Category: SolderSmoke Podcast

SolderSmoke Podcast #239: Hex DX, VFO Temp Comp, DC RX, Polyakov!, DX-100, Wireless Set, Farhan’s “Daylight Again” HDR rig, MAILBAG

N2CQR Hex Beam Aimed at Europe


SolderSmoke #239 is available for download:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke239.mp3

TRAVELOGUE:

James Webb Space Telescope. Mars returning to opposition in early December.

BILL’S BENCH

Hex Beam K4KIO – on roof – TV Rotor – 20-17-12 Lots of fun. Working Japan regularly, Australia, South Africa on long path 17,000 miles. 52 countries SSB since July 11.

VFOs and Temp stabilization. Dean KK4DAS found my ceramic resonator VFO for DC receiver drifty. He was right. So I built a real LC Colpitts VFO. Got me into temp stabilization. A new hobby! An obsession. HT-37 and Ht-32 parts. Ovens? WU2D’s second VFO video. Understanding thermal drift and how to address it. Split stator caps. Cut and try.

Built a Polyakov DC Receiver. https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/2010/03/polyakov-plus-dual-band-receiver-with.html Lauser Plus. Lauser = Imp or Young Rascal! DK2RS. He used a ceramic Resonator VXO at 3.58 MHz. Mine works great on 40 with VFO running 3.5 — 3.65 MHz. See schematic below.

On 40 AM with DX-100 and MMMRX. DX-100 died. 12BY7 VFO buffer went bad. How common is failure in this tube type? Nice QSO with Tim WA1HLR about the DX-100.

Got my Dominican license: HI7/N2CQR! SSSS on the way. Thanks to Radio Club Dominicano and INDOTEL.

Getting more active in the Vienna Wireless Society.

BOOK REVIEW:

“The History of the Universe in 21 Stars” by Giles Sparrow. Written during the pandemic. Published by Welbeck, in London. https://www.amazon.com/History-Universe-21-Stars-imposters/dp/1787394654 Also: From “Atoms to Amperes” by F.A. Wilson available for download. See blog.

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:

Todd K7TFC getting ready to launch “Mostly DIY RF.” I used his TIA boards in my 1712 rig. He will have boards like this and much more. Stay tuned.

I need more viewers on YouTube. They want 4,000 hours IN A CALENDAR YEAR! Please watch!

FARHAN’S NEW “DAYLIGHT AGAIN” RIG. Analog. VFO. Comments, observations. We need to get him on the podcast. Maybe two shows: SDR and HDR.

PETE’S BENCH

Time very limited. But still sharing lots of tribal wisdom.

Wireless set with tubes!

Tool recommendation – Air compressor

MAILBAG:

Farhan VU2ESE – Speaking of big antennas “Whenever I look at the huge construction cranes in Hyderabad, I always think how one could make 160m, 4 element yagi using it as a boom..”

Todd K7TFC in Spain, spotting Log Periodics in Madrid.

Andreas DL1AJG: Can Biologists fix Radios?

Janis AB2RA Wireless Girl. Expert on Hammarlunds. And was my first contact with the Tuna Tin 2. She too was HB!

Peter Parker VK3YE on Owen Duffy VK1OD

Lex PH2LB on homebrew radio

Would this really be homebrew? Mail from H-A-D article on FM receiver

F4IET a DSB rig from France

Ciprian got his ticket YO6DXE

Josh G3MOT sent us a good video about the Vanguard satellite and IGY.

Dave Wilcox K8WPE bought Chuck Penson’s Heathkit book.

Rogier — So many great articles and links from PA1ZZ

Bill AH6FC Aloha. Retiring. Wants to build. Mahalo!

Grayson KJ7UM Working on an Si5351. Gasp.

Mike KE0TPE viewing YouTube while monitoring 6 meters. He will have a lot of time to watch!

Chris KD4PBJ spotted Don KM4UDX from VWS FB

Mark WB8YMV building a superhet. Having trouble with 455 kc IF can filter.

Walter KA4KXX Great comment on the Daylight Again rig.

Ramakrishnan Now VU2JXN was VU3RDD. Found lost Kindle with SolderSmoke book on it. Building SDR rig from junk box. Trouble with the LM386.

Pete, Farhan and Tony: Shelves of Shame

Daylight Again by Farhan
The Polyakov receiver I built yesterday (from SPRAT 110, 2002!)

SolderSmoke Podcast #238 — SolderSmoke Shack South, Cycle 25, Chiquita Banana Radio, RCA, HQ-100, Mate Mighty Midget, Sony SWL RX , Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #238 is available: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke238.mp3

TRAVELOGUE:

Cathartic decluttering: Bill preparing for future winter travel to Dominican Republic. Will build SolderSmoke Shack South. Dividing everything up: Rigs, parts, tools, supplies, antennas, test gear. Everything.

OUR SPONSOR: Parts Candy.
https://www.ebay.com/usr/partscandy Premium quality test leads! Hand cut, hand crimped, hand soldered, these will become your new favorite test leads GUARANTEED!

