Winter 2004 3 HOMEBREWER

A Nuts and Bolts

Approach to RF Design
Lets say you are like many other homebrewing hams ... you might
have a limited understanding of how radio circuits work and dont
have a shack full of test equipment. You probably have an HF ama-
teur band receiver, an oscilloscope, a digital multimeter with an RF
probe, an SWR meter or bridge, a dummy load and an antenna. You
have a basic set of tools and you have at least begun to get comfort-
able with the Manhattan, Island, or Ugly style building methods. And
most important, you have the desire to design and build some gear of
your own. If you fit this profile, this project is for you!
Wayne McFee, NB6M
Nuts & Bolts 101
The principal idea behind the Nuts & Bolts approach is to make use
of what others before you have done. There is no need to re-invent the
wheel. Certainly there are new ideas all the time but all of us in ham radio
will continue to use both ideas and proven circuits that others have previ-
ously developed. All of the best engineers have files of proven building
block type circuits that they fit into an overall circuit in order to achieve
the desired result.
As you know, every electronic circuit, no matter how complex, is
made up of individual stages. These are shown in simplified drawings as
blocks with either their individual stage names or a symbol of their pur-
pose in the blocks.
An entire circuit is depicted in simplified form as a block diagram.
Even if we do not have the knowledge needed to be able to design the
individual stages, we can still design and build a complete transmitter,
receiver, or transceiver. Just select proven circuits for the stages or blocks
and carefully connect them together.
Suppose we want to design a transceiver, and because of the chang-
ing availability of electronics parts, we want to use generic, readily avail-
able discrete parts throughout. Using this Nuts & Bolts approach not only
makes it easier to troubleshoot and fix the rig if anything should go wrong,
but it also helps us learn more about how the individual stages work and
how they work together to produce the desired result.
A 40 Meter CW Transceiver designed and built using the Nuts & Bolts approach.
HOMEBREWER 4 Winter 2004
Philosophy
Use discrete, readily available parts throughout.
Design for reasonably low current drain on receive.
Use a VFO as the LO, in order to realize full band coverage.
Provide appropriate audio output for modern, low impedance head-
phones.
Provide for transmitter power output up to 1.5 Watts.
Use electronic T/R circuitry
Building Blocks
Keeping our design philosophy in mind, and perusing available proven
designs, one relatively simple superhet receiver circuit described in Chap-
ter 12 of Experimental Methods in RF Design is called the S7C. It
seems to fit our needs, so for this exercise we will use it as the basis for our
40 Meter transceiver design. The S7C circuit is shown below, minus the
VXO LO which we will not use.
This receiver uses all discrete parts, has low current drain and pro-
vides a reasonable amount of selectivity in a superhet configuration. For
more detail on the design, see Chapter 12 of Experimental Methods in RF
Design. As published, the S7C receiver has a 10 MHz IF frequency and
uses a VXO LO with limited frequency range. Crystals for 4.000 MHz
were already on hand so the IF frequency was changed. We would like full
coverage of the CW portions of 40 Meters, so a VFO will be used as the
LO.
If we use this receiver circuit as a base, what do we need to add in
order to design a complete transceiver? To make it easier, let us look at the
S7C as a block diagram and consider a block diagram of the remainder
needed to complete a transceiver circuit. Both block diagrams are shown
on the next page.
Design Discussion
In order to form a complete transceiver, we will add all of the build-
ing blocks shown. Using the Nuts and Bolts design philosophy, we will
peruse available published circuits and use parts of several in order to
provide the needed circuitry.
Let us start with the Local Oscillator (Permeabililty Tuned VFO on
next page). We changed to a VFO configuration to realize a much wider
frequency range. The choice of oscillator is up to the builder and anything
from crystal control to a digital VFO could be used.
For simplicity I have used an analog VFO that I have had very good
luck with. It is stable and is relatively easy to build. It uses permeability
tuning and can provide us with entire band coverage if we so desire. The
basic circuit was published on the WA6OTP website and I have modified
it and added it to this rig. It is a nice little VFO.
Next in our chain of blocks is the LO Buffer Amplifier. The circuit
chosen is the very familiar one from the Ugly Weekender by KA7EXM
and W7ZOI, and is a design by W7EL.
The next block we need to consider is the Transmitter Mixer. We
could simply duplicate the dual JFET mixer used in the S7C, but since it is
a single ended mixer with no balance, it might either allow or introduce
spurs into our transmitter signal. In order to help prevent this, we will use
a diode ring, doubly balanced mixer. We can either use a commercial +7
dBm mixer, such as the TUF-1 or SBL-1 from Mini-Circuits, or build the
mixer from discrete parts.
S7C Transceiver, Minus LO
Winter 2004 5 HOMEBREWER
LO Buffer Amplifier
Because of our desire to use all discrete parts, and our choice of the
diode ring, doubly balanced mixer, we will discuss the mixer and its re-
quirements in terms of input signals.
Some things to consider in our design process are the characteristics
and input signal level requirements of the mixer we have chosen. The di-
ode mixer has no gain. In fact it has about a 6 dB loss. It needs an input
HOMEBREWER 6 Winter 2004
from the LO of at least +6 dBm. At the same time, we want the signal from
the Transmitter Oscillator to be down around the 10 dBm level. This is
done to help reduce spurious output.
We used the BFO circuit from the S7C receiver, changing the trim-
mer cap to an inductor to create the needed amount of frequency offset.
We will also add a resistive attenuator pad to adjust the signal level. Be-
cause we dont know yet exactly how much output we will get from the
oscillator, we will have to build it, measure the output, and choose an
appropriate amount of attenuation in order to set the injection level to the
mixer at the desired 10 dBm.
Let us discuss the next stage: the Transmitter Bandpass Filter.
In order to get the most out of our bandpass filter and to define the
impedance felt by the output of the mixer, we will use a 50 Ohm, 6 dB
resistive attenuator pad between
the mixer and bandpass filter. This
will ensure that the mixer will be
properly terminated for all fre-
quencies present.
From there, we can use
readily available computer soft-
ware to design a 50 Ohm bandpass
filter. This one is designed for a
center frequency of 7.1 MHz and
a 300 kHz bandwidth.
We purposely kept a low RF
level from the transmitter oscilla-
tor. This fact, in combination with
the 6 dB loss in the mixer, the 6
dB loss introduced by the 50 Ohm
pad used to provide a good termi-
nation for the mixer, and the loss
through the bandpass filter, means
we need to add a 20 dB Post Mixer
Amplifier. This brings the trans-
mitter signal back up to a usable
level for the following stages.
At the coupling capacitor
from the output of the Post Mixer
Amplifier, we add a PI network
that is designed to provide an im-
pedance transformation from the
50-Ohm level that we have been
working in to the 2.2 K Ohm level
that is defined by the 2.2 K resis-
tor to ground at its termination.
At that point, we add the 0.1
uF DC blocking cap and go right into the input of the emitter follower TX
Buffer Amp, which is the next link in our transmitter chain. To simplify
the remainder of our design, we will use a large portion of the transmitter
circuit used in the SW40+, from the end of the bandpass filter to the out-
put, including the buffer amplifier, driver, PA, output filter, keying circuit,
and T/R circuit.
In the SW40+ transmitter, either a 2SC2078 or 2SC1969 is used to
produce 1.5 Watts of output. A 2SC799 was used here because it was on
hand. The output filter is the familiar half wave design. The T/R circuit is
a version of the circuit introduced by W7EL in the Optimized QRP Rig.
With the transmitter, keying and T/R circuits all now complete, the
only things left are the muting circuit for the receiver and the peripherals -
- the FreqMite CW frequency enunciator and the Tick Keyer.
Winter 2004 7 HOMEBREWER
In order to provide receiver muting, we inserted the very familiar
JFET switch that was introduced by W7EL, but we integrate it into the
discrete component chain as shown below. This allows us to hear the trans-
mitter signal, so no sidetone oscillator is needed.
The value of the resistor bridging the JFET will have to be deter-
mined by experimentation in order to set the tone to the desired level. In
the Small Wonder Labs SW series rigs, a value of 4.7 MegOhms is used
and that should be a good starting point for us.
The addition of the FreqMite and TICK keyer will make the rig com-
plete. The audio from each is fed into the audio output amplifier at the
point specified in the complete circuit diagram. Next let us take a look at
the block diagram for the entire transceiver.
The complete circuit diagram is appended on the last page of this
article, also showing how the FreqMite and TICK Keyer are tied into the
circuit.
Construction
In order to demonstrate the viability of this Nuts & Bolts design ap-
proach, a 40 Meter CW transceiver was built, using the Ugly method,
completely without Manhattan or Island type pads. This method is
straightforward and easy. No supporting structure such as Manhattan pads
or a printed circuit board have to be made, so circuitry goes together very
fast and lends itself to easy modification or change. To make changes, all
you need do is remove and replace the actual parts themselves, with no
other changes needed to the basic circuit structure.
As shown in the overall photo at the start of the article, the circuitry is
laid out in a U shape, beginning with the receiver audio amps in upper
Post Mixer Amplifier and Tx Buffer Amp
HOMEBREWER 8 Winter 2004
left, the product detector and BFO next, then the IF amps and dual crystal
filter, the cascode FET mixer, and the double-tuned Receiver Input Filter
in upper right. Centered behind the front panel is the permeability tuned
VFO, and to its left are the Keying Circuit and Receiver Muting Circuit.
Just below the VFO Tuning Coil is the VFO Buffer Amplifier, and to
its left are the SBL-1 Mixer and the Transmitter Oscillator. The RCA jack
on the front panel is where an outboard FreqMite Audio Frequency An-
nunciator plugs in. Continuing to the left of the SBL-1 Mixer are the
