How simple can you go?

This has been on before, but I make no excuses for posting it again. One of the challenges in amateur radio is to see how simple a complete transceiver can be made that really works. This is just one possibility. There must be many others. My main issue was adjusting the RX to be precisely on the TX frequency. Maybe you have some ideas?

80m FETer transceiver

One of the challenges in amateur radio is how simple can you make a rig that really communicates? Some years ago I designed and built this unit for 80m CW that appeared in GQRP SPRAT. It is one of the simplest transceivers you can make. It really works!

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver .

How simple can a rig be?

This was a challenge I wanted to have a go at. This is probably one of the simplest transceivers one can make. My inspiration came from a 40m rig by W2UW who is now sadly a silent key. My wish was to make it even simpler. My main issue was netting. The RX worked well. This appeared in GQRP SPRAT, although I cannot remember when.

There is a video on the website.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver .

Minimalist transceiver

This has been on before, although I make no apologies. It was inspired by a 40m design by W2UW (now a SK). My main issue was netting the receiver, although you may have a way of doing this. The rig must still be around somewhere - probably in the loft.  As I recall, it needs just 14 parts including a single FET.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver .

80m FETer transceiver

It seems like yesterday, but this was designed in 2008. Starting from the 40m design by W2UW (SK) I wanted to see how simple a transceiver could be made for 80m. The result was the 1 FET FETer transceiver. My main issue was netting on RX. 

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver  .

Simple regen RXs

There is always a challenge getting the most from very little. Great fun can be had from simple regenerative receivers. 

This simple circuit works really well and has been a great surprise. I made an 80m transceiver version and I was surprised by how uncritical it was and by what it copied. 

The video shows the transceiver version and the first link takes you to a very simple RX schematic. The second link takes you to the FETer 80m transceiver.

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-or-40m-regen-rx .

See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/homebrew/80m-feter-transceiver .

The FETer transceiver

Thinking of ultra-simple rigs, perhaps consider my FETer. I was surprised how well this worked.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

How simple can you go and communicate?

Some years ago I wanted to see how few parts are needed to make a viable transceiver that really worked. The result was the FETer transceiver for 80m. This appeared in GQRP "SPRAT" magazine and copies were made. G3XIZ worked as far as Switzerland with his!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

The FETer transceiver for 80m

Inspired by W2UW (now SK) I created the FETer transceiver for 80m CW. This uses just a handful of parts, but works. It only uses 14 parts all together.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

FETer - a very simple 80m transceiver

Many years ago, I created the FETer, a one FET transceiver for 80m. Although very simple, it certainly worked. It is featured on my main G3XBM website.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

Simple Regen RXs and Transceivers

You may be wondering just how simple you can make an effective HF receiver. You may like to try this.  It works remarkably well.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/regen

If you want an ultra-simple transceiver, try this:

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

FETer very simple transceiver

It seems unbelievable that this ultra-simple design (14 parts) is 10 years old. It was a simpler version of a W2AW design for 40m. I put mine on 80m CW. It certainly works!

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

How simple?

Many have wondered just how little do you need to communicate on HF?  Well, running really simple rigs is a compromise often with the receiver being the weakest link. For ideas, try my main website. Use these ideas as a starting point. Half the fun is experimenting to see what works.  Specifically:

https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/80m_xbm80
https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver
https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/chirpy

How simple can you make a rig?

This is a question I asked myself a few years ago. Here I am talking about a complete transceiver. Inspired by a design from W2UW, I designed and built the FETer transceiver for 80m CW. It worked remarkably well.

See https://sites.google.com/site/g3xbmqrp3/hf/feter-80m-qrpp-cw-transceiver

80m FETer outing

This evening I came on 80m to listen for G6ALB who was taking part in the valve QRP day. Using my  18mW output FETer transceiver (18 parts total) I was able to hear almost all of the stations active around 3.56MHz using QRP.  G6ALB was worked (599 each way, but we are only 3km apart). I had forgotten how effective this little transceiver was and it was a pleasure to use it once again.

New G3XBM videos on YouTube

Today I've added a couple more videos to my G3XBM YouTube Channel. They are of the Fredbox 2m AM transceiver and of the FETer 80m CW transceiver. The latter uses just 14 parts but works remarkably well. I hope to add more videos about my projects in the next few weeks.

G3XIZ's 15mW successes - updated

Chris G3XIZ has just sent me an updated list of his beacon reports and 2-way QSOs with his 15mW FETer transceiver. His best 2-way DX is now over 450kms and he has worked 3 countries already. Remember this is ordinary speed CW, not QRSS and sub-hertz digital signal processing stuff. Chris has "good ears" and is a very good operator. A lot of his success is down to his skills.

He told me, "The little TX is doing far better than I had ever imagined and as a result I must now re-appraise my perception of QRP operations - Hi !"

FETer airing today

Hearing all about the great success Chris G3XIZ has had with his FETer transceiver, I fired mine up this afternoon and put a few CQs out on 3560. No takers yet, but have heard a couple of 2W QRP stations over 100kms away (G4ARI and G4FQZ) on the 1 FET receiver.

Earlier, G3XIZ worked GM3OXX for his furtherest 2-way QSO with his 15mW transceiver. This is a remarkable distance for such QRPP and such a simple receiver.

QRPP 80m QSOs with G3XIZ

Just completed a nice QSO with G3XIZ 45kms away when he was using the FETer 15mW 1 FET transceiver. I gave him RST529. After our contact finished Chris went on to work Richard G3CWI (Macclesfield) and then Pat G0GMA (East Lincolnshire). Great stuff for 15mW! BTW, I was running real QRO (5W). Claude HB9CGL, in Switzerland, copied Chris's 15mW TX some hours earlier - amazing.

Listening to G3XIZ's 15mW 80m beacon

G3XIZ's beacon running 15mW on 3.555MHz to his FETer transceiver was excellent copy this morning. At peaks it was running RST569 at a distance of around 45kms.

Here is the sound clip of his signal at 10.10am today, 30 Jan 2009.