20040103.qrp v03_n154.qrl.20040103 Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 19:03:12 EST From: qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: QRP-L digest 3154 QRP-L Digest 3154 Topics covered in this issue include: 1) [164334] Pixie info by KEN BROWN 2) [164335] Online Event Calendar by "Thom R. Lacosta" 3) [164336] FS: HW-8 for $125 - shipped. by 4) [164337] OT: Need FT-990 info. by "Michael Melland, W9WIS" 5) [164338] 3D Nuts by "John J. McDonough" 6) [164339] Tubes? by Karl Larsen 7) [164340] 3.564 calling CQ by "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" 8) [164341] Re: ARC-5 by 9) [164342] Michigan Net on 3.663 by "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" 10) [164343] RE: ARC-5 by Adam Farson 11) [164344] Re: Tubes? by "Larry Roohr" 12) [164345] Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by Mike B 13) [164346] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "Leon Heller" 14) [164347] Re: Tubes? by "George, W5YR" 15) [164348] Re: ARC-5 by "Bill Smith" 16) [164349] Re: Minnesota QRP Society January Meeting by applitech@mcg.net (Claton Cadmus) 17) [164350] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "Bill Smith" 18) [164351] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "JBCrafts" 19) [164352] Re: ARC-5 by Tim Pettibone 20) [164353] bencher adjustment tool info needed by Gary Lee 21) [164354] Re: Tubes? (Rebuttal) by "Don Foster" 22) [164355] RE: bencher adjustment tool info needed by "Augie Hansen" 23) [164356] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed by "Sam Binkley" 24) [164357] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed by 25) [164358] tubes.... arc 5 tube , cllicks and qrp freq by Joel M Denison 26) [164359] Tubes/Boat Anchors and a word of Caution by Bob KB2FEL 27) [164360] sidekick layout by "Royce" 28) [164361] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "John J. McDonough" 29) [164362] Sewing Toroid Windings by "Robert Cerreto" 30) [164363] Re: Tubes? by John Sielke 31) [164364] Re: ARC-5 by "W. K. Harding" 32) [164365] Reminder: Sunday Morning SSB/CW QRP Net by "Ken La Rose" 33) [164366] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed by James R Giammanco 34) [164367] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" 35) [164368] Atomic Keyer Instructions by David E Kreinberg 36) [164369] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by Alex 37) [164370] Homebrewed Test Equipment by "Robert Cerreto" 38) [164371] RE: Homebrewed Test Equipment by "Howard Rubin" 39) [164372] Field Test by "Brent Sutphin WB4X" 40) [164373] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by "sslyon" 41) [164374] Trade FT-817 for K1 by "NZ8J" 42) [164375] RE: Field Test(what frequency) by "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" 43) [164376] bencher adjustment -- thank you by Gary Lee 44) [164377] RE: Homebrewed Test Equipment by "Robert Cerreto" 45) [164378] B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... by 46) [164379] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by Tom Sevart 47) [164380] Re: Found: great db pads product by "James Reid" 48) [164381] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed by Tom Sevart 49) [164382] Re: Homebrewed Test Equipment by N0tk@aol.com 50) [164383] Re: Tubes? by Tom Sevart 51) [164384] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed by Bob Nielsen 52) [164385] Fw: Re: Tubes? by w5xe@juno.com 53) [164386] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed by Steven Weber 54) [164387] Paddles no. 240 by "Thomas Lewis" 55) [164388] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... by "PHILIP DECAIRE" 56) [164389] Miniature Potentiometers with 1/8" shafts by "Jim Sheldon" 57) [164390] FS: DSW-II 20 meter by Mike B 58) [164391] Antenna Tuner & Rigs by "Paul Mackanos" 59) [164392] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs by "Lee Hopper" 60) [164393] Feild Test a Success by "Brent Sutphin WB4X" 61) [164394] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... by "Lee Hopper" 62) [164395] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... by Stephen Wandling 63) [164396] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs by Chuck Carpenter 64) [164397] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs by "John" 65) [164398] New NiCads for my KX1 by W0rw@aol.com 66) [164399] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and by Steven Weber 67) [164400] WTB by Ed 68) [164401] Re: Trade FT-817 for K1 **** MADE A TRADE**** by "NZ8J" 69) [164402] SWAP by "john gabbard" 70) [164403] OT: Excellent Test Equipment For Sale by "Michael Melland, W9WIS" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 16:33:37 PST From: KEN BROWN To: qrp-l@Lehigh.edu Subject: [164334] Pixie info Message-ID: <20040103.193005.2191.1.QRPers@juno.com> Output filter for WE6W Contest Pixie, p. 38 of QRPp Journal This is one inductor and two capacitors in a PI Filter network. It has been suggested the inductor be slug-tuned for adjustment. Both filter caps are the same. Data is for CW operation. > 160m = 4.4 uH, .00176 uF > 80M = 2.23 uH, 894 pF > 40m = 1.5 uH 470 pF > 30m = .79 uH, 315 pF > 20M = .57 uH, 226 pF > 17m = .44 uH, 176 pF > 15m = .38 uH, 151 pF > 12m = .32 uH, 127 pF > 10m = .28 uH, 113 pF > 6M = .16 uH, 64 pF The following is a saved text file. From: "Robert C. Mazur" Date: Sat, 25 Sep 1999 12:42:33 -0400 Subject: Re: Pixie 40m pi-filter values G'day Charles, The Pixie Pi-filter for 40m should be 470 pf caps for input and output values with a 1.2 uH inductor. The W1FB mod uses 390 pf and 560 pf for input and output values and I believe dropped the inductance down to around 1.0 uH or so. But, my textbooks all use 470 pf caps, so I'll stick with the books. 72/3 Bob, VA3ROM ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 19:37:32 -0500 (EST) From: "Thom R. Lacosta" To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164335] Online Event Calendar Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I've installed an online calendar for Amateur Readio related events at www.zerobeat.net Please feel free to use the calendar to obtain exposure for your meetings, swap fests, and on-air events. 73 Thom http://www.baltimorehon.com/ Home of the Baltimore Lexicon http://www.tlchost.net/ Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 20:06:07 -0500 From: To: Cc: Subject: [164336] FS: HW-8 for $125 - shipped. Message-ID: <20040103010607.UNOA19436.tomts19-srv.bellnexxia.net@smtp.bellnexxia.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hey Gang; I have a Heathkit HW-8, 4 band (80-40-20-15) QRP CW transceiver, ideal fo= r new/young Hams getting into QRP, for sale. The unit works well and is in good shape with only a few scratches on the= front. However, this is a useable workhorse unit =96 not a pristine unmo= dified collectable. There are a bunch of mods =96 documented in the suppl= ied original manual, which improve the performance and convenience of the= rig. These include forward/reverse SWR bridge (switch on front panel), U= HF connector, coaxial power socket, internal S-meter in RX, additional ke= y and headphone jacks, freq. counter output, speaker mounted in rear pane= l, different PA transistor for improved output. I=92ll also include Mike Bryce=92s newest Hot Water Handbook, which docum= ents most of the available modifications, tuning ideas, and other info fo= r the HW-8. The price is $125, including UPS shipping to CONUS. = Canadians, or others, contact me to negotiate other shipping! If interested, contact me. 73 Mike VE3EQP/W4 Cocoa Beach FL 32931 (321) 868-1705 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 19:33:02 -0800 From: "Michael Melland, W9WIS" To: Subject: [164337] OT: Need FT-990 info. Message-ID: <002e01c3d1aa$4e35cca0$0300a8c0@charter.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Pardon the off topic post but I'm looking for some quick info and figured someone here would know... Tomorrow I'm headed to the Waukesha hamfest to try to dispose of some ham gear for a widow. I promised her OM, a fellow ham that lived near me who was dying of cancer, that I'd try to sell off the major items and dispose of the rest for his xyl after he became a SK. One of the items is a FT-990 transceiver. I pulled the cover and there appears to be only one IF filter on board. Can anyone tell me just what the factory load of filters was ? There are buttons for 250, 500. 2.0 and 2.4 but only the 2.4 can be selected. From what I spied on the net the radio should have come with at least 2 or more stock filters. I suspect the owner may have removed them thinking he could use them in a ew radio ( interestingly as it turns out his new rig, which I'm also selling was a FT-920 and uses different filters) Mike, W9WIS -- Michael Melland, W9WIS Winneconne, WI USA http://webpages.charter.net/w9wis ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 20:50:55 -0500 From: "John J. McDonough" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164338] 3D Nuts Message-ID: <01ef01c3d19c$078b0300$080044c0@BrianBoru> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Does anyone know of a source for those cute little 3D nuts that Electraft uses in the K1? 72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 19:09:44 -0700 (MST) From: Karl Larsen To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164339] Tubes? Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP frequencies with tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP operators who got their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. It had serious chirp, clicks and as one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. Another had an ARC-5 receiver which is also not much of a receiver. The tubes and capacitors and coils are 60 years old! I had a MFJ straight key and that was plugged into my FT-817. I was pushed around on and near 7.040 by QRO stations with lousy signals. It was easy to tell a Harvey Wells Bandmaster, usual clicks and drift. Instead of firing up my 100 watt Kenwood TS-50 on 7040 I sat back and recalled 1950 when I was first licenesed. WN6FXF was in High School and had purchased a home built transmitter that ran 200 watts and was crystal control. You had to be crystal control as a Novice then. My receiver was a National NC-100. Nice looking radio but it had terrible specs. I boomed around for a month on the Novice band and made many good contacts. People tuned around then. Then I got my General and the transmitter drove a pair of 250TH tubes to 1,000 watts. No TVI. No TV sets for miles. My rig sounded pretty good. A lot of hams in Las Angeles said it was clean. But my mobile rig, an AF67 was not. I had a Gonset converter into the 1941 Ford radio. I discovered AM voice and I over modulated all the time. I didn't understand. I got a letter from the draft board. Later I went to college and took my Phd in Electrical Engineering. I know understood you don't want to overmodulate. Transistors are out but no high power things in sight. Ham gear is still tube. I bought a Drake 2B to go with my DX-100 with a SSB slicer. I was on ssb and had my first job with Hughes AC. I discovered that my education was valuable and I was making over $10,000/yr when that was good money. Bought a new 1957 Corvete for $3700 which had a 5 speed manual and way too much power. As transistors became available I built a receiver that was 100 percent transistor. Not as good as 2n4 of today, but similar with a crystal filter that was real narrow, It never worked on 10 meters. Then the nice rigs that were all transistor except for the transmitter final amplifier(s). I had one and hauled it all over the world. Then came the Kenwood TS-50. I still have 2 of them and one lives in the Dodge Durango hooked to a screwdriver antenna and the other is front and center in the hamshack. I have owned both for over 10 years. Why ANYONE wants to fight the darn tube rigs in 2004 is beyond me! If you want to go back in time borrow my book written in 1912 by a Harvard Prof. He explains in detail how to make a coheror receiver and the transmitter is run from raw 60 Hz power, a big spark-gap rig. Back then guys were getting 2-300 miles. That started the Relay League. I didn't like all those powerful old tube radios on SKN 2004. -- - Karl Larsen k5di Las Cruces,NM Az ScQRPions - ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 21:29:00 -0500 From: "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" To: "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" , Subject: [164340] 3.564 calling CQ Message-ID: <001901c3d1a1$59521fc0$2604d3d8@flesnick> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It is 0227z on Jan 3 2004(z).. I am on 3.564 calling CQ at 500mw..Anyone around to come out and play. Will listen and call for a while.... Fred VE3FAL Thunder Bay,Ontario ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 21:40:10 -0500 From: To: k5kw@azalea.net, "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164341] Re: ARC-5 Message-ID: <20040103024013.SBTQ3905.fed1mtao04.cox.net@smtp.west.cox.