Visiting Lilly

Dan under the Pathy

For the last few weeks I have been riding the motorcycle over to Lovettsville, VA and Harpers Ferry WV to visit family and help my son work on his truck.

Lilly Smiling at Heather!

Lilly is now about 10 mo old and is 'crusing' crawling and she holds her hands up when the football team scores!

Pass at the VA = WV state line with some new road construction Fall Colors starting to show.

HW-7 Versus HW-8 a Subjective Face off

HW-8 Versus HW-7 

HW 7 Top, HW 8 Bottom

HW 8 Transmit Test with WM-2

Back at the end of '08 I purchased both a HW-7 and a HW-8 to compare the DC receivers to the Willamette20 that I was constructing at the time.  I had tried them briefly but not head to head.  The HW-8 is going to be traded so before packing it up I thought I would test it for the next person and then I decided to put the HW-7 on the test as well.

These are some very unscientific findings based on yesterday's test.  The test setup included a Cuschcraft R7 vertical which is more or less tuned to CW frequencies, an Oak Hills QRP wattmeter and a Heath IP-18 regulated supply which is only rated at 500 ma so may not really be quite large enough.

The differences in the rigs include the the addition of 80M in the '8' in exchange for the crystal option on the '7'.  The other main differences are improvements in the receiver which manifest themselves as increased sensitivity and less microphonics on the '8'  There is also improved resistance to broadcast interference.  I owned an original HW-7 in 1972 or so that I built and used fairly often for several years and don't remember the broadcast interference but then again I usually used indoor dipoles tuned for one band rather than the R7 multiband vertical.
Anyway by careful tuning of the preselector knob I could still get readable signals with the '7' but it does not have the sensitivity of the '8' which has an RF Gain control.  The '7' though actually had a nicer CW 'note' (IMHO) than the '8' though with a good signal tuned in.  The sidetone however sounds much cleaner on the '8' vs a rather harsh sounding sidetone on the '7'.

On the transmit side I found both units to put out about 1 watt with the '7' being somewhat higher on all three of its bands.  The '8' put out just at 1 watt on 80M and then a bit less on 40M then a bit less on 20 and maybe 750mw on 15.  The '7' was over 1 watt on all bands.  This could be a result of weak p/s or individual tuning.

I have made maybe 50 or so QSO's with the Willamette20 now and it is a much better rig in some ways on 20M but of course you don't have the multiband option of the '7' or '8'.  The receiver in the Willamette20 is better than the '7' for sure and it sounds better than the '8' audio wise.  The tuning on the '20' is different because it uses a variactor diode instead of a capacitor.  The 10 turn potentiometer on the '20' makes for a nice although not linear tuning rate.  The HW's have a more linear tuning rate and a calibrated dial that is actually fairly accurate although not in the way we are now used to with modern radios.

Either of the Heaths will net you plenty of QSO's at the one watt QRP level but the '8''s receiver is overall better in sensitivity and resistance to  Short Wave B/C interference.

The single Band Willamette20 is at least equal and probably better than the '8' in the number of signals it will hear.  The 20 has a beautiful sounding sidetone and very smooth all solid state semi break in as well as a relatively hefty 4.5 watt output.

HW - 7 Story

In 1972 I purchased one of the 1st hundred or two HW-7's I ordered it new as soon as Heath was taking orders.  I lived in NC and built the rig and took it with me when I joined the Air Force in 1972.  Using a 15M dipole with 'clip lead extenders' taped to the WWII style barracks at Lowery AFB in Denver CO I made many contacts all over the world with the little rig.  Later on living 'off base' in a small house I was able to put a dipole up in the yard and continued to make contacts for several years.  This was my 1st QRP rig and getting another one was a trip down memory lane.  Later when the HW 8 came out I had been happy enough with the HW 7 that I did not think it would be worth buying another kit.  Well it is a step up as far as  the RX but I think I will keep the '7' 'just because'.

Another HW-8 on the way.

Links of lots of info Thanks to William Mcfadden WD8RIF
Good link to lots of HW-7 info http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8rif/hw7.htm
Good link to lots of HW-8 info http://home.frognet.net/~mcfadden/wd8rif/hw8.htm

CARA Hamfest

Columbia Amateur Radio Ass'n Hamfest at Howard Co Fairgrounds was last weekend and I took a ride over there on the way to some family visiting.  I met W3PO there and we got to visit and socialize some with some other hams that I have know for quite some time and they all seemed to be a lot older now.  I came home with some new connectors and purchased a new 'mini-mag mount' for the old Icom 24at that was pressed back into service with it's new battery from Batteries America.

Tailgating Old and New

M/C Bob's Mobile Rig

APRS Stuff 

APRS Prius Install

Small Car LOTS of Antennas

At the Howard Co. Fairgrounds

QRP QRSS MEPT

QRP Labs Transmitter working on bench

This is the QRP Labs QRSS Transmitter available from Hans Summers.  I purchased the kit at FDIM at Dayton and the tropical depression with 2 days of rain seemed like a good time to work on it.  Today I got the kit running on the bench still on 12 wpm with 36 ohm dummy load I am getting 5.08V p to p output on the scope.  This is somewhere around 50 mw and is set somewhat below max output as max output causes the transistor to run pretty warm.  I also found out that you can reverse voltage the PIC enough to cause a 2nd degree burn on the finger and it still seems to be working.  I am letting it run overnight or for a few days before I put the antenna on it.  Before it started working I had a bad looking sine wave at very low level. Also the final was amplifying this spurious signal.  After poking and prodding and reheating some connections it starting running properly.

Check the Yahoo Group on QRP Labs for info on this inexpensive kit.

