Everybody should build one of these

[@PaintmanJohn]

OK, I'm a dinosaur. BACK IN THE DARK AGES, ESPECIALLY WITH GERANIUM diodes, we always used a bending jig to avoid stressing the fragile glass cover on the diodes. Also, I learned to allow a small air gap around pc board components by slipping a small tywrap under each component before soldering. That small gap does a few things: heat dissipation (when things go WRONG), Mechanical stress relief on component legs, easier component replacement if repairs are needed, and my favorite - a place to easily attach a test lead when troubleshooting. BTW - I ordered the kit too ! Just my $.02 ... 73 de KG5RK

[@temporarilyoffline]

This is fantastic info, thanks for sharing!

[@Andre-PY4DR]

My first CW QSO (or whatever that moment was😅) was using one of these... I built one and placed a random wire on the antenna plug just to check if I could hear anything... I heard it was alive... I call "CQ CQ de PU4ALZ" a couple of times just to hear the tone! The random wire was laying on the ground. To my surprise I hear "PU4ALZ de PY4..." 😮 I was actually making a qso... what to do now? How to answer? 😂 I sent 599 and the other guy sent me 569... my very first CW QSO!! Scary, I know! But from this day on I never went back to voice!! 100% cw ever since 😂

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's awesome! I was sweating like crazy during my first CW QSO. I've made a few dozen, but haven't had the time to keep after it. I really need to get back into it, I feel like it would be a lot of fun.

[@kristinabliss]

Great story! I hope to have this experience some day 😊

[@Aimsport-video]

You don’t have to be color blind to have issues with color on resistors… this is a great tutorial for anyone that has issues with id and management of components. Thank you.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Sure thing! I'm not sure if I'm color blind or if its old eyes or if its just bad labeling... but this is fairly foolproof for me!

[@KE2BXZ]

9:40 it was at this moment i realized you have a very intuitive way of doing a kit build, and now have inspired me to order this kit with a side mission to learn CW in the process😂 thanks for the great content ! You have inspired this rookie ham to continue to grow. 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks! Let me know if you need any help with it, it's fun over function and will be a great stepping stone to easier and better kits in the future.

[@dwhip49]

Newbie to the RF world here, Your inventory method is brilliant. Added it to my nearly empty bag of tricks

[@temporarilyoffline]

Let's fill that bag up!

[@WQ9FHamRadio]

I never get tired of building these kits, I think this is one of the best kits out there to practice soldering on. Good Build 73!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah, it's great for practice, and when you're done, you have a tiny/working rig! Great stuff.

[@boisinnawoods]

I'm going to have to get one of these as incentive to upgrade to general and learn cw. This build looks really fun! Thanks for the video Steve!

[@temporarilyoffline]

I got a Forty-9er at a hamfest when I got general, found out it was in the extra band and got extra... still haven't turned it on... ham goals!

[@W7LDT]

Steve, I built an Elecraft K2 with ALL the options. It took 9 months. I could not have done it without a component identifier and a USB microscope. The component identifiers are cheap. Kits are $9-15. Prebuilt around $22. The one I got displays a schematic image of the part. It also finds faulty parts. I plugged in a transistor and it saw it as 2 resistors. Not good but saved a bunch of headaches.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Building a K2 looks like a lot of fun!

[@MuzzleMike]

I got a couple of these a couple of years ago . One with a case put together for me and the other I did myself. The one put together was only $18. The other was $4. . I bought the extra Seattle and crystals . They both work nice . One is in a tin and goes out in the field the other stays home to play with. My key is also a kit . It goes all over . Not the best but works .

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's awesome! Mine doesn't get as much use as I'd like. I need to work on that.

[@ColbyHiggs]

You have great soldering skills. It was a good lesson to watch. Thank you!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks Colby! It's all practice and sometimes it even works!

[@Aloysius-73]

Ice cube trays are also good to use on the bench to separate parts and screws

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good idea!

[@christianblack2916]

Im an experienced constructor, so I didn't learn anything, but this was so beautifully and lucidly explained - I enjoyed every minute. I just got one of those cheap LCR-T7 component testers and they are GREAT for identifying mystery parts.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@KE2BXZ]

Got it built and it works perfectly 🎉🎉🎉 Now I am learning my dits and dahs … completely obsessed with Amateur Radio !!!!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Excellent work! You've come to the right place. Beware of closed minded old-hams that want to tell you you're doing everything wrong, they are few, but loud. Fun First!