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Is there an ARC-5 reflector? I have several back in the bowels of the basement. Just might be a blast to bring one of them back into operation. Cheers KXBill_w7kxb_> > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 22:23:49 -0500 From: "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" To: "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" Subject: [164342] Michigan Net on 3.663 Message-ID: <002c01c3d1a9$09c13100$2604d3d8@flesnick> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Well John, I tried to check in, even cranked the power to 5 watts. Nice signals from W8YIQ(NCS) and WB8RFB and N8UN.. That was all the QNI's for the net tonight, but little ol' me tried hard. Maybe I should have fired up my old DX60B and chirped into the net... Or maybe the Comanche/Cheyenne twins...Well maybe next time, Fred VE3FAL ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 19:33:39 -0800 From: Adam Farson To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164343] RE: ARC-5 Message-ID: MIME-version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Hi Bill, Putting a stock, unmodified ARC-5 transmitter on the air with today's regulatory standards and band conditions is not such a great idea. The same is true of the old BC-375, BC-191 and RAF T1154 transmitters; like the ARC-5, they are MOPA (master oscillator/power amplifier) configurations. Shortly after I was first licensed in South Africa in 1962, I tried operating a stock ARC-5 transmitter on 40m CW, but could never conquer the key-clicks and chirp of the MOPA design. (Another friend alleviated that problem by regulating the 1626 M.O. and the PA screen supply using an 0D3 tube). Not wishing to attract the interest of the Post Office Radio Inspector, I did not pursue the MOPA track any further. The fundamental problem of any MOPA transmitter using a free-running VFO driving the PA directly is that there is no buffer stage between the VFO and the PA. Keying or modulating the PA causes instantaneous changes in the load impedance presented to the oscillator by the PA input circuit. These changes "pull" the VFO, causing chirp and key-clicks on CW and incidental FM in AM phone operation. These unwanted emissions will be sufficiently severe to put the operator in breach of radio regulations. I almost found this out the hard way in ZS-land. I am sure that the reaction of the FCC and Industry Canada will be similar. Cheers for now, 73, Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ ex: ZS1ZG, ZS6XT ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 20:51:30 -0700 From: "Larry Roohr" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164344] Re: Tubes? Message-ID: <002001c3d1ac$e0ba6d40$6800a8c0@peanut> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I guess some of us didnt get enough of the good ol' days. I worked as an engineering tech in the late 70's/early 80's and fell in love with analog design. Went to school nights for 8 years to get my bsee, when I graduated (86 I think) I got to design a spindle motor servo for a disk drive, and then two bipolar semicustom IC's. Then it was no more. For the last 20 years I've integrated read/write ''subsystem on a chip's" into disk drive designs, it has it's challenges to say the least but it's not the analog discrete design I fell in love with as a young man. Could've stayed with the ic design but it's not where my path led. So I like messing with ol' tube boatanchors, the uglier the better. Chirps are like art.... Like the brush marks in a painting, the lean in the leaning tower of Pizza, the creaky noises in a wooden ship, the oil dripping out of an old Harley, ahhh, I could go on but I'll spare you. And qrp homebrew is cool too. Thanks Karl, I allways enjoy your writing/rants . Larry, kz0e ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karl Larsen" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 7:09 PM Subject: Tubes? > > I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP frequencies with > tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP operators who got > their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. It had serious chirp, clicks and as > one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. Another had an ARC-5 > receiver which is also not much of a receiver. The tubes and capacitors > and coils are 60 years old! > > I had a MFJ straight key and that was plugged into my FT-817. I > was pushed around on and near 7.040 by QRO stations with lousy signals. > It was easy to tell a Harvey Wells Bandmaster, usual clicks and drift. > > Instead of firing up my 100 watt Kenwood TS-50 on 7040 I sat > back and recalled 1950 when I was first licenesed. WN6FXF was in High > School and had purchased a home built transmitter that ran 200 watts and > was crystal control. You had to be crystal control as a Novice then. My > receiver was a National NC-100. Nice looking radio but it had terrible > specs. I boomed around for a month on the Novice band and made many good > contacts. People tuned around then. > > Then I got my General and the transmitter drove a pair of 250TH > tubes to 1,000 watts. No TVI. No TV sets for miles. My rig sounded > pretty good. A lot of hams in Las Angeles said it was clean. But my > mobile rig, an AF67 was not. I had a Gonset converter into the 1941 Ford > radio. I discovered AM voice and I over modulated all the time. I didn't > understand. > > I got a letter from the draft board. > > Later I went to college and took my Phd in Electrical > Engineering. I know understood you don't want to overmodulate. > Transistors are out but no high power things in sight. Ham gear is still > tube. I bought a Drake 2B to go with my DX-100 with a SSB slicer. I was > on ssb and had my first job with Hughes AC. I discovered that my > education was valuable and I was making over $10,000/yr when that was > good money. Bought a new 1957 Corvete for $3700 which had a 5 speed > manual and way too much power. > > As transistors became available I built a receiver that was 100 > percent transistor. Not as good as 2n4 of today, but similar with a > crystal filter that was real narrow, It never worked on 10 meters. > > Then the nice rigs that were all transistor except for the > transmitter final amplifier(s). I had one and hauled it all over the > world. > > Then came the Kenwood TS-50. I still have 2 of them and one > lives in the Dodge Durango hooked to a screwdriver antenna and the other > is front and center in the hamshack. I have owned both for over 10 > years. > > Why ANYONE wants to fight the darn tube rigs in 2004 is beyond > me! If you want to go back in time borrow my book written in 1912 by a > Harvard Prof. He explains in detail how to make a coheror receiver and > the transmitter is run from raw 60 Hz power, a big spark-gap rig. Back > then guys were getting 2-300 miles. That started the Relay League. > > I didn't like all those powerful old tube radios on SKN 2004. > > -- > > - Karl Larsen k5di Las Cruces,NM Az ScQRPions - > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 03:56:33 +0000 From: Mike B To: qrp Subject: [164345] Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <200401030356.33943.kw1nd@comcast.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. One end of my antenna (a random wire to start with, but eventually doublet) will be attached at the house, but the other end will be 50 feet up in an oak. Obviously, I'd like to keep it in the tree as long as I can, and would like to let the antenna move less than the tree; i.e. let the tree sway without adding too much additional stress on the wire. I'm already planning on using a marine-grade pulley up in the tree, but am looking for methods of attaching springs or weights to the support line. In the past I've just tied the line off, but in my experience the wire doesn't last too long with that method. -- 73, Mike Boice, KW1ND Karns, TN Behold the power of the penguin ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 04:16:49 +0000 From: "Leon Heller" To: kw1nd@comcast.net, qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU Subject: [164346] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed >From: Mike B >Reply-To: kw1nd@comcast.net >To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" >Subject: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed >Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 03:56:33 +0000 > >Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, >springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. One >end of my antenna (a random wire to start with, but eventually doublet) >will >be attached at the house, but the other end will be 50 feet up in an oak. > >Obviously, I'd like to keep it in the tree as long as I can, and would like >to >let the antenna move less than the tree; i.e. let the tree sway without >adding too much additional stress on the wire. > >I'm already planning on using a marine-grade pulley up in the tree, but am >looking for methods of attaching springs or weights to the support line. >In >the past I've just tied the line off, but in my experience the wire doesn't >last too long with that method. A friend of mine uses those elastic things with hooks for securing objects to car roof racks - made from multiple strands of rubber. 73, Leon -- Leon Heller, G1HSM Tel: +44 1424 423947 Email: aqzf13 at dsl dot pipex dot com WWW: http://www.geocities.com/leon_heller _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself with cool new emoticons http://www.msn.co.uk/specials/myemo ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 22:21:33 -0600 From: "George, W5YR" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164347] Re: Tubes? Message-ID: <01c401c3d1b1$35593080$0401a8c0@PS> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit One night, Karl - just one night . . . 73, George W5YR w5yr@att.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karl Larsen" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 8:09 PM Subject: Tubes? > > I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP frequencies with > tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP operators who got > their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. It had serious chirp, clicks and as > one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. Another had an ARC-5 > receiver which is also not much of a receiver. The tubes and capacitors > and coils are 60 years old! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 20:42:55 -0800 From: "Bill Smith" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164348] Re: ARC-5 Message-ID: <003401c3d1b4$151c4ac0$0200a8c0@HBCO> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Adam I wouldn't advocate putting any poorly adjusted rig on the air. A poorly adjusted DDS rig is just as questionable as a poorly adjusted ARC-5. However, I have also heard a 203 50-watt MOPA single-tube transmitter - built on a varnished wood base with 4" diameter copper-tube coils and high-voltage on the keys. It sounds just as good (little to no chirp, no key clicks) as any other signal. Believe it or not, they are on the bands. Frankly the quality of the old one-tube, 50 watt MOPA transmitter surprised the heck out of me, but it is possible, actually easier to set one up these days with ready avaliablity of regulated power supplies and test equipment. Also have a 1940's Millen Variarm AC/DC resistance line cord VFO, 6C5 feeding a 6L6 that I once used barefoot with an untuned long wire to work a station in Chicago from the West Coast. Has a small variable trimmer capacitor to adjust bias and tune out chirp, and puts out about 5 watts. No crystal, works great. I have great respect for the engineers and technicans of the 1930's and '40's as I also have for those in the present day. Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: Adam Farson To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 7:33 PM Subject: RE: ARC-5 Hi Bill, Putting a stock, unmodified ARC-5 transmitter on the air with today's regulatory standards and band conditions is not such a great idea. The same is true of the old BC-375, BC-191 and RAF T1154 transmitters; like the ARC-5, they are MOPA (master oscillator/power amplifier) configurations. Shortly after I was first licensed in South Africa in 1962, I tried operating a stock ARC-5 transmitter on 40m CW, but could never conquer the key-clicks and chirp of the MOPA design. (Another friend alleviated that problem by regulating the 1626 M.O. and the PA screen supply using an 0D3 tube). Not wishing to attract the interest of the Post Office Radio Inspector, I did not pursue the MOPA track any further. The fundamental problem of any MOPA transmitter using a free-running VFO driving the PA directly is that there is no buffer stage between the VFO and the PA. Keying or modulating the PA causes instantaneous changes in the load impedance presented to the oscillator by the PA input circuit. These changes "pull" the VFO, causing chirp and key-clicks on CW and incidental FM in AM phone operation. These unwanted emissions will be sufficiently severe to put the operator in breach of radio regulations. I almost found this out the hard way in ZS-land. I am sure that the reaction of the FCC and Industry Canada will be similar. Cheers for now, 73, Adam VA7OJ/AB4OJ ex: ZS1ZG, ZS6XT ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 22:47:02 -0600 From: applitech@mcg.net (Claton Cadmus) To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" , mnqrp-l@mailman.qth.net Subject: [164349] Re: Minnesota QRP Society January Meeting Message-ID: <3FF5F4E6.19326.D461597@localhost> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Content-description: Mail message body Oops, I goofed, the meeting time is 1:30pm. Sorry for the confusion! :( 73 de Cla KA0GKC ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 20:48:58 -0800 From: "Bill Smith" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164350] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <004001c3d1b4$e94900e0$0200a8c0@HBCO> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I understand the way to attach an antenna to a tree is to use a pulley in the tree, and then attach a series of weights to the end of the support rope to provide enough tension to hold up the antenna. The weights (window counterweights are suggested) are mounted inside a plastic pipe. The pipe is mounted vertically to the ground so the weights can ride freely up and down inside the pipe. If something happens, the weights are contained inside the pipe. Bill ----- Original Message ----- From: Mike B To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 7:56 PM Subject: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. One end of my antenna (a random wire to start with, but eventually doublet) will be attached at the house, but the other end will be 50 feet up in an oak. Obviously, I'd like to keep it in the tree as long as I can, and would like to let the antenna move less than the tree; i.e. let the tree sway without adding too much additional stress on the wire. I'm already planning on using a marine-grade pulley up in the tree, but am looking for methods of attaching springs or weights to the support line. In the past I've just tied the line off, but in my experience the wire doesn't last too long with that method. -- 73, Mike Boice, KW1ND Karns, TN Behold the power of the penguin ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 00:06:40 -0500 From: "JBCrafts" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164351] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. depends... we used the only thing we could find to install a friends stealth antenna... a beer can full of rocks. oo Bob K8YS ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 23:09:46 -0600 From: Tim Pettibone To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164352] Re: ARC-5 Message-ID: <5.1.0.14.0.20040102225941.00b16890@pop.central.cox.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Golly, my first rig was an ARC-5 with "matching" 80m receiver (453 or something like that). I bought it in 1954 from a young ham friend in Seattle whose father (a jet airline pilot and ham) had converted it and included a buffer stage in the transmitter and a mercury vapor regulator tube on the power supply. No clicks, no drift, solid as a rock. Used it with an 80m folded dipole and no tuner.. Wish I still had that rig. Used it until about 1960. Don't remember what happened to it after that. But I also don't remember what happened to the Heathkit AT-1, Knight Kit xmtr, Hallicrafters S40B, S38C, or a score or more of homebuilt rigs, etc. Sometimes forgetting is a blessing! Happy new year!! Tim K5OI Stillwater, OK ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 23:24:03 -0500 From: Gary Lee To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164353] bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <5.2.0.9.2.20040102224702.009f64a0@pop.ameritech.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, they need some adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are allen heads. Can anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? Please be specific, my girlfriend tries, but is not mechanical, and the folks at lowe's generally can't help if you don't tell them just what's written on the package. This can be a problem since I can't see the labels hi hi. Thanks for the information and 73. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 23:16:19 -0600 From: "Don Foster" To: Subject: [164354] Re: Tubes? (Rebuttal) Message-ID: <004201c3d1b8$bf796ee0$35daab41@21byq> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit ----- Original Message ----- From: "Karl Larsen" > I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP frequencies with tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP operators who got their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. > Gang, It is quite obvious that Karl was referring to me for the most part. I'm truly sorry he was put off by those of us who like to keep the old gear running and exercise it once in a great while. He is certainly entitled to his opinion. I respect that and I usually do not respond to such remarks, especially publically. After all, they are usually just an opinion. But Karl's remarks didn't just hit close to home, they mostly missed the mark. I am responding in this case to set the record straight regarding my own ARC-5 operation during SKN. Karl stated that the ARC-5 got on the "QRP frequencies?" Excuse me? I wasn't aware that there are any set aside for QRP. As I understand it, it's simply a gentlemen's agreement that 7040 is a "QRP Calling Frequency." That, too, I respect. For the record, I monitored my ARC5 transmitter continuously on my Ten Tec Omni VI Plus throughout the SKN operation. At no time did the Omni indicate my frequency to be below 7042 kHz, and I only moved that low in the band so I could (and did) work a number of my QRP friends. Most of the time I operated much higher in the band than that. If it is confirmed by others that I was on 7040, I will send the Omni back to Ten Tec for realignment. I did joke with one operator that if I drifted down to the QRP calling frequency I would "QRP to 5 watts and keep on truckin'." My tongue was planted firmly in my fist; it was a joke and my acknowledgement that ARC-5 transmitters do drift. If Karl is right about my drift, and I had gotten on 7040, I wouldn't have been on 7040 very long anyway. Nevertheless, I did keep tabs on my ARC-5's frequency. < It had serious chirp, clicks and as one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. > Did Karl call me on the air and tell me I had clicks? No. I usually hear New Mexico QRP stations pretty well on 40 meters here in the neighboring state of Oklahoma, even on a 60 year old receiver. Can't separate 'em very well from the QRM at times with it, though. For the record, my key clicks occurred for only a few minutes during just one QSO, out of a total of 31, when I tested placing a capacitor across the key to lessen contact arcing. Another station told me I had clicks, and I removed the capacitor immediately. There were no other reports of clicks the rest of the evening or the entire next day. As for not working "right" under 35 watts, that is not what I said. What I did say was that it seemed to sound best at about 30 watts. It worked "right", considering its design. < Another had an ARC-5 receiver which is also not much of a receiver. The tubes and capacitors and coils are 60 years old! > Again, sounds like Karl was referring to me and remarks I made about the ARC-5 receiver that I was also using. My referenced comments were not made in a short transmission. Gosh, if I sounded so bad, why he listen so long? > Later I went to college and took my Phd in Electrical > Engineering. > Karl is obviously a well educated man and proud of it, as he should be. I just hope he will consider that not all of us are engineers, and we just do our best. And some of us who enjoy QRP also have broader interests in the hobby and its equipment than just transistorized QRP operations. Those of us who put "boat anchor" type rigs on the air on SKN did so as an adjunct to the fun we also have with QRP. And you know something, I've also heard transistorized QRP rigs drift and chirp. I'm sure most of us tried to make the old rigs sound as good as possible on SKN. And, gosh, for most of us it was probably for only part of 24 out of the 8,760 hours in a year. My postings and operation have apparently stirred a wave of nostalgia among a lot of the older operators who were around when the ARC-5 gear was, to use an archaic phrase, "the cat's meow." I've gotten numerous requests for pictures of my SKN ARC-5 setup accompanied by some very interesting and enjoyable personal accounts. And from some who long to locate and place an ARC-5 station on the air. (horrors!) Frankly, Karl's remarks sort of reminded me of the attitude of "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas". You know, even the Grinch came around and had a change of heart. I hope Karl will too. Please, let's don't start another thread about this.If you are compelled to respond, one way or the other, please do so to me direct. The recent