iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit

Kit List

Type Position Value iTx Max Checked

iTx Max Main PCB PCB 1

MW Coil Kit
Plug in Coil PCB PCB 1
R/Angle Header Plug 6 Pin 1
Vertical Header Socket J6 6 Pin 1
Inductors MW L1 & L2 150uh or 180uh 2
Inductors Antenna L3 22uh or 39uh 1

Feet mounting kit M3 Nut 4

Feet mounting kit M3 12mm Screw 4

Capacitor Variable VC1 Solid Dielectric 200pf 1

Control Knob VC1 Black Knob 15mm x 6mm 1
Audio & RF Sockets J1, J2 & J3 RCA Phono Socket 3
HT & LT Terminal Blocks J4 & J5 Terminal Block 2 Way 2
Aerial Plug RCA Phono Plug 1
Switch SW1 SPDT Slide Switch 1
Tube Sockets V1 & V2 B7G PCB 2
AF Tube Modulator V1 DF96 or 1T4 1
RF Tube Oscillator V2 1R5 1

Resistor R1 & R2 680R 2

Resistor R3 & R5 4M7 2
Resistor R4 1M5 1
Resistor R6 2M2 1
Resistor R7 100K 1

Capacitor Mylar C1, C2 & C4 100n / 0.1uf 3

Capacitor Ceramic C3 100pf (101) 1
Capacitor Ceramic C5 470pf (471) 1
Capacitor Ceramic C6 220pf (221) 1
Capacitor Electrolytic C8 4.7uf 1

SW Coil Kit (Optional)

Plug in Coil PCB PCB 1
R/Angle Header Plug 6 Pin 1
Ferrite Toroid L1/L2 FT50-61 1
Red 0.5mm Enamelled Wire L1/L2 50cm 1
Green 0.5mm Enameled Wire L1/L2 50cm 1

