ATS4 Night 1
The project has begun....
Tonight I soldered about 20 surface mount components. Most of them are on the bottom side of circuit board. Most of them are not too hard to work with but there are several that are pretty tiny. I am using a 1/64" tip for my iron and that is pretty magical for some of this small pitch work.
While I do own solder paste I am use conventional solder on a roll. I am using a paper clip mount to hold the multi-pin parts in place while I tack down the first two pins.
I figure that I probably spent about 70 minutes on the project tonight.
73 de NG0R
Tonight I soldered about 20 surface mount components. Most of them are on the bottom side of circuit board. Most of them are not too hard to work with but there are several that are pretty tiny. I am using a 1/64" tip for my iron and that is pretty magical for some of this small pitch work.
While I do own solder paste I am use conventional solder on a roll. I am using a paper clip mount to hold the multi-pin parts in place while I tack down the first two pins.
I figure that I probably spent about 70 minutes on the project tonight.
73 de NG0R
ATS4
I decided to open up the box.....
I am about ready to begin the ATS4 kit. It is a HF backpack rig designed by Steve KD1JV. There is quite a bit of SMD construction in this kit.
My goal with this is specific. I would like to have a small HF rig to take with on camping and out of town trips. This rig should work nicely for a small portable system
73 de NG0R
I am about ready to begin the ATS4 kit. It is a HF backpack rig designed by Steve KD1JV. There is quite a bit of SMD construction in this kit.
My goal with this is specific. I would like to have a small HF rig to take with on camping and out of town trips. This rig should work nicely for a small portable system
73 de NG0R
WSPRing
I am busy working all day but I decided to turn on the radio and computer on the side of the room. I am letting the computer decode and post spots to the internet while I am working.
It appears that 20m is pretty busy with signals from North America and Western Europe.
73 de NG0R
It appears that 20m is pretty busy with signals from North America and Western Europe.
73 de NG0R
CW Class
Winter is underway here in Minnesota... the perfect time for CW class!
KA0CSW lead a CW class for the Meeker County Radio Club tonight at the Litchfield Rescue Hall. I took N0AEA (12) and N2BEN (10) with me to the class.
We worked on 8 letters: AEITMNDG
There were a couple of practice keys but the class was taught with a computer so the straight key just kind of set the mood. :-)
I have to admit that it was a fun way to spend an evening.
73 de NG0R
KA0CSW lead a CW class for the Meeker County Radio Club tonight at the Litchfield Rescue Hall. I took N0AEA (12) and N2BEN (10) with me to the class.
We worked on 8 letters: AEITMNDG
There were a couple of practice keys but the class was taught with a computer so the straight key just kind of set the mood. :-)
I have to admit that it was a fun way to spend an evening.
73 de NG0R
A SBL-1 can be your friend!
Q: How do you test your 432mhz transverter on CW & SSB?
A: You combine a SBL-1 + a signal generator attached to a HF rig
I have a 432mhz transverter that was not working properly.
I dug up the pin out notes for the SBL-1 and soldered some short leads with BNC connectors.
I used my Wavetek signal generator as the LO
The IF port of the SBL-1 is connected to my Icom 756
The RF port is connect to the my dual band vertical on the HF. (Using it as a receive antenna for this test.)
I was able to transmit SSB and CW on my K2+XV432 on the VHF tower and listen on the Icom 756 on HF tower via an RF path. All-in-all it took about 20 minutes to setup the test once I decided to do it.
I have not worked on any projects with the SBL-1 in the past. Tonight's positive (and easy) experience with the SBL-1 mixer will likely drive me use it for some projects in the future.
73 de NG0R
A: You combine a SBL-1 + a signal generator attached to a HF rig
I have a 432mhz transverter that was not working properly.
- I don't have a second rig with 432mhz SSB/CW.
- Normally I test a lot of projects with N0FP but he currently does not have 432 weak signal gear.
