Clubs – Page 2 – SolderSmoke Daily News

SolderSmoke Podcast #195: (We need some help!) BITX, 60, SSB History, Tribal Socketry

SENDING IT BACK

SolderSmoke Podcast #195 is available. Link appears below (scroll down)

We’ve got a problem: Pete Juliano and the QRP Hall of Fame 🙁 PLEASE HELP!

BENCH REPORTS

Pete Releases Smoke (wiring harness)

Pete’s DifX on 60

Architecture and Dual Conversion (uBITX: uses ALL THREE clocks on the Si5351)

The Big Kahuna

ON HACKADAY with Philco SB100 SEE! QRP!!!!!

BITX60

Cap Stack Hack mod (with leads)

Let the smoke out of an Si5351 (shorted output) Several actually.

(Same day delivery zone for Amazon — but no drones or parachutes yet.)

Installed scanning switch

Observations on 60. All the weird bands have a 6 in them: 160, 60, 6

The good: 100 watt limit, wire antennas
The bad: Kind of cliquish– like 75, not much of a CQ band. Channels. Not much activity.

Met Josh KE8CPD on 40. BITX 40!

TRIBAL KNOWLEDGE:

Socketry: How to keep BNC jacks from spinning loose?

Do you heat shrink?

Feel Tech Sig Gen might not have blocking cap at the output.

Speaking of which, when I spoke of the Ne602, I mostly meant blocking caps, not bypass caps.

How come they don’t have a cable TV channel devoted to radios? They have HGTV? Why not HBTV?

REPORT FROM WINTERFEST

Bad weather. Tailgaters wimped out!

Combined forces with Armand WA1UQO.

Met up with Charles AI4OT.

Acquisitions: 1/4 phono jacks, carbon mic, vero board, disc caps, weather radio,

LARGE collection of Electric Radios from Armand. Wow.

Electric Radio notes: 1st Fifty Years of Sideband 1991 articles by Jim Musgrove K5BZH

Why LSB on 75? — so AMers couldn’t follow to top of band

W2, W6, W8s liked phasing, W3, W4, W0 more into filter rigs.

Early SSB guys turning on carrier and talking AM hams into SSB RX.

Kelvinator Refrigerator rigs.

A reading on the homebrewing of SSB rigs.

Tony Fishpool on QSO Today! Pete mentioned prominently.

Good Hacks from ND6T on BITXHacks, Stockton Bridge

MAILBAG

LINK: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke195.mp3

QRPp Back Issues (and some new ones too!)

Here’s an index:

http://www.k7qo.net/qrpp_toc_de_k7qo.pdf

And here are lot of the back issues:

http://www.ncqrpp.org/

And I see there are August and September 2016 editions available in the Files section (KI6DS) of the qrp-tech Yahoo group. Did I see articles there from Steve “Snort Rosin” Smith?

Preserving Vanguard 1

Ira Flatow of “Science Friday” was recently talking about how best to preserve important bits of the history of mankind’s exploration of space. Our old friend Vanguard 1 was mentioned several times. It is now the oldest satellite still in space.

You can listen to the Science Friday show here:

http://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/protecting-the-historic-human-record-in-space/

They also have a transcript of the show on the same page.

SolderSmoke fans will remember the Vanguard adventures of Mike Rainey AA1TJ:

http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=Vanguard

This seems to be the month for Vanguard: just a couple of weeks ago, on 40 meters I spoke to Dale Parfitt W4OP. Dale was one of the first people to pick up Mike Rainey’s Vanguard replica signals (see link above).

AND…

The Vanguard reproduction project came up during Eric Guth 4Z1UG’s “QSO Today” interview with Graham Firth G3MFJ of the G-QRP Club:

http://www.qsotoday.com/podcasts/g3mfj

(Graham has such a great voice. He definitely SHOULD build a phone rig!)

VIVA VANGUARD!

OzarkCon is Coming Up — April 1-2

http://www.ozarkcon.com/index.php

OzarkCon is Coming Up — April 1-2

http://www.ozarkcon.com/index.php

Awesome Kits from Austin Texas

http://www.qsl.net/k5bcq/Kits/Kits.html

If this is the kind of great stuff that results, then I agree with the bumper sticker:

KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD!

Scroll down to kit #25 for more details on the device pictured above.

