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write your own review of the Small Wonder Labs Rock-Mite.
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WS4V
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Rating: 0/5
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Oct 30, 2006 08:25
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Ordered 11 months ago and still no kit
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I ordered the Hi-Mite tranceiver in November 2005, right after the QST article came out. The kit was for 17 meters and I have still not received it. I'm still on the NOT SHIPPED list. They used to answer emails (I have sent three total) but now no replies.
They have had design problems with the RX section and it has been resolved but that was mmonths ago and still nothing in the mail or no emails. At the very least they need to appologize to the amateur radio community for this long delay. Today their web site won't even come up... Who knows, maybe it has crashed. I still am looking forward to building the kit if I ever get it but I hope it gets there before my failing eyesight due to diabetes keeps me from building it.
Hey guys, we deserve some REAL feedback about what the heck is going on!
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K3MD
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 2, 2006 16:37
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Fun
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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My rock-mite 40 went together in 1 day, mounted in a plastic hardware-store box. It does suffer from some broadcast interference from the 50KW station 1 mile away. Made 2 contacts on it, which takes patience with no real VFO and 0.5 watt output. Fun to amaze your friends with at the local radio club. No adjustments-nice! Built-in keyer works well, after you get over the fear of soldering the surface-mounted IC. Business owner very friendly.
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KB5JO
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 7, 2006 15:43
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Novel and cheap fun!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I built the 40 meter version, and found it to be a novel little rig, easy to build and simple to operate. In the process, I found a large community of folks building, modifying and operating these little rigs, a yahoo discussion group and a web page dedicated to the Rock-mite and its offspring the Hi-Mite. There are a lot of third-party parts for modifying these little rigs to overcome their shortcomings. Rather reminds me of my ham radio early days using a low power crystal controlled transmitter years ago.
Based on advice of some experienced users, I changed the keyer chip to a $5 replacement that incorporates two message memories and increased the power to 800 MW from the stock 500 MW. The rig invites experimentation and most users incorporate machined pins for major components to accommodate modifications without ruining the circuit board. I’m planning to add a simple VXO to my next Rock-mite, for 30 meters.
Having built this rig to try QRPp (< 1 watt), successfully snagging QSOs is a challenge. Because the receiver is direct conversion, selectivity suffers. Being “rock-bound” means that calling CQ is strategy suggested by experienced users, but with less than 1 watt power, most folks on 40 meters hardly notice the signal. I have had two solid QSOs in two weeks, both with stations about 350 miles away. This was before increasing power to 800 MW by changing the final amplifier transistor. By contrast, using my SW+40 at 2 watts, QSOs with Europe are common.
If your goal is an efficient and high performance QRP rig I would instead suggest one of the SW+ series that don’t cost much more, but have single conversion receivers with crystal filters. If experimentation and operating with true minimalist equipment is exciting, then the Rock-mite is the ticket.
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KB2FCV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 5, 2006 08:23
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Fun little rig!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have the 40 meter Rockmite. This kit went together in one or two nights (one night to build, one night to mount everything). The instructions were easy to follow and the operating instructions were clear. Using a long piece of wire I was able to hear stations on the first night. Having the built-in keyer is a really nice feature as well, all you need is paddles and an antenna and you're ready to go.
I tested the rig out at a friends house. It took a while calling CQ, but eventually someone from Indiana answered back! I'm in NJ, so that's a pretty nice catch for 500 mW! Mine is mounted in the boring $1.79 radio shack aluminum project box (but it does fit my 8 AA's in there!)I reccomend this kit to someone interested in kit building. Satisfaction is guaranteed.
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KC9IIM
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 1, 2006 17:15
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Cool Kit
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just ordered a Finger Tip Tapper and a whip antenna the other day. I haven't had time yet to transmit. However, today, I was able to test out the receive with our school club's 40m vertical. After a little listening, I was able to hear several CW signals. It was amazing!! As for kit building, I have minimal experience with electronics. As far as I go is an eighth grade engineering course in which we spent a couple of weeks on electronic components. I found all the soldering easy enough for a beginner. I decided to use an American Morse MityBox. It looks really snazzy!!
