SolderSmoke Daily News -- Ham Radio Blog

Serving the worldwide community of radio-electronic homebrewers. Providing blog support to the SolderSmoke podcast: http://soldersmoke.com

Smoke! Solder Smoke!

Smoke!  Solder Smoke!
Thanks to Dino KL0S

Sponsor SolderSmoke!

  • SolderSmoke Patreon Page
Become a Patron!

Donate to SolderSmoke!

Listen to Past Episodes

Just go to http://soldersmoke.com. On that archive page, just click on the blue hyperlinks and your audio player should play that episode. http://soldersmoke.com

A book about life overseas

A book about life overseas
Click on the image!

SolderSmoke Store

SolderSmoke Store
Click on the mug!

SolderSunSpots

Solar and Geophysical Activity Summary

  • CLICK HERE FOR LATEST UPDATE

Frank Jones, W6AJF

TOPIC INDEX

  • "The Art of Electronics" (8)
  • 10 meters (19)
  • 12 meters (7)
  • 15 Meters (10)
  • 15-10 Transceiver (23)
  • 160 meters (14)
  • 17 meters (47)
  • 1712 Rig (13)
  • 2 meters (4)
  • 20 meters (15)
  • 20meters (1)
  • 2200 and 630 meters (1)
  • 30 meters (2)
  • 40 meters (92)
  • 6 meters (2)
  • 60 meters (8)
  • 75 meters (10)
  • AA1TJ (51)
  • AA7EE (2)
  • Adams -- Chuck (9)
  • aeronautical mobile (1)
  • Africa (12)
  • AGC (1)
  • AI (9)
  • aircraft (33)
  • Alaska (9)
  • All American Five (2)
  • AM (82)
  • Amateur Television (16)
  • amplifier theory (48)
  • analog (1)
  • Anguilla (1)
  • Antarctica (7)
  • antennas (132)
  • Antuino (13)
  • April 1 (17)
  • Arduino (125)
  • arduinos (1)
  • Argentina (11)
  • Armstrong -- Neil (1)
  • Armstrong -E. Howard (18)
  • ARRL (8)
  • astronomy (121)
  • audio amplifiers (16)
  • Aurora (9)
  • Australia (128)
  • Austria (1)
  • Azores (31)
  • balloon (24)
  • Bamford --Dave (6)
  • Bangladesh (1)
  • Barbados (9)
  • beacon (25)
  • Belgium (9)
  • Beverage--Harold (4)
  • bicycle (10)
  • Billy (2)
  • biology (1)
  • bitx (9)
  • BITX DIGI-TIA (42)
  • BITX20 (169)
  • BITX40Module (76)
  • BITX60 (2)
  • boatanchors (3)
  • boats (6)
  • book (78)
  • books (140)
  • Bose-JC (1)
  • Botswana (1)
  • Brazil (13)
  • Brazil. Australia (1)
  • Brazil. Belgium (1)
  • broadcast radio (4)
  • Budlong -- Merrill (1)
  • Burdick -- Wayne (12)
  • California (23)
  • Campbell-Rick (23)
  • Canada (50)
  • Canary Islands (1)
  • Carlson -- Mr. (11)
  • Carney-Todd (9)
  • Carr -- Joseph (2)
  • cartoons (28)
  • CB (8)
  • CBLA (9)
  • Cebik-L.B. (3)
  • Central America (1)
  • ceramic resonators (11)
  • Chile (6)
  • China (45)
  • Cicadas (1)
  • climate change (4)
  • clocks (1)
  • Cloud Chamber (3)
  • Clubs (50)
  • Collins -- A. Frederick (2)
  • Collins -- Art (8)
  • Colombia (1)
  • computer history (43)
  • construction techniques (9)
  • Costa Rica (1)
  • COVID (2)
  • Crane-Bob (12)
  • Croatia (3)
  • crystal radio (32)
  • Cuba (24)
  • CW (111)
  • CW. (3)
  • Cyprus (1)
  • Czech Republic (2)
  • Darlington--Paul (1)
  • DC Receiver Build (77)
  • DC RX Hall of Fame (78)
  • DDS (31)
  • DeMaw--Doug (79)
  • Denmark (2)
  • DiFX (6)
  • digital (2)
  • digital logic (10)
  • digital modes (20)
  • Dilbert (3)
  • direct conversion (160)
  • Direct Conversion Challenge (30)
  • Disaster Relief (1)
  • Dobbs-George (33)
  • Dominican Republic (72)
  • Drake 2B (71)
  • Drake TR-3 (2)
  • Drones (4)
  • DSB (101)
  • Dubai (5)
  • DX-100 (19)
  • DX-390 (2)
  • DX-40 (3)
  • earthquake (4)
  • Echolink (3)
  • Ecuador (1)
  • Edison -- Thomas (4)
  • Einstein -- Albert (12)
  • El Salvador (1)
  • Elecraft (7)
  • election (3)
  • Electric Radio magazine (9)
  • electrolytic capacitors (2)
  • Ellsworth -- Jeri (6)
  • Elser-Mathes Cup (1)
  • EM Waves (9)
  • EME (12)
  • Emergency Power (5)
  • EMRFD (13)
  • enclosures (4)
  • ET-2 (14)
  • Europa (1)
  • Evans-- Grayson (22)
  • Faraday -- Michael (4)
  • Farhan (253)
  • Farnsworth--Philo (5)
  • Faroe islands (2)
  • FCC (4)
  • FDIM (1)
  • feedback (2)
  • Fessenden -- Reginald (2)
  • Feynman -- Richard (7)
  • Field Day (9)
  • Filters (113)
  • Finland (1)
  • Finnland (1)
  • Fish Soup 10 (4)
  • Fishpool -- Tony (16)
  • Florida (3)
  • FM (8)
  • France (43)
  • Franklin Oscillator (3)
  • frequency counter (27)
  • Fried--Limor (3)
  • Friedrichs -- HP (1)
  • FT-8 (5)
  • Fusion (3)
  • Gale -- Todd (9)
  • Germany (65)
  • Gilbert Cell (4)
  • Glue Sticks (3)
  • Google (2)
  • GQRP (20)
  • greece (3)
  • Green -- Wayne (8)
  • Guapo (1)
  • Guatemala (1)
  • Guth -- Eric (11)
  • h (1)
  • Haiti (3)
  • Hall-Douglas (1)
  • Hallicrafters (67)
  • Ham Radio Workbench (1)
  • Hamel--Armand (19)
  • hamfest (9)
  • Hamfests and Flea Markets (66)
  • Hammarlund (25)
  • Harden-Paul (3)
  • Harper -- Rex (17)
  • Harris -- Frank (7)
  • Hawaii (3)
  • Hayward--Wes (88)
  • HB2HB (30)
  • heathkits (62)
  • heatsinks (3)
  • Heaviside -- Oliver (1)
  • Heil -- Bob (4)
  • Herring Aid 5 (34)
  • Hex Beam (3)
  • Hodgepodge rig (10)
  • homebrew (22)
  • homebrew hero (18)
  • homebrew transistors (9)
  • Honduras (1)
  • Hong Kong (2)
  • HP8640B (9)
  • HQ-100 (12)
  • Hungary (8)
  • Hunkin -- Tim (2)
  • HW-101 (8)
  • HW-7 (7)
  • HW-8 (23)
  • IBEW (2)
  • Iceland (2)
  • ICs (7)
  • Idaho (1)
  • IGY (7)
  • impedance matching (1)
  • India (126)
  • Indonesia (9)
  • integrated circuits (16)
  • Interference (6)
  • Iraq (1)
  • Ireland (15)
  • IRF510 (3)
  • Israel (24)
  • Italy (85)
  • Jaguey (2)
  • Jamaica (2)
  • Japan (41)
  • JBOT (17)
  • Jean Shepherd (56)
  • Jim Williams (4)
  • Job Opportunities (2)
