Subject: glowbugs V1 #142
glowbugs           Friday, October 24 1997           Volume 01 : Number 142

Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 08:55:00 -0400 (EDT) From: EWoodman@aol.com Subject: Wednesday Night Activity Anyone have any luck last night? Started listening at around 0000Z but the static crashes were pretty bad up here. At about 0120Z heard NA4G calling CQ BA a bit below 3579R45. I could just barely pick it out between the crashes. Tried to get back with the 20W homebrew but no luck. Switched to the DX-60 which is rock-bound on the tv rock freq but still no luck. Did anyone happen to hear me at all? By the way, Bob, what were you running for a tx? If it was the Hartley I consider myself lucky to have heard you at all through all the noise! Didn't hear anyone else. By 0300Z the static had died down considerably but I couldn't raise anyone. All in all a pretty miserable showing for my first night on the air in a couple months. I'm a bit suspect of my antenna. It's a 175' end-fed wire but only about 20' above the ground. Also my ground isn't too great. Guess maybe I'll consider running a counterpoise to help out or maybe just go back to the dipole fed with ladder line. ( wife didn't appreciate the aesthetic beauty of ladder line draped across the back yard) Guess I'll try again tonight. 73 Eric KA1YRV
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 06:24:57 -0700 (MST) From: Jack Meadows <jackmead@getnet.com> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity Missed you Eric, I finished the mods to my elevated vertical in time to try 3579 at 0100 and 0300. Heard no one. Shucks. I sure would like to hear one of Bob's hartley's and thought I could maybe hear Ken and his hw-16. I had thunderstorms, so everyone was probable covered by qrn. I got zapped removing the coax from the rig! Lot's of static charge last night. Best regards, Jack W7QQQ On Thu, 23 Oct 1997 EWoodman@aol.com wrote: > Anyone have any luck last night? Started listening at around 0000Z but the > static crashes were pretty bad up here. At about 0120Z heard NA4G calling CQ > BA a bit below 3579R45. I could just barely pick it out between the crashes. > Tried to get back with the 20W homebrew but no luck. Switched to the DX-60 > which is rock-bound on the tv rock freq but still no luck. Did anyone happen > to hear me at all? By the way, Bob, what were you running for a tx? If it was > the Hartley I consider myself lucky to have heard you at all through all the > noise! Didn't hear anyone else. > > By 0300Z the static had died down considerably but I couldn't raise anyone. > All in all a pretty miserable showing for my first night on the air in a > couple months. > > I'm a bit suspect of my antenna. It's a 175' end-fed wire but only about 20' > above the ground. Also my ground isn't too great. Guess maybe I'll consider > running a counterpoise to help out or maybe just go back to the dipole fed > with ladder line. ( wife didn't appreciate the aesthetic beauty of > ladder line draped across the back yard) > > Guess I'll try again tonight. > > 73 Eric KA1YRV > >
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 08:42:45 -0500 From: Conard Murray <cfm5723@tntech.edu> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity I managed to wake Bob up with my mighty 2 Watt QRP signal on the BA QRG around 0200Z. I won't mention what I was running, but I didn't have enough time to warm up the BA gear. Y'all just have to hear Bob's Hartley to believe it! It is even more stable that I remembered. Probably the best sounding transmitter on the planet, bar none. Maybe it has something to do with the TCS power supply .... Make every effort you can to hear this one .... no chirps, clicks, burps or other bad habits ... an such a beautiful keying waveform too. Bob is truly the master of the Hartley. Remember, November is Hartley month, so find your big triodes now and start winding the tank coil. Sandy, you had better hurry up and get your 860 rig finished so you can mark the channel for us! ZUT! de Conard, WS4S
