N0NJY Amateur Radio

qrp-labs.com QCX synthesized transceiver (20m)
(November 2018)

QCX Transceiver

Above are images of the qrp-labs.com QCX Transceiver, and an optional case for the rig. I did not order the case, might do that at a later time.  (Trying to save money at the moment.)

 Here are the specifications from their own web site:


Features
  1. Easy to build, single-board design, 10 x 8cm, all controls are board-mounted
  2. Professional quality double-sided, through-hole plated, silk-screen printed PCB
  3. Choice of single band, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20 or 17m
  4. Approximately 3-5W CW output (depending on supply voltage)
  5. 7-16V recommended supply voltage
  6. Class E power amplifier, transistors run cool… even with no heatsinks
  7. 7-element Low Pass Filter ensures regulatory compliance
  8. CW envelope shaping to remove key clicks
  9. High performance receiver with at least 50dB of unwanted sideband cancellation
  10. 200Hz CW filter with no ringing
  11. Si5351A Synthesized VFO with rotary encoder tuning
  12. 16 x 2 blue backlight LCD screen
  13. Iambic keyer or straight key option included in the firmware
  14. Simple Digital Signal Processing assisted CW decoder, displayed real-time on-screen
  15. On-screen S-meter
  16. Full or semi QSK operation using fast solid-state transmit/receive switching
  17. Frequency presets, VFO A/B Split operation, RIT, configurable CW Offset
  18. Configurable sidetone frequency and volume
  19. Connectors: Power, 3.5mm keyer jack, 3.5mm stereo earphone jack, BNC RF output
  20. Onboard microswitch can be used as a simple straight Morse key
  21. Built-in test signal generator and alignment tools to complete simple set-up adjustments
  22. Built-in test equipment: voltmeter, RF power meter, frequency counter, signal generator
  23. Beacon mode, supporting automatic CW or WSPR operation
  24. GPS interface for reference frequency calibration and time-keeping (for WSPR beacon)


Today is Saturday, 24 November 2018:

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered the kit above, and last night I completed building it.  It was probably an eight hour job, perhaps ten, total.  I'm a "kit builder" from way, way back.  I built kits as a kid, and I also taught myself to solder way back when.  For fifty years, I've worked on electronics, radio systems, electronic security systems, I've been an engineer, a college teacher, a military communicator, and a Senior Radio Technician for the President of the United States (Reagan, Bush, worked with Nixon, Ford and Carter as well).

So, after retiring I stopped doing much of anything with electronics, other than on the boat.  I've been on the ship for three years and came back here to Colorado to bring the wife for chemotherapy.  To pass some time, I decided to build a couple of kits including this one and the S-Pixie.

I present pictures of the build and a quick informational statement at the end.  Click on the link to see each one.  They are served from another system, so that we don't use a lot of qsl.net bandwidth.


Bagged Parts

Parts laid out on Table

QCX Circuit board


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