New England Code Talker

In order to complete my first QSO with El Silbo I resorted to sending Morse code, by 

literally speaking "DIT DAHHH DIT," etc., into the loudspeaker (working backwards as 

an acoustic to electical power generator). This gave me the idea to build a dedicated

voice-powered CW transmitter. I call this CW transmitter the New England Code Talker.

As indicated by the schematic diagram, the incoming acoustic energy is bridge-rectified

in order to energize a crystal-controlled RF oscillator. To operate this radio I speak

loudly, with my mouth pressed into the tin-can. CW characters are produced by the length

and spacing of the sounds that I utter. At present, the output RF power is 20mW on 80m. 

A 20m version of this voice-powered transmitter was constructed on 11/04/09. On

the next day I made four great contacts with it running an RF output power of 15mW. 

Band Station His/Mine    QTH          Distance   Comments

80m  AA1MY   589/559   Bethel, ME        160km   "gud cpy" 

80m  K1MPM   599/569   Freeport, ME      214km   "wow really big sig fer ten mw"

80m  W1DFU   579/579   Wallingford, VT    68km

80m  KB1KGA  599/579   Mt. Vernon, NH    152km   "solid cpy hi vy gd sig"

80m  W1PID   569/599   Sanbornton, NH    109km   "peaking S9 hi"

80m  W4OP    569/469   Glenville, NC    1329km   I peaked 569

80m  NU4I    559/239   Williamsburg, VA  826km   I peaked 439

20m  W4OP    599/579   Glenville, NC    1329km   Please listen to the recording below!

20m  K4NK    559/339   Anderson, SC     1364km

20m  W4FOA   599/579   Chickamauga, GA  1486km   "FB Mike ur an honest 579"

20m  WE5O    599/519   Seneca, SC       1367km

80m  W1PID   599/599   Sanbornton, NH    109km   17min. QSO using my normal speaking voice!

80m  W1LVT   599/338   Richford, VT      100km   I answered Len's CQ

80m  VE2FKZ  579/577   nr Montreal       131km   Michel answered my CQ

80m  AA1MY   579/549   Bethel, ME        160km   Seab copied me down to 10mW using his Reggie!

80m  WA2HRS  569/539   Rome, NY          236km   Heathkit HW-8 to an inverted vee

80m  KD1MA   599/559   Killingworth, CT  298km   Bob answered my CQ    

W4OP very kindly recorded my voice-powered signal on 20m at his QTH (a distance of 1329km). Please

click here to listen to it. Bear in mind that both the RF energy and the keying were produced by

my saying the likes of "Dooo Do Dooo Do Dooo Dooo Do Dooo" (= "CQ") loudly into loudspeaker.

On 11/5/09 I received an SWL report from AD5VC (thank you, Dana!) at a distance of 2214 km.

 

"You were 229 at about 1420z at K5LSU on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.  I had you at 14054.8 kHZ.  I heard only a partial call sign ?A1TJ and copied nothing more for a couple of minutes.  Then back up for full call sign AA1TJ a couple of minutes later."

Here are some nice comments made by some of the stations that I've worked with this transmitter. 

"I just had the pleasure of working Michael's New England Code Talker from my QTH in the N.C. mountains to Vermont

at 826 miles. The band was so-so and no copy on the high dipole, but when I switched to the NE Beverage- there he 
was 469. Still hearing him from my office- some 30' from the shack. I have now worked Reggie during the summer QRN 

and Code Talker- quite a thrill. Thanks Michael. BTW, your current CQ is an honest 569! 100% copy. Unbelievable."

Dale, W4OP

"Mike....this was easily as good as my first microwave EME QSO. I was absolutely astounded at your signal strength."

Dale, W4OP  

"Mike is still S5-S7 on 14055 at 1415Z...amazing! Still CQing. Good CW, 
sounds almost like an automatic beacon "CQ AA1TJ" (pause). I'm sure his 
voice must be getting a bit "raspy" now but a pure DC note, hi." Tony, W4FOA