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:13:49 -0400 (EDT) From: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: panel finishing (kinda) > I am trying to finish my "new" Hartley rig and am working on the front > panel. I am using a piece of aluminum and don't want to paint it, > however, it has some scratches on it and so doesn't look that great. > > The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other > words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? I have had good luck with plain old steel wool and copious elbow grease. Crude, but it works to give a silky satin finish to the panel. That works well on plain black acrylic to mimic bakelite. As a thought, if you have a wooden block (round maybe 3 inches in diameter or so) that you can glue a piece of steel wool onto, then you can engine turn the panel. A plain wire brush and a drill press works, too. A hand drill will work if you are patient. The more precise you can turn the circles, the better it looks. Bob/NA4G
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:10:46 -0400 From: "Ornitz, Barry L" <ornitz@eastman.com> Subject: RE: panel finishing (kinda) I have found that a "Scotchbrite" scouring pad does a good job - especially if used in an electric sander. An orbiting sander will produce a random orientation to the finish while a finishing sander will make the scratches run in one direction. Sand paper or emery cloth will work too but these kitchen scouring pads do such a good job on even the hardest metals. After you have properly "scratched" the surface, either coat it with clear Krylon spray immediately or you may etch it to produce a nice satin finish. With soft aluminum (one that does not contain much copper) a bath of dilute sodium hydroxide (lye) in warm water for about 30 minutes is used. If much copper is present in the aluminum alloy, black spots may appear. These can often be removed with dilute acetic acid (vinegar). Rinse the panel well after etching and allow to dry. Again a quick spray of clear Krylon will help preserve the finish. Wear gloves and safety glasses when working with the caustic solution. Avid getting fingerprints on the panel before or after etching. Many ARRL handbooks of recent vintage discuss this etching process in more detail. The "machine turned" finish of old (and very popular with Boatanchor Bob Keys) is possible to simulate at home but it takes a LOT of work. 73, Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ ornitz@tricon.net >From: Bob Roehrig [SMTP:broehrig@admin.aurora.edu] >I am trying to finish my "new" Hartley rig and am working on the front >panel. I am using a piece of aluminum and don't want to paint it, >however, it has some scratches on it and so doesn't look that great. > >The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other >words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? >
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:37:17 -0400 (EDT) From: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity --- minireport > Anyone have any luck last night? Started listening at around 0000Z but the > static crashes were pretty bad up here. At about 0120Z heard NA4G calling CQ > BA a bit below 3579R45. I could just barely pick it out between the crashes. > Tried to get back with the 20W homebrew but no luck. Switched to the DX-60 > which is rock-bound on the tv rock freq but still no luck. Did anyone happen > to hear me at all? By the way, Bob, what were you running for a tx? If it was > the Hartley I consider myself lucky to have heard you at all through all the > noise! Didn't hear anyone else. The bands were VERY strange fluttering sounding here. I was aboard almost continuously from 0000Z to 0500Z, between the big guns with the KW sending sets. I did work WB0AUQ/Bob in KS at 0125Z, WS4S/Conard (with his two-watty-tinybox) at 0155Z, heard WA5UEK/Bill and W5TVW/Sandy at 0230Z, worked KF8EE/Ted up in Ohio on his QRP argonaut at 0307Z, then heard VE3OXQ/N8TI/W5TVW/WA5UEK/N5SU(Whit -- OT par excellance), around 0400Z and later. The Grand Dame, ol' Grandma Hartley was puffing along at about 10 watteys de ethere outputte, from a 400 volt dynamotor surplus to a TCS. She like ta wore me pumphandling arm out on the straight sendin' iron. I needs greese up me glass elbow, again. Whit was 599, Sandy 589, and the rest about 559. The bands were quite funky. I sense it was the