HI-PER-MITE Assembly Manual

Copyright – 2012

David Cripe NM0S

The 4 State QRP Group

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing a HI-PER-MITE. We hope you will enjoy building it and and find it a
useful addition to your QRP station. This kit was conceived to fill a need within the hobby for an
inexpensive, high-performing CW filter capable of being added to nearly any receiver. The HI-PER-
MITE uses simple analog signal-processing circuitry to provide highly effective CW filtering from a
simple circuit.

High quality, double sided, printed circuit board construction is used, with solder mask and silk
screened component reference designators. All components are through-hole for easy assembly. NO
toroids are required. The HI-PER-MITE can be constructed by beginners as well as experienced
builders. Construction time is approximately 1 hour, depending on experience level.

Specifications:

Center Frequency: 700 Hz

3 dB Bandwidth: 200 Hz
Signal Gain: 0 dB to 50 dB, user selectable
DC Power: 5 to 13 VDC, <15 mA
Audio Power: 500 mW into 8 ohms, from 9v supply

First Steps

Before getting started with building the HI-PER-MITE, take some time to organize and familiarize
yourself with the parts provided and check them against the Bill of Material. Building over a cookie
sheet is recommended to minimize parts being lost. To prevent static damage, it is recommended that
the ICs not be removed from their anti-static packaging until you are ready to install them. If parts are
missing in your kit, send an email to Terry Fletcher, WA0ITP at [email protected]. He will promptly
provide replacements.

Schematic and parts-placement files are provided as part of documentation package. It is highly
recommended to print a couple of copies for reference during construction. As you build, use a
highlighter to mark off parts that have been soldered onto the PCB on one copy. When you think you
are done, you can check that copy to verify that all of the parts have been installed.

The HI-PER-MITE has a number of assembly options depending on how it is to be used. It can be
used as an outboard filter and amplifier, plugging into the headphone jack of an existing receiver, and
driving a speaker or headphones. The HI-PER-MITE can be used as a high gain audio filter and
speaker driver in conjunction with a homebrew receiver. Alternately, it may be used as an add-on audio
filter internally, in conjunction with an existing receiver that might need a CW filter. Each option has a
different assembly sequence.

The following assembly options are possible:

R1 R3 R11 R12 Gain Suggested Application

1M 33k 47k 220k 0dB - (stand-alone, to be plugged into headphone jack of existing rig)
1M 33k xxx 47k 20dB
33k 1M 47k 220k 30dB
33k 1M xxx 47k 50 dB -(to be used after product detector of homebrew rig)

Most users will use either the first or last options, but if other gain configurations are desired, the
assembly options are listed. A user wanting a volume control may substitute a 100k audio
potentiometer for R11 and R12

Step 1 – Resistors
Decide which assembly option is desired. Insert and solder, and check off each when completed.

( ) R1 *
( ) R2 33k orange-orange-orange
( ) R3 *
( ) R4 47k yellow-violet-orange
( ) R5 47k yellow-violet-orange
( ) R6 36k orange-blue-orange
( ) R7 36k orange-blue-orange
( ) R8 10k blown-black-orange
( ) R9 750k violet-green-yellow
( ) R10 10 brown-black-black
( ) R11 *
( ) R12 *
( ) R13 not used
( ) R14 10k brown-black-orange

Step 2 – Semiconductors

Be certain that the ICs are inserted correctly, according to the silkscreen diagram.

( ) U1 TLC274 dip 14
( ) U2 LM386 dip 8

Diode D1 is omitted.

Save one snipped-off resistor lead and insert and solder, bridging the two pads directly to the right of
U2.
Step 3 – Capacitors

( ) C1 0.1 104
( ) C2 0.047 473 47n
( ) C3 0.036 363 36n
( ) C4 0.001 102 1n0
( ) C5 0.039 393 39n
( ) C6 0.001 102 1n0
( ) C7 0.0022 222 2n2
( ) C8 0.0022 222 2n2
( ) C9 0.001 102 1n0
( ) C10 0.1 104
( ) C11 0.1 104
( ) C12 220 220u
( ) C13 220 220u
( ) C14 220 220u
( ) C15 0.1 104
( ) C16 10p 10 10j

Step 4 - Final Assembly

The last steps of assembling the HI-PER-MITE are attaching the interconnecting wires to the board.
Pads are are for connecting the input signal, DC power, and output. Wire gauges from 24 to 22 are
ideal. Best results will be had when twisted pairs are used.

The HI-PER-MITE is capable of driving either low-impedance headphones, or a separate speaker.

Alternately, it can be inserted into an existing receiver, and used with that rig's audio amp and speaker.
The simplicity of this circuit permits countless variations in how it can be applied.

Theory of Operation

The HI-PER-MITE provides narrow-bandwidth CW filtering without objectionable ringing to the CW

signal. This is attained by careful design of the filter's frequency response to possess a flat group delay
within the filter's pass-band. The implementation of this filter is with four, two-pole Sallen-Key op-
amp filters; three low-pass filters, and one high pass filter. Each filter section is fairly low-Q, and the
frequencies of resonance are staggered. Cascading these four sections in series creates the optimal
filter response.

This circuit is based on the designer's 1994 article in '73' magazine: http://www.archive.org/stream/73-
magazine-1994-05/05_May_1994#page/n11/mode/2up