Transmitters Double Tuned Filter, RF Amplifier, LC Impedance-Match-
ing Network, Buffer Amplifier (with small trimpot), Driver Amplifier
(2N2222A), Power Amplifier (2SC799) and Output Filter. The diode T/R
circuit can be seen just above the PA heatsink.
At first this method might seem daunting. In actuality however, it is
really quite easy if one lays out the circuit logically, in almost the same
fashion as the circuit diagram itself is arranged.
Construction started with the Audio Output Amplifier at one corner
of an eight inch by eight inch sheet of single-sided pc board material, and
followed the signal chain as it was described above. Let us take a closer
look at the layout and construction of individual stages and sections of the
entire circuit. Stages were built in the following order:
Audio Output Amplifier
Audio Preamplifier
Product Detector
BFO
2
nd
IF Amplifier
Dual Crystal IF Filter
1
st
IF Amplifier
Cascode FET Mixer
Double-Tuned Receiver Input Filter
VFO
VFO Buffer
Transmitter Mixer
Transmitter Oscillator
Transmitter Double-Tuned Bandpass Filter
Transmitter RF Amplifier
LC Impedance Matching Network
Transmitter Buffer Amplifier
Driver Amplifier
Power Amplifier and Output Filter
T/R Circuit
Keying Circuit
Receiver Muting Circuit
Each stage was tested as it was built by injecting test signals into the
circuitry for the Audio Amplifiers, IF Amplifiers and Receiver Mixer. An
oscilloscope and a multimeter with RF probe were used to test the BFO.
Signal level from the BFO injected into the Product Detector is set by the
value of the coupling capacitor between the two, at +7 dBm. Transmitter
stages were tested with a combination of frequency counter, 50-Ohm
dummy load, multimeter with RF probe, and Oscilloscope.
As already stated, construction began with the receivers Audio Am-
plifiers. The picture below shows the layout of the Audio Amplifier, BFO,
and Product Detector stages. The top of the large inductor to the left of the
tri-filar-wound toroid transformer is the signal injection point into the Prod-
uct Detector from the 2
nd
IF Amplifier. The shielded cables running off to
lower left go to the Audio Volume Control on the front panel.
Product Detector, BFO, and Audio Amplifiers
Winter 2004 9 HOMEBREWER
Next in the receiver chain is the 2
nd
IF Amplifier, Dual Crystal IF
Filter, and 1
st
IF Amplifier. Although some might want a narrower IF
Filter, this one provides good opposite-sideband rejection, and has a nice,
clean and crisp sound.
The inductor on the rightmost side is the input to the Product Detec-
tor. The 0.1 uF capacitor at left is the signal injection point from the Re-
ceiver Mixer to the 1
st
IF Amplifier.
The Cascode FET Mixer and Double-Tuned Bandpass Filter com-
plete the Receiver Chain, as shown here.
The small, shielded cable running underneath the upper edges of the
two larger toroids is the signal input to the receiver from the T/R Circuit.
The shielded cables above that are the audio lines going to the volume
control pot on the front panel.
Now, the project really started to get exciting. With the addition of
the LO, the receiver section could be brought to life and its very first re-
ceived signals could be heard.
The VFO used as the Local Oscillator in this superhet-based trans-
ceiver is shown below. It is a permeability-tuned oscillator using a tuning
coil wound with #30 wire on a 5/16
th
-inch diameter plastic drinking straw.
The actual tuning element is a 6-32 brass screw. All NP0 capacitors were
used in frequency determining locations and very short leads were sol-
dered, where appropriate, directly to the copper substrate.
The 9-turn link taking RF to the VFO buffer is wound with #22 mag-
net wire around the outside of the main coil. The entire coil is covered with
five-minute epoxy so as to prevent any shifting of the coils which would
cause drift. Tuning is smooth throughout the approximate 165 kHz range.
The tuning rate is such that there are about 4 kHz per full turn of the tuning
knob at the low end of the band, and about 8 kHz per turn at the upper end
of the tuning range. This tuning rate is more than slow enough to ensure
ease of tuning individual signals.
The coil mount was made from a small piece of double-sided copper-
clad board material, with a 6-32 brass nut soldered to either side of the
bracket. One nut was rounded to provide a slip fit for the drinking straw
coil form, and a clearance hole for the tuning screw was drilled through
the coil mount.
The coil mount was soldered to the copper substrate of the main piece
of single-sided PC board material, and a clearance hole for the tuning screw
was drilled in the double-sided PC board front panel. Using the tuning
screw as a guide, a brass nut was soldered to the outside of the front panel.
Having this nut, and the pair of nuts on the coil mount itself, separated by
a little over a quarter of an inch provides good physical stability for the
tuning screw.
Another small piece of PC board material is soldered into place as a
strut between the upper edge of the tuning coil mount and the inside of the
front panel, rigidly holding the assembly in place.
The lower end of the tuning range of the LO was set by adjusting the
value of C36, in the circuit diagram shown below, in addition to that of
C22. The final tuning range is from just below 3.000 MHz, to about 3.165
First IF Amp, IF Filter, and 2
nd
IF Amp
Double-Tuned Receiver Bandpass Filter, Cascode FET Mixer, and 1
st
IF Am
MHz, which, with the 4 MHz IF frequency, provides for coverage of the
lower 165 kHz of the 40 Meter band.
C37 was placed in parallel with C23 in the VFO circuit, so as to set
the signal injection level to the Receiver Mixer at just over 5 Volts, peak to
peak. That injection level is recommended for this mixer, as detailed in
the S7C Receiver article in Experimental Methods in RF Design.
It is always a thrill to bring a receiver to life, even more than a trans-
mitter, and listen to those first signals it receives. This receiver did not
disappoint. One very nice advantage of the all-discrete construction is the
very low noise level. When no antenna is connected no noise is heard at
all. However, upon plugging in the antenna, it immediately comes to life
with whatever signals are out there. This receiver has plenty of gain for 40
Meters. Although it would be nice to have speaker-level audio output,
there is more than sufficient audio when good quality stereo headphones
are used .
The VFO Buffer Amplifier was built next, and is shown below. The
lead taking RF to a jack for the outboard FreqMite Audio Frequency An-
nunciator can also be seen. This Buffer Amplifier provides +7 dBm input
to the Transmitter Mixer.
Next to be added were an SBL-1 Mixer, the Transmitter Oscillator, a
resistive, 50 Ohm, 6 dB attenuator pad, and the transmitters Double-Tuned
Bandpass Filter.
The LO tuning coil can be seen at lower left in this photo. The crystal
oscillator is the Transmitter Oscillator, with its output running through a
filter to a resistive attenuator pad that sets the injection level at 10 dBm.
HOMEBREWER 10 Winter 2004
An SBL-1 diode ring mixer was used in this transceiver. Its case is
soldered directly to the copper substrate, locking down its location. The
two transistors below the crystal oscillator are part of the Keying circuit.
The toroid transformer at the right edge of the picture is part of the RF
amplifier that follows the bandpass filter.
Two 12 uH surface mount inductors were placed in series with the
crystal in the Transmitter Oscillator in order to provide the correct amount
of transmitter frequency offset to match that of the receiver.
A 50-Ohm Input, 50-Ohm output RF Amplifier, an LC Impedance
Matching Network, and the Transmitter Buffer Amplifier were added next,
and are shown next.
The trimcap at far left is part of the Transmitters Bandpass Filter.
The trimcap at lower right of center is part of the LC impedance matching
network that transforms the 50-Ohm output of the RF Amplifier to the 2.2
K Ohm impedance set by a resistor at the input to the Buffer Amplifier.
The trimpot is in the emitter lead of the Buffer Amplifier and is where the
signal is tapped off going to the Driver Amplifier.
Completing the transmitter, the Driver, Power Amplifier, and output
be needed in order to achieve the desired result.
In a Superhet design we depend on signals from the BFO and the
Transmitter Oscillator to mix with signals from the LO or the IF to trans-
mit and receive on another frequency. Those oscillator outputs need to be
clean and free from spurious output or the result will be either a spurious
output from the transmitter or a very rough and distorted audio output
filter were added next. The Diode T/R circuit can be seen just below the
PA heat sink. The toroid to the lower right of the PA transistor is the RF
Choke in its collector circuit.
Construction Summary
As usual with any electronics project, changes have been made in this
transceiver since it was first completed in order to improve its operation,
ensure that it functions completely as desired and ensure that its transmit-
ter output more than meets FCC specifications for a rig of this power level.
All changes were very easily made since there was no pc board to re-
design and order and no Manhattan type pads to break away from the
copper substrate. Parts were simply unsoldered and removed, new parts
were installed in whatever new location was needed, and the transceiver
put in operation once again.
Those changes are discussed in detail in a follow-up article to this
presentation, coming in the next issue of HOMEBREWER.
Closing Thoughts
Quite a bit of circuitry goes into the making of a superhet-based trans-
ceiver. However, taken one stage at a time, it is a relatively simple matter
to pick and choose proven circuits and use them to complete your own
design.
A few key considerations come quickly to mind. Impedances should
be properly matched between stages. Signal levels between stages should
be adjusted so that subsequent stages can function as intended. Overdriving
either amplifier or mixer stages very definitely causes spurious output.
When the rig is built one stage at a time, so that the performance of the
stages can be evaluated, some adjustment or even stage substitution may
VFO Buffer Amplifier
TX Osc, Mixer, 6 DB Attenuator, and Double-Tuned Bandpass Filter
RF Amplifier, LC Impedance Matching Network, and Buffer Amplifier
Buffer Amp, Driver, Power Amp, Output Filter, and Diode T/R Circuit
Winter 2004 11 HOMEBREWER
The addition of the Keying Circuit, and a Receiver Muting Circuit com-
pleted the transceiver.
The author may be reached by mail at 2379 Saint George Drive,
Concord, California 94520, or by email at NB6M@aol.com.
NOTE: The full schematic of the 40-Meter transceiver appears on the next page.

