We think this is a pretty big deal, so I’ll get right to the point. Design an electronics project, we’ll kit it and pay you a royalty every time it sells!

ClubJameco.com is our new website where you can turn your bright ideas and electronics skills into cash.

It couldn’t be easier:

1. Come up with a great electronics project.
2. Identify the components for the kit.
3. Write step-by-step instructions

That’s it! Jameco will source it, build it and sell it… and pay you a royalty on every sale!

Go to ClubJameco.com to get all the details.

But wait, there’s more! Register for free and activate your account by May 17, 2012, and we’ll email you a coupon code good for a 10% discount on your next order!*

Every project starts with a brilliant idea. What’s yours?

Regards,

Greg Harris
Vice President, Marketing
Jameco Electronics
Greg@Jameco.com

Disclaimer: I have absolutely no financial interest in Jameco.

High-performance HF transceiver design. This article describes some of the decisions that an engineer must make when designing a modern amateur radio transceiver. It also sheds some light on the test methods used to test today’s receivers.

Use a twist (and other popular wires) to reduce EMI/RFI. Alexander Graham Bell patented twisted pair wires in 1881. We still use them today because they work so well.

From my inbox this morning….

The Audio Guide makes it easy to explore TI’s IC solutions for audio applications. In the guide, each audio signal-chain function is highlighted with corresponding device solutions that offer increased application flexibility, higher performance and design longevity. You’ll also find information about new tools as well as selection tables to refine your decisions.

The 2012 Audio Guide features:

• Device solutions for each audio signal-chain function from the combined TI and National portfolio
• Updated selection tables
• More hardware/software tools
• More end-equipment system block diagrams

Building a kit is a good way to acquire these skills. Building a simple kit will teach you all of these skills, and once you’ve successfully completed the kit, you may even have something that’s useful.

What kit should you build?
Kits are available from many different companies. Really too many to list here. Googling “electronic kit” turns up more than 12 million results!

What I can do here is to tell you about a couple of the kits we’ve built during our club construction nights. Each time we’ve done this, we have had 20 or more builders, and by the time it was ready to go home, everyone of them had his or her kit working. Usually, there are some people who’ve never even soldered before, but that didn’t stop them from successfully completing their kit.

The PicoKeyer Plus makes a good first kit. It has less than 20 components, and once complete, is a useful addition to your shack.

The first kit we built was the N0XAS PicoKeyer. N0XAS no longer produces this particular kit, but he’s replaced it with one that’s even better – the PicoKeyer Plus (www.hamgadgets.com). The reason that I chose this kit is that it is inexpensive (less that $20), has fewer than 15 components, and a very good manual that includes step-by-step assembly instructions.

A keyer is a device that is used to key a transmitter when operating Morse Code. The PicoKeyer allows you to set the speed at which you send code and has memories that allow you to automatically send frequently sent messages. If you’re just learning Morse Code, you can use the PicoKeyer as a code practice oscillator.

Another kit that we built is the Sure PS-LP11111 5~16 VDC Linear DC Voltage Power Supply. This kit can be purchased from Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/5-16-Linear-Voltage-Power-Supply/dp/B005FMTCWA) for about ten bucks. This kit has less than 20 components, and when you’re done with it, you can use with wall wart transformer to supply DC voltages for other projects. The downside to building this particular kit as your first construction project is that the instructions are very sparse. If you decide to build this kit, be sure to have someone who can help you should you have any trouble with it.

