Winter 2011 CX

Yesterday was the Winter 2011 Classic Exchange. This event offers a great chance to get on the air with older gear. Participants putting multiple vintage transmitters and receivers on the air have a big score advantage, but it's fine to put only one vintage station on the air or work others using, even, a software defined Flex-5000A.This...

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New Item Polivaricon Plastic Poly Dual 20pf and 335pf Variable Capacitor

New Item Dual 20pf and 335pf Poly Variable Capacitors.These can be connected in a number of different ways. You can have a dual 16pf to 371pf from this one capacitor. For wiring connections and the possible combinations go to my website. http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/335PF-Polyvaricon.htmlOr Home Pagehttp://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/...

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An Interesting discovery

Following on from my last post it seems I have found the main source of QRM that was caused by one of my PCs at least. In the pic with my previous post you may have noticed  the "Black box" Icom PCR1000 receiver, sitting on top of my little HF linear amp. That receiver is connected to the main pc-the one I have moved onto another desk.Having...

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All change

I managed to find a space to reinstall the Trio/Kenwood TS830s on the Desk. Now all I need is a three way switch so I can switch my antenna between the three HF rigs. Whilst I was about it I moved the main PC further away from the radios. This has greatly reduced the QRM I was getting from that PC. The older PC which I use for PSK31 still...

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Building And Putting Together A Crystal Radio Kit For Kids

Dave Farrell purchased my Crystal Radio Kit CRK-1 for his class on Crystal Radios. He said the kids loved them. He made a powerpoint presenation outlining the class. He also has some theory on how a Crystal Radio Works. http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/Crystal-Radio-Sets.pptThis link can also be found on my website at:http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/DmCrystalSet.ht...

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Radio Prague - Another R.I.P., I'm Afraid ...

I don't really want to appear to be a "doom and gloom merchant", but a chance series of events caused me to learn that we (shortwave listeners) are about to lose another source of programming on shortwave, that of the very well known and respected "Radio Prague".The sequence of events to which I refer started with the fitting of a 6kHz AM filter to one of my "classic" old transceivers, my FT-107M.The filter was acquired from a...

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Learning the hard way.

For the last couple of days I have been using the CW GET software to help practice my CW sending. Although it can be quite distressing to see thaT what you thought was good CW isn't. CW GET is not like the human ear. It doesn't make any allowances. If your timing is slightly out your G will appear on CW GET  as a T and an N and so on.One...

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JT65a

Just downloaded and installed the JT65a software I have been reading so much about. It looks really complex! I have also been reading a handy guide to this mode "The Complete Bozo's Guide to HF JT65A ( a work in progress)"by Andy K3UK. I'm not sure I will get the hang of this mode but will try monitoring first to see how I get on. In the meantime I have also been playing around with the Flidgi software and managed to decode an...

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QRP2004 Control Board - ExpressPCB Version -UPDATE

Project group ok'd it so I'll add ExpressPCB layouts for the PCB on the yahoo group as I create them. Please be warned check them before you use them and needless to say if you see an issue please advise.There are no .sch just the .pcb fileshttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/qrp2004/files/ExpressPCB%20Layou...

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My first (good) timelapse

Had a great day today! Finally used my Arduino camera controller for something useful - making a timelapse photo of our photo society's portrait sessionhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCkQ1Wwa...

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G8LBT flies again, or is it nostalgia taken a step too far?

Those who have seen my QRZ.com entry will know that I have been planning to resurrect my old G8 call. This has now happened, the paperwork arriving today. So I am now the proud owner of TWO UK callsigns!It's a wee bit curious why as to why this is permitted, and though I tell myself I am not one to covet another man's possessions, when I learned some while ago that some of my radio friends were in possession of both their old...

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QRP2004 Control Board - ExpressPCB Version

I was asked if an electronic version of the PCB masks exist for the project. They don't and as I like using it I have started to create Express PCB versions of the PCB. This is the control board. Note I have used the NARROW SOIC-16 version of the MAX232/ST232 SMD I will also consider the normal DIL version too.The layout are sized exactly...

