Daily GLOWBUGS
Digest: V1 #63
via AB4EL Web Digests @ SunSITE
Purpose: building and operating vacuum tube-based QRP rigs
Subject: glowbugs V1 #63
glowbugs Tuesday, June 24 1997 Volume 01 : Number 063
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 20:15:03 -0500 (CDT)
From: Kevin Pease <hamradio@mm1001.theporch.com>
Subject: Globug Rig
I just got my new glowbug rig working. I still have some mechanical things
to do but it is now putting out a pretty good CW signal.
I call the rig the 80/40 Meter Peble Pulveriser Deluxe. It is a full dual
conversion band image super het for 80 and 40 meters with an old DRAKE RV3
dial drive and PTO for the main tuneing. It uses a 1700 KHZ first IF
followed by a collins 800 HZ CW mechanical filter and single IF stage
feeding a 12AU7 product detector. It has two stages of audio useing 1/2 of
a 12AX7 and a 6AQ5 for output. The audio power is not as good as I am used
to with 5 watt IC's but it sounds good on CW so I am happy. It also has
audio derived AGC for my tired old ears. Ithe first mixer is a 6EA8 or 6U8
with a 6AU6 for VFO and half of the 6U8 as the VFO buffer. There is no VFO
pulling and the rig is pretty stable. I also have a 6BA6 RF amplifier for
the selectivety and gain. This rig is pretty HOT. I can hear good signals
on just a wire across the floor. It hears real good on the Inverted VEE.
The Transmitter is a 6BM8/ECL-82 triode pentode. It is crystal controlled.
I would like to build a VFO for it. Maybee that can bee my next project.
an 80/40 meter VFO would be pretty easy to build. The 6BM8 is pretty
amazing. it is about the size of the 5763 pentode and puts out 7 watts on
40 meters. It puts out about the same on 80 Meters. The plates on this
tube don't even glow. I am useing the receiver to monitor the transmitted
signal for a cw sidetone so I cant operate too large a split or I will
have no sidetown for my key pounding.
I would like to know where the circuit is for the neon oscilator sidetone
that has been published. That would allow me to mute the RX and also
operate a wide split for those rockbound people who call me off frequency.
I only have three crystals at this time and only one is usefull I have a
7150 which is good for band calibration I also have a 3990 which is
useless but I am useing it to test the transmitter on 75 meters. The only
usefull crystal is on 7045 khz. it is not on the 7050 qrp frequency and
not on the new 7060 frequency but it is noot in too bad a spot. If anyone
can work 7045 then maybee I can work someone from this list.
This whole rig is in a box 6.5 inches tall 9 inches wide and 8.5 inches
deep. It is pretty small. It was a chalenge getting everything into the
small box but I started out real simple building a regenerator and tx in
one box and ended up building a cadalac.
I was going to try transceive but the second and fourth harmonic of 1700
khz are too close the the ham bands whisc would make it hard to get rid of
the spurious signal so it is split only.
It has been great fun getting this little rig running. It brings back fond
memorys from my youth of sitting out at the picknic table in the back yard
under the birch tree building tube receivers. It has been a fun trip down
memory lane.
This project is not complete. I have an Smeter and Relout-put meter to
connect and as mentioned above I would like to build a temp compensated
external VFO for the transmitter in a small box as a companion to this rig
so that I don't have to bee rock bound.
Does anyone know who was offering the deal on a bunch of XTALS for 80 and
40 meters in ft-245 cases for us globugites ? I definately need to buy
more xtals untill I can get the VFO running. I need the xtals anyway for
the simplicity and maybee portable use at field day or something.
I can see that this rig will get used alot. I am going to put it in my
bedroom for late night use into a small dipole on 40 meters.
As a side thought I know htat this is glowbug herisy but I am thinking
about building a DDS synthysizer into a real small box that will plug into
the xtal socket and be a digital xtal replacement. I may even use
thumbwheel switches for frequency input. It would be real stable and small
and a neat digital xtal thingee.
Kevin Pease
WB0JZG
Mount Juliet, TN.
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 20:21:47 -0500 (CDT)
From: Kevin Pease <hamradio@mm1001.theporch.com>
Subject: PI-Networks
On the subject of PI-Net outut networks. I use the formula in my 1991
handbook to calculate the impdance for my glowbug rig useing class C and
used some miniductor cut per the tables in the same handbook and the rig
loads up just fine on 80 and on 40 meters by shorting out about half of
the coil.
I have heard the previous discussion about PI-NET discrepancies and I can
verify that what is in the handbook works just dandy.
By the way my little 6BM8 puts out 7-8 watts on just 10 to 11 watts input.
Pretty good eficency from an old tube. If I include the filament power the
eficency isn't quite as good. since the filament consumes 1.89 watts uping
the input power to abiut 13 watts.
