Mini-DX-60
cory hamasaki (AH6GI)
on
March 16, 2006
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This is an overview of the mini DX-60 project. This is a small working amateur radio transmitter capable of long range communications.
I started with a PIXIE2 QRP transceiver kit from HSC. The PIXIE2 has a two stage crystal controlled CW transmitter and an amplified, direct conversion receiver that uses the transmitter's crystal oscillator.
I wasn't interested in the PIXIE2's receiver and plan to use this as a transmitter only.
I used a Radio Shack aluminum project box for the chassis. I bent the flanges down to form the folded case lid of the DX-60. I painted the cabinet with Rust-Oleum 1934-Meadow Green spray paint.
I drilled the front panel for 3/32 submini phone jack. This is the key jack.
The Radio Shack aluminum box is a close match for the DX-60 dimensions, it's a little wider so I stretched the JPG of the front panel using The GIMP image editing program.
The small rubber feet are tiny rubber bumpers from the hardware store.
The RF connection is a mini-UHF connector. This is good substitute for the standard UHF connector on the full size DX-60.
Future plans:
The chassis has enough room for an AC power supply, a keyer, as well as a power amplifier. Right now, it runs on a 9 volt battery.
A fun project might be a scale model Collins 32S-3 using WA6OTP's PTO kit.
de ah6gi/4
http://www.kiyoinc.com/dx60.htm
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Mini-DX-60
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by N3JBH on March 16, 2006
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WOW seems like fun project all right. great job as well.
folks you need to go to his web site to really see this.
great work thanks jeff/n3jbh
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by KC8VWM on March 16, 2006
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...So is it fair to call this a fishhook project instead of a boatanchor project?
Nice job!
73
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by KL7IPV on March 16, 2006
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Why, that looks just like the DX-60B I built. Looks like fun! I gotta look into that one. Thanks.
Frank
KL7IPV
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by W0FM on March 17, 2006
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What a cool project. Brings back memories of my DX-60B from the '60's.
This got the creative juices flowing. Maybe I'll recreate my entire Novice station from 1962. That would be fun to have. Thanks for the nice article.
73,
Terry, WØFM
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by K8AG on March 17, 2006
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Next time do a Tiny HW-16 and use the receiver too. Might even have room for a VFO.
Pretty cool post.
73, JP, K8AG
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by K1DA on March 17, 2006
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The S Line panels were stamped with the texture in a press and painted. No rubber cement. That gear s NOT Jap junk. Rubber cement bleeep!
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by N8BOA on March 17, 2006
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My Elmer WA8HAA Jim Hope had one of those in the early 70s but quarters and nickles were not that big back then
Thanks
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by WA6CDE on March 17, 2006
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ahhhh yes the builder.... what a great idea... only I think I would go one better and actually put a meter behind the chassis panel... and because the loading and tank dip caps were on the 60 I think I would build in the antenna tuner... again using the meter and then the two knobs for tuning it... might want to look as what MFJ has and strip it down to put it in...
Switching the meter from the RF output to the antenna tuner would be also added for real use...
Just some suggestions... as well as putting the crystal socket on the front for that real time look...
I could see this as being another heathkit remake... for those that remember the good old stuff that heathkit made...
thanks again...
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by NS6Y_ on March 17, 2006
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Hey blahlah, why not stick the front panel on with poi?
MUA-HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by K3UD on March 18, 2006
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Very cool and a great job!
I never had a DX-60 but did have a DX-40 and a Knight T-60. Bothe the DX-60 and the T-60 were coll looking radios while the DX-40 was somewhat lacking in eye appeal.
Nice work :)
73
George
K3UD
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by NS6Y_ on March 18, 2006
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Building miniature versions of beloved old 'anchors' sounds like a neat new hobby! I wonder if I could somehow build a mini version of my beloved old Hallicrafters S-40B? With a blue LED inside to simulate the gassy tube it developed?
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by WA1RNE on March 18, 2006
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I had 2 DX-60's: A DX-60, my first, then a DX-60B. Both were very reliable and fun to use.
I kept the newer B model and used it with a Drake R-4A as my Novice station. I worked hundreds of stations - from DX on 40, 15 and 10 to local CW traffic nets on 80 at night. Eventually I got to use the AM mode when I received my General ticket.
I was rock-bound for several months, then Novices were allowed to use VFO control and I picked up an HG-10B VFO.
So as a next step and perfect companion for the DX-60B, why not create a mini HG-10B using WA6OTP's PTO or some other means? The scale would be very similar.
The PTO could also be injected into a receiver and used as a master oscillator for tranceive operation.
73, Chris, WA1RNE
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Mini-DX-60
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by AH6GI on March 18, 2006
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Thanks for all the comments.
Update on the mini-DX-60. I don't have the Radio Adventures TR switch working yet.
http://www.radioadv.com/ham_radio_equipment/Accessories/BK175.htm
I'm looking at increasing the power too. The Norcal miniboots is out of print but here is the tech info http://www.amqrp.org/kits/miniboots/index.html I could-a built that into a mini SB-200 or Heath Warrior.
