The Flying Pigs Amateur Radio Club International and the North Georgia QRP Club will again host a “Buildathon” at FDIM 2003. Last year these two clubs combined their resources to help 35 first time builders construct and calibrate a NOGA Watt Meter. Feedback on the Buildathon was extremely positive, with many requests for a repeat event. Hence, we will continue this amateur radio Elmering tradition again this year.

Last year’s participants found many uses for the NOGA Watt Meter. This year’s project is an equally useful device for the bench as well as the shack. Thanks to the great design effort by Diz, W8DIZ, and the resources of the Flying Pigs Research and Development Lab, this years Buildathon participants will leave the event with a fully functional frequency counter (FC). The FC will run off of a 9-volt battery for portable operation or a 12-volt bench supply. The specification are as follows:

0 to 45 MHz Freq Range with 10 Hz display resolution
Input is back-to-back diode protected
400mv at 10 MHz, 700mv at 20 MHz, 1 volt at 30 MHz all peak-to-peak
0 to 20.97 MHz display offset with 10 Hz adjustable resolution
jumpers for (+) or (-) freq offset and disable
20 ma current consumption using 9 volt battery (with backlight OFF)
60 ma current consumption using 12 volts (with backlight ON)
PCB size is 2.5” x 3.8” with 4-40 mounting holes at the four corners.

The Buildathon will be held on Thursday, May 15, 2003 from 5 PM EDT to approximately 8 PM EDT. Registration for the event is $40.00. This will include all the parts for the FC, Elmering as needed, and pizza to make it an “eat as you build” event. To register, please send a check made out to:

Dieter Gentzow W8DIZ
197 Timber Trail
Loveland, OH 45140

There are a limited number of seats for this, so please register early. First come, first served.

72/3,

Diz
W8DIZ

Ken
W4DU