MKARS80 80M transceiver

[M0TZO]

]I have paids me monies for and will shortly be receiving an MKARS80 (pronounced "em cars 80") 80M transceiver from next Club meeting. It's one you have to build from a kit, which is something I have not done before.

I am not into building, and the most advanced thing prior to this (not including one of those spring loaded electronics kits), was a Morse oscillator.

This will be done with the Sutton & Cheam Radio Society, and Steve G6ALU from MKARS is giving a talk on Thursday 17th at our club.

I will use this post to let people know how I am progressing, and hopefully some regular photo updates, and any other hints, tips I learn from this.

The next update might be Thursday 17th or Friday 18th July.

Milton Keynes Amateur Radio Society MKARS80 80M transceiver link (http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/mkars/MKARS80.htm)

Sutton & Cheam Radio Society (http://scrs.org.uk/)

[M0TZO]

Here are some photos before I start the soldering of the MKARS 80.

More photos on my Gallery - M0TZO Photo Gallery (http://gallery.m0tzo.co.uk/jul2008/)

[M0HAK]

Looks like a fun little project. I recommend spending some time practicing your soldering if you're a bit rusty - I built a TinyTrack 4 and you can tell which components went on first from the dodgy soldering!

[M0TZO]

First 26 resistors soldered.

A Good start for me!

[M0HAK]

Is the one near the C43 position supposed to be up like that?

I notice you didn't show the solder side of the board? :D :D

[M0TZO]

You weren't supposed to notice.

Will sort at later date when more confident as this is the first build doing on my own, and didn't pull through enough.

Hey, I was impressed didn't make any more errors!

[M0TZO]

OK, so some Solder Mop and a few minutes and the resistor is were it should be.

And now onto today's update. More resistors added, think upto about 65 now.

Haven't photographed the back as not a lot to see at the moment other than 130 tiny blobs of solder. Will photograph when much further on and more to see on rear.

[M0TZO]

Friday was drinking in evening, so non done that day. Saturday was too hot to do too much.

But got a little done and also put some tape on the helping hands rather than bits of paper which were too big and would fall out when open.

Working out in eXcel, I have completed using 26% (82 of 321) of the parts so far. Quite an achievement for me.

[M0TZO]

Today's Update. Did a bit over weekend, but not a lot.

Also found out I had downloaded wrong manual when some parts were different than expected, but the MKARS 80 Yahoo Group set me straight. Typically was 2 version, so I had 50/50 chance, and got the wrong one. :roll:

Resistors finally done and now onto some capacitors. Also as requested have photographed back of board. (sorry about quality, but flash light was more reflective on underside).

[M0TZO]

Been a bit slow recently on the Kit building, but finally finished Bag 2 tonight.

Here for you viewing pleasure as usual I have some photo of my current progress.

[M0TZO]

Wound (& then re-wound when someone pointed out an error I had made) Transformers T1 & T3.

I have left T4, T5 & T6 until later as they have 6 and not 4 wire connectors like T1 & T3.

No Photos at the moment as I got a new laptop a few months back and only just realised have no way to read CF cards.

Will upload some in next week or so.

[M0HAK]

Looking good.

Solder side of the board looks pretty neat to me (especially since you say you haven't done much kit building) though you might find some of the leads a bit long when you come to put it into the case if there isn't much clearance.

Andy

[M0TZO]

Now have new Card & Card reader, so here are some new photos.

Did some whilst helping with the 2E course we are running in Banstead (with some assistance this time as the windings were part of kit I was most unsure about. Worse bit I know now is where the enamal coating on the thicker wires needs stripping either by melting with soldering iron or scrapping off).

Oh, and before anyone complains, the 3 windings (black sqares near bottom of board) are not yet glued down, so probably do look wonky in the photos).

[M0TZO]

Woohoo! Finally finished Bag 3. Onto some ICs next.

Photos attached as usual.

Note:- These photos taken on my new camera at 8Mp (FujiFilm FinePix S5800) so maybe slow if you try to view fullsize.

[David]

I've been tempted to get one of these inn the past. I saw them in the flesh at the MKARS rally this year. Amazingly good value.

[M0TZO]

I've been tempted to get one of these inn the past. I saw them in the flesh at the MKARS rally this year. Amazingly good value.

Should do, it's a nice kit. Obviously though you can't TX on it until you get your 2E.

I've had hours of fun and whilst I would be a little disappointed if it didn't work, I think the £45 was still well spent.

[M0TZO]

Didn't think I would have time this weekend, but took along when helping and operating in the 2m AFS contest this Sunday.

Well I didn't actually make a single contact myself, but logged a bit and then did some of my kit.

