I am finding that it is harder and harder to come up with a concept or scheme where I can make some prototyping surfaces and have on hand to use for experimenting. My solderless breadboards are nice, but sometimes I wonder if stray capacitance, inductance and Lord only knows what else will be present when going that route. Attaching pads to a chunk of old PCB scrap is OK till you you get in a hurry and the glue has not set long enough. I have an islander drill bit and that is fun, but it is a one time use method.

I haven't dug into this yet, but would it make any difference if I am using a 2N2222a or 2N4401 transistor for the oscillator circuit for my VXO???

Any comments????

72....Mikey, WB8ICN

I was playing with a Super VXO for 80 meters which worked out - had over 70 KHz swing down to 3.500 KHz which was what I was after. So then started working a 40 meter Super VXO. Got it to swing about 25 KHz which was encouraging. I decided to switch the osc circuit and use the one in the VRX-1 which is where I wanted to use this version of Super VXO. Well, the bandpass filter on my VRX-1 has never performed as well as I expected...so decided to pull the BPF and put in a RF Toolkit BPF from Parts & Kits.

Just updated  my web page...

Just finished updating my web page: www.qsl.net/wb8icn

Hope to add more info and pictures later this weekend.

Below is my homebrew 40 meter rig with a lot of help from the 4SQRP Club. Sure like all the new kits they are coming out with!!!Rig as of Dec 12th, 2009

Think I will start building some keyer
kits I have recently acquired. I used my last one "already
built" keyer on my 40 Meter Combo Rig (VRX-1/NS-40 from
www.4sqrp.com). With the upcoming weekend so near,  I hope to
get on 40 meters either on 7027 or 7038 KHz. But, back to the keyer
kits...I never realized that having at least one or two build keyers
on-hand is a must if your into homebrewing and especially into
building transmitters.

Made my first contact this morning on my VRX-1/NS-40 combo Rig. Worked Ron, K3SEW out of Howard, PA. Ron gave me a 599. I am actually getting almost 9 watts out with the tuner and loop antenna I am using.

72's & oo's....Mikey, WB8ICN

From one of the QRP reflectors:

"Well, either these roids are special order and I have no idea what they are made of...or I am doing something very wrong.

I wound 20 turns and measured: uH = 15.65uH. Then I did this for 15, then 10 and finally 5 turns.
20 turns = 15.65uH
15 turns = 9.83uH
10 turns = 5.70uH
5 turns = 2.02uH

With cooler, if not colder, weather just around the corner, does this mean more activity will appear here on QRPedia??????

72's and Happy Solder Snuffing.....Mikey, WB8ICN