Comments for OFF TOPIC blog http://k5dkz.com/blog Ham radio projects and a log of interesting experiences Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:56:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 Comment on Antenna Mania by admin http://k5dkz.com/blog/2008/11/25/antenna-mania/#comment-4759 admin Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:28:21 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/?p=471#comment-4759 Well, the Windom is not all it is cracked up to be. The Windom premise is that it works on all harmnically related bands without need for an antenna tuner. That may be true but not all harmonics of every frequency end up in a ham band. Consider this: 3.6mhz X 2 = 7.2mhz 7.2mhz X 2 = 14.4mhz hmmm..... maybe that is why I get a 4:1 swr on 14.1mhz. Guess I need to cut the dipole for 3.55mhz to get it to work well on 14.1mhz. Oh well, not going to use the dipole on 20 meters anyway when I have a four element beam for that band. So what does it matter? Getting better than a 2:1 swr from 3.6 to 3.9mhz on 80 meters and better than 1.5:1 all across 40 meters. All that without a tuner. Heck, it even covers much of 10 meters with a decent swr. Call that good and leave it alone. Well, the Windom is not all it is cracked up to be. The Windom premise is that it works on all harmnically related bands without need for an antenna tuner. That may be true but not all harmonics of every frequency end up in a ham band.

Consider this:

3.6mhz X 2 = 7.2mhz

7.2mhz X 2 = 14.4mhz hmmm….. maybe that is why I get a 4:1 swr on 14.1mhz.

Guess I need to cut the dipole for 3.55mhz to get it to work well on 14.1mhz.

Oh well, not going to use the dipole on 20 meters anyway when I have a four element beam for that band. So what does it matter? Getting better than a 2:1 swr from 3.6 to 3.9mhz on 80 meters and better than 1.5:1 all across 40 meters. All that without a tuner. Heck, it even covers much of 10 meters with a decent swr.

Call that good and leave it alone.

]]> Comment on Heathkit AR-3 communications receiver by admin http://k5dkz.com/blog/2008/10/02/heathkit-ar-3-communications-receiver/#comment-4753 admin Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:58:53 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/?p=461#comment-4753 About one month after this radio was brought back into service, the dial lights went out. Dial light replacement is always a PIA, but Heathkit went out of their way to devise a design for the ar3 that would make the task a truely memorable experience. Replacement required removing the cabinet. While I had the cabinet off I decided to tweak the calibration. Good decision. The calibration was WAY off! The radio is now not only reasonably 'on frequency' but also has become much more sensitive. Oh, and I replaced the series connected #47, 6vdc bulbs with lower current, parallel connected 12vdc bulbs. Mainly because I had no #47's, but the 12vdc bulbs claim to have 5x the life of the #47's. Hopefully I will never have to replace bulbs again. About one month after this radio was brought back into service, the dial lights went out.

Dial light replacement is always a PIA, but Heathkit went out of their way to devise a design for the ar3 that would make the task a truely memorable experience.

Replacement required removing the cabinet.

While I had the cabinet off I decided to tweak the calibration. Good decision. The calibration was WAY off! The radio is now not only reasonably ‘on frequency’ but also has become much more sensitive.

Oh, and I replaced the series connected #47, 6vdc bulbs with lower current, parallel connected 12vdc bulbs. Mainly because I had no #47’s, but the 12vdc bulbs claim to have 5x the life of the #47’s. Hopefully I will never have to replace bulbs again.