The sharp eye among you might notice the green caps (C59 & C60) in the centre have been removed. There was some discussion on MKARS80 Yahoo Group about replacing with Polystyrene caps. Luckily a friend sourced some from Sycom (http://www.sycomcomp.co.uk/). These improve the stability of the rig resulting in less drifting off of frequency.

These photos taken with my new Nokia N95 8Gb. Left Fuji camera at home due to space, and the small Canon didn't have any charge. Think I need another new battery for it.

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[M0TZO]

OK, been a little while since there was a smell of solder smoke in the shack.

This has now been rectified, as 2 days this week already I have been working on my MKARS 80 (& Whitton Amateur Radio Group BITx20).

So the project continues and photos are attached as always. Enjoy.
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[M0TZO]

Did a bit more tonight, but haven't taken any photos.

I worked out that I have less than 25 main board components left.

Not as great as it sounds as some involve testing and tuning, again a new area for me.

Oh well, maybe some time soon, I will finish it.

If it's still light out when I get home, I may try to get photo, but light in the Shack is not great as can be seen in most previous photos.

[M0TZO]

So last 2 evenings my soldering iron has finally come out of retirement on my MKARS80.

The first 4 shots were taken on Sunday night, and last 2 Monday night (although if you check the photo time stamps, seem to all be a day out :? )

Not much to go on the board now, but I need some wire from friend to solder to the crystals as my iron is not hot enough to melt the enamal on the 22 gauge wire in the kit.

And then the testing begins. Will it work???

Even if it doesn't at first, there is a ham friend locally who is good at building, and also a Yahoo group, so I am fairly certain at some point it will work, but can't be sure if/when. All the fun of kits I guess.

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[headshot119]

Any more progress on this?

I'm interested in getting one once I've got my 2E0.

[M0TZO]

Any more progress on this?

I'm interested in getting one once I've got my 2E0.

Actually, Yes.

I'll get some photos tomorrow (or next few days) when the light is better. Check back soon.

[m0bov]

U had any on air reports yet?

[M0TZO]

Here you go.

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More Photos Here on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gadget17/sets/72157612979361383/)


U had any on air reports yet?
Nope, I haven't powered up myself, but Martin M1MRB (from ICQPodcast) has. There was one Cap that I installed the wrong way & it kinda went Bang :roll: . He replaced it and a resistor that died as a consequence of the Cap problem.

I have a local club member who can cut the case for me, just have to get it to him.

[M0TZO]

It's boxed and almost ready for my own test.

Just need to print the Panel Overlay, get some Control Knobs, dig out a Electret microphone & speaker for it.

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[M0TZO]

Maplin maybe full of Knobs, but I only wanted the ones to adjust the controls on my Radio.

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[satelliteone]

looks awsome!.. nice job.. 45 quid bargain!!, i was thinking of getting a receiver kit for 136Mhz NOAA Weather satellites or the colour system at UHF

[M0TZO]

It Works.

[flash=425,355:1oel6oas]http://www.youtube.com/v/e0p8oo1p0IU&hl=en&fs=1[/flash:1oel6oas]
[flash=425,355:1oel6oas]http://www.youtube.com/v/NbFzoyjxx1s&hl=en&fs=1[/flash:1oel6oas]

Also some video I shot on same day of friends Remote Controlled Helicopter as it's cool.


[flash=425,355:1oel6oas]http://www.youtube.com/v/1J2gre274AA&hl=en&fs=1[/flash:1oel6oas]

[techiesteve]

I can only echo what a wonderful kit this is. I bought mine last year before starting the foundation course, at that time I didn't realise you had to have your intermediate license before using it. I started building mine over the Christmas break, have populated all of bags 1, 2 and 3. Soon I need to decide wether to carry on and fit it in the supplied case, or to add some of the mods, varicap tuning with the 80m band switched into 3, AGC, tune up oscillator and an internal speaker. I'm looking at larger cases now. I'll test the receiver, and the tx into a dummy load, I take my intermediate exam in March, not too long away. The last transmitter I built was around 1967, using 2 x EF91 and a 5763 pa with choke modulation from an ECC83 and EL84, all valves.

[AD6KA]

I have completed this marvelous kit and the receiver is aligned and operating wonderfully.
However, I have moved on to adjusting the transmitter section. I am using an electret
mic element set in a pill bottle with a momentary switch.

However, I cannot get the Carrier Balance adjustment to work at all.
I have tried both monitoring the output with a sensitive QRP Power Meter
(the Elecraft W1) and also monitoring the oputput in a nearby "big rig" transceiver
(IC-756 PROII) with the antenna disconnected and the gain turned low.
This way I can also use the LCD spectrum display to monitor peaks in the displayed signal.

Adjusting R59 and C103 have absolutely NO EFFECT. Yes, the PA Bias
is set corectly at 50 mA.

Any suggestions?
Thanks es 73, Ken AD6KA / 5R8GQ
kenp@socal.rr.com