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Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Message in a Bottle -- Beacon in a Bottle


Wow.  Very cool.  Don't get hung up on the legalities or the environmental consequences.  Just enjoy the simplicity and the technique.   All the details are on this very nice Italian site.  Google will translate it for you, but the pictures and the schematic tell most of the story.  Bravi!   

http://air-radiorama.blogspot.it/

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, May 10, 2014

FDIM Midnight Mojo Ceremony (Tuna Tin 2)


Tyson Tuna Tin Two

An important message From Rex, 
Transcendental Titan of the Tuna Tin Twos:
 --------------------
Fans of the Ancient Sacred Relic,

If you have a little QRP rebel in you, like me, and are a fan of Ancient Sacred Relic, i.e. The Original Tuna Tin 2 transmitter, and all things housed in round metal containers usually designed for fish products and pineapple, and maybe cats if VERY thoroughly cleaned, then you might want to bring your Tuna Tin 2 rig to FDIM!

Around midnight, after the scrum leaves the FDIM Club night gathering, there will be a Tuna Tin 2 Midnight MOJO ceremony! THE one and only ORIGINAL Tuna Tin 2 transmitter will be on hand for this solemn occasion where major QRP MOJO is transferred from the Ancient Sacred Relic into the tuna can inductees in attendance. Admission is free but you MUST bring a MOJOee tuna can housed rig for entrance to the ritual.

NO rectangular or mint tin equipment will be admitted!! NO unaccompanied minors OR adults OR adults who act like minors will be admitted.

TT2 QRP MOJO will be transferred....FUN will be had.....PRIZES will be raffled off!

If you think you might like to be there for the Tuna Tin 2 Midnight MOJO ceremony remember to pack a tuna can or reasonable facimile (307 (3 + 07/16" diameter) industry standard 2 piece or 3 piece can) housed TT2 style rig in your travel bag!!

REMEMBER: NO rectangular or mint tin equipment will be admitted!! You must have a TT2 inspired rig in you personal possession to gain
admittance! NO exceptions!!

Respectfully submitted,
Rex  W1REX  The TUNA Tinman!

--------------------
 
I will not be at Dayton, but I might be able to lend my TT2 (seen above with Tyson) should some worthy radio amateur wish to participate in the midnight ritual.  Time is short, so if you are interested,  send me an e-mail explaining why you are worthy. 
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, May 9, 2014

HOMEBREW ETCHANT!



http://hackaday.com/2014/05/08/testing-the-efficiency-of-pcb-etchants/

This is great. We can add this to the list of kitchen and household products useful in our kind of projects!  Desitin for heatsink compound!  Breadboards for breadboards!  Now 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

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Parts Cost for BITX in India: $5 US (that's buying all the parts!)


I knew that in India you could build a BITX for a few bucks, but I thought that this cost estimate assumed a fairly well-stocked junk box.   Not true!  This morning an e-mail from Farhan points out that even if an Indian ham has to BUY all the parts, he can get all of them for the equivalent of 5 dollars U.S.:

"Less than half a cent per resistor, less than a cent per capacitor, two cents per npn transistor and 50 cents for the IRF510. We use 'tv baluns' and tap washers for coils."

And, from the original BITX design page:

 "The purpose is to address the need among Indian hams in particular for an SSB rig that is easily and cheaply built. My original aim was to keep the price under Rs. 1000. The current design brings the cost to well under Rs.300 (less than 7 dollars)."

Now, when you are talking to someone using a new $10,000 Yaesu/Icom/Kenwood rig, it might be a bit unkind to mention that your rig can be had for $5. 


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, May 3, 2014

The Guy who Invented the LED

I'm a big fan of Ira Flatow's "Science Friday" radio program (recommended!)
This week, while digging through the archives, I found this gem:

http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/10/12/2012/fifty-years-ago-a-bright-idea.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

Friday, May 2, 2014

Bert's EMRFD Direct Conversion Receiver



Very nice Bert.  Sounds great.  I like the pill bottle coil core.  Lew McCoy used them in his designs. I do think that air core coils do provide better stability than ferrites or iron powder.   I kind of like the SW broadcast background music.  I also like the internal 9V battery.  Glad to see someone else resurrecting an old DC RX project.  


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

Thursday, May 1, 2014

VFO for BITX 20/40


Here's the VFO I use in my BITX 20/40.   IF is obviously 11 MHz.   VFO normally tunes 3697-3859 kHz for 40 meters.  Switching in that 220 pf cap lowers the range to 3292-3189 kHz for 20 meters.  It workd very well.   The coil is wound on a cardboard tube from a coat hanger.  I will put this in the appropriate file on the BITX group site.    I like the 20/40 band combination:  Good DX possibilities on 20, with provisions (40!) for the low sunspot counts to come.

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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