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Posted: 4/22/2016 11:58:39 PM EDT
[#1]
I need to get the damn CW net going. Shame on me
I ordered a few things from Universal Radio (mainly a replacement lightning arrestor... turns out the one I had wasn't rated for QRO and I found out the hard way) last Sunday... when I got my stuff on Wednesday, I only got the coax switch and BNC connector, but not the rest of my stuff including the main reason for my order, the stupid alpha delta lightning arrestor  all because their 1998 style website doesn't give a stock status.
Went to DX Engineering, found the lightning arrestor and threw that in the cart... oh yeah they had HRD on sale, and I found this really neat assortment of snap on chokes.. dammit... anyway, placed the order 9:30 Wednesday evening and my stuff was here today! Called universal to cancel the rest of my order and they were extremely nice and helpful... they stay on my "to do business with" list for that reason in spite of their terrible website. Placed several of the ferrrites on my PC speakers, they really don't like RF regardless of power level but QRO really screws them up. Still no joy yet so I need to play around with them some more. Also, bought another coax switch off of QRZ for $25. Sent the dude cash in the mail, guy emails me today to let me know that it shipped... signature required, so I won't get it until next Friday when I can go to the post office. Thanks, asshole. Not all of us sit around all day waiting for the mail man... you know, we have to work for a living and stuff. I mean, really? Signature required over a $25 coax switch? |
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Posted: 4/23/2016 12:14:54 AM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I bought a J-38 CW straight key from Ebay and took it apart and cleaned it up. Turned out nice I think! BEFORE CLEANING http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/BigDaddy0004/J-38%20pic%201_zpsxpudqxbd.jpg AFTER CLEANING http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/BigDaddy0004/20160422_205103_zpsz5iwt0ys.jpg http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/BigDaddy0004/20160422_223802_zpspakl8xnt.jpg That's pretty 
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Posted: 4/23/2016 1:16:10 AM EDT
[#3]
Currently I am building a go box in a pelican case and I'm using a rasberry pi and a headrest monitor to do digital mode and p2p emails! It has the AH-4 wire tuner and a 12v 8ah battery with a solar charger. Should be operational within the week I hope!
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Posted: 4/23/2016 1:22:11 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's great, BigDaddy! How did you find one so nice on there? All of the ones I ever see are really nasty looking. Quote HistoryQuoted:
That's great, BigDaddy! How did you find one so nice on there? All of the ones I ever see are really nasty looking. LOL! Thanks KCC. I must have looked for over a week and didn't see any nice ones. Then when I did see a couple, everyone and their brother outbid me on them! Finally, I saw a nice one pop up that also had a "Buy Now" price on it that was in the same range that the other bids went for. It's all in the timing! 
Quoted:
That's pretty
Thanks Mr_Harry. I unsuccessfully bid on a couple Kent KT-1 straight keys to match the Kent TP-1 paddles. They each went for approx. half the price of a new KT-1. |
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Posted: 4/23/2016 3:29:37 PM EDT
[#5]
Had some oak left over oak from my shelf project last week, so I decided to make a new base for the Speed-X. I have the commercially produced aluminum base, but it makes a rather loud, metallic, clackity, clackity sound when using the key, so I thought wood might be an improvement. Normally a base like this would not be desirable with the American style of using a straight key, because it raises the knob a little too high off of the desk top. But I've become a convert and now use the British (or European) style of keying, so it is not an issue.
Anyway, after I was finished, I remembered that I had a chunk of hard maple sitting around not being used, and also some left over cherry wood. So I decided a maple base might look nicer than oak. So what do you think, oak, or maple? Or should I dig out the leftover chunk of cherry? 
Oh, BigDaddy, that is a very nice looking J-38. 
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Posted: 4/23/2016 4:10:47 PM EDT
[#6]
Picked up an FT-1900, ran power, and got it hooked up in the truck.
Also went to a hamfest and built a crystal radio kit with my son today,
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Posted: 4/23/2016 8:32:25 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So what do you think, oak, or maple? Or should I dig out the leftover chunk of cherry? Oh, BigDaddy, that is a very nice looking J-38. I like the oak better than the maple, but they both are very nice. The cherry would be sweet, too! 
RE: the J-38...TU Kekoa.