  • John Edwards (2)
  • Jones -- Frank (18)
  • Jordan (2)
  • JT65 (2)
  • Judica Cordiglia (4)
  • Juliano -- Pete (297)
  • Jupiter (10)
  • K1JT (9)
  • K5WDW (1)
  • Kang- KPS (1)
  • Karl and Jerry (1)
  • keyers (5)
  • Keyser -- Ian (6)
  • Kits (52)
  • KL7R (13)
  • kludge (9)
  • Knack Stories (177)
  • Kraus -- John (1)
  • Lady Ada (5)
  • Lafayette HA-600A (21)
  • Large Hadron Collider (2)
  • Laser (15)
  • Lebanon (1)
  • LED (9)
  • LEDs (2)
  • Lewallan -- Roy (8)
  • Lewallen --- Rick (1)
  • lexicon (7)
  • Light Beam Telephony (8)
  • Light Bulbs (3)
  • Lightning (6)
  • Linux (12)
  • Lithuania (1)
  • LM373 (1)
  • Long Delayed Echo (2)
  • LtSpice (30)
  • M0NTV (3)
  • Macdonald -- Copthorne (4)
  • Madagascar (1)
  • Mafalda (1)
  • magazines (40)
  • MAKE (5)
  • Malaysia (1)
  • Marconi (1)
  • Marconi-Guglielmo (20)
  • Mars (50)
  • Mate for the Mighty Midget (23)
  • math (1)
  • mathematics (16)
  • Maxwell -- James Clerk (8)
  • McCoy -- Lew (22)
  • Mercury (1)
  • metal work (15)
  • meteors (8)
  • Mexico (7)
  • MFJ Cub (2)
  • Michigan Mighty Mite (106)
  • microcontrollers (43)
  • Microphone (25)
  • military radios (11)
  • Mims -- Forrest (5)
  • Minima (17)
  • minimalist computing (23)
  • minimalist radio (101)
  • mixer theory (89)
  • Mixers (6)
  • mongolia (1)
  • Montana (3)
  • Montenegro (2)
  • moonbounce (13)
  • Morris -- Charlie (8)
  • movie review (1)
  • Moxon (18)
  • Muppet Boards (1)
  • Murphy -- Mike WU2D (10)
  • Murphy -- Steve (7)
  • museum (2)
  • music (28)
  • Mythbuster (45)
  • Namibia (1)
  • nano UK. New Zealand (1)
  • NanoVNA (25)
  • NE602 (17)
  • Nepal (3)
  • Netherlands (40)
  • Netherlands. (4)
  • New York City (25)
  • New Zealand (29)
  • noise (3)
  • Norway (18)
  • Novice Station (2)
  • nuclear power (1)
  • Numbers stations (3)
  • Old radio (297)
  • Old Smoke (12)
  • OLED (8)
  • oscilloscope (37)
  • Other homebrews (2)
  • Pakistan (1)
  • Panama (1)
  • parachute (9)
  • Paraguay (1)
  • Parasets (7)
  • Parent -- Allison (5)
  • Parfitt-- Dale (9)
  • Parker--Peter (59)
  • Parts suppliers (60)
  • Penson-Chuck (3)
  • Pete (1)
  • Phase Locked Loop (1)
  • Phase Noise (4)
  • phasing (10)
  • Phasing Rigs (40)
  • Philippines (3)
  • photography (6)
  • Physics (48)
  • poetry (11)
  • Poland (4)
  • Polyakov--Vladimir (13)
  • Portugal (5)
  • Project Gutenberg (1)
  • propagation (66)
  • PTO (16)
  • Puerto Rico (6)
  • PY2OHH (1)
  • Qatar (1)
  • QCX (3)
  • QRP (152)
  • QRP. Germany (1)
  • QRSS (75)
  • QST (7)
  • Quarantine (33)
  • R-390 (4)
  • R/C plane (12)
  • radio astronomy (50)
  • radio history (260)
  • Rainey -- Michael (55)
  • Raspberry Pi (31)
  • Reber--Grote (3)
  • regen (15)
  • Regens (75)
  • reggie (1)
  • repair (20)
  • resonance calculations (1)
  • Reunion Island (1)
  • Reverse Beacon Network (15)
  • Rider -- John (1)
  • ro (1)
  • Roberts--Steven (1)
  • robot (2)
  • rockets (31)
  • Rockey -- C.F. (3)
  • Romania (6)
  • RTTY (1)
  • Rudy Severns (1)
  • Russia (48)
  • S-38E (12)
  • San Francisco (1)
  • Sardinia (2)
  • satellites (161)
  • Saturn (9)
  • sBITX (11)
  • Schwartz-Eric (1)
  • science fiction (9)
  • Scotland (12)
  • Scott-- Richard N3FJZ (4)
  • SDR (149)
  • SETI (22)
  • Shannon -- Claude (1)
  • Shenandoah (1)
  • Short Wave Listening (75)
  • Si5351 (85)
  • Sicily (3)
  • sideband inversion (5)
  • Sierra Leone (1)
  • Silver -- McMurdo (1)
  • Silverman -- Steve (11)
  • simulators (1)
  • Singapore (4)
  • Slovakia (3)
  • Smith--Steve (13)
  • software (27)
  • solar cycle (44)
  • Solar power (25)
  • solder (9)
  • SolderSmoke Podcast (209)
  • SolderSmoke Shack South (4)
  • SolderSmoke store (2)
  • SolderSmoke Videos (2)
  • SOTA (11)
  • Souleles -- Dean (54)
  • South Africa (13)
  • South Korea (1)
  • Soviet Union (6)
  • space program (166)
  • Spain (26)
  • Sparks -- Ron (2)
  • sponsor (2)
  • SPRAT (69)
  • SSB (201)
  • SSDRA (21)
  • SST (5)
  • SSTV (6)
  • static electricity (3)
  • stickers (7)
  • Stoll -- Cliff (1)
  • Sub-Harmonic mixer (1)
  • Summers-Hans (45)
  • Sun (12)
  • Superhet receivers (97)
  • surface mount (10)
  • Swan 240 (4)
  • Sweden (10)
  • Switzerland (5)
  • Tape recorder (1)
  • Tasmania (9)
  • Taylor -- Joe (3)
  • Taylor -- Paul (9)
  • telescope (2)
  • telescopes (30)
  • teletype (1)
  • Television (4)
  • Temperature Compensation (3)
  • Terman --- Frederick (2)
  • Tesla -- Nikola (3)
  • test gear (188)
  • Thailand (6)
  • The Knack (7)
  • Tibet (1)
  • Time (1)
  • TinySA (12)
  • TJ DC RX (106)
  • tools (3)
  • Toroids (4)
  • Trastevere (3)
  • TRGHS (1)
  • Trivial Electric Motor (2)
  • troubleshooting (138)
  • tube (3)
  • Tubes (217)
  • Tubes. tube (1)
  • Tuna Tin 2 (25)
  • Turkey (12)
  • Twain -- Mark (2)
  • UAE (2)
  • uBITX (50)
  • UHF (17)
  • UK (234)
  • Ukraine (3)
  • uSDX (1)
  • Van Vark -- Tatjana (1)
  • Vatican Radio (1)
  • Venezuela (2)
  • venus (4)
  • VFO (79)
  • VHF (21)
  • vide (1)
  • video (217)
  • Vienna Wireless Society (11)
  • Vietnam (8)
  • Virginia (1)
  • VK4KA (1)
  • W1PID (2)
  • W7ZOI (7)
  • WA6ARA (4)
  • WA7MLH (10)
  • Walford Electronics (5)
  • Washington D.C. (5)
  • WD-40 (1)
  • weather (8)
  • web sites (45)
  • Weber-Steve (4)
  • Weiss--Ade (5)
  • Williams -- Jim (3)
  • wind power (2)
  • WN2A (1)
  • wolke -- Alan (42)
  • Woodpecker (1)
  • woodworking (11)
  • workbench (113)
  • workshop (34)
  • Wozniak -- Steve (9)
  • WSPR (75)
  • Yates--Alan (8)

