Copyright 2001-2023 ...[ view copyright info ]...

N5ESE's GIZMOs
For the QRP Homebrewer and Ham Operator

Everybody loves a "gizmo". Hams have a weakness for them. Gizmos can be expensive for full-power amateur radio equipment, but homebrewing QRP gizmos is "cheap and easy". Most of the projects here cost less than $20 (or nothing, if you have a modest junk box), and take only a few hours to build). Most are even suitable for the novice builder. And all have real practical value, especially for homebrewers and QRP operators.

I hope you find these projects interesting and rewarding. Check back often, because I'm always building a new gizmo of some kind!

NOTE: 'N5FC' is my former call.
These projects were constructed while that call was valid, and you may observe references to it.

Experiments with RF Noise Generators... really useful gadgets

The Classic RF Probe...what it is, and how to build it and use it

The Ballpoint RF Probe...suitable for use with surface mount, too

A 25 Watt HF Dummy Load...light, compact, and inexpensive

A 5 Watt QRP HF Dummy Load...rugged and very well shielded

A 5 Watt QRP HF Dummy Load..with a built in detector for power measurement

An Inline 5 Watt 10-db Attenuator..switch readily from QRP 5-W to QRPp 1/2-Watt

An Inline 5 Watt 0 thru 35 db Attenuator..flexibility for your milliwatting adventures

A Crystal Checker..an indispensible homebrewing aid

A Zero-Beat Tuning Aid...for tone-deaf ops like me

Another Zero-Beat Tuning Aid...this one, available as a kit

A QRP 1:1 Current Balun...for balanced feedlines

A QRP 1:4 Current Balun... a impedance step-up balun

A Low Battery Warning Gizmo... lights up before it's "too late"

A Hobbyist's Frequency Reference... stable, trimmable, compensated 10, 5, and 2.5 MHz

Junkbox Capacitor Checker... measure caps from 1-4000 pF

Junkbox Inductance Meter... measure coils and toroids from 0.3 - 65 uH

40 dB Tap Attenuator... extend the range of your digital RF power meter


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Overseer: Monty Northrup ... n5ese@n5ese.com ... leave e-mail ...