[K3PZN-List] WSPR QRPP QRV

[Curt Milton]

okay a few acronyms.  curiosity and a little adventure led me to ordering a nifty transmitter oriented to this mode (it does some other things to).  a box with several small PC boards and some parts arrived from Japan.  a second box with a very nice enclosure arrived from China a few days later.  I had placed my order with QRP Labs operated by a gentleman in the UK.  this thing is very cool.  it transmits without a PC - a stand alone unit.  I ordered the optional GPS, and it stays 'on time' which is required for WSPR.  I have not yet built a six band relay board, so I merely operating on 40m now.  

the build was not that bad - just careful assembly with a magnifier.  I had one solder bridge, which prevented GPS from working.  and I smoked a final transistor in alignment - no worry these BS170 devices cost about 20 cents each, and I have some spares.  reading the manual is a bit more challenging, particularly when I am motivated only to get this working !  maybe I spent more time learning the settings than I did building it !  

no I will not admit my other stumbles getting this thing working!  all small .... 

anyway how far will 150 to 200 milliwatts go ?  well with this waveform that transmits for a couple minutes at a time - we will see.  (and there are provisions to add more power --  I will get there some day - but very QRO isn't needed here).  

the idea is to let this thing function when I can't be doing ham radio -- and visit the web to see my my signal has gone.  eventually I will set up receive capability to contribute to the network.  

the proprietor isn't making huge profits based upon what he sells these for - but some of the profits fund expendable payloads that they have launched around the world.   

I have no plans to give up other modes -- but this thing is rather cool!  Ultimate 3S.  

73 Curt