by adding no. 10 bus- time by disguising our radiator as shown
advantage of standard hou»c fixtures win; cxicisions io the ends of the elements In Pig. 4. The vertical antenna !r. a wire
when contriving inconspicuous antennas. and adjusting them for a YSWR of 1:1. If that has been placed inside a plastic ot
A very old technique is the use of ihe gut- 300-0 lin; is used it will require a balun or fiberglass pole.
ter and downspout system on the Transmatch to interface the line with the As shown, the flagpole antenna is struc-
building. This can be seen in Fig. 3 A lead station equipment. tured for a single amateur band, and it i!
wire is routed o the shack from one end For operation in the hf bands wc can lie assumed that the height of the pole cor-
of the gutter trough. We must assume that the TV- or fm-amenna feeders together ai respond. to a quarter wavelength for the
1
;
the wood on which the gutter is affixed is the transmitter end of the span and neat chosen band. The radiils and feed line car
dry and of good quality tn order to pro- the overall system as a nndom-length be buried in the ground as shown. In a
vide a reasonable insulation factor. The wire. If this is done, the 330-fJ line will prectical installation, the sealed end of the
(and VSWR indicator) that is operated One New York City amateur used the number of DX stations with it when baid
remotely. fire escape on his apartment building as a conditions were good.
Still anoth:r technique uses a wooden 40-mctcr antenna, and reported high suc- A number of operators have used me:al
flagpole. A small-diameter wire can be cess in working DX stations with it. and window screens for vhf
curtain rods
stapled to the pole and routed Anothir apartment dweller made use of work, and found them to be quite ac-
underground to the coax feeder or the I he aluminum frame on lis living-room ceptable for local communications. Yot'll
matching bo>. The halyard could by itself picture window as an antenna for 10 and have best results with any of these
constitute the antenna wire if it were made 15 meters. He worked it against the metal makeshift antennas when the "antennas"
from heavy-duty insulated hookup wire. conductors of the baseboard heater in ihe are kept well away from house wiring and
There arc countless variations fot this type same room. other conductive objects.
acts as a trap, and permits the passage of antenna of that type may have as many as worth of small toroid core;
vestigate the
rf energy. 12 traps. upon which to wind the coils. Ferrite core;
An antenna trap designed fo: a par-
is were ruled out because they aren't as
Electrical Characteristics stable as powdered-iron ones. Further-
ticular operating frequency, and there
may be several traps in the overall system An antenna trap is a panllcl-resonanl more, the powdered-iron material has a
— each designed for a specific frequency. L-C circuit. Therefore, it is iimilar to the much greater flux density than an
Therefore, a 40- through 10-mctcr trap runed cir:uit in a transmitter or receiver. eqtlivalent-size ferrite core, which mean;
dipole might contain traps toi 10 15, 20 A itsundiui uf this Kind, if designed vui- that (he core will not saturate a* easily at
and 30 meters. On 40 meters, all of the redly, has a moderateQ and a fairly nar- moderate rf power levels.
traps are "absorbed" into the system to row bancwidth. This means that the trap Development work started with
become part of the overall 40-mcter capacitor should have a high Q and the Micrometals Corporation T50-6 toroids,
dipole. Owing to the loading effect of the trap coil should contain wire that is which are sold by Amidon Associates,
traps, the 40-meter portion of the antenna reasonably large in cross section. These Palomar Engineers and RadioKit (sec
will be somewhat shorter ihan a full-size traits will help to reduce losses. QST advertisements). My first effori
40-mcter dipole with no [raps. The anten- Fig. 2 shows the equivalent circuit for resulted in a pair of very small 20-meter
na bandwidth will be narrower when iraps an antenna irap. Once this network is ad- traps. A silver-rruea capacitor was chosen
are used. Fig. illustrates the general for- justed to resonance in the desired part of foi the parallel-tuned circuit. Ceramic
mat multiband dipole.
for a an amateur band, it will net be affected capacitors were not used because of
Atrap style of antenna is not as effi- significartly by the attachment of the previous experiences had with changes in
1
cient as a full-size dipole. This is necause wires that comprise the antenna. A well- value under temperature extremes; 1 had
there will always be some losses in the designed and -constructed t rap should not better results with dipped silver-mica
traps. But the tosses in a well-designed change frequency by any great amount units.
system are usually so low that tiey arc when the temperature or huriidity around My rule of thumb lor choosing the cofl
hard to measure by simple mean?. The it varies. Therefore, it is important to use and capaciior values for traps is based on
was used: A partial turn is not convenient ment until the dip is barely discernible (the used aquarium cement. Finally, place
on a toroid form. minimum coupling point). Monitor ine epoxy glue on the remaining end plug and
The same procedure was used for the dip-meter signal on a calibrated receiver to insert il in the PVC coupling. Allow the
remaining naps iu my antenna. This arti- learn the resonant frequency of the trap. trap to set for 48 hours, until the sealant
cle is not a course in basic math, but the Select a part of the related amateur has hardened. Fig. 7 is a photograph of a
equations can be Ufeful to those who hive band for trap resonance. I adjust my traps mini trap, along with a dipole center in-
not previously designed resonant circuits for the center of the frequency spread 1 sulator made from a PVC T-coupling.
or used toroidal cores. am most For exarrple, set
interested in. 1 The cot-pling is filled with sealant after the
my 20-meter iraps for resonance at 14.025 wires aie soldered to the ccaxial feed line.
Toroidal-Trap Adjustment
MHz because 1 work only cw from 14.000 Long plugs arc used to close the three
best to use the largest size wire that
It's to 14.050 MHz. For phone-band open ends of the T connector. A closed
will easily on the toroid core. The stiff-
fit coverage, I'd pick 14.275 MHz a; the trap nylon loop, made from sirong spaghetti
ness of ihc heavier magnet wire will help frequency. A
compromise frequency for tubing, was fed through two small holes
to keep) the coil mrns in place, thereby phone and cw operation would be 14.100 at the lop of the T-coupling to permit
minimizing detuning. used no. 24 I
MHz. Owing to the trap Q. coverage ol'an erecting the dipole as an inverted V. A
enameled wire. entire band is not possible without having small eye bolt and nut ceuld have been
Thr mparitflr l«d< Aiid ooil "pigtails" an SWR of 2:1 nrgnwiPrat the band-edge used instead.
should be kept as siort as possible. Fig. 3 extremes. The absolute bandwidth will de- There was a minor downward shift in
illustrates the layout I used. The leads at pend on the trap Q and the Q of the trap resonance after the sealant hardened.
each end of the mica capacitor are antenna itself. Both 20-meter traps shifted roughly 30
soldered to the related coil leads before If the trap not on the desired frequen-
is kHz lower. No doubt this was caused by
final adjustment is made. cy, move the turns of the toroid coil far- increased distributed capacitance across
A dip meter can be used to determine ther apart to raise the frequency. Push Ihe coil turns with the sealant in place.
Ihe resonant frcqicncy of the trap, as them closer together to lower the frequen-
shown in Pig. 4. Although d pruiniiuni cy. An alternative inctliud foi finding the
feature of a toroidal coil is the sclf- trap resonance is shown in Fig. 5. The 'Notes Eppear at end ol article.
Trap Performance
Both slylcs of trap were subjected to rf
power tcsis tu duct mine whether :hcy
could handle the output of a typical
• INCHESf'l.25.0
150-W class transceiver. A Bird wattmeter
was connected between the trap and the
Fig. 6 — Breakaway view of a toroidal mini trap. The knots in the wire prevent stress on the tuned
transmitter. A 50-ohtn dummy load was
circuit.
attached to the opposite end of the trap.
Next, 40- and 80-meicr rf energy was ap-
plied (in separate tests) gradually while
observing the reflected power, which of
This seemed to have no effect on the trap form, and the inner conductor at one end
is attached to the outer conductor at the
course was not conducive to providing an
quality; it had a measured parallel
resistance of 25 kfl before and after en- opposite end. The distributed capacitance
SWR of 1:1 Witt the trap in the ine.
Neither trap showed signs of heatini or
capsulation (using the laboiatory RX of the two conductors a id the inductance
Generally, anything of the coil combine to provide a resonant breakdown at power levels up lo 150 W. A
meter for tests).
greater than 10 kfi is suitable for an circuit.An acceptable Q results, and the key-down period cf five minutes was iricd
trap can accommodate considerable rf during the tests, using a linear amplifier
antenna trap.
voltage and current without being dam- adjusted for 150-W output. Still no sign
Mini Coaxial-Cable Traps aged A parallel resistance of 50 kfl was of power limitation. The SWR did not
change under these conditions. did not
Two very interesting articles concerning measured for the 20-me:cr trap of Fig. 8. I
amentia traps appeared in the amateur The bandwidth at the 10 kfl points was advance Ihe power beyond 150 W, bu: it's
somewhat greater than with the toroidal safe to conclude that the coaxial-cable
literature during 1981." After reading
them a second time. I decided to attempt trap. trap could sustain substantially norc
building some traps along the lines
power without damage. This may net be
Coaxial-Trap Assembly true of the toroidal trap. 1 lacked the
discussed h those articles. Seme advan-
found 5/8-inch-OD PVC plumbing courage to hnd out!
tages over the usual coil/eapac tor style of I
trap were described by the authors: (1) pipe to be an acceptable and low-cost
Toward a Lightweight Dipole
The traps were not especially frequency- material for the coaxial traps. End plugs
sensitive tc changes in temperature and made from 1/2-inch wooden dowel fit Having solved the problem
of
climate; (2) the coaxial trap offers greater snugly inside the PVC pipe. The com- lightweight, small traps about the
I set
effective bandwidth; and (3) parallel pleted trap contains a l:ngth of bus wire task of reducing the bulk of the remainder
resistance i; quite high — on the order of inside it for connecting the braid and of my multiband dipole. I am a dedicated
50 kO. center conductor of the cable loe^'her, as mieer, so the cost of materials was ar im-
The article!; under discussion contained discLS-sed earlier. The ends of the bus wire porianl factor in the selection of wire and
practical information about the use of and *.he related cable ends arc routed out- end insulators. recalled a type of wire I
1
RG-58/U end RG-8/U cable for the trap side the PVC tubing through small holes, had used on a number of DXpeditior.s: It
coils. 1 wanted a small, lightweight trap, then soldered. Aquarium cement was was strong and light in weight, and the
so elected to sec what could be done with again used, this time to seal the six small price was right! This wire is available from
miniature cable —
RG-174/U. A com- holei drilled in the tubiig. Epoxy cement Radio Shack and limilar outlets for u>e as
pleted mini coaxial trap for 20 meters is was applied to the sides of the wooden speaker cable. It has a clear plastic outer
shown in l*ig. 8. plug; before inserting Into the
them covering, cimiaima uo. 22 tuuduitui
The principle of operation is covered tubing. A
layer of vinyl electrical tape can (two each) and ccsts less than 55 pel 100
well by O'Scil (note 2). Since this article be Wound over the coauial coil if desired, feet. Hence, for this price we end up with
deals with the practical aspects of traps, although this should not be necessary. If 200 feel of -wire (less than 2.5 cent? per
we won't delve into the electrical weather protection is desired, a coating of foot); the parallel conductors can be
characterises of the coaxial trap loo e.xtetior polyurethane varnish can be ap- pulled apart easily without harming the
deeply. However, a diagram showing how plied to the completed close-wound coil. outer insulation. In addition to the insula-
it is hooked up is offered in Fin. 9B. A This will keep the turns affixed in the tion aiding the strength of the wire por-
length of coaxial line is wound on a coil desited position after final adjustment. tions of the antenna, it protect s the copper
ANT. WIRE
if - wesecn
mWTEIIMm.}
2C u ««•
a *
ro
Pica CENTER
-f i ttlCMES!") . 2J.4
Ftp,,7 —
View o* a loroidal mini irap. an en-
capsulated toroid and i PVC T-coupling lot ise
TO *%T WIFE
ja a center insulator. RG-SoiU caoie is shown
h this example (see text).
TO a»IT *»»L
tni
Fig.9 —At A is a breakaway view o1 a coaxial trap. The llhslrallon at B shows 1h© olec-ldcal con-
nections for a coaxial nap.
put to trie cable would result in an antenna a coaxial-irap dipole I built for JSC from
feed-point power of 63 W. RG-58/U. on 40 through ID meters, compared to the
Note*
the other hand, would have a 1-dB loss at length of a full dipole (I00°/o) for each mm = X 25.4; m = ft X 03048.
29 MHz, which would mean an antenna band: 10 meters —
100 /o; 15 meters — 'G.
in.
O'Nril. "TrappinR ibe Myitcrics of Trapped
feed-point power of 79.4 W. This is rot 92.4%; 20 meters —
88.8%; 40 meters — Amentias." Horn Radio, Oct.
•R. Johiu, "Coaxbl Catite
1981. p. 10.
Amcina Imps," QST.
too significant when operating in the 83.6%. The shortening becomes more May IUI. p. 15.
A Portable Vertical-Antenna
ount
Need a temporary, good-performing antenna? The mounting
technique described here makes for quick installation of a
multiband vertical with a minimum of fuss!
By Guy Black. W4PSJ
1201 Woodside Dr
Winchester, VA 22601
Light, uncomplicated and easily trans- along a sledgehammer! board won't break when the mast-support
ported nultiband verticals have many hardware tightened. Slip the scciion of
is
Materials plastic pipeover the vertical-antenna mount,
possibilities.
My antenna came with a 22-inch Theparts for my portable base are a insert the pipe and antenna mount in the
aluminum ground stake. With care, ii is 1 x 1-fuul metal plate (an old rack panel rotator ma.ii support, and lighten ihe
possible to drive this stake into the ground works fine), the lower mast-support casting mounting clamps.
repeatedly and without damage by using a frcm a rotator (with its hardware), a The section of plastic water pipe is neces-
short (one foot or more) section of TV 7-hch-diametcr disc of copper-clad PC sary'when using this mounting arrangement
board, five 6-foot-long 1 x I -inch hard- with a Butterr.ut vertical, because the
masting, which fits nicely over the base
insulator, as a driver. Unfortunately, doing wood stakes from a garden supply store, minimum diameter the clamps wil, grasp
this requiresihe availability of a small a 1 x 12-inch strip of thin hobby brass, exceeds the one-inch OD
of Buttenur.'s base
sledgehammer (or a large one, depending a chassis-mount SO- 239 connector and z insulator. Other antennas may not require
on the ground!). 6-inch length or 1-Inch ID plastic waiei the plastic pipe accuuu.
Another approach is to use a portable pipe. A few nuts, bolts, spade lugs. Part of the one-inch- wide brass ilrap is
paragraph.) This brass piece should be With the Butternut HF2V erected on :he
about I x inches, with a 5/8-inch hole The Radials portable mount in my back
yard, tune-up
near one end. and fpui no. 32 holes for use the portable vertical -antenna mount
1 went smoothly. Tht antenna has an S WR
no. 4-411 mounting hardware around the with ten 50-foot radials, each spaced 36° of less than 2: across the 40-meter band,
1
5/S-inch hole. This hole is for mounting the apart cn the ground. By unrig flanged, sol- and over the selected 30 kHz of 75 meters.
SO-239 feed-point connector. Put a 90° dcrlcssspade lugs (Waldon DS-1083) it is Switching back and forth between the port-
bend in the brass piece about V* nch from not necessary to remove the nuts on the able vertical and my permanently installed
the end opposite the SO-239 mounting machine screws to connect the radials. The vertical (also an HF2V, but with a larger
hole. Mount the connector using no. 4-40 outer ends of the radials are held down by radial field) I found little difference in
hardware, and solder the Vt -inch section of bricks. (Bricks aren't needed to hold down received signal strength. had the same
I
ihfi hrass strip ro the disc of ?C-board the radial wires if rocks or tome other suita- good results working DX on both anten-
material so lhat rhe SO-239 faces away ble weights are available.) nas. A 100-foot-sqt.are area is needed for
from the antenna and clears .he hard- The fifth hardwood .stake is used in lin- the ground radials If the antenna is put up
wood stake (see Fig Connect the shortest
1 ). ing up the radials (it also serves as a spare be bent or
as described, but the radials can
practical len»th of no. 14 wire from the mounting-plate stabilizer). Paint a mark on shortened if necessary-
SO-239 to the feed-point connection of the each radial wire, 9 feet 5 inches from the This antenna is so easy to put up and
vertical. machine-screw connection point (nail pol- lake down that it can be erected for just
Assemble the vertical according to ihe ish works fine for this). At that distance a few days' use. For easy transportation.
manufacturer's instructions, and install it from t ie casting, uniformly space the radi- I use the antenna's original bn-inch-lcng
on the mount. I'm not sure how much wind als 36° apart by laying the spare six-foot shipping carton to carry' 'he antenna and
force the portable vertical antenia system stake between the painted marks on adja- Ihe stakes, and a two-gallon milk crate for
can handle, so when I use it 1 weight down cent radial wires. This makes for a neat lay- base plate and hardware. All
Ihe radials,
the stabilizer stakes with bags of garden out with a mimimum of fuss. Installation Ihecomponents of a handy and effective
stone, one of which can be seen in the up- is easier if the radial wires are coiled up portable antenna system are in iwq
per right comer of Fig 1. An easier (and from the brick end (so thai the connection packages, ready to go. and my throwing
lighter) solution is to guy the antenna with arm doesn't even get a workout!
According to The ARRL Antenna extended double Zepp iEDZ) antenna.- 12-meter band. Fig 3 shows its eonfigjra-
Bock, Zepp—shorr for Zeppelin— This interested me because I have always lion.I decided to cut mine for 24.950 MHz.
is a term long applied 10 just about been intrigued by "old-fashioned" wire Each EDZ clement is 25 feel, 3 inches long,
any resonan: antenna end-fed by a two-wire antennas— and because the old-fashioned and consists of nx 14 stranded copper
transmission line.' A bit further on in the extended double Zcpp's 3-dB gain over a wire. The antenna elements arc center-fed
Antenna Bcok. there's a discussion of the half-wave dipole would provide per- by a short matching section made of a
formance quite suitable fjr modern times! 5-fool, 5-incii length of 450-Q open-wire
The EDZ antenna consists of two collinea.r line. Connection to 52-fl coaxial feed line
'Notes appear at end of article.
0.64-X elements fed in phase. Fig shows
1 is made by mean< of a 1:1 balun trans-
current distribmion in an EDZ. and Fig 2 former. My EDZ strung between two
is
designed and built an EDZ antenna for the but have not seen this matching method
I
25' » J"
Fig 1— The extended double Zepp antenna
consisis ot two 0.O4-A olumunts tad in
phase-
7
NO 14 STRANDED
COPPER WIRE
ro r<
along the 0M80 B line, and the antennas ate mounted 35 (eel
above average earth. The phased EDZs exhibit nearly 5 d8 gain
over a sirgle EOZ. This is 7 to 8 dB gain over a half-wave dipole.
Beamwidth of ihe two-EDZ array is 30A The antenna axis is the
same for Ihe singlo EDZ and oolh EDZs in the phased array. The
two-EDZ configuration characterized here is an end-fire array
because maximum radiation occurs along its axis.
90
elsewhere. 1 The open- wire-line matching nylon rope to haul the array up between somewhat clumsy because the combined
section is 52 electrical degrees long (0.145 X). two trees. This antenna system works well, length of the phasing lines is greater lhan
The matching section transforms the EDZ's but poor propagation has precluded a the spacing between the EDZs. The feed
input impedance to about 55 ohim, as thorough try-out so far. The contacts I have method shown in Fig 7 should be easier to
measured wiih a noise bridge. The had with it nave been entirely satisfactory. buile because the combined length of the
matching section dimension given in Fig 3 The matching method shown in Tig 6 is phasing lines equals ihe spacing between
assumes a velocity factor of 0.95 foi the
450-n line.
Conclusion
PHASING LINES, If the extended double Zepp has caught
EACH 2' 5-1/2" LONG
«'l/
your attention, but 12 meters hasn't, you
;an scale the linear dimensions given here
for other bands of interest Once your EDZ
.
CI.OSFO s*ua
s" lONQ
Notes
1.1 BALUN
'TheARRL Antenna Bcok, J. Hall, ed. (Newington:
ARHL, 19S4). p 5-4.
52 -A CC6X . ANY LENGTH iJhe AftRL Antenna Book, p 6-8.
aK7KGP's matching technique is a "roinventicn of
I live in an apartment. Because of this, length anc attached them to the feed line, 14% shorter than the calculated length.
I'm limited in th: size and type of antenna one to Ihcshicld braid and the other to the Thi< probably due to the proximity of the
is
I can install for use on HF. After trying center conductor. Using my transmitter
and antenna lo the apartment ceiling and the —
end-fed random wires, loops, mobile SWR meter, I pruned the dipole ends fact that I had to install the antenna around
verticals, rain gutters and so on, I designed equally until I obtained the lowest possible the perimeierof a square room, almost like
a multiband dipole antenna that requires SWR at 21 MHz. (Caution: Trim the a loop!
no tuning after installation. It's incon- antenna wires only when the transmitter Careful pruning of the antenna for my
spicuous, non-hazardous and efficient. I is off.) favorite band segments paid off: An
used the following materials to construct At this point, the clip leacs come into antenna tuner is unnecessary on all of the
it: one PL-259 connector; 12 feet of 'Mini play. To
get the antenna ip and run- antenna's four bands. With the addition of
8" coaxial cablc-i two uylon vault tics, ning on 14 MHz, follow ihij procedure; Dqvs DeMaw's "AC Outlet Strip with
approximately 45 of no. 22 insulated,
feet (1) Attach a clip lead to the end of the Filtering" (December 1986 QST, pages
solid copper wire; six test leads with 15-meter c'ipole; (2) calculate :he length of 25-27), I eliminated TVI and RF1 from my
alligator clips; 26 thumbtacks; and an SWR (he legs of a 14-MHz dipole; (3) add station.
bridge.The antenna was installed in less enough wire to each clip lead /dipole leg to —Larry A. Barry, NV5I, 5903 Danny
than two hours. bring the total length of the each 14-MHz Kaye MI30H, San Antonio, TX 78240
After attaching the PL-259 lo the coaxial dipole leg to the length calculated in
cable. I wound 6 fect of the coax into a step 2; and (4) prune the added wire for
tight coil and held this winding together minimum SWR at the 14-MHz design fre-
with two nylon cable ties. The result is a quency wiih the aid of the traismitter and
shield-choke balun at the point where the SWR bridge. Continue this procedure to
antenna elements attach to the cable. 1 add additional clip leads and wire segments An antenna similar to Larry's has boon in use at
Using the formula f (feet) = 234 for 10 and 7 MHz. 1 used the thumbtacks AK7M tor several years. I use alligator clips
f(MHz). I calculated the length of wire to secure the wire pieces and test leads to instead of lest leads, an-1 my antenna's wire
sactons are held away iron the plasterboard by
necessary for each leg of a half-wave dipole the plasterboard ceiling of my apartment. nvioi cable ties and thumbacks. 1 can't complain
at 21 .1 MHz. Next. cut two wires to this
1 Fig6shows theconfigurationof the entire bout its performance: I've worked plenty ot DX
antenna in linear form. on 30, 20 and 15 meters running just 20 out- W
put. Moral: All's not lost rl you live in an apart-
'Sea BobSchelgen. "Shield Chokas tof Coaxial In my iastallation, the actual length of ment: Just keep plugging away with Thai HamOW
Cable," OSr. Mar 1988. p 41. the dipole legs for a given band is about Spirtl-AK7M
f
— *o « i
- 30 V —
-, . 20 U p.
13 u
TO T<
Fig 6— Larry Barry's multiband dipole mates crafty use ol clip leads and thumbtacks to sluff hall-wave dipoles lor 15, 20, 30 and
40 motors Into cramped apartment space. Changing bancs entails only the connection or disconnection ol clip leads. This drawing shows
a straight dipolo: Larry's anlonna 1c Bom into a cquaro but worko jus! lino. Sod toxt.
OBP C)ass)cs m
Fmm April 1989 OST. p 38:
Active Filters
Why not build one of these nifty filters or use the design
information to customize your own!