]]> Comment on CNG by admin http://k5dkz.com/blog/2008/09/05/cng/#comment-4708 admin Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:53:22 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/?p=457#comment-4708 Update. Turns out that converting a normal automobile to run off CNG costs about $3000 and puts a large tank in your trunk, making it useless for luggage. Now I understand what he means when he says, 'but we need your help'! That $3k is just about enough to buy all the gas I need for a year even at todays inflated prices. I also suspect that once the use of CNG goes up as everyone converts to it, the price of CNG will also go up. Yeah but we won't be sending our money to terrorists. I'm not so sure we are doing that now. This whole idea of keeping dollars at home is reminiscent of past experiences with auto manufacturers. They implored you to buy American. Then we found out there were lots of parts in those cars that were not made in America. Guess it was okay for the auto manufacturers NOT to 'buy American'. That was only good for American consumers. If a transfer of wealth were a potential problem for us, it is one of the few problems that can be handled by government. Trouble is government has caused the problem. If we do not want to send money overseas then we need to find and use domestic oil. Going to wind turbines and CNG is not a total solution. It might help but not when it costs me money I don't need to spend. No, the bottom line is, where can I get the best deal for my dollar to supply my energy needs. If the government does not care if that means I have to buy from terrorists, who am I to complain. The government needs to stop blaming others for its screw-ups and folk like Mr. Pickens need to stop taking advantage of us. Update. Turns out that converting a normal automobile to run off CNG costs about $3000 and puts a large tank in your trunk, making it useless for luggage.

Now I understand what he means when he says, ‘but we need your help’!

That $3k is just about enough to buy all the gas I need for a year even at todays inflated prices. I also suspect that once the use of CNG goes up as everyone converts to it, the price of CNG will also go up.

Yeah but we won’t be sending our money to terrorists. I’m not so sure we are doing that now. This whole idea of keeping dollars at home is reminiscent of past experiences with auto manufacturers. They implored you to buy American. Then we found out there were lots of parts in those cars that were not made in America. Guess it was okay for the auto manufacturers NOT to ‘buy American’. That was only good for American consumers.

If a transfer of wealth were a potential problem for us, it is one of the few problems that can be handled by government. Trouble is government has caused the problem. If we do not want to send money overseas then we need to find and use domestic oil. Going to wind turbines and CNG is not a total solution. It might help but not when it costs me money I don’t need to spend.

No, the bottom line is, where can I get the best deal for my dollar to supply my energy needs. If the government does not care if that means I have to buy from terrorists, who am I to complain.

The government needs to stop blaming others for its screw-ups and folk like Mr. Pickens need to stop taking advantage of us.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by g3vbv http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4700 g3vbv Sat, 30 Aug 2008 11:13:32 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4700 40m was dead 7.0 - 7.1 and at other times 7.0 -7.08, now it's dead over the whole 40m band, OK 6.999 and below. My problem was seen on other bands, e.g sometimes on 20m it would stop working below about 14.180, on 17m anywhere from the whole band to below 18.120. Results on all bands varied. I suspect the 40m problem now is wrong capacitance value which means I'll have to take that screening off again and check C35. 40m was dead 7.0 - 7.1 and at other times 7.0 -7.08, now it’s dead over the whole 40m band, OK 6.999 and below. My problem was seen on other bands, e.g sometimes on 20m it would stop working below about 14.180, on 17m anywhere from the whole band to below 18.120. Results on all bands varied. I suspect the 40m problem now is wrong capacitance value which means I’ll have to take that screening off again and check C35.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by admin http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4699 admin Tue, 26 Aug 2008 22:07:05 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4699 Congradulations!!! I believe you finally got it fixed. If I wore a hat it would be off for you. I am a little embarassed that my 737 is still laying on the repair bench. Your degree of success inspires me to pick up where I left off on the thing. It is sort of nice to have other equipment to use but that is not a good excuse to leave the main rig laying around broken. I have no idea as to why the problems with 40 meters. I will keep it in mind as I work on my radio and let you know if I have any ideas as to what to do with 40 meters. My radio still worked on 40. It had problems on 80 meters down. Still worked on the higher frequency bands. Thanks for letting me know of the progress you made and your success. Congradulations!!! I believe you finally got it fixed. If I wore a hat it would be off for you.

I am a little embarassed that my 737 is still laying on the repair bench. Your degree of success inspires me to pick up where I left off on the thing. It is sort of nice to have other equipment to use but that is not a good excuse to leave the main rig laying around broken.

I have no idea as to why the problems with 40 meters. I will keep it in mind as I work on my radio and let you know if I have any ideas as to what to do with 40 meters. My radio still worked on 40. It had problems on 80 meters down. Still worked on the higher frequency bands.

