Curiosity's Descent to Mars

Maybe it's because I've done some parachuting myself... I was really blown away by this picture.  Taken by the Mars Orbiter as Curiosity descended.

And here is the initial low-res video from the rover itself.  Very cool.


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Completely Homebrew Cuban Ham Station

Wow, OM Orlando even homebrewed the rotor controller... AND THE ROTOR!  FB!  Thanks to Ernie, AJ4BP, for alerting us to this.  For more info and photos, go to CM6OMA's QRZ.com page. 

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Curiosity Goes for the Gold!

The Olympics are fun but the real big event tonight will be the rover Curiosity's landing on Mars.  
What an amazing machine!   The Atlantic has a collection of photos guaranteed to get you psyched for the descent to Mars and the exploration that will follow.  Fingers crossed!  

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How many hams in China? Not many.

I've been wondering about amateur radio in mainland China.  Given the very large population, and the high levels of technical and engineering activity, you'd expect to see evidence of more ham radio activity from that country.  Sure, there are plenty of commercial rigs manufactured there, but I've never seen an article about a Chinese homebrew rig, or a reprint from a Chinese ham radio magazine.   I did some Googling, and unfortunately found out that my suspicions are correct:  There are very few Chinese radio amateurs.  

What a pity!  Imagine the great rigs and circuits that would come out of that country.   


Here are the numbers from from a 2009 IARU report (authored by the Chinese Radio Sports Association:

The total number of individual amateur radio stations in the mainland of China is about 19,000, while the number of active club stations is 124， as counted in March 2009. In fact there are over 10,000 new comers get amateur radio station licenses each year, the total number of certified amateur operators during the past 10 years is accumulated as over 70,000. However, as the license is valid for 2 years and about the same number of previous licensees did not renew their license in time in each year, the net population of valid transmitting amateur radio station appears almost flat.

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Report from Dover Construction Club

GM Bill,

Dover Construction Club lads all send their regards! We're still gong strong but summer is always a bit slack.

Young Neil has built himself a HUNTER SDR receiver, the rest of us are involved on projects but often chin wagging takes preference and little gets done..... Merv is the big offender of course, not me!

I'm working on a big linear for my 160m winter fun.... using a Russian triode.... of course it will loaf along at 400W, our legal limit.

Nigel is now the other side of the country but he's still involved and considers himself an active member. Building like mad but still not doing the important thing of bashing on with his Morse. He's getting better and that was proved last night.

Peter came round with his new KX3 and we put it on the air..... We worked Nigel and he insisted that he did not use his morse reader..... I could be ingratious and say there may have been a little 'porky pie' (lie, sorry, London cockney slang!) It might have been running on the side of the bench but he didn't look at it!

I have a KX3 on order and expect that in the next few weeks..... I've gone for the kit.

While on holiday my ic 7200 burst into flames..... well, filled the house with smoke! The PSU had gone to 22v and the PA board did not like it. It's a real mess inside but surprisingly enough there are few internal problems.... a few charred caps on various boards and one 9v reg giving 8volts but the Rx still works!

The Tx works up to the PA board as well! It was insured and they have paid up so I might order a new PA board and keep that in the workshop as the rig down there.

I've started to downsize as well.... I have far too much gear.... I've got 160 Morse keys for a start and use four of them!

Sorry, in rabbit mode..... 73 for now

Ian, G3ROO and GB2SPY (oh, and KG3ROO and G0ROO).... and DCC lads

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SolderSmoke Podcast #145

SolderSmoke Podcast #145 (July 29, 2012) is available

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke145.mp3

-- Derecho Storm hits Northern Virginia

-- Cappuccio impersonates a Pitt Bull

-- July 4 Fireworks

-- A 17 Meter QSO with W5JAY (QRP Hall of Famer)

-- Rules of Thumb for Decoupling Caps (.1 uF now suspect)

-- Heathkit: Mic jack? Or Mike jack? (Who is this Mike guy?)