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

Hamfest Presentation on SolderSmoke and BITX (Video)

The Vienna Wireless Society of Northern Virginia asked me to give a talk at their 23 Feb 2014 hamfest. I spoke about homebrewing and the BITX transceivers. Click on the link below to watch the video. (Special thanks to Elisa for doing the video.)

https://vimeo.com/87725154

The Powerpoint slides are here:

http://soldersmoke.com/winterfest.pptx

For those who just want to listen podcast style, I will try to turn the audio into a podcast and will post it via the normal channels.

Bert’s Blog and BITX

Our friend Bert is once again melting solder. And he has launched a blog. (SolderSmoke listeners will remember Bert as the advisor to the University of Virginia radio club. That was the club that had its HQ in some sort of nuclear reactor building. They put up a huge wire antenna, but then took it down when they realized bike riders could possibly, uh, run into it.) Bert has some interesting stuff on his blog, including an article on conductive paint and one on the use of mail boxes as antenna tuner enclosures. And he reports that he has dusted off a BITX 20 kit. Welcome back Bert!

Check out his blog:
http://wf7ihomebrew.wordpress.com/

Knack-to-the-Max! Early Moonbounce

The link below will take you to an amazing collection of QST articles describing the early days of EME or “moonbounce.” Very interesting. I was really blown away when I found out that Ross Bateman, W4AO, (pictured above, on the left) did the very first amateur moonbounce work from the small suburban Washington town that I live in now — Falls Church, Virginia!

I am trying to find OM Ross’s old address or more info about him. If anyone has an old callbook, could you please look up Ross Bateman, W4AO, aka W4XNB? He worked at the National Bureau of Standards.

The moonbounce story is filled with interesting technology and characters and clubs. Sam Harris and his Rhododendron Swamp VHF Society sounds like our kind of group! Scroll through the OK2KKW web site and you will come across our esteemed Doug DeMaw and Bill Orr.

http://www.ok2kkw.com/eme1960/eme1960eng.htm

The Society for Model and Experimental Engineers

Wow. Stop what you are doing and take a look at the four short films about a group of intrepid British knack victims. Very nicely done. Really captures the allure of the shack/workshop.

http://makezine.com/2013/06/28/the-makers-of-things-2/

A Ham Radio HackerSpace

Bill – Enjoyed your conversation regarding seeing the Maker guys at a recent hamfest. Thought I’d let you know that, at least on a small scale, we’ve created a ham hacker space in our club by organizing a “Builders Group” as an adjunct to the Williamsburg Amateur Radio Club (WAARC) here in Williamsburg, VA. I volunteered my QTH as a meeting place and the majority of projects have been either QRP or test equipment related. Folks select their own project and bring their own tools to use. These projects have included the Hendricks tri-band QRP transceiver, NorCal FCC-1 frequency counter, N3ZI digital dial, Tuna Tin II transmitter and others.

I corralled two friends in the club to act as “mentors” to assist less experienced builders with soldering and construction. Once builders complete their projects my workbench upstairs is available to verify correct operation or troubleshooting as required.

Here are a couple of pix of the guys having fun melting solder.

73 – Dino KL0S

How many hams in China? Not many.

I’ve been wondering about amateur radio in mainland China. Given the very large population, and the high levels of technical and engineering activity, you’d expect to see evidence of more ham radio activity from that country. Sure, there are plenty of commercial rigs manufactured there, but I’ve never seen an article about a Chinese homebrew rig, or a reprint from a Chinese ham radio magazine. I did some Googling, and unfortunately found out that my suspicions are correct: There are very few Chinese radio amateurs.

What a pity! Imagine the great rigs and circuits that would come out of that country.

Here are the numbers from from a 2009 IARU report (authored by the Chinese Radio Sports Association:

The total number of individual amateur radio stations in the mainland of China is about 19,000, while the number of active club stations is 124， as counted in March 2009. In fact there are over 10,000 new comers get amateur radio station licenses each year, the total number of certified amateur operators during the past 10 years is accumulated as over 70,000. However, as the license is valid for 2 years and about the same number of previous licensees did not renew their license in time in each year, the net population of valid transmitting amateur radio station appears almost flat.

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Report from Dover Construction Club

GM Bill,

Dover Construction Club lads all send their regards! We’re still gong strong but summer is always a bit slack.

Young Neil has built himself a HUNTER SDR receiver, the rest of us are involved on projects but often chin wagging takes preference and little gets done….. Merv is the big offender of course, not me!

I’m working on a big linear for my 160m winter fun…. using a Russian triode…. of course it will loaf along at 400W, our legal limit.