PETE’S BENCH:

— Cycle 25 better? – Out here on the left coast – it is not evident
— Chiquita Banana and the US Navy in early ‘wireless” operations. Why RCA was created by the US Navy in 1919.
— Update on the MAX2870 –someone has written the code to make it work with the Raspberry Pi and the QUISK SDR software
— Field Day prep

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION:
Bill needs your help:
— Please watch his YouTube videos. The longer the better! Success based on hours watched. Great to have on while you are working in the shack. Just go to YouTube and search for the SolderSmoke channel. Or: SolderSmoke – YouTube
— Please put links to the SolderSmoke blog on your websites and blogs.
— How to USE the SolderSmoke Blog: Propagation, shopping, other sites…
— Please put comments under the articles on the SolderSmoke blog. We like comments and dialogue.

BILL’S BENCH:

— Repair of the Sony ICF SW1 shortwave receiver. Bad electrolytics. Number Station receiving device?
— HQ-100 Q-Multiplier. BFO Switch. AVC. Noise Limiter limitations. Dave K8WPE: Old Radio Lessons.
— MMMRX: Detector circuit. Alignment. Muting. On the air (40 AM with DX-100)

MAILBAG:

— Bob Crane W8SX — Great interviews at FDIM. On the SolderSmoke Blog. Thanks Bob!
— Dave Bamford W2DAB — Stickers on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. FB Dave!
— Farhan VU2ESE: LADPAC software now available through W7ZOI’ site.
— Lex PH2LB: Stickers in a Netherlands pub.
— Dave K8WPE Michigan Mighty Mite links. Old Smoke idea. On the SolderSmoke blog.
— Rich WB4TLM was in the electronics class of CF Rockey W9SCH. FB.
— Dean KK4DAS Working on his dad’s HQ-170A. VWS maker group on mixers.
— Grayson KJ7UM — Mixology article in ER.
— Pete Eaton — Farhan’s new analog rig: Daylight again! Standby for more info from Farhan.
— Will KI4POV New HB Al Fresco single conversion superhet. FB.
— Alvin N5VZH. Shep’s “I Libertine.” Yes. I laughed, I cried, It changed me.
— Chuck KF8TI. Mr. Wizard!
— Steve N8NM on the mend after some routine maintenance.
— Ben AB4EN is listening and likes the podcast — Thanks Ben.

May 1939 QST


SolderSmoke Podcast #237 is available: TV Show! No! W9YEI’s 1939 TV. 1712 Rig. HQ-100. New SDR Rig and Book. JF3HZB’s VFO Digital Dial. FIELD DAY! PSSST. MAILBAG


SolderSmoke podcast #237 is available: http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke237.mp3

Travelogue — New York City! Stickers!
And about that trip to Los Angeles for the SolderSmoke Cable TV show…

Well, it fit in well with SolderSmoke’s UNFORGETTABLE appearance on the Oprah book club.
And TechieTatts? Daughter worried about listeners rushing to get tattoos — A risk we were willing to take.

https://in.pinterest.com/padmakumar10/techie-tatts/

This episode is sponsored by PartsCandy. GREAT test leads: https://www.ebay.com/usr/partscandy

Bill’s Bench

Tracking down Johnny Anderson’s 1939 or 1940 homebrew TV receiver.

https://soldersmoke.blogspot.com/search?q=Anderson
Working with Joh DL6ID.
Jean Shepherd’s January 1973 description.
FlickLives web site and Steve Glazer W2SG have lots of info on Shep and his friends.
Internet allows us to look at TV articles that were being published.
We’ve concluded: Probably 1939 or 1940, using an RCA 913 1 inch CRT tube.

Lots of ideas from IRE Journal, QST, and Gernsback magazines.
Quite an achievement! Amazing how much pre-war TV progress there was.

17-12 rig
All boxed up and working DX!
Figured out how to display both 17 and 12 on the same LED. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAmmFZyFu8w
Drain protector for speaker cover. Copper tape to cover horrible cabinet making.
I think I need a Hex Beam.

Hammarlund HQ-100
Needed some maintenance.
I started to look more closely at it.
Got the Q-Multiplier to work — it really adds a lot on CW.
Makes me feel guilty about all the QF-1s…
Using the 100kc calibrator with a 455 kc crystal as a BFO,
keeping Q multiplier below oscillation point.
Moved the BFO switch to the front panel. Helps a lot.
Need to fix the S-meter AVC circuitry.
Much more sturdy than the S-38E.
S-38E 1957-61 $54.95 5 tubes. AC/DC.
HQ-100 1956-60 $169 10 or 11 tubes. Power supply, regulator.
You get what you pay for.

Pete’s Bench

Jack Purdum and Al Peter’s new SDR rig and book (featured on the SS blog Amazon ad).
JF3HZB’s beautiful digi VFO.
Backpack antenna for Field Day?
Pipsqueak Disaster — Too simple?
Peashooter Eye Candy.
Build Something Different.

