Morse's birthday

Today is the anniversary of Samuel Morse's birthday. To mark it, Google has its usual banner in Morse rather than letters - a nice touch to remind the world about CW.

Simple 500kHz TX design by GW3UEP

A very neat and simple MF TX called the E-QTX has appeared on the Google UK500khz group website. This design looks so straightforward that even I should be able to make it in the back of the garage. It comes from GW3UEP (via G3XIZ) and is aimed at encouraging more NoV holders to come on the band. It produces 8-10W with a 12V supply and more than double this from a higher supply voltage.

See http://groups.google.com/group/uk500khz/web/gw3uep-cw-tx.

Simple SDR links

Already some replies on the quest for ultra-simple SDR transceiver ideas - thank you. For example see the LY1GP site http://www.qrz.lt/ly1gp/SDR/index.html

Simon Brown HB9DRV mentions work on the SoftRock which is simple and not too expensive. 1W 30m/20m/17m with a new console being written starting July 1st.

Simplest possible SDR transceiver?

A challenge - what is the simplest possible SDR transceiver that can be built that would allow credible results on HF QRP? Does anyone know of any links to such ideas? Is there an "SDR equivalent" to the Pixie or similar ultra-simple QRP rigs, possibly supporting all modes but using just a handful of parts?

Software Defined Radio (SDR) kits

Received this today about SDR kits from Australia:

Hi Roger -

Here is a piece of information that may be of interest to your blog readers / website visitors: our little SDR KIT project is gaining momentum - we've been in business for less than one month yet we now have builders in 14 countries. See http://www.genesisradio.com.au/G40/ . We also have 2 new models coming out very soon: 20m and 30m duobander and single 80m SDR transceiver.

Thanks for reading.

Best 73
Nick VK1AA

Anyone built the Gnat-1 micro-transceiver?

Has anyone reading this blog built the neat little GNAT-1 transceiver featured in SPRAT 138 (Spring 2009) by Chris Trask N7ZWY? This looks a very elegant design making good use of the small number of parts needed. I must have a go. Unlike the FETer and similar micro-transceivers it doesn't need complex switching and it produces a decent RF output.

Chris tells me he hasn't actually air-tested the circuit (surprisingly), so I'd like to hear how people get on. It is important to keep the key leads short Chris advises.

Hurrah - a sunspot!!!

Solar flux reaching the giddy heights of 71.0 and today there is 1 sunspot on the visible side of the sun. Things may be looking up after an absence of spots for 2 months.....

Next day it had gone :-(

10m activity (of sorts)

Just checked 10m for signs of sporadic-E but only heard a UK station M0CHK who appeared to be testing his rig audio with another unidentified station. Signal was weak with me.

20m AM

IK6BGJ was a good signal this afternoon on 20m AM on 14.251MHz. Although he called CQ AM many times he did not work anyone and was unable to hear my QRP reply when running 4W AM. Pity - it is a very long time since I've worked anyone on AM on 20m. 1967 to be precise!

70ms QRP FM simplex

QSOs this afternoon with G4BFS/M and M3VDO/M on 433.5 FM - local mobile stations running QRP at all ends. No great DX (best about 20kms), but nice to work some stations on the band mid afternoon.