4SQRP Nouveau AM Transceiver Kit

[N4LTA]

Got this kit a few weeks ago and put it together yesterday.This is a really nice kit and well worth the hundred bucks that it cost. The main board has lots of components but most are pre-installed surface mounted type.The included case is made of PC Board material and is really nicely engineered and CNC cut and printed with nce labeling.

It took about two hours to complete the board. There is a new AM detector daughter board included . It is small and took me a while to get it installed with my old eyes. That took me about an hour to  build and install. About another hour to build the case and put on the knobs etc.

I powered it up with 12 volts and happily the LED display came up  on frequency as expected and static came from the speaker.  With an nonresonant antenna hooked up, I heard some signals  and after aligning it it is a pretty good receiver. Condition were bad this afternoon and I saw zero chance of a QSO with 20 watts so I haven't tried yet

Next I have a 200 watt linear amp scheduled. I have the tubes and socket and power transformer.

Pat
N4LTA

[N1WVQ]

Nice! I’ve thought about getting one & am waiting for them to be back in stock.

[N4LTA]

Checked in after the Old Friends Net this afternoon and at least made a QRP contact. I could hear all of the net check ins so the receiver is OK.

Need some "boots" though, and am going to build a dual SRS 521 linear from the tubes that Niko sent me. Started the power supply and screen supply regulator. Hope to run the plates at 800-900 volts and the screens at 400  volts. Hoping that the two 330uF 550 volt electrolytics in series will be enough for the 800 volt transformer bridged rectified output. I thought about using a choke,  but I think unless I hit the critical current, a choke input filter will still soar to the same value as a capacitor input filter.

Pat
N4LTA