{"id":311,"date":"2008-05-02T18:43:00","date_gmt":"2008-05-02T08:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2008\/05\/02\/old-stuff-from-gadgeteer-news\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T13:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T03:00:13","slug":"old-stuff-from-gadgeteer-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homebrewradio.us\/blog\/2008\/05\/02\/old-stuff-from-gadgeteer-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Old Stuff from Gadgeteer News"},"content":{"rendered":"

February 23, 2007<\/p>\n

I0ZY’s Linear Amplifier<\/a><\/p>\n

The WA7MLH Channel on YouTube (Recommended!)<\/a><\/p>\n

February 16, 2008 <\/big><\/big>
The Rome operating position. The HW8 is currently my main rig. The Drake 2-B awaits new tubes from AES. The copper-clad <\/span>
box is a homebrew 20 meter DSB transceiver using ceramic resonators and (mostly) NE602 chips. It awaits sunspots, but has yielded some great local QSOs in Rome . You can see my homebrew antenna tuner behind the straight key (with Vibroplex base). Also check out the very old Hi-Z headphones. <\/span>
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February 10, 2008
Amazing K7AGE Video of HARP HF Moonbounce<\/a>
Check this one out. Not exactly QRP (!) but very interesting. At first the reflection signals are hard to hear, but hang in there,
they get a LOT stronger, and you can see them on Randy’s computer screen.<\/p>\n

January 25, 2008
VIDEO: WA7MLH Builds A Superhet Receiver<\/a>
Jeff, WA7MLH, assisted in the construction of many of the projects in “Solid State Design for the
Radio Amateur” (SSDRA). I always liked the “ugly” “real world” look of his projects — in contrast, some of
projects in the Handbooks looked like they’d emerged from a NASA clean room, not a ham shack. Continuing
in this tradition, Jeff has produced a very interesting YouTube video on a superhet receiver that he put together
largely with parts and circuits that were already on his workbench. FB.
Also be sure to check out Jeff’s web site. The projects are both inspiring and intimidating! I really like the
audio explanations that he has alongside the photos. Thanks Jeff!
WA7MLH’s Ham Radio Web Site<\/a>
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January 24 2008 Steve, G0FUW, was recently listening to SolderSmoke at this location.
That’s ZD8, Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. Check out the antenna farm. Thanks Steve!<\/p>\n

January 24, 2008
Very well-done Hi Altitude Balloon Project Page<\/a><\/p>\n

January 23, 2008
“A Nonlinear History of Radio” by T.H. Lee. Very FB!<\/a><\/p>\n

January 12, 2008
<\/big><\/big> SPRAT 99 (Summer 1999) has an article by Leon Williams<\/big><\/big>, VK2DOB, that I think
does a great job at graphically describing how a mixer circuit produces both sum and difference
frequencies. <\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

<\/small><\/small><\/small> <\/p>\n

\"mixer\"<\/big><\/big><\/big> <\/div>\n


<\/big><\/big><\/big> <\/p>\n

\"mixer\"<\/big><\/big><\/big> <\/div>\n


January 5, 2008<\/big><\/big> <\/big>
As part of an effort to understand mixers, I built a little circuit in LTSpice. Just two audio signal generators and three resistors. Surprisingly,
this thing seems to produce a “beat” or difference frequency. We’ve been discussing this on QRP-L and the G-QRP list. Here are some
screenshots of my LTSpice simulation. In the waveform shot, you can see how the phase differences of the two input waves combine to
produce the beat. I subsequently learned that this is not like a mixing product. It is not “extractable.”<\/p>\n

\"\"
January 4, 2008
SCI-TOYS<\/span><\/big>
Stewart, G3YSX, sent us the URL for a very interesting web site. Check out the
Morse communicator project in the computer section.
SCI TOYS<\/a>
For similar stuff, check out “Gonzo Gizmos,” available from the Gadgeteer bookstore (above).<\/p>\n

SETI NEEDS YOU!<\/span>
Ask yourself: Are you doing your part in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence? Berkeley wants you!
(I just signed up.)
How to put your computer into the SETI project<\/a> <\/span>
<\/big><\/span><\/span>
January 2, 2008
HOMEBREW TUBES<\/span><\/big><\/big>
I really liked this video. The guy who made it has obviously mastered multiple difficult
crafts, including glass blowing, metal work, chemistry, electronics… Also, the video
itself is very well done, with really nice music in the background. Don’t miss this one.
Video on homebrew tubes (valves, firebottles, etc.)<\/a><\/p>\n

December 26 2007
Trailer for “The Dish” A movie about an antenna!<\/a>
Buy “The Dish” here at the Gadgeteer Bookstore<\/a><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
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\n
December 25, 2007 Some Stocking stuffers<\/span> from SolderSmoke<\/span>! <\/span><\/span><\/big><\/big>
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n


Bollywood Madness<\/small><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/big><\/big><\/big> <\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

You guys are probably sick of hearing about my appearance in the Bollywood movie “Cheeni Kum,” but it just keeps getting
better and better. In the course of trying to post the trailer for the movie, I discovered that I not only made it into the film, but that I also made it into the trailer! On the You Tube clip, you’ll need to put the video on “full screen” (click on the little box in the lower right of the video screen — next to the volume control) then freeze the action at around 54 seconds. I’m the guy in the blue shirt in the Starbucks on the left of the screen. In SolderSmoke #73 I’ll tell you about a connection between all this and the BITX-20. By watching the trailer you’ll also get a sense of what modern Bollywood is all about.
Bill in Bollywood! Cheeni Kum Trailer! I’m in it! Check it out<\/a>

