SolderSmoke Daily News — Ham Radio Blog
Serving the worldwide community of radio-electronic homebrewers. Providing blog support to the SolderSmoke podcast: http://soldersmoke.com
17 October 2015
— Our audience IGNORES Pete’s guitar intro!
— Pete on QSO Today Podcast.
— Part 97, The Radio Art and International Goodwill.
BENCH REPORTS:
— Pete connects his new beam to the KX3.
— Pete puts the Bell-thorn on 20.
— Simple-ceiver update.
— Pete’s new drum machine: http://makezine.com/2015/10/15/learn-electronics-worlds-oldest-drum-machine/
— Bill fights noise in the DIGI-TIA.
— Bill fights power-line noise (and wins!).
— Drake 2B, skirts, reduction drives, and tuning rates.
— Warming up (with!) the DX-100.
— N2CQR — N6QW First Ever HB2HB QSO.
— On 40 AM with an HT-37
— Listening to Chinese CubeSats.
— SDR Dongle as a bandwidth checker.
— SDR and the Future of Homebrew Radio.
— Bryan’s LBS Receiver.
— Dean’s First Ever QSO with his HB rig.
— 32 Mighty Mites Completed
— The Martian — Did Mark Watney REALLY have the Knack?
— MAILBAG:
Peter Parker’s New Book
Sparks from Ron Sparks
Armand’s 1Watter
Rogier’s pyro machine
BIG boxes from Tim KI6BGE
Mikele’s ZIA and N6QW rig collection
SPRAT 141 and SPRAT 164
17 October 2015
— Our audience IGNORES Pete’s guitar intro!
— Pete on QSO Today Podcast.
— Part 97, The Radio Art and International Goodwill.
BENCH REPORTS:
— Pete connects his new beam to the KX3.
— Pete puts the Bell-thorn on 20.
— Simple-ceiver update.
— Pete’s new drum machine: http://makezine.com/2015/10/15/learn-electronics-worlds-oldest-drum-machine/
— Bill fights noise in the DIGI-TIA.
— Bill fights power-line noise (and wins!).
— Drake 2B, skirts, reduction drives, and tuning rates.
— Warming up (with!) the DX-100.
— N2CQR — N6QW First Ever HB2HB QSO.
— On 40 AM with an HT-37
— Listening to Chinese CubeSats.
— SDR Dongle as a bandwidth checker.
— SDR and the Future of Homebrew Radio.
— Bryan’s LBS Receiver.
— Dean’s First Ever QSO with his HB rig.
— 32 Mighty Mites Completed
— The Martian — Did Mark Watney REALLY have the Knack?
— MAILBAG:
Peter Parker’s New Book
Sparks from Ron Sparks
Armand’s 1Watter
Rogier’s pyro machine
BIG boxes from Tim KI6BGE
Mikele’s ZIA and N6QW rig collection
SPRAT 141 and SPRAT 164
Paul Hodges, KA5WPL, didn’t have the variable capacitor called for by the Michigan Mighty Mite schematic. So in the true spirit of the International Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards, he rolled his own! He used two empty aluminum cans and some electrical tape. Wow, that’s really cool Paul.
You have truly earned you membership in the Color Burst Liberation Army, and for the capacitor I award you the prestigious Brass Figlagee with Bronze Oak Leaf Palm.
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
You will remember Colin as the builder of that beautiful BITX20 that he first used from his backyard and later used with great success from a hilltop in Northern England. In this video we see Colin demonstrating his Michigan Mighty Mite. Lots of soul in that little machine! Colin notes that this rig worked well from the start. The Radio Gods were obviously pleased by his use of a tuna tin as the chassis. I think they also liked the MePads from W1REX and the Tek 465 ‘scope. And of course the T-shirt was obviously a key element in Colin’s success.
Here is that beautiful BITX, now equipped with an internal speaker:
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
Bill,
I have been a listener of the Soldersmoke Podcasts for several years now and I have worked my way through most of the back episodes of the podcast. It is terrific production and has taught me so much about radio electronics. I have also read all of your books. Thanks for what you do for this hobby.
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
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
From Harv, WA3EIB:
I’m an avid follower of Soldersmoke and builder of sorts. I began as a ham operator in 1965.
My parents claim I was born with my hands wrapped around a soldering iron.
As you may have noticed, the Michigan Mighty Mite has become a popular rage thanks to Bill and Pete and the Soldersmoke gang. They have encouraged a great number of individuals to study, build and learn. The basics of a simple one transistor transmitter can be a key element to creating, inventing and pushing the brain to greater understanding.
When I was first licensed I was encouraged by a fellow ham. This wise man, was way more senior than myself and out of kindness, he sat me down in front of his workbench and grilled me on the key components and reasons for adding a Low Pass Filter in radio transmission. Following the lecture, he pulled the parts for the filter from his cabinet and said, “Now build it!”
Fifty years later, that same nurturing education is still with me and our hobby. When I was in New England in the 1970’s & 80s, I became friends with Ted Gent, G3ODG. He was a good friend and a real inspiration to art of build. We have long since lost contact with each other however, Ted helped me along as I ventured into solid-state homebrew receivers.
I have enclosed a photo of a similar one valve oscillator that I built when I was 15. So much thrill is derived when your hands construct a useful element of your radio shack.
73’s
Keep building, keep enjoying!
