[Lowfer] DDS exciter completed!

[Eric Smith]

Alone here in the wee hours of the morning (I never sleep) I've completed 
the DDS exciter.  I can't believe it, but it worked the FIRST TIME!  Even 
the RS-232 interface worked the first time, both ways.  I know that's 
almost impossible to believe, but it is true.  The only thing I did wrong 
was to forget the DC blocking capacitor between the little Phillips amp 
and the output transformer, but I figured that out before I completed the 
thing.

I've programmed it (D5a) and started playing with the KISS commands.  This 
is SO cool!

I'll get it in its enclosure over the next couple of days.  I'll have the 
protoboard beacon I've been using replaced with this exciter and the 
remote final as soon as I can.

Here are the pictures of the exciter as I'm testing it right now (and also 
of the remote amp, which you've already seen):  
http://www.nutstreet.net/radio/projects/lowfer/dds/

Thanks to Lyle and Murray...this circuit is a hybrid of their designs.  
And thanks to Stewart Nelson for the 12.8 MHz TCXO.

73
Eric, KD5UWL

ps  The birds are singing already ... I should try to get some sleep :)