[@45auto]

When you said "To the internet!" I was expecting the 🎶doodly-do 🎶 and spinning effect on the screen from Batman.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'll do that next time

[@southernexposure123]

I received a few Pixie kits a few days ago. I'm glad your helpful video is one I can hear. Resistor reading: according to someone, the color ring / band nearest the wire lead is the first band to read. Someone else said that for 4 and 5 ring resistors there's a gap near the tolerance ring. Going past 3 colors is asking too much. Learning capacitor markings is a lot worse than resistors and inductor markings are just about as confusing as capacitor markings. They sell a LCR meter (not too many $$$) to help with Ls and Cs. I recently got a cheap one and it seems to work OK. Soldering heat sensitive parts: the bent wires are already holding the part on the board, so I put a finger pad on / under those heat sensitive parts. Yep it'll get a little warm if I'm slow to melt the solder. So, like you I sometimes get a dab of solder on the tip first. Your comments about your straight key technique gave me a chuckle. My first rig didn't have a side tone. After 3 or 4 years I got a rig with side tone. Then I cleaned up my straight keying by letting my ears tell my fingers how to control my key timing. Thanks for the video I can hear.

[@temporarilyoffline]

You bet, thanks for the comments!

[@karlschulte9231]

Only caution here. Watch our for damage from static on diode/xstrs. Can lay them on alum foil and touch a grounded object first. We used to get issues from apparently good power xstrs made from multiple ones on a chip to get higher amp rating. Looks okay to VOM. But after a few days in use at full power would die. Traced to esd blowing out some of the xstr bundle inside the device but leaving a few intact. 50 watt becomes 5 watt device.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yep I wear a wrist strap... on my ankle so it's out of the way!

[@kazkam3567]

GIn order to make PCB boards, we basically start with attaching the parts that are shorter. Congratulations on the completion of. TU 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Right on brother!

[@1shARyn3]

Resistors -- I do "tolerance band" right and down

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's a good idea

[@johnhelt5475]

Wow! You single-handedly sold them out. Guess I must wait for restock

[@temporarilyoffline]

I think that's the second time I sold them out. Should be back soon, but if you're in a hurry, there is the Forty-9er: amzn.to/3aSacsC

[@WoodyPhillips]

Bought one because ... why not? Thanks for the video and the idea.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah. It's $15 worth of fun!

[@joeblow8593]

$15.99, what a great deal. Thanks as always Steve

[@temporarilyoffline]

You're welcome Joe!

[@Centar1964]

The type and color temperature of the light you are using makes a huge difference in what colors you see in the bands. I use 9000k led lights or halogen, sunlight is the best.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I haven't built a kit in sunlight yet, but it's coming!

[@ravenbarsrepairs5594]

Got one I built a couple weeks ago. It came with the 8 crystals. As my antenna situation(renting and landlord says no more antennas) means my only antenna is a 2m/70cm, I can't even RX using this radio. Learning CW is on my to do list, although my annual schedule has me moving into theatrical lighting mode rather than electronics mode, so this might take a while. Mine didn't come with a dummy load, although I have one on order, so I haven't been able to test it it's actually working. My kit building ability results in ~ a 50/50 success rate. Hard to know when I don't have anywhere near an antenna tuned to these frequencies. I'd also like a better manual, as I've no clue what kind of key to attach, as I yet to have any. The Heathkit HD-1416 I've got on order has a straight key with it, so perhaps IO can adapt that,, although I've yet to learn more than a couple characters of code.

[@temporarilyoffline]

This will work with a straight key - its just a simple on/off switch, so you could make one with an old set of headphones if you wanted. If you've got the 8-crystal version, did it come with a socket to make swapping crystals easier?

[@NGinuity]

The color codes for those resistors appear to be nonstandard too. I had to use the multimeter because the blue series 1%'s seem to not follow the 1st value, 2nd value, multiplier, tolerance standard. Just built one of these. At least you got picture instructions. Mine came with something that looks like it was printed from a notepad file. Where'd you see that VFO kit? I was going to figure out a way to plop a QRP Labs SiS-ish module in there but if someone has already figured it out.....

