QRP-Labs Ultimate3S WSPR Kit Assembly and Review (#68)
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Michael Lloyd, NE5U, sent me several kits from QRP-Labs. I put together the various subkits required for the WSPR auto beacon. Interesting project that you might want to emulate! It took some real doing to get the right instructions and understand the programming, but it works well and I plan to keep using it permanently. Thanks, Mike! Subscribe: / davidcasler . Ask Dave Playlist: goo.gl/inaQeB. Tip Jar: ke0og.net/tip-jar
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I love it Dave, You are using a Heathkit Nut Starter as a pointer.
I patiently sat through 33 minutes of your video. I watched it all.
The exciting parts for me was when you mentioned Australia 4 times and the word Dipole.
And isn't it just so nice to have land and a load of space with no QRM ? Life is good.
Good health to you Sir and good DX. 7 3 de VK4SOE.
Hi David,
I am the designer of the Ultimate3S. I am glad that you have enjoyed building and operating the kits and getting reception reports.
One point: you are using the QRP Labs Band Pass Filter kit qrp-labs.com/bpfkit - but this is not really supposed to be used at the transmitter output! At a transmitter output you should use the Low Pass Filter kit qrp-labs.com/lpfkit . The Ultimate3S kit costs $33 which includes the main board, the Si5351A Synth kit qrp-labs.com/synth and a LPF kit for one band of your choice.
The Band Pass Filter kit is intended for receiver input filtering (we also have a compatible receiver module qrp-labs.com/receiver ). In front of a receiver it attenuates unwanted out-of-band signals and helps reduce intermodulation problems in the mixer, so it improves the overall performance of the receiver. As any narrow band pass filter with this topology, it has an insertion loss of a couple of dB - which is not a problem at a receiver input, but it is undesirable at the transmitter output. The impedance of the central sections of the resonant circuit of the band pass filter is high, so you will see higher voltages in this part of the circuit when you use the BPF in a transmitter output stage. Even with 1/4 watt QRP it will still put undue stress on the components.
So I recommend using the correct Low Pass Filter - and if you email me at the QRP Labs website qrp-labs.com with your shipping address I'm happy to send you the right filter, free of charge. Using the correct LPF you will increase the power output and achieve proper harmonic attenuation, as well as put less stress on the components! The QRP Labs LPF has 7 elements (3 inductors, 4 capacitors) and provides good harmonic attenuation, well within FCC regulatory requirements.
BPF = for receiver input bandpass filtering
LPF = for transmitter output low pass filtering
73 Hans G0UPL
qrp-labs.com
Thanks, Hans. I sent you an email to sales@qrp-labs.com with the info. 73, Dave
It is a medium-challenge kit as you mentioned. I had the most trouble with the LPF boards. Winding the transformers were pretty easy, but the thru holes for the leads on the board are pretty close together and unless you have a microscope or very good vision and a thin-tipped soldering iron you will bridge into empty holes (which I did). At that point solder sucking and copper braid didn't remove the solder. So, I had to grab the lead of the intended part for that hole and push it in while heating up the stubborn solder now occupying the hole. That took time, but it worked. My other problem was I couldn't get the 4-pin connectors on the correct side of the board. Maybe it's dyslexia or maybe my brain is shot. Once you do that it's "game over". I did this two in a row, the second time after knowing better and realizing my mistake on the first LPF board. At that point I gave up for awhile in frustration. Maybe QRP Labs has an LPF board already built for sale? I screwed up on the 10 and 20 meter LPF assemblies, but still have 15, 30, 40 left to try. Anyway, I will get it done and have it on the air eventually. Many hams are using these and they are doing a great job!
I looked at their website today 10/31/2020 and I agree with you 100% that deciding what you need is quite confusing.
*Great video! Have my kit im starting to build this video helps to get me started*
As the above very interesting and I am encouraged to carry out the project
Sorry if there are errors in translation
73
CE3HOT
This is a useful insight and has encouraged me to try kit building. I may start on something simpler though.
very nice Dave :) Hans makes a great kit that even covers the new MF / LF bands. Good point on the website. And I completely agree with your Elekraft comments too.
