Pixie - history and as an own project

There is a good collection on the Pixie matter, schematic and designs offered by the GQRP club, SPRAT, G4WIF and others.

You can find it here in  QRPedia as well.

To give a concise summary (tnx: DL7UWE wrote a short table giving details of the single riglets)
1972 SM4BSN    OPTIMIST     see Pat Hawker G3VA RadCom 1972
1982 GM3OXX    FOXX                  George Burt GM3OXX  SPRAT #35
1992 UV3GM      MICRO-80           Oleg Borodin RV3GM   SPRAT #72

At leat at this moment I can only strongly recommend to buy SPRAT on CD  from the GQRP club

1995  WA6BOY   PIXIE 2                Dave Jose  WA6BOY, NorCal QRPp June 95

Perhaps Dave simply translated "Micro" into Pixie . I have never found a circuit which is named Pixie being an "original "  schematic.

1996  G3LHJ    PIXIE 2                   Derrick Webber G3LHJ  SPRAT # 88

Recently I was pointed to a homepage  where a mininalist is shown which again tries to go back to the roots

          PY2GQT  CURUMIM                Luiz Pascotte   see google  PY2 OHH

I must mention the    CUBIC INCHER  which shows kind of a new interesting schematic design
 QST 1982   by Dennis Monticelli AE6C and was used by    Joan Morros EA3FXF  who simply translated the word into Catalan language PULGA which then in English is shown as FLEA    for 40m  in SPRAT.

The DL mag REPORT 4/2008  offers a translation of the FLEA stuff which can be read on the InterNet.

One can find a PIXIE 3 version in the archives of the DL Forum but it is also kind of a mod only more or less..

From Pixie II to TIXIE
http://www.al7fs.us/AL7FS2.html

 That's the story with all these names.

One will (easily) find out that the Cubic Incher shows a very interesting idea, whilst versions of Pixies are more or less useful modifications. The Flea is commented on by Stephen VE7NSD here QRPedia on his book page.

The next step in improving but losing its minimalist character and "plain beauty" will perhaps be the ROCKMITE...but that's another story.

The ROCKMITE is offered as a kit by qrpprojects  in DL. http://www.qrpforum.de/hmportal.php

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PIXIE 2
This is the schematic by G3LHJ, Derrick. It was drawn with SPLAN by DL7UWE. There is also an etched printed board you can see below.

I try to build it Manhattan Style, and pinned a paper on a styro foam plate and made a first plan of how to lay out  the pads. The small stripe on top is the +12V line. Pads are rectangular and small stripes. I do not know yet whether  some extra capacitance will be added by the rather large pads.

On the other hand the generous  board will easily offer  space and possibilities for changes and experiments and mods.  DL7UWE's printed board is much more elegant and it has proved to be OK.

 

There have been made ca  25 QSOs   from 15. Dec   till  26. Dec   with this tiny riglet on 80 m.

side tone section

Side tone needs a bit of experimenting with the Rs to get it working properly. I wonder whether this can be simulated with the EMRFD disc  or spice - have got no idea.

 

Attention: Please be careful when using a circuit sketch taken from the InterNet.
Have a look  at the transistors above. You will obviously recognize that when starting to experiment the 2N2222 (A)  will be a proper piece, the 2N  30(!) 53  will handle 5 watts...
There are some other substitutes.  Thanks Stephen , VE7NSD, for your careful reading.