MAILBAG

James W0JKG CBLA — Others are building MMM too!
SM4WWG // Jörgen Wonderful message. Joined GQRP. No longer “wrong.”
Dennis WC8C Libraries for Max2870 board.
Jack NG2E Progress on the Right to Repair movement.
Jim K9JM Someone cutting into our business with Solder candles!
Chuck WB9KZY Correctly identified the location of the IBEW sticker. As did Dan Random.
Dave Bamford (who lives nearby) suitably impressed.
Farhan wrote to us about a video on Don Lancaster. Homebrew keyboards! Yea!
Dean KK4DAS QRP to the Field. HB2HB 40 SSB QRP I feel virtuous.
Todd K7TFC likes my ingenious use of the drain screen as the speaker protector on the 17-12 rig.
Todd had good thoughts on granular approach to homebrewing as seen in the Don Lancaster video.
Lex PH2LB HORRIFIED by my reverse polarity protection circuit. This is a touchy subject! (as is WD-40!)
Rogier PA1ZZ sending great info on SWL and numbers stations.
Jesse N5JHH — The guy who made the IBEW stickers — Liked the NYC stickers.
Steve N8NM has a new antenna article on his blog: https://n8nmsteve.blogspot.com/
Randy AB9GO Agrees — Can’t GIVE old ‘scopes away.
Dino SV1IRG Liked the 17-12 rig videos.
Steve Hartley G0FUW Murphy’s Law of Enclosures.
Ralph AB1OP FB on the 17-12 Rig.
Roberto XE1GXG –Our correspondent in Guadalajara. Petulant, irritable people on the computer scene.

Have some gear looking for a good home: Tek 465 ‘scope from Jim AL7R W8NSA. SBE Transceivers. Windsor Signal Generator. Let me know if you are interested and can either pick up or arrange shipping.



John Anderson W9YEI Homebrew Hero

SolderSmoke Podcast #236 — Bill’s 17-12 Rig, Pea Shooter, VFO Wisdom, Temp Compensation, Need Code for Max2870, Making Enclosures, MAILBAG

ARC-5 R-23 Nav Receiver Parts

SolderSmoke Podcast #236 is available!

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke236.mp3

Winterfest! Many Boatanchors. Lots of old good analog test gear. Talk with Dean KK4DAS. Met up with Armand WA1UQO and Charles AI4OT.

Pete’s Bench:

— Looking for help in software development for MAX2870 board.
— Tapped Capacitance Impedance Matching
— The Pea Shooter (See N2USD’s version in videos
below).
— Tribal Knowledge on Making Enclosures

Bill’s Bench:

— 17-12 Band Imaging SSB Transceiver. It works on both bands.
— Plan for Glowing Numerals (N6QW has been there and done that!)
— WU2D’s videos on VFOs.
— Temperature Compensation: HT-37 capacitor. FT-101 VFO, even in the ARC-5 receiver!
— Trying to get more rigorous about receiver design. Gain distribution, IMD, Dynamic Range, etc.
— Do I need a true RMS audio voltmeter? Or can I get the same info from freeware audio spectrum analyzer and soundcard?
— 6EA8s replace 6U8s in MMRX

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: We have a sponsor!

PARTS CANDY out of Chicago produces quality test leads for your bench. The guy who runs the company is Carlos, and he is one of us. He is an electronic tinkerer. See the ad on the left hand column of the SolderSmoke blog. Just click on the picture of the test leads and you will be taken to Carlos’s ebay store. Go for it.

Mailbag

Walter KA4KXX in Orlando — Diodes in BITX Bilats — Why? Farhan says To prevent reverse junction of off transistor from conducting and clipping waveform.
Tony G4WIF — Audio test gear and G3ROO paraset
Todd K7TFC Pine boards, TIAs and 12 meters
Dean KK4DAS Ceramic Variable Oscillators on 40. Juliano Criteria?
Mike WU2D VFOs and Temp compensation. ARC-5s
Chris KD4PBJ A really nice parts care package — Thanks Chris!
Steve M0ECS. Inspired by SS, moved something off the Shelf or Box of Shame.
Jason KD2RKN Building a DC receiver. It is all our fault.
Chris Mannon in Indiana joining the CBLA
KC4GMH is listening!
Ed N2XDD has been armed with a 3.579 MHz crystal.
Harvey Wa3EIB working on his museum
Tim AG4RZ is BACK IN THE SOLDERSMOKE!
Fred KC5RT — an old friend — recommends Bangood RF sig gen for 88 bucks.
Shlomo 4X4LF listening and homebrewing from a Kibbutz in Israel.
Chuck KF8TI was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Philippines.

Podcast (Audio) Version of Bill’s Talk to the L’Anse Creuse Amateur Radio Club

Tony G4WIF suggested that I make this talk available as an audio recording. Good idea. Here it is:

http://soldersmoke.com/N2CQRHomebrewing.mp3

Video of SolderSmoke Podcast #235

Pete and Bill in LIVING COLOR!
SolderSmoke Podcast #235 is available for download:


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke235.mp3


Travelogue:

6 weeks in the DR for Bill
One contact on uBITX. More SW listening.
Repaired my Chrome Book in Santo Domingo!
Christmas Present for All: James Web Space Telescope launch


Bill’s Bench
— Understanding the NE-602 (see blog post)
— Thinking about a 17/12 dual bander. Looked at old G3YCC Tx for circuits…
— Using Spurtune08. WB9KZY found it. In the LADPAC zip file here:
— Then Put G3YCC Acores SSB TX back in operation
— Now working many stations with this old “split” TX/RX

Pete’s Bench
— Dean’s VWS build of your DC RX
— Homebrew Crystal Filters
— The shrinking of the PSSST

Bad Dead Soldering Stations
— My X-Tonics 4000 dies. But it left behind a great box with ample socketry.