Easy kits. Great products. Built many of them over the last few years.
Hey, Dave, I enjoy your videos. They're very informative and helpful. Have you done any reviews of the Zachtek wspr devices? I noticed one of his boards will transmit on 136 KHz. What kind of antenna is needed for transmitting on 136 KHz. I'm not really planning to do it, but I am curious about what antenna would be needed for it. Thanks.
I haven't looked at the Zachtek devices. Any antenna at 136 kHz is a severely compromised antenna. Check past issues of QST--I know I've seen several articles on low band antennas. You'll also find info on the Internet.
Cool stuff! Im going to try to build one some day soon ( I hope ) also you live in a beautiful location! Take care! 73 de ve3hip in welland Ontario Canada 🇨🇦
wow, if figuring out kit sites are difficult for you, they are impossible for me. Why dont they just sell a complete kit. period end of problem?
Thank you. An interesting kit and mode.
If I remember correctly a square wave is the sum of all the odd harmonics W6cef
Dave, is that a Godzilla and King Ghidorah tee shirt?? Please oh please can you share a link to it? I love it! It looks really cool! 😆
I use to live in Colorado and it's not Heaven but Heaven is a local call. thank you for the video. It was very informative. Only question I have is, did you have to do any service mount or just through hole components?
All the components and gizmos that must be mounted are through-hole, not surface-mount. I found the hardest part was the 30m band filter because the components are so close to each other.
Thank you.
I have this radio on order, and as a newbie have no idea how to connect it to a power source. What type of battery and connectors are you using in the video? Thanks!
Dave, where can I get one of those circuit board holders? Thanks for posting this video. I have looked at the WSPR kits before and was not sure what all I needed.
Take a look at amzn.to/2qXHNs9.
Hi Dave ~ can the received signal strength results be used to improve your Antenna configuration ~ if so how?
Hallicrafter S 20-R back there...I have one..
At 17:20 you say that these bandpass filters isn't what is shown on the website. That is correct because the bandpass filters shouldn't be used for TX and only for RX. Don't use these Band Pass Filters as a transmitter output filter. The filters are designed for receiver input band pass filtering. They have a quite narrow response. (see : qrp-labs.com/bpfkit.html )
For the TX you use the LowPass filter kits (see : qrp-labs.com/lpfkit.html ). When you shop for the Ultimate WSPR (see : shop.qrp-labs.com/U3S ) you have to selected a LPF (
Available Options * LPF Band: ) for a certain band.
But again great video .
Yes, shortly after the video, Hans got in touch with me and pointed out my error.
@@davecasler thanks for the update. Good that Hans has noted it and pointed out.
Wow all I can say. May add this to do and check this out. First time I heard of this. More research. tnxs KQ4CD Paul
Whisper from neighbor Galaxy😁
Australia on 1/4 watt? Cool!!
Definitely agree with Elecraft. I just hand to end up calling them. Kind of makes their website useless.
lol the difficulty in knowing what to buy is the thing that holds people back in becoming a ham, and then finding out all the soldering and electrician stuff you need to do is the other. If they would make a radio you could just plug into the wall...
Best 73s please do more vedios best
Love that rotating board support to help construction.
Have you a link please?
73 de G3NBY
Go to my Amazon links page at dcasler.com/amazon/. Scroll down and you'll see it. If you click on the link and then order it, a small part of that sale comes back to me to support the channel. Thanks!
Just heard you on 20m today WSPR, .....N4SWD
Cool! I'm only transmitting about a quarter watt to an antenna on the roof.
Is that a wire wound dummy load. Dave, you know better than that! Always use a non-inductive resistor as a dummy load. I expect it just looks like a wire wound resistor, but it did raise a flag.
I know of at least one dummy load I made with a wire wound resistor. It sure gave strange results!
That's the load that QRPlabs sends you so I think it is OK. Things are not always what they seem.