Serving the worldwide community of radio-electronic homebrewers. Providing blog support to the SolderSmoke podcast: http://soldersmoke.com
Monday, May 30, 2022
A Modern Mechanical Television -- Nipkow Discs and Arduinos Lead to a Mechanical Color TV (video)
Saturday, May 28, 2022
"Experimental Methods in RF Design" LADPAC Software Available FREE!
We've frequently said that is pays to check the W7ZOI web site. Tony G4WIF did just that and pointed us in that direction, noting that the LADPAC "Ladder Package" software is now available for download from that site.
Homebrewers will really want to have that package on their computers. There are all kinds of useful programs in that package: software for designing crystal filters and feedback amplifiers, a program that allows you to think systematically about receiver gain distribution and dynamic range, and many other useful things.
You can get the program here:
http://w7zoi.net/emerrata.html
Also on Wes's site is this May 22, 2022 picture of Farhan VU2ESE with EMRFD co-author Bob Larkin, W7PUA.
Thanks Wes!
Friday, May 27, 2022
"Hobby High" from the Lamarkaan Radio Club and The Hindu magazine
Thursday, May 26, 2022
Wednesday, May 25, 2022
HF Bandsweep with the Hammarlund HQ-100 (video)
Tuesday, May 24, 2022
Sticker Shock -- WYKSYCDS Stickers Spotted in NYC and in a Netherlands Pub! Awards!
Saturday, May 21, 2022
Repairing the Sony ICF SW1 Receiver -- Used for Numbers Station Reception? Why no replacement for C-625?
Friday, May 20, 2022
500 WYKSYCDS IBEW Stickers Arrive in Europe! Order yours today! Free!
Lex PH2LB in the Netherlands has gone the extra kilometer for the IBEW. When he saw the stickers that had been placed in New York City, he asked for the design. I sent him the files that Jesse N5JHH (designer of the stickers) had sent to me. Very quickly, Lex had 500 of these stickers printed up and ready to go (see above). His shack now serves as a veritable beachhead in Europe for the IBEW and the CBLA. Thank you Les!
Les has even set up an on-line order form for those who seek to assist in the noble campaign to spread the word about our cause:Thursday, May 19, 2022
Frank Jones's Homebrew Rig -- as described by Michael Hopkins AB5L (SK)
"Frank is all homebrew. His receiver is unshielded outside, but built around a central square of aluminum that houses a Velvet Vernier dial thru the front panel and some tubes I did not recognize jutting horizontally on both sides of the box where coils also plug in. The transmitter is a multi-stage affair on a piece of particle board. The tubes are vertical here, and the bench was littered with brown Hammarlund coils labeled 5, 10, 20, and 80."
https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2021/07/summer-reading-for-homebrewers-frank.html
https://qsl.net/ve7sl/jones%20oscillator.html
Wednesday, May 18, 2022
W1VD's Boatanchor Receiver Tests
Jay's results: http://www.w1vd.com/BAreceivertest.html
Jay's methods: http://www.w1vd.com/Receivermeasurementbasics.html
Discussion: https://www.antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=96872
Tuesday, May 17, 2022
Troubleshooting and Fixing Old Faults in my Long-Suffering Hammarlund HQ-100 (Part 2) (video)
Tim Hunkin on Prototyping, Welding, and on Being a "Jack of all Trades"
Monday, May 16, 2022
Some Links for the Michigan Mighty Mite and the Color Burst Liberation Army from Dave K8WPE
Dave K8WPE has been one of the podcast's best friends and one of its most loyal listeners. Dave was recently going through some back issues of SolderSmoke. This sparked a renewed interest in the Michigan Mighty Mite and the Color Burst Liberation Army. Dave sent us some useful links on this subject. (I had forgotten about the .io CBLA mailing list!) Thanks for this Dave, and for all your support and friendship over the years.
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Guys and Gals
Sunday, May 15, 2022
"Dream It - Make It" -- Rich WB4TLM, Mrs. Filoramo, and C.F. Rockey W9SCH (aka The Rock)
Saturday, May 14, 2022
Mr. Carlson's Grand Receiver Restoration Project -- Your Input Sought (video)
Thursday, May 12, 2022
Who is JF3HZB? (The Creator of that Nice Digital VFO Dial) -- Some Links
Many of these sites are in Japanese. Just look for the translate button on your browsers.
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/uebo0222/videos
Web site:https://tj-lab.org/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/t_uebo
Blog: https://tj-lab.org/%e3%83%96%e3%83%ad%e3%82%b0/
Upgrades of the JF3HZB VFO: https://github.com/WA2FZW/It-s-Not-Just-Another-Digital-VFO-by-WA2FZW-VK3PE-and-G3ZQC
Discussion on Japan's "QRP Plaza."http://bbs7.sekkaku.net/bbs/?id=qrp&mode=sort&check=now&type=letter&open=1&view=1&reverse=off&inputform=1&search=JF3HZB
Old Smoke: SolderSmoke Podcast #166 October 4, 2014
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
Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Electronics Manufacturing in New York City -- Limor Fried and Adafruit (video) -- "TRUST YOUR TECHNOLUST"
Sunday, May 8, 2022
The JF3HZB Digital VFO Dial in the DJ7OO Direct Conversion Receiver (Who is JF3HZB?)
