December 2014 – SolderSmoke Daily News

Sputnik 40 Launched from MIR in 1997

Bill,
I’m new to SolderSmoke, and have made it up to episode 135. around episode 130 you entered a “space” phase that I enjoyed. With Sputnik being mentioned, I thought I would send you a recording of Sputnik 40 that I made on November 23, 1997. I used a home made turnstile antenna and an HT.

73,
Jeff Tucker
W9TLT

Listen to Jeff’s recording here:

http://soldersmoke.com/sputnik97.wav

Sputnik 40, also known as Sputnik Jr, and Radio Sputnik 17 (RS-17), was a Franco-Russian amateur radio satellite which was launched in 1997 to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1, the world’s first artificial satellite. A 4-kilogram (8.8 lb) one-third scale model of Sputnik 1, Sputnik 40 was deployed from the Mir space station on 3 November 1997. Built by students, the spacecraft was constructed at the Polytechnic Laboratory of Nalchik in Kabardino-Balkaria, whilst its transmitter was assembled by Jules Reydellet College in Réunion with technical support from AMSAT-France.

Sputnik 40 was launched, along with a backup spacecraft and the X-Mir inspection satellite, aboard Progress M-36 at 15:08 UTC on 5 October 1997. A Soyuz-U carrier rocket placed the spacecraft into orbit, flying from 1/5 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan: the same launch pad used by Sputnik 1. Progress M-36 docked to Mir on 8 October, and the satellites were transferred to the space station. At 04:05 UTC on 3 November, during an extra-vehicular activity, Sputnik 40 was deployed by cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyev and Pavel Vinogradov.

On 4 November, the day after it was deployed, Sputnik 40 was in a low Earth orbit with a perigee of 376 kilometres (234 mi), an apogee of 382 kilometres (237 mi), an inclination of 51.6 degrees, and a period of 92.13 minutes.The satellite was given the International Designator 1997-058C, and was catalogued by the United States Space Command as 24958. It ceased operations on 29 December 1997 when its batteries expired, and subsequently decayed from orbit on 21 May 1998. The backup satellite remained aboard Mir, and was destroyed when Mir was deorbited on 23 March 2001.

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Jean Shepherd Meets Lee DeForest (video)

Colin Gets His BITX Receiver Going

Pete and I congratulated Colin on the First Sigs heard by his BITX (sort of like First Light for a telescope.) He is clearly following the advice offered by Farhan in the original BITX20 article: Take a break when the receiver is done; sit back to enjoy the sounds of success. I told Colin that having a small error in the build, then finding it and fixing it, well, that’s icing on the cake OM. This also shows the benefit of having an oscilloscope. Here is Colin’s report:

Hi Pete and Bill,

I really enjoyed the latest SolderSmoke! I think you two have got a winning formula, humour interspersed with valuable technical knowledge. Some podcasts are just too serious, there’s nothing wrong with having fun in your hobby!

Progress is slow here, as always, but each week I have managed to move a little bit further forward. This week I aligned my BITX band pass filter and made a rough measurement of my crystal filter using the DDS signal generator that I built last week.

My oscilloscope is a Tektronix 465, older than me I believe! Of course there is no fancy signal level readout like the modern digital scopes, so I had to just peak the injected signal through the crystal filter and measure the frequency using a frequency counter connected to the IF amp. I followed the BITX ver 3 build instructions and my results seemed to match very closely to the Indian kit. I’m going to set my BFO at the -20dB from peak level as suggested in the ver3 instructions, I guess I can fine tune the setting later.

At first I had no signal making it out of the last RX IF amp, I traced the signal right through to the base of the first transistor but then the signal was lost. I had thought that band conditions were poor when I tried my BITX in RX last week when in fact it turns out that I’d made a small mistake building the IF amplifier that follows the crystal filter! I had wired the 4k7 resistor in the wrong place! I made the circuit good and hey presto, lots of signal coming out of the amp!

