Hi everybody,
I'll do my best to hold the 40m net tonight but it would be good if someone else was on standby for NCS.
We are expecting more storms tonight, and after what happened last night I'm going to err on the side of caution.
I was standing in my garage after the storms had apparently cleared when a lightning bolt hit my neighbor's house.
That bright bolt and the crack and the smoke and the sparks were a frightening sight. It took out almost everything electronic in his house. I think my pacemaker skipped a beat and glad my defibrillator didn't go off. I hope to hear you tonight but if it's stormy, I'll see you next week.

Bill
KV6Z

Reminder:
Wednesday Evening 40 and 80 meter Nets

When:
Wednesday, 1 May 2019
8:00pm to 9:00pm
(GMT-05:00) America/Chicago

Where:
40 and 80 Meters

Organizer:
jomatlock@...

Description:
The 40 Meter Net will be at 8:00 pm central time  on 7.122 +-. QRM
NCS will be Bill KV6Z.

Wednesday evening 80 Meter CW Net. will be at  (8:30PM Central Time Wednesday). 
The 80 meter net will be called on 3.564 MHz +/- QRM.
Net control operators are Johnny AC0BQ or Paul N0NBD.

* NEW *  Wednesday evening DMR Voice Net will be at (Thursday) 0300 UTC (9:00PM Central Time Wednesday/)
Four States QRP has a Brandmeister DMR Talk Group (TG31654). Join us to discuss QRP, ask questions, or just ragchew. The Wednesday net is a directed net  but any other time you may use the Talk Group to chat with other QRPers.
Net Control operator is Bert NØYJ.

View Event

I am looking for someone who can repair my 40M QCX rig for me. It has stopped transmitting.  I am unable to repair it myself because of my visual impairment. I can be reached at kb4qnr@...  72/3
Thank you
Bobby Rolph

Reminder:
Wednesday Evening 40 and 80 meter Nets

When:
Wednesday, 1 May 2019
8:00pm to 9:00pm
(GMT-05:00) America/Chicago

Where:
40 and 80 Meters

Organizer:
jomatlock@...

Description:
The 40 Meter Net will be at 8:00 pm central time  on 7.122 +-. QRM
NCS will be Bill KV6Z.

Wednesday evening 80 Meter CW Net. will be at  (8:30PM Central Time Wednesday). 
The 80 meter net will be called on 3.564 MHz +/- QRM.
Net control operators are Johnny AC0BQ or Paul N0NBD.

* NEW *  Wednesday evening DMR Voice Net will be at (Thursday) 0300 UTC (9:00PM Central Time Wednesday/)
Four States QRP has a Brandmeister DMR Talk Group (TG31654). Join us to discuss QRP, ask questions, or just ragchew. The Wednesday net is a directed net  but any other time you may use the Talk Group to chat with other QRPers.
Net Control operator is Bert NØYJ.

View Event

Hello George. Have you sold the one water? 73
Bobby Rolph
KB4QNR

Ken,

Files for the MagicBox and SS-40 cases attached.

72,

Jim, K8IQY

PS...I need to get back with the 4 State QRP gang and maybe have them host these files on their web site.

I have access to a 3D printer. I suspect others also would like to use your file to make a case for the combo. How can one obtain the file?

On 4/28/2019 10:26 AM, Kenneth Ketner via Groups.Io wrote:

Thanks Jim

You nailed it. That transistor had a short. Tested it with my Peak semiconductor tester. I stuck in another one. Now it toots quite well.

I am working to put together a Kortge transceiver using your class e tx, your rx, your audio filter and your variable xo, all linked with your magic box.

Your designs and manuals are great. Hope you will make more.

Thanks for the kind words Ken.  I'm getting too long in the tooth to do many more designs.  By the way, I have designed 3D printed cases for the MagicBox and SS-40 Rx/Tx combo if you have a way of printing them; you have a printer, local library has one, your UPS store has one etc.

Glad you found the defective transistor.  That is a rare failure; almost never happens with bipolar transistors.

72 and be well,

Jim, K8IQY

Thanks Jim

NM0S has provided a very nice Hi Pass Filter Kit, http://www.4sqrp.com/4S-HPF.php, for 4SQRP to include in it's stable of kits. It is the same form factor as his earlier low pass filter, and there are no toroids to wind. Spiral coils on the pcb provide the needed inductance. IMHO this nice little filter hasn't received the attention that it deserves.

Why a Hi Pass?
Anyone using  a direct conversion receiver probably need one to prevent overload from local AM broadcast stations, unless that rcvr has a built in HPF.