Mailbag:
AA1TJ Mike Rainey — Again in the Hobbit Hole! 486 kc RX
Thomas K4SWL — Radio Astronomy and the Raspberry PI
WC8C Dennis Invite to the L’Anse Creuse ARC FB Fun
Todd K7TFC got boosted at Tektronix Beaverton Ore.
What happened to Chuck Adams K7QO? His work taken off the net.
W1MJA ex WN2RTH
N7DA worked W7ZOI in Sweepstakes. FB
Kirk NT0Z formerly of ARRL HQ
Farhan VU2ESE was up in the Pench Forest, trying to spot a Tiger!
We spoke to Farhan’s Lamakaan ARC in Hyderabad. QO-100 beam down!
Dean KK4DAS’s 16 watter. On SS blog
Scott WA9WFA Bad 6U8s? Ordering 6EA8s
Bruce KC1FSZ Peppermint Bark gift box
Bob Scott KD4EBM So many good ideas and links
Rogier PA1ZZ sending parts packages — Thanks Rogier

SolderSmoke Podcast #235 NE-602, Azores Rig, Spur Problems, SSB Rigs, Peashooter, HB Filters, MAILBAG

SolderSmoke Podcast #235 is available for download:


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke235.mp3


Travelogue:

6 weeks in the DR for Bill
One contact on uBITX. More SW listening.
Repaired my Chrome Book in Santo Domingo!
Christmas Present for All: James Web Space Telescope launch


Bill’s Bench
— Understanding the NE-602 (see blog post)
— Thinking about a 17/12 dual bander. Looked at old G3YCC Tx for circuits…
— Using Spurtune08. WB9KZY found it. In the LADPAC zip file here:
— Then Put G3YCC Acores SSB TX back in operation
— Now working many stations with this old “split” TX/RX

Pete’s Bench
— Dean’s VWS build of your DC RX
— Homebrew Crystal Filters
— The shrinking of the PSSST

Bad Dead Soldering Stations
— My X-Tonics 4000 dies. But it left behind a great box with ample socketry.

Mailbag:
AA1TJ Mike Rainey — Again in the Hobbit Hole! 486 kc RX
Thomas K4SWL — Radio Astronomy and the Raspberry PI
WC8C Dennis Invite to the L’Anse Creuse ARC FB Fun
Todd K7TFC got boosted at Tektronix Beaverton Ore.
What happened to Chuck Adams K7QO? His work taken off the net.
W1MJA ex WN2RTH
N7DA worked W7ZOI in Sweepstakes. FB
Kirk NT0Z formerly of ARRL HQ
Farhan VU2ESE was up in the Pench Forest, trying to spot a Tiger!
We spoke to Farhan’s Lamakaan ARC in Hyderabad. QO-100 beam down!
Dean KK4DAS’s 16 watter. On SS blog
Scott WA9WFA Bad 6U8s? Ordering 6EA8s
Bruce KC1FSZ Peppermint Bark gift box
Bob Scott KD4EBM So many good ideas and links
Rogier PA1ZZ sending parts packages — Thanks Rogier

SolderSmoke Podcast #234: PSSST, KWM-1, VHF Woes, Mighty Midget, TinySA, 17-12 Dual-Bander Advice Needed. MAILBAG


SolderSmoke Podcast #234 is available:

Roots of SolderSmoke: The “Click and Clack” of ham radio?

Influences: Jean Shepherd, CarTalk, Shortwave stations.
Steve “Snort Rosin” Smith WB6TNL? No. Steve “Aching Sinus” Smith WA6SOC

Pete’s Bench:
PSSST Super Simple SSB — 7 Transistors. Switching IF Module:
PSST Details: https://www.n6qw.com/PSSST_20.html
DC RX.
KWM-1 Resurrection “Shame Shelf”.
How to make things work:
(Why the T/R diodes in the BITX 20 amplifiers?)
National Receiver.

Bill’s Bench
Farhan’s Talk to RSGB got me thinking of VHF 2 meter AM.
2 meter Benton Harbor lunchbox madness. SuperRegens Super Strange.
I broke my Maplin AF Sig Gen in the process. Fixed it.
Playing with MMMRX again. Put in 6 kHz ceramic filter. Sounds great SSB and AM.
Swept IF with noise, TinySA, and NanoVNA. Need better noise gen.
Mod to listen with TinySA (on blog).
Thinking of 17 meter /12 meter Dual-Bander IF around 21.4, VFO around 3.41 Mhz. Thoughts?
Sweeping double half lattice filter from Swan 240. UGLY.

MAILBAG:
— ROOTS OF MAILBAG: Radio Moscow, Havana Cuba, HCJB, others.
— Thomas K4SWL of the SWL Post: Could have been worse! Stairbag?