Podcasting since 2005! Listen to Latest SolderSmoke

If you cannot see the audio controls, listen/download the audio file here

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

"Science Friday" Interviews Author of "The Innovators" (listen)



Michael Rainey alerted me to Ira Flatow's Science Friday interview with author Walter Isaacson.  I'm reading Isaacson's new book "The Innovators"  (appropriately, on my Iphone 5). The book is very good, with surprisingly frequent references to ham radio.  Flatow's interview with Isaacson is also quite good, and will give you a better idea of what the book is about.  Here it is.  It is worth a listen:
http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/10/24/2014/meet-the-innovators-who-made-the-digital-revolution.html

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:15 AM 0 comments
Labels: books, computer history

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Mailbag: Coils Wound Backwards, Last QSO 1981, Visions of Transistors Keeping Him Awake. Paul has THE KNACK


http://www.pan-tex.net/usr/r/receivers/ra01000a.htm

Hi Bill

I'm just getting back into ham radio after 33 years (last QSO: 1981),
want to do it all through homebrew, seem to have the same mindset as
guys like you and Frank K0IYE, bought your book [love it and Frank's],
and just "discovered" the Soldersmoke podcasts.  I've been listening to
them with one ear as I bike to and from work (about 40 minutes each way, so it's almost perfect).  I'm employed as a digital geek, but yearn for the days of DeMaw's prime (worked him once when he was W1CER), when the 40673 ruled.  I'm very glad that, 40 years later, people like Farhan can weave discrete analog wonders, even if they later choose to use digital *control* (NOT DSP! No!).

I had to start somewhere with your podcasts archive, so I started with
2014 and really enjoyed your struggles with the Herring-Aid 5. My 1st
receiver  was the "DC 80-10" by DeMaw from somewhere around 1970 in QST or the Handbook -- used a CA3028 as the product detector -- and I had similar struggles.  While listening to it, I immediately thought "you wound the feedback coil backwards, you idiot!"

I got my license back in March 2014 and want very badly to get back on
the air with a homebrewed, or at least minimally-kitted, station.  I've
built the receiver:  David White's (WN5Y) Beginner's and Experimenters
receiver[1] heavily modified, have a long wire antenna up, a decent RF
ground, and all the parts I need for QRP z-match tuner, swr meter, T/R
switch, sidetone, and IRF510-based transmitter.  Target:  40m CW by the middle of December, 30m in the couple of months after that with a
fully-Manhattan-style Barebones Superhet and another IRF510
transmitter.  Then one of these BitX things.  It's been a couple of
decades since I felt that there weren't enough hours in the day.  Some
nights I can't sleep, what with all these transistors and simple analog
ICs whirling around...

Anyway, keep it up, I'll be listening.

-- Paul Lender, AD0HQ

[1] I built an Arduino/AD9850 DDS -- a la AD7C -- and used it to tune a
4-crystal filter (10-cent crystals from Tayda!) for the receiver with
the same Rigol scope that you use.  I tried, really tried, to do it with
an analog RF signal generator.  Change is good.  Change is good.


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:56 AM 0 comments
Labels: DeMaw--Doug, Farhan, Knack Stories

Monday, October 27, 2014

Dear Santa: I want a Knack Watch. The one with real tubes...



This is what all the cool homebrewers will be wearing next year.   Just be careful at airport security -- they might not understand! 

Check it out:  http://www.johngineer.com/blog/?p=1595

We received some comments from some noted Thermatron authorities: 

Hi Guys,
This will cause all of the bells, whistles and sirens to go off all it once.
Now all that is needed is a logo on the watch that says
EBOLA ( Electronic Bi-state Operational Long Arithmetic) and this will cause you to go to jail without passing Go or collecting $200.
Pete

---------------------

Wow, I love this thing!…even though it uses little black plastic things to work.  Have no idea what they are. (johngineer has knack squared)
Reminds me of a project I am trying with fellow ham.  We picked up an old HP nixie tube freq counter at junk yard.  We were going to strip out the nixie tubes to make a clock, but decided we could make it as clock as is.  Want to program an Arduino thing into generating a frequency that is the time and feeding it into the counter.
For example 3:45:25 would be 34,525 Hz.  
But my Italian is terrible so haven’t been able to get the Arduino to work.  Just learning it.  Project a bit over my head. picked up one of those online language courses on Italian. Hard, but not as hard as Turkish!
Grayson
TA2ZGE - Ankara, Turkey
KJ7UM
Follow the Hollow-State Design Blog
hollowstatedesign.tumblr.com

-----------------------

 I'm wondering if I  could do it Manhattan style, with discrete components... 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:34 AM 0 comments
Labels: Tubes

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Spark Forever! Pete's First Transmitter


The SolderSmoke legal team (we too use Dewey, Cheetham & Howe!) has advised us to be very careful about divulging the details on this rig.  They are not sure about the statute of limitations.   Beyond what he said on the podcast, all Pete will say is that TOOBs were involved: 1S4, 3S4, 3Q4, 3Q5, 3V4s.  He says power out was ALWAYS less than 100 mw ERP.  That's  his story and he's stinking to it. 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 9:14 AM 1 comments
Labels: Juliano -- Pete, Knack Stories, Old radio

Friday, October 24, 2014

Smart-Phone Cosmic Ray Detector

http://hackaday.com/2014/10/17/detect-cosmic-rays-with-your-smartphone-using-crayfis/
I find this cosmic ray project very appealing.



