QSO Today interview with Mike Rainey, AA1TJ, on home brew QRPP radio transceivers

AA1TJ

2/13/2016

Episode 080 - Mike Rainey - AA1TJ

If you were stranded on a desert island, with the hopeless possibility of no rescue, then you would want to be stranded with Mike Rainey, AA1TJ, who could whip up a sound powered 80 meter transceiver from a tail light of your broken aircraft. Mike's can do attitude and the ability to make a RF transmitter from just about anything makes for an interesting conversation with Eric, 4Z1UG, on QSO Today.

Show Notes

Transcript

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AA1TJ Channels:

YouTube
QRPer/AA1TJ
AA1TJ Website - Site is parked and not used. The archived site is here.
AA1TJ Antenna System

Cub Scout crystal radio

Short Wave Listening

First Elmer: Dennis J. McCarthy, KB0YTI

First Rig:

Radio Shack Realistic DX120 receiver
Ameco AC1 transmitter
Heathkit DX-100 Transmitter
40 meter dipole, at 15 feet.
Made over 500 QSOs

First License: 1971, Novice
Upgraded a year later

Later Rigs:

Mt. Mansfield, VT transmitter site

Compact fluorescent transmitter

New England Code Talker Video

QRPP - Mike is 50 miliwatts and below.

Inverted L on 80 meters

Pixie Transceiver - uses the same parts for transmit and receive.

Japanese Temple Geometry Puzzles

Relaxation Oscillator using a uni-junction transistor

Reggie Transceiver - QRP home brew project

A source of parts from W0XI's crystal radio business - The Xtal Society

The British Philosopher, Frank Ramsey writes, “I do not feel the least humble before the vastness of the heavens. The stars may be large, but they cannot think or love; and these are qualities that impress me far more than does size."

Gammatron Tube

Connections, James Burke - show about technology

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Ameco AC1 Novice Transmitter

AA1TJ proto board transceiver

New England Code Talker

The Reggie

9 Comments

Nick Kennedy WA5BDU

2/14/2016 08:23:03 am

Good interview. I've gotten a lot of enjoyment from trying to duplicate some of Mike's simpler projects and even more when I actually made QSOs with a couple of them.

Michael Rainey

2/14/2016 08:30:23 am

It was a pleasure meeting you, Eric. Thanks again, OM.

I ought to mention that George Rose, K2AH, is thought to have made the first transistor-based amateur radio QSO. The event was reported in the February 1953 edition of QST Magazine and described in detail the following month: “The Transistor – Or 25 Miles on a Hunk of Germanium."

By the way, since our conversation I've had a great time with the aforementioned 80m unijunction transmitter. A progression of improvements have resulted in an RF power output of ~1.5mW. QSOs with three stations have been made to-date: W1PID, K1SWL and AA1MY. That's 100miles on a unijunction...Wahoo!

73/72,
Mike, AA1TJ

Brian Stewart

9/1/2025 11:45:44 am

Hey Mike just seeing if you are ok. Brian Stewart from TEKNAR

younghomebrewer

2/22/2016 11:50:59 am

Wow! Your the bell ringer guy! your famous in my world! I've read about that transceiver in the Intl QRP Collection book (GQRP).

You're very inspiring, Mike! Very refreshing to hear from such humble and brilliant guests such as yourself rather than the usual smoke and mirrors crowd. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Eric!

Marc

2/28/2016 07:52:45 pm

Eric, brilliant interview. I never really thought about it too deeply but I share Mikes philosophy on this hobby. Many thanks, VK6HAO

Dave AA7EE link

8/27/2016 10:54:57 pm

What an absolutely fantastic interview Eric. In your talks with hams, you attempt to find out what drives people to pursue this hobby. Mike answered the question in a really interesting way, I thought, which perfectly illustrated how many hams are multi-disciplinary, and driven in ways that are perhaps not immediately obvious.

Mike's pursuit of knowledge and creative solutions brings him very close, to my mind, to the core values of what this hobby is all about. It's that spirit of experimenting - the quest to achieve a lot with a little, which is so inspiring.. AA1TJ is keeping the original spirit of amateur radio alive. It's so great to hear a ham who is practicing this hobby at such a stripped-down experimental level, and who is obviously experiencing great joy in doing so.

Once again, your podcast kept me company while I was eating my dinner, and you really knocked it out of the ballpark with this episode. Thank you, Eric and Mike!

Kostas link

11/18/2016 03:50:50 am

Mike, it was always very difficult to contact you. I cannot find your email anywhere.
I liked your old website, why didn't you keep it up?
I can re-host it as part of my website if you like.
An email address to contact you will be very helpful, as share the same philosophy about the hobby and I design my own circuits as well. You may find my email at the end of my website.
Regards

Mark West

12/29/2016 07:19:42 pm

I hate to sound like a troll but I'd like to ask for a little bit of help with a QRP design...my first rig as a matter of fact :-)

I came across one of Mr Rainey's designs using an oscillator coupled by a step down toroid to a final that also has a step down output. If I may post it, the URL is:

http://dxhams.net/PARAtips/CFL/

Mr Raimey's circuit is about 2/3 down the page.

I'm an electronic technician with plenty of experience soldering, protyping, troubleshooting and working with analog and digital circuits. Sadly, the extent of my RF experience deals tuning with microwave antennas.

I'm looking to build a 40 meter CW and I would like to modify your design but am unsure how to. I know I'll need to substitute the 3.5 MHz crystal for a 7 MHz crystal. I know the LC values would have to change, but I'm really not sure what to change them to.

I can figure out a 1 stage RC filter, but multi-stage LC seems a bit beyond my ken at the moment. I've always wanted to try QRP as a hobby because it's simple and relatively inexpensive. I'd like to be able to build shorter wavelength rigs so I can also use smaller antennas.

I would like to ask a small favor if I may. When one of you folks has a spare moment, could you please tell me which components need to be modified? If you could also tell me how to calculate the values, that would be even more helpful.

Kind Regards from Southern NH,
Mark West

James Custer

7/9/2020 02:30:57 pm

Wow Eric! What an interview. At about 43’ into such itself an interesting segment on qrpp home brewing, it became an interview on the meaning of life. Yes, that really snuck up on me. One of those lifetime moments. Probably not unexpected from a ham with two years of college philosophy and who lives in the Vermont woods!!! Thank you Mike AA1TJ, and Eric 4Z1UG!!!!!

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AA1TJ

Episode 080 - Mike Rainey - AA1TJ

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