SKN clatter, for better or for worse, is behind us and it's a new year. What say we just get back to operating and sharing the fun of QRP. All the best in '04. Don, K5KW Fort Gibson, Oklahma ransistors are out but no high power things in sight. Ham gear is still > tube. I bought a Drake 2B to go with my DX-100 with a SSB slicer. I was > on ssb and had my first job with Hughes AC. I discovered that my > education was valuable and I was making over $10,000/yr when that was > good money. Bought a new 1957 Corvete for $3700 which had a 5 speed > manual and way too much power. > > As transistors became available I built a receiver that was 100 > percent transistor. Not as good as 2n4 of today, but similar with a > crystal filter that was real narrow, It never worked on 10 meters. > > Then the nice rigs that were all transistor except for the > transmitter final amplifier(s). I had one and hauled it all over the > world. > > Then came the Kenwood TS-50. I still have 2 of them and one > lives in the Dodge Durango hooked to a screwdriver antenna and the other > is front and center in the hamshack. I have owned both for over 10 > years. > > Why ANYONE wants to fight the darn tube rigs in 2004 is beyond > me! If you want to go back in time borrow my book written in 1912 by a > Harvard Prof. He explains in detail how to make a coheror receiver and > the transmitter is run from raw 60 Hz power, a big spark-gap rig. Back > then guys were getting 2-300 miles. That started the Relay League. > > I didn't like all those powerful old tube radios on SKN 2004. > > -- > > - Karl Larsen k5di Las Cruces,NM Az ScQRPions - > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 22:46:15 -0700 From: "Augie Hansen" To: , "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" Subject: [164355] RE: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <200401030546.i035kWfj009118@rain.CC.Lehigh.EDU> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gary, > I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, they need some > adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are allen heads. Can > anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? Did you turn the paddle over and look at the bottom? There should be an allen wrench tucked into a clip just for this purpose. If not (some Bencher paddles don't have one) you need a 3/32 allen wrench. They're available a Sears and most hardware stores. Gus Hansen / KB0YH Email: KB0YH@arrl.net ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 23:49:10 -0600 From: "Sam Binkley" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164356] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <090301c3d1bd$4f6689d0$a67fe344@DHT81T11> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gary, First, are you sure the one that came with the paddle isn't in it's holder on the bottom? If not, you might as well get a complete set. They are not expensive and are available at a home center like Lowe's, Wal-Mart, any auto parts store, etc. You will want an "inch" set (as opposed to metric). The correct size for the individual allen is 3/32". 73, Sam, KL7V/5 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gary Lee" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 10:24 PM Subject: bencher adjustment tool info needed > I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, they need some > adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are allen heads. Can > anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? > Please be specific, my girlfriend tries, but is not mechanical, and the > folks at lowe's generally can't help if you don't tell them just what's > written on the package. This can be a problem since I can't see the labels > hi hi. > Thanks for the information and 73. > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 00:51:06 -0500 (EST) From: To: Gary Lee Cc: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164357] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Hi, Gary - The size of allen wrench for both the contact screws and their lock screws is 3/32" (three-thirtyseconds) on my Bencher paddles. 72, Rich, WB9LPU On Fri, 2 Jan 2004, Gary Lee wrote: > I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, they need some > adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are allen heads. Can > anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? > Please be specific, my girlfriend tries, but is not mechanical, and the > folks at lowe's generally can't help if you don't tell them just what's > written on the package. This can be a problem since I can't see the labels > hi hi. > Thanks for the information and 73. > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 01:09:09 -0500 From: Joel M Denison To: fpqrp-l@mpna.com, qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU Subject: [164358] tubes.... arc 5 tube , cllicks and qrp freq Message-ID: <20040103.010910.860.0.hamjoel@juno.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit man that what them vfo is all about... get u everywhere on the band... and sometimes meaux... now I keep hearing u guys talk about qrp signals like they is something anemic about them... \ fuss and cuss all u wants however, iffin u got a good antenna u gonna compete with them big guys... at 5 watts....especially on cw or psk if u is weak, in the weeds.... with ur signal... do sumthin... raise the ant, use a different type antenna, increase power to ten or 20 watts till the qrm is down and then reduce back to 5 watt.... lots of us work most any time on any freq with 55 to 59 reports running 5 watts... course we done spent a bit of time and effort on the antenna.... cause it determines what ur 5 watts gonna do... don't got u-self on qro's case.... clean up ur antenna troubles .... and u gonna be suprised how good 5 watts can be....u is licenced for the whole band, some of us ... almost.... use it... yes thair is some skill and luck involved...and both must pass thru the antenna...5 watts is good power when used with a good antenna...and yes sometimes its not enough power and NO.... there is no reason for a qrp signal to be consistantly hard to copy....its in the antenna, the antenna, the antenna... I thanks u and happy new year.... KE1LA Joel Denison Strong, Maine, 04983 Freezin solid up heah ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2004 23:09:02 -0800 (PST) From: Bob KB2FEL To: Low Power Amateur Radio Subject: [164359] Tubes/Boat Anchors and a word of Caution Message-ID: <20040103070902.20075.qmail@web60507.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Hi All, It is nice to see so many who still like the tube rigs and still have the skill it took to operate them. I just wanted to give a word of advice to some of the Newbies or even Oldbies who may not be familiar with the power supplies used in those type or radio's. The power supplies used in some of the older gear can pack a wallop. Many of them have single sided power transformers that offer no isolation from the AC line.. Also many of the power supply caps will be leaky causing AC potential to sit on the chassis and cases of the older rigs. For those of you interested in restoration of the older equipment I would suggest using the one handed rule at all times...(one hand in pocket when troubleshooting) and invest in a good isolation transformer to sit between the rigs supply and the AC line. Also, if you are on a freq and a person using a tube rig happens to drift into your QSO.. Dont get upsest.... Just give him a min and he will keep drifting past or back to his orig freq.. Hi Hi.. 72 Bob KB2FEL/8 __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Protect your identity with Yahoo! Mail AddressGuard http://antispam.yahoo.com/whatsnewfree ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 05:53:47 -0600 From: "Royce" To: "qrp-l reflector" Subject: [164360] sidekick layout Message-ID: <002701c3d1f0$3f6f4980$4d6996d8@ke5tc> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gang, Does someone have a layout for the sidekick using the island cutter? I thought I had a copy but can't find it now that I need it. Royce ke5tc ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:17:44 -0500 From: "John J. McDonough" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Cc: Subject: [164361] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <005001c3d1fb$f9842790$090044c0@BrianBoru> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I had good luck using screen door springs on the ends of the antenna. I didn't go to all the trouble of pulleys - just used heavy rope through the branches, on the theory that it would be a while before a heavy synthetic rope degraded enough to matter. Plus, I didn't want to deal with a cherry picker or something like that, my approach is the old fishing weight, pitched with vigor where I want the antenna. What I found to be the real problem, actually, was the rope - not wear or degradation, but squirrels. My original theory was that nylon would weather best. Well, it might, but the squirrels just loved it. No matter what I put up there, they seemed to think it was good nest material. I finally found that black synthetic (I think it was polypropylene, not so sure now) rope was less appealing to them than light colors. To tell the truth, I didn't like the idea of a dark color because of the weathering, but that doesn't seem to have been a problem. It's only been up for three or four years now, but that's as long as I've ever been able to keep a wire in the sky. We tend to have pretty violent winds in the winter, and this arrangement manages to ride through them. 72/73 de WB8RCR http://www.qsl.net/wb8rcr didileydadidah QRP-L #1446 Code Warriors #35 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike B" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Friday, January 02, 2004 10:56 PM Subject: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed > Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, > springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. One > end of my antenna (a random wire to start with, but eventually doublet) will > be attached at the house, but the other end will be 50 feet up in an oak. > > Obviously, I'd like to keep it in the tree as long as I can, and would like to > let the antenna move less than the tree; i.e. let the tree sway without > adding too much additional stress on the wire. > > I'm already planning on using a marine-grade pulley up in the tree, but am > looking for methods of attaching springs or weights to the support line. In > the past I've just tied the line off, but in my experience the wire doesn't > last too long with that method. > -- > 73, > Mike Boice, KW1ND > Karns, TN > Behold the power of the penguin > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:41:22 -0500 From: "Robert Cerreto" To: Subject: [164362] Sewing Toroid Windings Message-ID: <000001c3d1ff$472b6dc0$c15dab44@clvdoh.adelphia.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Fellow Homebrewers. This hint may be a rediscovery. However, we'll share it anyhow. The next time you are shopping with your XYL in the local craft store, look for a package of Tapestry Needles. These needles are: heavy duty, have large eyes, a blunt end and come in a variety of sizes. I have used them like a sewing needle to run wire through toroid cores. Using these needles I am able to wind toroids faster and more precisely....especially the smaller diameter cores and wire gauges. These needles are a God send for this guy with arthritic hands. Now I can brag about the last rig I sewed together! 72 oo's, Bob WA1FXT ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 08:54:11 -0500 From: John Sielke To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164363] Re: Tubes? Message-ID: <3FF6C983.9070905@pobox.