The World's Largest Radio Telescope -- It is in the Netherlands

This video is in Dutch, but you can easily turn on the English subtitles.   I put this on the blog for a couple of reasons:  Radio astronomy is very interesting; I am a former member of SARA, the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers. SolderSmoke celebrates the INTERNATIONAL Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards; this blog serves the WORLDWIDE community of radio electronic homebrewers. 

Thanks to Rogier PA1ZZ for sending this.  

The Red-Shifted Neutral Hydrogen Signal from the Cosmic Dark Ages is in the Range of our Direct Conversion Receiver

On the flight to the Dominican Republic I was listening to Fraser Cain's interview with Dr. Christiaan Brinkerink.   I was kind of blown away when they started talking about where the neutral Hydrogen signal would be NOW, after the all of the cosmological red shift.  Asked this question, Christiaan kind of casually responds that it would be "just above 7 MHz."  He talks about this at 41 minutes and 41 seconds in the video above.  He points out that this represents a redshift of about 200.   Wow, that is just where our SolderSmoke Direct Conversion receivers tune, and where their PTO/VFOs operate.  And we thought Radio Marti was a factor to consider!   No wonder Christiaan and his colleagues want to go to the far-side of the moon.  They want to get above the ionosphere, but they also want to get the shielding provided by the moon to protect them, I suppose, from signals like those being produced by the 40 meter ham band, and, (to a lesser extent) by devices like our little oscillator. 

You can watch Fraser's interview with Christiaan above.  It is really interesting and inspirational.  Christiaan talks about dipole arrays, RFI, interferometers, sensitivity, signals of "several kHz" in width, dynamic range, and other topics known to us.  Christiaan is an "Instrument Systems Engineer" at Radboud University.  I think he deserves a ham radio license.  Maybe he should build a SolderSmoke Direct Conversion receiver.  Fraser should build one too.  

Here are a couple of links to articles about this: 

https://www.universetoday.com/articles/observing-the-dark-ages-of-the-universe-from-the-far-side-of-the-moon

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10961189/

Thank you Fraser and Christiaan. 

Lex PH2LB's Fantastic, 3-D Yellow, Glue-Stick, SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver from the Netherlands

Lex PH2LB has been a valued member of the SolderSmoke team for a long time.  It was he who took our stickers into the bars and coffee shops of Holland, spearheading our efforts on Continental Europe.

He didn't have to, but Lex took up the SolderSmoke Challenge.  And he did it with panache.  3D yellow panache.  Glue-stick panache!     

Lex has a complete description of his build here: 

https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=soldersmoke-dcr

Here is another video of Lex's receiver in action 

Indeed, it is working!

Bravo Lex.  Thank you and congratulations.

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

For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

Victor's FB SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver from Holland Pulls In Stations from All Over Europe... and One from Japan

Victor is a retired Electrical Engineer from the Netherlands.  He doesn't have a ham radio call sign, but as I have said about other receiver builders, he deserves one.   Note the truly homebrew approach that Victor used on the PTO coil form.  And he had to rebuild this part to get the receiver on 40 meters.  As we can see in the above video, Victor's homebrew receiver is pulling in stations from across Europe.  Victor even reports hearing a Japanese station.  FB! 

Victor writes:

Hi Bill, I changed the PTO tuning unit, more stable this way.   I m a retired electrical engineer, revamping on a more daily basis  tube radios from the 50's 😉 I include a Bluetooth interface too so they can be used again by "young" people with their smartphones..  I had great fun and learning experiences building the DCR !!  

Thanks for the video, pictures, and messages Victor.  Congratulations! 

For more information on how you too can build the receiver: 

Join the discussion - SolderSmoke Discord Server:

https://discord.gg/Fu6B7yGxx2

 

Documentation on Hackaday:

https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

 

SolderSmoke YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@soldersmoke

More Shortwave Listener Cards

Around this time every year I get an envelope from the W2 QSL bureau in New Jersey.  This year, the envelope contained two QSL cards from shortwave listeners. 

