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Reviews For: Phaser Digital Mode Transceiver 20-meter Kit

Category: Ham Radio Kits

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Review Summary For : Phaser Digital Mode Transceiver 20-meter Kit
Reviews: 2MSRP: $60.00 (Enclosure is $25.00).
Description:
The Phaser Digital Mode Transceiverâ„¢ is a single-board, 4-watt SSB radio specifically designed for using digital modes with computers running WSJT-X, DigiPan, FLDIGI and most other digital mode applications.
Product is in production
More Info: https://midnightdesignsolutions.com/phaser/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
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K7ESU Rating: 2020-10-31
Fun kit that works Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The kit is well organized and goes together easily and quickly.
Once finished, and power applied, it worked perfectly.
I seem to be able to work almost as many FT8 stations with this 4 watts as I do with my other rigs at 30watts.
My antenna is a 43' vertical ground mounted.

This is a great kit and it works.
W4NNF Rating: 2020-10-29
Fun kit that works well when finished! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
In this time of the COVID, being, like many OMs, older and more vulnerable, I've been sticking close to home. There's nothing better at dispelling the monotony of that than a good kit. And the Phaser digital transceiver is just that: a very good kit.

What it is is a small 3 - 4 watt "phased" (to eliminate one sideband) SSB transceiver for the digital modes. There's no computer control or anything, just one main frequency and one alternate frequency. The main frequency is pre-programmed (for the FT-8 watering holes), but you can program the alternate frequency as you see fit. While most will buy this for FT8/4, it is usable on the other digital modes as well.

The Phaser is a single band XCVR, with models being available for 160 - 17 meters. The new Phaser II is available in separate kits for 15 and 10. I ordered the 20-meter version (all will be nearly identical construction-wise) along with the enclosure.

The questions with a kit are always "How well is it packaged, how professionally is it produced, and how are the instructions?" The packaging is one of the things that makes the Phaser a pleasure to assemble. Components are on cards, clearly identified, with each card holding similar components...resistors, for example. The PCB is professionally and beautifully executed. The instructions are what makes the kit a joy to put together, though. They are well illustrated and divide your task into six logical stages. For example, the power supply section, then the oscillator, and so on. While there were one or two minor mistakes/typos in the manual, all were obvious and none a show-stopper.

While you could probably blaze through all six assembly stages in a day or two, I wanted to make this kit LAST, and devoted about a day to each group of assembly steps.

How difficult is the Phaser to assemble? Not difficult at all if you have average soldering skills. Bear in mind that, like most modern kits, the PCB is relatively small and packed with many small components. If you're a real OT like W4NNF, you will want to use a magnifier--I like those inexpensive visor magnifiers from Harbor Freight. You'll want plenty of light to work by, natch. The surface mount components are pre-installed for you, so you don't have to worry about that. There are four toroids to wind, but none of them is difficult. The one that is the transformer comes with already twisted together bifilar wire and presents no problem. The manual includes excellent tips on winding toroids, and I don't think most hams will have any trouble with 'em.

One of the best things about the assembly manual? After each section is complete, you run a test to make sure all you've done in that stage was done correctly and is working.

When you're finished, there are simple alignment and calibration instructions. If you have a scope, you can use that. If you don't, a frequency meter will do. If you don't have one, you can use a receiver or transceiver. If you lack even that, you can do the adjustments with your computer. You will naturally need a multimeter; not just to do the alignment and calibration, but to do the checks required at the ends of the assembly stages.

When my Phaser's board was complete, I powered it up (12 volts, natch), connected it to my computer, and immediately began receiving stations on 20 meter FT8. Lots of stations...the receiver is quite sensitive. I called CQ and began working one OM after another with just over 3-watts out. A look at PSK Reporter, showed W4NNF was being spotted from the Ukraine in Eastern Europe to Japan in Asia.

The case provides an attractive home for the completed Phaser. Like more than a few kits, it is composed of circuit board type material you solder together. I used painter's tape to hold it together while I soldered the joints. The result is attractive and strong. Everything is professionally labeled, the enclosure is a pretty red, and you are provided with a power switch (a pushbutton) on the back, and with two switches and corresponding LEDs on the front panel to show whether you are on the main or "alt" frequency.

Dave, K1SWL, and the other good folk responsible for the Phaser maintain an excellent web-site for their rig. More importantly, they also have a Groups.io group (like the old Yahoogroups) for the Phaser where you can get help, advice, and tips.

I love this little radio and have been using it every single day...what more praise can there be than that? W4NNF.