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP frequencies with > tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP operators who got > their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. It had serious chirp, clicks and as > one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. Another had an ARC-5 > receiver which is also not much of a receiver. The tubes and capacitors > and coils are 60 years old! Well, I replaced most of the capacitors in my HT-17 and Harvey Wells Bandmaster, but yes, the rest is around 55+ years old. So am I...so are you! I know I'M not ready for the scrap heap! > > I had a MFJ straight key and that was plugged into my FT-817. I > was pushed around on and near 7.040 by QRO stations with lousy signals. > It was easy to tell a Harvey Wells Bandmaster, usual clicks and drift. Not sure if you heard MY Bandmaster, as you never called. I doubt it, as I used it only on 80M, and had flattering reports on signal quality, as did the HT-17 on 40M > > Instead of firing up my 100 watt Kenwood TS-50 on 7040 I sat > back and recalled 1950 when I was first licenesed. WN6FXF was in High > School and had purchased a home built transmitter that ran 200 watts and > was crystal control. You had to be crystal control as a Novice then. My > receiver was a National NC-100. Nice looking radio but it had terrible > specs. I boomed around for a month on the Novice band and made many good > contacts. People tuned around then. Interesting, I still have and use an NC 101X. Not a bad receiver, if you use it the same as an FT-817, that is, turn the AF up, and the RF Gain down. > > Then I got my General and the transmitter drove a pair of 250TH > tubes to 1,000 watts. No TVI. No TV sets for miles. My rig sounded > pretty good. A lot of hams in Las Angeles said it was clean. But my > mobile rig, an AF67 was not. I had a Gonset converter into the 1941 Ford > radio. I discovered AM voice and I over modulated all the time. I didn't > understand. > > I got a letter from the draft board. > > Later I went to college and took my Phd in Electrical > Engineering. I know understood you don't want to overmodulate. Glad to hear that PHd helped! > Transistors are out but no high power things in sight. Ham gear is still > tube. I bought a Drake 2B to go with my DX-100 with a SSB slicer. I was > on ssb and had my first job with Hughes AC. I discovered that my > education was valuable and I was making over $10,000/yr when that was > good money. Bought a new 1957 Corvete for $3700 which had a 5 speed > manual and way too much power. > > As transistors became available I built a receiver that was 100 > percent transistor. Not as good as 2n4 of today, but similar with a > crystal filter that was real narrow, It never worked on 10 meters. > > Then the nice rigs that were all transistor except for the > transmitter final amplifier(s). I had one and hauled it all over the > world. > > Then came the Kenwood TS-50. I still have 2 of them and one > lives in the Dodge Durango hooked to a screwdriver antenna and the other > is front and center in the hamshack. I have owned both for over 10 > years. Thanks for the Bio. > > Why ANYONE wants to fight the darn tube rigs in 2004 is beyond > me! If you want to go back in time borrow my book written in 1912 by a > Harvard Prof. He explains in detail how to make a coheror receiver and > the transmitter is run from raw 60 Hz power, a big spark-gap rig. Back > then guys were getting 2-300 miles. That started the Relay League. Simple, the Spark Gap is no longer legal. > > I didn't like all those powerful old tube radios on SKN 2004. Well, I didn't think of my "Mighty 25 Watts" as a "powerful old tube radio." Many, MANY of us like the nostalgia of running those old tube radios. There is a "hobby-within-a-hobby" called "Boatanchors" and/or "Glowbugs." Just like there is a hobby-within-a-hobby" called "QRP." In some cases, the two overlap. For most, this just doubles the fun. I have used my old HT-18 VFO/transmitter along with an S53A receiver to work both Foxii on an evening. (A "powerful old tube rig" putting out about 3-4 watts). I REAL fun challenge. > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:08:33 -0500 From: "W. K. Harding" To: "Tim Pettibone" , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164364] Re: ARC-5 Message-ID: <410-2200416314833328@ix.netcom.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII I used that 80m ARC-5 receiver in a mobile setup back in the 50's. The ARC-5 IF frequency is in the AM broadcast band. A single wire from the IF was fed directly to the broadcast band radio in the '49 Chevy so I had the benefit of some AGC and good audio. (The transmitter was a much modified Dumont police radio with a dynamotor power supply and carbon mic. The final was a single 807 plate modulated by a pair of 6L6's.) Bill - K4AHK > From: Tim Pettibone > Subject: Re: ARC-5 > > Golly, my first rig was an ARC-5 with "matching" 80m receiver (453 or > something like that). I bought it in 1954 from a young ham friend in > Seattle whose father (a jet airline pilot and ham) had converted it and > included a buffer stage in the transmitter and a mercury vapor regulator > tube on the power supply. - - - - - - - - - - > > Tim K5OI > Stillwater, OK > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:13:26 -0500 From: "Ken La Rose" To: , "QRP-Canada" Cc: "Tom Hamblin" , "Tom Curtola" , Subject: [164365] Reminder: Sunday Morning SSB/CW QRP Net Message-ID: <000701c3d203$c1e4fb90$b59fc018@D1YQV721> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All! Please join us if you can for another informal weekly QRP gathering on 40m around 7.067MHz, at 9:30 AM local (ET) tomorrow morning. Listen for NCS VE3ELA on lower sideband, or break-in on CW/SSB if you hear a net participant, and they will QSP. All Hams within hearing range are invited to join us. 72, de Ken VE3ELA Midland, ON ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 06:20:58 PST From: James R Giammanco To: qrp-l@Lehigh.edu Subject: [164366] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <20040103.090919.4647.0.n5ib@juno.com> In response to Gary's request, I checked and it's indeed a 3/32" Allen-head screw as others reported. But on a hunch I checked my MFJ "Bencher Clone" and found the 3/32" wrench a loose fit. That one turns out to be metric - 2.5 mm. Now don't ask me why I happen to have a set of metric Allen wrenches ^:)) As an aside - to all you Elmer 160 classmates, and other PIC afficianados - how about interfacing a dial caliper to a PIC for morse readout? That would help lots more of us than just Gary. I have the old style vernier scale calipers and it's getting to be a real challenge to read 72 Jim N5IB On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 23:24:03 -0500 Gary Lee writes: >I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, they need some >adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are allen heads. Can >anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? ________________________________________________________________ The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand! Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER! Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:31:40 -0500 From: "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" To: "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" Subject: [164367] RE: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <007101c3d206$4d702de0$0204d3d8@flesnick> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I too have had my fair share of experience and trouble with wires mounted through tree branches. 9 times out of 10 I use my trusty old fishing rod with a weight to get over that specific branch(being a fly fisherman helps with aim). Once over I will haul a light rope like butchers twine up. Now this twine is very strong and will last some time if you want to leave the antenna for a short period before doing something permanent. What I to found was that the Poplar or Spruce/Pine trees were eating through the ropes, so this year what I did do was change all my ropes to clothes line wire. Taped one end to the existing rope, hauled it over, and away we go.. Much more strength, and will last a while longer. I also use springs at the ends, to give the wire some space to move, rather then being tight all the time. I have dipole up for 160/40/30 and 20 like this now, and all are holding out just fine. Good luck, and good DX in 2004. Fred VE3FAL ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:31:12 -0600 From: David E Kreinberg To: qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU Subject: [164368] Atomic Keyer Instructions Message-ID: <20040103.083113.-863359.3.jmkdek@juno.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit HNY Folks, I have dug out my old 'Atomic Keyer AK-1' made back in the 1997 time frame. It is based on the TICK keyer chip from Embedded Research. I have lost the command instructions, so I am foggy as to how to change the speed, program messages, etc. Can anyone post the basic set of instructions for setting the various commands for the AK-1? TIA and 73, Dave, NR3E nr Dallas, TX ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 09:35:29 -0500 From: Alex To: kw1nd@comcast.net Cc: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164369] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <3FF6D331.E25E5D86@amsat.org> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Mike, I started out exactly like you did with a random wire and that had one end attached to the house and the other end 50 ft up in an oak tree in the back yard. Later I replaced this antenna with an inverted V fed with homebrew ladder line. This antenna is held up with a pulley and weigh system in the center and at both ends. Not the very best, but it seems to hold up just fine during storms. It has only been up for just over a year now, so I can't tell you how well it'll work in the long run. I have documented this project with pictures on my home page: http://www.kr1st.com/hfcoath.htm Hope this helps. 73, --Alex KR1ST http://www.kr1st.com Mike B wrote: > > Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true methods of using pulleys, > springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas supported by trees. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:41:17 -0500 From: "Robert Cerreto" To: Subject: [164370] Homebrewed Test Equipment Message-ID: <000001c3d207$a5c10400$c15dab44@clvdoh.adelphia.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Has anyone out there built the W7ZOI Spectrum Analyzer? I am making some additions/modifications to mine and would like to some share thoughts. I would like to meet some others who have built their own test equipment. I am not a PHD at this stuff. Building this project (and using this project) has taught me a great deal. You don't have to be an engineer to build from scratch guys. It just takes time and patience....and the willingness to make a mistake. Some of my QRO/operate from the box friends say I am pretty good at this stuff. All I know is; With every mistake I make, I learn so much stuff. The project doesn't have to be this complicated to promote the sense of satisfaction. Build something, make it work, learn something new. Then share your knowledge by passing the knowledge on to others. It is sooooo satisfying. 