[Elecraft] New Mini-Modules - They're here!!

[Larry Phipps]

There is an option for building an LP-100 cheaply. I ordered some extra 
boards for the current production run for some guys who wanted to build 
one from their junk box. Most of these have been spoken for, and I 
haven't set a price yet. A programmed PIC would be included. These would 
be sold with minimal support beyond the normal provided to regular 
customers... you would be pretty much on your own as far as packaging it.

These boards are unpopulated... in other words, the SMT parts that are 
normally supplied installed are not on these boards. Some of these are 
VERY small... TSSOP. If you have built a kit like a NorCal 2030, DDS-60 
or N2PK VNA you should not have a problem. Otherwise, I recommend 
against this option. The two most expensive chips are available as 
samples from Analog (max 2 per customer).

I am accepting orders for a third run of LP-100s to be delivered in 
mid-November, and I could possibly offer a "caseless" option at a lower 
price for those who want to do a custom installation in an EC-2 case. 
This would not save much money though, maybe $20. If there was 
significant demand (100 or more), I could possibly produce a new version 
with integral coupler, 1 mW to 120W rating, and sized to fit in an EC-1, 
but otherwise similar to an LP-100. I suspect most people would not want 
to have to hack on a EC-1 to get a case, though. Since the LP-100 
already goes down to 50 mW (and 30 uW with the direct input), I don't 
know that there would be any appeal beyond Elecrafters for an EC-1 style 
low power version.

For the record, I find the "analog" bargraph to be very easy to use for 
tuning, especially the Return Loss display. And I love the mini-modules 
as inexpensive options for bench testing... keep them coming.

73,
Larry N8LP
www.telepostinc.com



Darwin, Keith wrote:
> The LP-100 sounds great - but it is out of my price range.  I may
> eventually talk myself into it but not at this time.
>
> And to be honest, I really prefer an analog meter as it is much easier
> to peak my TS830s on TX with an analog meter.
>
> Now, if I were a computer sort of guy, having a watt meter module that
> can drive a serial data stream for display in a dialog box would be
> cool, but I'm definitely NOT a PC in the shack sort of person so that
> feature is of no benefit to me.
>
> - Keith KD1E -
> - K2 5411 -
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: michael taylor [mailto:mctylr at gmail.com] 
>
> Sounds like Larry N8LP's LP-100 Digital Vector Wattmeter built in a
> Elecraft EC2 enclosure. <http://www.telepostinc.com/lp100.html> I don't
> think it can be done at mini-module price-range.
>
> I guess I expected no case since they were listed as mini-modules, but I
> understand what you are saying, particularly with the SWR meter, which I
> agree it might be nice to make a case option available.
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