NMØS Electronics
The Cricket was designed as a simple, low-cost CW transceiver that could serve as an excellent kit for beginners, but has performance good enough to get on the air as a usable radio.
The Cricket kit is a self-contained CW transceiver, with built in battery holder, spiral PCB trace inductors, on-board morse key, and included crystal. You can literally be on the air making contacts within an hour of opening the kit envelope!
Features: Transceiver Fully functional transceiver.
QSK Yes! Full QSK with fast, high speed switching.
R/RX Offest: Yes! Can hear a zero beat station, with no offset they wouldn't be heard.
Sidetone: Yes! Great keying aide, unusual in such a low parts count rig.
Oscillator: Improved oscillator, now uses a MOSFET.
Low Part Count: Only 36 total electrical components (the Pixie has 34).
NO Toroids: NO toroids to wind, all inductors are etched on board spiral coils..
Power Switch: An OFF/ON switch has been added to the 80a.
Reverse Voltage Protection: Battery clips help prevent reverse connection.
Self Contained: Both the battery and a straight key are board mounted.
Keyer Adapter: An electronic keyer adapter is included - use your favorite keyer.
Single Band: 80M only.
Crystal Controlled: A 3579 kHz color burst crystal is included. Note ANY 80M CW Crystal, except dirty FT243s, may be used.
Fast Assembly: Approx. 1-2 hours, depending on experience level.
No Alignment: None needed, put it on the air immediately after assembly.
Tools required: Soldering iron and solder, flat and Philips screwdrivers, diagonal cutters, sandpaper.
Size: The board is 6" x 3.5" including a 1/2" snap off piece that becomes the board mounted key.
Power Supply: 9 volt on board battery.
Current requirements Receive: less than 10ma, Transmit: less than 80ma.
Receiver
Direct Conversion: No 60 cycle hum or AM BCB interference at most locations.
Sensitivity: Minimum Discernible Signal (MDS) -110 dBm (~S3) well below the normal 80M noise level.
MOSFET Mixer: Far superior to the Pixie's NPN mixer - better immunity to AM broadcast interference and 60 Hz hum.
Current Requirement: Less than 10ma (!).
QSK: Full QSK.
Audio: Modern audio IC amplifier. Sounds good, and plenty of volume for headphones/earbuds.
Transmitter
Chirps NOT Included Most Crickets chirp :o) this one doesn't.
Power Output: 1 watt or greater.
Final Amp: 2N7000 in Class E for cool efficiency. No heat sink needed.
Spectral Purity: All harmonics and spurs are 50dB or more below the carrier.
Current Requirement: Approx 111 ma.
Robust: Will transmit into an open antenna jack with no damage.
This kit was conceived to fill a need within the hobby for an inexpensive, highly accurate VSWR and RF power meter for QRP power levels. The QRPoMeter+ uses simple analog signal-processing circuitry to provide a set of essential measurement features not previously available in a single unit. High quality, double sided, printed circuit board construction is used, with solder mask and silk screened component reference designators. Except for eight large SMT resistors, all components are through-hole for easy assembly. NO toroids are required. All controls and the BNC jacks are PCB mounted, and a single, four conductor ribbon cable is the only wiring necessary. The QRPoMeter+ can be constructed by beginners as well as experienced builders. Construction time is approximately 3 hours, depending on experience level. The only equipment required for calibration of the QRPoMeter is a digital voltmeter, and a QRP transmitter.
This kit includes two circuit boards, all parts, and assembly instructions.
The VSWR meter uses a resistor bridge for sensing reflected power. This type of circuit has a real advantage for use with QRP kits, many of which do not have VSWR protection of the finals. No matter how bad the antenna impedance is, the worst VSWR the PA will ever see is 2:1 while the QRPoMeter VSWR bridge is in-line.
Specifications and Design Features
Accuracy: Power, 2% Typical
VSWR, 5% Typical
Power Range: 100 mW to 15 Watts
Frequency Range: 160 Meters thru 10 Meters
Large Digital Display The digits are 0.52" in height.
Sensitivity: Direct readout on 3 1/2 digit LCD display. Minimum resolution 10 mW.
Enclosure: Enclosure is made of pre-drilled silk screened PC boards. BNC connectors.
No Toroids: We promise!