Nigel is now the other side of the country but he’s still involved and considers himself an active member. Building like mad but still not doing the important thing of bashing on with his Morse. He’s getting better and that was proved last night.

Peter came round with his new KX3 and we put it on the air….. We worked Nigel and he insisted that he did not use his morse reader….. I could be ingratious and say there may have been a little ‘porky pie’ (lie, sorry, London cockney slang!) It might have been running on the side of the bench but he didn’t look at it!

I have a KX3 on order and expect that in the next few weeks….. I’ve gone for the kit.

While on holiday my ic 7200 burst into flames….. well, filled the house with smoke! The PSU had gone to 22v and the PA board did not like it. It’s a real mess inside but surprisingly enough there are few internal problems…. a few charred caps on various boards and one 9v reg giving 8volts but the Rx still works!

The Tx works up to the PA board as well! It was insured and they have paid up so I might order a new PA board and keep that in the workshop as the rig down there.

I’ve started to downsize as well…. I have far too much gear…. I’ve got 160 Morse keys for a start and use four of them!

Sorry, in rabbit mode….. 73 for now

Ian, G3ROO and GB2SPY (oh, and KG3ROO and G0ROO)…. and DCC lads

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

SolderSmoke Podcast #145

SolderSmoke Podcast #145 (July 29, 2012) is available

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke145.mp3

— Derecho Storm hits Northern Virginia

— Cappuccio impersonates a Pitt Bull

— July 4 Fireworks

— A 17 Meter QSO with W5JAY (QRP Hall of Famer)

— Rules of Thumb for Decoupling Caps (.1 uF now suspect)

— Heathkit: Mic jack? Or Mike jack? (Who is this Mike guy?)

— On the air with the K2ZA DX-100

— Saturnian Sidewalk Astronomy

— NJQRP “Chat With The Designers” — Mandatory Listening!

— Back with the ARRL: Goodwill Transmitters and Herring Aid Receivers

— Billy’s computer build and Arduino adventures

— Fixing up NE602 20 meter DC rig

— Join G-QRP! Support our SPRAT!

— MAILBAG

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

NA5N’s Handiman’s Guide to QRP Transmitters

This magnificent article came out of the 2002 Atlanticon QRP forum. I think George Heron, N2APB, had sent me a paper copy of the “Proceedings” from that event. I got a hold of it just around the time that was trying to deepen my understanding of transistor amplifier theory. Paul’s article was a huge help. There then ensued a long on-and-off e-mail discussion of the article, and of the need to make an e-version of it available to the wider world. I lost track of where we ended up, but I remember Paul being very pleased with the feedback.

Here it is! Thanks Paul!

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

QRP in the Country (Somerset, England)

From the folks who bring us “Hot Iron”:

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Ladies and Gentlemen,

QRP in the Country will take place on Jul 15th at Upton Bridge Farm, Long Sutton, Langport, Somerset TA10 9NJ despite the weather! The cattle sheds have been cleaned and it will be indoors if the WX stays bad! The farm gate opens at 10 am so dont be put off by a little rain!

Don’t forget to bring your entries for the Ten Part Receiver Challenge! Lots of interesting things to see displayed by individuals and Clubs. There is still room for a few more ‘stalls’ if you want one.

Hope to see you, Tim Walford G3PCJ

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Update from the QRP Ranch

Bill,
Really enjoyed SolderSmoke 143, great job as always.
I wanted to fill you in on the happenings at the WA6ARA QRP Ranch. A bunch of us are doing a kit build. We meet at the QRP Ranch Man Cave for a few hours of building several times a week. Several of us are building the 40 meter SSB rig that won the homebrew challenge a couple years ago and there are a couple BTX20s and 17 meter rigs being built as well. I’d like to say they are from scratch but alas, we are building them from Hendrick’s QRP kits. The first one has been completed, a BTX17, by a 15 year old Extra Class ham in about 3 days. BTW – he already had WAS and DXCC. The next project is the W6JL 50 watt amplifier that won the amplifier homebrew challenge. I am building both the 40 meter and the BTX17 rigs. The 40 meter rig, plus amp is going in a ammo can and then in the jeep for back country emergency use. I’ve enclosed a couple of photos, including the required chocolate chip cookies to keep the gang going and the solar oven to cook them in.

—
Mike Herr
WA6ARA
DM-15dp
Home of The QRP Ranch

Alan Wolke on “Chat with Designers” Tonight!