The Dutch listener heard my 12 meter SSB contact with Iceland.  The Russian SWL heard my 17 meter SSB contact with Japan.  

I think it is wonderful that we still have shortwave listeners who monitor the ham bands and send out QSL cards.  I will, of course, send cards back to them. 

Here are some cards from earlier (in some cases MUCH earlier): 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/11/some-short-wave-listener-qsl-cards.html

Charlie "Red" NJ7V Builds an Oscillator -- Manhattan Style

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7t_E5N4CQxg

Red did a nice job building, then explaining, this 18 MHz crystal oscillator.   I especially liked his use of Manhattan techniques, and the way he explained his effort to make the new circuit work.  Too often builders expect a circuit to work right away.   This often doesn't happen, and the new circuit requires some troubleshooting.  Red did this with this circuit and got it working.  

Red has a nice YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@RedSummitRF.  It is focused on POTA, but we hope it has more and more homebrew stuff like this.  

Thanks to Rogier PA1ZZ for sending me this. 

Using a Photomultiplier THERMATRON to Detect Single Photons

I've been a fan of Jeroen's YouTube channel for a while now.  He has a very nice approach, combining theoretical knowlege with practical experiments and equipment builds.  Here we see him using a photomultiplier tube and a board acquired in flea market to build his photon detector.  

This video has a lot to offer us.  First, there is a single thermatron.  There is a tube socket.  There is a (really small!) high-voltage power supply.  He uses an oscilloscope. There is a laser.  There are photons.  And at one point, a single photon.  

Having recently built a simple Wilson Cloud Chamber, my attraction to this device is easy to explain.  I suspect our friend Grayson will be interested in it for Thermatronic reasons.   There is a Part II.   Check out the YouTube channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/@HuygensOptics  

Here is more info on the channel and it's creator: 

Hi, my name is Jeroen and on the Huygens Optics channel I publish videos on personal projects. My main fields of interest are optics, mechanics and photolithography. The videos aren't targeted towards a general audience but for people with a passion for science and technology (e.g. my fellow nerds). The channel is named after the famous Dutch mathematician, astronomer and inventor Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695). He was the first to publish a mathematical description of the wave properties of light, and also discovered Saturn's rings.

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

Thanks Jeroen

Ham Radio in the 1970s (and earlier, with some cool Jazz). What favorite rigs do you see?

Rogier PA1ZZ sent me this today.  I think I may have seen pieces of it before, but this restoration 

is really nice.  But ham radio seems to have been a lot cooler in California.  I don't remember it being so socially advantageous on the East Coast.   See Dilbert cartoon below. 

So many memories: 

-- The video opens with someone working on a QF-1 Q multipliers.  We have destroyed so many of these relics, in pursuit of the variable capacitors (which turn out to be not so good). 

-- A Drake 2-B on Field Day. 

-- An HT-37 in a shack.

--What looks like an HW-32a in a mobile rig. 

-- Maybe an HW-101. 

--  A BC-348. 

-- The ATV station with lots of homebrew gear was very cool. 

-- I also liked the single THERMATRON homebrew CW rig made from an old TV.  FB. 

-- The CW used in the video was all pretty good.  There was a lot of chirp.  This, of course, adds character to a signal.  FB.

After the video, they take a walk down memory lane, looking at ham radio magazines with some cool jazz playing in the background.  I saw a Swan 240 and a D-104.  The debauchery of the 1970s was evident on the magazine covers.  Even QST seemed to be caught up in this.  Check out the August 1975 cover of QST.  

Anyway, this video was a lot of fun.  Thanks Rogier!  

What favorite rigs do you see?   Make note of them in the comments. 

This video and the Dilbert cartoon reminded me of a discussion we had many years ago about THE KNACK: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2008/11/cry-for-help-soldersmoke-responds.html

How Big is a Photon? (Video)

As I have mentioned in the podcast and in blog posts, I have a lot of trouble picturing HOW 20 meter photons somehow fly off my antenna.   I understand how EM WAVES are generated.  But there doesn't seem to be any corresponding explanation for how the photons are generated.  

