A Compact 40M CW Transceiver.: The Hilltopper-40'
A Compact 40M CW Transceiver.: The Hilltopper-40'
A Compact 40M CW Transceiver.: The Hilltopper-40'
Description:
Receiver: The receiver is adapted from K1SWL’s ‘SW+’ Series with minor modifications. The front-end circuitry
st
was revised to replace the now-vanished 10.7 MHz IF transformers. The output of 1 mixer U1 is transformed to a
220 ohm value by L3/C8. The following crystal filter has a -3dB bandwidth of approximately 400 Hz. L4 and C12
nd
step the impedance back up into the 2 mixer U2. Trimmer capacitor C53 provides adjustment of the BFO
frequency during the alignment process. The two op-amp stages following provide approximately 60 dB of audio
gain. The final audio stage is configured as a bandpass filter centered on 800 Hz with a Q of 2. The receiver
output is suitable for headphone use. An 800 Hz sidetone is injected into this final stage.
Transmitter: The transmitter strip closely resembles Steve Weber’s – KD1JV- fine work. The frequency source
for both transmitting and receiving is an Adafruit Si5351 board. This board outputs a 3V p-p square wave. The
‘CLK1’ signal is enabled (turned on) during Transmit directly at the operating frequency. The ‘QSK’ signal further
‘gates’ the CLK1 signal to eliminate a ‘back-wave’ between code elements. U7’s three remaining gates are
paralleled for higher current drive into the PA devices Q5-Q7. The low-pass filter design is based on a drain
impedance of 10 ohms and was optimized using the ELSIE modelling application. The addition of C52- in parallel
nd
with L7 provides a notch to reduce the 2 -harmonic content to FCC-compliant levels.
Wave-shaping: Q4 is a P-channel MOSFET rated for 2A continuous duty -with proper heatsinking- and is turned on
when Q3 is on, conducting current to ground. Capacitor C45 serves to make the supply voltage rise and fall linear.
Rise time is 2 mS and fall time is 4 mS. Note: R17, R18 and R21 are ‘insurance’, ensuring that the PA stage and
supply bias are firmly OFF during initial power-up.
MPU Controller: The controller IC is a 28-pin DIP- the Atmel ATmega328P used in the Arduino UNO. It relies
on an external 16 MHz crystal (Y6) for its timing. The application firmware was written in the Arduino environment
(more on this later). An on-board rotary encoder outputting 24 pulses-per-revolution provides a tuning function.
The variable DC voltage provided by Speed pot R16 is read by an A/D converter and scaled for Morse code timing.
A pair of inputs are used for dot/dash paddles, and Straight-key mode is also available. The remainder of the I/O
provides various control signals and sidetone for a variety of operations.
Firmware: The Hilltopper firmware was written in Arduino’s (mostly) C language and supported by its own
compiler. After power-up initialization, the main program runs in a fairly high-speed loop, awaiting keyer and
pushbutton inputs. Encoder phase A is handled by a brief interrupt routine. That routine flags the presence of a
new tuning input and reads phase B to determine its up/down tuning direction. Outputs ‘A4’ and ‘A5’ provide a
clock and serial data to the Si5351 board. During Receive operation, CLK0 is active, and its output equals the
operating frequency plus the IF. During Transmit, CLK1 is active directly at the operating frequency. The
changeover is a fairly slow process, requiring a number of data bytes be sent to the Si5351 at a fairly low bit rate.
To avoid having to keep switching back and forth between code elements, there’s a 100 mS ‘hang’ time on key-up.
Miscellaneous:
1 -- Si5351 board Supplied with 8-pin
header strip. See group 3.
1 SW1 pushbutton switch
2 -- 1/16” plastic spacer Used with pushbutton sw
1 SW2 rotary encoder w/ switch
5 X1-X5 5.185 MHz HC-49/US crystal Matched set
1 X6 16 MHz HC-49/US crystal
1 -- #24 magnet wire 30” (75 cm) length
1 -- #22 magnet wire 8” (20 cm) length
3 -- Knobs
4 -- ¼” #6 spacer unthreaded
4 -- 5/8”#6 spacer, threaded
4 -- #6-32 x 3/8” machine screw, pan head
4 -- #6-32 x ⅝” machine screw, pan head
1 -- 8-pin DIP socket
1 -- 14-pin DIP socket
1 -- 28-pin DIP socket
Capacitors these days are tiny! In sunlight, I can read their printed values with +3.0 reading
glasses. Most of the time, though, I use a 10-power eye loupe (~$3-4 from DigiKey). Likewise,
the adjustment slot on trim cap C53 is tiny as well. An eyeglass repair kit ($2 at discount stores)
has just the right teensy screwdriver.
