What's on your Workbench?

[VK5PJ]

Hi Hayden,
if you think the Eltech is loud, try one of the HP 3KW PSU's that were popular for powering LDMOS amps (I have two PSU's here) they are LOUD all of the time, so have recently changed to using the eltech units and now I can actually hear the dog when it barks.

Very good video Adam. The power supply sounds like it's about to take off down a runway when it's powered up with that fan though

[VK4GHZ]

The joys of working with SMD!
This is a TSOP6 package (2.9 x 1.3mm) with a lead pitch of 0.85mm.

New hardware addition to the SEQ-9700 sequencer production prototype... about to be mounted dead bug style for evaluation.

12x diopter maggy lamp lens and extra strong reading glasses at the ready!

[VK1JA]

Holly molly they are small.

I find keeping away from coffee for the day keeps the hand nice and steady too

I didn't realise that you were hand assembling them, Adam!

[VK4GHZ]

Randy, K7AGE, shows us what's on various benches across the pond.



#1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFWk1v94dWE

#2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLpWntawBoQ

#3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTXoIXzK0A4

[VK4GHZ]

Back one page I posted images of a 3D render of an Eltek Flatpack2 controller project PCB.

The PCBs arrived from the fabricator weeks ago, and I've (finally!) managed to find some time to assemble a controller board.



More images and details at: http://vk4ghz.com/eltek-flatpack2-touch ... ontroller/
(scroll down for the update)

This controller allows monitoring of the parameters that Flatpack2 provides via it's CAN-bus:
• AC Volts in
• DC Volts out
• Load current
• Intake temperature
• Output temperature
• Operating status
• and any alarm/warning messages it generates

A touch screen makes it easy to set the "default voltage", change the foreground and background colours and font of each parameter via the "SET" menus. Some Icom terminology there.

Current (as in 'now') voltage can also be shifted up or down in 100mV steps via the up/down buttons.

Screen brightness is adjustable and there is a screen saver (1-999 minutes), or no screen saver.

[VK4EA]

New arrival - really affordable signal generator up to 6.4 GHz.





I’d recommend keeping an eye on Crowdsupply http://www.crowdsupply.com


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[F6ITU]

@Adam vk4ghz
Just a simple stupid question : is your Eltek Flatpack control board for Aussie market only ? I tried to follow the shop's procedure but the form kicked me out for a "bad or missing address" reason

Cheers
Marc f6itu

[VK4GHZ]

@Adam vk4ghz
Just a simple stupid question : is your Eltek Flatpack control board for Aussie market only ? I tried to follow the shop's procedure but the form kicked me out for a "bad or missing address" reason

Cheers
Marc f6itu

Nobody should be ordering anything - it's not even set up properly yet.
Only started installing it last night, and I cannot get the shipping cost working properly.

[F6ITU]

Thanks for the reply, Adam

I'll wait and keep an eye on the forum.

Back to my workbench now (stuggling with large BGA's to solder right now)
VY 73
Marc f6itu

[VK4GHZ]

More SMD fun and games.
This time a USB transceiver chip in a SSOP16 package with a pin pitch of 0.65mm.

Hallelujah for break out boards with 0.1" pitch so these SMD parts become breadboard friendly.

Not too shabby.

[VK3ALB]

MiniKits 1296 transverter kit.

These days I have too much work, not enough play (mustn't grumble) but I enjoyed putting this together. Multipliers go together in less than an hour and tune up easily. The transverter board takes a good 4 to 5 hours to assemble. My old man eyes and illuminated magnifier are just keeping up. The SAW filters and MGA-86563 are a challenge but did go in the right spot first time.

Plug the rig in and away it went, +20dBm TX and RX sensitivity seems good. Too much leakage from the signal source to really tell.

[VK3ALB]

Following on from that I also have the 2043MHz version. The plan is to put them both in a box behind a grid pack with a dual band loop feed(!) just because I can.

[VK5ZD]

Someone at the 7 network might not be too happy if you fire up on 2043MHz.

[VK3ALB]

I suppose not but TX output is less than +20dBm, surely that won't hurt?

[VK5ZD]

+20dbm. That's the medium power setting on one of these (DVB link Tx/Rx):

[VK3ALB]

Oh nice,

I have some of the old Ch 7 uplinks built like a battleship but handcrafted (no two are the same inside) using 90's technology. Power OP ranges from 750mW to a whopping 10W in one case.

OK you've convinced me to move to 2403MHz.

[VK1JA]

As many Amateurs do, I have a few projects on the go at the moment.

The one taking up most my free time is a 250w 1296MHz PA, DF9IC design.

Current progress is below with most parts now populated, just the important ones to go - the FETS, which need to be soldered directly to the copper heat spreader.

I'm looking forward to having more than 10w output on 23cm

I've also attached a copy of the parts layout that Henning (DC9IC) himself sent me, as there isn't a copy of the schematic around for the dual FET board, and the component values differ slightly from the single FET board schematic that is available online.

Jayson
VK1JA

[VK1JA]

Another project, but this one is finished!

I got sick of three (13.8/28/49v) PSU's floating around the shack so I boxed them up into a 3RU rack case.

Space was very tight, the 13.8 smps is a Meanwell rated at about 30amps, while the 28 and 48v smps are powerwell(?) rated at 1100w each!. Strangely enough, the 28 and 48v smps create no QRM, but I found the Meanwell PSU caused a lot of QRM on 6m and 2m, but a handfull of ferrite cores fixed that.

Next problem was that the fan in the Meanwell sounds like a jet taking off, and I like a quiet shack! I swapped the standard 60mm Meanwell fan for a 'silent' version, and while it was quieter, it was no where near silent. The next step will be to remove the 60mm fan and install a 'silent' 80mm fan on a 80mm to 60mm fan adapter and slow the fan speed down.

It's so good having all the power options in one box. Once I sort out the fan noise I'll be very happy.

Jayson
VK1JA

[VK2XAX]

As many Amateurs do, I have a few projects on the go at the moment.

The one taking up most my free time is a 250w 1296MHz PA, DF9IC design.

Hi Jayson,

Where did you get the tin box and copper heat spreader from ?

I have a couple of Henning's boards and the parts but have yet to acquire the spreader etc.

thanks
Tim

[ZL1RS]

Replacing a few 0.5mm lead pitch Si5351a synthesizer chips to repair some QRP-Labs modules that have 'released the white smoke' due to my 'ham-fisted' experimenting ...

Also building up some small digi-mode transmitters using the same synth IC ...

Learning fast the joys of a hot air rework station and solder paste.