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Sunday, June 17, 2012

A Father's Day DX-100 Story


Warning:  In this post we are DEFINITELY leaving the world of QRP.  There is nothing even remotely QRPish about the Heathkit DX-100.  This rig is all about power. And weight.  Heavy metal, plate-modulated power.  And weight. 


Back in February of last year, John, K2ZA, and his wife Erika drove down from New Jersey to give me something very special:  the beloved Heathkit DX-100 transmitter of John's (SK) dad.  Here's the report on that memorable day:
http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2011/02/k2zas-dx-100-arrives-at-soldersmoke-hq.html   


I meant to get the rig on the air right away, but I got distracted by other projects.  Well, this week I decided to get going.  I ordered a new can of Caig Deoxit D-5.   I removed the screws from the front and back of the old rig and carefully (for the sake of my fingers and toes!) pulled it out of its cabinet. 


I found it to be in remarkably good shape. There was a bit of dust and some of the tubes were a bit loose in their sockets, but otherwise it was perfect. 


John's dad had made some mods to the old rig.  The most noticeable were on the front panel.  He got rid of the old plastic Heathkit knobs, and he had added reduction drives for the driver and amplifier tuning caps.  My first instinct was to try to take this rig back to original form, but over time, as the rig sat on the bench, I came to appreciate the work that John's dad had done.  I decided to keep the rig as he had left it. 


John's Dad used this rig on RTTY.  He has an FSK stage attached to the oscillator circuit.   



He also added a very useful VFO "spot" or "net" push button switch on the front panel. And he put a T/R relay in a box on the back of the cabinet.  Useful mods, all nicely done. 


After the cleanup, of course I couldn't wait to get the rig on the air.  Using my old Dominican Republic HQ-100, I fired it up yesterday afternoon on 40 CW.  On the first call I worked KK4RF in Suffolk Va. Then I went to 40 AM and worked a bunch of guys there.  Later I went to the real heartland of heavy metal AM:  75 METERS!  Yea!  They tell me the old rig sounds great.  


This has really been fun.  Thanks John.  Happy Father's Day. 






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

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Long Lost Varactor Receiver Found!

SolderSmoke fans will recall that for a long time I have been looking for the radio magazine article that propelled me into a  receiver construction project that failed and left me tech-traumatized. I tried to build a solid state receiver back in high school.  All I remembered about it was that it was direct conversion and varactor-tuned.  And that I couldn't get it to work. I think the problem was in the oscillator.   

Well, I think I found it.  Chuck Adams and the qrp-tech guys were talking about a receiver project and someone mentioned the old Herring Aid Five, a receiver companion to the famed Tuna Tin Two.  That got me thinking.  The time of publication was exactly right: July 1976.  I had just graduated from high school.  This morning I renewed my ARRL membership and then immediately accessed the QST archives.  Sure enough, the Herring Aid Five is varactor-tuned.  That has to be it. 

So this one is now definitely on my to-build list.  I will finally get this receiver working.  Sometimes projects take a long time...  Thanks again to all those who helped me in this search. 

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

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

SolderSmoke Podcast #144 FDIM SPECIAL!

Venus glides across the sun's face during its previous transit, seen from Flagler Beach Pier in Florida.
Photograph by Jim Tiller, Daytona Beach News-Journal/AP

June 13, 2012


SolderSmoke podcast #144 is available for download: 


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke144.mp3


--A CQ from the Rolling Thunder!
--The Transit of Venus.
--JA DX on 17 
--Kick Panel Finale: 
--Workin' on the Workbench (and test gear)
--Billy's Computer Project:  Success! 
--SPECIAL REPORT FROM FDIM
--MAILBAG: Urban legends, Hot Iron, Dry Joints 
--Bluegrass Music

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

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Homebrew DSB and SSB from M0DAD

This morning I stumbled across the web site of M0DAD.  David has built rigs for 40 meters -- one DSB the other SSB.  The SSB rig is pictured above -- the much-admired "road kill" approach to component acquisition is evident.   David provides excellent schematics and great descriptions of the trials and tribulations of each project.   Check it out: http://www.m0dad.co.uk/

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

Friday, June 8, 2012

Vintage Tektronix Museum

The radio gods seem to have been guiding me to this web site.  Last night I was listening to 17 meter phone and I heard a station calling TEK guru Alan, W2AEW.  I couldn't hear Alan (skip zone and all that) but just hearing his call turned my thoughts to Beaverton, Oregon.  This morning I found a message from Dino, KL0S, alerting me to the VintageTEK museum.  FB!  Analog Rocks On! 


http://www.vintagetek.org/

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

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Transit of Venus


Yesterday afternoon at around 5:55 pm local time I was pedaling along the Washington and Old Dominion bike trail, on my way home from work.  I was pedaling a little faster than normal because I wanted to try to see the transit of Venus.  I came across a group of amateur astronomers who had set up their scopes alongside the trail -- they were nervously looking at their watches and the clouds.  I told them that I was going to set up my scope too.  "Hurry up!  You'll miss it! It starts at 6:04!" I pedaled even faster.   


The cloud cover was fairly thick, but just as I pulled into my driveway, the clouds broke and sunshine filled the front yard.  I quickly set up the 'scope and got the sun in the field of view.  First I saw sunspots  -- lots of them.   Then, sure enough, off near the rim was the unmistakeable shadow of Venus.  Billy took the picture (above) with his I-phone 4.   The neighbors and all the kids in the neighborhood came over and  had a look.  It was all very cool.  Mission accomplished. 


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

Monday, June 4, 2012

Drake 2-B Market up 436%!



We've been hit by a wave of Drake 2-B e-mails.  We take this as an indication that our effort to manipulate the Drake 2-B market is having some success.  Those of you who have invested in our 
SSDRA2B Mega Capital Growth Fund can probably plan on early retirement.   


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Bill

After listening to you for the last several weeks talk about the virtures of the Drake 2B I began a never ending drooling for that radio.  I never really understood the power of a podcast until I became obsessed with the 2B.  I had seen several at Dayton a couple of weeks ago but resisted the urge.  But today was the day...At a hamfest in Princeton Ill, there was a lone 2B and 2BQ all dressed up and looking for a place to go.  Into my waiting arms that radio jumped.  I tried but could not put it down.  I got my wallet it out and paid the man.  On the drive home I could hear the 2B  making noises like it was tuning the band just for me.  Oh how happy that 2B is now.  With a little cleanup and a new tube and crystal it will be backing doing what it does best.

Just wanted you to know Bill that if it was not for you there would be a 2B waiting and wanting to be adopted..

Love your podcast, keep it up man.

Steve NU0P

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


Bill,
....

I am also happy to report that I have finally laid my hands on my very own Drake 2B.  I have been watching them on ebay for over a year, and I finally spotted one with a reasonable "buy it now" price, so I jumped on it.  As you know, many 2Bs suffer from discoloration and corrosion of the copper plated chassis, but the one I bought is pristine.  I am very pleased.

73 de K8VU

George

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Maybe a little late , my newly acquired 2B serial no. is 8846 . will it help ? about how old do you think it is ?
Andrew
kd5pnt
Cedar Rapids Iowa
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Hello Bill

Please attached K9YA article on the Drake 2-B in the June issue.

Kind Regards

Tony G4LLW

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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
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