The new WA3RNC TR-35 4-Band 5-Watt CW Transceiver Kit

Many thanks to Jim (N9EET) who notes that WA3RNC will soon be shipping his latest QRP transceiver kit: the TR-35.

According to the WA3RNC website, factory wired/assembled kits are available now for $379 US. The regular kits (with pre-wound toroids!) will be available for purchase January 24, 2022 for $279 US. If you’d like the pre-assembled version, simply click the checkbox that adds $100 for assembly in the WA3RNC store.

Here are a few TR-35 specs from the WA3RNC website:

    • Size 5 ½ X 3 ¼ X 1 ½ less protrusions, weight 10.6 Oz
    • 5 watts output on all bands at 12vdc input
    • Full coverage of 40, 30, 20, and 17 meters with extended RCVR  tuning above and below
    • RCVR modes for CW narrow and CW wideband, and for SSB reception
    • Optimized for operation from 3 series-connected 18650 Lithium cells
    • RIT tunes + and – 5KHz
    • Blue OLED display reads frequency to 10 Hz and RIT offset
    • Built in Iambic keyer is adjustable 5 to 45 WPM with front panel control
    • Separate jacks for straight key and paddles; Always ready for SKCC contacts
    • Operates on 9.5 to 14 volts, < 100 ma receive, about 1 Amp Xmitt at 10 volts
    • Selectable tuning resolution steps of 10, 100, and 1000Hz
    • Low battery indicator with internal adjustment 9.5 to 11.5 volts 
    • Front panel adjustable RF gain control
    • Front panel TX power control; Adjustable from 0 to full output
    • Rugged TO-220 FET RF amp has delivered 5 Watts key down for 5 minutes
    • Signal quality blue LED, RIT warning orange LED, Low battery red LED
    • Excellent receiver sensitivity with MDS of -125dBm
    • Very effective receive AGC prevents ear damage with strong signals
    • Transmitter harmonics and spurs -52dB, meets FCC specs
    • CW sidetone is the actual transmitter signal as heard by receiver
    • Match the received signal tone to the sidetone for perfect zero beating
    • Sharp IF filter; Better than 350 Hz at the -6dB point, plus 700 Hz audio filter
    • Over 250 machine placed SMT parts, and about 55 user installed parts
    • All critical circuits are factory pre-aligned and calibrated
    • No endless “back menus”; There is a control or switch for every function
    • Factory wired and tested option available
    • All torroids are factory wound and prepared

Resources

I love the simplicity of WA3RNC’s designs! I’m sure this will be a popular little kit!

9 thoughts on “The new WA3RNC TR-35 4-Band 5-Watt CW Transceiver Kit”

  1. I wish more radios made an attempt to put CW decode on their radios, implemented like WA3RNC’s previous radio.

    Now that nearly EVERY ham radio transceiver has at least one microprocessor, why not implement a mode like COHERENT CW? Whats that you say? I have never heard of that…!

    Coherent CW (also known as CCW) was a strictly timed morse code mode designed by Ray Petit W7GHM (The same inventor of CLOVER). CCW depended on accurate timing from both receiver and transmitter. CCW ran at exactly 12 words per minute, with 100ms for dot length and element space and 300ms for dash length and character space. CCW, using a synchronous clock rate, allows for users to take advantage of extremely narrowband filtering what increases the SNR and allows for reception in poor propagation conditions at the expense of very slow transmission. It is technically very simple (OOK) and is easily implemented.

    Why do this? well, the resulting rigid CW can transmitted, received, and read by computer/microprocessors, as well as being understood by humans.

    Sadly, COHERENT CW has been neglected and the only software appears to be for the MS-DOS IBM PC.

    Might make a nice coding project for someone as it might encourage newer hams to take up CW and develop an ear for it whilst their computer (or the radio itself) decodes it.

    https://www.sigidwiki.com/wiki/Coherent_CW
    http://www.magma.ca/~ve2iq/bbs.htm

  2. Thomas, your site is the QRP equivalent of a crack dealer. 😉 I knew nothing of WA3RNC or the TR-35 when I woke up this morning, and now I have one ordered. Looks like a nice design and based on what info I could find, worth giving it a shot and supporting the effort.

  3. Planning on ordering a kit tomorrow–I love my TR-25. I do wish Iambic A was an option, but that’s a pretty small gripe.

  4. Can anyone tell me if he will ship to Canada? I wasn’t able to create an account because his online form appears to only accepts US resident’s.

  5. I ordered my TR 35 kit on the 26th around midnight, got it on the 31st and had it on the air on Feb. 1. So far NY,NJ,UT,ND,OR, IL, MD, KS, E7 AND I3. 1/4 wave wire monoband GPs on 40, 30 and 20.Very nice rig.

  6. I just started testing out my TR-35 (I got a prebuilt one), and so far I am impressed with the performance and user interface. I need more time with it, but excellent marks so far.

  7. Received a fully assembled latest updated TR-35 this week.
    Paired with a ZM-2 Z match tuner, MFJ Cleartone speaker, C Crane earbud, CW Morse sgl paddle and CW Morse Camel Back Straight key. Powered by Bioenno LiPO battery at 13 volts.

    Into a dummy load and wattmeter: 40m 6.5w max, 30m 7.5max, 20m 7.5 max, 17m 6.5 max.

    Test Antenna: Chameleon Ecomm II at 22′ horizontal NVIS.

    Made contacts on 40 m 400m late pm same day received and this morning Nor Cal to Montana on 40m.

    Rcvr outstanding, quiet, selective with fantastic audio.
    Transmitted sig sounds excellent. Key performs flawlessly with good QSK.

    Can’t wait to get it to the field and play radio!

    k6nzh,
    Alameda, CA

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