I decided that as I put together the WM-2 QRP Wattmeter Kit from Oak Hills Research, it might be fun to photo-document the entire process ... so I did, step-by-step.
Anyone who has never built a kit will find this of interest, as will anyone who is considering this QRP Wattmeter kit. You will see the process described in about 10 large, clear photos on my website. Go to:

http://members.cox.net/jrehak/

and click on "The Joy of Kit Building"

This may be the last thing y'all hear outta me, but maybe not. It's real nice to be back in Rhode Island, the state with no street signs. The overall effect could be perfected by not allowing numbers on buildings, or signage of any kind. It really makes a sailor feel welcome. But I digress.

The amateur radio community has made me welcome, and for that I am grateful. I like the good bunch of ham folks around here.

That we are all QRP'ers should make you a little skeptical about me. But it's alright. My operating philosophy has less to do with pedantics and more to do with Annie Oakley and the Treaty of Greenville.

Hi! This is one of those things I imagine everybody knows, but I never heard about it before it stubbed my toe.

When copying a weak CW signal on a noisy band, adjust the NOTCH to a point just above the desired signal. Doing so seems to make the desired signal pop out in the audio, while reducing close-in noise. Please try it.

Hello all; I am 68yrs and a retired electrician. First licenced 1954 as Wn1DGE at 15.
I am just getting active again building after 30yr. Last time I built anything was in 70's. I just finished a DC40a that has got me hooked again on minimalmist rigs. I have always enjoyed using CW always under 50W. Committing to 5w or less is very intriguing.
I'm finding that my junk-box is conducive to building glow-bug type gear so kits are the order of the day.

In the step that says apply audio to C9, the audio I want to apply is from my rig. Do I connect one lead of my audio output to C9 and the other to ground?

It must be spring.

That would explain why I'm throwing things at the trees again. Sure, I'm actually trying to aim tethered projectiles over trees but these shots are turning out to be the exception rather than the rule. This evening, I left work a little early to see if I could place a line in a tall pine. This tree stands with a cluster of others at the south edge of my backyard and makes a nice vertex for a new, 80-meter, horizontal loop antenna that I want to raise. There's a relatively short, optimal period in the spring -- between when it gets warm enough to work outside but not so warm that the ground turns muddy or the leaves sprout and obstruct my aim -- for stringing wire antennas in my yard. That would be now.

After a FB QRP CW QSO recently with Dennis, K1LGQ, I checked out his invitation to join the New England QRP Club, and was impressed with the NEScaf. I received my kit yesterday, and installed components up to the point where I need the 20 pin socket (RS # 276-1991) which I'll get today. I also purchased the capacitor kit at the same time which was a real bargain. My order arrived in only a couple of days. Also,I hope to check into the WQ1RP CW net soon. Thanks again Dennis!

Bill W8YT