Kevin Pease
WB0JZG
Mount Juliet, TN.
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 20:06:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: techni@netcom.com (harold meltzer)
Subject: R-1004
Still searching for an R-1004 receiver,p/o AN/GRC-109. Harold Meltzer
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 21:11:26 -0600 (MDT)
From: James P Rybak <jrybak@mesa7.mesa.colorado.edu>
Subject: Old QSTs For Sale
I have the following issues of QST for sale as a lot. All have attached
covers and some are almost like new.
1933 Nov.
1934 April
1935 July, Sept.
1936 April, Dec.
1937 Feb., June, Aug.
1939 July, Oct., Nov., Dec.
1940 Jan., April, Aug., Sept
1941 June, July, Sept.
These old QSTs are a lot of fun to read. These magazines were published
before most of us were born. The cover photos and ads alone make the
magazines worth getting. There also are a lot of interesting glowbug
construction articles.
I will sell the entire lot of 20 for $35 plus $8 for shipping. The price
is fixed and I will not break up the lot unless the entire lot does not
sell. Then the cost will be $2.50 plus shipping per issue.
Thanks.
Jim W0KSD
Date: Sun, 22 Jun 1997 20:30:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu>
Subject: Re: Globug Rig
> usefull crystal is on 7045 khz.
I can listen for you on 7045 and I have both a 7048 and a 7050 rock for my
AN/GRC-109. I generally get on about 0230 and again at about 0430 or so.
Sounds like you did a really neat job on it.
73,
Ken W7EKB
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 04:08:22 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu>
Subject: 7050/7060 last night...
called on 7050 at 0230 and again 0430. Nothing heard. Called CQ on 7015
immediately answered by K7EW, Steve in Portland, Oregon. He was running 1
watt to a dipole. 569/579. Nice chat. He was quite familiar with the
GRC-109.
Couldn't even hear him on the SB-301 (gonna have to check that thing out).
Q-5 copy on the R-1004 since 1L6 replaced with better tube.
Details at 11:00.
Ken W7EKB
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 10:24:34 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Walter L. Marshall" <wmarshal@CapAccess.org>
Subject: xformers needed
I need these so I can fire up some of the radios I have
without power supplies. The idea is to put them all in one
box, and have a universal power supply.
22, 45, 67, 90, 135, 180 volts.
Any, or all of these desired. No pole pigs, please.
Lon
Date: 23 Jun 1997 10:40 EDT
From: "Richard Crapse" <rwcrapse@nortel.ca>
Subject: anybody know the current prices?
a Friend of mine has the following going on the market:
A Drake SSR-1
and
Heathkit TR-108
Any clues as to their abilities and average market prices would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Rick
KB4TKQ
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 18:29:08 +0000
From: Sandy W5TVW <ebjr@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re: xformers needed
At 02:24 PM 6/23/97 +0000, you wrote:
> I need these so I can fire up some of the radios I have
>without power supplies. The idea is to put them all in one
>box, and have a universal power supply.
> 22, 45, 67, 90, 135, 180 volts.
> Any, or all of these desired. No pole pigs, please.
> Lon
>
Lon,
Sounds like some "battery" gear! Your best best would be to
Use a 250-0-250 or so volt power transformer @ 70-90 ma. Use
voltage dividers and zener diodes to get your various voltages.
I've used that scheme and it works really well.
Also consider using the 5 volt filament winding to supply a
diode bridge and a single TO-220 chip adjustable regulator to
obtain either 1.5 or 2.0 volts for a DC filament supply. You can
use the same winding and another bridge rectifier to get a -3
or -4.5 volt "C" supply as well. I opted to use "AA" pencells
as there is NO drain on the "C" supply usually.
That way you can build a supply that will furnish 6.3 VAC and a
180-250 volts plate supply or the common battery voltages you
encounter commonly: 22.5, 45, 67.5, 90, 135 volts. (I use 24, 48, 68
volt zener diodes at 5 watts on my unit)
73
E. V. Sandy Blaize, W5TVW
"Boat Anchors collected, restored, repaired, traded and used!"
417 Ridgewood Drive,
Metairie, LA., 70001
ebjr@worldnet.att.net
**Looking for: 860 tubes, WL-460 tubes**
**Butternut HF2V antenna, G-R test gear.....................***
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 97 13:37:53 PDT
From: "Adam McLaughlin KD6POC" <kd6poc@jps.net>
Subject: Link Coupled Matchging Networks
Hello There, fellow Glowbuggers!
Today I finished assembling my link coupled antenna tuner for my antenna.=
It works great! I can get the SWR down flat on this jig, and this makes =
the transmitter happy.
Now, the questions.
Has anybody else out there used one of these before well enough to guide =
me through the troubleshooting process?
And, how well can you receive signals through them? Do they do a good job=
of transfering the RF on receive?