VATICAN ANTENNAS<\/big><\/big>
Looks to me like some sort of Streba Curtain array. This thing is only about 15 miles from our place in Rome. I want to visit!
Vatican Radio’s HUGE SW Antenna Farm (near Rome)<\/a>
Google Earth Location Info <\/a>Look a bit north of the town of Santa Maria di Galeria and you should see the antennas.<\/p>\n

ANTARCTIC IT<\/span><\/big><\/big>
I found this very interesting. I liked the idea of salads produced in hydroponic gardens during the depths of the Antarctic winter.
Interview with IT manager at South Pole<\/a>

RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA <\/big><\/big>
What a great organization. Check out the history pages.
The Radio Club of America (check out the history pages!)<\/a><\/p>\n


CIRCUITS, POEMS, PHILOSOPHY <\/big><\/span>
Mike’s pages are a wonderful mixture of interesting circuits, poetry, and philosophy. I nominate him for the position of
QRP Poet Laureate.
Michael J. Rainey: Poetry, Math, Philosophy and QRP<\/a><\/p>\n

Acoustics, Vibrations, Waves, Beats, etc. <\/big><\/big>
Some really great animations on this site by Dr. Dan Russell. This is related to our discussion of mixers.
Acoustics, waves, vibrations. Some animations.<\/a><\/p>\n

Marconi making a speech in 1931<\/big><\/big>
I thought this was interesting.
Marconi Speech<\/a><\/p>\n

You Tube Computer History Museum<\/big><\/big>
Mentioned on SolderSmoke — Interesting Clips<\/a><\/p>\n

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November 30, 2007<\/p>\n

3D Software Model of Altoids Tin<\/a><\/p>\n

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<\/span> <\/p>\n

November 25, 2007 GOOGLE GADGET FOR SOLDERSMOKE FANS!<\/p>\n

Google now allows you to create “gadgets” that people can place on their individualized iGoogle home pages.
For example, on my iGoogle page, I have a map that constantly shows the position of the International Space Station. I also have various news service, weather reports from places of interest, Dilbert, etc. Yesterday I created a Google Gadget for SolderSmoke. I’ll use it to announce new editions of the podcast, updates of GADGETEERNEWS, etc. Be sure to include it on your iGoogle page. Google says it will appear in their directory within 10 days (search for SolderSmoke). If you can’t wait that long, e-mail me and I’ll send it to you.
<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n


<\/span> <\/p>\n

November 23, 2007<\/p>\n

NPR story on NYC Radio Row (scroll down a bit) Great Stuff!<\/a><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

November 17, 2007<\/p>\n

Australian shed (shack!) culture<\/a>
<\/big><\/big>
New York City finally converts to Alternating Current<\/a><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

New York Times article on homebrew electronics<\/a>
<\/big><\/big>
LA Times on ham who made cancer breakthrough<\/a><\/big><\/big>
<\/big><\/p>\n

November 4, 2007<\/p>\n

ARRL Homebrew Challenge Page<\/a>
<\/big><\/big>
THE N3ZI SPECIAL<\/a>
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October 17, 2007<\/p>\n

NEW SEARCH ENGINE FOR ELECTRONIC PARTS<\/a><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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<\/span> <\/p>\n

July 2007, San Diego, California<\/span>
W7ZOI and N2CQR (with SSDRA in hand)<\/span><\/big><\/big>
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\"Wes<\/span>
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17 June 2007
SUPPORT SETI — Help with some REAL DX<\/a>
<\/big><\/big><\/big>
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16 June 2007
GEEK CORPS! <\/big><\/big><\/big>
You’ve heard of the Peace Corps — Check out the Geek Corps<\/a><\/p>\n

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16 June 2007
SHOP CLASS AS SOULCRAFT<\/big><\/big><\/big>
An excellent article by Matthew B. Crawford<\/a><\/p>\n

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2 June 2007
Farhan’s Blog<\/big><\/big><\/big>
We’re all very fortunate that our friend Farhan has set up a Blog. It is already full of interesting info. I especially liked his first article on minimalist tools for the homebrewer. Check it out! Spread the word! Post comments on the blog.
FARHAN’S BLOG<\/a>
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2 June 2007
Amateur Logic TV. Like SolderSmoke but with video!<\/a>
<\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

26 May 2007
FREE Technical Books online<\/a><\/big><\/big>
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26 May 2007
The Milton Keynes Club BITX80 Project<\/a>
<\/big><\/big><\/p>\n

20 May 2007
G3XBM’s Site: Fredboxes, HF Crystal Receivers and more<\/a>
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<\/big><\/big>19 May 2007
Hewlett, Packard, Terman, and garages<\/a><\/p>\n

Hewlett’s Audio Oscillator — used by Disney for Fantasia<\/a>
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12 May 2007
HELP WANTED: SOLDERSMOKE CORRESPONDENT FOR DAYTON HAMVENTION AND FOUR DAYS IN MAY
The sad fact is that most of us won’t be going to the big hamfest and the Four Days in May event. But if you are going, you can help your Dayton-deprived SolderSmoke brothers. You could become SolderSmoke’s correspondent in Dayton. We’re looking for someone who would be willing to record some short audio segments that would be included in the show. Segments 5-10 minutes long would be ideal. Interviews with homebrew and QRP leaders would be very interesting. Just send me the .wav or .mp3 files and I’ll put them on the show. Perhaps just figure out how to use that record feature on your MP3 player, or bring along a small audio recorder. We don’t want the Hamvention clogged with multiple SolderSmoke journalists, so we will be selecting only one or two OFFICIAL correspondents. If you are interested in doing this, send me an e-mail. Thanks!
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12 May 2007
KX4OM’s excellent page on the W7ZOI power meter<\/a><\/big>
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6 May 2007
SolderSmoke Book of the Week: As discussed on the podcast.