By Alan Bloom,' N1AL
What is an active Filler? Well, wha' is a Hand-slop filler. capacitance) active filters are especially
filler". We generally consider a filler in be useful at low audio frequencies where the
any circuit desigiud to attenuate sonic fre- large inductances needed for LC filters
quencies more than others. A high-pass beconc impractical.
filler passes high frequencies with little at- Rl
tenuation while providing grcaier artcnua- INPUT O -AAAh Band-Pass RC Active Filters
lion to the lower frequencies. See Fig. IA. Yoj ran make an RC titter without any
The cutofffrequency aTi hiEh^pass filter active devices. Look at Fig. 2. Ai high fre-
is the lowest frequency that passes with "l quencies, most of the sigial is .shorted out
relatively little attenuation. The region by CI. At low frequencies, most of the
above the cutoff frequency is the pass- signalis blocked by C2. Thus the circuit
tnmd. and the region of high attenuation of Kin ? i? n hnnH-pnss filter The limita-
is the siopbaml. A low-pass filler his its Fig. 2 — A passive RC band-pass I Iter Maxi- tion i> that the maximum Q possible with
passband below the cutoff frequency and mum Q obtainable is only U2 this ivpe of
only 1/2.
filter is
ii> stopband above. A hand-pass filler has Those familiar with Q-muhipliers or
two StOpbandS —
one above and one regenerative detectors may recall that one
below the passband, and a hand-stop way io increase the Q
of a tuned circuit is
fillet has a stophand between a pair of to introduce a little positive feedback
passbands. See Kit:. IB. around it. (If you apply too much feed-
An vtiivtr filler is simply a filler thai back, Ihv circuit will usiillan.-.) The .same
uses an active device to improve the luck Hoiks foi an RC bandpass filler. Sec-
attenuation characteristics. Thai Fig. 3. Here R3 has. been added to couple
Q- multiplier in your old receiver i* an in he signal. You can use a number of dif-
I
early type of active filter. While most ac- ferent resistor and capacitor values to
tive fillers these days use operational achieve ihe desired filter characteristics,
amplifiers (op amps),' you can make some but for simplicity w« usually make the two
type of active filter with almost any device capacitor values ihc same and also let KI
that has power gam. = R2 = R3.
Let's say wc want a -kHz band-pass
RC Active Filters Fig. 3 —
An active RC band-pass lilter. To fiber with a 3-dB bandwidth of 600 Hz,
quite possible io design active filters design a lille' using this Circuit, make all ihe
It's
nequency-iieiCf mining resistors and
The bandwidth is just ihc center frequen-
using coils. We've already mentioned the capacitors equal: R1 = R2 = R3andCt = cy divided by the Q so wc have B = r„/Q
antediluvian Q
-multiplier as one example. C2. Choose a convenienl value tor C and then or a r,/B = IOO0/603 = 1.67. So tis-
R = /2J)2 n CfJ. where R -s in kSl, C <s In ,,F.
ing in.* equations from Fig. 3, R5/R4 = 3
and -s in MU. Q = t„IQ, wnare Bis Ihe 3-dB
•1578 Los Alamos
i
Banc w (din in k H? H4 and R5 UCIC-'mine the O: - ( vT/1.6?) = 2.15. The actual value?,
Santa Rosa. CA 95401
fld,
R5/R4 = 3 -(v/2X)| The voltage gam is of these resistors arc nol oo important —
'Notes appear at erd ol article. 2<V2 -1. it's the ratio of the two that determines
*V AA/ ,
t9V
/V\A
3.3 k
iHP'jr
Fig 4 — A practical audio ii»f>r is snown at A. nasftd nn in? cles>Q'' m
Fig. 3. Tic Q can be varied
.
FBEQUfNC * ( hH(l
1 j 7
Fg. 7 —
A practical tara-oass MUM lhat tunes
-10
4 from 350 lo 2000 Hz.
I he
That R5
Quid gain. Lci'Sch«oscR4 = 15 k0.
= 2.15 x 15 kll = U kii. (if
m
U
U
B
3
i-
3
t K5-
cuii
rcsisior
c\act
K I
htcumwi an
= 3.
Fig,
[lie
Tn
and the cii
allow for
s
-20 range, the effective values of K4 anil R5
u arc 15 kii ami }1 kii respectively, es
>
disiivd. Ncai. choose a value lor K or C.
_j
tu
Let's lei C = 0.01 uF. (All of llie fur-
K nailas in this article cspress capacitance in
microfarad?., resistance in kilohms, and
frequency in kifohert/-) Then *
- SZCnCfJ - or about 22 kP.
22,5 kfl
-30
5 shows the measured frequency
Jose iif (he eireuii in Tig. 4A. You can
Fig 5 — Mcnsu ed frequency response ol the llllM o' Fiy. 4A The center tioquen;y and band- oi lower ilie Q hy adjusting the
width art not exactly as orediclcd because of componeni tuiurances. potentiometer. If you want to rune tlis
A
/\
- -io
a
lu
a
V J—
J
Bp \
<
|u
F.g 13 A bOUHz band-pate hilar Calculalad
|-M • gam
is 2C0 and Ino Q <S 10. giving a
-1
LU
bandwidth of 5 kHz Si nee a standard 74t op
a amp docs not work wen above 10 kHz, a Ingh-
1 slew-rale version 15 used Todesign lor olhor
Ifequeicies. '"'ji c^owf a value for CI. then
R2 = 3B/|2nCHc2), where G3 is the gain-
bandwidth product ol ",no opamo (1000 kHz lor
a 74 1 or 7d 1S|. Choose us ng = or U8
= G'n'GB. Then
-JO
B2(a
"
1 > i '5
Fip 8 — Measureo lequency response ol ihe circuit ol Fiq. 7 to* three setlmgs of tne poten-
Tfifl highest possiDIo Q is GB'I
QGBH
and the
tiometer mgnest passible gam is
P2
SOII'UT
sout y 05
O L^V"
CIS
r-
ur
r~i ^ *-
Fiq. 9 —
A low-pass active ItllSt Fc* yxMl .** 1 Fig 11 — A lighpasstiller For fa«ly narrow Fig. la —
A bamj pasi LC active hilar. = O
Iban Q " ' pass lillcr hut. a m'Jli <0 the
1 1 tomJ wdth h 0|. the
(hiq Q
o' a *»i<jr» past liltoi l 'Q. Choose a convontenl vjluo Id Lt. Ihi>«
u
frequency response similar lo thai o' a band- is uuO'G'imaiuly l„'B. R2'R1 = 2 - WO). For ; I
i
given value of C (CI = C2l. R3 = W = the same units used in the previous examples.
where LI <s m heniys and Cl is tn u? R3 =
1J|2nl Cl. where R is in kfi. C >$ m if and
, l is The gam at f, is 30 - 1
in kHz. The gam at f„ is 30 - I. OX, where X is the inductive or capacitive re-
actance m Ml |X m 2if L). The gain is 1 +
R?/Rl R2/R1 = R&RA Rd includes the losses
in LI.
C!
liliL't Q. you would
"iihtiui changiiiB ihc
II
PS need gauged pw'tfiiiionicters tu
rhrtL'
|
AA> i
paMband liming!" eirvuii of Rg, 7. Fig, 8 indicates Hie ganged poteiiliamcias ai R3 and R4. The
To design one ul' ihcso fillers. >ou first measured ficquency respu-rse lor ihe cir- Q can be adjusted by inserting a poten-
choose the bandwidth (B), gain |G) ami euii. If your calculation* give you a tiometer between R and R2 as in Fig. 4A.
I
the lowest aiK highest frequencies lo he negative * aluc for R3, hen your lower fre-
i While it's not as easy to tune, ihe circuit
tuned (finj„, flluv ). Lei's bay you wain in quency ti nil is ino low or y.iui gain is too
i of Fig. 10 has bfiltfl stability than that nf
tunc 350 iv 2090 H-- (0.35 kHz 2 kHz) m high. Chno.se new values and recalculate. t'ii. 9. h\» high \ahKs of Q. Ihe gain an.l
wtili a bandwidth oX 150 H/. (0.15 kHz) Qui* iliy lattei Changy markedly
filler will
an J a gain of one. Again we'll choose 0.01 Low -Pass RC Active Fillers
for small changes
eny of (lie resistor or
in
jiF for i he capacitor value. From ihe for- If you need attenuation of higher fre- capacitor values. If you need only a fixed-
mulas in Tig. ft. R2 = 1/ (n x 0.13 X quencies only (such as adjacent-channel luqueney filter, the one in Fig. 10 is a bcl-
0.01) = 212 Rl = 106 kfl and ihe v.li Interference), a low-pass filler will fill tet choice.
without
like eoils.
that
coils.
you can build high-CP
you can
On ilie
still
other hand,
use (hem
fillers
if you
in active
/ N V
filler
Fig.
designs, In fact, this will Sometimes
result in a mote stable and reliable eirvuil.
14
filler circuit
is an example. This band-pass
increases the effective
the coil by mean*- of positive feedback
of
—
n
-10
/
I
1
\
W I
through R5. You can set the Q by ad- a
3 I
juslint: R3. In (his circuit, changing the i- I
_j
bandwidth docs not alter the gain. When a.
X
properly adjusted, this more stable
\
Filter is
A Simple, High-Performance
CW Filter
By Ed Wetherhold, W3NON
1426 Cattyn PI
Annapolis. MD 21407
This inductor-capacitor CW filler uses narrow enough to give good selectivity, and way the filter sees a load impedance of 230
one s.iack of ihe rami liar 88-mH inductors yet broad enough for easy tuning with no ohms. This design was selected so that only
and two 44-mH inductors in a five- ringing. Five high-Q resonator circuits oneiurn needs to be removed from both
resonator circuit that gives high p;rfor- provide gcod skirt selectivity that is equal windings of a standard 44-mH inductor to
mance at low cost. The center frequency to or better lhan most commercial active give the required L2 ard L4 values.
isfixed at 750 Hz because most transceivers filters costing more lhan SfO. In com-
use this sidetone frequency, but sidetoncs parison, iris CW niter can be built for less Const ruction
between 700 anc 800 Hz can be received lhan $15. Simple construction, low cost and Fig 2 is diagram showing the
a pictorial
with less than dB attenuation relative to
I
good performance make this filter an ideal filter wiring. Note the 44-mH lead connec-
the center frequency. Ed Wetheihold, first project for anyone interested in putting tion, as well as the connections between the
W3NQN.I designed and built the filler together a useful station accessory. capacitor leads, the 88-rnH stack terminals
presented here. The author can provide and ;hc 44-mH inductor leads. Fig 3 shows
parts for this procct at nominal cost. Write Design
r lie finished filter installed in an aluminum
E. E. Wetherhold. W3NQN. 1426 Catlyn Fig 1 shows the filler schematic diagram box. Before heginn ing crtmirurrion obtain ,
Place. Annapolis, MD
21401 for more and component values. These values were one 88-mH five-inducior slack with a
information. If you need a design for a selected for a center frequency or 750 Hz mounting clip and two 44-mH inductors,
different center frequency, the author can and for a filter impedance level of 230 and then follow sieps to 5. I
provide that as well. Be sure to include a ohms. The filter sees a 230-ohm source 1) Remove one turn from each of the two
self-addressed, stamped 9'/:- x 4-inch impedance consisting of the 200-ohm wincings of one 44-mH inductor to get
envelope with your request. source (transformed from K ohms), a 43.5 mH (total turns removed is two).
One feature rjf this niter is a 3-dB 22-ohm transformer winding resistance and Carefully scrape off the film insulation and
bandwidth of 236 Hz. This bandxvidih is on 8-ohm indueior resistance. In a similar coilLCCt ihe siau lead (yilh sleeve) wf one
J»
V
:
Fig 1—Schemalic diagram ot 750-Hz CW filter. Use 1% tolerance capacitors for best results.
Cl.C5— 0.512 «F capacitor. L2. L4—435 mH loroid (modifiac 44-mH Ri-Zero to 220-ohm, frW, 10% resistor
C2.C4— 1.036 uF capacitor. toroid. ses loxi). (see text).
C3— 170.7 nF capacitor. L3-264-mH loroid (pari of loroid stack, see S1— DPOT switch.
Ji— Phone Jack. 0' |ack lo maich your read- 10X1). Tl, T2—8-ohm lo 200-ohm impedance-
phones. Pl_Phnna plug, or plug lo match youf malrhinfj nanclnrmot.
Ll. L5—88-mH loioid (pari of foroid Stack, see receiver.
10X1).
shown in Fig 2. Do ihc same for Ihe second Node-to-Node Resistances for the CW Audio Filter
14-mH inductor. Nodes Components Resistance
2) Fatten both of tlw43.5-mH inductor* Prom To {ohms)
to opposite ends of the 88-mH slack us ng 1 GNO Tl hi-Z winding 12
:lcarsiliconc-rubber sealant, available from 2 GNO L1 and Vi L2 10
most hardware stores. 3 GNO L2 A
4 GNO V: L2 2
3) Position the 43.5-mH inductors so
& GND L3 and Vi LA 26
their leads can be easily connected to he 6 GNO Vt LA 2
rest of Ihe circuit. Solder tlte capacitor leads 7 GNO L4
to the stack terminals as shown in Fig 2.
8 GNO L5 and Vi L4 $
A) Obtain a suitable box and make hclcs
9 GND T2 hi-Z windtno )2
2 4 L1 6
lor the inductor mounting clip, the DPDT 5 6 13 24
switch, and the phone jack and phone cord. 6 8 LS 8
2 3 LI and V> L2 10
First, install matching transformers Tl and
8 7 LS and V> 14 10
T2 and the inductoi stack with capacitors.
Fasten Che transformers (with leads point- Notes
ing up) to the bottom of the box with See Fiqs and 2 lor the liller node locations.
1) 1
X 5/16-inch screw;. Instead of the 8x3 Model 630) that has a scale center of about 5 ohms on ihs x 1 obmmeter range.
x 2 J,4-tnch aluminum box shown in Fie 3
(Mouscr Slock No. 537-CR-8O0), a snail
cardboard box may be used io minimize
tost. pedance (within 10 percent of 2X1 ohms). appear- io be the same with the filter in or
5) Complete che wiring of the trans- out of the circuit.
Performance
formers, the DPDT switch with resistor Rl, More than 700 hams have constructed
and the phone jack and phone plug. Then The measured 30-dB and 3-dB band- this fiv :*rcsonator filler (using either the
check he correctness of your wiring by
i
widths are atom 51 1 and 235 Hi, respec- 2-stackor the newer I-siac< arrangement)
measuring and comparing the filter noic- tively, and the 30-dB/3-dB shape factor is and many have commented on its excellent
to-node resistances win the values listed in 2.17. This factor can be used to compare performance and lack of h ss and ringing.
Fable 1 the performance of this wiih others.
filter
The measured 7 50 Hz is
insertion loss at
Installation References
lcv» Hum 3 iB and is typical uf passive
Tl and T2 match ihe liller to the receiver filters of this type. This smal loss is
Wetlieraold, "Modern Design of a CW
Filter using and 44-mH Surplus
88-
low-impcdancc audio output and to an compensated by slightly increasing the
receiver audio gain. Kl helps to maintain Inductors," QST, Dee. 980 and Feed-
5-ohm headset or speaker. If your headset
back. QST, Jan. 1981, p. 43.
is high mpedance. T2 may he omitted. In
i
a constant audio level when ihe filter is
ihis case, connect .» I0°o, V\ W resis:or switched out of ihc circuit. The correct Wetlienolcl. "High Performance CW
from node 9 (C5 output lead) to ground. value of R for your audio system should
I
Filler," rYflfri Radio, Apr 1981.
Choose the resistoi value so the parallel be determined by experiment. Start with a Radio Handbook, 23rd ediiion, W. Orr,
combination of ihc headset and resistor short circuit for Rl and (hen gradually cdU. Howard W. Sams & Co. 1987
gives the correct liter termination im- increase the resistance until the audio level (1-Stack CW Filter), p. 13-4.
affordable price. One example b the crystal loaded-Q factor is the reciprocal of die quencies. The error ( frequency di fference)
filter— the heart of any superheterodyne coupling coefficient. The practical simplifi- slould be less than of the desind Wo
receiver or transmitter. cation becomes apparent if we examine the hanHwirilh of the fi ler. For example. a
Inexpensive crystals arc readily available. generalised crystal filter circuit shown in liter with a I -kHz bandwidth should use
They should be characterized and matched Fig 1. All capacitors in the circuit are of crystals matched to within 100 Hz or better.
for frequency prior to use in a typical equal value! The shunt capacitors are 2) Pick a capacitance value to be used in
crystal filter. Methods for building the coupling elements while the scries capaci- the filler. The capacilance IC) value deter-
needed test equpmeni and performing the tors in tie filter end sections arc included mines the filler bandwidth. Larger C values
measurements have been presented be- to properly tune the circuit. yield narrower bandwidth and higher
fore.' These methods arc, unfortunately, insertion loss.
somewhat complicated for the cmual Practical Cohn Crystal Filters 3) Vary the end icrminaiions 10 obtain
experimenter who may hesitate to construct An empirical method tlisi the amateur a shape that is free of passband ripple while
its name from its originator, and differs AVL CRYSTALS -(AVE THS SAME
RESONANT raEQ.jENC.
tram (lie more familiar Buttorwcrth and
Cltebyshev circuits. The Btittcrworth band-
Fig 1-Gfrneralized crystal tiller suitable for ernptiical construction
pass filter is built for optimum fatness at
ihe filter center. The Chebyshcv design
allows equal passband ripples, and is
designed for the best stopband attenuation
(steepest skirt response). The Cohn filter r ye *3
c c '
is a compromise: It is optimized to exhibit
minimum Insertion loss when bult with Di- i<
Notes appear a: end of article. Fig 2—A simple CW filler using three crystals.
shown,
If different crystals are used, the same
bandwidth can be obtained, within
si ill
CW Filters
Four different batches of crystals
were used for the CW filters. The
crystal sources were identifiable, and
the relative quality of each batch was
determined. Four filters were
constructed (Fig A). With the
exception of the crystals used in each
other crystal batches. 8:5 transformer is used for impedance resistors were used to adjust the
The crystals used in filter no. 2 matching. The crystals are terminating impedance of filter nos. 1
were selected from an assortment of microprocessor types purchased from through 3. These resistors introduce
Ion 4.000-MH; microprocessor units Jameco fcieciromcs J at a cost ot louden. In piauilce, each filter would
purchased from JAN Crystals.' These approximately St each. Of 12 crystals be coupled to its associated circuitry
crystals were frequency matched purchased, only 10 were suitable for through matching transformers, not
within 40 Hz. The crystals cost filler US3, The filter response is shown resistors.
approximately S3 each. in photo G. Filter no. 1 exhibits an extremely
Filter no. 3 uses crystals selected sharp response, with a bandwidth of
on the basis of frequency matching Test Results approximately 240 Hz at the -3 dB
from a large batch (over 30) of Photos C through F show the points; it may be too sharp for good
4.000-MHz microprocessor crystals on response curves of the four CW CW copy. Changing the 300-pF
hand in the ARRL Lab (matched filters. Pholo G shows lhe response capacitors in this filter to a lower
within 30 Hz). These crystals can be curve fcr the 12-MHz SSB filter. value will broaden (he response.
characterized as "grab bag" qualily, Insertion loss is quantified only for Filter no. 2 is not quite as sharp as
and similar units are available from filter no. i, and exhibits a peak ripple
various dealers at a cost of less than effect. The response asymmetry can
3Jameco Electronics, 1355 Shoreway Rd.
$1 each. Belmoil. CA 94002, tel 415-592-8097. be corrected by trimming the filter
We bought the crystals used in filter
no. 4 from International Crystal Co. 7
They can ba chara-cteiizmJ aa high-
quality, moderate-cost units. Their
guaranteed frequency tolerance s
0.001% ol 4.000000 MHz, matching
was within 6 Hz, and cost is
approximately S10 each
SSB Filter
A lour-crysial. 12-MHz SSB filter
Pi 500 /L
TERMINATION RESISTANCE I A) =" + SO
C= 300-pF SILVER MIC», 5%
'JAN Crystals, 2400 Crystal Dr. PD Box
06017. Fort Myers. FL 33906-6017.
101 813-936-2397
Fig B— Schematic diagram of the crystal filters. Capacitors are all of equal value.
^International Crystal Manufacturing Co. Inc.
PO Box 26330. 701 WSheriOan. Cwatoma Terminating resistors are variable 500-ohm units. Crystals are all of ecual nominal
frequency with minor (up "> HT-H?) variation
Bandwidth C fl
cntf
(Hi® 3dB) <pF) (Ohms)
(k = 1000)
20O H2; vertical divisions are each 10 cB. 200 Hz; vertical divisions aro aach 10 dB. of the SSB three-crystal filter is certainly
SampHng bandwidth is 100 Hz. The center Sampling bandwidth is 100 Hz. The center less than spectacular. More crystals wiil
Irequency is 4.000 MHz. frequency in 4.000 MHz. improve this response significantly. This
simple ihree-pole filter is still practical for
some applications, however, such as a
with the termination resistors, but pcrtablc VHF SSB ttansceiver.
insertion loss Increases significantly.
For CW use. however, this filler is Experimental Methods
probably more than adequate.
Filter no. 3 shews a bandwidth of
The computer-based "experiments"
approximately 353 Hz at the -3 dB have proved to be useful. There are
points. It is symmetric and shows low generally no surprises. I've "built" filters
ripple. This is a very good filter. CW on the computer using more than a dozen
Filter no. 4 is £ good example ol crjstab. Some of the more practical designs
what can be accomplished with high- have been transferred lo hardware for
quality crystals and proper termina- receiver applications. Many of these designs
tions. This filter is used in a CW operate at different frequencies, some using
receiver designed by Dave Newkirk.
4.433-MHz Europetn TV color-burst
AK7M (see cover of this issue). The
input and output impedances of this crystals. These crystals arc harder io
filter are 200 ohms. To match the
Fig G-Spcctral photo showing the
obtain, but their Irequency is more com-
50-ohm impedance the test setup
of response ol Ihe SSB inter. Horizontal patible with the exist ng
bands, HF ham
4:1 transformers .vere used. Filter divisions are each 1 kHz; vertical divi- avoiding the spuriom responses that can
insertion loss is 2 dB, with an ultimate sions are each 10 dB. Sampling bandwidth someiimes occur witfc a 3.579-MHz IF.
rejection of over 90 dB. is 100 Hz. The center Irequenc/ is Almost all of my te;t equipmen t is built
The SSB filter shows a -3 dB 12.000 MHz. fo" an input and/or cuipui impedance of
bandwidth of approximately 2.1 kHz.
50 ohms. The test equpment is still easily
There is no discernible ripple, and the
used for filler experiments. Extra resistance
insertion loss is 4.4 dD.
results in an advantage of over 50% is merely added at the filler input anil
Conclusions when compared io the price of output to bring (he level up to that desired.
The empiric approach to designing commercial equivalents. All of the This is illustrated in Fig 8. Fcrrilc trans-
Cohn filters for CW or SSB use is a filters tested are adequate for most formers may also be built to transform
viable alternative to purchasingcom- home-brew projects. They are (un lo impedance levels, bit they cannot b:
mercial The relatively high
filters. build, and result in appreciable changed as quickly as resistors.
component cost br the best filter savings.-Sruct? 0. Williams. WAGIVC,
It is often convenient to experiment with
desiqn tested (CW filter no. 4) still ARRL Stall
a filter that is contained within n receiver
ortransmiiter. An example is shown in ill*
Other Crystals
The examples presented have used
There
readily available color-burst crystals.
is nothing special about them. Indeed,
they often represent Ihe poorest possible
quality for a crystal, and their frequency
(3 579 MHz) can cause compatibility
-10
problem. in many of Ihe ham bands. They
1
;
3 -20
<L
|
1
I
A
« :fehe ICE
\ Many parts distributors
microprocessor applications in their
list crystals Tor
1
catalogs. The only operience I have had
1/1 li
S
e -30
u
I r with these crystals was with two 4-MHz
crystals." The average Q was 150,000,
•J
/ motional inductance was 148 rtiH and
E
-10
/
— \
th? two crystals differed in frequency by
105 Hi. Further data on other crystal types
/ would be of great use to the amateur corr-
/ \ nunity. Anyone out there with data to
-•>» _\
-1000 +t0Q0 +2000 * 3000 *flOOO +5000 share? [Sec the sidcbai to this article. Ed ]
003
Traditional tntuilicn might suggest thct
RELATIVE FREOUSNCI (MB)
narrow-bandwidth filters are more difficult
— —
Fig 8 External resistors may be added
toan ««rporlmonml filter tn allow u«w nt
50-ohm insirurnentatioi for circuil
evaluation.
Noes
'W Hayward, "A United Approach to the
as (hose at 3.579 MHz. While an SSB filler Typical parameters for these crystals arc: Design ot Crystal Ladder QST, May
Filters."
1982, pp 21-27.
can be buili ai 3.579 MHz, probably higher motional inductance - 20 ntH, parallel C 1
S Conn. "Dissipation Loss in Multiple Coupled
terminating impedances will be required. = 3 pF and = 200,000. These charac- Resonators," Proceedings IRE, Aug 1959.
The termination value drops with in- teristics tcsult in practical CW filters with 'W Sabin.
Jul 1970.
"The
p 35.
Solid-State Receiver," OST
creasing frequtney. making wider band- terminating impedances as low as 50 ohms, *D. DeMaw, "His Eminence— The Receiver,'
width fillers more easily realized at higher and SSB filters with 200- to SDO-ohm loads. OST, Jun and Jul 1976.
frequencies. I cficn build equipment with You can. of course, order high-quality 'A. I. Zverev, Handbook cl niter Gynlhaais (Nen
York: John Wiley and Sons. 1967).
a 10-MHz IK because crystals with excellent crystals for any desired frequency. It is then "Mousor Electronics. 1 1511 Woodside Ave. Lake-
Q are readily available for this frequency. possible io fit a new filter into an existing Side. CA 92040. part ». ME332-1M0.