— MY NOVICE LOG — Heard back from ex-WN2RTH ex-WN2FLK ex-WB2RKK.
— Drew N7DA worked Wes W7ZOI in Sweepstakes. FB.
— Peter VK2EMU The movie Frequency and the Magic of Heathkits. Good, but not that good!
— Thomas KK6AHT! Our old friend. Minima! Now has a young son! FB
— Chuck WA7ZZE Saw QST profile. Sympathizes with Two-er trouble.
— Tim M0CZP. Spell corrector. Vatican Diodes. Infallible!
— Ramakrishnan VU3RDD Working on a NORCAL and a noise cancellation arrangement.
— Skip NC9O said I was 40 Hz off on 17. But he had a reason to KNOW!
— Steve K9NVD Glad he’s a listener.
— Bob KY3R Novice Nostalgia. Should he use 75 watt bulb for dummy load? Yes!
— Todd K7TFC Video about why solder smoke goes into the face.
— Anthony VU3JVX Homebrew Antuino. I ask for help in moving freq to 450 kHz.
— Jack NG2E Building Pete’s DC RX.
— Scott WA9WFA HBR-13 and MMMRX.
— Stephen 2E0FXZ also got a FT-101 VFO.
— Bob K7ZB on the air with 56 mW and a big antenna.
— Dean AC9JQ Retired.
— Allan WA9IRS Right to Repair update.
— Farhan Invited us to Lamakaan ARC, Dec 11 or 12. Will be on QO100 Satellite Live!
— Many suggestions about my Apollo 11 Time Capsule. Still looking for ideas.

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate this holiday!


SolderSmoke Podcast #233: PIMP, Boatanchors, Novices, MMM, Heathkits, DC Receivers, Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #233 is available.

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke233.mp3

Travelogue: Cape Cod. SST. Marconi Site.

The WFSRA: The World Friendship Society of Radio Amateurs.


Pete’s Bench:

The Pimp.
The NCX rig.
The Collins.
The many DC receivers built worldwide.
The parts shortages are real! Several key radios on hold. Si5351 sub.
Talk to G-QRP convention

Bill’s Bench:

FT-8. Not for me. I tried it.
Novice Station Rebuild.
Globe V-10 VFO Deluxe.
Selenium rectifier removal CONTROVERSY?
Not crazy about my Novice station. Not crazy about CW.
Mate for the Mighty Midget. Again.
Mike W6MAB — Detector problems LTSPICE Check
One more mod for MMM RX. Ceramic filter at 455.
Dropped screw inside tubular cap on Millen 61455 transformer.
Talk to the Vienna Wireless Society
Thinking of a Moxon or a Hex beam.

BOOK REVIEW Chuck Penson WA7ZZE New Heathkit Book. http://wa7zze.com


Mailbag

— New SPRAT is out! Hooray!
— Todd K7TFC sent me copy of Shopcraft as Soulcraft. FB.
— Dean KK4DAS building an EI9GQ 16 W amp. FB.
— Jack NG2E Getting close on Pete’s DC receiver.
— JF1OZL’s website is BACK!
— Tony K3DY sent link to cool books.
— Sheldon VK2XZS thinking of building a phasing receiver.
— Peter VK2EMU has joined the WFSRA. FB!
— Ned KH7JJ from Honolulu spotted the Sideband Myth in the AWA video.
— Chris M0LGX looking at the ET-2, asks about the variometer.
— Pete Eaton Nov 64 anti HB rant in november 1964 QST. Wow.
— Josh Lambert Hurley spreading FMLA stickers in the UK. FB
— Stephen VE6STA getting ready to melt solder.
— Got a great picture of Rogier PA1ZZ back on Bonaire.
— Farhan reading the manual of Hans’s new digital rig.
— Paul G0OER wonders if FMLA getting ready to move on 5 meters.

SolderSmoke Podcast #232 — Mythbuster, Pete’s Tube CW Rig, Pete’s DC RX and Simple SSB Rig, NanoVNA and TinySA, Very FB Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #232 is available — Crank it in Robert!

Featuring a guitar intro by Pete “Bluesman” Juliano, playing his own composition: “Juliano Blues.”

Upcoming GQRP convention and the N6QW rig
Frank Jones and the FMLA — Possible Victory?
IBEW Stickers: NASA, Johns Hopkins APL….
Cycle 25 Lookin Better Today: SFI 93 SN 47
Pete’s Bench:
Toobular! A Tube Transmitter
SR-160
Simple SSB rigs around the world!
KI7NSS’s Pacific 40
Bill’s Bench
The Mythbuster and the Struggle Against the Urban Legend
W2EWL’s Cheap and Easy SSB
W4IMP’s IMP. Articles in ER by Jim Musgrove K5BZH and Jim Hanlon W8KGI
The Spirit of Homebrew SSB. From Electric Radio K5BZH December 1991
Reduced Front End Gain on the DIGITIA
Back on 17! HP3SS sells HBR receiver to Joe Walsh
Maybe another Moxon?
SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION
Test Gear
NanoVNA — Alan W2AEW helped solve mystery of why NanoVNA not providing accurate readout of circuit impedance. Over driving. Need attenuator.
TinySA — Limited Resolution Bandwidth. But you can listen with it! See video on blog.
MAILBAG
— Google Feedburner to end e-mails from the blog 🙁
— Paul VK3HN — TIA AGC? Farhan and Paul looking into options
— Ciprian’s Romanian Mighty Mite
— Dino KL0S SolderSmoke GIF and graphical presentation on sideband inversion
— Allison KB1GMX helped me on 24 volts to IRF 510 issue.
— Dave K8WPE Wabi Sabi and Martha Stewart. And thanks for parts! 40673s!
— Steve N8NM building a 17 meter rig with 22.1184 crystals in a SuperVXO and a 4 MHz filter.
— Dean KK4DAS restoring an old Zenith. One hand behind your back OM.
— Pete Eaton debating SSB or DSB for 17. Go DSB Pete!
— Richard KN7FSZ a FB HBer. Asked about my solid-stating of Galaxy V VFO.
— Walter KA4KXX on benefits of no-tune BP filters like Farhan’s FB.
— Jack 5B4APL on Time Crystals and Homebrewing in the 4th dimension. FB OM!
— Moses K8TIY listens to the podcast with his young son Robert. Crank it in Robert!
— Farhan and the SBitx on Hack-A-Day
— Also Tom’s receiver from junked satellite rig on Hack-A-Day
— Todd K7TFC sent in beautiful message about the spirit of homebrewing. On the blog.
— Grayson KJ7UM was on Ham Radio Workbench with George Zaf
— AAron K5ATG running a uBitx with a homebrew tuner and antenna. Hope I can work him
— Heard Mike WA3O last night on 40 DIGITIA. Water cooled amplifier

