Solder Fume Extractor

I saw some thing similar to this on You Tube made in a mint tin. Since I had this big fan in the junk drawer I thought I would use it. It is a hi velocity 5" X 5" fan that runs on 12 volts.

The filters are from the pet store. They are for purifying your dogs drinking water. (mine just drinks regular unfiltered toilette water) They are high density filters with activated charcoal in them.

I took 2 of these filters and added part of a Heppa type furnace filter paper.

I used 2 pieces of small aluminum angle brackets to form a U channel on either side of the fan to slide the filters (plus the Heppa material) down into. This holds it firmly to the front of the Fan.

I added some painted  perforated sheet metal to the front to hold every thing in place. Home Depot sells this stuff in various patterns. I could have bought a box or made a fancy one out of wood with a built in power supply ....but, I think in this case simple is better.



After testing it it seems to work just fine. No solder fume smell after burning a large chunk O'solder next to it. You have to be fairly close for the fumes to get sucked up. It will help a lot on those days when I sit in the shack for hours working on a project.

Antenna switch project

I needed a new switch for my boat anchor gear. It is a chore to find each coax cable, identify it and chose between the tower antenna, or dipole. Fortunately I was in luck, my friend James had just started his project and sent me the link on an action site to get a couple for my self.

 

 It is quite the beefy switch, the spring is a little stiff but I think it will be OK.

 The box I picked out is an extruded type hard anodized aluminum. It has a sliding top or bottom depending on how you want to mount it. I chose the model with the flanged end plates. This way I can mount it on the cabinet close to where I need it. Easy to drill with a tough black finish.

                                                         40 holes later.....

The switch and all the SO-239's are in and soldered  except the end antenna feed. The solid copper came from some old coax pieces.

The SO-259 Antenna feed soldered in place, and on top the switch knob is installed.

There it is, completed top view. I'll add some identifying marks for each of the 6 switch positions. I got out the Ohm meter before I buttoned it up to make sure there was continuity between each switch position and the antenna feed input.  That is all there is to it. A couple hours planning and construction. A very solid switch that should last a long time.

Clock build final

At last I finished the clock - id timer, now named the CRON-O-MATIC.  What started out as the CHRONULATOR clock kit has evolved into a clock and 10 minute ID timer for the Ham Shack. I have to thank Mr. Boone for making a versatile kit that anyone can build, but at the same time be so easy to customize into whatever you can dream up! There is a gallery of people's projects that can be seen at his website that shows many different ideas.

Mounted Hours meter...

Mounted Minutes meter...

After cutting and drilling the front panel I started to install (and test fit) everything that was to go in it. First the meters go in.

Wiring up the front panel. 2 meters, an LED, and a toggle switch to turn on /off the ID timer.

The front panel plates were printed and etched. I used the blue etching sheets found online. I like these better that the old transparency method. 25 minutes to get a deep etch on these solid copper plates.

The finished product. The time is set, also the timer is set for a test run.

A 3/4 view of the CRON-O-MATIC.

Short movie....

Chronulator Clock Customized part 1

Well I decided that the clock was just too plain Jane for my tastes. :)  The look I am going for is old 1950-60's style analog radio gear.  I have a case and chassis for an old Globe 65A transmitter. I'll have to fabricate the front panel to match. The meters I will use are 4 1/5 "  200 DC Amp monsters.

Depending on what meters you use, you will have to figure out which resistors to change out from the originals. Fortunately Keith Brown has this webpage setup and is active in the forums.
http://www.island.net/~kdbrown/ChronulatorISource.php?calc_choice=1&configure=Configure+the+calculator



This is the case I will use.

A little rusty but it will work fine. Dark wrinkly paint should look good on this case.

Remember this guy? An ID O'matic I built a log time ago, and never found a home for. So now this clock has evolved into a clock and 10 minute ID timer! We will need a power supply now since the original clock is powered by 2 AA batteries. The ID O'matic needs up to 24 V DC to operate. ( 9 Volts works just fine)

I came up with this power supply. A quick trip to the local component store procured the necessary parts.
It will supply up to 12 V DC for the ID O'matic and 3.5 volts for the clock.. There are many schematics out there on the net, or design your own like I did.

