Article: 96241 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ken Weitzel Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:43:03 GMT Rich Grise wrote: > On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 18:35:14 +0000, Ken Weitzel wrote: > >>Don Bowey wrote: >> >>>On 1/18/06 12:58 AM, in article 11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com, "Joel >>>Kolstad" wrote: >>> >>>>"mc" wrote in message >>>> >>>> >>>>>You can't mix ham radio with the Internet because of the strict laws >>>>>against commercial traffic on ham radio. >>>> >>>>I'm convinced that 99% of what the average person does on the Internet would >>>>be completely legal if the data packets were going over ham frequencies as >>>>well. Reading your personal e-mail? AOK (just don't read your work >>>>e-mail!). Ordering a book on Amazon.Com? AOK (just as ordering a pizza >>>>through a phone patch is). Etc... >>> >>>How can you be convinced of something that would be illegal? The ham >>>frequencies are for use by people who hold an appropriate license. >> >>The operation of the hardware is restricted to those who hold >>an appropriate license. Who may or may not elect to share the >>usefulness of that equipment with whoever he chooses. >> >>To suggest otherwise would be akin to laying claim that only >>those holding drivers licenses could be passengers in a car. >> >>Or that only a properly licensed electrician could make use of >>or enjoy electrical equipment. In turn most likely meaning that >>you couldn't operate your shack being that you're most likely >>not a licensed electrician. > > > So, who are these "passengers" who are using my rig for their > traffic? Hi... Anyone who you choose to. Long distance telephone is now virtually free, and the internet is free. But I'm in Canada, and my youngest is off to Australia the end of the month. I may ask you to send a message off in her general direction, and you may agree to do it. :) No license necessary :) Take care. Ken Article: 96242 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Jim, KK1W" Subject: FA: Dow Relay, air variables, VLF converter, meters, etc. Message-ID: <02Czf.93$7i3.24@fe06.lga> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 20:35:08 -0500 FA on eBay an assortment of air variables, air, compression and piston trimmers, meters, RF ammeters, Dow relay and Palomar VLF converter. Please take a look at: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZkk1w2000 RF ammeters have been tested and are OK, everything else is in good to very good condition. . Thanks for your interest, Jim, KK1W Article: 96243 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:40:07 -0800 Message-ID: <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> Hi Joerg, "Joerg" wrote in message news:NLyzf.6055$_S7.4045@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com... > Later in case her interest persists just be honest with her about the > career prospects inside the US. It ain't that stellar anymore for EEs > unless they are very willing to relocate, even out of the country. Fair point, but I guess the question would be... "the prospects for EEs aren't that stellar compared to... what?" Compared to most people in technical fields I still think we do OK. (I do agree one typically does have to relocate, but at least straight out of college I would hope that most people would _want_ to do that.) For people who really want to make money, an engineering degree along with a business degree still seems like a really solid combination (in terms of sheer results -- we can save the horror stories of these people for later!). ---Joel Article: 96244 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:50:25 -0800 Message-ID: <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> "Don Bowey" wrote in message news:BFF3C4BC.23156%dbowey@comcast.net... > On 1/18/06 12:58 AM, in article 11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com, "Joel > Kolstad" wrote: >> I'm convinced that 99% of what the average person does on the Internet >> would >> be completely legal if the data packets were going over ham frequencies >> as >> well. > How can you be convinced of something that would be illegal? I meant that if the people in question had ham radio licenses, of course. My point was that a lot of people get VERY defensive if you suggest you're going to provide a straight gateway between the airwaves and the Internet for licensed hams to use, citing how the fact that there's no realistic means of precluding that gateway's use for illegal activities (just as there isn't when one uses an autopatch) should somehow be reason enough to disallow it in the first place. Article: 96245 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 01:51:28 GMT Hello Ken, > Long distance telephone is now virtually free, and the internet > is free. ... Ahem, not quite. I have to shell out $50 every month for DSL. Long distance over regular phone lines is 3c/minute within US/Canada but only with an MCI phone card. Overseas is anywhere north of 10c/minute if you want the 'luxury' of a decent echo cancellation. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96246 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "mc" References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Message-ID: Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:56:58 -0500 > I meant that if the people in question had ham radio licenses, of course. > My point was that a lot of people get VERY defensive if you suggest you're > going to provide a straight gateway between the airwaves and the Internet > for licensed hams to use, citing how the fact that there's no realistic > means of precluding that gateway's use for illegal activities (just as > there isn't when one uses an autopatch) should somehow be reason enough to > disallow it in the first place. But that's not the point. The point is that ham radio is required to be noncommercial. The Internet is mostly business. Article: 96247 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:15:00 -0800 Message-ID: <11su11kf0gjq8d1@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> "mc" wrote in message news:nbDzf.151276$k76.138897@bignews6.bellsouth.net... > But that's not the point. The point is that ham radio is required to be > noncommercial. The Internet is mostly business. That was my (original) point -- a very large chunk of what most people use their "personal" or "home" Internet connection for is NOT business... just reading e-mail from friends, ordering the occasional book on Amazon, reading newsgroup, surfing random web sites, whatever -- all things that are allowed over ham frequencies. (Which -- as you're probably aware -- are regulated such that you can't engage in activities in which you have a "pecuniary interest," but it's been made clear that things like ordering a pizzaare OK.) Article: 96248 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: James Sweet Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 03:25:52 GMT > Fair point, but I guess the question would be... "the prospects for EEs > aren't that stellar compared to... what?" Compared to most people in > technical fields I still think we do OK. (I do agree one typically does > have to relocate, but at least straight out of college I would hope that > most people would _want_ to do that.) > I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each their own I suppose. Article: 96249 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:26:33 -0800 Message-ID: <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> "Don Bowey" wrote in message news:BFF44543.232B1%dbowey@comcast.net... > If messages traverse the internet and jump into ham band packets at one or > both ends, and there is an operator controlling the transmission at the > jump > points, I don't perceive any legal problems for non-commercial messages. > For "emergency" traffic it would be a valuable process. Maybe some are > doing this..... It's not a brain-buster. Yeah, the whole idea though really turns some people off, unfortunately. My opinion is that reasonably cool heads are prevailing, though, and ham radio regulations are sloooowwwllllly moving in the right direction. It appears that regulation primarily by bandwidth (rather than emission type) will be the law of the land in the next couple of years. Article: 96250 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: James Sweet Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 03:29:40 GMT Joerg wrote: > Hello Ken, > >> Long distance telephone is now virtually free, and the internet >> is free. ... > > > > Ahem, not quite. I have to shell out $50 every month for DSL. Long > distance over regular phone lines is 3c/minute within US/Canada but only > with an MCI phone card. Overseas is anywhere north of 10c/minute if you > want the 'luxury' of a decent echo cancellation. > You don't *have* to shell out $50/month. My DSL is $30, but if I wanted to I could get dialup for $5, or I could go to the local library and use it for free. The added cost is for the convenience of having a fast connection at home. Article: 96251 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:34:18 -0800 Message-ID: <11su25qamu9765e@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> "James Sweet" wrote in message news:4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02... > I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew up > in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be a > big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each their > own I suppose. I didn't say people should never come back. :-) I just think one can learn a lot by moving around a little, trying out different states, countries, whatever your resources allow you to. My understanding is that in many western European countries, Oz, NZ, etc. this "experience" is somewhat formalized, with something like a year right after college reserved for travelling the globe. Sheesh, I really need to get back to work and quit getting so sentimental when stuck in a motel in San Diego for a week...! Article: 96252 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: James Sweet Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 03:36:06 GMT > > Yeah, the whole idea though really turns some people off, unfortunately. My > opinion is that reasonably cool heads are prevailing, though, and ham radio > regulations are sloooowwwllllly moving in the right direction. It appears > that regulation primarily by bandwidth (rather than emission type) will be > the law of the land in the next couple of years. > > I'm sure it will eventually. Ham will either evolve with the times or it will fade out of existence. I know a few old timers who are into ham radio but I've not yet met anyone in my 20-something generation who's into it, not even one. Article: 96253 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Keith Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:15:16 -0500 Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 03:25:52 +0000, James Sweet wrote: > >> Fair point, but I guess the question would be... "the prospects for EEs >> aren't that stellar compared to... what?" Compared to most people in >> technical fields I still think we do OK. (I do agree one typically does >> have to relocate, but at least straight out of college I would hope that >> most people would _want_ to do that.) >> > > > I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew > up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be > a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each > their own I suppose. I guess! I moved nine hundred miles from the family upon graduation and another couple of hundred more 20 years later. My father moved from the UP of Michigan to Schenectady NY in the 40s for similar reasons. Comparitively, I have it easy since I've only had to move the family twice (kid only once) and travel is so much easier today. If you want the job you gotta go where it is. If you want to stay home with momma, don't whine about it. -- Keith Article: 96254 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ignoramus12063 Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <22izf.12238$Sb.5077@fe30.usenetserver.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 04:14:43 GMT On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:43:07 GMT, Joerg wrote: > Hello, > > >> While you surely have a point, about a very remote possibility for any >> given locale, I actually have enough diesel fuel to last for a month of >> conservative use in winter, more for summer. I have a 26 year old Onan >> diesel generator that I restored. >> > > Lucky you. That possibility isn't remote at all. Happened here about 15 > years ago. And this is not a settlement behind the Klondike but we are > 35mi from where Arnold holds his office. I am doubtful that any snowfall would not be sorted out in one week, here. I am in N Illinois. I still "like to be prepared", hence my ownership of a generator and diesel fuel. Here are some pictures of its restoration. http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/onan/Diesel/ i Article: 96255 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: James Sweet Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <11su25qamu9765e@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 04:31:43 GMT Joel Kolstad wrote: > "James Sweet" wrote in message > news:4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02... > >>I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew up >>in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be a >>big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each their >>own I suppose. > > > I didn't say people should never come back. :-) I just think one can learn > a lot by moving around a little, trying out different states, countries, > whatever your resources allow you to. My understanding is that in many > western European countries, Oz, NZ, etc. this "experience" is somewhat > formalized, with something like a year right after college reserved for > travelling the globe. > > Sheesh, I really need to get back to work and quit getting so sentimental > when stuck in a motel in San Diego for a week...! > > I love to travel, but by the time I was out on my own I had far too much "junk" to pack up and move every few years and none of the places I've been to seemed all that appealing to live in. I guess it works out well that I live in an area which is quite a hotspot of technical jobs, just glad I bought a house when I did because there's no way I'd be able to now, one would be hard pressed to find a 1 bedroom condo for much under $200K. Article: 96256 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Kerry Miller Subject: Astron Power Supply problem Message-ID: Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:43:07 -0600 I've got a problem with my Astron RS-20 power supply. With no load, it's fine, but anything above 4amps or so makes it drop way down and my rig drops out of lock. I haven't measured it under load but the rig works ok to 10 or 11 volts so it must be dropping below that. I found a schematic and downloaded it, all the voltages are fairly close to what it says on the schematic with no load, I haven't made any measurements with a load on it. I'll pick up a headlight tomorrow to put a load on it and make more measurements. Does anybody have any ideas? Thanks, Kerry, WD5ABC Article: 96257 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43CF2C59.FD96D330@atall.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 17:06:17 +1100 From: , nospam@atall.com Subject: Re: More Markie Mularkie References: <1137174301.633511.266870@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> K4YZ wrote: > an old friend wrote: > > K4YZ wrote: > > > an_old_friend wrote: > > > > K4YZ wrote: > > > > > an_old_friend wrote: > > > > > > K4YZ wrote: > > > > > > > an_old_friend wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > it wasshit > > > > > > consortship fixed > > > > > > > > > > Who were you consorting with? > > > > > > > > you as point of fact > > > > > > Uhhhhhhhh....Nope. > > > > yep > > Nope. > > > and you seem to enjoy consorting with me here online indeed you do sem > > to live for it > > And now we have solid evidence that you ARE fantasizing. > > Steve, K4YZ I see ukra is raising it's tone, somewhat. Article: 96258 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Bill Turner" Subject: JFET for dip meter Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 08:22:36 -0800 Message-ID: Ok, so I'm lazy. Does anyone know of an appropriate JFET for a VHF/UHF dip meter? I could spend some time prowling through data sheets, but if anyone knows of a readily available one I'd be appreciative. The usual MPF102 clones don't have high enough frequency capability. Thanks in advance, 73, Bill W6WRT Article: 96259 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Mike Young" Subject: SMT 40m + 20m qrp Message-ID: <_1Dxf.925$PL5.401@newssvr11.news.prodigy.com> Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 01:06:02 GMT I'm sure this has been beaten to death already, but I missed it. Is there a very small SMT QRP kit or design somewhere, maybe on equal to the NorCal 40 or better? I'm aware of the SMK-1. Am looking for the smallest possible rig with 5W and good RX. Would it be reasonable to repackage, say, the NorCal 40 with all surface mount parts? Certainly someone must have already tried this. What results did you find? By way of introduction, I am N9XI. My main rig is a K2, an early first run kit from '99. I think I understand the apparent trepidation surrounding SMT, although I believe it's unfounded and not entirely rational. After all this time, the dearth of very small rigs based on the smaller parts is surprising. (Yell if a quick primer on SMT construction will be useful. I reflow boards in a skillet on the kitchen range.) Article: 96260 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "SOMMERGIBILE" Subject: Increase lelectivity by a Q multiplier Date: Thu, 12 Jan 2006 10:46:04 +0100 Message-ID: <43c62622$0$334$5fc30a8@news.tiscali.it> http://web.tiscali.it/am2zy/ Article: 96261 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "xpyttl" References: Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 07:41:17 -0500 Astron linear supplies use a 3 terminal regulator, usually an LM317. These things do tend to fail from time to time. Can't tell if that's your problem, but it is likely, and the things are cheap enough it's worth popping a new one in to find out. .. "Kerry Miller" wrote in message news:CNEzf.140599$WH.64582@dukeread01... > I've got a problem with my Astron RS-20 power supply. With no load, it's > fine, but anything above 4amps or so makes it drop way down and my rig > drops out of lock. I haven't measured it under load but the rig works ok > to 10 or 11 volts so it must be dropping below that. > > I found a schematic and downloaded it, all the voltages are fairly close > to what it says on the schematic with no