from the receiver.
In this transceiver, the outputs from the LO and the BFO were fine,
but the output from the Transmitter Oscillator was not. The fix was simply
to place a filter between the Transmitter Oscillators output and the resis-
tive attenuator pad used to adjust the signal injection level to the Transmit-
ter Mixer. This is detailed in Part II of this article.
If you get stuck there is nothing wrong in asking for help, either online
at such places as QRP-L, or individually to any of several more experi-
enced designers. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, provided me with very valuable
guidance on this project, particularly with avoiding the pitfalls in design-
ing the transmitter chain from the Transmitter Mixer through to the emitter
follower Buffer Amplifier. Many thanks, Wes.
Designing a rig can be a lot of fun. Building, testing, adjusting, modi-
fying, and, finally, operating it on the air is even better.
Give the Nuts and Bolts approach a try!
Another view of the completed transceiver. Note that the circuitry is laid out in a U shape, beginning with the
receiver audio amps in upper left, the product detector and BFO next, then the IF amps and dual crystal filter, the
cascode FET mixer, and the double-tuned Receiver Input Filter in upper right. Centered behind the front panel is the
permeability tuned VFO, and to its left are the Keying Circuit and Receiver Muting Circuit.
Be sure the check out the online HB Extra! web pages on the AmQRP
website containing a complete set of full-color and full-resolution
images presented here in this NB6M article. Point your browser to to
www.amqrp.org/hbextra.
HOMEBREWER 12 Winter 2004

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 1 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved



Wayne McFee, NB6M
A Nuts and Bolts
Approach to RF
Design ... Part 2
This homebrew transceiver was the subject
of a presentation made during the QRP
Symposium at Pacificon 2003. I focused on
the process of designing and building this
transceiver from scratch by selecting portions
of proven circuits and stringing them together
in order to achieve the desired result. In the
previous issue, I presented a step-by-step
approach to designing and building this rig
using some simple "nuts and bolts"
techniques. This time Ill take you through
the detailed circuit analysis, measurement
and tuning procedures.


