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Showing posts with label SolderSmoke Podcast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SolderSmoke Podcast. Show all posts

Saturday, February 10, 2024

SolderSmoke Podcast #250 Dean KK4DAS joins Pete N6QW and Bill N2CQR


SolderSmoke Podcast # 250 is ready for download: 

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke250.mp3

VIDEO VERSION: (1707) SolderSmoke Podcast #250 -- With Pete N6QW, Dean KK4DAS, and Bill N2CQR - YouTube

Intro:   Welcome to Dean KK4DAS.  For 2024 Pete and I hope to jazz things up a bit by bringing in fellow homebrewers to talk about their projects.  Dean is our first victim.  Welcome Dean. 

Some good news:  Several new homebrew receivers are inhaling:  Armand WA1UQO in Richmond has an amazing looking regen.  Scott KQ4AOP in Tennessee got his DC RX working.  Mike AG5VG in Texas has been homebrewing BITX 20s and BITX 40s.  All are on the blog.  

Pete's report: 

-- Recent blog entries on filters,  SSB rig architecture, and of course digital VFOs. 

-- Phasing measurements, quadrature, and the Seeed Xiao RP2040

-- Error in QST article on early SSB transceiver.  ANOTHER ERROR!

--LC VFO on blog!  FB Pete!  

Dean's report:  

-- Tales of woe on the homebrew sBITX

-- Help from Farhan.  

-- Ground Bounce.  FFT Hallucinations.   Wisdom files.

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:   

-- Whenever you are tempted to buy something from AMAZON, just start at the Amazon symbol on the right side of the page.  We get a cut from Bezos, and it doesn't cost you anything.  

-- You can try to do the same thing with E-bay.  We are finding a lot of great parts there. 

-- If you see a SolderSmoke post on Facebook,  please Like and forward. 

-- Become a patron!  Go to the Patreon page.  We put the money to good SolderSmoke use. 

-- Visit Mostly DIY RF and buy a PSSST kit!  

Bill's bench:  

-- Building yet another BITX dual bander.  15-10 again. Tried to use a 25 MHz filter left over from the earlier project, but I had to build another.  Built a new VFO using the variable cap and anti-backlash gear recommended by Pete.  Was a bit tough to get the receiver sounding good.   Had a diode ring as the second mixer, but went back to a singly balanced mixer. 

-- 10 meter AM -- Thanks to Jerry Coffman K5JC for mod. 

Other topics: 

--Counterfeit chips.  Why? 

MAILBAG: 

Wes W7ZOI 

Jim Cook W8NSA  Transoceanic BFO

Grayson KJ7UM -- Vintage Computer Museum

Chuck Adams --Glad to hear that Chuck is doing well.  

Frank Harris  K0IYE --  NO CHIPS!!!! 

ED DD5LP  Antenna software

Eldon KC5U  10 AM We  made a contact

Joh DL6ID  10 AM   

Phil   W1PJE of MIT   10AM   Where is L5? 

Bob WP4BQV now in UK 

Dino Papas KL0S in Wilmington   Reverse Polarity protection. 

AA7EE Dave Richards  Liked Armand's receiver

Rogier PA1ZZ  

Jonathan-san W0XO  Listened to my ET-2 CW Whoop,whoop

Nick M0NTV  Great videos from Nick the Vic

Will KI4POV  Working on his own SSB rigs.  

John West -- Who is the South American ham who made his capacitors and heat sinks? 

Ed KC8SBV  Working on DC receiver, experimenting with FETs 

Mike WN2A great contributions.  Si5351 sole source danger! 

Nick N3FJZ -- watch out for dead bands when testing receivers! 

Don KM4UDX encouragement from new Prez of VWS

Dave K8WPE Likes QF1 Cap backlash.  Says I'm getting soft! 

Dave WA1LBP My fellow Hambassador, from Okinawa USMC Sergeant with a workshop. 

Friday, November 10, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #249 -- Travel, Pete's 6BA6 rig, Books!, VFOs, SDR, Computers, Spectrum Analysers, Transistor Man! MAILBAG

New VFO for 15-10 Transceiver
Schematic below

SolderSmoke Podcast #249 is available:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke249.mp3

There is also a video version of this podcast: https://youtu.be/5xyaYivtOhw

Travelogue:  

HAPPY VETERANS' DAY TO PETE AND GRAYSON AND TO ALL THE OTHER VETERANS WHO ARE LISTENING. 

