Build Your Own Vintage Radio Broadcaster
The Elektor AM Transmitter Kit allows streaming audio to vintage AM radio receivers. Based on a Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller module, the AM Transmitter can transmit on 32 frequencies in the AM band, from 500 kHz up to 1.6 MHz in 32 steps of approx. 35 kHz.
The frequency is selected with a potentiometer and shown on a 0.96" OLED display. A pushbutton allows toggles the transmitting mode between On and Off. The range of the transmitter depends on the antenna. The onboard antenna provides a range of a few centimeters, requiring the AM Transmitter to be placed close to or inside the radio. An external loop antenna (not included) can be connected to increase the range.
The Elektor AM Transmitter Kit comes as a kit of parts that you must solder to the board yourself.
Features
The board is compatible with a Hammond 1593N enclosure (not included).A 5 VDC power supply with micro-USB connector (e.g., an old phone charger) is needed to power the kit (not included). Current consumption is 100 mA.
The Arduino software (requiring Earle Philhower’s RP2040 Boards Package) for the Elektor AM Transmitter Kit plus more information is available at the Elektor Labs page of this project.
Component List
Resistors
R1, R4 = 100 Ω
R2, R3, R8 = 10 kΩ
R5, R6, R9, R10, R11 = 1 kΩ
R7 = optional (not included)
P1 = potentiometer 100 kΩ, linear
Capacitors
C1 = 22 µF 16V
C2, C4 = 10 nF
C3 = 150 pF
Miscellaneous
K1 = 4×1 pin socket
K2, K3 = 3.5 mm socket
Raspberry Pi Pico
pushbutton, angle mount
0.96" monochrome I²C OLED display
PCB 150292-1
DEAL: Order the HackRF Pro now and get the new e-book "SDR with HackRF One & HackRF Pro" worth €20 for FREE!
HackRF Pro is latest Software Defined Radio (SDR) from Great Scott Gadgets and the powerful successor to the legendary HackRF One. With a frequency range from 100 kHz to 6 GHz, it covers an enormous spectrum for transmitting and receiving radio signals.
Designed as an open-source hardware platform, the HackRF Pro is the ideal tool for analyzing and developing modern wireless technologies. It can be used flexibly as a USB peripheral or programmed for standalone operation.
Specifications
Frequency: 100 kHz to 6 GHz
Adjustable from 0 Hz to 7.1 GHz
Half-duplex transceiver
Up to 20 million samples per second
8-bit quadrature samples (8-bit I and 8-bit Q)
Compatible with GNU Radio, SDR#, and more
Software-configurable RX and TX gain and baseband filter
Software-controlled RF port power (50 mA at 3.3 V)
SMA RF connector
SMA clock input and output for synchronization and triggering
Convenient buttons for programming
Internal pin headers for expansion
High-Speed USB 2.0 with USB-C connector
USB-powered
Open source hardware
Compared to its predecessor, HackRF Pro offers a variety of new features, including:
Wider operating frequency range
Improved RF performance with flatter frequency response
USB-C connector
Built-in TCXO crystal oscillator for superior timing stability
Logic upgrade from a CPLD to a power-efficient FPGA
Elimination of the DC spike
Extended-precision mode with 16-bit samples for low sample rates (typical ENOB: 9-11)
Half-precision mode with 4-bit samples at up to 40 Msps
More RAM and flash memory for custom firmware
Installed shielding around the radio section
Trigger input and output accessible through clock connectors
Cutout in the PCB provides space for future add-ons
Improved power management
Enhanced RF port protection
Facility to hardware-disable transmit mode
Full Compatibility: Thanks to its proven architecture, existing software for the HackRF One can also be used directly with the HackRF Pro. The HackRF Pro offers seamless backward compatibility while significantly increasing performance.
Note: An antenna is not included. We recommend the ANT500 for the best experience.
