?

Thanks for answering John. I didn't know as much about the history.?

I have Ashar's SMD version, and it works great, but I wouldn't mind a through-hole version in case I needed or wanted to replace a component. Replacing those teeny tiny SMD parts can be quite a challenge. :-)

On Sun, Nov 27, 2016 at 5:26 PM, iam74@... [BITX20] <BITX20@...> wrote:

?

Mark, Sunil Lakhani and Asher Farhan are in completely different companies.

Sunil brought out the BITX20 v.3 some years ago (with Farhan's blessing). He has since expanded the line considerably; parts are available from only circuit boards to complete rigs as kits. Sunil has a long and respected tradition in the BITX arena, but he has no smd kits as far as I know. I have bought several kits from him over the years and have always been treated well. They have become more expensive over time.

Farhan invented the BITX and has been involved with the various permutations over the years from start-up.
He has decided to market the smd BITX40 partly (or mainly) as an aid to a womens' group in India. At first, the kit was available only in India, but has recently become available internationally. It is only the second smd version that I know of; the first was by eliamady back in 2009. I have the BITX40 and also the eliamady smd version of the rig. (I will probably post pictures of both for comparison to the group shortly).

As to which one to use...that is kind of a personal question -- it depends...

Sunil's rigs are through-the-hole construction and are designed more or less for complete assemblage by the user, except for making the pcb. Their principal advantage is that missing or different parts are commonly available most everywhere -- including where you live. Asher's rig is pre-assembled and smd, but one has to figure out how to put it in a box and make it work without assembling the main board (or boards). Both are essentially the same design.The one radically different BITX was probably the BITX20A with its push-pull dual output PA. That also is still available.

Every single BITX has been tweaked and modified over the years for one purpose or another. Both Sunil and Asher (as well as everybody else) encourage innovation to make things more to the user's liking. The best general summary I know of for the circuit is that of F8VOA, which has all the good mods in it. It is an excellent reference. The next best reference is this list. Search for any topic and you will probably find it discussed somewhere on this list.

Hope this helps.

john
AD5YE

---In BITX20@..., wrote :

Thanks Mike!

I have a few questions:

1. What is story behind the two different sellers?

There's like you mentioned, and then what I was referring to:

Sunil Lakhani VU3SUA at

and he's selling his kits on eBay as sunillakhani

The kit I was thinking I wanted to buy was:

2.?Would I want the through-hole version referenced or the SMD version you linked to?

Which would be better for experimenting or modifying for other bands?

I also see that the SMD version is already assembled, and cheaper! $45?

I appreciate the input.

Thanks!

Mark, KC9DZT

--

Mike Haynes

?

--- wrote :

We starting including the resistors after the reports of the drift. the pads are big enough for you to solder regular 1/4 watt in place of wthe smd resistors (in manhattan style). if you do really want them, drop a mail to and they will post a 'pinch' of them to you for free, though the cost of postage is prohibitive but they have agreed to bear it.? - f

That is indeed very generous, but I hope no North American or European takes advantage of the offer. 1/4 watt resistors are ***far too easy*** to come by on both continents for any sense to be made of sending a "pinch" of them all the way from India! Moreover, it's my understanding that this effort by RF Signals is part of a community fund-raising and money *earning* (as opposed to money *making*) project. That was one of my reasons for buying one of the boards. I'd like to see as much of that money stay in India as possible.

I think there's another issue involved here that bears some thought and discussion. So the BitX40 VFO has some drift? BFD (Big Fat Deal)! I hope I never get to the point either physically or psychologically when having to touch a VFO knob to sharpen the tuning up a bit now and then becomes burdensome or somehow unacceptable. And God forbid I would ever become such a jerk as to mar an otherwise pleasant QSO by pointing out to the other guy--more often than not a total stranger--that he's drifting (or exhibiting some other meaningless "flaw" in his signal) unless I'm **asked** for a detailed signal report.

This ongoing inflation of features and expectations needs some serious reconsideration, reflection, and soul searching. It's made possible by **store-bought** DDS and SDR technology, along with all the feature bloat that goes along with much of it: waterfalls and spectral displays and other means of finding fault with the other-guys transmission.

Sure, lower the bias current by putting in 220 ohm resistors to minimize heating. Take any other reasonable route to maximize the VFO's stablility. Figuring all that out is part of the fun. But if you can't get around to any of that, stick an antenna on the thing and get on the air anyway! If you end up offending the spectrum police, too bad for them!

73,

Todd K7TFC ?

?

Mark, Sunil Lakhani and Asher Farhan are in completely different companies.

Sunil brought out the BITX20 v.3 some years ago (with Farhan's blessing). He has since expanded the line considerably; parts are available from only circuit boards to complete rigs as kits. Sunil has a long and respected tradition in the BITX arena, but he has no smd kits as far as I know. I have bought several kits from him over the years and have always been treated well. They have become more expensive over time.

Farhan invented the BITX and has been involved with the various permutations over the years from start-up.
He has decided to market the smd BITX40 partly (or mainly) as an aid to a womens' group in India. At first, the kit was available only in India, but has recently become available internationally. It is only the second smd version that I know of; the first was by eliamady back in 2009. I have the BITX40 and also the eliamady smd version of the rig. (I will probably post pictures of both for comparison to the group shortly).

As to which one to use...that is kind of a personal question -- it depends...

Sunil's rigs are through-the-hole construction and are designed more or less for complete assemblage by the user, except for making the pcb. Their principal advantage is that missing or different parts are commonly available most everywhere -- including where you live. Asher's rig is pre-assembled and smd, but one has to figure out how to put it in a box and make it work without assembling the main board (or boards). Both are essentially the same design.The one radically different BITX was probably the BITX20A with its push-pull dual output PA. That also is still available.

Every single BITX has been tweaked and modified over the years for one purpose or another. Both Sunil and Asher (as well as everybody else) encourage innovation to make things more to the user's liking. The best general summary I know of for the circuit is that of F8VOA, which has all the good mods in it. It is an excellent reference. The next best reference is this list. Search for any topic and you will probably find it discussed somewhere on this list.

Hope this helps.

john
AD5YE

---In BITX20@..., wrote :

Thanks Mike!

I have a few questions:

1. What is story behind the two different sellers?

There's like you mentioned, and then what I was referring to:

Sunil Lakhani VU3SUA at

and he's selling his kits on eBay as sunillakhani

The kit I was thinking I wanted to buy was:

2.?Would I want the through-hole version referenced or the SMD version you linked to?

Which would be better for experimenting or modifying for other bands?

I also see that the SMD version is already assembled, and cheaper! $45?

I appreciate the input.

Thanks!

Mark, KC9DZT

?

Try ordering direct from India. It takes a few weeks, but that's how I got mine.

- Mike
KE0KRY

On Sun, Nov 27, 2016 at 2:58 PM, Mark Baldridge marktbaldridge@... [BITX20] <BITX20@...> wrote:

?

I was looking at finally ordering a kit, and now they all seem to have disappeared. Only the PCBs are left.

Do we know if/when they will be available again?

Thanks all!

--Mark

--

Mike Haynes

?

I was looking at finally ordering a kit, and now they all seem to have disappeared. Only the PCBs are left.

Do we know if/when they will be available again?

Thanks all!

--Mark