6V6 Vintage Components www.6v6.co.uk Page 1

iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit

6V6 Vintage Components www.6v6.co.uk Page 2

iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit
Contents
ITx Max AM Tube Transmitter Features ........................ 3
About Construction ....................................................... 3
For Beginners ................................................................ 4
How It Works ............................................................. 4
Assembly Instructions .................................................. 4
Assemble the Main Board ............................................. 5
Main Board Component Positions ............................... 5
Step-by-Step assembly instruction .............................. 5
Final Assembly (Main Board) ........................................ 5
Plug in Coil (Daughter Board) ....................................... 6
Twin Axial Inductors for MW Broadcast Band .............. 6
Toroid Inductor for SW (Short Wave) Band ................. 6
Frequency Winding Chart for FT50-61 Toroid.............. 6
Testing ........................................................................... 7
Schematic Diagram ....................................................... 7
Power Requirements ..................................................... 8
Effects of Different HT voltage .................................... 8
How to Make a HT Battery.......................................... 8
Warranty Information .................................................... 8
ITx Max AM Tube Transmitter Features
q Broadcast Tuning Range 750KHz - 1620KHz
q Plug in Coils for Medium & Short Wave
q Mono or Stereo input
q Runs of minimum of three or more standard
PP3 9 volt batteries and one D 1.5 volt cell.
q Safe Low Voltage HT
q For more power HT voltage can be increased.
6V6 Vintage Components www.6v6.co.uk
q Excellent transmission even with a short wire
antenna.
About Construction
Work Area
Kit construction requires a clean, smooth, and well-lit area
where you can easily organize and handle small parts
without losing them. Safety is always important! Be sure to
use a suitable high-temperature stand for your soldering iron,
and keep the work area free of clutter.
Tools
Although your particular kit may require additional items for
completion, virtually all construction projects require a work
area outfitted with the following tools and supplies:
q Soldering iron (25 to 30 watts) with small tip
q Soldering Iron Stand with Moist Cleaning
Sponge
q Rosin-core solder intended for electronics
work
q Small Wire cutters
q Wire Strippers
q Small or medium Phillips and Flat screw driver
q Long Nose Pliers
q Nut drivers M2.5 & M3 (or use the pliers!!!)
q Solder Sucker or De-soldering Braid
Common Problems
Experience shows there are four common mistakes builders
commonly make. Avoid these, and your kit will probably work
on the first try!
Installing the Wrong Part - It always pays to double-check
each step. A 1K and a 10K resistor may look almost the
same, but act very differently in an electronic circuit! The
same is true for capacitors—a device marked 102 (or
.001uF) has very different operating characteristics from one
marked 103 (or .01uF).
Installing Parts Backwards - Always check the polarity of
electrolytic capacitors to make sure the positive (+) lead goes
in the (+) hole on the circuit board. Transistors have a flat
side or emitter tab to help you identify the correct mounting
position. ICs have a notch or dot at one end indicating the
correct direction of insertion. Diodes have a banded end
indicating correct polarity.
Faulty Solder Connections - Inspect for cold-solder joints
and solder bridges. Cold solder joints occur when you don’t
fully heat the connection or when metallic corrosion and
oxide contaminate a component lead or pad. Solder bridges
form when a trail of excess solder shorts pads or tracks
together.
Omitting or Misreading a Part - This is easier to do than
you might think! Always double-check to make sure you
completed each step in an assembly sequence. Soldering
Tips: Cleanliness and good heat distribution are the two
secrets of professional soldering. Before you install and
solder each part, inspect leads or pins for oxidation. If the
metal surface is dull, sand with fine emery paper until shiny.
Also, clean the oxidation and excess solder from the
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iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit
soldering iron tip to ensure maximum heat transfer. Allow the
tip of your iron to contact both the lead and pad for about one
second before feeding solder to the connection. Surfaces
must become hot enough for solder to flow smoothly. Feed
solder to the opposite side of the lead from your iron tip.
De-soldering Tips
If you make a mistake and need to remove a part, follow
these instructions carefully! First, grasp the component with
needle-nose pliers. Heat the pad beneath the lead you intend
to extract, and pull gently. The lead should come out. Repeat
for the other lead. Solder may fill in behind the lead as you
extract it, should this happen, try heating the pad again and
inserting a common pin into the hole. Solder won’t stick to
the pin’s chromium plating. When the pad cools, remove the
pin and insert the correct component.
About Components
Resistors
The electrical value of resistors is indicated by a colour code
(shown below). You don’t have to memorize this code to
work with resistors, but you do need to understand how it
works:
Resistor Colour Code
· Black = 0 (tens)
· Brown = 1 (hundreds)
· Red = 2 (K)
· Orange = 3 (10K)
· Yellow = 4 (100K)
· Green = 5 (1Meg)
· Blue = 6
· Violet = 7
· Gray = 8
· White = 9
· Silver = 10% Tolerance
· Gold = 5% Tolerance
When you look at a resistor, check its multiplier code first.
Any resistor with a black multiplier band falls between 10 and
99 ohms in value. Brown designates a value between 100
and 999 ohms. Red indicates a value from 1000 to 9999
ohms, which is also expressed as 1.0K to 9.9K. An orange
multiplier band designates 10K to 99K, etc.
Inductors
The kit contains moulded inductors (chokes), which appear,
at first glance, similar to resistors in both shape and band
marking. However, a closer look will enable you to
differentiate between the two, inductors (chokes) are
generally larger in diameter and fatter at the ends than
resistors.
When checking your parts, separate out any inductors
(chokes) and consult the parts list for specific colour-code
information.
Capacitors
Unlike resistors, capacitors do not use a colour code for
value identification. Instead, the value, or a 3 digit number
code, is printed on the body.
6V6 Vintage Components www.6v6.co.uk
Ceramic Discs Capacitor examples
10pF = 100 (10pf X 0)
100pF = 101 (10pf X 10)
1000pF = 102 (10pf X 100) (1n or 0.001uF)
10n = 103 (10pf X 1000) (10n or 0.01uf)
100n = 104 (10pf X 10000) (100n or 0.1uf)
Small-value capacitors are characterized in pF (or pico-
Farads), while larger values are labeled in uF (or micro-
Farads). The transition from pF to uF occurs at 1000 pF (or
.001 uF). Today, while most monolithic (multilayer) and disc-
ceramic capacitors are marked with a three- number code,
you may still find a 0.1 uF capacitor marked either “104” or
“0.1”. For three digit codes, the first two digits indicate a
numerical value, while the last digit indicates a multiplier
(same as resistors). The value is in pF; thus a capacitor
marked “104” is 100,000 pF, or .1 uF. Electrolytic capacitors
are always marked in uF.
Electrolytic capacitors are polarized devices and must be
oriented correctly during installation. If you become confused
by markings on the case, remember the uncut negative lead
is slightly shorter than the positive lead.
For Beginners
You're about to construct a valve (vacuum tube) radio
transmitter, based on an original circuit from the late 1940's.
The transmitter is designed to let you broadcast on the AM
broadcast band. Even if you have never worked with
electronic parts before, you can successfully build this
transmitter by carefully following all the instructions in this
guide. Step by step, we'll show you how to build your
receiver.
How It Works
Picture the transmitter in two basic sections:
AF (Audio Frequency) Amplifier (V1) - the AF amplifier
serves two purposes. It converts the audio signals from the
microphone or other audio source (e.g. iPod, CD or MP3
player), and provides the correct level of modulation to the
grid of the RF oscillator stage.
RF (Radio Frequency) Oscillator (V2) – the RF Oscillator is
tuned to a frequency in the AM broadcast band by L2 & VC1.
The signal is modulated by the output of V1, which is
coupled to the grid on V2.
Setting up an Aerial and Earth
Ten feet of wire strung indoors will provide adequate
transmission of transmission around the house.
A good Ground (or Earth) connection will make your
transmitter work much better. Run a wire to a metal cold
water, or central heating pipe or to a stake in the ground.
Assembly Instructions
Before assembling your kit, please take time to read and
understand the kit warranty. Read through the assembly
instructions to make sure the kit does not exceed your skill
level.
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iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit
You are now ready to start construction of the kit. C4 = 104n (0.1uf) Mylar Capacitor 104
The components are inserted on the silk-screen side of the C5 = 471pf Ceramic Disc Capacitor 471
board.
C6 = 220pf Ceramic Disc Capacitor 221
Begin assembly by following the Step-by-Step assembly
C7 = not fitted
instruction, you will begin by installing all the fixed resistors.
Because these are all 5% percent tolerance ending with a C8 = 4.7uf Electrolytic Capacitor 4.7uf
fourth gold colour band, you need only read the first three
bands of the colour code during the following steps. All Inductors
resistor leads should be pre-formed and solder resistors at
the locations indicated. L1 = 150uh or 180uh ¢¢¢ ¢

