Tag Archives: learning

amateur radio, Antennas, Builders Group, License, QRP, Radio, Study Sessions, Test Sessions

uBitx radio kit

www.morristownhamfest.com

Buy It Now!

The uBITX is a general coverage HF SSB/CW transceiver kit with features you NEED for operating ease, convenience and versatility. If works from 3 MHz to 30 MHz, with upto 12 watts on SSB and CW with a very sensitive receiver. It features digital tuning, dual VFOs, RIT, CW Keyer and more.  The uBITX is a general coverage HF SSB/CW transceiver kit with features you NEED for operating ease, convenience and versatility. It works from 3 MHz to 30 MHz, with upto 12 watts on SSB and CW with a very sensitive receiver. It features digital tuning, dual VFOs, RIT, CW Keyer and more.

Operating

The uBITX is a joy to operate. Press the tuning control to access all the features. Dual VFOs, RIT, CW speed, sideband selection. etc. are all accessible from a single menu. The transceiver automatically selects the proper sideband for you (you can override it too).

Technical Specifications

The uBITX is an understandable radio. The complexity is kept to a minimum so you can always repair and make changes if you so desire.

The the uBITX has a carefully thought out operator interface. The tuning knob features a number of menu options on a click. From RIT, to dual VFOs, to the keyer and many more featuers are all accessible from the tuning knob by simply tapping on it.There are intelligent defaults everywhere (these are easily overriden). Example : below 10 MHz, it auto-selects LSB and vice versa. To operate CW, you just press the morse key.

Architecture The uBITX uses upconversion to the first IF of 45 MHz. This eliminates the need for a large number of band pass filters, keeping the design simple and virtually image free. The roofing filter at 45 MHz is 15 KHz wide. The signal is then down-converted to 12 MHz where a low ripple SSB filter with 8 crystals is used to provide a sparkling audio.

The transmitter has push-pull PA using two IRF510s for a clean output. The low cost IRF510s are not  a bother to replace should you ever blow them up.

Receiver :

  • Sensitivity a 0.2uv signal is clearly audible
  • Selectivity 2.4 KHz,  low ripple SSB filter with 8 crystals
  • RIT (Receiver Incremental Tuning)
  • Continuous coverage from 500 KHz to 30 MHz
  • Sideband selection
  • Dent-less encoder tuning. Tunes with larger step rates when tuned quickly

Transmitter

  • More than 10 watts upto 10 MHz, 7 watts upto 21 MHz, 2 watts on 28 MHz
  • CW transmit with the built-in keyer
  • Uses   IRF510s  x 2 as PA and  2N3904 x 4 drivers in push-pull mode for low distortion transmission. Blown IRF510 are inexpensive to replace

Raduino Features

This is a small board with an Si5351 clock generator, an Arduino Nano and a 16×2 LCD display. It plugs into the main radio board. The software that controls the radio is written in Arduino’s C langauge.

All the features are available implemented in Raduino software. The menus are accessible by pushing the button on the tuning encoder. You can add more features by hacking through the open source code available on https://github.com/afarhan/ubitx

  • Dual VFOs
  • RIT
  • Manual override of LSB/USB selection
  • CW Keyer Speed and tone selection

µBITX

amateur radio

SKYWARN Recognition Day

Coming up on the Event schedule
Get ready for an antenna party!!!             


SKYWARN Recognition Day, Saturday, December 2

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day (SRD) will take place this year on Saturday, December 2 from 0000 until 2400 UTC (starts on the evening of Friday, December 1, in US time zones). During the SKYWARN Special Event, hams will set up stations at National Weather Service (NWS) offices and contact other radio amateurs around the world.

Participating Amateur Radio stations will exchange a brief description of their current weather with as many NWS-based stations as possible on 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, and 2 meters plus 70 centimeters. Contacts via repeaters are permitted.

