Author: Peter Marks

Pete Friedrichs’ Amazing Books, Projects, and Guests

H.P. “Pete” Friedrichs is the author of two books that belong on our book shelves: “Voice of the Crystal” and “Instruments of Amplification.” http://www.hpfriedrichs.com/mybooks/mybooks.htm

This morning I got a nice e-mail from Pete. He’s been listening to the podcast.

His e-mail caused me to revisit his web site. Lots of minimalist homebrew gold there!

Check out the collection of projects sent to Pete from all around the world by readers of his books:

http://www.hpfriedrichs.com/guestgallery/guestgallery.htm

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

QRPp Model Planes

Michael, AA1TJ, alerted me to this very interesting hobby. The video is really beautiful.

http://floatdocumentary.com/documentary

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

Parachutist’s Helmet-Camera Images Falling Meteorite

Just because it is pretty cool. Also, we like parachutes, meteorites, and Norway.

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 #159: Hamfests, Herring Aids, and Tuna Tins

SolderSmoke Podcast #159 is available.


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke159.mp3

April 1, 2014
Vienna Wireless Hamfest
BITX Talk
W1REX speaks
Tuna Tin 2 Mojo Transfer Ceremony
After 38 years — finishing my Herring Aid 5 receiver
Feedback, Phasing Dots, Rotational Sense, and Oscillation (or not)
Motorboating (when you don’t want to)
Building my Tuna Tin 2 with parts from W1REX
On the air with Tuna Tin and Herring Aid
More Minimalist Meanderings:
An (Almost) All Altoid Crystal Radio!
Tek 465 dies (again) 🙁
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

First Contact with Herring Aid 5 AND Tuna Tin 2

Ah, it was a good morning in the N2CQR shack! Last week I ran into fellow ham David Cowhig at work. I was regaling him with tales of Herring Aid and Tuna Tin derring-do. Oh the stations I had heard with the receiver! And the stations that I’d worked with the transmitter! Then David asked the question: “Yea, but have you worked anybody with the receiver paired up with the transmitter?” Uh, no. Not yet.
Well this morning I took care of that. 7040 kc. 1115 UTC. W4ELP was calling CQ. He wasn’t too strong, and I wasn’t sure if we were on the same side of zero beat (that’s what happens with direct conversion — you get all the sigs in two places on the dial) but I took a shot at it. And he heard me!
Here’s the icing on the cake: This was his SECOND QSO with my Tuna Tin 2! Ed had been contact #4 when I was running the TT2 with the Drake 2B. After exchanging reports he asked “Bill ARE YOU STILL ON THE TUNA TIN?”
The rig (TX AND RX) is pictured above. Close-up of the receiver appears below. And below that is a picture of Ed, W4ELP, in his Georgia shack. Note the HW-8.
Thanks Ed! Thanks David!


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

Harv’s DDS Function Generator

Nice looking DDS function generator Harv! Glad to see the HT-37 in the background. (And it appears well protected — is that some sort of digital shielding to protect it from the bits and bytes?) The eraser buttons are a nice touch. Good luck with the Minima!

Hi Bill,
Well I have nearly completed my DDS Function Generator as I prepare to construct the Minima.
The Function Generator was a necessity for the bench so I can tackle Tweaking and Troubleshooting my work.
It is housed an aluminum box and completely self-contained.
My objective was to have the choice, to either lay the unit flat on the work surface or stand it on a shelf for easy reading while seated.
The Generator has both a DDS and HF-ECG output.
The buttons are fashioned from White Pencil Erasers since finding proper buttons for the membrane keypad beneath was difficult.
I have obtained a set of Farhan’s Boards for the Minima but will begin my effort with a Manhattan Style Construction so I can perfect my choice of parts.
The soldering iron is heating and I’m ready for a new and exciting challenge.
Happy Solder Melting Everyone!
Harv -=WA3EIB=-
Albq., NM.

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

Remotely Controlled Stations on the Internet

Now for something completely different!

I find myself talking fairly often to hams who are using remote transceivers. The operator will be in say, Michigan, with the rig in Florida. Some of them are using the online system:

http://www.remotehams.com/

I signed up and downloaded the software. It works very well. Many of the stations are closed to outsiders, and some of them don’t let you transmit, but it is fun to listen from remote locations.

This morning I hooked up the Tuna Tin 2 and was able to hear my 200 mW signal through AI4W’s receiver in Kentucky.

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

VU2JN’s “Transistor Transmitter from India”

VU2JN

VU2INJ’s very interesting blog led me to a wonderful 1967 QST article by VU2JN. Check it out. Necessity truly is the mother of invention and — as is the case with our beloved BITX — we see that in the design of this transmitter. I love how the speaker was left in the cabinet and used as the microphone. Check it out:

http://vu3inj.blogspot.in/2014/01/tribute-to-vu2jn.html

More on VU2JN (who very clearly merits “Homebrew Hero” status):

http://shipwreck1.hopto.org:8080/projects/hamprojects/VU2JNArchive/

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 Really BIG Discovery (Cosmology, Gravity Waves, Inflation)

The signals that were announced this week are a bit outside our normal frequency range, but this is a REALLY BIG discovery so of course, it needs to be covered by SolderSmoke Daily News. I liked this info-graphic from space.com. It is worth looking at. Note the line “The universe continues infinitely outside Earth’s Hubble volume.”

http://www.space.com/25075-cosmic-inflation-universe-expansion-big-bang-infographic.html

Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration.
Source SPACE.com: All about our solar system, outer space and exploration.