72 oo's, Bob WA1FXT ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:57:44 -0500 From: "Howard Rubin" To: Cc: Subject: [164371] RE: Homebrewed Test Equipment Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bob, Sounds like a great idea. Is there a 'site or group that focuses on this, much like the QRP list does low power amateur? Howard N3FEL -----Original Message----- From: owner-qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU [mailto:owner-qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU]On Behalf Of Robert Cerreto Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 9:41 AM To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: Homebrewed Test Equipment Has anyone out there built the W7ZOI Spectrum Analyzer? I am making some additions/modifications to mine and would like to some share thoughts. I would like to meet some others who have built their own test equipment. I am not a PHD at this stuff. Building this project (and using this project) has taught me a great deal. You don't have to be an engineer to build from scratch guys. It just takes time and patience....and the willingness to make a mistake. Some of my QRO/operate from the box friends say I am pretty good at this stuff. All I know is; With every mistake I make, I learn so much stuff. The project doesn't have to be this complicated to promote the sense of satisfaction. Build something, make it work, learn something new. Then share your knowledge by passing the knowledge on to others. It is sooooo satisfying. 72 oo's, Bob WA1FXT ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 10:35:40 -0500 From: "Brent Sutphin WB4X" To: Subject: [164372] Field Test Message-ID: <000501c3d20f$3e34dca0$9e6d1f18@BandE> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm going to be operating from the field today. Well,really from my back yard. I will be QRP, battery power. I also will be trying out my new antenna, the "RWV" designed by Dave NF0R. I'll be around the QRP calling frequencies with 20 meters as the primary if it is open. Listen for me starting at about 1600Z. 73 Brent WB4X ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 10:45:23 -0500 From: "sslyon" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164373] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <001101c3d210$99d9bfc0$13c8e742@megalink.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit > ..........to attach an antenna to a tree is to use a pulley in the tree, and then attach a series of weights to the end of the support rope to provide enough tension to hold up the antenna. The weights (window counterweights are suggested) are mounted inside a plastic pipe. The pipe is mounted vertically to the ground so the weights can ride freely up and down inside the pipe. <............... This is correct. To clarify, the pulley support line is tied off and separate from the antenna support line which is weighted. The antenna can be lowered by either line. This is a weighty affair tho, with 15lb or more of wt req'd., which means you can't put the system in the topmost branches. To maximize altitude, (and who doesn't?) you may be able to put the support line directly over the topmost branches and achieve a very suitable "natural" strain relief provided by the flexibility of the higher branches. You only have to ensure that the highest crotch the line goes thru is adequate to the task. If sliding weight is your choice, definitely do not use small diameter pulleys. I use the cheap nylon 4" dia. pulleys from Home Depot, (etc.). Drill out the "rivet axel" and replace it with a 1/4" X 1.5" shoulder bolt that will last forever. This is particularly handy with loops since you don't have to re-string all the supports when repair/mod is needed. A much improved weight is made from a length of steel pipe filled with rebar and cement, with an eye bolt at the top. Window weights are hard to "series" and chew out the pvc safety tube. In all cases, flair or chamfer the top of the safety tube, or provide a guide so as not to chafe the line with constant motion. 73 seab aa1my ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 10:50:44 -0500 From: "NZ8J" To: Subject: [164374] Trade FT-817 for K1 Message-ID: <010601c3d211$590e4410$6400a8c0@NZ8J> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, I have an excellent condition FT-817, completely stock with no mods. Works and looks great. It comes with the original box, battery tray, manual, mic, antennas, and strap. Also included is a MAHA MH-FNB-72 9.6 v 1700 mAh nickel metal hydride battery and an external 3.33A switching power supply. I would like to trade this for a K1-4 bander with antenna tuner, internal battery and noise blanker. I just want something simpler and smaller for portable cw operation only. If you'd like to trade please send me details of what you have. Thanks Tim NZ8J ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 10:59:21 -0500 From: "Fred \(VE3FAL\)" To: , "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" Subject: [164375] RE: Field Test(what frequency) Message-ID: <008201c3d212$8dbddb20$0204d3d8@flesnick> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit What frequency????? -----Original Message----- From: owner-qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU [mailto:owner-qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU] On Behalf Of Brent Sutphin WB4X Sent: January 3, 2004 10:36 AM To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: Field Test I'm going to be operating from the field today. Well,really from my back yard. I will be QRP, battery power. I also will be trying out my new antenna, the "RWV" designed by Dave NF0R. I'll be around the QRP calling frequencies with 20 meters as the primary if it is open. Listen for me starting at about 1600Z. 73 Brent WB4X ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 11:22:08 -0500 From: Gary Lee To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164376] bencher adjustment -- thank you Message-ID: <5.2.0.9.2.20040103112058.023d1b80@pop.ameritech.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Thanks to all who replied. Hadn't occurred to me to check underneath. I'll have to be more observant in the future. Thanks again, now to adjust and practice. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:30:54 -0500 From: "Robert Cerreto" To: , "'Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion'" Subject: [164377] RE: Homebrewed Test Equipment Message-ID: <000601c3d216$f59fa620$c15dab44@clvdoh.adelphia.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Howard, I assume you mean building stuff and/or test equipment. If there is a site, I don't know about it. Maybe the guys on the list can help. 72, oo's WA1FXT >>Sounds like a great idea. Is there a 'site or group that focuses on this, much like the QRP list does low power amateur? ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:48:33 -0500 From: To: Subject: [164378] B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... Message-ID: <000701c3d219$6e522b40$5025ad80@f1n5n8> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Suppose , if you would, that, instead of using currently available soundcard PSK output, we could use discrete phase reversal(non-phase-reversal) and carrier amplitude control signals emanating from our favorite PSK software, via a PC port. The big question, of course, is whether PSK software developers would make such signals available to us. We *should* then be able to effect PSK transmissions without the use of 'audio' by manipulating a DDS' phase registers (and its DAC reference or a downstream amplitude-controlled stage). This, no doubt, is not a new idea. Anybody out there in QRP-land doing anything like this? Oh yes..."WHY, Bill"...you ask? Mainly, I suppose, for the same reasons some folks use FSK RTTY transmit instead of AFSK RTTY transmit... 73. Bill, N4QA http://www.n4qa.com0 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:50:56 -0800 (PST) From: Tom Sevart To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164379] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <20040103165056.13045.qmail@web9601.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Mike B wrote: > Hey all. I'm looking for specific, tried & true > methods of using pulleys, > springs &/or weights on the ends of wire antennas > supported by trees. I had a problem with my dipole coming down after flexing in the wind time after time, so I decided to go with a pulley/weight system. My dipole runs from my VHF/UHF antenna mast to a tree in the back yard. At first I just had a pulley at the mast end, but it still didn't provide enough flex. I installed another pulley at the tree end and haven't had any problems. I launched the support rope over the tree and attached it to the pulley. Then I ran a clothesline wire (plastic coated cable type) through the pulley & attached it to the antenna & weight. I then hoisted it up into the tree. The mast end has the pulley bolted directly to the top of the mast with the wieght hanging down next to the mast. ===== Tom Sevart N2UHC http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003 http://search.yahoo.com/top2003 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:57:31 -0500 From: "James Reid" To: Subject: [164380] Re: Found: great db pads product Message-ID: <000301c3d21a$ae909740$6d6ef7a5@net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Q. What is a ham's idea of a good time? A. Reading a good book. Q. What is a ham's idea of a good book? A. A catalog. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:54:27 -0800 (PST) From: Tom Sevart To: kb9zuv@arrl.net, Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164381] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <20040103165427.74530.qmail@web9607.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Gary Lee wrote: > I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, > they need some > adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are > allen heads. Can > anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? I'm not sure what size they are, but you might want to get a tool that I've found came in handy more than once. It's an allen wrench set that folds up like a pocket knife. It's got various sizes, and one of them fits the Bencher paddle screws because I've used it on my set before. You can find this handy tool at probably any hardware store or even Walmart. ===== Tom Sevart N2UHC http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Find out what made the Top Yahoo! Searches of 2003 http://search.yahoo.com/top2003 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 11:58:24 -0500 From: N0tk@aol.com To: hrubin1970@comcast.net, qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164382] Re: Homebrewed Test Equipment Message-ID: <3CFBD8E6.11E967D8.00002D75@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Try http://users.easystreet.com/w7zoi/SA.html Dan N0TK Highlands Ranch, CO ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 08:42:53 -0800 (PST) From: Tom Sevart To: k5di@zianet.com, Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164383] Re: Tubes? Message-ID: <20040103164253.87611.qmail@web9610.mail.yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii --- Karl Larsen wrote: > > I was very much "put off" by guys on the QRP > frequencies with > tube type rigs that sounded very POOR! It was QRP > operators who got > their old ARC-5 rig working sort-of. It had serious > chirp, clicks and as > one guy said didn't work "right" under 35 watts. I heard at least one station like that, and actually enjoyed hearing it because it brought back memories of when I was a 19 year old airman stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines. The Vietnamese stations we used to listen to sounded just like that with their chirpy transmitters & hand-sent CW. I hadn't heard signals like that for a long time. But at least the guys on SKN were far easier to copy than the Vietnamese. ===== Tom Sevart N2UHC http://www.geocities.com/n2uhc __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New Yahoo! Photos - easier uploading and sharing. http://photos.