Thanks, Ken (WA4MNT), for bringing this very cool and simple project to our attention.
Click here to download instructions–parts are available from Ken for $23, or components can be home-brewed (I can imagine the plastic components can be replaced with wood).
Check out some of Ken’s other projects at www.qrpbuilder.com.
Wow–a Black Friday event I can certainly get my head around!
From Doug Hendricks via QRP-L:
Friday is known as “Black Friday” because most of the stores have big sales to attract the shoppers on the day after Thanksgiving. I thought about this and decided to do a QRP version. Here is the announcement.
Hendricks QRP Kits will have a Black Friday Sale from 12:01 AM Thursday to Midnight Friday (0801 GMT to 0800 GMT). During this sale, if your order shipped to a US address is $50 or more, you will get free shipping. And, if your order shipped to a DX address is $150 or more, your shipping will be free. All kits are included, nothing is held back. I have all kits in stock and ready to ship. Kits will ship starting Monday, Nov. 28th. When you place your order via paypal, I will refund your postage. If you order via US mail, the order needs to be postmarked Friday, Nov. 25th. Please do not include shipping and handling if you are ordering via mail. I have never had a Black Friday sale, but thought it might be fun to do. This is your opportunity to “Save the Shipping” on your Christmas orders. 72,
Doug
Wow.
I got a chance to play with one of the two KX3 protoypes Elecraft had on display at the Dayton Hamvention.
I mean, wow!
Don (W3FPR) gave me a tour of this amazing rig. It’s small, feature-packed and as ergonomic as all of the machines that come out of Aptos. It is slightly larger than the KX1 in every dimension. Still very easy to hold (as you can see in the photo to the right). Not pictured are the mini CW paddles (not based on the current KX1–much better) and a small attachable microphone. I’ll try to photo them tomorrow and post.
I spoke with Elecraft owner/founder Wayne Burdick (N6KR) at length as well. He said that the KX3 has been in the works for years. It’s built on the ideas of Elecraft and many of its owners, he said they’ve simply been waiting for technology to catch-up with their vision.
I actually think this could be a major game changer in the ham radio world. Think about it…a portable transceiver with the receive capabilities of the world-class K3, all band, general coverage, firmware upgradable, with many options including a full-fledged automatic antenna tuner, 100 Watt amp and many optional modules. Did I mention it’s ultra portable? Gosh!
Oh yeah, Wayne told me it will be sold for under $800.
I must have one.
More photos:
Over half of the 2N2/XX transceiver kits have been sold. You’ll recall (see previous post) that these kits were first offered at Pacificon and have been sold online since then. If you are interested in building one of these kits, you should not wait to make a purchase. Go to NorCal’s website for details.
UPDATE — 12/01/2008
Please read the update below from Doug Hendricks:
Due to problems with the stability of the VFO in the 2N2 kits, we hav suspended shipping until the problem is resolved and we can figure out which parts to put in the remaining kits, and which parts to send out to those we have already shipped. Please bear with us. We will get it right. Also, please, please, please do not send us emails asking where your order is. Every order is safe, and will be filled, we just need time to take care of the problem that we found. Emails to me won’t help, nor will an email to James or Kathy or Dean or Jim K. Thank you for your understanding. 72, Doug, KI6DS
UPDATE – 12/16/08
Hendricks has started shipments again and fixed the VFO problem. Read message posted to QRP-l below:
Finally there is some good news to report!! James tells me that shipping
has resumed on the 2N2xx kits for those that were held up while Jim Kortge
solved the problems in the VFO. Jim did a tremendous amount of work and
we now have the parts to fix the problem. The kits we are shipping now
have the correct parts in them, and those parts are being mailed to all
who previously purchased the kits. Please, please do not email and ask us
where your kit is or when it will be shipped. We are shipping as fast as
possible, and hope to have all kits shipped before the 1st of the year
that have been ordered. (Don’t you just love my sentence structure?? My
English teacher is rolling over in her grave.)We will be accepting new orders sometime in January and it will be
announced here. James, Kathy, Jim K., Dean and Ron are working like crazy
to get your kit to you. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Doug, KI6DS
Hendricks QRP Kits has announced that they will have a prototype of a new CW transceiver kit, designed by Steve Weber (KD1JV), at their Pacificon booth this year. Features of this transceiver include:
Hendricks has not announced a price yet, but they plan to keep it very competitive. Their goal is to have the kits in production in time for Christmas. What a great stocking stuffer!
