Dipoles in Space! Millions of them!

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/08/project-west-ford/

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 #154

SolderSmoke Podcast 154 is available for download!

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke154.mp3

August 11, 2013

-- Alligators!  Real Alligators! (see picture below -- look closely)

-- Ten meter beacon project (with Arduino and Reverse Beacon Network)

-- Telescope repair:  Chap Stick as lubricant, and the perils of macular pucker!
 
-- HW-101 saved from cannibalism!
 
-- The Wonders of WSPR and our need for instant feedback and gratification.

-- QST Review of SolderSmoke, The Book.
 
-- MAILBAG

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

Kishan Has the Knack! (video)

Many of us were staring out similar windows, also dreaming of model airplanes, and of transmitter circuits, and telescopes, and rockets... This video runs only 12 minutes.  Don't be deterred if you don't speak Hindi -- the story is easy to follow.

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

Who Invented the Transistor?

http://www.beatriceco.com/bti/porticus/bell/belllabs_transistor1.html

I dunno.... Roswell?  Really?  But I find myself attracted to anything that involves the use of iron pyrite and cats' whiskers in radio.  Mike, KL7R, sent me a bunch of fools gold from Alaska and it turned out to be better than galena as a detector. 

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

Homebrew Transistors (video)

So you are using store-bought transistors eh?  APPLIANCE OPERATOR!

Check out Jeri Ellsworth's very impressive production of NMOS transistors.

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

Solar Field Flip! (video)

Too bad we are not in late March.  This event has such great April Fool's potential:
Some ideas:
-- You'll have to rewind all your toroids!
-- You should switch the braid and the center conductor on all your coax!

I like the "cup half full" sentiments in this video:  The second half of Solar Max is about to begin!

Thanks to Kim VK5FJ for sending me this.






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

SALE: SolderSmoke book for about $16 (save 20%)

This coupon will get you the SolderSmoke book for around $16. Valid through August 9.

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke


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

Big Data and the Square Kilometer Array

All of this is very interesting, but SolderSmoke readers will probably find the last ten minutes most interesting.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzlwhP5JejA

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

Soul in an Old Telescope

I like this telescope.  The owner built it in 7th grade and is still using it at age 70.  I'm still using the Drake 2-B that I bought with newspaper route money, so understand the sentiments.  

http://makezine.com/2013/07/29/through-a-diy-telescope-brightly/ 

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

Soul in the Old Machine: HW-101 Saved From Workshop Cannabilism

Most of our correspondents did not like the idea of me trying to convert my Heath HW-101 into a BITX-101.  But, thinking that I still might to this,  I decided to take the old rig off the shelf and see what it looked like.  I liked the looks of it -- lots of space, simple circuitry,  nice belts and gears for turning the many variable capacitors, no black box ICs.  I could see traces of my earlier repair adventures -- electrolytic caps that had been replaced, the plastic dial clutch that I'd "fabricated" myself.  Then I decided to try to fire it up. Hey, the receiver sounded very good.  Next thing you know, I was getting the transmitter going.  Then I was working DX on 20.  By the end of the afternoon, I knew there was no way I would be tearing this old rig apart.  There is simply too much soul in this old machine. 

More on this in SolderSmoke 154....

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

The Viganella Heliostat -- A Village Brings in the Sun (Video)

http://www.odditycentral.com/pics/viganella-the-italian-village-that-built-its-own-sun.html

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

EXCELSIOR! Happy Birthday Jean Shepherd

 

 

NPR's "Writer's Almanac" alerted us to this:    Shep was born on this day in 1925.  I realize now that that made him just a week or so older than my dad (who was a big fan).

Here is a really nice site with info about Shep, ham radio, and his call sign: 

http://www.flicklives.com/index.php?pg=318

EXCELSIOR !!!!!!!!!!!

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