SRD was developed jointly in 1999 by the NWS and ARRL to celebrate the contributions SKYWARN volunteers make to the NWS mission — the protection of life and property. Amateur Radio operators, which comprise a large percentage of SKYWARN volunteers, also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency managers, if normal communications become inoperative. [The National Weather Service and ARRL have been formal partners since 1986].

amateur radio, Builders Group, License, Radio

Tennessee Radio Shack Re-Opens, Partners with Local Ham Radio Club

Tennessee RadioShack Re-Opens, Partners with Local Ham Radio Club

Check out the article published to the ARRL website. This article is going viral across various Facebook groups and pages, its good to see our local radio club and builders group in a positive light to the radio community. Many many thanks goes to the vision of L.A.R.C member Craig Thibodeaux, KM4YEC. Craig has worked diligently with the help of other club members, especially Dan W4DOD,  they have developed a consistent plan of advancement in the Bitx-40 project build, which puts a low cost 40 meter SSB radio in operation for qrp communications. The builders club is openingly sharing this process. Come join the builders group at the next build session on Nov. 18th. 2017, 2:00 P.M, at the  Jefferson City Library, Jefferson City, TN. The group is known as the WE Can Hams Builders Group, website is www.wecanhams.com.

Thanks to the builders, and Radio Shack’s willingness to partner with LARC. Many joint projects are being planned out for the local community.

Club President, Dale Knight AB4DK

http://www.arrl.org/news/tennessee-radioshack-re-opens-partners-with-local-ham-radio-club

amateur radio, Antennas, Feed Line, Radio, repeater

Understanding Repeater Antennas Part 2

Mr. W4KEV,  Kevin Duplantis will be the guest speaker and will present a program for Lakeway members and visitors at the L.A.R.C. meeting this month on Thursday Oct. 26th, 2017 at the Youth Building First Baptist Church, Morristown, TN.

Meeting starts at 7:00 PM be there early to get your seat!

        

amateur radio, Antennas, Builders Group, License, Radio, Study Sessions

September Meeting Program

Come join us for an interesting program at our September’s meeting at the Jefferson City Library. September 28th, 2017.

WSPRNET 

we’ll be covering details of equipment used, software, antennas, computers, why it’s helpful, ways to use it! Get ready for another tools to use with Amateur Radio

WSPR (pronounced “whisper”) stands for “Weak Signal Propagation Reporter”. It is a computer program used for weak-signal radio communication between amateur radio operators. The program was initially written by Joe Taylor, K1JT, but is now open source and is developed by a small team. The program is designed for sending and receiving low-power transmissions to test propagation paths on the MF and HF bands.

WSPR implements a protocol designed for probing potential propagation paths with low-power transmissions. Transmissions carry a station’s callsign, Maidenhead grid locator, and transmitter power in dBm. The program can decode signals with S/N as low as -28 dB in a 2500 Hz bandwidth. Stations with internet access can automatically upload their reception reports to a central database called WSPRnet, which includes a mapping facility.

amateur radio, Antennas, Builders Group, Feed Line, License, Radio, Test Sessions

EclipseMob Radio – Builders Group

This Saturday August 19, see you there!

amateur radio, Builders Group, Radio

K1T Special Event Station

I Just worked the K1T special station, on 20 meters, 14.265. @ 12:00 am. This event celebrates 70 years of Electronics kits by HeathKit. Great guy, great QSO, a very fitting Special Event since LARC started up its Builders group.  Go try to work this station.

Dale, AB4DK

Operating ONLY during:  00:00 UTC July 23, 2017 – 23:59:59 August 5, 2017
Make sure you are requesting a QSL card from the correct K1T station!!
https://www.qrz.com/db/K1T#QSL

amateur radio, Antennas, License, Radio

Tomato Festival

25th Anniversary
Grainger County Tomato Festival TN.
July 28, 29, & 30 2017
Hours: Friday 28 noon to 8pm
Saturday 29 9am to 6pm
Sunday 30 noon to 5pm​Grainger County Tomato Festival
​7480 Rutledge Pike
Rutledge Tn 37861

PicturePainting by Wendy Leedy

The Grainger County Tomato Festival was organized in 1992 to promote our world famous Grainger County Tomatoes. Our mission is to promote all Grainger County agricultural products, specifically the Grainger County Tomato, and to promote the many local artists, authors, talent, and craftsmen we have in our area. Over the years we have added a number of special events making the festival one of the largest free festivals in East Tennessee and has been named by Parade magazine as one of the top ten festivals in the USA.
The festival is always the last full weekend in July in Rutledge,Tennessee. Be sure to mark your calendars! You don’t want to miss it.
For more info check out their website at:
amateur radio, Antennas, Builders Group, License, Radio, Test Sessions

What did Field Day 2017 mean to KM4YEC?

