Fire Breathing Billy!

Don't worry.  It's just corn starch.

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

F8VOA's BITX-20 (and FB Workbench)

A beautiful rig on a really nice workbench! http://www.qsl.net/f8voa/
Don't miss the details of the BITX construction. You have to click the little orange arrows along the right of the page: http://www.qsl.net/f8voa/Bitx%20presentation.html

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Billy got the Arduino going!

LED from AL7RV. Thanks Jim!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Homebrew CPU

From the site: I understood these computers well, but the processor itself was still a mystery. I wanted to understand that part too, at the logic gate level. I sometimes thought about making my own processor, and designed small instruction sets and instruction formats. But the task seemed beyond the grasp of a hobbyist such as myself.

http://cpuville.com/index.htm

Note the "Homebuilt CPU Web Ring!" FB!

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Motor Knack: 11 Months, 3000 Pictures and a lot of coffee

Very nice video. It is comforting to know that we are not alone in our obsession with technology and gear.

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

QRP in the Country (Somerset, England)

From the folks who bring us "Hot Iron":

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

Ladies and Gentlemen,

QRP in the Country will take place on Jul 15th at Upton Bridge Farm, Long Sutton, Langport, Somerset TA10 9NJ despite the weather! The cattle sheds have been cleaned and it will be indoors if the WX stays bad! The farm gate opens at 10 am so dont be put off by a little rain!

Don't forget to bring your entries for the Ten Part Receiver Challenge! Lots of interesting things to see displayed by individuals and Clubs. There is still room for a few more 'stalls' if you want one.

Hope to see you, Tim Walford G3PCJ

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

ARDUSAT: Arduino In SPAAACE!

Billy's Arduino Uno board arrived yesterday and he has been working on getting the LED to blink. (We bought the board with funds generated by people who have been entering Amazon through the SolderSmoke blog site -- thanks.) We really like the little Italian board. On it you will find a map of Italy, including Sardinia and Sicily. And there is a notation on the board noting that its production was carbon neutral. Bravi!

The video above shows one of the cooler applications of the Arduino board.

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

VE3ICH's Ugly Weekender

Wow Jeff -- thanks for the kind words in the credits.

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

A BITX-20 Emerges from the SolderSmoke

It's  not mine -- I haven't started yet.  But Robert sent us this picture and progress report on his BITX-20  project. (Nice Tek scope in the background.  Is that a 465?)
---------------------------
Dear Mr. Meara,
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences in
SolderSmoke. I found your book (kindle version), to be entertaining and
inspirational. The amateur radio bug bit me hard early this year, earned
my tech & general in January, extra in February. Asking myself "Where
has this wonderful hobby been all my life"?
    Especially want you to know that because of the reference of the
Bitx20 in your book, I built one (kit from India), and made my very
first hf contact using a homebrew rig and homebrew dipole antenna. The
thrill was absolutely fantastic! Attached is a picture of my bitx20
moments after making my very first hf contact ever between northern
Alabama (my QTH), and the Calgary Alberta radio club about 2k miles
away.
Please take some credit for being part of the inspiration!
    Note, my bitx20 is now packaged and portable, next project will
is a QRP antenna tuner, and buying a commercial "fancy" HF transceiver.
Thanks again!
Sincerely,
Robert Conklin

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

AA1TJ -- As always, in the Vanguard

Here is a recent e-mail exchange between Michael, AA1TJ, and Dale, W4OP.  (Dale happens to be the fellow who built the W1FB Barebones Superhet that I am currently using on 17 meters. Details on this caper appear in SolderSmoke -- The Book). 


----------------------------------------------------
From AA1TJ: 


Wahoo...Dale, you amazing!

You are my first QSO with the Vanguard 1 reproduction satellite beacon transmitter. My circuit is a fairly close copy of the one shown on the lower left-hand corner of the 1959 CQ Magazine article (notice the output signal pick-off shown in this schematic is incorrect, or at least incomplete). My circuit uses link-coupled output impedance matching, which is similar to the only other documentation that I was able to dig up. The attached image "Early_Microlock_Bcn.jpg" was snipped from an original NASA report on the transmitter used in early airborne and sub-orbital tests leading up to the Vanguard flights. 

