Summer Sales

20% off on the Lulu books. Just use the Code SUNSHINE305 at checkout.

Also, be sure to visit out T-shirt, coffee mug, and bumper sticker store. There is a 15% off sale there also: http://shop.cafepress.com/soldersmoke

SolderSmoke Podcast #135 FDIM SPECIAL!

Please click on the little mail symbol down below to forward this blog post to friends who might be interested in the podcast. Thanks!

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke135.mp3
June 26, 2011
Bike riding, composting... what next?
Lightning kills the WSPR rig
New finder for old telescope
------SPECIAL FOUR DAYS IN MAY INTERVIEWS BY BOB CRANE W8SX:FEATURING:
Joe Taylor K1JT (Nobel Prize Winner -- FOR PHYSICS!)! Plumbing Defined Radio! Steve WG0AT: Fly Fishing, Retirement, Goats, YouTube, and Amateur Radio!
George Dobbs, G3RJV! And more! ----- Drake 2-B updates: WARC and 160 Dial Templates,
Drake 2B Serial Number Math Estimate Project (Using German tank method) Michael AA1TJ's Sputnik 1 Project
Putting the Shack back into RadioShack

Aurora in Cuba! The Carrington Event

The strongest geomagnetic storm on record is the Carrington Event of August-September 1859, named after British astronomer Richard Carrington who witnessed the instigating solar flare with his unaided eye while he was projecting an image of the sun on a white screen. Geomagnetic activity triggered by the explosion electrified telegraph lines, shocking technicians and setting their telegraph papers on fire; Northern Lights spread as far south as Cuba and Hawaii; auroras over the Rocky Mountains were so bright, the glow woke campers who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning. Best estimates rank the Carrington Event as 50% or more stronger than the superstorm of May 1921.

Here's a good story from Wired:
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2009/09/telegraphs-ran-on-electric-air-in-crazy-magnetic-storm-150-years-ago/

I liked the bit about the telegraph operators disconnecting their batteries and continuing to work on "aurora power"!

Solstice Solargraphs

That's a tough one for someone with a sibilant SSSSS problem! But we usually try to run a sssolstice ssstory, and I've been meaning to mention this for some time.

Very cool. You make a pinhole camera out of a beer can (or an Italian Lemonade Can). You strap it to your tower and leave it out there for six months. Then you develop the film and you get... A SOLARGRAPH.

http://inatarius.wordpress.com/2009/07/01/solargraph-building-guide/

Colin's FB Rig

Hi Bill,

I'm still enjoying your podcast very much - I have the T-shirt to prove it!

My parents bought me SolderSmoke the book for Christmas and I must echo other people's comments that it is very good and the explanations you give make a lot more sense than those in other technical publications.

Listening to your podcast got me thinking about radios again and I have nearly completed my first homebrewed transceiver project. It's all YOUR fault! I had a spare RockMite keyer chip in my junk box, so I thought I'd use it........... Take one small keyer chip and......... build a whole new radio!

Okay, I used Dave's (K1SWL) schematic, but I did not use any printed circuit boards and I have made some modifications to the circuit. I think I can class this as homebrew. I even made the twin paddle key! The only thing I didn't make from parts are the earphones, see http://www.flickr.com/photos/24901892@N03/5833428467/ There are more photos on the Flickr site too.

Looking forward to the next edition of the SolderSmoke podcast.

72/3

Colin
M0CGH

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.