Do these tuners increase feed line radiation in any way? How do they affe=
ct any harmonics or RFI/TVI situations?
Thanks,
Adam McLaughlin KD6POC
QRG: 7037 KHz
kd6poc@jps.net
http://www.jps.net/jmclaugh
MTC-ARRL-FISTS #3366
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 16:23:19 -0500 (CDT)
From: Bob Roehrig <broehrig@admin.aurora.edu>
Subject: Re: Link Coupled Matchging Networks
Hi Adam. One thing you didn't say - are you feeding open wire line with it
or what?
Efficiency is the same on transmit or receive. If it talks well, it should
listen well too.
If you are feeding balanced line and the whole antenna system is balanced,
the feedline should not radiate noticeably. The only time I have had
problems with such an arrangement is when the impedance on the feedline
side is very high - RF all over the shack. I don't like voltage fed
antennas!
How did you build the link? A good thing to do is to have the link
electrostatically shielded from the tuned coil. Look in the Antenna
handbooks on link coupling circuits. Even in plate tanks that are
link coupled, they describe how to shield the link. That helps reduce
TVI. I usually do it by making the link out of coax cable. Strip the
end of the coax and tape the end of the shield. Then connect the
center conductor back to the shield at the start of the link winding.
E-mail broehrig@admin.aurora.edu 73 de Bob, K9EUI
CIS: Data / Telecom Aurora University, Aurora, IL
630-844-4898 Fax 630-844-5530
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 1997 16:54:13 -0500
From: Bob Liesenfeld <wb0poq@visi.com>
Subject: Tuner
Now, the questions.
> Has anybody else out there used one of these before well enough to guide me >through the troubleshooting process?
> And, how well can you receive signals through them? Do they do a good job of >transfering the RF on receive?
>Do these tuners increase feed line radiation in any way? How do they affect any harmonics or RFI/TVI situations?
Hmmmm.... Well I could use a bit more info on the particulars of this tuner,
but I belive that an inductively coupled tuner should pass less harmonic energy
to the load that the more familiar "T" config, all else being equal. I know that
inductively coupled tanks with variable coupling along with a Faraday shield
were popular years ago, especially with balanced high Z feedlines. An older copy
of the ARRL Handbook should offer much on the subject.
72
- --
Genuine E-mail From the Land of the Everlasting Icicle...
Bob Liesenfeld
wb0poq@visi.com
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 1997 00:23:14 -0700
From: Gerald Caouette <ve6nap@oanet.com>
Subject: Tubes 4 sale
I have the following tubes
As I only want a few of these for my own use
I am offering the rest for sale
I have 450 NIB/NOS JAN 5933 valves
These are a military equivelent to the 807
Same base, pin out and electrical specifications
But Mil spec. for long life and relaibility
looking for $6.00 U$ each
or
4 for 20.00 U$
10 for 45.00 U$
50 for 200.00 U$ ( 1 case )
100 for 375.00 U$ ( 2 cases )
I have military reaining clamps for the 807/5933 and other
tube with the same base . Single screw mount toggle type clamp
looking for $2.00 U$ each
I have 60 Jan 7645 Twin tetrodes for sale
NIB/NOS in original Westinghouse Boxes
and would like $ 3.00 U$ each
or
5 for 12.00
10 for 20.00
I have 10 NIB/NOS Eimac/ Varian JAN 8167 / 4CX300A
Metal Ceramic tubes
These list for over $200.00 each I would like $ 55 U$ each
or
2 for $100.00 U$
3 for $145.00 U$
4 for $180.00 U$
I have 50 NIB/NOS JAN 5719 miniature triodes
and would like $ 2.50 U$ each
or
5 for $10.00 U$
25 for 48.00 U$
50 for $90.00 U$
Metal Enclosed Relays
- - New time delay relays
Flange mount
Solder terminals
6.3 Volt heater
SPST N.O. 3A @ 250 VAC
your choice 60 Second or 85 Second version
Great for soft starting that Amp and reducing the
thump when you turn on your amp.
$ 5.00 each
- - NEW sealed metal case relay
Mil Spec 25267-A1 Class B8
4 point stud mount
Solder terminals
115VAC coil with internal 1/2 wave rectifier
Works ok at 48 VDC
4PDT 5 Amp @ 28 VDC or 115VAC up to 400 HZ
leach corp / Part # 9220 - 4186
$ 20.00 each
$ 30.00 for 2
TRW Cinch terminal strips
NEW - Part # 10-172-Y
$10.00 for a box of 10 terminal strips
All prices are in US funds
Shippng costs are extra
email if intrested
to
ve6anp@oanet.com
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
End of glowbugs V1 #63
**********************
Created by Steve Modena, AB4EL
Comments and suggestions to modena@SunSITE.unc.edu