My QTH is abt two miles from two kilowatt BCB stations, 1240kc and 1480 kc, and they have been a problem for every direct conversion receiver I've ever built - homebrew or commercial. Several years ago I added a very simple HPF to a project and it helped but didnt do the job completely.  So I added caps in series with the shunt inductors, to trap the BCB signals and that worked fb.

While my version is ok, Dave's rendition is superior (to be expected), and the kit's pcbs make it extremely easy to build and it looks great in it's case.  If you have an offending BCB station or two, make them disappear by changing C4 and C5 so as to make two series resonant traps.  There is a nice calculator here http://www.pronine.ca/lcf.htm

Attached are schematics and performance graphs for your review, all are screenshots from Tonnesoft's very excellent filter design program LC.  Thanks you Jim for a fantastic program and your willingness to share a free version.

Observe the awesome attenuation Dave's design has right off the bat. 1M attenuation is -96db!!!  My measly effort only attenuates 1Mc 36 dB..

If you need to use a high pass filter, the NM0S/4SQRP will do the job, and can't be beat for simplicity and effectiveness. http://www.4sqrp.com/4S-HPF.php  I just bought one !

This Saturday musing is brought to you buy the weather, is raining and cold here.  Questions and comments are welcome.

72 WAØITP
I love this radio stuff.
www.wa0itp.com
www.4sqrp.com

On 4/26/2019 6:31 PM, Kenneth Ketner via Groups.Io wrote:

Greetings Jim:

Hi Ken,

I'm grateful for your reply.
The MB board I am building is marked V1.2B.

That's the latest version of the PCB.

I have a schematic also marked V1.2B. I don't have photo capabilities just now, so I can't send a photo (perhaps later if needed).

I was hoping that you might have a cell phone with camera to take a photo or two of the PCB as it currently exists.

The build passed all the sectional tests in the assembly manual prior to the sidetone section. I hear no sidetone after trying all positions of R32. The manual mentions no keying action. I simply powered up with a 13.8 linear bench supply, no tone with working phones plugged into J6.

Yes, that is correct, no keying, just a steady sidetone upon powering up the PCB.

Q14 and 15 are 2n3904 as supplied in the kit. Q16 is 2N7000.

I get the following voltages.
   Top of R25 and R26 10V; Q14 col 4V, base 1, emitter 0.5V;

That looks right.

top of R28 10V; Q15 col 10V, base 4V, emitter 0.0V ??fault??

Yes, the problem is here.  The base should be at 5 volts and the emitter about 4.3 volts.  It appears that the emitter is shorted to ground directly (solder blob?) and not connected to ground through the 220 Ohm emitter resistor.  The sidetone signal comes off of the emitter to Q16.

; R40 bottom 5V, top 4.9V; R38 top 4V; R37 top 0.0V.

I can send the whole board to you on my dime if that would help.

Well let's not do that yet.  Are there any hams in Lubbock, TX that can help you?  Do you have a good magnifier that you can use to look at the board in the area of R36?  Do you have the ability to unsolder parts without damaging the PCB?  If any of the above get a "NO" answer, then send me the PCB.  Use my callbook address:

Jim Kortge

PO Box 108

Fenton, MI 48430

I'm long in the tooth myself, Jim;>)

It ain't fun sometimes.....  :-)

72,

Jim, K8IQY

I was trying to contact Dennis Bailey W5DLB who was at OzarkCon but I cant seem to find an email address for him.
If you have contact information for him - please send it off list to: ed at meyertribe dot com
Thanks,
-Ed, WG5F-

40 meter Universal one watter. Built in PC switch case. Digital read out. $45 shipped.
40 meter Rockmite II Built i PC switch case. Has tuneable audio filter added. Crystal sockets on back. $45 shipped
norcal FCC-1 frequency counter. Built in PC switch box. $40 shipped
Crystal checker. Built from kit in clear plastic case. Powered from usb.  $15 shipped. 
80 meter cricket 80a 2017. No case. $20 shipped
TNX George/W2BPI

I would like to purchase the radios.  How do you want to be paid?  I can do PayPal if that is ok.

40 meter Universal one watter. Built in PC switch case. Digital read out. $45 shipped.
40 meter Rockmite II Built i PC switch case. Has tuneable audio filter added. Crystal sockets on back. $45 shipped
norcal FCC-1 frequency counter. Built in PC switch box. $40 shipped
Crystal checker. Built from kit in clear plastic case. Powered from usb.  $15 shipped. 
80 meter cricket 80a 2017. No case. $20 shipped
TNX George/W2BPI