All capacitors should be installed with their bodies as close to L2 = 150uh or 180uh ¢¢¢ ¢
the PC board as possible; this is very important in RF L3 = 22uh or 39uh ¢¢¢ ¢
circuits. or
¢¢¢ ¢
Assemble the Main Board
Switches
The first task is to assemble the main board, refer to the
SW1 = SPDT Slide Switch
assembly drawing at each stage.
Sockets
We will start by soldering all the smaller components on the
printed circuit board and finish with the largest, soldering V1 (SKT1) = 7 Pin Socket
these at each stage. V2 (SKT2) = 7 Pin Socket
Tuning Capacitor
Main Board Component Positions
VC1 = Variable Capacitor
Connectors (PCB)
J1 = Audio Left Phono Socket
J2 = Audio Right Phono Socket
J3 = Aerial Phono Socket
J4 = HT 2 Way Term Block
J5 = LT 2 Way Term Block
J6 = Coil 6 Way SIL Socket

Final Assembly (Main Board)

Attach the tuning knobs
Fit feet 4 x M3 screws and nuts to mounting holes
Step-by-Step assembly instruction
Very carefully insert the valves, try not to bend or stress the
Resistors pins as you do this.
R1 = 680R ¢¢¢ ¢ V1 = 1T4, V2 = 1R5
R2 = 680R ¢¢¢ ¢
R3 = 4M7 ¢¢¢ ¢
R4 = 1M5 ¢¢¢ ¢
R5 = 4M7 ¢¢¢ ¢
R6 = 2M2 ¢¢¢ ¢
R7 = 100K ¢¢¢ ¢
Capacitors
Make sure to observe polarity of the leads for Electrolytic
capacitors, there is a white band on the capacitor body to
identify the negative lead
C1 = 104n (0.1uf) Mylar Capacitor 104
C2 = 104n (0.1uf) Mylar Capacitor 104
C3 = 100pf Ceramic Disc Capacitor 101