-- On the air with the K2ZA DX-100

-- Saturnian Sidewalk Astronomy

-- NJQRP "Chat With The Designers" -- Mandatory Listening!

-- Back with the ARRL: Goodwill Transmitters and Herring Aid Receivers

-- Billy's computer build and Arduino adventures

-- Fixing up NE602 20 meter DC rig

-- Join G-QRP! Support our SPRAT!

-- MAILBAG

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

Our Electric Vocabulary

Bob, W8SX, alerted us to this really excellent video. You guys will like it. Thanks Bob!

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UPDATE: HW-7 Fixed After 36 Years

Dave Oldham had sent us a report on his resurrection of a long-broken HW-7. I responded by saying that the FCC should give him a license on the spot, based solely on his HW-7 success. Well, Dave got his license (by the normal procedures) and has put his rig on the air. Here is Dave's report:

Update -- Granted a license today. Couldn't wait to make a contact. Took just a couple of minutes. Heard Dave, N9KKY, calling CQ and I answered him and he heard me. The very first contact this old radio has ever made. Based on his location he was 237 miles from me as the crow flies. My dipole is between 12' to 18' off the ground, so it was NVIS since Dave was off the ends of my wire. Anyway, between whipping the dial back and forth to hear and be heard plus other close stations and my newb status to both sending and receiving Morse, the QSO was short and mostly missed by me. But it was neat hearing my new call sign, KC9WIP, come back to me on this ole girl...I'm happy! 73

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KJ6VU Talks about Microcontrollers at Dayton

Podcast listeners will recall that George, KJ6VU, of Sierra Radio Systems, was a sponsor of SolderSmoke. When I was running George's announcements, I felt kind of bad about the fact that I really didn't have a good feel for the product, or how I might use it. I've also felt guilty about the fact that I haven't yet put to use the HamStack starter kit that George sent me.

I feel that the time is coming for me to redeem myself. The radio gods are pushing me in the direction of microcontrollers:

1) Billy is getting into them.

2) This weekend, for no apparent reason, I started working on my old N3ZI Digital Dial (a gift from Jerry, NR5A). It is built around a microprocessor.

3) I need a new frequency generator.

4) I came across George's video (above)

In the video, George does a great job of explaining how microcontrollers can be used in ham radio. In answering the last question from the audience, he explains the differences between microcontrollers and the new Raspberry Pi boards.

Great stuff! Thanks George!

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Valve line-up of British Homebrew Rig

A number of electro-archeologists out there have asked about the valves found in the old British homebrew rig I presented yesterday. Here you go:

Mic amp: ECC83

What I think is the modulator: EL84

Suspected oscillator: M8162 also marked as 12AT7 WA UJ

What looks like the driver: EL85

Final: QQVC3.10

I'll try to determine the resonant frequency of the tuned circuits.

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Beautiful British Homebrew (with Valves!)

I was rummaging around the junkbox and I found this gem. I probably bought it at the Kempton Park rally in London. I think it is an AM transmitter for VHF. Maybe 6 meters? Or perhaps that British 70 MHz band? What do you guys think? Can anyone estimate the frequency from the size of the coils?

I think the workmanship is beautiful. The technique of putting the tube sockets on a copper clad board is interesting. I wonder why he did that -- obviously he wasn't afraid of metal work. Look at that cable harness work! FB! It's too bad the builder didn't mark it with his call.

Anyone recognize the design? Any idea when this was built? For bonus points: Who built it?

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The Antenna that Brought us Apollo 11

July 20/21 seemed like a good day to point to the beautiful shot of the Parkes Radio Telescope Dish, the magnificent Australian antenna that brought us the video from the Apollo 11 moon walk.  Like many of you, I was watching.   Three cheers for The Dish!  Three cheers for Apollo 11!


http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap120719.html


As we've mentioned, this antenna and the Apollo 11 reception are the basis of a really nice movie called -- THE DISH.  Get it here:



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