I also had to change the 2 "Pots" out to get the little extra adjustment needed for my new meters.
Again Keith Brown to the rescue!
http://www.island.net/~kdbrown/ChronulatorISource.php?calc_choice=0&configure=Configure+the+calculator


I ended up with 500Ω "Pots".

Success!  Both meters work, there is ample room for initial adjustment and setup.

Chronulator Clock Build

This is a neat little project that I have been wanting to do for some time. Its called The Chronulator. What it is, is a clock kit that you put together. Whats so special about that you ask? Well this clock uses old analog stye meters (Simpson, Triplet etc.)
The link in case you want one too is : http://www.sharebrained.com/chronulator/
There is also a help forum if you get stuck. Expect quick reply's to questions!

I have been needing another clock for some time and thought this would be fun to do.

This is a fun easy kit to build if you use all the standard components that come with it. Everything is there except for a case of some sort. You have to use your imagination here.

A picture of the standard meters that come with the kit.

You take a template to create the look you want for the meter faces. Carefully take off the meter front and face plate. Print out your custom meter face, and glue it on. I used spray on adhesive.

This is the finished as it comes in kit form clock (minus some kind of case).

Hallicrafters S-38 E Final

The radio she is finished...

I decided to paint the cabinet since it had a few rusty spots inside and out. The grey Hammer-tone is a little darker than the original. I masked off the control panel to keep from having to re-do all the control knob lettering, and logo. Some time in the future I will get the hang of water-slide decals and do a proper job. The front glass was cleaned with denatured alcohol. I cut new rubbers for the bottom side of the glass out off out heat shrink tubing. ( gives the glass to metal a little cushion) The old ones were dry rotted. The S-38 series  radios were made between 1957- 1961.

The speaker needed serious help. It was very dry, dusty and I could see light through the cone! I did a little trick one of my Elmers showed me once. I sprayed the cone with clear enamel spray. 3 light coats and  it stiffens the cone up and makes it a little stronger.

This is the same original speaker. They make a commercial speaker cone paint (like with a brush). I like this cheaper method, fast and easy.

That's it for this old radio. I am on the lookout for a better knob set. If you really want to go first class you can buy or make your own bottom and back covers. Labels, you can get a copy of those too. Stain them with a teabag and it will look like the original labels! This radio is going to my night stand. I have an antenna already there for a short wave set.

Hallicrafters S-38E

A couple of videos showing the S-38E.

This one is AM band playing.

S-38E on 40 meters.  I decided to go ahead and paint the chassis since I have grey Hammertone paint. More to come...

Hallicrafters S38E

I picked up a nice little Hallicrafters S38E over the week end. This is one of those "it lights up but it hums" radios... I always ask what was it humming? ( I usually get a go to you know where look) :)

Here it is out of the chassis, mostly dusty.

There are 5 miniature tubes in this receiver. The dial string is in excellent condition so it will stay put.

 A look under the hood. A few black beauties to replace not too hard to get to either.

Interesting mod done this this receiver. I am guessing the 25 MF section went bad so they cut the blue wire and added it externally.  Probably would have been safer to use tape or heat shrink tubing on it rather that just let it float around bare.... The orange cap was substituted for one of the black capacitors.

All the caps are now replaced with the proper caps and heat shrink tubing applied where needed. Total time one and a half hours.

If you can not receive CW on your S38E, here is the fix. The grey pointer is on what is called a "gimmick". This one is formed when the brown heavy wire is twisted with one and a half turns of wire one end is on the IF CAN and the other is on the IF tube pin one. The brown wire snakes through the IF CAN and into a metal tie down. Remove the tie down, unsolder the short wire connecting these points and add one long enough to make 1 and a half turns around it. Keep the brown "BFO" wire in the IF CAN area and make it come as close as possible to the IF tube socket.

When you need just a couple PF of capacitance twist two wires together, for every inch or so you get a couple PF of capacitance.