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:28:34 PM EDT
[#8]
Today?
/AE 
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:34:57 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Today? /AE
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:35:23 PM EDT
[#10]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Today? /AE You upgrade to Extra today? Congrats!
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:36:26 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You upgrade to Extra today? Congrats!
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Today? /AE You upgrade to Extra today? Congrats!
I did. Took the BroncoGlenn 30 day upgrade challenge. |
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:45:05 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Today? /AE Congrats dude. Been a long time coming.
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:47:05 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Congrats dude. Been a long time coming. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Today? /AE Congrats dude. Been a long time coming. Yes it was. 5th time I've taken the damned thing. I'll pass your book along to the next taker. |
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:53:28 PM EDT
[#14]
Playing with my new radio... Received it yesterday:
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Posted: 4/23/2016 9:57:44 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryI did. Took the BroncoGlenn 30 day upgrade challenge. That's awesome! Congrats! |
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Posted: 4/23/2016 10:31:34 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Today? /AE Congratulations |
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Posted: 4/26/2016 3:41:38 AM EDT
[#17]
I did something I almost never do..... I called CQ on 20m SSB.
Ended up talking to people in French Polynesia, Sapporo Japan, and San Fran. Fun!
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Posted: 4/27/2016 7:28:55 PM EDT
[#18]
Fun and games in the backyard with the packtenna and an 857d
I'm trying to get comfortable setting things up solo, the white pipe is a length of 2.5" PVC that I can drive into the ground and drop the mast into. It lends support while I run guy lines ... 
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Posted: 4/28/2016 1:47:09 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Today? /AE
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Posted: 4/28/2016 8:24:59 PM EDT
[#20]
/AE today too!
Wound toroids for the balun for my OCF dipole - soldering them up is next! |
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Posted: 4/28/2016 8:41:07 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
/AE today too!Wound toroids for the balun for my OCF dipole - soldering them up is next! Mine just posted to the ULS yesterday, so I signed up today to be a VE with the W5YI & Greater LA VEC's. |
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Posted: 5/4/2016 3:05:16 AM EDT
[#22]
SSB contacts with France and Czech Republic over the pole on 20m this evening.
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Posted: 5/4/2016 3:09:38 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
SSB contacts with France and Czech Republic over the pole on 20m this evening. Damn you and all that salt water you have.
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Posted: 5/4/2016 8:45:44 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryHow are you liking the Flex? Which model did you get? |
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Posted: 5/4/2016 11:19:07 AM EDT
[#25]
Traded in my old (ok, not really old timewise) 2x3 call for a 2x1. Kept it in district with a "7" land call even. Have been putting in since I passed the AE exam a couple months ago and hit the lottery. Now maybe I can get my call sign out when answering CQ or on contest day before someone else is mid-contact......
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Posted: 5/4/2016 9:13:20 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
How are you liking the Flex? Which model did you get? Quote HistoryQuoted:
How are you liking the Flex? Which model did you get? I got the 6300, and I am absolutely loving it! The vast majority of my radio time is in my office / shack, and having the waterfall right on the screen where I can see and pick out activity is increasing my number of contacts. I also travel quite a bit and wanted a good setup to use remotely on the road. I would have loved the 6500 or 6700, but couldn't justify spending that much on a radio. Most of my computers are Win (...but I have 2 Macs and 2 Linux boxes), and Win is where I know my way around best. I went on a business trip 3 days after the radio arrived, and I worked the radio remotely via a VPN. Assuming the bandwidth is available, it beats doing remote via TeamViewer / Skype / RDP. I have an FT-991 also, which is a good radio. The difference in audio quality / filtering / weak signals is incredible. The 991 will stay, but for now, it's primarily being used for 2M SSB and some packet stuff. |
