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Showing posts with label Field Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Field Day. Show all posts

Monday, June 27, 2022

Pete N6QW's Hybrid Wireless Set -- A Thing of Beauty, with Thermatrons


Pete Juliano is amazing.  He is admirably carrying a very heavy load of family responsibilities.  But  he still can build some really unique and innovative rigs.  He tells us that getting up at 3 am and only sleeping 5 hours per night allows him to do this.

Pete also blames Grayson Evans KJ7UM for this rig, what with the thrematrons and all.  Pete has a 7360 mixer in this rig, something that Grayson had in the 3rd edition of his Hollow-State Design book (get yours here:  https://www.ermag.com/product/hollow-state-design-2nd-edition/).  Pete reports that he first built the chassis for the tube (I mean thermatron) portion of the rig in the 1970s -- it has been in his junkbox ever since.  Grayson admires Pete's compact construction and point-to-point wiring.  

I too noticed very poor conditions on Field Day this year.  

Three cheers for Pete Juliano!  

Saturday, May 7, 2022

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

Saturday, June 26, 2021

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



Wednesday, January 27, 2021

Hyderabad Field Day

Hams in Hyderabad, India held a Field Day this week.  That looks like a uBITX next to that HT.  FB! 

More info here: 

http://telanganatoday.com/hyderabad-hams-organise-field-day

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

A Backyard Pandemic Field Day in France (Smoke Released!)



Thank you Alain! 

-------------

Hello Pete and Bill,

As you know I am a great fan of your blogs. The fields days are not usual here but because our both countries have been hard hit by the Covid I felt good to participate in this kind of (solo) activity.

My wife Patricia shot 2 pictures for you.

I did some QSO with my callsign followed by FD, but in my enthusiasm I pushed a bit the pressure on my small TX and the PA Mosfet went promptly to the sky...

As you will see, even my dog Guerlain (no callsign) participated...

Hope that you enjoyed a great FD.

Take care my friends.

73 Alain F4IET


Saturday, June 27, 2020

SolderSmoke Podcast #223 Field Day, Club Talks, Patreon, NanoVNA, Farhan Video, SPRAT, BIG MAILBAG



SolderSmoke Podcast 223 is available: 


27 June 2020

Quarantine Field Day!   
Ironically, THIS YEAR we are both participating
Pete's FD Plan, Bill's FD plan 

Talking to Clubs: 
Pete's talk to the Cedar Valley Iowa Club
Bill's talk to the Vienna Wireless Society

Pete's Bench
DDC SDR
Ideas from the Summer SPRAT
Mean Well Voltage Regulator

SHAMELESS COMMERCE DIVISION: PATREON.   SS is an  SV DELOS WANA-BE!
We got our very first Patreon Patron!  Jonathan Magee from the UK!  Upper Left on the blog.
Continue to use our site for your Amazon purchases. 

Bill's Bench
NanoVNA
Understanding L Networks
+/- 6kHz Ceramic filter for Q-31
Lobes, Nulls and WSPR

Miscellaneous: 
Farhan's feedback Amplifier Video
British Antarctic Broadcast heard (sort of)

MAILBAG:
Mauro VA6BRO liked the SolderSmoke book.  Thanks Mauro
Tryg in Galway Ireland is listening.  Hope to get you the signed books Tryg. 
Michael N4MJR suggested that I use N2 Corona Quarantine Radio as my phonetics.  I dunno... 
Ed DD5LP has been helping us get SS rebroadcast on a German SW broadcast station. Stay tuned! 
Rogier PA1ZZ in California sent an e-mail about the Don Lee Broadcast System.  Thanks Rogier!
Rick KE3IJ  Silver Skirt on his 2B also. W3GOO did it.  Rick traded his Commodore 64 for the 2B.  Yea! 
Walter KA4KXX has a simplified circuit for the MMM!  From UK
Peter VE1BZI thank us for the tribal knowledge.  Dipolo Crilolo
Peter VK2EMU Wee need someone to make the Constructor Crusader badge. 
Scott KA9P sent us the Amateur Wireless cover from 1934 with the Constructor Crusader thing. 
John GM4OOU Built lockdown rig.  we want pictures! 
Jerry KI4IO  His version of the Sproutie by AA7EE   FB 
Adam N0ZIB built a MMM
Wouter ZS1KE in South Africa -- comparing notes on Drake 2-Bs
Randall KD5RC wants to get started in HB. 



Thursday, June 29, 2017

The Workshop at AA8V

Field Day was a big success for me this year.  I was in category "1E" which meant that I was home in the air conditioning, but doing my bit for emergency service by using a gel cell as my power source.  A SOLAR CHARGED gel cell.  So don't anyone call me a slacker, OK?

I was on my HW-8 and made a total of two contacts.  The second was with AH6AX.  I wasn't fooled -- I knew they weren't in Hawaii.  But the op gave me his home call:  WB8YYY.  Curt is a SolderSmoke listener.  In a follow-up e-mail he alerted me to the web site of AA8V.   Great stuff.  Thanks Curt.

Here is the AA8V workshop:

http://faculty.frostburg.edu/phys/latta/ee/workshop/workshop.html#electronics1

AA8V was on the QSO Today podcast not long ago. 

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Low Field Day Score Leads to Club Disbanding


Sad.  But failure has consequences my friends.

http://hamhijinks.com/finger-pointing-name-calling-as-club-fails-miserably-at-field-day/

Thanks to Jeff Murray K1NSS for alerting us to this sad situation.  

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