QRP Transceiver
When Covid-19 first hit in the spring of 2020, I looked for a project to keep me busy. I had recently passed my general class amateur radio license exam which granted me access to operate on HF bands. However, I did not yet have a transceiver capable of operating on such bands. I decided to build one from a kit designed by QRP Labs. Below is a timelapse video of the transceiver build.
Build Timelapse
I had to solder each component by hand (164 parts) - except for the two SMD’s that came pre-mounted on the board. Power is supplied to the board using between 7-16v. The minimum voltage of 7v is due to the 7805 voltage regulator having an input voltage range of 7-35v. The maximum of 16v is due to two reasons, firstly the 7805 in the TO220 package starts to get quite hot around 16v without a heatsink or active cooling. The second reason is due to input voltage above 16v causing too much strain on the BS170 transistors used.
What most surprised me about the entire build was when I hooked up the transceiver to power for the first time after completing the assembly, it powered up and functioned flawlessly. After soldering 164 components and hand winding four inductors I didn’t make a single mistake or short any solder joints.