SuperSCAF
and Son—
A Pair of
Switched-
Capacitor
Audio Filters
Been looking for an audio
filter that's a great
performer and easy to is
I otliing it more frustrating than professional electronic journals. HWe will cessingis used in computerized speech, TV
\ I living w copy a weak signal in discuss SCF theory only briefly here. image enhancement and radar. An impor-
I N heavy QRM except, perhaps, losing Primarily, wc examine the significant
will tant part of digital signal processing is digital
ii altogether. A good) audio can be
filter features of the S3528 and S:529 and will filtering, which is functionally equivalent to
tremendously helpful in separating the discuss the construction and use of an ansJog One of several practical
filtering.
weak sinnals from the strong ones. Hie two audio filter incorporating th?se devices. digital-filterimplementations is the SCF.
switched -capacitor filters (SCFs> presented The SCF works by storing discrete
here reflect the needs of different users.
Switehed-Capadlor Fillers
samples of an analog signal as a charge on
SuperSCAF is a self-contained audio filter Whenever an electrical signal is modified a capacitor. This charge is transferred from
with thumbwheel frequency selection ai in some way (except for pure implification one capacitor to another down a chain of
100-Hz iniervals. a built-in audio power or attenuation), wc say that wc have capacitors forming the filter. The sampling
amplifier and an ac-operated power supply. "processed" the signal. Signal processing and transfer operations take place at
JuniorSCAF is much smaller and simpler. may be accomplished by continuous or regular iniervals under control of aprecise
Junior is designed lo be added internally discrete processes. We refer to the con- frequency source or clock. Filtering is
to a receiver and use the receiver's audio tinuous process as "analog signal process- acHeved by combining the charges on the
amplifier and power supply. Both filters ing" and :o the discrete process as "digital different capacitors in specific ratios and
feature high performance and simple con- signal processing." Examples of analog by feeding charges back to the prior stages
struction. Experienced builders can assem- signal-processing circuits are mixers, detec- of the capacitor chain. In this way, filters
ble either one in a weekend. tors,and frequency-selective circuits made of much higher perfcrmance (and com-
The heart of ihesc audio filters is a pair from inductors and capacitors. Active filters plexity) may be synthesized than is prac-
of ICs recently introduced by AMI, the using op amps, resistors and capacitors also tical with analog filters.
S352S and These two ICs can be fall into ihe analog category.
used together to form an SCF band-pass an the other
Digital signal processing, The AMI S3528 and S3529
filterwith excellent characteristics. The hand, relics on a scries of "snapshots" or AMI
has produced i. number of ICs for
low-pass and high-pass cutoff frequencies, samples of the signal in order to perform the telecommunications industry that con-
fC and fej, , are selected by digital inputs to a given function. These individual samples tain complete SCl-'s. Two of these circuits,
l
the ICs at increments of approximately are combined and manipulated in a way that the S3528 and S3529. are of particular in-
100 Hz throughout the audio band. lpro- terest to the amateur community because of
The theory cf operation of switched- iher flexibility and perfarmance. Within the
capacitor filters has been well presented in S3f28, we find a seventh-order elliptical low-
past issues of QSTand other amateur and 'Notes aiiraar at end ot article. pass filter, a clock generator, a program-
cies is available n the voice range below S3S28 and S3529 Culoll Frequencies
3900 Hz. With a common 3.58-MHz TV BCD Code •itgh-Pass Cutoff low-Pass Cuto/f BCD Code High-Pass Cutoff tow-Pass Cuiotf
etequency Frequency frequency ifa I Frequency (lt J
color-burst crystal and binary-coded
decimal (BCD) inputs, f(1 is abou: 100 m (t
cn /
m tfc, I
m m ,
frequency of the high-pass filter is 4004 Hz. the clocks and switched signals causing in- Tlie block diagrams Tor ihe two fillers arc
This is close enough to the low-pass cutoff terference to the station receiver, TVs and shown in Fig Both Super and Junior use
1 .
lo get through. Other combinations such so on. Fortunately, we were able to have an identical band-pass filler circuit. Junior's
as 09/10, 10/11 and 11/12 give rise to weak SuperSCAF tested for emissions at a local passband is set by binary DIP switches on
< »9
359 vm. > IOM
<*l 0*7
CIO I IB
12
111
AUDIO IN '
i SI*!?
FROM *
R6 »47 h
RECEIVEP TCT U2
S152B
620
^ .0
<
7 J
R2j : .
*
9
ten li
10 H7
9
' »
+0 v<
-5VO-
Flo 2— Schematic diagram of the filler actions 'or SuperSCAF and JunlorSCAF. Trtij circuit, offering simplicity and ease ol construction. 19 used
for Qoth filter units.
J1— Phono lacks. 51— SPOT toggle. U1— AMI S3529 programmable high-pass
J3— Vi-inch phone lack. 52 — BCD tTKntibwheol switch (SuperSCAF); filter.
R10-HI5, R16 B21— t7-k0 x 7 resistor packs C&K 342710640-01904 or equiv. U2— AMI S352S programmable low-pass
used (one resislo* in each pack not For JuniorSCAF. two 6-posltlon DIP lllter.
ihe PC board. SuptfrSCAPs passband is impedanee output circuit. It car drive rufih- are followed by an audio pOwer amplifier
controlled by ihumbwhecl switches on the impedance phones directly, but doesn't have Switching is provided tc bypass the filter
unit's front panel. Super also has its own the"oompn" lo drive a speaker. if desired.
audio power amplifier and ac-operated Refer to Figs 2-4. The input signal to As with any digital filler, it is necessary
power supply. In reading the following cir- SuperSCAF is obtained direct y from the to band limit the input signal to prevent
cuit descriptions, keep in mind that speaker ou'.put or the headphone jack of aliasing. The combination of receiver IF-
SuperSCAF is a sclf-conuined unit iha ac- your receiver. The signal is passed first into stage filters and a bit of high-frequency
cepts low- or high -impedance inputs and the S3529 high-pass filter and then into the rollo'f in the audio sections of most
delivers 1.5 W
of audio output si S o3na. S352S low-pass filter. A pair of switches receivers is sufficient to prevent problems.
Junior, on the other hand, has a fagh- sets the frequency of each filter. The filters CM and R2 are used in conjunction with
Wv • ANALOG
nfaUNO
= DGITAL
OROUKO
FROM
FILTER
IN /OUT
HE AC PHONE
SWITCH J*CK
Tin ?
AUCKJ OUT
^ TO SPEAKER
+o-
C2i
'2-VDC * 99 75V
C?0~ l0»F
Z
INPUT V
-c-
R5a 'fi
UCC -
ionics*-
U" I -o-sv
B37
10
CU'T'fa B C23 =p 20 »r
Fig 5— A dc-to-dc converter NCC .' .
- :
50 V
(or use witti JuniorSCAF. 'NY l»»»JI -I 1
It hit
01?
011-D13, Inc— 1NA148 ^
silicon diode.
«r -CI MOM
U6 •i.
puls
a 93, T
&33 C'l — 01 oci-r
C22
Ct3 tl-'.ifiO
is wired in ibis manner. Failure to do so Under many conditions, noise and QRM changes in operating habits. If the filter is
may result io a serious shock ha2ard. simply disappear We hw^mc aware of ac set so that the passband is narrow, say 07/07
hum in one of our receivers only after (about 70 Hz wide), the band may seem
Performance and Operation SuperSCAF made it go away! The filter empty. The problem is that your accus-
Connect the receiver speaker output io even does a respectable job on the tomed tuning rate may be too fast for sjch
the audio t*t jack. Plug the speaker into woodpecker and "sons or the woodpecker." a narrow bandwidth. You may tunc com-
the audio our jack. Use shielded audio There is no artificial ringing, only the pletely across a station during the time
residual noise within the filter passband. between code elements and never hear the
cable to reduce the possibility of intro-
1
-•0 -<i
I
-t>
40
--so
z o
o
& a
£-*0
o o
z
3" M
o a
£
F
-TO
f t t m 1
X,
•0
a 4< i < iO 1 X) lOOO 1 >0 i 10 i
30 I
00 10 a >M iM 60> 8M I0C3 IKO
»*(Cu£HC< (hi)
ntluEMCT DUI
4A) 19)
Flo 7— Spectral olots ol the SuperSCAF response made In the AHHL tab. Note wo steep finer sKlns. For both plots, the utniei frequency
The:
vertical divisions are each 10 dB an3 horizontal divisions are each 200 Hz. At A, the front-panel switches are sot to 0&06: at B, 05*09.
settings equoe io passband widlhs of about 200 and 50C Hz. respectively.
signal. The solution is to search the band Summary 'R fihnn. •ninital Signal accessing lot iho
Expsrl mentor," QST, Nov 19&4.
using a relatively wide passband or with Ehe The possibilities presented by monolithic AMI Telecommunications Design Manual.
filter bypassed. When you a "live one,"
find SCFs are numerous. We have built several Ootid AMI, 1982 380C Homeslead Rd,
5an;a Clara. CA 95051.
close the passbanc around him. We often variationson the theme presented here, and
'J. Connor, "Switched-Cap Filters Mate With
use a setting of 05'09 for search, and then allhave worked well. One unit was powered Microprocessors, '
Electronic Products
'
narrow the passband to 07/07 for the QSO. by a pair of 9-V batteries and ised an 1C Magazine, Sep 3. 19S4.
We wish to thank Don Fshor, W4PLA. and
Be alert to frequency drift, particularly power amplifier instead of the discrete the NCR Corporation Emission Testing
when you turn things over to the othet sta- amplifier of Fig 3. Another unit included a Service, Lake Mary. Fio'lda, lor providing
Ihs FCC Pan iSj Class 8 leel data lor tho
tion. It's very easy for one of you to slip tone decoder to supply a digital signal to a SupsrSCAF audio IHtar.
outside a 70-Hz pcssbaiid. If the oihei sta- computer for receiving Morse code and a
Gou1fl Semiconductors sells the S352B and
tion not where you expect it, widen the
is RTTY. That unit was mounted in the S35?9 ICS through a network of distributors.
Call Gould at 208-233-4690 for the name of their
passband to re-acquire the signal, then
filter transceiver's companion speaker box.
nearest distributor. New horizons Electronics
narrow the passbsnd on the new frequen- At the outset, our goal was to design an Corporation. 6000 New Horizons Blvd.
cy. Also, experiment with disabling the easily const meted audio filter with excellent Amityvilte. NY 1 1 70S 5 6-226-6000. will sell to
, 1
AGC if your _
eceiver allows
thai. performance. We are pleased with the i ndividuals (prepaid) with a$25 minimum order.
way hnpp yon (The chips cesl about S? each at the time of
Sometimes a strong signal within the IF r«lilfx in rvrry we. will hp.
publication,)
passband will grab your AGC and reduce too. Attronics sells kits and completed Super-
the incoming signal levels to practically Notes SCAFs, but nol parts. Check (he QST Index ol
'R. Schellenbach and F. Noble, "Switched- advertisers for (heir listing, which contains cur-
nothing. You might not hear the interfering
station, but you'll know it's there.
rent sales information. Ed. —
oes the inconvenience of tco-largc when ihe feed line was matched to the R6, R7 and R8. The antenna represents the
—
!
1 SWR-iiidicating gear complicate
* your portable operations? It is not
antenna feed point.
SWR has become a more significant con-
rennininj Ip£ of rhp hrirlgp When it
reflects a 50-ohrn condition, the bridge b
uncommon for us to feel thai some of the cern today because of the many solid-state balanced and the meter reading falls to
commercially made SWR
bridges and RF- transmitters that exist. They must "look" zero. DI rectifies the RF voltage 10 provide
powcr meters are too big and too ccstly for into a lew SWR—
usually ;-| or less—in dc for the metering circuit. Additional
occasional use during field day, camping order to develop the rated output power examples of this general circuit are given
trips, vacations and even DXpediiions, I and to protect the final-amplifier transis- in Solid Store Design for the Radio
have seen SWS meters that were larger tors from damage. The built-in SWR- Amateur (temporarily out of prim).
than an entire QRP <tialion, which presents protcction circuits reduce [lie transmitter R 10 is a panel control that is used to es-
a rather absurd picture! Because of my output power as the SWR increases. There- tablish the "sensitivity" or meter response
need for small accessory equipment, 1 have fore, it i; helpful to have ai SWR indica- versus the power level. Rll is a PC-
built a number of compact Transnai cites tor between the transmitter and the mounlcd potent io meter that we can use to
and SWR meters. The pair we shall con- transmission line. The antenna can then be calibrate the meter fo- a full-scale reading
sider in this art.cle was built to provide an adjusted by means of its length or match- of 10 W. Once set, ii should need no
example of small units that you can build ing circuit to obtain a low SWR reading. further adjustment.
inexpensively for field use. We will also SWR indicators arc useful also as relative Since Rl, R2, RJ and R-l have a
consider some practical ideas lor home con- output-power meters. hey help us to keep
I combined rating of 8 W, we must not
struction thai can be applied to other tabs on the antenna system and ihe irans- permit a sustained RF power amount
projects as well.These SWR indica:ors are mitter performance. Most SWR instru- of more than 4 W to be fed into the instru-
not works of an, at least from an aesthetic ments can be calibrated to rsad RF power ment, the resistors
lest become damaged
point of view, but you can easily impart a as well, md wc will discuss this principle from excessive healing. Momentary tests
professional appearance to them if you arc later in ihe article. with powers up to 10 W will not harm th;
skilled in ihe craft of cabinet and panel ren'stors, provided the key-down period
desien. A QRP SWR/Power Meter dees not exceed 15 seconds. Allow a cool-
Neither of the instruments in this article down period of at leasi 30 seconds between
Do You Seed an SWR Indicator? isnew in concept. The resistive QRP bridge brief tests with more than 4 of RF W
SWR meters and RF-power indicators was developed many years fgo by (he late power. Film resistors arc used in my model,
have become a .vay of life with most of us. George Crammer, W1DF. The QRO but 5^0, 2-W carbon-composition resiston
But, "way back when," we managed quite bridge i; a design product of Warren willwork equally well. If you cannot locate
well without these sophisticated gadgets. IJruenecf Collins Radio. The latter design (Item, you may purchase the film resistor*
An experienced amateur could icll if the has become the standard for most amateur by mail. 1
antenna SWR was low by observing ihe set- SWR ard power meters of commercial The power handling capability of this in-
tings of the tunc and load controls of the origin. A number of variations in the basic strument may be increased by using higher*
iransmiiler. That is, ihe plate tuning and designs have been introduced, along with wattage (noninductivc!) load resistors or by
loading control; were at approximately the some extra convenience features. connecting an external dummy load to
same settings a; when the transmitter was Fig 1 shows the circuit for our low-power replace the built-in ooe. Warning: Ifyos
connected to t dummy load of :hc ap- SWR bridge/RF power meter. Rl, R2, R3 plan to use more than 10 W of RF power,
propriate impedance, thereby indicating a and R4 comprise a 50-olmi dummy load, and a larger dummy load, be sure to in-
low* SWR. Sorrc of us used RF ammeters Some of ihe RF voltage de\eloped across
in the feed line to indicate maximum RF the load is sampled through R5 and sup-
current, a condition that generally occurred plied to the resistive bridge thai consists of 'Notos appear at one) otanlclo.
RESISTANCES ARC IN OHMS. decals for the numbers. then had the I
Fig 1—
Schematic fliagram of (he ORP SWR bridge. Resistors are carbon-com position
typos. Capacitors are dice ceramic Part numbers listed hetow ore Radio 3hac-h deaiyna- an available meter ih.n Lis n Hr sensitivity
tors, except when otherwise noted. of50or I00 pA. Fig 2 contains a 0-10 meter
CI.C2— Disc ceranic. RS 272-131. Corp, Los Angeles. CA. Radic scale that you may cut oui or photocopy
D1— Small-signal silicon diode, Shack 47-ohm unils (271-009) may Be for LSe on the meters lhat arc available
RS 276-1122. substituted tor suitable performance. from the source listed in note 3. The cases
J1. J2-RCA style smgla-hole-mounl phono R9— 1-kti. '.:-W resistor. RS 271-023.
come off easily, and the meter face can be
jack. RS 274-346. RlO-Paneimount. control. iQ-rttt, linear
Ml— Miniature micoam meler, 0-50. 0-100
popped out for modification.
taper carbon-com position. RS
271-1721
The interior of the QRP bridge is shown
or 0-200 ,<A. See note 2. Knob (0.5-inch ODJ is RS 274-403.
R1-R4. iiiel—200-cnrn, 2-W nonlnouciivc Ri I—Trimmer control, kc mount, 10-ktl in Fig 3. A scale parts-placement guide for
resislor. See note 1. RS 271-335. the FC board is provided in Fig 4A.
R5— 680-ohm. V:-W resistor. RS 271-021. St—Two-pole. Ihree-position rotary wafer,
R6. R7.R8— 51 -ohm, vj-W noninductivs RS 275-1306 (three positions not used). ORG SWR Indicaior
resislor Available tram All-Eleclranics S2-SPDT miniature toggle. RS 275-613.
This fraternal twin to the QRP bridge
will measure SWR and RF power at levels
up to I kW. The major problem is lhat the
ttm 1 1
Oi 2j05o"ra'JiO
m rr
instrument is so tiny and lightweight that
the coaxial attachment cables may become
the "tail that wagged Ihe doe." This is
often a penalty associated with miniature
Fig 2— Meier scale lhat may be pasted gear. I find that RG-SX 50-ohm cable
over the original scale of ihe meter altered
minimizes the problem: I have experienced
in nolo 3. See text (or m-elhod of making
frustration when trying to use the heavier,
your own custom s:ale at x 4.
stiffci RCr-8 cable.
Fig 5 shows the circvit for the QRO
bridge. I used a hybrid diagram in order
to clarify the relationship
of Tl io ihe rest
of Ih: circuit. Tl is a transformer for
crease the value of R5 to prevent excessive
sampling RF current in ie feed line. The t
RF current from f.owing in the bridge cir- cable thai passes through the toroid core
cuit.Sample only enough RF energy to pro- serves as a one-turn primary winding for
vide a full-scale meter indication (RIO sei
Tl QRP versions of this tridge can be built
.
bridge is out of the circuit when Si is in Nexi. wcmo.'cSl to the SWR position. The tiv-edivider for balancirg ihe hririgr in
the oi'R position. When we switch to the meler then indicates the relative reflected a 50-ohm circuit. Dl and D2 provide dc for
CAL mode, the bridge has no lermination. power. If the antenna is matched and tuned the metering circuit. -Germanium diodes are
T1
(hwd) are 2-1/2 x 2-5/8 x 3 inches. 1 much nicer appearance. While press-on
chose cane-metal aluminum steeling for dccals mighi he an even better choice for
the box covers since il was available at Ihe the control lanels.
hardware store. This is an advantage for AuTesive- backed plastic feel arc affiised
the QRP bricge, since the holes in the cover ro ihe bottom of the boxes to prevent ex-
permit air flnw around the load resistors. cessive movement of the bridges and lo
My cabinets were formed by soldering avoid scratching the surfaces of desks or
together sect inns of double-sidedPC board i ables on which they rest. Screw-on feet
to the hoi loin plaie. These strips provide allowed substantial wasted space in order
anchor points for ihe top cover, which is to keep the units in a sizcclasv that would
affixed by means of no. 6 sheet-metal not be awkward to work wiih (the "lail that
screws. cut the meter holes with a hand-
I
wagged the dog" problem).
operated nibbling lool. I hope you have ftm with one or both of
I discovered by chance thai Krylon" grey these weekend projects. You should enjoy
Fig 6— Interior view o( the ORO SWR uiidcieuui S|>my puinl is excellent tin building these bridges, aid they will not
bridge. The PC boerd is altached lo the
panels: It wis the only can of paint had endanger your project fund significantly!
solder -terminals of the BNC
jacks. The
I
bollom edge of ihe PC board is soldered id on hand when. I buili these units, so used I
the chassis at ihe center. Short wires it. Not only does it dry quickly CS minutes);
(upper right and let! of PC board) grourd it provides a tough matte finish iliat is quite
the board to the rear panel of the box. C1 immune smudging from our fingers. It
to Notes
and C2 are on Ihe stched-loil side of the
appears to bean excellent paint for amateur 'Deleted.
board lo permit easy access during bricge
adjuslmeni (nulling;. projects. If you prefer a gloss finish, you e D. DeVfaw. "A Bcylii'tBi'a LuuK ;st flF Puwei
apply RF power. Set CI for an MI read- Measurement." OSr. Aug it<S3. p 35
ing of zero with SI set in the fw:> position. ;
Uosl edgewise Imported audio or S meters have
microampere movements. Meters used in trie
Repeat this procedure one more time. CI instruments described here are available from
and C2 may be any small trimmer of Ihe supplier m note t.
'Piston trimmers suilabie lor lbs project are listed
quality, such as miniature air \ariable or
in me BCD Electro catalog, PO Bo* 830119.
mode and observe the meter reading, .f il glass pistor trimmers.' The minimum Richardson, TX 75083-0119.
is not zero, adjust C2 for a zero reading. capacitance of the trimmer mu>t he I pF For updated supplier addresses, see ARAL Pans
Next, reverse the cablet at Ji and S2 m\A or less in order to null Ihe bridge. An Suppliers List in Chapter 2.
A NEW FACE FOR A RECALIBRATED Find the meter pivot point by extending the Table 1
METER tick narks at the scale'! ends, and verify
Meter-Recalibration Data for the
In "A Simple and Accurate QRP Direc- this point by extending a couple of other
QRP Wattmeter
tional Waiimeter," (pp 19-23 and 36. ihis points on the scale. Then draw lines from CL"D Jt'i eu til
Issue). I described a QRP waumcicf ihai the j'ivui point ihiuugli the meici fate co
uses a standard 0-1 milliammctrr modified an area beyond the face, labeling them ap- 0.0 0.0 1 OX
0.05 0.224 1.5 o.soo
with a custom, nonlinear scale calibrated propriately, as shown in Fig 1 Then you
.
make ihemlook nice. If you decide to make built equipment immediately realizes thai, 0.8 0.894
although I'm willing to ^pcnd a lot of time 0.9 0.949
new scales rather than add marks to the
1.0 1.0
existing scale, you'll want to record the on functionality and performance, 1 don't
correct places to make new marks
the devote much time to beauty! So you'll have The Meier column expresses fractions of
full-scalereadings on the original meter
before you Dbliteiate the old scale. One way to icok elsewhere for advice on how to
scale. For example, the now SWR » 3
io do this is as follows. make a meter face gocd-looking. When
mark should be placed at Ihe samo place
Refer to fig 1. Attach ihc meter face lo finished, the meter fact should resemble
as the half-scale (0.5) mark on me oncinai
a large pie:e of paper. Trace around (he fig I.—Roy I.ewaUen, W7EL, 5470 $W meter face.
face so yot can exactly reposition it later. 152 A ve, Beavenon, OR 97007.
POWER
A Simple and
Accurate QRP
Directional
Wattmeter
Make a few enhancements to the small
Bruene wattmeter and diode detector,
and you have a directional wattmeter
that's simple, portable, and accurate
from 10 watts down to 5 milliv/atts!
A directional vattmetcr is
,
able MonimHch circuit is simple and use-
ful for SWR measurement, but not readily
adaptable as a wattmeter except ever a nar-
row frequency range, because its sensitivity
that
Why the
in Fig
is),
I,
I've included the sidebar,
Difference?"
one shown
Plain diode detectors, like the
and easy to use—provided
are simple
"Ac v Dc:
match, measure cable loss, and a host or other have this limitation, to is more nal levels. That's unfortunate, because good
cuit doesn't
things. Because ii's portable, a wattmeter is low-power accuracy is exactly what this watt-
suitable for our use. It's generally imple-
an important tool in the field: With it, con mented with oapacitive dividers far sensing meter is intended to provide. Five milliwatts
can make sure the rig still works, and spot voltage, but 1 chose to use transformers for provides only I45 mV (peak) at the detector,
any problems with the antenna system. If so detector accuracy mus: be maintained
this function.* This results in a simpler
you're operating QRP in Field Day or some down to this level. Some diodes, such as back
circuit that's Ldjustmeni-free. Sensitivity can
other event, a good wattmeter can help you diodes and zero-bias Schotky types, are spe-
be traded for insertion loss; the values chosen
keep your output at five watts as the battery for this meter result in insignificant insertion cially designed for detecting very small sig-
voltage drops. nals. These, however, aren't as readily
loss.