Included
HackRF Pro SDR with plastic enclosure
NEW e-book: SDR with HackRF One & HackRF Pro (normal price: €20)
Downloads
Documentation
GitHub
Program and build Arduino-based ham station utilities, tools, and instruments
In addition to a detailed introduction to the exciting world of the Arduino microcontroller and its many variants, this book introduces you to the shields, modules, and components you can connect to the Arduino. Many of these components are discussed in detail and used in the projects included in this book to help you understand how these components can be incorporated into your own Arduino projects. Emphasis has been placed on designing and creating a wide range of amateur radio-related projects that can easily be built in just a few days.
This book is written for ham radio operators and Arduino enthusiasts of all skill levels, and includes discussions about the tools, construction methods, and troubleshooting techniques used in creating amateur radio-related Arduino projects. The book teaches you how to create feature-rich Arduino-based projects, with the goal of helping you to advance beyond this book, and design and build your own ham radio Arduino projects.
In addition, this book describes in detail the design, construction, programming, and operation of the following projects:
CW Beacon and Foxhunt Keyer
Mini Weather Station
RF Probe with LED Bar Graph
DTMF Tone Encoder
DTMF Tone Decoder
Waveform Generator
Auto Power On/Off
Bluetooth CW Keyer
Station Power Monitor
AC Current Monitor
This book assumes a basic knowledge of electronics and circuit construction. Basic knowledge of how to program the Arduino using its IDE will also be beneficial.
Over 180 Projects with Raspberry Pi, Pico W, Arduino, and ESP32
This bundle contains the Universal Maker Sensor Kit, which consists of many sensors, actuators, displays, and motors. It’s perfect for environmental monitoring, smart home projects, robotics, and game controllers.
The new Elektor book describes the design of many projects using the kit together with the popular Raspberry Pi, Raspberry Pi Pico W, Arduino Uno, and the ESP32 family of development boards. You can choose any of these development boards for your projects and either use the provided programs as they are, or modify these programs to suit your applications.
This bundle contains:
Book: Universal Maker Sensor Kit (normal price: €45)
Universal Maker Sensor Kit for Raspberry Pi, Pico W, Arduino, ESP32 (normal price: €70)
Book: Universal Maker Sensor Kit
Learn to use more than 35 Sensors and Actuators with C++, Python, and MicroPython
This book contains over 180 projects for all four major development boards (Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Pico W, and ESP32). Depending on the development board, projects are available in the C, Python, or MicroPython programming languages.
The project titles, brief descriptions, wiring diagrams, and full program listings together with their detailed descriptions are given in the guide.
Universal Maker Sensor Kit (for Raspberry Pi, Pico W, Arduino, ESP32)
Discover endless creativity with the Universal Maker Sensor Kit, designed for use with Raspberry Pi, Pico W, Arduino, and ESP32. This versatile kit offers compatibility across popular development platforms, including Arduino Uno R4 Minima/WiFi, Uno R3, Mega 2560, Raspberry Pi 5, 4, 3B+, 3B, Zero, Pico W, and ESP32.
Featuring over 35 sensors, actuators, and displays, it's perfect for projects ranging from environmental monitoring and smart home automation to robotics and interactive gaming. Step-by-step tutorials in C/C++, Python, and MicroPython guide beginners and experienced makers alike through 169 exciting projects.
Features
Wide Compatibility: Fully supports Arduino (Uno R3, Uno R4 Minima/WiFi, Mega 2560), Raspberry Pi (5, 4, 3B+, 3B, Zero, Pico W), and ESP32, enabling extensive flexibility across numerous development platforms. Includes instructions for building 169 projects.
Comprehensive Components: Features more than 35 sensors, actuators, and display modules suitable for diverse projects such as environmental monitoring, smart home automation, robotics, and interactive game controllers.
Detailed Tutorials: Provides clear, step-by-step tutorials covering Arduino, Raspberry Pi, Pico W, ESP32, and each included component. Tutorials are available in C/C++, Python, and MicroPython, catering effectively to both beginners and experienced makers.