DESIGN OVERVIEW
When attention is paid to appropriate detail, building this or a similar transceiver is well within
the ability of many homebrewers. Please refer to the schematic diagrams presented in Part I,
as the discussion continues.
As can be seen in the photos, the entire transceiver was built "Ugly style" with discrete parts,
using no Manhattan style pads or other devices.
Laying out the circuit in a logical and straightforward fashion, almost the same as the circuit
diagram itself, kept interstage interference to a minimum, and allowed space for future
modifications and improvements.
It has been shown that building RF circuitry onto a solid copper substrate helps to ensure that
circuits perform more cleanly, spectrum wise. Evidence also shows that circuits constructed
this way simply work better, and more as designed. An additional benefit of building this way
is that the circuit can be built very rapidly, and then can be changed easily, as needed.
In this particular case, a simple superhet design was used as the base, and proven circuitry
from many sources was added in order to complete the transceiver design.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 2 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Key ingredients for ensuring the success of the design were appropriate impedance matching
and signal level adjustment between key stages. Taking appropriate steps to ensure the
spectral purity of the transmitter output also provided for good results in the end.
An analog VFO using a permeability tuned variable inductor was chosen as the local
oscillator (LO). This oscillator is quite stable, inexpensive, relatively easy to build, and allows
for wide frequency coverage. In this case, the rig covers the bottom 165 kHz of the 40 Meter
band.
VFO output was routed to the receiver mixer through an NP0 capacitor, the value selected so
as to provide just over 5 Volts peak-to-peak to the mixer. Because the VFO Buffer Amplifier
chosen for the transmitter chain required a signal taken from a source at DC ground potential,
a 9 turn link was wound around the tuning coil, and the VFO signal was taken from there to
the buffer amp.
Output of the buffer amplifier provides a little better than +7 dBm for the transmitter mixer
chosen, a diode ring mixer, and also provides more than ample output for the FreqMite CW
Frequency Annunciator. Although different mixers could be employed, the desire to use
discrete devices and the spectral purity benefits of using a balanced mixer as a transmitter
mixer, dictated the choice here.
The output from the Transmitter Oscillator was routed through a resistive attenuator pad so
as to set the TXO injection level to the Transmitter Mixer to approximately -10 dBm.
One of the inputs to the diode ring mixer needs to be of sufficient amplitude to ensure that the
diodes conduct fully on both halves of the input cycle. Hence, the +7 dBm level was chosen,
as set by the VFO Buffer Amplifier. However, the second input needs to be kept quite low,
about -10 dBm, so as to minimize spurious output from the mixer.
In addition to this, the mixer output was terminated in a 50-Ohm resistive 6 dB attenuator pad
so as to provide a true 50-Ohm termination for all RF from the mixer. This was followed with a
double tuned, 50-Ohm input to 50-Ohm output bandpass filter so as to select the proper
signal from the mixer output for amplification by the transmitter amplifier chain.
A 50-Ohm input, to 50-Ohm output RF amplifier was added next in order to compensate for
losses introduced by the 6 dB attenuator pad and the double-tuned bandpass filter, and to
boost the signal to a usable level for the transmitters driver amp. An LC impedance matching
network follows this RF amplifier, in order to transform the 50-Ohm output of the RF amplifier
to the 2.2 k Ohm input at the base of the transmitter driver amplifier.
Driver amplifier, power amplifier, and T/R circuitry, all borrowed from popular QRP
transceiver designs, completed the transmitter. The initial transceiver design was completed
with the addition of the muting circuitry.
Preliminary Results
Even in its first form, after initial construction, this transceiver showed very good promise. The
receiver has a very low noise level and has plenty of sensitivity for the 40 Meter band.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 3 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Although the dual crystal IF filter might not be narrow enough for some, it does provide good
opposite sideband rejection and has a nice, crisp, clean sound.
While the audio amplifier chain in this receiver does not supply a ton of audio, the audio
output is quite sufficient and is very clean sounding as long as good quality stereo earphones
are used.
The transmitter puts out 1.5 to 2.0 Watts, which is more than enough for many contacts. This
lower power level was chosen because of readily available outboard power amplifiers for
those times when band conditions warrant.
As with all construction projects, changes are made when the actual building starts. Some
changes are made simply because of having substitute parts already on hand. Others are
made because new ideas prompt improvements or additions to the original circuit. Further,
some are made necessary because the final results may not be quite up to expectations.
In this project, once the injection levels to the receiver and transmitter mixers were properly
set, and the receiver and transmitter frequency offsets were adjusted, the basic receiver and
transmitter sections worked very well. The analog VFO is quite stable and it is really nice to
be able to tune all of the CW portions of the band. Although it would certainly be nice to have
a digital VFO, this one is so easy to build and gives such good results with so few parts that it
is well worth using in more than one project. The addition of a FreqMite CW frequency
annunciator, or another frequency reporting device, gives us the complete confidence of
knowing exactly where we are in the band.
However, even without a digital readout or a FreqMite-type annunciator, it would be difficult to
stray outside the band. The IF is exactly on 4.000 MHz, and when the LO is tuned to 3.000
MHz, effectively putting the rig on 7.000 MHz, a birdie is heard in the receiver, providing a
very effective band edge marker. This birdie, plus the fact that the upper end of the tuning
range is 7.165 MHz, helps to ensure that all transmissions stay inside the band.
One area of the transceiver that needed improvement was in the receiver muting circuit. A
definite goal of this project was to be able to hear the transmitters signal in the receiver.
There are several advantages this, not the least of which is that you have a ready indicator
that the transmitter is actually working. In addition, once the receiver and transmitter offset
frequencies are adjusted so as to coincide, all one has to do in order to zero beat another
stations frequency is to tune the rig so that the received tone matches the tone heard on
transmit.
In this particular case, the JFET mute switch inserted between the audio preamp and the
audio output amp did not quite produce the desired effect. Although it did provide some
muting, the audio tone was too loud and had a strident quality, which indicated that muting
was needed in previous stages of the receiver.
The first step in evaluating the problem and determining a correction was to move the muting
circuit from between the two audio amplifiers, and place it between the product detector and
the audio preamp. This did not correct the problem, so an experiment was conducted to see
what audio level and quality would be had if Vcc was removed from the two IF amplifiers on
transmit.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 4 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
In order to answer this question, the 12-Volt leads to the two IF amps were unsoldered and
disconnected. The results were that, on transmit, the audio tone quality was good and the
audio level was just about right. So, the following circuit was inserted between the 12-Volt
bus and the Vcc leads to the two IF amps.

The audio tone heard on transmit was louder than it was with the two DC leads simply
disconnected. This was probably due to capacitive coupling, although this simple switching
circuit did shut off the Vcc to the IF amps completely,
In an experimental effort to see if using another type of switching circuit would provide better
results, the switching circuit shown below was installed. The results were the same. Although
the audio tone heard was of good quality, it was still too loud at the highest settings of the
receivers volume control.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 5 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
On-the-air experiments were conducted to determine if this was truly going to be a problem,
or if it was a situation where the audio level on transmit was at an acceptable level at the
normal settings of the volume control.
In practice, it was found that almost all of the time the volume control was at less than
maximum, and the audio tone on transmit was at a comfortable level. However, in those
situations where it had been necessary to have the volume control at maximum, one had to
turn the volume down before transmitting, in order to keep the audio tone at a comfortable
level.
Further experimentation showed that a keyed, bipolar transistor switch, connected in such a
way as to short the audio from the wiper of the volume control to ground on transmit, gave a
very satisfactory reduction in sidetone volume, and a much nicer sounding tone as well. Here
is the circuit used.

Two other areas of concern cropped up, and showed the advantage of having a spectrum
snalyzer on hand while the circuit was being built. Using the SA, I could actively check and
modify stage performance as each stage was added.
First of all, the output of the transmitter did not initially meet FCC specs. There were two
spurs one at 6.88 MHz, and one at 7.20 MHz that were -28 and -30 dBc (dB below the
carrier) respectively, as shown in the spectrum analyzer photo below.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 6 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved

Spectrum analyzer shows spurs. (Test and photo courtesy of W7ZOI)
FCC specs for a transmitter with a power output less than 5 Watts require all spurious output
to be more than 30 DB below the carrier, or main signal. The fact that the spurs were
relatively close to the carrier frequency, definitely not harmonics of the carrier, and the fact
that the output from the VFO Buffer had previously been checked, led to investigation of the
output of the Transmitter Oscillator, which turned out to be the culprit.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 7 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Differences Between Receiver BFO and Transmitter Oscillator
The receivers BFO frequency offset was accomplished with the addition of a 56 pF capacitor
in series with the BFO crystal. This was done to utilize the lower sideband as the mode of
reception in this 40 Meter rig.