This is what the brown wire "BFO" should look like on this end.

Between the next IF CAN and tube socket you will see a green wire. This one is long enough to unsolder and wrap around the heavy brown wire. Look back at the under chassis picture above  and you will see that it was wrapped onto and back under the brown wire. No good, it needs to go one and a half times around your "BFO" wire ......would this be a FAUX  BFO??    :) Sorry.....

A.M. Passive Antenna Loop

Here is an antenna for the A.M. band I built out of a recycled cardboard tube, some wire and an air variable capacitor. The loop is 16 3/8 tall with 24 turns of 20 gauge wire about an 1 in wide. So if my math is right I have about 103 feet of wire.

Not a real work of art, but it does work fine. I sprayed it with clear lacquer to keep the wire in place on the cardboard tube. I used tape to hold the wire in position (close wound) while I sprayed it. One note here the lacquer I used melted the tape in some places so I hit in between, let it dry then took off the tape to finish it. The hot-glue gun was used to fasten it to the wooden plaque.

A short demo of the loop in action. I found a very hard to hear signal down in the noise and tuned up the loop to hear it (them). There were actually two stations that came in. I'll have to listen to them to see where they are broadcasting from. Anyhow I am pleased with the result.

Twinplex Regenerative Receiver part 5 done deal

The Twinplex Regenerative Receiver has taught me a lot. It is amazing to think about all the experimentation that went on years ago to get to where we are today in radio.

I wound a coil for the upper part of the AM band. 87 or so turns to start, then removing 3 at a time until I hit where I wanted. I ended up with 76 to 16 (tickler) and may still take a few off the tickler coil to find the effect there. It is kind of narrow banded I think 920 to 1380.

  A side view Of the Twinplex with the AM (lower end) coil.

Front view of the Twinplex with the knob indicator and control plates I made for it. My wife says I should find copper screws or rivets to match.

A special thanks to my mentor on this project.

Twinplex on AM

A short video of the Twinplex working on the AM band. Listening to Baseball will be a hoot on this radio...

I found a 100 MMF capacitor in one of my coil forms. I wonder what this coil was used for in the past.

Twinplex Regenerative Receiver part 4

I ran a test with the receiver with a 9 to 3 coil and picked up this beacon station WLO. I wanted to make sure everything worked before mounting the front panel for the final time. I also picked up several religious broadcasts so I figure it must have been up in the 8500 over 40 meters anyhow.

I also built a 40 meter coil 9 to 2 turns. I listened to several QSOs and what sounded like PSK so I am happy with that coil.

 I mounted the knobs, and bolted everything down good. I still had a couple of hours to kill so I decided to try to build an AM coil. I found an AM loop stick that came in one of my son's old electronics kits. After mounting it inside one of my coil forms, I added 2 loops for a tickler coil. Worked first try! I found stations from 620 up to 770 so far. but it works surprisingly well.

The AM loop stick is laying on its side in the coil form. I do not know if that causes a problem or not. I'll try centering it to see later.

Belton Hamfest

Went down to Belton for the hamfest last weekend and had a blast. Scored some real deals on parts I was looking for, and some I wasn't. If you get a chance go down to Belton or any ham swap-meet. It is is good time plus you can get parts for a LOT less than online sellers.

I meet James KC5LDO for an eyeball QSO and a tour of his shack, while my wife and his chatted for a while. ( I think this was the highlight of the trip for my wife, she gets dragged along and usually has to fend for herself.)

I had a chance to look over some of the great projects he had built. I got a first hand demonstration on how his Regenerative Receiver works. That is one hot little receiver. With only a short antenna, it pulled in many stations. Home brewing at its finest! We talked radios, antennas, and all the things you expect radio nuts to discuss. I showed James what I had so far with my own Regenerative Receiver and of course he spotted right off a problem I had been working on for the last few days.

Well it wasn't long before I had to get back on the road ( had to work that night).  James loaded me up with a sack full of parts, (thanks again James) we all said our goodbys and hit the road...

Oh yea there was this UFO thing we saw on the way back :)

You just never know what you might see on the road...