[@temporarilyoffline]

I haven't tried it yet, but: km4nmp.com/2019/08/24/vfo-for-the-pixie-wiring-and-sketch-for-ad9850/

[@timpearce3314]

Amazing kit indeed!!" Iv,e been into electronics and ham radio for over 50 years, even retired after 26 years electronic engineering, I have bought three of these pixies over the years as kits, and guess what ,"none of them worked!" to save myself any more hassle, I bought an "assembled" one last week, That one doesn,t work either! either i,m just unlucky with these kits or they just don,t like me?? I,m not wasting any more money on kits from this part of the world, 😤.....

[@temporarilyoffline]

This one is amazing for it's simplicity, there are kits that are better laid out and have more "pride in design" and there are kits that are more of a puzzle to build. I wouldn't attempt to do much on the air with this particular kit, but it is a cheap way to figure out kit building. Have you seen any of the QRPGuys kits?

[@bill-2018]

I commented several months ago but here's an update. Yes, they work. 180 miles when I put mine on 5.262 MHz, 350 mW out with a SWL report from 220 Miles for that QSO. G4GHB.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Very nice!

[@DeeegerD]

Got mine for $4 Cdn. Haven't built it (yet) ;). Actually got 3. One for a standard, two for mods. Now just need time and inclination ;)

[@temporarilyoffline]

I know the feeling!

[@karlschulte9231]

This is a very well done tutorial! BTW, transistors are flat sided only if plastic . Unless the transistors are round like upscale metal version 2n2222a

[@temporarilyoffline]

Ha! This channel has never been called upscale! 🤣 thanks for the kind words!

[@markanderson8066]

We used to sort into egg cartons or muffin tins. But the parts were big enough to easily read.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I used a muffin tin for a while too.

[@johnwest7993]

I measure all of the passive components then stick them into Styrofoam and label each group with a felt pen. I also use only machined pin sockets for all DIP IC's. I figure if it's worth soldering together it's worth using a reliable IC socket.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Styrofoam is a good idea, I also agree on using good sockets... I might debate you on whether the pixie deserves such royal treatment though! 🤔

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

The colors were a lot easier to identify on the US made resistors of the 50's and 60's. (Or were my eyes just younger?) For parts where you worry about the heat (such as the 1N4148) you may actually want a bit of standoff from the board, rather than flush. The soldering of other components can make the board hot. Not so high that it could bend around and short to something else, but at least room for the flat of a tooth pick between the part body and the board. (It can also make it easier to clip on your scope probe.) And don't be too vigorous with your "mechanical advantage device": unless you're trying to solder to something large, it will be easier to fracture the component than to overheat it. But silicon semiconductors are not quite as heat sensitive as you seem to think. (Germanium, on the other hand, is pretty sensitive. But you can't get real 1N34 or 2N404 parts anymore, so you're unlikely to see germanium in a kit. The 1N34s they sell today usually are actually Schottky diodes, which means that the crystal set you're building isn't quite as performant - 035V forward drop, versus 0.2.) I wish that I could find a source of the 7.050MHz crystals. I've got half a dozen traditional pixie kits, with the plan of using them in a large room for a CW class. But they all have the 7.023MHz crystals, and some, if not most, of the potential learners will be Technician or General class. Nice video. Thanks. I guess that I'll grab one of these. You can never have too many radios. 73, Bill - KE1G

[@temporarilyoffline]

Wise words Bill, thanks!

[@karlschulte9231]

Have a handful of germanium xstrs and a drawer of early silicon xstrs from 70's. Real 1n34 in big glass case - big as in puffed wheat as opposed to modern diodes. Can see the cats whisker. Left from Dad's stock (W5EWF-SK).

[@karlschulte9231]

In case u need an old xstr let me know. See QRZ for dad call.

[@TheBuggy73]

There is a discussion if the pot is a RIT. It looks like there is an automatic shift from TX to RX. The pot let you tune around a few kHz + and - 7023 kHz. It looks like it is not a RIT.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'd be surprised if it was RIT as well. Thanks for posting!

[@Dusty_Ham]

I might have to pick one of these up as an incentive to learn CW

[@temporarilyoffline]

Its a fun toy, so ZL2TOY must have it.

[@karlschulte9231]

Note to younger self: save all FT243 crystals for later use in reborn xtl xmtrs!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Indeed!