Also, Adam Fabio over on Hackaday recently posted a Hack-let on ham radio:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/17/hacklet-19-ham-radio/ 


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 6:09 AM 0 comments
Labels: astronomy, web sites

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

"Two guys and a Minima walk into a bar..."


Thomas, KK6AHT, was in Washington this week.  He and I got together for a beer and a look at his Minima. 


I'd seen pictures of it, but it was much more impressive in person.  Thomas did a great job on this rig.  It is a really nice mixture of digital and analog.  I liked the fact that he built the analog portion Manhattan style using MePads.  He and I agreed that while it would make sense to produce a PC board for the Arduino/Si570/LCD portion of the rig, builders should be encouraged to do the rest Manhattan style. 


Showing true homebrew dedication,  Thomas was unhappy with the level of audio output when we turned it on.  He started to trouble-shoot right there in the Ruby Tuesday bar! 


It turns out that we were in a very Knack-ish location.  We were on the site where they created ARPANET. 

Thomas very kindly left me with a nice package of Minima digi-parts including the Arduino chip loaded with the software and an SI570.    So now I have no excuse.  

Thanks Thomas! 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:42 AM 0 comments
Labels: Arduino, Minima

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Arduino Hell!



Hi Bill,
 
I am a long time listener of SolderSmoke and a big fan! Since your last podcast was on the use of Arduino’s for ham radio, my Arduino Hellschrieber project may be of interest to you and your listeners. I am using the $15 dollar RadioShack color display they are closing out and a simple circuit with our favorite transistor!
 
I have a video in my second blogpost and all the details with code below.
 
http://wa6pzb.blogspot.com/2014/10/arduino-hellschrieber.html
 
http://wa6pzb.blogspot.com/2014/10/arduino-hellschrieber-ii.html
 
Keep up the great work, I have your book both in print and Kindle!
 
73, Dan WA6PZB

 Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:00 AM 1 comments
Labels: Arduino, digital modes

Monday, October 20, 2014

Has AA1TJ Joined the FMLA?



I have learned that esteemed homebrewer Michael Rainey, AA1TJ, recently whipped up a 56 MHz, quarter-wave, helical coaxial resonator (BTW: the spoon is also homebrew).  Hmm, 56 Mhz.  Or perhaps we should say MegaCYCLES?  Michael claims this device is for a low phase- noise VFO, but I find the frequency selection highly suspicious.   The last time I heard of that frequency it had to do with an underground group set up by the late (or not so late) Frank Jones.  
Here is all the info on Frank's Five Meter Liberation Army.  

http://www.sunflower.com/~brainbol/frank/

A man of the '30s awakens one night in the '90s (episode 13) with a new mission: recapture 56-60 mc. He forms a Five Meter Liberation Army from his mobile home in a Barrio trailer park run by Tom Joad of Steinback's Grapes of Wrath (episode 9), and soon draws a decidedly uncolorful bodyguard (episode 7). A six foot tall half Mexican stockbroker named for Ayn Rand makes him rich and a demonic white ferret and a half-siamese cat become his familiars. (episodes 10 and 9). The leader of all this, called only "Frank," settles down in the narrator's basement to be joined by Maj. Armstrong (episode 8), Hiram Maxim (episode 23) and one-time pals Carl and Jerry from the 1950s Popular Electronics (episode 25). His huge 1940s sedan, with contemporary plates, is immune from police (episode 13 et seq) and his breadboarded electronic creations recall those distant days when a ham built his own rig and could "fix a radio." Of course all this is crazy. No one builds anything anymore and the other things Frank stands for, like self- reliance, tolerance and a generally Boy Scout viewpoint are simply out of step. Frank knows that too (episode 20), but he does not care. If you're standing in the middle of the road and see a big brown Frazer coming at you, you better jump - one way or the other.

VIVA EL FMLA!  VIVA!


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:05 AM 1 comments
Labels: Jones -- Frank, Rainey -- Michael

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Tribal Knowledge Video: Putting Screw Threads in Aluminium



http://youtu.be/LuqliWT1k5A

Thank you Giovanni Manzoni, whoever you are! 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 11:06 AM 3 comments
Labels: Juliano -- Pete, video, workbench

Friday, October 17, 2014

Author Walter Isaacson was a Radio Amateur


This is the guy who wrote the biographies of Einstein, Steve Jobs, and Ben Franklin that I've been talking about on the podcast. President of the Aspen Institutes, former Chairman of CNN and editor of Time Magazine.  And, as I learned today, a former ham radio operator.   In his new book, "The Innovators," he writes:  

"My father and uncles were electrical engineers,  and like many of the characters in this book, I grew up with a basement workshop that had circuit boards to be soldered, radios to be opened, tubes to be tested, and boxes of transistors and resistors to be sorted and deployed.  As an electronics geek who loved Heathkits and ham radios (WA5JTP) I can remember when vacuum tubes gave way to transistors."

When I told Billy about this, he said, "No wonder you like his books so much!"  Indeed.  Walter has THE KNACK.   I'm enjoying his book, "The Innovators."   

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 7:01 PM 0 comments
Labels: books, Knack Stories

Thursday, October 16, 2014

A Different Kind of Workshop



Sometimes it is good to take a break from the electronics and look at how people are making other things.  I've been working on the heat sink for a 140 watt solid state amplifier, so this fellow's comments about working with metal kind of resonated with me.   


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:43 AM 1 comments
Labels: Japan, video, workbench

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

SW Echo Theory Confirmed By a BBC Engineer


BBC Relay Station Singapore


Hi Bill,
I heard your description of the echo on your podcast and before listening I knew the cause - but I think you know that now!

Yes, it's from two separate transmitters, and quite common, though not usually noticed.
It has nothing to do with path length differences - the longest round-the-world echo via the ionosphere is only about 0.15 seconds - so anything more has a different cause.
It's from the audio feed to the transmitter. Your regen receiver picked up two transmitters on different frequencies. It was very noticeable before transmitters used digital land-line feeds, just analogue and satellite.

On a BBC SW frequency (forget the which one now) one tx was in UK and the other in Singapore, on the same frequency with the same programme to completely different service areas. When propagation was right and listening in Europe, the UK signal fed by analogue audio from Bush House came first and the Singapore tx came with two geostationary satellite delays later, plus the tiny bit of UK-Singapore ionospheric path difference.

Now it's worse because there are all sorts of digital delays via land-line and satellite, although using the same frequency for the same service in not common.

In the UK Absolute Radio on AM medium-wave has multiple transmitters (mostly 1215 kHz and 1197 kHz) on the same frequency which are audible at night. If you listen carefully you can often hear multiple (up to FOUR!) echoes from different transmitters all being fed by different internet feeds/satellite links with varying delays. 

