Category: QRP

QCX Mini Troubleshooting and Repair Tips

If you’ve been keeping up on the MiscDotGeek YouTube channel or the QRP Labs Groups.io forum, then you’re likely aware that the QCX Mini has had some teething issues. We’ve already covered the C38 problem, and that’s been fully resolved. Instead we’re going to look at the issue that some builders are having: The inability …

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QCX Mini: C38 Retrospective, and some Troubleshooting

If you’ve been following along on my YouTube Channel, you’ll find that I’ve been having issues getting any sideband cancellation with my QCX Mini. I’ve been troubleshooting it. See the video below for some information about the troubleshooting. But first, remember C38? C38 Woes: Root cause found! On a few QCX Mini’s, C38 blew, causing …

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Building the QCX Mini: What Tools do you Need?

Now that the QCX Mini’s are arriving, hams around the world are looking at the little tiny package that comes in the post and are wondering if they have the tools to build this diminutive little radio. If you’ve built almost any other radio kit, then you have most of the tools already. But we’re …

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QCX: Tips for Winding T1

A lot of hams get pretty stressed out when they think about winding the main transformer in the QCX,. T1. It’s got 4 sets of windings on it, and looks intimidating- But it isn’t! In the video below, we show how easy it can be. It IS tedious. It IS time consuming. And to install …

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Critical QCX Mini Update and some Mini Tips

On 12/3/2020, Hans Summers of QRP Labs released the QCX Mini- a truly miniature 5W CW transceiver. By the December 7, all 997 units were sold! It was definitely exciting to see the response to this new product, and after having built most of my own QCX Mini, I can confirm- it’s an incredible little …

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QCX Mini: Winding and Installing T1

A lot of hams have expressed trepidation about winding and installing T1 on a QCX Mini, QCX+ or even the original QCX, since they’re all the same. T1 looks hard because there are four windings on one toroid. In this video, I wound T1 and installed it on the QCX Mini. All that’s left to …

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QCX Mini Unboxing, and How to learn CW?

Just a week ago, the QCX Mini was released to the world. 997 units sold out in just 4 days, and we were fortunate to get one in the nick of time! It showed up at Ye Olde QTH this evening, and below is an unboxing video that shows all the contents and a review …

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Backpack SDR: A modular QRP SDR Transceiver

Edited 12/13/20 to reflect the move to Groups.io from Facebook Today I wanted to post about a new SDR project called “Backpack SDR” that’s taking shape. Since August, Keith Myles, VE3IFT has been sharing pictures of his Backpack SDR transceiver project on the Amateur QRP Radio group on Facebook: What is the Backpack SDR? The …

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The QCX Mini: A truly Miniature QRP CW Transceiver

In May 2020 the QCX was killed off in favor of the larger, easier to assemble QCX+, and as a result, Hans over at QRP Labs found himself in a bit of a quandry! A lot of people loved the new radio, but a surprisingly large contingent of hams said “It’s too big!” Their primary …

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uSDX (SSB with a QCX) Update

Earlier this year I wrote about a modification/hack to the the QRP Labs QCX called uSDX that turns a normal CW only QCX into a SSB capable radio. It uses the Atmega 328p chip as an SDR, and uses a high end technology call EER to modulate SSB out of an amplifier made for CW. …

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