load, I haven't made any > measurements with a load on it. I'll pick up a headlight tomorrow to put > a load on it and make more measurements. > > Does anybody have any ideas? > > Thanks, > Kerry, WD5ABC Article: 96262 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Heytubeguy" Subject: FA:100p+Atwater-Kent Service Manual+ more Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 14:34:09 GMT A 108 page Atwater Kent service model covering several models + other stuff too; see at: http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQfgtpZ1QQfrppZ25QQsassZheytubeguy Tnx for looking, heytubeguy Article: 96263 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Siggi" Subject: how can a casette deck receive a radio program Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:49:06 +0100 Message-ID: Sorry, folks, I am not a radio amateur, but this question puzzles me for years, ever since I heared radio programs in an ordinary audio recorder or now, in the speakers of my PC. Admitted, we live close to a lot of short wave staions, but how can this be? is it diodes in my PC that do the job? An electrical engineer friend told me he knows other friends having the same experience, but suggested I ask a radi newsgroup. Here I am. Can you help me? Thanks, Siggi P.S. As a child I experimented with a high-resistance speakers and a copper penny - heated on one side to function as a detector - but then this was a (crude) detector! Article: 96265 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Derek R. Smith" Subject: Re: LF Dip Meter Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 16:37:05 +0000 Message-ID: References: No real technical difficulty. Simply use a suitable (large) inductance and it will probably work. However, there is a very real practical difficulty. The tuning capacitor in a Dip meter designed for 1.5Mhz and up, will provide a very small coverage at LF and the dip may be hard to identify. You will require a lot of coils to get continuous coverage. This might be OK if you are working at narrow range of spot frequencies and the circuits under test are reasonably close to the spot frequency to begin with. In message , Andreu writes > > I have several small measuring instruments in my shack, but I have > always been unable to find plans to build a DIP METER for use in > LF Freqs. I already have a LEADER DM that begins at 1.5 Mhz but I > would like to be able to measure resonant circuits at say 40 Khz > or 470 Khz. Is there a thecnical difficulty I should be aware of ? > Any help or reference appreciated. > > Andrew. > > -- Derek R. Smith. Article: 96266 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: John Hudak Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 13:20:15 -0500 Message-ID: <43CFD85F.1050806@sei.cmu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <11ss0ks61ct7ne4@corp.supernews.com> Hmmm, well I for one would not trust my windoz-based PCs to work reliably enough in a disaster. Even if stripped down, I don't think it is robust enough. (I think Linux or a Mac are different stories). ALso, there is still too much infrastructure needed to get PCs 'out on the web'...With a ham rig, hoist an antenna and your there... John Joel Kolstad wrote: > "John Perry" wrote in message > news:mCgzf.75010$4l5.49828@dukeread05... > >>As Katrina just showed. OUr local newspaper just had a nice spread about >>hams being the only means of communication into and out of La. and >>Mississippi for a while after the landfall. > > > << Cough! >> Hams certainly did plenty of good work, but there were people > with satellite phones in New Orleans throughout the ordeal. Additionally > the military had plenty of their own infrastructure, which included > satellite links. > > For the average person, I think the best thing hams can do in disaster areas > these days is to set up a bunch of PCs that ship out short e-mail messages > over HF using Winlink or similiar. If the hams can manage to get a > reasonably high speed link to a functional hilltop repeater or similar > going, setting up a WiFi gateway would be the way to go. > > I have a lot of mixed feelings about hams and emergency communications these > days. The kind of things that emergency operations personnel expect in the > way of communications these days tend to require a fair amount of fancy > equipment and a lot of training. Investing that sort of funding into a > "volunteer" group is not something that tends to go over very well anymore, > unless it's a group such as, e.g., a volunteer fire department where there > are strict duties and responsibilities spelled out and not just some "ad > hoc" gathering of a bunch of guys at a pizza parlor every month. > > ---Joel > > > Article: 96267 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 10:39:01 -0800 Message-ID: <11svn66cb580ue2@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <11ss0ks61ct7ne4@corp.supernews.com> <43CFD85F.1050806@sei.cmu.edu> Hi John, "John Hudak" wrote in message news:43CFD85F.1050806@sei.cmu.edu... > Hmmm, well I for one would not trust my windoz-based PCs to work reliably > enough in a disaster. Even if stripped down, I don't think it is robust > enough. (I think Linux or a Mac are different stories). Whether or not a Windows system is reliable has much more to do with the person setting it up than the OS itself; thousands of "mission critical" Windows systems prove that every day. Personally, I'd be choosing my hardware basd on the applications I wanted to run... that pretty much rules out Macs, whereas Linux could be a decent contender given that there is plenty of good amateur radio software for it. > ALso, there is still too much infrastructure needed to get PCs 'out on the > web'...With a ham rig, hoist an antenna and your there... My suggestion was that the best thing hams could do for the average person would be to set up a PC to let them send e-mail, but I'd certainly agree that if you don't have a laptop lying around to do that with, there's still some benefit in being able to relay voice messages. (And compared to a decent HF radio, its power supply, and antenna, adding a laptop as well doesn't do much to increase weight, decrease mobility, etc., but it does provide a marked increase in communications flexibility.) There are now some fancy HF transceiver out there running Linux or Windows CE... Heck, there are even folks who use their PDAs running WinCE or the Palm OS to interface with their radios! ---Joel Article: 96268 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <11ss0ks61ct7ne4@corp.supernews.com> <11strt8o9g62d07@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 19:00:01 GMT Hello Joel, > Yes, and the government continues to pour millions of dollars into radio > interoperability to try to make it work. I see no technical reason why > getting all the fancy equipment to talk to other agencies should be a > problem (look at the Internet -- Usenet news and e-mail seems to make it to > all corners of the globe just fine, despite using lots of different brands > and types of equipment) -- I guess it really is much more a political > problem. > That is the difference. Agencies are notoriously slow and inefficient in fixing organizational problems no matter how simple. Someone on TV suggested to have the welfare program in Califronia run by Jiffy Lube because they know how to operate efficiently. My guess is that this guy was right. > >>Keep it simple, that's what hams excel at. And it works. > > I agree it helps, but wouldn't you suspect that if you survived all the > Hurricane Katrina victims who received help from any formal organization, by > quantity those helped by more formalized organizations such as the Red Cross > would easily outnumber those who received helps from hams? The problem the > hams have is that their help often does go un- or under-acknowledged, > whereas everyone knows about the Red Cross. > Many people are fine when their good deeds are un-acknowledged. Much of the ministry and outreach we do through our church is unrecognized and neither I nor my wife mind. Recognition isn't why we do it. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96269 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <22izf.12238$Sb.5077@fe30.usenetserver.com> Message-ID: <3sRzf.12031$F_3.2647@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 19:07:43 GMT Hello, > > I am doubtful that any snowfall would not be sorted out in one week, > here. I am in N Illinois. I still "like to be prepared", hence my > ownership of a generator and diesel fuel. > Some areas like this aren't geared for a major hard freeze and snow pack. It just doesn't usually happen. Even areas that are prepared can get hit hard. In Europe they had a major issue this winter with ice build-up on HV lines. It happened in unprecedented magnitude and then many of the lines came down. > Here are some pictures of its restoration. > > http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/onan/Diesel/ > Nice. Make sure that rooster doesn't decide to peck the tank for too long ;-) Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96270 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: fmmck@aol.com (Fred McKenzie) Subject: Re: LF Dip Meter Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 14:45:46 -0500 Message-ID: References: In article , "Andreu" wrote: > I have several small measuring instruments in my shack, but I have > always been unable to find plans to build a DIP METER for use in > LF Freqs. I already have a LEADER DM that begins at 1.5 Mhz but I > would like to be able to measure resonant circuits at say 40 Khz > or 470 Khz. Is there a thecnical difficulty I should be aware of ? > Any help or reference appreciated. Andrew- Do you have an audio oscillator that goes up to 470 KHz? That could be hooked up to a resonant circuit through a resistor, and a high impedance AC voltmeter connected to measure voltage across the circuit. You would look for dips or peaks depending on whether it was series or parallel. 73, Fred, K4DII Article: 96271 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 06:43:42 +1000 From: Kev Subject: Re: Dick Smith Radio Direction Finder - Docs now in PDF References: <43C15BA4.3F39@orcon.net.nz> <43C98DF6.2958@orcon.net.nz> <43CF18B0.70E8@orcon.net.nz> Message-ID: <43cff9fe$0$10954$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au> Glenn McAllister wrote: > Scanned and kindly converted to PDF by Ken, ZL1WKT. > > Hosted by Al at > http://www.webdingers.com/K6345RadioDirectionFinder.pdf > and also by me at > http://www.freewebs.com/cqdx/dserdfk6345.htm > > Glenn McAllister wrote: > >>My email address is my callsign at orcon dot net dot enn zed >> >>de Glenn ZL2TLD Fantastic Thanks for doing that Now at least I can see what's what in this thing Cheers Kev Article: 96272 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Allodoxaphobia Subject: Re: LF Dip Meter Date: 19 Jan 2006 21:20:56 GMT Message-ID: References: On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 16:37:05 +0000, Derek R. Smith wrote: > No real technical difficulty. Simply use a suitable (large) inductance > and it will probably work. > However, there is a very real practical difficulty. The tuning capacitor > in a Dip meter designed for 1.5Mhz and up, will provide a very small > coverage at LF and the dip may be hard to identify. You will require a > lot of coils to get continuous coverage. This might be OK if you are > working at narrow range of spot frequencies and the circuits under test > are reasonably close to the spot frequency to begin with. > > In message , Andreu > writes >> >> I have several small measuring instruments in my shack, but I have >> always been unable to find plans to build a DIP METER for use in >> LF Freqs. I already have a LEADER DM that begins at 1.5 Mhz but I >> would like to be able to measure resonant circuits at say 40 Khz >> or 470 Khz. Is there a thecnical difficulty I should be aware of ? >> Any help or reference appreciated. I'd think coupling to the DUT would be a problem. Physically small dip coils would not couple easily to large tuned components, and versy vicey. Of course, if you build to just _your_ custom requirements.... Jonesy -- Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __ 38.24N 104.55W | config.com | DM78rf | SK Article: 96274 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: class-a-licensee-pkearn-zaapk@didnt-run-away-from-a-morse-test.es.eircom.com.net (zAAPK) Subject: Re: please stop the shit Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 23:09:59 GMT Message-ID: <43c832ff.2193218@news.iol.ie> References: <1137174301.633511.266870@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137174889.447147.92530@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <43C7FD52.7090202@nospamw2agn.net> W2AGN wrote: > Have you considered a spell checker? You are an embarrassment to the > "mnayly us gruop." confucius he say, he who pull-up someone for spelling mistakes will soon fall over their own spelling mistakes. Article: 96275 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Richard the Dreaded Libertarian Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su11kf0gjq8d1@corp.supernews.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:06:59 GMT On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 13:56:58 -0600, clifto wrote: > Joel Kolstad wrote: >> "mc" wrote in message >> news:nbDzf.151276$k76.138897@bignews6.bellsouth.net... >>> But that's not the point. The point is that ham radio is required to be >>> noncommercial. The Internet is mostly business. >> >> That was my (original) point -- a very large chunk of what most people use >> their "personal" or "home" Internet connection for is NOT business... just >> reading e-mail from friends, ordering the occasional book on Amazon, reading >> newsgroup, surfing random web sites, whatever -- all things that are allowed >> over ham frequencies. > > Even before the Internet allowed commercial traffic, ham radio had to be > careful of people whose f*cking language was f*cking against the rules, > if ya know what I mean. It used to be illegal to even say "that word" on the f*cking _telephone_! Thank Goddess for the Bill of Rights! Cheers! Rich -- "We have met the enemy and he is us." - Pogo Possum Article: 96276 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> Message-ID: <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 00:34:05 GMT Hello Keith, >>I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew >>up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be >>a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each >>their own I suppose. > > I guess! I moved nine hundred miles from the family upon graduation and > another couple of hundred more 20 years later. ... It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) Home can be almost anywhere as long as one is willing to make friends, integrate and most of all, learn the customs and the language. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96277 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: dplatt@radagast.org (Dave Platt) Subject: Re: Value of the capacitor Cx in wireless microphone SM0VPO Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 01:41:10 -0000 Message-ID: <11t0ftmnlqpl7e6@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137720475.929167.173560@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> >Hi all: > >I am trying to arm the wireless microphone sm0vpo >but the value of the capacitor Cx does not appear. > >Someone could tell it to me If you're referring to his "HIGH POWER FM MIC" project, the page says the following: There used to be a 1n0 5mm cap for supply decoupling, but after a cange of component supplier (manufacturer?) there developed some form of RF instability when the gain of the PA transistor was a little above normal. Replacing the 1n0 to an electrolytic capacitor of 22uf cured this problem totally. Any "radial" (the leads both come out of the same end) type electrolytic capacitor from 0.47uf upwards cures the problem. So, any small electrolytic cap of .47 uF or above, 12 WVDC or above, ought to do the trick. -- Dave Platt AE6EO Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads! Article: 96278 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: John Subject: Re: Inexpensive Digital Strip Chart Recorder Message-ID: References: <1136941627.419160.149340@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 21:07:45 -0500 On 10 Jan 2006 17:07:07 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools" wrote: >I am looking for an inexpensive digital strip chart recorder. > >Does something like this exist? > >Are there addons for a laptop, pda or pocket pc that allows one to >record, store and display analog data similar to the good old chart >recorder? > >Thanks for any leads. > >TMT Go to http://www.dataq.com/194.htm For $50US, you get a 4 channel, 10 bit A/D converter (serial interface to PC) and PC chart recorder software. John Article: 96279 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 01:44:09 -0400 Message-ID: <11t0u5c16b0b820@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> Don Bowey wrote: >> >>I'm sure it will eventually. Ham will either evolve with the times or it >>will fade out of existence. I know a few old timers who are into ham >>radio but I've not yet met anyone in my 20-something generation who's >>into it, not even one. > > > Maybe because young people don't want to put out the effort to become a ham, > you know, like, they wanna hang at the mall. > > Don > > This lament is often repeated in many of the hobbies which are now considered the territory of the oldsters. Communicating by radio and messing with thumb-sized electronic components is passé. So is collecting rocks or fern samples and scale model railroading. I'm not so quick to write off a whole generation because they find their stuff cooler than mine. That kid hanging at the mall can reach into his pocket and pull out his toy and be in contact with China in a matter of seconds. That pretty much kills any hope of impressing him with my rig and hobby for communicating. Whoopee, I can build mine - but it doesn't "work" as well as his. There have always been kids who get into all sorts of things. I don't think that the percentage of kids interested in technology has decreased...I'd be inclined to think the opposite. Technology has changed much more than the kids have. How many old radio farts are into THEIR modern technology? -Bill Article: 96280 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Kerry Miller Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem References: Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 23:47:24 -0600 gb wrote: > "xpyttl" wrote in message > news:DOLzf.3$_h7.2@fe06.lga... > >>Astron linear supplies use a 3 terminal regulator, usually an LM317. >>These things do tend to fail from time to time. Can't tell if that's your >>problem, but it is likely, and the things are cheap enough it's worth >>popping a new one in to find out. >> > > > Really? What model of Astron linear power supply have you repaired or seen > that uses this design approach? I have never seen one like this -- over > past 20 years. > Confusing this with some other mfg. design? > > Astron has been using the 14-pin (30 years old) LM 723 regulator IC with NPN > pass transistors (e.g. 2N3055, 2N3771) ... for as long as I have been > repairing them. > > Check here for correct Astron information - repairs, etc. > http://www.kbt-dc-supplies.com/index.php > > and Astron schematics (which show the LM723, not the later LM317 design) > http://www.repeater-builder.com/astron/astron-index.html > > gb > > I can confirm that mine has a 723, not a 317. Thanks for the web sites, looks like some great information. I hooked up that headlight tonight but it ran fine, pulling a bit over 3 amps for an hour or so. Maybe I need more load to make it lose regulation. Guess I'll start digging into that regulator board, the transistors and all the big things like the transformer seem to be fine. Thanks, Kerry - WD5ABC Article: 96281 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "mc" References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Message-ID: Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 01:04:54 -0500 > Maybe because young people don't want to put out the effort to become a > ham, > you know, like, they wanna hang at the mall. And in 1955 they all wanted to watch or play football, or go cruising. I think that, thanks to computers, the proportion of technologically motivated young people is as high as it has ever been. Article: 96282 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Roy Lewallen Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 02:22:29 -0800 Message-ID: <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> mc wrote: >>Maybe because young people don't want to put out the effort to become a >>ham, >>you know, like, they wanna hang at the mall. > > > And in 1955 they all wanted to watch or play football, or go cruising. > > I think that, thanks to computers, the proportion of technologically > motivated young people is as high as it has ever been. Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes considerable effort. Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. engineering schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of Americans enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary education here. Some major U.S. universities are even building branches overseas in order to scare up enough students. And it's unusual now to see a paper in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation written by someone raised in this country. It appears that our educational system and the general culture is preparing people to be Wal-Mart clerks, not engineers. Technologically motivated Wal-Mart clerks, perhaps, but Wal-Mart clerks nonetheless. ("Joe over there is a real whiz on the customer computer terminal. I'll recommend him for a 25 cent raise if he keeps it up.") Engineering will soon join manufacturing in overwhelmingly being done somewhere else, and for good reason. Roy Lewallen, W7EL Article: 96283 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "mc" References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Message-ID: Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 05:47:48 -0500 "Roy Lewallen" wrote in message news:11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com... >> I think that, thanks to computers, the proportion of technologically >> motivated young people is as high as it has ever been. > > Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes > considerable effort. Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. engineering > schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of Americans > enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary education > here. There were plenty of Americans at Georgia Tech the last time I looked... all over the place, in fact! And even MIT... The reason IEEE Transactions papers seem always to be written by foreigners is something to do with incentives, I think. Americans do engineering but don't publish papers about it, at least not in IEEE Transactions. I think this has something to do with the way American vs. Asian employers operate. > by someone raised in this country. It appears that our educational system > and the general culture is preparing people to be Wal-Mart clerks, not > engineers. Technologically motivated Wal-Mart clerks, perhaps, but > Wal-Mart clerks nonetheless. And in 1955 it was preparing every male to be a football player and every female to be a homemaker. Yet we survived. Another thing to keep in mind: Circuit design is yesterday's challenge. One of the biggest technological challenges we face is how to organize and manage huge amounts of information. I know a lot of young people (2 of them in my own house) who are keenly interested in that. It just isn't something that looms large in the "engineering" curriculum yet, just as electronics didn't in 1880. Article: 96284 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 02:55:14 -0800 Message-ID: <11t1gclmnit7of6@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t0u5c16b0b820@corp.supernews.com> "- exray -" wrote in message news:11t0u5c16b0b820@corp.supernews.com... > That kid hanging at the mall can reach into his pocket and pull out his > toy and be in contact with China in a matter of seconds. That pretty much > kills any hope of impressing him with my rig and hobby for communicating. Sooner or later, one would hope that that kid in the mall would like to see beyond the "magic" and have a sit-down chat with the man behind the curtain. The Internet, cell phones, etc. ARE very cool, but if one can start to understand the technology behind them, hopefully they'll also understand why something like HF radio, simple AM/FM receivers, etc. can be cool as well. There was an article in some IEEE magazine not too long ago where the author was lamenting the fact that not only are things like digital radio and video very complicated to understand in the first place, but in nearly all cases today the details of their formatting/modulation/etc. are purposely obfuscated and the content itself encrypted, so pretty soon it's going to be pretty much impossible for a motivated youngster to build a contemporary radio receiver even if he or she did have access to the appropriate hardware. A good example would be something like IBOC -- something like GNU Radio is inexpensive (i.e., something a youngster could reasonably obtain access to), yet there's no way to demodulate it since the standard behind it is proprietary. :-( This despite the fact that it's being broadcast on the "public" FM frequencies... Article: 96285 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "David J Windisch" Subject: FS: Expanded Spectrum "Time Machine" Message-ID: Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 11:14:23 GMT Record and play back 80KHz of your favorite h-f band. FS: Expanded Spectrum "Time Machine" ready to go on 40-30-20-15-10M, with 90MHz Flash Crystal, LO1, Daughter Board, 9 xtals, RS-232 programming cable, wallpig. See: http://www.expandedspectrumsystems.com/ http://www.expandedspectrumsystems.com/prod4.html http://www.expandedspectrumsystems.com/prod2.html $150 or near offer. 73 Dave N3HE Article: 96286 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 07:57:39 -0400 Message-ID: <11t1k1m1pcn8pc1@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> Roy Lewallen wrote: > > Why aren't they going to engineering school? I think we can blame that one on the public education system moreso than any lack of interest. Public schools have exchanged emphasis on technical skills (like spelling) in exchange for 'feel-good' subjects. In years gone by an average kid who studied hard and got good grades could get into an institution of higher learning. Probably had 2-3 years of advanced math under his belt and could find the college on a map. Nowadays a straight A kid may only have his straight As in non-engineering subjects and has little chance of getting into an engineering school unless he has been privately educated or was exceptional enough in a *good* public system. -Bill Article: 96287 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Spehro Pefhany Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 10:11:46 -0500 Message-ID: References: <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> On Fri, 20 Jan 2006 02:22:29 -0800, the renowned Roy Lewallen wrote: >mc wrote: >>>Maybe because young people don't want to put out the effort to become a >>>ham, >>>you know, like, they wanna hang at the mall. >> >> >> And in 1955 they all wanted to watch or play football, or go cruising. >> >> I think that, thanks to computers, the proportion of technologically >> motivated young people is as high as it has ever been. > >Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes >considerable effort. Would you point a kid who was wavering towards a career in engineering? >Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. >engineering schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of >Americans enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary >education here. Some major U.S. universities are even building branches >overseas in order to scare up enough students. And it's unusual now to >see a paper in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation written >by someone raised in this country. It appears that our educational >system and the general culture is preparing people to be Wal-Mart >clerks, not engineers. Technologically motivated Wal-Mart clerks, >perhaps, but Wal-Mart clerks nonetheless. ("Joe over there is a real >whiz on the customer computer terminal. I'll recommend him for a 25 cent >raise if he keeps it up.") Engineering will soon join manufacturing in >overwhelmingly being done somewhere else, and for good reason. Nah, the idjits are going into idjit jobs, just like they always did. More of the smarter kids are going into medicine, law, and business. It takes more effort and money than engineering, perhaps, but the payoff is you are less likely to be outsourced or become obsolescent halfway through your working life. >Roy Lewallen, W7EL Best regards, Spehro Pefhany -- "it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com Article: 96288 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Bob Shuman" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 09:00:15 -0600 Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> "Roy Lewallen" wrote in message news:11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com... > mc wrote: > Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes > considerable effort. Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. > engineering schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of > Americans enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary > education here. ... Engineering will soon join manufacturing in > overwhelmingly being done somewhere else, and for good reason. > > Roy Lewallen, W7EL Roy, I believe that the shrinking engineering school attendance is directly related to the shrinking engineering job opportunities in the US. Global communications have enabled large US corporations to move a significant portion of their high paying technical jobs off shore to lower cost regions. With fewer and fewer opportunities, the out of work engineers, find themselves competing for fewer and fewer jobs. HS students selecting a college major see this and many of them decide that it is more important to be able to make a living than to pursue this discipline. Many of my former peers elected to change careers with a significant reduction in salary when they were unable to find engineering work during the last few years. Bob Article: 96289 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Keith Williams Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 11:20:56 -0500 Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> In article <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com>, notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says... > Hello Keith, > > > >>I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew > >>up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be > >>a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each > >>their own I suppose. > > > > I guess! I moved nine hundred miles from the family upon graduation and > > another couple of hundred more 20 years later. ... > > > It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) Once you get past a certain point, any further doesn't mean much. > Home can be almost anywhere as long as one is willing to make friends, > integrate and most of all, learn the customs and the language. Sure. Family is still important. I'd like to be closer now that my mother is getting older (92) and won't be around forever. We missed being close to my MIL (died a year ago) and the FIL (20 years ago). Seeing family once or twice a year is a negative. Living next door is on the other extreme, however. -- Keith Article: 96290 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Mike Coslo Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 11:39:11 -0500 Message-ID: <43D1122F.9040201@psu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <43cd79e7$0$12849$ba620dc5@text.nova.planet.nl> Sjouke Burry wrote: > Don Bowey wrote: > >> On 1/17/06 12:24 PM, in article uoczf.17873$V9.5348@fe07.usenetserver.com, >> "Ignoramus22991" wrote: >> >> >>> I have to wonder what is the point of being a ham in the day and age >>> of the internet. >>> i >>> >> >> >> Talking to someone via ham radio means you are talking with someone with >> developed skills with which you have something in common. There is a >> kinship that is comfortable. Also, it's great fun to use low power >> and make >> contact all over the planet. >> >> There is nothing similar to ham radio, in the internet. >> >> Don >> > Have you listened to the ham bands lately? > There is a deadly silence there most of the time. > I wonder how fast the ham population is > disappearing..... hmm, better check to see if your setup is working. If you are listening to the bands where propagation is working it is getting difficult to find an open space. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Article: 96291 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Mike Coslo Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 13:45:28 -0500 Message-ID: <43D12FC8.30800@psu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> Roy Lewallen wrote: > mc wrote: > >>> Maybe because young people don't want to put out the effort to become >>> a ham, >>> you know, like, they wanna hang at the mall. >> >> >> >> And in 1955 they all wanted to watch or play football, or go cruising. >> >> I think that, thanks to computers, the proportion of technologically >> motivated young people is as high as it has ever been. > > > Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes > considerable effort. Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. > engineering schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of > Americans enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary > education here. American youth are being steered in other directions now. And even those who are not being steered in that direction may take a look at engineering and wonder "Why the heck would I want to do that"? The kid is going to have to work long and hard though their college days. No gut courses for you, my friend! Then they are going to get a job in which they are expected to get their job done, and if that means you work 80 hour weeks, then so be it. That nice paycheck isn't so great when you break it into hourly rates. There is a lot more money to be made, at less effort, by becoming a manager, MBA, or the like. So unless a person really really has a passion for engineering, they select some other way to make a living. And for good or bad, too many people chase max money at minimum effort > Some major U.S. universities are even building branches > overseas in order to scare up enough students. And it's unusual now to > see a paper in the IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation written > by someone raised in this country. It appears that our educational > system and the general culture is preparing people to be Wal-Mart > clerks, not engineers. Because in the not so distant future, there will be a much greater need for Wal-Mart employees! 8^( > Technologically motivated Wal-Mart clerks, > perhaps, but Wal-Mart clerks nonetheless. ("Joe over there is a real > whiz on the customer computer terminal. I'll recommend him for a 25 cent > raise if he keeps it up.") Engineering will soon join manufacturing in > overwhelmingly being done somewhere else, and for good reason. Sad but true, Roy. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Article: 96292 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> Message-ID: <0kaAf.867$2O6.779@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 18:52:44 GMT Hello Keith, >> >>It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) > > Once you get past a certain point, any further doesn't mean much. > Well, it still matters whether it takes a multi-leg flight of 20+ hours to get there or a one-hop of 7 hours. But I won't complain when I think about folks who emigrated from Europe to Australia. Getting to their old home country is a major endeavor for them. When my wife's parent's were still alive it was nice to know that we could be there in half a day, which we had to do a lot. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96293 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Keith Williams Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:02:20 -0500 Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> <0kaAf.867$2O6.779@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> In article <0kaAf.867$2O6.779@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com>, notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says... > Hello Keith, > > >> > >>It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) > > > > Once you get past a certain point, any further doesn't mean much. > > > > Well, it still matters whether it takes a multi-leg flight of 20+ hours > to get there or a one-hop of 7 hours. But I won't complain when I think > about folks who emigrated from Europe to Australia. Getting to their old > home country is a major endeavor for them. And when we go back it's an eighteen hour drive, each way. It's a PITA flying the last 200mi and I'd need to rent a car anyway. Driving isn't a lot more expensive and we can take a lot more junk with us. > > When my wife's parent's were still alive it was nice to know that we > could be there in half a day, which we had to do a lot. Indeed. Unfortunately, there won't be all that many more trips. -- Keith Article: 96294 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Mike Coslo Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:09:00 -0500 Message-ID: <43D1354C.8060708@psu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> James Sweet wrote: > >> >> Yeah, the whole idea though really turns some people off, >> unfortunately. My opinion is that reasonably cool heads are >> prevailing, though, and ham radio regulations are sloooowwwllllly >> moving in the right direction. It appears that regulation primarily >> by bandwidth (rather than emission type) will be the law of the land >> in the next couple of years. >> >> > > > > I'm sure it will eventually. Ham will either evolve with the times or it > will fade out of existence. Yeah, I want to get my spam via Ham radio!!! Considering that some 73 percent of email is spam and/or virus laden garbage, and that there are much better ways for Hams to get their email if they really want to, utilizing HF for email solutions is like an answer to ten year old questions. Besides - thinking that email is "High-Tech" is to start off with an erroneous assumption. > I know a few old timers who are into ham > radio but I've not yet met anyone in my 20-something generation who's > into it, not even one. A sample of one? I know several young amateurs in my area, and we turn out dozens every year at the local college. And some other stats are that plenty of new licenses are being issued. I can't vouch for the ages of these newbies, but even if they are not kids, they are new hams. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Article: 96295 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D138CE.31BAC44B@nospam.com> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 06:23:58 +1100 From: , nospam@nospam.com Subject: Re: takeyou hate shit shit and shove back where it came form References: <1137770255.419955.262000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> an old friend wrote: > Orator For Decency wrote: > > Because of the Not-Ham action of maliciously getting > > someone's licence cancelled, it is meet to remind us > > what is (AND WHAT IS NOT AND NEVER CAN BE) > > Ham Radio, and to this end, I append a FAQ..... > > guess you are not evne a ham yourself anymore "orator" at we now know > something about peed in your cheerios Eh? Article: 96296 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Mike Coslo Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:25:09 -0500 Message-ID: <43D13915.4020009@psu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <11ss0ks61ct7ne4@corp.supernews.com> <43CFD85F.1050806@sei.cmu.edu> <11svn66cb580ue2@corp.supernews.com> Joel Kolstad wrote: > Hi John, > > "John Hudak" wrote in message > news:43CFD85F.1050806@sei.cmu.edu... > >>Hmmm, well I for one would not trust my windoz-based PCs to work reliably >>enough in a disaster. Even if stripped down, I don't think it is robust >>enough. (I think Linux or a Mac are different stories). > > > Whether or not a Windows system is reliable has much more to do with the > person setting it up than the OS itself; thousands of "mission critical" > Windows systems prove that every day. Which is of course another way of saying that the person behind the computer has to know a whole lot more if using a PC (or have a department of people that keep them running) Personally, I'd be choosing my > hardware basd on the applications I wanted to run... that pretty much rules > out Macs, whereas Linux could be a decent contender given that there is > plenty of good amateur radio software for it. Your correct about the Apps. That is why I end up using both PC and Mac on a continual basis. The Mac has it all over the PC in terms of getting the work done, Especially if I have to make any software or hardware changes. > >>ALso, there is still too much infrastructure needed to get PCs 'out on the >>web'...With a ham rig, hoist an antenna and your there... > > > My suggestion was that the best thing hams could do for the average person > would be to set up a PC to let them send e-mail, but I'd certainly agree > that if you don't have a laptop lying around to do that with, there's still > some benefit in being able to relay voice messages. (And compared to a > decent HF radio, its power supply, and antenna, adding a laptop as well > doesn't do much to increase weight, decrease mobility, etc., but it does > provide a marked increase in communications flexibility.) I dunno, Joel. Are you saying that using a Ham radio to send email is going to impress someone? It just seems so odd to me that people who can now text message others with their cell phones, and IM each other on a regular basis are going to be impressed by a big HF setup. I mean email in general is a real yawner (unless we buy those stimulants offered in the 75 percent of email that is spam) 8^) 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Article: 96297 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Mike Coslo Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:32:59 -0500 Message-ID: <43D13AEB.9040109@psu.edu> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> Keith Williams wrote: > In article <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com>, > notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says... > >>Hello Keith, >> >> >> >>>>I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew >>>>up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be >>>>a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each >>>>their own I suppose. >>> >>>I guess! I moved nine hundred miles from the family upon graduation and >>>another couple of hundred more 20 years later. ... >> >> >>It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) > > > Once you get past a certain point, any further doesn't mean much. > > >>Home can be almost anywhere as long as one is willing to make friends, >>integrate and most of all, learn the customs and the language. > > > Sure. Family is still important. I'd like to be closer now that > my mother is getting older (92) and won't be around forever. We > missed being close to my MIL (died a year ago) and the FIL (20 > years ago). Seeing family once or twice a year is a negative. > Living next door is on the other extreme, however. Ain't that the Truff! While our respective siblings moved away, My XYL and myself get the fun job of taking care of all the aging related catastrophes of the parental units, while the others just do whatever it is that they do. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Article: 96298 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D13AB5.DE7BC32E@earthlink.net> From: "Michael A. Terrell" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:32:36 GMT Keith Williams wrote: > > Sure. Family is still important. I'd like to be closer now that > my mother is getting older (92) and won't be around forever. We > missed being close to my MIL (died a year ago) and the FIL (20 > years ago). Seeing family once or twice a year is a negative. > Living next door is on the other extreme, however. My dad and stepmom live next door. It makes it a lot easier for me to check on them that way. I don't drive much anymore, so I wouldn't see them very often if they were across town. -- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida Article: 96299 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "G1LVN \(for it is he\)" Subject: Re: FAQ (Was : Re: Who is childish enough and obsessed enough? Brian Reay? Mike Gathergood? Nathan Hull? Gareth Paley? Eric Williams? D.Lawson?) Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 19:37:56 +0000 (UTC) Message-ID: References: <1137770255.419955.262000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> "Orator For Decency" wrote in message news:1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... > Because of the Not-Ham action of maliciously getting > someone's licence cancelled, it is meet to remind us Bean's been drinking too much Google again. -- -- 73 de G1LVN (M0WWS) On teh Internet no-one knows you are a dog http://www.g1lvn.org.uk/no-one_knows.jpg Article: 96300 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Keith Williams Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:57:06 -0500 Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> <43D13AEB.9040109@psu.edu> In article <43D13AEB.9040109@psu.edu>, mjc5remove@psu.edu says... > Keith Williams wrote: > > In article <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com>, > > notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net says... > > > >>Hello Keith, > >> > >> > >> > >>>>I dunno, I certainly wouldn't want to relocate. I love the area I grew > >>>>up in, nearly my entire family lives within a few hundred miles, it'd be > >>>>a big hassle to fly in for family events a few times a year. To each > >>>>their own I suppose. > >>> > >>>I guess! I moved nine hundred miles from the family upon graduation and > >>>another couple of hundred more 20 years later. ... > >> > >> > >>It's about 6000 miles for me now. And I love it. :-) > > > > > > Once you get past a certain point, any further doesn't mean much. > > > > > >>Home can be almost anywhere as long as one is willing to make friends, > >>integrate and most of all, learn the customs and the language. > > > > > > Sure. Family is still important. I'd like to be closer now that > > my mother is getting older (92) and won't be around forever. We > > missed being close to my MIL (died a year ago) and the FIL (20 > > years ago). Seeing family once or twice a year is a negative. > > Living next door is on the other extreme, however. > > Ain't that the Truff! While our respective siblings moved away, My XYL > and myself get the fun job of taking care of all the aging related > catastrophes of the parental units, while the others just do whatever it > is that they do. My brother and SIL got delegated that task, though they live 50mi away. We spent Christmas week visiting mom and my brother spent it in Costa Rica with the SIL's family (Brits). -- Keith Article: 96301 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Mike Young" References: <1137777023.341298.24860@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: Amateur Radar Message-ID: Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 20:33:44 GMT Not to drag it off topic, but I'm confused about what looks like ground shadows in Sandia's SAR images. For example, the tower shadow in http://www.sandia.gov/radar/movies/solar.mov continually points toward the "viewer". Is this reflected radiation from the tower off the ground?? Really weird false lighting effect if that's what it is. Also, ground shadows under trees in other images make them look like false color satellite photos. I think if you're going to do it, large synthetic apertures would be most interesting. :) Mike. "mustafa umut sarac" wrote in message news:1137777023.341298.24860@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... >I want to take high res mountain and city pictures with homebrew radar. > Some use passive radars and produce synthetic aperture radar images. > Passive radars use gsm , vhf , uhf , sw , fm , satellite transmitters . > But I am not sure about the quality of resulting image. > - Some italian researchers did it but I saw the images and I did not > like.- > If it will not not satisfy my need , I will want to build a transmitter > and receiver. > Do I need to use a gunnplexer ? Or is there any new transmitters at > market ? > What is your idea for building a sar ? Article: 96302 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "huLLy" References: <1137770255.419955.262000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: FAQ (Was : Re: Who is childish enough and obsessed enough? Brian Reay? Mike Gathergood? Nathan Hull? Gareth Paley? Eric Williams? D.Lawson?) Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 20:40:01 -0000 Message-ID: <16adnXRx2Ns010zeRVny1g@giganews.com> G1LVN (for it is he) wrote: > "Orator For Decency" wrote in message > news:1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... >> Because of the Not-Ham action of maliciously getting >> someone's licence cancelled, it is meet to remind us > > Bean's been drinking too much Google again. > I thought he had progressed to taking Baaa biturates -- huLLy Tel: 07976 123278 ICQ 136-987-925 Article: 96303 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Dave Subject: Re: FAQ (Was : Re: Who is childish enough and obsessed enough? Brian Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 22:39:37 +0000 (UTC) Message-ID: References: <1137770255.419955.262000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <16adnXRx2Ns010zeRVny1g@giganews.com> huLLy wrote: > G1LVN (for it is he) wrote: > >>"Orator For Decency" wrote in message >>news:1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... >> >>>Because of the Not-Ham action of maliciously getting >>>someone's licence cancelled, it is meet to remind us >> >>Bean's been drinking too much Google again. >> > > > I thought he had progressed to taking Baaa biturates I rather like those two comments :-) Dave Article: 96304 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "From the shack of G1LVN" Subject: Re: FAQ (Was : Re: Who is childish enough and obsessed enough? Brian Reay? Mike Gathergood? Nathan Hull? Gareth Paley? Eric Williams? D.Lawson?) Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 00:09:43 +0000 (UTC) Message-ID: References: <1137770255.419955.262000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <16adnXRx2Ns010zeRVny1g@giganews.com> "Dave" wrote in message news:dqror9$4t4$1@nwrdmz01.dmz.ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com... > huLLy wrote: > > G1LVN (for it is he) wrote: > > > >>"Orator For Decency" wrote in message > >>news:1137773867.794809.71150@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... > >> > >>>Because of the Not-Ham action of maliciously getting > >>>someone's licence cancelled, it is meet to remind us > >> > >>Bean's been drinking too much Google again. > >> > > > > > > I thought he had progressed to taking Baaa biturates > > I rather like those two comments :-) > So who's the latest arrest warrent to come out of U.K.R.A for ? Article: 96305 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D1862D.4030404@nettally.com> From: **THE-RFI-EMI-GUY** Subject: Re: Amateur Radar References: <1137777023.341298.24860@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 00:50:06 GMT If you think of it, man is illuminating the earth with RF "photons" continually. It should be possible to image all types of structures in 3D with the proper receivers. Mike Young wrote: > Not to drag it off topic, but I'm confused about what looks like > ground shadows in Sandia's SAR images. For example, the tower shadow > in http://www.sandia.gov/radar/movies/solar.mov continually points > toward the "viewer". Is this reflected radiation from the tower off > the ground?? Really weird false lighting effect if that's what it is. > Also, ground shadows under trees in other images make them look like > false color satellite photos. > > I think if you're going to do it, large synthetic apertures would be > most interesting. :) > > Mike. > > "mustafa umut sarac" wrote in message > news:1137777023.341298.24860@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > >> I want to take high res mountain and city pictures with homebrew radar. >> Some use passive radars and produce synthetic aperture radar images. >> Passive radars use gsm , vhf , uhf , sw , fm , satellite transmitters . >> But I am not sure about the quality of resulting image. >> - Some italian researchers did it but I saw the images and I did not >> like.- >> If it will not not satisfy my need , I will want to build a transmitter >> and receiver. >> Do I need to use a gunnplexer ? Or is there any new transmitters at >> market ? >> What is your idea for building a sar ? > > > -- Joe Leikhim K4SAT "The RFI-EMI-GUY"© "Treason doth never prosper: what's the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason." "Follow The Money" ;-P Article: 96306 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Kerry Miller Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem References: <1ca2t11966e97qttm4vtsjijr9ib9eto0e@4ax.com> Message-ID: Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 21:22:06 -0600 Gary Schafer wrote: > I would look at the radio first. Put an ameter in the 12 volt line to > the radio and see how much current it is actually drawing. > > 73 > Gary K4FMX Actually, I first thought it was an antenna problem, the rig acted just like I had a bad problem with RF in the shack. I spent all of one afternoon reworking the grounds and tuning the antenna. I've got the best-tuned 4BTV in Texas! I tried it on a dummy load and had the same problem. So, I pulled it off the power supply and ran the rig (Yaesu FT-990) from the battery in my truck and it works fine. I also tried the supply on a second rig, a TS-430, with exactly the same problem - when I transmit the lights on the rig dim and it drops out of lock. The 430 is my mobile rig, it works fine in the truck but not on the PS. I'll follow you guys' suggestions to start testing parts. I'm in a fairly small town, so while I bought a 1000uf capacitor today at Radio Shack, they can't even order an LM723 so I'll have to find someplace else to get one. Have any of you guys tried the new switching power supplies? I've seen the one at Radio Shack (claims 25a but I doubt it), MFJ and Astron but haven't ever used one. I normally just run 1 HF rig (max 100w) and a small VHF rig (max 25w) for packet. Is a switcher solid and reliable enough for something like that? I've considered getting something like that and rebuilding the Astron when I can get the parts. I have built regulated supplies but it's been 20 yrs since I tinkered with anything analog, so I'll take all the help I can get! The info at those links looks helpful, along with the ideas you guys have given me here. 73, Kerry WD5ABC Article: 96307 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: Fair market value of salvaged parts. Date: Fri, 20 Jan 2006 23:34:19 -0400 Message-ID: <11t3atrsr50s1d4@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137787674.639411.263920@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <1137788924.680167.126420@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1137813084.720922.249750@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> The Eternal Squire wrote: > The fair market > value of an item is defined as the price a disinterested party is > willing to pay for it in an arm's length transaction. I don't get it. Seems like a disinterested party and a buyer are two different things? But I'm clearly not a lawyer either. -Bill Article: 96308 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Bill Turner" Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem Date: 21 Jan 2006 04:27:11 GMT Message-ID: References: <1ca2t11966e97qttm4vtsjijr9ib9eto0e@4ax.com> Kerry Miller wrote: > Have any of you guys tried the new switching power supplies? I've > seen the one at Radio Shack (claims 25a but I doubt it), MFJ and > Astron but haven't ever used one. I normally just run 1 HF rig (max > 100w) and a small VHF rig (max 25w) for packet. Is a switcher solid > and reliable enough for something like that? I've considered getting > something like that and rebuilding the Astron when I can get the > parts. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You might be able to find a good deal on an Icom PS-125 switching power supply. Icom had a promotion where they gave one away with each purchase of an IC-746PRO. A lot of guys bought the '746 but didn't need the power supply and I've seen many for sale as a result. I have one and it's a great supply. I'm keeping mine :-) Check rec.radio.swap and eBay. Bill, W6WRT Article: 96309 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Winfield Hill Subject: Re: FA: Some nice HP gear from my home lab.... Date: 21 Jan 2006 03:28:30 -0800 Message-ID: References: John Miles wrote... > > I'm looking to clear out some clean, working equipment at the end > of a couple of long-term personal projects. This shortened URL > will take you to eBay's "View Seller's Items" page for my account: > http://snipurl.com/ls89 > > Highlights include the nicest HP 8566B spectrum analyzer out of several > that I've owned; an HP 8662A with OEM manuals and brand-new PS filter > caps; and an HP 5345A counter with enough spares and accessories to > satisfy any ECL computing buff. > > Most of these items include manuals, and all of them will be sold with > 3-day buyer inspection periods. Local pickup in Seattle OK. Even > if you're not in the market, several of the listings include some > interesting HP Journal .PDFs and other literature. Check 'em out! > http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx Shit, John, you're selling your stuff!??!! What's going on? -- Thanks, - Win Article: 96310 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D237EC.16CFD4E7@earthlink.net> From: "Michael A. Terrell" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> <43D13AEB.9040109@psu.edu> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 13:33:27 GMT Joerg wrote: > > Doesn't necessarily mean they signed off. We live way too far from any > relatives. So, we picked some 'instant relatives' in nursing homes and > so on. There are plenty of people there who are never visited by anyone > else. How true, and I'm glad to hear that others have the same attitude towards the elderly. A request was made yesterday on our WOCA "Veteran's News" program for people to take the time to visit veterans in a couple nursing homes. Most of them have little or no family left, or no family close by. I used to visit some old veterans when I lived in Ohio. They were neighbors who had plenty of relatives who couldn't be bothered to visit, till they died. Then they were there, badgering the widows for all of his possessions. These days I have a lot of trouble getting around, and my time is tied up with the computer project, and a website of Veterans news and information. BTW, there is a new VA website for prescriptions. Anyone reading this who is a US veteran and in the VA medical system can refill their prescriptions at https://www.myhealth.va.gov/ and not hassle with the mail-in forms or wait while on hold on on the telephone. I've used it, and it works. Part of my "Computers for Veterans" project is to place at least one working computer in any nursing home or long term care facility near Ocala that has any Veterans in residence. I know that not all of them will be able to, or even want to use a computer for E-mail and browsing the web, but I want to make sure the ones that can and do, will be able to. -- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida Article: 96311 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joseph2k Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t0u5c16b0b820@corp.supernews.com> <11t1gclmnit7of6@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 13:55:34 GMT Joel Kolstad wrote: > "- exray -" wrote in message > news:11t0u5c16b0b820@corp.supernews.com... >> That kid hanging at the mall can reach into his pocket and pull out his >> toy and be in contact with China in a matter of seconds. That pretty >> much kills any hope of impressing him with my rig and hobby for >> communicating. > > Sooner or later, one would hope that that kid in the mall would like to > see beyond the "magic" and have a sit-down chat with the man behind the > curtain. The Internet, cell phones, etc. ARE very cool, but if one can > start to understand the technology behind them, hopefully they'll also > understand why something like HF radio, simple AM/FM receivers, etc. can > be cool as well. > > There was an article in some IEEE magazine not too long ago where the > author was lamenting the fact that not only are things like digital radio > and video very complicated to understand in the first place, but in nearly > all cases today the details of their formatting/modulation/etc. are > purposely obfuscated and the content itself encrypted, so pretty soon it's > going to be pretty much impossible for a motivated youngster to build a > contemporary radio receiver even if he or she did have access to the > appropriate > hardware. A good example would be something like IBOC -- something like > GNU Radio is inexpensive (i.e., something a youngster could reasonably > obtain access to), yet there's no way to demodulate it since the standard > behind it > is proprietary. :-( This despite the fact that it's being broadcast on > the "public" FM frequencies... > > > > You must have built a different GNU radio than i have seen. When i priced building it, the result was between $1000 and $2000. I have other things that i want to do with that much money first. Just the same, i expect that if someone could come up with an affordable [$100 - $200] software defined radio, with really good tools to experiment with, that it would change the world. -- JosephKK Article: 96312 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joseph2k Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: <5rrAf.15576$Yu.11763@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 14:20:49 GMT Bob Shuman wrote: > > "Roy Lewallen" wrote in message > news:11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com... >> mc wrote: >> Why aren't they going to engineering school? There's no doubt it takes >> considerable effort. Take a look at the breakdown at the U.S. >> engineering schools and you'll find a small and decreasing number of >> Americans enrolled -- at least those who got their primary and secondary >> education here. ... Engineering will soon join manufacturing in >> overwhelmingly being done somewhere else, and for good reason. >> >> Roy Lewallen, W7EL > > Roy, > > I believe that the shrinking engineering school attendance is directly > related to the shrinking engineering job opportunities in the US. Global > communications have enabled large US corporations to move a significant > portion of their high paying technical jobs off shore to lower cost > regions. With fewer and fewer opportunities, the out of work engineers, > find > themselves competing for fewer and fewer jobs. HS students selecting a > college major see this and many of them decide that it is more important > to > be able to make a living than to pursue this discipline. Many of my > former peers elected to change careers with a significant reduction in > salary when they were unable to find engineering work during the last few > years. > > Bob > > Aye, the first great American engineering layoff was in the early 1970's and the second in the early 1990's. In both cases over 10% left engineering permanently. When the kids ask around they hear about this, small wonder it has become unpopular. Also publishing papers is done by academics, engineering is done by engineers. -- JosephKK Article: 96313 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Harry Dellamano" References: Subject: Re: FA: Some nice HP gear from my home lab.... Message-ID: <0nsAf.26418$RK3.3776@trnddc06> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 15:24:44 GMT "Winfield Hill" wrote in message news:dqt5su01t19@drn.newsguy.com... > John Miles wrote... >> >> I'm looking to clear out some clean, working equipment at the end >> of a couple of long-term personal projects. This shortened URL >> will take you to eBay's "View Seller's Items" page for my account: >> http://snipurl.com/ls89 >> >> Highlights include the nicest HP 8566B spectrum analyzer out of several >> that I've owned; an HP 8662A with OEM manuals and brand-new PS filter >> caps; and an HP 5345A counter with enough spares and accessories to >> satisfy any ECL computing buff. >> >> Most of these items include manuals, and all of them will be sold with >> 3-day buyer inspection periods. Local pickup in Seattle OK. Even >> if you're not in the market, several of the listings include some >> interesting HP Journal .PDFs and other literature. Check 'em out! >> http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx > > Shit, John, you're selling your stuff!??!! What's going on? > > > -- > Thanks, > - Win There can only be one answer....a new girl friend! Harry Article: 96314 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ken Scharf Subject: Re: LF Dip Meter References: Message-ID: <3nsAf.2327$5O2.1323@bignews4.bellsouth.net> Date: Sat, 21 Jan 2006 10:27:30 -0500 Andreu wrote: > I have several small measuring instruments in my shack, but I have > always been unable to find plans to build a DIP METER for use in > LF Freqs. I already have a LEADER DM that begins at 1.5 Mhz but I > would like to be able to measure resonant circuits at say 40 Khz > or 470 Khz. Is there a thecnical difficulty I should be aware of ? > Any help or reference appreciated. > > Andrew. > > I've built a few dip meters, most with the circuit using a dual gang variable cap. The Millen dip meter is the same circuit. The variable caps are usually around 100 to 200pf per section giving a total tuning range of 50 to 100pf across the coil. This works well up to about 1mhz tops, below that feedback drops off as the reactance of the variable cap is too low. IF the tuned circuit is ac coupled to the tube (plate blocking cap in place) you can ground the center of the coil to provide additional feedback. The Millen coils DO have a third pin for this purpose. (My dipmeters used the 'Heath' method of an RCA plug for the coil connecter so they lacked the means of providing the ground). My coils were wound on 3/8" dia plastic tubing (like Heath) and I could get down to about 2mhz with a single layer coil wound with #36 wire. To get down to where you want to go will require a larger diameter coil form, and a "Pi" winding (like on rf chokes). Litz wire would also be a good idea. The tuning range even with a 200pf / section variable cap will be less than a 2/1 frequency range due to distributed capacitance across the coil. Coupling should not be a problem, if you can get the dip coil close enough to the inductor in the circuit under question. This is where a small dip coil has an advantage....Try getting those Millen coils close enough to a modern solid state circuit! Surf my web site (www.qsl.net/wa2mze) to see my mini gdo built with a 6cw4 tube. Article: 96326 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Winfield Hill Subject: Re: FA: Some nice HP gear from my home lab.... Date: 22 Jan 2006 04:47:44 -0800 Message-ID: References: John Miles wrote... > > Winfield Hill says... > >> A real jewel, already up to $3700, with six days to go. >> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7583597242 > > Look on the bright side... maybe all of the other bidders will cancel > their bids or get tossed by eBay for various reasons, and you'll get > it for $1.00. :) That would be the day. What's the right price for your 8566B with manuals, etc.? I see Nick at Ridge Equipment has one up for $9k, but I doubt he'll sell it. Looking at the last 30 days, I see one fellow who had two "untested" units, accepting $3100 "best offers" for each, and another guy who got a $2700 "buy-it-now" sale for his "untested" unit with a "dim screen". All three "untested" units had photos indicating reasonable physical condition and some kind of apparently-proper display operation. There's another one, "as is" with a dark-screen photo, starting at $6499, with no bidders. -- Thanks, - Win Article: 96327 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D3AAD9.6FCCBE0D@psdude.com> From: mark Subject: Re: I need a over voltage (crowbar) circuit References: <3yEAf.22861$xk1.743522@news20.bellglobal.com> Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:55:08 GMT Digikey has the mc3423 in stock under a dollar. it is from OnSemi. BTW, TrippLite uses the mc3423 in their linear power supplies. Article: 96328 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "wa2mze(spamless)" <"wa2mze(spamless)"@bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:17:47 -0500 Jeffrey Bauman wrote: > I'm considering building the am/cw transmitter in the 1966 handbook > (probably in others, too). It runs a single 6146 in the final. > > I am curious if anyone has ever built that rig. If I build it, it will > probably be with an outboard power supply, and a single switch for input / > tank band switching. > > Also curious: Anyone ever homebrewed a DX-60? > > Jeff > W8KZW > > I built a similar rig, but it was weakly based on that design. Mine had a 6GK6 oscillator and a 6146 final. It was built inside a chassis with the tubes mounted on a subchassis inside. The tubes were "sideways" and holes were drilled in the chassis-cabinet for ventilation. I am assuming the same transmitter was described in the 1967 HB (which was the first HB I ever bought). You might as well leave out the AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today it's completly gone. Low cost SSB xcvrs wiped out AM by the mid 1970's. I was thinking of building a simple rig again but with a 1625 in the final. I have about a dozen of these bottles in the junk box along with half as many 6AG7's. The crystals will be the scarce items these days (well expensive anyway). Article: 96329 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Allodoxaphobia Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: 22 Jan 2006 21:02:31 GMT Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:17:47 -0500, wa2mze(spamless) wrote: > > You might as well leave out the > AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there > were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > it's completly gone. OH, Really!?? Snert! - Sporf! - Snurt! TNX for the laugh! Jonesy -- Marvin L Jones | jonz | W3DHJ | linux Pueblo, Colorado | @ | Jonesy | OS/2 __ 38.24N 104.55W | config.com | DM78rf | SK Article: 96330 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Dale Parfitt" References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Message-ID: Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 21:10:31 GMT >> . > > I am assuming the same transmitter was described in the 1967 HB (which > was the first HB I ever bought). You might as well leave out the > AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there > were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > it's completly gone. Low cost SSB xcvrs wiped out AM by the mid 1970's. > Are you serious? The only phone I listen to are the A.M. gang- wonderful rigs from the past on 3885, 7290 etc. There's someone on all day long- and unlike the SSB gang, these guys know theory and are active builders/ restorers- perhaps the best that amateur radio has to offer today. Dale W4OP Article: 96331 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Kerry Miller Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem References: <1ca2t11966e97qttm4vtsjijr9ib9eto0e@4ax.com> Message-ID: Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:16:02 -0600 Fred McKenzie wrote: > In article , Kerry Miller > wrote: > > >>Have any of you guys tried the new switching power supplies? I've seen >>the one at Radio Shack (claims 25a but I doubt it), MFJ and Astron but >>haven't ever used one. I normally just run 1 HF rig (max 100w) and a >>small VHF rig (max 25w) for packet. Is a switcher solid and reliable >>enough for something like that? I've considered getting something like >>that and rebuilding the Astron when I can get the parts. > > > Kerry- > > I have three switching supplies: One from Radio Shack, one from MFJ and > one from Icom (PS-125). They all work quite well as far as delivering > rated current. > > The problem is that the high frequency switching noise can be picked up by > an HF receiver. The Radio Shack unit is TERRIBLE in this regard. The MFJ > is fairly good and the Icom is the best. Even so, the Icom switching > noise is picked up if it is anywhere near the antenna. > > I'm currently using a makeshift indoor antenna consisting of a dipole made > of a pair of mobile whips on the second floor. Because of the noise > problem, I've gone back to using an old Kenwood linear supply with my Icom > 756 Pro II. This radio has the band scope, so you can see the noise floor > increase across the band when the switching power supply is turned on. > > 73, Fred, K4DII Thanks for the info. I picked up one of the RS supplies yesterday, and you're right, it's pretty noisy on 80m, especially on my longwire which terminates inside the shack. On 40m and above and on the outside antenna (dipole or vertical) it's fine and below my noise floor. I found a mod for it with some toroids and caps across the output to filter it a little, I'll probably try that but it's workable for now as-is since I don't work much 80m. It will keep me on the air until I fix the Astron, I'll probably put the Astron back on the HF rig and use the RS switching supply on VHF and UHF. 73, Kerry WD5ABC Article: 96332 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Winfield Hill Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts Date: 22 Jan 2006 15:14:11 -0800 Message-ID: References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <43a5c7b1$1_1@news.bluewin.ch> <43A6D611.D7952AD4@earthlink.net> <43A8B2E0.7F7DAFC2@earthlink.net> <43D38F42.888D9978@earthlink.net> clifto wrote... > >Michael A. Terrell wrote: >> I appreciate the >> offer of the parts, but I am to the point that I don't feel well enough >> to do anything at my workbench. It has been about 18 months since I felt >> like trying to do anything, and most of my test equipment was water >> damaged in the 2004 hurricanes. Its just too depressing to try to work >> with what little is left. > > That sucks. Sorry it happened to you. Yeah. I have some extra instruments not doing anything, if you feel well enough not to use that as an excuse. I get stuff real cheap on eBay, and sometimes Harvard types are too proud to use it. And they also give me stuff nobody wants. A perfectly-fine HP oscilloscope, for example. Before anybody makes a remark, yes I've used HP scopes, used them in EE lab years ago, and have a 500MHz 4-channel Infinium plus an Agilent's 300MHz MSO on my bench now, so hide that smirk. :-) -- Thanks, - Win Article: 96333 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 20:05:40 -0400 Message-ID: <11t87en9s43117e@corp.supernews.com> References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> wa2mze(spamless) wrote: > > > You might as well leave out the > AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there > were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > it's completly gone. Low cost SSB xcvrs wiped out AM by the mid 1970's. Uh-oh. -Bill Article: 96334 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Bill Turner" Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: 23 Jan 2006 00:39:23 GMT Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> wa2mze(spamless) wrote: > Back in '66-'67 there > were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > it's completly gone. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You need to get out more. AM is alive and well on both 160 and 75 meters every day, and on ten meters when it's open. Bill, W6WRT Article: 96335 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Bill Turner" Subject: Re: HF Linear Date: 23 Jan 2006 00:46:30 GMT Message-ID: References: <439de12d_4@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tiscali.com> <0vidnVUiZPuBl0neRVnyjw@pipex.net> Highland Ham wrote: > make sure both sides make good galvanic contact at various locations. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Galvanic contact"? Are you trying to generate electricity or electrocute someone? 1. Go to dictionary. 2. Look up "galvanic". 3. Don't do it. Bill, W6WRT Article: 96336 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <11strfo7squ1h58@corp.supernews.com> <4FDzf.19564$6L1.11367@trnddc02> <1eWzf.10783$H71.4074@newssvr13.news.prodigy.com> <43D13AEB.9040109@psu.edu> <0LadndUsKL4pbk_eRVn-pw@adelphia.com> Message-ID: Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 01:20:24 GMT Hello Mike, > Doesn't necessarily, true enough. But I'd be willing to wager that > in most cases it is exactly that, signing off. > I think you are right about the majority of cases. We see that a lot in nursing homes. People think that once they got Grandpa signed up there it's all taken care of and they can go about their business. There are people who haven't had a relative visit in months. No idea why. I mean, where else could you listen to someone talking about the great depression who has actually lived through it? It dashed his engineering career but he became the head barkeeper in a famous hotel where movie stars hung out. Lots of more stories. He passed away now and his grandkids probably never heard many of those stories. It's been a while but I still miss him. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96337 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Sun, 22 Jan 2006 17:52:27 -0800 Message-ID: <11t8dms9qbq3e7f@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <43D1354C.8060708@psu.edu> <11t5nr5pfngo16e@corp.supernews.com> Hi Mike, "Mike Coslo" wrote in message news:GrqdndVNUIa-Yk_eRVn-ig@adelphia.com... > Not the point Joel. That 75 percent is the 3:1 signal to noise ratio. Or > rather noise to signal! 8^) It is there whether you filter it out or not. I disagree. When you start finding that every e-mail message you receive takes a minute to receive (rather than 15 milliseconds), people start to become a lot more cautious with their e-mail addresses, and thereby inherently reduce the amount of spam to little or nothing. I'd wager that the Winlinks, for instance, receive nowhere _near_ 75% of their e-mail as spam; I'd be surprised if it's 10%. > I also want that digital voice to take up *less* space than SSB. Well, coding theory is very well understood these days, so you can certainly have it take up less space that the typical 3kHz SSB transmission if you're willing to start trading off quality for reliability (...both of which also trade off with power, of course). > I'd like SSTV that isn't SSTV - I want real motion with small bandwidth. Well, again, it's all a matter of tradeoffs. "Real motion in a small bandwidth" implies something along the lines of (1) lots of power or (2) lots of compression, which will break down for, e.g., fast action scenes. The problems you're citing here are exactly the same as what the cell phone guys have to solve, and believe me, there are lots of clever people working on solutions. Getting that technology transferred over to amateur radio is going to be the tricky part... > I want my rig to have a wireless interface to my computer and or other > rigs in the vicinity. I *don't* want my computer to be my rig. You know that something like a Bluetooth interface on your rig would actually take up more transistors than a complete vintage-'80s computer like an Apple II or a Commodore 64, right? :-) > If that happens it means I have to buy another computer because I use my > computer for other things while I talk on my rig. Sure, but with decent desktop computers (complete with monitor, etc.) going for <$500 these days, can't you just think of it as a "$500 rig accessory" and not a computer? ---Joel Article: 96338 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ben Bradley Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Message-ID: References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <1137380057.979912.299960@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 07:17:55 GMT On 15 Jan 2006 18:54:18 -0800, "Too_Many_Tools" wrote: >"In a crosspost to a large but apparently related set of newsgroups, >specifically: >sci.electronics.design, >rec.radio.amateur.homebrew, >sci.electronics.equipment, >sci.electronics.repair and >comp.robotics.misc; " > >Is there a problem with posting a suitable topic to a number of groups >that would find it interesting? > >It definitely was not meant to be spam. I didn't call it spam, as I said the topic does seem related to all the groups listed. I didn't mean to sound TOO irritated, though a large part of the thread degenerated into a debate over whether amateur radio is still a viable activity in light of the Internet and other things. But I'm disappointed no one commented on the content of my post. Perhaps I didn't quite know the operation of the things I made with those kits, but I can fairly well remember the schematics, and of course know NOW how they work. Did anyone else learn anything from these kits??? >TMT Article: 96339 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: kensmith@green.rahul.net (Ken Smith) Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 15:17:13 +0000 (UTC) Message-ID: References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <1137980825.259214.123510@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> In article <1137980825.259214.123510@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>, wrote: [....] >People are funny. I had a 2 MHz scope once, did lots with it. You can >use scopes well above their f_max with a simple envelope detector. I had one with about a 30KHz bandwidth. The nice thing about it was that you could switch to driving the plates externally. It got lost in a flood :< -- -- kensmith@rahul.net forging knowledge Article: 96340 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: WWV receiver Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:39:46 -0800 Message-ID: As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU, since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc. I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver (rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such "round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal oscillator? thank you, Tobin -- http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/ Article: 96341 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Rich Grise Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts Message-ID: References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <43a5c7b1$1_1@news.bluewin.ch> <43A6D611.D7952AD4@earthlink.net> <43A8B2E0.7F7DAFC2@earthlink.net> <43D38F42.888D9978@earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 19:14:50 GMT On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:57:58 +0000, Michael A. Terrell wrote: > Winfield Hill wrote: >> Michael A. Terrell wrote... >> > Winfield Hill wrote: >> >> Michael A. Terrell wrote... >> >>> >> >>> How many do you need, and can you use ones pulled from PC boards? >> >>> I may have some left that I pulled from damaged boards. >> >> >> >> One or two may be enough for proof-of-principle measurements. >> > >> > I'll see if I can find a couple for you. >> >> OK, I'll trade you some 1500V damper diodes, with datasheets. >> They should be interesting additions to your parts inventory. >> > > Win, I did a lot of digging and the best I can find is five glass > 1N4004s. As reluctant as I am to contradict a fart who's even older than me, if it's glass, it isn't a 1N4004: http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/1/N/4/0/1N4004.shtml Cheers! Rich Article: 96342 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Rich Grise Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts Message-ID: References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <43a5c7b1$1_1@news.bluewin.ch> <43A6D611.D7952AD4@earthlink.net> <43A8B2E0.7F7DAFC2@earthlink.net> <43D38F42.888D9978@earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 19:18:33 GMT On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:14:11 -0800, Winfield Hill wrote: > clifto wrote... >> >>Michael A. Terrell wrote: >>> I appreciate the >>> offer of the parts, but I am to the point that I don't feel well enough >>> to do anything at my workbench. It has been about 18 months since I felt >>> like trying to do anything, and most of my test equipment was water >>> damaged in the 2004 hurricanes. Its just too depressing to try to work >>> with what little is left. >> >> That sucks. Sorry it happened to you. > > Yeah. I have some extra instruments not doing anything, if you feel > well enough not to use that as an excuse. I get stuff real cheap on > eBay, and sometimes Harvard types are too proud to use it. And they > also give me stuff nobody wants. A perfectly-fine HP oscilloscope, > for example. Before anybody makes a remark, yes I've used HP scopes, > used them in EE lab years ago, and have a 500MHz 4-channel Infinium > plus an Agilent's 300MHz MSO on my bench now, so hide that smirk. :-) Well, I've been known to disdain HP scopes because their sync sucks, and their knobs have terrible backlash, but at that price, hey, beggars can't be choosers! You already have my snail mail address - third or fourth class can't be that expensive - I've gone some years without a scope - a couple more weeks certainly isn't going to do me any harm! Thanks! Rich Article: 96344 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: mcalhoun@ksu.edu Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: 23 Jan 2006 16:07:18 -0600 Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> >> I'm considering building the am/cw transmitter in the 1966 handbook >> (probably in others, too). It runs a single 6146 .... >I built a similar rig, but it was weakly based on that design. >Mine had a 6GK6 oscillator and a 6146 final.... >I was thinking of building a simple rig again but with a 1625 in the final. >I have about a dozen of these bottles in the junk box .... When I find the right round tuit I want to use TEN 1625's with their filaments series'd across the 120 VAC line in a simple CW rig. Can't find it right now, but somewhere around here I have an article from an old radio magazine describing just such a transmitter. IIRC, the capacitance from ten tubes limited it to the lower HF band(s), but it still seems like an easy way to get 750 watts! -- --Myron A. Calhoun. Five boxes preserve our freedoms: soap, ballot, witness, jury, and cartridge PhD EE (retired). "Barbershop" tenor. CDL(PTXS). W0PBV. (785) 539-4448 NRA Life Member and Certified Instructor (Home Firearm Safety, Rifle, Pistol) Article: 96345 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ted Bruce Subject: Re: how can a casette deck receive a radio program Message-ID: References: Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:33:53 -0500 On Thu, 19 Jan 2006 15:49:06 +0100, "Siggi" wrote: >Sorry, folks, I am not a radio amateur, but this question puzzles me for >years, ever since I heared radio programs in an ordinary audio recorder or >now, in the speakers of my PC. Admitted, we live close to a lot of short >wave staions, but how can this be? is it diodes in my PC that do the job? >An electrical engineer friend told me he knows other friends having the same >experience, but suggested I ask a radi newsgroup. Here I am. > >Can you help me? > >Thanks, Siggi > >P.S. As a child I experimented with a high-resistance speakers and a copper >penny - heated on one side to function as a detector - but then this was a >(crude) detector! > When I was a kid back in the early '60's, our welded-wire fence picked up the local AM station. Article: 96346 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ted Bruce Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:47:06 -0500 On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 03:44:05 GMT, "Jeffrey Bauman" wrote: >I'm considering building the am/cw transmitter in the 1966 handbook >(probably in others, too). It runs a single 6146 in the final. > >I am curious if anyone has ever built that rig. If I build it, it will >probably be with an outboard power supply, and a single switch for input / >tank band switching. > >Also curious: Anyone ever homebrewed a DX-60? > >Jeff >W8KZW > I have the "Inexpensive 75-Watt Transmitter" from the 1964 Handbook. It's a 12BY7 oscillator driving a 1625. I bought it on eBay a couple of years ago, and it looks just like the one in the Handbook, with the vertically mounted meter, coil shields and exact layout. For some reason, it got painted black somewhere along the way. I tried it out a few months ago, and should have reformed the caps. Kerpow!!! So, I've got some work to do on it. Ted KX4OM Article: 96347 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ted Bruce Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: References: Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 17:52:17 -0500 On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:39:46 -0800, Tobin Fricke wrote: >As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to >build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU, >since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking >for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc. > >I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver >(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the >resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such >"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal >oscillator? > >thank you, >Tobin The 30 meter Vectronics direct conversion receiver kit can be tuned to receive WWV. I built one, and before I moved the range up to the 30 meter ham band at 10.100MHz, I used it with WWV at 10.000 MHz to calibrate my frequency counter. Ted KX4OM Article: 96348 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D57129.5EFD1EB8@earthlink.net> From: "Michael A. Terrell" Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <43a5c7b1$1_1@news.bluewin.ch> <43A6D611.D7952AD4@earthlink.net> <43A8B2E0.7F7DAFC2@earthlink.net> <43D38F42.888D9978@earthlink.net> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 00:14:05 GMT Rich Grise wrote: > > On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 13:57:58 +0000, Michael A. Terrell wrote: > > Winfield Hill wrote: > >> Michael A. Terrell wrote... > >> > Winfield Hill wrote: > >> >> Michael A. Terrell wrote... > >> >>> > >> >>> How many do you need, and can you use ones pulled from PC boards? > >> >>> I may have some left that I pulled from damaged boards. > >> >> > >> >> One or two may be enough for proof-of-principle measurements. > >> > > >> > I'll see if I can find a couple for you. > >> > >> OK, I'll trade you some 1500V damper diodes, with datasheets. > >> They should be interesting additions to your parts inventory. > >> > > > > Win, I did a lot of digging and the best I can find is five glass > > 1N4004s. > > As reluctant as I am to contradict a fart who's even older than me, if > it's glass, it isn't a 1N4004: > http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/datasheets_pdf/1/N/4/0/1N4004.shtml > > Cheers! > Rich So, you think that a single datasheet covers all manufacturers, and all production runs? Once again, you show a great lack of understanding. I have several glass 1N4004 diodes in front of me. -- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida Article: 96349 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Steve Nosko" Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 18:36:22 -0600 Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> I built one around '62-'63 from the Handbook. It was ONLY a 6146 amp. I duplicated the osc/driver of the Eico 720 to drive it. I think the amp had a "gimmic* neutralizing cap. I'll probably find it in my mom's house when I have to sell it. 73, Steve, K,9.D;C'I "Jeffrey Bauman" wrote in message news:9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net... > I'm considering building the am/cw transmitter in the 1966 handbook > (probably in others, too). It runs a single 6146 in the final. > > I am curious if anyone has ever built that rig. If I build it, it will > probably be with an outboard power supply, and a single switch for input / > tank band switching. > > Also curious: Anyone ever homebrewed a DX-60? > > Jeff > W8KZW > > Article: 96350 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Steve Nosko" Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 18:38:15 -0600 Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> <43d4ff85.892415390@news.madasafish.com> Forgot. 3885 is an AM freq and I think 7295, but not sure. You'll also hear some on 160. 73, K9DCI "Mike W" wrote in message news:43d4ff85.892415390@news.madasafish.com... > On Sun, 22 Jan 2006 15:17:47 -0500, "wa2mze(spamless)" > <"wa2mze(spamless)"@bellsouth.net> wrote: > > > >You might as well leave out the > >AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there > >were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > >it's completly gone. > > Thats interesting, I wonder what mode I was using on 2m last Sunday > morning?. > It was an AM qso over a distance of about 90 miles, received an R5-S3 > and gave an R5-S2. Both of us were running about 2.5w > -- > > Article: 96351 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Tube type 10 MHz VFO controlled xmtr - ideas? Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 22:37:10 -0400 Message-ID: <11tb4mo6vbvvj27@corp.supernews.com> I'm pondering building a 10 MHz CW xmtr. Single band would suit me, 10-50 watts maybe?. I wanna use tubes. Am thinking about a 2-3 Mhz VFO mixing with an old surplus 7-8 Mc xtal. I guess a guy could finagle a 2-bander (40/30) with ~8.5 xtal and ~1.5 VFO...hmmm, thats another thought. Has anyone done something along these lines or maybe a 40/20 rig that I could scale for 30 meters? 73, Bill WX4A Article: 96352 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Dan/W4NTI" References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Message-ID: Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 02:51:37 GMT "wa2mze(spamless)" <"wa2mze(spamless)"@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net... > Jeffrey Bauman wrote: >> I'm considering building the am/cw transmitter in the 1966 handbook >> (probably in others, too). It runs a single 6146 in the final. >> >> I am curious if anyone has ever built that rig. If I build it, it will >> probably be with an outboard power supply, and a single switch for input >> / >> tank band switching. >> >> Also curious: Anyone ever homebrewed a DX-60? >> >> Jeff >> W8KZW >> >> > I built a similar rig, but it was weakly based on that design. > Mine had a 6GK6 oscillator and a 6146 final. It was built inside > a chassis with the tubes mounted on a subchassis inside. The tubes > were "sideways" and holes were drilled in the chassis-cabinet for > ventilation. > > I am assuming the same transmitter was described in the 1967 HB (which > was the first HB I ever bought). You might as well leave out the > AM modulator since it will be useless today. Back in '66-'67 there > were still some people on AM (mostly on 80 and 10 meters), but today > it's completly gone. Low cost SSB xcvrs wiped out AM by the mid 1970's. > > I was thinking of building a simple rig again but with a 1625 in the > final. > I have about a dozen of these bottles in the junk box along with half as > many > 6AG7's. The crystals will be the scarce items these days (well expensive > anyway). > Just curious why you think the AM modulator will be "useless today" ????? I'll have to tell those AMers running DX-?? equipment to stop talking into the mic, right? Dan/W4NTI Article: 96353 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Keith Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 22:29:50 -0500 Message-ID: References: <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> <11t1ef6aepds066@corp.supernews.com> <1137758983.646233.153480@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com> <43D3BA58.9080504@nospam.com> <1138046558.006614.8540@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <1138054325.381251.183220@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 14:12:05 -0800, Too_Many_Tools wrote: > "But, as you implied, only to those who are not so-inclined. " > > LOL > > As I asked, what other fields are tougher? > > In colleges in the United States, they use the freshmen and sophmore > engineering track classes to separate the wheat from the chaff with the > wheat going on to engineering and science careers. > > Where does the chaff go...business and politics? "Education" or economics. -- Keith Article: 96354 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Kerry Subject: Re: Astron Power Supply problem References: Message-ID: Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2006 22:55:08 -0600 Gudmundur wrote: > In article , kmiller01at@ticnet.com says... > >>I've got a problem with my Astron RS-20 power supply. With no load, >>it's fine, but anything above 4amps or so makes it drop way down and my >>rig drops out of lock. I haven't measured it under load but the rig >>works ok to 10 or 11 volts so it must be dropping below that. >> >>I found a schematic and downloaded it, all the voltages are fairly close >>to what it says on the schematic with no load, I haven't made any >>measurements with a load on it. I'll pick up a headlight tomorrow to >>put a load on it and make more measurements. >> >>Does anybody have any ideas? >> >>Thanks, >>Kerry, WD5ABC > > > Is it just simply RF getting back into your supply and causing > havoc? Perhaps the supply is O.K.? You need at least 3 headlights > to get the supply under a load that compares to your rig. Try > more lights and see if it craps out. > Nothing normal ever seems to happen to me... I did go out to get a 2nd headlight so I could get about 7.75 amps on it. I found a 1000uf capacitor that had a leg corroded so badly that apparently during the move it wiggled around enough to break loose. I went to the local Radio Shack (which, by the way, has apparently turned into a cell phone store) and they didn't have any 1000uf but they did have some 470uf caps so I put two of them in parallel to get close to see if it mattered. Pins 11 and 12 showed about 8 or 9 volts too low before but now they are right on according to the chart on the Astron schematic. I connected one headlight (3.75 amps) and turned on the supply. It showed 13.59 volts. Then I connected the 2nd headlight (4 amps) and it stayed dead on 13.59 volts. Looks like I'm in business! Somebody has been into this supply before and butchered it, so I may clean up a few things while I'm in it. I guess I should fix that capacitor, the next guy in there will say the same about me if he sees 2 paralleled 470ufs instead of a 1000 uf! THanks for your help guys! 73, Kerry WD5ABC PS This post may look different, I'm on my Linux box out in the shack tonight. Article: 96355 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "David J Windisch" Subject: FS: pr 813s and 1625 driver in 3-ft rack Message-ID: Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 10:12:41 GMT FS: pr 813s and 1625 driver in 3-ft rack Driver and final r-f deck are completed, 80-10M c-w, ps for final must be built: have xfmr and caps, no diodes or chassis. 5 813 tubes total available. Pix available. Sri, no part out. $200 or near offer. Shipping/insurance extra, naturally. 73, Dave, N3HE Cincinnati OH 45251 Article: 96356 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "xpyttl" References: <1138037282.591618.54410@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 07:18:52 -0500 "John S." wrote in message news:1138037282.591618.54410@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com... > Are you looking to decode the data transmissions or listen to the voice > signals. If the former it may take something more sophisticated > because you will have to feed a decoder. Well, the 60 kHz WWVB transmissions were designed to be decoded, and there are a fair number of projects out there to do just that. However, depending on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a small part of the day. .. Article: 96357 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: References: Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:58:26 GMT On Mon, 23 Jan 2006 08:39:46 -0800, Tobin Fricke wrote: >As a project to learn more about building radio receivers, I'd like to >build a WWV receiver (or maybe a receiver for the Canadian station CHU, >since it's nearby and the format sounds easier to decode). I'm looking >for suggestions for how to design such a radio, reading material, etc. > >I was thinking it might be easier to design a fixed-frequency receiver >(rather than a tunable one) because I could just select the L and C in the >resonant circuit to give the right frequency. Or, since WWV is at such >"round number" frequencies, maybe I could somehow use a crystal >oscillator? > >thank you, >Tobin How about a simple one to three transistor regenative reciever. There are several on the net. Here's a few: w1.859.telia.com/~u85920178/rx/regenrx.htm http://www.techlib.com/electronics/regen.html http://www.tricountyi.net/~randerse/regen.htm Try Google for more. Allison no spam, no uce! Article: 96358 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ignoramus22991 Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> Message-ID: <_Efzf.8217$s8.6990@fe45.usenetserver.com> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:07:22 GMT On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 17:46:38 -0500, mc wrote: >> Talking to someone via ham radio means you are talking with someone with >> developed skills with which you have something in common. There is a >> kinship that is comfortable. Also, it's great fun to use low power and >> make >> contact all over the planet. >> >> There is nothing similar to ham radio, in the internet. > > In particular, with ham radio, you don't need an ISP or a telephone line. > You can talk to the other side of the world with no equipment except what is > owned (and could even have been built) by the people on the two ends. There is also Linux based IP-over-radio project, I am not sure how far it went. > For emergency communication, ham radio is indispensable. Also, I think > shortwave technology should be kept alive in the interest of freedom. A > tyrant can take his country off the Internet but can't block all incoming > radio signals. > > VY 73 > N4TMI > > -- Article: 96359 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> Message-ID: Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:48:21 GMT >>Talking to someone via ham radio means you are talking with someone with >>developed skills with which you have something in common. There is a >>kinship that is comfortable. Also, it's great fun to use low power and make >>contact all over the planet. > > you could do the same thing over a computer. Connect to people sharing > your interests, using low power, worldwide. > > And then, poof, there is a widespread power outage and all your 'modern' communication is toast. Web, cell phones, everything but radio. Even the POTS network will become spotty if the outage goes on for too long. Generators are fine but they won't help when the snow pack is so huge that a 4WD won't get you there to refuel. AFAIK the record for our area stand at around 10 days. That makes people realize the true value of some basic technologies. Now where was that bag of charcoal? Where can we get some firewood that isn't wet? And where are those batteries? Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96360 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 08:28:55 -0800 Message-ID: <11tcli3npls3nf7@corp.supernews.com> References: <1138037282.591618.54410@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> "xpyttl" wrote in message news:IYoBf.1$4I6.0@fe03.lga... > However, depending on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a > small part of the day. Does a bigger antenna help? Or is there just so much more background noise than signal that it's a lost cause? Hmm... isn't the data rate something like 1bps? Maybe they could do some direct sequence spreading at 100Hz or so and improve the link margin a handful of dB... :-) Article: 96361 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew Message-ID: <43D661BF.2E66305B@earthlink.net> From: "Michael A. Terrell" Subject: Re: WWV receiver References: <1138037282.591618.54410@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> <11tcli3npls3nf7@corp.supernews.com> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:20:35 GMT Joel Kolstad wrote: > > "xpyttl" wrote in message > news:IYoBf.1$4I6.0@fe03.lga... > > However, depending on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a > > small part of the day. > > Does a bigger antenna help? Or is there just so much more background noise > than signal that it's a lost cause? > > Hmm... isn't the data rate something like 1bps? Maybe they could do some > direct sequence spreading at 100Hz or so and improve the link margin a handful > of dB... :-) And lose the ability to be used as a frequency standard? -- Service to my country? Been there, Done that, and I've got my DD214 to prove it. Member of DAV #85. Michael A. Terrell Central Florida Article: 96362 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ignoramus22991 Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> Message-ID: Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 22:28:07 GMT On Tue, 17 Jan 2006 13:58:03 -0800, Don Bowey wrote: > On 1/17/06 12:24 PM, in article uoczf.17873$V9.5348@fe07.usenetserver.com, > "Ignoramus22991" wrote: > >> I have to wonder what is the point of being a ham in the day and age >> of the internet. >> >> i >> > > Talking to someone via ham radio means you are talking with someone with > developed skills with which you have something in common. There is a > kinship that is comfortable. Also, it's great fun to use low power and make > contact all over the planet. you could do the same thing over a computer. Connect to people sharing your interests, using low power, worldwide. > There is nothing similar to ham radio, in the internet. Perhaps, but I am not sure what it is exactly. i Article: 96363 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ken Weitzel Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> Message-ID: <6gzzf.158819$tl.69677@pd7tw3no> Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 22:26:10 GMT jakdedert wrote: > Joerg wrote: > >> Hello Jak >> >>> >>> The next day when I came home, she presented me with a working >>> example of the most complicated device in the project book. We had a >>> ball subbing in different components, and then explaining to her why >>> they made the circuit operate differently. >>> >> >> That's the only way to get kids interested in electronics. Come to >> think of it, I must have been around her age. Maybe a year younger but >> that doesn't make much difference. It was a Philips kit that did it. >> >> Later in case her interest persists just be honest with her about the >> career prospects inside the US. It ain't that stellar anymore for EEs >> unless they are very willing to relocate, even out of the country. >> > Yeah, it's okay though. I was just pumped that she bought 'me' a toy > which was actually for 'us' to play with. The fact that she took it and > ran with it was a bonus. It shows the aptitude. > > At nine, she's got all the choices in the world. Hi... Guess I'm easily a generation or few ahead of you, so have a suggestion, if I may? Get pictures - lots of 'em - of her working on it, some of you and her working together, and some of her demonstrating them to her Mom. Make wonderful, wonderful memories for all of you, and maybe introduce her to photography at the same time. Take care. Ken Article: 96364 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <22izf.12238$Sb.5077@fe30.usenetserver.com> Message-ID: Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 21:43:07 GMT Hello, > While you surely have a point, about a very remote possibility for any > given locale, I actually have enough diesel fuel to last for a month of > conservative use in winter, more for summer. I have a 26 year old Onan > diesel generator that I restored. > Lucky you. That possibility isn't remote at all. Happened here about 15 years ago. And this is not a settlement behind the Klondike but we are 35mi from where Arnold holds his office. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96365 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Ignoramus22991 Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> Message-ID: Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2006 20:24:58 GMT I have to wonder what is the point of being a ham in the day and age of the internet. i Article: 96366 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 00:42:37 -0800 Message-ID: <11srvrtq25k4p59@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> "Ignoramus22991" wrote in message news:uoczf.17873$V9.5348@fe07.usenetserver.com... >I have to wonder what is the point of being a ham in the day and age > of the internet. You get to (legally!) transmit on the HF bands where just a handful of watts can carry a message around the planet... that's still pretty darned cool. It's also a lot easier to find a free chunk-o-spectrum with a ham license if you just want to build a few transmitters or receivers than trying to do something on the ISM bands... and you get to use a lot more power. The average ham today probably does have far less "electronics" knowledge than one 50 years ago, although one has to keep in mind that 50 years ago it was a lot easier to have a lot of "deep" knowledge in many fields than it is today. Building something like a modern cell phone requires so much knowledge that you can't really begrudge the guy who implemented, e.g., the Viterbi decoder in some digital logic in some corner of an ASIC the fact that he doesn't know how to solder. Article: 96367 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: <3jsct1d0vlqmlf00dndg0entinpco5m9o9@4ax.com> References: <1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 18:33:31 GMT On 24 Jan 2006 07:58:14 -0800, "Tim Shoppa" wrote: >Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: >> How about a simple one to three transistor regenative reciever. > >In principle that's a great idea, but the gotcha is that very near >WWV's 10MHz frequency there are a lot of powerhouse SW broadcasters. >Here on the East Coast in the evenings, there are at least 10 SW >broadcasters each of which are 10x more powerful all within +/- 100kHz >of 10MHz, several of them within 10kHz of 10MHz. > >If I fire up my regenerative receiver (my trusty old Space Spanner that >my Dad bought for me when I was in 2nd grade!) WWV 10MHz reception does >not work at all in the evenings due to those broadcasters, my >particular regen just does not deal well with all those stations packed >so tight together. The adjacent broadcasters block up the receiver or >sometimes the regen locks onto them instead! > >On 5 or 15 or 20 MHz, or on the west coast, the regenerative may welll >work better. (There are SW broadcasters near 5 and 15 but not nearly so >close and not nearly so packed.) > >If the OP is looking for a build-it-yourself SW receiver for picking up >the powerhouse SW broadcasters, then a regen is a fine choice. In fact >my complaint is that my regen doesn't pick up WWV because of all those >other broadcasters outgunning it here :-). > >Ten-Tec and others sell really nice regenerative receiver kits for SW. > >Tim. The trick with regens is to couple as loosely as possible. There is enough gain in most regens that even a very loose coupling is enough to overlaod and flatten out the selectivity. At 5mhz I have no difficulty here is MA and at 10mhz it's still not a problem. I've even heard WWVH from here when propagation was good. Allison Article: 96368 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Joerg Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> Message-ID: Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 01:51:28 GMT Hello Ken, > Long distance telephone is now virtually free, and the internet > is free. ... Ahem, not quite. I have to shell out $50 every month for DSL. Long distance over regular phone lines is 3c/minute within US/Canada but only with an MCI phone card. Overseas is anywhere north of 10c/minute