The Missing Kit.

[gil]

We all love a good kit... I've built so many, I need to keep a list so i don't forget which ones. In the realm of QRP, CW is king. That explains why SSB kits are so rare. We have the KD1JV Survivor, the BitX20 and variants, MKARS80, MST2 from ozQRP, and a few other more obscure kits. Still, compared to CW rigs, SSB kits are few and far between. Where am I going with this? The problem is that none of these SSB transceiver kits offer CW at the same time, except the Survivor, but without a keyer. It is also only available on 75m, and it doesn't tune down to 80. If you want a SSB+CW kit with a keyer you have to buy an Elecraft K2 with an SSB board, around $800! One might as well buy a KX3 for $100 more...

What we need is a single-band SSB+CW kit with a keyer, a CW filter, and a DDS VFO for full band coverage. The same model would be adaptable for different bands, say 80/40/20m. An interface for PSK31 would be awesome, but I am asking much already. Mr Steve Weber, please..? I wish a designer would develop such a unicorn. I can't even think of one kit, past of present that fits that bill, can you? I even think a surface-mount kit would be nice, and make for a small, portable rig for backpacking. Man, would I love an SSB/CW MTR!

Gil.

[K7JLJ]

If I tear my FT-817 apart it will cover all that as a "Kit" but putting but together might be a problem :)


- Jim

[cockpitbob]

Gil, I agree!  And SSS QRP does work.  The day I received my (used) MFJ-9420 my first contact was with a California station (I'm in Massachusetts).  My 9420 does have the CW board but there's no side tone or keyer.

I would be satisfied with owning an MTR that would also do digital modes with a smart phone.  I know I could get these "text generation" boy scouts excited about ham radio with digital modes.  I know Steve Weber's ATS-3 will do digital modes, but they are about 8 years old now and really hard to find.

[vwflyer]

Digital capable MTR with Bluetooth adaptor so they are not tethered to the radio. It wouldn't  be hard to do.

[KK0G]

What you describe would be very interesting to me from a technical "that's cool" point of view, but honestly I'd probably quickly tire of it. Phone modes just don't really interest me but the digital capabilities that would accompany the inclusion of SSB just might.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gil]

Hello,

I'm not much into voice modes either... However there are instances when having a voice mode can be very useful. I am thinking of a situation while camping or hiking when I would be incapacitated and other people with me could use my radio to call for help. Granted, with devices like the Spot or Delorme inReach, the size of an HT, you just press a button and help is on the way.. Still, I like to have the radio option as a backup, if just to allow someone other than myself to operate my station. Some nets are also on SSB only, like the maritime nets on 14300 (see my post on the BitX20).

The MFJ-9420 is great. I almost bought one. I used to own the MFJ-9406 and was really happy with it. I guess you could install a keyer in it, but I think the CW is not real CW and takes about 200kHz bandwidth while sending a tone in SSB... Don't quote me on that...

Gil.