I was eager to give the receiver another try. On Fridays work finishes at 1pm, so a great chance to try out my rig during daylight hours. I hooked up the rig to a random piece of wire and I was amazed by the great noises coming from the speaker! I hadn’t even set the BFO but voices were just leaping out. Man that rig has a lot of AF gain! I obtained a switched 10k log pot which I intend to use for power on and AF gain so hopefully the volume control will be OK. As a side note, it was nice to hear HF0YOTA down in the CW portion, I’m guessing that it is youngsters on the air station, I must do a search on the call later.

73, Colin M1BUU

So the little signal generator has already earned it’s keep. I guess I can would have been scratching my head for a while without it!

Some Colorburst QRP Encouragement from ND6T

Don ND6T has been helping us come up with a good simple low pass filter for the MMM (Steve Smith and the FCC insist). At the end of one of his e-mails, he shared this QRP Colorburst gem:

Be prepared to be occasionally amazed. Back in the late 70’s I worked all over the western U.S. with under 1/2 watt. Regularly. Even a QSO with a UA0 (Siberia) with under 1 milliwatt, he having answered my CQ! I was seeing if I could “get out” using a single “D” cell flashlight battery that was too weak for the flashlight. All using a colorburst crystal. Oh, and a dipole 100′ high stretched over a creek.

73/72,

Don ND6T

Fwd: CBLA is on the air

Hi Bill,
No contacts yet but it sounds good into a dummy load. HA!
My plan is to put the whole thing up at the antenna and run the keying leads into the shack. Not shown on the pill bottle cap is a 9V battery connection. At 9V I get about 100mW out. With out the LPF and using 12V I can get about 1/2 watt. Total cost of the project? $0.00

Thanks again for the inspiration to heat up the soldering iron once more.

73’s
Jim.. WA7HRG

No cost! That’s the HB spirit! I like the LPF and that pill bottle modular construction is very cool.

This is the perfect time of year for CBLA operation on the QRG.

73 and 3579…….Steve Smith WB6TNL
“Snort Rosin”
CBLA # 1

WA7HRG’s Mighty Mite

From New Zealand – Roadkill Routers

Hi Andrew,

Now that is what I call “cost effective”. It works so why not!

Good show.

73’s

Pete

Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2014 7:15 PM

To: Pete Juliano

Subject: Re: Thanks for the heads up on the Si5351

Thanks for the heads up regarding the SMA connectors and cables. I will definitely do that. Will probably use my first Si5351 as a network connected signal generator and get another Si5351 module to put “on the air”.

FYI – rather than using Arduino (or some other microcontroller) I have been using recycled ADSL routers for my Si5351 and MEPT beacons. DLink DSL-502T specifically. These were the standard broadband router down here in ZL about 5 years ago but are now essentially free on the local auction site because everyone wants WIFI. They can be flashed with OpenWRT (a Linux derivative). They have enough GPIO pins that with a bit of configuration can easily control the Si5351 and other I2C devices.

Bill talks about “road kill computers”…. these are “road kill routers” but at $1 each you can’t really go wrong.

73

Andrew ZL1WJQ

Samana Shack

Just like in “How’s DX?”

VE7BPO’s QRP POPS IS BACK!

We were all understandably concerned when Todd VE7BPO announced this Fall that he was taking down his beloved QRP POPS web site. I’m pleased to report that Todd has transitioned from Web Site to blog. The spirit of QRP POPS lives on here:

http://qrp-popcorn.blogspot.com/

There are also links on this blog to all the great stuff that was on Todd’s site:

http://qrp-popcorn.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html

Three cheers for Todd! Hip-hip…

Now in Santo Domingo

I wrapped up my Samana HI9 operation yesterday morning. I found a very friendly Spanish-language round table – they were all willing to try to pull my QRP DSB sigs out of the noise. Within a few minutes I worked KI4PZE, CO8OT,WA4RME,and CO8KB. So that made a total of 18 solid contacts with 3 more that might not qualify as full-fledged QSOs.
We have moved on to very urban Santo Domingo – no room for antennas here!

