Multi meater

One of the most important bits of equipment for the work space is a multi-meter.

This multi meter is years old but it’s all I need for testing when working on the bench, don’t get me wrong I would love a better meter but this has never let me down and I can use my money for other things.

Cutters

Another tool for the work bench I could recommend is a good set of cutters.

I purchased a set of cutters from amazon or eBay I can’t remember now and they was as cheap as I could afford to get at the time, I try not to buy cheap as the old saying of buy cheap buy twice but to be fair these things are rather impressive as they handle cutting most things I throw at it.

They cut flush and clean I have had these a good few years now and they still seem to cut very well.

Mega328

With radio I’m finding all sorts of tools to help you in the day to day of your projects for instance the mega328 I have, it tests resistors and capacitors npn pnp and mos it will test the part and give you details of what it thinks it is.

It cost me about £9.00p when I purchased it and I can’t fault it so far.

Plug the legs of the item into 1,2 and or 3 of the zif socket and lower the arm on the side then press the button and it should give you some readings of the part.

I purchased mine on ebay if you search mega328 there are lots that come up, I recommend buying pre built as I have built a few of the kits and none of them seem to work properly.

Lesson learned

I am looking to update my ubitx to a nextion screen so I ordered one off of ebay. The seller advertised as a uk seller and the delivery said 3 days’ details in the description from my understanding they are shipping from the uk to the uk.

Once I purchased the item it says nothing about it coming from china so I waited 4 days and nothing arrived, so I checked the tracking of the item and found it to be coming from china!

I have messaged the seller of my disappointment as I could have brought others a few pounds cheaper if I wished to purchase from china I eagerly await a response.

04/05/2020
still no response to my message via ebay so I have reported the customer for misleading buyers, apparently I won’t hear a response from them so I guess we will see if the item gets reworded.

Ubitx case

The ubitx case arrived today and it looks awesome, its heavy duty metal and all the bits fitted to it, it comes with a 2x16 screen fitted and a data ports at the rear and the bonus nextion screen front.

Measured up and fund it to be a 3.2inch screen needed, (ordered ready to see what all this nextion screen is all about, there appears to be no damage or marks to the case it looks brilliant.

I removed the top cover to find the cables for the mic unit to be fitted to and in the front of the case and the power supply, I also found packaging inside, to my surprise I found a ubitx board! A version 5 board!

I decided to plug it in and it lights up. As I have no antenna I can’t see if it works any further than this but I’m hoping.

QRP Labs Qcx

I ordered the QRP Labs QCX kit it is a cw radio on 40meters (there are many types you can order) with a transmit power of 5 watts!

The kit arrived quite quickly as I ordered it with express shipping (less than a week to arrive from over sea’s)

The hardest thing to make up was the transformer windings. After this it was fairly easy to build.

I recommend downloading and reading the manual at least once just before you start the build and while your building the unit, Double check everything before you solder, some parts being fitted are hard to go back on once you solder them.

The surface mount kit is already soldered and tested on the board, I would recommend you purchase 8pin ic sockets and 14pin socket so you can replace the chips if needed and I had some header pins as I lost two of mine.

To find out more about the QCX click HERE

To see a video on the QCX build by the make of the kit click HERE

There is a facebook builders group click HERE

Carried away with eBay

Ok I found a proper metal ubitx case on eBay today and I stupidly got carried away with bidding on it, I may have bid too much. (don’t tell the wife!) in intrigued by the display that’s fitted in the front and hope it’s a little more than the listing says it is.

Let’s hope im right……

Finished my qrss beacon

Finally getting round to finishing off the QRSS beacon by qrp labs, I’m currently trying to find a way to fit the 7805 voltage dropper so I can then use any voltage when I’m off out with my equipment.

To be fair with the size of the case I think I’m more likely to leave it on the table as it’s a rather large box to carry

Furloughed

I offered my boss to go on furlough should the need arise, my boss took me up on the offer.

I’m quite happy to be furloughed at this time, when the pandemic 1^st started from the government reports it sounded like the virus was dangerous to the elderly and people with health issues, after a bit of time it turns out fit and healthy people and even children have died from this illness!

Now have time at home. I have projects to get on with so hopefully I’ll get some done along with helping home school the children.

Ubitx v4 Modification PT1

Ok so I have been on to the web and found that the v4 needs some modification to the board.

I found the relays and they have arrived in a week from a uk seller

I have tracked down the inductors from Poland but the seller is away so I’m unable to order them at this time.

So I need to change all 5 of the relays on the board, the 1^st task is the hardest desordering the pins of the relay from the board.

It’s difficult to remove them I found using a small amount of new solder, some flux and solder iron to get the old solder to flow again and use a solder sucker to remove the melted solder careful not to overheat the board and damage the tracks that you will need to solder the new relays back to.

I removed all five of the relays at once then soldered the new one’s in, take care the relays are soldered flush to the board.