[Hackaday] PSSST! Heres A Novel SSB Radio Design With Only Seven Transistors

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amateur radio - Hackaday

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PSSST! Heres A Novel SSB Radio Design With Only Seven Transistors

Posted: 20 Nov 2021 10:00 PM PST
https://hackaday.com/2021/11/20/pssst-heres-a-novel-ssb-radio-design-with-only-seven-transistors/


When [Pete Juliano] sat down to design a sideband transceiver for the 20
Meter (14 MHz) ham radio band, he eschewed the popular circuits that make
up so many designs. He forged ahead, building a novel design that he calls
Petes Simple Seven SSB Transceiver, or PSSST for short.

What makes the PSSST so simple is not only its construction, but the low
component count. The same circuit using four 2N2222As is used on both
transmit and receive. On transmit, an extra three components step in to
amplify the microphone input and build output power, which is 2.5-4 Watts,
depending on the final output transistor used. The best part is that all of
the transistors can be had for under $10 USD! [Pete] shows where radio
components such as the RF mixers and the crystal filter can be purchased,
saving a new constructor a lot of headaches. The VFO and IF frequencies are
both provided by the venerable si5351a with an Arduino at the helm.

Many simple transceivers are designed to demonstrate a minimum viable
radio, with performance not really a goal. On the other hand, the PSSST was
modeled stage-by-stage in LTSpice, ensuring great transmit audio and nice
receiver performance. Be sure to check out the demonstration below the
break!

[Pete] has painstakingly documented the entire project on his website, and
the code for the VFO is available by request via email. We appreciate this
contribution to the homebrew ham radio community, and were sure this will
provide many nights of solder smoking enjoyment for radio amateurs around
the world.





Thanks to [Nick, G8INE] for the Tip!