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
Wow, lots of wisdom in this video from Leo Fernekes. Great hints and kinks on prototyping with copper clad boards. I need a Dremel just so that I can make Leo's board cutter. And I can see that I need some of that liquid flux and isopropyl alcohol. Surf boards and headers! Who knew? Teflon coating for the wires -- gotta get it. Glad to see that Leo is also a fan of copper tape. His emphasis on the importance of stage-by-stage construction and testing is right on the mark. My only disagreement with Leo is about his use of steel wool. I've found that steel wool will inevitably cause little tiny "Murphy Whiskers" to float around your workbench. They will eventually settle onto the most inconvenient and damaging place on your board. So I have banished steel wool from my workshop. Those green, non-metallic Scotch Brite pads work just as well and don't cause shorts. Three cheers for Leo. He is based in Thailand. He has an interesting background and some really amazing projects and insights: http://www.luminati.aero/leofernekes
Great video, I watched it when he first posted it and just watched it again it is so good. For liquid flux for small projects I like the Kester flux pens like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X4KOWS
Thanks for this Bill - I hadn't heard of Leo before. What an amazing teacher. His indestructible continuity checker is a marvel of simplicity - I am going to build one because it is cool!
Lots of really good stuff here but heed Bill's advice. Don't go near wire wool. A better alternative would be a small block of Garryson "Garryflex" abrasive blocks (240 grit). It's the least course. It cleans copper board wonderfully - and it lasts and lasts.
My favorite topic from this video was his advice on reducing "mental" or cognitive load by labeling connectors, etc. That theme is almost endlessly expandable.
It looks like Leo is just starting his channel. There's seven videos there, and I hope he makes a lot more. BTW, it looks like he was using the steel wool on a kitchen or bathroom counter rather than in his lab.--Todd K7TFC
"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)
Click on the image to learn more
Where are the readers of SolderSmoke Daily News?
Pete Juliano N6QW
Master Homebrewer
Dean Souleles KK4DAS
With beret and with a Michigan Mighty Mite in hand
Iranian man on the train
-
Today I caught a train from Southern Cross bound for Bendigo. At Footscray
a man got on. He looked confused and clearly had almost no English. He was
askin...
A Crystal Set with No External Antenna
-
In the previous post, I described my recent build of a very simple little
TRF receiver for the AM broadcast band. It happened as the result of a
month or t...
One of the Last Places on Earth!
-
Malden, MA, Cortland St., NYC, Market St., SF, Anaheim, CA, St. Louis, MO
and Burbank, CA. These locations share a common bond and that bond is
Surplus Ele...
A 15 (and 10) meter high-pass filter for Field Day
-
*QRM from a transmitter to receivers on lower bands*
A friend of mine belongs to a club in a town north of me and he was
describing an issue that they'v...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
40m Pelican Case SSB Transceiver
-
See YouTube channels for details:
http://www.youtube.com/c/CharlieMorrisZL2CTM
*Test code for the LCD and Si5351*
#include
...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
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 ...
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...
Great video, I watched it when he first posted it and just watched it again it is so good.
ReplyDeleteFor liquid flux for small projects I like the Kester flux pens like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004X4KOWS
Thanks for this Bill - I hadn't heard of Leo before. What an amazing teacher. His indestructible continuity checker is a marvel of simplicity - I am going to build one because it is cool!
ReplyDeleteLots of really good stuff here but heed Bill's advice. Don't go near wire wool.
ReplyDeleteA better alternative would be a small block of Garryson "Garryflex" abrasive blocks (240 grit). It's the least course. It cleans copper board wonderfully - and it lasts and lasts.
72/3
Tony G4WIF
My favorite topic from this video was his advice on reducing "mental" or cognitive load by labeling connectors, etc. That theme is almost endlessly expandable.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Leo is just starting his channel. There's seven videos there, and I hope he makes a lot more. BTW, it looks like he was using the steel wool on a kitchen or bathroom counter rather than in his lab.--Todd K7TFC
Thanks for sending me down a very happy rabbit hole for a morning. What a great set of videos Leo has on his blog.
ReplyDelete