Suitable for All Skill Levels: Offers structured projects designed to guide users seamlessly from beginner to advanced proficiency in electronics and programming, enhancing creativity and technical expertise.
Kit includes
Breadboard
Button Module
Capacitive Soil Moisture Module
Flame Sensor Module
Gas/Smoke Sensor Module (MQ2)
Gyroscope & Accelerometer Module (MPU6050)
Hall Sensor Module
Infrared Speed Sensor Module
IR Obstacle Avoidance Sensor Module
Joystick Module
PCF8591 ADC DAC Converter Module
Photoresistor Module
PIR Motion Module (HC-SR501)
Potentiometer Module
Pulse Oximeter and Heart Rate Sensor Module (MAX30102)
Raindrop Detection Module
Real Time Clock Module (DS1302)
Rotary Encoder Module
Temperature Sensor Module (DS18B20)
Temperature and Humidity Sensor Module (DHT11)
Temperature, Humidity & Pressure Sensor (BMP280)
Time of Flight Micro-LIDAR Distance Sensor (VL53L0X)
Touch Sensor Module
Ultrasonic Sensor Module (HC-SR04)
Vibration Sensor Module (SW-420)
Water Level Sensor Module
I²C LCD 1602
OLED Display Module (SSD1306)
RGB LED Module
Traffic Light Module
5 V Relay Module
Centrifugal Pump
L9110 Motor Driver Module
Passive Buzzer Module
Servo Motor (SG90)
TT Motor
ESP8266 Module
JDY-31 Bluetooth Module
Power Supply Module
Documentation
Online Tutorial
From Detector to Software Defined Radio
Radio frequency (RF) technology is one of the areas which still allows putting your own ideas into practice. Countless circuit variants with special objectives allow space for meaningful experiments and projects. Many things simply aren’t available off the shelf. Crystal detector radios without their own power source, simple tube receivers with a touch of nostalgia, the first reception attempts at Software Defined Radio, special receivers for amateur radio, all this can be realized with little effort and as a perfect introduction to RF electronics.
For a long time, radio construction was the first step into electronics. Meanwhile, there are other ways, especially via computers, microcontrollers, and digital technology. However, the analog roots of electronics are often neglected. Elementary radio technology and easy-to-do experiments are particularly well suited as a learning field for electronics because you can start with the simplest basics here.
But the connection to modern digital technology is also obvious, for example, when it comes to modern tuning methods such as PLL and DDS or modern DSP radios.
This book aims to give an overview and present a collection of simple RF projects. The author would like to support you to develop your own ideas, to design your own receivers and to test them.
Based on PIC microcontrollers and Arduino
Every mobile phone includes a GSM/GPRS modem which enables the phone to communicate with the external world. With the help of the GSM modems, users can establish audio conversations and send and receive SMS text messages. In addition, the GPRS modem enables users to connect to the internet and to send and receive large files such as pictures and video over the internet.
This book is aimed for the people who may want to learn how to use the GSM/GPRS modems in microcontroller based projects. Two types of popular microcontroller families are considered in the e-book: PIC microcontrollers, and the Arduino. The highly popular mid-performance PIC18F87J50 microcontroller is used in PIC based projects together with a GSM Click board. In addition, the SIM900 GSM/GPRS shield is used with the Arduino Uno projects. Both GSM and GPRS based projects are included in the e-book.
The book will enable you to control equipment remotely by sending SMS messages from your mobile phone to the microcontroller, send the ambient temperature readings from the microcontroller to a mobile phone as SMS messages, use the GPRS commands to access the internet from a microcontroller, send temperature readings to the cloud using UDP and TCP protocols and so on.
It is assumed that the reader has some basic working knowledge of the C language and the use of microcontrollers in simple projects. Although not necessary, knowledge of at least one member of the PIC microcontroller family and the Arduino Uno will be an advantage. It will also be useful if the user has some knowledge of basic electronics.
