d

Quansheng UV-K6 HF fullband MOD: if I made it, you can, too…

di

I am the proud owner of a modified Quansheng UV-K6 for receving HF…a lot has been said and I won’t bother anyone but I will regroup here a few resources I found useful:

UV-K6
The Hf board I used (mod v.5.0, less modification required…)
The antenna I use

I also needed the programming cable (used one from my Baofeng). here Some tutorials:

OM0ET and TakeApart as well as iu2frl
Some useful tool:

  • Flat bar tool to open the device
  • Third hand with lens or microscope.
  • Good desoldering braid (I didn’t have, I am acquiring it)
  • Flux, I used flux for SMD, not the stuff in the jar.
  • A soldering tip and solder iron small enough to operate in those little places. Another soldering iron capable to heat up a little more for SMA soldering and ground pad soldering.
  • A wrench for SMA (maybe useful)
  • very tiny copper wire (how tiny, you will understand opening up the device and seeing what you need to bridge. Be careful that is solder-friendly wire.
  • Conical drill bit or various size drill bits..or a small round file to enlarge the LED hole until it fits the SMA connector


The first step for me is always to test the device and be sure that works. Later, it is easier to understand if I broke it or didn’t work in the first place. After that, with the programming cable I use k5prog_win_v1.27 to backup calibration data and initial configuration, saving it for later use.

Leggi tutto

A bandstop filter for dirty VHF-UHF ham radio

di

I have a few baofengs I don’t use, as I prefer going around with my Yaesu. My QRP rig set is centered on my Yaesu, in fact. But there are times when I am not very confortable with losing or damaging the Yaesu, and being able to carry a Baofeng would be nice. But the harmonics! Aw!

Now, once I got my SDR radio I had the chance to look in a very non-scientific way to the harmonics of those Fengs and decided that I would be funny to have a few filter and try to clear up those emissions and learn something (I am no filter expert whatsoever)

Leggi tutto

Categorie ham

APRS packet interface with Baofeng and Pine A64

di

Since I was a boy I was intrigued a lot by TNC and packet Radio. In these days a TNC was a serious investment and soundcard weren”t as capable as now, plus we didn’t have (or at least I didn’t) access to programs like Direwolf and the lot. Moreover, I didn’t have access to a serious radio or receiver. Cheap SSB receivers like SDRs and XHDATA D808 were a mere dream. You would have to get a serious radio receiver with BFO and the price tag.
Now everything is simpler, and at arm reach (information and hardware). What you need is: time to fiddle with them.

My adventure with packet radio started with a very simple audio interface.§ This is more a diary for work in progress than a tutorial (there are many, and well made on the tube).
Let’s also state up front that by doing an interface like this you risk a lot damaging your valuable radio and PC. Not by chance I used an old UV3R and let my trusty Yaesu in its bag. As this is not a tutorial, I suggest you don’t follow the advice below and document yourself elsewhere very well before risking damages to your gear.

Leggi tutto

YADL, a dummy load for VHF/HF

di

I recently change my antenna cable and noticed I didn’t have a dummy load (“carico fittizio”) rated for VHF/UHF, so instead of buying or borrowing I decided to make one. I mostly do QRP: power rating isn’t really an issue, but I didn’t want to risk the RFP. I just bought a 50 ohm RFP … Leggi tutto

Categorie ham