Menu

Show posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Show posts Menu

Topics - gil

#321
General Discussion / Radio Preppers Hosting Secured.
February 21, 2013, 01:34:07 PM
Thanks to a member who sent a donation some time ago, hosting has been paid for another six months! Help is always welcome. If you would like to contribute a tiny sum every month to make sure we stay in business, please let me know, thanks!

Gil.
#322
General Discussion / Living Room QRP.
February 18, 2013, 06:57:39 PM
You don't need to go to the woods to operate QRP, or have a big antenna in your backyard..

Often new Hams are put off by the difficulty of erecting an antenna. Sure, size matters, but you can be successful with a small one if you know what you are doing. You certainly won't make any contacts if you don't try. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I have read posts saying that you couldn't reach anyone using a Buddistick portable antenna with less than 100W! I tried 500mW and was quite successful. I even used it in my living room with 2W out on 30m; no problem. You're not going to win awards, but who cares..

Safety is a concern. You need to know that nobody can touch your antenna while you transmit, especially pets and children. I wouldn't personally transmit near a sleeping toddler either, especially using my magnetic loop. I stay at least twelve feet away.

Aside from my Buddistick, which works quite well up to 30m, I have strung wires across my house in weird patterns and some configurations did work well with a tuner. My big magnetic loop is suspended in my living room. It works great. I move it around as needed (see photo attached below).

So, don't be discouraged by people telling you that you need a 43ft. vertical with 100 radials or a long dipole atop a 75ft. tower. You can get on the air with much less. All you need is some wire and a small QRP tuner.

Same goes for radios. There is no need for you to buy a $1500 radio until you are sure you need one. If you have enough patience and perseverance to learn Morse code, you can build an HF station for less than $100. That includes the radio, antenna, batteries and Morse key. There are many combinations in between.

As to amplifiers, nobody "needs" an amplifier. More power brings a lot of unintended consequences to a Ham station. Prices shoot up like a rocket. Everything costs more and weighs more. The gain in performance is often not worth the aggravation and certainly not the cost. If you don't believe me, do the math for the S-Units and power gains.

My Ham station is not permanent. I have no established spot or desk space for it. I can set myself up in the living room, in my bedroom, or outside on the deck. I take it to my favorite coffee shop, and plan on taking it along on camping trips. It's always ready to be grabbed in it's Pelican case or out of a Faraday box.

Living room QRP is easy. If you can set yourself up and make contacts with a small indoors antenna, you will be quite successful outside with a long wire up a tree. Don't think "it won't work." Radio performs miracles every day. I once tried 100mW for an 830 miles QSO and it worked! (Thanks Ray!). Anything is possible, just not all the time. Know your bands and best times for propagation. Use a good resonant antenna or a good tuner. You will put out a signal and soon or later, someone will hear you!

Gil.

PS: The two identical radios you see in the background on the dresser are Gonsets 6m Communicator III.
The antenna in the right corner is a 6m portable magnetic loop.
#323
Digital Modes / Signalink USB noise issues.
February 10, 2013, 11:22:03 AM
Anyone wanting to buy a Signalink USB interface might want to read the following articles. I am not sure I will buy one. Any good alternatives? I am sure it works fine, but apparently the noise from the USB supplied voltage is a problem..

http://www.frenning.dk/OZ1PIF_HOMEPAGE/SignaLinkUSB-mods.html

http://www.frenning.dk/OZ1PIF_HOMEPAGE/images/Wireless%20Article%20-%20Signalink%20USB%20Mods%20v6.pdf

http://www.k7sfn.com/projects/signalink.html

The noise problem apparently can be fixed for a few cents but does require some soldering..

Gil.
#324
Tactical Corner / KX3 EMP Protection.
January 23, 2013, 06:11:05 PM
Only downside is: I had to eat all the cookies!

Gil.
#325
Digital Modes / Winmor, Winlink with my KX3?
January 09, 2013, 06:12:27 PM
So, in plain English, what do I need to send and receive emails with my KX3?