This wattmeter, designed primarily for available as common silicon, germanium, and
Maiutainins a near-50-fl impedance on the
portable use. gives accurate readings at power line through tic wattmeter eliminates several mpriiim-harripr silirnn Sohotrky diodes. 50 T
levels from 5 mW
to 10 W. Achieving good
frequency-dependent effects. A
microstriplinc
investigated only the latter three types. Natur-
low-power accuracy is a bit tricky; I developed ally, each has its deficiencies.
structure is effective for ihis application, and
a simple correction circuit to handle the job. isextremely simple to build, so 1 used thai Common small-signal silicon diodes (eg.
During the editing of this article, learned I
technique in this wattmeter. lN9l4)drop too much forward voltage to be
that the- technique 1 developed for compen- accurate at small signal levels when used with
sating the diodes in this wattmeter's detector Detector reasonable load-resistance values (up to
circuit was
discussed by John Grctcn-
first
Seemingly, the detector shou d be the 100 N'fl or sot. Ordinary small-signal
komper, KI6WX. ir his January 19«7 QST easiest pan ol the wattmeter to design. Well, Schottky diodes arc belter, but still have an
1
ariicle. I encourage reading (or rereading) objectionable drop for use at low signal lev-
il happened again: The simplest pari turned
litis excellent article.
out to be the nardest. What's so Itard about els.Th? good old point-contact germanium
If carefully constructed, this wattmeter diode (IN34 type) is the clear winner in this
should function well from below I MHz at category. Applying 50 (dc) to a germa- mV
least into the mid-VHF range. One prototype nium diode detector produces about 45 mV
tested in the ARRL Lab maintains better nan ai its output with a l-Mft load resistance.
± 7% of full-scale iccuracy. on all ranges, Increasing the load resistance to 10 MO brings
up to -132 MHz. ihc output to within I mV of the applied
voltage.
Circuit Description
So wiat's the problem? The problem is that
A basic directional wattmeter has trree
Out
the results are different wlien you apply an
major parts: directional coupler, detector, ac sigml to the detector! This difference is
and meter circuits. Each block can be clearly shown in Fig 2, Ahich gives the
optimized for" a particular application. measured output of a germanium-diode de-
Here's a description of each block. tector (ike the one shown in Fig 1) with three
diffcret.t input signals of the same peak value.
Notes appear at end ol article. Fig 1— Simple diode detector. On the log-log scales, the vertical spacing be-
kT V
V„ = ,
-fori (Eq 3)
where To get a feel for the voltage drop to expect, look at Eq 3
l
d = Diode forward current with = 100 mV, R L = 1 Mli. and ls = 2 x 10 ~ 7 A.
V
f
s
- Saturation current, about 10- U A forsilicon, 2 x This results in a dicde drop (VJ of 10.1 mV. In contrast, a
10~ 7 A for germanium al room temperature
silicon diode (l 8 = 10- 1J A) would droa 403 mV {503 mV
V * Diode forward vol age
fl in for 100 mV out) under the same corditions, but it would
q - Electron charge, 1.60 x 10- « coulonb have 10.1-mV drop R L was made 20 million limes larger.
if
k = Boltzmann's constant., 1,36 x 10- 23 J/K As the signal level increases, (he drop Increases— but not
T - Temperature, K In proportion, so detector accuracy improves. Iitiiieasiny
At roon temperature, kT ~ q is about 25 mV. Note that l
8
ihe load resistance helps also; at 100 mV out and F\
is strongly related to temperature, doubling with approxi- 10 MR, Vq - 1.2 mV.
mately every 10-°C rise in temperature. Now let's see what happens with an ac or pulsed-dc
Boccuse our discussion primarily concerns small signals, signal. Looking at Figs 2 and B. we can see that when V t
let's see how the ideal dicde behaves with small voltages is greater than V the drop is the same as If the input sig-
,
or currants applied.The snail-signal l/V characteristics of nal were dc. However, tor part of the cycle, V, is less than
an germanium diode are shown in Fig A. This Is
ideal '/„. During this time the diode is reverse biased and sub-
simply a graphical representation of Eq 1 over a limited stantial current flows to ihe left in Fig Generally, C L is t
range. (The graph also valid for silicon diodes if the cur-
is made large enough to make the ripple on V very small.
rent scale is reduced by a factor of about 20 million.) Note We can then consider V to be a cons:ant value after an
that the l/V curve doesn't bend at the origin; it's a straight initial charge period of many cycles of the input signal. For
line. This gives us our first clue about small-signal diode any signal,
operation: a straight line cn an l/V graph represents a
constant resistance, so at very small signal levels the Vri - ld(avg ,R L 4)
diode laoks like a resistor, and hardly rectifies at all. (By where l^a^ is the average current flowing through tho
very snail signal levels mean somewhat less than
I diode over a cycle of the input signal.
kT * q [lib mV|.) Tne resistance of tne germanium dioae ne wattmeter's detector signal is a bipolar sine wave.
I
250
—
300 -
Input "ypes
Oc
UNI = 1-kHz unipolar square wove
SiN = 50--HI sine wave
!50 Load R
100
50
750
Vd n) rep-esents
, the different between the peak value (V
p)
of the input signal, and Ihe output voltage (Vol. An analysis
'd(h) - U f> (Eq 5> of the argument of Ihe logarithm shows that it's always
greater than the dc case. In fact, when V gels much
where greater ttian kT ± q. Va(n, = Vd(dc( + (kT 4- q) In (2), or
= diode current when the input signal is high. about 18 mV
at room temperature. This result is indepen-
V D - V = forward voltage (diode drop) when dent of R L so even if R L is large to minimize dc drop, the
,
the Input signal is high. added drop due to applying ac will stay the same (as long
This follows directly from Eq 1. When the input signal is as V >> kT -h q). The added offset is clearly shown in
zero. Ihe diode is reverse biased. Again from Eq 1 Fig B. Values calculated from Eqs 1 and 8 fall almost
exactly en ihe graphs. A similar analysis for a bipolar
KT square wave results in the same limiting value ol 18 mV ot
-1
excess crop.
where Math is fun! But everyone's got a limit, and mine falls
= diode wilhin th3 large gap between analyzing the detector with
l^g current when the input signal is low. I
0(l>
is negative
square-wave and sine-wave inputs. However, some gener-
alizations can be made without having to do a rigorous
Vo(A » -V = diode forward vcltage when the tnpjt
sine-wave analysis. With a sine wave applied, one would
signal is Ion. V-,,, also is negative.
Docauae and each flow during 1/2 of the input expect diode forward current to flow for only a small pari
of the inout cycle, resulting in a greater drop than with a
cycle, average current is found by
square wave applied. The sine-wave case was studied wilh
a mathematical computer model, and the resulls agreed
= 1/2 {l
m+ („„>) (Eq 7) very closely with the measurements presented in Figs 2
and B.-W7EL
tween plots is proportional to the fractional When the forward or reverse voltage across tween the diode resistance and the load
(percentage) difference between the outputs. a diode gets very small (a few millivolts), the resistance. When ac is applied, however, the
As you can see. a fimple germanium detec- reverse and forward currents arc approxi- current flow during (he negative half-cycle
tor accurate for ac signals only when the
is mately equal for a given applied voltage; that removes a substantial part of the charge put
peak input signal level is above about I V. is. ihe diode a<ts like a resistor. (I measured on the load capacitor during the positive half-
A simple correction circuu is ihe secret to this a typical germanium diode's resistance as cycle, resulting in a lower detector-output
wattmeter's accuracy. I'll explain it in a about 1 20 a value very much smaller lhan voltagj. The effect is wavrshapc and duty-
moment, but first I'll briefly explain why the that of silicon diodes.) If dc is applied to the cycle Cependent. but isn't related to the fre-
detector output is less with an ac than with detector, the detector circuit acts lite a voltage quent of the input signal.
a dc input. divider, with the input voltage dividing bc- Silicon diodes exhibit iht same properties,
but at different levels. Silicon-diode resistance
quited characteristics.
The diode-compensation circuit (D3 and R5
J1
an offset that approximately
in Fig 3) creates
compensates for the drop across the detector
diode. If dc was applied lo detector D2/R4/
C2,and compensation resistor R5 and de-
if
Construction
Merer Face
You'll need to make new scales for the
mclcr or, al the very least, add markings to
the existing scale, it's fairly easy to make (he
nev scales readable and somewhat harder to
mace (hem look nice. II you decide to make
ncv scales rather than add marks to the
existing scale, you'll want to record the cor-
rect places 10 make the new marks before you
obi terale the old scale. Sec this month's Hints
anc Kinks column for one method of relabel-
Fig 3— Schematic diagram of ihe ORP directional watlmeier. All fixed reslstois are V*-W. ing a meter face.
5%-tolerance units. D1-D3 are common 1N34 germanium diodes; ihey should be matched
(as discussed in ths relorent of Note 1) Jor best performance. T1-T3 are FT-37-72 ferrlte
Directional Coupter
cores with single-turn primaries (one pass through the cere— see Fig 5). The primaries of This wattmeter works best if there's a cons-
T2 and T3 are comprised of the ungiounded leads ol R1 and R2, respoctivalv. Each trans- tant 50-0 impedance from the input to the
former has a single secondary winding consisting of 10 evenly spaced turns oi no. 28
output, but it's not highly critical. There are
enameled wire. Do not substitute a different core for the FT-37-72. R6 can be any value
between 10 k(l end 100 Ml. The resistor and capacitor (associated with U1> marked with always impedance bumps at the transitions
asterisks may be necessary to eliminate instability in the op amp, although rry prototypes
don't require them. See text.
Fig 4.
Mount the ccupter components using short
leads. A suggested layout is shown in Fig 5.
Fig 6— Using solder lugs to make a good
Then assemble the rest of the wattmeter and
connection to the ground sids of the
mount the completed coupler between the in- microstrlpline.
put and output connectors. The cornections
from the collection iv ihv uuuvtiiiplim;
Microstrlpline must be very short, particularly the ground To obtain maximum reliabiliiy, measure R7,
connections. If possible, put a sold;r lug or R8, and R9 and replace them with fixed resis-
lugs on the corncetor-mounting screws and tors of the measured values; readjustment
solder the lugs directly to the bottom of the should never be necessary.
line as shown in Fig 6. If you need to measure SWR at levels very
A template package containing a FC-board close to 1:1, you may want to tweak the wau-
pattern integrating the watlmeler circuit and mcter to show a 7ero-rei1ected- power Indica-
directional coupler, pans-placement diagram tion when connected to a reference dummy
Tl and other information is available :'rom the load. The resistors to adjusi ire R and R2. I
ARRL Technical Department Secretary for Theoretically, the correct value for these resis-
a no. I0SAE w;th return postage for 1 ounce. tors is 49.5 fl each. It's not necessary to re-
adjust the wattmeter if you change the values
Tips
Bottom of Board of Rl and R2 slighlly.
A small center -off toggle switch, wired for
REV-OFF-FWD operntion. is a convenient Use
Fig 5 — Close-up views oi ine completed way to combine SI andS2. However, small To measure power, select the appropriate
drectional coupler. TVs primary is a
straight piece of insulated wire spanning
toggle switches are amazing in their ability scale and turn S6 fully clockwise. The power
the cut in (he microstriplina. TVs secon- to turn themselves on at the (lightest flowing in the line the forward reading
is
dary winding is routed through the hole cut provocation— like being bumped around in minus ihi reverse reading. To measure SW R,
[or Tl. The lop view shows the compo- a suitcase or backpack. So if you 're going switch SJ to the next more sensitive setting
nents comprising the directional coupler to use this wattmeter for portable opera- and switch S2 to fwd. Adjust R6 for a full-
and detector. To achieve minimum lead some other kind of switch (a slide
lion, use scale meter reading. Flip S2 t.i REV and read
lengths. R1-R4 are maunted vertically on
switch, for example) for. or in scrip": wilh, rhc SWR si-alc To adjust a Transmatch, put
die ground plane. Capacitors C1 and C2
ate not shown, although ihey should bo si, the wattmeter between the transmitter and
mounted directly across R3 and R4, I've seen quite a few articles implementing Transmatch and adjust the Transmatch for
respectively. the Bruene directional-coupler circuit with zero reflected power.
a powdered-iron core (eg, T-68-2), The low The directional wattmeter can do anything
winding impedance of such a transformer an SWR meter can do, and many Ihings
between ihc coax connectors and the micro- will ruin the cccuracy of this circuit, so besides. Because you can measure power any-
sriplinc. a larger bump at the coupler
and don't use powdcrcd-iron cores for the where in a system, you can use the wattmeter
transformer, but iheto bumps can be made iransforrncrs in thiE wattmeter. to find ccblc and Tranameich losses, measure
[significant at HF with a little effort. Only transmitter power, and lots Of other things.
the microstripline and directional coupler are Adjustments
You'll be surprised how often you reach for
sensitive to layout, arid you have considera- All you'll need for adjustment is a high- it!
ble latitude with thctc components if you impedance dc voltmeter. Connect :he volt-
know the rules. meter between the wiper of the SEnsmvrry Ackn owfedgments
The micros! ripline will be the simplest circuit control (R6) and ground. Conned a tem- Thank* to Dave Dcford, K0ED. for help-
board you've ever made. If you've never porary jumper between pins 7 and 3 of Ut. ing me
rsduce the myslery cf ac versus dc
made a PC board before, don't worry you — Turn R6 fully counterclockwise Set the . ichpuuseof a diode detector o the realm of
can't go wrong with this one. Il consists FULL SCALE SELECT switch S3 to tlfl 10-W physics, where it belongs.
simply of a single trace on one side of the position. Turn on POWER switch SI. Slowly While editing this article. QST Assistant
board and a ground plane on the other. There turn R6 clockw se. As you do, the wattmeter Technical Editor Rus Healy, NJ2L, recog-
are at least three ways to fabricate this board: and voltmeter readings should increase* If nized the detector-diode-compensation
You can stick adhesive
copper tape to the not. turn the wattmeter off and check your method as the one presented by John
non-foil side of a singtc-sided board,
you can wiring. Grebenkemper (sec Nolc I). John Greben-
e:ch a double-sided board, or you can cut Adjust R6 for a voltmeter reading of kemper subsequently reviewed the article and
dlung (lie edge* uf wlUJ a knife <uid
(lie line 6.49 V, Uieii adjust R7 hu die wauitmcr reads made se«cral useful suggestions, many ol
peel away the unwarned copper. full scale. Adjusi R6 for a voltmetct reading which have been incorporated into this ankle.
No matter which method you choose, start of 2.05 V, then switch S3 to the 1AV posi- One important consequence of John's com-
with a piece of l/16-inch-ihick, glass-cpoiy tion. Adjust R8 until the watlmeler indicates ments is that Ihey motivated rne to model t he
PC board. The board's length should equal full scale. Adjusi R6 for a voltmetet reading performance of the detector/compensation
or exceed the distance between wattmeter in- of 0.649 V, then switch S3 to theO. 1-W posi- combination for sine-wave inputs, during
put and output connectors, and the board tion.Adjust R9 for a full scale reading on the which I discovered an undesirably high sensi-
should be at least one inch wide (wider is wattmeter. Turn the wattmeter aff and tivity to diode saturation current, which is
okay). The width of the rnicrostrip, which remove the temporary jumper betwen pins closely related to temperature. This resuhed
should be about 0.1 irch, determines the im- 3 and 7 of Ul. Thus completes the calibration. in lowering the values of R3, R4 and R5 to
Notes
•J.Grebenkemper. 'The Tandem Match— An Ac-
'
frequency standard and continuity tester. 2-W resistors (R1-R4, incl) in parallel to
provide a 50-ohm load. RF voltage across
Field-Strength Vleler Section CI is a miniature broadcast-band radio the dummy load is rectified by D3 and
An indication of relative field strength variable capacitor.' You may use any filteredby C4. The resulting dc voltage is
is helpful when checking antenna perfor- capacitor that provides 365 to 400 pF of applied to MI through SI. R5 isolates the
mance and patterns. This instrument may maximum capacitance. The minimum dummy load from the metering circuit and
be used as a unc-up indicator, or as a capacitance (plates unmcshed) should be makes the meter response more linear. he I
relative output-power monitor. Slill 20 pF or less. You may also use he varia- I meter provides a visual indication of the
another application is that of a frequency ble capacitor from a transis.or radio AM transmitter output energy.
meter to ensure ihat the transmitter is by placing both sections in parallel; this The meter may be calibrated in watts by
providing output in the correct amaieiir providef approximately 225 pF of applying a known power (say, 5 W) to the
band. The circuit may be used also as a RF maximum capacitance. Using this small a load and adjusting R6 (sens) for a full-
"sniffer" when troubleshooting a trans- scale reading on Ml. The power is ihei.
mitter. reduced in l-W steps, and the meter readinc
Refer to the field-strength meter circuit noied ai each slcp. These readings are
in Fig i. Two operating ranges arc 'Notes appear at end ot article. logged for future use f-ee Table 2). I placed
CI?
WHIP i> .n, ioc iHt
|— J
TS METEF
SM SILVER MICA
* - SEE TEXT
6 TO CI.L2.S3
Fig 1— Schematic diagramof Ihe Omni Box circuits. Fixed-value capacitors ate miniaiure chip or disc ceramic types, except tor CIS.
which is electrolytic. Fixed-value resistors are W-W carbon composition e>cept (or R1-R4, incl, which are 2-W units. Numbered pans that
do not appear in the pans list are identified far circuitboard layout convenience.
Cl -Miniature 365-pF variable RG— Mniaiure 10-kfi tinea Maper carbon. T2—500-j.H primary winding. Uso 36 turns
(see Noie 1). RFC1 -Miniature 500-,<H RF choke (1 mH of no.26 enam wre on an Amidon
—
CS, C6 Miniaiure 7-pF pi3lon trimmer or also suitable). FT SO 43 fcrriln loioid (S50 ,<,). Soconaary
equivalent jnit with low minimum capaci- SI —
Shgle-section, three-pDsilion rotary winding has 10 turns of no. 26 enam
tance (see text). switch wire.
CI I— 50-pF trimmer (Radio Shack 272-1340 S2. S3 S4—Miniature SPCT toggle or slide T3— 22 ;iH primary winding. Use 20 turns
or equiv). switch. of no. 26 enam wre on an Amidon
J1-J5, incl—Single-hole- mount phono jack Tl— Broadband transformc. Secondary FT-37-61 (125 ^i) territe toroid. Secon-
J6, J7— Pin jack for test leads. windng is 30 turns ot no 26 enam wire dary winding conssts ot 5 turns of no. 26
LI— I.671H irductor. 18 turns of no. 24 on an Amidon FT-50A-61 fertile toroid enam wire.
enam wire on an Amidon T-50-6 (yellow) (125 Primary is a two-turn winding ol Y1— 100-kHz fundamental crystal. 30-pF
powdorod-i-on loroid. no. £4 enam wire over nucondnry load capacitance. Intcrnalionat Crystal
M1-Miniature 200-jiA dc meter (see text). wind no. Co type GP. See note 3.
marks on die from panel to allow resetting :l is more sensitive .0 make it suitable for
of R6. Table 2 [lower levels from 350 mW to 25 W,
Depending on the type of SWR bridge D4 and D5 rectify the forward or
Calibration for a 200-f.A meter with
you use your Omni Box, the dummy
in reflected voltage (selected by S2) 10 provide
sens at Mid-scale
load may be a pari of ihe bridyc circuit. a dc voltage for ihe meter. Trimmer
This will Amplify the project. RFPowrflV) Meter Scale capacitors C5 and C6 form a voltage
5 10 divider with C9. These trimmers arc uicd
SWR Bridge A 9 10 null the bridge with a 50-ohm load con-
You have some choice in the type of 8 nected to J3 or J4. A coaxial-cable jumper
SWR bridge you use. 2 You may prefer 10 2 7
may be connected between J3 or 24 and J2
1 5
use the resistive- bridge circuit described in (dummy load) when nulling the bridge
O.b 3.5
the referenced article. The circuit shown circuit.
0.25 1.5
here Is similar to the toroid al-transformer 0.- 1 To null the bridge, set S2 to FWD, con-
(QRO> bridge described in thai article, hul nect the 50-ohm load 10 J4 and apply trtm-
icauh in gjcuici sensitivity for the Omni loo-kl-l? crystal-controlled oscillator. Cifi
Box functions tlian the specified 200-jiA and C12 are feedback capacitors that
unit. This increased sensitvjty can be ensure circuit oscillation. These capacitors
particularly beneficial when using the field- may need to be changed slightly from the
strength and SWR-bridgc crcuits. Most values shown, depending on the charac-
imported meters with a 5(1- or lOO-^A teristics of the crystal you use.
movement are in a conventional format, Q2 is a broadband amplifier that
and are easier to read than the smaller, inc-eases the 100-kHz cnerev sufficiently to
edge-reading types. pennil D6 and D7 :o generate strong
harmonics of the ery'tai frequency. The
lOO-kHz Krcquoney Standard diodes generate harmonies by distorting
There nay be no more useful accessory (clipping) the signal from Q2. This is
than a secondary frequency standard. particularly important when using the
Many home-brew QRP iiaiisiniiturs JOC-kHz markers above 41) meters; Weak
particularly those with VFOs— arc prone to markers may noi be discernible in QRN
frequency change;. 113 ambient
ihc and QjRM.
temperature varies. The problem is 1101 T2 is tuned broadly to resonance by C16.
limited 10 homemade gear. I have used RI3 provides a dc return for D6 and D" 1
+ 9V
several pieces of commercial QRP gear that and establishes a load for Q2. A 9-V batten-
exhibit frequency-calibiatioi problems. supplies operating voltage for the frequency
t*Ci" AS ihBCATED. DECIMAL Also, shock or vibration can shift a standard. It's easy to forget to turn S4 to
VALUi J OP CAPACItANCC AHE
if.VXIOEAHAJS >F 1; OtHERE
|
trimmer capacitor or a slug-tuncd-core Off when you ar: not using the
AHfclN PlCQFMADSlt*
RtSI^A'ICES *1£
I;
M OHMS. setting.Oat-of-band or out-o f-license-elass- standard— I've done too many times! F
it
- - UXO segment frequency excursions can be the switch is left in the as position for
avoided by making periodic transmitter dial lorg periods. BTI will .ie depleted. It's wise
Fig 2— Suggested circuit lor a 100-kHz LC calibration checks using a properly cali- to carry a spare 9-V battery with you on
oscillator. Cl is a 100-pF ceramic irinmer, brated receiver. I like to know my operating fie:d trips.
L1 consists ol 85 turns ol no. 32 ena-n wire frequency, so 1 always carry a secondary Using a new 100-kHz crystal at Yl may
on an Amidon FT-50-61 fernte toroid core.
frequency siandard with me on QRP he costly! I suggest lhal you scan the stir-
C2 and C3 are 0.01-/.F, high-Q capacitors,
expeditions. pits equipment catalogs for moderately
such as polystyrene or Mylar* units. 31 is
adjusted to zero beat the oscillalor ouipul Thr fmyiK'ncy-siandard circuit in Fig 1 priced 100-kHz crystals.' Alternatively
with WWV. A coating ol coil cement should holds its calibration quite well. Ql is a you may use a 500- or 1000-kHz crysia
be applied to LI.
The Meter
A 200-jtA instrument is specified for M 1
money.
The frequency standard may be
calibrated by connecting a coaxial cable
between J5 aid a receiver capable of
receiving WWV. Tune in WWV
and adjust
CI I to obtain i zero beat between 'he out-
put frequency of the standard and WWV.
Calibration shculd be checked at least once
a month to ensure that the standard is
accurate.