weather and perhaps will get better as the cold eases in. > By 0300Z the static had died down considerably but I couldn't raise anyone. > All in all a pretty miserable showing for my first night on the air in a > couple months. I noticed the static also lower by 0300Z. It will be nice when normal time returns in a few days. > I'm a bit suspect of my antenna. It's a 175' end-fed wire but only about 20' > above the ground. Also my ground isn't too great. Guess maybe I'll consider > running a counterpoise to help out or maybe just go back to the dipole fed > with ladder line. ( wife didn't appreciate the aesthetic beauty of > ladder line draped across the back yard) 25 feet above ground will tend to a vertical up and down ether ejection. Anything you can do to get some vertical rise to it would be good. I swear by 1/4 wave or 3/4 wave wires, end fed on old gear. I always get good mileage out of them. I was using a 66 foot end fed wire and a 75 foot counterpoise wire laid on the grass. I plan on moving it out away from the house some or maybe run a second one with about 100 feet on it so I can run 160/80/40 as low impedance feeds against a counterpoise wire. Big Bertha and the SRT-14 tend to dittle with the XYL's tv and landline thingies when they get loaded up more than about 75 watts or so. I have a laddderline antenna, but the support ropes keep breaking because the trees swing so much. If I can keep that up, that is the best feed of all. Long runs of line, though are a problem to keep out of folks hair. > Guess I'll try again tonight. > 73 Eric KA1YRV I will be there again, as I can, and over the weekend, too. Ol' Grandma Hartley is doin' her best to burn a few holes in the ether..... 73/ZUT DE NA4G/Bob UP
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:48:29 -0400 (EDT) From: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity > I managed to wake Bob up with my mighty 2 Watt QRP signal on the BA QRG > around 0200Z. I won't mention what I was running, but I didn't have enough > time to warm up the BA gear. We will excuse you....... one time......(:+}}..... at least we know yer toybox works. I wuz a'hopin' ye wouldst fire up da T4. > Y'all just have to hear Bob's Hartley to believe it! It is even more stable > that I remembered. Probably the best sounding transmitter on the planet, bar > none. > Maybe it has something to do with the TCS power supply .... > Make every effort you can to hear this one .... no chirps, clicks, burps or > other bad habits ... an such a beautiful keying waveform too. Bob is truly > the master of the Hartley. Well, thank you, sir..... That makes ol' Grandma Hartley feel good. I do try to take special pains to make any OT breadboard set sound as good as it can --- and they can fool you and sound better than the kenicoyasawhooies, if you take the time. Alas, they can sound like a Cuban 25 cycle slushbox thrasher, if you let them, too. I always run one or two growlers when running hb rigs just to make sure the thing sounds reasonable (growlers are small auxiliary monitor receivers, affectionately named by hams when they used to be a single '01A or '30 in a 3 pound coffee tin as a regenerative monitor) --- every OT station needs one, at least. > Remember, November is Hartley month, so find your big triodes now and start > winding the tank coil. Sandy, you had better hurry up and get your 860 rig > finished so you can mark the channel for us! Well, folks, come out and dance the dit dah ditty with ol' Grandma Hartley! We oughts ta be ables ta muster up a dozen or two Hartleys an regens, right? > ZUT! > de Conard, WS4S 73/ZUT DE NA4G/Bob UP
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 97 8:44:10 MDT From: "Mark Dittmar" <Mark_Dittmar@maxtor.com> Subject: re:Re: Wednesday Night Activity Heard Jack W7QQQ calling CQ a few times last night around 3580; was using my twin 30 regen and shortwire. Didn't have my transmitter on though. Good signal there Jack- what were you running ? 73, Mark D, AB0CW Westminster, CO
