SolderSmoke 264: CW TX, Repair of 17-12 Rig, AI and Repair, Back on 40m, HB for 2m, VWS WSPR Makers Project , MAILBAG

QSO May 8, 2026 with Lou EA3JE.  I was using my Mythbuster

May 12, 2026

SolderSmoke Podcast #264 is available for download: 

Audio:   http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke264.mp3

Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9FcfuqjZxA

We had a small recording glitch at the beginning of this video. But we didn't lose much. We had talked about the success of the SolderSmoke Direct Conversion Receiver Project. We talked about the receivers built by Nader Omer ST2NH and Chuck Adams AA7FO. We had also gloated a bit about our April 1 post -- you know, the (bogus! ) story about how the Administration is "Supporting Homebrew Radio." (Let us know if you were taken in by this, even for just a few seconds.) At that point, we were just beginning Pete's section; that is where the recording began. Here are the notes for the rest of the podcast:

Pete: 

Three CW transmitter projects featuring low parts counts.  Good results from Reverse Beacon Network. 

The goal in these projects is to raid the junk box and severely limit any new purchases of components.  Pete had no idea of the depth of parts he bought and just stashed away.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YLZ7aZpmxQ&t=30s

Bill: 

Fixing the 17-12 Rig.  Parasitic VHF Oscillations with the SK3050.  Good advice from Gemini. Killing NE602s. Fat Finger Syndrome -- hard to work with ICs.   Different freq when on transmit -- need for .1 uF cap on pin 8. Worked South Korea -- TRGHS. 

Putting the DIGI-TIA back on the air. On 40! And SW listening with the Q-31. 

Hard to homebrew for 2 meters.  Did some beacon experiments to Puerto Rico on last day in DR. 

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: 

The importance of Patreon!  Thanks!  patreon.com/SolderSmoke

Mostly DIY RF!  https://mostlydiyrf.com/

Universe Today Podcast with Fraser Cain.  No Ads.  Great stuff.  Listen!   https://www.patreon.com/public-rss/75186?show=1744036

Dean: 

The VWS WSPR project.  

Mailbag:  

Ed N3EML  Heard me on 40 with my Digi-Tia

Grayson KJ7UM  Liked WWII training video: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2026/05/radio-receivers-1942-training-film.html

Mike WN2A  -- Pete Juliano is our Shifu! (Lexicographer Steve Silverman KB3SII approves,)

Todd K7TFC Thoughtful comments on ARRL "Clean Signal Initiative."

Danny ON1MWS's regen with unusual variable capacitors. 

Mike WU2D  S-38, Nearfest,  Mu Metal.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUQ4xml1dSY

Charlie NJ7V  Interviews Mitch NK3H who homebrewed an SSB transceiver. 

Charlie also had Don KM4UDX, President of the Vienna Wireless Society on the podcast. 

Bob KD4EBM -- El Cilindro. Radioactive Hospital Waste -- basis for a Ruben Blades song.  It was 1987 in Brasil.  Cesium 137 left in hospital waste.  

Hamilton  KD0FNR   Big fans of "The most interesting man in the world."https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2026/04/background-from-maine-on-most.html

Rhett KB4HG -- TW-100! Used on the OMRN. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-tw-100-fly-away-transceiver-cw-ssb.html

What happened to Glenn KU4NO's homebrew rig? https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2018/07/a-rig-with-maximum-soul-5-band.html

Ryan KJ7KVD is listening to OLD SolderSmoke podcasts.  He will build a Michigan Mighty Mite. 

Will N5OLA restored a Heath SB rig.  We now know why they went to HW rigs.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt2d1Ia8lqQ 

Paul G0OER -- Thanks us for PTOing the HB world, but sends us a video of a unique Eddystone receiver with 39 permeability tuned coils!  https://www.youtube.com/shorts/L4oQHU5_kQk?feature=share

Rick N3FJZ -- A very cool video today on his homebrew HF power amplifiers:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CUVAF4HyfY

Farhan VU2ESE -- I heard from him yesterday as he was landing in Chicago. 

HCJB is now in Western Australia. In "The Kimberly." And VK6JMS can use their antenna.

I grew up listening to HCJB's shortwave broadcasts from Quito, Ecuador.  Fast forward to the present:  This week I have had two radio contacts with Nic VK6JMS.   His callsign indicates Western Australia.  I assumed he was in the Perth area, but no, he is in the northern part of Western Australia, in the area known as The Kimberly.  Look on the map for the place called Kununurra.  That is where he is.  

Here is Nic VK6JMS's QRZ page: https://www.qrz.com/db/VK6JMS  He has access to some really fantastic antennas.  In his page he refers to them at TCI antennas.  I looked them up: 

 A TCI dipole array refers to a specific type of antenna system designed and manufactured by SPX Communication Technologies, a company formerly known as TCI. These arrays are typically used for high-frequency (HF) radio broadcasting and communications, and they are known for their ability to achieve wide bandwidths and efficient radiation patterns. 

https://www.antenna.be/tci-611.pdf

https://www.antenna.be/tci-613.pdf

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

These antennas are used for the SW broadcasts: 

Since 2003, Reach Beyond (formerly HCJB) has been transmitting from our Broadcast Facility in the Kimberley, in far north Western Australia, to the Asia Pacific region through shortwave radio, and currently broadcasts programs in 25 languages.

Founded in 1931 as radio station HCJB in Quito, Ecuador, Reach Beyond is now a global, partnership-driven ministry. Many people know us as the shortwave ministry that originated in Ecuador which went on to establish hospitals and medical clinics in Quito and Shell. Today the visionary “madness” of our founder Clarence Jones and his band of missionary pioneers lives on around the world. 

Here in Australia, Reach Beyond carries on that vision through its radio broadcast ministry. Our shortwave facility is uniquely placed in Australia to deliver powerful messages of hope to remote and isolated communities throughout the Asia Pacific region.  https://www.reachbeyond.org.au/on-air/

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

One thing I noticed about Nic VK6JMS's signal:  there seemed to be a latency delay between when I turned the conversation over to him, and when he began to transmit.  I wonder if the Icom RS-BA1 remote station software that he is using might explain this latency. Any ideas on this?