The instructions were quite clear and easy to follow. This could easily be a first time builder's kit. The first step, as per the instructions, was to wind the toroids. There were only three.
That's L1, L2 and T1 from left to right. L1 was 22 turns of 26 gauge wire. L2 was 11 turns of 22 gauge wire. T1 was 11 turns each of 26 and 22 gauge wire - wound so that one wire lays interspersed to the side of the other.
Then came the installation of the discreet components. Everything in this kit is through hole, which makes it ideal for beginners.
All that took no more than about an hour, and this is what the semi-finished product looks like:
If you click on the picture to enlarge it, and look just to the upper left hand corner of the left side phone jack, you will see that I soldered in two machined pins that I cut out of a DIP socket. This is for the crystal; and will allow me to change crystals easily in the future.
I still have to solder in the 9V battery connector and I'll have to make up an antenna jumper cable as the antenna connector is an RCA connector. I haven't used one of those babies as an antenna connector since my Heathkit days. But you know what? It was good enough back then, so it's good enough now.
Tomorrow afternoon or evening, I'll try to get it on the air and see if I can make any contacts. It will be interesting to see how much power this lil' guy puts out. Oh, I have to remember to put the heat sink on the final before I do any of that.
72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Hi Larry, your new template looks great! Very nice. If you want to get rid of the navigation bar in top of your blog, read how to do it in one of my postings.
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Have a nice Sunday, 73 Paul
Nice work! Not to insult your intelligence, but don't forget to solder the 9V leads in from underneath. The picture on the header of the Four State QRP Club's Ham Can page shows it soldered in from the top, if I recall correctly. The battery goes in the can. :)
ReplyDeleteNice idea on the crystal socket. I need to do something like that for my Ham Can. The freq provided is plagued by foreign broadcast stations.
elmering,
ReplyDeleteThanks for that! I saw that and was wondering why they did it that way?!? I was planning on following your suggestion - but thanks for bringing it up here so that other readers (and would be builders) can benefit from your tip.
72 de Larry W2LJ
Good afternoon Larry, nothing like getting the soldering iron heated up and working on a project. Do post when you get a chance to try out the Ham Can.
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