Assembly sequence: You’ll find 7 grouped assembly sequences in these pages. You don’t have
to follow them. Caution: There’s one component installation where the order matters. That’s
Before getting started with building the Hilltopper 40, take some time to organize and
familiarize yourself with the parts provided and check them against the Parts List. Building over
a cookie sheet is recommended to minimize parts being lost. To prevent static damage, it is
recommended that the ICs not be removed from their anti-static packaging until you are ready
to install them. If parts are missing in your kit, send an email to the Hiltopper kitter listed at
4SQRP.com. He will promptly provide replacements.
It is helpful to acquire the necessary tools and supplies before beginning. These include:
Schematic and Component Placement diagrams are provided as part of documentation package.
It is highly recommended to print a copy for reference during construction. As you build, you can
check off each construction step as you complete them in order. When you think you are done,
you can check the list to verify that all of the parts have been installed.
Snap off the enclosure sides from the sides of the two main boards. The boards are scored with
a V-groove so that they break free readily. Once separated, lightly sand the rough edges of the
breaks until smooth.
Further details may be found in the grouped assembly sequences. Let’s get started!
Online Support: Search for ‘Groups.io’ on your browser and register to use their free
service. Find ‘4SQRP.groups.io and register to join. Once approved, find the HilltopperKit
subgroup and register for it in turn. This is a group e-mail reflector and supports images and
other file types. Please note that the J5 and J6 header strips are not provided in this kit- See the ‘Files’
section of the subgroup for more information.
• Install all (qty.15) 0.1 µF capacitors. These are labeled ‘104’ on one side. Restrain each
capacitor by spreading the leads apart on the underside of the board until you can solder it. I
typically install 3 or 4 components, then solder each and clip off the excess lead length.
Locations are highlighted below.
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• Install power diode D1 (1N5818) and bias diodes D6 and D7 (BAT85). Be sure to match the
banded end of the diode to that shown on the illustration. D7 must be installed before the
Si5351 board is installed.
• Install electrolytic cap C43 (100 µF). This part is polarity sensitive. Install so the white band on
the case faces the rear of the board. This also corresponds to the shorter wire lead.
• Install U4 (78M05) This part is polarity sensitive. Install so that its heat-sink tab faces the rear
of the board as illustrated.
• Install capacitors C40 and C41 (marked ‘220’ or “22J”) and X6 (16.00 MHz). I use a narrow
(0.1”) strip of paper under the crystal can to stand the crystal slightly above the board. Once at
least one of the leads is soldered, the paper is removed.
• Prepare the Si5351 board. Cut one pin off the 8-pin
header supplied with the Si5351 and mate the 7-pin
strip to the board. Save the cut-off pin. Make sure
the insulated portion of the header is on the
underside of the Si5351 board. Solder just one pin on
the header strip. Check your work to ensure the
header strip is firmly and squarely seated on the small
board. Once it’s OK, solder the remaining pins.
• Install the 28-pin IC socket at U5. The notch at one end of the socket faces the rear of the
board as shown. If you install it backwards- leave it! The socket itself is not polarity-sensitive.
• Install the 2-pin male header at the location identified as ‘CAL’ . (Keep the mating 2-pin female
jumper aside until construction is complete.)
GROUP 4 ASSEMBLY:
• Install all components highlighted below. A detailed assembly sequence follows the
illustration.
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• Install resistor R10 – 510K ohm (green-brown-yellow-gold)
• Install the 8-pin DIP IC socket at U3. The notched end of the socket faces to the right.
• Install the NE5532P IC at U3. This part is polarity-sensitive. Ensure that the notch/dot on the IC faces
to the right.
• Install capacitor C27 (.0022 uF, ‘222’)
• Install capacitor C26 (820 pF, ‘821’)
• Install resistors R7 and R12 (1M ohm, brown-black-green-gold)
• Install resistors R13 and R23 (4.7 ohm yellow-violet-gold-gold)
• Install resistor R8 (22K ohm, red-red-orange-gold)
• Install electrolytic cap C30. Observe installation polarity. The longer wire lead corresponds to the
positive (+) side of the cap.
• Install electrolytic caps C29. Observe installation polarity. The longer wire lead corresponds to the
positive (+) side of the cap.
• Install capacitor C54 (.01 µF, ‘103’)
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• Install crystal X5 – 5.185 MHz This is one of a matched set of 5 crystals, and may be used
interchangeably within the group
• Install capacitor C15 - 10 pF (marked ‘100’ or ’10J’)
• Install trimmer capacitor C53 - 12-60 pF (brown). The ‘flat’ side of the capacitor faces right.
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• Install capacitor C2 - 330pF (marked ‘331’).
• Install RF choke L1– 10 uH . This is slightly larger in diameter than the resistors. It’s marked with
brown-black bands – and several more bands which may vary in color.
• Install RF choke L2– 6.8 uH . This is slightly larger in diameter than the resistors. It’s marked with
blue-grey bands – and several more bands which may vary in color.
• Install crystals X1 through X4 – 5.185 MHz. As in the group 3 assembly, a narrow (0.1”) strip of paper
temporarily stands the crystals slightly above the board.
• Install diodes D2 through D5 - 1N4148. Be to match the banded end of each diode to the banded
marking on the circuit board component outline. Note: D3 and D4 bands to the right, D2 and D5 bands
to the left.