Trip out to San Francisco. Sticker placed on the corner of Haight and Ashbury:  See picture below.  Note other sticker.  Really Groovy! 

Bill's DXCC-100.  DONE.   

Tribal Wisdom:  W1REX on HRWB https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/11/listen-to-rex-w1rex-lots-of-tribal.html

Pete's Bench:

Pete's 6BA6 rig

Pete's 6BA6 Rig

Pete Re-invents the Shirt-pocket SSB Rig

Pete's remake of the ShirtSleeve Transceiver

Pete Builds Two Computers 

Pete Adds a Second Band to his Homebrew SDR 
 

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:  

BEZOS BUCKS ARE BACK!  PLEASE  BUY THERE! >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mostly DIY RF:  Work proceeds in the Oregon Silicon Forest on P3ST kit development. Todd is confident the P3ST will be released on December 18th.Many other kits available now:  https://mostlydiyrf.com/ 

Sign up for the newsletter:  https://mostlydiyrf.com/subscribe/ 




Bill's Bench: 

Rebuild of the 15-10 VFO (for improved Dial Spread) (with yet another QF-1 capacitor) https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/10/dial-scale-linearity-spreading-out.html

Why Building for 10 meters is harder: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/09/why-building-for-10-meters-is-harder.html

Copper Tape shielding of 15-10 rig. 

Crushing Spurs with Better Bandpass Filters (see blog post) https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/09/crushing-17-and-12-meter-spurs-with.html

Another 15-10 rig in the works... for SSSS.   Boards are accumulating... 

More problems discovered with the Herring Aid 5 Receiver . Lots of SS blog posts  Comment from Rick WD5L.  ) https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/10/a-big-error-discovered-in-1976-qst.html   Did you try to build one?  Did you succeed or did you fail?  Please let us know. 

The Basil Mahon books (blog posts) https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/11/basil-mahon-is-author-for-us-he.html

The Sunburst and Luminary book of Don Eyles (blog posts) 

The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Hill (blog posts) 

Spectrum Analysers:  Tiny SA Ultra https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/09/the-tinysa-ultra-spectrum-analyser-video.html  and Polarad 632C-1; George WB5OYP gave me one of these spectrum analysers  (I NEED a manual! Does anyone have a manual or a schematic? )  : 

Polarad 632C-1

Stabilizing the EB63A (with Pete recommended LP filters from e-Bay. 


MAILBAG:

TRANSISTOR MAN T-SHIRTS!  Thanks to Roy WN3F! 

Todd VE7BPO on AF amplifiers.  Thanks Todd.  

Wes W7ZOI -- Always a privilege to exchange e-mail with Wes. 

E-mail from Jay Rusgrove W1VD. About the Herring Aid 5. 

E-mail from Eamon Skelton EI9GQ!  Amazing! 

HB2HB with Denny VU2DGR https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/09/hb2hb-contact-with-denny-vu2dgr.html

Nick M0NTV on diode matching for ring mixers: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/10/does-matching-matter-diode-matching-for.html

Paul Taylor VK3HN on the new Elecraft CW rig. 

Dean KK4DAS fixed the noise in his Hallicrafters SW receiver.  A long battle, finally won. 

Dean also in contact with G3UUR. 

Ramakrishnan VU2JXN helping me set up a backup of blog on WordPress.  

Mark KA9OOI noticed that SS podcast archive appears gone.  In fact just temporarily relocated to http://soldersmoke.com/podcastarchive.html

(SS PODCAST Archive temporarily relocated to http://soldersmoke.com/podcastarchive.html

Andreas DL1AJG - Crystal radio video. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/10/building-crystal-set-videos.html

George N2APB on the Herring Aid 5

Grayson KJ7UM experimenting with Varactors and Thermatrons! 

Thomas K4SWL on Mattia's DC receiver. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/10/mattia-zamanas-amazing-direct.html

Bob Weaver of Dial Bandspread Linearity  fame.  Electron Bunker

Mike Bryce WB8VGE QRP Hall of famer -- he too couldn't get the Herring Aid 5 working. 

Kirk NT0Z wrote about the Wayback machine.  But this former ARRL staffer he also tried and failed to get the Herring Aid 5 going.  Way back when... https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/03/kirks-herring-aid-tuna-tin-and-regen.html


New 15-10 VFO with schematic

Dial Bandspread (Before)

At corner of Haight and Ashbury

Monday, September 4, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #248 -- Back from the Summer -- Spurs and Filters, S-meters, 6BA6 mania, Shirtpocket rigs, MAILBAG

The PsssT Kit, coming soon from Mostly DIY RF

SolderSmoke Podcast #248 is available for download: 

Audio: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke248.mp3

Video: (800) SolderSmoke Podcast #238 -- Spurs and Filters, S-meters, 6BA6 mania, Shirt-pocket rigs, Mailbag - YouTube


Travelogue:  Trip to the Dominican Republic 3-9 August.  Thinking about the M0NTV video on mixers...  

