For All You Guys Who DON'T Use the Proper Fuse Value

Pete has been trying to talk sense on this issue for a long time, but some folks just won't listen. 

You need to have a reverse polarity protection circuit in your rigs AND you need to carefully determine fuse size needed for normal operation.  If your final transistors for some reason start pulling more than the normal amount of current, the fuse will blow before your PA transistors release their smoke. 

Melbourne Australia -- QRP By the Bay 2019

Each November, Peter Parker VK3YE and his ham colleagues from Melbourne share with us reports on Peter's annual "QRP by the Bay" event.   

I think VK3HN should seek a trademark for that hat.  As soon as I saw it on the table in the video above, I knew these were Paul Taylor's rigs.  FB Paul.  Here is Paul's report: 

https://vk3hn.wordpress.com/2019/11/02/qrp-by-the-bay-chelsea-beach-melbourne-2nd-nov-2019/

Great work guys.  Thanks a lot.  73 

SolderSmoke Podcast #214 is FINALLY out!

WE ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE THE AUDIO QUALITY.  IN THE FIRST RELEASE OF THIS PODCAST SOME OF THE AUDIO WAS KIND OF MUFFLED.  I TRIED TO FIX IT THIS MORNING AND I THINK I MADE SOME IMPROVEMENTS.  THE IMPROVED AUDIO IS NOW AT THE LINK BELOW.  

4 November 2019 (shockingly late!)

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke214.mp3

The visit of Farhan to Northern Virginia
"I heard this guy from Southern California on 20..."
Fire Report from Pete

Pete's Bench Report
"When you know stuff, you can do stuff!" 
The CRAP rigs 
Old Boatanchors -- the Swan 120  with SUPER STABLE ANALOG VFO! 
Ten Tec rigs dial cord replaced with Chinese digi sig counter 
Pete's 500 mW encounter with a QRO curmudgeon
The ZL2BMI Challenge has Pete building crystal filters
The Left Coast Loafer CW rig 

Bill's Bench Report

ET-2 Refinements
N0WVA's Regen Receiver 
Going from ET-1 to ET-2
J-310s vice MPF-102
100 mW from a single J-310
Receiver kind of deaf -103 dbm MDS
10 contacts so far in 9 states 
THREE contacts yesterday.
Worked Wisconsin - 633 miles on 92 mW 
We are at sunspot minimum. 
"Rage, rage against the dying of the light." 
Simplicity is the real reason for CW 

IDEA:  Get those Michigan Might Mites on the air! 
Use Reverse Beacon Network to see if you are getting out 
Use SDR receivers to make contacts

MAILBAG
DL1AJG
KC6SAX
W9VNE
KA4KXX
N0WVA
Zl2BMI
AJ6BD  

Don't do this yourself...

...or else you'll be spending a LOT more time on 17 meters. 

Direct Conversion (videos)

Here are a couple of videos from 2017 (never posted before).  I built a little 40 meter Direct Conversion receiver for my nephew John Henry.   

Whenever we work on circuitry like this, we should be be grateful for Wes Hayward W7ZOI who, in a 1968 QST article, reminded us of this important but until-then forgotten technique. 

More information on this project appears in these links: 

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2017/10/a-direct-conversion-iphone.html

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2017/11/iphone-direct-conversion-receiver-with.html

Minimalist Masochism at Solar Minima -- But More Contacts with the ET-2

Dylan Thoams

  "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" 

I thought of that line from Dylan Thomas's poem when I read on G3XBM's web site that we are kind of at the very bottom of the solar cycle.  Roger wrote on 22 October: "Solar flux is 64 and the SSN 0. A=5 and K=0. As far as I am aware this is the lowest solar flux this solar minimum."   

I also thought of this as I pounded brass (Indian brass!) in an effort to make a few more contacts with my ET-2 two transistor rig.  Obviously venturing forth on 40 meters with just TWO transistors (one for transmit and one for receive) and crystal control AT SOLAR MINIMA is not for the faint of heart.  It is almost a Dylan-esque act of defiance. 

I have had to resort to please for help on the DX Summit, the SolderSmoke blog and the SKCC Schedule page.  Fortunately for me, the brotherhood has sprung to my support.  

W1PID (who gave me contact #3) also gave me contact #4 on 21 October. 

W4KAC in Hickory NC was contact #5.  This was on 22 October.  This was the only marginal contact so far.  He was running 5 W into an end fed half wave. 

Yesterday was a big day for the ET-2. I had two solid contacts: 

#6 was N2VGA in New York UPDATE:  Larry N2VGA confirmed by e-mail that this was a "random" contact -- not the result of my on-line pleas for assistance.  He just heard my CQ and responded.  FB.  