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 9:32:00 -0600 From: Alex Mendelsohn <alexm@pennwell.com> Subject: RE: panel finishing (kinda) Bob: The way i do it is to make a trianglular-shaped mask from cardboard, and then use a wire brush in a drill motor to give it a burnished look. I move the mask to create patterns, and it comes out looking like the dashboard on an antique automboile like the Cord or Auburn. I recently did this with my 160 meter KW amplifier, and now I receive comments from visitors about the appearance of the panel. Try it on a small scrap of aluminum. i think you'll be pleased. BTW: please post this for the net. For whatever reason I don't see the glowbug address in my mailer. vy 73, Alex, AI2Q, in Kennebunk, Maine .-.-. ---------- From: Bob Roehrig To: ALEXM; Boatanchors; glowbugs Subject: panel finishing (kinda) Date: Thursday, October 23, 1997 12:26AM I am trying to finish my "new" Hartley rig and am working on the front panel. I am using a piece of aluminum and don't want to paint it, however, it has some scratches on it and so doesn't look that great. The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? UFO's are real! (It's the Air Force that does not exist) E-mail broehrig@admin.aurora.edu 73 de Bob, K9EUI CIS: Data / Telecom Aurora University, Aurora, IL 630-844-4898 Fax 630-844-5530
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:03:27 -0400 From: "Ornitz, Barry L" <ornitz@eastman.com> Subject: RE: panel finishing (kinda) Al, These are called chromate conversion finishes. Most of those I have seen are dull yellow to olive drab in color, but on highly polished aluminum they tend to produce a light gold finish. They are generally designed to give a good base for additional painting. Many aircraft suppliers carry alodine finishes that can be brushed on with a sponge and rinsed with water. The stuff is quite toxic and getting the rinse water in a public waste disposal system may mean big fines. Anodizing is the process that produces a clear finish on aluminum. It is an electrolytic process similar to electroplating. It produces a clear porous aluminum oxide hydrate on the surface. This can be dyed to produce colors. Then the part is heated to "seal" the surface. It converts the hydrate to a different atomic structure which closes the surface pores. The final finish is very hard and durable. 73, Barry L. Ornitz WA4VZQ ornitz@tricon.net > > >From: Al Klase [SMTP:skywaves@bw.webex.net] > What do you know about "conversion coating" or "alodyne" finishes >instead of coating with krylon? Years ago I worked in a place where we did >this after etch. It was a simple dipping process and gave a really >corrosion resistant clear finish. I think it involved some chromium >compound. >
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:18:18 -0500 (EST) From: "Roberta J. Barmore" <rbarmore@indy.net> Subject: Jones reprints Hi! Back when I did the run of Jones (1935, "The Radio Amateur Newcomer"), someone wanted to buy two but I had to ask him to wait on the second one. Well, I'm down to three books in the box, and haven't seen any new orders for a spell (except Pentti Haka, whose book was sent early this week). Starting on a new run today or tomorrow. So whoever it was wanted two, and the last couple folks who might still want one, please get in touch! I was able to hold the price on the next batch of 20--after that, it'll probably go up a dollar. :( (Please 'scuse the bandwidth, Conard--this should wrap up the Jones book tfc on the list). 73, --Bobbi KB9GKX "RJ" rbarmore@indy.net Roberta J. (Bobbi) Barmore FISTS 3388 * ARRL * RSGB * WIA Appreciator Of Vacuum-Tube Ham Gear and Vintage Keys
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:13:01 -0500 (CDT) From: Bob Roehrig <broehrig@admin.aurora.edu> Subject: RE: panel finishing (kinda) (fwd) Bob: The way i do it is to make a trianglular-shaped mask from cardboard, and then use a wire brush in a drill motor to give it a burnished look. I move the mask to create patterns, and it comes out looking like the dashboard on an antique automboile like the Cord or Auburn. I recently did this with my 160 meter KW amplifier, and now I receive comments from visitors about the appearance of the panel. Try it on a small scrap of aluminum. i think you'll be pleased. BTW: please post this for the net. For whatever reason I don't see the glowbug address in my mailer. vy 73, Alex, AI2Q, in Kennebunk, Maine .-.-.