As an ex-BBC engineer, I can tell you that in the old days not only were these AM medium-wave group stations all synched to within 0.05Hz, but the phase of the modulation was adjusted so all tramsitters were modulating in phase! Now the commercial boys have taken over most of these syched groups, not only are the frequencies all over the place, but the modulation isn't even time delayed to match, let alone synchronized! Some even put diferent commercials in the breaks so if you're geographically between stations you get a complete, unlistenable-to mess. Apparently these days that's ok.

Why did we bother...?

Anyway, I hope this adds to and confirms your findings.
73,
Ian Liston-Smith, G4JQT

(A grumpy old retired BBC Engineer)

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:16 AM 1 comments
Labels: Short Wave Listening, Singapore, UK

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Swedish Mighty Mite



A thing of beauty!  Check out the key! 

What a great diagram.  Schematic included! 

http://www.sm7ucz.se/MMM/MMM.htm



Remnants of mine

Steve "Snort Rosin" Smith's 

More on all this: 

http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=michigan+mighty+Mite

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20


at 5:43 AM 0 comments
Labels: minimalist radio, QRP, Smith--Steve, Sweden

Monday, October 13, 2014

Thomas KK6AHT's Pacificon Minima Presentation: Noodling! And Maxima Inspiration!



Wow, the Minima presentation by Thomas at Pacificon was really great.   I think he had exactly the right tone and tech level for the digitally-savvy California audience.  His very open description of the ups and downs of his Minima build will surely lure in some new builders, and will at the same time prepare them for the travails ahead!  Great stuff.  I like the mention of Pete's "noodling."  Thomas obviously gets it.  And he obviously has THE KNACK.  Thanks Thomas!  

Thomas has posted his slides and (MOST IMPORTANT) the audio of his presentation.  Just click on the BIG ORANGE play arrow below the slides.  You folks will love this: 

http://www.sarfata.org/2014/10/Minima-Presentation-at-Pacificon/



Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 6:47 AM 0 comments
Labels: Farhan, Hamfests and Flea Markets, Minima

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Drake-uino! Arduino DDS puts Drake 2B on 12 meter band!



After using the Arduino DDS as a crystal substitute with my 1982 Barebones Superhet recevier (scroll down), I moved back two more decades and used the DDS as a crystal substitute to put my (early '60s) Drake 2B on the 12 meter band.    This was a hack in which I actually used a hack saw -- I used it to cut open the container holding a crystal so that I could make a socket that would carry the signal from the Arduino DDS into the Drake 2B. 

This video is a bit repetitive, but it stated out at two different videos.  I just put them together.  The last part shows the actual crystal socket hack. 

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 8:42 PM 4 comments
Labels: Arduino, Drake 2B

Arduino DDS meets Barebones Superhet (Video)



Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 8:39 AM 0 comments
Labels: Arduino, DeMaw--Doug, Juliano -- Pete

Pete's 17 Meter VXO Transceiver (Video)



Pete:  

I like it!  You and I may be the only people in the world with that kind of VXO range control switch on the front panel!
 
I checked my VXO.   I run it at around 23 MHz.  I use two single crystals, also switched by a relay. 
The 23.144 rock tunes from 23.127 to 23.151    24 kHz
The 23.166 rock goes from  23.144 to 23.168    24 kHz
 So I could have had 48 kHz were it not for the overlap.  As it is, I get 41 kHz.  Not bad.
 
The reason I went with this LO freq was that I had these crystals from the Dale Parfitt/Doug DeMaw Barebones Barbados Receiver.  DeMaw had used color burst rocks for a 3.579 MHz IF, but Dale shifted up to 5 MHz. I could occasionally hear WWV!  (But with the 3.579 I heard W1AW in the IF!)
 
73
 
Bill  


Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 7:06 AM 0 comments
Labels: 17 meters, DeMaw--Doug, Juliano -- Pete

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Homebrew Double Balanced Mixers by Pete Juiano (Part II) Video



Another great video from Pete.  I like the unbalancing mod -- I hate having to whistle into the mic!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 10:13 AM 3 comments
Labels: Juliano -- Pete, mixer theory, video

Friday, October 10, 2014

Hacker with The Knack Does Well, Working for JPL



Wow.  This guy has a really inspirational Knack story.  He welded (with coat hangers!) a sidecar onto his bike when he was a kid.  He majored in Physics and Theater.  He did all kinds of hardware and software hacks. He plays a Theravin in a band.   He now flies spacecraft for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. 

And Congratulations to Peter Parker, VK3YE, for having one of his ingenious hacks picked up by Hackaday:
http://hackaday.com/2014/10/06/dusty-junk-bin-downconverter-receives-fm-on-an-am-radio/

Thanks Hackaday! And Happy Tenth Birthday to You!  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:23 AM 0 comments
Labels: Knack Stories, Parker--Peter, space program

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Edison is Off The Grid (and has been for 24 years!)

Picture

I talked to him last night on 17 meters.  He's a nice fellow.  When your first name is Edison, that's an indication that you might have THE KNACK.   

From his QRZ page: 

Ready for this?
My wife and I have lived off-the-grid for more than 24 years. Solar and wind are our main power sources on our mountain, although, we did finally add a generator to our available power sources, for those long days of "NO SUN" in Winter.  Check out the view from my home at this site:  http://mycampage.com/rosevalleycam  and also look at the other links on the page.  You might find something you like....
I've been a ham since 1967.  Started as a Novice near Sacramento, California, where I was born. But WN6FIC soon became WA6FIC, which I remained until the late 90's, when I became N7GCW.
I am a musician. Along with my wife, and Blaine Lindgren, our fiddle player, we comprise the band called "Half-way There". Click on my campage link to see more about me, and you will find all of my other links there too.  I am also a photographer. I shoot it all, but REALLY enjoy taking pictures of scenery, and live bands at Concerts we go to. I am also very fond of Sunrises, and Sunsets, and they ARE beautiful here.....

Also, check out his TREK page: 
http://n7gcwtrek.weebly.com/index.html

And I liked his description of his county in Washington state: 
"...I absolutely LOVE my world, here in our little valley.  Our friends are like family here.  People smile and wave...and mean it!  We heat exclusively with wood we cut from dead trees on our land, use propane for cooking and refrigeration, and we use solar and wind for most of our power needs, only supplemented by a generator in those long days of no-sun in Winter.  It's like living in a time warp, here in our neck-of-the-woods....  Do you know that there isn't a traffic signal in the entire county?" 
See: http://edisonshomesite.weebly.com/

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:13 AM 0 comments
Labels: Solar power

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Pete's Homebrew Double Balanced Mixer Video (Part 1)

Another great video from the famed Italian Director Giovanni Manzoni!  Bravo Giovanni! 

Pete's discussion of double balanced mixers and the associated toroids has made me feel uneasy about my efforts in this area.  I wonder if my diodes were completely matched.  And I KNOW that my toroids are not as well done as Pete's.  

I recently put an SBL-1 into my old, long-evolving 20 meter ceramic resonator DSB rig. Careful with those nice little boxes! A bit too much juice and you can fry the little internal toroids (as I have done!). 