[@DonzLockz]

Good idea putting in the capacitors facing the same direction, except maybe electrolytic if they have to go in only one way.🍻👍

[@temporarilyoffline]

Just being neat, I can't read them anyway

[@ejonesss]

1. is a license required for the super pixie kit? or is it low enough power for the frequency range and/or the frequency range is not a critical so you wont do much harm if you was to start trolling or denial of service interfering ? 2. what would happen if you put in a 3.57 mhz color burst crystal found in many older tvs or even a 38khz crystal from a clock movement? 3. or d being a kit maybe designed for beginners( hence the full sized parts verses surface mount) means it is possible that it will be assembled and used by an unlicensed person and has the capability to transmit on some very critically sensitive frequencies say for example the master clock you know "at the 3rd beep it will be that ever time" beep 3 times or some emergency back up band for if all bands was to fail. so the manufacturer intentionally did a davinci effect and disabled something so we would not have unlicensed people not know what they are doing get on the airways and cause havoc.

[@temporarilyoffline]

1. You can build the kit and "play" with the included dummy load as your antenna. You can listen all the time with a real antenna - but you would need a license to transmit on this frequency. 2. I believe the band pass filter would need to be adjusted to make this work with other frequencies. 3. You can buy a lot of transmitters from Amazon and other outfits. The burden is on "you" to not transmit where you aren't allowed/licensed. Its a fun little kit, but not a "serious radio". Enjoy!

[@AG7SM]

Ordered.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Let me know how it goes Dave!

[@W5NEH]

I built two of these, first one didn’t work. I didn’t give up, though. The second one works fine :) edit: the first one was my mistake, but it’s is a learning process. This was my first ever solder project aside from some wires here and there.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Excellent, any symptoms on patient zero?

[@W5NEH]

@@temporarilyoffline it was a mistake on my end. Put one of the triodes in the wrong way because I got ahead of myself.. Butchered it getting it desoldered.. tried to rig it up to work, but couldn’t get it. Maybe should have added that to my original comment that it was my mistake, and not a fault of the kit. I did finish putting it together for solder practice. When the second one came in, I took my sweet time making sure everything was right before soldering and clipping the ends. It puts out the designed power into a dummy load no issue, and from my limited ability to tell is pretty much on frequency.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@W5NEH sounds good to me, at this price, you can easily recover from situations like this one.

[@BrightBlueJim]

Okay, today I learned that there is at least one person in the world who refers to 3-lead transistors as "triodes". Not that that's wrong, technically, but after .. many years in electronics, this was a first.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I don't know where I picked that up. Might have been what the manual said.

[@marcsmithsonian9773]

Ok, we are family of 5, so I read the your title, an order 6 sets. Me and my wife and oldest son already completed, two 7 and 9 y.o dougters strugle, so far but make progress with last parts soldering, sixth set for our cat, I must put together myself. Now I have a question.. what is this device used for ? What does it do, and why we all need one ?

[@temporarilyoffline]

It is an extremely hackable easy to build low power Morse code radio. Family of 5 here also, but no cats. I did get one for my dog and she built it just fine, she's a border collie!

[@marcsmithsonian9773]

@@temporarilyoffline mhm... that is interesting. With rescent price raise I think we will drop family plan for cell, and internet. I will ask my wife to make an app that wil tether text messages over morse or some other square wave modulation. So each of us can use at least 300 bps shared bandwith Should be enough for sms. Btw. Are they aps that you know that conects over audio to this device ?

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@marcsmithsonian9773 I've connected mine to fldigi, wrote some automation code and I'm remotely cutting my grass. .-.. is left turn for example. Works great!

[@101blog]

You aren't the only one who has trouble with the colour codes, the components are so small and the colours are so indistinct you often need to measure !

[@temporarilyoffline]

It's just easier to measure too

[@cmritchie04]

is there any boards that you can take the old boards out from a old bearcat 1 - 4 scanner and replace them with a newer scanner board that is more advance but you keep the same vintage look? Maybe program the scanner via usb connector?

[@temporarilyoffline]

That sounds like an interesting project, I don't know of anything existing. Maybe an SDR dongle and an arduino.

[@WU6H]

The answer is B, your CW skills.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Right!

[@CapeCodCNC]

Looks like cool little kit. Maybe when I finish rebuilding my SX1250.....