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 09:31:13 -0600 From: Doug <doug@sunrise.alpinet.net> Subject: Re: panel finishing (kinda) Hi Bob and the crew. I use a bronze rotary brush in my drill motor to put a circular buffed pattern on my gear. It works really well with aluminum. When you're done, it'll have taken out most of the small scratches and leaves a nice pattern that looks "deep" after several coats of clear laquer. Just be sure to clamp your plate down firmly before you start and pick a direction that'll allow you to give it a nice, uniform finish. Good luck Doug, K7YD Bob Roehrig wrote: > I am trying to finish my "new" Hartley rig and am working on the front > panel. I am using a piece of aluminum and don't want to paint it, > however, it has some scratches on it and so doesn't look that great. > > The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other > words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? > > UFO's are real! (It's the Air Force that does not exist) > E-mail broehrig@admin.aurora.edu 73 de Bob, K9EUI > CIS: Data / Telecom Aurora University, Aurora, IL > 630-844-4898 Fax 630-844-5530
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:39:25 -0500 (CDT) From: Chris Broadbent <cfb@bga.com> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity --- minireport > ...<SNIP> > > I have a laddderline antenna, but the support ropes keep breaking because > the trees swing so much. If I can keep that up, that is the best feed of > all. Long runs of line, though are a problem to keep out of folks hair. > > ...<SNIP> I have a 40M long dipole up in my trees (alas, I have no really high trees). I licked the wind problem by screwing a farmer's porcelain electric fence end insulator to a tree, passing the antenna's end support rope through the insulator's hole and tying a brick or rock to that dangling rope end. The rock's weight provides the tension needed, while not being fixed. I do this at each end of my dipole, with the centre tied high to another tree. With a floating centre, it probably need be done at only one end, with the other end being fixed. This arrangement gives me a great constant force strain relief. The smooth porcelain of the insulator acts as a slip pulley. The tree can wag as much as it wants - the rock simply goes up and down. In the USA, the porcelain insulators of which I write can be found at Home Depot. They have two sizes - I used the large ones. Each has a large, self tapping threaded screw sticking out of a flat end. After predrilling a hole in the tree, they go in just fine and are rock solid sturdy. For those outside the US, I guess I would seek the insulators at a farmer's supply store or at an electrical contractor's supply store. - -- Cheers, Chris F. Broadbent ( KC5VQL )
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:55:37 -0400 From: Roy Morgan <morgan@speckle.ncsl.nist.gov> Subject: RE: panel finishing (kinda) At 09:32 AM 10/23/97 -0600, Alex Mendelsohn wrote: > >Bob: > >The way i do it is to make a trianglular-shaped mask from cardboard, and >then use a wire brush in a drill motor to give it a burnished look. I saw the film "The Spirit of St. Louis" when I was a kid with my Dad. (He'd been amazed to hear of Lindburgs trip before I was born.) One scene in the film I remember is the burninshing of the cowling on the plane with just this method. The ORIGINAL article hangs in The Air and Space Museum here in DC ... seems like I should take a picture and post it onto the glowbugs archive .... Soooo many projects... soooo little time! Keep em Glowing! Roy, K1LKY since 1959 - -- Roy Morgan/Building 820, Room 562/Gaithersburg MD 20899 National Institute of Standards and Technology 301-975-3254 Fax: 301-948-6213 morgan@speckle.ncsl.nist.gov --
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 09:18:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu> Subject: Re: Anyone around for 3579 tonite? > I will give it a try as well! > Jack W7QQQ I was there last night about 0300. Didn't hear a thing. Dang! Ken
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 09:52:41 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity > Anyone have any luck last night? Not me. I started about 0300 and heard nothing but TV carriers. Ken W7EKB
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 09:55:46 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity > Missed you Eric, Me too. Dang! > > I finished the mods to my elevated vertical in time to try 3579 at > 0100 and 0300. Heard no one. Shucks. I sure would like to hear one > of Bob's hartley's and thought I could maybe hear Ken and his hw-16. I was on at 0300 for a while: didn't hear ANYTHING but TV carriers. > I had thunderstorms, so everyone was probable covered by qrn. I got > zapped removing the coax from the rig! Lot's of static charge last > night. Be careful! We would like to keep you aroung a while, Jack!
