The Society for Model and Experimental Engineers

Wow.  Stop what you are doing and take a look at the four short films about a group of intrepid British knack victims.  Very nicely done.  Really captures the allure of the shack/workshop.

http://makezine.com/2013/06/28/the-makers-of-things-2/




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

Arduino Sidecar (instead of a Shield)

In my last post I described my Arduino Keyer Kludge.  In that project I didn't use the standard "shield" board that normally sits atop the Arduino board.  I had used a shield in an earlier project and I didn't really like it.   I prefer to have all the electronics and connections on the top of the board -- this makes for easier experimentation and modification.  

Above you can see my "sidecar" technique.  I build the circuit on a piece of copper clad board using isolation pads superglued to the copper (aka "Manhattan style").   For the Arduino board, I just superglue a piece of balsa wood to the copper clad board, and attach the Arduino board to the balsa with small wood screws.  Electrical connections from the Arduino to the sidecar just go from the Arduino pins to the appropriate points in the sidecar circuit via small-gauge wire.  

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

Paddle Output Arduino Keyer Kludge (video)

Ooops -- I got my keyer terminology wrong in this video.   The K1EL keyer just needs a "paddle keyer" input, not an iambic keyer.   One line is brought to ground for dots, another for dashes. (With an iambic keyer, if you make both contacts at the same time you get a string of alternating dots and dashes.)  My homebrew cootie keyer did the job, but I wasn't very proficient, hence the need for this digital kludge. I also got the name of the Arduino guru wrong: he is Massimo Banzi.  Mi dispiace Massimo.   


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

SolderSmoke Podcast #153 -- SPECIAL FDIM PODCAST

SolderSmoke Podcast #153 is available for download:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke153.mp3

June 22, 2013 

Manassas Hamfest
Building a Balanced Modulator in LTSpice
Peter Parker's Minimalist SDR receiver
Alberto I2PHD's SDRadio program
My Arduous Arduino Adventure:  Sig Generator
MAR-1 amplifier chip
WSPRing again (the sound of WSPR)
Broadening my Barebones Superhet for phone
Cliff Stoll on Kludge vs. Kluge
FDIM INTERVIEWS:
G3RJV on one and done projects, Sodder vs. SoLder, Regens
G3VTT plays SolderSmoke for his students
NM0S on new Four States PTO rig
K0NEB on kit building techniques
NH6Z on high performance SDR
KK7B on hard rock rigs, modular construction and understanding
I2RTF Saluti a tutti!
W7EL on EZNEC, Dilbert, and escaping the Cube Farm
W1REX on QRP as a creative outlet,  Knack to the Max!

 

SPECIAL THANKS TO SOLDERSMOKE'S DAYTON CORRESPONDENT:

BOB CRANE, W8SX

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

A Billion Pixels From Mars

Don't miss the hi-res version.  Link and background info here:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-205&cid=release_2013-205


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