A while back I found in an RSGB Handbook a nice diagram showing how the diode ring mixer does its thing: 


 Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 5:52 AM 4 comments
Labels: Juliano -- Pete, mixer theory, video

Saturday, October 4, 2014

SolderSmoke Podcast 166: Getting Started in Homebrew Radio

SolderSmoke Podcast 166 is available for download: 

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke166.mp3 

Bench Report:  Pete working on Direct Conversion Receivers.  
Bill on his 2B and on 20DSB rig, and an M0XPD/Kanga DDS kit, and a 140 watt amp. 

GETTING STARTED IN HOMEBREW:
Start simple:  Build an oscillator. Make it oscillate!
Gather tools, simple test gear, and books. 
Try to understand what you build. 
Build a direct conversion receiver.  
Don't fear the toroids! 
Be patient.  This is not Plug and Play. 
Build a DSB transceiver. 
Little tips: 
Protect variable caps. 
Use heat sinks. 
Use reverse polarity protection. 
Don't breathe the solder smoke! Ventilate your bench.

China Radio International Mystery Solved.  
Book Recommendation:  "International QRP Collection" by Dobbs and Telenius-Lowe
MAILBAG

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 2:09 PM 4 comments
Labels: Juliano -- Pete, SolderSmoke Podcast

Thursday, October 2, 2014

Sines, Squares, Harmonics, 'Scopes, FFTs, and Sounds



Bil Herd of Hackaday did a very nice video on Sine Waves, Square Waves and FFTs.  This is, of course, an important part of understanding how mixers mix.   I look forward to his upcoming video on Direct Digital Synthesis.  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 4:55 AM 0 comments
Labels: mixer theory, video

Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Hunting for Sprites



Don't let the comments about "positive lightning" and "gravity wave" cameras turn you off -- in the world of meteorology, these terms seem to make sense (but I had to do some Googling).  The New York Times article on this topic is very interesting: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/30/science/on-the-hunt-for-a-sprite-on-a-midsummers-night.html?_r=0  

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
at 6:55 PM 0 comments
Labels: Lightning, weather
Newer Posts Older Posts Home
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Help SolderSmoke -- Use this Paid Ad from Amazon -- Click on Image!

Help SolderSmoke -- Use this Paid Ad from Amazon -- Click on Image!
Click on the Amazon image above to buy ANYTHING from Amazon

Help SolderSmoke! Shop E-Bay from this site

Help SolderSmoke!  Shop E-Bay from this site

Our Sticker (we need a new one!)

Our Sticker (we need a new one!)

Hardware for the Homebrewer

Hardware for the Homebrewer
Click on the logo!

Visitors

Join the CBLA Today!

Join the CBLA Today!

Subscribe To SolderSmoke

Posts
Atom
Posts
All Comments
Atom
All Comments

Translate

SolderSmoke -- The Book

SolderSmoke -- The Book
Click on the Book Cover!

SolderSmoke - The Book!

"SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" is now available as an e-book for Amazon's Kindle. Here's the site: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V9FIVW

Bill's OTHER Book (Warning: Not About Radio)

Bill's OTHER Book (Warning: Not About Radio)
Click on the image to learn more

Where are the readers of SolderSmoke Daily News?

Locations of visitors to this page

Pete Juliano N6QW

Pete Juliano N6QW
Master Homebrewer

Dean Souleles KK4DAS

Dean Souleles KK4DAS
With beret and with a Michigan Mighty Mite in hand

SolderLinks

  • SolderSmoke's Facebook Page
  • Bill's Blog About Politics and Foreign Affairs
  • SolderSmoke/Gadgeteer Books
  • N2CQR's Web Site (radios, kites, rockets...)
  • All the SolderSmoke Podcast Episodes
  • Mike KL7R (SK) Archived Web Site
  • SolderSmoke YouTube Video Channel
  • Dean KK4DAS's Blog
  • Farhan VU2ESE's Site
  • Pete N6QW's Blog
  • Pete N6QW's Jessytems Web Site
  • Pete N6QW's Cooking Site -- Pasta Pete!