From the fellows at NJQRP:

This week’s session of Chat With The Designers is tomorrow evening(Tuesday), starting at 8pm Eastern (0000z) on Teamspeak. We are in for a real treat this week, as Alan Wolke, W2AEW, a field applications engineer for Tektronix, will be leading the discussion on atopic he is very familiar with … “Oscilloscope Basics. ” If you watch an electrical engineer tackling a tough design project, or a service engineer troubleshooting a stubborn problem, you¹ll see them grab a scope, fit probes or cables, and start turning knobs and setting switches without ever seeming to glance at the front panel. To these experienced users, the oscilloscope is their most important tool but their minds are focused on solving the problem, not on using the scope. We have a Notes page set up with a terrific presentation that we¹ll betalking to in this session, so be sure you have your browser set to thisduring the discussion as well … http://www.njqrp.org/teamspeak/Apr10.html

If you¹ve not joined us for past topics, you¹ll find that we have some funin this 1-hour online meeting talking about various technical topics thatare likely of interest to homebrewers and experimenters here in our hamranks. It¹s open for everyone and all you have to do is have the Teamspeakdriver loaded onto your computer. (For guidance on this, see

http://www.njqrp.org/teamspeak/TeamspeakInstructions.html)Looking forward to seeing
(hearing) many of our 30-some regulars, and inviteothers who have not yet joined in on the fun!73, George N2APB& Joe N2CX& Alan Wolke W2AEW
Chat With The Designers …http://www.njqrp.org/teamspeak/TeamspeakChat.html

(See this page too for past sessions and MP3 podcasts of the audio portionof each week.)PS: If you happen to follow us in our audio podcasts each week, the lastsession on ³Soldering 101² is loaded and available at:http://www.njqrp.org/teamspeak/Mar20.html
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Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

NJORP’s “Chat with the Designers” Podcast

N2APB and N2CX of the New Jersey QRP Club have been hosting weekly, live, on-line technical discussions called “Chats with the Designers.” They are recording these sessions, and turning them into — in effect — podcasts. Yesterday I listened to their session on circuit simulators and really enjoyed it. Today, I’ll be listening to the one on digital modes. I think you guys will like this. Lots to learn from the NJQRP guys:
http://www.njqrp.org/teamspeak/TeamspeakChat.html

Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20

Walford Electronics’ “QRP In the Country”

A stiff wind and occasional drizzle did not put off the large attendance of QRP and home building enthusiasts who attended QRP in the Country on July 17^th. Hundreds of people from all over England and Holland found their way to Upton Bridge Farm, Somerset where the farm barns provided cover. About 25 stalls and displays showed off or sold everything from components to large construction projects. Apart from a few traders selling components, most displays were from Clubs publicising their activities or of ancient domestic and wartime radios, with a few individuals selling items to make space for new projects! There were also practical construction projects to be seen as ‘students’ built their Cary RXs with occasional help from the Bath Buildathon team led by Steve G0FUW. The catering team led by Tony G0GFL cooked a prodigious amount of special local burgers and sausages from the host Tim G3PCJ’s farm served in rolls baked locally that very morning, and washed down by village beer and cider, under the careful eye of Robert PA9RZ!

A raffle raised £200 for those suffering in East Africa; the main prize being a year’s subscription to PW kindly donated by Rob G3XFD which was won by Graham G4DPH. George G3RJV was asked to select a couple of displays that ‘appealed’ to him for two other prizes. The GQRP Club had kindly donated a special edition of Drew VK3XU’s latest project book which was also won by G4DPH for his PW Sprat project; a Walford Electronics Radlet CW TCVR kit went to Colin G3YHU for his valved superhet. A years subscription to BYLARA was won by SWL Mike Jones who is about to take his Foundation licence course.

After the event Tim G3PCJ said he was said delighted with the increased attendance and wished to thank everybody whose hard work had made the event so successful. He urged all Clubs within reasonable distance to plan their displays for next year! Watch the press for announcements of the date!

Any questions to:-
Tim Walford G3PCJ walfor@globalnet.co.uk
WALFORD ELECTRONICS www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~walfor

Designers & suppliers of kits for radio enthusiasts

Proprietor Tim Walford BSc MIEE CEng G3PCJ

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Our book: “SolderSmoke — Global Adventures in Wireless Electronics”http://soldersmoke.com/book.htmOur coffee mugs, T-Shirts, bumper stickers: http://www.cafepress.com/SolderSmokeOur Book Store: http://astore.amazon.com/contracross-20