AA1TJ: Hiking through Austria, Thinking about Sputnik

The Hero of the Hobbit Hole and Poet Laureate of QRP, Michael AA1TJ and his wife Vicki are hiking through Austria these days. Michael is on the air with a rig powered by one D-Cell battery. Now, I'd like to tell you guys that through some MIRACLE of electronics he sent us this video via that D-Cell rig, but it's not April 1. And even if it were April 1, I'd be reluctant to use that as my gag because, given Michael's high level of operating and technical skill, there is always the risk that he'd find a way to do actually do it!

Anyway, as he makes his way between ancient Roman signal towers and picturesque Austrian villages, Michael has been thinking (as you do) about the schematic diagram of the radio transmitter on the Sputnik satellite.

Gentlemen, we need this diagram. And it is not (GASP!) available on the supposedly all-knowing internet.

Here is Michael's message:

Hi Bill,

I've been thinking about "Sputnik Day" while hiking this past week or ten days. Bill, I think we've really got to do this. Many thanks for your help so far...the Kansas Connection is very tantalizing! I know you have a lot on your plate but if there is anyway you could move things along with the Kansas possibility it would be fantastic.

If we approach the museum in a professional manner...pointing out the historical necessity for properly documenting what they have, I can't see how they could refuse us. Next, we would need to assemble a team of technically competent (and appropriately diplomatic) amateurs to go in to photograph the transmitter and trace the schematic.

All the best to you and the family. Again, I think Sputnik Day could really fly...it has every aspect you could ask for...big history, home brew, QRP, contesting...

Any help or ideas from you would be most appreciated.

Tschuess, Mike, AA1TJ
Sent from my iPad

Is there somebody out there in Kansas who could take charge of this project? I agree with Michael: Essentially three steps:
1) Write to the Kansas Cosmodrome museum seeking permission to examine the innards of the satellite.
2) Once permission is granted, one or two guys could go and take detailed photos of the transmitter and gather as much data as possible about the rig.
3) From these pictures, we could trace out the diagram.

Not only will we have what we need for Michael's Sputnik Day construction project, but we'll be making a real contribution to radio history.

We don't want multiple approaches to the museum, so maybe it would be best for anyone who is willing to do this to contact me first.

This should be fun!

160 and WARC Dial Chart for Drake 2B

This post will, I know, be of interest only to a small, elite group: Drake 2B owners who are using their beloved receivers on frequencies beyond the range of the original design. I have used mine on both 30 meters and 17 meters, so when Mike KI8IK sent me the above chart, I immediately saw its usefulness. Thanks Mike.
Of course, with the rumored cancellation of sunspot cycle 25, the 17 meter portion of this chart may be of limited use :-(

Another Amazing AT&T Video

This one is more focused on history than on a particular bit of theory, but what a treasure trove of history there is in this 1976 flick! Walter Brattain (transistor inventor) reading from his lab notebook! Edison's lab assistant describing the first recording of human speech! Marconi's daughter! Alexander Graham Bell's granddaughter. You guys will like this one. Three cheers for AT&T!

http://techchannel.att.com/play-video.cfm/2011/2/14/AT&T-Archives-1976---To-Communicate-Is-The-Beginning

iSolderSmoke: SolderSmoke in the Apple iBookstore

"SolderSmoke: Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" is now available from the Apple iBookstore.

Summer Reading: Lulu Sale -- Save 20%

Time to stock up on summer reading. Lulu is running a 20% off sale through June 13. Use coupon code TOP305 to save 20%.

"SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" http://soldersmoke.com/book.htm

Don't just buy "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"
check out these other fine Knack-related publications:

http://stores.lulu.com/6sj7comics ("Lid, Kid, Space Cadet" "Sky Buddies" by Jeff K1NSS

http://stores.lulu.com/ian_g3roo (Ian, G3ROO's amazing antenna book)

http://www.lulu.com/copperwood ("Carl and Jerry" books -- scroll down a bit)

http://stores.lulu.com/soldersmoke (SolderSmoke and Bill's other book)

Big Eruption on the Sun

Beautiful Shuttle-ISS Shot

What a beautiful shot. It was taken on May 23 by Italian astronaut Paulo Nespoli from a Soyuz spacecraft. Bravo Paulo! Bella figura!