Solder Smoke Shack South is almost done.   I am thinking about workbenches, operating tables and antennas.  How high should an electronics workbench be?   Table height?  Or workbench (woodwork) height?  

My son and I went to see "Oppenheimer"  Trinity test scene very cool.  They wanted to see if the gadget would work! 

Is the SolderSmoke blog completely archived on the WayBack Machine?  Please check and let me know.  Thanks. 

Bill's Bench: 

-- I've been working a lot of DX with the homebrew rigs:  Indonesia, Australia, Japan, Hawaii.  Lots of fun.  15 meters has been especially good. But the rigs still need work: 

-- M0NTV's video got me to put TinySA to work.  I found that output from dual banders could be improved.  Spurs and harmonics. Yuck.  I need more TinySA -- ordered the TinySA Ultra. 

-- Allison KB1GMX helped a lot.  EB63A amp was unstable, especially on 10 meters.  Higher frequencies are harder!  Tightened up shielding, negative feedback, and bypassing.  This all helped, but I found that I needed to take the higher frequency LP filters out of the amplifier box.  W3NQN filters are better, with steeper skirts and better 2nd harmonic rejections. NanoVNA proving very useful. https://www.gqrp.com/Datasheet_W3NQN.pdf

-- Also worked on the Bandpass filters for these rigs.  Farhan's comments on skirts of different filter configurations.  Some are "LSB" filters (with steeper skirt at the highest freq) and some are "USB" filters (with the steeper skirt at the lower frequency)  See diagrams on the blog page. So I built USB new filters for 12 meters and for 10 meters. 





-- Danger that my unshielded wooden box rigs might be inviting feedback.  So I shielded the 1510 rig with copper guitar amp tape (conductive adhesive).  Good stuff.  

-- Phase Noise rears its ugly head again.  See blog posts. 

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

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:  

Mostly DIY RF getting ready to release PsssT kits.  Target date:  December 18, 2023 (E Howard Armstrong's birthday).  https://mostlydiyrf.com/

Amazon Search box seems to have died.  I can't get it back.  Can anyone tell me what happened?  (There seems to be "explanations" from Amazon about this, but they are written in a strange language that I cannot follow.)  Something similar happened with the Google Ads on this blog page.  Apparently you can't have ads both on YouTube and blogger.  

But hey, there is Patreon for those who want to support the podcast and blog. 

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

Pete's Bench

An S-meter for Bill? 

6BA6 Mania! 

QRP SSB with 6BA6

Shirtpocket rig re-build

Mailbag: 

Walter KA4KXX has a great article about homebrewing in the September 2023 QCWA Journal.  

 Steve KC1QAY -- Has joined the CBLA.  I sent him a 3579 crystal.  He built a MMM and experienced JOO.  And Allison KB1GMX is in his local radio club.  TRGHS. 

Ajay VU2TGG in Pune, India -- launching a high school receiver effort. 

Denny VU2DGR The Wizard of Kerala: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/08/the-wizard-of-kerala-india-denny-vu2dgr.html

Joe VK4BYER working with kids a remote Australian community.  FB. 

Todd K7ZF -- Wants to get into homebrewing. Advised him to start small. 

Dean KK4DAS:  Fixing Hallicrafters Worldwide RX. Ciudad Trujillo!  Got question from Mark in the VWS Makers Group:  HOW DOES Michigan Mighty Mite REALLY Work.  See blog. 

Trevor Woods -- Info on Super Islander Mark IV made in Cuba from old CFL bulbs.  FB. 

Bob KD4EBM sent me some great stuff:  Sony SW receiver,  QCX Mini.  Made a CW contact with the QCX.  Felt virtuous -- it is going to the DR.  Thanks Bob. 

Peter KD2OMV:    One of the guys I worked with the ET-2 transceiver.  Great to hear from him. 

Armand WA1UQO   Richmond area radio museum? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSCmljje1p8

Mike WN2A -- Sent me a great care package with lots of toroids.  A lifetime supply!  Thanks Mike!

Nate KA1MUQ got his Doug DeMaw receiver going after 38 years!  FB.  Been there, done that! 