SAW Filter -- Lapel pin symbol of the FMLA

Blogs and Websites and Groups

  • Pete N6QW's Blog
    Now what do you do? - You are an elite member of a very small group (0.01%) who actually takes to heart some of the suggestions I make on this blog. There you go, you bought the...
    7 minutes ago
  • PA3CRX Chrix YouTube Channel
    Koelt zo'n mobiele airco echt? Uitpakken, installatie, waar voor z'n geld? -
    5 hours ago
  • The AM Forum
    Re: The Divided Dial Podcast - Quote from: WA2SQQ on *Yesterday* at 08:22:49 PM Ya, definitely not what I thought it would be Well there's always nostalgic collections of interval signals...
    11 hours ago
  • IMSAI Guy
    #2237 LED Current Source Problems -
    1 day ago
  • Q R P e r
    Build a Linked End-Fed Half-Wave Antenna with Bluetooth-Remote Band Switching! - A Remote Control Antenna Link by Dave (KO4YLZ) Like so many other SOTA activators, I’m constantly tweaking my gear to optimize it for all the variables we ...
    1 day ago
  • Copasetic Flow
    Two Ops, Two Control Panels, One Rig, Project TouCans as a Networked Resource - We moved to a web based control panel for Project TouCans a few months back. It's worked really well. Changing the network model of the system to one w...
    1 day ago
  • MIKROWAVE1
    FT101 6146 Conversion Part 4 -
    1 day ago
  • The SWLing Post
    Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Radio La Voz De Melo (May 19, 2025) - Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist, Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report of a rece...
    2 days ago
  • marxy's musing on technology
    Tech talk on ABC Radio - The competition for our smartphone dollars is about to enter a new round. Google is previewing Android 16 this week and Apple will preview iOS 19 next mont...
    2 days ago
  • Ham Radio Workbench
    HRWB 237 - Remote Operating The K4 With Eric From Elecraft - In this episode we have Eric, co-founder of Elecraft, on the show to talk about the K4 radio architecture and how it's designed to be operated remotely. ...
    3 days ago
  • Mr Carlson's Lab
    KEURIG Doesn't Work - Here's Why! -
    4 days ago
  • Andreas Spiess -- Guy with Swiss Accent
    Create a Wireless NTP Server with ESP32 and GNSS (Wi-Fi & Ethernet) -
    5 days ago
  • Ciprian YO6DXE YouTube Channel
    Building The 50W QRP Labs RF Amplifier Kit For CW - Part 1 -
    6 days ago
  • EI7GL....A diary of amateur radio activity
    FM radio stations on the Azores heard in Newfoundland - 13th May 2025 - On the 13th of May 2025, FM DXer Larry Horlick, VO1FOG in Newfoundland managed to log quite a number of FM radio stations from the Azore Islands. The sta...
    1 week ago
  • CuriousMarc
    Another HP 5061A atomic clock comes in for repair, and it's very broken -
    1 week ago
  • VK3YE Peter in Melbourne
    Mystery Hamfest Find Moorabbin 2025 -
    1 week ago
  • AA7EE Dave Richards Blog
    The Norcal 2N2/20 CW Transceiver Kit - Note – this is a rather long and wordy post, with a lot of pictures. Perhaps surprisingly, after 16 years, there are still some unbuilt kits floating aroun...
    1 week ago
  • Chappy Happy (Japan Homebrew)
    Add a Digital Display to a Tube Radio 5球スーパーラジオをデジタル表示にする -
    2 weeks ago
  • QSO Today Amateur Radio Podcast - QSO Today Podcast
    AB4WS - Episode 525 - Jack Prindle - AB4WS Jack Prindle AB4WS, had an early interest in AM broadcast radio, evolving to scanner listening to public safety in his n...
    2 weeks ago
  • M0NTV Homebrewing
    63 - Build a QER Crystal Filter -
    2 weeks ago
  • VE7SL - Steve - Amateur Radio Blog
    The "George Batterson 1935 CW QSO Party" - Summary - The first *George Batterson CW QSO Party* has concluded and the results are in! The "*GB*" was introduced to honor George Batterson (W2GB), who along wi...
    2 weeks ago
  • KK4DAS - Amateur Radio Explorations
    KK4DAS MB 20 Transceiver Complete - The MB 20 transceiver is now complete. The rig is a homebrew 10-watt 20-meter SSB transceiver. The VFO module was an ebay purchase of a salvaged Yeasu...
    2 weeks ago
  • KA7OEI's blog
    Refurbishing a CIR Astro 200 HF amateur band transceiver - *The Astro 200* The CIR Industries Astro 200 is a compact, synthesized 100 watt HF transceiver from the mid-late 1970s that covers the 80, 40, 20, 15 and...
    2 weeks ago
  • British Columbia (Surrey) Radio Club
    The Communicator May-June 2025 - *Another full issue* Its a big issue, and great articles, along with our regular columnists. Now read in over 165 countries, this issue brings you 120+ pag...
    3 weeks ago
  • Tony Albus
    TA-0443: The⚡NEW⚡ Siglent SDM4065A 6.5 Digits Multimeter -
    5 weeks ago
  • Popcorn Electronics
    A Curious 9 MHz Crystal from Mouser Electronics - Just a quick post to share info about a good 9 MHz crystal sold by Mouser Electronics. I last purchased batches of crystals for xtal IF filters back in 2...
    2 months ago
  • W2AEW -- Alan
    #397: How to use cursors on Tektronix 2400 series scopes, including some "secret" features -
    2 months ago
  • Charlie Morris ZL2CTM
    40m Pelican Case SSB Radio - Part 10: RF PA and LPF -
    2 months ago
  • Charlie Morris, ZL2CTM
    40m Pelican Case SSB Transceiver - See YouTube channels for details: http://www.youtube.com/c/CharlieMorrisZL2CTM *Test code for the LCD and Si5351* #include ...
    4 months ago
  • A 51S-1 Restoration Story – Grayson Evans's Technical Documents
    Hollow-State Design, 3rd Edition - Hollow-State Design, 3rd Edition is available from: Lulu Press: tinyurl.com/hollowstatedesign3 eBay: search for “hollow-state design” Electric Radio bookst...
    7 months ago
  • MiscDotGeek
    I Finally Bought My Dream Airplane - Aviation has been a love of mine since I was a very little person. Living in Nevada, seeing posters and ads for the Reno Air Races, specifically the Texa...
    7 months ago
  • DX Explorer
    Landscapes - %BLOGLNK% Landscapes The post Landscapes appeared first on 28° North Sailing.
    8 months ago
  • Andreas HB9BLA's Radio Channel
    Simple Pedals for PC software (PTT for HAMradio, SDR console, FlexRadio) -
    1 year ago
  • Farhan's Blog VU2ESE
    Daylight Again – An all Analog Radio - What’s all this? In 10 seconds, A high performance, 7MHz, 5 watt SSB rig Draws just 24 mA of current 90 dB dynamic range, 80 dB close-in dynamic range 3D ...
    2 years ago
  • DK7IH HF Radio Engineering
    New post: A “Walkie-Talkie” SSB transceiver for 14MHz or the higher RF bands - To access this article, please click link: A “Walkie-Talkie” SSB transceiver for 14MHz or higher rf bands
    3 years ago
  • TheRadioBoard Forums
    Other Electronic Projects • Re: Can I normalize both Mono Amp Outputs? - radm49 wrote: ↑ Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:56 am qmavam wrote: ↑ Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:57 pm Yes, you can use a wall wart for power, you might need to add a capacit...
    3 years ago
  • VK3HN
    Digi-chirp! Digital synthesis of ‘nostalgic’ CW - The bottom ends of 80, 40 and 20m are not what they used to be. For starters, the busiest part is the digital segment where computers talk to computers – l...
    3 years ago
  • HF SIGNALS -- Farhan, BITX, Antuino
    Modifications to the Dayton/FDIM-2019 Antuino - The Dayton Antuino has sub-optimal performance. This is a short note on improving it to an 80 db range of measurements. The trouble with Antuino 2.0 (the o...
    5 years ago
  • Small Wonder QRP by K.P.S. Kang
    - *FIREO**©* *A LOW POWER SSB/CW TRANSCEIVER WITH ITS UNIQUE SPEECH PROCESSING* “FIREO” (Pronounced FIRE-O), is basically a bit of non-conventional QRP (...
    6 years ago
  • BITX Hacks
    Raduino as NBFM TX - Here is a neat, 30 minute hack for your Raduino to turn the Si5351 into a pretty stable, solid NBFM transmitter. The hack is to add a varactor diode in ...
    7 years ago
  • QRP Labs Kits Hans Summers, QCX, QSX and more
    QRP Labs shop! - [image: Shop] All QRP Labs kits may be ordered online securely at the shop, with PayPal payment. *Click here to visit the shop!* *Click!* *Shop! Order...
    10 years ago
  • Hans Summers' Web site
    Hans Summers Homebrew Radio, Electronics and Computing - Radio, Electronics and Computing Projects by Hans Summers I make no claims for technical accuracy, good design, or necessarily even originality for the co...
    16 years ago
  • Bunker of DOOM 8-) Welcome!
    -
  • RF Cafe Homepage
    -
  • The Radio Shop - YouTube
    -
  • Antique Radio Forums Index page
    -
  • HA5KHC Links to Ham Circuits
    -
  • SV3ORA QRP & Homebrew
    -
  • ND6T's Easy Ham Radio Projects
    -
  • Wes W7ZOI's Web Site
    -
  • ZL2PD Amateur Radio and Homebrew Electronics Website
    -
  • Pasta Pete you're in for a Treat!
    -
  • SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
    -
  • PH2LB shack on the internet. - Ham radio
    -
  • Harry's Homebrew Homepages
    -
  • Tony G4WIF's Site
    -
  • Bob's Electron Bunker
    -
Show 10 Show All