A Very Simple and Stable VFO

From the November 1964 issue of 73 Magazine, by way of a compendium book sent to me from New York City by Dave W2DAB, comes words of wisdom about how to make a simple, super-stable VFO. Lots of great ideas in this article. My favorite was running the thing off D cell batteries and leaving it on all the time! The article was written by Roger Taylor, K9ALD.

Here is the article:

http://archive.org/stream/73-magazine-1964-11/11_November_1964#page/n11/mode/1up

Thanks to Dave, Roger, Wayne Green and the Internet Archive.

Pete Tries Baluns on the DBM

A couple of weeks ago I ran a post about an old 73 Magazine article that extolled the virtues of putting baluns at the RF input and IF output of diode ring mixers. Dedicated experimenter that he is, Pete Juliano gave it a try:

Hi Bill,

I did the modification and used 20 bifilar turns of #26 on a FT-50-43 core for each transformer.

The most important observation is that I did not see any degradation of performance and in fact I think has helped an overloading situation I was seeing on some extremely strong signals.

The photo is of a DBM that is behind a bilateral stage that on Rx is the RF amplifier and on Tx is the Tx pre-driver. I do have another single transistor RF amp ahead of this. In normal operation the next stage would be the Band Pass Filter.

The back end is an IF amplifier, AGC, Product Detector, balanced modulator and mic amp stage all on a board that came out of a Hallicrafters FPM-300 SSB/CW transceiver. There is a you tube video of this prototype project.

73’s

Pete N6QW

Thanks Pete!

Double A DSB DXpedition

Having a lot of fun with my old Azores 20 meter DSB rig here in the Dominican Republic. So far 11 solid contacts. People are amazed when I tell them the power source is 10 AA batteries! I feel I am redeeming myself as a QRPer after transgressing with the 120 watt amp project. We leave Samana and go to Santo Domingo on Sunday. 73 Bill

Sent from my iPhone

In Samana

Current portable ops in Samana!
YouTube video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBCg3-feSrc&sns=em

Also. Today is Pete Juliano’s birthday! Send him greetings!

N5AB’s Mighty Midget 40

Bill & Pete,

Your recent podcast on the Michigan Mighty Mite got me excited about hooking up

the one I built a few months ago.

The wattmeter claims it’s putting out 700 mW into a dummy load.

The old crystal I’m using is 7.108 mHz

The shack receiver verifies I’m on 7.108

The receiver also says I’m very strong on 14.216

I added a low-pass filter kit (now apparently discontinued) from kitsandparts.com

Even with the filter, I’m still hearing a strong signal on 14.216.

I’m not sure what’s going on here. Perhaps the transmitter coil is radiating the harmonic I’m

hearing on the shack reciever.

You guys are putting out some great podcasts! keep up the good work.

Bill N5AB

Liberating a 3.579 Rock in a Home Depot Parking Lot

I think Ben should give that crystal another chance. It may still be working on 3579. But in any case, for the quick thinking and dedication to the cause displayed in that Home Depot parking lot, I hereby award Ben KK6FUT the Brass Figlagee medal. (Who can tell us the origin of that prestigious award?)

Hi guys, thought I’d share my story about two free toilets, Home Depot, the record breaking rainfall, and my failed attempt to join the Colorburst Liberation Army.

The short version, is our local water company gave away free low flow toilets today, and in my process of (absolutely failing) to install them at home (give me solder over plumbing any time!!) ran to Home Depot for some parts.

In the parking lot, someone had smashed a television set, and I suddenly recalled your story about how old televisions use 3.579Mhz crystals!!

I jumped out of my car, and immediately spotted and “liberated” the crystal above! I pulled it from the TV while in the middle of the parking lot…

However, it appears the rain the TV had been subject to in the last few days (or maybe the smashing) changed the crystal in question somewhere in the range of 10.2Mhz to 10.4Mhz… So no go! But an amusing adventure anyway, and I do have a random 10.4Mhz crystal to show for it.

