Activity

[RichardSinFWTX]

Random wire?!  What's wrong with that?!  ;)


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[RichardSinFWTX]

Rich, thanks for the heads-up on Gitmo.  I need Morse practice but my family life makes me unreliable for skeds so I've started chasing DX and the W1AW portable ops.  Gitmo will be a nice one.

I just found W1AW/KG4 on a spotter net at 18.113 USB (17m)...he is running split TX at 18.116 and RX at 18.113.  If any of you guys are on the air and wanna bag 'em unleash the hounds!! 

[NWARadio]

New to HF and in the last few days I got my vertical up and made contacts in Poland and France on 10m and W1AW/7 in Washington state. Can't remember off hand what band that was on.

[RichardSinFWTX]

Good job!  I tried to get W1AW/7; but it's sleeting out here in north Texas and I'm not that dedicated!  70s yesterday...20s with sleet today!  :(

[raybiker73]

I bought 3 old keys for $10 each at an antique shop: a Speed-X, a Western Union Tel Co. and a McElroy teardrop Stream Key. They were all pretty rough, but are cleaning up nicely. I started with the McElroy, tore it apart and used an old biker trick on the chrome: a stainless steel kitchen scrubber will take off heavy rust but not scratch or destroy the chrome.  I had to go out to the shop and dig around through my saddlebags to find one, but it worked like a charm. I'll probably start the other keys this week sometime.

All 3. Not bad for $30 total



The base of the McElroy. Not looking so great



But, it cleaned up nicely!

[cockpitbob]

What's everyone up to?
OK, I'll break the silence.
Some time ago I scored a KX1 with all the bells and whistles.  It looks beautifully built but I'm a perfectionist and wanted to make sure it was 100% correct and up to the latest revision.  So it came all apart.  It had the wrong number of turns on an inductor, a miss-wire on the 80/30 module, inductor wires threatening to rub through on the 80/30 module, was way out of alighment and covered in a thick layer of flux.  Just a few more things and it goes back together :-)

Next, building the MTR2 :-)   :-)   :-)

[NWARadio]

I haven't turned my radios on in a long time. Storms made me unplug my antennas and once the weather turned nice again, it was time to work. So I've been cutting wood, hauling lumber fur a cabin/shed and keeping the weeds under control on our land in the country. That'll be my life this summer & fall. Once colder weather comes I'll spend more time on the radio. Gotta make hay while the sun shines!

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

[KK0G]

What's everyone up to?
OK, I'll break the silence.
Some time ago I scored a KX1 with all the bells and whistles.  It looks beautifully built but I'm a perfectionist and wanted to make sure it was 100% correct and up to the latest revision.  So it came all apart.  It had the wrong number of turns on an inductor, a miss-wire on the 80/30 module, inductor wires threatening to rub through on the 80/30 module, was way out of alighment and covered in a thick layer of flux.  Just a few more things and it goes back together :-)

Next, building the MTR2 :-)   :-)   :-)

That's why I've always been leery of buying someone else's kit, I know the quality of work I do, I have no idea if the other guy does quality work or not. Sounds like you're getting all back in good shape though.


As for me, other than Wes and mines nightly sked I haven't been doing much in the way of radio, most of my free time lately is taken up by flying lessons.

[cockpitbob]

That's why I've always been leery of buying someone else's kit, I know the quality of work I do, I have no idea if the other guy does quality work or not. Sounds like you're getting all back in good shape though.


As for me, other than Wes and mines nightly sked I haven't been doing much in the way of radio, most of my free time lately is taken up by flying lessons.

Yeah, I knew I was taking a chance buying a used kit, but it was much cheaper than the kit and though I love building, I'm too short on time these days.  I think I got lucky with this one.  The general workmanship is very good.  Just a few minor issues that didn't take much time to fix.

Mmmmm, flying lessons.  I've been inactive for about 10 years now, but have 1,100hrs of VFR mostly in cloth and tailwheel planes, much of it camping under the wing at fly-ins or long trips.  I really miss that.
Just remember, if it flys, floats or f***s, it's cheaper to rent.

[KK0G]

Mmmmm, flying lessons.  I've been inactive for about 10 years now, but have 1,100hrs of VFR mostly in cloth and tailwheel planes, much of it camping under the wing at fly-ins or long trips.  I really miss that.
Just remember, if it flys, floats or f***s, it's cheaper to rent.

Fortunately I don't own the plane - at least not all of it - I joined a local flying club so I guess technically I do own a small share of a plane. I definitely can't afford to own a plane and at this point in my life don't have any great desire to own one, I did the math and the club route does save me money over renting although admittedly not a lot.

[RadioRay]

Hey Chris,

If you want to save a few bucks, there is this fixer-upper on Craig's List -



I mean - it's an airplane. How hard could it be?



>Ray

[cockpitbob]

That's a Piper Tomahawk, or as those that know them, it's a Traumahawk.  The best thing to do with one of those is cannibalize it for parts for a  home-built plane.