Reggae Knack?

Could it be that Bob Marley's son Ky-Mani has The Knack? Probably not (no mention of it in Wikipedia) but he certainly has some nice old receivers on his 2007 album cover.

The Joy of Analog Oscillation -- A Character-Building Experience

Gentlemen,

I'm a younger ham, just 26, and I've just experienced what I think you call Joy Of Oscillation as I completed my first L-C VFO. What fun!

I'm working on Peter Parker VK3YE's Beach 40 Double-Sideband transceiver, and while my natural proclivity is toward the SI5351 and it's brethren, I figured it would be character-building to actually put together an analog VFO for once.

After much tweaking of the feedback capacitor in the oscillator, and massaging the tank inductors, and conking out an additional buffer stage to drive the diode-ring mixer at the appropriate level, and gluing Manhattan pads on top of Island pads.... I say, without reservation, that this was great radio fun! And isn't that what it's all about?

(Now it only it didn't drift so much... so I guess it's not quite complete yet)

Just wanted to share, love the podcast and the blog, I learn something new each episode.

All the Best,

Jeff, KK9JEF

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Great stuff Jeff.  Character building indeed!    As for the drift, try this:

-- Replace the toroid in the oscillator circuit with a coil wound on a non-metallic core.  I use a cardboard tube from a coat hanger.

-- Make sure the capacitors in the oscillator and even in the buffer are NP0 caps (they don't change in value as they heat).

-- Try to run the oscillator stage at reduced voltage.  Six volts is better than nine.

--  After you solder, always let the device cool down for several hours (or even overnight) before you evaluate it.  Heat from the soldering iron will be dissipating and changing the freq for a LONG time.

Above all, IGNORE the inevitable recommendation from Pete Juliano that you forget about all this nonsense and just go with an Si5351.

Please keep us posted on your progress. 

73  Bill   N2CQR

An Irish Knack Story

I think Tryg should get that Ladybird receiver working again. 

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Hi Bill,

Thanks for the great podcasts and also to Pete for his unique contributions. I have been interested in radio since I was a kid but only really got back into the hobby in 2009. Back when I started playing with electronics in the 1970's I hankered after a soldering iron of my own. I bought the one in the picture in 1977. A "modest" 60 watt job, it was the cheapest one in the shop but I used it to harvest parts from all manner of abandoned old iron. I was really surprised to find it clearing up recently. The snips in the picture was a tool that my late Uncle had surplus and passed on to me, it too played a role in my scavenging for parts. In Ireland in the 1970's it was hard to get parts. I remember my Grandmother taking me from Galway to Dublin - 3 hours each way!!!) to buy parts for my first project, Rev. G.C. Dobbs venerable transistor radio from the "Making a Transistor Radio" book by Ladybird. I still have the book and the dusty remnants of the radio, long since plundered for parts. When I returned to the world of radio it wasn't long before I discovered QRP and the GQRP club. It was a real surprise to find the good Reverend was at the helm there. I just thought that the picture and story might raise a smile amongst followers of the blog. Thanks to yourself and Pete for the podcast. Keep up the great work! QRP Forever!

73,

Tryg de EI7CLB

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KB8M's Mighty Mite -- Beware the Treacherous P2N2222!

Doug KB8M did a beautiful job with his Michigan Mighty Mite.  But, as often happens, it still didn't work. He turned to us for advice.  I gave him a long list of things to check, but Pete brought the power of superior tribal knowledge to the problem and spotted the defect immediately: The transistor was in backwards.  It is a P2N2222.  That means the pin out it C-B-E  not the usual E-B-C.  I had fallen into this trap with one of my BITX rigs and had to pull out and reverse many of those transistors.  Fortunately for Doug he had used a socket for the transistor.  TRGHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!  JOO!!!!!!!!!!!

Some Really BIG Coils

I met W1VLF on 40 meters last week.  "VLF" was a hint.  And indeed, Paul has been experimenting in the 10 kHz range.  His antenna loading coil is seen above.
More info here: http://rescueelectronics.com/9-Kilohertz.html
Very cool that Mike was working with Jay Rusgrove, W1VD, on this project.  Jay designed the 6 watt VXO rig that was my first homebrew transmitter.

And additional VLF info here:
http://n3cxv.com/WH2XND_station_1.pdf