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iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit
Method
Plug in Coil (Daughter Board)
1. You need two pieces of enameled copper wire,
The Plug in Coil daughter board can be fitted with either two each piece of a different colour (refer to chart for
axial inductors (used for MW broadcast band) or with a length).
Ferrite Toroid for SW (Short Wave bands) 2. Wind one half of the ferrite core (tuning)
3. Leave about 1.2 inch or 30mm of wire at the start
Your kit comes with two blank daughter boards and one set before commencing winding.
of MW axial inductors as standard. The second daughter 4. Remember, you count one turn every time the wire
board can fitted with a Ferrite Toroid for SW (Short Wave) goes through the center of the toroid. The first wrap
operation. (ordered separately) you make around the coil will be turn number 2.
5. Wind (n) turns on the core. (refer to chart for
Twin Axial Inductors for MW Broadcast Band number of turns).
6. Use enough tension to get the wire wrapped around
Make sure that both L1 and L2 are the core neatly.
fitted the same way round with the 7. Leave about 1.2 inch or 30mm of wire at the end.
gold band nearest the bottom of the 8. Repeat steps 2 to 7 for the second coil (feedback)
printed circuit board. L1 & L2 must be 9. If you made that mistake, just unwind the wire and
redo the connections.
fitted 5mm proud of the printed circuit
10. Scrape the enamel off the ends of the wires and tin
board to allow them to be adjusted by the ends with solder.
altering the gap between then. To start 11. One winding is connected to the AB position on the
with L1 & L2 should be tightly touching daughter board, the
each other, i.e. no gap between them . second winding is
(see drawing of how to fit L1 & L2) connected to the EF
position.
Solder the right-angled 6 way header
Note: Make sure to get the
plug to the pcb at position A-F
phase of the windings correct,
the two wires (marked with dots
in the diagram) should be
connected as shown to pads A
and B.
After testing the coil, you can fix
it to the daughter board using a
double sided sticky foam pad.
The above diagram shows how the axial inductors are
If the iTx does no oscillate
mounted at least 5mm above the board to allow them to be
bent over at 45 degrees so they touch each other.
Note: no component is fitted in position CX1

Toroid Inductor for SW (Short Wave) Band

The second daughter board can fitted with a Ferrite Toroid
for SW (Short Wave) operation. The kit is supplied with an
optional Ferrite Toroid. (ordered separately)
Making inductors on Ferrite Toroid cores
The shortwave coil is wound on Ferrite core. The chart
gives details of the number of turns required for various then try reversing the wires to E&F
frequencies, based on the FT50-61 core.
There are several ways
this kind of transformer
Frequency Winding Chart for FT50-61 Toroid
can be represented in
schematic diagrams;
round dots are normally Turns MHz MHz
included to help
distinguish one "end" of
15 3.0 8.0
the windings from the The coil in RED is recommended for 40M
other. & 80M band

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iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit

Testing
Please note for safety reasons 36 volts is the recommended
maximum operating voltage for the HT supply
q Connect the batteries (or Mains Adapter)
q Attach your audio source (iPod, MP3, CD
Player)
q Attach 3 to 9 feet of wire (1 to 3 meters) to the
antenna terminal.
q Switch the on/off switch to on
q Using a AM radio select a frequency that is
clear of other stations (suggest mid band
about 800 to 1000KHz)
q Turn the tuning control until the signal is heard,
and adjust volume on audio source to so
signal is not distorted (to much modulation).
q In practice most all kits work best when L1 &
L2 are tight up against each other. You might
like to try adjusting the gap between L1 & L2
between 0 to 2mm to get maximum volume /
best quality signal.
q Your transmitter is now ready to use…!