I will post more information on QRPer as it becomes available.
The NorCal QRP club is offering a limited run of their PN2222 based analog transceivers. These transceivers are based on 10 years of prior K8IQY 2N2 designs–an evolution originating from a design contest, Wayne Burdick N6KR, one of the co-founders of Elecraft, proposed for the 1998 Dayton convention.
A total of 500 kits are available – 200 on 20-meters, 100 on 30-meters, and 200 on 40-meters. They are available at $125 each (or $225/two, and $300/three). Only 5 kits per order are available.
These kits will be available for order on October 14th.
–UPDATE 10-13-08 —
Doug Hendricks posted a 2N2/XX update on QRP-l–this includes significant changes to availability. Here’s his message:
Guys, in our excitement at getting the NorCal 2N2xx CW transceiver kits
out we didn’t think things through very well. Here is the problem. This
coming weekend is Pacificon, and all of us will be totally tied up on
Thursday, Friday and Saturday and part of Sunday. The number of kits
available is only 200 on 40 Meters, 200 on 20 Meters, and 100 on 30 Meters
and we will have to monitor sales very closely or there could be a huge
problem. We don’t want to accept orders and not have kits to ship because
they are sold out. We just don’t have anyone available to monitor the
orders.So this is what we are going to do. We will take one half of the kits to
Pacificon to sell in our booth. We will save one half of the kits for
“Internet” sales, so there will be kits for guys who can’t get to
Pacificon. I really doubt if we will sell 250 kits at Pacificon, but I
might be wrong. Even if we do, there will still be kits for those of you
who can’t make it.The window for orders will now be open at 7 AM on Weds. Oct. 21st. I
apologize for any inconvenience that this has caused, but it is the best
solution that we can come up with.Hope to see you at Pacificon. We have a great lineup of speakers and lots
of fun planned. 72, Doug
Links of interest:
QRPers have long been fans of PSK. And why wouldn’t they? The mode is efficient and uses DSP technology to help discover low bandwidth digital signals. What that means for the QRPer is: 1 watt + PSK = DX Very effective use of the juice!
Thing is, PSK has traditionally required the QRPer to bring along some sort of computer and a handful of wires and cables to take PSK to the field.
The American QRP Club has made this easier with the introduction of their portable digital modem–the NUE-PSK. This modem, like other AmQRP products is a kit and requires some experience with surface mount kits.
Here’s the AmQRP description of their modem:
The NUE-PSK is a small 7″ x 4″ x 1″ standalone, battery-operated digital modem using a graphic display for transmit and receive text data, as well as for showing band spectrum and tuning. Just plug in a standard PS2 keyboard and connect to an SSB-capable transceiver like the FT-817 or the PSK-xx transceivers from Small Wonder Labs, and you’ll have an effective digital mode station that goes absolutely anywhere.
The NUE-PSK is a small 7″ x 4″ x 1″ standalone, battery-operated digital modem using a graphic display for transmit and receive text data, as well as for showing band spectrum and tuning. Just plug in a standard PS2 keyboard and connect to an SSB-capable transceiver like the FT-817 or the PSK-xx transceivers from Small Wonder Labs, and you’ll have an effective digital mode station that goes absolutely anywhere.
Why wait? Go check out the specs on their website and also check eHam as reviews come in.
Dr. Bob Armstrong, N7XJ, did a nice mini review of the Hendricks PFR3–a truly portable field QRP radio. This is an impressive radio for at least 3 reasons:
I got to play with a PFR3 and speak with a couple of people who had built them at the Dayton Hamvention this year. I was impressed with the radio’s ergonomics and tank-like feel as I held it. Though not a beginner’s kit, by and large people were very please with the ease of build. The instructions are pretty complete now that many people have built the PFR3 and given feedback to the Hendricks team. Check their site for updates and notices before you start construction.
I’ve heard of two people who have actually built this kit in one dedicated day of sniffing solder smoke. Not a task for the faint of heart, though–and I wouldn’t recommend trying this at home.