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Arduino Based Camera Controller

The motivationAfter seeing Matt Richardson's video about his high-speed photography controller, I thought to myself "Wow, I want one of those!" And I had all the necessary bits, so I set about building one.This post isn't going to be a how-to (I'll write one if enough people offer to buy me beer), but just general boasting about what it...

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QRP2004 Control Board - Day 2

The prepared Control PCB is fitted with all the IDC sockets and wire links including all the wire links through the board so the ground plane is connected both sides. In the above photograph you can see I have prepaced some of the components before continuing. On the reverse side there are just two wire links, 5 2K2 SMD resisors and the ST232...

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M484 AM Kit With 2000 Ohm High Impedance Headphones

New ItemMK484 AM Radio Kit With 2000 Ohm High Impedance HeadphoneThe 2000 Ohm Impedance Headphone is just wright for the MK484 IC to operate.High Impedance Magnetic Headphones makes a perfect addition to MK484 Kitshttp://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/mk484.h...

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MK484 AM Radio Kit With Piezoelectric High Impedance Headphones

New ItemMK484 AM Radio Kit With Piezoelectric HeadphoneJust added this kit. A MK484 AM radio kit with a Ceramic Headphone instead of Ceramic earphone.Nice quality High Impedance Piezo Headphone supplied with my MK484 AM Radio kit.http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/mk484.h...

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2000 Ohm High Impedance Headphones for Crystal Radios

New Item2000 Ohm High Impedance HeadphonesThe are magnetic type Headphones.They have a 1/4 inch mono plug and the cord is about 40 inches long.Can be used on Crystal Radios with or without a matching transformer.However a matching transformer will improve performance and volume somewhat.http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/Crysta...

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High Impedance Crystal Radio Headphone (Piezoelectric)

New Item For SaleHigh Impedance Ceramic HeadphoneThese are high quality headphones made special for me from a manufacturer.They have 1/4 mono plug end and the cord is about 40 inches long.These are not homemade with Piezo Transducers.Leave comments on them after you try them out.http://www.angelfire.com/electronic2/index1/CeramicHeadphon...

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eQSL- why are so many hams so "sniffy" about it?

Apropos of nothing, today I received one of the occasional EMails I get say that there was an "eQSL" awaiting me at www.eqsl.cc.When I logged in I was greeted with the news that my membership had been "downgraded" (in other words I hadn't made a financial contribution for over a year), so I duly fired up the PayPal screen and bunged them a few quid, as I have always thought that this service has been worth supporting. No big...

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Adding a (sort-of) PC sync port to a YN-460 flashgun

As part of a larger project today I needed to sync my flashgun with an Arduino. Since I don't have any hotshoe connectors or anything like that, I decided to add a sync port to the flash itself.Now I've read more than a few posts about people adding PC sync ports to their flashes (especially the YN-46x series), but since I don't own a single...

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QRP2004 Build

PLL photos with the tiny AD9835 tracks.Note the laser was on draft 300dpi hence the slight dotty nature of the tracks I have done this as I wanted to test out the process.Tinning will cover these. This was after just 15 minutes in tin solution.Just to see how low you can go...this is what you get at 150 dpi printing:I might b tempted to chase...

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QRP2004 Build day 1 PHOTOS

Series of photos as the boards are made up.First clean all the boardsThen iron on the film (audio board as example)The peel off the film (control board as example)All the boards then same again bit touched up.As they come out of the etch, note I use red electrical tape on the reverseground plane.The resist layer cleaned off.Pair of boards...

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Effect of focal length on perspective compression

First post in a loooooong time! I've since picked up a new hobby, so you're going to be seeing a lot of posts about photography!It's a well known fact that using a longer focal length lens, and then stepping backwards so you can still fit your subject in frame, will "compress" the perspective in your image (i.e. make background objects...

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