Calibrate your receiver by connecting a
coaxial-cable jjmpei between J5 and the
antenna jack of your receiver. If the
10O kHz signal is too strong, you can lower
the signal level by substituting a apackor
of lower value for C 16 (5 to 27 pF). Tunc
the receiver to a convenient frequency that
isan exact multiple of 100-kH?.. and adjust
the receiver-tuning trimmer capacitor for
Fig 4— Circuil-Doard elching pattern for the Omni Box. The pattern is shown lull-size from
the Jail side ol ihe board. Bin:k areas represent unetched copper foil.
zero beat with the standard. Once your
receiver is properly calibrated, it may be
used to check the calibration of the trans-
mitter frequency dial. A low-level signal (HWD). The front and rear panels are egg- PC board. coated each of them with a
I
from the transmitter, such as that obtained shell while, and the cover is finished in a homemade dope after they wete
coil
in the SPOT position, is sufficient for brown wood-grain adhesive-backed plastic. installed. I also flowed a large drop of
calibration, ant this signal level can usually The panel labels arc prcss-an dccals that cement under each coil to affix them to the
be heard without an antenna. were applied after the panel holes were PC board.
drilled, and before
the controls were I made my coil dope by dissolving small
Continuity Teeter mounted Following application of the pi*res of polystyrene lubiny in acrylic
Continuity tests are frequently necessary labels. sprayed the front and back panels
1 solvent/cement. This liquid contairs
when we are away from our home stations with Krylon- No. 1303 clearacrylic lacquer methylene chloride. Warning: Do not
with QRP geat. .Situations arise when we to proteci the labels and give them more breathe thefumes from this chemical, and
need to check a coaxial cable or an antenna contrast. This product is available in office- moid getting it on your skin. A good grade
for opens or snorts. A simple continuity supply stores. ol coil dope may also be made by dissolving
tester will suffice, and it eliminates the need An interior view of the Omni Box is chips or acrylic ntbirg or sheeting in th s
to carry a VOM. shown Fig 3. The PC board is double
in solvent.
added RIJ (Fig I) and two phi jacks
I sided, with ihe copper on ihe component A full-scale etching template for the PC
and J7) to the metering circui; of the
(Jfi a ground plane. suspect that
side acting as 1 board is shown in Fig4. A parts-placement
Omni Box. These components, along ivtih single-sided board would work satisfac- glide is shown in Fig 5. 1 used donut pacs
BT2. provide i full-scale reading at Ml torily for these circuits. I us-ed double-sided ar.d PC layout tape to develop the master
when a short is placed across J6 and J7, board because the input/output PC traces artwork for the PC board. I then trani-
Resistances of more than 1 ohm can be for the SWR bridge depend upon the fcrrcd a mirror imag>: of the pattern to a
observed with this tester. No switch is ground-plane surface of the board to form sheet of paper with i. plain-paper copier.
needed for connecting BT2 into the circuit 50-ohm strip lines. Elimination of the This sheet became my master artwork fcr
because the line is open until the tesi probes ground plane may not affect the bridge cir- Tec-200 film, from which the clch-rcsht
arc placed across a conducting pa:h. R14 cuit significantly, because of the short dis- pcttern was ironed onto the blank PC
is chosen for use with a 200-/iA meter. You tance between J3 and J4 of Fig 1 The most . board.
4
After drilling the holes in the
may need to experiment with the value of used cor.trols are on the front panel of the board, I plated it with Kepro tin-plating
R14 if you use a meter with other than a box. S4, the on/off switch for the fre- solution.
20O-^A movement. SI may be in any quency standard, is mounted on the rear
pos.it ion of its tiree positions while making panel. A U-shaped holder is used for the Odds and Ends
continuity tests. The diodes connected to 9-V battery. attached BT? to the inner
1 The glass piston trimmers I used for CS
Si block the flow of dc from BT2 because rear-panel wall with a nylon clamp. A ar.d C6 are set at near maximum
their cathodes are connected toward the single AA-size battery holder for BT2 capacitance for t he desired bridge null. Had
positive vottag: source. would allow more convenient replacement I realized ihis sooner, I would have sub-
of the 1.5-V battery: The circuit wires are stituted 6.8-pF silver-mica capacitors fcr
Construction Noles
soldered io the ends of BT2 in my unit. the trimmers. You rray want to try thii,
Packaging of your Omni Box is a matter R 14 is not mounted on the circuit board. assuming that the value of C9 is close to
of personal choice. [ used a Ten-Tec TO- Rather, it is soldered between J6 and R6, 330 pF.
TW-34 milky cabinet foi ihis project- Its just behind the ft um uaiul. All uf the Fig I B shows a 6.8-pF capacitor In series
dimensions are 3 x 4-1/8 x 4-1/8 inches toroidal coils arc mounted vertically on the with ihe line from Jl This capacitor shoukl
.
nent a so,
I'm sure you will find this Omni Box as
handy as have. Maybe you'll include a
I
be added if you intend to use a longer p'tck- than ample for most QRP transmitters. a complete do-evcrything gadget!
up antenna for the field-strength meter or The dummy-load metering sensnvity may
Notes
if you connect an RF-sniffer probe to the be increased by changing R5 to a lower
'Circuil Specialise Co. PO Boi 3047. Scotisdale.
circuil. This low-value capacitor will help value. The meter responds adequately at AZ 85257. Pari No. Al-233.
to isolate the tuned circuit from (he added 100 mW with the value for R5 given in *D. DeMaw, "The SWR Twins-ORP and ORO."
capacitance of the probe or longer antenna. Fig 1. OST. Jul 1986. p 34.
3.JAW C-ystals. 2400 Crystal Dr. PO Rox 0fi017
Without this charge, the field-strength used an RF probe and a VTVM to
1
Fort Myers, FL 33906-6017, Catalog no. 30,
meter's tuned circuit will have a restricted measure tranimitter power across a 50-ohm crystal, 0.01% tolerance. HC-13/U
upper- frequency range and reduced Q. resistive load <P = E^t/R^l I set R6 case, $6.50 ea.
*D. DeMaw, "Homemade Circuit Boards— Don't
Maximum SWR bridge sensitivity (sens (sens) for a rull-scale reading ai Ml with Fear Them." QST. Aug 1987. pp 14-16
scl fully clockwise) is 350 mW. This is more 5 W of RF power into the dummy load. and 22.
RtStSTANUfi ih
popular T matel that is used in mos. com- K-IOOC
mercial Transmatches is an example of a SM-SlLVt* MC*
nonresonant ATU. A cesonam Transnaich
offers the advantage of simplicity and
harmonic rednciinn.
Fig l—Schematic diagram of !he SWfi bridge and Transmatch. Fixed-value capacitors are
A Closer Look at Ihe Circuit disc ceramc unless noted otherwise. Fixed-value resistors are carbon composition.
include the circuitry for reading the for- remaining coils are wound on 1/2-inch polUhed the copper ->n the PC-board
ward power. My concern h for obtaining PVC pipe (5/8 inch OD). Al of the coils material, then coated it with clear lacquer
a matched condition between the trans- are mounted on the subassembly base plate to prevent tarnishing. The panel is sprayed
mitter and the ailcnna. Therefore, I need by gluing them into holes (5/8 and 7/8 inch with gray automotive primer paint. I first
only the reflcctcd-power information. Tl diameter) :hat are cut in the PC-board base sanded the panel to provide a rough sur-
SttmpIVS »he RF current (reflected). Dl plate. Epoxy cement is good for this pur- face. This helps the paint to adhere belter
rectifies the current and produces a dc pose. The coils are spaced apart 1 inch, I han it would on ihc smooth .surface. Gray
voltage that is irdicared a: Ml. The ATU center to center. The base plate is made Dymo " f
tape labels identify the conrrol
is adjusted for minimum needle deflection from double-sided PC board {2Vi x VA functions. Four adhesive-backed rubbei
at Ml. Rl is s senuiiviry control that The grounded ends o( the coils are
inches). feet arc affixed to ihe bottom of the
prevents Ihc meter from reading off soldered lo the base plate. chassis.
scale during tuner adjusiraenis. Tbt SWR Fig 2 shows a I '/: x 2-inch shelf upon I used a technique that some call "ugly
bridge is designed for operation, as QRP which ihc trimmer capacitors arc mounted construction" when juilt the 1 cir- SWR
shown. A
iransmfner pemer output or hy means uf metal L bituktta. A plastic cuit A neater job will result if you assemble
1 watt or greater *xB prcvid* fuD-scak insulator is bolted to the shelf to allow C2 the parts on a PC board, although he per- 1
ard useful.
Notes
Trimmers with shalls aie available- Irom Hoslelt
Electronics. 27O0 Sunset Blvd. StaubenvillB.
OM 43952. Sal«b Mil* B00 G2-1-C4G4 (catalog
available).
'Plastic rod. tubing and sheeting (many types
of
cussed earlier. Trimmer C2 may be replaced circuit Q. Long RF leads, such as those
with 140-pF
a 100- 0" air variable. If litis marked "RG.174" in Fii 1, should be
is done, you will need to isolate the stator made from coaxial cable. RG-174 is
and rotor from ground. The circuit will miniature coaxial line thai is suitable for
function satisfactorily if you use iwn short nits and for power levels up to 40
100-pF capacitors (CI and C2). or 50 watts at the lower amateur fre-
quencies.
Circuit Performance There is no reason why the circuit of
1 tested this ATU atfrompower levels, Fig can't be adapted for high-power use.
1
ran it through its paces from 80 through coilforms are also suitable. CI and C2 of
10 meters. Despite the complex impedance Fig must have wide plaiespacing for high
1
the feed line presented above 3.5 MHz. I power, since substantial RF voltage is
was able to obtain an SWR of 1:1 on all present at the top of L2. S I. S2 and S3 need
bands. to be high-quality RF ceramic switches if
Adjustment is done by setting the coil QRO cse is contemplated. Fair Radio Sales
switches for the proper amateur band. With in Lima. Ohio sells surplus KF power
indicated SWR. Repeal this process until tuner smaller. For example, L2 would have
increases at such settings. All Transmatchcs wire on an Amidon T-50-2 toroid, and L5
introduce some loss, but it is insignificant would consist of 1 5 turns of no. 24 wire on
(less than 1 dB normally) for the most pan. a T-50-6 core. There is no reason why you
can't design a PC board that can contain
Some Final Thoughts the Tour toroidal coils, plus the SWR
Keep all RF leads a* short ai you can. bridge. This would result in a low-profile,
This will prevent unwanted stray compact ATU.
can lower ihe tuned- I wrote this article in o rder to share .some
Construction
The inductor LI and the capacitor CI
should be of the highest quality obtainable
for best performance. Low-impedance
loads will requlr: a good inductor for
efficient matching, while high-impedance
load?: will require a good capacitor.
may be uwd. Jl -.Female chassis-mourn BNC connector. Tl— 12 Irililar turns an an Amidon FT-iu-61
J2— Two ceramic feodthiough insilators. core; primary, no. 1G erum wire: secondary.
Capacitor C msc be msulued from the
I
—
L 1 361 no 1 6 tinned wiie on an Amidon no. 18 enam wire.
chassis, so i: »as aaosaad using 'r-inch T-200-6 cere.
Plexiglas* with appod sere* boles. An
insulated shaft cot^fe tsed to prevent
high voltage free ippesva; on ibe knob and allows tlie controls to be spaced apart Winding details are sho>vn in Fig 40. It is
seiscrew. Tlx cafeact a Tea-Tec NW-S a lor easy me. The lugging s«ilc is type- possible to wind this coil with only two
with a model 91-336 CT^Ttnwg rai-op bail. written paper attached to the cabinet with windings, eliminating th: solder joint. The
Although it is tvge lor a fjmr I raesna-cn. a PIcxiglas sheet. coil should be duplicated exactly with
the cabinet maid** oe akor*i QRP rig Tl is a irifilar-wound lians former. regard to the number of turns and core
Adj urtmviil
Adjustment of the Transmalch h much
easier if the approximate impedance of the
Flfl. 1
— Schematic diagram of the variabe notch filter lhal K4VIZ installed In his Kenwood TS-530. This s»me circuil should prove useful for other
receivers. Rl is a dual. 250*0, linear-taper potentiometer, such as a Claroslat D53C1-250K-S. U1 Is an RC-4136, ECG-997 or equiv. quad op amp.
resistor.
I
lO-lttl
Filed a
unit itiat
ess v T
ft r
so the original Kenwood knob would fit and
1
make the new control look like it bclonjs. 1 did
not try to relabel the front panel to indicate- the
function of the new control. That way, 1 can
return the rig to original form, should I ever wish
10.
To mount the filter board in my- Kenwood
TS-530. 1 replaced a screw found near ihe edge
of the audio board, between plugs 8 and9, with
f>OWl« -SUPPLY
a longer one. A fe* washers help space tie filter
board from the chissis. I obtained powei for the
filter at test point 6 on ihe audio board. There
is a small, red coaxial cable coming from the top
VID
in-
X"
•00 >Hl
Fig. 3 — A schematic (or Iha frequency marker U1 is a CD4069, or equivalent. CMOS hex
inverting buffer. Y1 13 a 100-kHz CX-1H crystal from Statek.
OUTPUT
« SUPPLY
SUPPLY GND
Fig. 5— A parts-placement diagram, shown trom the component side of the board. Gray areas
show an X-ray view of the copper pattera
G A highly accurate series oscillator cm be <Fig. 5 is a paics-placcmetu diagram foi tlic The oscillator provides an ideal frequency
constructed from snen components for iboui circuit.) I used the components specified by Argonaut and other radios thai
cheer, for the
$10, The marker is based on the node! Siaiek and ;tic marker oscilialct at 100.0015 lack an internal frequency marker. Siatek
CX-IH quartz crystal, which is a luning-fork kHz. [Larry- Wolfgang, WA3V1L, used a manufactures the CX-lH crystals and pro-
resonator manufactured by the Statek "gimmick" capacitor for CI in the frequency vide; circuit component values for frequen-
Corporation.' Staiek produces these crystalr marker he built in the ARR1. lab. The cies from 10 to 600 kHz. Thus, most HF
for use in quaru «a!-hes and they have a fre- gimmick is iwo wires of a no. 24 AWG ribbon receiver calibration can be accomplished with
quency tolerance of =0.<OQ5*i at 25 6 Celsius. cable. Starl with the wire somewhat longer this inexpensive and ca>y-io-build circuit.
The modules com iboui S6 each. than 3 /: inches, connect the output of the fre- —Michael C. Scheti,KF8CZ, 7647 While Oak
Aschematic of the frequency -raarkcr cir- quency marker to a frequency counter, and Dr. Solon, OH 44139
cuit is shown in Fij 3. h coexists of three
. trim the gimmick wires until the marker is on
cascaded insenen tad three panlle! fcuffer —
frequency. Ed. J Since the nominal frequen- 'The CX-1H is available from StatBtt Corp_
inverters. The enire crr=: a; re cicbrd on cy of the crystal is 100.00 kHz, the measured 511 N Main Si., Orange. CA 92668. tel.
a 1.6- x 1.3-inch boari. *s ibcn in Fig. frequency is within the quoted tolerances. 7T-639-7810
Classics 235
From January 1907 QST, p 27;
Rectifier Circuits
Diode Selection
rating— notabl y the secondary-current termincl regulator ICs offer the foregoing
Equalizing resistors and capacitors are
specification. Industrial design calls for features. Many are capable of shutting
connected in parallel with each diode (as
some rather complex mathemati;al gym- themselves down when excessive current
shown in the The ARRL Handbook) to
nastics, but wo can follow a practical path flows, which in turn protecis the regulator,
equalize the voltage crop across each diocc.
when choosing the transformer we need for the attached equipment and the power-
Choosing a Filler Capacitor the job. Let's assume that we are using only supply components.
the capacitor-input filter scheme, since it Four basic considerations exist for
Amateurs teedregard the filter
:o
is more common and less expensive than selecting a regulator: (I) the maximum
capacitor as a casaai ma::?:. Why not
simply use whai b cr. furv? m the junk box?
ihe choke-input format. Based on this required output current; (2) required output
assumption our transformer secondary- voltage; (3) unregulated input voltage; and
Perhaps a random)} ±xxer. apadtor value
current rating should be approximately (4)ambient temperature. When you know
will provide adeqtuis resales, assuming
1.2 times the full-load dc current of the the answers to items 1 and 2, you may
output ripple is ncc a z^itot consideration,
supply when using a full-wave, center- consult the manufacturer's data sheets and
andifthecap^- ^4* -tz^i happens
.
C-F = - 4 * ifr
minimum will be 3.6 A for a 2-A load standard fixed-voltage regulator. ICs are
Ep.p (1 .8 rimes the toad cun-cnt). Some amateurs available for various standard output
have tried to jse a 2-A transformer for a voltages at various maxim urn -current
*herel L istheit;i»; 2-A load, as an example, only to find that ratings, such as 5 V, 8 V, and so on. They
desired P-P oopx "7TT : ~jx transformer operated quite warm (even arc also available for posiiive or negative
.20 Hz. The P-P rc — =--d :hc output had substantial ripple power supplies. Fig 2B atiuwa a tjpicaJ
measured ai the - '
— full load. If we take care in selecting adjustable regulator of the type that might
V,„
'
RZ
-W»
D^
M • f in
"EG
our(— >——
1 2
cone
A
hoi lo the touch.
recommended when the output capacitance four itemi in selecting a regulator. No. 3 added to prevent unwanted common-mode
(CI) is 25 fiF or greater. This may be the deals with the unregulated ir.put voltage. hum in direct-conversion receivers. This
situation when the equipment used with the Most manufacturers rate their regulators malady is caused by RF energy from the
power supply contains a high-value filter for maximum safe input
voltage for fixed- receiver local oscillator (radiated by the
capacitor at the voltage-input terminal. The voltage regulators that use ground as a antenna and power-supply leads) reaching
low internal resistance of the capacitor can reference. The maximum .nput-output the rectifier diodes. The RF energy is then
cause high-amperage spikes when shorted voltage differential is used for adjustable modulated by 120-Hz energy and re-
(in excess of 20 A), and this can destroy the regulators thai do not use ground as a radiated, it [s picked up Dy the antenna and
regulator IC. Dl protects Ul against input reference. This is sometimes specified as heard as a hum in the D-C receiver. CI-C4,
short circuiting ;C1), and D2 protects Ul "input-output voltage differential." For inclusive, bypass the rectifier diodes at RF,
against output ihoning (C2). Under ihe example. Fig 2A has a "differential" of thereby preventing th?m from acting as
respective shorting conditions, CI and C2 7 V between pins 1 and 2 of the regulator, mixers or modulatots. In effect, the
will discharge through the IC and destroy Ul. The greater the input voltage, capacitors provide an RF-current short
it. respective to the regulated output voltage, across each diode.
Wcfrequently need greater output ihe higherlhe power dissipation within the As a further aid in solving the hum
current than a three-terminal regulator can regulator. Unnecessary power dissipation prcblcm, wc have included RFCI. It is a
provide. The solution to our problem is inside the IC requires greater heal sinking toroidal bifilar RF choke that prevents RF
found in the circuit of Fig 2D. Ql is a in order to keep the regu later within safe energy from entering the power supply via
wrap-around pass transistor which handles ratings. An example of wasted power and the power-supply leads. This preventive
the high current that Ul cannot accom- increased heat is seen when an Input voltage measure was first introduced by Wes
modate. Several pass transistors rr.ay be of 25-28 is used for a 12-V regulated Hayward, W7ZOI. I have found it to be
used in parallel to increase the current supply. A better input-voltage value is effective with such transceivers as the
rating of the regulated supply. Design 18-19 V. HW-7 and HW-8. The bypass capacitors
information relating to this subject may be Item 4 relates to the ambbnt tempera- across the transformer primary winding
A 1 .25- to 25-V,
2.5-A Regulated
Power Supply
Let's discuss the practical
aspects of a test-bench power
supply that's easy to build and
get working. Most of the parts
are available as surplus.
provides a maximum of only 1.5 A. My contains four 6-A. 200-PIV diodes in a full-
work called fcr a current range from 2 to wave bridge hookup. Ul is mounted on a
2.5 A. Although I found a number of sur- small heat sink. 1 used a Thcrmalloy 61 18B
plus fixed -voltage power supplies offered BCD
Electro. 3 The heat
at modest prices, they were not variable-
that is told by
sink helps to keep the diodes from over- MIIMIEh . i
voltage units, and they qualified for the heating when heavy current is flowing.
"boat anchor" weight class! I chose a DSI is a red LED that serves as the
typical amateur solution: build the power power on indicator. You can replace the
supply and make it compact. LED with a 28-V pilot lamp. If so,
This article covers the essentials of a eliminate RIO. By placing the LED or lamp
simple power supply that you can duplicate in this pari of the circuit, you will always
in a few evenings. If can be' expanded easily know if :he fuse, Tl and Ul are functional.
to deliver greater output current. The heart Rl, R2 and R7 can be wound from no.
of this power mpply is contained on a PC 28 enamel wire on insulated forms, such as
board that is available fron FAR the body of a 10-kft, l-W carbon resistor.
Circuits- In fact, most components are
1
You will need an accurate way to measure
available from mail-order houses. the wire resistance if vou do this. These
resistors are available from Mouser
Circuit Details Electronics. 3
Fig I show." the circuit for my supply. U2 is a 1.25 to 30-V, 1.5-A three-
The components marked with a double terminal positive regulator. This device is
asterisk arc cilcrnal to the PC board. 1 also mounted on a small heat sink. used I
recommend that you read the ARRL a Thcrmalloy no. 6098 that obtained from
I
Handbook (1989 or other recent editions) All Electronics Corp. 4 You can build your
for an explanation of how regulated power own heat sinks from 16-gajgc aluminum
supplies operate. See pages 27- 12 aid 27-13 or brass. Form U-shaped channels that arc
for a design description of a similar power- approximately 1-1/2 inchessquare by 5/8
supply circuit. inch high.
Tl is choser for the voltage and current Ql is a PNP (TO-204 case) power tran-
you require. You can use a 24-V trans- sistor. recommend a Radio Shack*
1
Internal view ot iho assembled power
former if you can work with a voltage MJ2955or RCA SK3335 trtnsislor. These
supply. The chassis aid panels are made
have a 50- W rating. The emitter and base
1
from single-sided PC board. The circuit
pins are bypassed to ground at the pins by board is mounted vertically lo conserve
'Notes appear i\ end ot article. means cf C7 and C8 in Fig I. This is a
25-25 V
(2.5 A)
Sol tew
Vie.
Fig 1— Schematic diagram of the 1.25- to 25-V regulated power supply. Capacitors are disc ceramic except lor those with polarity
marked, which ara electrolytic. See ted tor data concernirg heat sinks for Ol, U2 and U3.
Dl. D2— 1-A, 100-PIV rectifier diode. Rl, R2, R7— 5-W wire-wound r»si$tor. See R8. R9— See text.
DSl— Red LED. Notes 3 and 4 tor source. Or, use 17 51— SPST toggle switch
F1— 1.5- A, SAG fuse in chassis-mount inches ot no. 28 enam wire, single-layer 52— DPDT toggle or rotery wafer switch.
holder. wound, on a 10-kll, 1-W carbon- T1— 25.2-V. 2.75-A power transformer (see
J1. J2— Standard flve-way binding poet. Composition reeietor tor R1 and R7. For text).
one red, one black. R2. use 26 inches of no. 30 enam wire LM-6-A. 200 PIV bridge rectifier with heat
Ml-Milliammete.. O-t mA dc (see Notes 5 on a 10-kll 1-W carbon-corn position
. sink. See text.
and 9). resistor (scramble wound). U2-LM317T .1.25- to 30-V. 1.5-A TO-220
01— PUP power transistor MJ2955 (Radio R4-Pane!-mount. 5-kfl. 2-W or 5-W poten- regulator. Use an LM317HVK (TO-204
Shack) or equiv device with a + 70-V. nometor, :arbon or wire wound (soe case) for dc output voltage greater than
10-A, 150-W rating in a TO-204 case. Note 8). 40 Soe text.
put current of 5 la 6 A if the transistor has you want to extract negative voltages from You can see in the photograph that the
a large enough beat sink to remain at a safe the power supply. A third binding post can PC board is mounted vertically to save
operating temperature, if you use additional be added (common to the chassis) for con- space.It is held in place by an I .-shaped
pass transistors, you will need to replace nection to J or J2, depending on the
I aluminum bracket. Ql £nd its heat sink are
Tl with a heftier transformer. desired pclarity. If this is done it will be attached to the rear out:r wall of the chas-
Output voltage and current monitoring necessary to> bring all of the negative circuit sis assembly. My heat sink is a surplus
is done with a 0-1 dA
meter (Ml), I used leads to a bus that connects to J2, except extruded type, measuring 3'/i x 3Vi x I
a Mii|;lu> mctci I luU a»*il*blc, heme ilic foi CI, C2, C7 and C8. inch. 1 do not recommend a Ql heat sink
additional Kales ea the meter face. A (hat is smaller than 13 square inches by 1
suitable 2W- l-isca meter can be Construction Notes
«
inch thick. Larger heat sinks will provide
purchased from Dick Snob Efcoronics. 5 The photograph shows the interior of my added Ql protection. A hefty heat sink is
The voltage drr; icrr- = " -grates the power supply. I used an old cabinet that available from Dick Smith Electronics (no.
current beinr :sktz r» -x load. R5 allows a welder friend had made forme some 25 DS-H3471). 6 The photograph shows a
Ml to read 0.5 v f^l tcije. *z:;r cor- years ago. The chassis and panels arc made thick heat sink with fingers. It was replaced
responds to 5 A
:: setss sraafh R7. R9 from single-sided PC-board material (metal by a heavier* extruded unit of the type just
permits the =;r z: r-=*c 5*: *• fzZ scale. side in). The mating surfaces are soldered mentioned, owing to :xccssive Ql heat
S
Try to use 1 rssan for S~. ii iz£ R9 together. 1 used gray automotive primer as during high-current periods. John Mcshna
for best meter tcsmtcy. I oed r«c 1-fcfl. the underrating for the cabinet, then Jr, Inc lists a dual TO-3 (TO-204) heat sink
M-W resistors if*! — - t-l-iZ< sprayed it with clear lacquer. The panel has ( no. SP-58A-28) that is suitable for one or
for R8 and two tflua, sssun ia gray primer for the undcrcoating and white two pass transistors.'
paral let at R9. t~ ia|Mi i resss- Spray enamel as the finish coat. Clear You may R4 and R6 are diffi-
find that
tor. The accurao ise ._maaj»
zr. a a~s- lacquer was sprayed over the white pane! Wire-wound or high-wattage
cult to locate.
factory for my »e*%- after the cecals were added. The rahin<*r carbon potentiometers are scarce items on
You can lift 3Z aacw dMpni if dnensiom are (HWD) 6x6x8 inches. the surplus market. I was able to find a 2-W
—
Fig 2 Circuit-board etching pattern tor the
povror oupply. Tho pattern lo ohown lull
size Irom the (oil side of the board. Black
areas represent unetched copper.