if you want the 'luxury' of a decent echo cancellation. Regards, Joerg http://www.analogconsultants.com Article: 96369 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:26:33 -0800 Message-ID: <11su1n9brqhdq37@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> "Don Bowey" wrote in message news:BFF44543.232B1%dbowey@comcast.net... > If messages traverse the internet and jump into ham band packets at one or > both ends, and there is an operator controlling the transmission at the > jump > points, I don't perceive any legal problems for non-commercial messages. > For "emergency" traffic it would be a valuable process. Maybe some are > doing this..... It's not a brain-buster. Yeah, the whole idea though really turns some people off, unfortunately. My opinion is that reasonably cool heads are prevailing, though, and ham radio regulations are sloooowwwllllly moving in the right direction. It appears that regulation primarily by bandwidth (rather than emission type) will be the law of the land in the next couple of years. Article: 96371 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: microwaves@blueyonder.co.uk (Peter) Subject: Re: Gunnplexer connected to antenna Message-ID: <43d698b5.109163318@news.blueyonder.co.uk> References: <1138126254.529100.134230@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 21:15:33 GMT On 24 Jan 2006 10:10:54 -0800, "mustafa umut sarac" wrote: > >Can gunplexer transmitter and receiver can be mounted to external >antennas ? > >Best , > >Mustafa Umut Sarac Yes, of course, but you'll need to waterproof the installation Peter, G3PHO Article: 96372 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "xpyttl" References: <1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: <74yBf.35$gX6.31@fe07.lga> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:43:07 -0500 "Tim Shoppa" wrote in message news:1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com... > Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: >> How about a simple one to three transistor regenative reciever. > > In principle that's a great idea, but the gotcha is that very near > WWV's 10MHz frequency there are a lot of powerhouse SW broadcasters. Well, I suppose it depends on where OP is. Here in the middle, 10 MHz isn't much of a problem but 15 is. *HOWEVER*, 10 has one huge advantage -- there are very low cost uP crystals for 10 MHz, so building even a simple reciever with a brick wall front end isn't such a big deal, if the only frequency you care about is 10 MHz. Personally, I'd go with a DC rather than a regen - a lot simpler and these days, a simple SA612 will give you way more sensitivity than you can possibly use on 10 MHz for a couple bucks. Well, with a crystal filter in front maybe you will need a little amp, not so sure. But still quite a bit simpler than a regen. Heck, if the local QRM isn't too strong, I bet a 10 MHz uP crystal, a 612 and an audio amp (like a 386 or so) is all you would need. A friend of mine did an article on a simple WWV reciever for QRP Homebrewer recently, issue #5 I think. He was more interested in the frequency standard than hearing the sounds, so his contribution was recognizing the zero beat, but still an interesting article if you can find a copy. .. Article: 96373 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: References: <1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> <74yBf.35$gX6.31@fe07.lga> Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:38:02 GMT On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:43:07 -0500, "xpyttl" wrote: >"Tim Shoppa" wrote in message >news:1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com... >> Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: >>> How about a simple one to three transistor regenative reciever. >> >> In principle that's a great idea, but the gotcha is that very near >> WWV's 10MHz frequency there are a lot of powerhouse SW broadcasters. > >Well, I suppose it depends on where OP is. Here in the middle, 10 MHz isn't >much of a problem but 15 is. > >*HOWEVER*, 10 has one huge advantage -- there are very low cost uP crystals >for 10 MHz, so building even a simple reciever with a brick wall front end >isn't such a big deal, if the only frequency you care about is 10 MHz. >Personally, I'd go with a DC rather than a regen - a lot simpler and these >days, a simple SA612 will give you way more sensitivity than you can >possibly use on 10 MHz for a couple bucks. Well, with a crystal filter in >front maybe you will need a little amp, not so sure. But still quite a bit >simpler than a regen. Heck, if the local QRM isn't too strong, I bet a 10 >MHz uP crystal, a 612 and an audio amp (like a 386 or so) is all you would >need. > >A friend of mine did an article on a simple WWV reciever for QRP Homebrewer >recently, issue #5 I think. He was more interested in the frequency >standard than hearing the sounds, so his contribution was recognizing the >zero beat, but still an interesting article if you can find a copy. > For wwv I consider DC the least useful. One approach I've also tried is 9.6mhz crystal LO and use 455khz if can retuned to 400khz. that works and uses fairly easy to get parts. That allows a diode detector for zero beat against external sources and copy of the audio without beats. Allison Article: 96374 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Homer J Simpson" References: <4385b3b1$1$27887$9b4e6d93@newsread4.arcor-online.net> <43a5c7b1$1_1@news.bluewin.ch> <43A6D611.D7952AD4@earthlink.net> <43A8B2E0.7F7DAFC2@earthlink.net> <43D38F42.888D9978@earthlink.net> <43D57129.5EFD1EB8@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: Unusual functions of cheap parts Message-ID: Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 03:01:57 GMT "Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message news:43D57129.5EFD1EB8@earthlink.net... > So, you think that a single datasheet covers all manufacturers, and > all production runs? Once again, you show a great lack of > understanding. I have several glass 1N4004 diodes in front of me. 400 PIV? Article: 96375 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:20:48 -0800 Message-ID: References: On Mon, 23 Jan 2006, John S. wrote: > Are you looking to decode the data transmissions or listen to the voice > signals. If the former it may take something more sophisticated because > you will have to feed a decoder. I'm interested in both. From the radio perspective, I'll certainly be happy (but not satisfied) when I am able to hear the station's audio. However, I was thinking this would be a good project in part because it leads to the logical extension of decoding the time signals. My plan of attack is to first try to get the audio, then try inputting it to the audio input of a PC and writing a program to decode the time signal, and finally implementing some kind of microprocessor-based decoder. Tobin Fricke -- http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/ Article: 96376 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: shortwave Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:25:22 -0800 Message-ID: References: On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Tim Shoppa wrote: > In principle that's a great idea, but the gotcha is that very near WWV's > 10MHz frequency there are a lot of powerhouse SW broadcasters. Here on > the East Coast in the evenings, there are at least 10 SW broadcasters > each of which are 10x more powerful all within +/- 100kHz of 10MHz, > several of them within 10kHz of 10MHz. What are these high-power shortwave stations on the east coast? I often wonder what is "out there" these days to tune in. Tobin Article: 96377 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:41:46 -0800 Message-ID: References: On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, xpyttl wrote: > Well, I suppose it depends on where OP is. Here in the middle, 10 MHz isn't > much of a problem but 15 is. I am in Rochester, NY. > *HOWEVER*, 10 has one huge advantage -- there are very low cost uP crystals > for 10 MHz, so building even a simple reciever with a brick wall front end > isn't such a big deal, if the only frequency you care about is 10 MHz. Yes, that is what I was thinking. Is there a simple way to do frequency multiplication (or division) to get 2.5, 5, 15, and 20 MHz additionally, and thus be able to switch between all of the WWV frequencies? "Brick wall front end"? > Personally, I'd go with a DC rather than a regen - a lot simpler and these > days, a simple SA612 will give you way more sensitivity than you can > possibly use on 10 MHz for a couple bucks. > Heck, if the local QRM isn't too strong, I bet a 10 MHz uP crystal, a > 612 and an audio amp (like a 386 or so) is all you would need. That sounds great. > A friend of mine did an article on a simple WWV reciever for QRP Homebrewer > recently, issue #5 I think. He was more interested in the frequency > standard than hearing the sounds, so his contribution was recognizing the > zero beat, but still an interesting article if you can find a copy. I don't see any articles on WWV receivers there... Does anything look familiar: http://www.njqrp.org/data/qrp_homebrewer.html thanks, Tobin Fricke -- http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/ Article: 96378 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:43:45 -0800 Message-ID: References: On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: > For wwv I consider DC the least useful. One approach I've also tried What do yo umean by "least useful"? > is 9.6mhz crystal LO and use 455khz if can retuned to 400khz. that > works and uses fairly easy to get parts. That allows a diode > detector for zero beat against external sources and copy of the audio > without beats. What is the 400 kHz used for? Tobin Fricke -- http://web.pas.rochester.edu/~tobin/ Article: 96379 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 00:02:03 -0400 Message-ID: <11tdu1soq6a9bb3@corp.supernews.com> References: <1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> <74yBf.35$gX6.31@fe07.lga> Tobin Fricke wrote: >> is 9.6mhz crystal LO and use 455khz if can retuned to 400khz. that >> works and uses fairly easy to get parts. That allows a diode >> detector for zero beat against external sources and copy of the audio >> without beats. > > > What is the 400 kHz used for? > > Tobin Fricke Incoming 10.000 MHz signal with a 9.600 xtal heterodyne oscillator will create at .400 IF frequency. If you had a 9.545 xtal then a .455 IF would add up to the 10.000 incoming freq. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Thats based on an easy to find crystal. You asked in another reply about the other nearby signals to 10.000. There's plenty! The 9900-10000 freqs are in common use these days and there's a few powerhouses. I recall a strong BBC outlet on 9985 I think it is? That said, on any receiver worth its salt they should not be an issue. I have no trouble at all with WWV on 10 Mhz on even simple 1-2 tube regen rcvrs at my location (KP4). Thats not a recommendation for simple 1-2 tube receivers in as much as to say that overloading is something to be considered. You might oughta try listening on a real receiver first to get a feel for the band and general reception capabilities at 10 MHz. You can get one of those cheapo Chinese digital shortwave radios nowadays for under $50, non digital for about $15-20. Not only will they reveal how well WWV/10 is received at your location but you may get a real-time example of overloading effects as well! -Bill Article: 96380 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Tobin Fricke Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 20:06:22 -0800 Message-ID: References: On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: > The trick with regens is to couple as loosely as possible. There is > enough gain in most regens that even a very loose coupling is enough to > overlaod and flatten out the selectivity. Could you recommend a good introduction to the theory of the regenerative receiver (and superregen)? thanks, Tobin Article: 96381 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: - exray - Subject: Re: WWV receiver Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 01:31:23 -0400 Message-ID: <11te39cnppt5t03@corp.supernews.com> References: <1138118294.691898.166020@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> <3jsct1d0vlqmlf00dndg0entinpco5m9o9@4ax.com> Tobin Fricke wrote: > On Tue, 24 Jan 2006, Allison-nospam@nouce.bellatlantic.net wrote: > >> The trick with regens is to couple as loosely as possible. There is >> enough gain in most regens that even a very loose coupling is enough >> to overlaod and flatten out the selectivity. > > > Could you recommend a good introduction to the theory of the > regenerative receiver (and superregen)? > > thanks, > Tobin > I'll recommend a little book that is readily available. "Secrets of Homebuilt Regenerative Receivers" by C.F. "Rock" Rockey. Its a Lindsay Publications book. Rockey does a good job at simplifying the simple :) Basically the concept of a regen is feeding the output back into the input for reamplification. Theoretically its a somewhat infinite process in that the reamplification continues repeating itself resulting in very high gain at the particular frequency the set is tuned to and thats also where the selectivity improvement comes from. Its similar to oscillation in a tube. The coupling issue mentioned by Allison is related in the sense that heavy antenna loading will decrease the circuit Q and consequently decrease its selectivity as the regenerative signal makes its round-trip thru the circuit. That opens the window for strong stations that are well off frequency to easily overload the circuit as a whole due to the high magnitude of amplification. You'll see some circuits with direct antenna connections to the tank circuit (bad)...some use a separate antenna winding on the coil (better) some use capacitive coupling to the tank...some use a combination of both. Easy enough to build one for grins...might not be as stable as you would want for your decoding project but would be a good, fun exercise just the same. GL, Bill Article: 96382 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Joel Kolstad" Subject: Re: Radio Shack Electronic Kits Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 19:15:00 -0800 Message-ID: <11su11kf0gjq8d1@corp.supernews.com> References: <1137287851.160900.117570@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com> <9Qhyf.19251$Q11.12220@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com> <0liyf.6851$or4.4507@newssvr12.news.prodigy.com> <43CC8997.20201@employees.org> <11sp6ekpsdr405a@corp.supernews.com> <43cd5054$0$8296$ecde5a14@news.coretel.net> <1137540014.438888.212340@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> <11ss0pksp46042a@corp.supernews.com> <11sts322us8f75b@corp.supernews.com> "mc" wrote in message news:nbDzf.151276$k76.138897@bignews6.bellsouth.net... > But that's not the point. The point is that ham radio is required to be > noncommercial. The Internet is mostly business. That was my (original) point -- a very large chunk of what most people use their "personal" or "home" Internet connection for is NOT business... just reading e-mail from friends, ordering the occasional book on Amazon, reading newsgroup, surfing random web sites, whatever -- all things that are allowed over ham frequencies. (Which -- as you're probably aware -- are regulated such that you can't engage in activities in which you have a "pecuniary interest," but it's been made clear that things like ordering a pizzaare OK.) Article: 96383 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: Paul Keinanen Subject: Re: WWV receiver Message-ID: <8n6et1hcjnf247d10dor5afqn67ma9i2sp@4ax.com> References: <1138037282.591618.54410@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com> <11tcli3npls3nf7@corp.supernews.com> <43D661BF.2E66305B@earthlink.net> Date: Wed, 25 Jan 2006 08:30:06 +0200 On Tue, 24 Jan 2006 17:20:35 GMT, "Michael A. Terrell" wrote: >Joel Kolstad wrote: >> >> "xpyttl" wrote in message >> news:IYoBf.1$4I6.0@fe03.lga... >> > However, depending on where you are, you can typically only hear WWVB for a >> > small part of the day. >> >> Does a bigger antenna help? Or is there just so much more background noise >> than signal that it's a lost cause? >> >> Hmm... isn't the data rate something like 1bps? Maybe they could do some >> direct sequence spreading at 100Hz or so and improve the link margin a handful >> of dB... :-) If the problem is more or less random noise, what is the point of spreading the transmit signal, since the same noise density would appear in a specific bandwidth after despreading. > And lose the ability to be used as a frequency standard? The GPS signal is DSSS and it can be used as a time and/or frequency standard. Paul Article: 96384 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Lynn Coffelt" Subject: Re: Gunnplexer connected to antenna Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:10:27 -0800 Message-ID: References: <1138126254.529100.134230@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com> "mustafa umut sarac" wrote in message news:1138126254.529100.134230@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com... > > Can gunplexer transmitter and receiver can be mounted to external > antennas ? > > Best , > > Mustafa Umut Sarac I can't be much help here, but maybe someone else remembers better about a scheme dubbed "open wire waveguide"...... I'm very foggy on the details, but seems like the system was tried with the gunnplexer. An old QST or CQ think I think........... 50 years ago? Old Chief Lynn..... W7LTQ Article: 96385 of rec.radio.amateur.homebrew From: "Lynn Coffelt" Subject: Re: Anyone built the 6146 cw/am transmitter in the 1966 Handbook? Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:25:48 -0800 Message-ID: References: <9cDAf.11050$ZA2.9910@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net> <4JRAf.9605$TK2.151@bignews1.bellsouth.net> > >I was thinking of building a simple rig again but with a 1625 in the final. > >I have about a dozen of these bottles in the junk box .... > > When I find the right round tuit I want to use TEN 1625's with their > filaments series'd across the 120 VAC line in a simple CW rig. Can't > find it right now, but somewhere around here I have an article from > an old radio magazine describing just such a transmitter. > > IIRC, the capacitance from ten tubes limited it to the lower HF band(s), > but it still seems like an easy way to get 750 watts! > -- > --Myron A. Calhoun. Hey, Man, I don't know about TEN 1625's, but I did try five 1625's (in parallel, of course) and could work up to 40 CW....... (as an American in France, F7CT). Almost 1000VDC on the plates, and they did get pretty rosy on a long "dah". 1625's could be drawn by the basket full from the MARS storeroom at Toul Rosieres Air Base, France. 1962......1963? Old Chief Lynn...... W7LTQ