Gil.
#326
After building a K2, I long for some simplicity... And what could be simpler than a vintage 50s tube transmitter? The Ameco AC-1 is a cheap one-tube (plus one rectifier tube) Novice transmitter that was sold as a kit for around $20. These days, they have become rather sought after, and go for more than $300 on Ebay! I found mine for $50, but as you can see on the photo below, there is much work to be done. Someone had the bright idea of drilling a hole for a key plug right through the Ameco logo on the front! I guess back then, nobody expected these transmitters to become collectibles...
There are also two extra holes in the back and there is an SO-239 plug added, which is not original. The antenna plug, I will keep. The key jack hole in the front has to go. So, my step by step plan is:


  • Remove all components and hardware.
  • Weld-fill the hole in the front and two holes in the back.
  • Sand and paint the transformer
  • Sandblast the chassis.
  • Have the chassis nickel plated.
  • Have the chassis powder coated on the outside.
  • Silk-screen the front panel with original print.
  • Mount all the components back in.
  • Call CQ on 7030!

Suggestions and questions are welcome. Stay tuned for more...

Gil.
#327
Antennas / A Ladder Line Slim Jim for 6m.
January 07, 2013, 01:48:45 AM
Ah, I forgot to post this one... Completed before my 6m magnetic loop. It is a simple ladder line Slim Jim made of 450 Ohm ladder line (http://thewireman.com #551), solid copper. I wish now I had chosen the multi-strand 16AWG type (#552) because the #551 is very brittle and breaks easily. Not a problem since I mounted the antenna inside a PVC tube, but it would break soon or later if I rolled it up often for portable operations. So, the next one will be more flexible..

The idea came from: http://www.astromag.co.uk/j-pole/
It's really a Slim Jim, not a J-Pole.
Total length of the ladder line is exactly 14ft.
The quarter-wave length side is 54-3/4"
Gap is 3.15" (easier to measure 80mm).
It is fed 5.6" (14.2cm) from the bottom.

The ladder line wires are soldered together at the top and the bottom.
(If you bend the copper 90deg, it will break, solder a piece of wire between the two..).
The 80mm gap is cut without removing the plastic. I slice it, cut the copper and pull the piece out.

Here is how the antenna is fed:


Here with the Palomar Engineers RF choke kit:
(They don't seems to sell the kit anymore, but they have the ferrite beads: http://palomar-engineers.com)


The PVC tube is 10'+4' joined by a coupler and epoxied.

Here is how I attached the ladder line to the top end-cap:


SWR is 1.6:1 on 50.4, and 1.5:1 below that. I get the same SWR on my 2m copper tube Slim Jim... I haven't heard anyone on the air yet, so I can't give an on-air report. I am sure it works just fine. I will definitely make a "roll-up" model for 6m, and another for 2m, to be used with an HT. I have a 25' RG-174 patch cable that I will cut in two to feed them both. Those two antennas will be great with my KX3, and fit in a small pouch. You can make one in 20 minutes without breaking a sweat...

Gil.
#328
Antennas / A Magnetic Loop for 6m.
January 03, 2013, 02:50:49 AM
Hello,

Since my big loop works so well, I decided to build one for 6m. I have a couple working Gonsets (Communicator III & G-50) which are mostly used on 50.4MHz. I haven't heard anyone yet, but i am hoping a 90% efficiency loop will help. Great thing is, it is only 1.4ft. in diameter!

Be warned that magnetic loops are dangerous! Lethal voltages are present on the exposed parts while transmitting, and 6m is the worst wavelength as far as RF exposure goes. DO NOT stay near the loop while transmitting, and DO NOT let anyone get near it!

I started with a 3/8" soft copper coil. It came in a 25' long coil, and I have enough left for two 10ft. perimeter loops (more on that later). The length of the copper is 56 inches. My capacitor is a 3-37pf air variable (Hammarlund) available here: http://www.surplussales.com/Variables/AirVariables/AirVar1.html. The support tube is a PVC 1" thick-wall type. I also got an end cap and a "T" coupler. The screws used to secure the cut ends of the copper in the PVC tube are 1/4" brass. The toroid used for coupling is an FT-140-43.