Ben

KK6FUT

A New Jersey Battalion for the CBLA? The NJQRP SNAP on 3.579

Back in 2000, the NJQRP club came up with a nice little transmitter called the SNAP. It was designed by Chuck Adams K7QO. Dave K5YFO alerted us to it and suggested it as an alternative to the Mighty Midget. One advantage over the MMM is that the SNAP needs no variable capacitor. But it does need a couple of coils wound on toroids. The SNAP design includes a low pass filter, something that has to be added on to the MMM. Check it out. Even if you’ve already built the MMM, you could easily take the crystal and use it in a SNAP build.

More info on the SNAP here:

http://www.njqrp.org/atlanticon/atlanticon%202000/snap.html

Another Great Blog from Canada

Earlier we wrote about QRP POP’s reemergence in blog form.

Here’s another great blog from Canada, this one from Steve VE7SL:

http://ve7sl.blogspot.com/

Midwest Mighty Mite from KK0S

Wow, beautiful job Bruce. I was hoping that a check of the Reverse Beacon Network would reveal that someone had heard you, but no joy. Keep at it. You may become the first CLA member in this round to make a contact.

Bill –

Hello from the Midwest chapter of the CLA. Here’s pix of my just completed Michigan Mighty Mite. Nothing was purchased specifically for this project. It was put together using only parts already on hand. The only previously unused parts were the front panel sockets and one resistor. The rig uses a 2N2219A transistor salvaged from a junked industrial control board and a color burst crystal that actually first oscillated in a tube-type color TV some 40 years ago. Loading into my ground-mounted vertical, this MMM seems to be most stable at a draw of 87ma at 12.6 volts. The arithmetic seems to work out at somewhere around 650mw into the ether. I called for about half an hour around 2300Z, but got no takers… it was still pretty early for 80m and I had an extremely high local noise level. The rig seems to run about 1khz high. I’ll give it another go this weekend.

72 – Bruce – KK0S.

Jean Shepherd’s Shack Gets Hit by Lightning

Yikes! This is really good! Thanks to Harv for sending us this link: Poor Shep!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akyTVNorXQ8&feature=player_detailpage

Greetings Bill,

Have been loving each Soldersmoke Podcast and Blog Segment recently.
You and Pete have made the program a superb treat while I’ve been busy with the Radio Room construction.

Building the Radio Room is like constructing an ARK in your Basement. Everything is being done in pairs
and the water keeps rising. (No kidding)…
I encountered two water breaks in the Radio Room while construction was under way but, that is a whole different story.
Fortunately none of my prized boat anchors were damaged.

The project; (The Radio Room), includes operating positions for 14 complete stations.
That wouldn’t be too bad except I’m constructing walls, benches and over-head lighting from complete scratch.
While this is going on, I wanted to finish my 3.579 MHz CBLA transmitter and return to the Minima build that I started in April 2014.
However, in September, I retired and moved to another state. The reality of the latter took awhile to sink in. Most Ham Projects took a back seat to higher priorities. I will soon have the Radio Room I always dreamed of. The Drake 2B fills the space with the sound of 20 Mtr CW and the anticipation of having the HT-37 brewing away is just around the bend.

I’m taking a short sabbatical from the Ham Shack construction to get caught up on some other household projects.
In this notion of taking a needed break, I rediscovered Jean Shepherd’s programs on Youtube.
I started to dissect Sheps monologue when I found that familiar path in my own life as a 15 yr. old Ham in the mid-1960s.
I’m sure you too can relate to Jeans’ life as a kid.
I really liked his broadcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akyTVNorXQ8&feature=player_detailpage
“Lightning Hits the Ham Radio.” Near the end of the program, he mentions that his life was over because his
Dad hammered him over the damage to the house by the lightning strike. I’d love to hear the rest of that story!!!

Please keep up the great efforts with Soldersmoke and bringing us all that good Tribal Knowledge. I think we should all go build something.
Looking forward to what’s next. Thanks to You and Pete.

73’s
De -=WA3EIB=- Harv
Eastern Idaho