HOMECWCW Cont...PhotosRadio ArtSOTA

HOMEBREWING/PROJECTS

These are a number of project either from kits or from information created by other hams. One or two are original of my own. I will get instructions and/or links to each one eventually, but I'm still building this overall website so there may be some still lacking.

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Linked dipole (20m/40m) with 30 gauge wire for super small size, wrapped on weed-eater spools, linked using mini aligator clips

dipolelinked dipole

QRP-labs QCX Mini (20m) kit

QCX Mini buildQCX Mini buildQCX Mini buildQCX Mini buildQCX Mini build

 

QRP-labs QCX 5w 40meter kit

 

Pixie (from Yosoo) 40 meters--works just fine on air!

Pixie

Very basic, simple AM radio--not a ham radio, but was fun and cool to make anyway. NO BATTERY, just rf.

 

New key with plastic knives. I decided to make a more "permanent" version that was a bit shorter to take to the field.

New plastic knife key

Linked dipole (20&40 Meters) I decided I needed a dipole on two different bands to use on SOTA activations so I made a linked dipole--basically it is two different dipoles at different lengths and you just link them to change the length. My halfwave 20 meter dipole is about 33 feet (red wire), then about double that for 40 (black wire). You just taken the mast down far enough to reach the links (in this case alligator clips), clip on length to the next and put the mast back up and it's ready for 40 meters. I just used scrap plastic as the insulator and to keep the tension off of the connection.

Linked dipole

20-Meter 1/2 wave dipole (cut to 14.060 for rig below). This is about as simple as it gets for homebrewing. Cut two lengths of wire (in this case about 16.5 feet for the frequency desired) and solder them into the connector. You can use about anything to relieve the pressure off of the solder joints, I just have a couple of holes that stop the wire from pulling on the joints. On the ends I have some strong string to tie the ends to either a branch or rock.

20 meter dipole

Pacific Antenna's DC20B kit. This kit cost $40 and was fun to put together (took about 5 hours for me). It's a qrp cw radio with a set frequency on 14.060 putting out 2-3 watts depending the battery. I used this the day after putting it together with the homebrew antenna above for a SOTA activation and got 9 contacts with the farthest being over 2,200 miles so works great! I put it in a plastic sandwich container.

qrp cw DCxxB 20DC

Go box. This was made with a push from our local ham radio club with a go-box contest. I already had the equipment, I just kept it loose and would set it up each time. I went down to a thrift shop, bought a hard suitcase for $6, used some leftover plywood and put it all together. I like how it came out and how convenient it is to not have to hook everything up each time I go to the field.

Go box descriptionClose up go boxClosed case go box

2m antenna

This is a 2 meter slim jim antenna. Not my design, but I don't have the reference. Works great. WAY easy and is an excellent first project for a ham. I use it on my base station for our local repeater. The instructions are for using any kind of wire really (supported by PVC), I decided to be lazy and use "ladder line" as you can see in the photo--saves some time and no PVC needed. Instructions.

 

Key portinside key switch

Key switch. When I first started in CW, I wanted to switch keys regularly and looked around for a commercial one. I didn't really find what I wanted, so thought I would try making my own. This switch was the result. Since our club had lots of old junk projects up for grabs, I got the switch and audio jacks for free. I got a Radio Shack project housing case and the rest is just soldering wires and a stereo plug. In the front I have both 1/4" and 1/2" audio jacks and since my radio takes 1/8", that's what the stereo plug is. All of the jacks are stereo, eventhough I use a straight key half the time--just so I have the freedom to use whatever I'd like. You just have to set your keyer (I use my radio's keyer) if you go back and forth from paddles to straight key. No real instructions for this, you just wire the contacts to the jacks and all the grounds to each other.

Rock MiteRock Mite

This is Small Wonder Lab's RockMite QRP CW radio. It's a fun project kit radio that is only CW in a limited range. (You have to find your own container, but as you can see, it fits in the traditional Altoids can--drill holes very carefully). You have to enjoy QRP for this as the output is only .5 watts.

MacGyver key 

MacGyver iambic key. I got into a period of exploring homebrew keys and specifically ones that could be made quickly and cheaply. This one was fun. I saw two plastic knives next to each other and they looked like paddles to me so I made this one. The gum wrapper came to me as the perfect contact for a quick, improvised key. I had tacks in the office and just drilled tiny holes in the plastic knives to get them through, and then it's mounted on scrap wood. I should mention that I made a secondary key switch (see above) that included posts instead of one of the jacks to clamp an alligator clip to for experiments like this one. Here's a quick video of it. Not really precise, but it works!

Hardware store keyHardware Store key bottomHardware Store fancy key

Hardware Store key. This was my design but inspired by a key I saw from Japan with a cabinet knob. I went into our local hardware store and got everything I needed from them (except for the mono plug which was Radio Shack). The knob is a chair leg foot. As you can see, a mending plate is the connection underneath to close the circuit. Naturally, it could have been even simpler, but I liked the final product. I also made a "fancy" version with more brass, easier connections using posts, and an adjustment screw to get the contacts closer. I used the simpler one for over a month on air and got a complete Worked All States with it, along with some DX. List of materials.

SW 40+ CW QRP radio. Also from Small Wonders, although it doesn't currently seem to be in production. Has a bit more power than the other radio. I placed this one in a fishing tackle box to see inside. Another fun project.

Solar generatorSolar generator

Solar generator. This project is just putting together the elements to create a generator, not much "homebrewing" here though. You get a panel (mine is 80 watts), a charge controller (to not overcharge the battery), at least one battery (this is a marine deep-cycle), and a converter if you want to use it with AC and plug things in, etc. Since these photos I have added a second battery as well as a second panel for additional use besides just radio activities. Of course, it gets way heavy with more batteries so your portability becomes an issue. Works great though and was used for Field Day a couple of times along with just general use.

Hopefully more projects to come...

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