- The two other hams with 432 weak signal stations that I frequently test with were AWOL Sunday afternoon when I was looking to work on this project.
I dug up the pin out notes for the SBL-1 and soldered some short leads with BNC connectors.
I used my Wavetek signal generator as the LO
The IF port of the SBL-1 is connected to my Icom 756
The RF port is connect to the my dual band vertical on the HF. (Using it as a receive antenna for this test.)
I was able to transmit SSB and CW on my K2+XV432 on the VHF tower and listen on the Icom 756 on HF tower via an RF path. All-in-all it took about 20 minutes to setup the test once I decided to do it.
I have not worked on any projects with the SBL-1 in the past. Tonight's positive (and easy) experience with the SBL-1 mixer will likely drive me use it for some projects in the future.
73 de NG0R
2010 MNQP Award
A nice piece of paper came in the mail today....
Last February Ben (who was nine at the time) and I operated the Minnesota QSO Party for a little while. This is the second time that Ben and I have gotten a piece of artwork for the wall from this contest.
To be real honest there is not a lot of activity in Meeker County let alone other multi-op stations. We have a pretty good chance to get something in the email if we spend an hour or two operating.
I think that Ben made about 83 SSB contacts and I made 24 CW contacts once Ben stopped operating. We had fun during our brief time operating the contest. Ben enjoyed being the center of the pile-up.
Here is the blog post from last winter after the end of the event.
73 de NG0R
Last February Ben (who was nine at the time) and I operated the Minnesota QSO Party for a little while. This is the second time that Ben and I have gotten a piece of artwork for the wall from this contest.
To be real honest there is not a lot of activity in Meeker County let alone other multi-op stations. We have a pretty good chance to get something in the email if we spend an hour or two operating.
I think that Ben made about 83 SSB contacts and I made 24 CW contacts once Ben stopped operating. We had fun during our brief time operating the contest. Ben enjoyed being the center of the pile-up.
Here is the blog post from last winter after the end of the event.
73 de NG0R
so2sdr
Over a quick lunch break I was reading an email saw this:
http://code.google.com/p/so2sdr/
It is "Single OP 2 Software Defined Radio" contest logging software.
hmmm... what is the world coming to? :-)
73 de NG0R
http://code.google.com/p/so2sdr/
It is "Single OP 2 Software Defined Radio" contest logging software.
hmmm... what is the world coming to? :-)
73 de NG0R
Softrock Ensemble Night 8
The big night....
I finished up the last stage of the kit tonight. Overall it was not too difficult except for the two transformers. It is pretty tight fit as they have a bifilar winding and single wire winding on a small binocular core.
T3 6T/3T bifilar #30 on BN-43-2402 (12")
T4 4T bifilar/5T #30 0n BN-43-2402 (12")
The raw construction appears to be done. I will need to go through the test steps and if all goes well then work on the TX I/Q balancing. Those next steps will be saved for another evening.
73 de NG0R
I finished up the last stage of the kit tonight. Overall it was not too difficult except for the two transformers. It is pretty tight fit as they have a bifilar winding and single wire winding on a small binocular core.
T3 6T/3T bifilar #30 on BN-43-2402 (12")
T4 4T bifilar/5T #30 0n BN-43-2402 (12")
The raw construction appears to be done. I will need to go through the test steps and if all goes well then work on the TX I/Q balancing. Those next steps will be saved for another evening.
73 de NG0R
Ski Club Night
Jacob (12) has ski club on Monday nights at Powder Ridge.
Jacob likes to ski but Ben (10) and I like to snowboard. It has probably been 14-15 years since I have been on a snowboard. When we left the hill at around 8pm it was about 4F.
FYI...I might be sore in the morning.
Jacob likes to ski but Ben (10) and I like to snowboard. It has probably been 14-15 years since I have been on a snowboard. When we left the hill at around 8pm it was about 4F.
FYI...I might be sore in the morning.