First step was to calculate a maximum efficiency loop on 50.4MHz without getting to low on the capacitor. The program used is RJELOOP1.exe:



7pf is too low. It turns out that RJELOOP1 overestimates the capacitor value a bit. The same thing happened with my 20/30/40m loop, which ended up being a 30/40m loop due to my 9-110pf capacitor being too high, or the loop being slightly too long. I made the same mistake here with the 6m loop. 4ft. would have been better. But back to the construction:

Here is the top cap and tube drilled using a drill press and 5/8 drill bit:



Below is the bottom where the loop will be fed, thus creating a horizontal polarization:



I had to open up another rectangle window below the round holes to allow for the wire to go through the toroid a few times. Here is the result:



The capacitor is bolted on the PVC tube, through the end cap and the tube. A few washers on the bottom keep it level. I made slightly larger holes on the other side to get a screwdriver through.. I was not very happy about not being able to test the conductivity of the brass screws to copper tube connection (impossible to solder inside the PVC), so I used an external copper wire, which I soldered to the copper tube, then to the brass screws and the capacitor terminals.



Here is the completed loop with a 12" ruler for size:



I still need to put an SO-259 plug on the T coupler. Right now I used a binding post. At first I was able to thread five turns of wire through the toroid. As soon as I plugged it in, I new it worked! Though the capacitor plates barely overlap for peak band noise, which means my loop is a tad too long. It is fine, because the highest frequency it will be used on is 50.4MHz AM or below on SSB. SWR looked like 2.5:1, which is of course too high. I used a smaller feeding wire and managed to thread 7 turns through (every time the wire goes through the toroid counts as a turn..). The SWR got down to 2.1:1. I need to experiment some more. The SWR should go down to at least 1.5:1. My big loop gets 1.3:1... Maybe adding a couple turns will do the trick..

The loop is of course not meant to be carried by hand, though some people do that. I think it's crazy and way too dangerous. Look at the top image, it says 2750V with 27W in! I plug in another piece of PVC tubing into the T to get it high off the ground and away from anyone's reach or head... At first I thought I would paint it, but I like the copper color and might just spray a coat of clear acrylic on it..

Here is the latest addition to my stables, and the reason for building the 6m magnetic loop:



Now if only someone would answer my calls!

Ya'll have a happy new year!

Gil.
#329
General Discussion / Merry Christmas to everyone!
December 24, 2012, 12:29:52 PM
Hello,

It has been a few months since the site opened, and we already have more than two thousand posts! Thank you everyone for your contributions. I am wishing a merry Christmas to you all and your families. Because of your hobby, values, outlook on life, preparedness and self-sufficiency, I consider you guys my friends. I hope you all have a great year and that 2013 does not bring us events that would require our skills.

Gil.
#330
I love old stuff and restoring old stuff. Not just because it is old, but because it is often better built and simpler. How often do you hear "They don't make them like that anymore.." To some extent, it is true. Not only that, but today, you usually can't fix it yourself. I wouldn't dream of diving into a recent model car or trying to fix a surface-mount components radio. We don't fix things anymore, we throw away. That's probably good for the economy in a way, but wasteful. It also assumes that replacements are available... We don't assume that replacements will always be available, do we? Otherwise this site would be called "radiofriends.com" or something like that. So, we often find ourselves evaluating old technology that we can understand and fix with a hammer and a pair of pliers.. Well, sort of.. Although I am only 45, I still remember tube televisions. My Grandmother had one. When the TV started misbehaving, she would open up the back, wiggle the tubes until she found a bad one and replace it. I don't know how she survived all those incursions into high-voltage cold-war era electronics, but the TV worked, and we didn't have to call the serviceman or buy a new one.

The first Ham radio I ever bought, before going nuts building kits, is a Gonset Communicator III 6m AM transceiver built between 1957 and 1961:



First, you have to admit, it is a bundle of cuteness. More importantly though, it is built like a tank. Proof is, it still works! After about 55 years... These radios were built for Civil Defense purposes and intended to survive a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union. There are no chips inside, no transistors. Nothing to fry from an EMP. The schematics are rather simple and any run-of-the-mill electrician could probably fix it, especially if he is in his 70s! I just ordered a second one actually, and might still get more to restore or as part sets. They sell for about $60 to $100 and more for restored units. There is also a 2m model, which I hope to get as well. Best thing is, you only need a Tech. license to operate one.

