SolderSmoke Podcast #265: AI Pete, WSPR, sBITX, San Diego, Last Ditcher, NYC, 17-12 Fix, MMM Blasphemy, 6T9er, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #265 is ready for download. 

Video Version:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jWYe6NxnJA

Audio Version:  http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke265.mp3

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Travelogue:  Pete to San Diego,  Dean to NYC,  Bill stays home. 

Field Day Report!   Dean?  Pete?  I had a bad back.  Really. 

The importance of "taking a break" discussed on "Hidden Brain" podcast. 

We need new chapters for the FMLA series.  Time to add the CBLA? 

 AI Pete? http://soldersmoke.com/AIPete.mp3

Dean:  WSPR success -- Report

Back on the air with the homebrew sBITX. 

VWS WSPR TX and AMP

KK4DAS WSPR Map

Pete:   Visit to surplus store in San Diego.

The Last Ditcher CW rig.  Frank Jones would approve!  Construction technique combining wooden slats and copper clad boards is FB. 

Homebrew CW rigs -- update. 

Schematics and Co-Pilot

Shameless Commerce Division:   

Mostly DIY RF

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Bill:   Fixing the receiver in my 17-12 rig.  Adding 12 db to the TIA. 

The Open Circuits book.  Eric is the Eric from CuriousMarc.  And he is a ham! 

Blasphemy?  Bill redraws schematic for Michigan Mighty Mite. 

I have 6T9 tube.  I don't really want to build a CW transmitter.  But I may have to. 

Gemini explains "Low Value Content" They see 10,000 posts and assume it is AI Slop.  

Mailbag:  

Wes:  Nice email from W7ZOI. 

Peter Marks VK3TPM fixed the index file (with help from Claude). 

Peter VK3TPM and Paul VK3HN -- Great comments on AI. 

Also Dean KK4DAS and Bob KD4EBM

VK3HN sent FB AI QSL from ZL2BNE (see mine!) 

Bruce KK0S sent two FB AI QSL cards. 

Rogier PA1ZZ -- Sends "The World of El - AI"   IDK. 

Ryan KJ7KVD building a Michigan Mighty Mite (I sent parts) 

Robert W8MOX heard my beacon from the DR to Annandale Va. 

Kirk NTOZ -- The future of ham radio and what went wrong. 

Paul KL7FLR -- The Wizard of Wasila -- Finally 3D  printed a Toroid winder

Charlie NJ7V -- Doing great work over at Red Summit RF.  

Podstatus reports that we are #2 in Ghana!  Hooray for us! 

Farhan VU2ESE -- LARCSet CW mods! 

Walter KA4KXX Homebrew POTA proposal. 

Grayson KJ7UM: Likes Helge's Norwegian paraset

Gerald VA2GJ:  Including DC RX in Canadian license study materials. 

Ron WA6YOU: Spy radios RT-6 and RR-6

Scott K6AUS: https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2026/06/update-how-many-drake-2-b-receivers.html We need to send him a 2B! 

Bob W8SX:  FDIM interview with Hans G0UPL.  More to follow.

My AI QSL Card: Wood Boxes, a D-104, Books, a 'Scope, the EB-63A, Guapo, our Sticker, and a Cup of Coffee! KK0S's Cards

Inspired by the ZL2BNE card sent to me by VK3HN, and the excellent question from Walter KA4KXX,  I endeavored today to create a QSL card that was sort of like that of OM ZL2BNE.  

I kind of like the result: 

-- We have the wooden box rigs.  I am working on one of them.  (That happens a lot!)

-- There is a D-104.

-- We see the EB-63 .1kW Linear. 

--  There are books on the shelf:  SSDRA, EMRFD and SPRAT in a binder.   And we see a book by Hayward.  

-- There is an oscilloscope.  

-- There is a nice map of Northern Virginia and my Maidenhead Grid Square. 

-- We see Guapo, and a cup of coffee. 

-- We also see the SolderSmoke sticker. 

Here is how I did this:  

I used https://www.canva.com/  You have to select the AI option.  Then I told it I wanted it to look like the ZL2BNE card (I sent them a copy).  At that point you have to start modifying what the AI comes up with.  You have to do this many times until you get it sort of right.  

Please send me your results! 

Here are a couple of QSLs that Bruce KK0S did with ChatGPT: 

A Really FB HB QRP QSL Card from New Zealand

 

That's the spirit!  The solder is melting.  Note the oscilloscope.  Note the books on the shelf. This amazingly good QSL card was sent to us by homebrewer Paul VK3HN, who made the contact with ZL2BNE.  

This card reminded me of my first real DX:  ZL2ACP many years ago.  15 meter CW with my new Drake 2B receiver.  I had crossed the Pacific before I had crossed the Atlantic.  I ran upstairs and woke my parents to tell them of this amazing feat!  I still have that QSL card.