SolderSmoke Podcast #231 — Travel, SST, Mythbusting, Filters, TIAS, NanoVNAs, DC RX in SPRAT, Drake A Line, Spillsbury, STICKERS! Mailbag


SolderSmoke # 231 is available:


Annual Field Day Special Edition

Travelogue: To the Dominican Republic!
New dog — Meet Guapo (see below).

A great Father’s Day for Pete and Bill. I got a TinySA.
Pete got some cool chick magnet glasses (see below).
Watch out Newbury Park!


Bill’s Activity

SST Transceiver. Took it to Dominican Republic.
Made only one contact, but QRP-QRP.
Not a lot of CW activity, and not a lot around 14.060.
A lot more FT8 visible on the NA5B WebSDR.
That might be better for this kind of operation.
I might try SST CW out today from the backyard. Field Day!

Fired up my 20 meter DSB NE602 rigs. Made two contacts.
Still trying to fully understand the NE602 Gilbert Cell. Lots of mystery in there.

Building “The MythBuster.” 75/20 with sideband inversion.

10 pole 5.2 MHz filter. Used Dishal and AADE.
Used NanoVNA to see the passband.
G3UUR for crystal parameters.
Cohn Constant K topology.

Also used NanoVNA to check input and output impedance on the TIA amps I will use around the filter.

Pete’s activity:

Article on DC receiver in SPRAT. FB response. 50 receivers under construction.

Work on Drake A Line.

Jim Spillsbury.

——————————

The N5JHH IBEW SolderSmoke stickers (see above and below). How we will use them.

Mailbag:
N2SVD
K8ITY
Tom (Junkbox receiver)
N0ZIB (Curse you, SolderSmoke!)
DL6ID
N2NLY
VK2EMU
ZS1KE
AF7O
NG2E
VU2ESE
OK1RP
N5JHH

SolderSmoke Podcast #230 is available! Apr 1, Mars, Group Build, SDR, SSB, Mich Mighty Mites, Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #230 is available for download

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke230.mp3

N2CQR was down for maintenance
A few words about April 1
China lands on Mars
Brood X Cicadas arriving in NOVA

Pete’s Bench
The Dentron Project
The Spillsbury Tindall SBX-11A
KK4DAS and the Simple SSB Group Build
TenTec mods
Shack Mystery solved. Maybe
Changing the channels at age 9

Bill’s Bench
Why LSB below 10 MHz? The “SSB Legend” Rig
WU2D RTL-Dongle Up converter
Understanding the Gilbert (Jones) Cell
SDRSmart RTL-SDR.com V3 Dongle
VK3HN and 2 meter SSB
Jack NG2E, MMM and the 10 minute transmitter
KD4EBM sends me SST by Wayne Burdick. DX!
A new computer

Mailbag:
MM0ACN
VK2EMU
N5VZH
VE3KZJ
HS0ZLQ
AD0JJ
VK8MC
KK0S
VE3VVH
KB3SII
WA9WFA
M0NTV
W2DAB


60 Minutes Story on Mars Ingenuity Helicopter:

SolderSmoke Podcast #229 — G2NJ Trophy, SDR, HDR, CW! Mailbag

Soldersmoke Podcast #229 is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke229.mp3


— G2NJ Trophy is awarded to Pete Juliano, N6QW.

— Get your vaccine shot as soon as you can!

— More from “Conquering the Electron” by Derek Cheung.

— Bad fire in the chip factory. Such a shame. Sad! I had NOTHING to do with it. I was home that day. I can prove it.

— Bezos is not such a bad guy. Turns out he is a space-geek.

— Perseverance was the big space news. Very cool.

Pete’s bench:

Raspberry Pi vs. Microcontrollers

Treedix display

Conversion of the Dentron Scout

CW rigs?

6L6 on a wooden chassis


SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION-

I NEED TO BUILD UP TIME VIEWERS VIEW MY VIDEOS: So please watch!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC20TcdWSSFliMhg3k2A1a5w

— Our Patreon sponsors get an early look at our YouTube content. So please, consider

becoming a Patreon sponsor.

— Please continue to use the Amazon search engine on the blog page (upper right).


Bill’s bench:

Hodgepodge:

— BITX40 Module.

— Ramseykit Amp.

— San Jian counter,

— CW using 750 Hz oscillator.

— RF-actuated piezo buzzer.

— SDR! SDR using PC and tablet.

— Checking the output with SDR.

— Moving the carrier osc frequency.