Tony: G4WIF Liked Valveman video about Gerald Wells.  He visited him! https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/08/valveman-story-of-gerald-wells.html 

Dean KL7MA  Bill talked to him on 15 SSB.  He had worked Wes W7ZOI!  FB! 

Friday, June 30, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #247 -- Hating on the IC-7300, Pete Goes FT-8 with a KWM-1, Bill's 15-10 Rig, MAILBAG

Bill's 15-10 Rig -- Click on image 

SolderSmoke Podcast #247 is available: 

Audio Podcast:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke247.mp3

Video:  (482) SolderSmoke 247 -- Hating on the IC-7300, Pete goes FT8 (with a KWM-1), Bill's 15-10 rig, Mailbag - YouTube

Bill’s Bench:

The 15-10 Dual Bander.

n  10 pole crystal filter at 25 MHz.

n  G3UUR, Dishal, AADE and all that..

n  Testing woes.  Looked bad.  But it was a bad test cable. Duh.

n  VFO (Colpitts) at around 3.5 MHz.

n  Buffer blues:  Bad J-310s.  Beware!  

n  Variable cap from a Heath Q Multiplier

n  A bit of a black art – competing goals. Freq coverage, etc.

n  BFO needed an amp to turn on the diodes in the balanced modulator

n  TIA amps.   SIX dual direction TIAs.  18 transistors.

n  On a pine board (like Frank Jones)

n  Will use the N6QW all discrete AF amp.

n  Maybe an RD16 in the final?

n  Will build a second one for the DR.

 Shameless Commerce:  Mostly DIY RF and the PSSST kit.  Todd K7TFC reports:  “The P3ST is on track for Lee Deforest's birthday release (August 26th). I'm going to send out another newsletter on July 4th, and I'll give some details on P3ST development.” Results of Todd’s Survey.

Pete’s Bench

n  FT-8 on the KWM-1!

n  Presentation to the ham club.

n  Why the Icom 7300 is the anti-thesis of homebrew.

MMAILBAG:

-- SPRAT 195  Summer 2023, in the mailbox.  A happy day at N2CQR

-- Armand WA1UQO sent a wonderful book about Faraday and Maxwell… And told me Jim K8OI was heading to our area.  I met Jim at the VWS Field Day event.  FB.  Thanks Armand.

-- Tony G4WIF sent Father’s Day greetings.

-- Alvin N5VZH asking about electrolytics for his 2-B.  Hayseed Hamfest!

-- John AC2RL replacements for the IBEW.  We need to start over!

-- Steve “Snort Rosin” Smith WB6TNL was in the area.  Sorry I missed him.

-- Joh DL6ID helping us to track down origins of a homebrew receiver Grayson saw in Berlin.

-- Grayson KJ7UM was in Europe visiting his wife’s relatives.  But I think he is back in the USA.

-- Walter KA4KXX sent a QRP HB family portrait. 

-- Wouter ZS1KE sent info on surface mount soldering.

-- George Zaff KJ6VU Ham Radio Workbench – re-runs! Recommended audio processor.  Let me know how it sounds. 

-- Michael AA1TJ   Great to hear from him. 

-- Alan Wolke W2AEW on the toroids  he used in Diode Ring video.  Thanks Alan!

-- Dean KK4DAS, AI and SWR meter project  And new lexicon word:  Hamsplaining. 

-- Bob N7SUR --  Let me know we are semifinalists in the Hack-A-Day prize!  

The 15 - 10 rig from above -- Click on image


Friday, May 5, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #246: PeteGPT! DC RX, Si5351, Franklin osc, Cuban DSB, Hex beams, uBITX mods, DX, 10 meters, MAILBAG

 

SolderSmoke Podcast #246 is available: 

AUDIO PODCAST: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke246.mp3

YouTube VIDEO: (247) SolderSmoke Podcast #246: uBITX, Hex Beam, DX, High School DC RX, 10 meter SSB Rig, MAILBAG - YouTube

The AI Deep Fake Threat!  PeteGPT!

Hearing Aid info:  I can hear the cymbals in my audiogram adjusted Airpods.

Update on the TJ DC RX project – Several receivers working! https://hackaday.io/project/190327-high-schoolers-build-a-radio-receiver

Sunil’s company provides Nano/Si5351 combos.  With the KD8CEC software. Very cool.  http://amateurradiokits.in They have a new SSB dual band transceiver – the Airpal.

