https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/b6e527a3-b47d-46cf-afcd-94e142c25c47 For many years I've derided QRP crystal controlled transceivers (eg the Pixie) as toys. There'd be kits, people would build them, make a contact or two, and then they'd gather dust on a high shelf. Which is not a bad thing given the price of the nine volt batteries some of them use. But you'd have to say that there's a novelty factor about a cigarette-pack sized rig. And their low power consumption is in start contrast to a hungry beast like an FT-817. Here is my own novelty rig for 40m CW. Its clunky t/r switching (flip a switch and turn a dial) and a wide direct conversion receiver does not make it a DX machine. But in other respects it is a little less toyish. There's a wide-swing VXO (nearly 20 kHz) and a usable receiver (stable, unmicrophonic and free of broadcast station breakthrough). Plus the 4 x AA batteries provide longer life and cheaper running. Power output is around 100mW (or a bit more). Under good conditions this is capable of contacts up to around 800km during the day. This video provides some footage of contacts made on its first day, a description and, at the end, a circuit. Note the drawing errors in the Colpitts VXO circuit; 1. add a 1k resistor from emitter to earth, and 2. move the lower 1n capacitor's top lead from the 33k resistor to the emitter/1k resistor/220pf capacitor's junction. UPDATE: Two 7030 kHz crystals were substituted in place of the 7040 kHz initially used. VXO coverage is now 7005 - 7028 kHz. The unit is described in detail in Lo-Key March 2012 and Sprat Summer 2012. Contents 0:00 Introduction 0:25 Inside and description 1:25 Receiving 2:07 On air making contacts 2:55 Circuit diagram PS: If you liked this video please consider supporting Amateur Radio VK3YE by: Subscribing on YouTube, Checking my books page at https://books.vk3ye.com ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​, Shopping on Amazon via: https://amzn.to/3iiDQXv​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ , or, Shopping on eBay via: https://ebay.us/i9DuWP (then if you buy something I'll get a small commission at no cost to you) Sat, 09 May 2026 09:26:18 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://stream.echo6.co https://stream.echo6.co/client/assets/images/icons/icon-512x512.png https://stream.echo6.co/videos/watch/b6e527a3-b47d-46cf-afcd-94e142c25c47 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://stream.echo6.co/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.