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Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Soul in an Old Telescope
I like this telescope. The owner built it in 7th grade and is still using it at age 70. I'm still using the Drake 2-B that I bought with newspaper route money, so understand the sentiments.
http://makezine.com/2013/07/29/through-a-diy-telescope-brightly/
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Drake 2B,
telescopes
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Soul in the Old Machine: HW-101 Saved From Workshop Cannabilism
More on this in SolderSmoke 154....
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Saturday, July 27, 2013
The Viganella Heliostat -- A Village Brings in the Sun (Video)
http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/viganella-the-italian-village-that-built-its-own-sun.html
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Italy,
Solar power,
video
Friday, July 26, 2013
EXCELSIOR! Happy Birthday Jean Shepherd
NPR's "Writer's Almanac" alerted us to this: Shep was born on this day in 1925. I realize now that that made him just a week or so older than my dad (who was a big fan).
Here is a really nice site with info about Shep, ham radio, and his call sign:
EXCELSIOR !!!!!!!!!!!
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Jean Shepherd
HB-101 ? BITX-101?
OK, so I've been wanting to build a BITX-20 for a long time. Then Steve "Snort Rosin" Smith sent me a nice 9 MHz filter, and I started to think about using it to build a BITX 75/20. But I don't really like 75 meters too much... And I have this Heathkit HW-101. I like it very much, but these rigs do not age well: Too much heat, too many cheap components, tubes on PC boards... yuck. I got tired of fixing it. I've occasionally fantasized about scrapping most of the HW-101 circuitry and turning this rig into a 100 watt linear amplifier. But I didn't have the heart to do this. Then, on the way to work yesterday it hit me: Why not take the beautiful bi-directional circuitry of Farhan's BITX design and use that to solid state most of the HW-101? Obviously I'd retain the finals and maybe the driver, and the CW and SSB filters. The VFO could be transistorized. Maybe I'd retain the tube AF amp. I'd like to add 17 meter capability. Pete Juliano took an HW-101 and added a digital dial (that's his rig in the picture).
What do you guys think? Am I nuts? Or would this be a worthwhile project?
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
The Nanomembrane Laser Detector Receiver
I like it! Here we find some cutting edge radio technology that does not involve millions of microscopic transistors and thousands of lines of code. And it can be explained in a few paragraphs without resort to exotic math. It even makes use of our beloved LC resonant circuit. Quick, where did I put Billy's green laser? And where can I get some silicon nitride? http://m.technologyreview.com/view/517336/physicists-detect-radio-waves-with-light/
Thanks to Jim, AB3CV, for sending us this.
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Laser
Monday, July 22, 2013
Earth as seen from Saturn
Look closely. We're the little dot. Photo taken July 19 2013 by the Cassini probe. People were waving! Really: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23914-shiny-happy-earth-photobombs-saturn-snapshot.html?cmpid=RSS|NSNS|2012-GLOBAL|online-news#.Ue2_i2DD-ic
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Saturn,
space program
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Tour of WLW 500,000 Watt Transmitter (video)
Well, you know that you are really in the high power big leagues when your transmitter requires a cooling pond, and you have to put on welding goggles before you examine your tubes! I especially liked the bit about how they built the transmitter BUILDING from the packing materials used to ship the transmitter (my operating desk is made from a box used to ship my HT-37!).
This is all really amazing. They built this thing less than ten years after the initial launch of commercial broadcast radio in the U.S.
Thanks a lot to Randy for doing this video and to the guys who gave the really excellent tour.
My apologies to the QRP purists who I know will have been deeply disturbed by this presentation.
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Old radio,
radio history,
Tubes,
video
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Oldest Drake 2B? (now with pictures)
Bill and
Soldersmoke readers,
One of the earliest and still surviving Drake 2Bs is owned by
Paul Brock (K4MSG) of Hamilton, Virginia.
Paul is very much into Boat Anchor
Ownership and Restoration.
If you are
interested, look at his write-up titled “The Magic of Boatanchors” http://www.k4lrg.org/Projects/Magic_of_Boatanchors/index.html
K4MSG’s
Drake 2B Receiver s/n 2052
In my perspective,
this receiver is still an absolute “Keeper.”
If anyone has
a Drake 2B older than Paul’s, we’d love to see it.
We have all
surmised that the first 2B was serial number 2000, from the first
production run back in April 1961.
Paul’s radio
could have easily been one of the first receivers to hit the market.
Interesting sidebar; The early 2B and 2As do not have the red scale
log scale adjustor button.
I remember these when they first hit the
market. They seemed so small compared to the Hammarlund, Hallicrafters and
National triple conversion receivers from the same era.
Most Old Timers felt they were not going
to get their monies worth with a tiny receiver sitting next to their big 60 to
100 Lb. transmitter.
In 1962, this was a very modern radio
both in style and performance. Coupled with the Q-Multiplier/Speaker you
had a superb receiver which worked extremely well on C.W., A.M. and S.S.B.
My first
experience with the Drake 2 B came at Skyview Radio Club near the
Pittsburgh, Pa area back in 1965.
Here is one
of those early ads that show the Drake 2B without the Red Scale Slider
Button.
Happy building and melting solder everyone.
73’s De
-=WA3EIB=- Harv. Albq., NM
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"
http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm
Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke
Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
SolderSmoke book for $16
QST gave the book a very nice review in their August edition. But they got the price of the paper edition wrong -- it is definitely not $45! The normal price is $20, but with the coupon code SOCIUS you can get it for $16 through 19 July.
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
book
Monday, July 15, 2013
Grayson's Thermatron Timeline
Our friend Grayson put a lot of effort into this very interesting timeline of tubes (aka valves, or thermatrons). Thanks Grayson!
http://hollowstatedesign.tumblr.com/
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
http://hollowstatedesign.tumblr.com/
Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm Our coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmoke Our Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20
Labels:
Old radio
Friday, July 12, 2013
book review in qst? GOT IT
Thanks to those who sent me the review. Got it.
I heard the August qst has a review of the soldersmoke book. I'm away
from home. Could someone email me the review? Thanks 73
I heard the August qst has a review of the soldersmoke book. I'm away
from home. Could someone email me the review? Thanks 73
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