Program and build RPi Pico-based ham station utilities, tools, and instruments
Although much classical HF and mobile equipment is still in use by large numbers of amateurs, the use of computers and digital techniques has now become very popular among amateur radio operators. Nowadays, anyone can purchase a €5 Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller board and develop many amateur radio projects using the “Pico” and some external components. This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts, Electronic Engineering students, and anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi Pico to shape their electronic projects. The book is suitable for beginners in electronics as well as for those with wide experience.
Step-by-step installation of the MicroPython programming environment is described. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is helpful to be able to comprehend and modify the projects given in the book. The book introduces the Raspberry Pi Pico and gives examples of many general-purpose, software-only projects that familiarize the reader with the Python programming language. In addition to the software-only projects tailored to the amateur radio operator, Chapter 6 in particular presents over 36 hardware-based projects for “hams”, including:
Station mains power on/off control
Radio station clock
GPS based station geographical coordinates
Radio station temperature and humidity
Various waveform generation methods using software and hardware (DDS)
Frequency counter
Voltmeter / ammeter / ohmmeter / capacitance meter
RF meter and RF attenuators
Morse code exercisers
RadioStation Click board
Raspberry Pi Pico based FM radio
Using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi with Raspberry Pi Pico
Radio station security with RFID
Audio amplifier module with rotary encoder volume control
Morse decoder
Using the FS1000A TX-RX modules to communicate with Arduino
Comprehensive Book-Hardware Bundle for the RP2040 Microcontroller with over 80 Projects
Unlock the potential of modern controller technology with the Raspberry Pi Pico in this bundle. Perfect for both beginners and experienced users, the easy-to-follow guide takes you from the basics of electronics to the complexities of digital signal processing. With the Raspberry Pi Pico, the dedicated hardware kit and MicroPython programming, you will learn the key principles of circuit design, data collection, and processing.
Get hands-on with over 80 projects like a stopwatch with an OLED display, a laser distance meter, and a servo-controlled fan. These projects are designed to help you apply what you've learned in real-world scenarios. The book also covers advanced topics like wireless RFID technology, object detection, and sensor integration for robotics.
Whether you're looking to build your skills in electronics or dive deeper into embedded systems, this bundle is the perfect resource to help you explore the full potential of the Raspberry Pi Pico.
Contents of the Bundle
1x Project Book (273 pages)
1x Smart Car Kit
Electronic Parts
2x Solderless breadboard (400 holes)
1x Solderless breadboard (170 holes)
5x Colorful 5 mm LEDs (green, red, blue, yellow and white)
1x Laser transmitter
1x Passive buzzer
1x Micro USB cable (30 cm)
1x 65 Jumper wires
1x 20 cm male to female Dupont wire
1x Clear case
1x Magnet (diameter: 8 mm, thickness: 5 mm)
1x Rotary potentiometer
10x 2 KΩ resistors
2x M2.5x30 mm copper pillars
10x Phillips pan head screws
10x M2.5 nickel hex nuts
1x 2-inch dual-purpose screwdriver
Modules
1x RGB module
1x 9G servo
1x Dual-axis XY joystick module
1x RC522 RFID module
1x 4 Bits digital LED display module
1x Traffic light display module
1x Rotary Encoder module
1x 1602 LCD Display module (Blue)
1x Photoresistor module
1x DC motor with male Dupont wire
1x Fan blade
1x Raindrops module
1x OLED module
1x Membrane switch keyboard
1x Mini magnetic spring module
1x Infrared remote control
1x Infrared receiver module
1x DC stepper motor driver board
1x Button
Sensors
1x Vibration sensor
1x Soil moisture sensor
1x Sound sensor
1x Mini PIR motion sensor
1x Temperature & Humidity sensor
1x Flame sensor
2x Crash sensor
2x Tracking sensor
1x Ultrasonic sensor
Program and Build Raspberry Pi 5 Based Ham Station Utilities with the RTL-SDR
The RTL-SDR devices (V3 and V4) have gained popularity among radio amateurs because of their very low cost and rich features. A basic system may consist of a USB based RTL-SDR device (dongle) with a suitable antenna, a Raspberry Pi 5 computer, a USB based external audio input-output adapter, and software installed on the Raspberry Pi 5 computer. With such a modest setup, it is possible to receive signals from around 24 MHz to over 1.7 GHz.