Also check W4HBK's FL Grabber

This has now been on the air with a marginal 40M half wave wire on 10.140.70 sending 3 sec dits

'Stink Bugs' at Portable QRP location

I left the End Fed Antenna up at my mom's house in Lovettsville for a couple of weeks with the lead in coming through a window left cracked open and the room was infested with brown marmorated stink bugs when we came back this time.  There were so many on the curtains I took them down and threw them into the garden, then they all try to get back in!  They will climb on to the coax lead in and walk right back inside.  Finally I gave up and threw the antenna lead out the window and latched it.  No more radio with the window cracked open here!

This Penn State paper offers a good background info http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/brown-marmorated-stink-bug

There were so many of these creatures it was like a biblical plague.  The vacuum cleaner method seemed to be the best approach to getting them out of the house.  They are resistant to many pesticides and they do give off a mildly offensive odor when they are threatened or die.  We found they liked dark folds in the curtains, crevices in upholstery, behind pictures and mirrors on the walls, and other nice dark easy to get at spaces.  They come indoors in Sept -Oct looking for places to 'winter over'.  For collecting them without a vacuum cleaner, a large tall glass with some soapy water is good.  One of their defense mechanisms seems to be to fall so if you tap the glass on the wall underneath them they often just let go and fall into the glass.  They are good swimmers but the soap kills the surface tension on the water and they will sink and drown.  The best defense seems to be sealing all the cracks around the doors, windows etc.  

Have fun with these creatures!  It is a bit like a bad Sci-Fi movie.  

QRP End Fed Tuner Kit

A few months ago KI6J mentioned he was going to do a kit of his end fed tuner that he designed for SOTA use and it came last week.  Here are his pix of the kit.  Mine went together this far with no problems and I am looking forward to getting it finished and tested with one of the QRP rigs here.

Parts included in kit

Top Side of board with 3 bridge resistors

My tuner build

Bottom of board with tapped inductor, switch and polyvaricon

KI6J SOTA Station Tuner in upper right of pack, rig is ATS-3

4/4/2011  Still have not actually field tested the tuner however I noticed that Stu said he still had a few of the kits left for $25 shipped.  Contact him at KI6MWN@yahoo.com.

9/2910  Added the 5100 ohm test resistor to the output and tried it with the MFJ 259B set to 40M.  A nice dip was obtained in both switch positions.  With the bridge 'in circuit' the Analyzer read about 1.5 and with it switched out it read about 1.2 to 1.  This was done holding some of the connections and it was somewhat sensitive to hand position.

Schmatic of End Fed Tuner de KI6J

Post taken from AT Sprint Yahoo Group

To all:  here's a link to three pictures related to KI6J's little, teeny, efficient and just down right cute end fed half wave antenna tuner:  
http://cid-cda74515702b545d.photos.live.com/browse.aspx/End%20fed%20halfwave%20tuneer

One pic is a snap shot of the antenna analyzer's view for the original prototype version - Stu, KI6J, told me today that improving the parts layoout in Version 2 has reduced the reactive component to nearly zero, but I don't have a copy of that snap shot to share!
 
One picture shows Version 2 - the tuner and SWR bridge assembled and installed in a small project box - darn cute little thang!!
  
The last picture shows just the tuner board in the ugly style of construction.
 
Stu is commiting to produce 100 kits for the EFHW tuner with built in SWR bridge.  He has found a source for all of the components and is working on the PCB artwork now.  He expects to have the kits - tuner and SWR bridge - available by the first week of August 1, and expects the kit to sell at $30 plus shipping.  Note: the board is being designed to fit in the Radio Shack 2x3 inch project box ($3 at radio shack) but the builder will have to provide the enclosure and RF connector of choice.

He also has available, at this time, a few tuner-only boards, already built, like the one in the picture with the quarter for size reference.  Note: this board does not include a SWR indicator but is a ready-to-go end fed half wave tuner for 40 through 15 meters and is priced at $18 per board, plus shipping. You supply an enclosure, connectors and SWR indicator and you are good to go.

Thanks to all that have already contacted Stu and myself, and others interested in this end fed halfwave tuner - it works GREAT! I've got one and find it to be the easiest antenna system to set up, tune and get operate. Stu's e-mail address is:  ki6mwn@... and you have mine.  Please let Stu and I know of your interest in purchasing one of these sweet 40-15 meter end fed half wave tuners; notifying him/I will make it easier for Stu to plan his off-work hours accordingly and have the tuners ready as close as possible by that first week in August - if that date slips more than a couple of days, Stu or I will notify you individually.  If you have technical questions, address those with Stu. Please pass on, as appropriate, to other hams you interact with and think might be interested in this tuner and SWR bridge. Best regards, Jim Rodenkirch, K9JWV Disclaimer:  I have no financial interest in this endeavor - Stu and I are friends and I appreciate all he's done to get this end fed halfwave system up and running; I, simply, believe in this product, LOVE how it works for me and want to share it with other QRPers!  I, probably, will handle the shipping of the orders for Stu as there is no sales tax for out of state deliveries here in Utah; whatever my shipping costs are to your specific locale will be the cost to you. Note added Sept 2, '11 Hendricks now has a very similar kit see Hendricks SOTO EFHW

Coroplast Gel Cell Cover

2 4.5 AH 6V gel cells 

Primary are over and using a piece of Coroplast I borrowed an idea from Bob AD7BP and made a cover for one of my QRP gel cells and added a Powerpole connector to help prevent shorts and provide a bit of cushion in the pack, go-bag or luggage.

Coroplastic Batt cover

Powerpole Connectors are oriented according to Orange Co. Races info