New rig from Hendricks QRP

[KK0G]

Interesting new rig from Hendricks QRP.

http://www.qrpkits.com/mbdc.html

[cockpitbob]

He did a build for the people on the ATsprint Yahoo group and it was well received.  As I recall some loved the direct digital conversion but wanted to work shorter bands and modified them for 80 & 40.

There sure is a lot of empty space in that box.  You could also fit a tuner, batteries and your lunch.  I wish Hendricks would do tighter packaging.

[gil]

I wish there was a good SSB + CW rig out there.. Most rigs that offer SSB and CW don't have a keyer and are more geared towards SSB than CW. Like the Survivor 80m rig, which does have both, but no keyer. Not a huge problem mind you, but a keyer chip doesn't take up much space. Ray is building one but he is very good with a straight key. I've been practicing a little lately, just to know how to use one, but I'm pretty slow. I might try mine in our sked soon.

Gil.

[cockpitbob]

You can easily add a Pico-Keyer.  The kit is $18 and as the directions say, you'll be done building it before you finish your first cup of coffee.  I have one and it works as well as any keyer I've used.  It has 4 long memories, the usual Iambic-A and B modes plus a bug mode for cleaning up the dits of a stright key.

[KK0G]

There sure is a lot of empty space in that box.  You could also fit a tuner, batteries and your lunch.  I wish Hendricks would do tighter packaging.

I noticed the same thing, there's a cavern of empty space in that thing! It does open up some interesting possibilities for using the base kit as the starting point for adding some cool stuff inside. I do wish it was more like my Weber Dual Band and had the key jack and especially the phone jack on the front panel as opposed to the rear though, it can be a pain getting to the back of the rig to plug into it. It does have the VFO knob on the right side though unlike my DB; I'm right handed when I tune the VFO on the DB my hand blocks the frequency display. Yeah I know, I'm knitpicking aren't I? 8)

I wish there was a good SSB + CW rig out there.. Most rigs that offer SSB and CW don't have a keyer and are more geared towards SSB than CW. Like the Survivor 80m rig, which does have both, but no keyer. Not a huge problem mind you, but a keyer chip doesn't take up much space. Ray is building one but he is very good with a straight key. I've been practicing a little lately, just to know how to use one, but I'm pretty slow. I might try mine in our sked soon.

Gil.

I've played around with a hand key a time or two but give me an electronic keyer any day! It's SO much easier to send with a keyer.

I have a Pico-Keyer and Bob's not kidding, if you have any kit building experience it shouldn't take much longer to build than a cup of coffee. I mainly bought it just because they're so cheap, I don't really have a need for it since all my rigs have built in keyers other than my old IC-735 which sucks on CW anyway with it's lack of a filter.

[RadioRay]

KK0G says:

I've played around with a hand key a time or two
but give me an electronic keyer any day!
It's SO much easier to send with a keyer.



Humph!  Kids and their new fangled gadgets!  Why,  I-otta........



>Ray

[KK0G]

Here's what I heard Ray say: "You damn young whippersnappers these days have it made, you don't know what it's like to have to send real code by hand. Back in my day we didn't have no fancy schmancy "keeeyers", hell we didn't even hand keys! We sent code by touching two iron ore rocks together. Sure, we had to keep our eyes closed to protect them from the shower of sparks and light brighter than an arc welder from our 8 gigawatt spark gap transmitters every time we touched those rocks together, but by god we liked it. You had to tough back then too, if you didn't touch those iron ore rocks together just right, you got electrocuted, and if you died.......... TOO BAD!" 8)

[cockpitbob]

I consider using my keyer(s) a courtesy to my fellow hams.  You reeeeally don't want to try to copy me stuttering along at 15wpm with a straight key :o

[KC3AOL]

Here's what I heard Ray say: "You damn young whippersnappers these days have it made, you don't know what it's like to have to send real code by hand. Back in my day we didn't have no fancy schmancy "keeeyers", hell we didn't even hand keys! We sent code by touching two iron ore rocks together. Sure, we had to keep our eyes closed to protect them from the shower of sparks and light brighter than an arc welder from our 8 gigawatt spark gap transmitters every time we touched those rocks together, but by god we liked it. You had to tough back then too, if you didn't touch those iron ore rocks together just right, you got electrocuted, and if you died.......... TOO BAD!" 8)

Channeling Monty Python?

[NWARadio]

Thanks for my morning laugh.

So long and thanks for all the fish.

[RadioRay]

You Kids!  you have NO idea how LUCKY you ARE!



RadioRay after just ONE "old school"  contact on the 10,000 meter band.