Mark AJ6CU helping me. Sent me Nanos with KD8CEC software. His uBITX Settings Editor seems very cool. https://github.com/AJ6CU/uBITX-Settings-Editor/releases/tag/V2-beta-1  Thanks Mark.  

Franklin Oscillators. 

Cuban Islander and Jaguey info.  Send more!

Fixing up uBITX 2   How Bill blew up TWO Raduino Nanos. My results with the KB1GMX mods. (see below)

Hex Beam work:  Adding 10 and 15 meter elements.  But now I can hear AM breakthrough from WFAX 1220 AM  (5 kW during the day),  So I made a high pass filter.

Made first contacts on 15 and 10:  Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic.

First contacts with both India VU3TPW and China BA4TB.  SSB homebrew.

sBITX news. Taking orders!

Pete’s 10 Meter SSB Project

Mailbag:

--Wes W7ZOI provided great info and analysis on the Franklin oscillator. And lots of great tech info on other topics: http://w7zoi.net/oldtech/ponder.html Thanks Wes!
--Lex PH2LB. uBITX mods. TO-18 Heatsinks. New stickers (see above).
--Kostos SV3ORA and Hans G0UPL about the Franklin Oscillator.
--Listening to HRWB 178: Great stuff, many old friends: George KJ6VU moved to Oregon. Thomas K4SWL on the show.  Ben, an old friend of Pete’s,  mentions John Zaruba K2ZA – the guy who gave me the DX-100. Wonderful connections.
--Thanks to Todd VE7BPO for sending me another AADE LC meter. I need it for the SSSS.
--Nick MONTV planning a 15/10 meter dualband SSB rig. Me too! See video.
--Trevor Woods in W. Australia – The portrait in Artie Moore’s shack. Chuck WB9KZY – Willam Ramsay
--LA6NCA Helge three tube RX. Regen or DC? Mike Masterson WN2A and I discuss.
--Mike WU2D video on Retro QRP rigs – Steve G0FUW discusses Severn rig long in the works –started 1983 and nearly finished!
--Tim Hunkin of Secret Life fame did video with speaker made from potato ship bag. Discussed with Tony G4WIF and others. Also, Tim has an amazing video on cutting holes in metal. On the SolderSmoke blog.
--Bob Crane W8SX will be covering FDIM for SolderSmoke!
--Glen VE3DNL working on a more sophisticated DC RX.
--Craig KC2LFI from the beach on Grand Cayman. FB.
--Steve EI5DD reports We have changed our name - The May Issue of the HAM RADIO IRELAND Magazine, Ireland’s only independent magazine for the Radio Experimenter: https://docdro.id/SHH0VEy
--Mike EI0CL on 15 meters with Dean KK4DAS. FB
--Howard N3FEL of the Penn Wireless Association wants to do a group build of a DC RX.
--Martin LW9DTR in Buenos Aires looking for help with the code for an AD9850
--Todd K7TFC – always helping other homebrewers.
--Really thoughtful message from Kevin WN7Z

uBITX 2

My KB1GMX mods to uBITX 2

Saturday, April 1, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #245: Cuban DSB, DC Receiver?, Can you spot the AI? (Prize), Winterfest Loot, Gina's Podcast, 6BA6 buy, MAILBAG

 
DC RX Example by KK4DAS

SolderSmoke Podcast #245 is available for download: 


Video:  (68) SolderSmoke #245: Cuban DSB, DC Receiver?, AI, Winterfest Loot, Gina's Podcast, 6BA6 buy, MAILBAG - YouTube

Travelogue: Cuba DSB and AM. Jose CO6EC and the Islander. We need more info, especially on the solid state Jaguey rig.

Bill’s bench:

Will the High School DC receivers get finished? Future uncertain. But the project was technically interesting. Great working with Dean KK4DAS. Battling AM breakthrough from Radio Marti. We joked that Dean has been listening to Radio Marti so much that even though he doesn’t speak Spanish, he has noticed an increased urge to liberate Havana.

Audio amps: Harder than we thought. Lots of variation in Hfe of 2n3904s. Oscillations.
Not using feedback amps nor LM386s, nor push-pull. Simplicity is a design goal.

Fixing the tuning (bandspread) problem on the VFO was fun.

Antennas? A quarter wave with ground or counterpoise works well. We tried it. 
(59) An Antenna for the TJ 40 Direct Conversion Receiver - YouTube
----
Back to work on the uBITX. I chickened out on replacing the predriver with a BFR-106, but then – Just in time Todd K7TFC and his Mostly DIYRF came out with BFR106 boards! TRGHS. I will do the mods on two uBITX transceivers. I even bought a solder-sucking iron for the second job.

