S-Pixie DIY Kits Super CW QRP 7.023 MHz with Shell Large Potentiometer

The kit arrived quickly and all the parts were neatly packed. The component leads were pre-bent, so insertion into the holes were very convenient. After systematically confirming all of the component values, the build process was very smooth. All of the large parts fit perfectly onto the PCB. After completing the kit, everything worked perfectly. Power output is nowhere near the inflated claim of 1.8W, however. It's actually a 1/2W transceiver. The frequency is very close to what's stated and appears to be quite stable. The CW tone is very slightly rough, but totally acceptable. I'd give it an (RS)T of an "8". The receiver has quite a bit of background hiss, which was totally expected. In all, this was quite a fun build and it performs as well as expected. With the exception of the claimed power output, this fun little kit does everything it's supposed to. It's neat, tiny, attractive and a blast to use.

It is small and i had trouble distinguishing some colors on the resistors. So i used a ohm meter to confirm values. I would recommend some magnification to help read some of the capacitors and working on the board. There is very little room for error. But a great kit.Update - I have worked several stations out a few hundred miles, the key is to CQ and tune around looking for a reply. Some responses may be a bit off frequencies. I am having fun using this.

I enjoyed building the kit. All the parts were there, and the instructions are good enough-- provided you are not a complete electronics beginner. As a practical radio, it is not very good. No surprise given its simplicity. To actually transmit, you need good antenna (a much larger project than the kit). Also, at least in the USA you need the highest form of amateur (Ham) radio license to legally transmit on its fixed frequency using more than a dummy load. If you have that license, I would think you would get more out of designing your own little QRP transceiver!But it was a fun little kit for soldering practice.

There are many Pixie kits out there, and I have built several of them. This is the best one I have seen. The PCB and components are good quality, and the acrylic enclosure is useful and attractive. You can get a Pixie kit for less money, sometimes for just a few bucks, but with long wait times and sometimes lesser quality and no enclosure. Technical skill is required to construct and operate this transceiver. If you are disappointed with a Pixie, then take this as a cue to improve your technical knowledge and skills, and then try again.

The transmitter works. I measured it at a full 2W. The frequency is in the Extra portion of the amateur radio band. The written instructions are not very useful, so this kit should be constructed under the supervision of, or by, someone with experience. The buzzer and LED work.This review has been edited. At first, I thought it didn't receive. Since then, I discovered I missed a solder connection. I'll edit again after testing the receive function. Avoid using power supplies with ripple.SECOND EDITFirst, the transmitter. The transmitted signal is very dirty, with lots of spurious signals up and down the band. 13.8V will give the full 2W. 12V gives 1.2W. 9V gives 0.3WNow, the Receiver. A signal equivalent of S-9 is required to hear anything. The receiver bandwidth is nearly 1 MHz.

Great project

I am an experienced builder. Quality is good. Performance is good. Easy build for an experienced builder. Directions are high quality in photos and component ratings, quality paper etc. Written instructions horrible. (I did receive a bad LM386 but it is socketed on the PC board and about 59 cents, so not a big deal.) If the instructions were better I would give it 5+ stars. If you are relatively experienced, you will have no problem with this kit. BTW, the plastic case is great with good hardware.

Do you want to learn how a HAM radio works? This is a great starter kit that lets you play around with a transceiver along with getting the opportunity to solder it together. Great learning tool for classes.