K9XN

Today I picked up some parts to start the build of my N1TEV regenerative receiver.  Checking online I found that Far Circuits makes a board that is ready to go for this project. His website and ordering process are definitely old school.  He really needs to make a better e-commerce web site.  Basically ordering from Far Circuits sucks, but the boards are nice and I picked up two of them.  One for Jeff N9IZ and one for myself.

I went by RadioShack today to get some of the parts.  I couldn’t find all the parts locally, so I had to scavenge about a bit and look for some parts that I had lying around the shack.  This ended up to be a good thing, because I had several of the capacitors lying about.  Like a mondo 100V version of a .047 uF cap that really just calls for a 50V small cap.  The legs of that cap were a bit thicker since it can handle double the voltage, so I had a bit of a struggle getting through the holes on the breadboard.  RadioShack is really pretty expensive for parts, so if you have bits lying about I would suggest you use them.

I would say that I am about 40% done with this project.  It took me about an hour to do this much, and that was with the scavenging about to find some of the caps and resistors.  I had a blast soldering these components to the board.  It was nice to smell the familiar scent of rosin and solder again if just for a little while.

On the plus side I found a great site to look up resistor color codes to find resistor values here.  It is very simple but effective.  I found another site that will tell you the values for those small disc caps on Elecraft’s page here.

Looks like I’m going to need more parts that I don’t have lying about so off to the internet for those.  I need a variable capacitor, a good enclosure, knobs and miscellaneous goodies still.  Jeff (N9IZ) sent me a link for a site for some great vernier turning dials that I think would be awesome for this project.

I plan on using a BNC connector for the antenna connector.  I think that would be a good solid choice and I have a chassis mount one of those around I think.

RadioShack did not really have anything good in the way of enclosures so I stopped by another electronics store in town called Lafayette Electronic Supply, Inc.  They have a great selection of stuff, but holy utility belt Batman are they EX-PEN-SIVE!!!  The enclosure I liked was $40.  $40!!! can you believe that for a empty metal enclosure?  I thought that was just way too beaucoup expensive for that and will either look around online or make one from copper clad boards which a lot of people have done building regens like this.  I walked out of Lafayette Electronic Supply without buying a thing.  For the prices they charge there you would have to give blood or take out a loan to build something.  I could have bought 4 AM radios for the price of the enclosure alone.  Horsehockey! as Col. Potter once said.

The build was fun, but all good things must come to an end, at least for today.  Stay tuned for Part 2!  I’m really having fun building this and it is going to be awesome once I get to hear my first scratchy reception of a HAM or SW broadcaster.

73! de Nick N9SJA

After speaking with my good friend Jeff (N9IZ), he got me interested in building a regenerative receiver.  Jeff shared with me several YouTube links that have receivers like this that many hams and experimenters have built.

This particular receiver design comes from Charles Kitchin N1TEV.  His design is a modification of a classic design that dates back to the 1920’s.  The main modification is the use of the LM386 audio amplifier IC to give it a little better volume control, the use of 2N2222A transistors (instead of tubes), and the diodes that go to ground to improve regeneration.

When I decided that I would like to build a regenerative receiver and researched different designs, I settled on this one because I have heard that it is the most successful of the designs.

Originally detailed in the September, 2000 issue of QST magazine, the article that describes the design and details the circuit is available online here.  There is a comprehensive parts listing complete with RadioShack part numbers for almost all components with the exception of the variable capacitor that is used for tuning (air-dielectric variable 150-350 pF). However those variable caps should be fairly easy to find, and most hams may even have one lying about or in something that could be scavenaged (like another old radio 😉 ).

This will be a multi-part build so, once I get the parts in I will document and maybe even make a video of the build.  I think Jeff is going to build one with me, so that should be a lot of fun as we curse our way through the problems of the build and getting the thing to work correctly.  I plan on making mine work on the 40m band.  I thought that would definitely be more useful than another AM broadcast band radio, and then who knows, maybe Ill make a 40m transmitter as well.  The regenerative receivers are pretty cool since they do not need a BFO or other circuitry to tune in AM, SSB or CW signals well.  Just a touch of the regeneration control will help tune all signals in loud and clear.  Well, im off to order the parts to put this together, so see you soon!

73! de Nick N9SJA