N8LGL's Beacon Page

 

                          28.228  mhz.                                                                                                                 

                                               

                                                 N8LGL/B  QSL  Card

                                                

 

 

     OBJECTIVE 

                        

            To turn a Radio Shack  HTX10  into a 10 meter QRP Beacon

                

     The Parts

                                                       

               Radio Shack HTX-10   

                   Pyramid DC Power Supply 12 amp.

               23.6 liter/25 quart plastic box- From Dollar General

               Radio Shack 3" Cooling Fan

                     Radio Shack 1 9/16" Cooling Fan  

                     N0XAS's PicoKeyer Chip                         

                   Radio  Shack 1/8" Phono Plug

                      4.8 volt Wal Wart

               6 pin microphone plug   

               Hamstick 10 meter omni antenna 

                                              Total Cost - $ 216.09

 

     The Build

 

              The project began by mounting a fan in the top of  the plastic  box, with the thought of adding a second fan for increased  cooling.

 

               

       Next step was to place the Pyramid Power

supply ino the box. As you can notice a few

holes were drilled with a 1" wood bit to route

the antenna and power supply lines.

                                                                                                                                                                            

     Shown above are the Wal Wart and  radio - keyer interface. Two 1/8 Radio Shack phono plugs, wire and a used cell

phone charger (4.8v).

                                                                                                    

    The N0XAS PicoKeyer arrived on 12/06/07                                    

and was ready for the "BIG Build".

Great price and quality parts from Dale N0XAS.

Assembled by KC8VOJ

                                                                                                      

     Copied from WJ5O's site.

                                                                                                                

         The radio arrived 12/08/07.

          The 1 9/16" fan was attached  as shown .                                                 

        Connecting the two fans and HTX-10 to the power supply.

 

       With the power on and the radio on the selected frequency. All that is needed now is to mount the keyer and add a antenna.

 

       Front of Power Supply and rear of radio. I placed the units in opposite directions so I could always see if the power was on. I can see the light on the Power Supply and on the opposite side the dial is lighted on the radio.                                              

        On  12/12/2007 the antenna  from the  Lakeview Company arrived. I was very impressed with the quality and workmanship of the ground plane. I had researched many sites on the internet for the right omni antenna and was very pleased with this choice for a beacon antenna.  Next step is to adjust the swr on the antenna.

     Water level at the lake is 174m / 571' and the antenna will be at a height of 207.6m / 680'.

 So we should have excellent takeoff angles in most directions,westerly direction the weakest.

 

 

     PROJECT COMPLETED.....  02/23/08    

    Beacon moved to a remote site located  EM89lk on   03/04/2008  for better Line of Sight and Less Operator Interference.