Schematic Diagram

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iTx Max Home Broadcast Tube AM Transmitter Kit
Power Requirements
For safety reasons, the unit is designed to run on an LT
voltage of between 1.4 to 1.5 volts (e.g. a standard D cell
battery) and an HT voltage as low as 27 volts (e.g. 3 x PP3 9
volt batteries connected in series). However 36 volts is
recommended for reliable operation and audio
transmission quality.
It should be noted however the unit is capable of running on
an HT voltage up to a maximum of 90 volts.
Power Switch
Note, only the LT line is switched, as once the filament
current is removed from the tubes, no HT current can flow as
there is no DC path when the tubes are powered down.
Effects of Different HT voltage
Range
Basically this is a function of the length of the Aerial or
Antenna and the HT voltage. For around the house operation
9 feet (3 meters) of wire should be adequate. A good Ground
(or Earth) connection will also improve transmitter range.
Our in-house testing used a 3 meter aerial, a ground
connection and a iPod for the audio source. The receiver
used was a Sony AM portable receiver. This gave good
coverage around an average house.
Range is also depending on the sensitivity of the radio used
to receive the transmissions, and the surrounding
environmental conditions (i.e. steel frame building).
Lastly, remember that vintage radios from the 1930 are not
as sensitive as modern day solid-state receivers.
Audio Quality
Audio quality, is effected by two factors, HT voltage and
Audio input level (volume)
HT Voltage
§ 27 volts – Fair for Speech
§ 36 volts or more – Good for Speech and Music
Audio Input Level
The transmitter is designed to take a Mono or Stereo signal
from the headphone output of most audio equipment.
It is important to set the audio input level (volume) of the
audio source (e.g. iPod, MP3 player etc) to a level that will
not over modulate the signal. Too much volume and the
transmitted signal will be distorted. So adjust the input level
to get the best quality.
How to Make a HT Battery
The picture shows how to
connect 4 standard PP3 9
volt batteries in series to
get a 36 volt battery.
The same principle can be
used to make higher
voltage batteries by
adding one or more extra
6V6 Vintage Components www.6v6.co.uk
batteries, each new battery adds 9 volts to the total battery
voltage.
Warranty Information
Your kit may be returned to us in its pre-assembled condition
only. The reason for this is, once you begin installing and
soldering parts, you essentially take over the role of the
manufacturer. If you are a new or inexperienced kit builder,
we urge you to read the manual carefully and determine
whether or not you're ready to take on the job. If you wish to
change your mind and return your kit, you may, but you must
do it before you begin construction, and within ten working
days of the time it arrives.
Missing Parts - If you determine, that any part is missing,
please contact us and we'll send the missing item to you free
of charge. However, before you contact us, please look
carefully to confirm you haven't misread the marking on one
or other of the parts provided. Also, make certain an
alternative part hasn't been substituted for the item you're
missing.
Defective Parts - Electronic parts are physically and
electrically resilient, and defective components are rare.
However, if you discover an item that's broken or
unserviceable, we'll replace it. Just return the part to us at
the address below accompanied with an explanation. Upon
receipt, we'll test it. If it's defective and appears unused, we'll
ship you a new one right away at no charge
Missing or Defective Parts After You Begin Assembly -
Parts and materials lost or damaged after construction
begins are not covered under the terms of this warranty.
However, most parts supplied with kits are relatively
inexpensive and we can replace them for a reasonable
charge.
Factory Repair After You Begin Assembly - Kits-in
progress and completed kits are specifically excluded from
coverage by the warranty. However, as a service to
customers, we are available to evaluate and repair
malfunctioning kits for a minimum service fee of £20.00 (½
hour rate) plus £5.00 (UK) shipping and handling (prices
subject to change).
Returns should be shipped prepaid to:
The 6V6 Company, 70 Endlesham Road, London SW12 8JL,
UK
When shipping, pack your kit well and include the minimum
payment plus shipping and handling charges (£25.00 total).
No work can be performed without pre-payment. Also,
provide a valid return address and a day time phone number
and email details where you may be reached.
We hope your kit gives you many hours of enjoyment, should
you require any assistance please email kits@vcomp.co.uk
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