Winterfest Hamfest. Big success. Thanks VWS. HERRING AID FIVE! Simpson 260! QF-1, Another Radio Shack DMM, Eamon Skelton’s Homebrew Cookbook, Knobs, SWR meter.
----

SHAMELESS COMMERCE: 
-- Todd’s Mostly DIY RF and the BFR106 boards, and much more: https://mostlydiyrf.com/
-- Become a Patreon sponsor of SolderSmoke: https://www.patreon.com/join/4785634/checkout?ru=undefined

----
Pete's Bench: 

Technical Note: Skype problems. Pete's Skype kept dropping out. Bad in the last podcast (#244). Three minute gap. I was ready to scrap the whole podcast when Dean KK4DAS offered to help. And he is obviously well qualified: https://potomacofficersclub.com/speakers/dean-souleles/ Dean went to work with AI. And he was able to fill the audio and the video gaps. Can you spot the three minutes of AI? Send me an e-mail with the time segment of the AI/Deep Fake portion of SolderSmoke 244. The first one with the correct answer will win a prize. 
SolderSmoke #244:
Thanks Dean!

----Interview on his Pete's daughter’s podcast. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2023/03/listen-to-pete-juliano-on-his-daughter.html

-- 6BA6 e-bay buy. Will we see an all 6BA6 rig from Pete?

-- The NCX-5 on e-bay

PETE’S NEW BLOG: https://hamradiogenius.blogspot.com/

Mailbag:

-- A New SPRAT arrived in the mail. PH2LB’s Gluestick on the cover.
-- Will KI4POV – Awesome homebrew – on the blog.
-- Sands, VK9WX listening to SolderSmoke on Willis Island! Wow. 
-- Andreas DL1AJG in Germany continues with the Electronics for Biologists DC RX build.
-- Dean KK4DAS and his homebrew 10 meter DSB rig.
-- Jim W2UO built a Michigan Mighty Mite and made a contact.
-- Dave K8WPE and the E in IBEW. We need new stickers.
-- Bob KC4LB – Surface Mount is SMALL.
-- Bruce KK0S on the Herring Aid 5 Board.
-- Chuck WB9KZY on Nuclear Monopole Resonance very cool video – on the blog.
-- Alan WA9IRS wants a CW editor for his phone. Really.
-- Vic WA4THR also working on uBITX power out improvement.
-- Tobias weighs in on Kludge. As in Fudge.
-- Tony G4WIF notes that when he changes his oil he often removes sludge, not slooge.
-- Consultations with Lexicographer Steve KB3SII.
-- Walt AJ6T says CW operating declined after FCC ruling in 1970s about callsigns.
-- Ramakrishnan VU3RDD now VU2JXN has joined the VWS. An old friend of SolderSmoke. Urged us to launch a blog back in 2008. We announced his daughter’s birth - - now Ram is getting ready to build a DC receiver with her.

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #244 PETE IS BACK! TR-7, CK722, BFR106, HP8640B, High-School Receiver, 10 Min TX, MAILBAG


SolderSmoke Podcast #244 Is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke244.mp3

Video version at:

(118) SolderSmoke - YouTube

HE’S BACK! HOORAY! PETE JULIANO N6QW IS BACK! SOLDERSMOKE COMMUNITY WAS SENT INTO A COLLECTIVE FUNK BY PETE’S ABSENCE. ---------------- Pete’s TR-7 (SEE VIDEO ABOVE) CK722 The BFR106
Pete's new blog: https://hamradiogenius.blogspot.com/ ---- Update on the high school project: Mixers made. Harder than they seemed. First QSO with the DC RX. Allan W4AMV Homebrewer TRGHS Ten Minute Transmitter – Better than the MMM! AF4K (SK) crystals. Other supporting projects: Farhan in Hyderabad. Rick N3FJZ, Walter KA4KXX, Andreas DL1AJG Electronics for Biologists. Peter Marks VK3TPM (fighting the siren call of the Si5351) . Steven VK2BLQ built a beautiful one. Daniel VE5DLD will build three of them with his students. Orlando PY2ANE is building one in Brazil. This week: The Bandpass Filter. (Thank you Hans Summers) --- SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: BECOME A PATRON VIA PATREON. I am posting some fun stuff for the Patrons. AMAZON SHOPPING ADS Now on both the left and right columns. CHECK OUT Mostly DIY RF in the right hand column. ---- My HP8640B Lives to Fight another day. Two new DMMs A low-end Fluke and a AstroAI 6000 Electrolytic Replacement Controversy Continues
Mailbag: -- Dave AA7EE is blogging again! Yea! -- Mike Rainey AA1TJ back in the Hobbit Hole Building a WWVB receiver. -- Farhan is coming to FDIM. -- Tony G4WIF reminds us that 39 bucks for JUST a 60 MHz counter would be great! -- Dave VE3EAC again helped me fix my HP8640B. -- Dean KK4DAS finalizing 10 meter DSB rig. FB. Upgraded my NanoVNA. -- Mike KD4MM giving me a Nano VNA for the SolderSmoke Shack South. -- Ian VK3LA asked what happened to Chuck Adams content. Good question. -- Don ND6T and I have been discussing envelope detection. -- Nick M0NTV working on AM modulators. He has a new video. -- Ciprian YO6DXE built a Ten Minute Transmitter. -- Steve EI5DD Connacht Regional News: https://www.docdroid.net/YJAV800/crnews0223-pdf

