FDIM 2013 Buildathon kit Mailed to your QTH

Price: $35.00
US orders:
DX orders:


The Buildathon experience this year was very interesting. We built low powered beacon transmitters. We then examined the innards of a typical amateur radio crystal. I had specially made 10.132Mhz HC49 crystals in unsealed cans, We looked at the insides and then penned the crystals down a bit to hopefully 40 unique frequencies. Once these two items are married up, we had 31 transmitters scattered throughout the hotel (and local vicinity) beacon-ing away for some fun LX contesting throughout the rest of the FDIM weekend. And of course; you can use them at you own QTHs for more beacon shenanigans.

Here is your chance to do the same thing at your QTH! For $35, you can have a unsealed crystal and FDIM beacon transmitter kit mailed to your QTH to build. Dale Botkin, N0XAS, of Ham Gadgets donated PicoKeyer chips for inclusion in the FDIM Buildathon Beaconator kits. While I have remaining stock, Beaconator kits will include the PicoKeyer chip. After those are gone, you can use the Beaconator as a low power 30m transmitter. Or you can purchase a PicoKeyer kit from Ham Gadgets and beacon away. You can also use a Picaxe 08M2 micro and program your own beacon keyer with your own operation specifics.

Documentation
  • Beaconator Layout
  • Beaconator Schematic v1-6
  • Beaconator Builders Guide