These old radios need some TLC mind you. All electrolytic capacitors need to be replaced, as well as, probably, most or all resistors. A restored set is pretty much ready to go for another half century, assuming you have a set of spare tubes. They are not very susceptible to high SWR. The Gonset will also work on 115V or 12V. It isn't a mobile unit by any means, nor is it intended for long distance communications. The 6m band has it's moments though, and the miracle band earns it's name once in a while. For local communications, with 6W, it works great. Besides, who is going to listen to you on 50.4MHz AM? Right... Nobody! I've been turning it on every night and never head a soul. I wish they still made them, but I probably would not be able to afford one, because they would cost a fortune. I hope some Chinese manufacturer reads this and gets an idea.. Many third world countries could use something like that. Think about it, when you open a modern transceiver case, you're supposed to wear an anti-static bracelet and put it on an anti-static mat.. What does that tell you? The Gonset, short of being hit directly by lightning or thrown off a boat in salt water while turned on, will survive anything.

Are they still a viable option today? I think so. I wouldn't use them as my only option of course. What you get is a semi-portable radio insensitive to EMP, on a seldom used (and listened to) frequency, with a range of maybe ten miles, more with a beam antenna.. For $100, and even for $300 restored, it isn't a bad deal. You also get to bring back to life a piece of the past, and that is priceless.. I will post my restoration progress on this thread, so check back often.
#331
General Discussion / Tube Radios For Prepping?
December 18, 2012, 05:24:18 PM
What are you guys thoughts about tube rigs for prepping?

I have a Gonset Communicator III 6m AM transceiver, and this thing is built like a tank. Still works just fine even though it was built in the 50s. I don't think it would be damaged by an EMP. It doesn't mind a high SWR too much either.. Of course it is a base only option. Within a group or family, for local communications, it would work just fine. More private then CB. There is nobody on the lower portion of 6m in AM! I am not worried about leaving out 24/7. Most of my other radios (tiny CW QRP rigs) live in a metal box when not in use. You only need a tech. license to use it..

And what can I say, it is fun and warms up the room nicely in the winter! (photo of the radio on the Nets forum).

Gil.
#332
Morse Code / Copy Breakthrough!
December 16, 2012, 12:34:45 PM
Something weird happened today while chatting with Ray on 17m. I found myself staring at the trees through the window as I was writing down; without seeing dots and dashes! For the most part... It was sort of an automatic writing. I had no idea what I had put down, but reading it later, it was perfect copy! Before I had to strain my brain to decode, and today, it just happened  ;D There is still the odd letter I miss and it messes me up, but there was definitely a difference in processing today. I hope it will still be there tomorrow!

It is still very different from head copy though, because I do not even know which letters I'm writing, much less words.. Though sometimes a commonly used short word does pop in my head, like "test" or "rst" or "the," usually common four letter words and less.

Something to be happy about today. It's taking long enough  ::) Ya'll have a good one  :)

Gil.
#333
General Discussion / Coffee Shop QRP Operation.
December 06, 2012, 06:40:04 PM
I had a blast today with my K1 at the coffee shop! 800 miles on 3W out into the Buddistick on 30 and 20m (6W on 20). Trying to copy Morse with cars zipping by is good practice. You can see the Buddistick and counterpoise wire if you look carefully. The bicycle in the background is mine  ;) Can't do that with a QRO station!

Gil.
#334
Morse Code / 800 Miles on 200mW.
November 29, 2012, 11:40:11 AM
Yep, you read that right. Yesterday Ray and I experimented on 30m with a 44' wire and 17.5' counterpoise I plugged in my SOTA tuner. All the way down to 200mW and still readable! Another proof that CW is a great mode for emergency communications.

