1955 Novice QRPp Station Project

Project Description

This project is an attempt to build a 1955 style novice QRPp station. By going QRPp we can use small tubes that can be powered by 9v and AA batteries. This means that a power supply does not have to be built and lethal current avoided.

The receiver will be a regen based on a 3A4 tube and the transmitter will use a 3S4. The RadioShack Aluminum Project enclosure seems to be an ideal chassis for both rigs.

3A4 Regen Receiver

Here is my first cut at the regen receiver. As the picture is taken, the regen is receiving 80m CW. You can see the front panel which has been made from the top of the RadioShack enclosure. On the panel is the tuning knob on the right and the regen control on the left. There is also an on/off switch. You will see that the audio output is speaker wire running to an external 1/4" mono jack. I have the RadioShack transformer (in the 35mm film container) plugged into this and going to the amplified speaker. The high impedence head phones are disconnected, but shown on the left.

This is a closeup of the back of the regen so you can see the variable capacitor, tube, pill bottle coil, potentiometer and antenna attachment. The pill bottle is pressed on a 5 prong plug, which is inserted into a 5 prong socket. This makes it easy to change bands. But this coil will cover both 80m and 40m.

This is a closeup of the Radioshack transformer described by the article. Although it can be used with modern ear phones, I am running it into a RadioShack amplified speaker.

Here is the underside of the regen. You can see how I have 2 AA batteries and 2 9v batteries mounted internally. The next version will have the batteries external so the audio jack can be panel mounted.