Also, I put the Fish Soup 10 back on the air. Nice contacts under 200 mw.

Up next: A rig for 80/75 and 20 meters. Single Conversion. Using VFO from a Yaesu FT101 that runs 8.7 – 9.2 Mhz. Quiz question: What IF should I use?

MAILBAG

Mark Zelesky sent me wood tokens with power and Ohm’s law formulae. Thanks!

Scott WA9WFA Built a really nice Mate for Mighty Midget RX – getting it going!

Tryg EI7CLB found board of his George Dobbs Ladybird RX. Rebuild it OM!

Tom WX2J – We talked about “No lids, no kids, no space cadets” nastiness.

Nick M0NTV about sideband inversion. I like the simple rule about subtraction.

Jonathan M0JGH – Always listen to Pete. Got married, has mixing product. Leo?

Mike AE0IH. Dad used a BC-348 in the service. Looking for one. FB.

Adam N0ZIB – “Silent Shep” site — with some ham radio shows I had not seen.

Walter KA4KXX in Orlando has a similar subtraction problem with San Jian counter.

Bill N5ALO sent me a really nice KLH speaker. I’m using it now.

Jason N2NLY – interested in building SSB transceiver. One step at a time OM…

Trevor in Annapolis sent xcsd cartoon that really hit home.

Farhan is doing OK in India, diligently protecting his family from the virus.

Peter VK2EMU also doing well.

Dave AA7EE Casually killed a DC receiver in Hollywood, and disposed of the remains.

Charlie ZL2CTM doing great things with simple SSB. Blogpost.

Phil VK8MC in Darwin sends article on “Mend not End” battle against planned obsolescence.

Bob KY3R re my SDR adventures, asked if I’ve had a recent medical/psychiatric evaluation.


SolderSmoke Podcast #228

Soldersmoke Podcast #228 is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke228.mp3

Of course, no travel. But vaccines are here so maybe soon we can leave our shacks.

In the meantime:

I’ve been playing chess against AI bots on chess.com.

Netflix recommendation: The Bureau. From France. A review from NPR:

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/22/881642358/addictively-suspenseful-thriller-series-the-bureau-will-keep-you-on-edge

A reading from “Conquering the Electron.” Germanium vs. Silicon.

Bill’s Bench:

The KLH Model Twenty-one II. Acoustical Suspension. First receiver WITH A PILLOW! Bad speaker? Blown AF amp finals. Hot heat sink. VBE Multiplier. Desitin.

Tony Fishpool’s recommended LM386 boards. 10 for 11 bucks. Nice. They work. Pictured in the Amazon ad at the upper right of the SolderSmoke blog page.

Putting a digital display on the Lafayette HA-600A

Test gear trouble. My Radio Shack multimeter getting flaky. I many need something better. Auto ranging? My beloved Maplin AF generator died – will have to fix. I need that thing. Probably a bad chip. Good thing they are socketed.

I almost forgot about SKN! But I remembered and I made one contact with the HT-37 and Drake 2-B.

Pete’s Bench:

Presentation to RSGB on Homebrew.

TenTek Troubleshoot.

Swan 240? Looking nice.

SDR adventures.

MAILBAG

Bill N8ET sent me some really nice Showa 9 MHz 8 pole crystal filters.

Kevin AA7YQ Smoke jumper! Building a hybrid SDR.HDR rig. Launched blog. FB

Nick M0NTV working on similar HDR/SDR project. Great video.

Grayson KJ7UM Hollow State Design – Launched a new blog. Very FB!

Thomas K4SWL of SWL Post blog. Kearsarge Mountain Transmission system. And recent events.

Peter VK2EMU Poetry. CW poetry.

Pete WB9FLW looking at DSB rigs…

Drew N7DA Feels not like a real ham because he hasn’t built a quad from bamboo. Which type of landscape bamboo is best for antennas?

Ryan Flowers of MiscDotGeek.Com blog is also watching the Tally Ho YouTube videos of Leo Sampson. Wants to put a WSPR beacon on the Tally Ho.

Joe KF5OWY Working with diode ring mixers, trying to see the mixer action on his ‘scope. 1 and -1!

Jim AB9CN sent a cool idea about how to do a 20/17 Moxon.

Roy GM4VKI – I thanked him for his article in SPRAT about putting a 2n3904 on the output of an NE602 10P mod. Brilliant.

Roger Hayward Told him that I really liked his Dad’s recent web site updates.

Farhan – Jokingly cursed me for showing him the Oscillodyne regen of Hugo Gernsback and Jean Shepherd. “Now I will have to build this!”

SolderSmoke Podcast #228

Soldersmoke Podcast #228 is available:

http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke228.mp3

Of course, no travel. But vaccines are here so maybe soon we can leave our shacks.

In the meantime:

I’ve been playing chess against AI bots on chess.com.

Netflix recommendation: The Bureau. From France. A review from NPR:

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/22/881642358/addictively-suspenseful-thriller-series-the-bureau-will-keep-you-on-edge

A reading from “Conquering the Electron.” Germanium vs. Silicon.

Bill’s Bench:

The KLH Model Twenty-one II. Acoustical Suspension. First receiver WITH A PILLOW! Bad speaker? Blown AF amp finals. Hot heat sink. VBE Multiplier. Desitin.