BFO
Adding capacitance in series with the crystal raised the oscillator frequency. The amount of
capacitance was arrived at experimentally by adjusting the value so as to provide enough
offset to give good rejection of the opposite sideband, while allowing for reception of the
desired lower sideband.
The BFO output waveshape is a pretty nice looking sine wave, indicating little harmonic
energy. This is borne out by the fact that the receivers audio output is very clean sounding.
The Transmitter Oscillators frequency was adjusted downward by the addition of two 12 uH
inductors in series with the TX Oscillator crystal. This arrangement closely matched the
transmitters frequency offset to that of the receiver, but in the opposite direction frequency-
wise. This places the transmitted signal very close to zero beat of a received signal when the
rig is tuned so that the receivers audio output tone matches the frequency of the transmitters
sidetone. This addition is shown below.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 8 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved

Transmitter Oscillator Mods
Again, the amount of inductance needed was determined experimentally.
In this case, on investigation, the waveshape of the Transmitter Oscillators output was not a
clean sine wave, indicating the presence of harmonic energy. As shown in the preceding
photo of the transmitters output on the Spectrum Analyzer, this harmonic energy caused
strong spurs to appear relatively close to the main carrier frequency. The answer, and
correction of the problem, was to filter the output of the Transmitter Oscillator, before its
output was applied to the Transmitter Mixer.
A five-element Chebyshev filter, with a cutoff frequency of 4.5 MHz, was added to the output
of the Transmitter Oscillator, as shown above.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 9 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved

The addition of this filter completely eliminated the close-in spurs, as shown in the Spectrum
Analyzer picture below.

(Test courtesy of WA6AYQ, photo by NB6M.)
The second area of concern was that the wideband spectrum analysis of the transmitters
output showed that the second harmonic was at 33 DBC, in spite of the fact that all
harmonics of the carrier were more than 30 dBc. Refer to the photo below.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 10 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved

(Test courtesy of WA6AYQ, photo by NB6M.)
While this was certainly within FCC specs for transmitters at this power level, further
harmonic attenuation was desired.
A five-element, halfwave output filter had been used in the transmitters final amplifier stage.
In order to further attenuate the second harmonic, and to see just how much difference it
would make in the purity of the output, a seven-element Chebyshev filter was installed in the
transmitter. This filter has a cutoff frequency of 8.5 MHz.

7-Element Filter
Although a seven element-filter is a bit of overkill in this case, it was interesting to see the
improvement made in the spectral purity of the transmitter output.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 11 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
As the Spectrum Analyzer photo shows below, the addition of this filter, all spurious output is
now reduced to approximately 60 dBc.

(Test courtesy of WA6AYQ, photo by NB6M.)
Suggestions to Builders
Obviously, we all would love to have a complete set of laboratory test equipment such as
spectrum analyzers, tracking Generators, and other high priced gear. Not all of us can afford
to purchase such items, however, and we may not yet have the skills to build our own. What
can one do with limited equipment in order to help ensure that a homebrew rig such as this
operates as intended, and has a transmitter output that should meet current FCC
specifications?
First of all, proper signal injection levels can be set for key stages such as the transmitter
mixer. To do this the output of stages such as the VFO Buffer and the Transmitter Oscillator
should initially be terminated with a 51-Ohm resistor, without running the signal further. Then
the output can be measured with either a high impedance voltmeter and RF probe or with an
oscilloscope, and the signal level adjusted as necessary.
The appropriate signal levels are often stated, such as the minimum of +7 dBm needed for
one of the inputs to a diode ring mixer. These levels relate to the amount of power provided
to a true 50-Ohm load, such as a 51-Ohm resistor used to provide termination for
measurement purposes, and are not what would be read at the input of the mixer itself once
the signal is properly routed.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 12 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
In this case, the output of the VFO Buffer was adjusted by simply adjusting the number of
turns of the link providing VFO energy to the amplifer, thus setting the output at just
approximately +8 dBm.
In the case of a homebrew diode ring mixer using 1N914 devices, it takes a minimum of 0.7
Volts to make one conduct, which means that one of the two signals fed to the mixer should
be at least a little over 1.4 Volts p-p. 5 milliwatts, or 0.5 Volts rms, is 1.414 Volts p-p, which is
6.9897 dBm. Therefore, it would seem reasonable that in this case, the VFO Buffer output
should be set just little above that level. 7.2 milliwatts, or 0.6 Volts rms, is 8.5733 dBm, and
should be adequate for the 1N914 diodes used in a homebrew mixer. Remember, this
measurement is made when the output is connected across a 51-Ohm resistor to ground, not
when it is connected to the mixer.
This is also true of setting the injection level from the Transmitter Oscillator. A 51-Ohm
resistor to ground is connected to the output and the measurement is taken. The dBm level is
calculated, and a 50-Ohm resistive attenuator pad is selected to provide the needed
reduction. The pad is inserted between the Oscillator output and the mixer. Resistor values
for pi-type 50-Ohm attenuators are easily found in such references as the ARRL Electronics
Data Book.
As an example, let us say that we measured 0.45 Volts rms across the 51-Ohm resistor
terminating the oscillator output. The 0.45 Volts rms signal is 4.05 milliwatts (rms, squared,
divided by 50), which is 6.07 dBm (4.05, divided by 1, LOG, times 10). Lets round that off to
+6 dBm.
In order to set the injection level to 10 dBm, we need to reduce the signal level by 16 dB.
According to the table on page 5-2 of the ARRL Electronics Data Book, we need resistances
of 153.8, 68.8 and 153.8 Ohms, respectively, for a 16 dB, 50-Ohm impedance, pi-type
attenuator. We use the closest values, 68 Ohms and 150 Ohms, and there we are.
Now, if one doesnt have a Spectrum Analyzer on hand, in order to evaluate the outputs of
stages such as the VFO Buffer and Transmitter Oscillator, how can we tell if the signal
coming from these stages is relatively clean?
An Oscilloscope is needed in order to check the wave shape of the signals when they are
terminated in the purely resistive 50-Ohm load. If the wave shapes appear to be clean sine
waves, then there should be little harmonic energy. If the wave shape is distorted, then
harmonic energy is definitely present, and a filter such as what was used in this rig between
the Transmitter Oscillator and the resistive attenuator, should be installed. A 51-Ohm resistor
should be connected from the output of the filter to ground and the waveshape should be
checked again before routing the signal to the mixer.
The mixer itself will distort the wave shape of the inputs once they are connected, and for that
reason, checking input wave shapes at the mixer will be misleading.
The use of the resistive 50-Ohm impedance, 6 dB attenuator at the output of the transmitter
mixer helped ensure that harmonics of the two signal inputs were properly terminated. The
double-tuned bandpass filter following the attenuator also selected the proper signal for
amplification to the transmitter output.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #4 13 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
The transmitter output filters with higher harmonic rejection can certainly help ensure that the
signal radiated out the antenna is as clean as possible. Thus using the 7-element Chebyshev
filter instead of a 5-element half wave filter improved the signal quality.
Thoughts for the Future
While this homebrew transceiver is fun and easy to operate, I am quite sure that it has not
reached its final state of development.
Different audio amplifier circuits could be added to give a speaker output with plenty of
volume. RIT could also be added to the receiver. The keyer should be built in. The FreqMite
or another type of frequency annunciator would also be easy to build-in. Different types of
mixer and amplifier circuits can be tried. Of course, there are other bands to build for, and on
which to enjoy the operation of a totally homebrew rig.
This little rig has provided not only a wonderfully informative learning experience, but now
provides the satisfaction of being able to say "rig HB, from scratch" to each person in QSO.
There is tremendous pride in knowing that the rig meets and surpasses expectations on
almost all levels. Even more satisfying is the joy of sharing information and ideas with others
who may be interested in trying scratch building as well.