This video looks at a related question:   How BIG are the photons of visible light?   I am not sure this is all correct (and neither, apparently, is the creator of this video) but it is very interesting.  

Comments are welcome.  

Are Hackers the Future of Amateur Radio? Thoughts from Lex PH2LB

Thanks Lex:  Your message reminded me of a comment sent to me on the YouTube channel.  The commenter seemed to criticize my use of a digital oscilloscope.  Well, the criticism came to me via the internet, computers, and Starlink, so, yes, there are great advantages to using new technology!  73 from HI7   Bill  N2CQR

Hello Bill and Pete,

On hackaday there is a post with the question : Are Hackers the future of amateur radio?

See: https://hackaday.com/2024/07/18/are-hackers-the-future-of-amateur-radio/ 

I want to share my thoughts on this.

 

Although the term "hackers" is only seen by the masses as a term for someone who gains unauthorized access to computer systems (it even appears in the dictionary that way), IMHO it is much broader. I always explain it as someone who is interested in technology and uses techniques to use things in a different way than what they where intended or to add new functionality to existing things. But also inventing new things, whether or not to satisfy his curiosity, or to learn new things in order to expand his knowledge or be able to make new things. 

With this in mind let us go back to the question: "Are hackers the future for amateur radio?"

I think that from the beginning of amateur radio, the OMs were a kind of "hackers" who satisfied their curiosity and tried things out by making things themselves. And I think it will certainly remain that way. The fact that we have started using more computer technology / digital things in our hobby is nothing but progress. You take technology as you can or want to use it. Think about the analog VFO from Bill and the Si5351 VFO from Pete, or petrol cars and electronics cars. Both have the same goal, just different tech. Or for example you can tighten a screw by hand, but you can also use a cordless drill. Do you have less technical skills? No, I don't think so, you are just more efficient, digital technology and computer technology have added efficiency to our hobby. And if other invent new things that we can use, who are we not to use those techniques to be more efficient our self or make new things?

Dan, KB6NU's put some nice HamRadio Hacking examples in his presentation (https://www.kb6nu.com/there-is-hope-for-amateur-radio/) like the SBITX (Full SDR with Raspberry PI), creating new firmware for Chinese ports, etc.  We could even return to the question discussed earlier on soldersmoke: Are radio hams 'makers'. 

And yes, the availability of off-the-shelf transmitters/receivers allows OMs, who are not so technically skilled or don't want to spend the time on it, to practice facets of our wonderful and broad hobby. So you don't have to be a "hacker" to enjoy our hobby.  And to all the (self-styled) soldering iron moral knights who criticize these OMs, take a look around your shack, you probably didn't (or even can) make everything yourself and once you have bought things. It could be that boatanchor, your  brass morse key or your first rig. And have you ever thought about you soldering iron, multi meter, magnifier lamp, wire cutters etc. . . Ok I'm just teasing now, but you all get the point. 

Most of all, aside from the question if hackers are the future of amateur radio, lets enjoy our great hobby and when you like to melt some solder . . . Just do it. 

73 from PA

Lex PH2LB 

Sticker Madness, HI7, April 1

Our friend Lex astutely focused on the date of the release of our report about legal prosecution by the City of San Francisco.  The truth is that we made almost all of this up.  We did put a sticker on a lamp post at Haight and Ashbury.   Dave AA7EE did visit the site and report that the sticker had been removed.  But all the rest was made up.  We did catch several people in this annual April 1 joke.  Unfortunately, not everyone who was taken in was outraged by the city's supposed action. In fact, we got one e-mail SUPPORTING the prosecution.  This fellow said, essentially, that we were getting what we deserved, that we should take this as a life lesson, and stop with the sticker-vandalism.  He was serious.  Jeez.  APRIL FOOL!   We will talk more about this in the next podcast. 