[@temporarilyoffline]

Lora or pioneer or?

[@CapeCodCNC]

@@temporarilyoffline Sorry Pioneer

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@CapeCodCNC Both are cool, now we can argue about which one is more cool! (Pioneer)

[@CapeCodCNC]

@@temporarilyoffline I would argue the Pioneer when it's playing vinyl on 11 after 2-3 brewskis.... Like being in the front row at a concert.....

[@temporarilyoffline]

Very nice!

[@TalonsKrafts]

The acronym “F.U.N” is Fouled Up Nightmare. Of course one can replace fouled with the appropriate exploitive. 😂

[@temporarilyoffline]

Right!

[@southernexposure123]

What is the difference between the Pixie kit and the Super Pixie kit? Is it only the acrylic case? On line there's several offerings of the kits. There's hardly any difference in the text descriptions, so I can't tell if one of the kits does anything different from the others. One of the choices is transmit PLUS receive, but the pictures show no difference that I can see, except that kit shows 2 circuit boards and that kit does cost a little more. I assume one board is RX and the other board is TX. Does that kit actually transmit 3 watts? From what I see from video reviews the 3 watt text might be a typo where the text should say 0.3 watts. What do you think? Thank you.

[@temporarilyoffline]

It's more of an introductory kit that shows you the basics of building and testing cheaply. I think all the kits are the same.

[@southernexposure123]

@@temporarilyofflineThanks for the reply. I just linked this video to someone from the comments under a video made by Smoking Ape. I hope the guy follows the link because your instructions on this video will help that guy a lot.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@southernexposure123 awesome, thanks. Ape's the one that made me get this. We all did a video series on it for Coffee and Ham Radios channel.

[@mikesmith-po8nd]

200 feet of RG-316 at 7Mhz with 0.5 watts in equals 0.0026 watts to the antenna. Maybe QRPppp?

[@temporarilyoffline]

Maybe!

[@karlschulte9231]

Kit bash is a model train term. Wonder if we share that other techy hobby? Great vids and fun kit. 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yes, my dad and I did model railroading. I have shelves of trains!

[@karlschulte9231]

Sadly gave away most when i retired to small home in Fl with open floor plan and no cellar. No place to hide. Ham shack or trains. So a few N and ho trains with basic tracks and power im big box until something changes. Great hobby!

[@peterjones6357]

Thanks for the video. Could I ask what brand the paddle key is please? Thanks. Peter M0LMG

[@temporarilyoffline]

It was a simple 3d printed key a kid was selling.

[@AlanElBee]

I like the music T.O. Call it "Wreck-It Ralph's Dream" 😅

[@temporarilyoffline]

Nice! I like it!

[@karlschulte9231]

Just got one. No instructions like yours just schematic. Do u hv link for yours? Karl

[@temporarilyoffline]

I don't, Google might turn up something 🤔

[@twobob]

pretty sure you were just shorting out a stereo connector with a mono jack. Decent kit.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah, me too. Thanks!

[@chrisjarvis4449]

i ordered one a few years back off of ebay and never got it ! thanks china !

[@temporarilyoffline]

That stinks! At least you didn't get a tassel!

[@bill-2018]

Are those popular QRP frequencies in America? Here for Europe I use 7.030 MHz but put my Pixie on 5.262 MHz where it's less crowded for a simple receiver. QRP to QRP is great. G4GHB

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm not sure if they are specified directly as QRP frequencies - for example, the 7.030 is the QRP calling frequency as far as I know - might be good to get a 7.030 crystal for the rig!

[@bill-2018]

@@temporarilyoffline I got all recognised QRP h.f. xtals, 160m to 10m, one valve tx on 5.262 and 7.030, Wireless 19 Set same plus 3.560 MHz. I must build more tx or tcvr for higher freqs.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@bill-2018 Definitely! They are really fun to build.

[@MAC-ez2rq]

Built the same radio (from China) about 7 yrs ago for $3 something if I am not mistaken with the price. It is a junk kit.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yep, it is a junk kit. Fun build and cheap way to get started with kit building

[@donaldsmith3048]

Why did you have a part left over?

[@temporarilyoffline]

They supply a "Dummy load" for testing and I already have a better one.

[@W7LDT]

My little Pixie puts out 230 me on 9 volts.

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's great!

