Site History
Jan 1, 2001-->Some people were having trouble with the images downloading on the new FET biasing page by W7ZOI and I think I have it fixed. If there are any further trouble. please send me an email
Thanks, Todd
December 31, 2000-->
A new tutorial by Wes Hayward, W7ZOI is added. The topic is JFET biasing and this is actually an excerpt from the upcoming second edition of Solid State Design for the Radio Amateur which he is authoring. Personally JFET biasing has always been a troublesome topic and help from W7ZOI turned into this great tutorial for which I am very grateful to have on the QRPHB web site. Feedback on this tutorial will be greatly welcomed by Wes.
December 19, 2000-->
A new 30 meter receiver was added tonight to the PN-junction supplemental page. Again it has a high popcorn factor and was a fun receiver that I built on a Sunday afternoon. Dick and I have been experimenting with lots of circuits and hopefully some of them may end up on the site. Despite 1200-1400 hits per week, there has been very little feedback. This unfortunately does not encourage me put new stuff on the site.
December 1, 2000-->
A new web page was added that covers tuning VFOs with the PN-junction of diodes and transistors. I am looking for some feedback to spot errors and provide additions as there is quite a bit of theory on this web page. Some work by other builders may end up on this web page, but at present I do not have any more time to spend on it and release it "warts and all".
November 6, 2000-->
The diplexer page has once again been augmented and improved. This is the most technical web page on this site and presents some practical and thought-provoking information. A supplemental diplexer page has been added and is accessed by a link in the Bridge-Tee Diplexer section. NM8T built a way-cool version of Wee Willy and his info and pics have been added to the Wee Willy web page. I updated the new practical W7ZOI audio diplexer as "D" to the Popcorn 40 meter Superhet web page.
The number of schematics on this web site is getting huge. Time is spent on the projects and not the html and the basic design of this web site allows new stuff to be added very easily.
Oct 19, 2000-->
A new project called the Funster 40 was added tonight. It is a rock-bound tranceiver which can be built quite inexpensively. I have received email from 3 people who have built or are building Wee Willy. Dick, VE7GC might have another project for the site, this time a 30M transceiver. If you have an original project and want it to be on the site, please send me an email. The Ugly Construction page was also ammended slightly.
Thank you for the email, it is essential to keep the motivation to build stuff and update the site high.
Oct 01, 2000-->
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Statistics for QRP HomeBuilder
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QRPHB had a total of 1789 visitors last week.
Visitors for last week divided per weekday:
2000-09-24: 208
2000-09-25: 209
2000-09-26: 449
2000-09-27: 297
2000-09-28: 173
2000-09-29: 251
2000-09-30: 202
Despite all the hits, there was only one email to the site which makes one wonder if the site is hitting the mark or needing much improvement. All feedback accepted good or bad.
Sept 26, 2000--> The Ugly Construction web page was improved a bit and this will be ongoing. I hope to add some more digital photos to this page at a later date. The links on this page were tested and a few added. I having been working some great DX on 30 meters and also some on 10 meters in and around 28.060 MHz. A project is in the works and some minor restructuring of this web site will happen over the next while. Thanks for all the feedback via email.
Sept 23, 2000--> Well I have done nothing with the site since Dec 99 due to other interests, obligations and lack of time. The diplexer page has been being completely re-written and features 24 diagrams from W7ZOI. Wes Hayward provided the lion share of this web page's content and it represents a huge enhancement to this website.
I tested all of my links and was really pleased to see many new things at some of the web sites. Take the time to communicate your comments to these web designers as both building radio equipment and web sites takes up a lot of time. Any contributions for this web site will be greatly appreciated as despite having nothing new for the past 9 months, it is still getting 1300-1500 hits per week and I currently do not have a lot of time to add to it all by myself.
I have been operating heavily on the QRP calling frequencies on 40, 30, 20 and 15 meters. Hope to work you!