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Posted: 5/5/2016 9:37:05 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I got the 6300, and I am absolutely loving it! The vast majority of my radio time is in my office / shack, and having the waterfall right on the screen where I can see and pick out activity is increasing my number of contacts. I also travel quite a bit and wanted a good setup to use remotely on the road. I would have loved the 6500 or 6700, but couldn't justify spending that much on a radio. Most of my computers are Win (...but I have 2 Macs and 2 Linux boxes), and Win is where I know my way around best. I went on a business trip 3 days after the radio arrived, and I worked the radio remotely via a VPN. Assuming the bandwidth is available, it beats doing remote via TeamViewer / Skype / RDP. I have an FT-991 also, which is a good radio. The difference in audio quality / filtering / weak signals is incredible. The 991 will stay, but for now, it's primarily being used for 2M SSB and some packet stuff. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
How are you liking the Flex? Which model did you get? I got the 6300, and I am absolutely loving it! The vast majority of my radio time is in my office / shack, and having the waterfall right on the screen where I can see and pick out activity is increasing my number of contacts. I also travel quite a bit and wanted a good setup to use remotely on the road. I would have loved the 6500 or 6700, but couldn't justify spending that much on a radio. Most of my computers are Win (...but I have 2 Macs and 2 Linux boxes), and Win is where I know my way around best. I went on a business trip 3 days after the radio arrived, and I worked the radio remotely via a VPN. Assuming the bandwidth is available, it beats doing remote via TeamViewer / Skype / RDP. I have an FT-991 also, which is a good radio. The difference in audio quality / filtering / weak signals is incredible. The 991 will stay, but for now, it's primarily being used for 2M SSB and some packet stuff. I'm sure. Once you go SDR its very difficult to go back. Working split is even easier as you can see exactly where he's listening. Enjoy!
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Posted: 5/8/2016 12:03:30 AM EDT
[#28]
I've had a pretty productive last couple of days playing with radio stuff.
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Posted: 5/8/2016 1:33:41 AM EDT
[#29]
Yesterday and today, I received a few SSTV images on 14.230 from a California station that was communicating with other stations I couldn't hear.
I used the Wolphilink interface to connect my Android phone to my FT-450D and used the robot36 Android app to decode the images. The app works quite nicely. It automatically saves the images after reception. Some of them came in quite clear for having a really terrible indoor antenna set up. |
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Posted: 5/9/2016 5:40:14 PM EDT
[#30]
Went to the post office and picked up my new IC-2300H. Now I need to hook it up and figure out how to mount it in my shack.
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Posted: 5/22/2016 7:30:37 PM EDT
[#31]
Got me a Tytera DMR radio. So far I like it. There is a lot of activity going on and the radio has excellent audio. I would highly recommend it as a new toy.
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Posted: 5/22/2016 8:34:31 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Got me a Tytera DMR radio. So far I like it. There is a lot of activity going on and the radio has excellent audio. I would highly recommend it as a new toy. I've had the MD-390 for a while now. It's not a bad radio at all. Very impressed. Just wish there was more local DMR traffic. Talking to the same 3 or 4 guys gets old after a while. One of these days, my bluestack will show up from Europe and I'll be able to free myself from the talkgroup nazis. DMR is growing on me. Am I ready to ditch D-Star? I doubt it but I can see why some people like DMR now that I've used it a little. |
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Posted: 5/23/2016 5:28:18 AM EDT
[#33]
Got an invite to join the Software Controlled Ham Radio group on Yahoo. Which doesn't mean much except it's where the three guys who put together the 3w transceiver from eBay parts that was featured in the March issue of QST hang out. Of course I accepted.
Went though every post. See where the possible pitfalls are in my build and keeping an eye out for them. One that everybody needs to keep an eye out for no matter what you are building. A lot of the Chinese passive components, resistors, capacitors, and ICs, are junk. Here and there are LM386 audio amps that are either dead or defective causing lots of background hash. My experience is that ceramic caps are frequently out of spec. Got 100 .1uf bypass caps from one of the better vendors. Measured each one. 80% are now in a landfill as they failed my tolerance check of +- 20%. Resistors are not much better. What is supposed to 1% metal film are frequently out by 5%. This quality control issue is causing problems with some of the builds. As an aside these three guys are working on the next project. An Arduino controlled antenna analyzer. Target budget is $80 and it may have features of units costing way more. Such as being able to export an antenna sweep to an Excel spreadsheet. Oh, and my shack laptop is dying. Found a good used one for $300 that should leave my old one in the dust. Should arrive sometime this week. |
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Posted: 6/30/2016 3:00:27 PM EDT
[#34]
Yes, I'm necro-posting, but this was too good a thread to let it die.
