Skip to main content

Junk Box Rigs ~ The FPM5

Heading into the Final Stretch!

11/20/2016 ~ You Tube Video of a working Analog VFO


 
 
73's
Pete N6QW


11/19/2016 ~ Analog VFO's

Yes Virginia there once was the Analog VFO which today has largely been supplanted by DDS and PLL chips. Bill, N2CQR conducts a monthly podcast (soldersmoke.blogspot.com) where I just ride along and join in on the banter. Bill is a strong proponent of the Analog VFO's while I tend to the PLL and DDS variety. Bill frequently reminds me of our different views almost to the point suggesting that perhaps I forgot how to create such devices. So just in case any one else has a similar view...  I will be posting a youtube video of the VFO in action.

 
 

This VFO uses a high power transmitting cap and tunes a 200 kHz slice at 5.2 MHz --good for use with a 9.0 MHz IF on 20 or 75 Meters.

Pete N6QW

11/18/2016 ~ 1st Mixer and Band Pass Filter Board

In preparation for the integration into the case, I designed a combination 1st Mixer [SBL-1] and Band Pass Filter board using 5 bands of my choice. I cut the board on my CNC Mill. Total elapsed time was about 1/2 hour using G Simple for the design and then translation to .dxf files and finally the G Code which is a text file used by the Mach 3 milling software.
 
I placed the SBL-1 on the board so you can see where it will be installed. The five band pass filter will be relay selected using a series of 10 relays, 5 relays each on a common buss. The wiring for the relays will be behind the board which will be installed in a vertical position. This follows a similar board I used in the KWM-4 project which is shown in the 2nd photo. Pretty Cool stuff guys!

FPM5 Mixer and Band Pass Filter Board

 
73's
Pete N6QW

11/17/2016 ~ Slowing down the AGC action.




11/15/2016



Here is the FPM5 with the cool blue front panel.

73's
Pete N6QW

11/14/2016




11/12/2016 ~ Latest Video with on air QSO's

 
73's Pete N6QW


11/11/2016 ~ Veterans Day. Let us not forget those who served and are serving our nation today!


We are heading into the final phases of construction as the front panel work sans the painting is almost done.
The FPM5 Front Panel


The layout of the controls on the front panel.


 
 
 
73's from Pete N6QW







Popular posts from this blog

2019 ~ What is the simplest homebrew SSB Transceiver that can be built?

4/27/2019 The Future of our Hobby is Here! Forget those simple rigs with homebrew crystal filters, cranky IRF510's and the analog VFO's. SDR is the wave that is building strength just like a Tsunami. With the Soft Rock V6.3 SMD Version + RRPi2 With the Omnia SDR and RPi2 Pete N6QW How Simple & How Cheap can you  build a Homebrew SSB Transceiver? 4/26/2019 --- I just converted my websites from an obsolete Windows Based Server with GoDaddy to their cPanel (Linux). This was a cost issue as a one year renewal of the Windows Server would buy three years on the cPanel. GoDaddy is discouraging the use of what they call the Obsolete Windows System. So I had to migrate and reload the whole pastapete.com, jessystems.com and the n6qw.com sites to the Linux based servers. Some files and links got lost in the translation --so you might not be able to see everything! Essentially I have  to open every link to verify that it works --that may take some time

New Technology for 2020 ~ The Hermes Lite 2.0 SDR Transceiver

  The Hermes Lite 2.0 SDR Transceiver. November 7th, 2020 ~ It's Settled! It is done! The stain of the Trump era is soon to be removed! Thanks to all who voted. The Voice of the People has been heard.  Congratulations to President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris. Pete N6QW November 3rd, 2020 -- IT WAS THE MOUSE   We all know this is Dump Trump  Day. Go out and vote! It was the mouse! Back in 1999 I stupidly was one of the very first to purchase a Ten Tec Pegasus. Never buy the first batch of a new model.  Touted as the world's first computer controlled radio , actually I think the Kachina 505 was really the first. But the Pegasus was fraught with problems including a trip back to the Smokey Mountains. I was using an older Windows 95 machine to control the Pegasus and that may be a co-conspirator. Well after many calls to TT -- finally someone who has some smarts told me: Fix your station ground, Make all leads short and Buy stock in a ferrite bead company. I did all

The Next Project Updated 10/10/2022! The rubber has hit the pavement!

The Next Project... A 2022 Transceiver. 10/10/2022 My Apologies. It is with regret that I will be terminating any further work on this project. My caregiver duties have over time become a greater time sink and it is almost impossible to build something working only 10-15 minutes at a time spread out over a day. I apologize for not getting it from design ideas to complete hardware. Most likely I have built the last transceiver I will ever build. Thanks for riding along. My website https://www.n6qw.com/  has the pdf of the postings and I will leave this blog page as is. 73's Pete N6QW 10/05/2022 Still Alive! Regrettably my caregiver duties have overtaken any free time so not much progress. But I am hopeful yet this week I will cut at least one board. A PSA from N6QW.  Think of it like Mary Jo has a "crink" in her back and unable to get in the backseat of the 57 VW Beetle. A bit of a setback but not forever.  Seems like the hired caregiver had a small emergency and not able