Wayne McFee, NB6M may be reached by mail at 2379 Saint George Drive, Concord,
California 94520, or by email at NB6M@aol.com


All material in HOMEBREWER is copyright 2005 and may not be reprinted in any form without express written permission from the
American QRP Club and the individual author. Articles have not been tested and no guarantee of success is implied. Safe construction
practices should always be followed and the builder assumes all risks. HOMEBREWER Magazine is a quarterly journal of the American
QRP Club, published on CD-ROM. Each issue typically contains over 200 pages of QRP-related homebrewing construction and technical
articles intended for builders, experimenters, ham radio operators and low power enthusiasts all around the world. HOMEBREWER features
include construction projects for beginners all the way up to the advanced digital and RF experimenters. Annual subscriptions are $15 (for
US & Canada) and $20 (for foreign addresses). For information, contact editor/publisher George Heron, N2APB at n2apb@amqrp.org or
visit HOMEBREWER Magazine home page at www.amqrp.org/homebrewer.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 1 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved


Wayne McFee, NB6M

A Nuts and Bolts
Approach to RF
Design ... Part 3

The Nuts and Bolts 20

If the rig in this picture looks familiar to
you, it should! It looks a lot like the 40m
Nuts and Bolts design that was detailed
in the previous two installments. There
is there is a major difference this one
is a 20m rig that was the product of
taking that original design and bringing
it a step forward. The result is a useful
rig for one of the most popular HF DX
bands.


As can be seen in the photo above, the construction layout and building method were the
same as those used in the Nuts and Bolts 40. However, in order to put the rig on 20 Meters,
several parts of the circuit required changes, and there were some additions, as well.

The 40 Meter transceiver described in the previous two "Nuts and Bolts Approach" articles is
fun to operate, has a very clean transmitter signal and a nice sounding superhet receiver, and
has a stable VFO, which provides coverage of the entire CW portion of the band.

It was even more fun designing it, building it, testing it, modifying and tweaking it so that it
actually performed as desired. In this article, we will look at the changes necessary to make
this basic design work, and work well, on a higher band.

Because 40 and 20 Meters have always been the two most popular HF bands, it seemed
only natural to design and build a transceiver for 20 Meters, since the first Nuts and Bolts
transceiver was designed for 40.


DESIGN REVIEW

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 2 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
What are the changes needed, in order to make the switch from 7 MHz to 14 MHz operation?
In order to clarify our needs, lets go back and take a quick look at the basic structure of the
Nuts and Bolts 40. Here is the Block Diagram.



Remember that we used a simple superhet design, the S7C, borrowed from "Experimental
Methods In RF Design"
i
as the basis for designing this transceiver. An IF frequency of 4.000
MHz was chosen, and a 3 MHz VFO was used so that the transmitter mixer output and
receiver mixer inputs would be on 7 MHz.

Looking at the block diagram above, the key things that make this transceiver operate well on
40 Meters are:
T/R circuit tuned to 7 MHz
Receiver Preselector Filter tuned for the 40 Meter band
VFO frequency coverage of 3.000 to 3.165 MHz
IF Filter frequency of 4.000 MHz
BFO crystal frequency 4.000 MHz, with the oscillator frequency tuned so that a received
LSB signal centered in the IF filter passband provides a 600 Hz tone in the headsets
Transmitter Oscillator crystal frequency 4.000 MHz, with the oscillator tuned so as match
the transmitter signal frequency to a received signal frequency that is centered in the IF
filter passband.
Transmitter Oscillator output filter, with a 4.5 MHz cutoff frequency (Chebyshev 5
element)
Transmitter Bandpass Filter tuned for the 40 Meter band
Impedance matching circuit (Pi Network) between the Transmitter Post-Filter Amplifier
and the Transmitter Buffer Amplifier tuned to 40 Meters
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 3 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Transmitter output filter (Low-Pass, 7 Element Chebyshev) designed with an 8.5 MHz
cutoff frequency, so as to provide great attenuation of any harmonics of the transmitter
signal.


CHANGES NEEDED FOR 20 METER OPERATION

Beginning with the receiver, the basic changes we need to make are:
Select appropriate IF and VFO frequencies
Change the BFO crystal frequency to match the IF frequency
Change the T/R circuit so that it is tuned to 14 MHz
Change the Receiver Preselector Filter so that its passband centers on the lower half of
the 20 Meter band


IF and VFO FREQUENCY CONSIDERATIONS

First lets address the IF and VFO frequency selection. In the Nuts and Bolts 40, several
different IF/VFO frequency pairs could have provided for 7 MHz operation. For those of us
building crystal filters for ourselves, relatively cheap microprocessor crystals are available in
a wide range of frequencies. Using these for the IF, the following are some of the mixing
schemes giving coverage of the lower 150 KHz of the 40 Meter band:
4.915 MHz IF and 2.085 to 2.235 MHz VFO, mixing IF + VFO
10.000 MHz IF and 2.850 to 3.000 MHz VFO, mixing IF VFO
4.000 MHz IF and 11.000 to 11.150 MHz VFO, mixing VFO IF
9.000 MHz IF and 1.850 to 2.000 MHz VFO, mixing IF VFO
12.000 MHz IF and 4.850 to 5.000 MHz VFO, mixing IF VFO
4.000 MHz IF and 3.000 to 3.150 MHz VFO, mixing IF + VFO

Here are some of the factors that should be considered when choosing IF and VFO
frequencies:

First, the IF and VFO frequencies should be selected so that they are not harmonically
related to each other. This is done so that no strong birdies occur in the receiver, but, more
importantly, so that bandpass filters can effectively screen out any harmonic output of the
basic IF and VFO frequencies, to help ensure the spectral purity of the transmitter.

A second consideration is the type of VFO we are going to use. In this case, we are going to
use an analog VFO, and it is easier to build a stable VFO for relatively low frequencies than it
is for higher frequencies.

A third consideration is whether or not we would like to modify the basic design so as to
provide dual, or multiple band operation in the future.
And, as always, we want to use parts that we have on hand, rather than buying more.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 4 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
At the time the Nuts and Bolts 40 was being designed, the crystals on hand were 4.000 MHz
and 9.000 MHz.

Using a 4.000 MHz IF and 11 MHz VFO was ruled out, due to the probable instability of the
VFO. The 4.000 MHz IF and 3 MHz VFO were chosen over the 9 MHz IF and 2 MHz VFO
scheme because of the fact that a 3.0 MHz VFO could be used with the 4.000 MHz IF, by the
addition of a frequency doubler, to add 30 Meter operation at a future time.

Now that we want to change the design so as to put the rig on 20 Meters, and given that
9.000 MHz crystals were already on hand, using them seemed the right thing to do since a
9.000 MHz IF and a 5 MHz VFO would allow for the addition of modifications in the future
which would give the rig the capability of operating on both 20 and 80 Meters.


IF FILTER DESIGN

The G3UUR method for measuring quartz crystal parameters, described in "Experimental
Methods In RF Design"
ii
, chapter three, under "Crystal Measurement and Characterization",
were used in order to determine the Motional Capacitance and Motional Inductance of the 9
MHz crystals on hand.

These figures were plugged into the crystal filter design program, XLAD
iii
, a program
provided with the book, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", in order to design the two-
pole, 500 Hz bandwidth IF filter used in the receiver. The filter evaluation program, GPLA
iv
,
also provided with the book, was used to plot filter performance. Here is the filter used.



