5 Jan 2021

20m FT8 WISPY RX?

A few days ago I showed the schematic for my WISPY RX. The photo shows the actual 10m WISPY RX. 

With a couple of low cost GQRP 7030kHz crystals in parallel this could probably allow a very low cost 20m FT8 RX to be made using the same idea and pulling the crystals upwards. 

If you have a source of low cost 7040kHz crystals, just one will probably allow you to get to half 14.074MHz. A 14.074MHz simple DSB based FT8 RX would be a fun winter project, guaranteed to spot lots of DX every day.

Just think - for the cost of a couple of coffees out (those were the days!) and you have a low cost way of spotting DX from across the world.

Come to think of it, a full 20m FT8 transceiver could be made for the price of a bag of fish and chips! Surely someone is up for the challenge. 

2 comments:

  1. Let me wish you a healthy and happy New Year, Roger!
    Last year I modified a Pixie (CW transceiver kit) with a crystal at 7074. Instant FT8 monitor receiver.
    I let it run for a single night using my low hanging (4m high) dipole,and decoded all continents except Antarctica.
    A fun experiment showing that a very simple DSB RX can do wonders on 40m.
    I might try to see if I can modify the Pixie for 20m, as I have another crystal for 14074.
    The Pixie makes for very cheap experiments with simple transmitters and receivers.

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  2. Have you seen this? https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/

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