This book is aimed at amateur radio enthusiasts and electronic engineering students, as well as at anyone interested in learning to use the Raspberry Pi 5 to build electronic projects. The book is suitable for both beginners through experienced readers. Some knowledge of the Python programming language is required to understand and eventually modify the projects given in the book. A block diagram, a circuit diagram, and a complete Python program listing is given for each project, alongside a comprehensive description.
The following popular RTL-SDR programs are discussed in detail, aided by step-by-step installation guides for practical use on a Raspberry Pi 5:
SimpleFM
GQRX
SDR++
CubicSDR
RTL-SDR Server
Dump1090
FLDIGI
Quick
RTL_433
aldo
xcwcp
GPredict
TWCLOCK
CQRLOG
klog
Morse2Ascii
PyQSO
Welle.io
Ham Clock
CHIRP
xastir
qsstv
flrig
XyGrib
FreeDV
Qtel (EchoLink)
XDX (DX-Cluster)
WSJT-X
The application of the Python programming language on the latest Raspberry Pi 5 platform precludes the use of the programs in the book from working on older versions of Raspberry Pi computers.
Over 40 Fully Tested ESP32 Projects Using Arduino IDE and the LVGL Graphics Library
This bundle includes the ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display (CYD) – a compact development board combining a standard ESP32 microcontroller with a 320x240 pixel TFT color display. The board also features multiple connectors for GPIO, serial communication (TX/RX), power, and ground. The built-in display is a major advantage, allowing users to create complex, graphics-based projects without the need for external LCDs or displays.
The accompanying book introduces the CYD board's hardware and on-board connectors in detail. It provides a range of beginner to intermediate-level projects developed using the popular Arduino IDE 2.0. Both basic graphics functions and the powerful LVGL graphics library are covered, with practical projects illustrating each approach.
All included projects have been fully tested and are ready to use. The book provides block diagrams, circuit schematics, complete code listings, and step-by-step explanations. With the LVGL library, readers can create modern, full-color graphical interfaces using widgets such as buttons, labels, sliders, calendars, keyboards, charts, tables, menus, animations, and more.
ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display Board
This development board (also known as "Cheap Yellow Display") is powered by the ESP-WROOM-32, a dual-core MCU with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities. It operates at a main frequency of up to 240 MHz, with 520 KB SRAM, 448 KBROM, and a 4 MB Flash memory. The board features a 2.8-inch display with a resolution of 240x320 and resistive touch.
Furthermore, the board includes a backlight control circuit, touch control circuit, speaker drive circuit, photosensitive circuit, and RGB-LED control circuit. It also provides a TF card slot, serial interface, DHT11 temperature and humidity sensor interface, and additional IO ports.
The module supports development in Arduino IDE, ESP-IDE, MicroPython, and Mixly.
Applications
Image transmission for Smart Home device
Wireless monitoring
Smart agriculture
QR wireless recognition
Wireless positioning system signal
And other IoT applications
Specifications
Microcontroller
ESP-WROOM-32 (Dual-core MCU with integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth)
Frequency
Up to 240 MHz (computing power is up to 600 DMIPS)
SRAM
520 KB
ROM
448 KB
Flash
4 MB
Operating voltage
5 V
Power consumption
approx. 115 mA
Display
2.8-inch color TFT screen (240 x 320)
Touch
Resistive Touch
Driver chip
ILI9341
Dimensions
50 x 86 mm
Weight
50 g
Downloads
GitHub
This bundle contains:
The ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display Book (normal price: €35)
ESP32 Cheap Yellow Display Board (normal price: €25)
1x ESP32 Dev Board with 2.8" Display and acrylic Shell
1x Touch pen
1x Connector cable
1x USB cable
,
by Udo Bormann
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