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 Ladybird TRF (Regen!) Receiver

http://www.mds975.co.uk/Content/trfradios02.html

My feelings about regenerative receivers and their possible connections to the nether-world are well known. But the receiver described on this beautiful British web site is almost enough to make me change my mind. Thanks to Stephen, G7VFY, for alerting me to this (and to so many other great sites!) I also find myself forced to give regens another chance because George Dobbs, G3RJV, was the original source of this design. It comes from a book he wrote in 1972. I love the wooden bread-board construction. Thanks Stephen! Thanks George!

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 Wizard of Sao Paulo

It has been about 4 years since Miguel, PY2OHH, has been mentioned in this blog. That’s too long! Miguel has churned out an impressive series of homebrew rigs, the latest of which he calls the Baita Tche. Does that name look familiar? It is a play on words using slang from Southern Brazil. “Baita” means big or enormous. “Tche” means “you.” Together they sound sort of like BITX! Miguel has been building BITX rigs and rigs (like Baita Tche) similar to Farhan’s rig. Here is his page on Baita Tche:
http://py2ohh.w2c.com.br/trx/baitatche/baitatche.html

Here is his home page with a LONG (almost JF1OZL-ish!) list of projects:
http://py2ohh.w2c.com.br/

Here’s his YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/py2ohh

Here’s a Photostream of some excellent Brazilian homebrew:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/py2jcm/2066764415/in/photostream/

Muito obrigado Miguel!

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

Farhan’s RM386 RF Amplifier

An RF amplifier inspired by a quest for an AF replacement for the LM386. I like it! Check it out:

http://www.hfsignals.org/index.php/RF386

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

Herring Aid Motorboating STOPPED!

FIXED! Following up on suggestions from Tony Fishpool and from Roy Morgan, I put a 10 ohm resistor between the two supply lines and put 100 uF caps to ground at either end of the resistor. I can now operate the receiver at high AF gain (no problem running a speaker) without the KLUDGE of two power supplies. The RX sounds great. I will soon match it up with the equally awesome Tuna Tin 2 for 1976 QRP EXTRAVAGANZA.

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

Stopping the AF oscillations in the Herring Aid 5

Thanks to all who responded. This morning I got a significant clue: Following up on Tony Fishpool’s suggestion, I separated the power supplies: I ran the RF amp, oscillator and mixer base bias off a small 12 V battery, with the mixer collector circuit and the AF amps running of the bench 12V supply. The AF oscillations completely stop under these conditions. So the feedback is probably taking place via the 12 V supply lines. 73

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

Direct Conversion Receivers, AF Transformers, and Motorboating

The Herring Aid 5 is a direct conversion receiver (scroll down for details). It is a minimalist design from 1976 using parts available at Radio Shack stores. One of the parts no longer carried by Radio Shack is a 10K-2K ohm audio transformer. Following NORCAL’s 1998 design update I ordered an equivalent Mouser part (Xicon 42TU002-RC). I had been running the receiver with simple RC coupling instead of the transformer.

Yesterday the Mouser part arrived and I put it into the circuit. An increase in AF gain was immediately apparent, but the thing went into AF oscillation as soon as I turned up the AF gain.

I tried beefing up the AF decoupling. But I think the real problem is just the presence in the middle of the board of a rather large (1 inch x 1 inch) audio transformer. I moved it around a bit to get it away from the toroid of the preceding stage. This helped a bit, but it still breaks into oscillation if I turn up the AF gain.

Any suggestions? Or is this just part of the minimalist 1976 lifestyle?

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

German Radio Amateurs Receive Signals from ICE Spacecraft

The wizards at AMSAT-DL have done it again! Their latest feat of outer space derring-do is the reception of the 5 watt (QRP!) signal from the lost (now found) ICE spacecraft. Details here:
http://amsat-uk.org/2014/03/09/radio-amateurs-receive-nasa-isee-3ice-spacecraft/

Here is their facility:

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

I Too Built a Tuna Tin 2

I didn’t plan on doing this. I didn’t even really want to do this. I’ve become a phone guy — I’m not into CW anymore. I figured I’d just finish the Herring Aid 5 receiver and settle the score from 1976 and that would be it. But everything I read about the Herring Aid 5 included references to the iconic Tuna Tin 2. Obviously I was also under the strong influence of my late February encounter with the original TT2 at the Vienna Wireless Winterfest. That Mojo is powerful stuff! Then my wife brought home this can of Russian tuna. The dimensions were perfect. Then I looked in my junkbox and found 40 meter CW crystals. That was it. I had to do it.

I built mine Manhattan style, using several of W1REX’s fantastic Me-pads. I also used as the final a transistor that Rex gave me at Winterfest. Thanks Rex. Soul in the New Machine.

I’m getting about 200 mW out. I;m on 7030 kHz and 7040 kHz and 7110 kHz. I have the TT2 up with my Drake 2-B (Herring Aid 5 integration will come later). I can feel the Mojo.

I just had my first contact with the TT2: I called CQ on 7110 and AB2RA came back. Jan was running 20 watts from an old 807 rig, listening with an old Hammarlund. So it was HB transmitter and vintage receivers on both ends! FB!

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

Lulu Book Sale, Job Openings

Lulu is running a 20% off sale on books. You can pick up SolderSmoke — The Book at a discount. Just use the coupon code SUPER20 :
http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/soldersmoke

And as long as we are talking about money, I spotted some job openings that might be of interest to readers of this blog:

http://makezine.com/2014/03/06/wanna-work-for-us/

http://hackaday.com/2014/03/06/were-hiring-2/

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