The WA6OTP PTO kit is at http://www.wa6otp.com/pto.htm
I can see building a Ranger, HT-32, lots of different boatanchors.
The DX-60 had a screen modulator in it for AM. The AM mod for the PIXIE2 transmitter is here http://www.qrpp-i.com/talking_pixie2.htm
As far as receivers and SSB, I don't see many base kits on the market other than direct conversion receivers.
Hope to see and hear your project radios.
de ah6gi/4
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Mini-DX-60
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by WA8MEA on March 20, 2006
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My 75 year old father and I are trying to replicate our very first ham station. A Hammarlund HQ-180 receiver and a Heath DX-60A transmitter. This is cute, but probably doesn't qualify. Hi. I didn't find either at the Marshall, MI hamfest this past weekend. I did see a couple of Heath DX-20's in really nice shape. But what a pain in the butt it had to have been to put the dang crytals through the hole in the side of that xmtr!!
I don't know if they have any left, but Fair Radio was selling single band "exciters" that could be used as QRP transmitters. They were only a watt. I bought three or four and took out the final amp and replaced it with a 2N3553 to give them about four watts output. I have a feeling those Fair Radio gadgets would also fit inside this case.
73, Bill - WA8MEA - wa8mea@hotmail.com
http://HamRadioFun.com
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by WA6CDE on March 20, 2006
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WA8MEA
Might try the WARFA swapp net... seems to recall several of the DX 60's being listed... check the internet Too bad your not on the west coast as the swapp net on 7239.5 also had several of them in the past month come and go... most were around 50 to 75 bux as I recall...
no web listing for the sat and sunday 40 mtr swapp net but, with the bands being like they are the east coast has been coming in also...
I am sure you should be able to ask for one... on the eham swapp section also... most don't advertise to sell them as they are outdated... but, who knows...
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RE: Mini-DX-60 -NS6Y
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by AH6GI on March 21, 2006
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"I wonder if I could somehow build a mini version of my
beloved old Hallicrafters S-40B? With a blue LED inside to simulate the gassy tube it developed?"
Do-it. It would be awesome.
I've been restoring boatanchors. There are two problems with them. The parts are getting harder to find and modern parts just don't look right. The other is that sometimes you're itching to improve the radio but that goes against the "keep it original" rule.
By tossing out the rules and building a "reproduction", you can bend the rules but a full size repro is too hard for me.
A scale model (granted not to scale) lets me make up my own rules and have a bunch of fun. This mini-DX-60 is FUN! I get the same feeling from looking at and using it that I did when I was a novice.
It's fun. That's what's important.
de ah6gi/4
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RE: Mini-DX-60 -NS6Y
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by KB2FCV on March 23, 2006
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What a clever idea!
I've already started thinking of how I can change my Rockmite. I like the mini HW-16 idea. I have an HW-16 or two floating around. Perhaps use some Amber LED's to simulate the dial lights and put a transparent dial and holes up top to allow light to shine through..
The idea's are flowing..
It would be alot more attractive than the dull aluminum case it's in now. Thanks for the great article!
One question,
How did you capture the front panel? Was it simply a digital picture cropped, shrunk down and printed out?
73,
James KB2FCV
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - KB2FCV
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by AH6GI on March 23, 2006
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I hope to see your mini-HW-16 on eHam's shack pics or a website.
You're right, the plain aluminum boxes aren't very much fun. The Altoids tin is OK but those tuna-tin radios have got to get a better home.
As I said, I got the idea for the front panel from two sources, the crystal radio people who build wooden Yaesus and the Collins glue-on front panel on the S-line. I think Collins used rubber cement.
Although I have a real DX-60, the picture was from Rig-Pix or some other site. I did a test print on my Lexmark color inkjet printer. Then I used "The GIMP" image editing program to set the height and width to match the Radio Shack box. The picture is stretched a little, about 10%.
A piece of 3M transparent packaging tape on the front and the back of the picture and it's ready to glue on to the aluminum.
I have holes in the aluminum for the LEDs and the meter switch but didn't punch through the paper/plastic. I was rushing to get this working. I wanted to get the idea out before Hamfest season.
My printer was running low on ink so the picture isn't the greatest but combined with the little rubber feet, the folded-edge lid, the 3/32" jack, and the Meadow-green paint, it looks very convincing.
I've been looking at things that could be knobs. Toothpaste caps show promise. Doll makers tell me that Fimo might make a good custom mini-knob. I also think that if I make the meter real, that a fimo bezel would work.
The hardware store has drawer pulls that look to me like little R-390A rack handles.
I expect that you builder-types will make some stunning and fun mini-radios.
Looking forward to seeing other mini-radios. Too bad W1FB missed this.
de ah6gi/4
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by WA2JJH on March 28, 2006
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Has anybody tried using 2n3866's instead of the 2n2222's. trim the bias resistors lower.
I did this with the tuna tin 2 TX. I did get almost 750mw of TX power. Also the 2n3866 is good up to VHF.
One may find improved RX as well.
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by WA2JJH on March 28, 2006
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Yup W1FB would have liked this yet another sub cult of ham radio.
W1FB as many know design the tina tin 2 and the Sardine can direct conversion receiver.