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:04:53 -0700 (PDT) From: Ken Gordon <keng@uidaho.edu> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity --- minireport > The bands were VERY strange fluttering sounding here. > > I was aboard almost continuously from 0000Z to 0500Z, between the big > guns with the KW sending sets. I did work WB0AUQ/Bob in KS at 0125Z, > WS4S/Conard (with his two-watty-tinybox) at 0155Z, heard WA5UEK/Bill and > W5TVW/Sandy at 0230Z, worked KF8EE/Ted up in Ohio on his QRP argonaut > at 0307Z, I was on at that time and heard ABSOLUTELY NOTHING other than TV carriers. Sigh.... > I have a laddderline antenna, but the support ropes keep breaking > because the trees swing so much. I use trees. Put LONG screen-door springs between the tree and the antenna insulator. Tree can swing all it wants. Doesn't seem to bother the antenna. Ken
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 16:49:00 -0600 From: Alex Mendelsohn <alexm@pennwell.com> Subject: Keeping 'em up! I use pulleys and halyards, with bricks as counterweights to keep my doublet up at 75-feet in swaying Maine pine trees. It's been up there for five years, so I guess it works! Vy 73, AI2Q, Alex in Kennebunk, Maine .-.-. > I have a laddderline antenna, but the support ropes keep breaking because > the trees swing so much. If I can keep that up, that is the best feed of > all. Long runs of line, though are a problem to keep out of folks hair. > > ...<SNIP> I have a 40M long dipole up in my trees (alas, I have no really high trees). I licked the wind problem by screwing a farmer's porcelain electric fence end insulator to a tree, passing the antenna's end support rope through the insulator's hole and tying a brick or rock to that dangling rope end. The rock's weight provides the tension needed, while not being fixed. I do this at each end of my dipole, with the centre tied high to another tree. With a floating centre, it probably need be done at only one end, with the other end being fixed. This arrangement gives me a great constant force strain relief. The smooth porcelain of the insulator acts as a slip pulley. The tree can wag as much as it wants - the rock simply goes up and down. In the USA, the porcelain insulators of which I write can be found at Home Depot. They have two sizes - I used the large ones. Each has a large, self tapping threaded screw sticking out of a flat end. After predrilling a hole in the tree, they go in just fine and are rock solid sturdy. For those outside the US, I guess I would seek the insulators at a farmer's supply store or at an electrical contractor's supply store. -- Cheers, Chris F. Broadbent ( KC5VQL )
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 20:09:11 -0500 From: "Jim Zellmer" <zellmer@raccoon.com> Subject: Re: panel finishing (kinda) - ---------- > From: Bob Roehrig <broehrig@admin.aurora.edu> > The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other > words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? Another alternative to the brushed finish, is the little random circlers all over the panel. I have do this with a DA orbital sander like those used in a body shop. Some electric wood sanders also have a random orbital motion similar to the DA. Perfect your technique on some scrap metal before you do your panel. 73 ES GOD BLESS U ES URS JIM ZELLMER, KA0VSL
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 21:33:45 -0400 (EDT) From: EWoodman@aol.com Subject: Beacon On 3579R45? Ok, what's up? It's bad enough that I can't hear anybody tonight but now there's a beacon on the freq!! Anybody hear this guy? Here's what I copy: VA2MD BEACON QTH QUEBEC CITY TX 1W 73 It's running every 20 seconds. I've had it! Pulling the plug. See you guys later. 73 Eric KA1YRV
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 13:42:46 -0700 From: "Frank A. West" <ke6vhm@earthlink.net> Subject: Re: panel finishing (kinda) I have taken a dowel of 3/8" diameter, chucked into a drill press with a slit in the bottom end. Pressed onto a piece of Steel wool and spun the wool around the dowel fastening it with a piece of tape to the dowel. Then put the plate under said assembly and it does fine jeweling on the face. You simply start in one corner with the press on and bring the wool in contact with the aluminum for a second and lift it to move the plate. With a rest against the back of the plate you simply slide the plate one half of the diameter to the side and do it again. When you get to the end of the piece, reposition the rest so you are one