Tony Fishpool’s recommended LM386 boards. 10 for 11 bucks. Nice. They work. Pictured in the Amazon ad at the upper right of the SolderSmoke blog page.

Putting a digital display on the Lafayette HA-600A

Test gear trouble. My Radio Shack multimeter getting flaky. I many need something better. Auto ranging? My beloved Maplin AF generator died – will have to fix. I need that thing. Probably a bad chip. Good thing they are socketed.

I almost forgot about SKN! But I remembered and I made one contact with the HT-37 and Drake 2-B.

Pete’s Bench:

Presentation to RSGB on Homebrew.

TenTek Troubleshoot.

Swan 240? Looking nice.

SDR adventures.

MAILBAG

Bill N8ET sent me some really nice Showa 9 MHz 8 pole crystal filters.

Kevin AA7YQ Smoke jumper! Building a hybrid SDR.HDR rig. Launched blog. FB

Nick M0NTV working on similar HDR/SDR project. Great video.

Grayson KJ7UM Hollow State Design – Launched a new blog. Very FB!

Thomas K4SWL of SWL Post blog. Kearsarge Mountain Transmission system. And recent events.

Peter VK2EMU Poetry. CW poetry.

Pete WB9FLW looking at DSB rigs…

Drew N7DA Feels not like a real ham because he hasn’t built a quad from bamboo. Which type of landscape bamboo is best for antennas?

Ryan Flowers of MiscDotGeek.Com blog is also watching the Tally Ho YouTube videos of Leo Sampson. Wants to put a WSPR beacon on the Tally Ho.

Joe KF5OWY Working with diode ring mixers, trying to see the mixer action on his ‘scope. 1 and -1!

Jim AB9CN sent a cool idea about how to do a 20/17 Moxon.

Roy GM4VKI – I thanked him for his article in SPRAT about putting a 2n3904 on the output of an NE602 10P mod. Brilliant.

Roger Hayward Told him that I really liked his Dad’s recent web site updates.

Farhan – Jokingly cursed me for showing him the Oscillodyne regen of Hugo Gernsback and Jean Shepherd. “Now I will have to build this!”

SolderSmoke Podcast #227: Solar System, SDR, Simple SSB, HA-600A, BITX17, Nesting Moxons? Mailbag

SolderSmoke Podcast #227 is available:


http://soldersmoke.com/soldersmoke227.mp3


Travelogue

Mars is moving away. Jupiter and Saturn close in the sky. And the Sun is back in action – Cycle 25 is underway. Also, the earliest sunset is behind us. Brighter days are ahead.


Book Review: “Conquering the Electron” With a quote from Nikola Tesla.


No real travel for us: Hunkered down. Lots of COVID cases around us. Friends, relatives, neighbors. Be careful. You don’t want to be make it through 10 months of pandemic only to get sick at the very end. SITS: Stay In The Shack.


Pete’s Bench and Tech Adventures:

Backpack SDR keithsdr@groups.io

Hermes Lite 2

Coaching SSB builders

G-QRP talk

A new source for 9 MHz crystal filters


Bill’s Bench:

Fixing the HA-600A Product Detector. Sherwood article advice. Diode Ring wins the day. Fixing a scratchy variable capacitor. Studying simple two diode singly balanced detectors. Polyakov. Getting San Jian frequency counter for it.

Fixing up the 17 meter BITX. Expanding the VXO coverage. Using it with NA5B’s KiwiSDR.


Resurrecting the 17 meter Moxon. But WHY can’t I nest the 17 meter Moxon inside a 20 meter Moxon? They do it with Hex beams. Why so hard with Moxons? DK7ZB has a design, but I’ve often heard that this combo is problematic. Any thoughts? I could just buy a 20/17 Hex-beam but this seems kind of heretical for a HB station.


Suddenly getting RFI on 40 meters. Every 50-60 Hz. Please tell me what you think this is (I played a recording).


MAILBAG:

Dean KK4DAS’s Furlough 40/20

Adam N0ZIB HB DC TCVR

Tony G4WIF G-QRP Vids. Video of George Dobbs.

Grayson KJ7UM Collecting Radioactive OA2s. Why?

Pete found W6BLZ Articles

Rogier KJ6ETL PA1ZZ lost his dog. And we lost ours.

Steve Silverman KB3SII — a nice old variable capacitor from Chelsea Radio Company.

Dave K8WPE thinks we already have a cult following.

Dan W4ERF paralleling amps to improve SNR.

Jim W8NSA — An old friend.

Pete Eaton WB9FLW The Arecibo collapse

John WB4GTW old friend… friend of:

Taylor N4TD HB2HB


And finally, we got lots of mail about our editorial. No surprise: Half supportive, half opposed. Obviously everyone is entitled to their opinion. And we are free to express ours. It’s a free country, and we want it to stay that way. That is why we spoke out.


Yesterday the Electoral College voted, finalizing the results. All Americans should be proud that the U.S. was able to carry out a free and fair national election with record turn out under difficult circumstances. And all loyal Americans should accept the results. That’s just the way it works in a democracy.


We are glad we said what we said. It would have been easier and more pleasant to just bury our heads in the sand and say nothing. But this was a critically important election and we felt obligated as Americans to speak out. We’d do it again. And in fact we reserve the right to speak out again if a similarly important issue arises.