Kindle test and trip status

This probably won't be too long, because while the keyboard on my kindle works, it's not very quick or effecient. It also does not have a spell checker.

We are in if not mountians, large foothills. We just went about _ _ . . .  5 for a long straight downhill, and have been holding _ _ . . . 0 for quite a while.

The other disadvantage of the kindle is that it can't post photos, however being able to post at all is nice.

Last night we got to the hotel around 2300, and got to bed sometime after 2330. As our trips often go that is rather mild. Sometimes we arrive around 1 or 2! We got up at 7, so it wasn' too bad though.

posted from my kindle

Front panel

Here is an unfinished front panel layout. This is just to get a rough idea, but the layout will be similar to this  when it is finished.

As I mentioned, it is not finished, but 7 is a 1/4" mic jack, and 8's are the RX notch filter. 9 will probably be frequency lock.

Ammo can radio status 01

Here is how I am currently planning to make the ammo can radio.

Oops, I accidentally posted between this and the other ammo can radio post. Oh well,

Again, this is a modular design.

Batteries: 1 or 2, (two if I have space) 7AH 12V gel cells 

Voltage regulator: http://futurlec.com/Linear/L4970A.shtml or similar

Voltage protection: each module will be individually fused, and probably include something similar to one of these. If a module requires an odd voltage (that is, not 12 or 5 VDC) it must internally convert it.
RX: HF will probably be This general coverage receiver
TX: I will probably use this amp from Ramsey Electronics

VHF RX: I would like this radio to cover 2 meters, but may not actually be able to get that to happen. If I can, I am thinking that I will probably use a MC3362 or the newer version, the MC13135.
VFO: I am currently thinking that I would use a SI570 chip, because it works up to about 160 MHz which gives me a little bit more expandability if I wanted to add in 2M later.
Controller: I am planning to use an Arduino Diecimila because I have one, and I think it has enough capability and would do a good job.
Everything must use nuts and bolts, not screws, or glues, and as little plastic as possible
The radio will have a mainframe within the ammo can. Everything will be mounted to the mainframe, not the case (possible exception would be soldering a ground wire on the inside), and the frame will be mounted in the case magnetically. The front panel might include a few rubber bumpers in case it gets tipped upside down, so instead of the knobs, toggles, or meters hitting the rubber bumpers will absorb the shock.

Front panel design coming soon!

Country Music joke

Something I heard recently:

Question: What happens when you play a country music record backwards?
Answer:  You get your wife, kids, money, dog and truck back!

Ammo can radio

I don't think I have posted on this subject before. I have written about it by hand, but this may be the first online summary. What this will be is a design for a fully functional and self-contained HAM radio covering most if not all of HF, and preferably 6M and 2M too. 220 would be a bonus, but I don't really use 440 much. Anyway, here are the minimum design requirements:

The entire radio must fit in an ammo can with the lid shut
TX frequency range: HAM bands only, 80M-10M, 60M excluded
RX frequency range: Same as TX
TX modes: AM, CW
RX modes: AM, USB, LSB, CW
Power: 120VAC, 12VDC, internal batteries
RF output power: 15W
Built-in antenna tuner
When a cable is plugged into the audio out jack, it must mute the internal speaker
Design must be modular for easy repair, maintenance, and upgrade
Backlit LCD for frequency display
Analog meters for; Battery/VCC (0-15VDC), Current (0-10ADC), SWR, modulation(TX), and S-meter (RX)
No external battery charging equipment necessary
1/4" audio out jack, not 1/8"
1/4" key jack
If I remember anything else I will add it, but I think that about covers it.

Next Post: current design summary

AC power

Here I am again, unplugging the subwoofer from the extension cord so that I can use the jigsaw outside.
I really need to find a good place to put it. The first place was beside the desk, and that worked well because there were plugs right next to it, and it could hook right to the speaker, but the way the acoustics work out, it's louder in the other room than where I usually listen. Right now I have it in the middle of the floor pointing at me, and that works well except I have to use an extension cord to plug it in, and it blocks the rack mount.

youtube embed test

Banjo neck

I had another idea; we have a lot of oak, some white and some red. If I could age/dry some of that, I could save about $30 for wood. I'm not sure if I will actually be able to do that, as that usually involves a kiln, and the closest thing that we have is an oven that we aren't using, but I'm not sure that one, I would be allowed to use it for that, and two, that a 3 foot piece of wood would fit in it.

Banjos

Well, as I mentioned earlier I am building banjos. I am making one at a time, and if it works that's all I need it to do. I will then improve upon that in my second, which should be much nicer. I am somewhat undecided what wood to use for the neck. I am using red oak for the body, and I want it not to clash with that. So far I am considering using: Bubinga, Osage Orange (Argentine), or Padauk. Just for fun, here are their
corresponding Latin names:
Guibourtia demeusei (Bubinga)
Maclura tinctoria (Osage Orange Argentine)
Pterocarpus soyauxii (Padauk)

I am considering getting one of each, but they are about $20 each currently, plus shipping. That actually seems to be a reasonable price, but it's still a lot, unless I sell some things soon. I am planning on using East Indian Rosewood (Dalbergia latifolia) for the fretboard. I might also do some fretboard inlay work, probably the diamonds.

More some other time,

73, DE KJ4BXT K

Audio

I am just now hooking up our Bose speakers as subwoofers in the lab. My Polk speakers are fed through my push-pull tube amp which is fed from the rec out of a JVC amp which is powering the Bose, with the EQ as: 63 +10, 160 +8, 400 +6, 1K -10, 2.5K -10, 6.3K -10, 16K -10. It is rather interesting, it does add more bass, but it's drawn out, sort of sustained; it sounds like it needs a higher damping amp. Or, maybe it's just a sloppy driver.

Audio

I am just now hooking up our Bose speakers as subwoofers in the lab. My Polk speakers are fed through my push-pull tube amp which is fed from the rec out of a JVC amp which is powering the Bose, with the EQ as: 63 +10, 160 +8, 400 +6, 1K -10, 2.5K -10, 6.3K -10, 16K -10. It is rather interesting, it does add more bass, but it's drawn out, sort of sustained; it sounds like it needs a higher damping amp. Or, maybe it's just a sloppy driver.

Update

This didn't work too well. I sort of forgot about this website, and haven't done anything with it for a long time. Right now my main project in woodworking is building two banjos. (That may have been the secret project mentioned earlier, but I've forgotten!) We are doing the bible bee right now, and that takes up a lot of time. I never knew was so bad at memorizing. It seems like my brothers and sisters can just read a card once or twice and have memorized it. Right now the lab is also very cluttered; I just got about 50 years worth of the Proceedings of the IRE (now IEEE), plus about the same number of years of Radio magazine, and am trying to find places for all of them. I just got back from a swim meet. I swam 50m backstroke and butterfly. I only have to drop .08 seconds in my fly to break 30, which is one of my swimming goals for this summer. (I placed second, the the winning time was 30.00s) I have been doing winter swim, and am currently swimming with coaches Bill and Bob at Camelot, (SCM) and Audry Moore, (LCM). 

 I am also busy with some of the new equipment we got down in Florida. The lab has been expanded to the entire sunroom, with a woodworking space.

More later