For several years I've had only a dresser top for a station, and it didn't offer much real estate. I finally knocked together a dedicated radio work bench. It was a real quick and dirty effort, but I like it. The main surface is 48"x20" and the upper shelf is 12" deep. I used some cheap laminated pine, and the Minwax Polyshades finish which has worked well for me on good hardwood was a real disaster, It came out splotchy and uneven, but I just didn't have the time to sand it all off and start over. 
I want to give a thanks to BigDaddy0004 for the coax patch panel idea. This is GREAT, and so much better than a coax switch! Darn MFJ though, the 2" pass throughs were not made properly, and removing a PL259 would invariably pull the internal conductor out of place. The UHF / BNC adaptors solved that problem and make it fast and easy to swap equipment. 
Cheers... Jim |
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Posted: 6/30/2016 3:40:30 PM EDT
[#35]
Looks Great!
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Posted: 7/1/2016 3:06:47 PM EDT
[#36]
I got a great deal on an mcHF radio, built and ready to go - it was delivered yesterday. To top it off, I got another nearly complete kit and another ~50% complete kit. And, a case.
After I sort out what I have I'll be offering some of the 'extras' on here - all I can tell you so far is this thing has GREAT ears. We'll find out how it xmit's tonight :) |
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Posted: 7/1/2016 4:52:40 PM EDT
[#37]
I got my wife to actually help me yesterday move my end fed antenna around and clean out some dead tree branches and get it higher in the tree, I then made contacts today in the 13 colonies contest before coming to work at noon, I am going to try for a few more rest of the weekend see what I can come up with.
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Posted: 7/1/2016 9:17:06 PM EDT
[#38]
I actually laid some more radials on my multiband vertical. Laid some 17m radials and some 10m radials.
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Posted: 7/2/2016 11:35:21 PM EDT
[#39]
Built a Winkeyer USB today. I already have a CMOS-4 keyer, so I really didn't need another one, but the Winkeyer offers a feature that I think will be useful for CW training.
The Winkeyer is designed to very efficiently integrate with your computer and logging program. It's really designed for contesters who want (need) to log and respond to CW QSOs with a keyboard. But I'll probably never use it for that, as I'm not a contester, and enjoy sending by hand. However, that computer integration is what allows you to practice your CW sending, by displaying your sent code as text on the computer screen. And it is relentless when it comes to forcing you to use proper spacing. A ham (NA0N) has even written a nice little training program called Iambic Master, that works with the Winkeyer. It's a simple kit, and can be put together in about an hour. Not many parts, and all SMT parts come pre mounted. 
Almost finished. 
Done. 
Quickie video of the "Iambic Master" training program in action. It's fun...and a challenge. 
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Posted: 7/2/2016 11:46:37 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Built a Winkeyer USB today. I already have a CMOS-4 keyer, so I really didn't need another one, but the Winkeyer offers a feature that I think will be useful for CW training. The Winkeyer is designed to very efficiently integrate with your computer and logging program. It's really designed for contesters who want (need) to log and respond to CW QSOs with a keyboard. But I'll probably never use it for that, as I'm not a contester, and enjoy sending by hand. However, that computer integration is what allows you to practice your CW sending, by displaying your sent code as text on the computer screen. And it is relentless when it comes to forcing you to use proper spacing. A ham (NA0N) has even written a nice little training program called Iambic Master, that works with the Winkeyer. It's a simple kit, and can be put together in about an hour. Not many parts, and all SMT parts come pre mounted. http://www.pbase.com/david_3/image/163598544/original.jpg Almost finished. http://www.pbase.com/david_3/image/163598545/original.jpg Done. http://www.pbase.com/david_3/image/163598547/original.jpg Quickie video of the "Iambic Master" training program in action. It's fun...and a challenge.  http://youtu.be/VZetGsKl9sgdoes your home / workspace moonlight as an operating room? everytime you post a pic, it's in the cleanest location I have ever seen. This is also a tag when I get off my ass and finally learn code.