Try it out,
KC9IIM
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AB5CC
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 16, 2006 18:52
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This must be the best value in ham radio!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have built many QRP kits over the last 14 years and I must say that the RockMite is the best value of all. It is elegantly simple. And, best of all, it works wonderfully. The use of an extra crystal to narrow the front end of the direct conversion is a stroke of genius. Where else can you get a QRP transceiver kit With Built-In Keyer for $27? Don't forget to get a Mity-Box to go along with the kit and it becomes a work of art. And, unlike many inexpensive QRP kits, you can actually make contacts on this rig. I purchased the Finger Tip Tapper key and the ALT (Altoids Longwire Tuner) to use with the RockMite. If you build kits, you must try this one.
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OD5SK
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 20, 2005 22:11
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Excellent Kit
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This is the best transceiver kit I have ever built.The instruction manual is very clear,high quality component and the most important thing that is really works :) the built-in keyer is a beauty..its nice to build and work DX with this little thing, Thanks Small Wonder Labs.
Best 73's,
Samir ( OD5SK,HZ1SK,KC5RYL )
http://www.od5sk.com
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KA7OEI
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 20, 2005 10:23
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Elegantly simple...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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For a direct-conversion radio, this is one of the best ones that I've ever used and a brilliant application of the KISS principle - especially with the use of the crystal in the front end solving several problems with DC receivers.
Of course, I immediately went about and somewhat violated the KISS principle, adding a volume control and an RIT (allowing it to move +800 Hz or so.)
Initially, I had installed the extra coil and capacitor that had been provided with the kit to bring it up to current FCC specs, but noticed that in so-doing I not only lost output power but that current consumption during transmit went up by a bit. My suspicion was raised by this so I put it on the service monitor which showed some nasty spurs, so I removed the new components (that is, returned it to its original circuit) and the problem went away. Measuring the harmonics (using several different analyzers to be sure) I observed that the 2nd harmonic was at last -48 dBc, so no worry there...
A great kit, easy to put together, and fun to use on the air.
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WA3ELQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 18, 2005 12:31
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Fun radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just finished building the Rock-Mite 30. This gives me the full set (80, 40, 30, 20) available so far. All have been fun and easy to build, and fun to use.
I had just made the last solder connection and was giving the Rock-Mite 30 the "smoke test" when I heard a station calling CQ. I decided to answer, and had a solid QSO with a station in Texas (I am in eastern PA). I was using a dipole up only 10 feet, and a 500mw Rock-Mite not yet finished and in its box. QRP with a Rock-Mite is great fun!
Larry WA3ELQ
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WY3A
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 10, 2005 11:46
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The RockMite Rocks
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I had heard that Dave Benson's ROCKMITE (Small Wonders Lab) QRPp (400 mw) minimalist transceiver was a good little radio. But I didn't know how good it was until I had mine on the air for a day or two and enjoyed many easy contacts including a DX ragchew on 40 meters.
Building the 40M Rockmite was a joy with a magnifying lamp and my old Radio Shack "helping hands alligator clip "vice". For a more detailed write-up go to my RockMite page:
http://www.qsl.net/wy3a/RockMite.htm
Once I got the board inside the enclosure, I hooked the rig up to a regulated supply at my main operating position, tested transmit, frequency shift, and keyer functions, which were good, then called CQ a few times. Moments later I was in QSO with a guy on a fishing trip in the Allegheny mountains of western PA running a battery powered 5 watt rig. That first day, a half dozen easy QSO's were enjoyed from my QTH in eastern Pennsylvania with stations from Massachusetts to Michigan, using a low G5RV multiband antenna and a higher 40M 1/2 wave sloping (nearly) vertical dipole.
The next night I was doing computer work and not paying much attention to the ROCKMITE's audio coming through the headphones sitting on the desk. Suddenly, I thought I heard a very loud F3 (France) station ragchewing on my frequency (7040.9)! The headphones were quickly off the desk and on my head. When their QSO ended, I called, but F3NB worked someone else. When they were done I called again and was astonished that Andy came back and gave me a 559 report through the QRN on his side. We then enjoyed a 100% solid copy ragchew. I kept looking at the Altoids tin in disbelief that I was actually hearing and talking to Andy in Toulouse France, on 40 meters, through THAT little radio. I even glanced at my big radio to make sure it was turned OFF.
Before that QSO I had worked many hundreds of European stations on 40 CW. But never with less than 500 mw and a transceiver in an Altoids tin. And -- it might be my imagination -- but I could swear to you that the little ROCKMITE sounds better in my headphones than my full size rig.
The RockMite Rocks.
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