Book Recommendation: "Martian Summer" by Andrew Kessler

I took this book with me to the Dominican Republic this summer, and I really enjoyed it.  Kessler has an unusual, very funny, self-deprecating writing style.  He is not a scientist nor an engineer, but he is given access to the inner sanctums of the Mars Phoenix mission, and spends an entire summer watching and documenting the work of the people running this mission.  

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Amateurfunk -- Ham Radio in Germany in 1955

Ah, those were the days!  The bands were in good shape and hams built their own gear.  
Don't let the language barrier deter you -- this German language video is really a lot of fun and worth watching.  It provides a nice look at the hobby as it was 60 years ago. Thanks to Stephen and Michael for alerting me to this.    

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An SWL QSL

I always like to get QSL cards from shortwave listeners.   I suppose this has to do with my broadcaster tendencies.  I blame Jean Shepherd for this.  Owen heard my K2ZA DX-100 on 40 meter AM. 

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Hallicrafters' Radio-Erotica

Wow, back in the day the marketing suits from Hallicrafters apparently really knew how to attract the attention of 15 year-old guys interested in short-wave listening.  Could that ad have ever possibly run in stuffy old QST?  It certainly would have attracted my attention.  I suspect many a young amateur would have been looking to sign up for a DX-pedition. Thanks to Bob, KD4EBM, for alerting us to this unusual bit of 1950s radio-erotica.    

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Eddy's "Salvage Super"

I had our friend Grayson (in Turkey) in mind when I put Eddy's messages about this "thermitron" receiver on the blog.  

Here's my version of the famed "Mate for the Mighty Midget": http://www.gadgeteer.us/erart.htm 

Hi Bill,

Many thanks for the FB note...

Well, I think my buddy VE3CSK is 99% "hooked" on the notion of making an MFTMM receiver for himself---and that's a good thing. That rascal of a rig is pretty much fool-proof, & the design sure does lend itself to no end of enhancements / improvements / changes / mods! I should know: with my set-up here I added AVC, and extra IF stage, an extra stage of AF, more pre-selection, etc. etc. etc.

As for selectivity, I simply incorporated regeneration in the 2nd IF stage: with judicious tweaking of the BFO, one can achieve a near single-signal selectivity effect that is GLORIOUS on CW. I guess one can make these things as complicated---or as simple!---as we might chose to do, yet further proof of the flexibility of this receiver.

I've taken some jpegs of my set-up here, and am attaching them herewith for your perusal. I like the notion of using these rigs on 80- and 40-meter AM, too---but am presently somewhat "distracted" with the task of re-inking my main tuning dial for my 1929-style superhet.

I think my next step in my MFTMM receiver here will be the addition of an internal 125 VDC power supply---most likely will mount the components inside, on one of the vertical sides (still LOTSA room there!). I have a FB Hammond power transformer that'd be perfect for the job, & I won't have to connect / dis-connect / re-connect its current out board power supply (that I use with other peripherals, too---a REAL pain by times).

~73~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ

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Mates for Mighty Midgets

Hi Bill,

Gosh, we haven't exchanged e-mails for---literally---years now...! You may recall me from those heady days of yore when we both worked on / built / modified / boast of our respective MFTMM receivers...

A good friend of mine---Bill, VE3CSK---is in the process of collecting parts for an HB receiver, & I've been trying to sell him on the idea of an MFTMM: I keep telling him it's an excellent "foundation" receiver, & that it'll prove to be much more than a toy, or pleasant diversion, if he leaves enough room on the chassis & the front panel for future mods. I think I may be finally winning him over: he's asked me for the references to the rig, & has placed an order for a National-brand slide rule dial with a fellow Stateside!

Do you still have your receiver, Bill...? If so, do you have any nuggets of info that might be worth sharing re. it, that I could pass onto Bill...?

I've since built yet another superhet here---in keeping with my interest in 1929-ish radios, I built this thing, & have been having a ball ever since: http://www.superhets.info/page9.html

This rascal can REALLY play---but it's a LOT larger than my MFTMM rig!

~73!~ de Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ

-------------------------------------
Hello Eddy!  Great to hear from you.  I like you FB page on the Super Hets.  Beautiful. 

Yes, I still have my MMRX.  Haven't used it for a while, but I am thinking of putting it back in operation -- I am now getting active on 75 and 40 AM, and it would be fun to use this RX. 

Here is an idea:   The 455 kc filter crystals are now un-obtanium.  But I'm thinking that we could substitute some 455 kc ceramic filters, which are readily available.

I like the receiver.  A lot.  So far it is my only real tube HB project.  Encourage your friend to give it a go!  

Keep me posted!  73  Bill  

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Save 20% on SolderSmoke, The Book

Go to http://www.soldersmoke.com/book.htm for more info.  Use the Coupon Code to save 20% when buying from Lulu. 

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

W1GQL, Cyrillic Morse, and HEX Beams

 

I've been hearing a lot about hex beams,  and I think I'd like to build one.  Maybe for 17 and 20 meters.  
W1GQL has a lot of good info on these antennas on his site.  I also found his discussion of Russian CW to be very interesting: 
 What I really like to do with my CW, however is to operate CW in the Russian language. Years ago I taught myself the cyrillic morse code and can use it. Not as fast as the International Morse code but at a usable speed of maybe 15-20 wpm. I have had many contacts with Russian stations and really surprised them coming back to them in fluent Russian. It turns out that Russian hams nowadays don't use the cyrillic morse code often and are no longer even required to learn it to get their licenses. Newer Russian hams don't even understand their own language well in CW. But if you can hitch up with an older ham that does, it is great. I had a QSO a few years ago with a ham licensed right after WW2. He told me that our QSO in Russian was the very first one he had ever had with someone outside Russian using cyrillic morse code. That gives you and idea of how unusual it is. Russian hams use the International morse code when communicating with each other even.

     Switching from International CW to cyrillic CW can blow your mind. To send a Russian V you use our W. If you send a V it is actually their letter with the sound "zh". A C becomes their letter for the "TS" sound. Their letter for the "SH" sound is four dashes. Their letter for the "CH" sound is three dashes and a dot. Send our H and you get a Russian X. Send an X and you get a Russian softsign and so on. Gets confusing until you have done it for a while. I have a lot of fun with it. I wish the propagation were better now. I don't get as many solid Russian QSOs as I did when the sunspot numbers were higher.

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Curiosity Puts Morse Code in the Martian Dust

Jim, K1KJW, and others alerted me to this very cool move by the inventive minds at JPL.  They put a Morse Code pattern in the tire treads of the Curiosity rover.   So now as it drives around, it spells out JPL in the Martian regolith.  
 http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/news/msl20120829f.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

Singapore Knack

Bunnie Huang has The Knack.  This was confirmed when, with obvious delight, he said that he'd found in China a book of schematic diagrams of a wide variety of laptops.  He then studied said schematics and endeavored to understand the role played by one transistor in the LED display of one of the computers.  KNACK CONFIRMED!  Somebody get Bunnie a ham license!  Cool video.  

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

Give the Moon a Wink for Neil Armstrong

As I'm sure is the case with many of you, Neil Armstrong was one of my childhood heroes.   Neil passed away yesterday.   His family made a very nice request for those wishing to do something on the occasion of his passing:

"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

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SolderSmoke on Tinkernation

SolderSmoke is on the Tinkernation web site: 
http://www.tinkernation.com/your-story/bill-meara-homemade-radios-and-magic-carpets/#more-698
(Note that SPRAT is in both pictures.)

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