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:37:15 -0800 From: Bob Nielsen To: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164384] Re: bencher adjustment tool info needed Message-ID: <20040103173715.GC11659@bob> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline On Sat, Jan 03, 2004 at 08:54:27AM -0800, Tom Sevart wrote: > > --- Gary Lee wrote: > > I have a set of the black bencher paddles. However, > > they need some > > adjustmeht. It looks like the adjustment screws are > > allen heads. Can > > anyone tell me the size wrench I need to go get? > > I'm not sure what size they are, but you might want to > get a tool that I've found came in handy more than > once. It's an allen wrench set that folds up like a > pocket knife. It's got various sizes, and one of them > fits the Bencher paddle screws because I've used it on > my set before. You can find this handy tool at > probably any hardware store or even Walmart. I bought two of these at my local Ace Hardware, one each English and Metric. Very handy! -- Bob Nielsen, N7XY n7xy (at) n7xy.net Bainbridge Island, WA http://www.n7xy.net ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:01:44 -0700 From: w5xe@juno.com To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164385] Fw: Re: Tubes? Message-ID: <20040103.110144.-449503.7.w5xe@juno.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: w5xe@juno.com To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 09:09:17 -0700 Subject: Re: Tubes? Well, Karl, a lot of people like to operate the older equipment and most of it works quite well. No need to rain on other's parade just because you don't like it. I would suggest that if you don't like the sound of some of the older glowbugs/boat anchors, that you turn off your overrated, infamous, FT 817 and go do something else. Ray, W5xe ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 14:12:21 -0500 From: Steven Weber To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164386] Re: Wire in tree mounting ideas needed Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20040103141221.007cb700@mailhost.ncia.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >The pipe >is mounted vertically to the ground so the weights can ride freely up and >down inside the pipe. If something happens, the weights are contained >inside the pipe. > If you do this, I would suggest making sure that water can't collect inside the pipe. If water collects in the pipe and then freezes, the weight won't slide any more. Disregard if it never gets cold where you live :-) I guess the main concern is to make sure if the line breaks, the weight doesn't fall and hit someone on the head. A simpler alturnative method could be to use a fairly short "safety line", attached to the weight and a near-by sturdy tree limb. Personally, when I've used the "pully and counter weight" method, I just let the weight dangle a few feet off the ground. But then, in this location I didn't have to worry about kids or passers by messing with the rope and weights. I can see in some situations where you'd want the weight pretty high up and out of reach or sight. 72, Steve, KD1JV "Melt Solder" White Mountains of New Hampshire http://www.qsl.net/kd1jv/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 14:15:55 -0500 From: "Thomas Lewis" To: qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU Subject: [164387] Paddles no. 240 Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed ...arrived today. Total suprise. Not even on the serial no. list yet. Off to work on them. Tom K4THL _________________________________________________________________ Working moms: Find helpful tips here on managing kids, home, work and yourself. http://special.msn.com/msnbc/workingmom.armx ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 11:44:03 -0800 From: "PHILIP DECAIRE" To: Subject: [164388] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... Message-ID: <002b01c3d231$f2362110$715f2a43@grape> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I've also had to wonder why nobody has come out with a "QRP PSK31 rig". The circuitry would be much simpler and the power drain would be much lower if one didn't go the audio & sideband route. Its almost like the difference between keying an audio oscillator for CW and feeding it into the microphone input of an SSB rig vs. keying some stages to generate a CW signal. The amplifier stages after the phase modulator would still have to be linear, like an SSB rig, because the PSK31 envelope is amplitude modulated. A standard diode balanced mixer makes a dandy 0-180 phase shift keyer if you feed it +/- voltages on the IF port. The carrier oscillator goes to the LO port, and the 0-180 phase shifted output comes from the mixer RF port. That part is simple. The key for the carefully controlled waveshape & bandwidth of the PSK31 signal would be to heavily filter the digital signal transitions going to the IF port to get the phase transitions occurring at or near zero signal level as the mixer is transitioning from one polarity to the other. It would probably be hard to duplicate the sound card filtering exactly, and the bandwidth of the resulting signal might be somewhat wider than a standard PSK signal. But it shouldn't be difficult to do if one could get the digital output from the computer. Controlling a DDS to generate PSK31 would be a bit more complex, but you do have independent control of amplitude and phase. It would probably be necessary to use a processor chip to generate the DDS control signals from the PSK digital input. You'd have to write some code. For that matter, if you've got such a processor, you could let it decode the audio from the sound card into a digital stream so the PSK program doesn't have to be modified to provide a digital output. I've seen reports of Rock Mites on RTTY, so its probably only a matter of time before someone puts one on PSK31, huh? Or maybe a Pixie? Phil WB7AEI ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 13:48:16 -0600 From: "Jim Sheldon" To: "Flying Pigs Mailing List" , "QRP-L Mailing List" , Subject: [164389] Miniature Potentiometers with 1/8" shafts Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I've been looking for some miniature pots that would fit into small places, and had 1/8" shafts. Had trouble finding some, especially a hundred K one to be the speed control for my NorCal keyer (I robbed the one I had in the NorCal to put in my DSW-II-20 after getting Chuck Olson's DSWK chip). This morning I was given a couple of the Allen Bradley miniature "locking" type's with short, screwdriver adjustable shafts. These came with the "locking" nut already removed. The threaded mounting sleeve is tapered near the end of the shaft, and is slotted to be crimped down on the shaft by the locking nut. The threaded portion is almost 1/2" long, and longer than really needed to provide mounting through a panel. I chucked the pot in my drill press with the shaft pointing downward. I then got out my flexible shaft tool with a small Dremel type cutoff wheel chucked in it. Spun the pot with the drill press and carefully cut through the mounting shank without going so far as to cut the shaft off. This left me with enough shaft protruding to install a knob and after installing it in the NorCal keyer, it worked. It's amazing what you can come up with when you're broke and desperate for specialized parts - LOL. Jim - W0EB ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 19:50:15 +0000 From: Mike B To: qrp Subject: [164390] FS: DSW-II 20 meter Message-ID: <200401031950.15294.kw1nd@comcast.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Had some inquiries, but still for sale. I've reduced the price, too. I recently built a DSW-II 20 meter transceiver that I ordered late in the summer, but times have changed and I'd like to sell it. It works exactly as spec'd, including current draw. Factory info is at http://smallwonderlabs.com/swl_dsw.htm. It's in "like new" condition, with no scratches or dings. Yesterday I got a 20 meter dipole up in a tree while on a break at work, and had a nice albeit short QSO with a Florida station. Pix are available at: http://www.qsl.net/kw1nd/boardbottom.jpg http://www.qsl.net/kw1nd/boardtop.jpg http://www.qsl.net/kw1nd/dswfront.jpg http://www.qsl.net/kw1nd/dswback.jpg Originally I was going to mount the board in a different enclosure, and very gently & carefully removed a small amount of board along each edge. Only groundplane was removed - no traces. My enclosure idea didn't work out, so I mounted it in the factory case. Due to Dave's primo engineering, the board still fits nice & snug in the factory case, so no worries there. As I mentioned, the rig still functions perfectly - didn't even have to do any troubleshooting! I try very hard to do a nice job on soldering and assembly - I take pride in my work. I'd like to get $135 for it, including Priority Mail shipping. I'll even offer a 7-day money back guarantee if you don't like it. Please reply off-list. -- 73, Mike Boice, KW1ND Karns, TN Behold the power of the penguin ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 20:21:16 -0000 From: "Paul Mackanos" To: Subject: [164391] Antenna Tuner & Rigs Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit It's time for me to pursue QRP and get more than my Red Hot 20 and indoor dipole. I am looking for a qrp antenna tuner. I found in my old junk box, an old QRP 80 meter xcvr (have no idea of design, but it has two crystals on 80, 3.579545 and 3.6864. I guess I have to fire it up and see what I have. Anyway, what does the group have to say in the line of QRP tuners, any feedback is appreciated. Right now my set up is a 20 meter indoor dipole and Red Hot 20, but I really need 40 or 80 for evening activities. So I also ask about 80 or 40 meter xcvr ideas. Thanks, Paul K2DB ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 12:44:08 -0800 From: "Lee Hopper" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164392] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi, Paul - Y'know, I keep coming back to my ZM-2 tuner from Emtech . It's versatile, fairly small, requires no power and comes in a kit for $65.00. 73 - Lee Hopper, NB7F Portland, OR > ...Anyway, what does the group have to say in the line of QRP tuners... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 15:44:04 -0500 From: "Brent Sutphin WB4X" To: Subject: [164393] Feild Test a Success Message-ID: <000901c3d23a$534a72f0$9e6d1f18@BandE> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit All the stuff is now taken down and put away. I just spent the afternoon out on the deck, enjoying the outdoors with the K2. Was a very pleasent day here in central North Carolina. I wanted to try out my new portable antenna, a 33 1/2 foot self supporting vertical. At first the bands were just really bad. Twenty meters finally opened and I had a great time. I worked a couple of other portable stations, one in in MI where it was only 45 degrees. A bit to cool for me, it was in the 70's here. The antenna preformed very well I think. Thanks to the following for a great time QRPing. WB8E W0RW sorry I lost you to QRM K9EW VE1ALZ NA8M K1BG W0CH/P VE3FAL W5KDJ W9VC K4AXF 73 Brent WB4X ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 12:48:11 -0800 From: "Lee Hopper" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164394] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Bill et al - Dunno if this is on topic, but a couple yrs ago or so, someone posted on the list a psk31 rig he built that relied on cw output - it may have eliminated the computer completely. If anyone remembers details of this, I'd like to refresh my memory. Don't know why the idea didn't take off in the qrp community of cw nerds :) Best - Lee Hopper, NB7F Portland, OR ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 12:49:12 -0800 From: Stephen Wandling To: unlisted-recipients:; (no To-header on input) Cc: Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion Subject: [164395] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and wondering) again... Message-ID: <3FF72AC8.40109@SwiftsureConsulting.