Hyderabad DC RX Workshop

Farhan explaining the receiver in Hyderabad

Friday, February 10, 2023

SolderSmoke Podcast #243 -- HI7/N2CQR, uBITX mods for 10 meters, High-School Direct Conversion Receiver Project Launched (Success!) Mailbag

 
DC RX and one of the PTO boards we built as demos last night. 

February 10, 2023


SolderSmoke Podcast #224 is available. 


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke243.mp3


Video here: (32) SolderSmoke Podcast 243 (video) Hi7/N2CQR, uBITX, Success with High School Receiver Project - YouTube


Pete N6QW had technical difficulties this morning.  He insisted that the show must go on.  Pete will be back for the next episode. 

 

Travelogue: 

Bill in the Dominican Republic for all of January.  

HI7/N2CQR  Eastern tip of the island. uBITX and dipoles. 

20, 17, 10.  CW and SSB.  SSB was tough and I had reports of RF getting into the signal.

Went to CW. 

Worked VWS Mike KA4CDN, and Walter KA4KXX on 20CW.

Finally moved up to 10 CW.  Lots of contacts. Even though uBITX very QRP on ten.

I am modifying the uBITX now.  

Copper tape shielding to keep RF out.

 Low power out not the fault of the IRF-510s.  The problem is the 2N3904s.

Will replace with 2N2222 in To-18 cans.

Dean KK4DAS putting KD8CEC software into Arduino.  I gave up.

Who sent me this orphan uBITX?

SolderSmoke Shack South in final phase of construction.

 

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:

Patreon!

Bezos Shopping!

 

DC Receiver Project

Local High School radio club. 

Simple:  Like Herring Aid 5 and Wes’s original.

Farhan’s four stages:

BP Filter, Diode Ring, PTO, AF amp. 

Simple Colpitts PTO SURPRISINGLY STABLE.

Simple and easy.  No chips.  No complicated circuits.

Guys have helped test out the design:  Rick N3FJZ, Walter KA4KXX,

Daniel VE5DLD, Stephen VK2BLQ and others. 

First session last night:  We demonstrated build of the PTOs.  

They worked (thank God).

 

Open Circuits book.

Envelope Detection Controversy

Save the Antenna – Book “Losing the Nobel Prize” K1JT

 

MAILBAG

--Dean KK4DAS 10 meter DSB!  Tiny SA ULTRA! FB

--John AC2RL on Elmer W3PHL DSB guy

--AC3K reports inventor of Fender Stratocaster guitar was a ham: W6DOE

--AF8E was doing POTA.  I worked him. He said my rig had presence. FB

--Alain F4IET FB DSB rig with mic in Cigar can!

--Daryl N0DP worked him on SSB.  He is homebrewing

--Steve N8NM was in for repairs but is on the mend.

--Rick G6AKG working with sub-harmonic mixers and logic chips

--Paul HS0ZLQ Built DC receiver but looking for something else to build. No DSB!

--Steve AB4I – Coherer, Jagadish Chandra Bose, and Marconi

--Eldon KC5U    Worked VK5QD right after me and mentioned SolderSmoke FB

--Todd K7TFC is building the DC RX.

--Tony G4WIF and Ian G3ROO using automotive relays for antenna switching. FB.

