HamPi Radio

Latest news: 22 July 2026

• The HamPiRadio is performing well.  A local friend / radio ham / radio engineer Keith has been helping for over a year now. When I have time I get on air and pop a few contacts. See QRZ.com ZL3AX.  Data modes are workig and WSPR database shows just how many countries have heard the HamPi in the few hours it has been putting out a WSPR signal.

• The Radio Board,  CPU, Keypad, Front panel assembly and Band Pass Filter boards are performing very well and latest issues built.

• The Radio Board has gone through a number of improvements and it about to be put to PCB in the next few weeks. Iss 10 is working extremely well. One change is a decision to have the SSB and CW Crystal filters on a small plug-in sub board (42 x 38mm). It will be supplied built and tested. The reason is that to get these filters working well needs care and a spectrum analyser is needed.  Getting the crystal filters to work while part of the main board is difficult, and is so it is much better to build and test off-board.  The other big change is there is a small plug-in sub board for the Noise Blanker. This is a much improved and redesigned approach to catch those nasty crashes, woodpeckers and here in NZ my electric fence for the cattle.

• The PA Board is working very well on all HF bands using the RD100HHF1 devices, which can easily produce 150W or more on the lower bands. Taking into consideration the LPFs , thie amount of power has to be throttled back to closer to 100W.   This boars is now in full focus again.  We are focussing on getting the upper frequencies and low pass filtering improved for working on 8, 6 and 4mtr bands (Yes that's right, 8mtrs is now part of the project). Although we were going to stop with HF bands for a full release, it was decided to spend some time hacking a couple of older version boards sing the RD70HVF1 devices that will easily give power on the 2mtr band. OK it is an attempt to do what few if any have archived, namely to get the PA working from 1.8 to 150MHz. To do this all ferrite has been changed to Type 61, and all stages revisited to update the negative feedback paths to un-throttle things, while still protecting the PA from going unstable.  All stage up to the finals are now performing well.  Work is ongoing and within the next 2-3 weeks a conquest or failure will be decided upon. (Update, all was going well until Influenza A hit the household! I am recovering that and starting the work again today is 31 July 2026)

• Apart from the above it just leaves the case metalwork, and that isn't a big task.  A few days with that and more can be ordered. This has to happen after the PA mods are done due to the rear 3mm panel of the HamPi is the heatsink.

• If you are keen, knowledgeable, and available we are also keen to hear from you. Areas that could do with assistance in speeding the project up are:

1. To build up a HamPiRadio using the latest PCBs. The idea is to check this website instructions can be followed and a couple of rigs successfully constructed. You'll need very good soldering / construction / testing skills and test equipment.

2. The case, so sheet metalwork design experience. The case is out of date and needs checking over and reproducing.  Ideas and inspiration could make the case look more sexy!

3. This website!

4. Interested?  See the contact page.