Yes, you heard correctly. I'm using a Philco 2N504 surface-barrier transistor, but please let me back up a bit. 

Roger Easton (a native Vermonter...and still resides here!) was at the helm of the communications development for the Vanguard/Minitrack project. Of the Vanguard "grapefruit" satellite beacon transmitters, he wrote in the May 2008 issue of High Frontier magazine

"We tried subminiature tube transmitters first. They worked marginally. Finally, Bell Telephone/Western Electric developed a very nice transistor for the task, and the problem was solved." 

However, that leaves out a small detail. They first tried Philco surface-barrier transistors, which worked fine on the bench, however two problems were discovered. They were found to be too temperature sensitive; the RF output power from the one-stage transmitter dropped excessively at elevated temps. Secondly, there was some issue with the packaging that produced erratic operation when the transistor was rotated positionally. The Western Electric devices proved better on both counts. 

The WE transistor appears to be "unobtainium" these days. That, plus the fact that my circuit won't be flying up to space anytime soon, prompted me to settle on a Philco 2N504. Although my device was manufactured in September of 1959 (Vanguard TV-4 - re-Christened "Vanguard 1" - first orbited on March 17, 1958), the 2N504 was an off-the-shelf item on the launch-date.

The only other obvious difference is the Vanguard 1 beacon circuit operated on 108MHz, whereas mine is presently working on 14.0596MHz. I recently had it running as a beacon on 10m for 48 hours but I had no luck given present band conditions.

The receiver is a simple, 0-V-0 regenerative set using a single Raytheon QF721 (fabricated in February 1953). I heard little activity on 20m when I started up my auto-keyer this morning. I had it looping 3X1 CQs whilst I worked on another project. To make matters more difficult, the exhaust fan was running in my shop and it happened to be raining heavily when you called. Worse yet, the receiver had drifted off my calling frequency by the time you called. I barely discerned a high-pitched CW "1" or "J"...which prompted me to quickly switch off the fan and re-tune. You were subsequently a solid 579. 

Of course my heart jumped when I heard you calling me...how I love that feeling! And it was a fabulous QSO so far as I'm concerned. Following our contact I opened my metal index card file box and pulled out the QSL that you sent to me following our "Code Talker" QSO. To think I now have another happy memory to add to that one! Thank you once again, Dale. It figures you'd be the one to pick-off my unannounced presence on the 20m QRP calling frequency with 25mW. Well done, OM. 

Also, you might enjoy this video of the actual launch, including some interesting control room audio banter. It may be found here: http://www.nrl.navy.mil/vanguard50/index.php. The way at least one of them nervously repeats, "Keep going baby!" gives some indication of the pressure these guys were under...having failed so spectacularly on two previous occasions. 

All the best,
Mike, AA1TJ    
        

On Mon, Jun 25, 2012 at 11:51 AM, Dale Parfitt wrote:

Hi Michael,

That was fun!

I first heard you on my SG-2020 rig, but did not have a paddle handy, so I fired up the K3. I don't ever recall having QRN on 20M, but it was  bad. Without it, you were 579 and even with it, 569 towards the end of the QSO.

I just happened to be QRV on 060 listening when I heard your CQ's. Not bad for a 25mW signal from (I think you said) a Philco transistor.

73,

Dale W4OP

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

Good Emergency Advice from Her Majesty's Government

I thought of this during our recent bout with the "Derecho" storm and the subsequent power outage. It is not really from HMG of course -- it is actually the work of Carl, 2E0TEC. But I'm sure HMG would be on-board with the "musn't grumble" "stiff upper lip" spirit of the poster. Now if I could only get my soldering iron to run off the solar-charged 12 volt gel cell....

Our book: "SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics"http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Hit By Storm

On Friday night the Washington DC area was hit hard by a very powerful line of thunderstorms.  It brought down trees and powerlines all around the area. Fortunately, my dipoles were spared.   But we were "off the grid" for about 48 hours.  Let me tell you, it is no fun at all.  I am now in the market for a generator and would appreciate recommendations (gasoline?  natural gas?)  I was re-introduced to the joys of 2 meter FM.   I thought my smart phone would keep us connected to the net, but AT&T apparently lost some of its towers in our area, so for a while, the only way we could have called for help would have been via 2 meter FM.

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