On-the-Air Review of QRP Labs QCX (

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Randy, K7AGE, suggested I review the QCX from a more on-the-air sense. This video includes a complete narrated CW QSO as well as much more information about the QRP Labs QCX radio. Did you know that QCX is actually a valid Q-signal? Find out what it means! Subscribe: / davidcasler . Ask Dave Playlist: goo.gl/inaQeB. Tip Jar: ke0og.net/tip-jar
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12 дек 2017

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Комментарии : 76

@thestingyham1188 4 года назад

I like your delivery so much. It reminds me of watching TV, while growing up in the 70's and 80's. Clear, easy to understand, no rude commentary or overdone emotion. Just pure Fine Business!

@davecasler 4 года назад

Thank you.

@budchestnut9303 4 года назад

@@davecasler Sort of reminds me of a milder, friendlier, early "Mr. Wizard". Dave does not come across condescending. AB4** , CPBE. Broadcast Engineer, for over 50 years, Coloradan and HAM since my preteens.

@loctite222ms 5 лет назад

Qrp labs now has a enclosure listed on their site for $37.00 just to update information for anyone interested.

@larrytaylor7753 6 лет назад

Nice QCX ops presentation.. I am nearly finished building QCX S/N 875 on 30M. All buttons, jacks, and knobs are mounted off board. I haven’t found the right enclosure yet. I just ordered 2 more on 20 and 40 meters. Hans has notified me that their s/n will be 2526 and 2527 and that they will not ship until NOVEMBER, 2018!! Your (and others) reviews have a lot to do with how popular these things have become.

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Whew! That's a long wait!

@QRPLabs 6 лет назад

No no no not November 2018! Why did you think 2018!! It isn't that bad! We actually got additional help with the shipping and the backlog is coming down quite fast. 73 QRP Labs qrp-labs.com

@Kevbot73 5 лет назад

Has anyone tried creating a 3d printed enclosure? It is beyond my skill, however , it would allow for the different depths and heights...

@karlschwab6437 6 лет назад

Another great video Dave! I built the 20 meter version of this FB rig and have been working DX with it! Haven't boxed it up yet; just having to much fun using it the way it is! 73, de Karl, KO8S

@NorfolkPilot 5 лет назад

Thanks Dave for one of the most informative and engaging RU-vid channels on amateur radio. John G8CHP

@murrij 6 лет назад

Having done a decoder with an Arduino I'm actually impressed with the decoder. Just got my kit. Thanks for this.

@caulktel 6 лет назад

Dave, that was a great and informative video. I built mine for 20 meters and it works splendidly except for slightly low power, (2.1 watts at 13.8V). I wish I had your rusty CW skills as mine are even rustier. Thanks for the great video.

@eddy2561 3 года назад

Dave, I'm impressed with your skill using that "straight" key on the QCX....well done! 73/k6sdw

@recumbentogiro26 6 лет назад

Thank You. You're making things much clearer to me day by day and you're motivating me to try for my license. Even though most of the terminology you use is like listening to a foreign language, it's getting clearer every day. Thanks again

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Check out my Technician class playlist on my channel.

@Misdirectionist 5 лет назад

The enclosure from BaMa Tech in Germany is awesome for this rig.

@TheArtofEngineering 2 года назад

Wish my code was as "rusty" as yours! Thanks fer the demo!

@murrij 6 лет назад

And your qso and narration is awesome.

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Thank you!

@warplanner8852 6 лет назад

Dave, very nice demo video and your fist on the little microswitch is impressive. I would probably spaz out having to do that. Also, it is a very impressive critique of the QCX rig what with showing the warts and all. As I await mine to be delivered, I contemplate how to package it. Guessing that two, Plexiglas sheets with most controls off board would be best. TNX ES 71/72 K6WHP dit dit

@taketwophoto2206 6 лет назад

Hi Dave. Thats a neat little rig. I sympathize with J. Williams as I too have yet to master anything close to comprehensible with my CW. I've been trying to learn code on and off for several years but I keep getting discouraged. I must say however, your demonstration of CW with that little dinky micro-switch is amazing. You don't appear to be "rusty" in the least. Looking at the Audacity spectrum display you provided, it appears to me that your spacing is perfect!! Wow! Anyway, thank you for the review and now I need to test a TNC-X I just finished building. There seems to be a renewed interest in 1200 baud packet in my area. Be well, KC1HRC

@davecasler 6 лет назад

In my case, learning the code required that I work with someone else. To learn at 5 wpm, I persuaded my roommate to learn to send code. He learned about as fast as I learned to receive. And to get the speed up, WB6MMJ and I would get on the air every night and send pages from QST to each other.

