[K3PZN-List] Club Project Ideas - Follow-up

[Curt Milton]

Here is my 'complete' list of topics I have generated for possible club consideration as building projects that could be facilitated by the club --

1. battery voltage sensor, was described in the Microwave column of QST -- it has status LEDs.  (status i am considering a prototype, IF i can handle the small IC I have on hand!  it would be simple.  

2. digital mode interface, in particular for use with a 2m FM rig, to facilitate Easypal operation.  (status -- needs to be designed, it should be fairly simple -- we should review the transmit audio and PTT interfaces for the VHF/UHF rigs we each use)

3. Regen receiver.  (status - i have a prototype almost working.  it is clearly an exercise in nostalgia.  honestly, a superhet receiver while taking more parts is actually easier and more useful !  if someone is really interested, i will gladly provide technical info!)

4. Superhet receiver.  if we define a band of interest, likely we can design and kit something inexpensive.  clearly one could do CW and SSB, we would need to evaluate how well it will do PSK31 (status - i could explore how well psk31 works with my breadboard superhet i have)

5. PSK31/CW transceiver for perhaps 80m.  can we really design a cheap enough rig that will do PSK31 as a primary mode, and also include some CW capability ?  it would be a portable unit that could be fieldable with a laptop.  perhaps 80m would be the most useful for ARES use and for QSOs within the county?  could we develop and kit something for something like $40, so we could literally offer kits to interested youth (who have passed their general class exam ?)  status - clearly it needs to be designed!  

6. other ideas ??

literally we need to recruit a small committee of interested persons to move out and further explore, propose and eventually kit the parts required (and provide technical support to builders).  

FYI -- my current/ongoing projects:
1. homebrew QRP receiver, eventual transceiver -- it has a ways to go but basic receiver is working (i may add AGC ...)
2. digital mode interface - for transmit, does PTT based on transmit audio - design from ARRL HB
3. regen receiver - i hope to refine it for 80m operation
4. determining what CW paddle I should buy to upgrade my station ...

73, curt