I know the podcast has been delayed by a lot, but I am still getting things set up here in HI7 land.  I hope we will soon be podcasting with particpation from California (N6QW), Northern Virginia (KK4DAS), and the Dominican Republic (HI7/N2CQR).  

Happily, my Dominican ham radio license came through  -- I will be HI7/N2CQR for the next year.  At some point I hope to take the Dominican exam and get a real Dominican call. 

Lex has been our main point of contact in Europe on sticker distribution (aka VANDALISM!). Lex writes:   

Hello all,

Shocked to hear about the "Legal action against Soldersmoke" in podcast : 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2024/04/soldersmoke-podcast-251-aurora-cbla.html

Which could mean a few things : 

1. some official is trying to make a career and he will be very busy because there are a lot of stickers in San Fransisco to remove.
2. somebody did remove the sticker because they are highly collectable and somebody at soldersmoke HQ saw a opportunity to made one of the best april fools jokes in soldersmoke history pulling the listeners (and readers) leg. 
   
3. somebody use photoshop and made one of the best april fools jokes in soldersmoke history pulling the listeners (and readers) leg. 

Looking at the release date of the soldersmoke podcast 251, IMHO #3 is the most possible with #2 as a good second. When #1 is the real reason, that sucks big time :-(  (so I'm hoping for the april fools joke outcome)

Let's continue and get on topic to this e-mails subject.

My XYL and I are just back from a holiday to Berlin and aside of the architecture, visiting a large number of museums and historical exhibitions, there was one place on my personal list I wanted to visit : the "Teufelsberg". 

*  The "Teufelsberg" (Devil's Mountain) is a artificial mountain build with rumble of the ruins of Berlin on top of the “Wehrtechnische Fakultät”, covert soil and plated full with trees. In the early 70's the location became one of the most important locations for the United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) outside the United States. The facility monitors Soviet and Eastern Bloc communications and gathers important information on the activities of Warsaw Pact countries. 1992 the side got intrest of creative minds and started to get covert by street art.

More info about the history can be found on there website:  https://www.teufelsberg-berlin.de/en/history/

Not only the historical part of the site, but also because the XYL and I love street art, we took a day visit it. Aside from the nice walk to it, the excellent view and the great pieces of street art, when you are at a site where street art is present all over the place and even is encouraged (and legal) and you "accidently" just happen to have a few soldersmoke stickers in you bag, you just have to use them. So as of this moment, Soldersmoke is present a the formal National Security Agency (NSA) spy station in Berlin. 

I added a few images as a attachment to this e-mail including one to show the great view over Berlin when you on the top deck (only showing one placement, the other 2 are hidden in plane site). 

In short : when you can apricate street art and visit Berlin, a visit to the "Teufelsberg" is almost a must. IBEW bonus : there are a few soldersmoke stickers hidden on the top dek for you to find ;-)

73 from PA 

Lex PH2LB 

mail : lex@ph2lb.nl
home : http://www.ph2lb.nl/   
twitter : https://twitter.com/lex_ph2lb  
call : PH2LB 

"Life's like a role playing adventure. You
need to solve the puzzles first before
they let you go to the next level."

First Contacts with 15-10 Rig -- Two Atlantic Crossings

 

I was just testing it, working (as usual at this stage) on final amplifier stability.   Then I heard ON5WO calling CQ.   I could not resist.  I worked him, but had to use a test lead to manually key the .1 kW amplifier.  Minutes later I worked OH6RM.  He very diplomatically said that I had "highly unusual audio."  This was probably due to earlier efforts to shift the carrier oscillator to improve carrier suppression. (I will fix this.)  

I will continue to work on the rig; It should look a bit better when I am done.  But hey, it works!  It has already crossed the Atlantic. Twice!  

