Parts Included in the Kit


The Blue Lightning Transceiver Kit contains the following parts and bags:

>Two PCB Boards - Board 1 and Board 2

>A CD ROM containing the contents of this site, including all the instructions and information on the Electroluminescent Receiver Kit.

>Eight bags of parts arranged as follows:

T/R Switching Parts
Bag DDSVFO Parts
Bag 1 - All the tuning capacitors for the receiver.
Bag 2 - All static sensitive parts in a static sensitive bag.
Bag 3 - Parts that have 9 or more pieces.
Bag 4 - All parts with 3 to 9 pieces.
Bag 5 - All parts that have 2 pieces.
Bag 6 - Parts that have only one piece.

>The bag contents may change slightly as changes are made. A Parts List (with bag contents) is sent with every kit to double check the parts.

The Ham Radio Instructions CDROM are pictorial: pictures show all the instructions with arrows pointing to the parts to be placed on the PCB.


Manhatten build Transmitter Kits

One single sided PCB 7-1/8" by 6-1/4"
One clear plastic sheet with mirror images of the layouts
1/8" PCB strips to use as pads and traces
1/2" by 1/2" Blue Stick (Reusable Adhesive Putty)

Manhatten style Antenna RF T/R Switch Kit
Parts List:
2 - .001 1 - 1N4004 1 - 2.2 mfd
1 - 1K 1 - 2N3904 1 - .01
1 - 1 Meg 2 - 1N914 1 - Zettler relay

Manhatten style Lowpass Filter Switch Kit
Relay Parts list:
4 - 2N3904 4 - 1N914 4 - 4.7K 2 - .1uF
2 - SPDT Relay 2 - LM339 2 - 50K Trim
IR Parts List:
4 - 2N3904 2 - 2N7000 2 - LM339
2 - IR Kits 2 - 1 meg 4 - 4.7K
4 - 1N914 2 - 50K Trim 2 - .1uf
The IR kit is $16 for the cost of the IR Kits.


Parts Not Included in the Kit

This kit is basically defined as a "board kit". All the parts are contained for a working receiver, but all the accessories are provided by the builder. You will need the following to complete the kit:

>About 5' of insulated #24 or #22 copper stranded or solid wire (size not critical) is needed for jumper wires and connections to the outputs. Small coax is provided for the connections that require shielded wire.

> No knobs are provided for controls: DDS rotary encoder, audio gain, BFO capacitor, and Band Tuning pot. They are all 1/4" shafts which work best with small to medium size knobs, except for the DDS rotary encoder, which needs a 2" or so diameter knob (for 1/4" shaft) for easy tuning of signals.

>No on-off switch or a power supply is provided. A 12V linear power supply is recommended. A linear power supply is one with a transformer, voltage regulator, and filter capacitors.

A 13.8 Volt power supply can be used with three 1 or 2 amp diodes in series which provide a voltage drop to approximately 11.5 Volts for the receiver. Three 2 amp diodes will be supplied with most kits.
Wall warts, as a rule, do not have enough filtering to work with the receiver - causes hum and distortion in the audio output.

>Connections for the outputs are not included. These are power, speaker, and antenna.

>A case is not needed to use the receiver. As shown in the pictures and construction information, the boards can be stacked with the bottom plate and spacers for a fully functioning receiver without a case. All the controls mount on the boards. See "Picture of Completed Receiver" and Front Cover Pictures (mostly ELR Receivers) for examples of the receiver without a case.

>You have to build your own case, if desired. Information on case building will be added from customer input and as my experience yields more information and suggestions.



Optional Items

S-Meters:

>Multi 50uA Meter - Has the stock value (50uA) for use in the kit which needs no circuit changes to work. This meter is not illuminated.

>Plastic 200uA Meter - A small plastic unit with a 0 to 30dB scale. One resistor change is needed to make it work; this resistor is supplied with the meter. A small hole needs to be drilled in it to be illuminated with either an LED or miniature incandescent light. I have a limited quantity of these meters.


Super Bright LEDs

Using Super Bright Blue LEDs (or any SB LED) in the amplifiers lowers receiver performance only slightly. However, you must use the regular smoked reds (which come with the kit) in both the 1st and 2nd mixers. Putting SB LEDs in the mixers considerably lowers the receiver gain.


Freebies

>Foreign customers will get 2 extra MOSFETs, this gives a little insurance in case you blow a MOSFET.

>US customers will get one extra MOSFET.


>Mounting hardware for the LCD may not be included.


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Last Update: 11/5/2019
Web Author: David White, WN5Y
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