What did Field Day 2017 mean to me?

I posted that question on Facebook to trigger some responses, and as I thought about it, if I were to answer that question…I could write a book, as to relay what it has meant to me.

Recognizing that just like the whole concept of Amateur Radio, it is an individual thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But, then like in some other things, what is the fun in being alone, when there are others doing the same thing or nearly the same thing.

 

 

I feel I must point out something. I never excelled in team sports where there is quarterback, or point guard, that drives the whole team, and expects absolute obedience, for while I consider myself a team player, I tend to ‘experiment’ with the boundaries, I crave to be ‘creative’, so, while understanding the need for those other kinds of Teams, I stay away from Teams that don’t allow questioning the next move. And I absolutely Run away from any Team with a Pistol Pete, as I prefer a Team that moves forward as Team, not one that puts anyone on a pedestal.

I love the story of the SS Robert E. Peary, a Liberty Ship built during WWII that was launched 4 days and 15 1/2 hours after the keel was laid. There was a Team that I could have been on. No one quarterback nor point guard could pull that off, that took a Team of Quarterbacks working with each other, not against each other, nor competing with each other, as each piece of that ship had to be ready to slide into place at exactly the right moment, or a really fast recovery had better be ready to put into place. My kind of competition….me against myself. Where failure isn’t failing, its a learning experience.

So, the question was Field Day? I penned a phrase, of which I am sure it ain’t original, some time back, actually it was on the obligatory trip to Disney World after someone wins the Superbowl, or gets a diagnosis that is about as rare. It went like this’ No Regrets, Bucket List Tour’ and it was stenciled on a sheet of coroplast stuck in the ground in front of my RV at Fort Wilderness. So, yes, Field Day, with No Regrets, and a few Check Offs on the List.

Only being licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator for the first time last October, I have been working hard on my List.

This was my first Field Day. I didn’t personally make one radio contact. But, I consider it a success for me. Working within my limitations, I made a few contributions to the team, but I gained so much more. I observed most of the radio operators and loggers doing their thing.

I was allowed to share some of my creative ideas in a side room, where the club has started a Builders Group ( also called WeCanHams.com ) and I saw more new ideas come back at me than I can work in year. I saw the twinkle in someone else’s eye….who after 5 hours of trying various ways to solder a thru hole component in a PCB, finally was satisfied with the result….

and I am sure that many projects will follow that soldering adventure….I figure that at least 120 years of soldering experience was shared in that effort…THAT IS MY KIND OF TEAM. At one point, it resulted in a run to the kitchen to cut a corner off a pot scrubber….not a Pistol Pete move….but a Team move.

I had been told to make the move from 2 meter HT’s to HF required many hundreds of dollars, and a thousand dollars was tossed out there very often as what I should expect to spend. So, before Field Day, I tested this theory, by building a BitX40 kit for $59, and putting it on the air with a jump start battery for power and some galvanized fence wire for an antenna.

On the second Day of Field Day I took my Tour on the Road, down one the spokes on the HUB, to an affiliated Field Day site at HHART, and I had the extreme pleasure of lighting up someone else’s eyes. When I overheard that someone was thinking about getting that kit….I asked, ‘wanna play with one?’ It was exciting to watch and be a part of the ‘Team’ making that QSO, even though I was sitting in a chair just watching. He was heard saying after that he was ordering two BitX40’s.

 

 

And we should never forget a two transistor Pixie…just for fun…and plenty of learning.

 

 

 

So, what did Field Day mean to me? Making a lot of up close and personal connections in a sport that is usually done at long range. And quite a few more Check Off’s on the List.

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