[HQRP] Fwd: NORCAL: New NorCal Surface Mount Kit Announcement SMK-1

[Ed Manuel (N5EM)]

>Date: Sun, 5 Mar 2000 16:28:05 -0800
>Reply-To: ki6ds@dospalos.org
>Sender: owner-qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU
>From: "Doug Hendricks" <ki6ds@dospalos.org>
>To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" <qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU>
>Subject: NORCAL: New NorCal Surface Mount Kit Announcement SMK-1
>X-To: <qrp-l@lehigh.edu>
>X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600
>X-Orcpt: rfc822;qrp-l@listserv.cc.lehigh.edu
>
>Guys, I received over 200 positive responses to the announcement that NorCal
>was doing a full featured ten meter surface mount cw transceiver kit.  Many
>of those mentioned that they would love to see a "training or beginner rig"
>before they tackled the new full featured rig which will not be available
>until early fall.  I thought about this, talked with Dave Fifield, no he is
>not the mystery designer, and together we came up with a unique kit.  The
>SMK-1.  What is it?
>
>Well, it is basically the TT2/MRX with Mods circuit that is on Dave's
>webpage, www.redhotradio.com but we had to make some changes.   First of
>all, the LM380 is not available in surface mount, so Dave switched it for an
>LM386.  What he ended up with is a neat little surface mount project.  It is
>a transceiver, with separate VXO tuning for transmit and receive.   That
>means you have instant RIT and XIT!!  Plus, it uses diode switching, and has
>a real sidetone!! Neat huh?   The transmitter tunes about 1 to 1.5 kHz, and
>the receiver about 4 to 5 kHz. and they overlap, so true transceiver
>operation is possible.  No thump, but a slight bit of chirp, nothing that is
>horrible, just there.  No microphonics.  We use the MRX receiver circuit
>with a couple of mods, and it works pretty good.  The prototype has an mds
>of about -117dB, which is fine on 40 meters.
>
>The exciting thing is the rig is all surfacemount parts except for the 2
>crystals (7.040), two trim caps, and the 3 control pots.  We use 1206 parts,
>the "big ones".  1206 means that they are .12 x .06 inches in size.  There
>are 85 parts in the kit, a professional quality, double sided, soldermasked,
>silkscreened board, and we supply all board mounted parts including the 3
>control pots.  You will need to come up with the audio jack, key jack, power
>jack and antenna jack of your choice.  The 3 control pots are mounted across
>the front of the board, and are used to connect it to the front panel.  The
>pads for the audio, key, power and antenna connectors are on .1" centers so
>you can use molex connectors if you wish (not supplied).  We are not
>supplying a case, but, our good friends at the NJ QRP Club are doing a
>specially designed case kit that comes with the connectors, knobs and feet.
>George Heron will be posting the details soon, including where to see a
>picture of the case.
>
>I have saved the best for last.  The size of the board is 2.5" wide by 2.25"
>deep!!  Pictures of the board and prototype kit are on the
>www.redhotradio.com site.  Please click on the SMK-1 button to view.
>
>The cost?  $30 + $4 shipping and handling.  We are taking orders now.  You
>need to do two things.
>
>First, mail a check made out to Jim Cates for $34 and asking for the SMK-1.
>Send the check to:
>
>Jim Cates
>3241 Eastwood Rd.
>Sacramento, CA 95821
>
>Please include a self addressed mailing label.  It can be simply your name
>and address typed on white paper.
>
>Second, send me an email that you have ordered the kit, that gives me a
>working list of how many parts to order.  Please put SMK-1 in the subject
>line of the message.
>
>This is a very usable transceiver.  It is not a NorCal 40 or NorCal 20, but
>it is better than the 49er.  The prototype puts out 360mW, and Dave made the
>first qso last night with Ed Loranger, WE6W.  It was not staged or set up.
>Dave called CQ, Ed answered and they had a nice long qso.  This rig is
>designed to introduce you to working with surface mount parts.  It has over
>70 surface mount parts.  We think that the average builder will not have a
>problem with it.  We did this to start training qrp homebrewers in SM
>construction.  We also wanted to do a simpler kit that would be very easy to
>build, provide training, easy to trouble shoot, and also give me experience
>kitting before the full featured rig comes out.  Parts will be ordered this
>week, and I anticipate shipping to begin in less than a month!!  I have some
>unique ideas on how to package the parts so that they are easily
>identifiable yet reasonible to kit.  Should be fun learning together.
>
>Thanks for all the interest and encouragement, it helps a bunch.  72, Doug,
>KI6DS
>

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