Martein's Bandpass Filters - PA3AKE

Above you can see the really nice 15 meter filter that I built using data provided by Martein PA3AKE. 

https://martein.home.xs4all.nl/pa3ake/hmode/bpf_all.html 

Before I built Martein's filter, my bandpass had been inadequate.  Looking at the signals coming out of the diode ring mixer in my 15-10 rig, I realized that when I was on 15, there would also be an output on 10.  And vice-versa.  These outputs would have to be knocked down by the bandpass filters.  I had been using simple dual tuned circuit filters. But when I looked at the filter shapes of these filters in NanoVNA, I could see that On 15 the 10 meter signal was only down about 20 db.  And on 10 the 15 MHz output was also down only by about 20 db.  That's not enough.  Take a look: 

Before,  with the dual tuned circuit filter

After with Martein's Filter 21.5 Mhz

AFTER with Martien's filter 21.1 MHz

While the earlier filter had provided only about 20 db of attenuation at 28 MHz, Martein's filter provided at least 68 db of attenuation.  That is really nice.  And the passband is nearly flat at 1 db attenuation. 

I built mine using some of the guidance provided on Martiens site.  I did use T80-10 toroids (I got them from kitsandparts.com).  And I did not use copper clad boards.  

One of the charming features if Martein's filters is the total lack of trimmer caps:  Martein recommends tuning the filters by simple squeezing the coils (to increase inductance and decrease frequency) or by spreading out the turns a bit (to decease inductance and increase frequency).  I did the later when NanoVNA showed that I didn't quite have all of the 15 meter phone band on the flat portion of the curve. 

I also like the way Martein provides the values for BP filters for all of the HF ham bands.  Very useful. 

Next I will build one for 10 meters.  And I will probably go back to my Mythbuster and 17-12 rigs and build Martein's filters for these rigs.  

Thanks Martein! 

Sticker News (from Holland)

Lex PH2LB sends this really interesting Vice story about stickers and sticker culture.  Who knew?  The original article is in Dutch, but just hit the Google Translate button and Bob will be your uncle. 

https://www.vice.com/nl/article/wxnpp5/wie-zijn-de-mensen-die-overal-stickers-plakken

I shared with our Solder-Sticker Community these thoughts: 

Really cool Lex.   This reminds me that we need more stickers.  And maybe a new design.  The IBEW thing confuses Americans -- here it looks like a labor union thing. 

The Color Burst Liberation Army logo (below) is one possible element that we might want to include.  I think our new stickers should exhort people to DO something:  

"BUILD A SHORTWAVE RECEIVER!" 

"LIBERATE 3.579 MHz!"  

"MELT SOLDER!"  

"RESIST FT-8!"

"JUST SAY NO TO SDR!"    

Things like that. 

Thoughts?  Discuss.  

PA3CRX's 6 Meter BITX in an Old CB Case

Thanks to Rogier PA1ZZ for alerting me to this video and to the PA3CRX YouTube channel. 

I like what Chrix did with the old CB transceiver case -- this gives me ideas about the old transceiver that I picked up at a hamfest a while back.  I also like Chrix's practice of running coax and power leads UNDER the main BITX boards.  

Chrix has been building some great stuff and making some very nice videos -- I have put his channel on the SolderSmoke links in the right-side column of this page. 

Thoughts on Homebrew, Makers, DIY, and Hams -- from Lex PH2LB

Sometimes we get a comment that is so good that we elevate it to the main blog page.  That was the case with Lex PH2LB's comment on the blog post of Owen Duffy (yesterday). 

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

When I started the hobby, it arose out of technological curiosity, the interest in understanding things and the will to make things myself (designing myself was not my main goal). It doesn't matter to me whether it is 100% DIY or a kit (such as Heathkit, Elecraft, QRP-Labs etc) which is modified or not after construction. Just having fun with the hobby and pushing boundaries. And yes I also have some off-the-shelf transceivers (I'm super happy with my FT817ND) and my QO-100 uplink is also a kit (which is then already soldered a little more than average). As far as new tools are concerned: here at home are 2 types of 3D printers, various tools for SMT assembly, and I have a nice workshop equipped with tools and equipment for metal / plastic / wood processing. And every day I try to learn something new, because I stand by the IBEW moto : If you know stuff, you can do stuff.