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit You might have missed the QRP PSK31 rigs at Small Wonder Labs? http://www.smallwonderlabs.com/ PHILIP DECAIRE wrote: >I've also had to wonder why nobody has come out with a "QRP >PSK31 rig". > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 15:21:34 -0600 From: Chuck Carpenter To: paul@prohomeinspector.net, "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164396] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs Message-ID: <3.0.2.32.20040103152134.008312f0@mail.9plus.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Paul, Check out the BLT from NorCal/AmQRP. Really works well on 40 and 20 and if the mismatch isn't too bad it'll do OK on other bands. It's pretty easy to roll your own Z-matcher too. I've built several using information from such folks as Charlie Lofgren, W6JJZ, the designer of the NorCal BLT. http://www.njqrp.org/mbrproj/zmatch_original.html A Google search on Z-Match will find a whole bunch more. The ZM-2 is a good kit too but I found the dual link versions seem to do a little better job matching wide range loads. The tuning caps I used came from Emtech. Check their website for them. At 08:21 PM 01/03/2004 -0000, Paul Mackanos wrote: >It's time for me to pursue QRP and get more than my Red Hot 20 and indoor >dipole. I am looking for a qrp antenna tuner. I found in my old junk box, an >old QRP 80 meter xcvr (have no idea of design, but it has two crystals on >80, 3.579545 and 3.6864. I guess I have to fire it up and see what I have. >Anyway, what does the group have to say in the line of QRP tuners, any >feedback is appreciated. Right now my set up is a 20 meter indoor dipole and >Red Hot 20, but I really need 40 or 80 for evening activities. So I also ask >about 80 or 40 meter xcvr ideas. >Thanks, Paul K2DB > > Chuck Carpenter, W5USJ, Point, Rains Co., TX - EM22cv, NETXQRP #1 QRP-ARCI #5422, QRP-L #1306, QRPp-I #115, ARS #1280, SOC #57 Zombie #759, COG #11, 6 Club #201, FP #601 oo http://www.netxqrp.org ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 16:26:52 -0500 From: "John" To: , "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164397] Re: Antenna Tuner & Rigs Message-ID: <001a01c3d240$522d8280$af3a8d41@ATHOME> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Paul and the group. Check out the QRP Delight described in the October 1995 issue of 73 Amateur Radio Today. I have built two of these and they work great. I have only used them on 40-10 meters but assume they will cover 80 as well. You can't get any smaller including the meter. I have used mine with up to 10 watts. John K2JHU... ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul Mackanos" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 3:21 PM Subject: Antenna Tuner & Rigs > It's time for me to pursue QRP and get more than my Red Hot 20 and indoor > dipole. I am looking for a qrp antenna tuner. I found in my old junk box, an > old QRP 80 meter xcvr (have no idea of design, but it has two crystals on > 80, 3.579545 and 3.6864. I guess I have to fire it up and see what I have. > Anyway, what does the group have to say in the line of QRP tuners, any > feedback is appreciated. Right now my set up is a 20 meter indoor dipole and > Red Hot 20, but I really need 40 or 80 for evening activities. So I also ask > about 80 or 40 meter xcvr ideas. > Thanks, Paul K2DB > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 16:32:35 EST From: W0rw@aol.com To: qrp-l@lehigh.edu Subject: [164398] New NiCads for my KX1 Message-ID: <12b.38ae61cf.2d288ef3@aol.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit i just added some new NiCad batteries to my KX1. i had 6 NiCad 'AA' batteries in it and i removed 4 of the 'AA' NiCad batteries and added 8 - 1/2'AA'-250 short type to boost the voltage to 14 VDC. That raises the output power to 3 Watts. The operating time is about 3 hours on a full charge (depending on your speed and number of "Q's).. You must remove the batteries to recharge them, The NiCad charging voltage would probably fry the KX1 if you turned it on while charging. These batteries are available from Batteries Plus. They have flat contacts so they need to have a little solder blob added to the + terminal so they will touch each other when in series. These 1/2 AA 'short' batteries (250 mAH) are 7/8 inch long. There is a longer 1/2 'AA' battery that is 1.2 inches long and it won't fit the battery holder. ps: If you make any modification to your KX1 it will void the warranty... Paul w0rw ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 17:19:23 -0500 From: Steven Weber To: pedecaire@email.msn.com, "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164399] Re: B/Q PSK31 transmissions with the DSW-series(or other DDS) rigs sans 'sideband' mode...OR...my little mind is wandering(and Message-ID: <3.0.6.32.20040103171923.007c36a0@mailhost.ncia.net> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" >PSK31 rig". The circuitry would be much simpler and the >power drain would be much lower if one didn't go the audio & >sideband route. Its almost like the difference between Phil, et all, I finally found a nice technical discription of PSK31 on the "offical PSK31" web site. (do a google search on psk31 and look a few hits down the page) The PSK31 signal is generated by producing two pure signals +/- 15 Hz from the center frequency. This simulates a 180 degree phase shift and results in a "two tone" output which requires a linear amplifier. Apparently, if true phase shift keying were used, such as using a DBDM as you suggest, it would result in unacceptable levels of key clicks and a very broad signal. It would be trival to make a DDS chip produce the +/- 15 Hz shift directly at the transmit frequency, but it would still have to be followed by a linear amplifier. You can not make any CW rig which uses a Class C amplifier work with PSK31. I suspect that doing a direct 180 phase shift with the DDS might not produce the level of key clicks "brute force" methods produce, as the transitions wouldn't be as abrupt. In this case, you might be able to use a Class C amplifier. However, I'm not sure the software would decode a true 180 degree phase shift, as it's probably looking for the +/- 15 Hz tone shift. 72, Steve, KD1JV "Melt Solder" White Mountains of New Hampshire http://www.qsl.net/kd1jv/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 03 Jan 2004 17:48:39 -0500 From: Ed To: "qrp-l@Lehigh.EDU" Subject: [164400] WTB Message-ID: <3FF746C7.7030703@nexband.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I'm looking for either a Xtal Calib or a Digital readout to go with my Argonaut 509. Anyone have either/or excess to their needs ?? Thanks Ed W3NR ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 18:13:13 -0500 From: "NZ8J" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164401] Re: Trade FT-817 for K1 **** MADE A TRADE**** Message-ID: <01ae01c3d24f$295f32e0$6400a8c0@NZ8J> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Thanks to all who responded, I have made a trade for a K1.. 73 Tim NZ8J ----- Original Message ----- From: "NZ8J" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Sent: Saturday, January 03, 2004 10:50 AM Subject: Trade FT-817 for K1 > Hi, > I have an excellent condition FT-817, completely stock with no mods. Works > and looks great. It comes with the original box, battery tray, manual, mic, > antennas, and strap. Also included is a MAHA MH-FNB-72 9.6 v 1700 mAh nickel > metal hydride battery and an external 3.33A switching power supply. I would > like to trade this for a K1-4 bander with antenna tuner, internal battery > and noise blanker. > > I just want something simpler and smaller for portable cw operation only. If > you'd like to trade please send me details of what you have. > > Thanks > Tim > NZ8J > > > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 15:27:32 -0800 From: "john gabbard" To: "Low Power Amateur Radio Discussion" Subject: [164402] SWAP Message-ID: <003001c3d251$2a3312c0$63811c0c@john> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi Guys,I have a KD1JV freq. counter that is excess, it is built,works, but no case. I would like to swap it for an electronic keyer such as Nor Cal or Embedded Research kit, or built is ok as long as I can set speed with the paddle and not an external pot. I want to install it in an FT- 840. TKS HNY 72 John KF7OM ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 17:29:29 -0800 From: "Michael Melland, W9WIS" To: , , Subject: [164403] OT: Excellent Test Equipment For Sale Message-ID: <005501c3d262$332cae20$0300a8c0@charter.net> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit I met Martin (Marty) Handley at a hamfest today in Waukesha, WI. You may recall last year in May I posted a list of test equipment he was selling. Marty is the Electronics Lab Manager for Milwaukee School of Engineering. He is not a ham but offers wonderful deals on "retired" test equipment from the college. This ain't eBay stuff guys.... this is the cleanest used test equipment I have seen.... and it is all cleaned, fully checked, operating to specification and sold with like new manuals. Marty told me this morning that he has a new list of gear for sale with more on the way and asked that I make my ham friends aware of the items again (he also wanted me to express thanks to all of the list members that purchased items last year). I saw these items today and they are CLEAN. Here is what is available at this time. Prices are 25% off normal asking prices.... shipping is extra. "In the works" means they will be available but haven't been serviced and checked yet. Oscilloscopes w/ cord and manual: 4 ea Tektronix 2215 - 60 Meg, dual trace w/delay $225 1 ea Tektronix 2215A (3 more in the works) - 60 Meg dual trace w/delay $240 11 ea Tektronix 2245A (3 more in the works) - 100 Meg 4 channel w/delay $450 3 ea Tektronix T932 (4 in the works) - 35 Meg dual trace $150 5110 Tektronix (10 in the works) - 2 Meg w/delay and w/5B12N Dual Time Base and 5A26 Differential Amp Input $150 Scope Probes: 16 ea Tektronix P6109 - 100 Meg Probe $15 21 ea API #610-10-1-A - 100 Meg Probe $15 Function Generators w/cord and manuals: HP 3310A (2 in the works) - $90 2 ea Interstate F33 - $90 Interstate F34 (2 in the works) - $90 * I think Interstate is actually Racal Digital Bench Multimeters w/cord. test leads and manual: 1 ea B&K 283 - $30 2 ea Fluke 8110A - $75 5 ea HP 3476A (4 in the works) - $35 Classic VOM's w/leads and manual: 2 ea Triplett 630PLK - $55 (these are $385.35 at Newark ! They "look" Like a Simpson) Power Supplies: All variable voltage 20 ea Southwest Technical Products #143 - $25 5 ea Elenco Triple Supplies XP660 - $75 (new they are $266.50) Prototype Designers (fancy powered bread boards): 9 ea E&L Digi Designers DD-1 - $37.50 ALL EQUIPMENT IS FULLY CHECKED AND OPERATIONAL AND COMES WITH MANUALS. ALL SALES CASH - QUANTITY SUBJECT TO PRIOR SALE FOR INFORMATION AND SPECIFICATIONS...... DON'T Email me..... contact Marty !!!! Martin E. Handley work (414) 277-7291 home after 5 and weekends (262) 703-3394 hendley@msoe.edu Disclaimer.... I have no interest in the sale of these items. I'm a very satisfied customer.... Marty is not a social friend of mine but I see him once or twice a year at Milwaukee hamfests. Mike, W9WIS -- Michael Melland, W9WIS Winneconne, WI USA http://webpages.charter.net/w9wis ------------------------------ End of QRP-L Digest 3154 ************************ --------------------------------