For a better (high res) view and more details, go here:
http://news.discovery.com/space/big-pic-shuttle-endeavour-docked-space-station-110607.html

The digipeater on the ISS has been picking up my little 2 meter APRS sigs and sending them back down.

Searching for the Sputnik Schematic

Mike, AA1TJ, has launched (!) yet another intriguing project. See below. In an effort to come up with the actual Sputnik schematic, I have thrown down the geek gauntlet to our fellow nerds at sci.space.history:

Greetings Space Historians!
We are a group of radio amateurs and we probably rival you in our
technical geeky-ness. We are now involved in an effort to re-create
and put on the airwaves replicas of the 20 MHz transmitters used in
Sputnik 1. (We will use the amateur radio 21 MHz band).
We are trying to find a schematic diagram for the transmitter. Can
you help us? Thanks.

------------------------
Gentlemen,

Arnie, CO2KK, told me last night that as a 15 year-old boy he'd made
it into the newspaper by picking up Sputnik's signal on his Hammarland
Super-Pro receiver.

Don Mitchell - a physicist now retired from the Bell Labs - also wrote
last evening to ask if I knew of a schematic diagram for the two
transmitters used on Sputnik-1. Mr. Mitchell maintains an informative
web site on the topic of Sputnik. Here, for example, is the link to
his page on the first of the series of "Travellers" to be lofted into
orbit in late 1957 into 1958.

http://www.mentallandscape.com/S_Sputnik1.htm

To the best of my knowledge the schematic for what may be the most
famous QRPp transmitter has never been published. It's a shame,
particularly as it would have been great fun to build an approximate
replica for use on the ham bands

However, I woke up this morning wondering why should we allow the lack
of an original schematic to stop us when there's plenty of descriptive
evidence available? "Spaceflight Magazine," for example, published a
wonderful article on the 50th anniversary of Sputnik. The story was
pieced together from original documents over a period of 20 years. You
may read the article here

http://faculty.fordham.edu/siddiqi/writings/siddiqi_sputnik_history_2007.pdf

"The two D-200 type radio transmitters operated on frequencies of
20.005 and 40.003 megacycles at wavelengths of 15 and 7.5 m. These
transmitters (which obviously used vacuum tubes) each had a power
intake of 1 watt and provided the famous “beep-beep-beep” sound to
Sputnik. The signals on both the frequencies were spurts lasting 0.2
to 0.6 seconds, and carried information on the pressure and
temperature inside the satellite; one set would transmit during the
“pauses” of the other."

"Despite objections from just about everyone, Gringauz insisted that
PS-1 carry a high frequency transmitter (the 20.005 MHz transmitter
operating in the decameter waveband) in addition to the VHF
transmitter (which had been commonly used on Soviet ballistic
missiles). ...In the end, Gringauz won over his opponents, partly
because everyone agreed that a high frequency
transmitter would ensure that the radio transmissions would be heard
around the world. The transmitter hardware was built by one
of Gringauz’ youngest engineers, Vyacheslav Lappo..."

>From other sources we know the transmitter used vacuum tubes rather
than transistors. This site mentions that when the received signal
level was quite strong, the presence of a back-wave while the other
transmitter was keyed could be noted.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat/features/sounds/firstsat.html

The RF oscillator, at a minimum, must have been free-running. So,
we're talking a vacuum tube crystal-controlled oscillator and a PA
having an input power of 1 watt. They may have used a PA driver stage,
or perhaps a frequency multiplier stage. If they did use a multiplier
then it must have been allowed to free-run as well. But given the
battery drain considerations, I would have done my best to reduce the
number of vacuum tube heaters, or filaments to a minimum. As such, I
think there's a fairly good chance this was a simple, MOPA design
(oscillator-> PA).