So, ya'll hop on the train now  ;)

Gil.
#335
I just received a Mantiz FX-2 QRP transceiver from a fellow Ham. The radio is a 40/30m dual band CW only transceiver: http://www.lnrprecision.com/mantiz/
LNR Precision also makes the PAR end-fed antennas and they have a 40/30m model to use with the FX-2. I use their 40/20/10m model and it works very well.
For $185 (I paid $125 used), you get great features and full band coverage with a digital display. The FX-2 is made in China. Here is the amazing part:
QuoteThe FX-2 weighs only 10.225 ounces (290 grams) with dimensions of 4.5″ length x 2.375″ width x 1.5″ depth.
That is small, very small!

So, I was pretty excited when the Post Office truck showed up and there was a small package in my mailbox after it left. I didn't lose any time plugging it in. First impression: Let's get the manual. The menus are not especially intuitive but easy to learn. You will need the manual however in the beginning. The case is metal, and everything is clearly labeled. It is heavier than anticipated, which shows a high degree of integration. I won't go into the details of every function, you can download the manual from LNR's site. Everything worked but for the TUNE mode, which crashed the radio. I had to turn it off to reset it. Hopefully this will be fixed in a future firmware release. Mine could be the only one with this problem... I did write LNR about it and another issue (filters) and got a reply within a half-hour:
QuoteHi Gil if you can send back to Me I will update and check out issue, No cost Larry
How's that for service!

I wish the SWR indicator worked, but that is part of the TUNE function, darn.. Changing bands and tuning is easy once you learned how. The receiver seems sensitive enough. I heard many signals, though the band wasn't quite open. There seems to be a working AGC, though a bit slow.

Receive current draw is 0.09A, transmit current is 0.58A on 40m and 0.44A on 30m.

Testing the TX: Using a small battery (12.5V), the output power as measured with my QRP wattmeter was 3W on 40m and 1W on 30m. The radio did not like my switching power supply. You will need a linear power supply to use it in the shack. Power using 13.8V was 3.5W on 40m and 1.3W on 30m. Operation on 30m will thus suffer a good deal, be warned. Tonight I was barely heard on 40m (Thanks Ray!), though, again, the band wasn't quite open at the time. 800 miles isn't bad on 3W given the conditions. The sidetone isn't very clean, I can see strong harmonics on the waterfall when keying. My Rock-Mites have the same problem. I don't think it's QSK-able. The display frequency is exactly the transmit frequency. I was picked up by the reverse beacon network, and another indication that transmit works fine. I am sure the FX-2 will work quite well on 40m. I will post operating updates as they come.

Filters: That such a small radio has variable bandwidth filters at all is amazing. If only they were aligned properly! Four out of five are badly off-center. Here is what I found (bandwidth/center freq.):

  • 800/800
  • 900/750
  • 1100/700
  • 1100/700
  • 1300/600
Only filter #5 (widest) is centered on the 600Hz sidetone. The narrower filters will be a problem... I hope there is a procedure to fix this... The units are probably not individually aligned at the factory.

The Mantiz is a great concept and has a great form factor. It does suffer from quality control issues (mine does at least). Let's face it, it is a cheap radio made in China. Again, for the price, you get a lot. Keep in mind that the unit I received is used. I do not know if the issues I describe were present out of the factory, but it can't be very old, as the model was introduced this year. There is nothing in the manual about alignment. I plan on keeping the radio in my bug-out bag. It is certainly small enough. If LNR could align the rig better, maybe narrow the filters to 400Hz and allow listening outside the two bands, they would have a real winner. The TUNE mode failure must be a fluke. There is nothing of that size on the market with the same features, as far as I know.

I will play with it a bit more, then send it to LNR. I have heard about, and just experienced, their good customer service. If it comes back fixed, it will definitely be a keeper!

These are my first impressions of the Mantiz FX-2. I will soon post updates below as I undoubtedly will be using it quite a bit in the near future, and of course after sending it in for an alignment. So, check back often!

Gil.
#336
General Discussion / Bugout and Radio Vehicle?
November 05, 2012, 09:55:25 PM
That's what I'd like to get!

