Just go to http://soldersmoke.com. On that archive page, just click on the blue hyperlinks and your audio player should play that episode.
http://soldersmoke.com
http://w7zoi.net/dcrx68.pdf Farhan and Pete WB9FLW alerted me to this wonderful article by Wes Hayward, W7ZOI. I guess my interest in DC receivers must have been noticed by the Google algorithm because I am bombarded by ads extolling the virtues of "Zero IF." Hey Google -- I'm already a believer! I was converted by W7ZOI's 1968 article in QST. And my belief in the technique has been greatly reinforced by his November 2018 50th anniversary article. There is so much good stuff in Wes's look-back piece. The travails of trying to write for QST are presented very well. And we learn that none-other-than Doug DeMaw himself is responsible for the use of the word "presence" in describing amateur radio audio. This article has inspired me to take a new look at the DC receiver I built last winter. Mine needs some work. I think it is kind of deaf. It could probably benefit from a diode ring detector. But it already has presence. http://w7zoi.net/dcrx68.pdf Thanks Wes. And thanks to Farhan and Pete for the heads up.
I've been getting ready for the November 24 launch of the CubeSat that Farhan and his friends in India built. I started out with my trusty Drake 2-B and a Hamtronics 2-to-10 downconverter, but I quickly switched to an RTL-SDR dongle and HD-SDR software. My 3 element quad antenna is visible in the first video. So far, I am using the Armstrong method to turn the antenna. In that first video I keep saying that I am waiting for AO-71. In fact is was AO-73, the "FunCube" from the UK. I think it is similar in power and antenna configuration to Farhan's satellite, so I think we are almost ready for launch. (Any ideas on what that mysterious pulsating sig in the satellite passband signal is in the first video?)
Pete Juliano N6QW has turned his attention to the Atlas Twins, a nice single conversion multiband rig. Pete has used an Arduino/Si5351 to replace the analog oscillators in the old Atlas. This improves stability and allows for USB/LSB operation. Pete very graciously kept the old analog circuitry in the rig, allowing the Atlas to be returned to its pristine analog state at some time in the future. Pete also made some very kind comments about the surprising stability of the original analog oscillator circuitry. Check out Pete' site for more details: http://n6qw.blogspot.com/2018/11/2018-year-of-ssb-transceivers.html
In the last SolderSmoke podcast we took a look at some of the giants of radio. Here is one fellow we missed: Oliver Heaviside. Hackaday has an interesting profile of him: https://hackaday.com/2018/10/30/oliver-heaviside-rags-to-recognition-to-madness/#more-330784 Like many of the giants we looked at, Oliver definitely had his problems, and didn't end well. But he deserves a lot of respect and credit for his many innovations and discoveries. I didn't know that he is the one responsible for those 88 mH coils in my junk box.
SolderSmoke Podcast #207 is available: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke207.mp3 -- Giants of Radio -- Pete on 15 Meters -- Bill on 60 Meters with the uBITX -- Pete's Sudden and Heath Filter Transceivers -- Cubesats to orbit! To the moon! And to Mars! -- Bill rebuilds his 2 meter "Ray-Gun" Quad (for Farhan's Cubesat) -- Homebrewing Variable caps and stockpiling NP0 -- My "by ear" Minimal Discernible Signal Technique -- Thoughts on Direct Sampling SDR and the Radio Art MAILBAG -- A request for feedback from GQRP -- G4WIF reports G3ROO on UK TV with spysets -- VU3XVR builds FB rig from EMRFD -- M0KOV Charter member of the 3 Scratch-built BITX club --KD4PBJ's PTO Turtle DC Receiver -- AB1OP builds Pete's LBS receiver and gives us a new acronym: SITB -- KD4EBM -- Thanks for the scanner Bob! -- A possible sponsor from California... -- Pete's dream neighborhood...
"SolderSmoke -- Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics" is now available as an e-book for Amazon's Kindle.
Here's the site:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004V9FIVW
Help wanted for IRTS VHF/UHF management team...
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The *Irish Radio Transmitters Society* (IRTS) is the national association
for radio amateurs in Ireland. They had this news item on the 12th of May
2024....
May 13, 2024. What to do when...
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This says it all. I am reminded of the movie Independence Day where the
only way to communicate around the aliens was Morse code.
So, what do you do when ...
Extreme geomagnetic storm effect on 10m
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Although I follow space weather with some interest it's rare to see it
reported in the general news. Recently I repaired my 10m band dipole which
had been ...
An Inline RF Step Attenuator for QRPp Work
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I don’t need to explain the attraction of low power operation; if you’re
reading this, the chances are that you are already a convert. I’ve been
operating ...
A 51S-1 Restoration Story
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I came across my Collins 51S-1 in a big junkyard in Ankara, Turkey around
2012. It was in a pile with a lot of other electronic scrap, probably from
one o...
New QRP Cluster Online From OM0ET and OM6APN
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By DX EXPLORER
DX EXPLORER
Paul OM0ET and Peter OM6APN recently launched a new cluster dedicated to
QRP operations. Have a look and I hope you will enjoy...
3D Printing The Hadley 114mm Newtonian Telescope
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Yes, we’re building a 3D Printed Newtonian Telescope called Hadley. It’s
being printed in PETG and in the video below, I give a quick tour. My build
isn’...
3D printed project boxes
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I have been busy with some other things that have kept me away from
electronics projects for quite a while. Now I can get back to them, but
realize I n...
Daylight Again – An all Analog Radio
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What’s all this? In 10 seconds, A high performance, 7MHz, 5 watt SSB rig
Draws just 24 mA of current 90 dB dynamic range, 80 dB close-in dynamic
range 3D ...
Adding Enclosure to your sBitx Boards Order
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The early buyers of the sBitx board set who bought it for $270 USD might
want to also add the enclosure (box) for in the kit. What you will now get
is a f...
Digi-chirp! Digital synthesis of ‘nostalgic’ CW
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The bottom ends of 80, 40 and 20m are not what they used to be. For
starters, the busiest part is the digital segment where computers talk to
computers – l...
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A Simple Speech Processor
(For QRP/SSB Homebrew Transceivers )
Over the last few weeks I had been thinking to build a small AF speech
processor to add to...
A New Look for your uBitx!
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Adding a "Cool Blue" Display to your uBitx!
The standard "green background" with black lettering frequently reminds me
that I suffer from Chronic seasickn...