Am I a maker then? I wouldn't call myself that. Just like I don't call myself a hacker because I'm quite handy with computers, technology and have certain skills. I'm just a hobbyist who wants to do and make things after work.

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

Lex is a true member of the International Brotherhood.  He is the one who took our beloved stickers onto the European continent and into a Netherlands pub.  He is the one who -- unforgettably -- saw the parallels between ham shacks and the "pleasure room" of "50 Shades of Gray" (See below -- apropos of his current message, we labeled his meme "50 Shades of Homebrew") For more on Lex see: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=PH2LB

Lex's web site (Shack on the Internet):  https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=hamradio

 Thanks Lex! 

The Amazing Workshop and Test Gear of Tony Albus PE1ONS

This is almost too much.  This makes me want to go out and buy some more test gear, maybe another scope, or a spectrum analyzer, or at least another DMM.  I mean Tony has at least three of everything. 

This is really amazing.  Tony is obviously a test gear guy, but he also has a ham call PE1ONS.  He says he is not too active, but we should encourage him to get more involved with ham gear.  We need guys like him working on ham gear.  And he seems like such a happy person.  

Here is his QRZ.com page: https://www.qrz.com/db/PE1ONS

Here is his awesome YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/TonyAlbus

Sticker Shock -- WYKSYCDS Stickers Spotted in NYC and in a Netherlands Pub! Awards!

 

I am awarding the coveted Brass Figlagee with Bronze Oak Leaf Palm to Dave W2DAB, to Lex PH2LB, to Jesse N5JHH, and of course to Pete Juliano, N6QW.  More awards are possible.  http://www.flicklives.com/index.php?pg=215&recno=2590 

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: 

https://ph2lb.nl/webshop/sticker.php

Les is making the stickers available for free -- all you need to do is pay the postage. 

Please be sure to send us pictures of the stickers after they have been placed. 

And let's not forget that the quote on the sticker is from Pete Juliano, N6QW. 

Here is one that recently showed up in Blacksburg, Virginia (zoom in on the green utility box): 

And here is Lex's very interesting site, with his Knack Story:  https://www.ph2lb.nl/blog/index.php?page=history

Barefoot Ham Radio -- PA2OHH's Wonderful Web Site

I first saw the link to Onno's site on Peter VK2TPM's blog.  And at first I confused it with the site of another great homebrewer Miguel PY2OHH.   This is all very IBEW:   On the website of an Australian ham,  I spot the web site of a Dutch ham living in Spain and briefly confuse him with a Brazilian homebrewer with a very similar callsign.  TRGHS. 

Onno PA2OHH has an inspirational approach to the hobby that he presents in a  really wonderful website.   Here is his intro to Barefoot Radio: 

Barefoot technology and Barefoot power!

Barefoot technology or simple, non-professional radio technology and real Barefoot power or harmless QRP power, that is what you will find here. There are some complex designs but many designs are simple radio amateur circuits. They will never be used professionally!
These simple circuits and rigs can give you much fun: home brewing, portable activities during holidays, etc.
Batteries and inverted V dipole antenna's with a fishing rod as the center support are all you need to make many QSO's.

Much fun!
Barefoot technology and Barefoot power can give you much fun, but is not perfect... There are disadvantages like VXO control instead of a VFO, direct conversion receivers that receive both sidebands and simple frequency displays that are not so easy to read. But working with such simple equipment is often more exciting than working with a much better commercial transceiver.
Perhaps that you cannot believe that you can make many QSO's with QRP power of only 1 watt. Indeed, some practice is needed in the beginning so do not give up too soon. Every boring standard QSO becomes an exciting experience with QRP power!

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

Check out Onno's site:  https://www.qsl.net/pa2ohh/