Amidon has apparently changed the numbering system of their powdered iron cores and you can read about it at http://www.amidoncorp.com/mfg/iron.htm
Dec 20, 1999--> Marty, KK4RF sent me some pics of his version of the popcorn 40M superhet and I attached them to the bottom of that project's web page. Because of my college courses and other time demands, I have had no time for experimentation, although I did manage to build an amplified crystal radio using a push-pull amp into an audio transformer one saturday.
October 20 1999--- The web site is now on a new and faster web server. We have increased security for the site and simplified addressing. The new main address site is now http://www.qrp.pops.net/ . Nothing new is planned as there is just no time for the site right now. Email has been working flawlessly on the new email server.
If you have a potential schematic for the site, send me an email ! I need some help right now to keep the site growing as time is very limited for experimentation.
Sept 29, 1999--- The Uglier Sister Popcorn Superhet Receiver is now back on a new archival page.
Click here to see this schematic.
Sept 28,1999--- It appears that the email address has not been working for some time!! It now seems to be functioning correctly. Apologies to anyone who has tried to email us.
Sept 25, 1999--- A new 6M preamp has been placed on the RF Preamplifier Page. This is a recently rediscovered schematic sent to me by W1FB.
Sept 22, 1999---This web site is slowly changing as more schematics are being added. Dedicated pages such as a VFO, Filter and RF Preamp pages have been made out of existing web pages on the site. These pages will eventually have linked indexes that jump to the correct spot on the page per index topic.
The RF Filter page has a new popcorn BCI filter added and the RF preamp page has a new schematic by VE7GC.
Sept 15, 1999---Two new schematics have been added to the Miscellaneous Electronic Circuit Schematics page. A 75 meter marine antenna tuner and a popcorn continuity tester. Both projects are courtesy of Dick Pattinson, VE7GC. Thanks Dick!.
I had the great fortune of visiting VE7GC this summer. Dick is a prodigious home builder! He has hundreds of home-built projects ranging from antennas and transverters to test equipment. I found that we both have been working on a homebrew metal locator. I will feature more VE7GC projects this year. Currently I am taking a big 36 week university course which will slow down my own experiments. I do hope to finish and present my favorite summer design project, a medium-high dynamic range 6 meter converter over the next few months.
If you have any schematics for this site please send them.
We have had little feedback despite heavy traffic for the site. This is very disheartening and lowers the interest level for adding to this site. Drawing the schematics and typing the notes following on-bench experimentation is very time consuming.
We will be upgrading the computers that contain our web, email and ftp servers for our domain. There maybe some downtime related to these upgrades.
Sept 10, 1999---A popcorn 40 Meter band VFO has been added to the VFO page.
Sept 7,1999---A photo of the VE7GC 6M transmitter has been added to the transmitter page.
August 21, 1999---A 6M CW crystal based transmitter has been added to the Transmitter Page. This project is by Dick Pattinson, VE7GC.
July 11, 1999---A new popcorn direct conversion receiver main frame web page is added. This replaces the old Ugly Direct Project. The new receiver main frame has less parts , more sensitivity and a bigger popcorn factor.
July 6, 1999---A new schematic is presented on the transmitter notes page. A 25 watt HEXFET power amp for 80 meter CW by W7ZOI. This page will be updated with new transmitter topics in the future.
July 4, 1999---An error in the 40 meter superhet schematic pop40_b.gif was found and corrected. It was the polarity of a electrolytic cap connecting Q4 to Q5.
July 1, 1999---The 40 meter popcorn superhet projects were amalgamated into 1 easier receiver with a lower parts count. The original basic 40 meter receiver also pushed to much current into the 2N3904s and both projects were too busy. Remember to wait a few days before printing out any new project on the net so that the author can sort out any last minute bugs or typos.
June 21, 1999---Some typos were corrected on the Wee Willy Project. The QRP Reading List was enhanced and this will be ongoing as new articles are discovered. Feel free to email your suggestions for good QRP related articles or books. Two large parts orders were posted by mail this week in preparation for this summers/fall experiments.