--Dave WA1LBP Great to hear from my fellow Hambassador (Okinawa)

Older post comments:

--Scott VO1DR was also in CF Rockey’s class! (Blog comment)

--Aurora Aug 4, 1972: Twelve people shared memories.  (Blog comment)

--Will WN1SLG Googled novice call and was led to my Novice log.(Blog comment)


Saturday, December 3, 2022

SolderSmoke Podcast #242 Mars, New Hams, Direct Conversion, SDR Console, Proficio, PSSST, 8 meters, A BIG MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #242 is available

Audio podcast:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke242.mp3 

Video:  (362) SolderSmoke Podcast #242 December 3, 2022 - YouTube

Travelogue: 

Mars at opposition.  Not as good as 2020 (see charts below)

SSSS Prep

Hearing aids and high frequency loss.

AirPods as hearing aids.

Out in the Shenandoah with a Baofeng.

Success among TJ High School students.

Satellite in space?

 

PARTSCANDY

 

Bill's Bench:

Direct Conversion Receiver:  IT IS ALIVE!  EVEN IN LTSPICE

PTO works very well.

Diode ring -- really needs a diplexer, Radio Marti.

AF amplifier simplicity.

But WHY can't you listen to DSB on a DC receiver? Now I know.

How does a diode detector work?  Is the envelope real?  Is it square law?

The benefits of writing... 1967 and 1966 articles on PTOs and 2Qs.

 

Shameless Commerce Division:

-- MOSTLY DIY RF!  NEWS FROM PORTLAND! Get your free Michigan Mighty Mite. 

-- YouTube Goal Reached.  Thanks! Keep watching.  Subscribe!

-- Keep buying from Bezos using the link on the right-hand column of the blog page.

-- Become a Patreon sponsor!  Left hand column of blog page.

-- I have ads on the blog page, but I have configured to avoid troublesome ads -- dating sites, etc.

 

 Pete's Bench

-- Stepper motor, LCD and Arduino for my little DC RX?

-- SDR Console

-- PSSST, BOMS, Schematics and spoon feeding...

-- Proficio SDR by Multus

-- 8 meters?

  

Mailbag

-- Alan Yates VK2ZAY now also W7ZAY PTOs, trivial motors, a broken ankle...

-- Dhaka Jack AI4SV formerly of Cyprus, Madagascar and Northern Virginia. has moved to France!

-- John WB5OAU/K5MO An old friend.  FMLA as "Glowbugs Noir"

-- Dale Parfitt W4OP on the Homebrew 2Q from 1967

-- Nick M0NTV Glue Sticks, PTOs, DC receivers and AM breakthrough testing.

-- Todd K7TFC suggests “cool” names for DC RX  PT Cruiser? PT109? PT73?

-- Levi replacing Selenium diodes in a Globe VFO.  I am not alone!

-- Juanjo EC5ACA wants to build DC RX .  FB.

-- Dave designed a discrete LM386.  Picked up by Jenny at HackaDay.  Can you build this?

-- George Zaff.  HamRadio Workbench Spiritual Brother of SolderSmoke.

-- Alain F4IET -- Still building DC receiver.  FB.  Sorry I got the call wrong.

-- Drew N7DA Building Pixies with 3D forms.

-- Toni G6XMO in Sheffield getting a 3D printer business going: https://www.whizz3dparts.co.uk/

-- Chuck KE5HPW restoring an old SW-54.  Pete is skeptical.

-- Lex and Jesse like Colin's placement of WYKSYCDS sticker on his Homebrew rig.

-- Jim KI4THZ joined the Vienna Wireless Society -- FB  on the faculty at GMU

-- Tony G4WIF suggested mechanical counter for DC RX PTO freq readout.  I have some in the junk box.

-- Our old friend Jonathan-san in W0XO now a Patreon sponsor.  Origato!

-- Thomas K4SWL sent him video of Tiny SA watching Vatican Radio sign off for the day.

-- Farhan and Chuck Penson liked blog post about Heathkit Digital Rig SS-8000 1978!

-- Ed KC8SBV working on DC receivers -- I recently used the Peppermint Bark box he sent.

-- Old friend Bob KD4EBM on the linearization of the R-390s.  Hard to homebrew one of those!

-- George from VWS trying to figure out how (if?) Marconi got his coherer to work DX...

-- Steve EI5DD sends Connaught Radio news: https://www.docdroid.net/Q1lBoyi/crnews1222-pdf#page=36

 

Won’t have another Podcast until the new year so Happy Holidays to all!  Merry Christmas, Happy New Year! 




 


Designer: Douglas Bowman | Dimodifikasi oleh Abdul Munir Original Posting Rounders 3 Column