[@w8lvradio]

What size is the power connector? What polarity did YOU use to power this? Those little paddles, where did you get them? 73 DE W8LV BILL

[@temporarilyoffline]

5525, Center Positive for me, but you can check polarity with your multi-meter by checking the power connector against any ground connection on the board. The little paddles were being 3d printed and sold by a youth on QRZ. I don't think he's selling them anymore

[@billallen275]

Sold out 2 days after post. WOW

[@temporarilyoffline]

Looks like their back in stock now.

[@JxH]

"$15" ? They were like Cdn$3 or $4 shipped a couple of years ago; I bought several and built one. Even now, they're Cdn$7 and up, shipped. To be fair, that's for the 7.023 MHz only version.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Inflation man... what can I say...

[@greg5929]

Nice build, but your technique of taping to paper, although nifty, is not a good principle. The reason is your adding the glue/sticky material to the leads and thereby causing corruption/corrosion to the surface. Not an issue at low(er) freq. Can affect over all component reliability at higher freq. So be cautious when building up in VHF/UHF ranges ( and especially microwave). Also get a pair of hemostats or a clip-on heat sink that you can attach to a lead whilst solder to draw any extraneous heat away from the component. But having a solder station ( thermal regulated) is a big advantage. 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks for the tips Greg!

[@mikeferrel7225]

Please note that it isn't available at this time, 12-10-2023

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks, Link Update -> amzn.to/3No7WJM

[@b4ux1t3-tech]

🤦‍♂I can't believe I've been looking up color codes for years when I have a multimeter that _I use regularly_. Sigh. Thank you, TO.

[@temporarilyoffline]

If I can save but one ham... :-D

[@RudixSA]

I built the same kit a while ago. Managed to make some contacts but the receiver is terrible! I think your long high-loss feed line did not help. Or maybe mine worked better because I soLdered it and not soDDered it? 😇

[@temporarilyoffline]

Anything is possible with this kit! Congrats on the contact!

[@JohnVK5JAK]

Did you collect bugs as a kid?

[@temporarilyoffline]

No

[@JohnVK5JAK]

@@temporarilyoffline Laying out & labelling all the parts on the paper reminded me of bug collecting

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@JohnVK5JAK ok. I was wondering where you were going with that one. I love being organized, but I can never keep up.

[@lomgshorts3]

All kits should come in a box, not a bag.

[@temporarilyoffline]

You tell 'em!

[@gravestonemyth]

You might want to learn cootie. It’s easy to create beautiful CW.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'll have to give it a look. Thanks for the tip!

[@bill-2018]

Erm, triodes?

[@temporarilyoffline]

Could be

[@bill-2018]

​ Not really. Diode is still a diode whether semiconductor or valve, and then we have; triode, tetrode, pentode, hexode, heptode and octode, and multiple grid valves. All classes of valve.

[@miranovak8098]

range 2000 km !

[@temporarilyoffline]

On a good day with a string tailwind!

[@KellyKE8MWQ]

Way beyond my skills (at this time) but an enjoyable video. KE8MWQ 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks for watching!

[@karlschulte9231]

CW is much easier on a real key😂

[@temporarilyoffline]

Sure is!

[@karlschulte9231]

The chinese ones have a bright blue background and not truly opaque color code paint so it distorts the colors. Frustrating. Unlike good old US carbon types with a darker brown surface and nice bright standard colors. Easy to read even on small ones. Bad Boys Reject Our Young Girls But Violet Gets Wooed. Cleaned up old USAF mnemonic. Black, Brown Red Orange, Yellow. etc. But on the new resistors the VOM is best. Also L/C meters are around $25 from ebay or Amazon these days. Saves time for older eyes

[@temporarilyoffline]

I remember the mnemonic, can't say that today.

[@ericmattinen4728]

I'm a general class and don't want to use CW and only know SOS, but I still want to build this kit! I did build a kit for a tester for like everything, very handy when you have issues reading the color codes or really tiny labeling. 73 de W1ECM

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hey Eric! It's awesome to build kits, even if you sit them in the shelf and never use them after testing that they work. This kit "works , but it makes a dirty radio, so another kit after this would be making a filter for it... I make kits just for fun!

[@N7KOM]

Very impressed by that part sorting method! 73 de Tim N7KOM

[@temporarilyoffline]

Glad it was helpful!