half of the diameter back and start a new row. Sounds a little tedious (). But in a little time you will have a very nice finish. This can be done on thick as well as very thin aluminum. TTFN 73 Frank KE6VHM Grid Square DM13 CW Forever - ---------- > From: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu > To: Bob Roehrig <broehrig@admin.aurora.edu> > Cc: rdkeys@csemail.cropsci.ncsu.edu; glowbugs@www.atl.org > Subject: Re: panel finishing (kinda) > Date: Thursday, October 23, 1997 7:13 AM > > > I am trying to finish my "new" Hartley rig and am working on the front > > panel. I am using a piece of aluminum and don't want to paint it, > > however, it has some scratches on it and so doesn't look that great. > > > > The question is, how does one make a kind of brushed finish? In other > > words, make thousands of scratches so the whole thing looks uniform? > > I have had good luck with plain old steel wool and copious elbow grease. > Crude, but it works to give a silky satin finish to the panel. > > That works well on plain black acrylic to mimic bakelite. > > As a thought, if you have a wooden block (round maybe 3 inches in diameter > or so) that you can glue a piece of steel wool onto, then you can engine > turn the panel. A plain wire brush and a drill press works, too. A hand > drill will work if you are patient. > > The more precise you can turn the circles, the better it looks. > > Bob/NA4G >
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 23:25:45 -0700 From: Glenn Finerman <glennfin@mjet.com> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity --- minireport Hello Glowbuggers, I'm back after getting settled in my new job and such, I'm ready to "bang the brass" again. I'm a bit stubborn about getting on with my sandy state rig (need to restore a few hollow state rigs laying around) I heard Bob calling CQ last night (Wed.) but the static was real bad! In a few weeks I'll start my 75A-4 restoration project, finish the 2NT, then I can join the group with pride!, (not sandy state shame!) I may break down and join the group one night to break-in my new callsign K2CAT...........!!! (old call N2BJG) Oh, by the way... My new antenna is a 80 meter inverted vee up 60ft, fed with 450 ohm ladder line!!! and would have to say so far it has been the best performing antenna I have ever built!!. Even works well on 160. Using a homebrew T match tuner inspired by an article in Electric Radio about baluns. Using it on all bands except 10 meters. At 10:37 AM 10/23/97 -0400, you wrote: >> Anyone have any luck last night? Started listening at around 0000Z but the >> static crashes were pretty bad up here. At about 0120Z heard NA4G calling CQ >> BA a bit below 3579R45. I could just barely pick it out between the crashes. > >I will be there again, as I can, and over the weekend, too. Ol' Grandma >Hartley is doin' her best to burn a few holes in the ether..... > >73/ZUT DE NA4G/Bob UP > > 73.............Glenn K2CAT glennfin@mjet.com
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 23:28:33 -0700 From: Glenn Finerman <glennfin@mjet.com> Subject: Re: Wednesday Night Activity --- minireport Hello Glowbuggers, I'm back after getting settled in my new job and such, I'm ready to "bang the brass" again. I'm a bit stubborn about getting on with my sandy state rig (need to restore a few hollow state rigs laying around) I heard Bob calling CQ last night (Wed.) but the static was real bad! In a few weeks I'll start my 75A-4 restoration project, finish the 2NT, then I can join the group with pride!, (not sandy state shame!) I may break down and join the group one night to break-in my new callsign K2CAT...........!!! (old call N2BJG) Oh, by the way... My new antenna is a 80 meter inverted vee up 60ft, fed with 450 ohm ladder line!!! and would have to say so far it has been the best performing antenna I have ever built!!. Even works well on 160. Using a homebrew T match tuner inspired by an article in Electric Radio about baluns. Using it on all bands except 10 meters. At 10:37 AM 10/23/97 -0400, you wrote: >> Anyone have any luck last night? Started listening at around 0000Z but the >> static crashes were pretty bad up here. At about 0120Z heard NA4G calling CQ >> BA a bit below 3579R45. I could just barely pick it out between the crashes. > >I will be there again, as I can, and over the weekend, too. Ol' Grandma >Hartley is doin' her best to burn a few holes in the ether..... > >73/ZUT DE NA4G/Bob UP > > 73.............Glenn K2CAT glennfin@mjet.com