Thank you Klaus! And thanks to JF3HZB! (Does anyone have more information on him?)
Saturday, May 7, 2022
SolderSmoke Podcast #237 is available: TV Show! No! W9YEI's 1939 TV. 1712 Rig. HQ-100. New SDR Rig and Book. JF3HZB's VFO Digital Dial. FIELD DAY! PSSST. MAILBAG
SolderSmoke podcast #237 is available: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke237.mp3
Travelogue -- New York City! Stickers!
And about that trip to Los Angeles for the SolderSmoke Cable TV show...
Well, it fit in well with SolderSmoke's UNFORGETTABLE appearance on the Oprah book club.
And TechieTatts? Daughter worried about listeners rushing to get tattoos -- A risk we were willing to take.
https://in.pinterest.com/padmakumar10/techie-tatts/
This episode is sponsored by PartsCandy. GREAT test leads: https://www.ebay.com/usr/partscandy
Bill's Bench
Tracking down Johnny Anderson's 1939 or 1940 homebrew TV receiver.
https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=Anderson
Working with Joh DL6ID.
Jean Shepherd's January 1973 description.
FlickLives web site and Steve Glazer W2SG have lots of info on Shep and his friends.
Internet allows us to look at TV articles that were being published.
We've concluded: Probably 1939 or 1940, using an RCA 913 1 inch CRT tube.
Lots of ideas from IRE Journal, QST, and Gernsback magazines.
Quite an achievement! Amazing how much pre-war TV progress there was.
17-12 rig
All boxed up and working DX!
Figured out how to display both 17 and 12 on the same LED. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Drain protector for speaker cover. Copper tape to cover horrible cabinet making.
I think I need a Hex Beam.
Hammarlund HQ-100
Needed some maintenance.
I started to look more closely at it.
Got the Q-Multiplier to work -- it really adds a lot on CW.
Makes me feel guilty about all the QF-1s...
Using the 100kc calibrator with a 455 kc crystal as a BFO,
keeping Q multiplier below oscillation point.
Moved the BFO switch to the front panel. Helps a lot.
Need to fix the S-meter AVC circuitry.
Much more sturdy than the S-38E.
S-38E 1957-61 $54.95 5 tubes. AC/DC.
HQ-100 1956-60 $169 10 or 11 tubes. Power supply, regulator.
You get what you pay for.
Pete's Bench
Jack Purdum and Al Peter's new SDR rig and book (featured on the SS blog Amazon ad).
JF3HZB's beautiful digi VFO.
Backpack antenna for Field Day?
Pipsqueak Disaster -- Too simple?
Peashooter Eye Candy.
Build Something Different.
MAILBAG
James W0JKG CBLA -- Others are building MMM too!
SM4WWG // Jörgen Wonderful message. Joined GQRP. No longer "wrong."
Dennis WC8C Libraries for Max2870 board.
Jack NG2E Progress on the Right to Repair movement.
Jim K9JM Someone cutting into our business with Solder candles!
Chuck WB9KZY Correctly identified the location of the IBEW sticker. As did Dan Random.
Dave Bamford (who lives nearby) suitably impressed.
Farhan wrote to us about a video on Don Lancaster. Homebrew keyboards! Yea!
Dean KK4DAS QRP to the Field. HB2HB 40 SSB QRP I feel virtuous.
Todd K7TFC likes my ingenious use of the drain screen as the speaker protector on the 17-12 rig.
Todd had good thoughts on granular approach to homebrewing as seen in the Don Lancaster video.
Lex PH2LB HORRIFIED by my reverse polarity protection circuit. This is a touchy subject! (as is WD-40!)
Rogier PA1ZZ sending great info on SWL and numbers stations.
Jesse N5JHH -- The guy who made the IBEW stickers -- Liked the NYC stickers.
Steve N8NM has a new antenna article on his blog: https://n8nmsteve.blogspot.
Randy AB9GO Agrees -- Can't GIVE old 'scopes away.
Dino SV1IRG Liked the 17-12 rig videos.
Steve Hartley G0FUW Murphy's Law of Enclosures.
Ralph AB1OP FB on the 17-12 Rig.
Roberto XE1GXG --Our correspondent in Guadalajara. Petulant, irritable people on the computer scene.
Have some gear looking for a good home: Tek 465 'scope from Jim AL7R W8NSA. SBE Transceivers. Windsor Signal Generator. Let me know if you are interested and can either pick up or arrange shipping.
Friday, May 6, 2022
Working On My Old Hammarlund HQ-100 (Part 1)
In Part II I'll show you how this thing sounds and what it is like to use it for SWL, CW, SSB and AM.