Podcasting since 2005! Listen to Latest SolderSmoke

Thursday, January 31, 2019

A SolderSmoke Message to the Vintage SSB Net



Inspired by what I heard on the Vintage SSB Net web site, I wrote to the group: 

Esteemed Vintage OTs: 

As the proud owner of an HT-37/Drake 2B station, I immediately identified with the values embraced by your inspiring preamble. It is almost as good as that other preamble that we all hear about from time-to-time.   

On our SolderSmoke podcast, we often discuss the cluelessness of many of the operators of modern appliance "radios" :   

-- How often have we called CQ on a clear frequency on 40 meters, only to be answered by a chorus  of "YOU ARE ON THE WRONG FREQUENCY!"?  (How could that be?  What was WRONG with my frequency?  It took me a while to realize that they think 40 has been channelized and that emissions must be on whole kilohertz frequencies.) 

-- How many times has someone whose "rig" is really a computer complained that your "60 over S9" signal is "too wide" on his waterfall? 

-- How many times have we had to deal with the apparent psychological trauma caused to some hams by an ancient VFO that drifts a little bit? 
"You are drifting ALL OVER THE BAND!"
"How far have I moved?" 
"More than 40 hertz!"  
Oh the humanity! 

Anyway, we really liked your preamble, especially the bit about how "smoke and flames may occur at any time." Words to live by my friends.  

Could we please have a written version of the preamble?  We want to recommend that all SolderSmoke listeners post it on the walls of their radio shacks.  Some of them may want to have it tattooed on their backs (we leave that to them). 

73 and keep warm out there (the boatanchor rigs really help with this). 

Bill  N2CQR


Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Putting the QCX on SSB


Here is a very cool mod to Hans Summers' amazing QCX CW phasing transceiver.  This rig seemed to have been crying out for an SSB mod.  Guido has come up with a very clever way to put this rig on phone. 


Guido PE1NNZ wrote: 
Jan 28   2019

Over Christmas I have been playing around with a simple modification that transforms the QCX into a Class-E driven SSB transceiver. With this setup I have been able to make several SSB contacts and FT8 exchanges across Europe and so far this experiment is working reasonable well. It can be fully-continuous tuned through bands 160m-10m in the LSB/USB-modes with a 2200Hz bandwidth, provides up to 5W PEP SSB output and has a software-based full Break-In VOX for fast RX/TX switching in voice and digital operations.

The SSB transmit-stage is implemented in a completely digital and software-based manner: at the heart the ATMEGA328 is sampling the input-audio and reconstructing a SSB-signal by controlling the SI5351 PLL phase (through tiny frequency changes over 800kbit/s I2C) and controlling the PA Power (through PWM on the key-shaping circuit). In this way a highly power-efficient class-E driven SSB-signal can be realized; a PWM driven class-E design keeps the SSB transceiver simple, tiny, cool, power-efficient and low-cost (ie. no need for power-inefficient and complex linear amplifier with bulky heat-sink as often is seen in SSB transceivers).

An Open Source Arduino sketch is used as the basis for the firmware, a hardware modification bypasses the QCX CW filter and provides a microphone input in-place of the DVM-circuit; the mod is easy to apply and consist of four wires and four component changes and after applying the transceiver remains compatible with the original QCX (CW) firmware.

This experiment is created to try out what can be done with minimal hardware; a simple ATMEGA processor, a QCX and a bit of signal processing to make SSB in an artificial manner. It would be nice to add more features to the sketch, and see if the QCX design can be further simplified e.g. by implementing parts of the receiver stage in software. Feel free to experiment with this modification and let me know your thoughts or contribute here: https://github.com/threeme3/QCX-SSB

73, Guido
PE1NNZ


Schlitz Beer and Ham Radio


Another necktie in the hamshack. Can anyone identify any of the gear? 

Tuesday, January 29, 2019

The Vintage SSB Net



This group looks like a lot of fun.  I like how they record the entire session and put it on the web.  


You should listen to their "preamble."  It describes the purpose of the net and the group's belief system.  Very well done.  These are our people!  I will request a full transcript of this important and inspirational document. 

Here is a link to a reading of the net preamble:


"Smoke and flame may occur at any time!" 

DON'T BE A VIOLATOR! NO MODERN RIGS!  

Monday, January 28, 2019

HT-37/2B QSO with K6ZA (three short videos)



On January 23, 2019 on 20 meters I talked to Barry K6ZA.  He is near San Francisco.  I was running my Hallicrafters HT-37 with my Drake 2B.  I was really pleased to discover that the guy I was talking to loves these two pieces of gear as much as I do.  

Barry said he wished I could record his voice coming out of the HT-37.   My iPhone came to the rescue.  




The Secret Life of Machines -- Radio



We had this on fhe blog three years ago, but it is so good that it deserves a second posting. 
Thanks to our old friend Stephen Walters for reminding us of this gem.  There is so much soul in these old machines. Thanks Stephen. 

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Godzilla, an SP-600, a D-104, and a Turner SSB+2 Transistorized Mic



We were in a restaurant last week and this trailer played on a TV that was all the way across the room.  The SP-600 caught my eye.  I once had one of those, but chickened out when I read about the horrors of black-beauty cap replacement.   There is also a D-104 in the trailer (several of those are with me now).  And the girl is transmitting with a Turner SSB+2 Transistorized mic -- I have one of those also. 

Thomas K4SWL over at The SWLing Post  notes that the SP-600 Tuning Dial appears to have been modified.  I'm thinking the wanted it to look like some sort of transmitter output meter. 

I think I can also see some sort of Collins antenna tuner.   

Any ideas on whose shack this all comes from?   It looks like a real ham shack.  

From the trailer, it appears that the ham gear somehow helped us establish contact with Godzilla, who then went on to save the planet.  I hope.  ONCE AGAIN, HAM RADIO SAVES THE DAY! 

The ham radio stuff is in the first minute or so of the trailer. 
Designer: Douglas Bowman | Dimodifikasi oleh Abdul Munir Original Posting Rounders 3 Column