@Seeker43 6 лет назад

After 44 yrs of SSTV, ssb, digital modes, etc, etc I have decided to go back to CW, just because I never became any good at it. I learned it to get my General ticket, took 3 tries and I went on with audio modes. Now that I'm 76 yrs old I am building a QCX and am going to try once again to do cw. I want something that will work when the SHTF and I will have the ability to get real news and info. --… …--

@billtheslink4541 5 лет назад

I will tell you my story, Walter Perry, I was licensed around 25 years ago at around the age of 15. I thought CW was the worse thing to ever befall me. I had tried to get my license since I was 13 working on the Novice ticket, but lacked the discipline to stay with the code even though I passed theory. So they came out with the No code Tech and I passed Tech theory and got that ticket. Finally, my Grandma gifted me the money to buy a used Kennwood TS-440S and I started lusting to use it. I got a straight key from Radio Shack and used the side tone generator of the rig to practice sending. With sending and finally sticking to my cassette tapes over about three weeks I learned 5WPM and got my "Tech Plus" ticket which meant I had the same privileges Techs have today. I thought I would never use CW again with my 10 Meter SSB privileges and all (this was the peak of the last cycle), but I soon learned that with my smoking habit my throat got irritated talking. I picked up my key on 80 one day and started tapping. Much to my surprised I loved CW rag chews. I pushed and pushed myself faster and faster sending and then held on trying to copy what came back. I loved it. Three weeks on air on CW and I was ready for the 14WPM General Test. I passed General. Sadly, around 2003 I entered a period of being very poor due to a couple of medical disabilities and I sold my station and have been inactive since. I got back in the workforce about a year and a half ago as a security guard. It's going to be about a year or so until I can get a rig because I have to save to go through training to do something making more money, but I can't wait to get back to CW. I am already relearning. I can't believe all the new digital modes that have came since I have been gone too. Time sure does change things. 73. N8PEF

@krzychup6052 4 года назад

Thanks for all information about QCX transceiver. Greetings from Poland, Chris 3Z9N

@eddy2561 3 года назад

Good review Dave, I was disappointed in the receiver performance, primitive .....

@Sly_hog2007 6 лет назад

yup, Imma have to get the QCX! Time to learn how to turn torroids and solder on a PCB

@MoTown44240 6 лет назад

Glad you explained Oggies. Thought you were addressing Auggies from down under. Great video Dave. What bothers me about Mike's Q is started at one sending speed but accelerated when near the end of the Q. He didn't verify that you could copy at that speed. 73

@davecasler 6 лет назад

And, as it turned out, I couldn't. However, I suspect I'd get better if I got on the air more. New Years resolution: one CW QSO every day!

@carolmartin7042 4 года назад

Thanks. N0QFT, Glen

@firewaterforgeofarizona4304 Год назад

They have since developed an enclosure for it for a modest cost.

@jdmeaux 6 лет назад

Hey Dave. "Oggies" sounds about right for us guys and gals watching your channel. Moe k2jdm

@WFSteury 5 лет назад

Thanks for excellent analysis of the rig. I want to get one now! Wayne N9EGT

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

7:19 Curious, why does the clock chip / crystal say 27.000 for a 40m radio? Do they use a multiplier or something internally?

@gonebamboo4116 6 лет назад

Ram Laska , he mentions the Tayloe mixer uses that clock

@Jimwill01 6 лет назад

Thanks Dave. I enjoyed it, even though I have fought trying to learn CW for 40+ years I still can't copy it! (doggoneit!). But, I still enjoyed the QSO and seeing how the QRP rig worked! KF5AQF

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Yes, I had serious difficulty learning the code too. Finding a buddy to learn with you is, in my mind, essential.

@gonebamboo4116 6 лет назад

Go with Code Quick. What you read in their ads is true.