Building your kit
Here’s what the PicoKeyer manual has to say about building their kit:

With just a little care and practice, even a first time kit builder can complete the project in a relatively short time.  You will need to gather a few tools and supplies together before beginning to assemble your kit.  Here’s what you will need:

• A clean, level, static-free work area with good lighting.  Wooden workbenches are fine.  If you are working on a kitchen table, be sure to spread out some newspaper or something else to keep solder splatters and sharp wire ends from damaging the table top.
• A soldering iron.  A small, low-wattage (25-35 Watt) pencil type iron is ideal.  Avoid larger, pistol-grip types.  You can find inexpensive irons at your local Radio Shack.  You will need a fine tip intended for electronics.  Be sure to use an iron rest or holder to keep the iron from damaging your work surface.  If you plan to assemble more kits, I recommend investing in a good quality, temperature controlled soldering station such as the Weller WES or WLC series.  You’ll be glad you did!  Follow the iron manufacturer’s instructions for tinning the tip, and keep a damp sponge handy to keep the tip clean.
• Solder suitable for electronics work.  Use a good quality, small diameter rosin core solder intended for electronic assembly.  DO NOT use acid core solder!
• Small needle-nose pliers and a pair of small diagonal wire cutters.  The smaller you have, the better off you will be.  Again, you can find hand tools intended for electronics work at Radio Shack and other suppliers such as Techni-Tool, Jensen, Mouser and Sears.
• A clamp or small vise to hold the work is a good idea.  I use a PanaVise, but you can also construct a board holder out of scrap wood and rubber bands.  If you use a regular bench vise, use gentle pressure and something to cushion the vise jaws.
• A pencil to check off each step as you finish it.

You can do it
You really can do this, and the skills you learn will make you a better amateur radio operator. Not only that you’ll be surprised at how much fun building your own gear can be. At our club’s first build night, we had a young woman who was building her first kit. I will always remember her squeal of delight when we inserted the battery and her keyer came to life. There are very few things like that feeling.

Yesterday, however, they decided to extend the deadline to next year’s FDIM. In an e-mail sent to various QRP mailing lists, Ken Evans, W4DU, QRP-ARCI president says:

Since issuing the challenge, we have received feedback from a number of sources stating that a four month timeline was overly optimistic to perform all the needed steps to develop such a kit.  We have discussed various alternatives and have decided to extend the timeline.  The rules will stand as initially stated, however this will be a special category at FDIM 2013.  Thus giving a full year for the development and design effort.

Complete rules can be found on the QRP-ARCI’s Accessibility Challenge page.

Master the first 170 pages of the venerable GE Transistor Manual and you'll be a transistor expert.

The GE Transistor Manual. This editorial by Jack Ganssle reminisces about the old GE Transistor Manual. He notes, “It explains transistor theory in a level of detail that my college classes almost a decade later never approached. Read – and understand – the first 170 pages and you’ll be a transistor expert. But no attempt is made to make the subject easy.” One of the comments contains a link that you can use to download your own copy.

Book excerpt: Analog Circuit Design— A Tutorial Guide to Applications and Solutions, Part 1. Based on the Application Notes of Linear Technology, this book covers the fundamentals of linear/analog circuit and system design to guide engineers with their design challenges. It includes a broad range of topics, including power-management tutorials, switching-regulator design, linear-regulator design, data conversion, signal conditioning, and high-frequency/RF design. VERY good stuff.

Fabricating HF Opamp Filters. Until recently, op amp filters have generally been restricted to circuits operating below 1 MHz. Recent advances, though, are enabling op amps to amplify at frequencies up to 1 GHz.This article explains how to use them for lowpass filters to 150 MHz.

You may already have a set of hand tools. Most homeowners, for example, have a hammer, a set of screwdrivers, a set of wrenches, and some pliers to make common home repairs. All of these tools will be useful for amateur radio work, but you’ll also need some tools specifically designed for working with electronics, including:

