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Sunday, May 31, 2020

QCX SSB -- But How Much QCX Remains?



Hack-A-Day carried a very nice video describing recent efforts to turn Hans Summers' amazing QCX CW monoband transceiver into a multi-mode, multi-mode (including SSB) rig (see above).   This is project will greatly interest QCX and SDR fans.  

But I wondered how much of the old QCX is still there after the modification.  Not much, it turns out.  

Here is the bloc diagram of the QCX.  It is essentially a phasing rig, using the same principles as my venerable HT-37 transmitter and my version of KK7B's R2 receiver: 


Yesterday Paul VK3HN sent me the schematic of the new multi-mode, multi-band version:  

Notice how different it is.   I thought that perhaps the new rig would keep something of the I-Q circuitry of the QCX, but it does not.  This is not a criticism, just an observation.  

But here is something that harks back to a topic we've been debating on the blog and podcast.  Notice that the top diagram is a bloc diagram.  There is a lot of circuitry in most of those boxes -- lots of resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transistors.   There is a schematic diagram under that bloc diagram.  But look at the second diagram.  While it looks like one, that one is NOT a bloc diagram. That IS the schematic diagram.  Most of the circuity has been sucked into the chips.  

While many will prefer the rig described by the second diagram, I remain an HDR guy, and don't really like seeing the circuitry disappear into the ICs.  But, to each his own.  This is all for fun.  Congratulations to the guys working on the new rig. 


AJ4SN Homebrew


OM Stan AJ4SN reports that his operating position is on the left. The workbench is on the right.  FB. 


I like the Turner +3 Transistorized microphone. 

Thanks to Ed B. for the link. 



Saturday, May 30, 2020

An Amazing Catalog of Circuits from HA5KHC


HA5KHC is a club station in Budapest, Hungary.  The photo above shows a portion of their worshop.  The link below is for their really amazing collection of links to ham radio circuits. 

http://konstruktor.ha5khc.hu/linkgyujtemeny/linkgyujtemeny.htm

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Tribal Wisdom from KE3IJ


Lots of homebrew wisdom on OM Rick's web site.  Excerpts: 

----------------
Why am I not on the air as much as I'm tinkering with toy radio circuits? Well, if some of the hams reading this don't mind my saying so, the manners of many of the people using the bands these days leaves so much to be desired that I often find more pleasure in futzing around with "minimal" QRP [low-power] ham-band transmitters and receivers, as well as good-old AM broadcast receivers, than in getting on the air anymore. 

So I've found a certain twisted fascination with trying to build the simplest pieces of junk possible, and seeing what I can pick up with them. I usually start by drawing a rough schematic on paper, then tack-soldering a haywire "spider-web" of components, as a 'first pass,' and then I rebuild the circuit more neatly once its design is finalized.

It still amazes me that we can connect some modified "rocks and sticks" together (that's basically what copper wire, silicon transistors, etc. really are, when you think about it) and hear voices and music magically appear out of nowhere...
-------------

He has many regen circuits.   And his Drake 2-B dial skirt looks just like mine.  

Visit Rick's site:  http://ke3ij.com/radios.htm


Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Antennas, Money, and Ham Psychology


During SolderSmoke Podcast #222, Pete lamented the fact that many hams are willing to spend significant amounts of money on "manufactured" dipole antennas that are little more than pieces of wire.  Tony Fishpool G4WIF sent a graphic on the wire antenna he uses (see above).  He also shared an anecdote about G5RV antennas and G-QRP Club founder George Dobbs:  

From Tony: 

The aerial that I’ve had so much fun with, an End Fed Half Wave, cost me £8 ($9.80) for the toroid and the rest came from the junk box. The reel of wire was probably a £1  ($1.25) from a radio rally. You never pay big money for wire at a rally. People take it there to get rid of
it!

It covers 80m and all  harmonically related bands.
My garden is too small so I cheated by using some linear loading to
make it fit. (on the back fence).

WIth 5 watts CW on 40m I can hit the USA reverse beacons most mornings.

It was about £9 ($11) to make - but if you count the Spiderbeam

12m pole, it  was another £98 ($120).

I have a little George Dobbs story relating to aerials. Probably around
15-20 years ago. He was speaking at a radio club near to me so I went along to support
 him and have a beer with afterward.

He gave his usual entertaining (and always funny) talk during which he
paused - and said, as if in confidence to the audience:

“Do you know, I’ve heard, and I don’t know if it is true, that there are
people who actually pay real money for a pre-made G5RV”

I swear that it went very quiet and there may even have been the odd foot
shuffled.    Tony
---------------------------------------------------------

Coincidentally Mike, WU2D put out a VERY ILLUMINATING YouTube video on the psychological aspects of ham radio operators and their antennas.  Here it is:





Emilio's Mirror of JF1OZL's Site

JF1OZL's site was for many years a real treasure trove and source of inspiration for homebrewers around the world.  It recently disappeared from the internet.  And I find no listing for JF1OZL on QRZ.com.   I hope Kazuhiro is OK.  

Emilio in Mexico has put up a mirror site.  Thanks Emilio.  We need to protect and preserve JF1OZL's work. 

https://www.emilio.com.mx/jf10zl/

Here is a SolderSmoke blog post on Kazuhiro from 2011: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2011/12/homebrew-hero-kazuhiro-sunamura-jf1ozl.html

Saturday, May 23, 2020

SolderSmoke Podcast #222 Antennas, Phasing, VFOs, 2-Bs, 6 years of N6QW, MAILBAG

After 46 years, finally a dial skirt

SolderSmoke Podcast #222 is available:  

No travelogue but… SolderSmoke Almanac!

