Five minute portable station: HF QRP DSB from Port Phillip Bay

Yet another QRP portable video. Done from the beach on a sunny afternoon.

This time it's a homebrew double-sideband direct conversion transceiver on 40 metres.

You'll also see how quickly a squid pole end-fed wire antenna can be erected and hear AM being resolved on a direct conversion receiver (it can be done but tuning is more critical than with SSB). Those in noisy suburban locations will also envy the low noise level and the good quality of received signals.

The rig covers 80 and 40 metres only. It is controlled by a 3.58 MHz ceramic resonator VFO (which is doubled for 40 metres) and puts out about 4 - 5 watts. The L-match ATU is mounted on the set's back panel. The whole package including battery, microphone and antenna wire fits in a six-pack esky.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• QRP
• portable
• Port
• Phillip
• Bay
• DSB
• double
• sideband
• homebrew
• squid
• pole
• beach
• amateur
• ham
• radio
• HF

[tmarinos]

Hi Peter. I love this video. I love the fact you have everything you need in a small esky. Just grab your squid pole and off you go. Love it!!!

I would think that at some stage of you operating down the beach some someone would approach you and ask what you are doing, how do you respond to such a question?

Hope to work you on your portable adventures.

73

Theo.

VK5FTDM.

[vk3ye]

@tmarinos Thanks Theo. It's funny - sometimes you get no comments but other times you get a lot. Being on a pier gets more questions than being on the beach. As for what people say, check out the 160m AM from Mordialloc Pier video as this has a lot of comments.

[2e0bmi]

hello sir great video, Can you please tell me how you made that radio as I am very interested in building my own. Great video all the best :)

[vk3ye]

@2e0bmi Thanks OM - glad you liked the video. It took a bit of fiddling to get going so I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner. Start with a single band direct conversion receiver, then maybe a CW transmitter first and work up from there. Try searcing for ZL2BMI DSB or M0DAD DSB as a starting point for simple DSB gear.

[huelbe]

Hey Peter! This video is amazing, inspiring and encourages me to do something like that! Thank you!

Did you use any radials and a ATU for your antenna system?

73,

ZZ3HAG

[vk3ye]

@huelbe Glad you liked the video. Used an L-match ATU built in the rig. Only a small counterpoise.

[purge98]

Does the esky come in different colors?

[munichman1968]

vy good video! tnx for sharing it!! vy 73 de DG1MJH

[TAC19jm]

good job!!!!!!!



[huelbe]

@peter: thanks Peter! I visited your page and it's amazing as well! Keep up the good job! :)