• Needle-nose pliers. Needle nose pliers are possibly the most used tool on the electronics workbench. They allow you to do things that your big, fat fingers just can’t.
• Diagonal, or flush, cutters. You use diagonal cutters to cut wire and trim soldered leads.
• Wire strippers. A good pair of wire strippers is essential when making cables or when you have to solder wires to circuit boards.
• Terminal crimper. You use the crimper to properly attach terminals to wires. Make sure to also purchase a selection of crimp-on terminals.
• Precision (jeweler’s) screwdrivers. Many of the screws you’ll find in electronics equipment are just too small to use normal-sized screwdrivers. A set of jeweler’s screwdrivers will have a couple of Phillips-head screwdrivers as well as several conventional screwdrivers.
• Hobbyist knife. This is the type of knife that modellers use. It’s just as handy in electronics work as it is in building models.
• Digital multimeter. With a digital multimeter (DMM), you can make voltage, current, and resistance measurements. It’s the most basic piece of test equipment you can own, and every ham should have one.
• Soldering iron or soldering station. Even if you’re not going to be doing a lot of building, you need a soldering iron to make simple repairs and build simple cables. Being able to solder is an essential skill for a radio amateur.
• De-soldering tool. If you do any soldering, there will undoubtedly be times that you have to de-solder a connection. Buy a spring-loaded “solder sucker” and not a hand-operated desoldering bulb. The spring-loaded units work a lot better.

Other tools that you’ll find useful if you intend to do a lot of building include:

• Anti-static mat and/or wrist strap. Many electronic components can be damaged by an electrostatic discharge. That’s why you want to use an anti-static mat and/or wrist strap. These drain off static electricity so that you don’t zap your electronics. Amazon, not surprisingly has a wide selection. You can also get them at Radio Shack.
• Tweezers. You need tweezers if you’re working with very small components, such as surface-mount devices.
• Table vise. You need a table vise to hold a circuit board while your building or repairing it, or to hold a connector that you’re soldering wires onto.
• Lighted magnifier or magnifying visor. If you’re north of 40 years old, then you need good lighting and probably some magnification. Some of the parts used today are very small, making the markings hard to read and making them difficult to handle. A magnifying light or magnifying visor makes working on circuits a lot easier.

If you’re really starting from scratch, you might want to consider buying a complete tool kit. Sears (yes, Sears!) sells many different electronics tool kits. Some of the tool kits include a digital multimeter and soldering iron. The nice thing about buying a tool kit is that some kits include a carrying case. Other sources for toolkits include Jameco, Sparkfun, and the Electronic Tool Box.

My own tool set has evolved over the years. I still have some needle-nosed pliers and some diagonal cutters that I acquired over 30 years ago when an electronics manufacturing company that I worked for took them out of service. I got a set of tweezers at some hamfest. The table vise I use is an el cheapo from Harbor Freight. You could do the same, acquiring the tools as you find them, but the problem with that is that they may not be on hand when you need them.

However you get your tools, make sure that you do get them or have access to them. If you can’t make a cable or perform a simple repair because you don’t have the tool to do it, it will be frustrating at the very least, and it could be expensive if you have to pay for a new cable or pay someone to make a repair for you.

Resources

• Collin’s Lab: Electronics Tools
• How to equip your EE lab

The Four State QRP Group is pleased to announce a new kit, the QRPometer, a sensitive and accurate power/swr meter designed by David Cripe, NMØS.   Complete specifications, assembly manual, and ordering information can be found online.  PayPal is accepted.

The range of accurate power measurement extends down to a low 100 milliwatts.  This kit was conceived to fill a need within the hobby for an inexpensive, highly accurate RF power and VSWR meter for QRP power levels.  With it’s large digital display it makes a very useful addition to your shack.

The QRPometer uses simple analog signal-processing circuitry to provide a set of essential measurement features not previously available in a single unit. High quality, double sided, printed circuit board construction is used, with solder mask and silk screened component reference designators.

All components are  through-hole for easy assembly. NO toroids are required, and all controls  and jacks are PCB mounted. The QRPometer can be constructed by beginners as well as experienced builders. Construction time is approximately 3 hours, depending on experience level. The only equipment required for calibration is a digital voltmeter, and a QRP transmitter..

All proceeds  go to fund OzarkCon.  As always, thank you for supporting the Four State QRP Group.