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Messages - caulktel

#16
A QCX for 160 meters :) Could you imagine how many turns you would need to put on T1?

Joel
N6ALT
#17
Looks great Andy, I love that gray finish. I wonder if a blue display might not look really sharp with the gray case. I just received my AGC and Click/pop kits today so I'm going to start in on building them and modifying my uBitx board Monday morning. I could put up with the pop every time I let go of the PTT, but this radio really needs AGC, so looking forward to finishing it. Keep us posted on your results.

Joel
N6ALT
#18
Morse Code / Re: The One-Watt Magic Number.
June 15, 2018, 11:16:37 AM
Gil,

I know you are talking about CW as the mode however.....

In 2015 I was building from scratch a Beach 40 DSB transceiver dead bug style on a piece of PCB. This radio was designed by Peter Parker VK3YE, I had just finished the receiver section, and the pre driver, and driver section, but was having problems with final amp going into oscillation, so I disconnected it. It was putting out about 300mw into the LPF measured without the final in the circuit. I was listening to a guy running a special event station aboard the Queen Mary docked in LA Harbor a distance of almost 1000 miles for my Oregon QTH while making the last connections to the mic amp stage with a electret capsule just hanging from some wires on the bench. I kept saying my call while looking at the waveform on my scope, Yep you guessed it, the guy returned my call sign and thanked me for checking into the Queen Mary. He gave me a 57 signal report with great audio. Keep in mind, I was running Double Side Band which means half of my power was going to the opposite side band, so that means I was getting out to S. California on about 150mw. You never can tell where your small signal is being heard. BTW, I had a lot of fun with that radio after I got the final amp section fixed, I made hundreds of contacts including one to Japan, all this on a bout 3 watts.

Joel
N6ALT
#19
Antennas / Re: MFJ 971 vs LDG Z-817
June 08, 2018, 09:49:35 AM
The LDG tuner is a automatic tuner and the MFJ is a manual tuner much like the one you already have. I agree with Jon, buy the LDG or just keep the one you have.

Joel
N6ALT
#20
Good news Andy, you will love your uBitx with the CES 1.08 firmware. I use mine everyday and it just 'feels' like a real radio now with the new firmware. Those enclosures sure look professional, looking back I should have used one, it sure would have been easier. Please post pictures when you get done.

Joel
N6ALT
#21
New To Radio / Re: QRP from a beginners view
June 04, 2018, 06:50:44 PM
Great video, hope Lana is okay.

Joel
N6ALT
#22
New To Radio / Re: QRP from a beginners view
June 04, 2018, 09:58:15 AM
Great contact, a 57 is a good signal report. The vertical seems to be very quiet. Around here it is hard to find a place where the QRM is low enough to hear anybody unless I drive a long way to the mountains. I keep trying.

Joel
N6ALT
#23
Batteries & Solar / Re: 18650 battery testing
June 03, 2018, 03:59:39 PM
Good news on your Wife Andy. Glad she is okay.

Joel
N6ALT
#24
Batteries & Solar / Re: 18650 battery testing
May 31, 2018, 05:46:08 PM
Sorry to hear about your Wife, I hope she will be okay. Good new on your cells. i need to test the bunch i have and build some new packs.

Joel
N6ALT
#25
Morse Code / Re: Can Morse Code Still Save You?
May 24, 2018, 01:19:51 PM
Sounds good to me Gil.

Joel
N6ALT
#26
Batteries & Solar / Re: 18650 battery testing
May 12, 2018, 01:50:40 PM
Hi Andy,

I had to do the same thing when I started working with 18650 batteries but I bought this  tester.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pcs-Constant-Current-Electronic-Load-9-99A-60W-30V-Battery-Discharge-Capacity-C/191883750242?epid=2024203215&hash=item2cad29ab62:g:mp4AAOSwintXSj2m

Works great.

Joel
N6ALT
#27
I used to be in the computer business and recycled hundreds of laptop batteries and now that I know about reclaiming these 18650 cells I was only able to find one old pack which netted me 6 good cells:-(  I need to keep a eye out for some more, only now they seem hard to come by. Figures.

Joel
N6ALT
#28
General Discussion / Re: GUERILLA QRP PORTABLE
April 19, 2018, 09:42:54 AM
Great write up, and very inspirational QRZ page, makes me want to leave right now for portable QRP ops. Welcome to the group.

Joel
N6ALT
#29
I'm of the opinion, who cares? I like QRP and the way I operate. Sure I'll take suggestions from other operators, but in the end it's my butt that will be in the sling and I'll manage it the best I can with the equipment i have with me at that time, it's not a competition it's survival. To each his own. If push came to shove, I could use CW to save my bacon but meanwhile I prefer SSB/DSB, less abbreviations:-).

Joel
N6ALT
#30
Technical Corner / Re: New Steve Weber Project.
April 03, 2018, 08:34:45 AM
No, Steve said to leave it out, but we need to install C13 just no C14. I found his instructions to be lacking.

Joel
N6ALT