Gil.
#337
General Discussion / Sandy Damage and Mosquitoes.
November 03, 2012, 07:44:10 PM
Well, I assessed the damage tonight while setting up for a QSO with RadioRay. There is a ton of little twigs on my second floor deck  ::)

The QSO was short because I was attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes, so I missed half of what Ray was saying. The state is well known for it's shark and alligator attacks, but mosquitoes come at a close third. In a SHTF situation, they would count for many casualties. Thank God I had a tube of Benadryl in my bug-out bag, so I didn't off myself going crazy scratching all night. By the way I heard a story about a missionary jumping off an island cliff because the no-see-ems drove him mad, so don't laugh ;) Seriously though my preps do include Benadryl, a mosquito net and insect repellent. I hate mosquitoes, can you tell?

I want everyone to know that Ray was using 100W!  ;D I think an intervention is in order! We both gave a 559 report and I used 13W in my Buddistick on 30m... But hey, I think when you get old you start using a cane just because it's easier  ;D

Also notice the mini airport bottle of Cointreau on the table, which helps greatly with Morse Code. Now I drink it for every QSO... Works every time. It doesn't make you copy better, but you just don't care anymore.. Add a small cigar, and it's Ham Heaven.

Thank you again Ray for the much needed practice!

Ya'll have a great week-end  :)

Gil.

#338
Batteries & Solar / Solar Charge Controller.
October 30, 2012, 11:16:59 AM
Being able to generate and store electricity is of paramount importance. Without power, your radios become expensive paper weights.. Solar power is probably the best way to achieve independence from the grid. It involves no moving parts, thus less chance of failure. It certainly isn't the most efficient, but unless you live in alaska, you should get enough sun daily to charge a small battery. One more reason QRP (low power operation) is a good idea.

You will need three items for your solar power set-up. A battery of course, I use a 2.9Ah AGM sealed battery. I plan on getting the following 10W flexible solar panel:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-F15-600-Folding-Solar-Charger/dp/B002LCEQPU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1CAFHH32NJC08&coliid=II3HP9Z157A87
A small inverter is also a good idea to generate 115v from your 12v battery. A very important item is the solar charge controller. I chose the SCC3 kit from CirKits:
http://www.cirkits.com/scc3/ Here is it after I finished building it. I need a box for it, probably a Hammond die-cast aluminum..



The kit was easy to build and seems to work. I can't really tell yet, because I don't have a solar panel to test it with. The only issue I have with it is that the soldering pads on the circuit board are too small and make soldering difficult. You will need a small soldering iron with a small tip for this job.

The controller can handle 20Amps! Much more than I will ever need. However, since I plan on getting another sailboat in less than three years, it will come handy with larger solar panels aboard. For $50, you get something much better than the usual made-in-china controllers. Don't forget to store your controller in an EMP-proof box, or even better, have a backup!

What's your solution to generate and store electricity?

Gil.
#340
The K2 is first and foremost a CW radio. It excels in that role. Having voice capability though is always a plus, you never know when you're going to need it. I also want the radio to be usable by other people, in case of an emergency. It doesn't do any good to have a radio only one person can use if the unconscious victim is the radio guy!

My Elecraft KSB2 kit arrived yesterday and I went to work immediately. The kit is rather small, but it's components fit very tightly together. With the excellent Elecraft manual, it was a breeze to build. That of course, after building the K2... The only thing that annoys me to no end is that Elecraft always leaves parts out on the original kits which are part of the upgrades, but should have been provided up front. So, I had to disassemble my front panel to install a few components that could have been shipped with the K2 kit. They do that EVERY SINGLE TIME! At least I didn't have to remove the heat-sink as with the auto-tuner option. What a pain...



After installation, the module worked right away, no bad surprises. I aligned the filters using Spectrogram. The microphone by the way was lifted from my Icom IC-271A. I just wired the K2 for Icom mikes. I checked in the Maritime Net on 14300 and got a good report from Jamaica, clear audio! You can see the KSB2 below installed in the K2:



As you can see above, the K2 is a complex kit. I really love the radio though. The receiver is excellent. There are just enough features, but nothing extra, just the way I like it. The last addition to my K2 will be the internal battery option. After that, we'll call it DONE!

Gil.