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• Install R17, R19, R20 and R21 - 10K ohm (brown-black-orange-gold).
• Install Q4 (NTD2955). Ensure that the heat-sink ‘flat’ faces to the right as shown.
• Install the 14-pin IC socket at U7. The notch on the socket faces to the right as shown.
• Adjust the lead spacing on U7 as needed. See images in group 3. Install U7, ensuring that
the dot/notch on the IC body faces to the right
• Install transistors Q3, Q5, Q6, and Q7, (all BS170s) observing the installation polarity as
shown above.
• Install Diode D8 (1N4756).
• Install capacitors C49 and C51 - 470 pF (marked ‘471’).
• Using a 16” piece of the #24 (thinner) magnet wire, wind BAD TOROID!
(bad bad toroid!)
19 turns on the remaining T37-2 (red) toroid. Prepare the (color varies by band)
leads as above and install at L7.
• Install BNC bulkhead jack J1. Use sandpaper or file to roughen plating to ensure a good solder
joint.
4) Flip the assembly over. Insert the circuit board upside down into the unit with board
resting against the spacers attached to the top.
5) There are bare tinned areas on each side panel. These A word about soldering:
must line up with the corresponding bare areas on the
main circuit board. Solder all 6 pairs of contact points The tinned areas are thermally-
between the main board and the panels. Make sure isolated from the rest of the board
the panels line up with the edges of the cover. material. 25 to 40W iron and a fine
Caution – side panels get hot quickly and can point tip are sufficient. Do not use a
cause painful burns. high-wattage iron! A proper
connection shows a smooth
6) Solder the upper and lower inside corners of the panels transition across the joint and not
(8 pl. total). This adds considerably to the enclosure ‘two rounded bumps’
strength.
10) Perform the Alignment and BFO Pitch Adjustment processes as described in the next
section.
13) Install knobs on the three controls, using a small slot screwdriver on the setscrews.
Space the knobs slightly above the panel to prevent ‘rubbing’. The tuning knob must be
just high enough to allow the detent switch on the rotary encoder to function.
1) Frequency Calibration
2) BFO pitch adjustment
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Frequency Calibration:
The Si5351 DDS board uses a standard-quality SMD crystal as its reference clock. As such,
your operating frequency may be off by a few hundred Hz at 7 MHz.
PROCEDURE:
Upon power-up, the Hilltopper will put out full power (5W nominal) for 5 seconds. During that
time, rotate the TUNING control to match the tone in your ‘big rig’ to your sidetone pitch. At the
end of 5 seconds, the transmitter stops transmitting and a calibration factor is calculated and
stored in U5’s EEPROM. That value is retrieved on subsequent power ups
It’s possible you won’t find 5 seconds to be enough time for the calibration. If that’s the case,
remove-and restore- DC power. The 5-second routine starts over, allowing you to zero in on the
correct frequency.
Alternate method: Connect a frequency counter to the center pin (and ground) and apply
D-C power. Adjust the tuning control as above.
IMPORTANT: Remove the jumper at the’CAL’ location when this calibration is completed.
Remove-and restore- DC power to return to normal operation.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BFO Pitch adjustment:
Tune in a CW station and adjust trim cap C53 using a teensy screwdriver. You’re looking for
maximum signal strength at the same pitch as the sidetone (800 Hz). It’s a 2-handed operation,
since you also need to work the tuning knob.
Power up the hilltopper (it starts up on 7030.0.) Set your big rig to 7030.0 and send a string of dots (low
power, please!). Adjust C53 so that the received pitch in the Hilltopper matches your sidetone pitch.
***
Frequency Readout:
Push the ‘Function’ switch briefly to hear your current frequency. The readout is at the same speed as
your keyer speed setting.
RIT: Push and hold the tuning knob down for at least a half-second. A two-tone sequence, ‘boo-beep’
indicates that RIT is on. Repeat to turn RIT off- it’s annunciated by ‘bee-boop’.
TUNE Mode
Push and hold the Function switch for at least one second. (release the switch) The sidetone and
transmitter output turn on to allow adjustment of antenna tuners, etc. It stays in TUNE mode until:
Straight key ‘timeout’: After 5 seconds key-down, the transmitter output shuts off. Depress the
Function switch briefly to restore normal operation. The TUNE function works in Straight key mode but
returns to normal operation without operator action. The timeout provision is meant to protect the PA
devices from a ‘stuck key’ situation.
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Steve Weber- KD1JV whose SOTA POP design influenced the design of the
transmitter section. He also graciously provided open-source firmware…… which I proceeded to
mangle for this project.
Thanks also to David Cripe- NMOS- who played an invaluable role with enclosure layout,
technical liasonTransceiver
The ‘Hilltopper-40’ with 4SQRP, and provided
K1SWL advice with component selection.
rev. 8 October 2018 23
Dave Benson, K1SWL updated 7 Aug. 2018