I found what might be a photograph of the transmitter on page 26 of
the December 1957 issue of the Soviet "Radio Magazine." Perhaps our
Russian speaking group members can confirm this and provide us with
other clues appearing in the article text? The magazine can be
downloaded at

http://publ.lib.ru/ARCHIVES/R/''Radio''/

Click-on ''Radio'',1957,N12.[djv].zip. The "zipped" December issue
appears in DJVU format. Don't miss the nice Sputnik cover art.

This re-post talks about the center-fed Vee dipole used (the 15m
transmitter used the 5.8meter dipole) among other things.

http://hamradio.mybb.ru/viewtopic.php?id=625

Getting to get the point, this morning I woke up thinking about how
plentiful vintage Russian military tubes are these days. Remember how
inexpensive US military surplus used to be? That's how it is right now
with Russian components (and the characteristics of some of these
tubes are simply amazing). All I can say is get 'em while they're hot,
as it surely won't last forever.

It also came to me that Expanded Spectrum Systems sells an HC49
crystal cut for 21060kHz for two and a half-bucks each.

Finally, I remarked to myself that propagation-wise, 15m may well be
open for business come the 54th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik-1
next October the 4th.

You've probably guessed by now what I'm going to propose. We have
plenty of time to throw together a simple 15m CW vacuum-tube
transmitter having an input power of 1w or less. We could use any
tubes that we like but I'm going to build mine using 1950's vintage
ex-Soviet devices. I plan to power mine with one or two of those
ubiquitous 12V sealed-lead-acid batteries. I'll VXO my crystal and
I'll let it free-run during transmit; both for historical reasons and
to improve the signal quality.

Perhaps some of the antenna gurus here would lend a hand by modeling
and testing something akin to the original 70 degree Vee dipole? Would
this be a practical antenna?

I propose that beginning on "Sputnik Day" we launch our 1 watt Sputnik
clones on 15m CW. Instead of calling CQ, our call could be along the
lines of "Beep_Beep_Beep_Beep_Beep_Beep de AA1TJ". In other words, six
letter E's followed by our call sign. Given that I can barely organize
the socks in my underwear drawer, perhaps someone skilled at
organizing events would take up the cause?

One more thing. Poking around on Google last night, I was struck by
how many people remarked that the experience of Sputnik had changed
their lives. Some decided to become engineers, scientists or amateur
radio operators. I didn't know it at the time, but Sputnik changed the
way that I was educated. Not only did this little QRPp transmitter
make a tremendous impact on the world, but radio amateurs were front
and center. It seems appropriate that we should commemorate this
extraordinary day in the history of QRPp.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHaJDuq6tBM

(they were seeing the orbiting booster stage rather than the satellite)

Sputnik Mania...the complete film in two parts (warning...contains
some political "button-pushing")Greetings Space Historians!
We are a group of radio amateurs and we probably rival you in our
technical geeky-ness. We are now involved in an effort to re-create
and put on the airwaves replicas of the 20 MHz transmitters used in
Sputnik 1. (We will use the amateur radio 21 MHz band).
We are trying to find a schematic diagram for the transmitter. Can
you help us? Thanks.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jI5RBRWIOE

If I happen to learn more about the original transmitter I'll be sure
and post it on my blog or web site. I found particularly interesting
the fact that WWV interrupted some of their 20MHz transmissions in
order to accommodate Sputnik's signal; a gentlemanly thing to do