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 03:44:14 +0000 From: Sandy W5TVW <ebjr@worldnet.att.net> Subject: 80 meter beacon!?? Someone sent this tonight: __________________snip____________________ Ok, what's up? It's bad enough that I can't hear anybody tonight but now there's a beacon on the freq!! Anybody hear this guy? Here's what I copy: VA2MD BEACON QTH QUEBEC CITY TX 1W 73 It's running every 20 seconds. I've had it! Pulling the plug. See you guys later. ____________________snip_________________________ I can't imagine WHY anyone would want a beacon on 80 meters! Especially on the burst frequency! This takes gross stupidity or ignorance. Is there an "OO" out there who can advise this guy that he's going to cause a lot of QRM this winter? 73, E. V. Sandy Blaize, W5TVW "Boat Anchors collected, restored, repaired, traded and used!" 417 Ridgewood Drive Metairie, LA., 70001 **860 Hartley 'ECO' under construction****
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 01:22:18 -0400 (EDT) From: leeboo@ct.net (Leon Wiltsey) Subject: stumped need help bad Hi Gang: Boy to I hate to admit this. Here I am a comm eng for 25 years and I can not get the trans section of a 3 tube trans going. I really think the problem lies in the pi network of the final tube. The reason for this conclusion is on receive the tune control has no effect whatsoever on sig strength. feeding a sig into the ant and comparing output with same sig fed to point after the pi network, gives me more output then when I rub the sig in the front end. The pi net does not seem to be tunenable to the input freq. I figure if it will not tune to a sig coming in it will not tune to sig going out. Have checked all the caps for correct value and found nothing bad. Trans was working ok and just quit flat the other night. The rec works ok with the exception of the tuning control having no effect on incoming sig output strength. Anybody got any ideas? I seem to have hit a blank wall, and feel that when the output network goes back to effecting incoming sig strenght it will also load up on transmit. Thank the good LORD for all that you have!!! 67yr old semi disabled senior trying to get code speed to 13wpm (stroke got my eyesight, balance & coordination) SO ONLY BA'S NO SOLID STATE Leon (lee) Wiltsey 4600 Lake Haven blvd Sebring fl. 33872 KF4RCL TECK+
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 09:49:19 +0200 From: Jan Axing <janax@pctest.fujitsu.se> Subject: Re: Beacon On 3579R45? owner-glowbugs@www.atl.org (not really, blame my server!) wrote: > > Ok, what's up? It's bad enough that I can't hear anybody tonight but now > there's a beacon on the freq!! Anybody hear this guy? Here's what I copy: > > VA2MD BEACON QTH QUEBEC CITY TX 1W 73 > > It's running every 20 seconds. I've had it! Pulling the plug. See you guys > later. > > 73 Eric KA1YRV [I don't want to start a long thread on this one so let's make it short.] Oh, no! Not another one... Here in EU a German beacon is harassing the 3579R545 QRG since long. The color burst QRG is useless in the evenings here thanks to this silly beacon. Sandy: > I can't imagine WHY anyone would want a beacon on 80 meters! Especially > on the burst frequency! This takes gross stupidity or ignorance. I agree. There are enough commercial stations on the band here which, while annoying, may serve as beacons for those who think they need it. I'm feeling sorry for you over there since you had the QRG established already. There is no GB QRG in EU yet, I have yet to find a peer here. By the way, are there any other European glowenbuggers on the list or am I still alone? Greetings, Jan, SM5GNN
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 06:30:34 -0500 (GMT-0500) From: L & M <toneri@ils.net> Subject: Re: Beacon On 3579R45? At 09:33 PM 10/23/97 -0400, EWoodman@aol.com wrote: >Ok, what's up? It's bad enough that I can't hear anybody tonight but now >there's a beacon on the freq!! Anybody hear this guy? Here's what I copy: > >VA2MD BEACON QTH QUEBEC CITY TX 1W 73 > >It's running every 20 seconds. I've had it! Pulling the plug. See you guys >later. > >73 Eric KA1YRV > That beacon has be bugging me for the past 3 months also. Some nights it's S9+ for hours on end. Maybe we should write him a letter and ask him to move freq. 73...Mike VE3FGU ********************************************************** Mike & Lynda Toneri E-mail: toneri@ils.net Keswick, Ontario WEBPAGE: http://www.geocities.com/heartland/meadows/8218 ***********************************************************
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