When combined one had a QRP rig. All the parfts were at radio shack.
The idea of the MINI-IMITATION classical rigs is a nice twist. Perhaps Mini-imi QRP rigs will go down in history like the TX built in a tuna can.
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RE: Mini-DX-60
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by KL7IPV on March 28, 2006
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Quote, "MINI-IMITATION classical rigs".
That has a great "ring" to it. A new sub breed of transmitters or transceivers. Who knew?
Frank
KL7IPV
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by AH6GI on March 29, 2006
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Do you recall how you changed the circuit? I'd like to get 750 milliwatts, even more if possible.
I've set up a yahoo group for mini-imi's. I'll be sending my next report through it. We can store pictures on Yahoo too, so that might help this "little" hobby.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mini-radio
I'll be changing my mini-DX-60 over the next few weeks. I got a square flange mini-UHF connector last week. That's a nice upgrade from the more common single-round-hole mini-UHF connectors.
de ah6gi/4
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by WA2JJH on March 29, 2006
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POWER INCREAES ON TUNA TIN. Should work on the Pixie.
Just using 2n3866's instead of the plastic 2n2222's.
I changed the Xtal osc driver transistors swamping resistor to 3/4 original value (150 ohm..I think, this was over 25 years ago.
I also changed a resistor in the PA to allow more ICC. Make sure you heatsink both transistors!
Hope this helps
DE WA2JJH MIKE.
Like your artwork on the Mini-Imi-DX-60!
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by KL7IPV on March 29, 2006
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Another idea would be to take a picture of your current radio (FT-817, IC-706) set to the same frequency as the QRP transmitter. Place that on the front of the case and you have the picture showing the tansmitter set on the same as you transmit. The new rig pictures would fit some of the cases almost directly without stretching too. Fun!
Frank
KL7IPV
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by WA2JJH on March 30, 2006
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Hmmmm Frank, a nice idea!
A MINI-IMI KEY CHAIN KENWOOD TS-950SDX
A MINI-IMI DRAKE C LINE MATCH BOOK LINE
How bout a GOOD-N-Plenty box TS-520 Mini-imi!
73 DE MIKE WA2JJH
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by WA2JJH on March 30, 2006
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What I did finaly do with my Tina Tin 2 was to add a simple AM modulator/Double side band ring modulator.
I gave up 25 years ago when I used a 10W switching Mosfet. I was able to build a broad band(3-10mhz) P.A.
I did get about 4W out.
I am so sorry I threw my moded tina tin 2 out when I got a New fangled TS-520S back in 1979.
Today we do have multi-octive VCO's. Use One VCO/VFO
per band (they cost 12 bux from mini circuits)
Use a mini-circuit MMIC(microwave monolithic IC)
DC-50mhz RF amps 80mw out 20 db gain.
This should drive a pair of 2n3866 in parallel.
A watt out should be no problem.
RX-direct conversion. Use the same VCO in RX. Lots of
active op filtering and a BPF on the input of the front end.
As soon as I build one....I will share for all.
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by WA2JJH on March 30, 2006
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CORY AH6GI...A YAHOO group sounds great. We could swap mini-imi case fronts. More importantly exchange designs.
Start off simple by using 2 pixies. One for TX. One for a for RX with a little more performance. Perhaps get fancy and use multi-octive VCO'S
for 80,40,15M.
Let us know how we can assist
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by AH6GI on March 30, 2006
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The yahoo group is
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mini-radio
I've set it so that anyone can add images and files. I know that bandwidth costs and eHam needs to reserve their bandwidth for advertisers. We can put our works in progress on the Yahoo site and when there's something really, really good, post it to eHam in their Shacks section or do up another article.
One fun thing would be to enter these mini-imi's (I do like the name) in the QRP'ers Sprints. Also, straight key night and similar competitions.
I took a picture of my mini-DX-60 to the Timonium hamfest but realize now that if I had printed a dozen or more pictures or articles, that the vendors of small components could have used them to build up their business.
As simple as these are, when you start goin' you need a lot of parts, especially connectors. Somehow RCA jacks and plugs don't have the same look and feel as mini-UHF connectors.
I'll put up some pictures on the Yahoo site of my parts later.
de ah6gi/4
QSY to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mini-radio
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by WA2JJH on March 31, 2006
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A-ok Cory..See all you MINI-IMI CLASSIC RIG builders/designers up on the Yahoo site.
Cool catalogues for parts I like
Mini-circuits MMIC handbook/catalog
They make tiny multioctive VCO's, amps, mixers, detectors.
www.minicirciuts.com
73 to all and spcl tnx to Cory fer idea MIKE WA2JJH
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RE: Mini-DX-60 - wa2jjh
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by AH6GI on April 1, 2006
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I've added a picture of the Wooden Yaesu Crystal radio that gave me the idea to build the mini-DX-60 to the site.
Here's the picture.
http://ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/mini-radio/photos/view/c715?b=4
de ah6gi/4
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Mini-DX-60
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by K2PGB on April 3, 2006
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Great idea. This may become a homebrew craze. Now lets see maybe a Heath AT-1 would look good, better than the one in thegarage..
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