Find your Estes Rocket Catalog Online

On Wednesday we were all waxing nostalgic about 73 Magazine. (Did anyone figure out how to download ALL 511 of them?) I mentioned that I read many of the early 1970s editions from cover to cover. This morning I found on the Maker blog links to another publication that was burned permanently into my adolescent memory banks: The Estes Model Rocket catalog. Wow, I spent a lot of time studying the tech stats on the various rockets and rocket engines. (A8-3s!) I suspect that many SolderSmoke fans were also Estes enthusiasts.

Here are ALL the catalogs:
http://www.estesrockets.com/customer-service/full-catalog/

I think mine was the 1971 edition (above). I still feel bad about losing my Astron Big Bertha. And guilty about all the frogs I killed in the Astron X-Ray. I forgot all about the rocket with the 8 mm movie camera.

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

73 Magazine -- Online!

Some of my earliest ham radio memories are of 73 Magazine. Perhaps this has something to do with the electro-erotica cover shots of the early 1970s! I used to buy copies at "Electronics 59" in Spring Valley, New York. I remember struggling to understand the magazine: Why were these guys so obsessed about going to Navassa Island? Why was there a column entitled "Never Say Die?" Why was the classified section entitled "Caveat Emptor?" In time, all this would become clear to me. Occasionally, I'll come across an old issue and will suddenly remember it from when it first came out. I must have read these things cover-to-cover. (Jean Shepherd recalled reading even the grommet ads in the old QSTs.)

I really liked 73. It always had a zany, edgy, kind of "out-there" feel to it. Of course, near the end it went too far off the reservation (Bio-electrifiers? Faked moon walks?)

This morning QRP-L brings us the news that all the back issues are available on-line:

http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=collection%3A73-magazine&sort=-publicdate

I'm hoping that somewhere in there we will be able to find that early 70's article about the varactor-tuned DC receiver that I tried to build but couldn't get working.

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

A WWV Trick with the Drake 2-B

I was reading the October 1962 issue of 73 Magazine (we're always on the cutting edge here!). In the back pages a little piece from K4FQU (quite a call!) about the Drake 2-B caught my eye. OM FQU points out that by putting the bandswitch on 40 and the preselector at 10, WWV's 15 mc signal can be heard at the zero position on the 2B dial. It works! The familiar time signal beeps are coming through nicely here. It's fun to teach an old dog new tricks!

If you are looking for a 2-B, Bill KE5VZT alerted me to this one:
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?325222-Drake-2B-with-Q-mult-amp-speaker

On the same page there is a review of a new Double Sideband rig from World Radio Labs -- the SB-175. Sounds like a winner!

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

"The Little Sweetheart" Receiver

Wow, what a beautiful piece of work! And a fascinating story behind it, with hints of wartime romance... Thanks to Mike AA1TJ whose very eclectic reading (Czech tech mags!) led us to this. Thanks also the Crypto Museum. Here is the link:

http://www.cryptomuseum.com/spy/sweetheart/index.htm

With more info here:
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=96007
And here:
http://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=96057

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

Amateur Radio Balloon Crosses The Pond (and the Continent)

Wow, congratulations to the California Near Space team. Their balloon flew from Silicon Valley, across the U.S., across the Atlantic and is now en route to Italy. As a former Azores APRS operator, I was pleased to see the APRS report from those islands. George, KJ6VU, of Sierra Radio Systems, was present for the launch.

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

Have An Oz Knack Christmas with VK2ZAY!

This is not the most flattering picture of our friend Alan, VK2ZAY, but I find myself forced to use it (again!) because of the Christmas light head-gear. Sorry OM.

I was thinking about Alan just the other day as I contemplated my broken Lafayette power supply (scroll down to the test gear article). You see, the meter in that little supply was destroyed by a trivial electric motor that Billy and I built a long time ago after a visit to Alan's amazing site. Don't worry Alan -- the broken meter is not your fault.

Once again proving that he is a true Knack victim and a certified member of the International Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards, Alan is doing an "Advent Calendar" of YouTube tech videos -- one short video each day during the Christmas season. I looked at a couple of them this morning. You guys will love them. Alan obviously has a deep understanding of the circuitry and a great talent for explaining how his creations work.
Thanks a lot Alan! Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/user/vk2zay

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

Seeing EM Waves with a Coffee Can

Thanks to Leif KC8RWR for alerting me to this. Amazing stuff, but somehow I think they need to get an Altoid tin into this project. You can sense the enthusiasm.

"Particles? We don't need no stinkin' particles!"

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