Harv -=WA3EIB=-
Idaho Falls, Idaho USA
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
Greg is a VK6 Australian ham living permanently in Finland. He has been a SolderSmoke listener for many years. Greg sent a nice picture and a video of his VK-OH Mighty Mite. FB Greg!
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
Greetings Bill, Pete,
While between tasks, I put a little work in on the LPF for the Michigan Mighty Mite.
I will soon be ready to light this thing up. I fit everything on a copper board 3.5 X 5.
I even put some non-skid rubber feet and fashioned the tank circuit for 40 Meters.
The Color Burst frequency was a bit too low for a practical antenna on this small city lot so, I did the next best thing.
It’s like reliving those teen years, routing through boxes of misc parts and soldering them in place one at a time.
The thrill involved kind of brings those days back to future.
I wanting to construct a regen-receiver but, the pile in front of the solder station is urging me to continue on with the Minima.
I love the variety of Mighty Mites that have been built thus far. Each one is like a painting where the artist has left their signature on their work.
Keep building, Keep having fun and Keep learning.
73’s
Harv -=WA3EIB=-
Eastern Idaho
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
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the crystal for the mighty mite. I have been pretty busy of
late, but got a few minutes to take a first stab at a build. I am an
electronics neophyte, but learning every day. I am a convert from the
software darkside – software engineer by trade – and enjoying every time
I succeed in getting something to work! I am glad that the circuit is
forgiving because I grabbed what I had at hand to make it and it ain’t
pretty by any means, but I have included a photo of the build as was the
deal and also a snapshot of proof of oscillation from my oscilloscope.
I’ll do it up right soon and try connecting it to my arduino to send
some morse code out to the ether. Send you more pics when I make it
pretty 🙂
Thanks again – 73, AK4ZF
Tony Cekolin
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
Not even the U.S. Postal Service’s Anti-Crystal Steam Roller can stop an intrepid homebrewer. OM N9IZ got his Mighty Mite working and produced a really nice video and blog post on the project. You can just feel the enthusiasm: On the blog he writes: “Everything was assembled on a bread board for trial. I must admit to being overjoyed when I saw the visual waveform on the PowerSDR panafall display of my Flex-5000A main shack radio. So much so, that I ran through the house calling for my YL, KC9TAH. She was in the shower and thought I’d cut off a finger or something while in the mad scientist lair. Much to her dismay, it was only a nasty CW signal emanating from the Flex speaker. She did humor me by going out to see the marvelous project before asking me what I was going to fix for lunch.” FB OM!
Bill
I thought you might like to hear that another MMM has been brought into the fold. You might remember that the crystal you sent me was steamrolled by the USPS. Believe it or not, it works! Not sure the frequency is exactly spot-on, but who cares…it works! I enjoyed it very much and made a youtube video of the testing process. I also took pictures and posted it all to my webpage. Most of my other projects have been more QRO in nature so I’m treading in uncharted territory. We’ll see how far that goes, but right now I’m loving it. I have my issue of QRP Quarterly and plan to follow along in constructing the LBS project. All for now from Hoosierland. Hope you enjoy the blog post on my webpage. 73 OM.
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
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
Gab IZ1KSW is a true Knack-afflicted member of the International Brotherhood of Electronic Wizards: He is an Italian homebrewer who lives in Spain and works in Gibraltar. At the end of this e-mail exchange he has a great story about reading “SolderSmoke — The Book” on a flight to Prague with his Greek girlfriend. It reminded me a bit of the problems I’ve had with fellow passengers while reading “Hot Iron” on the Washington DC train system.
A blog post about Gab’s version of the Mighty Mite is here: http://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2015/02/iz1ksws-italian-mighty-mite-video.html
His desire to REALLY understand the circuit is, I think, admirable. I know that my quick explanation of how the Mighty Mite circuit works isn’t complete, and I’m sure that others will jump in with more details.
……………………
Hi guys,
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 #172 is available
http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke172.mp3
16 February 2015
Bench Reports:
Pete under the gun to finish SSB transceiver project. NEW VIDEO:
http://youtu.be/hbLXW0sHTFo
Bill fixes his BITX 2040 Oscillator (Bandsweep!)
Next: LP filter for 120 watt amp.
Bill’s 13 dollar Chinese freq counter (Blue! With anti-wobble tape!)
Bill’s next rig: Chipped to the Max, DDS, SBL-1s, plug in filters!
Radio Shack going under and JAN no longer making crystals.
Mighty Mite Project: Let’s get them DONE!
An easy way to get Q or ESR measurements on crystals?
SI5351 as a crystal substitute.
DuWayne’s Scalar Network Analyzer lights up the internet!
The Portable SDR rig — Pete almost goes to the dumpster!
Report from the cutting edge: Pete’s new Elecraft KX3.
MAILBAG: Meeting W7ZOI and WA7MLH at a hamfest.
Instant Messaging with Farhan
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
Excellent Lucien! Thanks for sending this. I know what you mean about a project that doesn’t work. It is rewarding and educational to figure out where you went wrong. I knew a guy who would ask, at a hamfest, “Does this rig work?” If the the seller admitted that it didn’t, he’d reply, “Good, I pay extra for that!” He liked the challenge of fixing it. Of course, there are limits to this, and sometimes these challenges will make you wish you had taken up stamp collecting.
Hi Bill and Pete,
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
Hi Bill and Pete,
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
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