E. Howard Armstrong on a Czech Stamp

Blog Archive

  • ►  2025 (156)
    • ►  May (24)
    • ►  April (28)
    • ►  March (48)
    • ►  February (26)
    • ►  January (30)
  • ►  2024 (191)
    • ►  December (18)
    • ►  November (18)
    • ►  October (15)
    • ►  September (19)
    • ►  August (9)
    • ►  July (12)
    • ►  June (11)
    • ►  May (19)
    • ►  April (18)
    • ►  March (14)
    • ►  February (21)
    • ►  January (17)
  • ►  2023 (215)
    • ►  December (17)
    • ►  November (17)
    • ►  October (20)
    • ►  September (20)
    • ►  August (10)
    • ►  July (13)
    • ►  June (16)
    • ►  May (18)
    • ►  April (24)
    • ►  March (19)
    • ►  February (21)
    • ►  January (20)
  • ►  2022 (242)
    • ►  December (16)
    • ►  November (13)
    • ►  October (12)
    • ►  September (26)
    • ►  August (28)
    • ►  July (16)
    • ►  June (28)
    • ►  May (23)
    • ►  April (28)
    • ►  March (17)
    • ►  February (24)
    • ►  January (11)
  • ►  2021 (257)
    • ►  December (23)
    • ►  November (22)
    • ►  October (20)
    • ►  September (20)
    • ►  August (23)
    • ►  July (27)
    • ►  June (17)
    • ►  May (21)
    • ►  April (14)
    • ►  March (24)
    • ►  February (25)
    • ►  January (21)
  • ►  2020 (235)
    • ►  December (14)
    • ►  November (15)
    • ►  October (14)
    • ►  September (15)
    • ►  August (28)
    • ►  July (18)
    • ►  June (21)
    • ►  May (24)
    • ►  April (27)
    • ►  March (26)
    • ►  February (17)
    • ►  January (16)
  • ►  2019 (168)
    • ►  December (18)
    • ►  November (16)
    • ►  October (15)
    • ►  September (8)
    • ►  August (4)
    • ►  July (19)
    • ►  June (12)
    • ►  May (19)
    • ►  April (16)
    • ►  March (7)
    • ►  February (13)
    • ►  January (21)
  • ►  2018 (133)
    • ►  December (18)
    • ►  November (12)
    • ►  October (12)
    • ►  September (14)
    • ►  August (11)
    • ►  July (8)
    • ►  June (14)
    • ►  May (11)
    • ►  April (10)
    • ►  March (8)
    • ►  February (8)
    • ►  January (7)
  • ►  2017 (216)
    • ►  December (10)
    • ►  November (14)
    • ►  October (21)
    • ►  September (13)
    • ►  August (21)
    • ►  July (18)
    • ►  June (25)
    • ►  May (17)
    • ►  April (19)
    • ►  March (20)
    • ►  February (22)
    • ►  January (16)
  • ►  2016 (249)
    • ►  December (19)
    • ►  November (17)
    • ►  October (22)
    • ►  September (13)
    • ►  August (17)
    • ►  July (22)
    • ►  June (19)
    • ►  May (20)
    • ►  April (20)
    • ►  March (29)
    • ►  February (25)
    • ►  January (26)
  • ►  2015 (291)
    • ►  December (25)
    • ►  November (26)
    • ►  October (30)
    • ►  September (24)
    • ►  August (22)
    • ►  July (26)
    • ►  June (20)
    • ►  May (15)
    • ►  April (19)
    • ►  March (25)
    • ►  February (26)
    • ►  January (33)
  • ▼  2014 (240)
    • ►  December (31)
    • ►  November (32)
    • ▼  October (24)
      • "Science Friday" Interviews Author of "The Innovat...
      • Mailbag: Coils Wound Backwards, Last QSO 1981, Vi...
      • Dear Santa: I want a Knack Watch. The one with re...
      • Spark Forever! Pete's First Transmitter
      • Smart-Phone Cosmic Ray Detector
      • "Two guys and a Minima walk into a bar..."
      • Arduino Hell!
      • Has AA1TJ Joined the FMLA?
      • Tribal Knowledge Video: Putting Screw Threads in ...
      • Author Walter Isaacson was a Radio Amateur
      • A Different Kind of Workshop
      • SW Echo Theory Confirmed By a BBC Engineer
      • Swedish Mighty Mite
      • Thomas KK6AHT's Pacificon Minima Presentation: Noo...
      • Drake-uino! Arduino DDS puts Drake 2B on 12 meter...
      • Arduino DDS meets Barebones Superhet (Video)
      • Pete's 17 Meter VXO Transceiver (Video)
      • Homebrew Double Balanced Mixers by Pete Juiano (Pa...
      • Hacker with The Knack Does Well, Working for JPL
      • Edison is Off The Grid (and has been for 24 years!)
      • Pete's Homebrew Double Balanced Mixer Video (Part 1)
      • SolderSmoke Podcast 166: Getting Started in Homeb...
      • Sines, Squares, Harmonics, 'Scopes, FFTs, and Sounds
      • Hunting for Sprites
    • ►  September (25)
    • ►  August (13)
    • ►  July (16)
    • ►  June (18)
    • ►  May (14)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ►  March (21)
    • ►  February (17)
    • ►  January (14)
  • ►  2013 (215)
    • ►  December (20)
    • ►  November (19)
    • ►  October (19)
    • ►  September (16)
    • ►  August (17)
    • ►  July (16)
    • ►  June (16)
    • ►  May (18)
    • ►  April (19)
    • ►  March (26)
    • ►  February (7)
    • ►  January (22)
  • ►  2012 (191)
    • ►  December (8)
    • ►  November (13)
    • ►  October (14)
    • ►  September (17)
    • ►  August (8)
    • ►  July (20)
    • ►  June (13)
    • ►  May (18)
    • ►  April (15)
    • ►  March (20)
    • ►  February (25)
    • ►  January (20)
  • ►  2011 (284)
    • ►  December (21)
    • ►  November (14)
    • ►  October (32)
    • ►  September (28)
    • ►  August (19)
    • ►  July (23)
    • ►  June (18)
    • ►  May (22)
    • ►  April (30)
    • ►  March (31)
    • ►  February (24)
    • ►  January (22)
  • ►  2010 (188)
    • ►  December (27)
    • ►  November (24)
    • ►  October (6)
    • ►  September (3)
    • ►  August (1)
    • ►  July (7)
    • ►  June (11)
    • ►  May (19)
    • ►  April (20)
    • ►  March (27)
    • ►  February (23)
    • ►  January (20)
  • ►  2009 (256)
    • ►  December (21)
    • ►  November (22)
    • ►  October (22)
    • ►  September (24)
    • ►  August (16)
    • ►  July (17)
    • ►  June (22)
    • ►  May (22)
    • ►  April (23)
    • ►  March (25)
    • ►  February (20)
    • ►  January (22)
  • ►  2008 (116)
    • ►  December (13)
    • ►  November (10)
    • ►  October (12)
    • ►  September (9)
    • ►  August (23)
    • ►  July (15)
    • ►  June (11)
    • ►  May (23)

SolderStats

Radio Inventor Stamps

Radio Inventor Stamps
On Page 39 of the Nov-Dec 2024 SARC newsletter "The Communicator"

Subscribe To SolderSmoke!

Posts
Atom
Posts
All Comments
Atom
All Comments

SolderFollowers

Designer: Douglas Bowman | Dimodifikasi oleh Abdul Munir Original Posting Rounders 3 Column