BFO CHANGES

With the IF frequency chosen, and the IF Filter designed, BFO and TX Oscillator crystal
frequencies fall into place, using crystals from the same 9.0 MHz batch on hand.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 5 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Trimmer capacitors were used in each oscillator, so that each could be finely tuned. The BFO
circuit is below.

T/R CIRCUIT CHANGES

In the Nuts and Bolts 40, a 12 H inductor was used in series with two capacitors paralleled
to give a total of 43 pF. This combination provided a series resonance of 7.006 MHz, which,
in this low-Q application, gives good coverage of the low end of the band.
In order to give us a series-resonant circuit for 20 Meters, a 27 pF capacitor and 4.7 H
inductor are used. This works out to resonance at 14.128 MHz. Again, because of the low-Q
application here, that is close enough. The circuit below shows these parts as C69 and L18.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 6 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
You will notice that the usual back-to-back arrangement of diodes, used to short the bottom
end of C69 to ground on transmit, have been replaced here by a switched NPN transistor.

This change was an experiment, which resulted in the same amount of muting as was
achieved using the diodes mentioned before. This setup seems a touch fussier, needing a
12V+Tx line run to it, so the back-to-back diodes seem simpler.


RECEIVER PRESELECTOR FILTER CHANGES

Because of the fact that more RF gain is needed in a 20 Meter receiver than one to be used
on 40, the changes in the Preselector Filter were incorporated into an RF Preamp.

The RF Preamp selected is a 20 Meter version of the Low Noise Amplifier shown as part of
the General Purpose Monoband Receiver
v
Front End, from "Experimental Methods In RF
Design".

Because of the addition of an RF Preamp to the receiver, the 10K pot used previously as an
Audio Gain control was removed from the audio circuit and moved between the T/R circuit
and the input to the RF Preamp, to act as an RF Gain control. See the circuit above, as well
as the RF Preamp Circuit below.

Appropriate changes were made to the second half of the double-tuned filter on the output of
this preamp, because of the fact that the input of the Cascode coupled Mixer used in our
receiver is a high impedance. The second half of the double-tuned filter shown as part of the
general purpose receiver front end is designed to work into a 50 Ohm impedance.

Software is readily available to assist in designing double or triple-tuned bandpass filters,
such as W7ZOIs DOS based Dttc
vi
and newer, Windows based DTC
vii
programs. However,
in this case, the changes were simplified by the fact that, since the FET is working into the
high impedance load presented by the first half of the existing double-tuned filter, it was only
necessary to duplicate those values in the second half. Note L4, C7 and TC3 in the circuit
above.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 7 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Q1 is kept turned on by the switched 12V+Rx line, providing a DC ground path for the for the
FET source. When that voltage is switched off, on transmit, Q1 is shut off, effectively
providing about 40 DB of signal attenuation, helping to mute the receiver.


VFO CHANGES

The same basic, Permeability-Tuned VFO circuit from the Nuts and Bolts 40 was used in this
rig. A J310 JFET was used as the oscillator. Changes were made to the frequency
determining components, in that a single NP0 capacitor of 150 pF was used from the Drain of
the oscillator to ground, C12, and the number of turns on the tuning coil was reduced to 35
turns, as shown below. These changes resulted in a VFO tuning range of from just below
5.000 MHz to over 5.150 MHz, when an 8-32 brass screw was used as the tuning element. A
#10 brass screw gave complete coverage of over 350 KHz.



As was done in the Nuts and Bolts 40, the value of C15 above was selected so as to present
a 5 Volt, peak to peak signal to the Receiver Mixer. The number of turns of the link taking
VFO energy to the buffer amplifier can be adjusted as necessary to provide appropriate
output from the buffer.

With the above noted changes, the receiver section has now been re-designed for the 20 Meter band.
Now, lets take a look at the changes made to the transmitter.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 8 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
TRANSMITTER CHANGES

The first change made in the transmitter was to change the TX Oscillator crystal frequency to
9.000 MHz. A 22 H inductor was used in series with the crystal, along with a 5-50 pF
trimmer capacitor, so that the exact frequency could be adjusted to match the frequency of a
received signal, as heard in the audio output in the form of sidetone.

Remember, one of the design goals with the Nuts and Bolts 40 was to be able to hear the
transmitters signal in the receiver. This provides both an indication that the transmitter is
working, and, when the BFO and Tx Oscillator frequencies are properly adjusted, a ready
reference as to what audio tone on receive indicates that the signal is zero beat with the
transmitter.

Also changed were the component values in the five-element Chebyshev filter used to
prevent spurious output from the TX Oscillator from reaching the TX Mixer. This filter was
designed using the computer program, LowHi
viii
, from "Experimental Methods In RF Design".
The new component values give the filter a 10 MHz cutoff frequency. See the TX Oscillator
circuit below.



Note also that, as in the Nuts and Bolts 40, a 50 Ohm resistive attenuator was used in order
to adjust the output of the TX Oscillator to the appropriate level. PI and T network resistive
attenuator values are charted in the ARRL Electronics Data Book.

The next change in the transmitter is to the component values in the transmitters double-
tuned bandpass filter.

Again, software such as the above-mentioned Dttc program is readily available to assist the
designer. One can plug design parameters such as desired bandwidth, center frequency, and
termination impedance into Dttc, in order to receive both a circuit diagram and component
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 9 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
values. Another program that can be used along with the before-mentioned DTC or LowHi
programs is GPLA
x
. This program takes files outputted from the design programs and allows
one to plot the results.

It goes without saying that for many of us who dont have an engineering background, these
programs are invaluable.

Here is the new Transmitter Bandpass Filter circuit. It has a center frequency of 14.100 MHz,
and a 250 KHz bandwidth.



As in the Nuts and Bolts 40, the Tx Mixer output is terminated in a 6 DB 50 Ohm resistive
pad.

Since the Transmitter Post-Filter Amplifier is broadband, no changes will be needed there.
But we will need to change the impedance-matching Pi network between that amplifier and
the Transmitter Buffer.

It is important to note that the impedance levels throughout the transmitter thus far, from the
VFO Buffer and Tx Oscillator, through the Tx Mixer and the double-tuned filter and Post Filter
Amplifier, have been kept at 50 Ohms up to this point.

The Pi network on the output of the Post Filter Amplifier transforms that 50 Ohm impedance
to the 2.2 K Ohm impedance set by resistor R65, at the input to the Transmitter Buffer
Amplifier. Using the software program, Zmat
xi
, we find that the values needed to transform 50
Ohms to 2.2 K Ohms at 14 MHz are approximately 215 pF, 2.99 H, and 46 pF. We will use
220 pF, 32 turns on a T37-6 Toroid core, and a 15-65 pF trimmer capacitor, as shown in the
circuit below.

AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 10 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
Because of the fact that the Transmitter Buffer, Driver Amplifier, and PA circuit are
broadband, there is one last change to make in the transmitter circuit, and that is the final
Output Network. In the Nuts and Bolts 40, we found that a seven element Chebyshev filter
did a really great job of suppressing harmonics of the carrier frequency. So, as they say, "if it
aint broke, dont fix it". Using the program LowHi, once again, a seven element, Chebyshev
filter with a 15.5 MHz cutoff frequency was designed.

The component values are shown in the circuit below.



Filter response plotting in GPLA showed that setting this filters design cutoff frequency at
15.5 MHz provided the desired harmonic rejection, and at the same time, did not attenuate
the 14 MHz signal.

While, again, this seven element filter is a bit of overkill, the results are very comforting, in
terms of spectral purity. The transmitters two fundamental signal frequencies, the 5 MHz
VFO signal, and the 9 MHz Tx Oscillator signal, are at 50 DBC. The second harmonic of the
Tx output signal is at 60 DBC, with subsequent harmonics even lower in strength, as shown
in the Spectrum Analyzer photo below.


