This past week, I hit the parks pretty hard while giving the lab599 Discovery TX-500 a good field evaluation. I managed to activate eight parks in the seven days I had the radio. It was so much fun. Today, I was going through my logs and was reminded of one park activation on the Blue … Continue reading There’s magic in one watt and a wire
Please note: This is a cross-post from our other radio site, the SWLing Post. Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Vlad, who shares some images and a video of a new QRP transceiver in development: the Discovery TX-500 by a company called lab599. Specifications have not been published yet, but we have confirmed a few … Continue reading The Discovery TX-500 QRP Transceiver
Many thanks to Pete (WB9FLW) who shares the following information regarding HobbyPCB’s much-anticipated portable transceiver which is now shipping. The price is a competitive $529.00. The following information comes from the HobbyPCB website: The IQ32 is 5W output, 80-10M Amateur Radio transceiver with powerful 32 bit processing providing high-end features at an entry level price. … Continue reading The HobbyPCB IQ-32: A general coverage portable QRP transceiver with color touch screen now shipping
This weekend, I’m heading to the Ten-Tec Hamfest at the Ten-Tec factory in Sevierville, Tennessee. This is, hands down, my favorite hamfest of the year. Not only is it completely free, but the ham radio flea market section has a higher percentage of real radio gear than any other hamfest with which I’m familiar. The … Continue reading Ten-Tec Hamfest, Argonaut VI update
John Henry, Software Engineer for Ten-Tec, wrote the following message in response to Argonaut VI comments and questions on the Model 539 group: To help answer a few questions. The electronics ARE based on the 599, [Ten-Tec Eagle] not exactly the same, but VERY similar. Filters…. The 539 will have three filter slots for hardware … Continue reading John answers a few questions about the Ten-Tec Model 539 Argonaut VI
I well remember first speaking with a Ten-Tec rep at the Ten-Tec Hamfest last year when the company first displayed the concept Model 539 transceiver, which was beginning to generate enormous interest. After viewing it, I casually asked the representative what the name of the new radio would be–? When he shrugged his response, I … Continue reading The Ten-Tec Argonaut VI: the Model 539 QRP transceiver follows the legend (while we follow the spec sheet!)
My good friend, Vladimir (Vlado) Karamitrov (N3CZ/ZS6MG) is someone who likes to challenge himself. Perhaps this is why he’s such an accomplished DXer and contester. Recently, at his QTH, he showed me one of his latest projects: a home brewed QRP transceiver. Vlado wasn’t content to simply build his own high-performance transceiver; no, he needed … Continue reading Vlado’s challenge: home-brewed QRP DXCC
UPDATE May 8, 2012: Want to see the real photo of the TS-990S? Check out this post. The image above has been floating around the Internet for a couple of months as the concept for the Kenwood TS-990S. Is it the real thing? No. Absolutely not. It is, without a doubt, a Photoshopped image. I … Continue reading First photo of the Kenwood TS-990S?