First, kudos to this fellow for pronouncing "solder" correctly. The L is silent (sorry to our British readers). He does have an accent, but he is in Texas, and has picked up the CORRECT pronunciation. So kudos.
I really liked the video. It represents a movement into the modern age of electronics. I know that we usually talk about HDR, and homebrew rigs that -- while solid state -- are from the early 1970s. There has been a lot of progress since that time. This video is a reminder of that, and talks about what we can do to participate in this modernity.
Some observations:
-- The microscope. Looks cool, but it is kind of scary...
-- The tiny digital rechargeable soldering iron looks like a great idea.
-- I agree on the mechanical (non chemical) soldering tip cleaner idea.
-- The 3D printer info is very useful.
-- Enclosures? I am still in the 1/8 inch plywood era. I have a ways to go.
-- We could use more info on CNCs.
-- I didn't know that you could get a pick-and-place machine for the home. Probably just as well!
-- I like the thermal camera. I also like his suggestion that you could just burn your fingers!
-- I think an oscilloscpe is a must, even early on. I agree on the need for a multimeter.
-- Indeed, a good PC is a must.
What were your reactions to this video?
All depends upon what you want to do. For us ham homebrewers:
ReplyDeleteDay One: Agree fully on the Multimeter, good solder iron, mechanical cleaning, and a good magnifying glass or at least a Eyeloop, and at least a laptop loaded with your EDA software (another subject!) .
Day Two: The oscilloscope, and if you do serious SMD, the hot air station is indispensable. For us homebrewer hams, gotta have a 500MHz frequency counter, VSWR bridge, RF milliwatt power meter and a dead simple RF probe (last four items HB it yourself).
Day Three: Now it's getting specialized for the homebrew hams: the Heathkit or Eico Dip Meter, RLC meter, and a Spectrum Analyzer. Now go for the microscope, either a conventional or USB pluggable. The latter is desirable for documenting your work. Add a NanoVNA or equivalent at some point.
Left off this list for now: The reflow oven (I borrow a friends modified Toastmaster oven), The 3-D printer, a CNC, I have no room for them. So I visit my buddies who have them. 73! WN2A
To me the most important test by far for an SSB or CW Homebrew Radio is whether the ham I am trying to contact correctly and quickly copies my callsign the first time I send it, and then gives me a "9" at the end of my signal report without making any complaints about my audio. My very first Homebrew Ham Radio passed that test during my initial QSO of January 12, 1980. I did not own an oscilloscope then and have never owned one, or if I did it would be analog, because all of these modern digital devices have so many features the learning curve is steep enough that they are too often more trouble than they are worth, which is confirmed by the several operating errors beginners have documented on the Discord channel. The FCC monitors amateur radio mostly by listening, and they are not going to raid your home, take your low power homebrew radio back to their lab, and look for perfect traces. Therefore I agree with the video where he mentions the DMM as the most important piece of test equipment. It can be used along with a homebrew RF Detector and Power Meter to make many of the necessary measurements. Homebrew bandpass and low pass filters utilized in conjunction with a $25 frequency counter can help ensure signal stability and purity. With a little experience a lot can be discerned by just the degree of ease at which the frequency counter locks in and whether the digits flicker. Build a QRP Labs Si5351A RF signal generator kit for $40, buy a SARK100 Antenna Analyzer on EBay for $90 along with an Inductance Capacitor Meter for $60 and a $20 Component Tester, and you can be a happy homebrewer with enough money left in your pocket for other things in life.--Walter KA4KXX
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