CB to CW PART 2

 In a previous post, I briefly discussed a way to convert an AM-only crystal-controlled CB radio into a 10 meter QRP CW rig with some additional features. Now that I've discussed the theory, I've written this post to track my progress and give you some information should you want to do the same.

My HUGE Pixie Project

 After the failure of the Paraset Pixie, I decided to give up for a bit on any Pixie-related projects. I was frustrated, and rightfully so. I more than likely got a dud but for as cheap as they run, there's not much of a loss there.

However, one does have to appreciate the simplicity of the Pixie circuit. You can spend hours and hours on research, but it all boils down to a simple direct conversion receiver paired with a simple CW transmitter. The work is placed on the final amplifier transistor, as this functions as the power amplifier in transmit, and acts as the mixer on receive. Clever, isn't it? You can see the idea here from the RU-QRP group:

Unfortunately, the Pixie is an abhorrent choice of QRP radio to use. It's crystal controlled, meaning that it lacks frequency agility. The choice of direct conversion on receive leaves the pass band wide open as a barn door, meaning that QSOs will be several kilohertz above and below your spot frequency. The variable potentiometer only helps up to a point. However, this doesn't mean that it is automatically destined for the trash bin. 

Pixie Sixtie (Part III): Harmonic Suppression

 Today I'll discuss a filter that is imperative to have so I can use the Pixie on the air. I'll cover two types - a low-pass and a band-pass, and explain why you may want them on your project.

Pixie Sixite (Part II): The Passive Audio Filter

Today I want to discuss an imperative add-on for the Pixie Sixtie I'm building. This should also apply to any other Pixie kit or similar QRP kit with poor front-end filtering and a wide passband.

Pixie on Sixtie (Part I)

In the 6ish years I've been a ham I have not once touched or operated on 60 meters. It is the only HF band that is unexplored territory for me. That being said, 60 meters may be unappealing to many hams as it was for me. You're only limited to 5 channels with 2.8KHz of bandwidth, mode choices of SSB, narrow data modes such as PSK31 or CW, and a maximum power limit of 100 watts ERP. Not very appealing :|