Thanks for letting me know of the progress you made and your success.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by g3vbv http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4698 g3vbv Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:54:52 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4698 Got a feeling I made a mistake with 40m, it's completely dead now. All other bands are fine 3+ days on. Got a feeling I made a mistake with 40m, it’s completely dead now. All other bands are fine 3+ days on.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by g3vbv http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4676 g3vbv Sun, 27 Jul 2008 02:06:54 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4676 Thanks, I won't be able to get around to doing anything for the next 2 weeks. When I do, I shall note each as I replace them. If problems arise, I will be able to put them back in their proper places. It's a pity it's laid out so it's not really possible to try one at a time. My guess is they have a special setup to allow factory alignment. Thanks, I won’t be able to get around to doing anything for the next 2 weeks. When I do, I shall note each as I replace them. If problems arise, I will be able to put them back in their proper places. It’s a pity it’s laid out so it’s not really possible to try one at a time.
My guess is they have a special setup to allow factory alignment.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by admin http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4665 admin Mon, 21 Jul 2008 23:14:31 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4665 I still do not know if the ceramic capacitors will fix the problem. At present I am using an old Kenwood TS-120 and have been for the better part of a year it seems. Maybe this week I will finally get the caps installed. The problem is that I do not have the equipment I need to align this thing. I was thinking I could measure the value of the old caps and adjust the new ones to match but I have been chicken to do so. \ Maybe I will just put the rig back together as is (without replacing the caps) just to see if it still works. Who knows, maybe the repair fairies have fixed the problem for me. I still do not know if the ceramic capacitors will fix the problem. At present I am using an old Kenwood TS-120 and have been for the better part of a year it seems.

Maybe this week I will finally get the caps installed.
The problem is that I do not have the equipment I need to align this thing. I was thinking I could measure the value of the old caps and adjust the new ones to match but I have been chicken to do so. \

Maybe I will just put the rig back together as is (without replacing the caps) just to see if it still works. Who knows, maybe the repair fairies have fixed the problem for me.

]]> Comment on ICOM 737 Problems by g3vbv http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4663 g3vbv Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:08:24 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/05/18/icom-737-problems/#comment-4663 I presume the capacitor replacements fixed the problem. I'm having similar problems on my IC-737 and I have the replacement capacitors, just that I haven't yet got around to replacing them so far. Hope to tackle that job some time in the next couple of weeks. Nice description, stumbled on it after a few weeks of searching, just needed the right keywords in google --- "Icom 737 problems" found it. I presume the capacitor replacements fixed the problem. I’m having similar problems on my IC-737 and I have the replacement capacitors, just that I haven’t yet got around to replacing them so far. Hope to tackle that job some time in the next couple of weeks.
Nice description, stumbled on it after a few weeks of searching, just needed the right keywords in google — “Icom 737 problems” found it.

]]> Comment on Atlas by Frank http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/07/11/atlas/#comment-3399 Frank Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:22:06 +0000 http://k5dkz.com/blog/2007/07/11/atlas/#comment-3399 Took the covers off the console unit so that some voltage points could be monitored. Had to tilt the unit onto its back to gain access. Ended up putting the thing in CW mode with the key down. It stayed that way for some time until I discovered that the current meter was pegged to the right. Heat sink was ouchy hot and one of the power output transistors now has its base shorted to its collector. Ordered some 2SC2879 replacements from RF Parts. While I wait on those to arrive, I will see about installing the bias mod and the negative feedback mod. Failure symptoms were a dead radio with the meter pegged to the right. Same symptoms regardless of function switch setting. The bad transistor was taking the power supply to ground or close to it. Took the covers off the console unit so that some voltage points could be monitored. Had to tilt the unit onto its back to gain access. Ended up putting the thing in CW mode with the key down. It stayed that way for some time until I discovered that the current meter was pegged to the right. Heat sink was ouchy hot and one of the power output transistors now has its base shorted to its collector.

Ordered some 2SC2879 replacements from RF Parts. While I wait on those to arrive, I will see about installing the bias mod and the negative feedback mod.

Failure symptoms were a dead radio with the meter pegged to the right. Same symptoms regardless of function switch setting. The bad transistor was taking the power supply to ground or close to it.

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