Summary
Many hams have told me they don't
build equipment because "It's impossible
to find the parts. " Perhaps the references
to OS I cathode
toOSi flrtooo
in this article will make your job easier for uses ether than a tcst-ben:h unit. Ii can *Dfck Smith Etettremka, PO Bo. 463, Qi wsiiww,,
and they should also be usefu when be used to operate a low-power VHF trans- IN 46142. let 317-888-7265 (catalog available;.
»Seo Nole 5.
searching for pans to use in other projects. ceiver or homemade QRP gear, or as a *19AllertonSt. Lynn. MA 91 904, tel 617-595-2275
The maximum recommended load cur- battery charger. Good luck and have fun! (catalog available).
rent versus output voltage for the circuit •Jameco* Electronics, 1355 Shoreway Rd.
in Fig 1 is 500 mA (1.5 V), 750 mA (6 V).
Belmont, CA 94002, teI415-592-8i2l (catalog
available).
A(9 V), \ A Notes
1 1.5 (12 V), 1.75 (18 V), 1 '•EtoctronicSurplus, Inc formerly RSD Electron-
A (20 V) and 2.5 A (25 V). These figures •FAR Circuits, 18N640 Field Ct, Dundee. IL ics), 1224 Prospect Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115,
60110, tel 3I2-42C-2431, overlings. Price: $0.00 tel 216-621-1052.
are lor steady-state load current. For in-
(includes shipping to US addresses). l0Fair Radio Sales
Co. PO Box 1 105, 1016 Eureka
lermittem loads, such a* for CW and 5SB ! P0 Box 8301 1 9. Richardson. T X 7508301 1 9. tel St. Lima. OH 45603, lei 419-227^573 (catalog
transmitters, the current maximum; can be 214-3*3-1770 (catalog available). mailable).
^Mousse Electronics, PO Box 699. Mansfak), TX
increased 25 to 30 percent, assuming a typi-
76063. 191 800-346-6873 (cataog available).
cal duty cycle during transmit. •All Electronics Corp, PO Box 56?. Van Nuys. CA
For updaied supplier addesses, see ARRL Pans
This power supply is certainly iuitablc 91408. tal 800-826-5432 (cataog available). Suppliers List in Chapler 2.
Alternative
Energy—An
Overview of
Options and
Requirements
Part 1: Planning on operating far
from the power grid? You can
have the electrical energy you
need when you need but it, it
peaters or remote equipment in places then proceed to produce ihe fuel before soldering irons, an elejtric typewriter anc
where commercial energy is either going on ihe air, then you're on alternative other apparatus. The economics of our
unavailable or unreliable. Slill others find power! situation dictate a piecemeal approach,
themselves caught up in the challenge of A
combination of random circumstances with maximum emphasis on scrounging,
developing their own energy resources moved me beyond the reach of power and salvage and modification of available
although ihey have perfectly good ac telephone lines In 1969. Somehow, have l deuces. My family and I know we'll find
available in their wall sockets. never gotten back to "civilization," except plenty of uses for all the energy we can
I suspect that the icrm "alternative as a visitor. An addiction to personal com- afford to produce or store. At the same
energy" evokes quite a variety of responses fort, late nighi reading anc a variety of time, however, we organize our activities
and definitions in the minds of QST technical hobbies all combined to motivate around whatever energy happens to be
readers, so before moving inio the subject my alternative energy efforts, so now find
I available at any given moment. Present
proper, I'D discuss my personal definition myself operating on a mixiure of solar, solar capacity at the ho.nesiic is 90 VV peak.
of the term and where I stand in relation hydroelectric and imcrnal-combustton- Maximum hydroelectric capacity is around
to this exciting field. denved electricity. My commercial energy 3UC w, hull hydroccctric potential is
In my opinion, energy alternatives are source ii a 2.5-kW Onan power planl generally available from December through
ever more dependent upon ihe electrical systems that can meet these needs. Energy a variety of turbines and wheels in the case
power network. This potent but fragile net- for the short-term needs of portable, of water.
work is, to a distressing degree, taken for mobile and emergency Amateur Radio Wind and waterpower systems offer an
granted by its users. When we build our
operation has received ongoing coverage in interesting analog to electrical theory. We
own power systems, we come to hitter £>S7"and The ARRL Handbook. Portable may extract equal amounts of energy from
appreciate both our needs for electrical and mobile ham operaiion do have some- large volumes moving a- low velocity or
enrrgy anrl rhr nwwmr
scopr* and rnm- thing in comnon with long-term alternative smaller volumes moving at high velocity
plexityof the commercial systems that are
energy production, however. Sec the side- —very much as I Wcan be developed with
a cornerstone of modern civilization.
bar, "Milking a Herd of Cars." I V at I A or with 1 kV at 1 mA. In
practice, water is more easily manipulated
Short- or Long-Term Energy Needs? Energy P roil uel ion in this way, while wind must be takes as
Most small-scale alternative energy it comes. Still, in areas where winds are
ir alternative energy signifies indepen-
light, larger wind turbines may be used to
dence from the ma ns, how long must ihat
independence be maintained? Will an generate the same output produced by
alternative energy system serve only during smaller generators in windier areas.
emergencies and self-initiated portable/ Wherever there is an energy Waterpower Systems
mobile stints, or will it be part of your way
gradient, be mechanical,
it —
Available water pressure usually the
—
of life perhaps permanently?
With NiCd batier>' packs and chargers chemical or thermal, there result —
of water running downhill is the
available almost everywhere, nucli heart af every hydroelectric energy system.
is the possibility of Pressure increases in direct proportion to
portable Amateur Radio operation can
almost be considered an extension of the producing electricity. ihe height of the water column contained
in ihe supply pipe or penstock. The height
power linn. Poicniialty if not always in
.
related to the routing of waier. Po;ential foot sections, and I'm sure that friction dri'cs a modified automotive alternator
impact on eroslcn and vegetation patterns losses are high in this piping because of ttirough a belt and pulleys (sec Fig t). In my
must also include the cost of suitable be present generation ufsvhu tells (of
sun periods, the PV
system maintains
I
opposed
as lo
housing for the components. This calls for crystalline structure,
battery chargt 10 operate lighiingand low-
careful planning, which should begin with a amorphous cellsi is fragile. The cells arc
voltage dc dsvices. At. such times, the
of system requirements.
realistic assessment subject to outrighi breakage and :o
engine-driven system sees occasional use in
and people look at the high cost of the
Many rricroscopic cracking, which interrupts
running high-powered tools
solar ptncls and decide to build their own, conductive paths, reducing and eventually
appliances. When PV output falli because
either from kits or by using "bargain" cells destroying cell capacity. Even so. solar ceils
of short daylight hours in winter or
extended periods of overcast, tie engine availablefrom many sourrcs. With care, can survive long use and even almsc, io
anyone can solder cells together and house used PV devices may be worth hives; I-
system auiorraiieally tops off the battery
them well enough to pro.-ide protection gjting. (See the sidebar, "Used Solar Cells
charge. If PV capacity is later increased,
extend ing from the immediate effects of the Deserve a Place in the Sun.") As existing
the engine gereratoT runs less, its
life and reducing the fuel hill. weather — butby the time the materials snlar panels age and deteriorate, ihey
PV technology. This
are
make I*V Installations totally impractical (and expensive) construction job. Other-
wise, purchasing guaranteed, ready-made impressive as a huge solar array on a roof,
in many situations.
uniis is more satisfactory. On the other but their modest milliampen: outputs add
Battery storage is an essential adjunct to
hand, construction of a small PV panel can up to milliampcre-hours. A few days of
PV power systems. Many installations will
good introduction to photo- •unshine on such a panel will recharge a
also require the conversion of stored dc to provide a
voltaic technology while adding a useful battery' pack fur your hand-held transceiver
1 17 V ac, jsualiy by means of high-
energy source to the shack. —allowing you to talk with the energy of
efficiency solid-state inverters. Outlays for
recycled photons!
energy storage and conversion hardware
Some
as wind
alternative energy sources,
end sunshine, arc
such
inter-
applicarion is
lated discharge.
one of sustained and regu- fron tiny to enormoui. Various battery
chemistries arc used, depending on [lie
mittent and variable in nature. Others intended service. Which battery you use is
may be constant, but of a level too low io Electrochemical Storage
determined by the application you have in
meet intermittent peak demands. In a such I Storage batteries provide a practical mini Size, weight, charge and discharge
cases, energy use is determined by he I means for storing large tmounts of ehaiacieristics. expectedlifetime in Ihc pro-
vagaries of nature unless some form or electrical energy, though it is not really posed service — all of these arc important
energy storage ii employed. One «ay or accurate to say that electricity is stored in considerations in choosing a storage
another, a means of smoothing out the such a battery in a manner akin to capaci- battery. There is some advantage in using
peaks and filling in die val- the largest batteries that
leys of energy production size, weight, cost and ac-
must be provided. ceptable float-charge load
In hydroelectric systems, allow: Large batteries mean
litis storage may amount to a large reserve capacity for
no more than the confine- cmergcrcics or unanticipa-
ment of water in a reservoir ted use. For a given battery
Until its ^nf-rjjy is needed chemistry, life expectancy is
Then, opening a valve or generally greater for large
sluice gate sets the water in baiterie* than for small
motion, and the kinetic ones,
energy in the flow may be
tapped by a turbine. Reser- Nickel-Cadmium Batteries
voirs work well with water, Highly portable low-
bin are Impractical—to say power applications are
the least —when ihc energy commonly powered by
source wind or sunshine,
is nickel-cadmium ( NiCd)
A way must be found to baiicrie;. These batteries
store the energy from these produce a nominal 1.2 V
sources after it has been per cell and should survive
convened to electricity. around 500 charge-
Capacilive Storage Here's solar-powered 2.m«Gr repeater W86RHR/R, Red Hills (near discharge cycles. Some
Shanrfnn). California Although this installation is not connected lo NiCd
can safely sus- cells
Electrical energy can be commercial powei m real ime, <t owes its hartto-are and maintenance to tain r:-.pid recharging,
stored in capacitors. This is energy-mtensivs techniques-as do all alternative-energy systems, iphoios providing an extra mcasura
a useful Bppraadl when the by WBSEER)
of flexibility in portable and
available chargins current is emergency situations. NiCd
small in relation to a momentary high- live, storage. Rather, eleciiochemically cells arc produced in the cell packages com-
current demand, as m phototlash systems, stored energy is invested in a chemical monly associated with primary cells (AA.
or if the po»ered system requires voltage reaction thai is reversed when the battery D, C and so on) and can be used Inter-
at relative!;- Litis rurreni, a> h the ease willi is discharged. The reversibility of this changeably with primary cells to sonic ex-
short-term memory backup in computer storage reaction is what makes the dif- tent. It's important ti> bear in mind,
circuitry. AiSm^s nn capacitor ccsign ference between primary and secondary however, that the difference between zinc-
allow us to cere acre and more energy in cells: The electrochemical reaction in carbon and NiCd cell voltages at full charge
ever smaller p-aci lies . bu! we are still a primary cells is not easily reversible, dis- (0.3 V) makes for significant undcr-voltage
long way free wr-jj capacitors that can allowing recharging; secondary cells may when NiCd cells arc series connected to
compete a -*±t retries when the be discharged and recharged many times. lake lie place of an equal number of zinc-
I
A wide variety of storage batteries has carbon cells. Perhaps one or two more
been developed to meet many storage NiC'u cells can be added to such a battery
needs. Sizes and storage capacities range to make up the difference. But the voltage
zinc-carbon cells! automotive batteries is lower !han that of Weight and tolerance of abuse as compared
equivalent^* rated deep-cycle batteries, so with the lead-acid batteries of the day. If
Lead-Acid Batteries
the float-charge current required to keep you can find salvageable Edison batteries,
When small battery-powered equipment an idle battery fully charged will be lower it's quite possible that they can be made to
is used such a way thai the battery e sub-
in for the automotive battery. wori for you. See Ihe sidebar, "Edison
ject 10 frequent deep di scharges. NiCd cells Where regular use of higher-power Batteries," for the stoty.
may be the preferred choice. Where deep equipment (pa Imp* 30 W
and up) wi wu- LvohillS t° whW
thc preaeni blends into
discharges are only occasional and float- vcrsion of battery power to 1 1 7 V ac is con- the future, research cortinues in the qucsl
charge current is generally available, a templated, the most practical and for increased battery life and capacity. Re-
gelled electrolyte lead-acid storage battery economics! battery "buildup block" cently, rechargeable lithium cells have made
should prove more economical in the long appears to be the 6-V, 217-Ah units lhe scene.' The dependability of alter-
run. The nominal cell voltage for lead-acid designed for golf carts and similar appli- native energy systems rests heavily on
batteries is 2.0 V. cations. These are deep-cycle batteries with energy storage, so each improvement in
When necessary to power remote
it is a lead-antimony plate cherristry. They battery and energy management technology
sites, especially if they are not vehicle- weigh approximately 70 lbs each and can is good news for alternative energy
accessible, 12-V gel batteries rated ai about be moved around fairly easily. For planners— especially ai Ihe reliability of
30 Ah
are nearly ideal. Weighing 25 to increased s:orage capacity, they can be con- new technology goes up and costs come
30lbs, they can be transported nearly any- nected in series and paralleL. Such deep- down.
where with relative ease. Because these are cycle batteries should have a service life of
Safety in Alternative Energy Systems
sealed batteries with rugged mechanical nearly 10 years if reasonable care is taken
characteristics, ihere is little danger of in their application. As consumers of commercially produced
damage regardless uf i he contortions that power, we arc protected to a considerable
may be necessary to gel them to their degtce from electric shock, explosion,
destination. When higher voltage or greater mutilation, poisoning and a host of other
storage capacity is required, simply use potential consequences of living in close
more batteries in series or parallel and dis-
Large batteries no longer proximity to the systems and energies that
tribute the hauling job among carrizrs or capable or trustworthy in power our civilization. When we take
over time. This is infinitely superior to I hings into our own
hands and build energy
struggling with one giant battery.
their original service systems from ihe ground up, we must con-
sciously build safety in. It is necessary to
Higher powei applications, such as may still do useful work
evaluate hazards and take measures to
operating HF transceivers or household
lighting and appliances, require larger with smaller or less minimize them.
batteries. VVherethe powered site Is acces- critical loads. Next, we'll survey the basic classes of
sible and power requirements are large, t he hazards you may encounter in working
30 Ah gel battery is no longer a cost-, with the sort of alternative energy
effective building block. Then, the best techniques outlined so far. This material
compromise between economy and :.srvice should not be a substitute for all warnings
life is the liquid-electrolyte lead-acid Battery manufacturers consider a and insiructions thai may come with
battery. battery's useful lifebe o*er when its
10 machinery and substances employed in
Automotive batteries arc often pressed storage ability has dropped to SO^a-gOTo of alternative energy work. Nor should it be
into this service, more because of their its capacity when new. This does not really a sabstitutc for doing personal safety
ready availability than suitability for the hold true where the battery has more research, in the library and face-to-facc
job. The automotive battery employs a capacity than necessary for the job. If with experienced peop e.
lead-calcium pla:e chemistry that is satis- normal usage of a battery draws only 10"?o The hazards inlieren: in the production
factory lor brlel periods ol high-current of us ratec capacity, it docsn'i make much and storage of electrical energy may be
discharge followed by immediate and com- difference whether the battery is 90To as divided into three closely relaled categories:
plete recharging Such batteries are not good as new or only 50To. Ai long as the mechanical, chemical and electrical. Some
suited to deep-discharge applications where battery delivers its open circuit
rated of these hazards are no different from those
they will be repeatedly drained to a SOTo voltage (no shorted or dead cells) and main- encountered by any electricity user. Others
discharged state. n fact a I . down or so such tains acceptable voltage under load through arc more characteristic of complete power
cycles will reduce the battery's capacity to the required duty cycle, it is still usefully systems. As different as they may seem
(he point where should probably not be
it "alive" for that application. Of course, as from each other, mechanical, chemical and
counted on to start a car. By contrast, a battery ages, its emergency reserve electrical hazards are closely related: A
batteries designed for deep-cycle service becomes questionable, and overall failure or accident in one category is likely
should be good for a few hundred charge- efficiency is reduced. Evcitually, the 10 bring about failures in one or both of
discharge cycles. battery wHt fail; all batteries have a finite the others. Such multiple failures can be
This does not mean that automotive life span. The point here is not that we nea-ly instantaneous and the consequences
batteries are unsuitable for all alternative should buy batteries thai are much larger can be catastrophic.
energy applications. Where the average than we need, but thai large batteries no
load current is low and some energy is longer capable or trusiwor'.hy in their e Nuutfltt Buwkoi and Chiialuphei Dulldid.
available to keep ihe battery float-charged original service may still do useful work "Tho Magic Ol MOU." Jin 1967 OST, pp 22-25.
good percentage of their original capacity upon being filled A battery of six Edison cells as collected on a t
with distilled water and run through a few charge-discharge expedition. Most of the cells are good, but the original wooden
cycles—after having been dry and totally neglected for rack is in bad shape. These are A-8 cells, originally rated at
around 220 Ah each.
over 40 years.
Now tho bad news. As compaed lu lead-acid eels,
for
the Edison cell has a high internal resistance and a high
self-discharge rate. Thus, voltage regulation during load
variation is poor, and the cell shows a continuous loss of many sawservice in domestic wind power installations.
voltage throughout its discharge cycle— from neady 1.4 V Despite their age, howevei, Edison batteries may still be
charge to 1.0 V at the bottorr of the
at full cycle. Hydrogen found. Many of their cells will undoubtedly be in salvage-
and oxygen are vented continually, though to varying able condition (see photo).
degrees. If yoi come across an o3d-looking battery Ike that
Edison cells omploy a potaMium hydroxide electrolyte. shown in the photo, don't assume that il is dtmd and gone.
This is a strong Dase and must be handled with caution. If the steel case of a given cell is intact and the poles are
Acids and acid-contaminated toots should never be used in not internally shorted or shorted to the case, t is quite
or around Edison batteries— something to keep in mind If possible that the cell can be revived. Cases cf adjacent
your battery "stable" is to include toth lead-acid and cells In an Edison battery must be insulated f'om each
Edison cells. other or electrolytic action will eat through them in short
A hydrometer is not of much use in determining the state order. (In an Edison cell, the steel case is isolated from
of an Edison cell because the specific gravity of the electro- both poles but common to the electrolyte.) A socket
lyte changes little between tha charced and discharged wrench and a good goar pjller are essential tor disas-
states. Cell voltage, charging time and charging current are sembly of Edison batteries Details on the care and feeding
the best indicators of charge for Edison batteries. of Edison batteries can be found in older electrical
Terminal voltage in the discharged condition for a single engineering handbooks.'
Edison cell is Considered to be 1 V. New Edison batteries
had an expected lifetime of 2000 charge-discharge cycles.
'Greatly detailed information on Edison and other secondary
Most of these batteries were probably used by railroads for colls nay he lound in Georce Wood Vina), Storage Butteries.
iger car lighting and irackside signaling, althougi I
ec (New York: John Wfev and Sons, 1""
The sidebar, "Harmless," offers an Towers should be designed and sup- nuisances, so they should not be climbable
example of the kind of nasty multiple ported to wilhsland worst-cas? weather by children or passersby.
failure that can happen around an alterna- conditions for the area. Theyshoild receive
tive energy installation. Although the chain Chemical Hazards
of events depicted tlicic timy sixiu All motor fuels and ihelr vapors are
farfetched, it isn't. When you achieve long llamrrable and potentially explosive. They
periods of accident-free alternative energy must be handled in suitable containers,
production, you wort'l have wasted your Persons developing any lines end Most fuel vapors have
fittings.
time anticipating and guarding against the distinctive odors,so use your nose! Don't
worst!
energy resource must take ignore what your sense of smell tells you.
a certain responsibility for Track down and repair leaks. Never store
Mechanical Hoards
fuels near operating engines or sources of
Moving their safety and thai of
parrs, especially gears, vec belts, open flame and sparks.
pulleys, wind turbine propellers and ihe their neighbors. Enternal combustion engines produce
like, should all be made inaccessible to carbon monoxide gas as an exhaust
accidental contact. This is usually produ:t. This is a colorless, odorless and
accomplished *ith coven and enclosures. lethal substance. Do not breathe exhaust
When webnoaagpans must be exposed, fumes; also, do not risk operating engines
they should be taa: out of reach. A wind regular inspections and maintenance as fumes are
in enclosed spaces unless eshaust
turbine *Kn—H HOC he iNe to much any. nrrrird. Wh»*n in doubt, consult a property vented through agas-iight system.
one on the erooi or »crting on its tower. structural engineer. Towers are attractive Even with a good exhaust system, it's good
insurance to kecpa carbon monoxide alarm hydrogen can accumulate here. Thus, ductors to red heat, creating poteniial for
in the engine room. checking the clectrolylc level b> match light fireand burns. Larger batteries, such as
Engine exhaust systems can emit burning or "testing" a battery by drcving sparks those found in automobiles and alternative
gases and hot carbon particles, bo:h of across its terminals arc dangerous energy storage systems, can deliver
which can ignite dry materials in the vbinity techniques and should never be used. hundreds of amperes. Such currents can
of the exhaust outlet. When internal- heat and melt large conductors. Rings,
comb usi ion-engine driven generators are to bracelets and wrist watches should never be
be used outdoors under dry conditions, use worn by people working with electrical
spark arresting mufflers or spark arresters systems for this reason. Electrocution may
approved by the US Forest Service. Clear
Dangerous system failures be the danger that comes to mind when
first
a ten-foot radius to bare din around the are possible unless care is considering the wearing of metal jewelry,
generator and keep it clear. Have a shovel and t should never be rt-led out, of course.
and fire extinguiiher nearby and in plain
taken to make them But stories of fingers amputated and
sight. impossible. You must cauterized by a white hoi ring welded across
Whether acidic or alkaline,
they're a high current source are noi fables— il can
build safety in.
happen to you.
battery electrolytes are nasty substsnccs.
They can corrode metal, creating both Protect battery terminals from short-
mechanical and electrical problems. They circuits Fvfrri«fp pviremr million if ynu
can destroy clothing in short order, and mus: work around baiteries with metal
their activity does not stop when they get Storage batteries also tend to vent tools. Always keep one terminal covered to
to lite flesh underneath. Soft tissues, such corrosive vapors that can damage delicate avoid the possibility of a short circuit.
as eyes, are particularly prone 10 rapid electronic equipment. If vented batteries Modern battery case* melt readily even
damage from exposure 10 battery elec- arc used indoors, the venli should be at soldering temperatures (360-460°
trolytes, so wear eye protection when extended lo the outdoors with plastic Fahrenheit for common solders). These
working arounc batteries. Keep some tubing. Tie best practice ts to provide case; also deteriorate rapidly in sunlight,
means ot Hushing away accidental storage b.mcries with tlicii own wtlt-
exposures at hand; a garden hose will do. vcntilated compartment or room.
Don't wear your best clothing when
lazards
—
working with batteries some exposure to
Electrical I
evidence may noi appear until that special costs. Shosk danger from 12-V dc systems 350
—
1
._
shirt comes out of Ihe washer looking like is minimal, but as sysiem voltage
3X>
^^_^-ias v
cheesecloth! approaches 32 V, it's posiible to get
Avoid panic by having emergency pro- "bitten" and even be electrocuted if con-
cedures well in mind. Your flesh won't dis- ditions ar; just right (or wrong!). Both
E
solve right off your bones if you do gel storage ba:teries and solar panels connected 5 .so
electrolyte on it, so don't go into shock. in series can add up to shock potential in o
1M
Just start flushing the affected area short order. Remember thai the output
immediately. If garments are saturated, gel voltage from solar panels is much higher v>
not a dyed-in-the-wool liarr than in ihc Sunbelt, In fact, these cells even emilter eurtcnl does. An increase in collec-
I'm
operator when ii comes to RF— I'm provide electricity on cloudy days.
1
tor current Is the result. This discovety was
later tn the development
put to good use
more of a tinkerer in electronics.
