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So what you working on?

Radio Tech

Radio Tech

Radio Operator
Sep 9, 2008
858
310
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North Carolina
www.gokarters.com
As far as electronic related that is.

The past couple of years have really been bad for me. First I got sick and spent some time in hospital. Then after getting better I been working 12 hours a day 6 days a week! Lost a lot of "fun" time in the shop/shack. Life is funny some times.

Any way other than the standard repairs I do in the shop I always have several projects going on for myself. I started collecting Yaesu 101's, now I have 4 of them. The latest one is a 101EX. In decent shape and will be a keeper. I already started replacing a lot of caps and resistors. Installed a AM filter. May use this one on 40 and 80 meter AM mode.

And speaking of AM I am restoring a Heathkit Apache TX-1. I have 2 of those now. Still looking a Mohawk to go with it. The old scratch apache and mohawk should make a nice boat anchor AM station.

Another project I am working on is a Kenwood TS-430S. Picked this up non working a couple of weeks ago. Real cheap too. Was told the display was the only thing wrong with it. After removing the display board I saw lots of bad solder joints. You could actually remove a whole socket from the board without de-soldering. Repaired the display board knowing I had this one licked!. Nope, no 5 volts. Found that the 5 volt regulator had de-soldered itself also. After soldering it back in I now have display. No transmit other than the oscillator running that I can hear and see on the SA. Receiver is quite deaf also. One of the issues rith this rig is it looks as if Kenwood used a very tin in the solder they used. It is so bad that new solder want stick to it.

Thats my 3 main projects atm.

Whats yours?
 

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Captain Kilowatt said:
Easier to just post a link and you can have a look. It may even interest you in 6m. LOL This is still ongoing as I have had a few set backs but it is on the bench. The biggest hold up right now is a cabinet for it but I am rethinking that and have an idea or two.

http://www.worldwidedx.com/amplifiers/134179-6m-larcan-conversion.html
Click to expand...

Very nice Garth. Looks like a fun project. Man if you could find like an old paging cabinet that would work.I am sure you dont want to go with wood although I seen some nice ones out there. And I know what you mean about set backs. I have been down on 6 meters for a couple of years now. Rotator quit and the first 2 directors fell off the 6 meter beam. I am no longer allowed to tower climb :thumbdown:
I have already set up a hinge plate to move the tower to. Then I can let it down with out climbing. (y)
 
I have some aluminum panels and may simply make a shield for the component side and put feet on it and go with it like that. this would mean a separate power supply and the cooling fans and T/R relay would be easily seen but if it means getting it on the air then why not. Ideally I would like everything in one cabinet with metering but that can always come later.
 
Nice projects! I am currently working on a Yaesu Ft-901dm that I was given in non working state. I hope to get it working and with the use of a transverter make it my 2/6 meter station.
 
Nice CLASSICS there Radio Tech.

I just dusted off my old HW-100 and put it on the Geratol Net (no pun intended!) on 3.668 this evening to see if it still worked. Worked FB, so probably will be putting up on eBay.

I also checked out my old HW-16 and HG10B and they are putting out a strong and stable signal on 80 and 40.... they (the HW-16) however, still sucks wind on 15 meters. Never had one that was too good on TX or RX for that band.

Beside amplifiers, I'm pretty much done w/tube stuff at this point. These are my last 2 boat anchors, and once they go, I'll be 21st Century at last.
 
Cool projects! I love seeing pictures and write-ups of what people are working on...thanks guys!
 
Right now I'm working on a HF single-board AM/FM transceiver using an Analog Devices DSP (ADSP-2181 if you're interested). Nothing's quite materialized yet, but I should be getting to the preliminary board design within the next week or so.

General idea is that it will be uC (probably Arduino for ease of use) controlled and that all I/O will be on another board (LCD, knobs, buttons, w/e). Might make it scale-able hardware so I can add to it.

If anyone likes, I'll keep you posted.
 
Garth,
Sounds like a winner. No reason that should not work. Keep it going :)

w9cll
That should make a nice IF for the 2/6 meter. What type of transverter are you looking at using? Homebrew, used or store bought?

CTStallion
So do I, cant beat a good ole classic! And you have a couple. And you know with classics comes service work. Some folks dont understand that you have to work on em. That is the only down fall with old tube stuff. Hey, it is what I live for (y)

Moleculo
One of the reason I like to start threads like this. I love seeing what other folks are doing. Plus helps to bring out problems that the normal poster may not ask when they need help..


KK6FVT
Now that sounds interesting!
I like to see more of this. It is always a pleasure to see older stuff made more modern. That is another project I am working on myself "in the back ground" I went out and purchased a pickit2 clone and an original pickit2 programmer. Bought a stick of chips. looking at adding a DDS VFO to a old Siltronix 1011C. I will completly remove the old VFO and dial unit. Add a digital display and a encoder. Will add a couple of push buttons to select frequency range.

Love it, keep em coming guys.
 
You know,
I have been thinking a bit lately. I know that is dangerous lol :love:
Something I have been wanting to do over the last couple of years is build a homebrew transceiver. A full HF rig would be a very intense complicated project. So I am thinking QRP. And I am not talking building a kit. Dont want something someone else have done all the work on.

So will most likely start off with a 40 meter CW qrp tranceiver. That should make the build a lot easier to start with. The transmitter and receiver should have it's own VFO. Why? Well when you hear a rare DX station with a pile up and you want to work him you leave the transmitter parked on his frequency while you scan the band for other DX with the receiver.

Transmitters are pretty basic. The receivers are a bit more complicated. So will go with a single conversion with no agc.
Looking at building this on double sided circuit board dead bug or Ungly constrution if you will.

Anyone else doing something simular?
 

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