#7 was K4CML in Newport News, Va.  He switched to QRP himself at 2.5 watts for a nice 2X QRP contact. 

Looking at my Rigol 'scope, I now think I'm putting out about 150 milliwatts.  Not bad for a single J310.  I may have to invest in a heat sink.

40 seems most cooperative in the morning (around 0930 local) and again in the afternoon (around 1630 local). 

Thanks to all who have helped.  I will try to make a few more. 

Radio Telescope Homebrewed from Cake Pans and Chicken Wire

 

https://altaonline.com/the-low-tech-search-for-signs-of-intelligent-life/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Revamped SolderSmoke YouTube Channel -- Please Subscribe

I did some work on the SolderSmoke YouTube Channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/M0HBR

And I added a bunch of videos that had somehow ended up in different channels. 

Please visit, watch some of the videos and subscribe.  From now on I will put all of the videos in this channel.   

Thanks!  73  Bill 

Farhan Visits Northern Virginia and SolderSmoke HQ

 

Our good friend Farhan came to Northern Virginia last week for the 50th Anniversary Symposium of AMSAT.   We were really delighted that he also came to SolderSmoke HQ.  Elisa and I gave him a lightning tour of Washington DC (including a quick visit to The Air and Space museum) and then we headed back to the shack from some radio work. 

In the picture above you can see my BITX-20 (that Farhan designed) off his right shoulder.  Off his left shoulder you sits my ET-2 rig.  I really wanted to show Farhan how well the N0WVA regen performs -- he was impressed, especially when we started listening to SSB contacts. It was really amazing that we were doing this with just one J-310 FET.  This was great fun.  Farhan tells me that he will soon take up the "two transistor challenge."

When he was here in 2017, I tried to demonstrate my version of Rick Campbell's R2 Direct Conversion receiver.  Unfortunately, when I tried to show off the "single signal" capability that is the whole purpose for this receiver, it was NOT producing a single signal output -- you could hear the signal on both sides of zero beat.   One of the small AF chokes I had used had gone open, knocking our one of the two DC receivers.  This time I had the problem fixed and single signal reception was successfully demonstrated.  

Farhan brought me two pieces of test gear that I have needed for a long time:  A step attenuator and a two tone generator.  Paired with his Antuino, these devices will bring about a big increase in capability on my bench. 

It was really great to have Farhan in the shack.  We had a great time talking about ham radio and homebrewing.  Elisa and I both really enjoyed hearing from Farhan about his travels and about his life in India.  We are all really lucky to be in the same hobby as Ashhar Farhan. Thanks for the visit Farhan.

Here is a quick video of Farhan tuning the BITX 20.  

QSO #3 with the ET-2 Minimalist Transceiver

 

The Radio Gods were clearly supporting me on 16 October 2019.  I had sent out a plea for people to listen for the 80 mW CQ from my ET-2 rig.   I had specified 0930 Eastern as the time.  Little did I know that there would be a contest at that hour (on a Wednesday morning!) on 40 meter CW.  There was no chance of my signals getting through.  I leaned that the contest would be over at 1000 hours, so I waited and called CQ again at that hour.  Jim W1PID had guessed that I would do that.  I immediately recognized his call -- he was often at the other end of Michael Rainey's most daring low-power adventures.  He was a participant in the famous Rexpeditions, including a coastal effort to send Michael's voice-powered CW signal across the Atlantic.  His normal operating habitat is in the field.  We had a wonderful QSO.  He told me I peaked at S-6.  

I have worked W1PID on at least two Straight Key Nights and this blog has had many postings about his long-standing involvement in QRP. 

Thanks a lot Jim! 

 

Please Listen for My 80 Milliwatt CQ Tomorrow, Wednesday 16 Octoberr

I will be calling CQ from Northern Virginia starting at 1330Z (0930 Eastern) on Wednesday 16 October 2019 on 7038.6 kHz with my ET-2 QRPpp rig.   I have made two contacts so far -- both contacts were at a range of about 300 miles.      I'd like to be able to make at least one per day.   If you are within range please listen for my CQ tomorrow and give me a call.  

Thanks and 73  Bill N2CQR

The First Sunspots of Cycle 25 -- Explained by Space Weather Woman (Video)

Dr. Tamitha Skov explains how Cycle 25 has begun while Cycle 24 is not quite finished. 
She has a very clear way of presenting the space weather.  Very useful. 

YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkXjdDQ-db0xz8f4PKgKsag