Capturing Energy from the Sun of of light energy to elec-
ihe translation
Although have held a license since 1954,
I
I have, until recently, derived more satis- The electric effects of light on certain tromoiivc force, photovoltaic conver-
faction from designing sion, often called PV
directly proportional io
I recently read up on
Solar panels llower right) and a iribandor decorate the rootiops at KG6JA the rate of photon bom
developments h alterna-
bardment, and thus to the
tive energy sources such
as wind, motion (water) and sun thai supply materials have been known sirce long before exposed area of the photocell.
energy to power an entire household. It the invert ion of the transistor. Materials
Types of Solar Cells
occurred to metliat the use of solar energy such as cadmium sulfide 4nd selenium
to charge a bau;ry capable of powering my exhibit altered electrical behavior when Originally, solar cslls were made bj-
ham station would be an interesting and ihey ate exposed lo light- Early in ihc cuiting slices of grown silicon-cryslal rod
affordable experiment. Much to my sur- development of transistors, it was dis- anJ subjecting them to doping and metal-
prise. I founc thai technology in the covered that transistors noi encapsulated lization processes. These solar cells are
manufacture of solar clcciric cells ha; moved in lightproof housings wers sensitive to called monocrystallim cells because each
far enough forward hat you don't have to
i light. The reason for this is that photons unit consists of only one crystal plate. The
live in space, in Florida or in California to striking a base-emitter junction cause the shape of these cells is the same as lhat of
benefit from solar energy! Solar-cell ef- movement of electron-hole pairs in the the silicon rod from which they arc cut;
ficiency is such that solar cells can provide ju net ion—just as injecting a forward base- round. A slice of this material with an area
sufficient energy to be usable in areas of the of 2 inches can be made into one photocell,
country where sunshine is less abundant 'Notes acpear at end ot article. but a slice of this size could also be used to
/
? 1 ulicsn
I
v he, ccpabinlf
expect to pay
you can
nificantly in recent years. Basically,
anywhere from about $8 to
S15 per watt, depending on quantity, size,
\ construction and efficiency of the panel.
nenl
\
Because the sun doesn't shine 24 hojrs
Fig 1— Cross section of a PV solar cell. I perday ai any locElion in ihe U5. some
1 means of storing collected energy must be
1
used. Batteries are commonly used for this
1
4r- \
The cosi of tiese early solar cells was way ampere hours (mAh). This rating is simply
beyond the mcuni of common folk, and die product of discharge current and din
could only be justified for use in space Output Wloge charge time in hours. For example, a fully
plates arc cut These cells can be recognized relationship of a solar cell This . is called the consumer electronic has contributed to 'he
by their shape and their random pattern cell's bad curve. Open-circuil voltage is rapidly increasing availability (and
and colorful surface. Polycrystalline cells approximately 0.7, and oitput voltage at somewhat-less -rapidly decreasing cost) of
are les* expensive to manufacture than optimirsi load is nominally 0.45. Output NiCds. Major advantages of NiCds: They
monocrystalBnc cells. current is maximum with shorted outpul ter- arc hermetically sealed, operate in any
In the mid 1970s, began ro
researchers minals This maximum current is called the position and have a good service life
experiment with the manufacture of PV short -rircuit current, or 1^, and is depen- (several hundred charge/discharge cycles),
cells by depositing a thin film of doped dent 01 the cell type and size. Because a if they arc properly maintained.
silicon on ar economical but stable sub- OJipui current rcmai rs relatively cons-
cell's • Gcllcd-clccirolvte lead-acid batlcrkrs:
si rate, such as glass. In 1175, these efforts tant under varying load conditions, it can These hermetically sealed bacteries arc
paid off, and today the result, amorphous be considered 10 be a constant-current available in capacities from below Ah to 1
production of calcu-
cells, are use.1 In the source. The point on the load curve where more than 50 Ah. They arc ideal for sup-
lators, watches, security systems, automatic maximum power can be drawn from the cell plying energy 10 a ham radio station, but
gate openers, electric fences, wireless free- is indicated in Fig 2. their cost (for capacities above 10 Ah) is
way lelephotes. bauery chargers in auto- Jusi like batteries, solar cells may be oper- rather high. For portable and QRP sta-
mobiles and recreational vehicles, and. of ated ir series to increase output voltage, tions, though, thiv type of battery is
course, in ham radio. At first, anorphous and/or in parallel to increase output-current difficult to beat. The cells can be opcraxd
solar cells were not very efficient and capability. Several manufacturers supply ar- in any position, but should be charged in
exhibited rawd degradation with time. rays or panels with a number of cells in a an upright position. If properly maintained
Most of these problems have since been series-parallel hookup to be used, for exam- (no deep discharges—cell-polarity reversal
solved, and reliable amorphous PV panels ple, for battery charging. is possible under these conditions— and
are available from many manufacturers. Techniques have been developed for the a fully charged state), gel
they are stored in
These pane* cone in several forms: construction of whereby
amorphous cells a long lime (500 or so cycles-. I
cells last
mounted oc Lts pass, framed, and even the cells are manufactured in series by cut- operate a small I0-W portable CW
station
mounted oc ffcofak saturates such as ting metal layers that have been vapor from a 12-V, 6.5-Ah gel battery with good
steel. deposited on the amorphous silicon mass. success.
Amorpbcu jg=Tu err relatively
inexpen- This cutting is done with n laser. Cell width • Other lead-acid batteries: These arc
sive io maaajbaaaa-. Taey do sot. however, in such panels may he up to several feet, and available in standard automotive
the
spell the end a( ^~naSae ceils Crystal- the output-current capability of these rela- version, in the marne/RV deep-discharge
line ceils stS -Om fc r-jaes efficiency. tively economical panels ii excellent. versions and in the gslf-can variety. Differ-
The best sjecpaa; ^^s^arisoc you can PV-cell efficiency varies.: Monocrystalline ences: Automotive batteries usually fail
make «ae= ;m I ewaf. PV «obr panels is cells hive efficiencies up to 15^o; poly- following several deep-discharge cycles
to compare ;c*»= zhizkz rer ;;"'»r. and crystalline cells, 10 to l2To; amorphous (because of the thin plate and insulation
then seiec: a nn-r »-c ;-*?en 2 good 6.5 to over lO^o, depending on the
cells. materials used in their construction), result-
warranty 1 manufacturing process. 1 ing in premature internal short circaa
The output power of solar arrays or (iolf-cart and marine/ RV batteries hav-
Solar-Ce*
panels is specified in watts. Typically, the thickcr plates with more rigid insulation
Deperon* listed wattage is measured at full exposure between them, so these batteries can with*
an oper-cm to sunlight, at a nominal potential of 7 V stand deeper discharges without plate
sun. of 0.5 rU* for a 6-V system, 14 V for a I2-V system, deformation and internal failure. Deep-
cd lbs, %3ss and so on. You can calculate the maximum discharge batteries wide the best value
equrvaknr rf at current thai can be expected from a PV in a ham station. Some of these batteries
diode } Tats panel by dividing the specifed output power require attention (the electrolyte level mas
<tt biliary —
sonic locations arc worse than
Fig 3— Basic solar-paneHo-batlery connec- others in tliis regard). Bccaus; these sun-
tion. The series dixie in the panel's output less days could be days on which you want
line keeps Ihe barery trom discharging into to operate, and because it's not a good idea
the panel. to discharge a battery to less than 50°.'o of
itscapacity ( for maximum battery' life), this Fig Connecting panels in parallel is a
battery mtst have a capacity af at least 2 good way lo Increase output current from a
a wet electrolyte water), and most of them without sunshine for as much as an entire
are not hermetically scaled, ihev uust be week, the battery requirement is 7 x 5 *
kept upright. 0.5 = 70 Ah. Add about 10% to this
a series diode. The basic hookup is shown
number to compensaic for self discharge
in Fig 3. With a fully leaded panel voltage
A Typical Application and other Bosses. (Typically, litis means
tide's j practical example of how to you'll buy the ne\t larger-size battery than
of a panel rated at 21
14, (14 V x 1.5 A) W
is required innorthern .'limes. In practice,
calculate power requirements for a PV- the initial calculations indica.cd.)
What dnes it take to keep this battery this power can he obtained front good-
powercd ham radio station. The first thing
quaiity solar panels with a surface area as
to do is define the power demand. Assume sufficiently charged? Here again, some
mall as 5 square feet. If you live in lite Sun-
you use a 100-W rig. (We'll also rulesof thumb help in the calculations.
that
assume that 100 W
is lite peak power con- average number of
First, estimate the
belt, you need only I2.f W (14 V x 0.9 A)
of I'V energy.
sumption, and occurs only during CW hours of sunshine per year in your area.
Using this basic method, you can calcu-
operation and SSB voice peaks when a This information can be found in an
and mechaiu'eal dimensions
ntc the electrical
almanac. As a guide, average annual sun
I
Assume that the current consumption of ambition of most people 1 know). If you shown in Fig 4.
the transceiver during receive is 2 A; during need to collect more solar encriy, it is much When hooking up P v panels to a storage
easier to simplyadd another solar panel! In bacery. always use a series diode to prevent
the 100-W peaks on transmit, current
practice, you can only count on panel discharge of the batter/ into the panels. A
drawn is 20 A. The owner's manual for
your rig should give the maximum dc exposure for about 70% of ire total sunlit Schottky diode can be used in applications
time, which is anywhere between 1340 and where it is important to maintain the lowest
current drain. The average current con-
2240 hours per year (between 26 and 43 vol:agc drop (and minimum loss) of charge
sumption during SSB transmitting is only
about » A. Therefore, we need a battery hours per week), depending on where you current.
tf you live in an area where battery over-
that can supply a peak current of at least live.
20 A and an average current of 4 A. Now The remaining syslern plarnine is easy. charging may occur, lake precautions to pre-
Our earlier shoved that the vent battery overcharging and related gas
calculate the total energy consuned in calculations
must replenish 35 Ah per week, discharge inside the battery. Several manu-
ampere hours ever a one-week period: solar cells
plus lOTo -o compensate for losses, or about facturers supply simple charge regulators
Receiving: 2 A x 2Vi hours/day x 38.5 Ah 3f battery capacity. With solar that serve this purpose by disconnecting the
5 25 Ah.
days = energy nVailahle in the Suiibeh for 43 hours V V panel from ill c battery when the hatter)
Transmitting: 4 A x Vi hours/day x per week, the required charge current is is fully charged. Some of ihese charger:
5 days = 10 Ah. 38.5 Ah - 43 hours of sunshine « 0.9 A. allow charging to resume when the battery
used per week 25 10 In the northern part of Ihe US. this is 38.5 has reached a measurable level of discharge
The total energy is -I-
(5 Ah per day) .o the battery. In piactice. In the 12-V system described here, the PV
Installing Solar Panels
imperfections in battery construction cause punt! upviaicn, with a fully cliirgcd battery,
at about 13.6 V. plus the voltage drop of
If you plan to permanently install PV
some loss (self discharge), for which the
Calculating Solar-Cell and Storage-Battery Needs Use separate wire for :his ground do nor
Calculation of Pv* solar-cell and storage-battery requirements
combine the panel-frame ground with one
is easy using
this form. See the text for additional information.
of the power leads!
After you have determined where the
Solar Cell panels will he positioned, lay them upside
4) Measura peak current drain during transmit^ A tape it down until the adhesive
has dried.
5) For SSB, enter 0.2; for CW 0.5; else, 1.0;
f
If you want to go the extra mile, you can
6) Number of hours ol transmitter operation per week; h mount the panels on blocks so that air can
7) Multiply (4) x (5) x (6): Ah circulate under the panel. PV solar panels,
8) Add (3) + (7): Ah when cool, have slightly higher output than
9) Number of hours week (see test):
of sunshine per h ho; panels.
10) Required solar-panel current [(B) * (9)1: A
The solar panel you select shojld havo at least as much currant capability os Methods of securhg solar panels to
shown in line 10. wooden or meial frames vary with frame
designs; panelsmay lay in the frame, or you
Storage Batiery may to use bracktts and/or bolts. The
elect
advantage of a frame mount (as opposed to
11) Maximum number of days of operation without sunlight:
12) Daily pcwer requirement ((8) ~ 7] : Ah a more permanent mojming scheme, sucl
13) Stored-energy requirement [(11) x (12)]: Ah as adhesive), is that yot can adjust the angle
14) Maximum stored-energy requirement |(13) x 2.2]: Ah of :hc panels with respect (o the ground, so
The battery ynu selBrt should hav^ a capacity at loast as large as Ihe total that you can align the panels for maximurr.
storage requirement found in (14), or the numerical current capacity of the efficiency.
battery (in Ah) should be at least twice as large as the numerical value found
in (4), whichever is larger.
Notes
such timers usually actuates a switch that mount the neon lamp assembly at any con- required by your batter/. To turn on the
breaks the hot ride of the ac line for venient place on the timer housing, and timer motor and your battery charger,
appliance control. Modify the timer as connect it between the hot and neutral rotate the timer dial until DSl lights. When
shown in Fig I. Cpcn the timer and locate terminals on the timer's appliance outlet. the time has elapsed, your charger and
set
the motor lead connected lo the hoi side Reassemble the timer. the timer motor switch off. Result: a
of the ac line (point A in Fie 1). Move this Connect your battery charger to the charted battery that won't be overcharged
lead to the appliance- socket side of the timer. Set the timer's on and off actuators if foiBoncn.— Dennis Cripps, N3FIW. 218 N
timer switch, SI (point B in Fig 1). Next. to turn on t!K charger for the charging time Dillwyn Rd. Newark. DE 19711
^^)ne of the more exciting phases uf hand or >c able to pick up at moderate exciter such as one described by lh«
ham radio today is the use of rf power prices. Even when good irformaiinn is author an earlier trticle, 3 and shown
in
transistors in transmitter amplifier available, it may be for only die vhf in the photograph, or some higher value
stages. design has ohvious
Solid-state range, or the circuits described
may not if the exciter is to be an integral part of
weight and power-drain advantages, es- necessarily*be the best available for a complete transmitter. A reactive com-
pecially in gear that may be used for amateur-band use. Unlike vacuum tubes, ponent will be presert in the base inpu:
mobile or portable operation. solid-state devices may exhibit wide impedance, so the interstage matching
Development of balanced-emitter rf variations between individual units of network must tunc the base input
power transistors, virtually blownul the same type. This is in part the result circuit lo resonance, as well. The ampli'
proof and superior to curlier ivpes in of applications design for top-quality fier will operate properly only when
regard lo stability, gave great impetus to production runs intended tor military or both conditions me satisfied.
use of all-solid-state equipment in both space use, whereas the amateur may Any balanced-eiritter device will
the hfand vhf ranges. have ic» contend with second- or tliird- liavomi absolute minimum gain of about
Kor the amateur who wants to do level quality. There is also the matter of
6 ilB if operating properly. Efficiency
other than make exact copies if de- the practical unreliability of mathemati- will be 45 lo 65 percent. At least 8-dB
scribed equipment, a problem ha; been cal calculations used in solic-state ampli-
%m is expected normally, On this basis.
lack of understandable information dial fier Johnson and Artigo have
desigri. The drive required for 10-walts output is
will permit liim to work out transmitter noted that competent engineering can 1.25 watts. In practice, the writer has
designs for transistors he may hive on produce "ball-park'" errors ranging from found the 2N5590 can be driven to
-22 to +25 percent between calculated aboul 12.5-watts output with wall oi I
P°
2Ri
Fig. 2 - Simple tes: equipment used in Three simple instruments, shown Fig. £ —Basic circuit for use with Tables 1,
optimizing the solid-state amplifier includes schematically in Fig. 2, were used in the and 3. Circuit A, for Tables 1 and 2, shows
a wave meter. A. a power -output indicator. developmen t of the amplifie r: A roughly the nitwork lor input matching. B is
B. and a variable irrped3nce bridge, C. Values used n matching ihe ampl tier to 50-ohm
calibrated wavemeter capable of tuning output. The formulu* urc tut upe'diiiiy
of LI and CI depend on the bann being
checked. Pans designations are for text to the desired frequency and to its conditions other than thoie assumed in the
reference. second harmonic, a power-cutput indi- tablet.
If the bridge is to be used only letween b; used. With other types it is well to
Table 3
50-ohm circuits, coaxial connectors will start about 70 percent of Lie
with
Output network, final collecier impedance
be suitable, as shown. maximum. De-couple the wavemeter, in
81:. (10 <vam output at 13.6 talis dc), 50::
load. (Fom Motorola AN-267,1 anticipation nf the 40-dB increase in
Construction ind Testing 28
3.5 7 14 21 MHz pswer to be expected, and apply drive.
Armed with the above assumptions
40 2.0 0.95 049 0.3 0.23 Readjust both input and oulput net-
and equipment, we can monitor
test 6b 720 350 75 125 30 works for maximum output and mini-
several aspects of the circuit operation 89 530 2GO 140 9D 65 mum harmonic power. The wsvemetcr
in the process nf getting the amplifier to should be coupled to the lead going lo
work properly. Tim is a tough dup- the output meter fcr the latter check, as
lication oi' the procedure followed in the he ormul. s given in Fig. 3 can be hirmonic currents circulate in the out-
manufacturer's laboratory in deter- pit tank, and coupling lo il will give an
mining the p;rIonuancc characteristics should the driver stage operate at a erroneous reading of harmonic level
of y device fcr given sets of corditions. different power level or load impedance. when the amplifier is running nonnally.
These appear later on a data sheet. Our CI. C2 and LI should be variable, to Measure the dc input power and the rf
puipwsc is not quite the same, in thai wc allow for Initial adjustments. Inexpen- output power and compute the effi-
are not lookii g for a set of "numbers." sive broadcast-receiver capacitors, 365 ciency wliichshould be at least 40
Rather, we seek Ui take into account pF. are ideal for tuning. Where higher percent. Substitute the double-tuned
automatically the actual characteristics capacitance is needed, fixed-value micas tank circuit for the simple parallel-luncd
of the device on hand, in achieving can be connected across the variables. A one, if ihe output is low.
optimum ope-ation for our application. 40-meter amplifier is shewn in Fig. I If an external exciter is to drive the
An experimental amplifier can be with component values arrived at by amplifier, no further adjustment is re-
bread-boarded or built on a circuit expedient, as described below. quired, and the amplifier is ready fir
board similar to the one shown. Il is App y 500 miV of drive to
at least service. If yon intend to connect the
recommended that a single parallel- the network through ihe impedance input network directly to the driver
tuned circuit be used for the output side bridge. The network is adjusted fnr collector, theimpedance bridge is set :o
of the amplifier during developmental deepest null, first by CI, where the tie desired collector load impedance
work on the input matching. Il can be indication will be broad, then by C2, Figure (70Q for 1.25 W at 12 V). ard
replaced when Uic work is completed. which gives a deeper null and finally by , adjustment is made for best match. Each
Calculated values for hoih input net- LI. Th:s is done with Lie wavemelcr of these steps monitors some aspect of
works, and the output network. Tig. 3A coupled lo the fiiidl-juiplifiei lank, and circuit operation, using the actual com-
and B, respectively, are given below for the output meter connected lo the tank ponent! available, and gives assurance
the hf bands. as an irtlicaling load. No dc voltage is that optimum result* are being obtained
applied to the amplifier tlius far, as only The amplifier shown in die photo-
the leetl-ihiough energy will be mon- graph was adjusicd by these methods
Tibti 1 itored at this point Will one watt of and was ready for use, in the Inst hours
lop-ut network. 11 = 5017. R2 = 5<:. 0=5. drive there should be : to 15 mW before Field Day, in about a half hour
28 showing on the output meter, when (he after it was assembled. Running at r:-
3.S 7 M 21 Mill
latter is tuned to the drive frequency. duced power, ii gave a good account of
X U i=25Ii 1.25 0.63 0.29 0.2 0.18 Remove the impedance bridge and itself on 40 meters the following day,
JiH
X C i=3m 1400 700 380 260 170
rcpeak slightly for maximum feed- using the exciter previously described by
pF through indication. the writer.
*C2*64:; 750 370 ISO 150 85 Setthe wavemeter to the second Reference*
harmonic frequency. If the drive is clean
'Johnson and Ariij;*.. "rtindamenlals of
and the circuits are propeily tuned, Solid-State Power Amplifier Design," P;ri
there should be little or no output 111. QST, April. lOTJ.
ITanion. "How to Use HP Power Transii-
detectable at the harmonic frequency. (urt," Ham Radio.
Table 2 January, 1970.
Input netwo'k connected to driver stage
Rcchcck tuning foi minimum haminnic Hayward, "IrfcreMed Power for rtie Solid-
level, if any shows. Optmum adjust-
Sole Amplifier," QST, May. 1972. Low*.
collector and lwd impedance of 70 ohms
"IS-Wat! Solid-Stare Linear." Q87.
(1 .25 watts at 1 2 volts de). R1 = Sit. 3=5, ment should give maximum funda- December, 1-971. Hejhall. "broadband
28 Power Amplifiers." QST.
X L1 J
H Z=
7
63
14
0.29
21
0.2
MHz
mental output and rejection of har-
monic output.
Solid-Slate
March. 1972. Scho'iiing. "Transislomcd
Amplifier for 40 Meters," 73. Augusl.
1 0.18
XC2 21 "SO MOO 580 380 260 Apply collector voltage, with no 1904. While. "Thermal l>e*i«n of Trail-
,
On Solid-State PA Matching
Networks
C I "would like 10 pass along ;ome observa- particular transistor was exceptionally rugged
tions I've made which arc of interest to bjildcrs — several devices were destroyed in the at-
of solid-state Class C lit transmitter*. hate I tempt. Alhough this condithut could be
found thai the use of such matching network) detected with a wavcmcicr coupled loosclj to
to iliv wMiiiHml/ itwviiiiimitlvtl L iiiul T.' n the coflftw circuit, n cart only he oftehed
well as any other letwork with an inductor or with the aiJ of a wide-bandwidth scope. The
serin LC as the input element.' will mciiabK instrument used to obtain these photos has a
result in improper dreuii operation, ThcciKiiil :<M-MH- bandwidth.
will exhibit poor collector efficiency, spurious A photo of the waveform at the load is
ouipui. or a high transistor failure rate, unless shown 2B. Distortion may be reduced
in Fig.
one of these conutions is met: (1} the julput by filtering, but —
assuming the transislor is
uansistot is \ciy nigged (in which case ii won't not dctfiojttcj — collector efficiency
will be Itsi
tail, hm the nihrr ronrlirinns will remain)! than optimum Typiral i-ffn-ii-n.-v will be on the
(2) the transistor cuipui capacitance is 00 pF order of 40 to ftO percent, rather than the "Wio
or higher; (3) a ZWr
diode Is connected acros* SO percent obtained from a well-designed
the transistor |inorc about this later I: or \A\ ihc amplifier stage.
network is mollified in a manner I will An advanced circuit-analysis computer pro-
describe. Starrswas used to investigate the circuit of Fig. Fiq.3 — When the circuit of Fig. 1 was ana-
Let "a ice w hat causes he problem. Although
t I, assuming perfect inducior«, capacitors, lyzer,on a computer, the waveforms shown
there an opt mum remtive impedance source, load and a good model of the 2N3&66 werepredictod. The solid line indicates ho.v
a transistor the computer expected the waveform ai the
Tor to "\scc" {approximately transistor. The graphical results cf this analysis
collector Io look. Expected output waveform is
v ce"V2,,u>«" lhl wasWhW -' does nol present this arc shown in Fig. 3.
Because of the use of Shown by the doited line.
oi any other impeJanee. Rather, it acts much perfect eontponenis. frequency ;nd amplitude
as a simple on-off switch. At the instant ihc of the simulated waveform vary' slightly from
transistor is turned off, current Cowing Ihc real Waveforms shown in lij 2. The strik-
through the rf chojte is dumped into the circuit ing similarity io Fig. 2 and the presence of ring- usual sense, nor is it due ic stray capacitance or
elements. The dominant circuit presented 10 ing in the simulation verify that the inductance or poor circuit layout, // is inherent
this current is parallel resonant, with L being phenomenon is not a spurious oscillation in ilk- in t/i? type oftetwark!
use of this
the network input induct fir and the transistor C A capacitor connected liom the collector to
Output enpaeiiancc. C y v is in paralM wltfl C ground or, preferably, rrcm MllffOlOr to einjf-
strny circuit capacitance. This circuit "rings" ter. •sill solve the problem if it approximately
ai Us resonant frequency, which is not Fig. 2 —
Phctosol the actual wavetorms resonates with the inpw inductor ai the
necessarily telaied to the operating frequency. oDtflmed witn the amplifier. Operation was operating frequency. The capacitor will reduce
o03ervcc wilt a high -speed oscillojcope. Ai A.