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Posted: 7/3/2016 1:34:43 AM EDT
[#41]
My SWR was up some on 75 meters. Jasmine along a fence had grown and reached up and wrapped around one end of my
75 m dipole. It was all buried down in that mass of twisted vines somewhere. SWR was around 3-3.5:1 tuner in bypass. Engaging the tuner (LDG AT-1000) it would get SWR down to 1.6-1.7:1 as measured by the Daiwa CN-801HP meter. After 2 hours or so of trimming back the vines, getting 2' - 3' or more clearance from the vines to the wire on that end, SWR is now 1.25:1 at 3.900 mhz, and with the tuner activated, 1.1:1 at 3.900 mhz. Every place we hacked at the vines the freshly cut ends dripped white fluid. I am sure at HF frequencies this was just like wrapping the antenna element with balls of grounded wire. Well, it is done, and SWR is back to where it should be. |
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Posted: 7/3/2016 5:10:28 AM EDT
[#42]
Had to move my shack out of my cozy basement. Too much moisture that I couldn't get rid of. The dehumidifier helped, but I'm not taking any chances. I don't have much ham equipment but what I have, I paid out the *** for. Now to redo my grounding system and put up the 135' doublet to go with the 40m ocf inverted V. Which, on a side note, should not have worked as well as it did. But hopefully the new antenna will give me a bit more to work with.
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Posted: 7/3/2016 5:14:56 AM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My SWR was up some on 75 meters. Jasmine along a fence had grown and reached up and wrapped around one end of my 75 m dipole. I had that happen with some thick vines a few weeks ago. Never even noticed until I was in the backyard clearing around my fence line. Thankfully it hadn't taken over the antenna yet. But boy was it a royal pain removing it from the dacron support lines. |
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Posted: 7/3/2016 5:34:58 AM EDT
[#44]
Got the new shack laptop up and running. Nice being able to run the JT modes, have HRD in the background, and check the spots on the web without the computer groaning under the strain.
At the bench got the Arduino controlled VFO done. Added code to implement the voltmeter option. The designers had the hardware built into the board which is nothing but a voltage divider with the ground resistor being a variable to calibrate the system. Took a few days to write, debug, test, lather, rinse, repeat but it's bullet proof now. Uploaded the modified code to the support forum and a couple guys are digging it. Started melting solder on the $11 3w transceiver. Making the mods to convert it from crystal control to a VFO. Doing quality control on every single Chinese discrete component is slowing down the process a bunch. |
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Posted: 7/3/2016 6:22:53 AM EDT
[#45]
Scored a 60 chunk of Rhon 25...WOO-HOO!!
Had a younger ham help me take it down as I cant climb anymore. Looks good except the two top sections have some surface rust..no prob.. Hardware came out without a fight and only bent the bottom section slightly. Again, no prob as it's going to get concrete shoes with thru drainage. 3/8" guy cables look good so now I need a small backhoe.. |
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Posted: 7/3/2016 11:27:52 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
does your home / workspace moonlight as an operating room? everytime you post a pic, it's in the cleanest location I have ever seen. The magic of photography. You'd laugh if you ever saw it in person. |
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Posted: 7/3/2016 2:27:56 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
My SWR was up some on 75 meters. Jasmine along a fence had grown and reached up and wrapped around one end of my 75 m dipole. It was all buried down in that mass of twisted vines somewhere. SWR was around 3-3.5:1 tuner in bypass. Engaging the tuner (LDG AT-1000) it would get SWR down to 1.6-1.7:1 as measured by the Daiwa CN-801HP meter. After 2 hours or so of trimming back the vines, getting 2' - 3' or more clearance from the vines to the wire on that end, SWR is now 1.25:1 at 3.900 mhz, and with the tuner activated, 1.1:1 at 3.900 mhz. Every place we hacked at the vines the freshly cut ends dripped white fluid. I am sure at HF frequencies this was just like wrapping the antenna element with balls of grounded wire. Well, it is done, and SWR is back to where it should be. I'd think a little QRO would burn back the vines. |
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Posted: 7/4/2016 5:17:30 AM EDT
[#48]
Ordered a hex beam and rotator.
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Posted: 7/4/2016 10:21:27 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ordered a hex beam and rotator. 
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Posted: 7/4/2016 10:54:09 AM EDT
[#50]
Sold my Icom IC-703+ and Extras.
Ordered a QRP Ranger and PowerFilm 30 Watt Foldable Solar Panel for the KX3.
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