June 16, 1999---The Wee Willy 75/80 Meter DSB transceiver project is added. This was designed and built by VE7GC. It is a fun rig to operate.
June 12, 1999---A bug was found on the diplexer web page. For the audio diplexer, the inductors were listed in henries and should be in millihenries. The page has been fixed. Thanks for the bug report Bob and others who have sent similar email in the past. This site is getting bigger and I need your help to keep it accurate.
Some 6 meter experiments are under way-progress will be slow because it is summer time.
June 5, 1999---A DSB 80 meter transceiver project is starting to shape up. This project is by VE7GC and will be a great addition to the web site. The schematics have been drawn and digital photos will be taken next week and it will be listed shortly thereafter.
This site gets ~ 100 original hits per day yet there was only 1 email this week. Makes us wonder if we should stop updating this web site.
Please contribute suggestions/circuits/ideas.
June 4, 1999---Selected QRP Reading List additions made. Cohn xtal filters examples added to the BandPass and IF Filter Information Page. Some minor site restructuring was performed
May 29, 1999---Miscellaneous Electronic Circuits Page added. This will be updated from time to time.
May 25, 1999 --> There will be little added over the spring/summer as it is too nice outside for experimenting. This fall/winter will reflect a change of this website to focus on VHF QRP projects. A number of 6 meter projects are being designed and some will eventually end up on this site.
April 99--- NPN Bias program added. One day will take it off "beta" and finish the companion article. Too lazy right now.
Feb 28, 1999---Active audio filter page added. Design page using discrete components. Some minor updates added Mar 6/99.
Feb 07, 1999---Two schematic bugs fixed ; The rejected bandpass audio filter on the Ugly DC Reciever page and the pinout of the SBL-1 mixer on the scheme.htm page are now correct. The bandpass filter was pulled from the Ugly Direct page Feb 28, 1999. It works great as shown on the Active audio filter page.
Feb 04, 1999---Transmitter Topics Page added. It was spawned due to a recent "rediscovery" of the Ugly Weekender Transmitter and questions about what we use for popcorn transmitters.
Jan 26,1999---Astable multivibrator project page added. The projects are a morse code practice oscillator and a simple electronic keyer for QRP usage.
Jan 23,1999---Resonator application added.
Jan 19/20,1999---Universal Diplexer Program added. Calculates resonators for the W1JR diplexer. A very basic dipole calculation app is also added; HF dipole.
Jan 18,1999---Ferrite program added. Gives number of turns for ferrite toroids.
Jan 16,1999---Resistor Coder application released.
Jan 14,1999---Capcoder program added. PI Filter program keyboard input revised.
Jan 12,1999---PI Filter Designer program is added the software collection.
Jan 11,1999---First program CoilBuilder_99 is released. See software section. Revised heavily on Jan 18,1999 build.
Jan 3, 1999---Some QRP workshop ideas and a tour of our shop is presented.
Jan 2, 1999---A 30 meter band DC receiver project is added. In addition, the bandpass filter information section has been revised and likely will be under constant revision as time permits. Please contribute if you can. Filter data is much appreciated.
Dec 30, 1998---An error in the Uglier-Sister 40M rcvr schematic was found. A 200 ohm resistance was used in the erroneous schematic to terminate the Cohn crystal IF filter. It is not needed and the IF filter should only be terminated in a 4:1 broadband filter as now correctly shown. The schematic in the basic 40M receiver had this correct all along. If you used the 200 ohm resistance it is no major deal, but it is not needed. -sorry!
Dec 26, 1998---A 10.1 MHz VFO project is added. Some spelling/grammar errors have been "hopefully" fixed throughout the site.
Dec 16, 1998---W7EL tests some agents for sealing VFO inductors and the results are printed on the page entitled Powdered Iron Torroidal Inductor Coatings
The QRP Homebuilder site is officially launched Nov 22,1998.