Fin. I shows the schematic of a typical collccior-voltagc swing u less than 31) volts
collector wavolorm; at B. wave torn- at the cut-
*A is a
Ju- meter. 2-wait-ojtpul amplifier. Fie. with a 12-voIt supply. Th: effect on the of
out.
photo of the oscilloscope waveform at ilic col- common networks vvill be negligible and only
lector of Oi. The presence of 70-voh, 50-M H/ slight readjustment of the variable capacitOtlSl
ringing at the collector may be readily iccn. I will icstore the correct match,
was able to obtain this picture only because ihc A diode connected across ihe collector
teller
will vometimcs solve ihe problem, out not
because of Zener aclion! A typical 33-voll.
Fig. t — Schumatic diagram ol the 7-MH;
I -wai Zener diode has a capacitance of 200 to
Class C ampHlier u:ed to examine Iheoscflla- JWK) pF, depending on the amount of reverse
lion problem bias. This generally sufficient lo prevent the
is
Footrnie*
vftWtS o> :»»KiiAhicC ant lope, s«r Sokal and Sokal, "Class E A Nc*
Cla«s ol High-fctfieiirncy Tuned Sin(l«-tndcd
Swjehiiie Puwei AnpKfkM." tEEE Journal of
Misisrimeii ini in ohms; Sr.ld-State Circuits, Vol.SC-IU, Nu. 3. June, (07?,
'Ilayu'iird nnd DrMaw, Soto? Siaie Desist for the
Ratio Amawur. ARHL, 19"'. pp. 52-53.
'The Radio Amateur's Hartdtn.<tk, ?Jih lidiiion. 077. 1
ARM., p. 161.
•Hav«Jtd and DlM»W. p. 2i.
More on Solid-State PA
Matching Networks
J Whvn I experimented wlih (*la»> C* luncd
transistor PAs about a decade ago I noticed the
same phenomenon thai W?El reported in
October 1978 QST. I also had the inpicssiun
thai the maidting sections dem:d from
vlif/uhf circuit- pre in*iiffieieni for (if power
amplifier*.
The wiluiion I adopted to eui< this is
collector lo ground, not to ihc emitter. As an Fig. 2 in my portable 5-band ORf transmitter
additional mca«ut; tor mismatch piOlcclioil I (2S3553 PA) since WW. \\ wfH match all
recommend i wall, unhypassed emilier random- c nut h wirej a« Well a* eoax-fed anlen-
resistor. »h;rb cau%r* a dc drop of iboul Q.S nas.
volt »hcn the nv
» lunvJ eorre;ilv. Placing The ciicrun of Tic. 3 will base somewhat bel-
Cp to the cmiticr is this case would foim a ter harmonic »uppre%siun. bill the anlenna
regen frame ciritm. must i*c safely-grounded t»y means of a
When using shf uht trartMstort lot hf P\s I separate choke. ITiereiore, thK scheme will be
lunhcr rKommcnd itdDdnfl Vil lo U.5 goad lot coax-fed anti-nna* and may take a
VceO( im_| or kv. for fail-safe operation, rather hi^li SW'R, up to 3:1. — HottSkfaOChilU
becauve ihc breakdown voltage* are low«f at dc Brand/,OJI/B, Lohtnsicinsirasse 7/b, SOW
and lower fr cqtcrwx.-^ ihan a! vhf uhf. Munich W. Federal Republic of Germany
Another irouM; huh rniy show up in
tuned Class C rrartcwor pAs H jre^uency
ttiwdrttg TKiijitI ^•^tri. ifv— efo". mint hsii-i*
Broadband and
Narrow-Band
Amplifiers
Narrow-band amplifiers have been
around for many years, and most hams
know how to design them. But, the broadband RF amplifier did
not become popular until the semiconductor world bloomed. This
article covers some practical aspects of both types.
avc you wondered what the dif- the amplifier. Many applications require transmitters were very offensive in terms
I— J fcrence niav be between a narrow- high Q and the attendant narrow band- of transmitted wideband noise.
I I hand amplifier and r broadband width Examples are VFOfi. receiver from Fig. 1 shows examples at" narrow band
one? Arc all broadband amplifiers linear? ends, transmiticr tank circuits and filter cir- and broadband amplifiers in some
Musi they be linear? These are natural cuits that contain an amplifier. simplified circuits. Illustration A shows a
questions in the minds of most beginners The narrow bandwidth is needed to re- conventional small-signal FFamplificr'wUh
10 clcelronics, so we will try to provide ject unwanted signals above and below die limed circuits at the input and output. This
simple answers. desired operating frequency, and to prevent is typical of what we may "hid at the input
If you work with transistors and RFcir- spurious energy from leaving the transmit- of a receiver. The high-Q luned circuits or
cuits, ii is likely that you willneed to know ter and readi ng the antenna system. When resonators restrict the frequency response
suiueihiiig about how a broadband, broadband amplifiers arc used h some of tor a given setting ol C'l and C2. hor this
amplifier what to expect from
is designed, these more ciiiieal circuits, a filler of some reason we will call our circuit a narrow-
11and how to build one for the job you kind must b-: used to obtain the desired band amplifier.
have in mind. Fot the most part, these spectral purity. By way of simple explana- Although the circuit at 3 of Fig.
I is an
amplifiers are less prone lo self-oscillatioa lion, a broadband amplifier thai has no oscillator, it is in form of
reality a
than arc tuned, narrow-band styles of filtering elements is merely an untuned amplifier. For an oscillator to work as such
amplifier. The fundamental thought to amplifier. It will respond to a br.»ad range it must be designed as an amplifier. Some
keep in mind however, is that we n'ust of frequeiiciei and. if designed well, should of he output encrey is fed back to the input
i
always trade some overall gain for have relatively constant gain across that fre- terminal lo cause oscillation. Again we
increased bandwidth. If we can accept thai quency range. An audio amplifier is but have a high-Q tuned circuit (C3, C4 and
trade-off, the major barrier will have been one example of a broadband amplifier. LI), which restricts the bandwidth of the
abolished. Another advantage of the narrow-band circuit in accordance with the particular set-
circuit over the broadband type is that some ting of C3. Owing to our use of some of
Narrow-Band versus Broadband — as in the
circuits require minimum noise the output power as feedback, this type of
The narrow-band amplifiers we use from case of a receiver oscillator strip — and the amplifier is not as efficienl as is the circuit
Hay in Aay in our VFQs. receivers, con- hiuli-0 tuned circuits greatly reduce (lie in in Fig. 1A.
verters and transmitters arc limed to some hcrem noise output of the oscillator. High- Fig. 1C contains an example of a broad-
particular operating frequency. The tuned performance receivers require "quiet" band amplifier for RF use. h operates
are usually cesigncd to yield a fairly-
circuits local oscillators in order to minimize linearly because it is biased for class A. Tl
high loaded Q (Q L> The greater the circuit "reciprocal mixing" in the mi.ter stage. is a broadband transformer that can be
3> the narrower the frequency response of Transmitter local oscillators be
siottld used to match the amplifier impedance to
similarly clean if we are to avoid broad- dim Otitic load by virtue of i tie iransformcr
casting prohibitive amounts of broadband turns ritio. Note that Tl is untuned; hence
'Contiibuung Editor, P.O Bo. 250. Lulhor. Ml noise along wlih the desired signal output. ute bat.dwidth.
Some commercial early-day solid-state A class- A linear broadband amplifier
material.
Tl and T2 of Fig. 2 are broadbaid
ransformers whose frequency response, it
iC. ID! ney are designed well, is reasonably fat
across the 1.8-30 MHz range. Generally,
Fig. 1 — The diagrams al A and B narrow band amplifiers. The VFO circuit is still a
illustrate
f:rritc core material jf 800 to 950 effective
(orm oi amplifier, since Its output power (in part) Is led oack to tha input for the purpose ot Fcrmcabilily (/i )
c is used for high-
causing oscillation. A simple Class-A broadband ampliliof without feedback is seen at C. A tod- frequency broadband amplifiers. This is a
back Class-A broadband amplifier is shown at D. It uses a combination ot shunt and no. 43 material when ordering frcm
degenerative feedback (see text).
Amidon Associates or Fair-Rite Corp.'
Falomar Engineers and RadioKit also
supply cores of the no. 43 variety. Core
with feedback is shown at D of Fig. 1. while decreasing the input and output permeabilitiesof 125 and 40 are commorly
Here, we have intentionally introduced resistance of the amplifier. The emitter used for VHF
broadband transformers.
feedback by means of resistive divider degeneration helps stabilize the transistor Broadband transformers work like ih s:
RI/R2 and CI. Degenerative feedback is voltage gain, and it incrcasjs the input im- As the operating frequency is increased, tfte
provided by means of the unbypassed emit- pedance of the transistor. The increase is core material becomes less and less effec-
tcr resistor, R3. This iype of smplifier has approx:rjiatoly proportional to the tran
considerable aandwidth. The shunt feed- sistor beta. A specific treatment of feed-
back stabilizes the current gain of the stage back applied to broadband amplifiers is 'Noios appear al end c( article.
i a - j,o »tHr
•F POMS AMP
50-/1
o—o output
Fig. 2 — A
simple examjte of a push-pull broadband RF power
T1 and T2 serve as broadband irans'ormers. Shunt
arrpllflor.
feedback Is included to help level the amplifier gain over a wide
frequency range. A harmonic filter (FL1| is required at the
amplifier output.
live In the circuit. At the low-ircquency end quadrifilar windings that are placed on the
of our transformer range, the core docs its con wen no* «i core in parallel, or they may be twisted
TftANSfORMEfl
job and increase* the inductance o" the together beforehand. In this case, each
windings (necessary). At the high end of the winding conductor is thesame length. The
transformer performance range, the core windings function as short lengths of
becomes essentially "not there" as far as transmission line, and ihe impedance is
the windings arc :onccrned. This enables gcneially 25 ohms. Either style of
us to obtain a substantial bandwidth that transformer ran he user in a broadband
would be impossible with coreless amplifier, or as a matching transformer in
transformers. A suitable rule of thumfi for other types of circuits, such as antennas.
transformer design is to make the induc- 'RtflSWISSICU-LIHE Th; conventional transformer is con-
tive reactance of the smallest winding ap- insHsroBUE" sidered less efficient than the other type,
proximately four times the load Impedance. but it enables us to obtain nearly any turns
Hence, if the baseof a transistor amplifier ratio we desire. The transmission-line
exhibited a 10-ohm impedance, the transformer (Fig. 3B> yistds only specific
biuadbujid-liuiiarimiiwi winding llial wc integer:* of trans form at iun, such ai> 4; 1 , % I
OUTPUT
connect to the base should have sufficient etc. Furthermore, we can find ourselves
*0UT"
inducEancc to haw a rcaclancc of 40 ohms rather frustrated when trying to hook up
or slightly greater. If not. (he low im- a multiwire transmission-line transformer,
pedance of the winding would shunt part IB! same size and color of wire
especially if the
of the driving power to> ground and couLd isused for the windings Many engineers
cause an SWR condition. Fig. 3 —
Examples ol convention a and use enameled wire of various colors to
Let's assume that our amplifier is transmission line trans formers. See text lor avoid ihis problem. Green, red and brown
aUUWoridi In lor mation.
operating at 7. 1 MHz. The base impedance wire is often used. You can solve the
of the transistor with drive applied s 1 problem by dipping the wires in different
ohms. How much winding inductance colon of paint before using them. I have
would we need for the transformer secon- switch can be inserted at points X and Y had good results by spraying the wires with
dary? The standard equation for induc- to per mi band switching of the low-pass
l fast-crying paint.
tance would be u*ed: This is standard procedure in com-
filters.
Turns = 100 Vl^HKA, (Eq. 3) designed broadband transformer will shown schematically in Fig. 4. It is
degrade the performance in a !i« manner. patterned along the tines of a broadband
where A L is the number provided for ?ach If wc arc to minimize the presence of amplifier designed by Hayward, W7ZOI.
type at core by the vendor or manufac- stray reactance, wc must use large or very His design did not use transformers and
turer. Each core, relative to its cross- short circuii-board strips. This will reduce there was no high-level stage at the tail end
scctional area and the core material, has a the effective inductance of the PC-board nf ihr amplifier <trip. hut the feedback net-
specific A L factor. The Amidon foils. These copper strips should also be as works arc similar to his. The particulars of
Associates catalog contains such data, as direct as possible. Similarly, theconnecting the general design arc given in the text of
does a book concerning magnetic cores. : leads of resistors and capacitors must be Solid Slate Design for the Radio A mateur,
I don't want to mislead you into think- held to a minimum length. Many amplifiers referenced earlier in this article.
ing that broadband amplifier design is a contain chip resistors and capacitors to CATV transistors are used to ensure
snap. There are many subtleties involved, keep stray inductance and capacitance to good bandwidth (1.2 GHz fj) and
and considerable study of the pertinent a minimum. These components are sup- linearity. Each stage is biased for linear
literature is important before launching plied without leads or "pigtails." Tlicy are Class-A opeiatiun. A tuniUiiitaiun of shunt
one's own project, from scratch. Motorola soldered directly to ihe PC-bsard foils. and degenerative feedback is used
Semiconductor Company has a wealth of They are practically a requisite s\ the upper throughout the circuit. The input of each
useful data in its took on power semicon- end of the HF range and higher, but they amplifier is roughly 50 ohms, and each
ductors, inclusive of application notes on are more costly than are stiver-mica or disc- outpu is approximately 200 ohms with the
transformer and broadband amplifier ceramic capacitors. values given. Amplifier stability is excellent,
design.' even when there is no termination at the
But let 's rei urn to Fig. 2 and learn a bit Conventional or Transmission-Line
,
input and output ports, Circuit boards and
more about what's going on. 12, the out- Transformers'.'
parts kits for this circuit are available.'
put transformer, serves also as an I'm sure jou've heard designers speak of The bandwidih is flat from 400 kHz to
impedance-matching device. The induc- "conventional" and "transnu;sion-line" 34 MHz (within 1 dB). I measured the
tances in the transformer windings arc transformers. The so-called conventional overall gain as 41 dB. The maximum -ac-
based also on a x4 rule, respective tc the transformer is built along the lines of an ceptanle output, in terms of distortion, is
collector impedance- This impedance can audio or power transformer. That is. it has 0.25 W. The draws 90 mA of cur-
circuit
be calculated closely from Z = VKV2 Pc a core and separate windings, as in Fig. 3A, rent with a supply voltage of + 13.
ohms. Eq. is then applied. FLl is a har-
I The transmission-line transformer, on the Owing In ihe linearity and bandwidth nf
monic filler, and is a low-pass type. A oilier hand, has bifilar. trifilar or the circuit in Fig. 4. it is ideal as a drop-in
Fig. A — A practical circuit for a broadband linear-ampllllfi' atrip. This can be used as an instrume-nt impHflsr, a low-level RF strip In a transmitter
or as pan ot a recolving-loop preamplifier. Resiators are v*-w carbon-composltlcn unless otherwis-e noted. The polarized caaacilor Is tantalum or
electrolytic. All oilers are chip-style 3 disc-ceramic with short leads. Ti and T2 contain 15 primary
r
turns of no. 28 enameled wire on an Amldon
FT37-43 torold :ore. The secondary windings consist of seven turns ol no. 28 erameled wire. T3 uses an Amldon FT&0-43 torold core with 12
primary turns ol no. 26 enameled wirs. The secondary ol T3 contains si* turns of no. 26 wire.
Construction
If you choose to make your own FC
buard for this project, try to keep all stages
in a straight line. Keep the PC-board fo.ls
Noles
Amidcn Associates. 1203 J Otsego Si.. N. Hollywood.
CA $1607 (catalog available;. Fair-Rile Product*
Corp., I Commercial Row. Walfcill. NY 12589.
as possible. A
crown heal sink is needed on Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a photograph of the See QHT ads for Palomor anJ RadioKli.
Delia*, ferromagnetic Core Design & Applica-
Q3, ihe 2N5109, A coaling of silicone assembled amplifier. 'I).
tions Handbook, no. 0- 13-3 MOSS- 1 lEnglcwood
grease should be applied to the iransistor CBlft. NJ: Prcntice-HalJ. Inc.).
cap before installing the heat sink. Double-
Some Final Remarks •Motorola RF Data Manual, Motorola Scmiconducior
Predict*, Inc.. P.O. Box 10912, Phocni*. AZ
sided PC board is recommended in the in- I hope you have learned the basics about
B503*.
terest of stability. Fig. 6 shows the pans narrow-band and broadband amplifiers. •Circiili Hoard Socialists. P.O. Box 969. Pueblo.CO
S I00:. tel. 303-542-5033.
placement for (he circuit board, as ieen Certainly, we've only scratchec the outer
from the component side. A scale template layer of (he subject. A thorough treatment For updated supplier addresses, see AHRL Paris
of the PC board pattern is provided in would require several QST installments. Suppliers List in Chapter 2.
Electronic Switching
and How It Works
Replace those old-fashioned toggle
switches with up-to-date diodes
and transistors and you'll have
simpler, less expensive and
less cumbersome circuits.
By Doug DeMaw,* W1FB
Some Limitation
other hand, will exhibit a nearly zero- NPN device, wc arc providing what is
resistance condition between the contacts. called forward bias. This causes the trai-
There is no nagx in the electronic- How else might we vilify the solid-state sistor to conduct heavily, which makes it
switching an. In other words, we can't switch! Well, wc shoulc mention that perform the switching function. Too much
achieve everything that mechanical input-output isolation is seldom of the current, caused by excessive base-emitter
switching offer*. Bm. »e can come close magnitude that wc can obtain with a vollagc, can destroy ihe transistor.
suitable mechanical switch. This is caused Therefore, a series resistor is used (RI).
•ARHL Convwr* BSiar. P.O. Box 250, by the semiconductor internal resistance loo little torward olas, conversely, will
and capacitance. It is a concern mainly prevent the transistor from saturating com-
osc (CO
•A. O • "*
a J7\ ~Jn
[=1
\i
r©- X o.oi
osia. out
-W» +"»v
i- 1- i-
tzzi
sic. OUT
O • <2 »
return Ihrough ihc tuned circuit windings resistors if desired, but there should stilt be ic verse bias, ihc relay may icnuin
(LI, L2. 1-3 and L4). Small diodes of the a current- limiting resistor in the dc line to is turned off.
energized after the transistor
1N914 work well in this circuit.
variety the diodes. This because a small amount of leakage
is
A belter way to employ diodes for series or idling current wfll remain, and it rray
switching is shown in Fig. 3B. Here wc have Basic Shunl Swilches
two diodes in a back-to-back arrangement. Fig.4 contains a number of examples
Tltis circuit would be used at each end of ihat show how we may use various
FL1 and FL2 of Fig. 3A. The advantage semiconductor devices as shunt switches.
of using two diodes is better isolation o( Si in each case represents a mechanical
the fillers. Forward bias is applied to the switch or CW
key that turns on the elec-
diode anodes via SI when a filter is tronic iwilch. As wc learned earlier, lurn-
selected. The unused filler (noi shown) is on can be by other electronic
effected also
well isolated from the signal line because switches in the overall circuit. For exam-
reverse bias (+12 V applied to the diode ple, AGCvoltage or rectified speech energy
cathodes) is switched to the dormant diodes could be used to actuate ; semiconductor
to prevent any conduction caused bv RF switch, depending on the application for
energy ihat may b* present. When SI of the switch; the possibilities are virtually
Fig. 3B is set for FLI use. DI and D2 are without limit. Rg. 6 — The test-model key shown In Fig £.
low enough for stfc operation of Q2. A FT301D and FTI02 transccivc-s, and no An illustrative Liainnrillei hi cull is
huskier transistor can be used at Q2 if the damage resulted. Greater details of this preserted The arrangement for
in Fig. 9.
key-line current warrants a transistor with type of TR drcuit are given in the League's Q4, Q5 and Q6 is one I developed for per-
a dissipation rating greater than that of the book. Solid Stale Design for Ihe Radio sonal use with a few QRP rigs up to 3 W
2N2222. A 2N2102 (or equiv.) would be a Amateur, in RF output. Q4 is a standard PNP key-
good choice. One of the penalties for using the simple ing switch, as discussed earlier. It not only
A photograph of a crude lest model of TR circuit of Fig. 7 is a loss in received actuates oscillator Ql, it also triggers dc
the hand key is presented in Fig. 6. The signal (about 6 dB, from my experience). switch Q5, which in turn activates Q6.
copper grid is etched as shown, and This is because C I must be relatively small When the key is closed, ihe signal energy
isolating pads are used to contain the tran- in value to prevent it from affecting the to the receiver is to ground by Q5.
shorted
sistors and related parts. A three-circuit key design of the output network of Q2. I use At the same moment, the scries diodes, D2
plug is needed to accommodate the + 12-V, a capacitive reactance of 400 fat CI. Thus, and C3, are turned off by virtue of tran-
keying and ground leads. This key will at 7 MHz, we would have a 56-pr capacitor sistor switch Q6 being in the off state.
operate satisfactorily from a 9-V transistor- at CI. The signal loss can be corrected by This prevents signal energy from passing
radio battery as well. Three bypass inserting a low-gain RF amplifier between through the diodes to the receiver. When
capacitors arc vised io help keep unwanted ihe TR twitch and ihe receiver input line. ihe key is up, Q6 conducts and provides a
RF energy frorr, affecting transistor Fig. 8 shows how this might be done. A dc ground return for the diodes, which
performance.
Fig. 7 shows the driver and PA stages of
a simple QRP CW transmitter. The key
from Fig. 5 could be used to operate the
dc switch, Q3, of Fig. 7. When our finger TO FLI
is placed on the copper grid of the key. Q3
will turn on. This action will permit the
flow of dc to driver Ql , thereby keying out
transmitter.
DI and D2 of Fi?. 7, IN914 small-signal
diodes, are used as a TR (transmit-receivc)
switch. This circuit was introduced by Wes
Hayward, W7ZOI, and has been used for
QSfC (full break-in) in many of his QRP
rigs. In this example, the diodes are turned
on by RF energy from the collector of Q2
when Q3 is actuated. Some of the RF
voltage is sampled by C I and is routed to
the diodes. During transmit. Dl and D2 are
shorted to ground, thereby protecting the
receiver input circuit. The diode conduction
Fig.8 — An improved TR system in which 04 shorts the RF energy lo ground when the key is
closed. Oi and D2 are optional. They may be added as safety backup (or 04. Signal loss on
threshold is roughly 0.7 V. As a remit, receive is coirmon wltti mis simple TR circuit (see lexi), io an RF ampllTler cat bu aOUetl at Q3
there will be a 0.7-V RF poiential appear- to compensate lor loss in the TR circuit.
-MS V
Fig. 9 - A somewhat elegant TR switching method ihal uses a series diode switch and a alonal shunting transistor (05. D2 and D3), An explana-
tion Is given in the text. This is pirely an illustrative RF circuit irom Ol through 03. Therefore, there Is no pads Hat.
supplies, owing to excessive hum. Part i>r litis shown in fifr I. A toroid !<
large ferritc
problem is ihat a direci-converMon receiver wound with a bifilar winding of reasonably
obtains must, if net all. of its Bain at ^udin large Wire diameter. Ten rurns of no. 18 are
frequencies. Hence, the high audio gain makes usually suitable. The core is noi critical
the system subject to the smallest jc hum on although it should have a high permeability.
the power supply. Hie cure for this problem An Anidon (-T-82-75 is recommended. The
is just better regulation in the power supply, effect of this balun-likc circuit is to present a
which is mSBy rcn!i/.cil with an integrated- Uslng a taroid with bitilar winding to reduce tiiirhimpedance tor any n paths between the
circuit regulator. hum. receiver and the power supply. Only the dc
A more subtle form of hum is aUo difference voltage from tlic power supply ts
common and docs not depend upon power- applied to the receiver.
supply regulation. This lium ii not pr.'scnt In the writer's station this method was
when no antenna connected to the "dc"
is applied with three different direct -co nvcr*i<m
receiver. However, when an antenna is at- supply lines. Hits energy is transferred hack rcucivtrs. In two of ihi three cases the
tached, a very rough sounding hum-like noise ihrough the power supply where it is ITtodu- receivers were previously useles* except with
is noted- The amplitude of this response peaks hterl by ilw. rcrlifier diode*. Tic resulting haifer? power sources. W.th the loroid. no
as the antenna liiminei is tuned There arc a hum-modulated note is now coupled into the differences could be detected when switching
number e-f possible e\planations. The most ac line. This signal is radiated and picked up from a battery pack to i well-regulated ac
realistic i> that lo.al-oscillator energy from by the nearby station antenna. Only the supply— Wes Harvard, W7ZOU 7700 SW Danielle
the dd receiver is uwplcd Into the power- sidebands are detected. Avi. Bavenon. OR 97O0S
work the most miles per watt was on. In the '50s, transistors added a
new dimension to QRP (low power) operating. And with today's ICs. it's
possible to put together a complete station that fits into the corner of a
knapsack: backpack into the wilderness, and enjoy worldwide
communication!
QRP operating is The equipment is generally simple and easy to
fun.
build, but often performs like more sophisticated commercial equipment.
Imagine the sense of accomplishment you'll get from operating
equipment you built yourself. Some QRP Field Day stations operate a full