Memorial Day in U.S.

End of Ramadan so Eid Mubarak! 

#222 marks SIX YEARS of Julian-ismo.  He started on SS 161.  Thanks Pete. 

Thanks to all who sent good wishes on Billy's graduation.  He heads to Boston and the lab in a week or so.  Very proud. 
------------------------------------------
Bill was on Ham Radio WorkBench Podcast  
 ----------------------------------------- 

PETE'S WORKBENCH
-- Antenna Ideas -- Don't Buy that $165 dollar dipole!  It is just wire!   
-- THE PHASING RIG. Does this point to a need for meditation?  Or at least some temporary disengagement? Tribal wisdom from Pete. 
-- DEAN KK4DAS's rig.  The Furlough 40.  Troubleshoot.  Tribal knowledge. 

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

-- SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:   AMAZON BOX -- SEARCH FOR ANYTHING OU WANT THERE.  
-- PLEASE PUT COMMENTS ON THE SOLDERSMOKE BLOG POSTS. 
-- PLEASE CHECK OUT THE SolderSmoke YOUTUBE VIDEOS. 

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

BILL's WORKBENCH
n  Shortwave dials and exotic locations.  Java!  
n  Galaxy V VFO Project. Series-tuned Colpitts.  
n  DRAKE 2-B.  Hayseed Recap. Put the skirt back on the old rig.  Reduction drives?   

SHOPPING BAG: 
I got a replacement for the Xtronics 4000 soldering station.  Yaogong worked! 
Ordered screws and stuff from McMaster -- Came very fast! 
Working on a resistor kit from Mouser. 

MAILBAG: 
VK2BLQ's Phasing RX with an HRO dial.  Cool Retro.  
Adam N0ZIB -- Cool station.  TFT screen Aluminum welded box. FB. 
Karl G7AFT    BITX 40 doing USB and LSB by changing the VFO freq.  Pete's trick! 
Jerry KI4IO  out in nearby Warrenton.   Hope to be able to meet up soon. 
Keith N6ORS's Hot Mustard Phasing Board. 
Mike N5GTF'd FULLY INDOOR Quarantine Receiver.  Need a slogan for the antenna!
Nick M0NTV's Bread Bin 80 Quarantine rig
Bruce KC1FSZ   Quarantine 10 -- Brave man in solar minimum. But I hear 10 is opening.
Talking to Grayson Evans KJ7UM  TA2ZGE about Collins 9.9 MHz transformers.
Talking to Alan Wolke W2AEW about Drake 2-B stuff  Was there a reduction drive?
Paul VK3HN about Ceramic filter spurs.
Peter VK2EMU notes no animals were harmed in the making of my videos.  But many electrons were agitated. 

N6QW Phase Shift Success -- It aint over 'till the fat lady sings



Friday, May 22, 2020

I,Q, and HRO: VK2BLQ's Phasing Receiver with an HRO Dial


I had occasionally fantasized about connecting Armand's HRO dial to the rotary encoder of an Si5351, but I think this was more of a nightmare than a fantasy.   I don't think Stephen VK2BLQ went this far -- I suspect that his HRO dial was connected to an analog VFO.  But still, the combination of HRO with I&Q seems a bit edgy...  FB Stephen.  Please send us more info on this amazing receiver. 
  
Hi Bill,

Hope you are safe there with the bad weather.

Recently you  mentioned HRO dials and the need to build a radio around one and Pete has been discussing phasing SSB; attached photo is a phasing receiver on 80 and 40 m, a combination of both HRO and IQ that I built many years ago, and thanks to Pete I shall get it running again.

And Bill, like you I am from the IGY of 1958 and retired with more free time on my hands.

Best regards to you and your family, especially young Billy.

Stephen,

VK2BLQ

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Replacing Electrolytic Caps in my Drake 2-B (Video)



Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Here is a very small silver lining for this terrible COVID-19 situation:  I had time to do a proper replacement of the electrolytic capacitors in my Drake 2-B. 

Three cheers for Hayseed Hamfest LLC for providing the replacement capacitor.  
Go to their website to find capacitors for many other old rigs: 
http://hayseedhamfest.com 

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

SolderSmoke on Ham Radio Workbench Podcast


It was great fun talking to George and Jeremy of the Ham Radio Workbench Podcast last week.  You can listen to the episode here: 


Thanks to George and Jeremy.  

Monday, May 18, 2020

Homebrew Az-El Satellite Antennas from the Philippines and Australia



https://nightskyinfocus.com/2020/05/18/diy-satellite-tracker/

DU1AU is way ahead of where I was when I was working with Low Earth Orbit satellites.   I just aimed the antenna about 45 degrees up from the horizon,  and spun it around with a TV rotator with me --not the computer -- as the controllers of the rotator.  In essence I did the AZ manually and completely ignored the EL.  This design moves the antenna in Azimuth and Elevation, and has the computer control the movements via an Arduino.  FB. 

DU1AU points to the work of VK3FOWL and VK3YSP.   Their site has very detailed info on how to build several versions of this kind of Az-El rotator: 

https://www.sarcnet.org/rotator-mk1.html

This Az-El project represents a great opportunity to move beyond hand-held satellite antennas,  and beyond my Az-only manual approach.   It also give us a way to bring some real homebrewing into a part of ham radio that has come to be dominated by commercial equipment. There are some Arduinos and some lines of code, some motors and some metal work.  Great stuff!   



Designer: Douglas Bowman | Dimodifikasi oleh Abdul Munir Original Posting Rounders 3 Column