@nontimebomala2267 6 лет назад

Hi Dave, I believe I have noticed a sort of "movement" on 40 meters just below the international QRP calling frequency (7.060mHz). I have noticed a significant number of older HAMs congregating there and running QSOs *far* slower than you will see them running somewhere else on the band. They seem to be congregating just below the QRP calling frequency in the hope of "Elmering" new morse operators. This (and a question from a local HAM) got me to thinking. With the resurgence in morse operation we need some sort of a plan to encourage and mentor these new morse operators. In my mind NVIS and QRP can be combined on 40 meters to create "regional" morse training "nurserys". Here is something I think will help to get more "new" morse operators on the band. Have a look at this rough concept paper: oldspooks.com/morse/local-practice-resource.txt . There are some audio training files in that directory as well. Anyway 73.

@jvclarke1 5 лет назад

Dave - When were you at Northrop. I was there in the 80's. One year I was president of the radio club there.

@davecasler 5 лет назад

Mid 1980 to late 1983. I was VP of the Northrop club for a year. I sure enjoyed their field days. The last couple years I volunteered to be in charge of the food.

@jvclarke1 5 лет назад

@@davecasler So you left, just as I came in. I worked on the 2nd floor of the tech center for Aircraft Division. I am sure you knew Bob Poole, Robert Keifer, Spud Monahan, etc. Fun up at FD on the old PV dump site. This were the days.

@TwitchRadio 6 лет назад

Hey Dave.. Love the channel and guidance that you give us all.. This may be a out of the box question but here it goes for say... Me as a tech ham would love to do some cw or honestly any cheap to get in cw or digital mode on the ham.... But the problem most of us us face is we don't know cw.... And digital is pricey to get into and not much there for us as a tech to use if any outside of 10m..... So my question is... If I wanted to send and receive cw but didn't know a "lick" of cw..... If there a small compact size unit that was cost friendly that I can use to decode incoming cw.. And then send cw out to a contact.... And no I'm not lazy.... But learning cw is just a barrier to me due to some mental health problem I incurred during my military service.... But for the others that are just like...... I don't want to learn it but wanted to be able to do it..... Is there something out there for us..... I've asked many people about this and probably would be a good subject to cover.... Anyways.. Always appreciate the videos... Best online Elmer ever.... especially for us people who are not socially inclined.. Best wishes to you and your family.. And happy holidays... Eric KG7QIS

@warplanner8852 6 лет назад

Eric, to address your desire to learn CW, I would suggest you look at the K-42 keyboard and code reader. It's a kit sold by K1EL. (Google it.) It copies CW and allows you to send CW with a keyboard. It also has a CW practice feature. You will find, as you get started, tge visual reinforcement you get will help you to learn in the context of QSOs. MFJ also has a reader as well.

@TwitchRadio 6 лет назад

thanks Dave. Sounds good.. I'll look into that. And happy holidays to you and your family.

@davecasler 6 лет назад

I did my Master's thesis on machine decoding of Morse code. The key issue is the non-uniform length of the symbols (letters/numbers). Machine code keeps the symbols all the same length (recognizing that symbols are used in different ways, as PSK-31 has a nice framing arrangement but uses characters of different lengths. RTTY has a start bit to be used to frame the next five bits, plus a stop bit. Packet has several start bits to ensure proper framing for the payload plus it has parity. So the problem with the Morse decoding is timing. The machine doesn't know when a character properly starts or stops.

@tedder42 6 лет назад

digital is getting cheap now! There's the QRP-Labs U3S, and now the Bitx40 has been turned into the multi-band ubitx.

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

BTW, I wholeheartedly approve of "Oggies" 😂😂😂

@DAVIDGREGORYKERR 6 лет назад

Can you not install the pots on the front of a metal case and wire them into the circuit board making sure you have something in the bottom of the metal case to prevent short circuits, with a metal lid to keep the RFI to a minimum. and metal gauze over the display so you can see the display, I suspect you could use heavy duty buttons to replace the supplied buttons to make unit indestructible.

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Yes, you can.

@Silent_Chief 4 года назад

Can i find this kit but mount ? I would like get it but i have no one item for build it

@davecasler 4 года назад

I believe it's only available in kit form. You can contact www.qrp-labs.com to see if they have or know of a kit-building service.