Photo by NB6M, test courtesy of WA6AYQ.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 11 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
FINAL TWEAKING

The last item that needed to be addressed was the receivers muting scheme. In the Nuts
and Bolts 40, the two IF amplifiers were switch on for receive, and off for transmit, by the
following circuit.


And, a secondary muting circuit, consisting of a 1 F capacitor, shorting the audio signal
going from the wiper of the audio gain pot to ground on transmit, was also used. The same
setup was tried in this rig. The audio signal going from the Product Detector to the Audio
Preamp was shorted to ground through a 1 F capacitor, on transmit, by a switched 2N3904
transistor, as shown in the circuit below.




AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 12 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
It was soon apparent that in this receiver, with 40 DB of muting being achieved on transmit by
turning the Receiver RF Preamp off, turning both IF amps off as well as using this audio mute
circuit resulted in almost no sidetone being heard at all.

Next, the receiver circuit was modified so that only one of the IF amps was turned off on
transmit. With that done, the sidetone was now a bit too loud. So, the value of the capacitor
used to short audio to ground in the audio muting circuit was increased from 1 F to 10 F.
This reduced the sidetone level considerably, but still not enough, as the sidetone was still
too loud at high settings of the RF Gain control, and the sidetone did not have a good, clean
sound.

The third modification to the muting scheme involved removing the above Rx Mute circuitry,
and installing a J176, P-channel JFET switch between the audio preamp and the final audio
output amp, as shown in the circuit below.


The J176 is switched off on transmit by the application of 12V+Tx. And, R38, 2.2 M Ohms in
this case, can be adjusted in value to set the sidetone level.

It was found that with this muting circuit in place, neither of the two IF amps needed to be
turned off on transmit. Having the receivers RF Preamp switched off, and having the J176
circuit above switched off, provided for a very comfortably low level of clean-sounding
sidetone. Therefore, the receiver IF circuitry was modified so that both IF amps receive 12V+
continuously.

The final, very satisfactory muting scheme involves just three key items. First, either the
familiar back-to-back diodes or the switched transistor in the T/R circuit, shorting the Tx RF to
ground on transmit. Second, turning the Receiver RF Preamp off on transmit, through the
means of the transistor switch placed in the Source lead of the JFET. Third, using the P-
channel JFET switch between the Audio Preamp and the Audio Output Amp, with its bridging
resistor value adjusted so as to provide the desired amount of sidetone.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 13 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
CONSTRUCTION

As can be seen in the photo below, this rig was laid out exactly as its predecessor.



NUTS AND BOLTS 20 CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW

See the construction photos and accompanying text from Nuts and Bolts Approach to RF
Design, Part I
xii
for details of the construction of each stage.

The dual trimmer capacitors associated with the Receiver RF Preamp can be seen in the
lower left corner, just to the right of the RF Gain pot. Visually, the addition of this amplifier is
about the only striking difference between the NB40 and the NB20, other than the relative
shortness of the tuning coil in this rig as compared to the 40 Meter version.












AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 14 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
A close-up shot of the RF Preamp is below.


Nuts and Bolts 20 Receiver RF Preamp


Its muting transistor is at upper center, and the two transistors at lower right are part of the
Cascode Mixer. The NP0 capacitor in upper right is the 4.7 pF cap bringing VFO energy to
the mixer.

The photo below shows the BFO, and, just above the crystal, peeking out from under the Tx
Final Amp transistor is the transistor switch used in the T/R Mute circuit.


Nuts and Bolts 20 BFO and T/R Mute


In both the BFO and Tx Oscillator, 22 H inductors and 5-50 pF trimmer capacitors were
placed in series with the crystal in order to accurately tune their respective offset frequencies.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 15 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
A shot of the Tx Oscillator is below. The two toroid coils are part of the five element
Chebyshev filter used at its output to help ensure spectral purity of the transmitter.


Nuts and Bolts 20 Tx Oscillator and Chebyshev filter


As can be seen from the pictures, Ugly Style construction is Three-Dimensional. With leaded
parts, the resulting structure is quite mechanically stable. Both the NB40 and NB20 have
survived long distance trips at the hands of the U. S. Mail Service, which, of itself, is
testimony to their durability.

This type of construction could be made even more durable by the use of compounds such
as RTV to fix toroid coils and other less rigid parts in place.

If you havent yet tried this construction method, you will be pleasantly surprised at how
quickly circuitry goes together. The only real trick to it is in soldering parts together in logical
order so that one part isnt unsoldered when the next one is being installed. This technique
will be quickly learned, with just a little practice.


CLOSING THOUGHTS

Re-designing the Nuts and Bolts 40 so as to put it on 20 Meters was a really fun project,
which resulted in a rig design that performs well on all levels. The transmitters output was left
at 1.5 Watts because of the ready availability of an outboard Miniboots amp to boost the
signal when needed. The spectral purity of the transmitter is excellent, much better than that
required by current regulation. The receiver is sensitive enough to pull QRP signals through
on 20 Meters, and the VFO provides stable coverage of over 150 KHz at the low end of the
band.

And, after some experimentation, the receiver muting is clean and efficient, providing a nice
sounding sidetone from the transmitters signal.
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 16 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
The complete circuit for the transceiver follows, at the end of this article.

Today, more than at any other time in Amateur Radio history, we have both information and
tools at our instant beck and call, through the medium of the internet. Currently available
computer programs allow those of us who need a little help with the math to design segments
of our projects that were beyond our reach before.

As you will be able to tell from the footnote references below, I have been very pleased with
the arrival on the scene of the book, "Experimental Methods In RF Design". While it does cost
a few dollars more than one might, at first, think of spending, I can only say that it is worth
every penny, in terms of ideas and methods, as well as the included software programs.

For the homebrewer, EMRFD has taken "Solid State Design For The Radio Amateur" a huge
quantum leap forward. I would like to express my thanks to Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, Rick
Campbell, KK7B, and Bob Larkin, W7PUA, for giving us this wonderful addition to our
reference library.

Using the methodology of the Nuts and Bolts approach, and these tools, many of us can
either design and build rigs of our own, or modify existing designs so as to put them on the
band of our choice.

If you are not yet comfortable with building in the Ugly Style, as these transceivers were built,
use whatever method works for you. But, at the very least, give it a try.

Enjoy,

Wayne NB6M


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

i. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin. "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL, 2003,
pages 12.16 through 12.19
ii. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL, 2003,
pages 3.18 and 3.19
iii. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, 2002, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL, 2003
iv. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, 2002, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL, 2003
v. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin, "Experimental Methods in RF Design", ARRL, 2003,
page 6.32
vi. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, ARRL, 1994
vii. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL 2003
viii. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL 2003
ix. Doug DeMaw, "The ARRL Electronics Data Book", ARRL, 1988-96, page 5-2
AmQRP Homebrewer, Issue #5 17 Copyright 2005, AmQRP, All rights reserved
x. Hayward, Campbell, and Larkin, "Experimental Methods In RF Design", ARRL 2003
xi. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, ARRL, 1994
xii. Wayne McFee, NB6M, "A Nuts and Bolts Approach To RF Design", AmQRP
Homebrewer Issue #3, Winter 2004
xiii. Wes Hayward, W7ZOI, and Doug DeMaw, W1FB, "Solid State Design For The Radio
Amateur", ARRL, 1977



Wayne McFee, NB6M may be reached by mail at 2379 Saint George Drive, Concord,
California 94520, or by email at NB6M@aol.com























All material in HOMEBREWER is copyright 2005 and may not be reprinted in any form without express written permission from the
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