As for the possibility of an event along these line, any comments or
discussion is most welcome. I plan to make a start on my little
Sputnik sender upon my return from vacation in July.
Greetings Space Historians!
We are a group of radio amateurs and we probably rival you in our
technical geeky-ness. We are now involved in an effort to re-create
and put on the airwaves replicas of the 20 MHz transmitters used in
Sputnik 1. (We will use the amateur radio 21 MHz band).
We are trying to find a schematic diagram for the transmitter. Can
you help us? Thanks.
Ha...I just received several fairly good-quality color photos of the
original Sputnik transmitters! At first glance it looks as though they
used two subminiature pencil tubes! The quartz crystal looks very
similar to our HC-18/u package. The RF portion is very simple in
appearance. In fact, it reminds me of something you'd find in a 1950's
ARRL Mobile Radio Manual! ;o)

The fellow who sent these apparently has a contact with one of the
original Sputnik (non-electronic) hardware designers; who is said to
be "still very much alive." My contact is going to make an inquiry
with his Russian contact about the transmitter.

Very cool...

73/72,
Mike, AA1TJ

Radio Telescope Ausie Eye Candy

Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter viewed from the ATCA on 16th May, 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsGJFlTFGhI

Wow, this video is really beautiful. The astronomers out there are setting the bar quite high -- this is the second really spectacular production of this kind that we've seen in the last week. Reminds me of one of my favorite movies: The Dish

Homebrew VHF Phone from Down Under

Here's some beautiful discrete component DSB VHF homebrew from John, VK3AJG:
----
Hi Bill,
I know you like DSB transceivers, so I'm sending you a link to my 144Mhz
DSB transceiver which I've just completed.
Thought I would try and see if I could get the same circuits I use on HF
to work on VHF, turns out they do with a few minor tweaks.
Anyway here it is: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~jgprice/2M-DSB.html

Keep up the good work, love listening to your show.
Cheers
John Price
VK3AJG

Copenhagen Rocket Launched!

From New Scientist:

Original post from 1618 GMT:

A rocket built by a group of Danish space enthusiasts has successfully launched on a short flight high above its sea-based launch platform.

The non-profit organisation Copenhagen Suborbitals built the rocket for around £42,000. They hope to eventually fly a human on a suborbital flight to space using a beefed-up version of the rocket, which is just big enough for one person.

Their first launch attempt a year ago failed to achieve lift-off due to a malfunctioning hairdryer used as a heater inside the rocket.

But their second try on Friday was a success. A video of the flight can be viewed here.

In the video, the rocket can be seen lifting off from its launch pad on the Baltic Sea and soaring high into the sky amid cheers. "We're going supersonic!" someone is heard saying shortly after lift-off.

A few minutes later, the rocket is seen splashing down in the ocean.

Though the rocket itself seems to have performed well, the parachute meant to slow its return to Earth does not appear to have fully opened. "There has been mission anomalies – we are now analysing," someone says in the video.

It was not immediately clear how high the rocket flew. The goal was an altitude of about 15 kilometres.

But the launch team was clearly thrilled with the flight. "The joy is just so huge," Peter Madsen of Copenhagen Suborbitals told Denmark's TV 2, according to a Google translation.

"We've written a little piece of history," added Kristian von Bengtsen, also of Copenhagen Suborbitals.

Amateur Manned Spaceflight?

Initially, I had my doubts about this one... Intriguing as it is, when I watched the video, I was struck by how similar their "just build it" approach is to my own. You know, build first, design later... Well, we have seen the results here, and I wouldn't want my life to depend on it! But who am I to judge? And the rockets they have produced are really impressive. Check it out. And there is an amateur radio homebrew connection.
Thanks Lars!
-------------------

Hi Bill
I thought that you might be interested in following the guys at:
http://www.copenhagensuborbitals.com/

It is an amateur group with the mission of sending a human into space - I guess that there are quite a few knack victims among them ;-)

They are about to launch a test rocket in a few days, and they are quite serious about what they are doing!

Actuallly you have come across one of them, their electronics guy is OZ2CPU who has the picture of the opened SBL-1 DBM on his website http://webx.dk

Vy 72/73 de Lars OZ1CJX / OZ9G / 5Q5RP