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| QRPometer complete |
Well the QRPometer has made it from a pile of parts to a very useful tool for the shack and portable op's. It's no wonder this kit sold out in record time and now the 4 state QRP group will have to round up more parts and move out some more kits as the demand is out there. I began this project the same way I have with all my projects.... by doing a parts inventory. That went by without a hitch all the parts and pieces were present and accounted for. It was then off to the "puttin" the parts where they belong. The instructions are very easy to
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| Solder blob mod done |
follow and very well laid out. If you are not sure about things and need a picture you will find it on the 4 State QRP groups website. During the resistor install there is a note to hold off on two resistors until after the calibration stage. I did get an email from the 4 State group letting me know that there is also a third resistor that should not be installed as well. Now that is great support each person that ordered a kit receive an email with updated info! There is a very small mod that has
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| Ribbon cable soldered to LCD |
to be done to the LED meter a solder blob has to be removed from a pair of pads. A new blob has to short a pair of center pads it went very smooth and allowed me to use my Hakko 808 to remove the solder blob. With all the parts installed it was now time for calibration and I wish all kits could be this easy to calibrate!!! All that is needed is a voltmeter (my Fluke meter) for the first step and then an RF input between .5W to 5 watts (my trusty K3) for this second step.
The kit pro's
1. Very easy to build and calibrate
2. No toroid or SMD for those kit builders who shy away from them.
3. Instructions are well written and very easy to understand.
4. Meter has a built in dummy load when measuring power.
5. When meter is turned off it can still be left in series with antenna and transmitter the meter is in bypass.
6. Professional silk screen front panel.
7. Parts layout on the the circuit board are...may I say "Elecraft quality"!
Con's
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| Calibration complete |
1. The TX and ANT connectors are RCA and not BNC. I had to buy RCA to BNC adapters.
2. There is no cover for the back of the circuit board.
So lets put 2 and 2 together.......7 pro's to 2 con's = home run!!
QRPometer ready for action
10 April 2012 | by 
HamRadioAuctions
Reliance Antennas
Enigma Shop
R&L Electronics
antennas.us
Ears to Our World
I took most of the photos…glad your kit worked great! So far, all I have heard is great results! Glad you had fun making it! It was fun being a part of the beta test team.
73, Joe K0NEB
Mine is still in the mailer. Have not had a chance to build it. I also received the email about the resistor.
Good morning Joe, yes the kits is great to build and a very nice piece of test equipment to have around the shack. They were great pictures you took and were a great help at times when I was not sure what the instructions were telling me.
Mike
VE3WDM
Hi Paul, hope you get your kit soon as mine did not take very long to get up here to Canada. Sometimes customs can hold things up for a long time. Send me an email and let me know how the build goes and if you have any quesitons.
Cheers,
Mike
VE3WDM