@wb6csh 3 года назад

They will assemble/build the QCX or QCX+ for ~$55.00 USD.

@bradenglettkd8zm69 6 лет назад

I have two of these kits sitting on my desk - can't find time to build them!

@davecasler 6 лет назад

:-)

@bradenglettkd8zm69 6 лет назад

David Casler RTTY contest this weekend will render the bands unusable - this is my chance to build one of the two!

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

Love it, sir! Now I'm going to start saving up for one. Can I just string up 10 or 40m of wire in the trees and solder it to a bnc connector, or is there something fancy required to construct your own antenna? BTW I'm learning Morse code on morsecode.me. Groovy site! Thanks again, you're one of the RU-vid channels that got me interested in ham radio! 😁😊😎☺

@tedder42 6 лет назад

a dipole is almost as easy as what you say. BNC in the middle, N feet on either side depending on the band. For 40m that's 33ft of wire.

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

Ted Timmons Thanks! So each end of the dipole gets soldered onto one of the two BNC leads?

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

Ted Timmons Does elevation matter much for HF?

@tedder42 6 лет назад

Ram Laska the higher the better, basically to the wavelength. Assuming you can't handle that- mine is okay at 10 feet.

@RamLaska 6 лет назад

Ted Timmons Thanks! --... ...-- -.. . -.- --. ..... - -.- ....

@davejames2247 6 лет назад

Hi Dave, In your video you comment on casing the QCX. If you want a case that fits the QCX as built in the manual take a look at www.thingiverse.com/thing:2661221. There you will find several versions, with or without the microswitch 'key'. No modifications are needed to the kit built with controls 'on-board' . 73, Dave G8XUL

@MichaelLloyd 6 лет назад

Great video. I enjoyed copying (for the most part) the QSO. It was a little too fast for my neuron based storage device but he wasn't talking to me so that was ok :o) The QCX has livened up the CW mode and it's nice to see so many people interested in QRP and CW. Hans may become the next Heathkit though I don't think that's his goal. If you haven't already, check out his website (not QRP Labs). He's been designing a for a long time: www.hanssummers.com/qsl.html I don't know if you do Facebook (not a fan but I'm there) but there is a Facebook group called the Slow Speed CW Group and their page has an unofficial net once a week: facebook.com/groups/1837508229866752/ Niece (KA1ULN) is the net control. She uses Netlogger to schedule things. You've probably seen her call on W5KUB's show (which was great, if not a little expensive, last night). Unfortunately I don't have anything on the air (other than my beacon) right now. The FT1000MP MKV is on the fritz. I'm waiting on parts for that. My Collins 32S-3 has issues that are probably related to how I've connected it. The receiver works great. I just need some time to look at the Collins cabling. I am definitely no expert with the S-line. The repair of the Yaesu... well... that may be out of my league too. I'm still not 100% sure where the problem is. 73 NE5U Mike

@tedder42 6 лет назад

1:50 I could be motivated to send you a 3d-printed enclosure. I don't have a QCX yet.

@tedder42 6 лет назад

www.thingiverse.com/thing:2661221 www.thingiverse.com/thing:2607304

@davecasler 6 лет назад

Nice cases! both of them. I think I'd prefer the enclosed one so I could just toss it in the bag. What do you charge for them?

@tedder42 6 лет назад

David Casler if I can print it with any quality I'll send it. QRZ address is good?

@roguered1566 6 лет назад

Ted Timmons that enclosed case looks great.

@tedder42 6 лет назад

11:10 why are you saying writing caps is hard? Because you are faster at lowercase cursive? I haven't written cursive this century..

@williamsefton8408 5 лет назад

Nice video Dave. I have the 20m version, with the proper enclosure. Check the QRP-LABS.COM site for details. Have used mine for some QRP fun with a SOTAbeams 20/40 linked dipole (no tuner required). You do loose the "internal" straight key with the metal enclosure, but a palm paddle works just fine....(I'm tempted to have a go at CQ WW CW with it.......!!!!)

@davecasler 5 лет назад

CW rules! Good stuff. MFJ recently came out with an inexpensive key that looks pretty good.